Bollywood stars have welcomed the ruling by the Delhi High Court striking down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code holding that it violated the fundamental right of life and liberty and the right to equality as guaranteed in the Constitution. The ruling overturns a 148-year-old colonial law inherited from the British which in theory carried a 10-year prison sentence. Ironically, gay sex was legalised in Britain nearly fifty years ago.
“I welcome this decision with open arms,” said Mughde Godse, “I’m happy a man now has as much right to love a man as he has the right to love a woman. Gays no longer need to hide their feelings. I’m happy for many of my friends.”
Irrfan Khan was also strong in his support for the move: “It’s a sign of a system adopting a viewpoint that indicates openness,” he argued, “This will rid the guilt that gays live with and stop police exploitation of the community. I played a gay character in Mira Nair’s short film directed by Zoya Akhtar. I researched their anguish. It was terrifying.”
Imtiaz Ali took the view that it was, “One more step forward in personal freedom and towards building a fair and liberated country,” whereas Abbas Tyrewala commented, “I’m amazed and delighted. It’s a step I thought we wouldn’t be ready to take for another 20 years. Now if only we showed the same maturity in providing the right to freedom and option in marriage, religion, censorship, etc.”
Chitrangada Singh argued, “Every individual has the right to self-expression. Homosexuality didn’t stop existing just because we all denied it,” and Riya Sen added, “Most of my closest friends are homosexuals. I’m very happy for the gay community. We’re a democracy; so why curb anyone’s freedom?”
Shekhar Kapoor perhaps summed up the majority view with: “This should’ve been done long ago.”
