Actress Preeti Gupta, whose film “Unfreedom” touches upon homosexuality, says it was refreshing to see apparel brand Anouk for Myntra’s advertisement break stereotypes by portraying a lesbian couple as normal women. (Myntra/YouTube photo)
NEW DELHI — Actress Preeti Gupta, whose film “Unfreedom” touches upon homosexuality, has come out to support a new advertisement which looks at lesbian relationships in a refreshing way. She says it’s a step towards representing the community in mainstream media.
Reacting to the advertisement by fashion app Myntra, she said in a statement, “I think it’s quite progressive and path-breaking. A lot of people in India have a very biased point of view about the homosexual community, and the fact that the ad shows the lesbian couple as normal women is lovely. It’s close to how life really is.”
An advertisement for an ethnic apparel brand Anouk for Myntra, now an app-only fashion marketplace, has presented a new facade of homosexuality, looking beyond clichés.
It captures emotions like the anxiety and happiness of the lesbian couple before meeting one of the partner’s parents and highlights the change in thinking that seeped in over time as the Indian parents began to accept their daughter’s sexuality.
Gupta, herself, took a bold leap by choosing to be a part of “Unfreedom,” which talks about homosexuality. The film, which is directed by Raj Amit Kumar, was banned in India for its bold scenes.
Gupta notes that the advertisement ignites a hope for change and can be a step forward in breaking stereotypes.
“Before filming ‘Unfreedom,’ when I spoke to many lesbian women, the one thing that kept coming up as difficult for them was the fact that there was nothing in mainstream media that explored same-sex relationships. So there were no references to it while they were growing up, making them feel like freaks, which they aren’t.
“The advertisement might give a whole generation an identifiable reference — a representation on mainstream media. And I hope it is the first of many more to come,” she added.
The advertisement has created quite a buzz on virtual platforms as well and has garnered positive feedback from various quarters.
