NEW DELHI: Critically-acclaimed Indian filmmaker Onir wanted to direct a movie inspired by a gay army major who resigned and came out in a blaze of publicity — but despite the country’s democratic status the military stopped it being made.

Onir, who uses only one name, is gay himself and was among the first major Bollywood figures to openly acknowledge his sexuality.

He is known for his movies about the lives of socially marginalised groups, and his creative eye was caught by the case of Major J. Suresh, who hit national headlines in 2020 after he quit the army and announced: “Out!! Proud!! Liberated!!”

He later gave a ground-breaking interview on national television that went viral in the socially conservative country.

But when Onir approached the defence ministry for a “no-objection certificate” — which most studios, streaming platforms and producers now insist on to ensure there are no legal or administrative hurdles — he was rejected.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2022