Director Karan Johar, 43, said Bollywood's leading male actors are ready to portray homosexual characters onscreen. Hinting at the possibility of an upcoming film, he said actors such as Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan would have no problem playing gay roles.
Johar made these remarks at the trailer launch of the film "Aligarh" by director Manoj Bajpai, which delves into the issues of homosexuality. Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir could play a gay character as portrayed in Bajpai's film depending upon the script, Deccan Chronicle quoted Johar as saying during the event.
Johar said if the script was good and poignant, he was sure that the three Bollywood mega stars would have no problem playing the roles. Concerns of the LGBT community have been addressed in his previous films, including "Dostana" and "Mumbai Talkies" but he recently brought such issues to the fore at the Jaipur Literature Festival.
Johar reportedly stole the show on the first day of the annual festival when he discussed rights issues of those in the LGBT community, and about his youth. He was also invited to speak at a session moderated by famed Indian author Shobhaa De and Johar's biographer Poonam Saxena while promoting his book titled "An Unsuitable Boy."
Johar, fondly known in the film industry as KJo, generated a bit of buzz regarding his own sexual orientation. While a confirmation on such a stance remains unclear, his remarks led attendees to understand from where they took hold.
"I hated the word 'pansy' and I was called that as a child. I was effeminate and I used to have sleepless nights over the fact that I was different from other children," The Express Tribune quoted Johar as saying.
Johar added, "Whether its 'Kal Ho Na Ho' or 'Dostana,' I discussed the issue in the mainstream. I received so many letters from youngsters, saying that my movies helped their parents identify their sexuality.
According to Johar, his parents were his support system during his youth. He also claimed that he was the first film director in Bollywood to discuss such issues through film, and he is happy that he has set the trend for others to follow.
Catch the trailer for the film "Aligarh" below :
