The transparent closet: Why should Karan Johar announce that he is Gay?

By Harish Iyer -

January 14, 2017 - 12:44 PM IST

Ours is a nation that bashes Chetan Bhagat after making him the bestseller. So is the case with Karan Johar. Everyone rants about how his films are mushy-mushy tear jerkers, but they end up being box office super hits. Let’s face it – we are hypocrites. Hypocrites in our own right. Therefore, we have no right to call Karan Johar as one. I am referring to the one issue that is grappling the nation after demonetisation – Karan Johar’s transparent closet.

The transparent closet: Why should Karan Johar announce that he is Gay?

In a deeply misogynistic (now homophobic) sense, the world wants a gay mooh dikhaai ka rasam, Karan has taken kasam to never lift the ghoonghat off his closet. But the world knows. He just is choosing to not spell it out. Yes, if Karan Johar opened up, it would do a great deal of good for the cause. Yes, if Karan Johar spoke up and said that he is gay and marched the pride march and held the queer flag in every film of his, we will jump with joy. But, there is a difference. He is a film maker. He can use his craft to relay his views on issues that he feels strongly about. And, he does it often. A bit of him percolates in every film of his. If you look at the gay portrayal chart of his films, it has gotten better, from two kissing friends, presumed to be gay by ‘Kantaben’ to two straight mates pretending to be gay (and one of them handed over the ‘kangan’ by the other’s mother) to finally a full blown gay character in a non-stereotypical kind of way in Kapoor & Sons, where the word ‘gay’ is not even used, yet everyone understands. He has progressed. He has created conversation.

Karan Johar is NOT an activist
Karan Johar is not an activist. We shouldn’t expect activity stuff from him. He is a film maker and a businessman. He doesn’t need to necessarily walk with the queer flag in pride parades or shout over the roof tops that he is gay. My LGBTIQ community should also get rid of our obsession with him, wanting him to come out all the time.

No gay creamy layer in cinema?
Where are all the LGBTIQ people in the cinema industry? There are gay lawyers, gay watchmen, gay creative directors, gay development workers, but there seem to be no gay LGBTIQ actors. Are they from some other planet? We all hear “rumours that are true” about so many actors. It is an open secret in the industry, that, there is a gay casting couch existing. But, somehow they all seem to be missing from the limelight. No one questions their silence as they watch Karan Johar from the side-lines. No one questions them because they haven’t given us a “tell it all, yet not tell it all” tale like Karan Johar does.

Karan Johar has said 3 words- “Go, F*@k yourself”
Karan Johar is not giving us a coming out. He deserves his right to not say what he doesn’t want to say. No one can pressurise him for saying. If you want him to say 3 words, he is telling those – “Go, F*@k yourself” Because, you are not going to get what you desire from him.

Section 377 affects everybody, but being gay is not illegal
Why should we, in the LGBTIQ community assume that it is an easy life for Karan Johar. It may not be so for him. 377 affects everybody. Everybody. It also affects heterosexual couples who have any other form of sex other than peno-vaginal. It is a ridiculous law. But I can’t be arrested for being gay, and neither can Karan Johar be arrested.

I will stand up with Karan Johar
Karan, I am with you. I will stand up with you. I desire that Bollywood people come to our gay parades. Would love to see them lift our flag and march as one of us. But, most importantly, if you don’t do any of the above, please continue making films with positive stories about LGBTIQ people.

Karan, I may agree or disagree with your silence, but I defend to death, your right to be silent.

Finally! There is no polite way of putting this…
Let’s freaking stop obsessing with Karan Johar’s private life. Go, get a life and let him live his. Harmless gossip is fine with ‘Koffee’, but, not this kind of obsessive intrusiveness.

And Karan Johar, to you, I would say, “They first laugh at you, and then they laugh with you”.

With you, Karan Joharji!