Onir-directed anthology film ‘Nandini’ is set to open the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. Other directors contributing to the anthology include Imtiaz Ali, Kabir Khan and Rima Das. Set in Melbourne, the film tells the story of a queer Indian man and his estranged father who reunite to complete a ceremonial ritual, exploring their strained relationship and the power of forgiveness amid grief. The anthology will have its world premiere on the opening night on August 15.

In an exclusive conversation with IndiaToday.in, Onir discusses his experience of working on the film, co-directing it, and why gay films remain an exception globally.

Excerpts from the interview:

What did you learn about yourself while working with all the foreign cast and crew in Nandini?

Yes, it was an all-Australian cast and it was really fun working with my co-director Willian. He is an Australian of Chinese descent and very young, so you get to know how people from other cultures view you because the film is about a queer Bengali boy coming to Australia. It was interesting to see how certain aspects were demystified. Co-directing in this way, where every opinion contributes to the filmmaking process, was a learning experience. Through this film, I learned to improve my ability to listen to others’ perspectives as a creative person, which is valuable. I feel more attuned to the film’s setting in Australia and have gained a deeper understanding of the sensibilities of the audience there through my collaboration with the Australian cast and crew.

The film deals with sensitive topics like grief and forgiveness. Did you take any special precautions or restraints while directing it?

I don’t have to keep any of these things in mind because they are ingrained in me. I don’t have to make any conscious effort to be sensitive as being sensitive is an essential part of my identity. It’s something I practice every day. When you come from a place of being a minority and facing various kinds of discrimination as a gay man, you become sensitive to anyone from minority communities and acts of discrimination or harassment. This sensitivity is a part of my nature.

Absolutely, but my question wasn’t about being sensitive to the gay community, but about dealing with the topic of grief and forgiveness, as that is a very sensitive topic in itself.

What I mean is that, while being gay makes you more sensitive to issues of discrimination, it doesn’t mean that sensitivity is limited to homosexuality alone. Overall, you become more sensitive to these topics. This film addresses loss, which resonates deeply because, as someone who has faced denial of identity for a long time, that experience can feel like a form of loss in itself. Even my first film dealt with themes of loss, so exploring this topic is not new to me; it’s been a part of my work from the beginning.

You have long been an advocate for LGBTQ representation in films. Although there has been progress in this direction, do you think it is enough?

I think the biggest change is that when I was younger, there was zero representation, but now people come out through social media. People have enough context to research, understand, and reach out for support. Of course, there’s a lot of hate that comes with it as well. I think our world has progressed a lot, but we still have a long way to go because there are a lot of countries where we are still criminalized by the law. Also, in our own country, we are still not equal citizens, and are fighting for equal rights, marriage, adoption, and things related to marriage equality. So, there’s a lot. I mean, the process is ongoing.

Given that audiences today are much more receptive, do you think you could present a film like this in a more mainstream format?

I have always believed that there is an audience that is ready to watch (such films), but there are fewer people who believe they should be given the opportunity. Stories are often boxed into labels like “gay story” or “weird story”, while no one labels a story as “straight”. It is treated as a symbolic gesture rather than true representation. In the heterosexual world, our stories are often constrained by such labels.

I would love to remake Hamlet here, but which mainstream actor would be willing to explore intimacy like Hollywood actors? Now, all the stories are only about acceptance, but my life is beyond acceptance. So why is everything around my existence and my story geared towards that story? Why are they not letting us tell our story, just like everyone agrees how important it is for women to be behind the camera? Why don’t these same people recognize that gay people should tell their stories.