National award-winning filmmaker, best known for My Brother Nikhil and I Am, has just released his autobiography, I am Onir and I am Gay, at age 53. Too young to do a book on his life, you think? Not when you realise that the experiences of a queer man trying to navigate his identity, sexuality and passion are enough to-quite literally-fill a book.
"It wasn't something that I'd planned to do at all," Onir says. "Five or six years ago, I was talking to my agent about another book, and he's the one who planted the idea in my head. He was the first person to tell me that it would help other people, especially from the Queer community."
It was only after the lockdown that Onir started to think about it seriously, spurred by the fact that a lot of people-including from within Bollywood used to write to him, asking about his journey and how he found the 'courage' to be out and proud. He felt the need to help them, to provide answers, to provide the kind of representation that he himself never saw on-screen or in popular culture.
"There aren't too many people from the industry or otherwise who are out or who can freely say 'I am gay'," explains Onir. "So, I thought that by writing this book I could empower younger people who are trying to deal with their identity. And for people who are not from the Queer community, and also for allies, I wanted them to understand us better, to understand our journey better."
It's evident before you even open the book what Onir wants to say. The tagline of the book plainly and simply states: 'Equality is non-negotiable'.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 20, 2022-Ausgabe von Brunch.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 20, 2022-Ausgabe von Brunch.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Let's tri all the angles
BFFs falling for the same girl, kidnap twists, murders, bromances. These 10 three-way love stories play with geometry and our feelings
Should you Q up for this?
Audi's luxury SUV, the Q8, has had a refresh. But a sleeker grille and headlight tech don't make up for what's still missing
How to plan a great escape
It's getting colder. It's already hard to breathe. Why not plan a winter vacation that's a world away but not too far away?
Kababs, yes, but khandvi too
Mughlai cuisine has as many vegetarian dishes as meaty ones. A new translation of a 16th century manuscript shows how we ate, and why modern labels are pointless
I can be your hero
Gurfateh Pirzada, only afewroles old, is the green flag we didn't know we needed. He's learning from women. He wants to be more thana lover and a fighter. He's hoping we all do better. No wonder everyone's crushing on him
Meet the export experts
Khadi crop-tops in Spain, faux-leather hoodies in London, fairytale wedding gowns in the UAE. See how some desi labels are killing it on foreign shores
Why we're all feeling Blue
Coco Mellors's new novel is about grief, sisterhood, and of course, addiction and unlikeable women. How does she make it work?
This week, we're...
Changing the momo game, listening to kids, starting a new business, and supporting pro waxxers
Rohit Chawla
Photographer, artist, @RohitChawlaPhotography_
Congratulations, it's a goal
Lakeside vows, pastel palettes, bayous, backyards and boats. These celeb weddings are what modern fairytales are made of