Rangayan’s film Gulabi Aaina, which remains banned in India, will be screened as part of the Pride activities.
Indian filmmaker Sridhar Rangayan will be representing the Indian LGBTQ community on August 14 at Montreal pride parade 2016. According to Rangayan, he will be representing the voice of millions of LGBTQ Indian at the pride march.
Rangayan has been selected as a Grand Marshal for the Montreal Pride 2016. Speaking about the message he will be giving out with this platform, Sridhar said: “But the most important message that should go out to all is ‘live and let live’. The government should take the lead in ensuring that all citizens have equal rights. It is sad that when most of the prominent countries in the world have got rid of anti-discriminatory laws and even passed same-sex marriage laws, India is hanging onto this antiquated law. I would like to make a strong plea to everyone to speak out and call for repeal of Section 377.”
Rangayan has been working for the LGBTQ community for more than 20 years. Rather than dressing up with a specific dress code, he stated that waving the Indian tri-color is will be his pride.
“It is indeed a huge honour because it puts the Indian LGBTQ community’s struggles and aspirations on the global centre stage. Section 377 is an obstacle in mainstreaming LGBTQ issues. The law has been misused repeatedly to extort, blackmail and sexually harass gay and transgender persons. And by the very fact that this law exists, it inhibits LGBT persons from coming out openly and living with dignity, seeking love and fulfilment. It offers a tool to society to stigmatise and discriminate. Section 377 should be done away from the statute books soon and have a separate new law to protect younger persons from sexual exploitation,” added Rangayan.
Rangayan’s debut film Gulabi Aaina (Pink Mirror) made in 2003, which remains banned in India, will be screened on August 10 as part of Montreal Pride activities.
Speaking about the response the LGBTQ community gets in India, he stated, “It is not only the law that allows discrimination, but also society’s own prejudices that pushes LGBTQ persons underground. We need sexual education and awareness. We need to sensitise the larger public towards sexual diversity and non-binary gender expressions.”
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Filmmaker Sridhar Rangayan")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}