Sridhar Rangayan (also spelt Sridhar Rangaihn or Sridhar Rangayyan; born 2 April 1962) is an Indian filmmaker who has made films with special focus on queer subjects. His queer films, ''

The Pink Mirror ''The Pink Mirror'', titled ''Gulabi Aaina'' in India, is an Indian film drama produced and directed by Sridhar Rangayan. Said to be the first Indian film to comprehensively focus on Indian transsexuals with the entire story revolving around two ...

'' and ''

Yours Emotionally '' Yours Emotionally'' is a United Kingdom-Indian co-produced film written by Niranjan Kamatkar & Sridhar Rangayan and produced by arts charity Wise Thoughts (UK) & Solaris Pictures and directed by Rangayan. It stars Premjit, Pratik Gandhi, ...

'', have been considered groundbreaking because of their realistic and sympathetic portrayal of the largely closeted Indian gay community. His film''

'' remains banned in India by the Indian Censor Board because of its homosexual content. Rangayan was born in

Mandya Mandya is a city in the state of Karnataka. It is the headquarter of Mandya district and is located from Mysore and from Bangalore. Sugar factories contribute to the major economic output. It is also called Sugar city (which in Kannada mea ...

, Karnataka. As a gay activist, he has been one of the front-rank leaders in the LGBT movement in India and has contributed immensely towards the growth of awareness about sexual minorities in India. He is a Founder Member and Trustee of

The Humsafar Trust ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speak ...

, the first gay NGO in India, along with Ashok Row Kavi. He served on its board till January 2013. He also designed and edited India's first gay magazine ''Bombay Dost'' between 1999–2003. In 2006, he was awarded the South Asian Achievers Award for his contribution to global mainstream media by Triangle Media Group (TMG), UK. In 2010, he has served on the Jury for the Teddy Awards at the 60th

Berlinale The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...

(Berlin, Germany), Jury for Matter of Act awards at the Movies That Matter film festival (The Hague, Netherlands) and also as Jury for Outfest, Iris Prize, Mardi Gras and Image+Nation. He is the founder Festival Director of

Kashish Mumbai Queer Film Festival The KASHISH Pride Film Festival (earlier known as KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, also known as Mumbai International Queer Film Festival and Mumbai Queer Film Festival) is an annual LGBTQ event that has been held in Mumbai, I ...

that is held in Mumbai, India every year for past 11 years, the first ever queer film festival to be held at a mainstream theater - PVR Cinemas (2010), Cinemax (2011-2013) and Liberty Cinema (2014-2019) He was elected as Regional Director (region 19) of

Interpride InterPride is the international organization that brings together Pride organizers from across the World to network, share knowledge, and maximize impact. To this end, Pride organizers design InterPride’s structure, programs, and initiatives, to ...

which is a network of more than 160 Gay Pride organisations from more than 35 countries in 162 cities, dedicated to LGBT

Pride parade A pride parade (also known as pride march, pride event, or pride festival) is an outdoor event celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer culture, queer (LGBTQ) social and self-acceptance, achievements, LGBT rights by country o ...

s and other events. He is also the Festival Director of

Flashpoint Human Rights Film Festival Flashpoint Human Rights Film Festival was a four-day festival held in Mumbai, India between 8–10 December 2010. It screened eight films from around the world that dealt with human rights issues at a macro as well as at a micro level; from g ...

that was held in Mumbai, India from 8–10 December 2010 at

Alliance française An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

de Bombay and screened 8 documentary films on human rights issues along with panel discussions on several topics like human trafficking and the law, violence against women and religious intolerance.

Early life and career

Sridhar Rangayan is a graduate of National Institute of Technology Karnataka and has a Post-graduate in Design from

Industrial Design Centre The IIT Bombay Industrial Design Centre School of Design (IITB IDC School of Design) is a design school part of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, a public research university in Powai, Mumbai. It offers four-year Bachelor of Design (B. ...

IIT Bombay The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay or IITB) is a public research university and technical institute in Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It is considered as one of the best engineering universities in India and is top rank ...

, specializing in Visual Communication. Sridhar Rangayan worked with the National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped as Mass Media Officer and then for a while as a textile designer for an export firm, designing tapestries and carpets. In 1994 he attended a short course in film appreciation at the FTII, Pune. Thereafter he apprenticed with Indian directors like Sai Paranjpye on the film ''Papeeha'' and TV serial ''Hum Panchi Ek Chal Ke'' and

Dev Benegal Dev Benegal is an Indian filmmaker and screenwriter, most known for his debut film ''English, August'' (1994), which won the Best Feature Film in English at the 42nd National Film Awards. Early life and education Dev was born in New Delhi to ...

on his feature ''

English, August ''English, August: An Indian Story'' is a novel by Indian author Upamanyu Chatterjee written in English, first published in 1988. It was adapted into a film of the same name in 1994. The novel portrays the struggle of a civil servant who is po ...

''. He wrote the screenplay and dialogues for

Kalpana Lajmi Kalpana Lajmi (1954–2018) was an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter. Lajmi was an independent filmmaker working more on realistic, low-budget films, which are known in India as parallel cinema. Her films were often woman-oriented. ...

's serial ''The Awakening'' (Doordarshan) and was the Associate Director for the serial ''Dawn'' (Star Plus). Both these were produced by

Bhupen Hazarika Bhupen Hazarika () (8 September 1926 – 5 November 2011) was an Indian playback singer, lyricist, musician, poet, actor, filmmaker and politician from Assam, widely known as ''Sudha Kontho'' (meaning cuckoo, literally "nectar-throated"). His ...

, the Assamese music director and singer. From 1999 to 2002, Rangayan scripted and directed several television series like ''Rishtey'' and ''Gubbare'' for (

Zee TV Zee TV (stylised as ZEE TV) is a Hindi general entertainment pay television Pay television, also known as subscription television, premium television or, when referring to an individual service, a premium channel, refers to Subscription bus ...

), ''Kagaar'' for (

Sahara TV Sahara One is an Indian Hindi general entertainment channel based in New Delhi. It is operated by Sahara India Pariwar. History Sahara One was launched as Sahara TV on 28 March 2000, which later in April 2003 was renamed as Sahara Manoranjan. ...

) and ''Krisshna Arjun'', ''Kahani Jurrm Ki'' for (

Star Plus StarPlus is an Indian Hindi language general entertainment pay television channel owned by Disney Star (formerly ''Star India''), a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company India. The network's programming consists of family dramas, comedie ...

). His serial ''Pyar Ki Kashti Mein'' for

Star One Star One was an Indian pay television network based in Mumbai. It was launched on 1 November 2004 and was it owned by Star TV and distributed worldwide by Fox International Channels. In November 2006, Star One was launched in the UK on Sky. ...

(2004) was the first Indian serial to be entirely shot on a cuiseliner (

SuperStar Virgo ''Explorer Dream'' is a ''Leo'' class cruise ship that most recently operated with Dream Cruises. She was built in 1999 by the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany as ''SuperStar Virgo''. Concept and construction ''SuperStar Virgo'' was or ...

) and also in Singapore and

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

. In 2001 he founded his production company Solaris Pictures along with his partner Saagar Gupta, a writer and art director. The company is perhaps the only production company in India to specialise in production of gay themed films. For his company, Rangayan scripted, produced and directed 'India's first film on drag queens' ''

Gulabi Aaina ''The Pink Mirror'', titled ''Gulabi Aaina'' in India, is an Indian film drama produced and directed by Sridhar Rangayan. Said to be the first Indian film to comprehensively focus on Indian transsexuals with the entire story revolving around two ...

'' which came 9 years after India's first gay film,

Riyad Vinci Wadia Riyad Vinci Wadia (19 September 1967 – 30 November 2003) was an Indian independent filmmaker from Bombay, known for his short film, ''BOMgAY'' (1996), possibly the very first gay themed movie from India. Born into the filmmaking Wadia family ...

's ''

Bomgay ''Bomgay'' is a 1996 Indian anthology of short films directed by Riyad Vinci Wadia and Jangu Sethna. The film stars Kushal Punjabi and Rahul Bose with music by Ashutosh Phatak. It is often regarded as India's first gay film and is known for its ...

''. ''Gulabi Aaina'' has screened at more than 70 international film festivals and won several awards. This film, which is a sensitive portrayal of the marginalised community of Indian transsexuals, has become part of libraries and academic course work in US universities. His first feature ''

Yeh Hai Chakkad Bakkad Bumbe Bo ''Yeh Hai Chakkad Bakkad Bumbe Bo'' (also known as ''The Sensational Six'') is a 2003 Indian children's film directed by Sridhar Rangayan, and written by Vijay Tendulkar and Sushma Bakshi. The film is based on a short story by Shakuntala Paranj ...

'' (The Sensational Six) is produced by the Children's Film Society of India CFSI. It is a children's film. It won the Bronze Remi Award at WorldFest, Houston and has been screened at several children's film festivals. The film is written by playwright and screenwriter

Vijay Tendulkar Vijay Dhondopant Tendulkar (6 January 1928 – 19 May 2008) was a leading Indian playwright, movie and television writer, literary essayist, political journalist, and social commentator primarily in Marāthi. His Marathi plays established him as ...

based on a story by writer and MP

Shakuntala Paranjpye Shakuntalā Parānjpye (17 January 1906 – 3 May 2000) was an Indian writer, actress and a prominent social worker. She was a member of Maharashtra Legislative Council during 1958–64, and served as nominated member of, Rajya Sabha (Up ...

. Rangayan's next film ''

'', a co-production with a UK production company Wise Thoughts portrayed the angst of a gay British Asian falling in love with a bisexual Indian man in a small town. The film has screened at several international film festivals including Tasveer – Seattle South Asian Film Festival and Prague Bollywood Film Festival. His next film 68 Pages about stigma and discrimination faced by HIV positive people has been funded by

DFID , type = Department , logo = DfID.svg , logo_width = 180px , logo_caption = , picture = File:Admiralty Screen (411824276).jpg , picture_width = 180px , picture_caption = Department for International Development (London office) (far right ...

, UK and co-produced by his company Solaris Pictures along with

. This film which premiered at the

International Film Festival of Kerala The International Film Festival of Kerala (abbreviated as IFFK) is a film festival held annually in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, India. This film festival started in 1996 and is hosted by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy ...

(IFFK) in December 2007 is about a

HIV/AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ...

counselor and how she instills hope and a will to live, among five HIV positive people from marginalised communities. A transsexual bar dancer, a gay couple, a sex worker and a drug user form the five narratives in this film.

HIVOS Hivos ( nl, Humanistisch Instituut voor Ontwikkelingssamenwerking, Humanist Institute for Development Cooperation) is an international cooperation organization, with its global office in The Hague, The Netherlands. Hivos provides support to civil ...

has granted a fund to support screening of the film throughout India as part of its advocacy initiative. The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has made the film mandatory for all counselor training programmes throughout India as part of their NACP III program. His next two documentaries on LGBT issues have been groundbreaking - ' Purple Skies - Voices of Indian lesbian, bisexual & transmen', produced by PSBT Public Service Broadcasting Trust is the first film on lesbians to be telecast on Doordarshan; and 'Breaking Free', a film about Sec 377 and Indian LGBT community, produced by Solaris Pictures won the National Award for Best editing (non feature) at the 63rd National Film Awards 2016 for editors Pravin Angre and Sridhar Rangayan. The film also won the Barbara Gittings International Human Rights Award at qFLIX Philadelphia film festival, USA He has directed and produced the feature film '' Evening Shadows'' which had its world premiere at Mardi Gras Film Festival, Sydney in February 2018. '' Evening Shadows'' is a story about a gay son coming out to his mother in a small town in South India and how his family reacts to it. The film has won 27 awards and has screened at more than 80 international film festivals. The film stars Mona Ambegaonkar,

Ananth Mahadevan Anant Mahadevan (born 28 August 1950), also credited as Ananth Narayan Mahadevan, is an Indian screenwriter, actor, and film director of Malayalam, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil films and television shows. Having been an integral part of the Indian t ...

and newcomers Devansh Doshi and Arpit Chaudhary. He was named to the

jury A jury is a sworn body of people (jurors) convened to hear evidence and render an impartial verdict (a finding of fact on a question) officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Juries developed in England du ...

for the

Teddy Award The Teddy Award is an international film award for films with LGBT topics, presented by an independent jury as an official award of the Berlin International Film Festival (the Berlinale). In the most part, the jury consists of organisers of gay ...

for LGBT films at the 2010

Berlin International Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...

(Berlinale). He has also served on the jury of prestigious film festivals Mardi Gras Film Festival, Movies That Matter Festival, The Netherlands,

Iris Prize The Iris Prize, established in by Berwyn Rowlands of The Festivals Company, is an international LGBT film prize and festival which is open to any film which is by, for, about or of interest to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or intersex a ...

, UK, Image+Nation LGBT dilm festival, Montreal, Quebec, Canada and

Outfest Outfest is an LGBTQ-oriented nonprofit that produces two film festivals, operates a movie streaming platform, and runs educational services for filmmakers in Los Angeles. Outfest is one of the key partners, alongside the Frameline Film Festival ...

, USA Rangayan was also chosen as one of the Grand Marshals at the 2016 Montreal pride parade, where he led the pride parade along with Canadian Prime Minister

Justin Trudeau Justin Pierre James Trudeau ( , ; born December 25, 1971) is a Canadian politician who is the 23rd and current prime minister of Canada. He has served as the prime minister of Canada since 2015 and as the leader of the Liberal Party since ...

Apart from filmmaking, Rangayan is also actively involved with human rights issues and the

disability Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, s ...

sector. He has made short film on cancer intervention and rehabilitation as well as several films on

hearing impairment Hearing loss is a partial or total inability to hear. Hearing loss may be present at birth or acquired at any time afterwards. Hearing loss may occur in one or both ears. In children, hearing problems can affect the ability to acquire spoken ...

Filmography

Director

* 1999 '' Rishtey'' (TV series) * 1999 ''Gubbarey'' (TV series) * 1999 '' Krishna Arjun'' (TV series) * 1999 ''Kagaar'' (TV series) * 2003 ''

'' (feature) * 2004 ''Pyaar Ki Kashti Mein'' (TV series) * 2006 ''

'' (short film) * 2007 ''

'' (feature) * 2007 '' 68 Pages'' (feature) * 2008 ''Bridges of Hope'' (documentary short) * 2011 ''Project Bolo'' (video films) * 2014 '' Purple Skies'' (documentary feature) * 2014 ''Aa Muskuraa'' (educational film) * 2015 '' Breaking Free'' (documentary feature) * 2018 '' Evening Shadows'' (feature)

Awards

Rangayan and his films have won several awards, both Indian and international. They are as follows: * Rajat Kamal National Award - Best Editor in the category Best Editing (non-fiction) at 63rd National Film Awards 2016, India (for film 'Breaking Free') * Best Narrative Feature at Chicago South Asian Film Festival (for film ' Evening Shadows') * Best International Feature audience award at Out On Film, Atlanta (for film ' Evening Shadows') * Jury Award for Best Men's Feature at North Carolina Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (for film ' Evening Shadows') * Interfaith Discernment Award at Kansas International Film Festival (for film ' Evening Shadows') * ‘Celebration of Courage’ award at OUT HERE NOW: Kansas City LGBT Film Festival (for film ' Evening Shadows') * 'Free To Be Me' award at Roze Filmdagen, Amsterdam (for film ' Evening Shadows') * Barbara Gittings Human Rights Award at qFLIX Philadelphia 2016, USA (for film 'Breaking Free') * Best Film on Social Issues Award at Ahmadabad International Film Festival 2009, India (for film '' 68 Pages'') * Silver Remi Award at WorldFest 2008, Houston (for film '' 68 Pages'') * South Asian Achievers Award 2006 by Triangle Media, UK * Jury Award for Best Film at Fire Island Film Festival 2004, New York City (for "

") * Bronze Remi Award at WorldFest 2004, Houston (for ''Yeh Hai Chakkad Bakkad Bumbe Bo'' – CFSI ) * Best Film of the Festival award at ''Question de Genre'' film festival 2003, Lille, France (for film "

") * RAPA award for Best Comedy Episode, 1999 (for "Piya Ka Ghar" – Gubbare, Zee TV) * RAPA award for Best Telefilm, 2000 (for "Khamoshiyaan" – Rishtey, Zee TV)

References

External links

* * ''The Asian News''
"Emotions run high in gay film"
* ''Telegraph'' – ''Graphiti''
"Breaking Free"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rangayan, Sridhar 1962 births Film directors from Karnataka Living people People from Mandya LGBT film directors Gay writers Indian LGBT rights activists National Institute of Technology, Karnataka alumni IIT Bombay alumni Indian male screenwriters Indian LGBT screenwriters Indian television directors Hindi-language film directors 21st-century Indian film directors