Lush Monsoon: We need authentic LGBTQIA+ representation in ent industry, ‘nuances beyond usual tropes’

Ayushmaan, a Delhi-based housing rights lawyer well-known by his drag avatar Lush Monsoon, is advocating for an authentic representation of the LGBTQIA+ community in the Indian entertainment industry.

After the release of the docu-series Rainbow Rishta, which captures the challenges and vibrancy of the LGBTQIA+ community in India, WION caught up with Ayushmaan for a quick chat over a variety of topics. 

Rainbow Rishta is a compilation of six stories that show the rawness behind queer love and what it is like to be a part of the LGBTQIA+ community in India. One of these stories is of Ayushmaan's.

Speaking to WION in an exclusive conversation after the release of the series, Ayushmaan said that the queer community "has mostly been portrayed as either caricatures or victims in entertainment in India." 

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"Growing up, I did not have any queer role models to look up to. All the queer characters were shown as either sad or suffering. I hope that through this series people get to experience our joy, love, and laughter," he added. 

He said that even though even queer people "face multiple struggles and challenges due to society’s heteronormative setup" but at the same time they also "manage to find our happiness, allies, and chosen families." 

"All the stories on Rainbow Rishta depict that it is possible to find love, and to be queer and thriving. I also hope that the viewers can see that LGBTQI+ people feel the same need for love and companionship as everyone else, and behind all our glamorous façade and stereotypes is the human desire to feel seen and visible," he told WION. 

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Ayushmaan pointed out that one significant challenge faced by the LGBTQ+ community in the Indian entertainment industry was the lack of opportunities to tell their own stories authentically. 

"With queer people behind and in front of the camera, we will be able to bring out the nuances in our life, beyond just the usual tropes." 

"Queerness isn’t just one thing and it has several different aspects. I wish people could see the experiences of people across the spectrum. And Rainbow Rishta tries to do that. Moreover, queer people aren’t always accorded the privilege of leading normal lives, so in our urge of assimilating we shouldn’t lose the richness of our lives."

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Ayushmaan revealed that initially while filming for the drag avatar for Rainbow Rishta docu-series, he faced initial hesitancy in front of the crew, but their genuine curiosity and appreciation for the art form overwhelmed any reservations. 

He said the directors and camera crew were familiar with his drag avatar but it was a surprise for the rest of the crew members.

"I felt a slight hesitancy in the beginning getting into makeup in front of everyone, but once they saw me in drag they were completely mesmerised. Some of the crew were from my home state of Jharkhand, and they came to me after the shoot was done to tell me that they appreciated the art form and wanted to know more about it. It was really heartening to see people from different backgrounds be appreciative. I hope that the show will have the same effect on the viewers."