LGBT community slams Karan for comments on his sexual orientation

The Asian Age With Agency Inputs

Entertainment, Bollywood

The community slammed him for spreading fear among those who are still in the closet.

Karan Johar's 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' released in October last year.

Mumbai: Karan Johar recently made headlines when his revelations about his sexual orientation in his biography 'An Unsuitable Boy,' got released and went viral.

In his comment, he revealed that he is embarrassed of the country for its regressive approach towards homosexuality and that he'd never come out of the closet officially thanks to the judiciary of India. The filmmaker was referring to IPC Section 377 (unnatural offences), which criminalized homosexual intercourse.

While many empathized with Karan, the LGBTQ community took an objection to his misinformed statement and slammed him for spreading fear among those who are still in the closet.

Pallav Patankar, noted LGBTQ activist, told Mid-Day “If an uneducated person in a remote Indian village comes and tells me that they are scared of coming out, I’d take it, but this coming from somebody with a stature as big as Karan’s, I feel let down. He should be coming out as an empowered and powerful individual, and actually make a difference for those helpless people living in villages. People who were earlier earlier considering coming out will now sit and think twice, worried that an FIR might be involved — but this is baseless. You won’t be arrested for coming out.”

Patankar further revealed that the community will stand and support Karan if he does get jailed even if he doesn’t come out in the open and lend his support to the community. Apart from him, other communities have also expressed their displeasure on Karan’s statement by bashing the filmmaker for misinforming people and encouraging homophobia.

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