Priyakanta and Suraj: Meet Manipur’s first onscreen gay couple – EastMojo
It was not that long ago that you could barely find a non-stereotypical gay character on a movie or TV show, let alone a male couple. Sometimes, they’d jump through hoops to imply the characters had feelings for each other without actually showing them together.
But things have changed, and now, we see gay couples portrayed with the dignity and respect they deserve. Priyakanta Laishram’s forthcoming Manipur’s first gay-themed movie: “Oneness” is a movie that does the same.
Priyakanta Laishram and Suraj Ngashepam, billed as the first gay couple in Manipuri cinema, have viewers hooked. Known for breaking stereotypes and always choosing multilayered characters, Laishram is among the best actors/filmmakers in the industry today.
Since his career’s inception, he has not shied from talking about different topics. Suraj Ngashepam, however, surprised the public because this was the first time he did something unconventional and out of his comfort zone. He plays Laishram’s love interest in the film.
Laishram, the writer and director, said, “I spent 8 months just looking for an actor to play the lead role. Every actor said no because it was the role of a gay man. Initially, Ngashepam was concerned about his macho image of a conventional film hero and hesitant to do a gay wedding scene. But later on, I convinced him.”
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Laishram said he had no apprehensions whatsoever when the part came his way. “You need a mass or a mainstream film to do this subject to normalise it,” says Laishram. “This is a perfect time. I have always been a risk-taker. It’s a character I am playing. What’s the qualm or negative side in this?” he added. He is hopeful that the film helps change the perception of homosexuality being “a taboo” and that the process of coming out to parents becomes easier for kids, especially in smaller cities and towns.
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