Bhumi Pednekar, Onir voice discontent over SC's same-sex marriage verdict
The Supreme Court's recent decision to reject legal recognition for same-sex marriages in India has left many Bollywood celebrities disheartened. The five-judge Constitutional Bench—led by Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud—ruled 3:2 against granting the fundamental right of marriage to the queer community. This verdict has elicited responses from notable figures in the film industry, including actors Bhumi Pednekar, Celina Jaitly, and filmmaker Onir.
'Equality for all because love is love...'
Pednekar, who portrayed a lesbian character in Badhaai Do, shared screenshots of the SC's verdict on social media. In one of her Instagram Stories, she wrote: "Equality for all because love is love." United Nations Equality Champion, Jaitly also demonstrated her support for queer marriages in India by posting on her Instagram. Both actors have previously voiced their support for marriage equality and LGBTQ+ rights.
'Disappointed...': Filmmaker Onir responded to SC's verdict
Filmmaker Onir—who has been an outspoken advocate for marriage equality and LGBTQ+ rights in India—expressed his disappointment with the SC's judgment on X/Twitter, stating, "DISAPPOINTED...The cis-gendered world FAILED to be better humans, (sic)." He also questioned how long the LGBTQ+ community must wait for "majoritarian vote bank-based morality to regulate their lives." Earlier, ahead of the SC's ruling, the filmmaker posted a video titled, Equality is Non Negotiable.
Take a look at Onir's X/Twitter post
Other notable Bollywood celebrities who voiced their support
Other Bollywood celebrities who voiced their support included Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, Dia Mirza, and Athiya Shetty. These actors shared articles related to the news on their Instagram Stories. Notably, the court heard at least 21 petitions filed by same-sex couples and LGBTQ+ activists, all advocating for marriage equality under various acts, including the Foreign Marriage Act, Hindu Marriage Act, and Special Marriage Act.
SC verdict on same-sex marriage: Explained
The SC's proceedings on same-sex marriages occurred between April and May, with the judgment being reserved on May 11. During the two-hour ruling on Tuesday, CJI acknowledged that queerness is a "natural phenomenon" and emphasized the need for the government to ensure that the "queer community is not discriminated against based on their gender identity or sexual orientation." When it came to adoption rights for LGBTQ+ unmarried couples, the SC bench, in a 3:2 verdict, denied such rights.
