'Love Storiyaan's sixth episode banned in multiple countries: Here's why
Karan Johar-produced web series Love Storiyaan has faced bans in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Indonesia, and Egypt due to its sixth episode, Love Beyond Labels. Premiered on Valentine's Day, the series—created by Somen Mishra and featuring six directors—explores the love stories of six real-life couples. The controversial episode follows Tista Das and Dipan Chakraborty, a transgender couple from Kolkata, who fell in love during their gender transition surgeries.
Why does this story matter?
Love Storiyaan is inspired by the India Love Project, founded by ex-journalists Priya Ramani, Samar Halarnkar, and Niloufer Venkatraman. The series is directed by six filmmakers: Akshay Indikar, Archana Phadke, Collin D'Cunha, Hardik Mehta, Shazia Iqbal, and Vivek Soni. First announced at a Mumbai content showcase in April 2022, it premiered on Amazon Prime Video worldwide on February 14. The show is bankrolled by Johar's Dharmatic Entertainment.
What did the banned episode 'Love Beyond Labels' feature?
The episode in question is directed by D'Cunha, which narrates the story of West Bengal's first married trans couple, Das and Chakraborty. Das, a transgender rights activist, underwent a sex change operation to embrace womanhood, while Chakraborty transformed through surgery to become a man. The two, connected through Das's organization, tied the knot in 2019, marking a significant chapter in their journey.
Understanding LGBTQ+ rights in the Middle East
The ban in Middle Eastern countries can be attributed to the "limited or highly restrictive rights" for LGBTQ+ individuals. In nine out of the 18 countries, sex between men is illegal, with five countries imposing the death penalty for such acts. Some Middle Eastern nations show varying degrees of tolerance and legal protections for transgender individuals. For instance, the Iranian government has approved sex change operations under medical approval, while the Syrian government sanctioned similar procedures in 2011.
Meanwhile, this is how trolling led to series title
During a special screening of the series, Johar shared that the title Love Storiyaan came from the line "Love Storiyaan" in the song Kesariya from his 2022 film Brahmāstra. The inclusion of Hindi-English words in the otherwise romantic track, featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, initially put-off many listeners. Johar explained that this unconventional choice "worked for them when they were finding a name for the new series."
