India's 1st gay film to open IFFM's Pride Night
What's the story
The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) will kick off its LGBTQ+ Pride Celebratory Night with the screening of Badnam Basti, a 1971 film widely regarded as India's first queer-themed movie. The event is scheduled for August 22 and aims to honor queer cinema and South Asian identities in Australia. Directed by Prem Kapoor, Badnam Basti tells the story of a bus driver and a cleaner and delicately portrays queer desire.
Restoration details
The print of 'Badnam Basti' was presumed lost for decades
The film was reportedly shot over four weeks on a shoestring budget of ₹2.5 lakh and released with an 'A' certificate after some cuts. For decades, Badnam Basti's print was presumed lost until a rare English-subtitled version was found in 2019 at the Arsenal Institute in Berlin. This version, along with original negatives from Pune's NFDC-NFAI archive, formed the basis of a full digital restoration completed in 2025 for its screening at IFFM.
Director's statement
'Our responsibility to reflect the world we live in'
Mitu Bhowmik Lange, the director of IFFM, emphasized the festival's commitment to inclusivity and representation. She stated that screening Badnam Basti is a step toward achieving this goal. "It is our responsibility to reflect the world we live in, with all its diversity. This Pride Night is not just about celebrating queer identity but also reclaiming the space that has long been denied to LGBTQIA+ narratives in Indian cinema," Lange said.