Human, at its core, is the story of human drug testing. But the Disney+ Hotstar thriller also has a poignant parallel track of queer romance. As one of the writers and directors of the show, Mozez Singh — who belongs to the LGBTQiA+ community — has sensitively told a lesbian love story through leads Shefali Shah and Kirti Kulhari. Recounting shooting the kissing scene, the co-director says it was imperative that both actors were comfortable, while also ensuring that they were honest to the moment. “As someone who belongs to the community, I wanted to present a realistic kissing scene between two women without [overdoing] it to fit unrealistic fantasies. I am happy that I can represent my community in my capacity as a director, and I hope this will allow other LGBTQiA+ storytellers to make films that tell their truth,” he says.
Representing his community in an honest way is crucial to Singh. Through Kulhari’s character arc, he brought out the anguish of a closeted lesbian who is trapped in a heterosexual marriage. “So many people from the community told me that the lesbian story, which has been poignantly portrayed by Kirti, was done authentically. This shows that people have connected to it strongly. When the audience connects with this authenticity, filmmakers will be left with no choice but to be inclusive. This is the way ahead for the future.”
A conversation about queer representation, however, is incomplete without discussing the lack of queer casting in the industry. Singh weighs in, “It’s important to cast queer people in queer stories, but it’s also important to cast them in non-queer stories. The best actor for the part should be cast; whether they are queer or not should be irrelevant. The more normal we make this conversation, the more opportunities we will give to queer people to be considered for any role. I’m waiting for the day when a gay actor will play James Bond. If this ever happens, the community will finally have a seat at the table.”
