Released in 1971, the Indian queer and Bollywood film, Badnam Basti, arrived at a pivotal time for global LGBTQ+ rights, politics, and pop culture. Just four years earlier, the UK had partially decriminalised sex between men over 21, and in 1969, the Stonewall uprising in New York City ignited a new wave of queer activism. The early ’70s would become a significant period for LGBTQ+ cinema, with the release of landmark films such as Boys in the Sand, the iconic lesbian vampire film Daughters of Darkness, and Sunday, Bloody Sunday. In this context, Badnam Basti stood out not only as India’s first queer film but as part of a global shift toward representation on screen.

Based on Kamleshwar’s 1957 novel Ek Sadak Sattavan Galiyan (A Street with 57 Lanes), Badnam Basti tells the story of two men: Sarnam, a bus driver and small-time criminal, and Shivraj, a temple cleaner and worker. Their bond, marked by intimacy, tension, and emotional complexity, subtly explores a same-sex relationship without directly labelling the characters’ sexual identities. This narrative ambiguity was likely a strategic move to pass India’s strict Central Board of Film Certification requirements at the time, allowing the film to receive an ‘A’ certificate and be shown to general audiences.

Upon its release, Badnam Basti received mixed reviews and quickly faded into obscurity. Over the decades, no known prints of the film were thought to exist, rendering it a ghost in the archives of Indian cinema. That changed in 2019 when a surviving print was miraculously discovered. The restored film was screened to a limited audience in 2020, reigniting interest in its legacy and historical importance.

This year, the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) has honoured Badnam Basti with a special screening that not only celebrated the film’s recovery but also its unique place in South Asian queer cinema. As part of the festival’s Pride Night program, the event spotlighted a film that dared to explore themes of male intimacy and identity decades before it was culturally accepted or openly discussed in Indian society.

More than just a rediscovered classic, Badnam Basti stands as a quiet yet bold contribution to queer media history. Its depiction of emotional connection and companionship between two men, though understated, broke new ground in Indian cinema, paving the way for future LGBTQ+ storytelling in the region.

In revisiting this once-forgotten gem, IFFM 2025 honoured not just a film, but a milestone moment of courage and creativity in Indian queer cultural history. For audiences today, the film represents a piece of art that was far ahead of its time and offers an opportunity to reflect on how far queer representation has come and how much further it can go.

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