Onir: My concern was that we can’t afford Pritam

As Pritam creates Bollywood’s first album celebrating queer love for We Are, director Onir says musician has forgone fee to show his support for LGBTQiA+ community

Slowly but steadily, the Indian content landscape is opening up to more queer stories since the decriminalisation of Section 377. Filmmaker Onir, who identifies as out and proud queer, says he intends to push the boundaries with We Are. The anthology series — a sequel to the National Award-winning I Am (2010) — while making a push for inclusivity, will feature Bollywood’s first music album that focuses solely on the many facets of queer love. Pritam has shouldered the responsibility of bringing melody to the emotions while also creating a special LGBTQiA+ love anthem.

Excited as he is to collaborate with his Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) colleague, Onir says he was moved by the musician’s gesture — as an ally of the community, Pritam chose to forgo his remuneration for the five-track album. “Pritam and I have known each other since 1991. My first concern was that we can’t afford him. His fees don’t [fit the budget] of my indie film.” The filmmaker says he was keen to have four songs that would seamlessly capture the essence of the anthology’s distinct stories. “Four stories — gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender — will be reflected in the song. It’s written with the sensibility where a man is singing to a man, a transgender woman is performing, and so on. Hindi film songs are gendered to fit the cisgender prism. It was Pritam’s idea to create a theme song that celebrates the community.”

The composer has begun work on the album with lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya. Admitting that the concept is novel for him, Pritam says, “I’m going completely by the script. I want each story to have its own sound.” To him, the project represents a larger cause. “I don’t know whether my support for this film will encourage others to do their bit in [promoting] inclusivity. I hope I can create music that will be appreciated and owned by the LGBTQiA+ community.”

Onir adds that through the album, they are going beyond championing the cause. “For one of the stories set in Kashmir, we hope to launch a local singer. This film’s approach is not about accepting one’s identity; I’m no longer negotiating my existence. It is a celebration of queer love in its entirety.”

Also Read: Onir: World is full of closet homophobes

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