Card 1:
Image Description:
Against a yellow-brown papery background, a black and white photo captures a man with a comically alarmed expression—his eyes widened and brows furrowed. His left hand is raised, fingers outstretched in a gesture suggesting the audience stop. In his right hand, he holds an old-timey camera-recorder pointed towards the viewer. Draped in a dramatic rainbow cape flowing behind him, he wears a neon pink logo on his chest resembling Superman’s, with the initials FW and a small heart beneath them. Text placed above his head, each have pride-rainbow colored shadows.
Text on card:
FEARLESS WADIA!
Meet Riyad Vinci Wadia -A pioneer gay filmmaker who put queer stories on the big screen.
Card 2:
Image Description:
Against an old-timey faded paper backdrop, a movie poster for Hunterwali featuring Fearless Nadia is positioned centrally. In the poster we see a person wearing black leather shorts and a fun orange cape. To add a sense of camp, Nadia wears a black mask, orange glove sthat match their orange cape. The ‘hunterwali’ stands in a triumphant manner, their arms extending upwards, holding an object that appears to be an animal skull.
Text on card:
Riyad's grandfather JBH Wadia and his brother Homi Wadia founded Wadia Movietone in 1993.
They produced stunt pictures, most famously those starring Fearless Nadia.
By the 1980s, the studio's glory had
faded.
WADIA MOVIETONE PRESENTS HUNTERWAL FEATURING FEARLESS NADIA
Then in 1990, Riyad made a documentary on Fearless Nadia.
It was about the studio's heritage.
But it also brought to life the camp and queerness that the images of Nadia, masked, sometimes cross-dressed, in leather shorts, wielding a whip evoked.
Card 3:
Image Description:
Two black and white faces are placed in the lower central region of the card, one of a man and one of an older woman. The man (Riyad Wadia) makes a comically surprised expression, while the woman (his mother) has furrowed eyebrows and a hint of confusion. Despite faded papery yellow, the slight smile on the mothers face paired with her son’s expression, hints at the uplifting nature of this visual. Two large speech bubbles, one a deep pink and the other a black with rainbow text, are placed near the faces of Riyad and his mother.
Text on card:
In 1993, Riyad accepted an invite to show Hunterwaali... at the San Francisco Lesbian & Gay Film Festival.
And, while signing up, he had ticked the box which asked if the filmmaker was gay.
San Francisco knew. But Bombay and, most importantly, Riyad's own family, didn't. Yet.
On Xmas eve, Riyad was on a drive with his mom when she expressed wanting a grandchild to play with.
Well, you shouldn't look to me for that to happen.
Why? Are you otherwise inclined?
Card 4:
Image Description:
A muscular black and white photo of Riyad is placed against a papery yellow background. The dull background is contrasted by the suggestive smirk seen on a centrally placed man’s face, as two hands caress his body. He wears a bright red and pink vest, with a similar vibrancy to the rainbow streaks behind him, which create a celebratory halo like effect. On the bottom right we see a gentleman, resting his face on his right hand, gazing at the audience with a gentle smile on his face. He wears a tie and formal button down shirt, adding to his charming presentation.
Text on card:
After coming out to his mom,
Riyad quickly came out to the world.
And it changed his Life
Personally - "Alive, free, exhilarated and gay, gay, gay! The pink champagne bottle had popped and the bubbles were overflowing."
"I found and lost love, became a fixture at gay bars,…and discovered Lycra."
And professionally- "I started to read and become aware of gay issues and reevaluate my life and its direction... It was during this time that the seed was planted in my head to make a gay film based in India."
Card 5:
Image Description:
In the bottom left corner against a papery yellow background, there's a black and white image capturing two men sharing a kiss behind an open book. Two hands hold the book open, and Riyad Wadia's cheeks appear pink, hinting at his embarrassment from being caught in such an intimate moment. Colorful hearts encircle their heads, adding a whimsical touch to balance the informative nature of the card.
Text on card:
He discovered inspiration in Raj Rao's poems in the book titled BOMGAY.
"Rai's poems were so explosive, so in-your-face gay, and so incisive about the urban gay milieu that he and I had been trying to capture in our screenplay.
What wasn't working in our prose came alive with vitriol in his poetry.
BOMgAY
I was determined to make something of this work."
Card 6:
Image Description:
On the lower region of the card, Rahul Bose is depicted lying bare-chested. His lips are parted, and his brows are tense, hinting at the actor’s in-scene arousal. This sensual imagery is juxtaposed by deeply saturated yellow sunny-side-up eggs placed on his chest, humorously resembling nipples. The background maintains an informative tone, while vibrant green and pink text, paired with the playful visual, adds a touch of whimsy to the card.
Text on card:
Riyad quickly put together a team of professionals to make his dream film.
"I had just completed some banal ad film assignments that had brought in some money - money that I could use to fund a short film project."
The big challenge was getting actors to sign up for the crucial role. They'd have to perform in the nude, with some frontal nudity.
"If we could convince two actors to do this for the sequence we had set in the public library then we were assured that our worries were over."
"I asked Rahul [Bosel if he could recommend someone. He immediately suggested himself"
With Rahul on board, getting other actors was easier.
Card 7:
Image Description:
Two men are positioned on the lower part of the card. One of them, with long flowing hair, gazes tenderly at his lover, who lies outstretched on a library table with his head tilted back in ecstasy. Two images from their intimate moments are discreetly included in this graphic—one capturing the long-haired man looking lovingly at his partner, and another possibly depicting them engaged in erotic acts. Adjacent to them, a spiky speech bubble in bright pink adds a vibrant pop of color against the paper background and black-and-white visuals.
Text on card:
Filming BOMgAY's nude library scene wasn't easy.
"The librarian supervising the location had to be distracted and led away while our actors got nude and simulated sex.
At one point the librarian figured out what was being shot and cried:
"You are making a
perverted porno!"
Riyad and his team assuaged the librarian saying they were making a social service film about ragging on college campuses!
Card 8:
Image Description:
A black and white movie poster for ‘BOMGAY’ is placed centrally against a faded yellow background. On the poster, a man is depicted lying bare-chested. His lips are parted, and his brows are tense, hinting at the actor’s in-scene arousal. This sensual imagery is juxtaposed by sunny-side-up eggs placed on his chest, humorously resembling nipples. Three aggressively red stamps are placed on top of the movie poster with criticising words describing the movie and the pioneering gay film with nudity in india.
Text on card:
The crew of BOMgAY was under pressure. Aiter all, it was being filmed at a time when Section 377 was still in play.
BOMGAY.. the meek shant inherit
"The real threat of being caught by the law making this film was felt by all of us at the time. It was a fear based on the fact that we were breaking the law. To start with, we were making a film about homosexuality and quite openly depicting acts of homosexuality - - crimes punishable with life imprisonment in India under the Indian Penal Code. We could also have been booked under several other laws for making what could easily be termed
LEWD
PERVERTED
LASCIVIOUS
Jail was a real possibility for the actors and crew.
Card 9
Image Description:
A darkened theatre with a lively and excited audience is placed in the bottom region of the card. The orange film poster for BomGay is projected on the theatre screen placed on right side of the card, by ab old timey film projector. The audience facing the right side of the theatre, cheer and compliment the movie and its creator, Wadia.
Text on card:
BOMgAY was released in early 1996. It was first screened at SoBo's NCPA along with Riyad's other film: A Mermaid Called Aida - a 52-min documentary on Aida Banaji, a Bombay-based trans woman.
"Showing the films at NCPA, provided me with a platform that allowed my work to be seen as art, and that, too, as serious art."
As Riyad waited nervously for friends and critics to show up, he could not have known the doors his own journey with art and queerness and desire would throw open.
"I was rather nervous. Two years of living a life as an openly gay man and my reputation as a filmmaker were finally going to come together at this screening"
Bravo!
So brave!
Revolutionary!
BOMGAY
ragentsofishq.co
The South Bombay audience applauded the films. But across India?
Card 10
Image Description:
In the bottom left, a black and white photo of a gentleman, resting his face on his left hand, gazing at the audience with a gentle smile on his face. He wears a tie and formal button down shirt, adding to his charming presentation. A large speech bubble with rainbow text is placed near him.
Text on card:
As BOMGAY travelled- "Within a few short weeks I started receiving letters from gay men in small towns and faraway cities.
They wanted to know how they could get a hold of a copy of the film. I was approached everywhere I went by men who would come up to me and tell me of some gay guy they knew, some friend they wanted to give the movie to.
It seemed to me that before my very eyes & whole new gay world was coming alive."
It was. It did.
Riyad Wadia
(19 Sept 1967 - 30 Nov 2003)
Sources: Long Life of a Short Film by Riyad Wadia in PlanetOut.com's PopcornQ
