Opening India's closet

But Abraham and Bachchan had no such qualms. "I was laughing as I heard the script," says Abraham. "It's not offensive or derogatory. I said yes and didn't even think of the repercussions if there are going to be any." Bachchan was equally sanguine about the role. He says: "I'm not the kind of actor who is obsessed about one's image. I'm obsessed about not having one."

Both were so comfortable with the content and each other that Mansukhani often had to rein them in to keep the contact from becoming too cartoonish. Otherwise, he says, "they would go drastically over the top." The stereotypical gay flamboyance is not what the director was seeking. "I know exactly the tone I wanted," he says. "They did not need to be effeminate. We wanted to get humor in without making it cheesy." The priority was to make it lightweight and inoffensive, to the traditional and perhaps timid Hindi film viewer but also to the gay community. Johar says: "Even within the fun and games, handling it sensitively is a challenge. If we offend even one member of the homosexual community, it will really disturb me."

Johar, who earlier hosted a popular chat show on television and is considered a style icon, has been fielding questions about his own sexuality since he directed his first film in 1998. He has neither denied nor confirmed the rumors, but his ability to handle the issue with grace has created confidence that his film will do the same. Vikram Doctor, columnist and gay activist, says: "Karan is a class act. He is comfortable with himself, and that is an inspiration. Hopefully 'Dostana' will reflect that." Parmesh Shahani, author of "Gay Bombay," believes that "any mainstream acknowledgment, even if it is tongue-in-cheek, will go a long way. Laughing about it is the first step toward more textured and nuanced characters."

But at least a few are wary that the humor might be interpreted as ridicule. "This is token homosexuality," says Onir. "There is a need to normalize instead of perpetuating stereotypes. Moreover, being physical is an integral part of our culture, but by stereotyping that holding hands is gay behavior we are adding to the homophobia. The question is: What signal are we sending out here?"