All About Section 377: LGBT rights understood via a new webseries

When it comes to intelligent television, India throws up zilch. A large chunk of our TV programmes continue to throw up completely unrealistic mummy-jis and bahus. And they somehow manage to keep the TRPs up.

Fortunately for those who want an alternative for the nails-on-blackboard screechy mediocrity, India has also finally discovered the art of making interesting webseries. Cue: sigh of relief.

Right from TVF's start-up story Pitchers to YRF's take on dysfunctional marriages Bang Baaja Baraat, there's a series for every kind of audience. And interestingly, almost all of them highlight issues or seek solutions for issues pertaining to our society.

In such a YouTube-friendly climate, it comes as no surprise that a channel called The Creative Gypsy has given platform to Amit Khanna's new webseries All About Section 377.

The first two episodes are just about watchable. There are some points where you might catch yourself laughing. One where 'Myself Suresh' rather introspectively explains why the story needs to start in the same old boy-goes-to-Bombay-to-model way. Another where we're told how the house-help Chhotu is made to do an army's work and the only breaks he ever gets are broken by the shriek, "Chhotuuuuu!". Chhotu also loves his porn, so that's great.

The characters can be interesting, if developed over the series. The neurotic gay photographer and Mumbai house owner. His beefed-up straight cousin from Delhi. The photographer's gym boy boyfriend who is full of random trivia. The manservant. The flaming gay make up artist. And his lesbian assistant. They're all in there, as long as Khanna moulds them right.

However, the entire premise, as you can tell by the trailer is not to provide humour and reinforce stereotypes. It is to slowly handhold you while doing the exact opposite.

Watch the trailer here.

The series aims to rid the protagonist (and you) of the same bias by living (and watching) a gay couple closely. The homophobe protagonist, as far as our best guess goes, probably has a change of heart in the end. And may have something to do with one of the gay men being his cousin.

But let's not over-promise ourselves and just wait and watch. As for now, we just have two episodes to go by.

You can watch them here.