Platformised Intimacies Shaping Gender Sexuality and Queer Subjectivities in Indian OTT Narratives
This study argues that Indian OTT series like *Made in Heaven*, *Paatal Lok*, and *Kohra* utilize platformised storytelling to deconstruct traditional gender archetypes and present nuanced, intersectional representations of masculinity, femininity, and queer subjectivities that move beyond the constraints of mainstream broadcast television.
Original paper licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This is an AI-generated explanation of the paper below. It is not written or endorsed by the authors. For technical accuracy, refer to the original paper. Read full disclaimer
For decades, the television screen in an Indian home was a shared space, a communal hearth where families gathered to watch stories that reinforced a single, unified set of values. The shows were designed to be safe for everyone, avoiding controversy to keep the entire household watching together. This "family viewing" model meant that characters, especially men and women, had to fit into very narrow, predictable boxes. Men were expected to be strong, unemotional providers, while women were defined by their roles as caregivers and wives. Anything that fell outside these strict lines—such as complex sexual identities or men who showed vulnerability—was largely invisible or treated as a joke. However, a new kind of storytelling has emerged on internet streaming platforms, where people watch shows on their own phones or laptops, alone or in small groups. This shift has allowed creators to tell stories that are messier, more personal, and far more honest about the complexities of modern life.
Researchers Radhika Khanna, Tathagata Mitra, and Kamalaveni Veni from Pondicherry University set out to understand how these new streaming narratives are changing the way gender and sexuality are portrayed in India. They focused on three popular Hindi series: Made in Heaven, Paatal Lok, and Kohrra. To make sense of what they found, the researchers used three well-known ideas from social science. First, they looked at the idea that gender is not something you are born with, but something you "perform" through your daily actions and choices, like a role you play that can change over time. Second, they examined how society often elevates one specific type of manhood as the "best" or most powerful, while pushing other ways of being a man to the sidelines. Finally, they considered how a person's identity is shaped by the combination of many different factors, such as their class, caste, religion, and sexuality, all working together to create unique challenges and privileges.
The study reveals that these streaming shows have moved away from the stable, idealized characters of old television. Instead of showing men as unshakeable heroes, the series present masculinity as a fragile and often painful struggle. In the crime thriller Paatal Lok, the main character is a police officer who is supposed to be a figure of authority and strength. Yet, the show depicts him as deeply insecure, struggling to be respected by his family and his superiors. He is not a perfect hero; he is a man trying to prove his worth in a world that keeps denying it. The series suggests that true strength for a man might not be about physical dominance or control, but about empathy and the ability to face one's own failures. This is a stark contrast to the traditional view of the police officer as an untouchable symbol of power.
Another series, Kohrra, explores how the pressure to be a "strong man" can destroy families. One character, a wealthy and respected father, tries to control his son's life with an iron fist, believing this is what a good father should do. This rigid approach creates an environment of fear where his son cannot be honest about who he is. The tragedy that unfolds shows that when a man refuses to show emotion or admit vulnerability, it can lead to devastating consequences for everyone around him. The story argues that real maturity for a man is not about holding onto power, but about the courage to let go of control and accept the truth.
The researchers also found that these shows are redefining what it means to be a woman. In the past, female characters were often shown as self-sacrificing figures whose main goal was to keep the family together. In Made in Heaven, the female protagonists are ambitious, flawed, and driven by their own desires. One character uses marriage as a tool to climb the social ladder, while another fights to keep her dignity when she discovers her fiancé's family is demanding money they are not entitled to. These women are not punished for their ambition or their moral gray areas. Instead, the stories show that a woman's identity can be built on her own terms, navigating the difficult intersections of class, money, and social expectation without needing to be a perfect saint.
Perhaps the most significant shift is in how these stories handle queer identities. For a long time, gay characters on Indian television were either invisible or used as comic relief. In these new series, queer characters are central to the story and are treated as fully realized human beings. One character is a successful, upper-class businessman who is gay, yet he still lives in fear because of the stigma surrounding his sexuality. The show does not present him as a victim or a hero, but as a complex person navigating a world that is not ready to accept him. Another story shows a police officer slowly learning to accept his subordinate's sexuality, not through a grand speech, but through a quiet, personal realization that their bond is more important than societal prejudice. These narratives suggest that being queer is not just about sexual orientation, but about how that identity intersects with family, class, and the pressure to fit in.
The researchers conclude that the rise of these streaming platforms has done more than just change how people watch TV; it has changed the stories themselves. By allowing audiences to watch privately, creators are free to explore the messy, contradictory, and deeply human sides of gender and sexuality that were once too risky for mainstream television. These shows do not offer simple answers or perfect role models. Instead, they offer a mirror to contemporary Indian society, showing that being a man, a woman, or a queer person is a complex, ongoing process of negotiation. The stories suggest that the future of Indian screen culture lies in embracing this complexity, allowing for characters who are vulnerable, ambitious, and beautifully imperfect.
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