Freedom behind the bars: Exploring queer narratives in the films Aligarh and Great Freedom

Films are important for representing social issues and their consequences, such as the laws criminalizing a particular sexual orientation and its effects on the individuals concerned. The representation of queer stories in films brings to light the challenges faced by this group and the resilience shown by them to create and expand spaces and communities around this law. This article analyses two films, Aligarh and Great Freedom , showing how a law can destroy lives and affect a whole generation. Aligarh , a courtroom drama, and Great Freedom , a prison drama, portray hard-hitting stories of two human beings who are forced to live a tragedy only because of their sexual orientation.