ANALYSIS OF LGBTQ+ REPRESENTATION IN HINDI OTT SERIES: AN EXAMINATION

The research investigates the evolving portrayal of LGBTQ+ identities in Hindi Over-The-Top (OTT) series. In India, historically, the LGBTQ+ communities have faced marginalized and stereotypical portrayals. Post the decriminalization of same sex relationships in 2018, it paved way for more nuanced and progressive representation. Due to fewer censorship restrictions, content creators can present complex narratives which was otherwise not possible with traditional media. The series analyzed include Made in Heaven (2019, 2023), His Storyy (2021), The Married Woman (2021), Four More Shots Please! (2019–2020), and Rainbow Rishta (2021). Textual analysis is employed to examine the narrative construction, character development, and thematic treatment of the LGBTQ+ community in these series.