I’m a criminal, I’ve had oral sex: Hansal Mehta

As the Supreme Court gives its final verdict to the curative petition submitted by the Naz Foundation, an NGO that stands for gay rights, on Article 377 (which makes gay sex, irrespective of age and consent, a punishable offence), filmmaker Hansal Mehta says that if the law is to stay on, even he’s a criminal.

As the Supreme Court gives its final verdict to the curative petition submitted by the Naz Foundation, an NGO that stands for gay rights, on Article 377 (which makes gay sex, irrespective of age and consent, a punishable offence), filmmaker Hansal Mehta says that if the law is to stay on, even he’s a criminal.

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta is courting troubles for his upcoming film on gay sex, Aligarh. (PTI)

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“Today, right now, Section 377 is not just about homosexuality or about consenting adults having sex. It is for most of the adults. Even I am a criminal in the eyes of the law because anybody who has had oral sex is a criminal. Majority of India is a criminal because of 377,” he says.

Read | Censor is behaving like a homophobic society: Hansal Mehta on Aligarh

However, the filmmaker, who won the Best Director at the National Awards for Shahid (2012), is optimistic about the verdict. “There is a lot of public support. The legal team of Naz Foundation, the petitioners, is very passionate and have worked relentlessly over the years. I am hopeful that this stupid law will go away,” says Mehta, whose next movie, Aligarh, is based on the life of a gay professor caught in a sting operation.

Read: Mr Nihalani, films on homosexuality can be shown to teenagers