Is B-town ready for first gay kiss scene?

Debutantdirector Sanjay Sharma, is confident that Censor Board will approve the gay kiss in his film. It promises to be one of the boldest portrayals of explicit sexual relationship between men.

Debutant director Sanjay Sharma, who's set to bring the first Indian gay love story onscreen, is confident that the first gay kiss in mainstream Indian cinema would be approved by censors. The film titled Dunno Y... Na Jaane Kyun is Bollywood's answer to Brokeback Mountain and is planned for May release.

Homosexuality is still a taboo in India despite High Court ruling overturning a law against it. The film is expected to stir plenty of controversy as it promises to be the country's boldest portrayal of a serious and explicit sexual relationship between two men.

"At the moment I'Is m not thinking about any political or censor problems," BBC Asian Network quoted Sharma as saying.

Sharma's brother Kapil, who plays the lead, insists that Indian audiences are now ready to accept homosexuality on screen and believes it is the right time to tackle the subject as India is opening up to bolder issues. Sanjay insists Dunno Y depicts a "normal relationship" between two men and that he was not scared to broach the subject.

The plot revolves around a struggling model who goes to Mumbai to seek fame and fortune - and then forms an intimate relationship with another man. "I'm not afraid of anything. I stand by my conviction," Sharma added.

Talking about the kiss scene, Kapil said, "Me and my co-actor were hesitant and feeling somewhat odd about the whole thing but the director told us to be sincere in our role.

"Added to that, during my first scene - a gay party - my parents turned up on set."

"I was wearing these hot shorts and a jacket. These drag queens were all around me so that was definitely very awkward. But, after three or four days I became immune to who was there," he added.

Kapil hopes that the film being released in English will see "the censors will be more liberal".