On Friday, a panel discussion on queer rights hosted by director Onir at the ongoing Bhopal Literature and Art Festival was “cancelled” because festival organisers “could not guarantee the filmmaker’s safety.”
Friday marked the beginning of the fifth edition of the three-day Bhopal Literature and Art Festival at Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Onir’s cancelled session was titled “Making Literature LGBTQ-Neutral” and featured transgender rights activist Kalki Subramaniam.
Shocked and Sad that an event I was really looking forward to speaking at had to drop me . Apparently there was a group threatening protest and violence and the police told the organisers that they cannot guarantee my safety. So they cancelled the event. Let me process this… pic.twitter.com/AMSeG9CAa1
— iamOnir (@IamOnir) January 12, 2023
The festival organisers informed The Deccan Era that they had to cancel Onir’s performance to secure his safety. The Bhopal Literature and Art Festival’s Sulakshna Choudhry stated, “All I can say is that we lacked confidence in securing his safety.” Later, the organisers stated that Subramaniam instead led a discussion on inclusion.
Or, whose debut film My Brother Nikhil (2005) is regarded as a significant milestone in the LGBTQIA movement in India, resorted to social media to voice his disappointment. “I am shocked and disappointed that an event I was looking forward to speaking at had to cancel my participation. Evidently, a group threatened violence and protest, and the police informed the event organisers that they could not ensure my safety. Therefore cancelled the event. Let me analyse this…,” he wrote on Twitter.
He explained to the Deccan Era that the encounter had left him bewildered. “I don’t know if they have a problem with me or the discussion topic.” “It’s absurd that now, after the drafting of Section 377 and when the Supreme Court discusses the validity of same-sex weddings, people have a problem with a panel discussion on LGBTQIA issues,” said Onir.
Kalki Subramaniam told The Deccan Era, “It was a pleasure to attend the occasion. The crowd was exceptionally kind and welcoming. However, I did support Onir, who could not participate in the event. The programme’s theme was changed to diversity and health at the last minute. Still, I told the organisers that I would only speak on diversity and inclusion because health is not my area of expertise.
Choudhry confirmed this as well. “Yes, we altered the name of the Onir event because he could not attend,” she confirmed.
Additionally, Onir stated that this was the first time something like this had occurred to him. “I have never been personally threatened.” I am pretty vocal about my opinions. Thus I may be a target. On Twitter, however, numerous random identities have expressed their delight over the cancellation of my event. “They believe such subjects’ should not be presented at such a renowned event,” he explained.
