Konkona Sen Sharma and ‘Laapataa Ladies’ star Pratibha Ranta are set to redefine queer representation in Bollywood with their upcoming Netflix thriller, ‘Accused.’ Directed by Anubhuti Kashyap, the film premieres February 27. In a recent promotional interview, Konkona Sen Sharma has called out the industry’s long-standing reliance on “derogatory humor” and “issue-based” narratives while depicting queer characters. The actress-filmmaker noted that Bollywood often treats homosexuality as a problem to be solved or a punchline for a joke, rather than an organic part of a character’s identity.

Actress Konkona Sen Sharma recently devled into the evolution of queer characters in Bollywood during the promotions of her upcoming OTT film, ‘Accused’. Konkona pointed out that for decades, Bollywood has failed to normalize LGBTQIA+ identities, often relegating them to the punchline of “derogatory humor.“

Konkona Sen Sharma opens up on queer portrayal

Sen Sharma observed that unless a film is specifically “about” an issue, the characters are almost always the “default”—straight, male, and Hindi-speaking. According to Konkona, ‘Accused’ breaks this mold by featuring a queer couple whose relationship is a fundamental part of their lives, rather than just for the plot or a social lesson.

Speaking to Just Filmy, Konkona said, “We often will not have characters in films who are homosexual unless we are dealing with it as an issue. Or unless, like a few decades back, we are deriving some kind of derogatory humour from it. Even, for example, differently abled people, they are not usually portrayed unless that is the issue that is being discussed. Because our world is not peopled, our world is peopled by the default. And the default is often straight, male, Hindi-speaking. Not varied enough.”

Pratibha Ranta on naturalizing queer relationships

Pratibha Ranta, who recently gained acclaim for ‘Laapataa Ladies,’ echoed Konkona’s sentiments regarding the film’s “non-preachy” approach. Although homosexual, Ranta shed light on the fact that the film shows their bond with a sense of realism that is often missing from mainstream media.“The situations are very real,” Ranta explained. She noted that the film focuses on the lack of trust and the lengths one will go to for their partner, rather than focusing solely on the “struggle” of being queer.

More about ‘Accused’

Directed by Anubhuti Kashyap, ‘Accused’ follows the life of Geetika, played by Konkona Sen Sharma, a brilliant surgeon living in London with her partner, Meera, essayed by Pratibha Ranta, who is also a doctor. The couple’s world is turned upside down just as they are preparing to adopt a child. The inciting incident occurs when Geetika is suddenly accused of sexual harassment at her workplace. As public scrutiny intensifies, the film explores professional fallout and a trust gap , from the queer perspective.Produced by Karan Johar’s Dharmatic Entertainment, ‘Accused’ is written by the duo Sima Agarwal and Yash Keswani. It is scheduled for a release on February 27, 2026, on Netflix.