'Papa, I am gay, please, love me': Politics of censorship and queer representation in Bollywood.

The article examines the challenges faced by queer representations in Bollywood films due to censorship by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in India, focusing on the films *Unfreedom* and *Angry Indian Goddesses*. It argues that the CBFC, acting as a state institution, restricts portrayals of non-heteronormative sexualities to uphold dominant heteropatriarchal cultural norms and suppress countercultural movements advocating LGBTQ+ rights. The analysis situates this censorship within Foucauldian power relations, highlighting how such control reinforces compulsory heterosexuality and marginalizes sexual minorities. Despite legal progress like the decriminalization of homosexuality in 2018, the article contends that media censorship continues to limit public discourse and social acceptance of queer identities, especially affecting female homosexual representation. It concludes that greater visibility of queer narratives in popular culture is essential for fostering social inclusion and challenging homophobia in India.