‘Gaycation’ Gives A Peek Into The Life Of Indian Queers

The documentary series explores LGBTQ cultures across the world.

Harish Iyer (extreme right) with Ian Daniel and Ellen Page. (Photo courtesy: Harish Iyer)

Gaycation, an American documentary series hosted by Ellen Page and Ian Daniel and aired on Viceland, is creating waves. The series is a journey of the X-Men actress and writer-filmmaker Daniel as they travel across the world - from France to Ukraine to India - to explore LGBTQ cultures, and how the people from these communities strive to carve out their own space midst repression that comes in many forms.

Gaycation has an episode dedicated to the LGBTQ community in India. 

While it’s yet to be aired in here, the show has an entire episode based in India - which is why we can’t wait to watch it.

Page and Daniel met and shot with LGBT activist and The Quint columnist Harish Iyer and his parents as they talked about how they came to terms with their son’s “coming out”. The Gaycation team got in touch with Iyer a year before the shoot and the actual shoot lasted for a day. Iyer recounts fondly how his father kept pressing the Indian hospitality on the cast and crew.

Ian Daniel, Ellen Page and Harish Iyer during the shoot. (Photo courtesy: Harish Iyer)

Ellen and Ian chatted with my parents like they were friends since many years. My father faced the camera too. He was way too excited to see the “short hollywood heroine” and her “boyfriend”. My dad kept interrupting us by showing off his Indian hospitality by asking Ellen, Ian and the team to have food with us. He did manage to force some fruit juice, it was only Niharika (Desai, supervising producer) that he could convince to lunch with him. It is only after they left did I tell them that “that short girl and that boy” were both gay. He said that they made a good pair.  

Harish Iyer, LGBT activist and <b>The Quint</b> columnist

Iyer with his parents during the interview. (Photo courtesy: Viceland)

Iyer adds that Page is very friendly with no celeb airs and “invested in the cause”. “She is much like a girl next door. And so is Ian,” he says.

From teasers shared by Viceland, we also see Page and Daniel in conversation with two young girls who appeal to their families to give them and their love a chance.

The show has also got on board forums like Gaysi Family and Umang, which work towards fighting for equal rights and addressing LGBT issues in India. And it promises us some amazing voices.