Bollyqueer

Bollyqueer is a dance company and community that celebrates gender non-conformity and queerness, whilst challenging gender norms and heteronormativity, through South Asian dance practices. During dance classes the organization produces a safe, queer-affirming space to learn and practise Bollywood dance. Set up by Vinay Jobanputra, Bollyqueer debuted in London at the Common Counter (later known as The Common Press), Shoreditch in 2021. The Common Press is an intersectional queer bookshop café and event space. Bollyqueer has subsequently offered dance classes in Delhi (November 2022), Leicester (2023) and Los Angeles (September 2023). The dance company also performs at events, with a dance troupe of students from the classes. For example, in 2023 Bollyqueer appeared at Dishoom’s staff mela.

Bollyqueer, with founder Jobanputra, featured in the BBC Three documentary Bend It Like Bollywood (May 2023). Having initiated Bollyqueer in London – because of the presence of several accessible and accepting queer networks there – the documentary follows Jobanputra’s endeavour to introduce Bollyqueer dance classes in his hometown of Leicester. The documentary explores the possibility of making space for Jobanputra’s queerness in the place he grew up, Leicester, alongside his South Asianness.

Jobanputra is part of other South Asian queer networks in London. These include Queer South Asian space (QSA space) and Gay Indian Network (GIN). QSA space hosts events such as queer prom night and queer garba (a Gujarati folk-dance), which are designed to be inclusive, safe spaces that celebrate multifaceted identities. To find out more about Bollyqueer you can listen to clips from Vinay Jobanputra’s oral history interview and find the full interview deposited with the British Library.