Recently
it
was
reported
that
director
Onir's
upcoming
film
We
Are
has
been
rejected
by
the
Ministry
Of
Defence
since
it
was
inspired
by
the
story
of
a
gay
army
officer
who
had
to
quit
his
job
because
it
proved
difficult
for
him
to
be
in
the
Indian
Army
after
coming
out
as
a
homosexual.
The
film
was
a
sequel
to
his
2010
film
I
Am
and
was
supposed
to
go
on
floors
in
Kolkata
in
April.
In
an
interview
with
NDTV,
Onir
reacted
to
these
reports
and
said,
"According
to
the
new
law,
if
you
have
any
character
or
anything
to
do
with
the
forces,
the
Indian
army,
you
have
to
get
an
NOC
from
the
Indian
army
to
be
able
to
make
that
film.
Otherwise,
you
won't
be
able
to
get
that
certified.
On
December
16,
I
formally
applied
(for
the
NOC)
with
my
script,
which
I
think
treats
everything
with
a
lot
of
dignity
and
respect.
I
am
not
out
here
to
demean
anybody.
I
have
a
lot
of
love
and
respect
for
the
Indian
army."
He
continued,
"Then,
the
day
before
yesterday
is
when
I
got
the
email
and
I
was
told
that
the
'content
has
been
examined,
analysed
and
rejected.'
I,
of
course,
have
asked
for
clarification,
asked
why
exactly
(was
it
rejected).
I
was
told
over
phone,
it
has
not
yet
come
in
writing,
that
because
there
is
no
problem
with
the
script.
But,
the
fact
that
I
have
shown
a
gay
character
as
an
army
man
is
illegal."
During
the
course
of
the
interview,
Onir
also
pointed
out
how
he
could
show
homosexuality
and
police
abuse
of
a
gay
character
in
his
films
in
2005
when
homosexuality
was
still
criminalised
by
law.
The
Supreme
Court
had
decriminalised
homosexuality
in
2018.
Meanwhile,
the
filmmaker
also
took
to
his
Twitter
handle
to
share
his
thoughts
on
the
topic
through
a
series
of
tweets.
Onir
tweeted,
"I
have
utmost
respect
and
love
for
my
army
and
wish
they
would
not
discriminate
anyone
who
wants
to
serve
the
country
because
of
their
sexuality."
He
also
tweeted,
"It's
a
long
long
road
to
being
treated
as
equal
citizens,
who
have
the
right
like
every
other
citizen
to
serve
our
nation
and
its
army.
Why
should
one's
sexuality
decide
if
one
is
capable?
miles
to
go
before
we
sleep."
Onir
continued
in
another
tweet,
"75
years
of
independence,
more
than
three
years
since
he
Supreme
Court
of
india
had
decriminalised
homosexuality
but
as
a
society
we
are
a
long
way
from
being
treated
as
equals.
While
56
countries
across
the
world
accepts
#lgbtqi
in
the
army
,it
is
still
illegal
the
indian
army."
"It's
a
long
long
road
to
being
treated
as
equal
citizens,
who
have
the
right
like
every
other
citizen
to
serve
our
nation
and
it's
army
.
Why
should
one's
sexuality
decide
if
one
is
capable
?
"...
miles
to
go
before
we
sleep,"
he
continued
in
another
tweet.
For
the
unversed,
last
year
in
a
letter
addressed
to
the
Central
Board
of
Film
Certification
(CBFC),
the
Ministry
of
Electronics
and
Information
Technology
(MeITY)
and
Ministry
of
Information
and
Broadcasting
had
urged
filmmakers
to
obtain
a
'No
Objection
Certification' when
dealing
with
subjects
or
characters
related
to
the
defence
forces.