February 4, 2011 India Post 25

www.indiapost.com India's 'gay' Prince thanks Oprah for exposure

SRIREKHA CHAKRAVARTY view, that his family took action India Post News Service and accused him of bringing dis- honor to the clan. NEW YORK: India's only In 2007, Manvendra stepped openly gay prince Manvendra out of the closet and into a Singh Gohil of Rajpipla in firestorm of controversy when he has credited daytime announced to the world he is gay. talk show doyen Oprah Winfrey His mother took out an ad in the for the recent change in homo- newspaper disowning him and sexuality laws in India which no threatening anyone who referred longer deem homosexual acts as to him as her son. His father was illegal. convinced he could be changed Appearing on the Oprah Show into a heterosexual. Jan 25 for a second time - his first By , Prince appearance was in 2007 - Manvendra even risked his free- Manvendra Singh talked of how dom. At the time in India, being life had changed for him since ap- gay was legal, but homosexual pearing on the show three years acts were punishable by up to 10 ago and how the tremendous pub- years in prison. licity and exposure had not only In his latest appearance on the brought about attitude changes in Oprah Show, it was revealed that India towards gays to the extent Manvendra's mother had at that that today gay pride parades are time issued newspaper adver- seen in various cities across the tisements disowning him. When Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil talks about being the only openly gay royalty in India on the Oprah Winfrey Show country, but how it brought about -Pic Courtsey Harpo Studios asked by Oprah how his rela- change in law whereby homo- tions with his parents were now, sexual acts were not longer illegal, home for his social work in the dialogue. "I'm noticing that they few of them have even come out Manvendra said, "My father is prompting Oprah to 'high-five' him area of HIV-AIDS prevention and are now getting comfortable to to the society." cool about it now, but my mother with pride. education. the terms. The mainstreaming Manvendra was born in Ajmer still does not talk to me." On the show Tuesday, as in Asked by Oprah how homo- in 1965 to Maharana Raghubir Manvendra told Oprah that his first appearance in 2007, the sexuality was viewed in India to- His parents attempted Singhji Rajendrasinghji Sahib, his father had expressed his ac- scrawny Manvendra looked day, Manvendra said India has who inherited the title of ceptance of his son in a recent somewhat incongruous in a changed as well. Homosexual but failed to disinherit Maharana of Rajpipla in 1963. Al- media interview where he blamed royal red sherwani worn over acts are no longer illegal, and gay him after he revealed though princes and royalty in gen- societal pressures for initially tak- white churidaar pants, a gold em- Indians have started asserting eral were derecognized by India in ing a stand of publicly disown- bellished turban on the head and their rights. In 2007, a gay pride his homosexuality; it 1971, descendants of the royal fami- ing his son. He said that he con- a red tikka on his forehead. parade in India would have been was revealed to his lies in Rajasthan and some parts tinues to live in the same royal When Oprah expressed con- unthinkable; now they are regu- of are still revered locally palace as his parents, but in a sec- cern for him since his last appear- lar fixtures in the country, he family by doctors in as royalty. tion far from where his mother ance as to the reaction in India said. "Not only just ," His parents attempted but lives. He says he keeps "bump- over his Oprah show appearance, Manvendra told Oprah, "We 2002 following his failed to disinherit him after he re- ing" into his mother once in a Manvendra said he was in fact have pride [parades] happening hospitalization for a vealed his homosexuality; it was while in the palace. thankful to Oprah for the expo- [at] other places in India as well: revealed to his family by doctors His father, Manvendra said, sure. He said since the show he in Delhi, in Calcutta, in South nervous breakdown in 2002 following his hospitaliza- now even attends functions of has been invited to inaugurate India." tion for a nervous breakdown. the Lakshya Trust founded by the Euro Pride gay festival in Prince Manvendra says being has started happening," he says. However, it was when he talked Manvendra to work in the area of Stockholm, Sweden in 2008 and a guest on The Oprah Show has "A lot of guys are actually com- publicly about his sexual orienta- prevention and education of HIV/ has received more support back opened many opportunities for ing out to their parents, and a tion in 2006 in a magazine inter- AIDS. IAAC Film Festival in NYC to be held in May

India Post News Service will also host an exclusive celeb- Film Festival Director Aseem rity-filled celebration honoring the Chhabra adds. "I am thrilled to NEW YORK: The Indo- 150th anniversary of the birth of have been appointed as the di- American Arts Council (IAAC) India's legendary Nobel Prize-win- rector of the festival - now re- kicks off its second decade of ning artist and poet Rabinranath named as the New York Indian film excellence with a new name Tagore at Asia Society on May 8. Film Festival. I have been a part and a new set of dates for its sig- A call for submissions has been of the IAAC family for several nature event of the year. The announced by the Indo-American years and its events have been New York Indian Film Festival: Arts Council with a deadline date my one-stop shop as an enter- 11th Annual IAAC Film Festival of February 20. tainment writer and a New York- will take place May 4 to 8. For- "We start 2011 with a whole based consumer of Indian arts." merly held every November, the new energy for our annual IAAC Created in 2001 in the wake of oldest and most prestigious film Film Festival - a new name, a new the September 11 attacks on New festival for Indian cinema in Indo-American Arts Council Executive Film Festival Director and a move York City, the film festival was North America is now moving to Director Aroon Shivdasani to Spring," says Indo-American started to create a better under- its new spring home on the first Arts Council Executive Director standing of the people and sto- weekend of May. Aroon Shivdasani. "I am really ries from the Indian subcontinent The New York Indian Film Fes- its star-studded Opening Night red with the Closing Night selection to excited about these changes and by bringing the most acclaimed tival will continue its tradition of carpet premiere. Film festival screen at Asia Society followed by look forward to presenting New feature films, shorts, and docu- launching at the world-famous screenings will take place May 5 the annual awards ceremony and York with a fresh and exciting se- mentaries from that region and Paris Theatre in Manhattan with through May 8 at Tribeca Cinemas after party. In addition, the festival lection of films this year." it's Diaspora.