‘Very glad I got to play a part like this’

Mrinal Dutt says gay stories aren’t represented enough

Mrinal Dutt’s latest web series is Ekta Kapoor’s His Storyy. The plot, revolving around same-sex romance, catapulted Dutt to fame, but the actor says for him, it was ‘just another day at work.’

The topic of same-sex love has been getting more exposure through films and shows after the decriminalization of Section 377 of the IPC. Even so, Dutt says, “I feel gay parts or people in love with the same gender have not been represented well.”

“Doing a project about romancing someone of the same gender was just like doing any other part for me and I am very glad I got to play a part like this.”

Mrinal is not worried about getting only similar roles, now that his character is being talked about. “In every part of the world actors are getting typecast. Directors and casting directors have certain notions about your capabilities till they see what else you can do. The ball is always in your court - which character you want to play and what you do not want to play,” he points out.

Talking of what he’d learnt from others, Mrinal says, “I remember Heath Ledger saying that he was only getting romantic hero roles and he didn’t take any of those. He got big films; big studios were running after him, but he wanted to break the stereotyping as a romantic hero. He played a very small part in Monster's Ball in which he was phenomenal. So you have to break barriers yourself.”

“I have His Storyy coming up, followed by another show on Voot. Then I have two short films releasing on Hotstar and there is something else I’m going to start shooting. Hopefully we can talk about it really soon,” he signs off.

“Doing a project about romancing someone of the same gender was just like doing any other part for me and I am very glad I got to play a part like this.” —Mrinal Dutt, actor