Indian filmmaker Riyad Wadia dies at 36

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Thursday, December 4, 2003 / 05:20 PM

 

Indian filmmaker Riyad Vinci Wadia, one of the first directors to

portray gay life in Indian cinema, died on Sunday at a hospital in

Bombay. He was 36 years old.

 

According to news reports, he died of tuberculosis.

 

The openly gay filmmaker broke new cinematic ground in 1996

with "BOMgAY," a series of vignettes exploring gay identity in

contemporary India. His other films include the documentaries

"A Mermaid Called Aida," about India's famous transsexual Aida

Banaji, and "Fearless: The Hunterwali Story."

 

"He has made a very important contribution to the gay cause and

was one of the central figures to begin the broad-basing of the

gay movement in India," said Ashok Row Kavi, founder of the

magazine Bombay Dost.

 

Wadia graduated from film school in Australia and returned to

Bombay to inherit Wadia Movietone, one of India's oldest film

studios and production companies, founded in 1933 by his

grandfather.

 

His first film, "Fearless: The Hunterwali Story," which he

produced and directed in 1993, was screened at over 50

international film festivals and was selected by the Indian

government as one of the 10 best documentaries.

 

Known for his flamboyant style and fashion sense, Wadia spent

a great deal of time in New York and was highly regarded on the

independent film circuit.

 

At the time of his death, he was trying to secure funding for his

latest film project, which was based on Raj Rao's gay novel,

"The Boyfriend," according to Geeta Citygirl of New York's

SALAAM Theatre.

 

"Riyad may be remembered for being one of the best dressed

people in the city, and for being the life and soul of every party,

but he should really be remembered for his spirit," wrote his

friend Sujata Assomull in a posthumous tribute.

 

Also on PlanetOut.com:

Wadia talks about the making of "BOMgAY"