MUMBAI—January 24, 2024— Prime Video, India’s most loved entertainment destination, has earned a nomination in the ‘Outstanding Documentary’ category at the prestigious GLAAD Media Awards for Rainbow Rishta, its unscripted Original series that explores the theme of queer love. This historic nomination marks the first time an Indian unscripted series on queer-love is being acknowledged at this prestigious award. The GLAAD Media Awards, founded in 1990, are recognized as the most prominent annual LGBTQ awards show in the world, sending powerful messages of acceptance to audiences worldwide. The ceremonies for the 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards will be held in Los Angeles on March 14, 2024, and in New York City on May 11, 2024.
Rainbow Rishta, which premiered on Prime Video in November 2023, is a first-of-its-kind series for any Indian streaming service that beautifully encapsulates six real-life love stories and experiences of members from the LGBTQIA+ community from India who move mountains to make their seemingly impossible dreams come true. The six narratives weave a vibrant tapestry, encompassing a range of stories such as vow exchanging ceremony between a doting couple, the dilemma of a 30 year old drag queen navigating their first date, the challenges faced by a young lesbian couple in Assam in search of a home, the story of a solitary man hoping to find love again, a doctor/ actor’s tryst of evading the world of casual dating, and a couple embarking on an adventurous road trip to Hampi to test the waters. Amusing, endearing, motivational, and innovative, these narratives are intricately linked through a common theme – the profound expression of love. They delve into the realms of seeking companionship, taking bold risks, nurturing families, grappling with loneliness, and collaboratively building homes.
Showcasing myriad facets of love, the series is a VICE Studios Production, written by Monisha Thyagarajan, Navin Noronha, and Sneha Nair, and is directed by Jaydeep Sarkar, along with story directors – Hridaye A. Nagpal and Shubhra Chatterji.
“Rainbow Rishta is a celebration of love in its myriad forms, presenting a compelling and diverse exploration of human connections and resilience. It’s a moment of true pride and honor for us to be nominated at the 35th edition of the prestigious GLAAD Media Awards and we express our gratitude to our creators for delivering this authentic representation, and a heartfelt appreciation to our cast for graciously allowing us into their lives,” said Aparna Purohit, head of Originals, India and Southeast Asia, Prime Video. “At Prime Video, we firmly believe that diversity, equity and inclusion, is not just needed, it is essential at every stage and in every sphere of our lives. Rainbow Rishta fearlessly shines a light on the lows, highs, and the challenges encountered by the members of the LGBTQIA+ community and serves as an evidence that inclusive storytelling can transcend all geographical and linguistic borders, and contribute towards demystifying and dismantling the biases that persist globally against the queer community. The nomination at GLAAD Media Awards reinforces our commitment to fostering narratives that not only entertain but also challenge perceptions and contribute towards a more inclusive and an accepting world.”
Series director Jaydeep Sarkar said, “Being recognized and appreciated for their efforts and work is truly fulfilling for any filmmaker, but being nominated at a coveted and prestigious award, such as the GLAAD Media Awards, is a matter of great pride for me and the entire team that worked tirelessly to bring Rainbow Rishta to life. Through an unbiased lens we tried to give authentic queer stories about love, freedom, triumphs, and choices a place in the mainstream. Rainbow Rishta aims to put personhood and humanity before labels, as it navigates the path of self-acceptance, extending from within to friends, family, and society. Everyone who worked on this docuseries was deeply empathetic towards the theme and I believe this incredible synergy of love and acceptance has been felt and appreciated by the audiences the world over, and now being recognized by the GLAAD Media Awards.”
Samira Kanwar, of VICE Studios, sharing her thoughts on the nomination said, “Rainbow Rishta is a show made with love, about the universality of love. While building out the series, we knew we wanted the series to spark conversations, build empathy and break preconceived notions, all whilst staying authentic to the experiences of the LGBTQAI+ community. We are so grateful to our incredible cast who allowed us into their lives in honest and moving ways, and to the fantastic crew who recognised the importance of what we were making – together we have genuinely created something incredibly important and real. The docuseries being nominated for Outstanding Documentary at the 35th GLAAD Media Awards, is truly a testament to the heart and soul that everyone who worked on it brought to this show and something we are truly proud of at VICE Studios.”
Founded in 1985, GLAAD is a non-profit organization focused on LGBTQ advocacy and cultural change. Since their inception in 1990, the GLAAD Media Awards have grown to be the most visible annual LGBTQ awards show in the world, sending powerful messages of acceptance to audiences globally. Honoring those in the media who have shown exemplary achievements for fair, accurate, and inclusive representation of the LGBTQ community and the issues that affect lives, the 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards promises to deliver a sparkly mix of red-carpet arrivals, iconic main stage moments, and an impactful message that demonstrates the value of representation and inclusion of LGBTQ people within all forms of media.
