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Mumbai’s largely cosmopolitan crowd has attracted many members of the queer community through the years. Starting with Gokul in Colaba in the 1970s, to August Kranti Maidan today, Mumbai has a thriving LGBTQIAP+ scene.
However, the city itself has some way to go before it is safe for openly queer members to thrive at home as well as outside. There is still no official acknowledgement of official gay bars and clubs, though those clued in will know that certain clubs and bars will cater to the community safely and respectfully.
Mumbai doesn’t have ‘queer places’ as much as it has people who organise queer events. Throughout the year there are several organisations that throw themed parties, mixers, drag events, and karaoke. From Salvation Star and Kitty Su to The Gay Gaze Bombay and Gaysi Family, Mumbai’s queer scene has something for everyone. These organisations have been around for years, and thanks to the social media boom they have been able to reach a much wider audience than they did before. Thanks to this increased awareness, they are able to create a much more inclusive space than they did before; in terms of age, sexuality, as well as gender. Here’s a closer look at the organisations that are blazing the trail for Mumbai’s burgeoning queer spaces.
I. Salvation Star
Salvation Star has been around since 2007 and their soirées are usually held in Mumbai’s prime party venues like Toast and Tonic at BKC and Monkey Bar in Bandra. Their aim is to make mainstream Bombay bars more queer-inclusive on a regular basis and their parties help to break down these barriers that were in place in the past. They also organise BAIT nights, which are pop-up pride parties with the best of Bollywood music to shake a leg to.
II. The Gay Gaze Bombay
Founded by partners Gurleen Arora and Winnie Chopra, The Gay Gaze Bombay started operating during the pandemic. What started as solely a story-sharing platform, turned into one of Mumbai’s greatest queer collectives, catering for everyone. During the pandemic, they organised online events like discussions on queer grief, songwriting, and even erotic art therapy. Now that Mumbai is back to in-person events, you can catch events like SOCIAL’s Satrangi Mela which was curated by them, queer speed dating, and their upcoming Drag King event; the first-of-its-kind show in Mumbai.
Get tickets here.
III. Kitty Su
Kitty Su on the other hand is a club at The Lalit Hotel, owned by Keshav Suri, who is heir to the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, as well as being a gay man himself. They are famous for throwing the most lavish (and often entirely scandalous) parties at the location, tying in beautifully with their opulent and innovative aesthetic. Launched in 2011, they have locations in both Delhi and Mumbai, with drag shows at least a couple of times a month. Kitty Su is definitely Mumbai’s best place to watch the talented queens of Mumbai give it all they’ve got.
Check them out here.
IV. Gaysi Family
Founded by Sakshi Juneja as an online platform for gay desis (hence ‘gay-si’) in 2008. In addition to hosting themed events like Halloween parties and karaoke nights, they also curate the Gaysi Zine Bazaar. This offline event showcases the works of over 60 artists who all create art based on a common theme. While the event is open to all, there is precedence given to those who identify as queer. They have also tied up with Tinder India to digitally curate queer stories on love and dating, called the Museum of Queer Swipe Stories. This showcases a different side to queer joy, love, and heartbreak; the likes of which we do not see in mainstream media. They are genuinely age-inclusive, which makes Gaysi Family a great place, both online and offline, for younger queer individuals to be able to find a community that truly understands and accepts them.
Follow them here.
V. Miscellaneous
Besides these organisations, there are other spots and events within the city that are queer-friendly and are even run by other LGBTQIAP+ people. The Kashish Queer Film Festival runs every year and showcases the best of homegrown and international queer films made by independent filmmakers. Organisation No Footprints organises a queer walking tour to explore the rich history of the queer community in Mumbai. For the queer pet parents that enjoy a beer and a chill night as opposed to a buzzing party, Doolally Taproom around the city is both LGBTQIAP+ and pet friendly. For queer paramours looking for a private moment, Le Sutra in Bandra and The Gordon House Hotel in Colaba are both gorgeous, queer-friendly boutique hotels, within walking distance of historic queer locations (Olive Bar & Kitchen, and Cafe Mondegar respectively).
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