OTT content redefining gender & sexuality, but a long road ahead

At a time when Indian streaming platforms pride themselves on being bold, disruptive, and socially aware, a new study punctures the surface sheen to reveal a stubbornly persistent problem: gender representation that still leans heavily on dated tropes, tokenism, and underwhelming inclusion of LGBTQIA+ characters.

A joint report by the Centre for Media Studies, Population First, and UNFPA evaluated 20 of the most popular web series and films from 2023 across Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, and MX Player. These titles were chosen based on high viewership and IMDb ratings, offering a snapshot of what India’s streaming audience is consuming—and what it’s being told about gender, identity, and power.

The content was analysed across a broad spectrum of parameters: from emerging gender roles and masculinity to portrayals of women’s agency and LGBTQIA+ narratives. While OTT platforms are undoubtedly contributing to broader visibility of diverse sexualities and identities, the needle hasn’t shifted as much as the industry might like to believe.

Gender bias still quietly lingers behind the glossy thumbnails. The research highlights how, despite a few standout titles, women and LGBTQIA+ characters remain largely on the sidelines—either romanticised, stereotyped, or reduced to plot devices.

“Gender stereotypes have always been prevalent in the content depicted in the media. However, OTT platforms are slowly exploring these relationships. The portrayal of LGBTQIA+ characters is also growing, such as a mix of direct exploration of such themes as in Made in Heaven (Prime Video) and The Door (MX Player) and more incidental representation as in Guns and Gulaabs (Netflix) and Saas Bahu aur Flamingo (JioHotstar),” researchers noted. 

Setting the Scene: A Digital Mirage of Equality

The promise of OTT platforms has always been their freedom—freedom from censorship, creative constraints, and formulaic storytelling. But when this freedom does not extend to gender inclusivity, the cost is high. The report highlights how this creative liberty is often squandered. Out of 20 programs analysed, 11 featured strong female leads; LGBTQIA+ characters appeared in just 4, and even when present, were often sidelined or shown through a sympathetic but stereotyped lens.

While The Door gently portrayed a gay man in a forced marriage, Saas Bahu aur Flamingo offered a lesbian relationship, which, though normalized, remained peripheral to the plot. Guns and Gulaabs introduced a transgender character, Jugnu, but avoided deep engagement with their emotional world, claims the study. 

Yet, “signs of change do exist”, noted the study. Titles like Made in Heaven 2, Dahaad, Scoop, Saas Bahu aur Flamingo, and Gulmohar showcase narratives where women are central not just as victims or accessories but as thinkers, leaders, and survivors. Similarly, Made in Heaven stood out for its bold portrayal of Karan (gay) and Meher (transwoman), addressing issues like blackmail, homophobia, and societal rejection with nuance and empathy.

Still, these examples remain islands in a sea of content where male characters dominate dialogue, decision-making, and dramatic arcs. The findings signal that while representation has entered the narrative, true integration—where LGBTQIA+ stories are central, complex, and dignified—remains limited.

Female Agency & Role Diversity: A Tale of Two Worlds

Of the 20 programs, only 11 had female leads with full narrative arcs. Characters like Srimathi (Kumari Srimathi), Tara (Made in Heaven 2), Anjali (Dahaad), and Aarya (Aarya 2) exemplified independent women navigating systemic obstacles—whether caste, patriarchy, or crime.

In Apurva, a woman kidnapped in a remote town becomes a survivalist hero; in Dhak Dhak, four women undertake a life-changing road trip challenging both age and societal roles. Sweet Karam Coffee traced a grandmother’s journey toward self-discovery. These portrayals challenge stereotypes—but they are still overshadowed by a flood of male-centric narratives.

Significantly, some stories went beyond gender binaries—like Gulmohar, where an elderly woman candidly acknowledges her past same-sex love, creating space for intergenerational LGBTQIA+ dialogues.

“In Gulmohar (Disney+ Hotstar) though the instance of articulation is brief it arrives at an important juncture in the narrative gently using a typical Indian family scenario to disrupt the stereotype of the silent, acquiescing woman who is willing to throttle her own desires for the sake of others. The fact that a grandmom can articulate her own suppressed desire for another woman to her granddaughter is itself both normalising and epoch-making,” noted the study. 

Dialogue & Costume

The study meticulously catalogues instances where attire and dialogue either reinforced or subverted gender norms.

Characters in rural settings like Kumari Srimathi and Chithha wore saris and modest attire that aligned with conventional roles. In contrast, Made in Heaven and Jaane Jaan featured sleek, urban fashion symbolizing freedom, though often still tied to glamorized femininity.

While many web shows repeated harmful tropes ("You should dress modestly, that’s how good girls behave" in Sweet Karam Coffee, others defied them. Srimathi counters, “If men can run bars, why can’t women?” In Dahaad, Anjali snaps, “A uniform doesn’t come with a gender.”

Shows like Made in Heaven and Saas Bahu aur Flamingo excelled in dialogue that pushed against patriarchy, questioned fairness, and uplifted women’s voices.

Occupational Portrayals

The study identified a spectrum of professions for women—from bar owners (Kumari Srimathi), police officers (Dahaad), and crime lords (Saas Bahu aur Flamingo, Aarya) to motor mechanics (Dhak Dhak) and chefs (Miss Shetty and Mr. Polishetty). These depictions reflect an attempt to align reel roles with real-world aspirations.

Yet, a worrying number of women characters were confined to homemaking or side roles, limiting the diversity and influence of women in professional spaces.

The report is unflinching in spotlighting how gender intersects with caste, class, and violence. Dahaad offers a stark portrayal of Dalit women being targeted for serial killings, reflecting deeply entrenched casteism and misogyny. Made in Heaven explored gender and class divides in elite Indian weddings—from colorism to dowry violence to interfaith unions.

Several shows dealt with gender-based violence (Apurva, Save The Mother, Saas Bahu aur Flamingo, Chithha), showing women fighting back against patriarchy, often alone. Yet, systemic change was rarely depicted.

The report recommends bringing more women, LGBTQIA+, and marginalized voices into writers’ rooms and directorial roles. Avoid stereotypes and ensure authenticity by engaging experts during script development.

It also talks about casting trans actors in trans roles; include queer, Dalit, disabled, and non-binary actors as part of everyday stories. It also says that OTT platforms must launch internal campaigns to make diversity and representation a measurable goal. They should also move beyond tokenism and deliver content where women and queer characters are not just present—but powerful.

e4m reached out to all four platforms to have their comments. The story will be updated as and when they respond.

Experts speak: 

Yubaraj Bhattacharya, Consultant – TV & OTT, Juggernaut Productions (IN10 Media Network), says, “This report doesn’t touch upon the audience profile of OTT content in India, which, to the best of my knowledge, is predominantly male. That significantly influences the kind of content platforms commission. Since most OTT shows are commissioned projects, the characters, costumes, and dialogues closely follow the programming policies of the platforms—designed to appeal to their core audience.”

“I believe the diversity of characters we now see is more a reflection of our evolving, more inclusive society, though fundamentally still conservative. I’m not convinced that platforms are actively commissioning shows to ‘break stereotypes’ or ‘set new norms,” Bhattacharya added. 

He further noted, “Even today, no OTT platform has created a show as pathbreaking or as sensitively handled as Shakti (Colors, 2016), which portrayed the life and struggles of a transgender woman. The most sensitive gay male love story I’ve come across on OTT remains Romil & Jugal on ALT Balaji. I’m unaware of how it performed commercially, but it was undoubtedly a bold move by both the maker and the platform. That said, such efforts continue to remain the exception—whether on TV, in films, or on streaming platforms.”

Yogesh Pawar, Program Director at Population First, shares, “Indian entertainment hasn’t exactly nailed nuanced gender representation. For years, women were either the pining lover, the sacrificing mother, or the kohl-eyed vamp. But the OTT boom is shaking things up. In 2023, we saw fierce women seeking justice in Dahaad, journalists chasing truth in Scoop, and queer love stories in Made in Heaven 2 and Taali treated with the kind of respect usually reserved for cricket heroes. Even masculinity is evolving—with empathy and vulnerability finally getting screen time.”

“That said, it’s not time to roll the credits just yet,” he adds. “Inclusion needs more than good intentions or a rainbow filter. We need diverse voices—women, queer folks, people from marginalised communities—calling the shots in writers' rooms and casting decisions. And maybe one day, a trans character can be played by a trans actor without it feeling like a social experiment. The stories are out there. All we need is the will to tell them—and fewer ‘bold scenes’ in favour of bolder choices.”

Media industry veteran Megha Tata remarks, “The sample size of the study is too small. There should have been broader representation—both in terms of platforms and content. OTT content is being consumed widely, so any meaningful study must be more expansive to be truly representative. That said, this report—and a few others—do well to highlight the challenges in the OTT content space.”

“Yet, the OTT is perhaps the most evolved content ecosystem we have today. Content that would have been considered blasphemous 20 years ago is now part of the mainstream. These platforms have brought once-taboo topics into everyday conversation. Can we do more? Absolutely. There’s always room for improvement. We need more inclusive storytelling, more diverse gender representation, and portrayals that move beyond stereotypes,” Tata noted. 

Similarly, the depiction of LGBTQIA+ characters — both in lead and supporting roles — marks a welcome move away from tokenism towards more humanized and multidimensional portrayals. These narratives also challenge conventional gender norms through their dialogues and storylines, fostering progressive commentary and reflection.

While these depictions have opened up new paths, there is still a long way to go before we see such inclusion in more mainstream shows in consistent ways. At ASCI, we have long been fostering conversations around Diversity and Inclusion. Our recent report on advertising reveals that women feature in 45% of Indian advertisements, surpassing the global average of 25%. However, stereotypical portrayals persist, with 58% of women depicted as fair-skinned and 39% with slender physiques. Furthermore, our report highlights that less than 1% of advertisements include LGBTQIA+ individuals or persons with disabilities, highlighting areas where representation can still improve."