Romance is well and truly in the air after Valentine’s Day and the sparks are set to fly once more with a new inclusive love story preparing to take the spotlight. Collider can exclusively unveil the release date for a brand new Bollywood LGBTQ+ drama, TAPS, from the minds of power couple Fukrey actress Richa Chadha and Victoria & Abdul star Ali Fazal. Starring newcomers Ullas Samrat and Rohit Mehra, the short film is set over the course of a single evening and puts the microscope on a couple who navigate the journey to finding their way back to one another after unraveling. The story is set to unpack the “layers of identity, love, and self-acceptance,” according to Chadha.
Helmed and written by Arvind Caulagi and produced by award-winning filmmaker Sudhanshu Saria‘s (behind queer love story Loev) Four Line Entertainment, in collaboration with the KASHISH Arts Foundation and Lotus Visual Production, the project initially made waves at a string of film festivals including the Vancouver Queer Film Festival and the Chicago South Asian Film Festival. TAPS will be available to watch on February 20.
‘TAPS’ Will Arrive on YouTube
Speaking about the importance of diverse representation being platformed, Chadha said:
“We’ve had so many conversations about representation in media, and to be able to support a film that does it right is a privilege. We want people to open their hearts a little more. Watch TAPS with your partner, your friends, yourself—let it move you, let it stay with you.“
Meanwhile, her real-life behind-the-scenes partner, Fazal highlighted how love stories are so much more than the grand gestures, instead declaring it “intimate, raw and real,” which he was keen to showcase with the film. “It reminds us that love isn’t just about who we love but how we love—with honesty, courage, and resilience,” he explained. “Richa and I felt strongly that a film like this deserved to be seen by as many people as possible. The fact that we can bring this story to the world—it feels just right.” The intensity of that feeling is captured effortlessly in the film’s promotional poster, which spotlights the two leads in a hazy sepia tone as they stand face to face with their desire to understand one another painted evidently across their faces.
Producer Saria, who disrupted the scene with his LGBTQ+ romance Loev back in 2015, highlighted how TAPS is reminiscent of the making of his first film and how TAPS builds on the legacy he started with Loev. “It felt like the perfect way to build on LOEV’s legacy in queer cinema by supporting another story that normalizes queer representation on our screens and talks about the everyday issues one faces in relationships, whether gay or not,” he explained. “I’ve known Ali since we were in school and I’m so proud of the love and authenticity with which Richa and him live their life. To have them join hands with us in presenting this film feels like a perfect celebration of what this film stands for.”
The short film will be released on producer Saria’s birthday on 20 February, exclusively on YouTube. You can have a first look at the film’s posters and trailer below.
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