Upcoming Bollywood film I Am Omar will feature what is said to be the industry’s first gay love scene. The film is one of four short stories which make up the film I Am, which looks at the lives of male prostitutes and homophobic police officers.

One scene shows actors Rahul Bose and Arjun Mathur embracing in public. They’re seen by a nearby police officer who begins harassing them. The film explores how gay men in India are blackmailed, particularly under the anti-homosexuality law Section 377.

The film’s director Onir Anirban (pictured) told the Mumbai Mirror that he hopes the scene will make it past the censors in India.

“I Am Omar has received a beautiful response at the several film festivals because of the way the entire issue has been handled. The censor board has to realise that such scenes are crucial to the movie. Arjun plays a sex worker in the movie, and it’s but obvious that such aspects of his life have to be highlighted; it’s impossible to do away with the physical aspect of the gay issue. Both Rahul and Arjun are thorough professionals, and I’m very happy with how the film has shaped up.”

Onir has not allowed any stills of the scene to be taken because he does not want them leaked onto the internet.