If Bhumi Pednekar had to pick her favourite project of the year gone by, it would be an easy choice. Badhaai Do, she would say, in a heartbeat. Harshvardhan Kulkarni’s directorial venture fell perfectly in line with the kind of movies she likes to front — those that hold up a mirror to society, and question its ills. What made Badhaai Do, a drama about a couple in a lavender marriage, all the more special for the actor is that it came from a personal place. “I have family and friends belonging to the LGBTQiA+ community. While I have been a part of their journey, at times, I have found myself helpless. I didn’t know how to share their pain, love and grief. That’s when Badhaai Do happened. I’m fortunate to have found a script, which enabled me to voice a cause that is close to my heart,” says the actor, as the film completes a year of release today.

The film is set against the backdrop of a lavender marriage