Barun Sobti to play queer role in Onir’s LGBTQ+ film Tumhari Khushboo - All you need to know about the plot
Renowned South Asian director Onir returns with Tumhari Khushboo, an upcoming LGBTQ+ short film. starring Barun Sobti and Shashi Bhushan. It is centred on themes of empathy and empowerment.
Last Updated: 06.06 PM, Feb 22, 2026
Onir (Anirban Dhar) is a renowned National Award-winning Indian filmmaker famous for being one of the first openly queer directors in mainstream Bollywood to champion LGBTQ+ narratives. He gained prominence for directing the groundbreaking 2005 film My Brother... Nikhil, which explored HIV/AIDS and same-sex relationships with sensitivity. He is all set to return with another LGBTQ+ film, Tumhari Khushboo, starring Barun Sobti and Shashi Bhushan.
What's the story of Tumhari Khushboo?
Tumhari Khushoo stars visually impaired actor Shashi Bhushan as a queer character opposite Barun Sobti, who recently won hearts with his performance in Kohrra Season 2. Helmed by Onir, the film traces the journey of Sunil, a visually impaired masseur, whose life transforms after meeting Kamran. In this world made up of touch, sound, and scent, love is expressed in a language that is tender, intimate, and deeply human.
Tumhari Khushboo is a tender reflection on intimacy and awareness, showing what love becomes when you let your senses show the way. With a script by Ravi Asrani, the film examines the overlap of queer identity and disability, an intersectional narrative that Onir notes is seldom seen on screen.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of Mumbai, Tumhari Khushboo unfolds as a sensory love story between Sunil, a visually impaired masseur, and Kamran (Sobti), a sports instructor who first enters his life as a client. As their relationship deepens, the film slowly navigates a connection formed not by intimacy, emotional awareness, and sight, but rather by touch, sound, and scent.
What theme does Tumhari Khushboo explore?
Founded on dignity and self-reliance, Sunil's journey challenges ideas about disability, presenting weakness as strength rather than fragility. The film resists stereotypes, opting for empathy over pity, and its evocative first look captures the quiet magnetism and tenderness shared between the two main characters.
Shot over three months across real locations in Mumbai, the 33-minute short draws from lived experiences to ground its storytelling. From a functioning massage parlour run by visually impaired masseurs to Bhushan's own home, each location adds structure and authenticity, allowing the narrative to breathe with realism and emotional depth.
Meanwhile, Tumhari Khushboo will be available at a private screening near you!
Tumhari Khushboo FAQs
Q: Is Barun Sobti doing a queer film?
A: Yes. Barun Sobti will be seen playing a queer role alongside visually impaired actor Shashi Bhushan in Tumhari Khushboo.
Q: Who directed Tumhari Khushboo?
A: Tumhari Khushboo is directed by Onir, a renowned National Award-winning Indian filmmaker.
Q: What is the story of Tumhari Khushboo?
A: The film traces Sunil, a visually impaired masseur, whose carefully mapped world begins to transform when Kamran enters it. In a realm shaped by touch, sound, and scent, love discovers a language that is tender, intimate, and profoundly human.