They took on the society and pushed the envelope to create a market of their own in this industry. They not only accepted themselves but also embraced themselves and therefore the world accepted them regardless of their societal norms of the typical Indian mentality shunning all the socio cultural structures and such. Meet Karun Raman, the Fashion Choreographer who is popular and living it up every single day.
Photography: Nithin Barath S
Location: Radisson Blu Hotel, Chennai Citi Centre
Wardrobe: Moksha
Styling: Prajanya
Hair and Makeup: Volt Style Bar
What was little Karun like and when did you realize your sexual orientation, that you were gay?
Oh God, I was a very timid boy, scared, respectful, shunned away from society. A lot has changed from then. I was always attracted to men, sometimes elder men. I knew I was different and looked at differently till I decided to not be, and that was the beginning of Karun I am today.
How was it when you came out of the closet, especially living in South India?
I never really came out as such, I never had to. Everyone always kind of knew how I was, of course, mum knew all along. People just accepted me for who I am and as a Fashion Choreographer, it allowed me to be a little more flamboyant.
From my eyelashes to nose ring and dressing up like Kim K on Halloween, everyone just seemed to accept me. I look at myself, my orientation and my fashion sense as my personal choice. I think this is important for every child as well.
Love generally opens you up in so many different ways, in fact for some of us it breathes life into us! What was your first love like?
My first love was a straight man, (laughs out loud!). In fact, you don’t really think of rejection because you already know that the relationship won’t last long, so it’s just the feeling of being loved and being in love.
When was the first time you felt discriminated against or ousted for being a gay man?
I was stabbed, abused verbally and physically for being gay in a bar. None of them came to my rescue. I was so devastated and took it to the public and as this should never happen to me or anyone else. This was the most shocking incident in my life.
I heard you left home at a very young age, how was your journey after you got out into the real world?
I left my home when I was 18, to explore the world. I had a stint in a film with KS Ravi Kumar. I was bullied then and that was my moment of realization. I decided to work and moved towards my passion and finally achieved it. During my journey, I have faced a lot of betrayal, mistreatment, and judgments and even fell into depression. Life was not easy then.
How do you feel about your image and your persona?
I am Karun Raman the Fashion Choreographer, not Karun Raman The Gay Fashion Choreographer, my work speaks for itself. I travel around the world to do shows and my life is just amazing. And yeah there are discriminations, but I started to take things in a positive note. Why be the victim when you are the survivor!
You make it look so easy to be you, but do you ever get misjudged or misinterpreted in the fashion industry for being gay in such a high position?
With the issues of the casting couch coming out on social media and people speaking about it openly, there is very little now that people can claim. Of course, I have been on the opposite side, where a lot of these young models ruin other’s reputations to be successful in their careers.
What do you see for yourself in the future and what advice would you give to the younger generation?
I started as an actor and I love to act in films, so I might do films in the future.
Stick to the positive side of life and stop worrying about the negatives, they are just temporary. Be a survivor and don’t victimize yourself is the best advice I could give.
