Exclusive: Atulan Purohit and Divesh Tolani on Being an Unapologetic Queer Couple in India

Individually, Atulan Purohit and Divesh Tolani are two rising stars in the creative industry, but together they form an inspiring power couple that has been breaking barriers and stereotypes. They have a Honey Imm Home social media page on Instagram & YouTube.

Atulan's journey began with his passion for dance and a degree in psychology, while Divesh's love for dance started during his schooling.

Apart from being a popular lifestyle and travel influencers/creators, Atulan and Divesh, have also built successful careers in various fields. Atulan is a full-time fitness trainer at New York-based Barre Fitness Company called Physique57. On the other hand, Divesh is an in-house marketing executive for a brand. He also freelances as a heels dance teacher, using his love for dance to empower his students.

But their journey took an exciting turn when they met at an international contemporary dance touring company, where Atulan was Divesh's senior. "We never used to talk because I found him too young, but over time we realized how similar we are. We started replying to each other's Instagram stories. And well, the rest is history," Atulan shared.

Not only have they found love in each other, but they have also found strength and support to break the norms and inspire others in the LGBTQ+ community to be themselves. In this honest and exclusive interview, Atulan and Divesh open up about their journey, their challenges, and their experiences as LGBTQ+ couple in the creative industry.

How did you first start on Instagram, and what inspired you to create content?

We were on our way to our first-ever holiday trip together. At the airport, waiting for our boarding gates to open, we decided to make an account for our close friends to be jealous of when they see us together. Over some time, we didn't even know that it had inspired so many people. The work was a lot, but we have a family called 'homies' who kept supporting us and took the time to tell us that what we were doing was positively impacting people and motivated us to do it more. Over time, we used the reason for making content together to spend time with each other. Now thinking of it in the long term, this seems very much possible as a long-term career option! We learned ways to monetize it and now create things we believe in while considering that growth must be consistent. We're always finding ways to stay original while inviting more audience to join our social media family, and that's where you, as a reader, come in!

As a couple in India, have you faced any unique challenges or barriers in pursuing your passion for content creation on social media?

Being a queer couple living unapologetically in India can be viewed as an act of courage, simply owing to the kind of hatred the community is subjected to daily. Naturally, trolls had found a new target: Honey.Imm.Home. Living in a repressive and homophobic society can be challenging for folks identifying on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. Being a queer couple residing in an urban city like Mumbai and highlighting our travels worldwide is a hard pill to swallow for some. And so came the hate. Initially, we saw it as people being angry at themselves and excreting that anger all over our page, which we were okay with. It was a content engagement for us, and that's all. However, recently, it's been a bit more flustering. Waking up to these comments on our screen indirectly affected us and made us feel helpless. Imagine being on a peaceful dinner date and checking the phone, thinking it's an important notification, only to realize it's just some angry individual abusing us for being who we are. So, we've been bulk-blocking and using Instagram and YouTube features that automatically block some hateful speech and keep our mental health on track.

Your content often features you breaking gender stereotypes and challenging societal norms. How do you develop your ideas, and what message do you hope to send with your content?

While inclusivity is the ultimate end goal, we know that there are several baby steps to be taken on this journey. We have always believed that every person should be allowed to live their life as they envision it. Our efforts will make a difference, and a tiny ripple can bring about some change. A lot of our audience has always supported us throughout our journey, but there's a long way to go regarding acceptance. In today's times, being out and proud can be challenging, so we believe in being ourselves on the internet and in real life and just letting the world realize how we are normal.

What kind of impact do you hope to have on your audience, particularly young people struggling with their identities or facing discrimination?

We receive tons of messages daily from individuals who need clarification about their feelings. All we say is, It's okay. After all, nobody's journey is similar to anybody else's, and no matter your age, you'll find a way to go about this 'confused'. We tell everyone not to rush into a decision and to seek professional help under certain circumstances should not be negatively looked upon.

With social media being such a powerful tool for spreading awareness and promoting change, how can influencers like yourselves use their platforms to make a positive difference in society?

Doing everything in our power is important. Only some have a voice. Today, we're fighting for same-sex marriage rights, and hundreds/thousands are staying silent. These groups/companies/public figures will use Pride Month to make money out of us. So, be you, be proud, and use your voice whenever and wherever you can.

What advice would you give to other LGBTQ+ individuals who may be hesitant to share their stories or identities on social media?

It's okay. Not identifying as cis-gendered-heterosexual can be challenging. You are often looked down upon to be 'different'. If you identify with the community, you may take your own time to bloom. After all, it's not compulsory if you identify with the community to share your story on social media. After all, it's not just our duty to bring about a positive change.

What are your plans for the future, both in terms of your content creation and personal life?

Hahaha. We often laugh when asked about the future because life has always taken us in its direction from the start, and we look forward to it continuing to do so. All we hope is that we're safe, happy, and together.

Finally, what do you hope to achieve through your work on Instagram, and what message would you like to share with your followers?

We have social goals, but we also have personal goals. We are individuals at the end of the day, and we hope to continue to build short-term goals and reach them with our own time and efforts. We say to all our followers or people we meet that you never know what the person next to you is going through or what they're experiencing in life, so just be respectful and kind to them. Whether they're strangers or people you know, The world already has a lot of hate, so let's not add to it.