Indian television seems to be poised for a massive change of scene. For the first time in prime time history, the lead character of a daily soap has been revealed to be a transgender. The just-aired episode of recently launched show Shakti — Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki was quite the cliffhanger, where the central character of the show, Saumya, was revealed to be a transgender. Previously queer characters — be it homosexuals or transgender characters — have been used in shows as nothing more than agents of comic relief. This is the first time that a story line is being explored around such a character.
Speaking of how the idea germinated, producer of the show Rashmi Sharma says, “It was my husband who suggested the idea and we brainstormed together. Nearly at every traffic signal, we encounter eunuchs begging, and still more than most of us cannot help but look at them with either a snigger or a cautious eye. The point remains, they are also normal people who are ready to work if given an opportunity. Shakti is an attempt to bring these stories forth. We want to try and give them an equal status in storytelling and in turn in the society. Television as a medium has become really strong and it is easier to communicate with our audiences through this,” she says.
When this show unfolded on television, it kept viewers guessing the possible reasons that could have driven the father to hate his daughter so much that he tried to bury her as an infant. Rubina Dilaik, who essays the role of Saumya, tells us that the show is a tale of self-acceptance Was she hesitant to play the role, we ask. “Honestly, I was tired of doing those mundane, regular roles and this character is something new which gives me a chance to portray my skills better. The first time I heard the script my reaction was very strong. I was nervous whether I’d be able to do justice to the role. Up north I have seen eunuchs at functions and I’m aware of the kind of life they live,” Rubina adds. Speaking of her character, Rubina adds, “Saumya comes across as a regular girl who has been restricted to the confines of her home. From the beginning, her mother has not let her venture out. The secret of her existence, the secret of her being a eunuch; the way she acknowledges the fact and how the minute details are taken into consideration, forms the rest of the story,” she says.
Television’s heartthrob Vivian D’sena, who plays Saumya’s onscreen husband, is fascinated by the character. “Imagine getting married to a girl and later realising that she is a transgender! This kind of character and this kind of subject has never been attempted on Indian television.”
“We should come up with more such concepts, they are educative, interesting and frankly, people are bored of those typical family politics kind of shows,” says the actor.
Playing a queer character is no mean feat, and equal rights activist Harish Iyer wants to applaud the actress. “I’d like to applaud the lead who is essaying the role. It’s a big thing that this is happening for the first time on prime time television and the team should be applauded for it,” he says. However, he has his set of apprehensions too, “Having said that, I hope that the writers of the show provide a scientific reasoning to the track, because there are a lot of shades between inter-sex and transgender, they should be clear about what they are trying to indicate. We don’t want them to fuel more misconceptions and myths.”
Considering how soaps are swift to change tracks for TRPs, would the makers follow suit if the feedback is negative “We won’t change the track,” Rashmi says firmly. “We make shows with a lot of conviction and we all strongly feel for the subject. Eunuchs have long been discarded and not considered a part of our society. During the research of the show I have personally met some eunuchs and found them to be as simple people as we are. We should open more doors of opportunities for them,” she adds.
