Taali is an addition to the small list of films/ series that are willing to offer respect and dignity to a marginalised and misunderstood community, applauds Deepa Gahlot.
'Even dogs are counted in a census but transgenders are not,' says Shreegauri Sawant, played by Sushmita Sen, in one the many dramatic scenes that make up the trailer of Ravi Jadhav's Taali.
It is based on the fight of the real-life character for legal rights of the third gender.
It is the efforts of activists like Sawant that 'other' is included in official forms along with M and F.
Sushmita Sen (with flawless skin) plays the fiery Shreegauri, who was born a boy, named Ganesh, and probably suffered discrimination and ridicule that people with alternative sexuality go through, unless they are surrounded by extraordinarily woke people. Kids can be particularly cruel.
Past representation of the 'other' has been the clapping hijras, who land up on auspicious occasions to demand money, and turn up begging at signals, with that typical 10-finger and palm 'taali' and an agression that can be scary.
That is not the only kind of transgender there is and films have invariably focused on this very narrow image.
The poster and promo of the series also has the slogan 'bajaoongi nahin, bajwaoongi' (I won't clap, will make you clap) and the few glimpses that are seen look overcharged, as if activists wear their rage on their sleeve and always speak in slogans.
It is perhaps easier to convey the emotions of a transgender woman by using this in-your-face approach, and the bright sari, big bindi, heavy make-up, gajra look.
It would be too complex to understand and portray the many other aspects of the non-binary existence, even in a world that is now a little more accepting of differences. Still, people are often confused between transgender, transsexual, hermaphrodite and castrated male (which most hijras are in India with their own arcane rituals).
Not many can afford the full transition -- seen in the recent film Chandigarh Kare Aashiqi -- and continue to live with their confusion.
This Web series is about Shreegauri Sawant's Supreme Court petitions to be recognised as the third gender and for adoption rights for transgender people. From the trailer, it does look like her journey is adequately covered in Taali.
At least, it is an addition to the small list of films/ series that are willing to offer respect and dignity to a marginalsed and misunderstood community.
Taali will start streaming on JioCinema from August 15.
