TRANSGENDER NARRATIVES IN INDIAN CINEMATIC CONTEXT: A STUDY OF SUSHMITA SEN’S TAALI

Abstract

Indian films reflect its society’s cultural, social and political milieu. Traditional Indian cinemas have portrayed the queer community either in a comic or in a tragic manner. Resultantly, the community has been stereotyped and been devoid of realistic and authentic representation. Whether the society impacts arts or art impacts society is a different debate, but the essence is that both are interdependent. Such a connection becomes far more enticing, for the LGBTQ+ community in itself is immensely rich in its culture and is a lesser explored one. Sushmita Sen’s Taali is a story of Shreegauri Sawant – a prominent activist of the transgender community in 1990s in India. The present research article is titled “Transgender Narratives in Indian Cinematic Context: A Study of Sushmita Sen’s Taali” and it explores the key elements of Indian transgender and queer community by studying the life and battles of the protagonist Gauri. The research emphasizes promoting such realistic portrayals because it necessitates the value of an inclusive cinematic landscape in Indian film fraternity. The emotional and social angle of Taali’s protagonist and the battles and victories she achieves in her life prove inspiration for its readers and it befalls in resistance cinema.