(Pic courtesy: www.timesofap.com)
The transsexual politics in South Indian cinema has been solely one-dimensional, what with the transsexuals, largely occupying the fringes of the industry as extra artistes or makeup assistants. Even when they have been offered roles in films, they have often been relegated to comic images of gaudily attired, men-thirsty vampires.
With more and more young film makers entering the fray, looks like things are in for a change. And the transsexual politics in South Indian films appears all set for a transformation as well. Director Ram, renowned for his films as ‘Thanka Meenukal’ has cast Anjali Ameer, transsexual model in the key role in his upcoming film, ‘Peranbu’, and that too opposite Mammootty.
Anjali has born the brunt of being a transsexual for quite some time now, and talks of rejection of the worst kind, earlier in her life. Today, she has made a mark for herself as an established model, and yet is confounded that people are not even able to make the distinction between a transsexual and a transgender.
But she is also glad that the society has started accepting transsexuals into its fold, and that the transformation has been there, though a tad too gradual. She’s excited that her role in ‘Peranbu’ does not conform to the conventional transsexual mode, and that she has been offered something with substance instead of the much dreaded stereotype. She’s also overjoyed that Mammootty himself referred to her as ‘his heroine’.
Here is wishing her the very best in films, and life.