ABSTRACT
Indian cinema very often shows sexual minorities, whose gender identity, or sexual characteristics break from established norms of the society. Delving into history, transgender roles were mostly marginalised, at times used as comic relief or shown negatively and completely villainous. In the early 2000s, the portrayal of transgenders became more sympathetic yet complicated, resulting in films that offered more authentic representations of transgender characters.
There were movies like “Sadak” (1991) and “Tammanna” (1997) that featured transgender characters but echoed negative perceptions, and also films like “Super Deluxe” (2019), “Bombay Begums” (2021), and “Taali” (2023) which shed light on transgender roles and their real-life obstacles. These changes may still fall short or fully challenge deep-rooted gender stereotypes, such as the idea that transgender women are not women, that trans people are inherently deceptive, or that trans people are confused.
Using reflections from the literature review and interviews, this paper will subjectively examine the changing landscape and layers of transgender representation in Indian cinema from the mid-2010s to the present, showcasing the breakthrough of trans artists in both the areas of Indian mainstream and regional film industries.
