CHENNAI: What remained a childhood dream has turned into reality for a 37-year-old transwoman from Thoothukudi, who is all set to play the protagonist in a dance drama to be staged at the Narada Gana Sabha, one of the most presitigious venues for South Indian classical art.
Ponni, hailing from a family of pushcart vendors, developed an interest in Bharatanatyam ever since she was a child and joined dance classes when she was in class eight. However, her financially poor background pushed her to work in the local market as a coolie to fund her education and support her family, forcing her to abandon the dream.
After graduating in Maths from VOC College, Ponni, who kept her dance dream alive, earned a diploma in Bharatanatyam from a State-run Music School in Thoothukudi in 2004. Soon after, she took up dance classes for transgenders in Theni through an NGO.
However, the going was tough for a transwoman like her, as several dance schools turned her down at the very outset. “When she met me for the first time, I asked if she had any job. She replied in the negative. I offered her a teaching position in one of our schools which instilled confidence in her. Today, she is an excellent example of how a transgender with talent can climb up the ladder,” said her teacher S Shivakumar, the founder of Shivakalalayam Academy of Indian Performing Arts. In fact, it was Shivakumar’s conviction of her abilities that has enabled her play the lead role of ‘Thanthondri Perumal’ in his latest production ‘Thanthondri Perumal Vaibhavam’ to be staged at Narada Gana Sabha on Sunday next.
According to Shivakumar, when they staged the same play at a venue in Chennai some time in the recent past, one of the organisers wanted Ponni out of the group. “He said she was not in sync with the other dancers. I took her off, but only to make her play the lead role,” Shivakumar recalled.
Ponni herself is understandably elated, as she is finally making progress in achieving her ambition. “I am dreaming to make it big in Bharatanatyam,” she told Express. Unlike many transgenders who had to face alienation from their home itsef, Ponni was not shunned by her family - she is the last child, with two brothers and two sisters. “They accepted me the way I was,” Ponni said.
About five years ago, using every dime of her earning that she had saved up, Ponni managed to fly down her parents from Thoothukudi to Chennai to watch her dance. It was their dream to fly, while her’s was to dance. “They realised how serious I was in my pursuit only after that,” she added.
Shivakumar added that Ponni may soon be performing solo in the coming days.
When contacted, authorities at the Narada Gana Saba said they would not go into the details of who is playing what role, maintaining that they would only provide the space for performance and it was for the guru to decide everything.