CHENNAI: It was on April 15, 2014 that the Supreme Court recognised transgenders as a “third gender” in a landmark ruling, saying it was addressing a “human rights issue”. But, even after two years of the judgement, the society is yet to accept them.
Till date, it has identified them only as sex workers. But has anyone ever pondered over how much pain and agony they undergo during the act?
Piravi, a 20-minute short film directed by Sakthi Raj, an employee of a private company along with transgender group, shows the plight of this third gender, which has been forced into flesh trade.
The film starts with Kanmani, Kayal and Malar, the protagonists, getting ready for the night and leaving home to look for a prospective customer. They wait on a lane in a residential area. But, not a single prospective customer gets fixed. The few, who do stop by, bargain for meagre amounts.
In the middle of bargain, a police vehicle on patrol makes them flee from the place. Escaping from them, they go to a highway and wait, but they don’t find a single customer. Instead passers-by throw cheap glances at them, making abusive remarks.
As the three divide en route and wait, cursing their fate, two drunkards on a bike come to one of the transgenders, Kanmani, and demands that she come with them.
When she refuses, one of the drunkards hits her on head with an alcohol bottle. Kanmani collapses on the road, bleeding profusely.
Her friend rushes her to the hospital, where a doctor treats Kanmani without waiting for legal formalities.
Kanmani succumbs to injuries in the hospital. She makes her last wish that her organs be donated.
“I could not live a happy life as I wished. At least after my death, let my wish be fulfilled. Donate my organs so that others will live happily,” Kanmani says, breathing her last.
Sakthi Raj, director of the movie, says that the idea behind bringing the concept of organ donation was to make people understand that transgenders are also human beings. “Transgenders can donate their organs just like others,” the director added.
Transgender Chintu plays Kanmani, Vaishnavi acts as Kayal and Neha as Malar.
The concept was formed two years ago, but we could complete the movie only now. It took about 15 days to shoot the movie, said Grace Banu, producer of the movie and also the first transgender engineering student.
Angel Glady, a transgender, co-director and an actor herself, said that the team had plans to screen the film in schools and colleges to raise awareness of transgenders.
The preview show was screened at AVM Studio, Vadapalani in the presence of film director S P Jananathan.