KOCHI: Aanpirannol, a first-of-its-kind Malayalam teleserial that puts forth a sensitive narrative based on the life and struggles of the transgender community will soon air on the entertainment channel Amrita Television.
Directed by Sivamohan Thampi, the serial will feature a transman as its protagonist and discuss the trials and tribulations that the trans community undergoes. “The idea is to bring such less-discussed topics into the mainstream and start a dialogue in households across the state,” says Thampi.
Apoorva and Malavika are born on the same day at a hospital. Gradually, the families become inseparable and so do the kids. And over time, Apoorva recognises that she wants to live as a trans person. Apoorva’s quest for her true self strains her relationship with her family and Malavika, and this forms the crux of the story. “The trans community is not always represented rightfully on screen. They are often mocked and made jokes about. We want to try a different, more sensitive treatment,” says Thampi.
The story isn’t a biopic, scriptwriter Ganesh Olikkara says. “By telling Apoorva’s story to a larger crowd, we hope that our homes will be open to those who come out,” says Ganesh. A lot of research went into the project, and the team had many discussions with members of the trans community, he says.
“Their struggles are very real and cannot be translated in words,” he adds. According to the makers, the serial has been a journey of unlearning. “People are sympathetic towards the trans community. But we want them to be empathetic,” says Thampi. “We are posing this question through Apoorva: “Why should one always live with the gender assigned at birth?” George Olikkara chips in. Riya Kuriakose plays Apoorva’s role. The serial will air from November 1.