Taali translates to “clap”, a stereotypical sign of a transgender person in India, Taali is a biopic based on activist Shreegauri Sawant. With Sushmita Sen playing the lead part, Ravi Jadhav’s new television series will take you on a transgender person’s journey and explore more than just the Taali you see. Krutika Deo, who portrays Gauri’s teenager, also gives an affecting and wonderful performance.
The story of Taali is not so old. It has not been even a decade since a large population of the country got the status of third gender from the Supreme Court. The decision to take action was decided in 2014. A different question is how much has changed since then. However, the transwoman Shreegauri Sawant’s story comes to light in the online series Taali, which is currently available on Jio Cinema, whose efforts led to the third gender in the nation receiving the same status as humans as men and women.
A Fight for Identity
The story of Shree Gauri Sawant attracts interest in today’s era. She gained the rights for an extensive community by fighting for her existence as a female transsexual in the Supreme Court. But it was certainly not smooth. She had to battle the society’s outdated and brutal perspectives, which date back thousands of years.
Gauri’s journey from Ganesh to Gauri is depicted in the first chapter of his life. This change is not a gender transition; rather, it is the internal realisation of who he is. Ganesh had already come to the realisation that, unlike his father, he did not want to work as a tough police officer. When asked what he wants to be when he grows up at school, he replies that he wants to be a mother. Sushmita Sen’s portrayal of Gauri Sawant serves as an example of this.
Happiness and Sorrow
Sushmita’s performance will undoubtedly draw appreciation. Her portrayal of Gauri’s love to and sacrifice for transgender people is exquisite. Here, it is clear how diligently she has shaped herself into Gauri. The self-struggle of Ganesh (Kritika Dev) is worth watching in the initial two-and-a-half episodes of Taali. Then there are touching scenes of her relationship with her father after her mother passes away.
Nandu Madhav is here in a small but effective role as a father. Ganesh’s father is a police officer. Ganesh leaves them and runs away from Pune to Mumbai, so that he can live with people like him. He grows up in Mumbai and hides his identity and earns his livelihood in different ways. He also works to improve the condition of transgenders and after an incident that happened during this period, he decides to undergo a sex change operation. This is also the turning point of the story.
And applause at the end
In 2014, Shreegauri Sawant became the first trans person to file a petition in the Supreme Court of India for the adoption rights of trans people. She is the director of Sakhi Char Chowghi. This organization helps trans people and people with HIV/AIDS. Shreegauri Sawant was a petitioner in the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) case, in which the Supreme Court identified transgender as the third gender. She was made the goodwill ambassador of the Election Commission in Maharashtra.
How Shreegauri Sawant fought not only for herself and for the trans community but for people and society is commendable. Similarly, how Sushmita Sen acted out her role and made it look believable is nothing but perfection. Director Ravi Jadhav and screenwriter Kshitij Patwardhan did a brilliant job highlighting Gauri’s existential struggle and her zeal to survive and protect. The way the entire cast helped this drama series to see the light of the day, truly deserves a “Taali.”
