A talented choreographer and actress, Ivanka Das has appeared on the big screen as actor Abhishek Bachchan’s sister in R Balki’s film, Ghoomer. We talk to the actress about her role, her struggles as a trans-sexual artiste and her other upcoming projects.
Tell us how Ghoomer happened.
I got a call from casting director Shruti Mahajan and I gave my audition before finally getting selected for the role. It's a primary character where I'm playing Abhishek's sister whose name is Rasika. She's an innocent and lively girl and completely different from what I am in real life because I'm a bit emotional and impulsive. So, it was quite challenging to portray Rasika since I had to hold back my emotions to play her right.
How was it working with R Balki?
He is amazing without a doubt! He's phenomenal and a very nice human being before anything else. He has that rare quality to understand an artist’s real personality and the character he or she is playing and creates his own world through his cinema. He really gives a lot of creative space to his artists.
And how was it playing Abhishek Bachchan’s sister?
Oh my God! Abhishek Bachchan is so talented and he's so good and natural in his work. It’s incredible the kind of humour he brought to this film and he really made the character alive and led R Balki's vision. He's also a very helpful co-actor.
How hard is the struggle to establish yourself in the industry? Are things getting better for actors from the LGBTQIA+ community?
I'm still hustling, but yes, at least now, people know me in the industry. I don't want people to just recognize me as a transgender actor but as a good actor. It’s still a long way and a long fight ahead. I learned to keep patience in order to get more acceptance in terms of trans people playing the lead characters.
I think the industry needs to understand the spectrum of the LGBTQIA+ community. It will take time to bring that perspective and change in terms of representation in Indian cinema. First, people need to understand scientifically and psychologically then they would know well how to cast. Also, we don't have such actors who can perform well and there are fewer people from this community who are into acting. But the representation of these characters on screen has increased in the right manner.
What inspires you as an artiste?
Self-confidence is what I try to instil within me and I try to encourage myself despite the struggles and arduous journey. Difficulties inspire me to grow. Rejections from work, family and all those things inspire me.
Your upcoming projects?
I am a part of Nawazuddin Siddiqui starrer Haddi and another Netflix anthology.