Taali is an incredible web series in many aspects. Firstly, kudos to Sushmita Sen for doing this role! She plays the role of Shreegauri Sawant, a transgender activist, and the series portrays her battles to include the third gender in all Indian documents. Secondly, this series is based on the true life story of Gauri Sawant, a transgender activist from a slum in Mumbai, India. Thirdly and most importantly, this series portrays the challenges faced by a transgender person and how she struggles her way to demand her rights.
After watching the series, you would be bound to reflect on the finer and deeper facets of life. We take so many things for granted. While living in the same country a specific group of citizens faces adversities so much that they do not even have some of the basic rights to live and breathe in a free country.
After watching Taali, you will pause to think about the sad fate of the third-gender people in our country, the way they are humiliated as if they are not humans!
They are majorly ill-treated and unrecognized in society. This series changes the way eunuchs are represented in cinema. In Hindi cinema, they are often portrayed as comical characters or villains but Taali is an exception.
In the first episode, there is a dialogue from Sushmita – “Bajaungi nahi, bajwaungi” which means “I’ll not clap for you but make you clap for me.” Eunuchs are traditionally expected to visit Indian homes during ceremonies such as weddings or when a baby is born and clap for the well-being of others. But they are never greeted nicely. Eunuchs are expected to bless homes but they are often mistreated by people and cursed in general.
Because of Gauri Sawant’s struggles, finally, in 2014, the Supreme Court of India recognized the rights of transgender people as the third gender. Now they even have the liberty to choose their gender identity and have equal access to education, jobs, and other facilities.
