TransKashmir: life and travails of eunuchs

  

Documentary: TransKashmir

Director Duo: SA Hanan and Surbhi Dewan

Cinematography: Faisal Bhat

Duration: 60 minutes  

 

inam ul rehman 

 

What is your first reaction on seeing a transgender walking on the road? You look at the other side? Spit? Intense gaze? Tease? Sneer? Or you just take him/her as any other human being? 

 

“TransKashmir”, a 60-minute exploratory documentary shows us a mirror which we don’t want to see.

 

It is a story of aspirations denied, ambitions cut short, and dreams snatched. Narrated through 6 transgender persons, “Trans Kashmir” takes you to the underbelly of Kashmiri society, which we don’t want to discuss.  

When as children these transgenders go to school, they are subject to bullying and derogatory words. Sneered at, and humiliated. Without any family and social support these persons drop out from schools. After that their families try to hide them, or send them to work, or fetch for themselves.  And whom are these transgender persons most afraid of? Its men. Yes, they are scared of Kashmiri men. They don’t trust Kashmiri men. And reasons are obvious. 

 

The director duo of SA Hanan and Surbhi Dewan don’t impose their viewpoint. They let these transgenders say what they have gone through. One must remember that it is never easy to make any transgender person speak freely. Having been mocked, rejected, taunted, assaulted, these people remain lip locked due to trust deficit. 

 

Once Hanan and Surbhi gain their trust they are taken inside their world.They have a weekly meet and remain in touch with their counterparts from other states.    

 

Its here they tell filmmakers how they are different from their counterparts from other states. They don’t beg. They don’t clap for attention. Here they are in matchmaking business, and performing artists on wedding days, and do not fall in flesh trade unlike their counterparts. Being in match making, and performing artists helps them to earn a paltry livelihood, but now that too is shrinking with women, and men in the forefront of it. It may not be far when we will see these transgenders begging on the roads as they are skilfully excluded in our society. As one transgender prophetically reminds people that their generation remained quiet, but the new generation of transgenders will not shy away from fighting for their rights.  

 

The director duo reminds us that every society has issues and the best societies are those who embrace these issues earlier. It is soothing to see Ajaz Ahmad Bund not only working for their rights but trying to bring respect toward them. Having extensively worked for this community Ajaz feels that the medical fraternity of Kashmir is “most insensitive toward transgenders”.  They at times refuse to treat them, or suggest shock therapies, narrates Ajaz.    

One of the main protagonists of this documentary Abdul Rashid alias Reshma, who became famous for singing “Hai hai vasayae, yaaran hai tadepevnas", died last year. 

 

Direction, camera, music, et al

Stuti Dalaal’s illustrations in the film are refreshing and melancholic.  Animations of Ashtoush Guru, Shreyasi Das, and Mohammad Shakeel add value to this documentary. Journalist Nazir Gania’s rabab rendition in the film is a revelation. Faisal Bhat’s camerawork is pleasing. He has been able to capture the beauty and pathos of the situation.  

 

The use of wanwun to brighten or heighten situations in the film is apt. 

As directors, Hanan from Kashmir, and Surabhi from New Delhi, have not tried to hyperbole or downplay what transgenders go through in their daily life. Both have tried to portray them as normal human beings who are discriminated against for their gender in this modern age. There is no narrator, and transitions from one era to another era are smooth. Filmmakers have not overdone the use of archival footage. 

 

Shortcomings 

Of the famous war generals of medieval India, Malik Kufar was a transgender.  There is even “Hijron ka khanqah” constructed by the Lodhi dynasty in Delhi. Transgenders in medieval times used to guard harems of kings and nobles.  Then how did transgenders fall into this destitution. The filmmakers have missed this aspect.

As directors they are able to make a statement on their poverty and life struggles, but remain silent about what gives them joy. One thing that I found distasteful was not using original names. So was the term historian used for Zareef Ahmad Zareef, which he is not. He is a satirist. The filmmakers have also not moved beyond Srinagar city. They have even not thought it fit to interact with transgender families.  There is a more than 4 minutes scene inside a hotel which could be trimmed.  

 

This documentary was shown during the 5th edition of Samabhav festival organised by “Men Against Violence and Abuse” popularly known as MAVA. It is strange to know that our filmmakers are unable to show their documentaries in the Valley despite this place being a preferred location for filmmaking! 

 

Pic courtesy: SA Hanan