In Transit review
Creators: Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti
Director: Ayesha Sood
Star rating: ★★★1/2

In India, what does it mean to be visibly trans? One glance at the instances of violence against the LGBTQ+ community is sufficient to demonstrate that India is still largely homophobic, and there is no whataboutery about it. The new four-part docuseries, produced by Tiger Baby Films, which is supported by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, aims to unite the narratives of nine transgender people from across India as they reveal their hopes, hearts, and lives. It is a crucial, delicately nuanced depiction of the difficulties encountered by the trans community in contemporary India. (Also see: Sabar Bonda review: A heartfelt and profoundly poignant exploration of queer love in rural India, the first Marathi film ever made at Sundance)

genuine and essential depiction

For the new addition to the Made in Heaven series, Meher, Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti had previously cast trans actor Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju in the second season. That character played a supporting role, contributing to the tension and untangling the turmoil surrounding the main storyline. From there to In Transit, the decision to represent the trans community honestly is a commendable one. In Transit is inquisitive, but cautiously so; the camera is just a vehicle for these people to share their experiences with utter confidence. Director Ayesha Sood draws out their life stories with a level of openness that reflects the confidence with which Archana Ghangrekar puts the camera and sees these subjects.

Aryan expresses his wish for a "connection" in a lovely scene. After Aryan narrates his story of change, the viewer can see the path he has taken before it arrives. Another especially memorable moment occurs when Rumi, a trans man and trained classical vocalist, discusses his tumultuous relationship with his mother. It becomes an amazing moment of surrender and reconciliation when he slowly realizes why his mother, a sculptor, acted as she did. When that moment came, I got shivers down my spine.

In Transit effectively represents the idea that gender and sexual identity are distinct by allowing these voices to speak for themselves. It has a somber tone as these individuals, who have had to struggle to express their truths throughout, discuss their wishes and aspirations. There are hope footnotes notwithstanding the sobs. The narrative of Patruni, a gender-fluid drag queen, is presented with great care here.

The interrogation is fueled by the notion that every experience should have a specific name and every wish should be named. How must a trans woman act even within the community? What kind of behavior is expected of them? These concepts originate from a very heteronormative society. These people will just need to be willing to unlearn and rethink how we view, classify, and make choices.

Concluding Remarks

In a nation with extreme inequality brought on by class divides, this docuseries cleverly frames the diversity of trans experiences. These individuals must deal with a variety of issues, such as socio-economic categorization, parental support, and access to education. It's about access as well as acceptance. Perhaps the biggest achievement of this carefully narrated document is that it never adopts a complacent tone.

Despite all the eager agreements, I couldn't help but ask why Sood never arranged a place for these nine people to get together. Is it a wise way to handle such personal anecdotes? Or does it subtly indicate that there are still too many gaps in communication and inclusivity that need to be addressed? The change will occur with kindness and compassion in any case.

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