Actress and choreographer Ivanka Das, who has been part of projects like 'Bombay Begums', 'Haddi', 'Ghoomer' shared how being a trans actor, she often gets limited roles, adding that this should not be the case, and equal opportunities must be given.
Actress and choreographer Ivanka Das, who has been part of projects like 'Bombay Begums', 'Haddi', 'Ghoomer' shared how being a trans actor, she often gets limited roles, adding that this should not be the case, and equal opportunities must be given.
Ivanka shared: "It's really frustrating when I don't get the kind of roles I deserve and the kind of opportunities that I want, as per my talent. But somewhere I have to work for myself and manage my home, there are a lot of expenses that I have to pay, so I have to do the work I get. I still try to think and sort the kind of work that suits me and helps me to grow, because if I do anything that comes in my way, I might not be able to grow."
The 'Maja Ma' fame said: "People would provide you with the kind of work that you have been doing so far, because that's what they think that this particular person has been doing these kinds of roles so the big roles won't suit. All of these are very frustrating. I don't have any back up. If I have a good status symbol and pick works that suit my profile then only it's going to work."
“I believe I am a good actor but in the industry all the actors are being characterised as side role actors, transgender actors, supporting actors and all like this, they do such things and it is very bad. I think an actor is an actor. It's okay to cast them as per the requirement of the role or the look but first take an audition. But even before taking the auditions, the lead is already chosen. How much time do you need to understand or to figure out what kind of work a particular actor can do if they really don't get the work,” she shared.
Ivanka said: "If a person is transexual, will you give them the role of a trans person only? That too every time? So a transexual person will get work for a while and will sit idle for a long time. But when it comes to some actors, they are getting roles often and they never sit idle. For how long I will be given side roles? In our industry, it also happens that a person gets the lead role in big films without any experience in acting."
“I don't understand how they get roles, and it gets really frustrating. In this condition I really try hard to handle my emotions by spending time with my loved ones because it really gets hard someday and I do get depressed because the way I have seen myself working hard, I don't know when I am going to achieve what I deserve,” she added.