21092023-LSTL-01.qxd 9/20/2023 9:44 PM Page 1 c m y b TRIBUNE Actress Kangana Ranaut on Tuesday welcomed the Union cabinet’s decision to approve the Women’s Reservation Bill for discussion in Parliament. She wrote on social media,“This is a historic day...” LUDHIANA | THURSDAY | 21 SEPTEMBER 2023 INCLUSIVE ACT No show for Shubh Mona A Age is just a number Anne Hathaway feels insulted when people say she looks good for her age Hollywood actress Anne Hathaway does not see it as a compliment when people tell her she looks good for her age! The 40-year-old actress considers the concept of ageing irrelevant and sees the process as ‘another word for living’. “I don’t think about age. To me, ageing is another word for living. So, if people want to pay a compliment, it’s nice. But whatever the hype is, I’m interested in what’s beyond the concept of hype,” Anne said. The Devil Wears Prada star also explained that she had learnt to be kinder to herself now that she had grown older and was also better at ‘sharing’. She explained: “I’m right at that point where I have a much better sense of how I like to do things. I’m so much better at sharing. I feel like I’m kinder to myself and kinder to others.” — IANS S the entertainment space aims at inclusivity, transgenders are no more playing the villainous brothel-keeper or that funny friend who dresses up weirdly for comic relief. Increasingly, they have become significant part of stories, at times taking a central role — be it Sushmita Sen in transgender activist Gauri Sawant’s role in the biopic Taali or Akshay Kumar headlining Laxmii or Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Haddi. Deepa Mehta’s documentary I am Sirat, which recently created a buzz at Toronto Film Festival, unravels the inner life of a Delhi-based transgender woman. Do these portrayals on screen herald a change towards a new world that’s inclusive or is it merely lip service in a world where being politically right is significant? We take a look. Changing contours The portrayal of transgender identity on screen has sure evolved over the years, barring a few exceptions. It reflects changing societal attitudes and awareness about gender diversity. However, it’s essential to note that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ answer to this question, as the representation of transgenders varies across different productions and time periods. “In the past, transgender characters in Indian cinema were often depicted using stereotypes and caricatures, contributing to their stigmatisation and marginalisation. They were frequently portrayed as comedians or villains,” says actor Rajesh Kumar, who has been part of the recent release Haddi. But in recent years, there has been a noticeable shift towards more realistic portrayals. “Filmmakers and series’ creators have started to explore the lives, struggles and aspirations of transgenders with greater depth and sensitivity. This shift has helped in humanising them and raising awareness about their issues,” he adds. Although struggles of the transgender community are coloured in a humorous hue, the representation is not uniform. “It’s crucial to recog- From stereotypical characters and caricatures on screen earlier, the portrayal of transgender characters has witnessed a sea-change with powerful roles by Sushmita Sen in Taali and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Haddi. Here’s a look at the trend Sushmita Sen Rapper Shubh’s Still Rollin India Tour cancelled after alleged support for Khalistan Akshay Kumar Kubbra Sait Nawazuddin Siddiqui Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju Vaani Kapoor nise that transgenders are not a monolithic group and that their experiences intersect with other aspects of identity, such as caste, class, religion, and regional background. Thus, some productions may provide more nuanced and authentic portrayals than others,” says actress Dhartti Bhatt. The representation of transgender identity in Indian cinema and web series has indeed progressed, with certain productions taking meaningful steps to foster understanding and inclusivity. “Nonetheless, complexities persist and the degree of advancement fluctuates across different works. The essential task ahead involves advocating for more genuine and diverse portrayals, all the while remaining aware of the risk of shallow depictions, driven solely by political correctness,” Dhartti adds. Matter of portrayal Now, there are more empathetic depictions — be it Kubbra Sait as Kuckoo in Sacred Games or Vaani Kapoor as a transgender Zumba trainer, Maanvi Brar, in Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui. Their respective love stories talk of inclu- Canadian rapper Shubh, whose real name is Shubhneet Singh, has landed in trouble after his alleged support for Khalistan, leading to the cancellation of his ‘Still Rollin’ tour in India. sion. However, the recent release Haddi takes a Uturn towards making them a distinctive community, “Pata hai log humse kyon darte hain, hamara aashirwad bahut shaktishali hota hai aur hamara shrap bahut bhayavay. Aur us se bhi bhayanak jaante ho kya hota hai — hamara badla,” says Nawazuddin as Harika, in Haddi. Earlier, in Laxmii, Akshay Kumar’s transgender character too perpetuated more stereotypes. On the flip side, Sushmita Sen in Taali and Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju, who plays Meher in the second season of the Indian web series Made In Heaven, not only bring to screen realistic characters, but also raise awareness about the community and its struggles. Sirat, whose life story Deepa Mehta highlights in I am Sirat, hopes that the documentary will help her mother accept her as a proud transgender woman. “Advocacy, legal changes, and international influences also play a role. The challenge lies in balancing entertainment with education and striving for continuous improvement in representation,” says actress Anupama Solanki. Ticket booking application BookMyShow took to Twitter, formerly called X, to announce that the Punjab-born, Brampton, Canada-based 26-yearold rapper’s multi-city Still Rollin India Tour has been cancelled. BookMyShow also promised a complete refund of the tickets within 7-10 days. Shubhneet landed in soup on a day when India-Canadian ties hit rock bottom after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused ‘Indian agents’ of perpetrating the June 23 killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar at a gurdwara in Surrey, Vancouver. Meanwhile, the tour was cancelled over an Instagram post by the rapper, which was captioned ‘Pray for Punjab’. Along with two folded hands emojis, this babyfaced follower of the late Sidhu Moosewala ran a map of India without Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and the NorthEast on it. It was on August 4, when Shubneet’s Still Rollin India Tour was announced. The three-month long tour included cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Gurgaon, Mumbai among others. — IANS ANUPAM KHER Home sweet home! The Valley Gardens, an exquisite enclave nestled in the heart of Panchkula, hosted an enchanting interaction with well-known actor Anupam Kher recently. The event, titled An Experience Called Home, offered a captivating insight into how the concept of ‘home’ has been an integral part of Kher’s remarkable life journey. With sharp wit, warmth and profound wisdom, Kher captivated the audience with anecdotes from his remarkable career. He shed light on how the concept of ‘home’ has been a pivotal force in shaping both his personal life and professional journey. The session took the audience on an intimate exploration of his experiences and emotions, emphasising that ‘home’ transcends physical borders to become a profound feeling. What truly set this event apart was the open forum, allowing the audience to engage directly with him. Kher graciously addressed questions, offering valuable insights into his craft, life lessons, and the core values that have guided him in his cinematic journey. Additionally, a select few participants were fortunate enough to receive autographed copies of his latest book. — TNS Comedy meets cricket Sheetal This is big news for the fans of comedy as well as cricket! Dhruv Bakshi, owner, The Laugh Club, has come up with the idea of combining the two most loved things with the event Comedians Cricket League. It will be hosted this weekend at the Sector 16 Cricket Stadium with three teams — Chandigarh Challengers, Delhi Destroyers and Mumbai Maestros — competing against each other. The tickets are available online on BookMyShow. The trophy was revealed at The Laugh Club on Wednesday. About how he managed to get every popular comedian to participate, Dhruv says, “It was surely a tough task. While this idea was in mind for quite some time, it took us one year to lock the dates for this fun Comedians Cricket League to take place in Chandigarh this weekend Team Jawan yet competitive cricket match.” Earlier in 2021, The Laugh Club started Chandigarh Comedy Festival. Entering its third edition this year, comedians from all over India perform at a single venue for two continuous days in November. Apart from entertainment for tricity people, it’s a charity event wherein the cash amount of winning team will be donated to a NGO called Initiators for Change. More than 50 comedians, includ- c m y b ing Abhishek Upmanyu, Anubhav Singh Bassi, Munawar Faruqui, Harsh Gujral, Samay Raina, Punit Pania and Aakash Gupta, will take part in the event. Not just that, expect your favourite comedian to enter the commentary box and roast the opponents! On Saturday, September 23, three matches (15 overs each) will be played. Top two teams will fight the next day for the trophy in a 20 overs match. Minting moolah! Jawan, headlined by Shah Rukh Khan, has amassed Rs 907.54 crore at the global boxoffice in 13 days of its release. Production house Red Chillies Entertainment on Wednesday shared the latest data on its official X page. “And this is how the King ruled the box office!” the banner captioned the post. Jawan hit the screens on September 7 in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. A high-octane action thriller that outlines ‘the emotional journey of a man who is set to rectify the wrongs in society’, the film stars Shah Rukh in the dual role of Vikram Rathore and his son Azad. It also stars Nayanthara and Vijay Sethupathi with Deepika Padukone and Sanjay Dutt in special appearances. Sanya Malhotra, Priyamani, Girija Oak, Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, Lehar Khan, Aaliyah Qureshi, Ridhi Dogra, Sunil Grover and Mukesh Chhabra are also a part of the cast. A Red Chillies Entertainment presentation, Jawan is produced by Gauri Khan and co-produced by Gaurav Verma. — PTI