Ranjan, a 13-year-old child, experiences the changes in his biological make-up. Harassed in his hostel by his friend, he moves back home. His attempts to confide in his mother backfires when she denies the reality of his changes. She drags him to a doctor, hoping to find a cure. The doctor identifies him as a transgender and while the phenomenon is not unnatural, society may disagree. In despair, she runs to her husband who disowns Ranjan ousting him from the house. He turns to strangers for help, who either ignore or humiliate him. Due to the lack of acceptance, in his attempt to fit in, he becomes Ranjini.
This was the storyline of the street play ‘Ranjini’ put up by Faces, a theatre group from the GITAM University on Sunday, near the YMCA on the Beach Road. This was organised in collaboration with Nestam, an LGBTQ community and support group which spreads awareness and offers counselling to those struggling with their identities.
Community’s struggles
Vivek Ranjan, a fourth year B-Tech student and the actor who played Ranjan, said everyone was aware of the transgender community, but nobody would talk about it. Through this play, he wanted to bring to the public eye the community’s struggles. This play was written by their alumni Siddarth who was inspired by a conversation he had with a member of this community. This encounter encouraged him and the team to research more on the community. Vivek feels this play will have an impact on the viewers as “live action remains in our memories”.
This play was a call to society not to mistreat but accept all the Ranjans of this world.
