Fida Khan says she discovered her talent as a child. Fida is a member of the 6 Pack Band, said to be India’s first transgender music group. It was launched in 2016 by Y-films, the youth entertainment division of Yash Raj Films. “I used to sing in a low-pitched voice and tried to sing like Lata Mangeshkarji,” says the charming Fida during a telephonic interview. Fida, today, tirelessly works for the recognition and progress of the transgender community. So when Shameer Tandon was looking for a host for ‘De Taali-Life of a Transgender’, an original podcast which he has curated and produced and launched on Spotify, he knew it would have to be Fida.
Music composer Shameer launched Fida’s music career. “Four years ago, a friend of mine at Yashraj Films, decided to start a movement for the betterment of transgenders in India. Though they form 20 to 25 lakh of the population, there was hardly any work done for their cause. We thought that since we are from the entertainment industry, the best way to create awareness is through the medium of music and entertainment. So we decided to start 6 Pack Band with six members from the transgender community.”
Shameer says there were several factors to consider before they formed the band. “The situation was very different four years ago. For competitions such as Indian Idol or Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, an ad could be put up. That was not possible when looking for talent among the transgender community. We had to orchestrate it in a different manner.” Shameer visited the places where the community lived in Mumbai. “We selected 200 and further pared it down to six, that is how the movement started.”
He adds: “6 Pack Band was awarded the Glass Lion Grand Prix at Cannes, 2016. They were the first South Asian musicians to perform at the 2017 festival of advertising at Cannes.”
The idea for the podcast
It became Fida’s and Shameer’s mission to sensitise people about the transgender community. ‘De Taali-Life of a Transgender’ is designed to do so. It focuses on the trials and tribulations of this community. Each episode unravels and educates the listeners on different spheres in the lives of transgenders through conversations with guests from varied backgrounds, including medicine, literature, the transgender community, and more.
“We focus on the trials and tribulations at the micro and macro level. We roped in members from the band (Ravina Jagtap, Asha Jagtap, Chandni Suvarnakar, Komal Jagtap, and Bhavika Patil) to talk about their physical and psychological well being, commercial issues they face and how the workplace doesn’t give them the role they deserve,” says Shameer.
The podcast delves into the lives of transgenders for information that you will not find on the internet, says Shameer. “The episodes in De Taali is told through the lens of Fida’s and her colleagues’ experiences. The podcast is of and by transgenders and for people who are unaware about the community.”
Fida says ‘De Taali’ brings to light many facts about the community that are hardly known. “We have experts like Dr Piyush Saxena who sometimes spoke of things that even I was not aware of.”
Challenges faced
Fida says she wants to reach out to those within her community who live below the poverty line. “It is tough to reach out to them. There are mayors and principals from the transgender community who are doing well, but then there are many from the community who are ignored. And I have seen this especially during the lock-down. Food and basic amenities are barely reaching them. I am doing everything I can to provide them provisions in Mumbai,” says Fida.
Busting myths
When asked what are some of the myths around the community that need to be corrected, Fida says: “There are thousands. I can’t pick any one and says this is more important. The community faces difficulties both within the family and society. The episode that is closest to my heart is pain and pleasure of the transgender community. During the podcast all of us are ourselves and in a full mood, having fun.”
You can listen to the podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/1KutZsmZMOxWElLjufMhyD?si=kztt5g-3SF-XoQ05tnvsvQ
