Sushant Divgikar aka Rani Ko-HE-Nur: Ektaa ma'am, there should be a trans Naagin

Rani KoHENur is a name that resonates with power and grace Rani has broken barriers and challenged stereotypes for the LGBTQIA community Her story is one of resilience creativity and a relentless pursuit of representationDuring Pride Month 2024 we take a look at when Rani KoHENur opened up about representation her journey and more exclusively with MiddaycomReflecting on her time in showbiz Rani KoHENur mentioned Its been a while This is my 18th year in the industry and it doesnt feel like it She witnessed a significant transformation in the entertainment mediums from films being the sole avenue to stardom to the rise of television as a dominant force Growing up television was a crucial part of her life She admired TV stars like Achint Kaur Nikki Walia and Mandira Bedi However she never saw someone like herself represented seriously on screenRani KoHENur at Middays studioRani KoHENurs journey was not easy I never saw somebody like me doing serious stuff she recalled People from the LGBTQIA community were often the subject of mockery rather than being given serious roles This lack of representation was disheartening but it also fueled her determination to change the narrative You cant just feel bad about it and do nothing she states emphaticallyI dont know who it was funny for really You know like it was quite embarrassing Even for families to sit and watch this together about someone from the community being molested or being made fun of Yeah I think it was just not cool And I realized that this was something I wanted to change Rani elaboratedView this post on InstagramA post shared by Sushant Divgikr Rani KoHEnur sushantdivgikrDuring the conversation Rani KoHENur also passionately called upon Ektaa Kapoor to consider creating a trans Naagin character Because Naagins dont have gender she saysEkta maam I think its time Because Naagin ki bal power bhi apne baalon hair mein hoti hai Dekho kitne lambe baal hain mere You can just imagine Rani laughed as she casually showed off her gorgeous tressesArt has no gender and Rani KoHENur embodies this belief She shares Gender by itself is very fluid and so is fashion So is art What is the gender of art This philosophy is evident in her work which goes beyond traditional gender boundaries Her hit song Pari Hu Main is a testament to her artistic vision Although it is not explicitly a transgender anthem it trended for months outperforming many other mainstream songsBeing a trans person in the online world is not the easiest task especially with trolls Rani shares her experiences with blunt honesty They dont know what to say Like if somebody says something to me somebody says abe chae haan kya ho gaya Bolo na They dont know what to say And Im like exactly So what else You dont tell me what I am I know what I amBringing to light a broader societal change Rani said That would have hurt somebody in the nineties Today you have us in politics and education in healthcare in the arts and representing our country internationally several times over speaking the way we speak in multiple languages sitting with our dignity and our integrity and our pallu in its place