India’s First Trans Beauty Queen Set For TV Debut

India’s First Trans Beauty Queen Set For TV Debut

While LGBTQ community is struggling to have the freedom of living the way they are, we get someone like Nitasha Biswas, who had become the first international trans beauty queen from India in 2017. She is now all ready to set a new milestone. She is going to make her first small screen debut with MTV’s ‘Dating in the Dark’.

Nitasha bagged India's first beauty pageant in 2017. She then has represented India in many beauty pageants internationally. However, the 27-year-old model feels her journey has just started. "I want to act in television shows and then of course films are the ultimate goal. I think Bollywood is ready for its first transgender heroine."

Nitasha wishes to be a beacon for the ones in the trans community who are aiming for a breakthrough in the entertainment industry. However, she doesn’t mean only those who want to be performers.

"There are a lot of jobs in the industry right? If trans women are equal to everyone else, then they should also be able to become film directors, DOPs, camera persons, anything. Our community has no dearth of talent, all we need is love and acceptance from the society and equal access to platforms that allow their expression,” she states.

The Indian film industry has not been open about employing trans people. Queer roles have been played by cis actors doing cross-dressing. However, Nitisha feels that the increase in awareness will change this scenario.

“I want to see a day when transwomen play cis characters. Like, star in a rom-com with a hero because that's what equality means," she reveals. However, she is aware of the discrimination faced by the transgenders in the workplace in terms of equal wage and other issues despite the legalization of the third gender. She is of the opinion that the on-going debate regarding Section 377 is a sign that change is coming.

MTV's 'Dating in the Dark', her television debut, is going to release on Friday. Nitasha hopes that this will lead to the opening of new doors for the trans community in India.

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