Actor tells Indian trans community: ‘Don’t get offended’
A transgender actor from controversial Tamil film ‘I‘ has spoken out, telling trans protesters to not be offended.
The film sparked a wave of protests by trans people including a sit in outside the director Shankar Shanmugham home which lasted two days. It features a trans character, played by Ojas Rajini, being rejected by the main character when he discovered she is trans. She then performs a mocking and sexually suggestive dance.
Trans protesters have demanded an apology from the director and the removal of the scenes.
Ojas Rajini said: “Shankar didn’t try to demean the character of a transgender. In fact, he shot it so aesthetically and beautifully that it doesn’t offend anybody, including the transgender community.
“It is just a story in a film of love where my character falls in love and reacts in a certain way. We are not trying to offend our transgender friends. So please I request you not to be offended.
“Please put a stop to this anger and rejoice in the success of the film.”
Trans TV personality Rose Venkatesan said: “We want Shankar to remove those scenes from the film. It belittles our community.
“The way Shankar has portrayed Ojas’s character makes us look like sex-starved individuals.”
