EXCLUSIVE: Taali creators Arjun and Kartk on casting Sushmita Sen: Only she had the guts to play a transgender

Creators Arjun Singgh Baran and Kartk D Nishandar are gearing up for the release of their upcoming series Taali. The show stars Sushmita Sen in the titular role of transgender activist Shreegauri Sawant. In an interview with Bollywood Bubble, the creator duo revealed why the former miss universe was their only choice to essay this brave and hard-hitting role. They also opened up about how the versatile actress prepared for the character. Excerpts:

On Taali being initially pitched as a Marathi film

Taali is an inspiring tale of Shreegauri Sawant who relentlessly fought for the rights of transgender. Talking about why this concept was made in a series format, Kartk told, “Initially when Taali was pitched to us by writer Kshitij Patwardhan, it was as a Marathi film. But we wanted to ensure that the show would transcend boundaries and reach millions of viewers. Also, we were documenting someone’s journey of 20 years which can’t be summed up in 2 hours. That’s why we converted it to a 6-episodic web series format.”

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Arjun and Kartk on maintaining sensitivity towards the subject and community

The Taali creators shared how they made sure to maintain sensitivity towards the subject. They also revealed how particular they were while researching the subject. The creators said, “We always knew this is a sensitive subject, that’s why the whole writing process took around 2.5 to 3 years. When we were researching we had Gauri and some other transgenders in the process. We specifically researched their body language, how they walk, the festivals they celebrate, God they worship, and how are they cremated.”

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On casting Sushmita Sen for the role

This will be the first time a female actress will portray a transgender on-screen. When we asked Arjun and Kartk why Sushmita Sen was the only choice they explained why only she can do this role convincingly.

“Initially, when we were developing the show, we thought of getting a male actor on board. But our story is of a feminine transgender who is also a mother. So we were very clear that a man won’t be able to exude that kind of emotion. You will need a woman for this role who is also a mother. And who is better than Sushmita Sen as she is also a mum to two adopted kids? Sushmita is logical, well-spoken, and opinionated like Gauri Sawant. And she had the guts to play a transgender. When we reached out to her, in a day she came on board despite knowing she will look like transgender and not Sushmita”, Arjun averred.

Kartk further added, “We have been questioned why we did not cast a transgender or male actor. The reason behind it was that the show would have then been pursued as a documentary. It would have catered to a niche audience.”

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Sushmita’s preparation for the role

Be it her look, demeanor, or baritone, Sushmita has perfectly got into the skin of her character. Shedding light on the preparation process, the Taali creators revealed, “To get into the role of Ganesh, which is before Gauri, she wore the men guards which cricketers use. She actually figured out how to walk like a man. People are even loving her voice modulation. Honestly, it takes a lot of effort for an actor to be so involved.”

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