Ojas Rajani has received hundreds of calls and messages praising his performance in I. But he is also aware that there are protests from those who are unhappy with the characterisation of Osma Jasmine, a transgender he plays in the film. He opens up in a candid conversation:
You’re a celebrity stylist who has worked with the likes of Aishwarya Rai for more than a decade. What prompted you to turn to acting?
Makeup and styling has, is and will always be my priority. I’ve worked with Shankar for years now in this capacity. I styled Aishwarya Rai in Jeans and Enthiran, Sadha in Anniyan, and worked a bit with Shriya Saran in Sivaji too. Even during our Enthiran days, Shankar had told me that he wanted to cast me in one of his films. After I heard how big my role would be in I, and after having my terms and conditions met, I said yes. But I didn’t know I would be playing one of the villains.
Really? Did it matter when you realised you were one of the villains?
Not really. I have been privy to Shankar’s visionary filmmaking for far too long to be worried about such details. I knew he would do justice to my role.
All the recent backlash against your role must have come as a surprise then.
Before we get to that, let me tell you that I have received much love for my performance. People have praised me to the heavens on social networking sites like Twitter. I went to Singapore and Malaysia recently, and was mobbed there. And mind you, Malaysia has a significant transgender population. It’s surprising and saddening that some transgender groups in Tamil Nadu have taken offence to the role.
During filmmaking, did some of the scenes — like the one when Vikram and Santhanam dance around you, singing a demeaning song — rankle you?
I think Shankar was simply going for humour. Maybe it didn’t work. But this teasing isn’t new to people like us. It happens. I’ve had my hair tugged, had my inner garments pulled. Today, I’m a celebrity stylist, and yet, there are times when I get harassed in ways many won’t understand. I’ve cried more times than I can count.
Also, I don’t understand Tamil; so you’ll forgive me for not understanding any deep implications that the song may have. I must tell you here that I haven’t even watched the film yet.
I find it incredible that you haven’t.
My role as an actor is fleeting. It’s not something I see myself doing in the future. This was just a one-off case. From when the film released, I have been travelling on styling-related work. I think I’ll catch the film some time next week in Mumbai, and see if any of this criticism is warranted at all.
But you know the script. So, you surely remember the controversial scenes?
Not really. You must note that the film was shot over two long years. It’s impossible to remember each scene lucidly, especially when you’re not familiar with the local language.
Let me ask you: what about the comic roles played by Bobby Darling? Aren’t they regressive? What about a movie like Dostana whose content was driven by homophobic jokes? If anything, Shankar has brought to light the existence of transgenders in our society and showed that it’s not unusual for them to fall in love with a man. The awareness it will create is way more than any negative implications of the role.
Portrayal of a vengeful transgender who has no respect for private space and who can’t take rejection… you’re convinced this is a good thing for your minority community?
Let me first clarify something: I’m a homosexual, not a transgender. That said, yes, it’s healthy for the minority communities that one of its members is chosen by a top director to play an important role in a film that has global reach. Who can claim to know how far it will go in familiarising the public about people like us? The minority communities should take pride in the role. It could well result in some transgender or homosexual being chosen to host an event or a TV show.
About the invasion of private space, haven’t women sometimes been shown going to any lengths to get the man of their dreams? Did that meet with outrage? The intention was not to demean a group. It was to simply show a character that was willing to do anything to attain her man. Are you saying such people don’t exist?
No, but considering there are only a handful of films that have a transgender character in them, surely every single portrayal has an effect on how society reacts to the community?
I’m simply saying that there are people who would do anything to get a relationship to work. My character, Osma Jasmine, was one. And sometimes, when their effort comes to nothing, they get vengeful. It has nothing to do with gender or sexual orientations; it’s simply human nature.
Have you been told that the scene in which you slump on your bed in fury and dejection at being rejected by Lingesan (the character played by Vikram) is met not with sadness, but predominant laughter?
I’m shocked to hear that. When I performed that scene, Shankar and those on the set applauded my acting. He showed that scene with sensitivity. There’s nothing in it to kindle laughter. Perhaps people laugh at it because of some innate prejudice. But as I said, we are used to such insensitive reactions.
Does it anger you that the transgender community has reacted with outrage?
This outrage, I think, is seen mainly in South India. I’ve had positive feedback from Mumbai. As I told you, countries like Singapore and Malaysia have lapped up my performance. Perhaps there are local sensibilities I don’t understand. But, I’m definitely not angry with them. It’s a free country; people are free to protest. I’m simply saying that our (Shankar and I) intention was not to denigrate. In fact, it’s sweet of the community to fight for their rights; their fight is for me too, after all.
In hindsight, do you regret your decision to act in the film?
I’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback, I’ve been treated respectfully, and I’ve been paid well. So, no, I don’t think so. All I want people to know is that our intention was simply to entertain, and perhaps we overestimated the humorous appeal of some scenes.
