For the first time ever, an Indian TV Show has the lead playing a Transgender

Indian TV soaps aren’t the best when it comes to the entertainment. Even though these days they’re trying to venture into different genres like horror and fantasy, much typical to the West, it’s not quite helping their case. When viewers are not being subjected to repetitive plot points and infamous saas-bahu dramas, there are evil spirits or shape-changing seductresses to worsen the scenario. Apparently, looks like there’s one show that is genuinely trying to bring a change. For the first time ever on prime time Indian television, the protagonist of a show will be portrayed as a transgender. And that surely deserves a laud!

Shakti- Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki airs on Colors TV from Monday to Friday at 8 PM. The show is about a girl called Soumya (played by Rubina Dilaik) who has just got married to Harman (role played by Vivian Dsena).

But seems like Soumya has a secret, which has the caliber of altering everyone’s lives.The actress has confirmed this massive character twist. In her interview to a leading daily, she says, “Yes, I will play a transgender and it’s the biggest revelation on the show. Soumya is going to react to it because it is the biggest secret of her life that has been kept from her. In the coming time you will see how she (Soumya) copes up with the whole situation.”

Honestly, we are still in dilemma whether to be pleased with the fact that finally mainstream television is trying to emerge into something bigger, or be disheartened about how they’re still showcasing something like this with a faulty storyline.

There’s no denying, however, that it definitely is a step in the correct direction, one which can inspire a shift towards progressive TV soaps in the coming time.

We’re hoping the show deals with the issue with due sensitivity and not turn the character into a caricature. Also, we’re hopeful that audience welcomes and appreciates this move, hence encouraging other mainstream daily soaps to take the leap as well. 

The nation is advancing, we’re advancing and steadily television is also taking tiny steps towards it.