Actress and Bigg Boss Malayalam star Nadira Mehrin is on cloud nine—not only because her movie Maranamass is getting accolades, but also because her performance as a ‘normal’ character is gaining recognition. Although she has a supporting role with Basil Joseph, the moment is a milestone in the career of both her and the transgender community. In an exclusive chat with ETimes, Nadira talks about how proud she is of this achievement.
Breaking Stereotypes in Malayalam Cinema
I feel proud of what I’ve achieved! While many from the community have made it to films, they were often cast only as sex workers or transgender characters. That typecasting has always followed us. But now, for the first time, a transgender person is playing a ‘normal’ role—one that isn’t predefined or boxed in—in a commercial Malayalam film. This is something we’ve been hoping for, or rather, requesting for a long time, she shared.
Nadira stressed that such a film is sure to leave a big impact on society. “Just as nobody remarks that the heroine is a female, we too want to appear as normal on the screen in movies. Either as a commuter on a bus or the friend of the heroine, we always wanted to look like any other artiste in front of the camera. I portrayed an Anganwadi teacher in Maranamass, and I hope this will make people understand that we, too, have respectable lives in society. Cinema has the capacity to make a difference, and this kind of normalisation should also encourage others to follow this practice,” she further said.
Talking about how she got the job, Nadira revealed that one line from the director is the only thing which encouraged her.
When the director called me for the role, I asked him, ‘Am I playing a transgender character?’ His response really moved me. He said, ‘No, you’re playing a normal human being—an Anganwadi teacher.’ That single line spoke a thousand words. I was really inspired,” Nadira revealed.
While besieged by the warm welcome, Nadira confessed to feeling downhearted that the film was banned in Saudi Arabia and needed to be re-edited in Kuwait.
Gratitude Despite Setbacks
It is saddening—to learn that the film was banned simply because of me. I hope change finds its way there too soon. I’m extremely grateful to the team for supporting me, even at such a trying time. They could have easily cut out my scenes and release it there, but they didn’t.”. Actually, they even hid it from me for a bit so I wouldn’t feel sad. Although I wasn’t involved much, they involved me in all the promotional stuff. When I apologized personally to producer Tovino, he consoled me and told me it was never my mistake. I’ll always thank the team for accepting me the way they did,” she added.
Sharing her on-set experience, Nadira just couldn’t stop raving about the pleasant times she shared with Basil.
When I walked in on the set and introduced myself, everyone said, ‘Yes, we know you.’ Thanks to my reality show. The set was so cozy, and I enjoyed myself so much. A movie set with Basil? You can imagine how much fun our set was! We’d have such humorous conversations prior to our scenes.”. Even though I’ve worked in three films prior to this, this was an experience in itself. With the film getting such wonderful reactions and my character noticed, I’m 110% content. I wish to do more in films, playing ordinary characters without any ‘brackets,'” Nadira said.
FAQs
1. Who is Nadira Mehrin?
Nadira Mehrin is an actress and reality show personality who gained prominence with her stint on Bigg Boss Malayalam. She also happens to be a voice for the transgender community in Kerala.
2. What makes her role in Maranamass special?
Nadira takes on the role of a ‘normal’ character, an Anganwadi teacher, in Maranamass, which is a departure from the typical stereotyping of transgender people in Indian cinema.
3. Why is this role considered a milestone?
Transgender actors have traditionally been limited to stereotype roles, i.e., sex workers or exaggerated characterizations. Nadira’s role as a normal professional in a mainstream commercial film breaks that stereotype and is the first for Malayalam cinema.
4. How did Nadira respond to being approached for the role?
At first, she questioned the director if she could be playing the role of a transgender character. When he told her, “No, you are playing an ordinary human being—an Anganwadi teacher,” she felt extremely touched and encouraged to undertake the role.
