Gauri Sawant- The Transgender Activist on Whom Sushmita Sen’s Latest Web Series ‘Taali’ Is Based!
Recently, Sushmita Sen surprised her fans by announcing the release of her new web series, Taali, where she essays the role of a transgender activist Gauri Sawant. She posted on her Instagram with the first look of her in the movie, that she is grateful to play the role of such an inspirational person.
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Image credits: Instagram/Sushmitasen
Who is Gauri Sawant?
Gauri Sawant is a transgender activist from Mumbai. She is also the director of Sakhi Char Chowghi that helps trans people and people with HIV/AIDS.
She was born in Pune, Maharashtra to a policeman and a housewife. Growing up she always felt more familiar with the feminine side of herself. She was born as Ganesh but later changed it to Gauri accepting her true identity. But the society never accepted her. Even her parents didn’t. Her mother wanted to abort her in the seventh month after knowing her gender identity and she never accepted her true self. She ran away from home at the age of 17 and came to Mumbai with 60 Rupees on her.
Image credits: Instagram/shreegaurisawant
“I was christened Ganesh, after the elephant-headed God. And, when the time came to choose my own name, I chose Gauri, another name for Parvati, Ganesh’s mother. I always wanted to be a mother. In my childhood, when I was asked by a nosy relative at a family function what I wanted to be when I grew up, I distinctly remember saying I wanted to be an aai,” Gauri said in an interview with Femina.
Gauri came to the public’s attention as she starred in Vicks advertisement which became widely popular. She did a lot for the trans community though. She fought for the adoption rights of transgendered people and later adopted a girl named Gayatri in 2008. She also voiced her opinion and fought for the trans community to be legally recognized as the third gender.
Her life was full of struggles but she was determined to have her way in the society. She became the first member of the LGBTQIA+ community to be the election ambassador by the Election Commission of India.
Sushmita will portray Gauri Sawant’s role in her upcoming web series Taali releasing on 10th October on JioCinema. Check out the teaser.