Vaani Kapoor hopes 'no cis-het actor' ever plays the role of a trans-woman

Actor Vaani Kapoor is basking on incredibly positive reviews for her acting skills and her brave decision to play the role of a trans-woman on-screen in Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, which also has Ayushmann Khurrana in the lead role. She has received unanimous acclaim for sensitively portraying the role of Maanvi Brar, a trans-woman who stands up and fights for her rights. Vaani hopes that the impact of Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui is in enabling future representation of the transgender community in films. 

Vaani Kapoor: 'I hope that after this film no cis-het actor ever plays the role of a trans-woman'

Vaani says, “For me, when Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui came to me, I was blown away by the script because it sensitively spoke about the need for inclusivity but told the story in the most engaging way possible. Hats off to Abhishek Kapoor for making a film that is accessible for people and can appeal to every human being, in every part of the country. We have to first pull in people to watch such films so that they can ponder over what we are trying to say and that, I believe, can hopefully aid in changing society at large.”

She adds, “I hope the impact of Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui is in enabling future films and producers so that representation of transgender people playing such roles is achieved. I hope that after this film no cis-het actor ever plays the role of a trans-woman and we can cast people from the community to play such roles. That was the aim of Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui right from the start because to change the mindset that has been prevalent for so long, you have to engage with people en masse and tell them about the importance of celebrating individuality and the freedom to choose one’s gender.”

While people have called her decision to do the film a brave one, Vaani feels the intent of the film is what drove her to take the plunge. 

She says, “I didn’t think that I would be perceived brave if I did this film. As an actor, I have only tried to do good work and be patient to find scripts that enables me to become a reliable credible actor. Today, I feel validated that I chose a film that has started an important conversation about our society and told us to look inwards and dissect the gaze with which we address the issues of the transgender community in our country.”

Vaani will be seen next in Karan Malhotra’s big-screen spectacle Shamshera opposite Ranbir Kapoor. Shamshera will release on March 18, 2022.

(With inputs: PR)

(Image: Instagram/@_vaanikapoor_)