Over the years, Arpita Chatterjee has left an indelible mark upon viewers with the powerful characters she has brought alive on screen. Now, she is ready to captivate viewers from behind the screen, with her directorial debut, This is Me. The non-fiction docu-series aims to educate and promote sensitivity around issues facing the LGBTQIA+ community with extensive interviews. With Pride Month celebrations in full swing, My Kolkata attended the unveiling of the five-part show at Hyatt Regency Kolkata on June 24.
The evening began with a screening of the show’s trailer, giving a glimpse of its interviewees. They include achievers like India’s first transgender judge Joyita Mondal, the transgender celebrity hair designer Sylvie Rodgers, and multidisciplinary artist Sujoy Prosad Chatterjee. It will also pack in plenty of nuanced takes from contributors like Supreme Court advocate Sanjay K. Chadha, cosmetic surgeon Rajat Gupta and activist Anjali Gopalan.
Arpita confessed that she had never dreamt of directing, and even now felt chills whenever she referred to herself as a director. Speaking of why she chose this subject, she said, “I started my career as a model in Class IX. Since then, I’ve worked in fashion, cinema and entertainment for two decades and spent a lot of time with members of the LGBTQIA+ community. They’re an integral part of both my personal and professional life, and my best friends. So I wanted to give back in a meaningful way.” Arpita also urged audiences to see people as humans before their labels.
The show was launched at Hyatt Regency Kolkata on June 24
National Award-winning filmmaker, Onir, was also there at the ceremony, having guided Arpita, first as an actor and then as a director. He emphasised the need for more queer stories. “Having lived as a gay person, I know the fight to be equal. I can go to my neighbour’s wedding and be happy for them, but I never understood what stops them from doing this for me. Why can’t the straight world be happy in my happiness? Growing up, I felt invisible to myself, because there were no stories about me. This show has beautiful people, with beautiful stories, and will prompt you to reach out to the people in your life, and give them a hug,” smiled Onir. He touched upon the rampant suicides caused by bullying, that have taken away many young lives and encouraged the need for conversations around gender and sexuality in schools.
Arpita also reflected upon the lack of awareness that people have about the queer community. While her objective was to create an informative documentary series, she feels that the final product has come closer to ‘fiction with emotion’. “The show won't just inform you, but will touch your heart and soul. You might even cry,” she beamed, adding that directing this project had led to a deeper understanding of her own sexual orientation and preference.
Kolkata-based couple, Chaitanya Sharma and Abhishek Ray were among the interviewees in the docu-series. The duo, who tied the knot in 2022, spoke about how prejudice is still rampant, but can only be eliminated by informing people. “From the time I came out, I always wanted people to ask me about homosexuality, rather than construing misconceptions in their minds. This series packs in so much information that even if my grandmother were alive today, she would understand exactly what was being said,” smiled Abhishek. Chaitanya added, “This isn’t about us, but the entire spectrum in the community. We talked about everything from childhood to challenges to marriage.”
Sujoy Prosad Chatterjee lauded Arpita for giving back with her art, adding that This is Me would go a long way in empowering viewers. “This is one of the few shows that will talk not only about a community, but a diaspora that society wants to cancel. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Acceptance is not my problem, it is yours,” he said.
The show doesn’t just comprise interviews with members of the community, but medical experts too. Sujoy Ghosh, from IPGMER SSKM Hospital, clamoured for systemic change, explaining the myriad issues that come with gender reaffirment surgery, and the lack of separate wards for its patients. “It is very difficult for them to find people in the medical fraternity who will understand their pain, instead of being judgemental. A small fraction get to express their feelings in shows like this. The rest endure legal challenges to change their names and clinical psychologist appointments that are six months apart,” he sighed.
Lopamudra Sengupta, an associate professor at Bangabasi College, Calcutta University, drew from her experience of working with the community for 15 years. “Gender and sexuality have been treated as a personal issue and kept private by our Victorian mentality. But we must rise above and see a human being’s potential, beyond their labels,” said Sengupta, who recently authored a book titled Human Rights of the Third Gender In India: Beyond the Binary.
Ratul Shankar, who gave the music for the series, admitted that the project has enriched him and expanded his awareness. “I’m sure that Ritu da (Rituparno Ghosh) must be watching us from above with so much pride today,” he smiled.
“Millions of people don’t know throughout their life about who they really are. The entire spectrum is fluid, and we’re all on it somewhere. This is precisely why I urge viewers to watch our show. It isn’t a sorry, bitter story. It’s a positive account of their achievements and pride,” signed off Arpita.
