THE ROAD LESS TRAVEL

An interview that i had with a Hijra

“For 24 hours if I live happily”, is what Vidya has to say when asked about her main aim in life, certainly not a dream for just another name. A smile that welcomes one to, what the world would call a “transgender”. An undergraduate in computer science and a post graduate in applied linguistics, this 27 year old, born in Trichi, Tamil Nadu has reached a place where many of her might, would have failed to loom over.

Vidya has led a life which is everything but ordinary, from hapless to hopeful, she has churned a journey from writing in blogs and websites, about the life of a transgender, to working as an assistant director in movies like “Paal” and “Nandalala”.

Latest in this journey would be her autobiography; “I AM VIDYA”. This autobiography written by her is a mirror reflecting her life throwing light on every stage of her life beginning from childhood. “This book includes my life experiences and me.”, says Vidya, “the book was the second bestseller commercially for the year 2008”adds Vidya. The book has already been released in English, Tamil and Malyalam.
From Trichi, a small town in Tamil Nadu, Vidya is currently working as an assistant director in a movie “Nandalala” and is very fond of “Gulabi Talkies”. Vidya gives credit to all the good things that have happened in her life to her mentor Revathi Amma, who herself is a social worker and an activist for the rights of transgender.

This ardent fan of Girish Kannadha feels that it’s not enough with just an autobiography and she will be satisfied only when she becomes a director. This recluse in her own country has poured her life from zero in her autobiographical book which tells about her sex reassignment surgery, her relationship with her family and people around her, in short her struggle as a transgender, giving answers to a life quite unknown to us.
In short i was touched.