Akkai Padmashali, the renowned transgender activist from Bengaluru, has been using theatre as a way to tell her story as well as sensitise the masses to the community’s rights.
On Saturday, the play depicting her life was performed at an unusual location, the High Court of Karnataka. Over a hundred judicial officers and staff at the court watched the solo performance by actor Nayana Sooda.
The play depicts Akkai’s life since childhood - identifying herself as female at eight years of age, the rejection by her family, running away from home, attempting suicide as a teenager, facing sexual assault, having to do sex work for a living, and so on. It also shows how she fought for her own rights as well as her community’s.
A transwoman whom Akkai had helped secure a job at the High Court still works there.
The play also shows recent incidents in her life - being the first transgender person in Karnataka to get officially married, adopting a child, and the recognitions that came her way.
The play may soon be performed at the Judicial Academy, says High Court registrar (administration) Chandrashekhar Reddy, who facilitated the event.
“Judicial Academy has a bigger hall, with over 200 seats. Judges, officials and trainee judges would attend the event,” he said.
“We are in the justice system, but we don’t know enough about the community. This performance is important as it sensitises the audience.”
There are plans to conduct the performance at various district offices of the State Legal Service Authority as well.
Akkai says this was the 22nd enactment of the play. It was performed previously at the Karnataka Police Academy, for judges in Shivamogga and Koppal, in many Bengaluru colleges, etc.
“This play is a public education tool and is playing a vital role in changing people’s mindset. Performing at the High Court has been a milestone. The judiciary is the one institution that has always supported sexual minorities, but there too it’s a process,” she said.
Akkai says that the legislature and law enforcement have been disappointing with respect to sexual minorities’ rights, and the play aims to reach them too.
“We are planning to approach Speaker (Vishweshwar Hegde) Kageri about organising the performance for both Houses of the legislature,” she said.
“We are also planning to organise it for members of our own community, such as sex workers and sexual minorities.”