“Transgender people cannot prosper unless society accepts and respects them.”

What were you doing before your acting career?
Since childhood I was ridiculed for being different. My parents wanted me to act like a normal boy but they never realized that these things were not in my control. I was disrespected and people made fun of me at every point of life. People always bullied me by calling me chakka, khusra, etc.

I always wanted to be a dancer as I loved dancing as a child. Soon after I faced rejection from society and family, I started living alone. Renting a house as a transgender was a struggle for me. Then my friend introduced me to Neeli Rana, who became my mentor and guided me. I started my career as a dancer. I used to dance at functions to make a living.

What’s the difference that you feel in the society’s acceptance towards you after becoming an actress and winning a Cannes award for your film, ‘Joyland’?
After Joyland, I got validation from society. Success changes everything. My family accepted me after 10 years of struggle and I get more support from them now. The society that I live in also started respecting me. Life changes for a transgender when they are renowned.

How do you plan to change the narrative for transgender now that you are heard?
I will represent the transgender community proudly and will stand up against the murders and rapes of our community. I want to do so much for society but I cannot do anything unless we are accepted as equal individuals. We got rights recently (in 2018) but that is not enough.

As an actress I will try to be more vocal through all media platforms. With that I will put all my efforts to open opportunities for more transgender people.

When Joyland is released in Pakistan, how will it impact society?
The film will be released soon in Pakistan. It will change the narrative for transgender people and raise more awareness for them. My character Beeba is depicting a very different story.

How can your fans contribute towards the betterment of the transgender community?
It makes me very happy that I have fans and they appreciate me. I request them to raise their voice for us. I would advise the transgender community to showcase their talents and never give up. The struggle will be hard but there is no easy way.
I want to request the society to treat us equally and not judge us on the basis of our gender. Ads and messages should be created for awareness about the rights of the transgender community.

How about your future career and personal life?
I will continue my career as an actress and model and keep on working towards the betterment of the transgender community. I hope to do more respectable work in the future.