Sushant Divgikar, popularly known as Rani Ko-HE-Nur, believes that education is the key to ensuring equality for LGBTQ+ community in society. By Ayushi Sharma
Sushant Divgikar, popularly known as Rani Ko-HE-Nur, is on cloud nine as he is India’s first drag queen to be featured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia List — Class 2020. He has been listed under ‘The Arts’ honorees as well as in ‘Celebrities’ category. He is counted among the 300 bright and innovative young leaders from the Asia-Pacific region as well. Currently, Sushant is focusing on his singing career and is working on releasing an original number in the coming month. He is known for singing in a male as well as a female voice.
Excerpts of the interview:
You have earlier been featured in 300 bright and innovative young leaders and now in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia List — Class 2020. You are the first drag artiste to be on the list. What do you think is the future for LGBTQ+ community?
Yes, I have made it to a couple of power lists in the past two years but I must remind everyone that it took me 14 years to establish myself. Moreover, it took me time to find and accept my true authentic identity. People like me are the future of the LGBTQ+ community in India.
Section 377 has been repealed but how long will it take before we see some actual change?
There are a lot of people who are making great efforts but we still have a long way to go. I am an optimist but at the same time, I am well versed with the real situation. According to FRA LGBT+ Survey (2013), more than one in four (26 per cent) LGBTQ+ people had been attacked or threatened with violence in the five years preceding the research. The decriminalisation was a victory for sure, however, it does not necessarily mean that LGBTQ+ people are fully free or perceived as equals among their fellow citizens. Society has discriminated in the past and this seems to be continuing. It’s my sincere plea to not discriminate or spread hate on the basis of gender, religion, sexual orientation, nationality or caste. Maybe only then we can hope for a better tomorrow.
Judicial reform is one thing, but social realities don’t shift in an instant. How do you think people are ready to take this change ahead?
Education is the key. People are usually scared or phobic about things and people that they have no information about. We need to tell people that LGBTQ+ people are as human as anyone else. We don’t come from Mars. We drink the same water, breathe the same air and eat the same food as our heterosexual counterparts. We are as human as you. We have families too. And at the end of the day, gay, straight, black or white, we all bleed red.
How would you describe your journey from the time you started to your name appearing in the Forbes list?
All I can say is that it has been a roller coaster ride. I have absolutely enjoyed the ups and downs. I take it all in my stride. I am screaming with excitement right now because it was a childhood dream to be on this list and it has been finally accomplished.
Since you are focussing on your singing career, how do you plan to make a place for yourself in the music industry?
I feel I have already created an impact. Now all I have to concentrate on doing is to win my audience’s heart through good music. No unnecessary controversies are needed to grab eyeballs when an artiste is true to his/her art. That’s what I aim to do and I am sure the audience will appreciate that.
You have done short films too, many on the LGBTQ+ community? Do you think they have had an impact?
I really hope they have made an impression. I may not be the best judge of that. We should address that question to the audience. But I’m sure it has at least initiated a dialogue. Just like how it has made you ask me this question in particular. We need more people like you asking these questions so that there is more visibility for the cause and for the community.
There are a lot of podcasts, films and books around the LGBTQ+ community. How do you think they would help people to understand the community better?
One of India’s first podcast for and about the LGBTQ+ people as well as our heterosexual allies was hosted by me and former MTV VJ, actress and author Maria Goretti. There are plenty of podcasts that I have been associated with. I also had the longest-running LGBTQ+ friendly column in the DNA newspaper and have written extensively for online media houses. There’s a lot of material out there to educate oneself about ground realities of the community.
How do you feel empowering and reflecting a change towards your community?
I feel like a queen. Therefore, I also make sure that I slay everything I do and spread positivity wherever I go. I feel like a mother figure (even though I am still in my 20s) for the LGBTQ+ people of my country because I believe in the community sentiments more than anything. I hope that my journey and body of work inspires every young and ambitious person out there to spread their wings and fly high. Rani Ko-HE-Nur doesn’t come to play she always comes to slay.