As they introduce their first transgender band, 6 Pack, Riya Sharma speaks to the producer, Ashish Patil, the curator of the video, Shameer Tandon and singer Sonu Nigam who has sung a song with the band. All three of them explain how they wish to break the reinforced stereotypes towards transgenders and hope for an equal society
Heard Pharell Willaims’ chirpy and lively, Happy songIJ Now, hear the Indian version of the song with the sound of dholak and talis. If you are confused enough then you haven’t heard Hum hai happy by 6 Pack Band, India’s first transgender band making everyone ‘happy’ by Yash Raj Productions. The project is curated by Shameer Tandon and produced and concepetualised by head of Y-films, Ashish Patil. The video starts with a message in Anushka Sharma’s voice which informs how the third gender has always been on an exile from the society we live in. What follows is a vibrant and cheerful video by these transgenders, coupled with catchy lyrics and their power pack dance performance. We spoke to the producer Patil and the man who brought the group together, Tandon and they gave us some interesting insights behind the making of the band as well as video.
The idea
“The journey started nine months ago. It is actually like giving birth to a baby,” said an excited Patil after receiving tremendous response for the video. “This idea crossed my mind while we were working with the United Nations on a project for gender equality. When we were digging in on the project, we thought of making up a band together. All kinds of groups came up to my mind but one day, I saw a documentary where a journalist asked a eunuch why does he begIJ His response was clear, ‘I can drive. Will you let me be your driverIJ’ And that stayed with me for a long time. I knew if I wanted to do something on them then it has to be done through entertainment. The medium of story telling to get a message across is the best way possible, and this time we decided that we will choose the medium of music to create awareness among people. When I pitched in the idea to Aditya Chopra, he told me very clearly, ‘It is a crazy idea and I like it. Just keep one thing in mind — they should be treated with all the dignity and respect.’ We did not want to make a caricature out of them or reinforce stereotypes. This is precisely the reason I did not only want them to look presentable but ‘pretty’,” he shared.
The hunt for the band
Patil continued that the hunt was not a traditional search where they could post it on a Facebook page and ask people to audition. “These people, they come during our happy times and disappear as soon as possible. Even when you are having a bad day, they would come, give you aashirwad and leave. For this reason, I wanted someone who could bring six of them together and form a group and that is how I asked Shameer, to come on-board. “He thought that I would laugh at the idea, but the scantily with which he briefed me about it compelled me to align myself with the vision,” shared Tandon.
He added, “As a creative director, it gives you a kick to do something that hasn’t been done so far. We had 200 candidates and first we came down to 40 and then the final six. They come from the various pockets of the city. But one thing that we have understood is that, irrespective of their struggles and hardships, they know how to laugh and enjoy life.”
Cover of Happy song
Patil as well as Tandon echoed the same response when they told us about choosing the song. “Pharell’s song has a global and an in-built reach, and when we added our Indiantadka and the beat of the dholak to it, it became Hum hai happy.”
Tandon told us, “Their own family has disowned them, that is why they live in their own cocoon. If we had made a simple sad song then the audience could have taken it as a documentary. These people — they are genuinely happy, they laugh, fight and live among themselves and add more happiness to our happy times. This is the reason why this song seemed apt.” On the other hand, Patil shared that they wanted to celebrate their story, this is why they chose this song.
Breaking stereotypes
It wasn’t the crew of the video who broke their stereotypes while working with them but the band members also took some time to trust them. “They thought that we were not serious, that we would not stand by our promise. But when they saw it happening and our efforts to make them reach a position where we are, they understood that it was all real,” said Patil.
The outreach
The video has English subtitles, and the the major part of the song is also sung in English. “The treatment that is meted out to transgenders prevails worldwide. It is not only the problem in our country but is faced by transgenders all over. The song will transcend boundaries and I hope people in the West will accept the song,” said Shameer.
But the producer thinks that the environment is just ‘right’ for this video. “When you have Caitlyn Jenner coming out of the closet and Barack Obama on the cover of an lGBT magazine, then nothing seems impossible. I involved a lot of big names to this project and they seemed more than happy to be a part of it,” he seemed positive.
What’s next
The band which has six members will release six of their songs on the sixth of every month. Once the video of Hum hai happy ends, there is a 40 second teaser that shows the preview of their next song. “We have recorded the next song with Sonu Nigam and trust me, when I told him about the project, he was very happy to be a part of it. He told me, ‘You know, I have always wanted to do something for them and now I am delighted to be given the opportunity.’ The next song is a mellower one. If Hum hai happy made you smile and dance, this one might leave a tear down your cheek,” Patil shared.
Sonu Nigam, on the other hand who has shot and sung the next song with the band members seemed quite excited while talking to us about his experience. “When Shameer came to my home with the idea, he was apprehensive whether I will accept his offer or will give a strange look. But, I was more than happy to accept his offer. It was a beautiful experience as I heard their stories about their lives. While recording, they were shivering and shaking because it was a dream come true for them which they hadn’t even seen. A transgender would never think himself of being treated as a celebrity,” he shared.
He added, “But, I must say the whole experience was really touching and these people, they are very positive people. They are not frauds as how a lot of people consider them, rather they are pure souls.”Talking about the song, he shared that it is a gurbani from Guru Granth Sahib where it talks about the oneness of all. “The song is about the human beings irrespective of caste, colour, creed or sex. There is also one part of the song where we all have rapped. And, that was something I really enjoyed,” he shared.