Our Family

Directors: Anjali Monteiro and K.P. Jayasankar
Release Year: 2007

In 2007, Anjali Monteiro and K.P. Jayasankar, two distinguished professors from the Centre for Media and Cultural Studies at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, released a powerful and thought-provoking documentary titled Our Family. The film examines themes of gender identity, the challenges faced by transgender individuals in India, and the dynamics of family bonds that transcend traditional heteronormative frameworks. Through the lives of three transgender women - Aasha, Seetha, and Dhana - alongside a performance by Pritham K. Chakravarthy, the documentary explores the boundaries between "us" and "them," between normality and deviance, and between societal expectations and individual truths.

 

At its core, Our Family asks fundamental questions about what it means to cross the line that sharply divides us on the basis of gender. It also probes what it means to liberate oneself from the socially constructed "onus" of being male, and whether life exists beyond the heteronormative family. By juxtaposing real-life stories with an evocative performance, the film underscores the challenges and triumphs of self-liberation and the quest for belonging in a world that often marginalizes those who do not fit neatly into prescribed categories.

 

The film centers on the lives of three transgender women - Aasha, Seetha, and Dhana - who belong to the transgender community known as Aravanis, or Hijras. The Aravani community has a long history in India, and while it is sometimes seen as a distinct and marginalized group, it also holds a deeply rooted cultural significance, especially in the context of religious rituals and traditional gender roles. The documentary traces the lives of Aasha, Seetha, and Dhana across three generations, presenting their stories of transformation, struggle, and survival within a deeply patriarchal society. Their bonds are tied not only by biological or legal family connections but by the adoption of one another as mothers, daughters, and sisters. Through their adoption into a family structure that does not conform to conventional norms, they reimagine the very idea of family. What stands out in Our Family is the loving, supportive relationships that exist between these women, which contrast sharply with the conventional nuclear family model often presented in mainstream media. The film captures the mundane moments of their lives - the cooking, the laughter, the shared responsibilities - while also confronting the severe social and legal challenges they face as transgender women in India. Aasha, Seetha, and Dhana, in different ways, negotiate their existence in a world that refuses to accept their identity. Yet, they remain resilient and creative in the face of marginalization. The film highlights their struggles with the patriarchal system, the physical violence, economic exploitation, and social ostracism they endure, but it also celebrates the courage, affection, and solidarity they share as a chosen family.

 

Interwoven with these personal stories is the performance Nirvanam by Pritham K. Chakravarthy, a transgender performer and artist. Nirvanam, meaning "liberation," is an intensely emotional narrative about the journey of transforming from a male body to a female body - a process that is both a personal and a societal act of defiance against the rigid gender norms imposed by society. The performance provides a powerful counterpoint to the documentary's portrayal of everyday life. It becomes a symbolic representation of the physical, emotional, and psychological journey of the transgender community - one that involves navigating not only physical transformation but also the social and emotional turmoil that comes with challenging deeply ingrained ideas about gender and identity. Through Nirvanam, Chakravarthy's performance bears witness to the tumultuous journey toward selfhood, liberation, and reinvention. The performance recounts the personal struggles of being "othered" and the painful process of breaking free from the male body - a body that does not align with one’s true sense of self. This deeply personal and artistic expression highlights the intersection of individual desire, societal expectations, and the violence often visited upon those who dare to step outside of prescribed gender roles.

 

One of the central themes of Our Family is its exploration of the divide between "us" and "them" - the binaries that separate mainstream society from those who are deemed "deviant," "abnormal," or "other." The documentary challenges the viewer to question what it means to be "normal" and what it means to be "different." By juxtaposing the lives of Aasha, Seetha, and Dhana with Chakravarthy’s performance, Monteiro and Jayasankar not only highlight the human capacity for empathy and solidarity but also draw attention to the arbitrary nature of social divisions. The transgender community, despite its marginalized position in society, demonstrates the possibility of a family and kinship system that is not bound by the heteronormative, biological family structure. In this context, the film encourages viewers to rethink the concept of the family itself - understanding it not as a static, biological unit, but as a dynamic, evolving system of care, love, and mutual support. The relationships that bind the three generations of Aravanis in the film are an embodiment of this alternate vision of family - one that transcends gender and embraces those who are often excluded from society's mainstream. Moreover, Our Family complicates the binary between the "private" and the "public." While gender identity has historically been relegated to the private sphere in most societies, the film makes the case that it is a political and public matter. By putting transgender lives front and center, the documentary opens up space for conversations about gender, identity, and social justice.

 

In addition to the personal narratives, the film also addresses broader issues of gender politics in India and the ways in which transgender people, particularly Aravanis, are marginalized. In India, transgender people have historically been relegated to the fringes of society, with limited access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities. The film brings attention to these systemic barriers while also celebrating the agency and resistance of those who continue to fight for their right to exist as they are. Nirvanam, the performance embedded in the documentary, functions as both a personal account and a political statement. It portrays the act of "liberation" not as an individualistic or self-serving endeavor but as a collective act that challenges the very foundations of societal norms and values. By embracing their true gender identities, Aasha, Seetha, Dhana, and other members of the Aravani community are performing an act of liberation - one that demands recognition and respect for their humanity and their right to live authentically.

 

In the end, Our Family is more than just a documentary about the transgender experience in India. It is a film that urges viewers to reconsider the ways in which gender, identity, and family are constructed and understood. Through the stories of Aasha, Seetha, Dhana, and Pritham, the documentary invites us to move beyond a narrow, binary understanding of gender and to embrace a more fluid, inclusive, and compassionate vision of the human experience. In challenging the divides between "us" and "them," Our Family not only illuminates the struggles and resilience of the transgender community but also calls for a radical rethinking of societal norms around gender, sexuality, and family. It is a testament to the courage of those who dare to be themselves in a world that often demands conformity - and a reminder that the family, in all its diverse forms, is ultimately about love, support, and the creation of a space where everyone can live with dignity and freedom. By confronting the tensions between societal norms and individual identity, Our Family powerfully demonstrates that the path to liberation is not only about personal transformation but also about transforming the world around us. The film, in this way, becomes a call to action - a reminder that the journey to freedom is one that is shared, collective, and necessarily political.

via: youtube

monteiro-jayasankar.com

casi.sas.upenn.edu

Image credits: YouTube