Ivanka Das

Ivanka Das is an Indian actress, dancer, choreographer, model, and former drag queen.[1][2] She is known for her participation in the Indian reality television show Dance Deewane and the Netflix series Bombay Begums.

Ivanka Das
Born
Kolkata, India
Occupation(s)Actress, Dancer, Model
TelevisionDance Deewane

Early life

Das was born in Kolkata, and grew up in a conservative family in Mumbai and Kolkata.[1][2] Both of her parents died during her childhood.[2] She has said she always identified as female, and experienced gender dysphoria, but after visiting the Isckon temple of Lord Krishna, understood she is a woman, "and through that spirituality, I got inner power and felt I was reborn."[1]

She moved to Delhi and began working as a choreographer, and also experienced illness and hair loss, ultimately shaving her head.[2] She was then recruited to become a model and moved to Mumbai.[2]

Career

Beginning in 2017, after an invitation from Keshav Suri of the Lalit hospitality chain,[3] Das has worked as a dancer at the Kitty Su club in Chandigarh,[1] and in Kitty Su drag nights nationwide.[2] She also became a popular contestant on Dance Deewane.[2]

In 2019, she was featured on an online cover of Vogue India[4][5] as part of a celebration of the first anniversary of the Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India decision that decriminalized consensual sexual conduct between adults.[6] She told Vogue India in 2019, "I am a trans woman and a fighter. And I will be a super star someday."[2]

In 2019, she debuted as an actress in the web series Ye Hai #Mandi, in the role of Kareena, a brothel owner.[7] In 2020, she had a supporting role in the Netflix web series Bombay Begums[8] as the character Beauty, a trans woman.[9]

In 2020, she was featured in the MTV Beats Love Duet album song "Khud Ko Hi Paake" with Nikhita Gandhi.[10][11]

In 2022, Ivanka was featured alongside Abhishek Bacchan, Shabana Azmi and others in the Bollywood film Ghoomer.[12][13]

Television and web series

References
  1. Sarrubba, Stefania (15 November 2018). "Bald and bold: this beautiful trans model is challenging stereotypes in India". Gay Star News. Archived from the original on 4 December 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  2. Siganporia, Shanhaz (16 September 2019). "Drag queen, Ivanka Das on being rejected by her family and finding her voice". Vogue India. Condé Nast. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  3. Mukherjee, Oindrila (2 November 2017). "'Gender is identity, sex is what you are born with'". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  4. "Meet India's top drag queens". Rediff.com. 21 September 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  5. Katz, Evan Ross (5 October 2020). "Why Did 'Vogue' Take So Long to Give Drag Queens a Cover?". Paper. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  6. Sachdeva, Maanya (12 September 2019). "What went into the making of Vogue India's September 2019 issue". Vogue India. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  7. "Transwoman actress was uncomfortable doing intimate scenes in debut show". Zee News. IANS. 23 December 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  8. "Web series Bombay Begums to stream on Netflix". The Indian Express. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  9. Himani (1 April 2021). "Bombay Begums Centers the Queer South Asian Story I've Been Searching For". Autostraddle. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  10. "Nikhita Gandhi questions gender identity through 'Khud ko hi paake'". The Siasat Daily. IANS. 30 November 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  11. "What's gender got to do with love, questions Nikhita Gandhi". The Tribune. 28 November 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  12. "Abhishek Bachchan's Ghoomer Co-Star Saiyami Kher Thinks Film Is "Too Good To Be True"". NDTV. 15 June 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  13. "Shabana Azmi wraps shoot of Abhishek Bachchan-led 'Ghoomer'". Times of India. Press Trust of India. 8 June 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.