Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju, a trans artist, gave up medicine to pursue acting and will soon make her debut in the second season of Made In Heaven.
Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju, a 26-year-old doctor who transitioned and became an actor, will soon enter the entertainment industry. This talented individual will be the first transgender artist to have a recurring role in a major web series in the country, appearing in Made In Heaven 2, which will premiere on Prime Video later this season.
Who is Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju?
Trinetra is a doctor from Karnataka and the first transgender woman doctor in the region. She underwent gender affirming surgery at the age of 21, five years ago. Initially, Trinetra focused on her medical career, working as a gynecologist. She also campaigned to remove queerphobic content from medical textbooks and fought in court to establish gender neutral housing for trans people in universities. Trinetra aims to address the numerous misconceptions surrounding India’s trans community.
How did Trinetra Haldar achieve her breakthrough in Made In Heaven 2?
Trinetra auditioned for her role in Made In Heaven two years ago while still practicing as a doctor. Recalling how she landed her big opportunity, Trinetra says, “I auditioned for Made In Heaven 2 at the beginning of my internship in the hospital. I remember it was during my Gynecology rotation, and I took a chance because I had nothing to lose. I had no connections in the industry, I was earning very little as a stipend during my internship, and I had no one to seek advice from. I took a chance because the child within me wanted to. When it worked out, I couldn’t believe it, and I still can’t.”
Also Read: Meet Rikkie Valerie Kolle, Miss Netherlands 2023 Who Is The First Transgender Model To Win
Her character’s storyline in the series will center around the theme of transphobia and will be a significant moment for the Indian trans community. Describing her role, she explains, “I portray a wedding planner who oversees production at the wedding company Made In Heaven.
We produce and organize the most luxurious, large-scale weddings in the bustling city of Delhi. Although excellent at her job, she struggles with acceptance as a trans woman, especially when it comes to finding true love. Through this character, I want people to recognize that trans women are women and deserve to be treated as such.”
Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju on the representation of trans people in media
Trinetra expresses her desire to increase the representation of trans individuals in the entertainment industry. “I would give my all to see genuine representation of trans women on the big screen, rather than a man portraying a trans woman. Audiences still perceive trans women as men in dresses, questioning the authenticity of our womanhood. This directly impacts our rights. When a cisgender woman plays a trans woman, she often sets unrealistic beauty standards for us, almost reinforcing the idea of womanhood based on cisgender norms. Either way, an opportunity is taken away from trans talent,” she emphasizes.
When will Made In Heaven 2 be released?
The first season of Made In Heaven premiered in 2019. Created by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, the critically acclaimed and popular show revolves around a wedding planning agency in Delhi, organizing extravagant weddings for the city’s elite. The ensemble cast includes Sobhita Dhulipala, Arjun Mathur, Kalki Koechlin, Shashank Arora, Shivani Raghuvanshi, and Jim Sarbh, among others. The second season is expected to be released later this year.
