In Transit review: A familiar yet vital exploration of love, identity, and struggle among the LGBTQIA+ community in India

A four-episode docu-series directed by Ayesha Sood, In Transit feels similar to any other documentary you might have watched on the LGBTQIA+ community.

I’ve always been fascinated by human interest stories and when a powerhouse like Tiger Baby Productions comes up with a docu-series that explores the various aspects of lives of trans and non-binary individuals in India, you know it's going to be a good one! While Zoya Akthar and Reema Kagti’s In Transit offers nothing new as compared to other documentaries you might watched on the subject, it still remains a sincere and important watch for these stories need to be told and retold time and again for us to sensitize as a society and create a safe space for the queer community. 

Directed by Ayesha Sood, this four episode docu-series features nine individuals across India as they navigate love, identity and struggle beyond the binaries of gender. While each one of them is at a different stage in their journey, what truly felt inspiring to me was to see how they confront and challenge societal norms while holding on to their truth, no matter what life throws at them. And while In Transit presents an authentic account of their triumphs and turmoils extracted through fine research and providing them a safe platform to showcase their most vulnerable side, the beauty of the shows lies in the fact that it does so without an iota of sensationalism or deliberate addition of shock or sob values. 

Also Read: Queer representation in One Piece deserves to be talked about and here's why!

Watch the trailer here!

The instances of violence, bullying and abandonment shared by most of the individuals make you realise how we all have contributed in ways small or big to create a hostile environment for the community for them to feel a sense of hesitation and guilt to simply be themselves. Unfortunately many are still lethargic to learn at least the most basic aspects of gender identities and thereby ensure some course correction. An instance where Rie, a transwoman, shares that her parents took her to psychologist/ hypnotist who assured them she’ll lead a ‘normal’ life after he hypnotizes her to believe she is straight, instead of having a simple conversation with her, spoke volumes of the ignorance that exists in our society when it comes to this topic.

However, it’s not all gloom and doom as stories of Anubhuti, a transwoman, and Patruni, a gender fluid individual drag artist, fill your heart with hopes and joy thanks to the support and acceptance they receive from people that matter the most - their families. Yes, they also spoke about the challenges and conflicts in their lives but their eyes shone the brightest as they shared how their families stood firmly with them in every step of their transition journey. The series, though at a surface level, also touches upon subjects of trans marriage and their right to adopt. While I would have loved to know about the intricacies of these topics through a queer perspective, I feel we can cut Sood some slack for encompassing a lot in a 4 episode series.

Tiger Baby Production is known to balance aesthetic ambition with the integrity of authentic storytelling and while I was in absolute awe of the editing and packaging, it also felt like too much was happening at the same time. Yes, it featured 9 beautiful individuals who had something important to share but keeping up with each of their stories and recalling what they had shared previously as the episodes progressed became a challenge. The slow pacing made the series lethargic, at times compromising on the overall experience of watching the series. Having said that, the series comes as a welcome step to strike a conversation about the unfair discrimination the LGBTQIA+ community is subjected to in our society and one can be hopeful that it impacts mainstream Indian media’s approach to transgender and non-binary representation positively!

In Transit is now streaming on Prime Video

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