Since Taali was announced last year, we had been waiting to see how this Gauri Sawant biopic will translate on screen. Shreegauri Sawant is undoubtedly one of the most eminent personalities that India, especially the Indian transgender community, has seen. Taali is the story of Gauri Sawant’s struggles and her relentless work to have the third gender included in all documents in India. Starring Sushmita Sen as Shreegauri Sawant, the series also stars Ankur Bhatia, Aishwarya Narkar, and Hemangi Kavi. Here’s our review of Taali.

Sushmita Sen puts her best foot forward

Sushmita Sen is the indisputable star of Taali. She owns the character of Gauri Sawant and embodies the role completely. In the first episode, Gauri Sawant says, “Taali bajaungi nahi, bajwaungi…,” and that’s when you realise Gauri is not a person you mess with. Her grit, determination, her struggles, everything is portrayed to perfection by Sen.

Gauri, born Ganesh, had just one dream – to be a mother. Back then, Ganesh didn’t realise what that desire truly meant. While his mother and sister were wary, yet quietly supportive of his more feminine desires, his father was vehemently against it. After the death of his mother, and later, the marriage of his sister, Ganesh and his father had a fairly uneasy relationship. While his father was trying to make him more masculine, Ganesh tried everything not to be masculine. Finally, after a heartbreaking conversation with his father, Ganesh had no choice but to leave his home, never to return.

In Mumbai, Ganesh tries to build a community where he could be himself. There, he also meets Naveen who goes on to become a confidant, friend, and family. From getting a sex change operation at a time when it was unheard of, to educating the trans community, Gauri does it all. The pain Gauri feels after the sex change surgery is portrayed so well by Sushmita Sen, that you would unintentionally wince while looking at her.

It’s not as impactful as you would expect it to be

Gauri Sawant’s life hasn’t been any less than a rollercoaster ride. While Sushmita Sen aces the character and leaves an impact on viewers with her performance, the rest of the story isn’t as strong. You will sympathise with the trans community, but nothing more than that. The struggles of the community, as a whole, aren’t portrayed as effectively as Gauri’s life is. Even that has more to do with Sen as an actor rather than the script. Since the makers decided to turn Gauri Sawant’s life into a series rather than a movie, there was more scope to expand on certain aspects of her life. Unfortunately, the makers don’t take advantage of the medium they have chosen to tell their story.

Taali is a flawed series, but that doesn’t take away from how important the story is. Especially in today’s time, it is even more crucial to tell a story like this without making a mockery of the transgender community. And in that sense, the series achieves what it sets out to do.

Taali is now streaming on JioCinemas, so be sure to give it a watch.

Can you watch Taali with your family?: There is some abusive language, but otherwise, it is good for a family watch.

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