Ila Arun On Playing A Transgender In Haddi: ’I Am The Only Female To Be Cast In The Film’

Ila Arun, who is currently seen in a role of a transgender in the film Haddi tells The Free Press Journal that she was the first choice to play this role. She shares, “Akshat is a debut director, when he came to narrate my part, he didn’t tell me that the character is transgender. I played Amma, who heads the community. He told me that my name popped up while writing this role. He further told me that this character is very layered. As an actor, I had to bring some softness to such a heavy role. Interestingly, I am the only female to be cast in the film else rest of the cast has male actors.”

“There was a lot of comfort since it was my fourth film with Nawazuddin Siddiqui plus I go really long back with Anurag Kashyap. Even Mohd Zeeshan Ayub had done Chhalaang with me. So, I thought it was a great opportunity for me to do this role,” she adds. 

Ila strongly believes that she has arrived as an actor and credits her recognition to the emergence of OTT. She explains, “For me, the time has just started. I worked with so many filmmakers but their work didn’t get the attention the way it was expected. A lot of cinema couldn’t reach the mass audience. But now OTT has bridged the gap between commercial cinema and content-driven projects. It also allows actors like me to do varied roles irrespective of age and body type. I feel, finally good writers and directors are getting their dues.”