March 29, 2023
Sharmila Tagore was seen playing an intersex character in Gulmohar which is very unusual of her. While she is an excellent artist, she has never taken up such a challenging role before.
Gulmohar is a drama aired on Disney+Hotstar where Sharmila plays Kusum, who is head of a family and after an interesting turns of events, she confides into her granddaughter about her history. She speaks of herself as someone who was not brave enough to own her sexuality.
Speaking to the press about it, she said, “A little bit of apprehension, but the way they have dealt with it in the script is very subtle, not in your face. And I've been surprised, really. The audience has really accepted it. They’re okay with it. It’s not being underlined, or underscored, or an in-your-face kind of statement. It's kind of an internal evolution of a person. So it's at that level."
She further added, “It's been her decision all the way, whatever the need of that time was. And her growth has been sort of powered by that. If you see the film, you realize what sort of a person she is. She is connected to everybody and she still prioritizes her own self. There's nothing wrong in that. She's 76 now, in the film. So now she wants to be free, basically."