Tiger Baby, the Indian production company behind acclaimed series “Made in Heaven,” is expanding their storytelling reach with “In Transit,” a documentary series for Prime Video that follows nine transgender individuals across India as they navigate love, identity and struggle beyond the binaries of gender.
“In Transit” features a diverse cast ranging from a young educator living in a reserve forest to a classical musician from Bengaluru to a corporate professional in Mumbai. Each character is at a different stage of their transgender journey, confronting and challenging societal norms while holding steadfastly to their truth through both turmoil and triumph.
The genesis of the series traces back to the positive response to “Made in Heaven,” where producers Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti introduced transgender representation that resonated deeply with audiences. “We had a lot of overwhelming love from the community, because there were things that hadn’t been seen before. There was representation done in a particular way,” Akhtar explains. “So we had a lot of overwhelming feedback and a lot of questions as well.”
When developing the character Meher Chaudhry, played by trans actor Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju, for the show’s second season, the duo realized how much research was needed to authentically portray transgender experiences. “We started interviewing people, because we realized how little we knew and we needed that representation to be particular,” Akhtar says. “And out of that came like we need to broaden this.”
Prime Video backed the project, and Tiger Baby partnered with director Ayesha Sood, whose two-decade career includes work with directors like Mira Nair, Deepa Mehta and Farhan Akhtar, as well as acclaimed projects like “The Cherry On Top” and Netflix’s “Indian Predator: The Butcher of Delhi.”
Sood highlights one particularly moving moment with Aryan, a character from Mumbai, whose articulate discussion of vulnerability stopped production in its tracks. “His conversation with us when he was talking about vulnerability, I think it just stopped the entire room,” Sood recalls. “Like, can you be vulnerable in a relationship and ask somebody that I need you? And I think that’s all that you need to build bridges. I think he said it beautifully, and it stayed with all of us.”
Building trust with subjects required extensive relationship development over a year and a half. “We had many conversations on the phone, online. We went and met them before we actually started filming with them, just doing audio, just talking,” Sood explains. “And it’s mainly about relationship building. Once you build that trust and get people talking, I think everyone wants to be heard.”
The series balances aesthetic ambition with deep respect for its subjects navigating personal and societal thresholds. “I’m constantly looking for a truth always, like the truth of the character and the truth of the story and truth to the narrative,” Sood says. “And I want to be respectful of it as well. And I want to do this without any judgment.”
For Akhtar and Kagti, the shift from scripted to unscripted content represents an exciting creative expansion. “I love it,” Akhtar says of the documentary format. “We watch so much unscripted stuff as well. You know, we are not only watching fiction. So it’s a different format, it’s a different medium.”
The producers emphasize their responsibility to maintain authenticity while protecting their subjects. “You have to make sure that you are not manipulating the narrative for any reason,” Akhtar stresses. “You have to treat people who are trusting you, who are sharing their deepest desires, their deepest vulnerability, their pain, their hurt, their experience, and you have to be able to do that with dignity.”
Kagti notes how the series reveals universal human experiences despite highlighting diverse individuals. “What I was seeing was eventually how similar we all are. Everybody wants the same thing, and she’s [Sood] brought that out in a beautiful way.”
While finding subjects willing to share their stories on camera presented challenges due to the violence and lack of acceptance many face, the filmmakers were fortunate to connect with nine individuals ready to tell their stories. “Some people’s lives are tough, their lives are violent, and they’re not always accepted, and it’s not always easy for them to come on camera,” Sood acknowledges. “So there are many who can’t tell their stories. We were lucky that we found some who could.”
The series aims to impact mainstream Indian media’s approach to transgender and non-binary representation through thorough research and authentic collaboration. “Just research more man. Just speak to people. People are willing to speak to you. They want to be seen. And they want to be seen correctly,” Akhtar advises.
Drawing from their experience writing transgender characters for “Made in Heaven,” the producers learned the importance of community input. “If you are representing, then just let them read the scripts. Let them tell you what they think. Let them tell you how they feel,” Akhtar says. “Because you don’t know. We didn’t know. And there’s no point representing if you’re not going to do it well and authentically and make people feel happy to be seen.”
Given India’s vast diversity, the filmmakers hope “In Transit” represents just the beginning of expanding transgender storytelling. When asked about future projects featuring more stories, Akhtar responds hopefully: “Let’s see how this goes. I hope.”
“In Transit,” which streams from June 13, joins Tiger Baby’s growing unscripted slate, which includes the acclaimed documentary series “Angry Young Men” and the environmental documentary “Turtle Walker.”
Reema Kagti, Zoya Akhtar, Ayesha Sood
Prime Video
