Fathima Naina, a student of MSM Higher Secondary School, Kallingalparamba, Malappuram, performing a mono act at the State School Arts Festival at Holy Family CGHSS, Thrissur. | Photo credit: KK NAJEEB
Maya Sajan with makeup artist Renju Renjimar and mono act teacher Kalabhavan Noushad.
The transgender community has long been the target of ridicule and fads, being misrepresented and ridiculed in films and even in performing arts.
Over time, changes swept through the mainstream media. The shift in attitude was also evident at the State School Arts Festival, when a student portrayed the stories of make-up artist Renju Renjimar and journalist Heidi Saadia, members of the transgender community, in her one-act performance.
After Maya Sajan, a Plus one student of PTMHSS Trikkideri, Palakkad, sensitively portrayed the story, the audience at Holy Family CGHSS burst into cheers. The journey of a transgender, the struggles, the challenges and the eventual return to life was narrated quite well.
“I’ve been playing mono for over 11 years,” said 17-year-old Maya. “I wanted to portray the story in the right way. This one was very important and I worked really hard on it. The subject is not something light or funny and it has to land as intended. Most often the transgender community is not portrayed in the right light and I wanted to impress the audience by representing them in the right way,” she said.
Soon after the show, she hugged a visibly emotional Renju Maya and said she felt like she was reliving her life and experiences. “I am so emotional; I don’t know what to say,” said Renju, who had come from Ernakulam just to watch the show. “Maya has rightly portrayed the struggles of the community. For a long time, the community has been misrepresented and stereotyped, even on stage. Through the act, Maya said what I wanted to say.”
Kalabhavan Noushad wrote Maya’s mono act.
Other topics covered in the pageant largely included issues of drug abuse, religious solidarity, organ donation, mental health issues and academic pressure.
Published – 16 Jan 2026 19:59 IST
