Rani Ko-HE-Nur's drag act will sweep you off your feet

One of the 2017's sensation everyone is talking about with appearances in Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Chennai and even Bangkok over the last two and half months is Rani Ko-HE-Nur. We decided to visit her abode in Mumbai's queen of suburbs Bandra for a chat only to meet model, actor, performer, singer, video jockey and Mr Gay India 2014 winner Sushant Divgikar at the door.

A sleep-deprived baritone has lent his voice a rich morning edge as he explains: “I used to drag every now and then. If someone asked me to, while hosting a show or like at the LGBTQIA festival Kashish or even bachelorette parties for friends. But that was more like a one-off thing. I didn't really have a name or a specific identity.”

All that changed when he got a call in September asking him to do drag opening act to precede American drag queen, burlesque dancer, recording artist, TV personality, and model best known for winning the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race Violet Chachki who was coming to Delhi to perform at the sixth anniversary of the Kitty Su Nightclub chain. “I was a bit iffy because whatever I did would be held up against Chachki's act. Though I went to Delhi and was going through the paces, I was still in two minds. It was even worse when I met Violet as the real-life Jason Dardo at rehearsals. Even without the impossible drag outfit heels, I was struck at how she was almost 6.2 ft tall. And I am only 5.9 ft. I told her how she was so much bigger in real life than what I had seen of her on-screen,” remembers Divgikar only to be jokingly asked: “How do you know I'm bigger?” But the joke took a while to sink in given how nervous Divgikar was.

He thanks Keshav Suri, the scion of one of India’s prominent hotelier families and owner of the Kitty Su nightclubs for the much-needed boost to continue with the act. “He told me, 'Forget Violet and do your act just like you would. Nobody is judging you. Violet will be judged because she's been flown down from the US and paid a bomb for her act.' I think Keshav should be a life skills guru because he can motivate and inspire you in the most formidable situations and talk you into anything.”

After that show when audiences went ecstatic Suri came and congratulated Divgikar and said he wanted to launch his drag act as a regular feature in all the Kitty Su chain of nightclubs he owns. “I was like ok but what will my drag name be? Because these girls have names that make them really stand out. Like Alaska ThunderF@<k5000, Helluva Bottom Carter, Ivana Kutchakockoff, Lois Common Denominator and so on.”

That is when Keshav suggested he should be called Rani Ko-HE-Nur. Once the name was finalised figuring the Indianised regal look became easy. “My entry in a palanquin in lehenga-choli does not in any way limit me. I do everything from burlesque to bhangra changing into complete western gear like sexy Victoria's Secret lingerie. But I admit the Indian outfits are the most regal. You need to just wear those rich colours and fabrics to feel like a top-of-the-world royal,” points out Divgikar.

Earlier it took him around three hours to just get his face made up for the show. “The wigs, though they look elaborate, are easier because they come with these elaborate wig caps and lace front wigs which ensure that it does not come off even if you decide to have a mid-act seizure.”

While he can do his own make-up he prefers a professional team. “None of them come from fancy-schmancy backgrounds. They are from working-class backgrounds and self-taught. I feel if this puts food on their tables who am I to rob them of that opportunity?”

Often there aren't budgets for all the six members of Rani's “entourage” to travel and then he just takes the make-up artiste. “I do my hair by myself then. Once sent across to a stylist here who styles it depending on the act and look, I just pack it properly and wear it,” he says.

But Rani Ko-HE-Nur is beyond only the “fun and funny.” Divgikar uses his drag alter-ego to underline several points about discrimination, exclusion and bigotry. “While I wholeheartedly support the LGBTQIA community's demand for inclusive equality, I find the hypocrisy of the same community indulging in exclusion against some of its own sections appalling. Within the rainbow community you often see prejudice and hatred for trans people, 'masculine' women, 'effeminate' men, crossdressers and bisexuals. While it's not my style to launch into sermons, we decided to send out a loud message against such intra-community bigotry by asking people to come like they want to watch Rani Ko-HE-Nur. So people walk in as gay couples, stags, straight people, straight couples and whatever they want,” he avers and adds, “There is not even a dress code. We are happy to let people come wearing what they are comfortable in.”

Sushant cracks up when we ask him if he and Rani talk to each other. “Sushant keeps talking to Rani telling her to calm down and chill. As for Rani, she won't talk to Sushant who she definitely doesn't see as an equal.”

But it's getting late. Rani Ko-HE-Nur has to be at rehearsals for a special year-ender act in Chandigarh...