Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju, a 26-year-old doctor turned actor and transgender woman, will be making her debut in the entertainment industry soon. The multi-faceted and multi-talented artiste will be the first trans artiste to play a recurring character in a major web series in the country when she appears in Made In Heaven 2, which premieres on Prime Video later this season

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Who is Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju?

Trinetra is a medial doctor, Karnataka’s first trans woman doctor. She underwent gender affirming surgery five years ago at the age of 21. Initially, Trinetra focussed on her medical career, working as a gynecologist. She has also campaigned for removing queerphobic content from medical textbooks, and moved courts to establish gender neutral housing for trans people in universities. Trinetra says that she is committed to addressing the many misconceptions that surround India’s trans community.

How did Trinetra Haldar land her big break in Made In Heaven 2?

Trinetra auditioned for her role in Made In Heaven two years ago, when she was still working as a doctor. Talking about how she landed her big break, Trinetra says, “I auditioned for Made In Heaven 2 at the start of my internship in the hospital. I remember it was in the middle of my Gynaecology rotation, and I gave it a shot because I had nothing to lose. I had no contacts in the industry, I was making peanuts as an intern’s stipend at the hospital, I had nobody to ask for advice. I gave it a shot because the child in me would’ve wanted to. When it worked out, I couldn’t believe it, and I still don’t think I can.”

Her character’s arc in series will revolve around the narrative of transphobia and will establish a milestone moment for the Indian trans community. Talking about her role, she says, “I play a wedding planner who heads production at the wedding company Made In Heaven, producing and organising the most elite, large scale weddings in the bustling city of Delhi. While fantastic at her job, she struggles with acceptance as a trans woman, especially in attempts at finding true love. Through this character, I want people to see that trans women are women, and deserve every right to be treated as such.”

Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju on representation of trans people in media

Trinetra says she wants to increase trans representation in the show business. “I would give it my all to see actual representation of trans women on the big screen, rather than a man playing a trans woman because audiences continue to believe trans women are men in dresses and that our womanhood isn’t real. This has a direct influence on our rights. When a cis woman plays a trans woman, she often sets unachievable standards of beauty for us, almost as if reinforcing the idea of womanhood and what it should look like - the cis way. Either way, an opportunity is taken away from trans talent,” she says.

When is Made In Heaven 2 releasing?

Made In Heaven’s first season streamed back in 2019. Created by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, the critically-acclaimed and popular show is about a wedding planning agency in Delhi, planning the capital’s big-fat and rich weddings. The ensemble cast includes Sobhita Dhulipala, Arjun Mathur, Kalki Koechlin, Shashank Arora, Shivani Raghuvanshi and Jim Sarbh among others. The second season is expected to release later this year.