In Transit: Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti, Ayesha Sood On Spotlighting Queer Stories

In India, narratives around gender and sexuality are often painted with a single brush. However, the docu-series In Transit dares to complete the picture. Created by a team of storytellers including Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti, and Ayesha Sood, the series brings together nine intimate, diverse stories from the Indian trans and non-binary community. But as the team insists, this isn’t about representation for the sake of it. It’s about empathy. It’s about being seen. 

Researching Real Lives

The foundation of In Transit lies in rigorous, community-led research. “We had a long period of research and development through which we talked to a lot of people in the community, to researchers, journalists,” Ayesha Sood shares in an interview with SheThePeopleTV.

“What the Indian context of being trans tells you is that it’s not one narrative. There are many, many diverse stories.” The team eventually narrowed down to nine characters, hoping to capture a spectrum of experiences—universal in their humanity, but deeply personal in their telling.

A particularly poignant moment in the series features a trans woman who found fragments of her identity in Bollywood’s Anil Kapoor, despite the industry’s history of caricatures. "Until recently, pop culture’s contribution hasn’t been good," admits Reema. "People have always been made fun of. But the possibility is immense."

She shares a revealing anecdote: "A journalist once told me Honeymoon Travels was the first time she felt her queerness was ‘okay.’ That’s the power of representation—it can be a lifeline when families or schools fail."

But the team is clear-eyed about change. "Bad representation isn’t just about bias," Zoya argues. "It’s about lazy writing. The same filmmakers who reduce trans folks to punchlines often write women poorly, too. They don’t love their characters enough to research or empathise."

One of the challenges while documenting such stories is avoiding a sensationalised lens. How did In Transit navigate this? “I think it comes down to intent,” says Ayesha. “Our intent was never to sensationalise but to understand.”

Why Family Is the First Battleground

The series also grapples with how rigid binaries—especially in systems like education—fail young people. “It’s very easy and lazy to teach children in binaries,” Ayesha notes. “But understanding people’s lived experiences challenges that. Maybe this series can do a little to open that door.”

Familial rejection is a heartbreaking reality that many queer people in India face. "Your first ‘system’ is your family," notes Ayesha. "When your identity clashes with their expectations, the fallout is brutal." Yet the docu-series deliberately includes affirming families, too. "We wanted to show both realities," she adds. "Because when a parent watches this and rethinks their child’s worth, that’s a quiet revolution."

Community-based organisations also play a vital role in In Transit. “A lot of our characters had reached out to shelters and NGOs. These orgs may lack funding, but their commitment is immense,” Ayesha says. The team credits their outreach to grassroots connections—researchers, academics, and people from within the trans community itself.

"Gender Is Like a Cloud": Lessons learned during filming

So what did the process teach them personally? “That gender is fluid,” Ayesha reflects. “One of our characters described it like a cloud. That stayed with me. That stuck with me. We’re taught binaries for convenience, but humanity isn’t convenient”

Zoya agrees. “You can’t pin it down. As more people speak out, you realise two sizes don’t fit all. Societies need to catch up with that.”

For cisgender or heteronormative audiences, the hope is clear. “Like Reema said—there are more similarities than differences,” Zoya says. “People want to be treated with respect. They want love, the freedom to express themselves without ridicule.”

Asked for recommendations to further understanding, all three cite the documentary Disclosure as a powerful watch. “It shows how even innocent representation in media can cause harm if it’s not done right,” Zoya adds.