‘I heard their pain, how they hide their dreams’: Rajshri Deshpande on playing a trans man in Baapya

Updated On: 12 August, 2026 07:52 AM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka Sharma

Nominated for her role of a trans man in ‘Baapya’ at the Melbourne Film Festival, actor Rajshri Deshpande says years of working with the community helped her bring authenticity

Listen to this article :

Rajshri Deshpande

Driven by faith and the need to spotlight stories about marginalised communities, Rajshri Deshpande portrayed a trans man in the Marathi social comedy, Baapya — a film that won her acclaim upon its May release. And the applause is continuing. Deshpande has been nominated for the Best Actor (Female) Award at the upcoming Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.

A still from ‘Baapya’