Anil Kumar

My parents had tried to kill me. This was about 4 years ago.

4 years back, my parents suggested me to get a thyroid test. They disliked the way I looked because of the weight and colour of my skin.

𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘵? 𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦? 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴𝘯‘𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳…

This was already depressing. However, this was the least. Hell set loose when I reached the hospital.

“Take off your clothes” – the doctor had asked me. Why on earth one needs to do that for a thyroid test! This was shocking. It was then he revealed that my parents doubted my gender and sexuality. They had asked the doctor to do a thorough checking. Embarrassed, I had to strip down before him so that he could check my private parts. He had checked them and informed my parents that I was okay. This had shaken me to the core as I always wanted to tell them about my sexuality myself. But they learning about me from a stranger, was a huge let down for me.

 I had never said my parents that I was performing as a drag artist in a café. Some of my friends knew and thanks to them my parents came to know as well! They had sent them my photos and videos from the drag events. After that, I was beaten like hell.

After returning from the doctor, the torture hadn’t stopped. They house arrested me; abused me physically and verbally. They took away my phone. Then I was taken to one so-called famous hospital in Hyderabad for psychological treatment and the hospital chairperson said that I should be treated with gender therapy for 2.5 lakhs. He had also added that I was going to stay in hospital for 7 days without having any contact with my parents and the outside world. They said gender therapy would straighten me. But after being admitted there, I ran away and came back home to be beaten again.

It was then I decided; either I wanted to live or die. I can clearly recall I left my home at midnight, locking the doors from outside, and moved to my partner’s place. This had happened during the time of demonetization. I had no cash, I only had my cards. I was wearing a shirt, half trousers and a pair of slippers when I had left.

Two years passed until my parents called me. “Your mother is ill. You should see her” – guess what? It was a lie! The moment I reached my parent’s place I got into a fight. Then my parents asked around 30-40 people to come over. They surrounded me and started beating me. They did this as per my parent’s instruction. I was beaten to a pulp. My leg was broken. “Decide – want to live with us or die?” – my parents had asked. Well, I chose the third. I WANT TO LIVE FOR MYSELF.

Then I ran to the main road shouting for help. The onlookers didn’t come forward. A police patrolling van was passing by and looking at the commotion it stopped to look into the matter. I begged the police to rescue me and drop me off at my home or at least drop me somewhere in the midway. As my father also was in the police, my parents managed the situation and the police declined to help, saying they didn’t interfere in the family matter. As when they were talking to my parents, I managed to escape from there. From then, I never returned home again.

Soon, I filed a petition in Telangana High court for my police protection, and the judge granted it. I was even suggested to take action against my parents but I never wanted my parents to be harassed. I knew that one FIR could ruin my father’s career. So, I didn’t take action but went on to live life on my own terms.

Today, my life is a lot different from what it used to be. As difficult as it was initially, especially with no experience, I became a drag artist. The credit for this goes to my friend, Sastry. Had it not been for her persistence, neither would have I come this far, nor the concept of drag culture would have reached Hyderabad. When I began working, I have had mixed experiences as the environment was sometimes homophobic. I now work at Humsafar Trust. Besides, I run a foundation called “Mobbera” for the LGBT community.

From a handful of people telling me that “You look like Ravan! You look like a Devil!” I now only hear hundreds of them watching my performance and saying, “Wow, you’re amazing!” The world now knows me as Nutty Savitri. In each and every step of this journey, I had, and still have one person beside me – my partner. Soon, we will not just celebrate 7 years of our togetherness but will also be getting married to each other!

Total Work Experience : 4 Years (Amazon, Synchrony, Humsafar Trust)