Taali – A Biographical Drama Series Review

Taali – A Biographical Drama Series About The Struggles Of The Transgender Community

Webseries Title: Taali

Cast: Sushmita Sen, Krutika Deo, Ankur Bhatia, Maya Rechal Mcmanus, Suvrat Joshi, Nandu Madhav.

Director: Ravi Jadhav

Genre: Biographical Drama

Rank: 4.75

Taali is a biographical drama series. The story is based on the life and struggles of Gauri Sawant. Gauri is a Mumbai-based transgender activist. Sushmita Sen plays the title character and Krutika Deo, Ankur Bhatia, Suvrat Joshi, Maya Rechal Mcmanus, and Nandu Madhav appear in supporting roles. Ravi Jadhav, one of the award-winning directors of Marathi cinema directed Taali. The series was released on Jio Cinema on 15th August 2023. 

The Plot of Taali

The series flags off with the childhood scenes of Shreegauri Sawant.  Sushmita Sen played the role of Ganesh. Having lost his mother at a young age, Ganesh shares a tumultuous relationship with his father (Nandu Madhav). As the series progresses, Ganesh undergoes a sex change surgery. Now he become Gauri. The plot depicts how Gauri takes up the mantle of fighting for the rights of transgender people.  She struggled to ensure equal rights and opportunities for the third-gender community. That what leads her to file a petition in the Supreme Court of India. The series depicts her heart wrenching struggles in her personal life. As an audience we can see her yearning for motherhood which is heartbreaking.

The Contribution of Writer and Director to Taali

The web series has been written by Kshitij Patwardhan and together with director Ravi Jadhav, he has done a great job of highlighting Gauri’s struggle for survival, identity, and equality. The story is well-researched and the team has approached the topic and the story with great honesty. The rousing screenplay is further enhanced by the compelling performances of the well-cast actors. Even though the details of the life of Gauri Sawant are present in the public domain, the writer-director duo have made it easier for people to perceive this information more realistically.  

The Character Developments and Role Plays In Taali

Sushmita Sen gives her career-best performance as the transgender activist who spent her life fighting for justice. The way her character transforms, and her consistent struggle will bring tears for audience. She ensured that transgender people get their rightful place as humans in the society. The acting of Sushmita is truly inspiring.  Gauri’s acceptance of her psychological and emotional confusion living in a conservative environment is well picturised. It is one key highlight of the series.  It encouraged the audience to root for her. Her craving to be accepted as an assertive transwoman are emotionally bold and trailblazing. The character of Gauri’s father has also been presented exceptionally and his failure to support his young son through his struggles is well-portrayed. Every other character in the series is equally well-developed and presented realistically to leave a deep impact on the audience.

The Story Development of Taali

The story of Taali starts begins in the childhood of Shreegauri and covers the various important events and incidents that shaped her life through flashbacks. The series offers an sneak peek into the level of humiliation faced by transgender people. We can witness their mistreatment by society, and the bias. It is painful to see the unacceptance they face even while seeking basic facilities. With its heart in the right place and the career-best performance delivered by Sushmita Sen, Taali offers ample moments that make the viewers sit up and take note of the things that they often take for granted especially when it comes to the transgender community. The series kept the audience engagement till end. Many are of the opinion that it’s more like a docu-series than a biographical drama. But at Indiacafe24 we found it to be a realistic and on point bio-drama.

Final Verdict for Taali

Taali is a one of the realistic web series of recent time. Several questions raised in the series about the ethics and integrity of journalists.  It’s the brilliance in Sushmita’s acting that gave the series a unique dimension and reach. We at IndiaCafe24 give the series a rating of 4.75 stars.

This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2023

This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’
hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla
.