Titli actor and Gurgaon resident Shashank Arora shoots in nearby town

It was an exciting week for the residents of Narnaul, a town in Haryana some two hours from Gurgaon, when the team of a short film landed there recently to shoot. Titled Others, the film about a transgender person from Haryana who wants to become a boxer. The lead role in the film is being played by Shashank Arora, who has previously acted in films like'Titli', 'Lipstick Under My Burkha', and 'Rock On 2'. The crew shot at several outdoor locations in Narnaul, with the two main actors dressed according to their characters, and also shot sequences at a

boxing

academy. Interestingly, Shashank’s parents also live in Gurgaon, and he visits them on holidays.

Shashank Arora

The makers say that Haryana is pivotal to the film’s setting and premise, which is why they chose to shoot it in real locations instead of in a closed set. “Boxing is a part of Haryana’s culture, which is why the movie is set here. Since it is a conservative society, a transgender person trying to box here might face more difficulties. And so, our film is based in the state,” says Shashank. Others is directed by Sachin Shinde and also stars 'Krishh 3' fame Asif Basra in a pivotal role.

Talking about playing a transgender person in the film, Shashank says, “It was difficult getting under the skin of such a character because I had no reference point. Externally, makeup and costume can cover you but internally, it was quite tough.” The actor says he was surprised that despite shooting in the heartland of Haryana, he did not face harassment while in costume. “During breaks, I would remain in costume and walk around like that in town. I had assumed that since I was in Haryana, I would face some amount of harassment or discomfort but I was surprised, it wasn’t so. In fact, I did not face any kind of unwelcome attention. It was eye-opening.”

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Sarvesh Tiwari, one of the co-producers of the film, says, “The main objective of the entire episode is to draw the attention of society towards transgender persons and offer them the equal edge so that they too could lead a normal life in mainstream society.”

Shashank Arora (in yellow) would often stroll around during breaks

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