Actor Vaani Kapoor says her movie Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui is a conversation starter as it aims to present an authentic on screen representation of trans people in mainstream Bollywood cinema. The Abhishek Kapoor directorial places the struggles and dilemma of a trans woman, played by Vaani, without looking at the community through the lens of victimhood, she said.

The actor, whose turn as Maanvi in the film, has brought her career-best reviews, believes the film has served its purpose of igniting a conversation around trans people and their rights. “We just wanted to normalise this and break stereotypes. There exists this perception, built over all these years, when we were growing up. The reference points we witnessed in films and shows, I think we don’t need to live by it today. That is a wrongful representation.