Updated On: 29 June, 2025 07:15 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar Basu
With In Transit, director Ayesha Sood explains why broadening the lens of gender diversity is essential for real inclusion of trans and non-binary community

Ayesha Sood
Curiosity killed the cat — we’ve often heard this idiom. But the full idiom reads: Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back. That’s exactly what happened when director Ayesha Sood decided to study and showcase the lives of nine transgender and non-binary individuals across India with her docu-series, In Transit.
Produced by Tiger Baby, the series traces stories of identity, love, and self-expression through uniquely Indian lenses. From a young educator in Tripura to a classical musician in Bangalore, the series spans geographies and generations with cultural specificity and emotional depth.
Sood shares that filmmakers Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti reached out to her with the idea of building a docu-series in this world. Reason? “Because I have a deep curiosity about gender, sexuality, and women’s representation. I’ve spent my life examining those systems in my own personal life, and it has been a long process.” Sood spent almost a year and a half in research. “[We spoke to] a team of journalists, academics, and people who work in the community — transgender activists. We started by teaching ourselves. From history, the legal aspects, mythologies to its context in India,” says the director.