Playing dress up

Sushant Divgikr is filled with wonder every time he watches a drag race. The loud colours, the magical outfits, and the fascinating aura of the models, the bright personalities — all of these hold him in an inexplicable awe. 

In an attempt to bring this fascination to the monotonous, not-so-fabulous lives of you and me, Sushant, former Mr Gay India 2014, will be hosting a drag race in the city. Drag Xxxtravaganza, will have Sushant not only playing host, but also unveiling his drag avatar — Rani Kohinoor. But before he opens up more about his avatar, Sushant takes the pain to explain what exactly a drag race is.

“A drag race is more than a man dressing up as a woman — it’s our way to not conform to society’s definition of gender and gender-based characteristics,” he begins. He adds that the entire idea of hosting a drag race is to empower not just closeted drag avatars to come out in the open, but also entertain people who are curious about the concept. 

Sushant Divgikr

For Sushant, this won’t be the first time he will be dressing up, sporting elaborate make-up and playing the role of a flamboyant character. “I have performed in drag internationally, but I never thought I could be a drag queen — I only always thought of myself as a drag performer,” he says. But, it was only a few months ago when really considered taking it seriously. 

Recalling the initial hesitation, Sushant says that the first time he saw Violet Chachki, winner of season seven of the reality show RuPaul’s Drag Race, was when he decided he too wanted to be a drag queen. “She is very hot and known for her drag looks. When I first saw her, I was mesmerised, to say the least, and decided then and there that I wanted to do this too,” he says, excited.

The model adds that there were certain inhibitions in the beginning for most. “These girls (drag performers/ drag queens) have gotten better with time — they have really invested in their bodies, and their looks. At first, I wasn’t too sure if I had the body for this or not — but with time, I’m sure I’ll improve,” he promises. 

A few drag looks for the Mumbai Pride Parade 2016. (Photo: Pooja Salvi)

The idea behind hosting a drag race was to offer a safe space for drag performers in the city, so they can hone their skills. Knowing several drag performers personally, Sushant realised there is not really a space in the city that is friendly enough to host a drag race. “So many drag queens I know perform just once in a while, because there is a lack of safe space. But what about those who want to perform and dress up more?” he questions, quickly adding that the need to ameliorate this pushed his to take the idea forward. 

The Drag Xxxtravaganza is an open-to-all event that will see performances by singer Thea, comedian Raunaq Rajani, and Mr Gay World 2016, Anwesh Sahoo. Sushant insists that the evening is all about making everyone feel included. “We are looking forward to hosting a really inclusive night that will serve as a safe space for anyone and everyone,” he begins, adding that the performers themselves are a mix of sexualities and gender. “We have straight, gay and trans performers. Anwesh will be performing a belly dance session, our singer Thea is straight and so is our comedian. And hopefully, our audience will be a fun mix,” he says.