'It was never about trans identity': Benny P Nayarambalam on backlash around 'Chanthupottu’

Kochi: Screenwriter Benny P Nayarambalam has opened up about the long-standing criticism around the 2005 Malayalam film Chanthupottu, saying he felt deeply saddened that the film’s message was misinterpreted and later used to mock members of the transgender community.

Speaking in a recent interview with Movie World Media, Benny clarified that the character portrayed by Dileep was not written as a transgender person, but rather as a man with feminine traits, a creative choice that, according to him, came from a place of empathy and inclusion.

“The character was never transgender. We tried to show a man who was a bit feminine, and we approached it from a positive angle,” he said.

However, Benny admitted that he was disheartened by how the film’s name, Chanthupottu, eventually became a derogatory term used by some to insult others.

'We never imagined that people would use the term ‘Chanthupottu’ to mock others. That wasn’t our intention at all. It made me feel bad that something we created to be inclusive ended up being twisted by society,' he shared.

He emphasised that the film was never meant to cause harm and expressed regret that it contributed, even unintentionally, to the stigmatisation of a community.

While stopping short of an apology, Benny’s remarks come as an acknowledgment of the evolving understanding around gender representation and how important it is for creators to consider the social impact of their work.