In Hyderabad, drag performances are on the rise; from just three drag queens in 2019 to eight drag queens and three drag kings this year. Of late, more members of the LGBTQ+ community are taking to the performing arts, perhaps owing to Article 377 being read down and a gradual rise in social acceptance.
Drag artiste Patruni Chidananda Sastry, a product specialist at FactSet, an American financial data and software company, is working on a concept shoot to recreate the image of Bal Gandharva, the Marathi singer and stage artiste known for portraying female characters at a time when women were not allowed on stage.
Patruni adds, “People jump into art as it gives them space to recreate their own reality.”
