Ivanka Das
{{short description|Indian dancer, actress, model}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ivanka Das
| image = File:Ivankadas.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Kolkata, India
| occupation = Actress, Dancer, Model
| television = Dance Deewane
| spouse =
| website =
}}
Ivanka Das (born as Arandeep Das{{Clarification needed|reason=Was she notable by her former name? The article doesn't seem to indicate that. If not, remove it as that contravenes Wikipedia's policies on transgender/nonbinary people.|date=January 2025}}) is an Indian actress, dancer, choreographer, and model. She is known for her participation in the Indian reality television show Dance Deewane, the films Haddi and Ghoomer, as well as the Netflix series Bombay Begums.
Early life
Das was born in Kolkata as a boy, and grew up in a conservative family in Mumbai and Kolkata.{{Cite web|last=Sarrubba|first=Stefania|date=November 15, 2018|title=Bald and bold: this beautiful trans model is challenging stereotypes in India|url=https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/bald-trans-model-india-ivaanka/|access-date=2021-08-22|website=Gay Star News|language=en-GB|archive-date=4 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211204052905/https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/bald-trans-model-india-ivaanka/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite magazine|publisher=Condé Nast|first=Shanhaz |last=Siganporia |date=2019-09-16|title=Drag queen, Ivanka Das on being rejected by her family and finding her voice|url=https://www.vogue.in/culture-and-living/content/ivanka-das-drag-queen-mumbai-lgbtq-vogue-india-september-issue|access-date=2021-08-22|magazine=Vogue India|language=en-IN}} Both of her parents died during her childhood. She has said she always identified as female, and experienced gender dysphoria, but after visiting the Iskcon temple of Lord Krishna, understood she is a woman, "and through that spirituality, I got inner power and felt I was reborn."
She moved to Delhi and began working as a choreographer, and also experienced illness and hair loss, ultimately shaving her head. She was then recruited to become a model and moved to Mumbai.
Career
Beginning in 2017, after an invitation from Keshav Suri of the Lalit hospitality chain,{{Cite news|date=November 2, 2017|title='Gender is identity, sex is what you are born with'|last=Mukherjee|first=Oindrila|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/gender-is-identity-sex-is-what-you-are-born-with/story-OoA2cInThcrnhFg26gvjOI.html|access-date=2021-08-22|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}} Das has worked as a dancer at the Kitty Su club in Chandigarh, and in Kitty Su drag nights nationwide. She also became a popular contestant on Dance Deewane.
In 2019, she was featured on an online cover of Vogue India{{Cite news|title=Meet India's top drag queens|newspaper= Rediff.com|url=https://www.rediff.com/amp/getahead/report/glamour-meet-indias-top-drag-queens/20190921.htm|date=2019-09-21|access-date=2021-08-22}}{{cite news |last1=Katz |first1=Evan Ross |title=Why Did 'Vogue' Take So Long to Give Drag Queens a Cover?|url=https://www.papermag.com/drag-queens-vogue-covers-history-2648101117.html |access-date=22 August 2021 |work=Paper |date=October 5, 2020}} as part of a celebration of the first anniversary of the Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India decision that decriminalized consensual sexual conduct between adults.{{cite news |last1=Sachdeva |first1=Maanya |title=What went into the making of Vogue India's September 2019 issue |url=https://www.vogue.in/culture-and-living/content/making-of-vogue-india-september-issue-2019-priyanka-chopra-sabyasachi-mukherjee |access-date=22 August 2021 |work=Vogue India |date=September 12, 2019}} She told Vogue India in 2019, "I am a trans woman and a fighter. And I will be a super star someday."
In 2019, she debuted as an actress in the web series Ye Hai #Mandi, in the role of Kareena, a brothel owner.{{Cite web|date=2019-12-23|title=Transwoman actress was uncomfortable doing intimate scenes in debut show|url=https://zeenews.india.com/people/transwoman-actress-was-uncomfortable-doing-intimate-scenes-in-debut-show-2254131.html|access-date=2021-08-22|agency=IANS|website=Zee News|language=en}} In 2020, she had a supporting role in the Netflix web series Bombay Begums{{Cite web|date=2020-07-16|title=Web series Bombay Begums to stream on Netflix|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/bombay-begums-netflix-6508167/|access-date=2021-08-22|newspaper=The Indian Express|language=en}} as the character Beauty, a trans woman.{{cite news |last1=Himani |title=Bombay Begums Centers the Queer South Asian Story I've Been Searching For |url=https://www.autostraddle.com/bombay-begums-queer-storyline/ |access-date=22 August 2021 |work=Autostraddle |date=April 1, 2021}}
In 2020, she was featured in the MTV Beats Love Duet album song "Khud Ko Hi Paake" with Nikhita Gandhi.{{cite news |title=Nikhita Gandhi questions gender identity through 'Khud ko hi paake' |url=https://www.siasat.com/nikhita-gandhi-questions-gender-identity-through-khud-ko-hi-paake-2034529/ |access-date=22 August 2021 |work=The Siasat Daily |agency=IANS |date=November 30, 2020}}{{cite news |title=What's gender got to do with love, questions Nikhita Gandhi |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/lifestyle/whats-gender-got-to-do-with-love-questions-nikhita-gandhi-177099 |access-date=22 August 2021 |work=The Tribune |date=November 28, 2020}}
In 2023, Ivanka was featured alongside Abhishek Bacchan, Shabana Azmi and others in the Bollywood film Ghoomer.{{cite news |title=Abhishek Bachchan's Ghoomer Co-Star Saiyami Kher Thinks Film Is "Too Good To Be True" |url=https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/ghoomer-too-good-to-be-true-says-saiyami-kher-about-abhishek-bachchan-and-team-3068216 |access-date=23 August 2022 |work=NDTV |date=June 15, 2022}}{{cite news |title=Shabana Azmi wraps shoot of Abhishek Bachchan-led 'Ghoomer' |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/shabana-azmi-wraps-shoot-of-abhishek-bachchan-led-ghoomer/articleshow/92082575.cms?from=mdr |access-date=23 August 2022 |work=Times of India |agency=Press Trust of India |date=June 8, 2022}}{{cite news |title=Ivanka Das: 'Ghoomer' is turning point in my career |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/ivanka-das-ghoomer-is-turning-point-in-my-career/articleshow/106065831.cms |access-date=19 February 2024 |work=The Times of India |agency=IANS |date=17 December 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Prakash |first1=Priya |title='Talent Deserves Universal Respect:' Ghoomer Actor Ivanka Das |url=https://www.shethepeople.tv/film-theatre/ivanka-das-ghoomer-interview |access-date=19 February 2024 |work=SheThePeople |date=17 Aug 2023 |language=en}}
Television and web series
- Dance Deewane
- Ye Hai #Mandi
- Bombay Begums
- (Sonu Ka Dhaba) on Dangal TV
- Maja ma
- Sunflower_(web_series)
- Ghoomer (2023)
- Haddi (2023)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Imdb-name|nm12136020}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Das, Ivanka}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Actresses from Kolkata
Category:Transgender drag performers
Category:Reality dancing competition contestants
Category:Transgender female models