Drag queens are performance artists, almost always male, who dress in women's clothing and often act with exaggerated femininity and in feminine gender roles with a primarily entertaining purpose. They often exaggerate make-up such as eyelashes for dramatic, comedic or satirical effect. Drag queens are closely associated with gay men and gay culture, but can be of any sexual orientation or gender identity. They vary widely by class, culture, and dedication, from professionals who star in films to people who try drag very occasionally.
The activity, which is called doing drag, has many motivations, from individual self-expression to mainstream performance. Drag queen activities among stage and street performers may include lip-syncing, live singing, dancing, roasting etc.
Organizer
Patruni Chidananda Sastry
Patruni Chidananda Sastry, a 27-year-old dancer and drag queen from Hyderabad says, drag has been part of traditional dance forms in India for years.
“I’m a classical dancer and performance artiste. As a part of my analysis, I wanted to create a proper drag scene in Hyderabad, inspired by the ones in Bengaluru and other cities. The reason I wanted to do drag is because there’s already such a culture in our country. For instance, in Kuchipudi we have something called Roopanuroopam where a guy dresses up as a girl. Other art forms like Kathakali have drag, too. Performing in drag gives your body a lot of confidence,” he says.
In June this year, Sastry and two other performers put up their first show in Hyderabad. They were expecting only around 20 people, but more than 150 turned up to watch the show.
Mohini D’vi, Sastry’s drag persona, is inspired from Mohiniyattam, a traditional dance form from Kerala. Interestingly, Mohiniyattam has its roots in the mythological story of Lord Vishnu dressing up as a woman to seduce the Asuras into giving her the Amrita (nectar of immortality), which she in turn distributes to the Devas. The last name, D’vi, is ‘Devi’ shortened to give off an Indo-Western vibe and also pay tribute to the artistry of Leonardo da Vinci.
