What it takes to be a Drag Queen in India

India Today

Strobe lights, sequin curtains, and hours in makeup — India’s drag performers bring more than glamour to the stage.

Transcript

00:00I'm behind-the-scenes BTS.

00:03The hardest part of drag is not being able to pee or blow your nose when you want to.

00:08We have never been to a drag show.

00:10So we are taking you along too.

00:18There were strobe lights.

00:19Okay, let's go.

00:21Sequin curtains.

00:24And someone in a wig adjusting their lashes like they were born with them.

00:30A drag performance is where you see us getting into our fabulous avatars.

00:34It's scripted storytelling.

00:36But wait, what's up with that accent?

00:38Because once you're in this get-up in Babish, you access some other part of your personality.

00:45B****!

00:46You dare!

00:47So it's not always on purpose, but yes, you will definitely see a shift in our characters,

00:52in the way we speak, in the adha that we display.

00:55Still, some people don't see it as a respectable profession.

00:58Who is saying that?

01:00Tell me to meet, meet me.

01:02Tell them to meet me like after the show.

01:04It's a lot of makeup.

01:05It's a lot of undergarments.

01:06It's really hot.

01:07It's really sweaty.

01:08So I think that drag is not an endurance sport.

01:12So being in those heels for eight plus hours is quite crazy.

01:15By the way, drag drag drag drag.

01:18This term is said to have come from 19th century theatre in Britain, when men dressed as women

01:23in long gowns that literally dragged across the floor.

01:26So stagehands started calling it drag.

01:29Rehearsals are too much.

01:31That's the most popular theory.

01:33But over time, the word found its way into queer spaces.

01:38Possibly through Pallari, a secret slang once used by LGBTQ plus communities in Britain

01:44to speak freely while staying safe.

01:46Today, a drag queen usually performs exaggerated femininity.

01:50A drag gang does the same with masculinity.

01:53Very Oyama.

01:54But what made us curious is how they learn all this.

01:57Is there like a drag school?

01:59I make up what you see right now.

02:00It's eye copy from somebody else.

02:03The lips I tend to inspire by some other drag queens.

02:06So we all learn together only.

02:07That's how we grow and we're still together.

02:10It's everybody taking tricks from each other.

02:12And with that, if you've never been to a drag show, now you kinda have.

02:16Next time, come scream in the front row.

02:25Because we are amuring in this film.

02:26It's walking out.

02:27We really don't understand how to move.

02:28We don't necessarily stand any further.

02:30We are always okay.

02:31We're always okay.

02:32We will be right back.

02:35We're sorry.

02:36We're not okay.

02:37We're not sure.

02:38We're not okay.

02:39We're not okay.

02:40We are okay.

02:41We're okay.

02:42We're not okay.

02:43We're okay.

02:44We're here.

02:45We're okay.

02:46It's okay.

02:47We're okay.

02:48You're okay.

02:49Okay.

02:51But what I know?

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