A drag queen, like Mayamma aka Alex is traditionally a male person who dresses up as female and enacts roles of female characters usually with exaggerated femininity. A drag queen’s performances range from theatrical and comical to emotional and satirical. India has neither explored nor been exposed to the drag culture on a mainstream or even fairly-known basis unlike some countries where drag queens have been a significant part of the pop culture.
I recently had a conversation with awesome Alex about his drag performances as Maya. Read here:
Please describe Maya in terms of her character attributes and physical appearance so that readers may picturize her better.
Alex: Maya is a simple woman with an outspoken attitude. She may look like any ordinary woman. But she is fierce. She prefers to conquer any issue with love. She is a tall Malayalee woman who is ready to talk to you about any problem that you may face. She is kind. She’s sassy. But don’t mess with her. She is a woman of substance. She loves to wear simple sarees that glorify the beauty of an Indian woman. She is elegance personified.
You mentioned in an interview I read that Maya seeks to be a mother figure to the society. Please elaborate how.
Alex: There are many atrocities that happen around us which drove me to take a bold stand and challenge the society, to shake patriarchy! Maya prefers to be a mother figure because she seeks to inspire all sections of the society.
How does Maya step beyond the mere bracket of entertainment? What is the primary message she sends out?
Alex: She loves to tell stories that people can relate to and she adds an entertainment value by singing songs, acting it out and dancing to the songs she sings. The primary message that she wants to send is about individualism, gender fluidity and feminism.
How do you as Maya reconcile entertainment with ideology? How important is it to do so?
Alex: That’s the power of storytelling. I make a story line making sure that the songs Maya sings will convey my ideology. Nowadays, it’s hard to convince people that you are of substance with all the clutter around the world. I use this medium to tell stories that need to be heard.
How successful has Maya been in establishing her ideology/ sending out her message to society? How well has she been received?
Alex: She has been well received. People enjoy it more than just the singing and dancing. The moment Maya communicates her purpose on stage, that’s when they sit up and notice her. She has been well received enough for people to write about her, give more opportunities to perform and even be a muse for photo shoots.
What aspects of Maya’s character and story so you think are the most real and relevant to contemporary society?
Alex: The simplicity, elegance and outspoken attitude of Maya! Society needs a drag queen like her and it’s time for the Indian society to accept her. I keep telling this to people that each Indian state needs a drag queen- bold, unique and talented!
Please share some memorable experiences from your journey as Maya.
Alex: The most memorable experiences were each moment that I am on stage as Maya, each photo shoot that I am part of and each interview that I give. This is because when I do this, there is one person who gets inspired and says, “Hey! If he can do it, I can do it too”. It doesn’t necessarily have to be drag. It can be anything.
Tell me a bit about the tough times you might have conquered in your journey.
Alex: The challenges that I had to face came from my family not accepting who I am, friends who didn’t stay with me, restaurants not giving me the chance to perform, opportunities that didn’t work out. But, I take it as a challenge to prove people wrong who didn’t allow me or said “No” or said, “You can’t do it”. No! I will do it and I will prove it to you time and again!
What are your plans for the near future as Maya?
Alex: I want to take her to Bollywood, make her mainstream, take her around the world and fulfill my initial dream of being a Broadway performer.
Any message?
Alex: This is to people who believe in dreams: focus on your dream and believe that you will achieve it. You will get there! Above all, love yourself! It’s the first step to achieving big things. I took it and came a long way!