THE INDIAN CINEMA GUIDE
Tamil CINEMA · 2007
Our Family
Overview
Set in Tamilnadu, India, ‘Our Family’ brings together excerpts from Nirvanam, a one person performance, by Pritham K. Chakravarthy and a family of three generations of trans-gendered female subjects, Aasha, Seetha and Dhana, who are bound together by ties of adoption. They all belong to the trans-gendered community called Aravanis (aka Hijras, in some parts of India). The film juxtaposes the ‘normality’ of their existence with the dark and powerful narrative by Pritham- ‘Nirvanam’; Nirvanam (Liberation) refers to the act of liberating oneself from the male body and transforming oneself to a female. This narrative bears witness to the tumultuous journey towards a reinvented selfhood, a journey fraught with violence, exploitation, affection and courage. The pains, pleasures and dilemmas of becoming the ‘other’ is the motif of the film. Weaving together performance, life histories and everyday life, it problematises the divides between ‘us’ and ‘them’.
A closer look
Our Family (2007) is a Tamil-language Indian movie. Genres: Documentary. Directed by Anjali Monteiro, K.P. Jayasankar. Runtime: 55 minutes.
Cast & crew
Beyond Our Family
Explore other films featuring the people behind this movie.
Our Family FAQs
Answers from the movie information available in our catalogue.
What is the original language of Our Family?
Our Family is listed as a Tamil-language movie in our catalogue. Dubbed versions are not tracked here.
What release date is listed for Our Family?
Our source metadata lists 5 December 2007. Release dates can vary by country and may change; this does not confirm current cinema screenings.
Who directed Our Family?
The listed directors are Anjali Monteiro, K.P. Jayasankar.
How long is Our Family?
The recorded runtime is 55 minutes. Different cuts or releases may have a different duration.
What type of movie is Our Family?
The source lists these genres: Documentary.
What is Our Family about?
Set in Tamilnadu, India, ‘Our Family’ brings together excerpts from Nirvanam, a one person performance, by Pritham K. Chakravarthy and a family of three generations of trans-gendered female subjects, Aasha, Seetha and Dhana, who are bound together by ties of adoption. They all belong to the trans-gendered community called Aravanis (aka Hijras, in some parts of India). The film juxtaposes the ‘normality’ of their existence with the dark and powerful narrative by Pritham- ‘Nirvanam’; Nirvanam (Liberation) refers to the act of liberating oneself from the male body and transforming oneself to a female. This narrative bears witness to the tumultuous journey towards a reinvented selfhood, a journey fraught with violence, exploitation, affection and courage. The pains, pleasures and dilemmas of becoming the ‘other’ is the motif of the film. Weaving together performance, life histories and everyday life, it problematises the divides between ‘us’ and ‘them’.
