In a viral and unfiltered appearance on the podcast InControversial with Pooja Chaudhri, artist, drag performer, and activist Rani KoHEnur (Sushant Digjikar) delivered a scathing critique of the entertainment industry, calling out what they described as “performative allyship” and a glaring lack of real-world accountability toward the LGBTQIA+ community.
In one of the most talked-about moments from the episode, Rani directly addressed the industry’s selective support. “They make films on our lives, they tell our stories, they profit from our narratives for entertainment. But when the time comes to actually stand up and speak, they go silent. Their backbone disappears. You cannot celebrate us on screen and abandon us in real life,” they said.
Expanding on this, Rani sharply questioned the authenticity of public personas within the industry, adding, “This is not the place to act. Do that on a film set. Here, you have to be real. You have to work for people. All this drama—you do it on a film set or in theatre. Don’t pretend that you are something here and something else outside.”
At they same time, Rani acknowledged voices within the industry who have consistently shown up and spoken out. “There are some people like Sonam Kapoor who show up consistently and use their voice and privilege even when it’s not convenient. That’s what real allyship looks like, not just celebrating us when it’s trending, but standing by us when it actually matters.”
For Rani, drag isn’t just performance. It is protest, power, and presence. Framing drag as an inherently political act, they reinforced its role as a medium to challenge norms and demand visibility in spaces that exclude queer identities. From discovering their voice in private spaces to being featured on global platforms like Times Square, Rani’s journey reflects a larger cultural shift where visibility itself becomes a form of resistance.
The full episode of InControversial with Pooja Chaudhri is now streaming on YouTube.
