India, Sept. 9 -- In Indian films, trans people are usually shown begging for alms, showering blessings on married couples and babies, or soliciting clients for sex work. Your film is about a trans person who is a forest guard in Uttarakhand. Why was it important for you to tell this story?

For me, the heart of this film was about breaking away from the cliches and stereotypes that surround trans people in Indian cinema. When I first met Babban, I saw someone whose life was so deeply connected with the forest, with animals, and with solitude. None of that aligned with the narrow images we are so used to seeing. Their story deserved to be told with honesty and without embellishment. That's why the documentary format felt right. It gave me...