“Drag Vanti”, an online virtual space for desi drag queens, kings and performers, launched on June 9th. The platform will serve as a channel to give information about Indian cultural and ethnic drag art form practices.
Made by Patruni Chidananda Sastry to showcase Indian Drag’s diversity, the virtual space aims to show a culture unique from the Western version that is familiar to the world, and it deserves to be showcased.
This year has been tough for a lot of drag performers around the world sticking to their homes. While the world is fighting with a deadly pandemic, there is hardly any space for drag queens to come and share their craft. Indian entertainment industry which is predominantly dominated by movies followed by other craft such as music, dance and theatre has little space for showcase content on Drag.
While the west has more than a thousand platforms, there is hardly any which brings the insights on the art of Drag into the frontline. And even they are, South Asia drag artists are always under-represented.
Keeping all these social and economic changes in mind, Patruni imagines a space exclusively for Drag, where people can get news, interviews, articles, memes, quotes and knowledge on Indian approach to Drag.
Calling the project their baby, Patruni said, “I started Drag Last year, June 9th, it’s been a wonderful year since my initial journey. I got a lot of warmth and love when I started Drag in the city and now on my one-year anniversary With DragVanti, I want to give back all the warmth and love I have been receiving and believe it will create a unique community within drag performers. “
Dragvanti will. be an open space with an idea to bring drag culture in India appropriate attention as equally provided to all the other art forms. The. website will allow young and aspiring drag performers to find all the information they need to harness the art.
The platform has several features designed to being about a sense of community. Groups are dedicated to topics such as drag make-up, performers, artists; virtual discussion rooms, and online event round-ups. it’s Patruni’s hope to give their community a sense of closeness, even while shelter in place and physical distancing are keeping them apart.
“I created Dragvanti with a vision to have more conversation on the art of Drag and create a community while sharing stories and newsletters with the diverse Indian drag community.”
Dragvanti also hosts a wide range of Interactive spaces where fellow drag queens can join and have discussions and debates in forums and groups. They would also be able to create a profile which serves as a portfolio of their work.
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The space contains a Dictionary of all the Drag slangs and terminologies used with an additional vocabulary of “Indian drag terms”. It also has a directory of drag performers, artists, makeup artists, drag clubs and spaces listed for bringing in more collaboration, curation, partnership and presentation within the community.
As India’s First Exclusive Drag Site with an online quarterly e-magazine titled “Dra Vati”, Drag vanti is set to launch on June 9th.
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