Daily Times

Trans actor Alina Khan has been soaring high in the sky with the success of her first and recent film, Joyland – which witnessed a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival. Speaking to Vogue India, Alina Khan was ecstatic because her success meant that she’s been able to meet her family more often.

She said: “I returned to Pakistan from France a week ago and I have already visited my family home thrice – I even spent a night there.”

Alina Khan grew up hiding her feminine identity from her parents but at the age of 11, she left home to pursue her dreams, so returning after Joyland’s success was a moment of pride for her. She explained: “My family always thought I would bring shame to them, only Ammi would speak to me for a few minutes while the others cut me off. Now, they are actually proud of my success and that makes me the happiest.” Alina Khan continued that the Cannes win means a lot to her because she plays a trans dancer in the Joyland, which is the “same identity that she has been shunned for all her life”. She concluded that during the festival, no one cared about her gender and everyone “only focused on her work”.