Bangalore:
Girish Panicker was a young Malayali boy who was interested in dance. He made a name for himself in Singapore as a Bharatanatyam and Mohini Attam dancer - and then decided to follow his feelings and become a woman. The dancer now calls herself Maalika - after her first public performance in India.
Maalika, discovered a passion for dance at the tender age of 7. After training in Kerala and Kalakshetra, Girish Panicker went to Singapore. But despite professional success - Girish was not yet the person he wanted to become.
"I used to look very feminine, but I danced very male. So people liked that combination. Because I could carry all this beautiful jewellery - they perhaps said you would look a pretty woman."
Girish went ahead and decided to undergo a sex-change and became Maalika. Her career after this has flourished even more.
"We thought of keeping my name as Mallika Sherawat because I looked little bit like her but I said I don't want 'Mallika' because it is very common. In dance we have this Raga Maalika.", said Maalika.
"Singapore law allows me to marry and adopt a child. I have already got my house, my family is set. I need only a person to get married to me and adopt a child. I only feel the sadness for the whole world - please be true to your life. ", she added.