CHENNAI: A chance encounter with a transsexual inspired actor-director

to make ‘

’. Now, as he shoots its remake, ‘Laxmmi Bomb’, with

, Lawrence has joined hands with the Bollywood star to establish a

home

for

in Chennai.

“Akshay Kumar has donated Rs 1.5 crore to construct a home for transsexuals in Chennai,” says Lawrence, who runs Lawrence Charitable Trust which works for underprivileged. It will come up on three grounds of land donated by Lawrence near Poonamallee.

His association with the transsexual community began more than a decade ago. “I didn’t know much about the community. But then, a transgender person approached my Trust for help and that’s when I realised the kind of pain they undergo.”

That’s when he penned the script of ‘Kanchana’, with Sarath Kumar playing a transwoman abandoned by her parents. “But I felt doing a movie is not enough. Transgender people they are often abandoned by their families and left to live on the streets,” says Lawrence who donated one-and-a-half grounds at Anuppampattu, Tiruvallur, for transsexuals. “But I felt it is too far away, which is why I then decided to use the land in Poonamallee to build a home for transgenders.”

But funds were needed and he discussed it with Akshay Kumar who plays a transsexual in ‘Laxmmi Bomb’. “He was touched by the problems the community faces and gave a cheque for ₹1.5 crore,” says Lawrence.

To build the home, Lawrence is collaborating with Sahodaran which has been working for the LGBT community for 23 years. “Lawrence has been very supportive of the community, and his film ‘Kanchana’ helped sensitise people,” said its general manager Jaya, at a press meet on Monday to thank Lawrence and Akshay Kumar.