Keeping It Feminist!

As we bring the first season of this podcast to a close, hosts Deepali and Soumya are joined by Breakthrough's CEO, Sohini Bhattacharya, to reflect on the story so far. They delve into Breakthrough's impactful work in challenging gender norms and the dominant cultural narrative through the lens of pop culture.

They reminisce about Breakthrough's pioneering campaigns like “Mann ke Manjeere,” which aimed to engage people in conversations about domestic violence; and "Bell Bajao," which encouraged men to stand up against it. They discuss the power of storytelling, and highlight moments from the podcast where female friendships, women uplifting women, and representation in media were explored. They emphasise the importance of seeding narratives through various cultural platforms and reaching out to audiences in regional languages to make the message more accessible.

They also touch upon Breakthrough’s ongoing research that aims to decode contemporary pop culture and develop intervention strategies that promote inclusivity and representation both on and off-screen. 

Sohini Bhattacharya is the CEO of Breakthrough, an organisation focused on transforming gender norms and building the leadership of young people to prevent gender-based violence. She has worked in the development sector for 30+ years with a focus on women and empowerment. She has been closely connected to the Women’s Movement in India and co-founded Sanhita Gender Resource Centre — the first of its kind in Eastern India in 1996.

Today, our host Soumya is in conversation with two standup comics: Abish Mathew and Manjeet Sarkar to discuss the representation of men in pop culture and how the norm is evolving from the angry young man to more layered characters.

From reminiscing about childhood influences in Hindi and Malayalam cinema, to finding resonance in the works of Satyajit Ray, they discuss how everyday conversations at work and home have evolved over the years to include kinder, and more in depth perspectives. They also touch upon themes like the need for unlearning and relearning, the lack of a vernacular in regional languages to express ideals of feminism, and the very pronounced urban vs rural divide. 

Abish Mathew started his career as a prime time radio host for Hit 95 FM, before becoming a comedian. Today, he is a formidable force in the comedy circuit and runs his own enterprise called Absurdist Studios through which he hosts his shows Son of Abish & Journey of a Joke.

Manjeet Sarkar is a stand-up comic who has been breaking new ground in comedy for over six years. He’s recently produced, directed and released a compelling documentary called Untouchable: Laughing Out Caste. He’s currently on a world tour with his standup solo show and feature film.

In this episode of Keeping it Feminist, our host Deepali welcomes seasoned film critic Sucharita Tyagi; and Monisha Singh Katial, a former creative head at Balaji Telefilms who has since ventured into film production. Together, they delve into the pressing theme of women storytellers behind the scenes.

We examine how the dynamics of women's representation in television scripting and production differ from those on the silver screen, and OTT platforms. From discussions on the impact of commercialisation and societal norms on storytelling to the role of film criticism in shaping public discourse, the episode offers a nuanced exploration of women's voices in the entertainment industry. 

Monisha Singh Katial began her career by conquering the country's popular imagination with the mother of all saas bahu sagas on Television – Kyunki Saas Bhi Bahu Thi; and moved on to making much varied content on small and big screen. Having been the first creative head at Balaji Telefilms with Ekta Kapoor and going on to work at UTV and zoOm, she’s currently producing a feature film, podcasts, is a theatre actor and an entrepreneur. 

Sucharita Tyagi started her career as radio jockey in Delhi before becoming one of the leading film critics in the country right now. Having also been associated with Film Companion in the past, she’s worked hard over the years to promote the need for women reclaiming their own narratives and you can check out a lot of her content helmed under the hashtag: Women Telling Women’s Stories. 

Join our host Soumya as she chats with journalist, author, and researcher, Sameera Khan, and Nivedita Prakasam, a standup comic based out of Mumbai, as we unpack the multifaceted challenges women encounter in public spaces. From the pervasive risks women face for simply utilising public spaces to the conditional access contingent upon proving their purpose and conforming to societal norms of respectability, we explore the nuanced ways in which gender dynamics intersect with urban design and social structures. 

Our discussion extends to the digital realm, where women contend with rampant online harassment, censorship, and the normalisation of violence against them. We examine the impact of media representation on societal perceptions of women, highlighting the limited agency afforded to female characters and the urgent need for more authentic narratives that celebrate women's autonomy. 

We confront the pervasive gender inequalities that persist in Indian society, advocating for tangible steps towards creating safer and more inclusive environments for women everywhere. Tune in to discover how we can collectively work towards dismantling patriarchal structures and fostering a culture of respect, equality, and empowerment for all genders.

Niveditha Prakasam is a standup comedian based out of Mumbai. She was also a part of Ladies Up, an all women, no holds barred comedy Netflix Special in 2020. 

Sameera Khan is a Mumbai-based independent journalist, researcher and co-author of the book, Why Loiter: Women & Risk on Mumbai Streets (Penguin-Random House) which examines women’s access to public space. She is also a media trainer, guiding journalists on how to cover violence against women.

Join Deepali from Breakthrough as she hosts Shrayana Bhattacharya, an economist and the author of ‘Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh’, and Kaveree Bamzai, a journalist and author of ‘No Regrets: The Guilt-Free Woman's Guide to a Good Life’, for a riveting discussion that tries to answer that question, ‘Who is the Liberated Woman Indian Woman?’

From exploring the concept of women's liberation through the lens of pop culture in India, they shed light on how women across generations perceive characters on screen and aspire for economic mobility and a departure from traditional gender roles and societal expectations in very different ways.

The conversation also touches on the challenges faced by women in the workforce, the representation of women in media, the everyday battles being fought by women, the evolving definition of feminism in Indian society, and how at the forefront of all of it deserves to be the ethos of non-judgement.

Kaveree Bamzai is an independent journalist with over 30 years’ experience working at media publications India Today, The Indian Express, and The Times of India. She is the only woman to have been an editor of India Today. She is the author of three books: ‘No Regrets: The Guilt-Free Woman's Guide to a Good Life’, ‘Bollywood Today,’ and ‘Three Khans and the Emergence of New India’. 

Shrayana Bhattacharya is an Economist in the World Bank’s Social Protection and Labour unit for South Asia. She is also the author of the award winning and Sahitya Akademi shortlisted ‘Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh: India's Lonely Young Women and the Search for Intimacy and Independence,’ where she maps the economic and personal trajectories a diverse group of women through their jobs, desires, prayers, love affairs and rivalries while all united by their love for Shah Rukh Khan.

In today's episode, Soumya hosts Neeti Palta, a standup comic from Delhi, and Ankita Bansal, who is a fashion designer and was featured on Season 1 of Netflix’s Indian Matchmaking. We begin by mapping out the many tropes of the "ideal woman" stereotype represented in Bollywood, and we have many woes to share. Whether it's the demand of subservience, the normalisation of abuse and punishment, or the way women should smile or cook or look - the film industry has left us wanting for more. 

We examine how these ramifications of cinema seep into the home and work spaces, and how the constant guilt of not having sacrificed enough is pervasive, especially with society acting as an overarching agent of patriarchy. We work to flip the narrative on societal expectations and emphasise less judgement and more kindness #forallwomxn.

Neeti Palta is a standup comic based out of New Delhi and has been a part of the comedy scene since its inception in India. With a writing background in advertising and TV, she also has a standup special on Amazon Prime titled ‘Almost Sanskari.’

Ankita Bansal is the founder of a denim clothing brand, There! and has also featured on Season 01 of Netflix reality series, ‘Indian Matchmaking’ in 2020.

Get ready to delve into the intricate world of female friendships with Deepali from Breakthrough as she hosts author and film and culture critic Deepanjana Pal, along with Nithila Kanagasabai, the author behind Yaari, an anthology of friendship by queer and womxn folks. From dissecting the gendered nature of friendship in society to analysing its portrayal in Hindi cinema, this episode leaves no stone unturned in exploring the nuances of women's relationships. 

Deepanjana and Nithila discuss the limited portrayal of female friendships in contemporary cinema, and how central female characters often lack deep connections with other women and are instead depicted as isolated individuals. They reflect on the political implications of women's friendships in the media, highlighting their importance as sites of resistance against patriarchal norms. They also talk about the need for more screen time dedicated to authentic portrayals of female friendships and the power of meaningful connections among women. 

Deepanjana Pal is a journalist and currently works as an Editor and Film Critic at Film Companion. She is the author of ‘Hush A Bye Baby’, ‘A Book for Puchku’, ‘Puchku Seeks a Song’, and ‘The Painter: A Life of Ravi Varma’.

Nithila Kanagasabai is an Assistant Professor at the School of Media and Cultural Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. She is also a Doctoral Candidate in the Advanced Centre for Women's Studies at TISS. She’s the author of 'Yaari: An Anthology on Friendship by Women and Queer Folx' that brings together 95 disparate voices from across South Asia, who have contributed a mix of essays, poems, and artwork.

Welcome to a new season of Keeping it Feminist, a podcast presented by Breakthrough, an organisation that leads the movement against gender based violence. Your hosts, Deepali and Soumya, invite you to explore the intricate layers of pop culture through an unapologetically feminist lens.

Across the upcoming episodes we will celebrate female friendships in cinema, explore the portrayal of vulnerability in male characters, witness the power of women telling women’s stories, explore who the liberated Indian woman is and delve into the realms of both online and offline gender based violence. 

Join us also in unravelling the complexities like the perfect girlfriend/wife archetype, and  critically examine the profound impact these narratives have on shaping perceptions and attitudes in our ever-evolving society.