Editor’s Note | Vaishna Roy Writes: Hema Committee Report a Defining Moment in India’s Mass Feminist Awakening
Writing in this issue of Frontline, the feminist scholar J. Devika says: “Malayalam cinema has been historically structured by feudal funding and practices, and women artistes were inevitably taken to be sexually available to the big male names.” This is true not just of Malayalam cinema but of every film industry across
Malayalam Film Industry’s Woes Reflect Kerala’s Own Hierarchical, Feudal, and Patriarchal Structure
In recent weeks, patriarchal norms and male dominance in Malayalam cinema have come under scrutiny following the release of the redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee report. This report, commissioned by the Kerala government, has highlighted the various challenges faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. The committee
Sexual Harassment in Telugu Film Industry: The Reality Behind the Glitz
The Telugu film industry, which spans Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, is as huge as its people’s obsession with cinema. It produces the largest number of movies in India: 317 out of 1,796 in 2023. It accounts for one-fifth of India’s box office revenue of Rs.12,226 crore. And these States house
Kannada and Tamil Cinema Face Their Demons; But Can They Exorcise Them?
Sujata V, 51, is a psychotherapist based in the US. In the early 1990s, she went by the screen name of Soumya, a teenager who acted in one Tamil and three Malayalam films, Poochakkaru Mani Kettum, Advaitham, and Neelakurukkan. In September 2024, 32 years after she left the industry, she
Hema Committee Report: A Golden Opportunity to Create Safe Workplaces for Women in All Film Industries
The Hema Committee report has caused a whirlwind in Malayalam cinema and society, but if the report is to bring about lasting change, it must be seen as something more than an exposé on the industry. One must look at the report as an opportunity to create conditions that will
Kashmiri Shawl Weavers: Unsung Heroes of Art, Rebellion, and Cultural Heritage
In the annals of Kashmir’s tumultuous history, the Zaldagar agitation of 1865 is a watershed moment. On April 29, 1865, the community of Shawlbafs (traditional weavers of the famed Kashmiri shawl) hit the streets of Zaldagar in Srinagar in a peaceful protest against the high taxes levied upon them by
Book Excerpt | Kuvempu’s ‘Bride in the Hills’ Recounts Love Stories in a Caste-Afflicted Social Order
Set in the stately, forest-clad hills of Malnad in the Western Ghats during the late 19th century, Bride in the Hills tells the love stories of young men and women aspiring for a life of freedom, dignity, and fulfilment in marriage within a caste-ridden social order. Kuvempu’s multi-centred text, with its
Madhulika Liddle’s ‘An Unholy Drought’ Chronicles Delhi’s History Through Generations
The three sultans who made up the Lodi dynasty figure through much of the book, as do the structures that have immortalised them in what is now known as the Lodi Gardens in New Delhi. | Photo Credit: KRISHNAN VV Madhulika Liddle is well-known for her creation, Muzaffar Jung, a
Book Review | Tejinder S. Randhawa’s Book Listens To the Whispers of Vernacular Indian Architecture
“If only haveli walls could talk, what fascinating stories they would tell, having witnessed many generations of children growing up and daughters getting married and leaving their familiar surroundings forever.” This is how Randhawa, using a portrait taken from his family archives, explains the extraordinary gathering of Sikh men, most
TRIBUTE | Artist by Day and ‘Daku’ by Night, Hanif Kureshi (1982-2024) Brought Art and Creativity to the Masses
Street artist, designer, and creative entrepreneur Hanif Kureshi lost his life to lung cancer in September. The 41-year-old co-founder of India’s first street art organisation made his mark in Indian cities and abroad with his ingenious use of public space as a canvas. A student of art and visual design