In Keeping It Feminist, you’ll join hosts Deepali Desai and Soumya Mathew, as they unravel the layers of pop culture through a feminist lens. We analyse media narratives, to see how it shapes perceptions and attitudes in our ever-evolving society. Each episode features a different set of guests who join our hosts in shedding light on gender-progressive characters, societal expectations, positive role models, and more!
Episode 01:
Cine-Sakhis
Feat: Deepanjana Pal, Author and Film Critic (Film Companion) | Nithila Kanagasabai, Asst. Professor - Tata Institute of Social Sciences
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. The episode dissects the gendered nature of friendship in society, analysing its portrayal in Hindi cinema while exploring the nuances of women's relationships.
Episode 02:
Sanskari Naaris
Feat: Neeti Palta, Stand-up Comedian | Ankita Sansal, Marketing Consultant and Co-Founder of THERE!
In episode 2, 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. Listen to the discussion on mapping out the many tropes of the "ideal woman" stereotype represented in Bollywood and how these ramifications of cinema seep into the home and work spaces.
Episode 03:
Mukt Mahila Musings
Feat: Shrayana Bhattacharya, Author and Economist | Kaveree Bamzai, Journalist
Join Deepali 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 Indian woman? Does she even exist?
Episode 04:
Jab Strolling Met Trolling
Feat: Sameera Khan, Journalist, Researcher and Author | Nivedita Prakasam, Stand-up Comic
Join 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, both offline and online and delve into topics such as online harassment, censorship, and the normalisation of violence against women in public spaces.
Episode 05:
Nari, Nazariya aur Narrative
Feat: Sucharita Tyagi, Film Critic | Monisha Singh Katial, Producer, Theatre Actor and Entrepreneur
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 and offer a nuanced exploration of women's voices in the entertainment industry.
Episode 06:
Masculinity ka Makeover
Feat: Abish Mathew, Standup Comic and Creative Director | Manjeet Sarkar, Standup Comedian and Filmmaker
In this episode, our host Soumya is in conversation with standup comedians 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. The conversation dips into comedy, culture, masculinity and much more.
Episode 07:
Dil Se Breakthrough
Feat: Sohini Bhattacharya, CEO of Breakthrough Trust
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. Together, they delve into Breakthrough's impactful work in challenging gender norms and the dominant cultural narrative through the lens of pop culture.
