Filmmakers Paromita Vohra and Tanuja Chandra at a panel discussion on ‘Reversing the Lens: Women Making Cinema’ moderated by journalist Sangeetha Devi Dundoo at the 16th Hyderabad Literary Festival on Sunday. | Photo credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR
The exchange of ideas gathered momentum on the second day of the Hyderabad Literary Festival 2026 on Sunday with talks spanning cinema, history, body art and cultural heritage before culminating in a multi-lingual theater performance.
The day began with a panel discussion titled ‘Reversing The Lens: Women Making Cinema’, featuring filmmakers Tanuja Chandra and Paromita Vohra in conversation with journalist and film critic Sangeetha Devi Dundoo. The discussion explored gender representation in the film industry and the need for structural change behind the camera.
During the session, Ms. Chandra said that women should make up at least 50% of the workforce in filmmaking. Recalling her beginnings in the industry, she recalled that film sets were largely male dominated and lacked even basic facilities for women like proper bathrooms. “But today you feel like your idea will be heard,” she said.
Ms. Vohra emphasized the importance of equality in artistic spaces, noting that creative environments require more sensitivity and playfulness. “Art needs tenderness and a sense of fun that sometimes comes from moving away from rigid ideas of masculinity,” she added.
In the next session, “Marg Introduces Indian Tattooing: Just On The Skin?” featured Mo Naga and Shatabdi Chakrabarti in conversation with cultural theorist and art critic Nancy Adajania. The discussion traced the history of tattooing in India, noting that the practice dates back nearly 10,000 years. Speakers emphasized that while tattoos have become associated with urban lifestyles over the past decade, they are neither a Western import nor a recent cultural phenomenon in the country.
Authors Afsar Mohammed and Zeenath Khan discussing ‘Hyderabad, September 1948’ with journalist Serish Nanisetti at the 16th Hyderabad Literary Festival on Sunday. | Photo credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR
The focus then shifted to history with a session titled “Hyderabad: September 1948” with Afsar Mohammad and Zeenath Khan, hosted by journalist Serish Nanisetti. Speaking about the impact of the 1948 police crackdown on Dakhni culture, Mr. Afsar said his book documents the testimony of 150 witnesses. He questioned why despite the extensive documentation of Partition, relatively little material remains on police action in Hyderabad. Ms Khan said she was motivated to write her book because much of the writing of Indian history focuses on northern stories, leaving events such as the police action in Hyderabad relatively underexplored.
In the section ‘Kashmiriyat – Craft, Heritage and Heritage of the Valley’, Manish Saksena and Sameer Hamdani reflect on the valley’s layered past and craft traditions. Describing Srinagar as a city where past and present coexist, Saksena noted the region’s economic dependence on hand-made and handicrafts. Talking about the historical ties between Kashmir and Hyderabad, Hamdani added that Kashmiri crafts embody the ethos of tehzeeb.
The day ended with a 60-minute theater performance titled ‘Kavitam Oka Teerani Daaham’, which blended poetry with theatrical expression.
Published – 25 Jan 2026 20:11 IST
