BHUBANESWAR: At a time when crimes against women are on the rise, cultural representation can play a powerful role in shaping social mindsets against such incidents, noted writer and journalist KR Meera said.
In a conversation with columnist and consulting editor of The Sunday Standard Ravi Shankar during a session on ‘Crime Fiction: When Darkness Comes Calling’, Meera called for portrayal of women as strong, independent and assertive protagonists in films and literature as they can strongly influence the minds and thinking in the society.
Meera, who has written at least six novels with mostly women protagonists, said the gendered treatment and abuse of women is still prevalent in our patriarchal system. In most Indian movies and books, women are also depicted as weak, fragile and vulnerable. However, what makes a woman’s story (fiction/non-fiction) worth watching or reading is the way in which she fights back against the patriarchal order. “Thus, depicting strong woman characters in movies and novels can draw attention to how she displays great courage during her daily struggles for survival,” she said.
Speaking about her novel ‘Assassin’, which was originally published in Malayalam as ‘Ghathakan’ and translated by J Devika, Meera stated that the book is a crime-thriller and a documented account of the times and lives of women of her generation, consisting of significant portions of her own life experiences. The novel’s lead protagonist is a character named Satyapriya. It explores the challenges and struggles faced by women in contemporary India and also highlights their unrelenting spirit to overcome them, she said.
Meera also said crime novels excite the readers the most as they keep them captivated till the end. She also advised the young authors to thoroughly research before writing a book so that the readers are not left disappointed.
“In ‘Assassin’, the lead protagonist also travelled to Bhubaneswar. I had visited Odisha in the past which helped me conceptualise that portion of the story. Authors must do a thorough research to ensure the readers have a real life-like experience while reading them,” she said.