by Geetika Pathania Jain | Jan 19, 2019 | Films
“Is it true there was cross-dressing in early Indian cinema?” The question came from a young Texan undergrad, and there was some muffled laughter in the audience. I paused for the room to be quiet. It was up to me to provide some cultural context. I had received some...
by Geetika Pathania Jain | Jan 14, 2019 | Culture
The Indian TV channel was playing Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (HAHK) when the phone call came to say that Aparna’s wedding had been called off. “Is the wedding postponed or canceled?” my mother was asking on the phone. When she hung up, she shook her head. A single...
by Geetika Pathania Jain | Nov 30, 2018 | Culture
Got #Metoo? Ash is a well-dressed sexual predator in Greater Than, a Bay Area Drama (BAD) Company production written and directed by Basab Pradhan, founder and co-director of BAD Company. Sindu Singh plays Roma Kapoor with panache as a woman in a man’s world. The more...
by Geetika Pathania Jain | Nov 5, 2018 | Culture
With the approach of Diwali, I tried to spring clean my house, as is customary. This year, some home repairs had been completed, and I was moving the contents back to my room. I smiled as I found a book that I had read many years ago. I remembered it with pleasure so...
by Geetika Pathania Jain | Oct 22, 2018 | Films
On the screen, a couple was getting married. A North Indian bride and South Indian groom. But the match-makers were absent. Dr. Suniti Solomon explained how her presence would raise questions. People would be uncomfortable, and ask why an AIDS doctor was at the...
