In the latest addition to our series on film and politics, we have Ruth Vanita, Professor at University of Montana. Souradeep Roy of the Indian Cultural Forum speaks to Vanita on her book, Dancing with the Nation, which has just been brought out by Speaking Tiger Books. Has the figure of the courtesan or the tawaif been a marginalised entity in studies on popular Hindi cinema? Vanita says she is central to the Bombay film industry but studies on the subject has so far not given it enough attention. Watch to hear more from her:
In the second part of the interview they discuss Section 377 and the role Vanita’s co-edited book Same Sex Love in India, has played in the Delhi High Court judgement delivered in 2009, as well as the Supreme Court judgement delivered in 2013.
Watch more from this series:
Living Ambedkar Jayanti: In Conversation with Vira Sathidar
Divya Bharathi: “I don’t want people to be moved by my work, I want them to be politicised”
