Meher Manda
Meher Manda is a poet, short story writer, culture critic, and educator from Mumbai, currently living in New York City. She earned her MFA in Fiction from the College of New Rochelle. She is currently working on her debut prose-poetry collection. She specializes in teaching narrative-focused writing residencies.
Latest articles
How Mani Ratnam’s Terrorism Trilogy Stoked 1990s Nationalism
Though critically acclaimed, the director’s “Roja,” “Bombay,” and “Dil Se...” pushed jingoistic narratives that persist in Bollywood today.
August 31, 2021
How Bollywood Failed Kashmir
Hindi cinema has long viewed Kashmir through a glossy lens, erasing its people, their agency, and their political histories.
July 27, 2021
“Fire”: An Inextinguishable Part of Queer Brown Cinema
The 1996 film was the first in India to portray two women in love. Some called it revolutionary. Others called it a war against Indian culture.
June 30, 2021
The Devolution of Journalism in Hindi Film
Bollywood’s ethical journalists are increasingly disappearing from the screen.
May 25, 2021
"Swades" and the NRI Burden
The 2004 Shah Rukh Khan-starrer doesn’t show a glamorous diaspora, but rather, the political responsibility of returning home.
April 27, 2021
How a 1990 Satyajit Ray Film Predicted the Future
Amid the coronavirus pandemic and increasing politicization of society, "Ganashatru" is loudly prescient.
March 30, 2021
Opinion: It’s Too Easy to Criticize Rupi Kaur
Twitterati recently ridiculed a viral video of everyone’s favorite Instagram poet, but her politics deserve a chance.
March 26, 2021
Dissenting Cinema: Why India Censors Films
The Indian government has long been quick to censor content that poses a challenge to the reigning politics of the time.
February 23, 2021
When Rang De Basanti Taught Us to Be Angry
The radical film — which turns 15 today — roused a generation, sending political shockwaves throughout India for years to come.
January 26, 2021
A Year After CAA, India Doubles Down on Dissent
December 12, 2020, marked the one-year anniversary of the enactment of CAA. A global pandemic hasn’t stopped India from going after its own citizens.
December 21, 2020
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