Latest news with #TaniyaChopra


Indian Express
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
What if women ruled the world? 4 feminist utopias that defy gender norms
(Written by Taniya Chopra) What happens when women imagine a world free of patriarchy? Not just improved, but completely reimagined? Long before feminism became a mainstream movement, a few writers dared to build utopias, imaginary ideal worlds, that broke every rule of the world we live in. They gave us feminist visions of a better future. Over a century apart, these novels speak across time to a shared desire, not just to survive in the world as it is, but to imagine it otherwise. From secluded all women societies to a world where gender roles are entirely reversed, these four feminist utopias challenge the norms of their times and continue to feel radical even today. 'We shut our men indoors' This brave and inventive tale shows a utopian society where gender roles are entirely reversed. In her dream, Sultana visits Ladyland, a peaceful nation where science and reason rule, and crime is nonexistent. Men are kept indoors while women run the country. Women take positions of power and govern wisely. Wars do not happen because, as the story cheekily suggests, men's egos and aggression have been removed from public life. With satire, this utopia critiques patriarchy and gives us a vision of what peace and progress might look like if women were in charge. 'They were inconveniently reasonable, these women' Shows an all women utopia hidden from the world and thriving without men. Reproduction happens asexually and the women live in perfect harmony. Everything is peaceful and cooperative. This world is free from any kind of conflict. When three men arrive, expecting chaos, they're stunned by a society that challenges every notion of male superiority. The question that looms in the minds of the men is that how could women achieve all that without them? Well, women figured it out, and built something far better in the process. 'The powerful don't make revolutions' A woman, Connie is institutionalised in the present day United States, where she is abused and disempowered. But she gains mental access to a future world, where gender roles no longer exist, parenting is shared and decisions are made through consensus. This novel moves between a grim present and a gender equal future. But that hopeful future is at a risk of being lost. The utopia shown here is as close to reality as possible. It's fragile and its survival depends on whether people in the present can choose a different path. Woman on the Edge of Time is both a warning and a possibility. 'I'm not a girl. I'm a genius.' Shows four women from parallel worlds, each shaped by drastically different systems: a world without men, another locked in domestic norms, one at war and one navigating everyday sexism. One woman believes she must think like a man to be taken seriously, another leads a society that has entirely rejected male dominance. As these women begin to move across each other's realities, their beliefs about gender, power, sexuality and survival collide. Each world shows a different version of how women survive and fight. The Female Man does not point to a single utopia, but instead shows that the world women live in shape who they become. And when those worlds fall short, it's a sign that society must evolve. (The writer is an intern with


Indian Express
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Beyond Byomkesh & Feluda: 5 must-read Indian detective novels that will keep you guessing
(Written by Taniya Chopra) Byomkesh Bakshi or Feluda have long stood as iconic Indian detectives. These classic characters introduced us to thrilling mysteries rooted in Indian settings, a genre that has only grown over time. Whether you love a classic whodunit or a darker psychological thriller, Indian detective novels now offer a wide range of styles. Some detectives operate within the law, others outside of it. Some are calm, others reckless. They all promise one thing for sure: you will be on your toes till the very end. Brace yourself for a petrifying and spine-chilling ride across Bhopal, where two brutal serial killers are locked in a deadly game of surpassing each other. ASP Simone Singh, sharp and stubborn, is on the hunt for the Doll Maker, a terrifying killer who dresses children as dolls and locks them in glass cases. But her nightmare escalates when another killer, the Clipper, returns, furious that he is no longer in the spotlight. As this becomes a twisted rat race between two monsters, Simone is caught in the middle trying to take down both of them. Devashish Sardana gives us a psychological detective fiction that is as disturbing as it gets. If you are a fan of psychological detective fiction that gets under your skin, then this is a must-read. The Girl in the Glass Case will stay with you long after you turn the final page. 'She is like a child, this city. A spoilt child, unruly and obstreperous. So terribly difficult to control.' In 17th century Shahjahanabad (old Delhi), the Mughal Empire is starting to see cracks underneath its shiny surface. Muzaffar Jang, a nobleman and part-time detective, is called to investigate a trail of murders that shakes the city. With no modern tools, he relies solely on logic to uncover the truth. Madhulika Liddle has given a very realistic description of the city. From huge havelis to narrow alleys of Chandni Chowk, every page is a walk down old Delhi. Crimson City is not just a detective fiction, it's a portrait of a city, a story wrapped in history. We've all heard the saying that revenge is a dish best served cold. Bhaskar Chattopadhyay turns that idea into a haunting mystery. This is a story of justice long delayed. Twenty years after they were wronged, four boys return to the Manikpur tea estate. Detective Janardan Maity peels back layers of trauma and long-buried secrets. Every clue leads deeper in the past. It has twists and turns on every page. The past is coming back to settle the score. If you are into revenge plots, Best Served Cold deserves to be in your late night stack. A tale set in 19th century British India, Murder in Old Bombay is an Indian historical mystery with the soul of a Sherlock Holmes classic. Captain Jim Agnihotri, a wounded soldier, becomes a detective when two young women fall to their deaths from a university clock tower. Convinced it's not suicide, Jim steps in to solve the case. Most of his case solving techniques remind us of Holmes, whose methods Jim clearly admires. Nev March gives us a historical detective fiction that keeps us hooked throughout the book. As the mystery unravels, one thing becomes clear- 'Secrets are like serpents, they grow in the dark.' If you're craving a classic whodunit with a modern twist, A Will to Kill is the perfect book for you. Set in a mansion in the Nilgiris, the novel introduces detective Harith Athreya, stuck in a locked room mystery. Every guest has a motive and every clue matters. There's family drama and a suspicious death, all the things you would expect to see in a whodunit. RV Raman's A Will to Kill is a must-read for any Agatha Christie lover, classic in style and setting. Be prepared for a finale that keeps you guessing till the very last page. (The writer is an intern with


Indian Express
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
5 dystopian novels that will keep you up at night
(Written by Taniya Chopra) The streets are empty, the air is heavy. People live under strict control. No one is allowed to speak freely. Smiles are rare. Hope is slowly dying. This is dystopia where society is rife with suffering and injustice. Stories that are set in a dystopian world have always fascinated readers because they offer haunting tales that question society and human nature. They blend suspense and drama with socio-political issues such as inequality and loss of free will, and offer catharsis. Here are five must-read dystopian fictions that dive into disturbing futures and make us question the world we live in. Set in a world where human cloning has become standard. It shows the perspective of clones created for the sole purpose of donating their organs. The book forces readers to confront the uncomfortable reality of a world where individuals are stripped of agency. It poses the question of what it means to be human. Though labelled as a dystopian sci-fi, it's actually a deeply human story about love and loss, and the way we come to terms with our fate. Shows a future where books are banned, and firemen, instead of putting out fires, are responsible for burning them. Burning books is a strategic way to suppress knowledge and control people. Without books, people remain ignorant and unable to think for themselves. As there is no written record, people believe whatever the government tells them about their lives. When knowledge disappears so does the power to think and question. The story follows Montag, a fireman who begins to doubt the oppressive society that he supported. This book makes us question if we stop reading, what kind of future are we choosing? 'A book is a loaded gun in the house next door…Who knows who might be the target of the well-read man?' Delves into the human conditions in a dystopian world where women's rights have been completely stripped away. It shows how easily freedom can be taken away and how people can become part of the very system that oppresses them. Atwood has stated that every rule and punishment in The Handmaid's Tale is drawn from real events that have happened in the darkest chapters of history. This book is truly as unsettling as it gets, in the best possible way. It is not just a story of fiction, it's a warning rooted in truths we've already seen. A totalitarian government, the Capitol, controls the oppressed districts in Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games. The story displays a huge gulf between the wealthy Capitol and the poor districts. The Capitol forces two children every year from each district to participate in The Hunger Games, which is a televised event for Capitol's entertainment. The irony is that this is no game, it is a merciless battle where losing doesn't just mean defeat, it means death. 'Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor.' As a woman gives birth, the city of London drowns in water. The story of new motherhood is shown in Megan Hunter's debut novel, The End We Start From. It's about an unnamed protagonist and her newborn son as they navigate displacement and survival in a world that no longer feels stable. 'We are told not to panic, the most panic-inducing instruction known to man.' Even as the world falls apart throughout the book, love and hope ignite a fierce fight in this family to survive and to begin again.