Shows
The Desi GazeShah Rukhnomics: The Man, The Legend, The Star!For October, Ankita and Azhar delve deep into the phenomenon, the legend, and the alleged last star of Bollywood – Shah Rukh Khan, also known as SRK. Why not a film? Because both have discussed their fascination and critique of the megastar on and off. This is a labor of love and a gaze back from SRK's two ardent fans. What makes SRK great? Why does SRK still rule? How has the far-right attack on the star affected SRK's fandom? Do artists have a social responsibility? The hosts unpack, celebrate, crit...
2025-10-071h 22
The Desi GazeDamul, 1985. Director: Prakash Jha, HindiAnkita and Azhar take you to Bihar this time–the richest Indian region before colonialism–plundered by many invading forces, including the British Raj and East India Company. Damul is a film about bonded labor and casteism. It is based on the story "Kaalsootra" by Shaiwal, a native writer of Gaya, Bihar. Ankita and Azhar dive deeper into the political economy of caste and gender while critically analysing the possibilities of resistance in a land notorious for violence. A native of Bihar herself, Ankita weaves experience and insight to discuss one of the most realistic portrayals of Bihar's socio-political cultu...
2025-08-041h 04
The Desi GazeSpecial Episode: The Socialist Shelf PodcastOur co-host Ankita was invited on the The Socialist Shelf podcast, along with her husband, Jason, the co-host of the Cold War Cinema, a podcast about movies made during the first few decades of the Cold War (1947–1991). So, we thought we'd add the episode to our feed as a special episode for July. In this episode, Jason and Ankita dicuss a radical cinema educational project they run in Atlanta, US, called Resistance Cinema, as well as the role that radical cinema plays in social movemets historically. We hope you enjoy this episode. Don't forget to subscribe to The...
2025-06-301h 16
The Desi GazeSPECIAL SERIES: Diasporic Gazes: with Kandarp, Parth, Sai, and Vignesh.They say, save the best for last! We end our special series with an episode on myriad meanings and observations on Bollywood with Ankita's former students: Kandarp Vadia, Parth Parikh, Sai Lalith Kanumuri, and Vignesh Burugupalli. Our guests begin the discussion with the importance of Hindi films for the desi diaspora along with presenting crucial insights into the problems of (mis) representation, the use of CGI, issues of adapting/borrowing/stealing stories etc. Though difference in opinions arise here and there, all the participants do agree on the postcolonial power of Hindi film and the spirit of storytelling the...
2025-06-021h 03
The Desi GazeSPECIAL SERIES: Diasporic Gazes: Reviewing Global Bollywood ClassMay is special! Beyond celebrating May Day, Azhar and Ankita decided to crank it up a notch. As educators, cinephiles, Marxists, and postcolonial scholars, they believe in breaking hierarchies. So they bring you "Diasporic Gazes," a series of special episodes featuring Ankita's film students from her classes on Global Bollywood and Global Other Cinema. In this short episode, Cierra Ferguson and Laksh Makhija reflect on their experience taking Global Bollywood with Dr. Ankita Rathour at Georgia Tech. Together, they discuss how the class shaped their understanding of Bollywood as both an art form and a cultural force...
2025-05-2023 min
The Desi GazeSPECIAL SERIES: Diasporic Gazes: "Bollywood's Boyfriend Problems"May is special! Beyond celebrating May Day, Azhar and Ankita decided to crank it up a notch. As educators, cinephiles, Marxists, and postcolonial scholars, they believe in breaking hierarchies. So they bring you "Diasporic Gazes," a series of special episodes featuring Ankita's film students from her classes on Global Bollywood and Global Other Cinema. In this episode, Lasya Malladi and Adi Krish unpack masculinity in Hindi and other Indian language films. They rate them over a "rizzometer." It turns out that SRK is a clear winner in portraying positive masculinity. But for more insight, listen to Lasya and Adi...
2025-05-1230 min
The Desi GazeAranyak (A Trip into the Jungle), 1994. Director: Apurba Kishore Bir, HindiBougies, colonial hangover, hunting, party, and an unusual dinner! Ankita and Azhar bring you the criminally underrated and one of the most haunting Hindi films, Aranyak (1994), directed by the legendary Odiya cinematographer and screenwriter Apurba Kishore Bir. This film is a testament to Hindi cinema's versatility and uniqueness. It asks you to question the thin line between control and cannibalism, appreciation and objectification, and so much more. It is one of the earliest Hindi films to examine the subject of cannibalism and the objectification of the Indigenous people of Odisha, India. Hailing from Odisha, there can be no better...
2025-04-0558 min
The Desi GazeBhavni Bhavai (The Tale of the Life), 1980. Director: Ketan Mehta, GujaratiAnkita and Azhar continue their love for Ketan Mehta and Smita Patil by discussing Mehta's Gujarati language debut film Bhavni Bhavai (1980). The film depicts the caste atrocities of India through the lives of Dalits. It uses the popular theater form of Bhavai to bring forth a scathing critique of casteism. Bhavni Bhavai was Ketan Mehta's debut film and received critical acclaim. Mehta won the prestigious Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration. As always please subscribe to the podcast if you like what you hear, and don't forget to leave us a review!
2025-03-101h 06
The Desi GazeMirch Masala (1987; Ketan Mehta)In this episode, Ankita Rathour and Azharuddin share their love for the trailblazing 1987 Hindi film Mirch Masala directed by the Gujarati filmmaker Ketan Mehta. The film is about Sonabai/Sonbai, a spirited woman who works at a local pepper factory with other women. A subedar working for the British Raj wants her and is not shy to use force. Sonabai runs and hides in her factory while the ageing Muslim security guard, Abu Miyan vows to protect her at any cost when the other men of her village won't. One of the finest anticolonial feminist films from the 80s s...
2025-02-011h 14
The Desi GazeDharti Ke Laal (The Children of the Earth), 1946. Director: K.A. AbbasJoin hosts Ankita Rathour and Azharuddin as they discuss Khwaja Ahmed Abbas's iconic film Dharti Ke Laal (English: Children of the Earth, 1946). The film is a fictionalized depiction of the aftermath of British orchestrated Bengal famine of 1943 in which millions of Bengalis were starved to death to feed Winston Churchill's imperial interests. One of the early films of Indian social-realist film movement, Dharti Ke Laal was immensely popular in the Soviet Union, opening doors for the widespread distribution of Indian films. The famous Marxist Indian actor Balraj Sahni stars as one of the main characters. As always pl...
2024-12-311h 13
What a Picture60. Pather Panchali (1955) - Satyajit Ray (with Ankita Rathour)On this episode of What a Picture, Bryan and Hannah dance in a monsoon before discussing Pather Panchali, the 1955 movie directed by Satyajit Ray that ranks #35 on Sight and Sound's 2022 Greatest Films of All Time Critics' Poll.
Our guest on today's episode is Ankita Rathour, a scholar of postcolonial film.
Ankita's website: https://sites.gatech.edu/ankitarathour/
What a Picture website: https://www.whatapicturepod.com/
Bryan's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bryanwhatapic.bsky.social
Bryan's Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bryan_whatapic
Bryan's Twitter: https://twitter.com/bryan_whatapic
Music is "Phaser" by Static in Verona.
2024-03-271h 38
Death of the ReaderA Dire Isle by RV Raman - Part OneWe discuss chapters 1-8 in RV Raman's latest Harith Athreya mystery 'A Dire Isle'. Liam Dunne has requested Athreya's aid in investigating possible financial fraud at an archaeological dig-site in Bundelkhand. When the dig's director is slain on a mysterious, haunted island nearby, the supernatural comes knocking, and Athreya finds himself put to the test in the investigation.We're also joined by PHD Student Ankita Rathour from Louisiana State University to talk about her dissertation in Indian Anglophone fiction, Bollywood, the dead girl trope, and positive developments in the subcontinent's creative arts.
2022-03-1430 min