New Delhi: Crime thrillers with an infusion of feminism, self-discovery and a fierce sense of independence. They may come from different worlds, but all three authors are united by one conviction: women are simply more instinctive at revealing the true layers of a female character than men.
“Writing women characters for me has been a safe space. It gives me the liberty to write about contradictions amongst women. For example, one of the characters in my book is a lawyer, yet she believes and practices occult rituals,” Singapore-based author Hemangini Dutta Majumder pointed out during the panel discussion at the 1st Jindal Literature Festival organised by Vidya Devi Jindal School, Hisar, on Friday.
Hemangini, who wrote ‘The Scratch and Sniff Chronicles’, was joined by Vasundhara Kashyap, author of ‘The Accused’, Richa S. Mukherjee, author of ‘Vigil-Aunties’, in the session led by storyteller, educator, and trainer Payal Raman.
As the discussion unfolded, one undercurrent was unmistakably clear—women in their stories aren’t weak; they’re complex, intuitive and unafraid to claim the space that real women battle every day.
“Women can be vulnerable, but their vulnerability does not mean weakness. It is not even about machismo or bravado; it rather comes from the quiet inner place,” Richa said.
“Most of the characters in my book are more vulnerable than anyone you would expect. But beneath their vulnerability, they are enormously powerful. These characters just teach us that once you tap into our confidence, we can reach our true potential.”
Social media & conflict
As the conversation widened, Vasundhara Kashyap spoke about her experiences as an actor and the need to be thick-skinned, especially when trolling comes from all directions. She noted how women, in particular, face harsher targeting online.
This experience inspired her to create a character in her crime thriller who had never used social media, only to discover that she had been constantly discussed.
Parallel to this runs the story of newly promoted inspector Rakesh, who is investigating the murder of his old crush’s husband. He’s married now, yet the case places him in the awkward position of crossing paths with her again, and wondering if this is a chance to win her back.
“I hated being on social media, but trolling showed me how easily people online invent their own versions of a crime. One person even changed identity across posts. I wondered: what if the world believes such lies? That question became the idea behind ‘The Accused’,” she explained.
When asked about the vulnerability of her characters and whether it ties into feminism, Vasundhara pushed back firmly. Drawing from real-life experiences, she argued that gender deeply shapes how women navigate danger, claim space, and articulate their own version of feminism.
“A female perspective doesn’t arise from feminism; it arises from lived reality. It’s a myth that an author’s gender doesn’t shape their writing. Tell me—how many of you have actually held pepper spray, or a compass, ready to defend yourselves? That’s not vulnerability. That’s the difference,” the Tamil actor added.
ThePrint is the official media partner for the Jindal Literature Festival.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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