In this episode, Shana is in conversation with comedian and social media star, Swineryy, who went viral in 2018 when she posted a video of an animoji pig asking “why am I haraam?” (translation: why am I a sin/forbidden?). We learn about why she is anonymous, how she created her iconic characters Blue Maulvi Saab, Leena Aunty and, of course, the Haraam Pig, what it’s like seeing her characters become symbols of resistance on posters carried in Pakistan’s Aurat March (Women’s March), and why she wants her comedy to be “genderless”.



Follow Swineryy on Instagram @swineryy



CREDITS:

Host and Creative Director: Shana 

This is a Maed in India production

Head of Production: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Producer: Ruchi Sawardekar, Nikkethana Kamal

Sound Editor & Mix Engineer: Kartik Kulkarni, Lakshman Parsuram

Visual Design & Social Media: Minal Jadeja, Akshat Agarwal, Shaumik Kanvinde

In this episode, Shana is in conversation with comedian and social media star, Swineryy, who went viral in 2018 when she posted a video of an animoji pig asking “why am I haraam?” (translation: why am I a sin/forbidden?). We learn about why she is anonymous, how she created her iconic characters Blue Maulvi Saab, Leena Aunty and, of course, the Haraam Pig, what it’s like seeing her characters become symbols of resistance on posters carried in Pakistan’s Aurat March (Women’s March), and why she wants her comedy to be “genderless”.
 
Follow Swineryy on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/swineryy/">@swineryy</a> 
 
CREDITS:
Host and Creative Director: Shana 
This is a <a href="https://www.maedinindia.in/">Maed in India</a> production
Head of Production: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/maemariyam/?hl=en">Mae Mariyam Thomas</a>
Project Manager: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/sfanthome">Shaun Fanthome</a>
Producer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ruchi_saw/">Ruchi Sawardekar</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nikkiyish/?hl=en">Nikkethana Kamal</a>
Sound Editor &amp; Mix Engineer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kartik.kulkarni/?hl=en">Kartik Kulkarni</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/february_31st/">Lakshman Parsuram</a>
Visual Design &amp; Social Media: Minal Jadeja, Akshat Agarwal, Shaumik Kanvinde

In desi society, there are so many unwritten rules that define women’s behaviour. These “rules” are reinforced by the threat of reprisals and creating a system of policing a woman’s life choices, no matter where she lives. But things are changing. Online and offline, women (and men) are calling out all kinds of norms, like toxic rishta culture and beauty ideals. 



HKWS brings together and amplifies their voices. Join Shana as she talks to influencers, street protestors, artists, filmmakers and more about the many creative, vibrant, revolutionary ways in which they are imagining a better, fairer, world. 



With millions of followers, supporters and audiences that are growing in number, are we witnessing a desi women’s liberation movement? Has its time finally come?

In desi society, there are so many unwritten rules that define women’s behaviour. These “rules” are reinforced by the threat of reprisals and creating a system of policing a woman’s life choices, no matter where she lives. But things are changing. Online and offline, women (and men) are calling out all kinds of norms, like toxic rishta culture and beauty ideals. 
 
HKWS brings together and amplifies their voices. Join Shana as she talks to influencers, street protestors, artists, filmmakers and more about the many creative, vibrant, revolutionary ways in which they are imagining a better, fairer, world. 
 
With millions of followers, supporters and audiences that are growing in number, are we witnessing a desi women’s liberation movement? Has its time finally come?

Her Kajal Won't Smudge

In desi society, there are so many unwritten rules that define women’s behaviour. These “rules” are reinforced by the threat of reprisals and policing a woman’s life choices, no matter where she lives. But things are changing. Online and offline, women (and men) are calling out all kinds of norms, like toxic rishta culture and beauty ideals. 



HKWS brings together and amplifies their voices. In this series, shortlisted for the International Women's Podcast Awards 2024, Shana talks to influencers, street protestors, artists, filmmakers and more about the many creative, vibrant, revolutionary ways in which they are imagining a better, fairer, world. 



With millions of followers, supporters and audiences that are growing in number, are we witnessing a desi women’s liberation movement? Has its time finally come?

In desi society, there are so many unwritten rules that define women’s behaviour. These “rules” are reinforced by the threat of reprisals and policing a woman’s life choices, no matter where she lives. But things are changing. Online and offline, women (and men) are calling out all kinds of norms, like toxic rishta culture and beauty ideals. 
 
HKWS brings together and amplifies their voices. In this series, shortlisted for the International Women's Podcast Awards 2024, Shana talks to influencers, street protestors, artists, filmmakers and more about the many creative, vibrant, revolutionary ways in which they are imagining a better, fairer, world. 
 
With millions of followers, supporters and audiences that are growing in number, are we witnessing a desi women’s liberation movement? Has its time finally come?

Swineryy - “There is no place for me in the world I’ve built, it’s just the joke”

In this episode, Shana is in conversation with Bangladeshi women’s rights activist and poet, Sadaf Saaz. Sadaf talks about her journey from the UK to Bangladesh and how she found her feminism along the way, the strides made by the Bangladeshi feminist movement, the role of female garment workers in changing attitudes about a woman’s place in society and Sadaf’s poetry, which has been a constant in her life. Sadaf and Shana also discuss an issue close to Sadaf’s heart, the plight of the Birangona, the hundreds of thousands of women who were victims of sexual violence at the hands of the Pakistani army during the 1971 war. While the stories and records of the Birangona have been systematically erased and covered up by both the Bangladeshi and Pakistani governments, it is the feminists on both sides who continue to acknowledge, remember and build bridges.  



Follow Sadaf on X @SadafSaaz.



Follow us on Instagram @herkajalwontsmudge and check out our website www.herkajalwontsmudge.com.



CREDITS:

Host and Creative Director: Shana 

This is a Maed in India production

Head of Production: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Producer: Ruchi Sawardekar

Sound Editor & Mix Engineer: Kartik Kulkarni, Lakshman Parsuram

Visual Design & Social Media: Minal Jadeja, Akshat Agarwal, Shaumik Kanvinde

In this episode, Shana is in conversation with Bangladeshi women’s rights activist and poet, Sadaf Saaz. Sadaf talks about her journey from the UK to Bangladesh and how she found her feminism along the way, the strides made by the Bangladeshi feminist movement, the role of female garment workers in changing attitudes about a woman’s place in society and Sadaf’s poetry, which has been a constant in her life. Sadaf and Shana also discuss an issue close to Sadaf’s heart, the plight of the Birangona, the hundreds of thousands of women who were victims of sexual violence at the hands of the Pakistani army during the 1971 war. While the stories and records of the Birangona have been systematically erased and covered up by both the Bangladeshi and Pakistani governments, it is the feminists on both sides who continue to acknowledge, remember and build bridges.  
 
Follow Sadaf on X <a href="https://twitter.com/SadafSaaz">@SadafSaaz</a>.
 
Follow us on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/herkajalwontsmudge/">@herkajalwontsmudge</a> and check out our website <a href="http://www.herkajalwontsmudge.com">www.herkajalwontsmudge.com</a>.
 
CREDITS:
Host and Creative Director: Shana 
This is a <a href="https://www.maedinindia.in/">Maed in India</a> production
Head of Production: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/maemariyam/?hl=en">Mae Mariyam Thomas</a>
Project Manager: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/sfanthome">Shaun Fanthome</a>
Producer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ruchi_saw/">Ruchi Sawardekar</a>
Sound Editor &amp; Mix Engineer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kartik.kulkarni/?hl=en">Kartik Kulkarni</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/february_31st/">Lakshman Parsuram</a>
Visual Design &amp; Social Media: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/meansbaa">Minal Jadeja</a>, <a href="https://instagram.com/art.akshat">Akshat Agarwal</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shaumik_k">Shaumik Kanvinde</a>

Sadaf Saaz - “Women have a deep need and desire to be able to express themselves, to be empowered, to live a fulfilled life, reaching their potential”

In this episode, Shana speaks with award-winning actor, director and producer, Sarmad Khoosat, the first male guest on Her Kajal Won’t Smudge. 



In this conversation, Shana and Sarmad talk about Zindagi Tamasha (“Circus of Life”), a movie directed and produced by Sarmad. It was Pakistan’s submission for the 93rd Oscars but it has never had a theatrical release in Pakistan. 



Sarmad shares his thoughts on the controversy around Zindagi Tamasha, how men and women are both limited by social norms and the public’s heartfelt response to the intolerance Zindagi Tamasha has faced. 



Plus they discuss the influence Saadat Hasan Manto, the writer, has had on Sarmad’s life. 



Follow Sarmad on Instagram @sarmadkhoosat.



CREDITS:

Host and Creative Director: Shana 

This is a Maed in India production

Head of Production: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Producer: Ruchi Sawardekar

Sound Editor & Mix Engineer: Kartik Kulkarni, Lakshman Parsuram

Visual Design & Social Media: Minal Jadeja, Akshat Agarwal, Shaumik Kanvinde

In this episode, Shana speaks with award-winning actor, director and producer, Sarmad Khoosat, the first male guest on Her Kajal Won’t Smudge. 
 
In this conversation, Shana and Sarmad talk about Zindagi Tamasha (“Circus of Life”), a movie directed and produced by Sarmad. It was Pakistan’s submission for the 93rd Oscars but it has never had a theatrical release in Pakistan. 
 
Sarmad shares his thoughts on the controversy around Zindagi Tamasha, how men and women are both limited by social norms and the public’s heartfelt response to the intolerance Zindagi Tamasha has faced. 
 
Plus they discuss the influence Saadat Hasan Manto, the writer, has had on Sarmad’s life. 
 
Follow Sarmad on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sarmadkhoosat/?hl=en">@sarmadkhoosat</a>.
 
CREDITS:
Host and Creative Director: Shana 
This is a <a href="https://www.maedinindia.in/">Maed in India</a> production
Head of Production: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/maemariyam/?hl=en">Mae Mariyam Thomas</a>
Project Manager: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/sfanthome">Shaun Fanthome</a>
Producer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ruchi_saw/">Ruchi Sawardekar</a>
Sound Editor &amp; Mix Engineer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kartik.kulkarni/?hl=en">Kartik Kulkarni</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/february_31st/">Lakshman Parsuram</a>
Visual Design &amp; Social Media: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/meansbaa">Minal Jadeja</a>, <a href="https://instagram.com/art.akshat">Akshat Agarwal</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shaumik_k">Shaumik Kanvinde</a>

Sarmad Khoosat - “The ideas of misogyny and patriarchy are a mindset, as opposed to a construct restricted to a gender”

In this episode, Shana is in conversation with Kate Manne (philosopher, associate professor at Cornell University and author of Down Girl and Entitled) and Urna Chakrabarty (graduate student at Cornell University) to ask: why is there so much violence against women in South Asia? This is a question discussed by many academics and multilateral agencies and it is a source of daily concern for desi women who navigate everyday life under threat of violence. Contrary to our preconceived notion that crimes against women are random, Kate and Urna provide a very different perspective. They decode the systemic nature of violence against women and draw out the ‘logic of misogyny’ which perpetuates sexist, gendered roles through the threat of violence and victim-shaming. 



Follow Kate on X @kate_manne.



CREDITS:

Host and Creative Director: Shana 

This is a Maed in India production

Head of Production: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Producer: Ruchi Sawardekar, Nikkethana Kamal

Sound Editor & Mix Engineer: Kartik Kulkarni, Lakshman Parsuram

Visual Design & Social Media: Minal Jadeja, Akshat Agarwal, Shaumik Kanvinde

In this episode, Shana is in conversation with Kate Manne (philosopher, associate professor at Cornell University and author of Down Girl and Entitled) and Urna Chakrabarty (graduate student at Cornell University) to ask: why is there so much violence against women in South Asia? This is a question discussed by many academics and multilateral agencies and it is a source of daily concern for desi women who navigate everyday life under threat of violence. Contrary to our preconceived notion that crimes against women are random, Kate and Urna provide a very different perspective. They decode the systemic nature of violence against women and draw out the ‘logic of misogyny’ which perpetuates sexist, gendered roles through the threat of violence and victim-shaming. 
 
Follow Kate on X <a href="https://twitter.com/kate_manne?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">@kate_manne</a>.
 
CREDITS:
Host and Creative Director: Shana 
This is a <a href="https://www.maedinindia.in/">Maed in India</a> production
Head of Production: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/maemariyam/?hl=en">Mae Mariyam Thomas</a>
Project Manager: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/sfanthome">Shaun Fanthome</a>
Producer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ruchi_saw/">Ruchi Sawardekar</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nikkiyish/?hl=en">Nikkethana Kamal</a>
Sound Editor &amp; Mix Engineer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kartik.kulkarni/?hl=en">Kartik Kulkarni</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/february_31st/">Lakshman Parsuram</a>
Visual Design &amp; Social Media: Minal Jadeja, Akshat Agarwal, Shaumik Kanvinde

Swineryy - “There is no place for me in the world I’ve built, it’s just the joke”

Her Kajal Won't Smudge

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