Zara Suhail Mannan is Shana’s guest on this week’s episode of Her Kajal Won’t Smudge. Zara studied English at Yale University. After Yale, she could have sought out the best-paying corporate job she could have found, but instead Zara returned to Pakistan to teach at an all-boys underprivileged school. By day, she taught, presenting as a man, and mentored young boys and, by night, she was one-half of a glittery, sparkly, pop band called Mystical Shayari. It all came to a head when Mystical Shayiri did a photoshoot, glammed up, in front of a monument to the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah. 

 

Next came  online trolling, death threats, arrest, TV shaming and more. But what Zara has won in the process is truly a testament to the force that she is. Let’s just say, she set the record straight about what it means to be a Pakistani and she continues to live this activism through Kitab Ghar, a public library truly open to all. 

 

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

 

CREDITS:

Host and Creative Director: Shana 

Head of Visual Design: Minal Jadeja

Visual Designers: Akshat Agarwal, Shaumik Kanvinde

 

This is a Maed in India production

Head of Production: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Project Manager: Shaun Fanthome

Producer: Ruchi Sawardekar

Junior Producer: Quoyina Ghosh

Sound Editor & Mix Engineer: Kartik Kulkarni, Lakshman Parsuram, Nihar Temkar

 

Zara Suhail Mannan is Shana&rsquo;s guest on this week&rsquo;s episode of Her Kajal Won&rsquo;t Smudge. Zara studied English at Yale University. After Yale, she could have sought out the best-paying corporate job she could have found, but instead Zara returned to Pakistan to teach at an all-boys underprivileged school. By day, she taught, presenting as a man, and mentored young boys and, by night, she was one-half of a glittery, sparkly, pop band called Mystical Shayari. It all came to a head when Mystical Shayiri did a photoshoot, glammed up, in front of a monument to the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Next came&nbsp; online trolling, death threats, arrest, TV shaming and more. But what Zara has won in the process is truly a testament to the force that she is. Let&rsquo;s just say, she set the record straight about what it means to be a Pakistani and she continues to live this activism through Kitab Ghar, a public library truly open to all.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
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>.
&nbsp;
CREDITS:
Host and Creative Director: Shana&nbsp;
Head of Visual Design: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/meansbaa">Minal Jadeja</a>
Visual Designers: <a href="https://instagram.com/art.akshat">Akshat Agarwal</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shaumik_k">Shaumik Kanvinde</a>
&nbsp;
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>
Junior Producer: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/quoyina/">Quoyina Ghosh</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>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nihar_temkar?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&amp;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==">Nihar Temkar</a>
&nbsp;

Her Kajal Won't Smudge is a podcast about South Asian women who are pushing back on desi social norms through art, content, dance, music, film, and more.

We ask every guest: What does feminism mean to you? In South Asian spaces, the word “feminist” is still linked to promiscuity, selfishness or a rejection of family values. We want to unpack that.

Our guests remind us that feminism isn’t one thing. It’s a way to be your fuller self, have voice, choice, and power in a culture obsessed with “what will people say?”

Social norms aren’t fixed. We create them, which means we can rewrite them too.

Her Kajal Won't Smudge is a podcast about South Asian women who are pushing back on desi social norms through art, content, dance, music, film, and more.
We ask every guest: What does feminism mean to you? In South Asian spaces, the word &ldquo;feminist&rdquo; is still linked to promiscuity, selfishness or a rejection of family values. We want to unpack that.
Our guests remind us that feminism isn&rsquo;t one thing. It&rsquo;s a way to be your fuller self, have voice, choice, and power in a culture obsessed with &ldquo;what will people say?&rdquo;
Social norms aren&rsquo;t fixed. We create them, which means we can rewrite them too.

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?

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