3-Minute News: Padmavati, Hadiya, Women Writers’ Fest, and a Divorce App

 

Much ado about Padmavati

Indian politicians and TV channels have got their knickers in a twist over Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming flick Padmavati. Based on folklore with no verifiable basis in history, the film’s theme has given various unemployed sections of society fuel for mindless agitation and a chance to score their 15 minutes of fame. The hullabaloo has done what the insipid trailer (see below) never could: got Bhansali crores worth of publicity and marketing. No wonder other filmmakers are seething in silent envy.

 

Whose life is it anyway?

It’s been a tough year for Akhila aka Hadiya, a 24-year-old from Kerala, who had her marriage annulled when the Kerala High Court suspected she’d been brainwashed into converting to Islam. She was kept under ‘house arrest’ for six months, and has now been allowed to go to college, but not meet her husband-not-husband. And did we mention the Indian State has already spent lakhs of rupees on her custody and ‘protection’? Personal freedom isn’t free.

 

Women writers festival in Kolkata

Women writers will descend on Kolkata this Friday, Saturday 8, for a day-long Women Writers’ Festival hosted by Shethepeople.tv. Curated by Shaili Chopra, Kiran Manral and Baisali Chatterjee Dutt, the festival brings authors, bloggers, writers and editors together to discuss topics of interest to modern readers. There will be talks on wellness, sexuality, parenting, gender and feminism, though you may also pick up some informative chitchat about the best place to buy laptop totes or the best apps for working moms. Keep your eyes and ears open.

 

Divorce advice on hand

Sometimes, marriage isn’t the best thing to happen to you. So divorce lawyer and author Vandana Shah has launched a new app Divorcekart for estranged couples who are unsure of their legal rights. The app (available free on both IOS and Android) offers free immediate legal solutions, instant chat 24×7, and total confidentiality. But you do have to figure your life out yourself.

 

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