The Literature Lounge
Episode #38
Devis & Demons: Author Anuja Chandramouli on Modern Mythological Retellings and their Takeaways
About this Podcast:
In this alluring episode, Anuja Chandramouli, renowned new-age Indian classicist, brings to life Ilango Adigal’s timeless Tamil classic, Silapathikaram. Her modern take on this classic, The Wife and the Dancing Girl, reimagines the boundaries of passionate love and what it means to be a ‘dutiful’ woman.
Anuja shares her take on the dance between sacrifice and pleasure that plague every woman’s destiny amidst a background of mytho-fiction and feminism. She explores themes of love and loss, and letting go without giving in to your destructive tendencies. Most of all, her book explores what it means to be a woman in an epic saga bent on branding you as a whore or goddess.
The episode concludes with Anuja sharing tips for dealing with writer’s block and takeaways from her book, leaving listeners with the motivation to get back to reading and writing in 2025. Don’t miss this entertaining conversation!
00:00 Introduction
01:45 Revisiting Silapathikaram: A Feminist Perspective
05:32 Exploring the Love Triangle: Kanagi and Madhavi
09:01 Themes of Love, Betrayal, and Modern Relationships
13:06 Challenges in Retelling Ancient Myths
17:08 Understanding Kovalan: The Flawed Hero
20:18 Humanizing Madhavi: The Dancing Girl’s Depth
22:40 Balancing Mythology with Human Emotion
25:29 Consequences of Suppressing Female Desire
28:30 The Role of Storytelling in Challenging Narratives
29:40 Inspirations and Influences in Writing
32:59 Overcoming Writer’s Block
35:05 Takeaways from the Book
36:41 Concluding Remarks
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Connect with Us
Mohua Chinappa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohua-chinappa/
The Literature Lounge: https://www.themohuashow.com/the-literature-lounge/
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Connect with the Guest
Anuja Chandramouli: https://www.instagram.com/anujamouli/
Book Link
The Wife and the Dancing Girl: https://www.amazon.in/Wife-Dancing-Girl-Anuja-Chandramouli/dp/9361560425
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Disclaimer
The views expressed by our guests are their own. We do not endorse and are not responsible for any views expressed by our guests on our podcast and its associated platforms.
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