Shrayana Bhattacharya is easily the most fun economist we know. Working at the World Bank’s Social Protection and Labour unit for South Asia, she is also the author of a bestselling book, Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh: India's Lonely Young Women and the Search for Intimacy and Independence.

Shrayana spent 15 years exploring women’s economic independence through the lens of actor Shah Rukh Khan. Why? Because an SRK movie is a form of escape - and for many women, a luxury - in a life of navigating the patriarchy.

In this episode, she speaks with Aditi and Christina about bargaining with the patriarchy, the loneliness that can come from seeking out independence, the hope she has for India’s gender norms, and why we all need to be a lot less judgemental–and a lot more supportive—of one another along the way.

Follow Shrayana on Twitter here: @BShrayana

Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh can be purchased on the Harper Collins India website here: https://harpercollins.co.in/product/desperately-seeking-shah-rukh/

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Credits:

Host and Executive Producer: Christina MacGillivray

Host and Executive Producer: Aditi Mittal

Executive Producer & Brand Director: Laura Quinn

Chief of Staff: Priya Kapoor

Marketing Director: Maanya Sachdeva

Head of Production: Mae Mariyam Thomas

Senior Producer: Divita Oberoi

Sound Supervisor: Kartik Kulkarni

Audio Editor & Mix Engineer: Lakshman Parsuram

Junior Producer: Nikkethana Kamal

Junior Editor: Yash Hirave

Women In Labour is generously supported by a grant from the American Center, New Delhi. All opinions, findings, and conclusions are those of Women In Labour and its hosts only — and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.