White authors aren't tasked with writing stories addressing colonialism, inequality, racism, etc. Desi writers have that burden placed upon them (internally & externally: our readership demands it and the publishing industry rewards it). How do we not feed into trauma porn? How do we nurture and grow a readership that connects with and cares about our "joys" as much as our trauma? What is self-love other than our focus on stories of our successes, triumphs and joys?

Guest author: Nadir Shah

Co-hosts: Upasna Kakroo & Salma Hussain

Produced by: ⁠⁠⁠Peerbagh⁠⁠⁠

Episode cover art: Niloufer Wadia

Research: Imtiaz Ali and Diksha Sharma

Supported by: The Very Asian Foundation

Books/media in the episode:

• Slumdog Millionaire (Vikas Swaroop); 2009 film by Danny Boyle

• You Started It (Jackie Khalileh)
• More then just a pretty face (Syed Masood)
• Honk Honk, Beep Beep, Putter Putt! (Rukhsana Khan)
• The Breadwinner (Nora Twomey)
• Bento (Peerbagh)
• Never Have I Ever (Mindy Kaling, 2020)