1.9: Deepanjana Pal - Genre Is A Made Up Concept

Find Out How She Does It all: Crime Thrillers, Biographies, Children's Fiction, Journalism and MoreTara and Michelle speak to Deepanjana Pal, author of Hush a Bye Baby, a thriller about a murderous gynaecologist. She is also the author of the biography of artist Ravi Verma. And to top it off, she is a journalist who also writes children’s fiction. She tells us why she thinks genre is a made-up concept, why Harry Potter is overrated (gasp) and how commercial fiction can offer great lessons in writing.On the episode, we chat about patriarchy, female feticide and the implications of having a female antagonist in a feminist novel. Deepanjana gushes about her love for reading and writing, she has loved words since she was three years old and how she can’t imagine doing anything else, yet warns us about the practicalities of the profession. 'Books and Beyond with Bound' is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D'costa of Bound talk to some of the best writers in India and find out what makes them tick.Deepanjana Pal is a Mumbai-based author and journalist. She is the author of Hush A Bye Baby and The Painter: A Life of Ravi Varma. She studied English Literature at St. Stephen’s College and postcolonial theory and literature at University of Warwick. Her non-fiction writing on culture and gender has appeared in publications like The Atlantic, Wallpaper, Caravan, Buzzfeed and Vogue. She has worked with Time Out Mumbai, Firstpost and Newslaundry and is currently an associate editor with The Hindustan Times.You can get your copy of her books here: https://www.amazon.in/Books-Deepanjana-Pal/s?rh=n%3A976389031%2Cp_27%3ADeepanjana+PalTune in every Wednesday for a new episode.Follow Bound on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @boundindiaFollow our podcast on Instagram: @boundpodcastsYou can check out our website at https://www.boundindia.com/podcast/Applications for The Bound Publishing Course 2026 are now open.The Bound Publishing Course is a 3-month intensive course on book, magazine, and digital publishing. Through live sessions, workshops, and industry-facing projects, participants gain practical publishing skills and exposure to careers across the industry.Cohort size: 50 seatsFirst round of acceptances: 15th June 2026Applications are reviewed on a rolling bas‘Books and Beyond with Bound’ is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D’costa uncover how their books reflect the realities of our lives and society today. Find out what drives India’s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, insecurities to publishing journeys. Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Follow us @boundindia on all social media platforms.