Nirvana Bhandary on what it means to be a feminist in Nepal today: Southasia Review of Books podcast #38

A conversation with the writer and filmmaker Nirvana Bhandary on her collection of essays exploring feminist thought, lived experience and the generational shifts transforming contemporary Nepali womanhood.Welcome to the Southasia Review of Books podcast, where we speak to celebrated authors and emerging literary voices from across Southasia. In this episode, Shwetha Srikanthan speaks to the writer and filmmaker Nirvana Bhandary about her new book, ⁠Unsanskari: A Feminist Life⁠ (October 2025). Unsanskari: A Feminist Life by Nirvana Bhandary is a collection of essays, reflections and sharp cultural observations on what it means to be a Nepali woman beyond traditional expectations and patriarchal norms. From queerness and body politics to marriage, migration, intersectionality and intergenerational feminism, the book traces the cultural and political shifts shaping women’s lives today – and makes a compelling case for why claiming one’s femininity, and refusing to be “sanskari”, remains a radical act.This episode is now available on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5VYhKdPlydfIkUivuDYtAdApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3KBb1s6Youtube: https://youtu.be/4TeurmZBBcA'Unsanskari: A Feminist Life' by Nirvana Bhandary (October 2025): https://linktr.ee/Unsanskari✨ Thank you for listening to the Southasia Review of Books Podcast from Himal Southasian. If you like this episode, please share widely, rate, review, subscribe and download the show on your favourite podcast apps. ✉️ Let’s keep the conversation going – please share your thoughts on the episode. Leave us a comment on Youtube or write to us at [email protected].🙏🏼 To make conversations like this possible, we need the support of our listeners like you. Become a paying Himal Patron to support the Southasia Review of Books: https://www.himalmag.com/support-himal📚 Sign up to receive the Southasia Review of Books newsletter for Himal’s spotlight on Southasian literature, our latest conversations, and more: https://bit.ly/southasia-review-of-books