The Truth About Women’s Work in India | Working Girls by Paromita Vohra

Published on August 15, 2025. In this episode of Frontline Conversations, filmmaker and writer Paromita Vohra discusses her latest documentary “Working Girls”, which explores the invisible labour of women across India—from erotic dancers in Madurai to domestic workers in Mumbai. Vohra blends humour, animation, and music to create a film that invites curiosity rather than guilt. The documentary, based on the Laws of Social Reproduction research project, examines how law defines women’s work, the politics of care, and the value society assigns to different forms of labour. Vohra reflects on her journey from 2002’s “Unlimited Girls”, which captured young women’s personal feminist freedom, to today’s feminist discourse dominated by elite voices. She critiques the homogenisation of Indian documentaries, the dominance of foreign funding, and the erasure of distinctive political and artistic styles. For her, the aim is not to “challenge” the dominant narrative, but to make it irrelevant by uncovering the hundreds of other narratives that exist. Chapters: 0:00 – Intro: Paromita Vohra and "Working Girls" 0:52 – “Laws of Social Reproduction” project 3:05 – Scope, locations and filmmaking process 11:12 – Vohra’s distinct documentary approach 19:27 – Marginalisation vs dominant narratives 28:14 – Why the title "Working Girls" 33:48 – AI’s impact on documentary filmmaking Highlights -How “Working Girls” reframes our understanding of work, care, and women’s rights -Why Vohra believes humour and pleasure belong in political cinema -The politics of recognition: why some women’s labour is legal and valued, and others’ invisibilised -Why she refuses to measure marginalised women only against dominant narratives -The link between ASHA workers’ struggles and broader systemic inequalities -How India’s documentary form has become homogenised and what’s been lost -The shift in feminism from the liberalisation era to today’s elite online discourse Perfect for: -Viewers interested in gender, labour rights, and feminist cinema -Students of sociology, gender studies, law, and political science -Anyone interested in documentary filmmaking -Citizens questioning dominant narratives and exploring multiple perspectives -Anyone curious about the untold stories of women’s work in India Credits: Interview by Mridula Vijayarangakumar Produced by Kavya Pradeep M and Mridula Vijayarangakumar Edited by Razal Pareed Subscribe to Frontline: https://frontline.thehindu.com/online... Follow us on: Facebook - / frontlineindia Twitter - / frontline_india Instagram - / frontline.magazine LinkedIn - / frontline-magazine-b12921295