Taslima is writing a script for a Bengali tv serial about women’s oppression.

Coming slightly more than a year after her book launch was cancelled at the Kolkata Book Fair following protest by religious fundamentalists, the script will deal with atrocities on women. ‘Dusahobas’ (translated roughly as living difficult), which would be shown on the small screen from December 19 on “Aakash Aath” channel, tells the stories of women in distress and how they are fighting against it.

“It talks about courageous women who became victims of various crimes like dowry, forced marriage, trafficking, rape or were forced into prostitution, etc. It shows that women will keep fighting for their rights,” said the feminist author who drew the ire of fundamentalists for her controversial books like ‘Lajja’ and ‘Dwikhandito’.

Talking to PTI from Delhi, the 51-year-old author said the women in her story fight against social evils directed against them. “Unlike other TV serials which glorify women as being submissive or relegate them to the role of housewives, this serial will portray them as strong individuals,” Nasreen said.

I wish we could have something like that on US tv.

Controversy and Taslima go hand in hand. As recently as last month, an FIR was lodged against the author in Lucknow for allegedly hurting religious sentiments in a tweet. She said the idea of the serial had come up in 2006, but after she was bundled out of Kolkata to Delhi by the government after violent protests over renewal of her visa the project could not get going.

“Now once again the producers have taken the courage to start it,” she said adding that although she is not in Kolkata, her adopted home, she would like to connect with the city through her writings. “I am happy if my work reaches people,” she said.

The official release of the seventh part of Nasreen’s book ‘Nirbasan’ (Exile) at the Kolkata Book Fair was cancelled last year following protests by religious fundamentalists.

Because they just won’t leave her alone.

Taslima has opinions on the way women are portrayed on tv.

Kolkata: Foraying into television with the Bengali serial ‘Dusahobas’, based on her story, exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen Wednesday slammed certain serials for “glorifying submissive women” and not portraying women in strong characters.

She felt the makers of such small screen ventures do not see women as figures of authority and emphasised ‘Dusahobas’ will portray women in strong roles, fighting against oppression and demanding their rights.

“Some women-based serials portray women being submissive and glorify submissive women. I will not show the women in my serial like that…I will not glorify submissive women,” she told the media here during a video conference to launch the serial.

“Women are so decked up (in some Hindi and Bengali serials)…the way they are shown to serve their husbands, in-laws as if they are meant to do this.

“I think people, who are misogynist who see women in bad light probably, make these serials. They do not show women as doctors, engineers or philosophers…in majority of Hindi and Bengali serials, women are relegated to the role of housewives,” she said.

But according to Taslima on Twitter, Islamists are trying to get her tv serial stopped.

taslimanasreen@taslimanasreen

Islamic fanatics trying to stop my TV megaserial in West Bengal. They shd be challenged. Should West Bengal be silent?

Let’s hope they fail.