Set at the gritty intersection of the world of prostitution in Kamathipura, the Bombay underworld and Bollywood in the 1970s, Cages is inspired by the true story of Kumud, a sex worker who dared to own her sexuality and play by her rules. A fast-paced tale of a woman who was not ashamed of her occupation, it is honest in its portrayal of the persistent cruelties-small and significant-faced by sex workers and celebrates the power they have to triumph over it.

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Cages touches upon the themes of patriarchy, gendered violence, sisterhood and the validity of a woman’s sexual desires. Even fifty years after it was first written, it makes you realize that some things don’t change-as long as predatory men are around, women will have to fight to retain control over their bodies, their identities and their ability to say no.

Title: Cages: Love and Vengeance in a Red Light District
Author: Aabid Surti
Publisher: Penguin India
Available: Amazon

About the author

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AABID SURTI is a painter, writer, cartoonist, journalist, environmentalist, playwright and screenwriter. He received the National Award in 1993 for one of his books. In 1976, Surti was commissioned by a magazine editor to do a cover story about life in Bombay’s red-light district, Kamathipura, which led to his research for Cages.

AALIF SURTI, Aabid Surti’s son, is a producer and the translator of Sufi.