In India, political cartoonists have a deep-rooted tradition of using their art to comment on politics and society; however, in recent years they have encountered increased restrictions on their freedom of expression. This decline in freedom of expression poses a significant concern within Indian democracy. Although newspapers once featured political cartoons, their prevalence has dwindled as readership has declined, while electronic media such as television and the internet have gained popularity. Cartoonists in India still aspire to use their art to convey their ideas. Still, the current landscape poses greater challenges: critical cartoons are not readily accepted, and those in positions of power often respond negatively. Unlike in the past, when cartoonists were celebrated, they now face criticism and online harassment. To sustain their livelihoods, cartoonists have resorted to selling products featuring their cartoons, adapting to digital media and online platforms to reach a broader audience. A survey conducted in Dehradun revealed that most people favour cartoons on products and view them positively when the cartoons carry socio-cultural messages. Social cartoons can effectively serve as promotional tools for products, whereas political cartooning is more target-specific. The feasibility of using consumer products as a display platform for cartoons warrants further investigation to support both cartoonists’ livelihoods and their reach to a wider audience.

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Environmental journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public understanding of ecological issues. It is not mere fact reporting; it involves systematic scrutiny of how newspapers frame and convey environmental concerns. Well-researched, well-presented media coverage can build public awareness and encourage informed action. The present study examines environmental reporting practices in three major national dailies in India: The Hindustan Times, The Hindu, and Hindustan Times. These publications were selected for their widespread readership, significant influence and impact, and distinct editorial orientations. Their readership, reporting style, and editorial priorities provide a clearer picture of how mainstream media represent the environment. These newspapers differ in their editorial philosophies and in how they cater to different segments of the population. By comparing these three, this study aimed to understand how different reporting styles influence and shape public awareness of environmental issues and, in turn, how the media contributes to shaping our relationship with the environment.

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In light of evolving critical perspectives shaped by modern political ideologies, particularly the feminist goal of gender equality, the long-prevailing identities, roles, norms, and several practices within a society have been subject to transformative changes. Media has long been a key vehicle for such transformative change, spreading reformative ideological values through its narrative power and impact. Often regarded as a foundational pillar of popular culture, media encompasses diverse digital forms, including television shows, films, web series, advertisements, and social media applications. This study explores how Indian advertisements have broken gender stereotypes and positively reshaped societal attitudes through strategic narrative techniques and emotionally resonant representations. Using a theoretical framework grounded in Judith Butler’s concept of gender performativity, this study examines Nissan’s #SpiritOfMotherhood (2017) advertisement, which aims to degender motherhood by decoupling it from ‘womanhood’. Drawing on Sara Ruddick’s idea of mothering as a practice, it examines how the advertisement constructs and represents the maternal bond and care. This study emphasises a shifting paradigm of motherhood by redefining ‘mothering’ as a non-gendered, or gender-neutral, performance that justifies maternal care.

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While the Hindi film industry has dished out consistently strong female characters every passing year, what requires examination is whether such progressions have been accorded to the Dalit heroine as well. Historically, cinematic renditions of Dalit women have tended to portray them as meek and submissive, often bearing the brunt of a two-fold oppression on account of their gender and their caste location. Bharti and Gaura are the Dalit heroines from two much-discussed films of the last decade – GeeliPucchi (Ajeeb Daastaans, 2021) and Article 15 (2019). This research paper examines whether and how the cinematic rendition of the Dalit female has evolved. An academic dissection of the two films reveals two vastly different characters, whose treatment also differs in the filmmakers’ hands. The power dynamic of a graded, casteist, and patriarchal society plays out minutely in their lives as both decide to stand up to it to varying degrees. Bharti uses her existence at the intersections of various marginalised identities to become an agentic player in her life, while Gaura shows promise of something similar.

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