Refocus: the Films of Zoya Akhtar

The first in-depth look at the work of Indian cinema director, screenwriter, and producer Zoya Akhtar, this book celebrates Akhtar's art while examining her position within popular film and how she is contributing to a shift in one of the world's leading film industries. Through Akhtar's work, it also explores larger trends in the Mumbai-based Hindi film industry -- Bollywood -- ranging from the changing form and distribution of mainstream films to gender politics. It highlights how Akhtar's unique position exemplifies the contradictions and possibilities of the present moment in Bollywood; it also explores the impact of female filmmakers in global industries Edited by Aakshi Magazine is a writer and academic based in India. She received her PhD in Film Studies from the University of St Andrews in 2020. Her doctoral thesis, The 1950s Hindi film song: Between transgression and memory, is on the relationship of the film song to the contradictions of the Indian nationalist discourse. She has published several journal articles, a book chapter and film criticism in popular publications. Amber Shields received her PhD in Film Studies from the University of St Andrews where she focused on how fantasy is used to tell stories of individual and collective trauma in films from around the world. She has taught Film and English courses at Mount Tamalpais College and currently works with nonprofits reimagining education and supporting the development of young leaders. She has published several journals articles and book chapters.