“Taking Form” w/ Punya Rajput

Continuing on with introducing you to the writers behind the new Chai with Rai series An Ode: Reframing the Classics- welcoming to the Chai room Punya Rajput.

She wrote a short story titled The Sabhā No Longer Stands which reimagines Draupadi, not as a divine heroine, but as a woman confronting the shame, jealousy, and emotional labor imposed on her by a heteropatriarchal world. Through a deeply affective conversation with Krishna, she lays bare the moral contradictions, expectations, and embodied violence present in society. Her body becomes a site of symbolic control, her desires policed, her identity fragmented.

P.S- you can stream the story now on our Patreon channel HERE.  Speaking of this episode we definitely discuss mythology, Punya’s storytelling experience, she was in the midst of her masters- so discussing academia and creativity. The path and trajectory of an actor in India vs UK . So, I cannot wait for you to listen to this episode and just get some good ol nuggets.

Punya's Bio:

Punya is a freelance creative who believes in the power of stories—on stage, on screen, and on the page. A proud member and ambassador of the National Youth Theatre, she’s brought her love for performance to short films, ads, and creative spaces in both India and the UK.

With a background in sociology and a master’s in education policy, her work weaves together research and creativity. Her dissertation explored drama-based pedagogy and how emotion, imagination, and connection shape how we learn about gender.

She hopes to tell stories that spark something—joy, reflection, maybe even a little magic.

Big feelings, big laughs, and a strong belief that everything’s better with a little chaos and a lot of Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Topics Breakdown: 

• Storytellers and Styles of writing that have shaped an understanding of text and building worlds as a storyteller. 
• Balancing surrealism, subtext and access as a storyteller. 
• Process as an actor.
• Working and process as a South Asian Actor.
• Working as an actor in India vs in the UK.
• Passion for storytelling and connection to mythology .
• The writing and audio story The Sabhā No Longer Stands for An Ode: Reframing the Classics .

To listen to the short story, subscribe to Patreon and become a Patron/ supporter of Chai with Rai.

Social

Myself: https://www.instagram.com/chaiwithrai_  & https://twitter.com/chaiwithrai_  & https://www.tiktok.com/@chaiwithrai

Guest: https://www.instagram.com/punya_rrajput/ & https://www.instagram.com/noirae00/

Links

Myself: https://www.raimuitfum.com/chaiwithraihomepage  & https://linktr.ee/chaiwithrai_