Jayalalithaa, Natasha and Sana Sajan inspire us

WKND, January 10 issue was a fitting tribute to the fighting spirit of women (Queen's reign, Meet the chef without a stomach, We are all capable of more than we think).
The former Tamil Nadu CM, J. Jayalalithaa, is rightly regarded as one of the strongest women in Indian politics and deserves a place in history. Even her rivals have acknowledged her fighting spirit. You can choose to love her or hate her, but you cannot ignore her'. Her life was filled with dramatic events and has all the ingredients needed for commercial cinema, perhaps also the reason why there has been no dearth of movies based on her life. During her lifetime, she inspired scores of women to be politically aware and use their electoral power. Web series  like Queen will help bring alive memories and continue to inspire women.
The awe-inspiring story of Natasha - the chef without a gut - who maintains a positive attitude even when her life has changed forever made for a great read.  I hope we carry forward her message to the new decade and face our small battles without giving up.
 The interview with Sana Sajan summarises it all well - "We are all capable of more than we think", she says. Let stories of these women inspire us to achieve our dreams!
Beena Jose, by email
Am I in the photo?
Reading How to binge-watch responsibly (Jan 10), hit a bit too close to home. The article was so accurate, they might as well have had me as a case study. In my high school years and now in college, I've found that I have an uncanny ability to discover amazing TV shows, right before an important exam. And these aren't small shows. This is followed by guilt-filled binge watching. The first thing that came to my mind when reading this article was the Facebook Post Report option (and popular meme) that says "I'm in this photo and I don't like it"!
Ashith Farhan, by email

Small wins and victories
My favourite quote is, "even small wins are victories." Reading WKND (Jan 10) reminded me of this. As a self-proclaimed feminist, I think it's only fitting that two of the articles in the magazine centred on women trailblazers. I am referring to Natasha Diddee and Fatima Bhutto. The idea of a chef without a stomach would have struck me as nothing more than a rhetorical thought. Natasha's experiences were an eye opener.
It fascinates to see how Fatima Bhutto is trying to bring about a change in society. In a way, these experiences reminded me of the time when I was trying to pursue an engineering degree in a male-dominated field. But I was determined to be the best and in the process, inspired many in my family to let go of stereotypes. I now rest easy with the knowledge that at least in my own way, I did my part to change the status quo.
Neeru Gupta, by email

Pop culture has shaped us
The interview with Fatima Bhutto (Entertainment is not innocent, WKND Jan 10) highlighted the fact that entertainment is not innocent. When it comes to pop culture, America is our role model. It has shaped and changed the way we think. When we watch our favourite stars, we look at their luxurious lives and their hardships. And somewhere in between we see a little of ourselves. This relatable entertainment can be exhaustive. The contrast between pop cultures is wide. Yes, we cannot deny that both have shaped us well - while one showcases  dreams, the other keeps us grounded.
Prathamesh Pradeep Salvi, by email

Keep entertaining
WKND makes our weekends colourful. The articles are always very informative. Beauty column is my favourite as Rima Soni always suggests home remedies. Next comes fashion and then travel. I am looking forward to visiting Mexico. Thank you for giving us such a wonderful read. Keep entertaining!
Niveditha Rajesh, by email