In Kashmir, passion does not necessarily lead to a profession, especially for girls. Nadiya Nighat, Kashmir's first and only female football coach, has changed attitudes by embracing her love for the sport. Now she has sights on bigger goals.
Book Club: Sonia Zuberi Shah's first children's book is based on stories her father used to tell her about her ancestral heritage in the Indian Subcontinent. Illustrated by Fatima Zahra Hassan, it's a book about community, sharing, and good food.
Sufism's tradition, zeal and diversity in the Subcontinent have made it an essential part of modern India. Previously revered, now isolated, the Sufi way of life is nonetheless experiencing a resurgence, with public works emphasising its importance.
Often what geopolitics cannot do in terms of generating harmony and inclusiveness can be done by art, as exemplified by the eclectic musical talents of Ali Sethi who successfully built a bridge of melody between Indians & Pakistanis across the world.
The Pakistani film Joyland has received critical acclaim across film festivals for its sensitive portrayal of transgender identity. But back home in Pakistan, a debate is raging, and the issue of cinematic censorship has once again come to the fore.
Iran's feminist uprising shows no sign of stopping. Sparked by the murder of Mahsa Amini, Iranians both at home and abroad are using their voice to amplify the female voice. But this is nothing new, with cinema a crucial medium of Iranian feminism.
Instances of neighbourly love between the Indian and Pakistani governments are few and far between these days. Yet, beneath hostile political rhetoric are millions of Indians and Pakistanis who share a mutual love of each other's cultural enterprise.
