Disclaimer: Originally published in February 2019. It is being republished since it still remains an interesting topic till today.
Sexual expression runs in the nitty-gritty of Indian culture from the carvings in the temples of Khajuraho to the erotic sections of the Kama Sutra.
But sadly, most foreigners view India as a country holding backward and conservative views neglecting people fighting back conservatism by dealing with taboo subjects.
Indian erotica was looked down upon with contempt, suggestive of poor production values with “B-Grade” and “C-grade” certifications growing on young adults.
Apart from emerging sexual explicit material helping men and women in exploring their sexuality or adding “spice” on their bed, the consumption of Indian erotica has recently turned over a new leaf.
How Is Indian Erotica Getting An Upgrade Through Online Streaming Platforms?
In the year 2019, the internet is the perfect place for sex as it is neither taboo nor does it discriminate against people belonging to different sexual orientations.
There has been a fresh shift with respect to the small shows Indian audience is consuming these days preferring soft porn instead of hardcore sexually explicit material.
There has been a far-reaching promotion of movies like Uri and Manikarnika but the show that had pegged the second rank on IMDB was OTT platform Alt Balaji’s erotica themed series Gandi Baat.
Unlike hardcore porn which the internet has allowed users to consume at an astounding rate, softcore porn focuses on music, female body parts or images involving sexual references.
There has been a new string of projects backed by A-list producers like Ekta Kapoor roping in mainstream actors and actresses creating coming-of-age Indian erotica pushing boundaries.
The contemporary take on real-life relationships through the lens of women from urban and rural India while they talk openly about their desires has been the focus of discussions related to love, sex and everything in between.
If Netflix launched an anthology of short films titled Lust Stories last year, Alt Balaji upped its game too by launching Gandhi Baat weaving tales of forbidden love by women from rural India.
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How Is Indian Erotica Getting A Boost By Digital Stories In India?
Hot, unconventional stories published on digital apps and platforms such as Juggernaut are driving a whole new interest with people actively engaging in conversations about sexual freedom in the country.
Being unconventional is seen as a pitfall when it comes to erotic writing as a single woman talking about her masturbation habits, her tryst with present and former lovers and her experience with menstruation and sex are seen as titillating tales defying social norms in India.
Stories that are short and affordable can be read in the privacy of a phone. With Indians still lingering on shreds of conservatism while dealing with sex, mobile publishing provides the best platform as there is no challenge in selling erotica fiction in physical stores.
Digital stories are published at night as it caters to the readers who prefer winding down with some erotica at night.
Such upgrades in Indian erotica are fighting sexual perversions in the country that counters perceptions about the lower, less important person being submissive in the bedroom are powerful as the reversal of roles challenges caste and gender-based stereotypes in the country.
Indian erotic fiction is not always about knowing what to look or read for while craving sexual desires.
Rather, it fights many battles today especially conservatism while it tackles subverting power structures, dominance, submission and embraces many taboo subjects such as gays, transsexuals, inter-caste or interfaith marriages.
Image Credits: Google Images
Source: South China Morning Post, Mid-day.com, Others
You can follow the blogger at @dhar_aatreyee
Design Credits for FI image: Deeksha
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