Society closes on her doors it leaves ajar for a man stained by the same ink. If both are equal, why are our barbs reserved for the woman?" The words of Saadat Hasan Manto, who created strong-willed women characters, still echo today. This weekend, Studio Tamaasha will explore this in an event titled Manto and his "Scandalous" Women – Part 2.

"Manto has given us some of the most complex women characters of our times — be it Sakina, Kulwant Kaur, Sharda or Mozail. Manto's women are not types. In fact, they resist categorisation. While they express their inner thoughts, vulnerabilities and uninhibited desires, Manto's gaze on them remains non-judgemental. He had the ability to illuminate ordinary folk who otherwise would remain invisible, and transform them into iconic figures. Each reading of his stories will be with a dramatic flavour with the aim of revealing the core of each of those women to the listeners," says co-founder Sapan Saran, who'll present it, along with Nachiket Devasthali, Alka Sharma, and Aslam Parvez.