In Corona Times, India’s Female Superhero Spreads Compassion

India’s first female superhero now tackles a new enemy – coronavirus – to fight against misinformation about COVID-19, but also to raise awareness and to spread compassion.

“There was a lot of misinformation being disseminated […] within India about the pandemic,” says Ram Devineni, the series creator and filmmaker. “There was victim blaming, blaming poor people, blaming various nationalities for the virus…” In Priya’s Mask, the superhero “challenges that disinformation.” She teams up with Jiya, Pakistan’s Burka Avenger female superhero, to help the bad guy when he catches the virus, underlying the “need for compassion and humanity in such times,” says script writer Shubhra Prakash.

Published in 2014, the Priya’s Shakti (Priya’s Strength) comics follow a rape survivor who travels on a tigress’s back. She fights rapists and traffickers and spreads a message of gender equality. In her latest adventure, Priya sheds a light on sacrifices made by health workers and debunks covid myths. In her upcoming adventures, Priya could tackle any social issue, from mental health and body image to climate change.