‘No one can take my smile from me’
Burn survivor Sneha Jawale was in pain and afraid after a horrific domestic abuse attack. She would reclaim her face and find a new identity through astrology and theatre.
Sneha Jawale was in her 20s when her husband set her on fire with kerosene. In pain and afraid, her face irreparably scarred, she was hidden away. Sneha became a shadow of herself and was separated from her little boy. But Sneha would reclaim her face and rebuild her life in an unexpected way. She found a new identity through tarot reading, and performing in a play based on the experiences of survivors of violence. Sneha is now a prominent social activist in India, speaking up about domestic abuse.
Audio from Nirbhaya the play is courtesy of director and writer Yaël Farber and producer Poorna Jagannathan.
Please be aware that this episode contains descriptions of domestic violence. You can access support at ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Action Line by visiting bbc.co.uk/actionline.
Presenter: India Rakusen
Reporter: Divya Arya
Voiceover: Samrah Fatima
Producer: Maryam Maruf
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com
(Photo: Sneha Jawale Credit: Courtesy of Sneha Jawale)
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