Many shades

Sir — Female leads in fiction usually fall under neatly-demarcated tropes. They can be virtuous, overly-emotional, tomboyish, coquettish or villainous. In recent years, though, there has been a shift in the way female characters are written for the screen. The black-and-white characterisation of women has given way to multi-layered, atypical heroines — for instance in Fleabag, Orange is the New Black and Girls. But this is also becoming a stereotypical portrayal of the millennial woman who beckons emotional chaos into her life. While it is refreshing to see women on screen stumble and grieve for themselves, film-makers must be careful so that realistic portrayals of female characters do not turn into caricatures.

Nayani Sengupta, Calcutta

Glorious win

Sir — The Indian shuttler, P.V. Sindhu, must be congratulated for winning the Singapore Open Super 500 (“Singapore won, Sindhu eyes CWG”, July 18). A number of top players were absent from the tournament, including the Taiwanese player, Tai Tzu Ying. Sindhu must be relieved to win the title after a string of losses last year. Hopefully, the Olympic medallist will be able to maintain her form for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

Khokan Das, Calcutta

Sir — P.V. Sindhu defeated the Asian Championships gold medallist, Wang Zhi Yi, to clinch the title at the Singapore Open Super 500. This is Sindhu’s third title of the season — she won two Super 300 crowns in the Syed Modi India International and the Swiss Open, respectively, this year — and her maiden win at the Singapore Open. The final match against Wang was hard won. Sindhu secured the first game but Wang took the lead in the second game. The third set was a thrilling display of the talents of both players, but ultimately Sindhu managed to win the match. It was certainly a nailbiting game.

Jayanta Datta, Hooghly

Sir — The win at the Singapore Open is a significant moment for P.V. Sindhu. She defeated the Chinese player, Wang Zhi Yi, 21-9, 11-21, 21-15. Although Sindhu was playing in a weakened field, her win will certainly bolster her confidence for the upcoming Birmingham Commonwealth Games. Hopefully, she will be able to win a medal at the tournament.

Sourish Misra, Calcutta

Sir — P.V. Sindhu should be lauded for her stellar show at the Singapore Open. If she keeps her present form, India can hope for more medals from her this year.

Ruchita Ram, Calcutta

Road ahead

Sir — It is shameful that India has ranked 135 out of 146 countries on the Global Gender Gap Report 2022 (“Poor marks”, July 18). The World Economic Forum report indicated that South Asia will need 197 years to reach gender parity. India must take note of the gaps pointed out by the study and formulate targeted policy measures to improve the condition of women.

Sunil Chopra, Ludhiana

Risky sip

Sir — Alcohol consumption among young people in India has gone up in recent years. According to a recent study published in The Lancet, young people face higher health risks from alcohol consumption than older adults. The study suggests that global alcohol consumption recommendations should be based on age and location. People between 15-39 years of age are at the greatest risk of harmful alcohol consumption globally. Young people should carefully monitor the amount of alcohol they consume. As the brain keeps developing into the mid-twenties, drinking as a teenager can greatly increase the risk of damage to the brain. Early drinking can also lead to problems with alcohol later in life. While young people tend to think that they are immune to life-threatening diseases, recent findings show that there has been a spike in liver disease deaths among young adults fuelled by alcohol. The youth must become cautious before it is too late.

Ranu Pandya, Ujjain

Sir — Alcohol carries significant health risks and no benefits for young people but some older adults may gain from drinking a small amount, according to a Lancet study. Four years ago, the same study had said that even the occasional drink was harmful to health, and had suggested that governments advise people to abstain entirely. However, given the hefty sum of money the exchequer earns from the sale of alcohol, the State is unlikely to put out such an advisory. Moreover, is it practically possible to stop adults from drinking? The most that can be done is to make people aware of the harmful effects of consuming alcohol and hope that they drink in moderation.

Abhilasha Singh, Calcutta

Be safe

Sir — People often seem to forget that tattooing comes with risks. Many have reported severe allergic reactions after tattooing, primarily because of unhygienic equipment or the carelessness of the tattooist. It is thus essential to maintain safety protocols while getting tattooed. The Centre should put in place strict rules and regulations for the functioning of tattoo parlours. People, too, should opt for licensed tattoo shops to ensure that they are in safe hands.

Vijaykumar H.K., Raichur

Sir — Some Asian countries — South Korea, for instance — only permit qualified doctors to work as tattoo artists. While that may not be feasible, tattoo artists should have a rudimentary idea about dermatology so that they can avoid mishaps as much as possible.

Rhitam Bhadra, Calcutta