India’s First Female Superhero is All Set to Battle COVID

The new edition of Ram Devineni’s comic book ‘Priya’s mask’ has gained international recognition for highlighting the current coronavirus situation. Priya is India’s first female superhero in the series and her character has resonated with many people worldwide. The series follows her adventures during the pandemic. 

The team's mission is to reduce the risk of the deadly virus, highlight the significant role of healthcare workers, and lays emphasis on humanity during these crucial times. 

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You can catch the female superhero flying on the tigress ‘Saahas’ (courage) to take on the crippling virus. She motivates young children to remain strong in these challenging times. The comic book comes along with a short animated film. 

Ram Devineni who is a film-maker was inspired to create Priya’s character for the comic series after the Nirbahaya rape case that shook the entire nation in 2012. 

Disturbed by the gruesome event Ram traveled to India and parts of South East Asia to talk to activists concerning gender-based violence. He then collaborated with American Book Designer Dan Goldman in New York to produce India’s first female superhero. 

Proud that the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, through #USInNorthIndia and #RELO, partnered with @rattapallax to help create this short film, Priya’s Mask. This film follows the adventures of @PowerOfPriya, India’s first female superhero, as she battles the spread of COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/V2JeoVRRDT

— Ken Juster (@USAmbIndia) December 2, 2020

‘Priya’s Mirror’, ‘Priya and the Lost Girls’ and ‘Priya’s Mask’ soon followed each covering key subjects such as rape, acid attacks, and sex trafficking respectively. 

Priya’s Mask gives us a glimpse of what life looks like during the pandemic and personal experiences related to it have been incorporated into the comic book. 

For instance, a scene from Priya’s mask depicts a girl standing on the balcony all alone. She ponders when she would meet her friends again and her mother who is a healthcare worker. 

“I have no one to tell my feelings to,” the girl says.

This is a real line told by a girl to her uncle. The comic book’s writer decided to incorporate this real-life experience into the book thus making the animated film more realistic.

This scene is a mirror to the reality during COVID times. The reality of what children have gone through! It indicates the sad plight of children who were forced to stay at home. Some of them had to face loneliness especially those whose parents were healthcare workers. They weren’t prepared for a situation like this which made the process even more difficult. 

A comic book like ‘Priya’s mask’ is bound to motivate and encourage children who are feeling low. You can download the free comic here -> Priya’s Mask.