On February 17th, at Vogue Values: Women of Excellence, presented by Tira, the panel discussions ended on a high note with the topic of craft and creativity. The panel members were Radhikaraje Gaekwad, philanthropist and journalist; Monica Shah, a fashion designer and co-founder of the luxury label Jade and the Chanakya School of Craft; Lokah actress Kalyani Priyadarshan, and International Booker Prize winner and activist Banu Mushtaq. The conversations uncovered the driving forces behind their momentum.
Amassing a nationwide success upon the release of what became one of the highest-grossing films of 2025, Lokah, Priyadarshan's cinematic journey wasn't an overnight victory. “It seems like a very simple answer, but the truth is it's taken a lot of patience and trusting the process,” she said, reflecting on her decade-long career that began behind the scenes as an assistant production designer.
Speaking about Lokah, she made it clear that the team wasn't chasing records. “I don't think any of us thought it would hit the milestones that it did. Our only goal was to make a good film. We turned up every day, giving our 110%, not knowing where it would lead, but in the hopes that we would make something that could change the course of what Indian cinema is and how women-centric films are viewed in the industry.”
She adds, “I know Indian cinema has always had its moments in the global space, but in a world where these big spectacles of pan-Indian stories are being noticed, I would love for the small regional voices and stories to also get the same kind of attention.” As many on the panel had echoed, there are so many beautiful stories confined to smaller regions, yet the emotion translates and carries beautifully across the globe. She hopes those stories will truly be noticed.
For Radhikaraje Gaekwad, immersing herself in the well-being of underrepresented communities, such as the LGBTQIA+ community, is a priority, even in the face of backlash, a philosophy that Gazra Cafe is built on. What kept her going was not an agenda but responsibility, the belief that if she did not use her privilege and voice, others would remain unheard. Adversity, for her, became fuel rather than a deterrent.
For Monica Shah, the driving force was reverence for craft and artisans. Encounters with rural craftspeople, such as a woman she met who embroidered a single textile over nearly two decades, reshaped her understanding of luxury and purpose. “Craft in India was born hundreds of years back… the heart and soul of India lies in the villages.” Her momentum comes from honouring the hands behind the work and ensuring India’s craft heritage receives global visibility.
For Banu Mushtaq, the fire to write and practice law was born out of her own experiences of injustice. Activism and deep engagements with social movements shaped her story. Even in the face of years-long trolling and multiple threats to her family, she continues because writing for her is a stage and a symbol of her resilience and unyielding spirit. “Criticism is dialogue, and I welcome criticism… it gives inputs. Trolling is unbearable.”
Across a panel centred on craft, resilience and representation, their journeys distilled into a shared truth: show up, put in the work, let the process transform you, and allow the outcomes to unfold in their own time.
Also read:
All the honourees from the inaugural Vogue Values: Women of Excellence
Here’s what you missed at the inaugural edition of Vogue Values: Women of Excellence
Kalyani Priyadarshan’s strapless Karleo gown is built on intricate latticework
