Bullet Nani: And other badass Indian grandmas by Jasreen Mayal Khanna is a collection of 12 accounts of feminist grandmothers from all over India, each coming from different backgrounds and levels of privilege. Jasreen describes the book as a love letter to "all the fierce, funny, and utterly unforgettable women who remind us that the best adventures don't come with an age limit".
The book lives up to that promise with warmth, humour, and remarkable sincerity.
The stories of Ramindar Dhillon, Augusta Maria, Pavane Mann, Rahmath Begum, Sridevi Goel, Meenakshi Amma, Suman Dhamane, Loukrakpam Naobi, Gita Prakash, Meher Pestonji, Thankam P., and Gopa Sen portray the womanhood that refuses to fit into a single mould.
These women are doctors, scientists, IPS officers, models, entrepreneurs, YouTube creators, and so much more. They belong to different regions, communities, and economic backgrounds, yet their stories are united by the determination to live life on their own terms despite the patriarchal systems that tried to tell them otherwise.
What makes the book especially compelling is that these women are not presented as larger-than-life heroes. Their acts of rebellion are often deeply personal, almost ordinary on the surface, but profoundly transformative.
Pavane cutting her hair into a practical bob might seem like a small act, yet it represents reclaiming agency over her own body. Thankam moving to a new city to financially support her family speaks to a different kind of courage, one rooted in responsibility rather than recognition.
As Jasreen said in Thankam’s chapter (probably the hardest-hitting line in the entire book), her revolutions were born not out of conviction but necessity. That single idea becomes the emotional backbone of the collection, reminding readers that resistance does not always arrive with loud declarations. Sometimes, it simply looks like choosing yourself.
Another delightful aspect of the book is the advice each grandmother gives at the end of her chapter. Instead of feeling preachy, they read like conversations with someone who has lived enough to know what truly matters.
Whether it is Gita's reminder to stop moulding oneself according to the internet's expectations or Thankam's emphasis on financial independence, the lessons feel deeply personal.
They are practical, and perhaps exactly what many young readers need to hear in an age of comparison and performance. Despite covering 12 different lives, the pacing remains brisk and engaging.
Every chapter offers enough space to understand the woman at its centre while leaving readers with something to reflect on.
In her introduction, Jasreen expresses the hope that readers will find inspiration within these pages to write their own destinies. That hope feels fully realised by the final page. Bullet Nani: And other badass Indian grandmas is not only beautifully written but also deeply affirming.
It celebrates resilience without romanticising struggle and reminds readers that strength often reveals itself in the smallest acts of defiance.
The next time audio trends like ‘One way or another’ or ‘Oh how I love being a woman’ pop up on your timeline celebrating femininity and self-love, these incredible women are likely to come to mind.
They embody that spirit far more than a fleeting social media trend, proving that empowerment is not an aesthetic but a lifetime of choosing freedom, over and over again.
Bullet Nani: And other badass Indian grandmas
Author: Jasreen Mayal Khanna
Publisher: Pan Macmillan India
Pages: 260
Price: ₹400
