Citing the example of how astrology and ‘vaastu’ have become mainstream, she told Pinkville that it looks particularly bleak for women in particular. She admitted that things had changed in “fundamental areas” for women, but in many ways “nothing had changed”. And things will only get worse, she says, if society becomes more conservative.

She said: “Our society is becoming extremely conservative. I feel it very strongly. We become superstitious, we are forced to accept religion and make it a very important part of life. Suddenly everyone is talking about, ‘Karva Chauth ka vrat nai kar rahe hai aap?’. To this day no one has asked me about it, last year was the first time someone asked me about it. I said, “Pagal hun main?” Isn’t it appalling that modern educated women do Karva Chauth and pray for the lives of their husbands so that they can have some validity in life? A widow in the Indian context is a terrible situation, isn’t it? So anything that keeps me away from widowhood. Really? Is this how we talk in the 21st century? Do educated women do that?”

“So we’re going to be conservative. Check the number of ads on kundali dikhao, vaastu karao, apna astrologer ko dikhao. Check out the funny ones like Nithyananda who has an island somewhere. Every single stupid old Guru jumped out from under every stone and everyone flocked to them. It is a sign of modern society and where a rationalist like Dabholkar is killed in broad daylight and nothing can be done about it? The trial is still going on with him and nothing will be done about it. We are moving towards an extremely conservative society. And the first thing a conservative society will do is hit its women.”

Citing the example of Saudi Arabia, she said that India is also moving in the same direction. Naseeruddin Shah he was also vocal about intolerance and injustice in the country.