"Autorickshaws - or "autos," as they're called in India - are a familiar sight across South Asia. In Chennai, their bright yellow and black three-wheelers test the haggling skills of every passenger. But women driving them? Still a rarity. A spectacle to be stared at, admired, or ridiculed.
The 370 women of the Veerapengal Munnetra Sangam union, however, defy that stereotype every day. I met them through Vijay, who was working with Storiculture's Auto Queens campaign, and was struck by their pride and determination to be seen as equals on the road.

As a female cinematographer in a largely male industry, I recognized that same hunger - the constant need to prove one's skill simply to be accepted. Mohana, the union's president, and Leela Rani, its treasurer, were among the first I met in April 2024. Mohana commanded the room with quiet authority; Leela Rani brought laughter and irreverence. Yet, when the noise faded and it was just the two of them, there was an ease - the kind that exists only between women who trust each other deeply. Their friendship reminded me that solidarity isn't always loud or uniform; it's often tender, contradictory, and human. Auto Queens captures that truth - how the struggle for equality can be messy, funny, affectionate, and profoundly collective.

Their friendship reminded me that solidarity isn't always loud or uniform; it's often tender, contradictory, and human. Auto Queens captures that truth - how the struggle for equality can be messy, funny, affectionate, and profoundly collective."

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