Manasi Chaudhari’s book is a wonderful guide to Women’s Rights in the real world
While Kabir kisses Preeti in the movie Kabir Singh without her consent with zero consequences, what legal rights does a woman have if the situation occurs in real life? With relatable examples like these, Legally Yours, lawyer Manasi Chaudhari’s debut novel, finds legal solutions to many pertinent questions that women might face. From cyberbullying and sexual harassment to domestic violence, marriage, divorce, and reproductive rights, she answers a gamut of queries through her work.
The 32-year-old Oxford alumna from Hyderabad sets out on an ambitious yet much-needed mission with her book: to create a handbook every woman can turn to, no matter her age or background, to understand and act upon her legal rights. The book offers step-by-step explanations on navigating police procedures and court processes. “It’s basically like having a lawyer best friend by your side,” she explains and adds, “someone who can handhold you through everything you’re supposed to know about your rights.”
Simplifying legal rights for women
In March 2020, Manasi launched Pink Legal, a digital initiative to empower women through legal awareness. The platform helps women understand their legal rights, answers their queries, and connects them with verified lawyers across India. It was working on the many cases that Manasi understood the vacuum that exists for women when it came to legal matters. She recalls, “For women there are only two sources to get legal information, especially when they do not want to consult a lawyer. Random unreliable online articles or complex jargon-filled textbooks — there is no in-between that can refer to or understand their rights.”
The first draft of the book was, in fact, written in the libraries on the Oxford campus, and for Manasi, making such a dense and vast subject approachable was no small feat. The biggest challenge, she admits, was breaking down complex legal concepts into simple, engaging language. She reflects, “It’s very easy to write in legal jargon that no one can understand. But I wanted this book to be so clear and simple that even someone with no legal background could read it and feel empowered.”
In fact, she sent drafts of chapters to her friends from a non-legal background to see if they understood the subjects at hand. To keep readers engaged, she wove in real-life cases, pop culture references from movies and TV shows, and the latest legal updates. She adds, “I didn’t want it to read like a dry history textbook; I wanted women to stay with it, to feel like they’re in conversation with a friend who’s explaining things clearly."
At its heart, Legally Yours is as much about awareness as it is about action. And that’s exactly why every woman should read it. “In everyday life, our rights can be violated in so many ways, whether it's facing abuse at home, harassment outside, or even online trolling,” she points out. “Being aware is the first step to standing up for yourself and stopping the cycle of suffering in silence. Everything starts from awareness.”
Creating an impact
Born and brought up in Hyderabad with an architect father and a doctor mother, Manasi has always worked to educate women about their legal rights. In 2021, she partnered with Navya Naveli Nanda to create the Nyari helpline. This free service offers legal and mental health counseling to women facing difficult situations.
As she signs off, the young change maker likens legal knowledge to health insurance, “You don’t take out insurance anticipating illness, but you have it, so you’re protected. This book works the same way; it arms women with the knowledge they need before they even face a situation.”
