Set at the gritty intersection of the world of prostitution in Kamathipura, the Bombay underworld, and Bollywood in the 1970s, Cages is inspired by the true story of Kumud, a sex worker who dared to own her sexuality and play by her rules. A fast-paced tale of a woman who was not ashamed of her occupation, it is honest in its portrayal of the persistent cruelties--small and significant--faced by sex workers and celebrates the power they have to triumph over it.

Cages touches upon the themes of patriarchy, gendered violence, sisterhood, and the validity of a woman's sexual desires. Even fifty years after it was first written, it makes you realize that some things don't change--as long as predatory men are around, women will have to fight to retain control over their bodies, their identities, and their ability to say no.