# Small towns turn into boutique sub-mode for writers, filmmakers 2026-08-09T11:47:30+00:00 | India | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Author Neelum Saran Gour argues that small towns have evolved into a boutique sub-mode for writers and filmmakers, challenging the popular perception that they are quaint or backward. She says these towns are now as fragmented and emotionally disconnected as metros, despite their smaller scale. Gour, who grew up in Allahabad in the 1960s and 1970s, credits the city's mix of Indic, Islamic and cosmopolitan influences for shaping her writing. Gour has written seven novels and several other books, including 'Requiem in Raga Janki', which won The Hindu Fiction Prize in 2018 and the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2023. She taught at the University of Allahabad for over four decades and believes that standard teaching protocols can be modified creatively to make learning a shared adventure, not just an exam-focused exercise. ## Coverage - frontline.thehindu.com Tags: Allahabad, culture, Indian literature, Neelum Saran Gour, small towns Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/small-towns-turn-into-boutique-sub-mode-for-writers-filmmakers/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/small-towns-turn-into-boutique-sub-mode-for-writers-filmmakers/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.