CHENNAI: Honouring the hard work and dedication of women auto drivers in the city, the Penn Thozhilalar Sangam (PTS), the Tamil Nadu-based union dedicated to the rights of women domestic workers, hosted a community screening of ‘Auto Queens’ — a 30-minute Tamil documentary.
Directed by Sraiyanti and produced by Storiculture, Auto Queens follows Mohana and Leela Rani, women auto drivers in Chennai, navigating a male-dominated profession, and the union they built — Veera Pengal Munnetra Sangam (VPMS), again a TN’s first women-led auto drivers’ cooperative.
Mohana was awarded the Kamla Bhasin Award for driving gender equality in South Asia in 2025. “The screening is part of the ongoing community distribution drive across TN to advocate for the union’s goals and aspirations, taking Auto Queens to institutions, trade unions, universities and community spaces across the state and beyond,” said a member of VPMS. “The sangam works to bridge the gap between traditional employment and the modern gig economy, providing women with the tools, community, and support needed to thrive in challenging environments.”
Additionally, more than 350 women drivers registered and actively working, the documentary is an apt dedication to be made on International Labour Day.