Manik Sharma, Author at Arré

“Marry the Rapist”: Why India Desperately Needs More Women in the Judiciary

During a recent hearing, CJI SA Bobde asked a rape accused if he would marry his victim. In the past, we have seen judges accused of sexual harassment presiding over their own cases. One of the many reasons women’s issues are not handled with sensitivity is because our courts are largely run by men.

Manik Sharma July 30, 2016

Pop Culture

Rubaru Roshni Review: The Documentary Convinces Us that Everyone, Even Criminals, Deserve a Second Chance

Given the popularity of vengeful cinema – Simmba, Uri – and the strain of hateful politics bearing down on us, Aamir Khan’s Rubaru Roshni is that rare film that advocates and asserts the novelty of forgiveness.

Manik Sharma July 25, 2016

Sports

Akshay Kumar, Gold, and the Case for Not Mixing Politics and Sports

The World Cup match between Switzerland and Serbia ended with an important question: Should politics and sport mix? It’s a question we should ask ourselves, on the brink of witnessing another hyper-nationalistic sport film, the Akshay Kumar-starrer, Gold.

Manik Sharma July 24, 2016

Pop Culture

10 Years of Gulaal: Why the Politics and Poetry of the Anurag Kashyap Film Have Acquired Cult Status

Gulaal is perhaps Anurag Kashyap’s most unforgiving film and not because it’s dressed in his trademark brashness, but because like life, it is grounded in cynicism. That said, the movie earned its cult status largely due to one man: Piyush Mishra and his doomsday poetry.

Manik Sharma July 23, 2016

People

Nirmal Verma: Extraordinary Writer of the Ordinary

It has been 12 years since Nirmal Verma passed away. The novelist did not write characters. He wrote people: The ones who got left behind, the ones who were forgotten by the magnetic narratives of the city.

Manik Sharma July 23, 2016

Pop Culture

The Peerless Brilliance of Sheeba Chaddha

In both Maja Ma and Good Bad Girl, Sheeba Chaddha continues to defy our dated ideas of time and screen space by delivering incomparable per-second impact.

Manik Sharma July 22, 2016

Coronavirus

I Know What I’ll Do Once the Lockdown is Lifted… Go for a Walk

I knew working from home, and being by myself without any social contact, would pose no challenge for me during the lockdown. Until it slowly began to dawn on me that I was missing the therapeutic and calming effects of the simplest of human movements – walking.

Manik Sharma July 20, 2016

Pop Culture

Sacred Games Season 2 Review: Netflix’s Gangster Drama Has a Ganesh Gaitonde Problem

The second season of Sacred Games remains intriguing and baffling at the same time. It insidiously sprawls and at times, there is no differentiating between intent or accident, quality or scale. Moreover, it has a visible Gaitonde problem, a gospel it has built and now can’t shake.

Manik Sharma July 20, 2016

Pop Culture

Sardar Udham Review: A film like no other

Bafflingly large in scale, immaculately detailed, resoundingly acted, Shoojit Sircar’s Sardar Udham is revolutionary filmmaking in the context of the patriotic Bollywood film.

Manik Sharma July 19, 2016

Pop Culture

Looop Lapeta Review: Dizzying, chaotic fun

Time loop films have been around for decades, but Loop Lapeta’s biggest strength is its texture and directorial improvisation. It isn’t for everyone, but it sure as hell is fun.

Manik Sharma July 18, 2016