Pop Culture Archives

Farewell CID: We’ve Lost our Last Link to ’90s Indian TV

Testament to just how much CID has been consumed by my generation over the years is the fact that Shivaji Satam’s face is the first thing that pops up in my mind when I hear anyone say “ACP”. And though I watch it ironically today because “it’s so bad it’s good”, it reminds me of the time where you didn’t have to pretend to like a show just to fit in.

Jackie Thakkar July 16, 2016

Pop Culture

Mirzapur 2 Review: Shakespearean Characters, a Macho Town, & a World Unlike Any We’ve Seen Before

Mirzapur’s unprecedented popularity stems from its ability to write Shakespearean characters into the boilerplate premise of a town high on masculinity. A thoroughly engrossing and mature second season cements the show’s place as a world unlike anything else we have seen.

Manik Sharma July 16, 2016

Pop Culture

Thor: Ragnarok and the Marvel of Self-Parody

Thor: Ragnarok is a road trip loaded with more jokes than the Bill Burr stand-up, more emotion than the fakery of the second Guardians movie, and perhaps the best CGI ever in a superhero film.

Arré Bench July 16, 2016

Pop Culture

Shape of Water and Our Fascination with Monster Romance

Greek mythology is full of lusty satyrs and centaurs that sleep with goddesses. Hokusai's “The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife” is considered an early progenitor of tentacle porn. And The Shape of Water is a story, lush with adult desires, about outsiders. Why are we so fascinated by beasts and monsters?

Karanjeet Kaur July 15, 2016

Pop Culture

Would Satyajit Ray Be Branded an Anti-National if Pather Panchali Released Today?

Satyajit Ray’s films, starting with Pather Panchali, gave utterance to the suffering that the other, invisible India was going through. In an era of spin doctoring, of twisting statistics and data and rewriting history to fit the narrative of New India, Pather Panchali is exactly the kind of story we would want to distance ourselves from.

Chandrima Pal July 15, 2016

Pop Culture

Big Little Lies Season 2: Come for Meryl Streep, Stay for Her Scream

At one point in the opening episode of the second season of Big Little Lies, Meryl Streep’s Mary Louise nonchalantly makes an admission, “I’m a wanter myself..” After witnessing her terrifying turn in these 44 minutes, I’m a wanter too. I want more Meryl Streep.

Poulomi Das July 15, 2016

Pop Culture

Revisiting F.R.I.E.N.D.S: The One Where We Defend the Sitcom

Even as the sitcom makes a comeback, F.R.I.E.N.D.S is the subject of our generation's biggest polarising pop-culture debates. The criticism of the sitcom accuses it of being sexist, unfunny, and even bland. But I often wonder if using a 2020s lens to critique a TV show that is not from this time, a valid critique of it.

Priyanka Aidasani July 15, 2016

Pop Culture

How Badrinath Ki Dulhania Tries (And Fails) To Be DDLJ

Badrinath Ki Dulhania struggles to recreate DDLJ, riding on the Varun-Alia chemistry. But it’s impossible to doff your hat to a classic with a hero with a major character flaw.

Poulomi Das July 15, 2016

Pop Culture

Boogie Woogie, Takeshi’s Castle, and “Mumbhai”: How Jaaved Jaaferi Shaped the Childhood of ’90s Kids

Much before gully boys were spitting “buntai” and “boht hard” into a mic, there was one man who was rapping about Mumbai and its streets. His name is Jaaved Jaaferi. The man, who turns 56 today, influenced ’90s kids with his music, moves, and inimitable commentary. Remember Takeshi’s Castle?

Damian D'souza July 15, 2016

Pop Culture

Why is Arjun Reddy Getting a Bollywood Remake?

Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Arjun Reddy – arguably the most polarising Telugu film in recent times – is not without its problems. It has managed to sustain the attention and outrage of audiences across the country. Even in 2019, people just can’t seem to stop talking about Arjun Reddy. And that’s why we have Kabir Singh releasing tomorrow.

Poulomi Das July 15, 2016