mumbai Archives - Page 3 of 11

Mausam Bada Beimaan Hai: Our Weather is the Great Indian Unifier

Weather in India is as contentious as our language, cuisine, and politics. It is not just a conversation starter, it is where our differences go to die and find a new life. If we didn’t have the weather, how would we discuss our government’s corruption and apathy, based on that one pothole, with perfect strangers?

Runjhun Noopur June 30, 2016

People

Communitatti: Musings from a Community Toilet

Communal loos are a big part of the daily grind in Mumbai’s chawls. These little cubicles are places where people sneak in to grab a smoke, watch porn, or scribble deep thoughts on the wall.

Damian D'souza June 29, 2016

Pop Culture

India’s Slumdog Fireflies

Lion’s Sunny Pawar had the night of his life at the Oscars, the biggest stage in the world. The question is, would this be the highest he’d soar?

Poulomi Das June 29, 2016

Love and Sex

Sex Diaries from Chawl Life: Belan, Chappal, & Other Kinks

Bondage using nylon sarees, some light spanking using a chappal, and a bit of butt play using the belan might sound like kinky sex acts to some. But in the confines of chawl living, it’s life as usual.

Damian D'souza June 29, 2016

People

One Night @ a Viagra Call Centre

The little blue pill ushered in a sex revolution 20 years ago. Today, Mumbai millennials continue to reap its benefits – helping middle-aged Americans boost their sex lives, over the phone.

Damian D'souza June 28, 2016

POV

How to Win a Reality Show: Forget Your Talent, Surrender Your Dignity

I was a behind-the-scenes volunteer at Indian Idol auditions a few years ago, and had to prompt awkward aspirants to say cheesy things like “Humari zindagi badal jayegi show jeetne se.” Reality shows can be toxic places, where everything from a person’s disability to lack of talent, is fair game for exploitation.

Runa Mukherjee June 28, 2016

Pop Culture

Why Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Khilji Let Us Down

In Padmaavat, Alauddin Khilji is reduced to a unidimensional villain. All that the script required, was a Muslim ruler to serve as a vessel into which a depressingly contemporary take on communal relations could be poured.

Dushyant Shekhawat June 26, 2016

People

The In-Betweeners: Millennials Who Aren’t Millennial Enough

We were born in the ’80s; and we’re millennials too. But we’re also the last generation to have actually known what life without internet and mobile phones looked like.

Riddhi K June 23, 2016

POV

Too Cool for School: What I Learned from Being Homeschooled in Mumbai

Most kids complain about their grades, their history homework, their annoying PT sir. Being homeschooled, I complained about being taught embroidery and having to draw the entire history of ancient Rome in charcoal. But most annoying were the aunties who asked the question, “Do you have any friends?"

Viveka Shah June 22, 2016

People

Life After Debt

If someone owes you a debt and they won't make good, who you gonna call? The debt collectors.

Damian D'souza June 22, 2016