Pop Culture Archives

Will Mrs Maisel Stop Being Marvellous and Start Being Vulnerable?

In its third season, The Marvellous Mrs Maisel continues to be a perfectly pleasant – if overly long – confection. Yet it still seems unwilling to call Midge’s courage into question and ask whether she has what it takes to be not just a better comic but also a better person.

Kahini Iyer May 10, 2016

Pop Culture

Life Toh Badi Sad Hai: How Imtiaz Ali’s Tamasha Prepares You for Failure

Imtiaz Ali’s Tamasha flipped the idea of doing what you love and following your heart, on its head. It showed me the terms and conditions attached to chasing my dreams – and laid bare the frustrations and failures that accompany trying to make your mark in the world.

Amal Singh May 10, 2016

Pop Culture

The Quiet Genius of Neeraj Vora

Neeraj Vora was a multi-hyphenate: An actor, director, and writer. We remember him as that drunk producer from Rangeela and the severely underrated Daud, but few of us knew about his significant contribution to films like Hera Pheri and Josh.

Arré Bench May 10, 2016

Pop Culture

The Jinx of Jhoom Barabar Jhoom

On this day, ten years ago, Shaad Ali’s ambitious musical, Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, single-handedly sounded the death knell for five flourishing careers.

Poulomi Das May 10, 2016

Pop Culture

Why Glenn Close’s The Wife Feels Tailormade for Indian Wives

No matter how educated or urbane we get, women are still asked in interviews whether they plan to get married or start a family soon. Our roles in our homes are considered our duty, not an achievement. And like Joann from The Wife, we’re mandated to serve our husbands, not our dreams.

Runa Mukherjee May 10, 2016

Pop Culture

Golmaal Never Again

Rohit Shetty’s Diwali offering, Golmaal Again, described as a horror comedy, is neither scary nor any kind of funny. But it does represent the worst of Bollywood. It’s time the franchise got an instant funeral.

Poulomi Das May 10, 2016

Pop Culture

83 Review: Compelling retelling of India’s finest moment

83 obviously tells nothing new, but to generations who weren’t there, and unable to partake in the unexpected glory of the most underdog of victories, the film is monumental, no short of the epic it hopes to retell.

Samarth Mahajan May 9, 2016

Pop Culture

Mukkabaaz and the Many Punches Indian Sportsmen Get

Anurag Kashyap’s Mukkabaaz is a resounding ode to the numerous fighters populating Indian sport, the ones who are too tired or marred by bad luck to even make it to the big stage.

Poulomi Das May 9, 2016

Pop Culture

How To Understand Consent Through Anu Malik’s “Do Me a Favour, Let’s Play Holi!”

Future civilisations will think of the original inhabitants of Earth as a primitive race, which played a game called Holi with each other, but not before respectfully asking for consent. Until they find news reports of the accusations against Anu Malik, at least.

Damian D'souza May 8, 2016

Pop Culture

What’s Not to Love about Olivia Colman, the Queen of Everydayness?

The wondrous bit about Oscar-winner Olivia Colman is that she fits in as easily as an everyday person as she does as a royal. She is an unlikely hero, who has, through her performances, turned the non-glamorous parts of humanity, the usual disgruntlement of our existences, into art.

Runa Mukherjee May 8, 2016