Articles

From Natalie Portman to Billy Porter: Some Say, Some Slay on the Oscars Red Carpet

The Oscars Red Carpet was not as snooze-worthy as the ceremony. Billy Porter ditched the tuxedo yet again for a gold-feathered bodice and a ballgown skirt. But the real bold choice was made by Natalie Portman. Her stunning Dior black-and-gold cape gown was embroidered with the names of snubbed women directors.

Arré Bench April 15, 2016

Love and Sex

Apna Haath Jargon-naath

Human beings have come up with a plethora of terms to describe the simple act of pleasuring yourself. We scuttle about inventing a series of shorthand signs that all sound distinctly violent.

Damian D'souza April 15, 2016

Love and Sex

What Has Taken the Pleasure Out of Porn?

In my small UP city, anything related to sex was – is – taboo. Your parents never talked about it and films and TV showed flowers brushing against each other. Which is why procuring porn was an illicit pleasure. Today, pornography is ubiquitous, but the pleasure is all gone.

Godot April 15, 2016

Gender

Into the Dark World of a Trafficked Girl

Missing, a new role-playing game, attempts to raise awareness about trafficked girls. But can a game based on the reality of thousands of exploited women really create empathy?

ila ananya April 15, 2016

Bollywood

Growing Up to Be Gazal Dhaliwal, the Transwoman Writer of Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga

This week, screenwriter Gazal Dhaliwal will introduce to the world her most anticipated heroine in Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, the first mainstream lesbian romance poised to go down in Bollywood history as a watershed moment. It marks the end of her decade-long struggle to be “seen”.

Poulomi Das April 15, 2016

People

Beta No 1: This Adorable Pic of Pune Student with his Mother at His Graduation is Winning the Internet

IIT student Prakash Jhadhav’s picture with his mother taken at his graduation has gone viral. What stands out is his mother’s warm smile and her bright pink nine-yard saree.

Arré Bench April 15, 2016

Love and Sex

Do Best Friends Make Good Baes?

Is dating your bestie a bad idea? Who will you bitch about your broken heart with if your best friend is gone?

Parthshri Arora April 15, 2016

Bollywood

Basu Chatterjee, the Master Who Turned Ordinary People Into Temporary Heroes

Cinema creates the illusion that ordinary life requires dramatic, unanticipated twists to turn into a story worth telling. But Basu Chatterjee found a language to argue that stories beyond the strict margins of heroism weren’t lifeless. They were, like our own selves, underrated and overlooked.

Manik Sharma April 15, 2016

POV

Decoding India’s Love-Hate Relationship with Hasan Minhaj

The “Howdy Modi” event held in Houston over the weekend was organised to celebrate the contributions of Indian-Americans to the arts. While it was a spectacle of sorts, one particular NRI felt a little left out. Comedian Hasan Minhaj was turned away at the entrance, rekindling the question — “Do Indians love or hate Hasan Minhaj?”

#VALUE! April 15, 2016

Gender

The UP Constable Acid Attack Proves That Even Empowered Women Can’t Escape Misogyny

A woman constable in Uttar Pradesh was attacked with acid by a jilted lover. The fact that she is a cop did not deter the attacker. This is the stark dichotomy between the freedom women now have to make waves at work and the basic freedoms they continue to be denied in their personal lives.

Kahini Iyer April 15, 2016