Articles

What the Shutting Down of a Company Taught Me About Indian Top Management

When our salary was delayed in May, it was brushed away as a temporary inconvenience. There was no official word from the management, but there were secret meetings and the big bosses paraded their lack of empathy. In August, we got a midnight mail which said this is the end.

Palladin Raider April 4, 2016

POV

With Citizenship Bill, NRC, & Article 370, 2019 is the Year Well-Meaning Indians Lost All Hope

In 2019, an entire Indian region has been stripped of autonomy and the definition of Indian citizenship has been redefined. Article 370, Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and NRC are the highlights of the year, as we hurtle toward an economic slowdown. Where does that leave the well-meaning Indian?

Deepak Gopalakrishnan April 4, 2016

POV

Hasna Seekho: To All the Guys Who Made Us Laugh in this Time of Protests

As anti-CAA protests continue to rage on, at a time when everything seems, bleak, it’s the humour that’s kept many of us going. From tongue-in-cheek placards, stand-up routines, and internet memes, dissenters from the anti-CAA movement are finding a way to stay sane. For today, I recommend “Hum Kagaz (Filmy Version)” on Instagram.

Deepak Gopalakrishnan April 4, 2016

People

Where the Gods Are on Trial

In a land caught in the crosshairs of a decades-old fight between the government and the rebels, justice rings hollow. The tribals focus their rage on one entity... God.

Shyam D April 4, 2016

POV

The Real Hero of the Gurgaon Mall Video is the Bystander Who Asked the Shamer to Apologise

The bystander effect is an epidemic in India, which promotes a culture where people are likely to turn their heads when they witness a crime. Speaking up and taking action when no one else will might be a thankless job, but somebody has to do it, like the woman in black did.

Dushyant Shekhawat April 4, 2016

Features

5 reasons why you should watch The Wheel Of Time

Mythology is the new sci-fi. Both in literature and entertainment, mythologies are constantly dictating the way we consume and imagine content. There is perhaps a reason for that. For one, the universality of the language itself. Irrespective of geography, mythologies echo similar motifs and anxieties. Across continents, people perpetually debate good and bad, the nature of godliness and the face of evil. It makes sense then that some of our most iconic, and loved characters today are borrowed from mythological mores. But it’s been some time since we’ve witnessed something as grand, and epic as the source material often suggests. Amazon Prime Video’s The Wheel of Time, however, looks set to confound and fascinate with its scale, complexity and authenticity.

Arré Bench April 4, 2016

Bollywood

The Sidekick, the Saviour: The Underappreciated Comic Genius of Johnny Lever

Johnny Lever has always been a different kind of “sidekick”. Not only did he support the leading actors but he also saved the film with his presence. He’s always been there to provide catharsis by proxy. In Lever, Indian cinema found its human laugh track.

Nair Da April 4, 2016

Bollywood

Has the Famously Homophobic Bollywood Really Changed in Post Sec-377 India?

In a post-Section 377 world, Bollywood has evidently taken major leaps. I was recently brought in as a consultant for a film script when the production team felt that the straight men writing a story about queer lives lacked insight.

Manish Gaekwad April 4, 2016

Pop Culture

How Ralph Breaks the Internet Highlights the Hidden Costs of Social Media Popularity

Ralph Breaks the Internet, the impressive sequel to the 2012 Oscar-nominated Wreck-It Ralph, does something that you’d not expect a Disney film to do: Offer an insightful commentary on the perils of internet stardom.

Nihal Bambulkar April 4, 2016

Love and Sex

The Secret Life of My Father

I tried to be rational when I found out that my father was having an affair. But I was only drawing more lines for him to toe, for his halo to remain untarnished.

Sucharita April 4, 2016