Articles

Mumbai’s Strange New Year Tradition: Chokeslamming an Old Man’s Effigy and Setting Him Ablaze

As the end of 2019 is upon us, I think I’ll give year-end parties a miss. This year, I’ll go back to celebrating how we used to – by setting ablaze an effigy in the shape of an old dude and Santa’s mask, that represents the year gone by. This uniquely Mumbai-Goa tradition is our version of the Burning Man.

Jay Pikle March 15, 2016

Pop Culture

Official Bhootiyagiri Review: 50 Shades of Sumeet Vyas Bring This Horror Comedy Alive

Official Bhootiyagiri is a horror-comedy series, worth a binge-watch in this lockdown era, for it is the story of a man down in the dumps who makes a comeback. Sumeet Vyas, the former CEO with a social anxiety disorder, brings the series to life and his crisp narration draws astute insights from the world of startups.

Aditya Bhalla March 15, 2016

People

The Unsung Hero of the New Year’s Eve Party

Spare a thought for the Delhi bartender, that poor sod in charge of making your shots. This is the guy in the line of fire, when trigger-happy Dilliwalas set out to party.

Parthshri Arora March 15, 2016

Books

Ruskin Bond’s “It’s A Wonderful Life” as An Antidote to Lockdown Gloom

Ruskin Bond’s latest “It’s A Wonderful Life” is an appreciation for the smaller things in life. Considering the negative news that abounds us, his words act as a salve in these times, often lending courage to help us get through the day. I’d call it essential reading for lockdown life.

Shaswata Kundu March 15, 2016

Sports

Why We Should All Mourn the Decline of Australian Cricket

Ravi Shastri said winning the Test series against Australia is bigger than the World Cup win of 1983. To be honest, it isn’t even the best performance by an Indian team Down Under, at least in the modern era. That would be 2003, when the Aussies had a team actually worth beating.

Manik Sharma March 15, 2016

People

Indira Gandhi’s Assassination and the Tale of Two Childhoods

For me, Indira Gandhi’s assassination and the riots that followed was just a detail, merely newsprint. The impersonal nature of the incident insulated me from the human aspect of the killing. That is, until decades later, the tragedy of 1984’s events came home to me.

Karthik Venkatesh March 15, 2016

Pop Culture

Will Rajinikanth, the Superstar Clash with Rajinikanth, the Neta?

The Rajinikanth-Pa Ranjith collaboration, in Kabali and now Kaala, had felt like a chance for the star to move away from decades of roles that celebrated sexism and misogyny. But the brand of politics Rajini seems to be espousing, is completely at odds with his on-screen persona.

Aditya Shrikrishna March 15, 2016

POV

What Mumbai’s Common Man Stands to Lose As the Worli Promenade Makes Way for the Coastal Road Project

We are all set to lose the 83-year-old Worli Sea Face promenade to the Mumbai Coastal Road Project. The BMC promises that the boardwalk will be replaced with a ritzy seaside walkway, but for me, its quiet death would mark the end of an era.

Dipti Kharude March 15, 2016

Sports

We Should All Be Talking About American Superwoman Megan Rapinoe

US Women’s National Team star Megan Rapinoe was the woman to watch out for at the FIFA World Cup. She is not just a great player, she’s a symbol of our changing times – a lesbian footballer standing up against Donald Trump and fighting hate. Which is why her legend will spread beyond the field.

Dushyant Shekhawat March 15, 2016

Gender

A New Wish for the New Year: #MeToo Must Reach Small Town India, And How Bollywood Can Help

In the small-town imagination, the idea of modernity is borrowed from Bollywood – the feisty Tanu from Tanu Weds Manu, the rebellious Rumi from Manmarziyaan. Where are all the well-rounded girls who are compassionate and caregiving, but fierce and independent? The limitations of this modernity will always come in the way of a small-town MeToo movement.

Manjiri Indurkar March 15, 2016