Transcendence or trap: The pitfalls of Imtiaz Ali's SHE
Aiming for transcendent commentary on female sexual power, the Netflix series SHE fails in providing true agency to its heroine, falling instead in a powerless trap - Sabah Virani writes.
Nowhere But Here
Personal essay: Anant Mital, drummer of new Delhi-based Nowhere Station, shares the story of the band’s origins and ambitions on the eve of their debut release.
Student's Corner: Sports as a unifying element in India
From the school basketball courts to international cricket tournaments, how India’s diversity and divisions can be united under the umbrella of sports - by Adit Joshi in Student’s Corner.
Sita and Draupadi: The Unmaking and Remaking of India’s Mythological Heroines
In the comparisons between Sita and Draupadi, Urmi Bhattacheryya argues how the trope of ‘the other woman’ has hurt feminism in Indian mythology.
Masterpieces Under Our Feet
How a collaborative effort of designers and weavers have produced a distinct—and evolving—artistic vision on Indian-manufactured rugs - by Karan Madhok.
In His Second Skin: Roles that defined Irrfan Khan’s unmatched acting talent
Irrfan Khan was both subtle and mesmerising, performing with words and with his eyes, embodying characters we would never forget. Jamie Alter analyses the five crucial roles that helped define the art of the acting legend.
The Mahatma in Mussoorie
Extensive research in recent years helped Surbhi Agarwal discover an unlikely sojourn between Mahatma Gandhi and Mussoorie. Here, she presents a brief account of the details she gathered of Gandhi’s trips to ‘The Queen of the Hills’ between the 1920s-40s.
A gust of freedom: Water, Gender, and Caste in HELLARO
Abhishek Shah’s Hellaro (2019) dives deep into the intersectionality of gender, caste, and environmental issues in a drought-hit village. Saachi D’Souza reviews this thought-provoking Gujarati film.
Isolated With The Sky
Photo Gallery: Stuck in the coronavirus lockdown at his home in Chandigarh, Angad B. Sodhi looked up to find celestial company in the sky.
The homegrown blues of Lal And the People—An interview with frontman Rohit Lalwani
From Bhopal to international acclaim, here is the story of how Lal and the People became one of the exciting new voices in Indian jazz and blues - by Nidhi Lodaya.
Music from the Hills: Bipul Chettri’s latest release, ‘Neela Akash’
The theme of loneliness and isolation—which so many of us could be feeling in this time—is particularly pertinent in this lush new Himalayan folk track - writes Ady Manral
A Hanumanic Leap: Why we must let India's mythological epics evolve beyond religion
With the Ramayan and Mahabharat back on TV, Karan Madhok writes about the importance of celebrating the complex fictions of the myths, rather than accepting them as gospel truth.