The Market and The Jester
With viral videos like “I Come from Two Indias”, Vir Das and other modern comedians can afford to be more biting in their attacks against the ruling class, as they don’t receive direct patronage from them. But they are now bound to the attention economy, desperately pushing for extremes instead of striving for meaningful cultural critique. By Aditi Murti
Chennai is Joking Around
“There will be laughter every minute.” From Kalaivanar to Improv, theatre to film, satire to stand-up, Padmaja Jayaraman reveals a brief history of comedy in Chennai.
In its efforts to truly understand Bengali culture, the BJP government must accept that it will gain nothing by asserting its influence over Durga Puja pandals. Any attempt to politicise and constrain their artistic freedom diminishes the distinctive flavour of the spectacle. By Sujoy Sarkar