‘Bandi’; Or the Words that Redefine a Woman
When a young man calls a woman a ‘bandi’ in Made in Heaven, he casts the burden of decency upon her shoulders. Kavya Maheshwari explores how the intersection of language, power, and gender in contemporary Indian society reinforces patriarchal norms.
The Trap of the Comfort Watch
In times of stress and anxiety, why do many of us choose the familiarity of a ‘comfort watch’—of familiar shows, plotlines, and characters? Raj Darji explores a sense of loss among abundance.
The Man Who Remembers
Jaideep Ahlawat again portrays Hathi Ram Chaudhary in the second season of Paatal Lok, the haggard cop whose memory serves both as a crime-solving device and as moral code to leave no life unforgotten. By Karan Madhok
PANCHAYAT is a throwback that looks ahead
Rural India takes centre-stage again in Season 2 of Panchayat, a series that follows the thread of comic absurdity to stitch up a progressive lens on village life. By Karan Madhok
Dinesh C. Sharma, Goatsmoke, and Panchayat - What’s The Chakkar?
What’s The Chakkar? Episode 21: We’re reading books by Dinesh C. Sharma and Maggie O'Farrell; listening to music by Goatsmoke; and watching Season 2 of Panchayat. Featuring Shaista Vaishnav, Anurag Tagat, and Prateek Santram. Hosted by Karan Madhok.
A city translated through the languages of love
Modern Love (Mumbai)’s greatest realization lies in the offering of the city’s palette: an architectural marvel in the Sea Link, an underlying bedrock in Thane, a warm enclosure in cutting chai. The city is steeped in the love its characters exude towards themselves and others. By Raunaq Saraswat
The Revisit Project, Guilty Minds, and Nev March - What’s The Chakkar?
What’s The Chakkar? Episode 19: We’re listening to The Revisit Project; watching Guilty Minds; and reading books by Nev March and Marlon James. Featuring Anurag Tagat, Harshita Murarka, and Shaista Vaishnav. Hosted by Karan Madhok.
Mir Kashif Iqbal, Gehraiyaan, and Chandan Pandey - What’s The Chakkar?
What’s The Chakkar? Episode 17: We’re listening to Mir Kashif Iqbal; watching Gehraiyaan; and reading Chandan Pandey and Alice Munro. Featuring Anurag Tagat, Prateek Santram, and Shaista Vaishnav. Hosted by Karan Madhok.
Mocaine, R.K. Narayan, and Sardar Udham - What’s The Chakkar?
What’s The Chakkar? Episode 12: We’re reading books by Wendy Doniger and Sophia Naz; watching Lagaan; and listening to Dot. Featuring Saurabh Sharma, Prateek Santram, and Ady Manral. Hosted by Karan Madhok.
The Past Superimposed upon the Present: Shoojit Sircar’s SARDAR UDHAM
It’s impossible to watch the biopic Sardar Udham without identifying how the past still haunts India’s present, how old imperialism continues in the form of the new state. By Karan Madhok
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.
S. Hareesh, Tejas, and The Family Man - What’s The Chakkar?
What’s The Chakkar? Episode 10: We’re reading books by S. Hareesh and TJ Klune; listening to music by Tejas; watching The Family Man. Featuring Shaista Vaishnav, Ady Manral, and Prateek Santram. Hosted by Karan Madhok.