Art & Culture

Photo Genie

Meenakshi Iyer

A favourite with Europeans as well as the princes of pre-Independence India, Raja Deen Dayal was India’s first celebrity photographer.

Question of Identity

Avantika Bhuyan

In a critique of India’s unique identity card project, a group of artists offers alternative paradigms of individual recognition.

Dynamic Static

TCA Sharad Raghavan

Sound artist Jason Kahn engages eardrums at the Crafts Musuem with his white noise installation.

Classical Gypsy

Avantika Bhuyan

Francesca Cassio performs at the intersection of Western and Indian classical music. It’s a harmonious blend

Review of Reviewers

Pratibha Singh

They’re so busy panning films and filmmakers that they never consider what the objects of their easy scorn make of their opinion. No easy star ratings for them either

The Ha Ha Queen of Singapore

Wei Fen Lee

In a country known for strict censorship laws, the most famous comedian is Kumar, a drag queen of Indian descent who pulls no punches

Dancing Poles

Avantika Bhuyan

Stealing the show is becoming something of a habit with this young Polish troupe. Rajasthan loved them too

The Modern Radha

Avanitka Bhuyan

An arts festival examines how the story of Krishna’s consort fits into today’s urban context

The Death of an Indian-born Language

Hugo Cardoso

William Rozario, last speaker of Indo-Portuguese Creole of Cochin, died recently. When I had met him for my research on Creole languages, he was glad to speak his language again, even though I could only pick it up in parts