Art & Culture

The New Status Symbols

Kabeer Sharma

The new Indian millionaire is savvier, less in thrall of big brands and more dictated by his design sensibility, his utilitarian needs, and a heady and often quirky mix of styles. He can leave you, and marketers, guessing.

His Master’s Strings

Subhra Mazumdar

As Pandit Ravi Shankar crosses 90, his disciple Subhendra Rao tells us how his guru groomed him for the world.

What We Missed

Manjula Negi

Anupam Kher was to play the character of a Disco Killer who was hired by Pankaj Kapoor’s character to kill the two protagonists.

It Just Happened

Manjula Negi

Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, arguably the funniest Indian film ever made, was made on a meagre budget, featured mostly unknowns, and hardly anyone involved believed in it. It became a classic, and almost all its alumni went on to highly successful careers. A celebration

The Slow (And Almost Certain) Death of Dhrupad

Shubhra Mazumdar

The oldest surviving form of Indian classical music finds no sponsorship or billing in concert catalogues today.

The Mutiny Papers

Ninad D. Sheth

Rare and largely unseen documents on the 1857 uprising make a surprise visit out of the National Archives of India.

The Enchanting Monk

Avantika Bhuyan

Lama Tashi, whose chanting won him a Grammy nomination, is overly busy now with a range of projects on Himalayan and Tibetan culture.

She Can Do Magic

Avantika Bhuyan

Women have traditionally been seen as nothing more than beautiful distractions on a magician’s stage. But now, they’re breaking the stereotype to create their own brand of illusions.

Imran the Geek

Shradha Sukumaran

Inside the curious mind of Imran Khan, who is as comfortable behind the camera as talking about Formula 1 technology and hostile Andaman tribes.

Stay South, Mani Sir

TR Vivek

One of South India’s most talented directors is proving himself an utter waste in trying to appeal to a wider market, his Raavan being a glaring case in point.