Duality of life and death

Before Dil Bechara and The Fault in our Stars, Mani Ratnam’s Idhayathai Thirudathey explored death both logically and lyrically The release of Dil Bechara, based on John Green’s 2012 novel The Fault in our Stars has left Indian viewers emotionally moved, primarily because of the unfortunate early demise of its lead actor Sushant Singh Rajput and how it […]

‘Without arts, there is no civilisation…’

Actor Joy Sengupta talks about theatre and his upcoming teleplay Best known for his debut feature, Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa (1998) directed by Govind Nihalani, actor Joy Sengupta has carved a niche for himself as an actor. He has worked with some of the well-established people of Indian theatre such as Habib Tanvir, Safdar Hashmi, […]

Bold not beautiful?

The debate over where there should be censorship of content that is being aired on OTT platforms has gained momentum after an official letter to the PM by the Bihar CM The lockdown has changed things in all ways possible. Among some of the positive changes, the rise of over the top (OTT) platforms is […]

Jitters in the visa queue 

Pakistani artist Bani Abidi found inspiration in a strange place — Islamabad’s Diplomatic Enclave. She tells Patriot about the tedious protocols involved Shifting weight from one foot to another, hands folded behind or clutching onto folders of documents waiting in lines to be frisked, the nervousness is palpable. Reflecting the psychology of visa waiting rooms, embassy […]

Clear and present outrage 

With the tragic demise of talented actor Sushant Singh Rajput, the debate on nepotism and power play in the Bollywood film industry gains momentum Flashback to 2017:  It was on the infamous “coffee couch” where actor Kangana Ranaut made history. She called out Karan Johar (on his own show) for promoting ‘nepotism’. “Flag bearer of […]

Gossip anonymous

Websites are devoted to scandalous anonymous gossip on celebrities, and the issue’s back in the spotlight with Sushant Singh Rajput’s death “High society has been treated to a sorry spectacle of inebriety during the last two weeks at balls and dinners, and I am glad to say that this shocking example, though unfortunately a woman, […]

Toxicity unleashed

Showing two sides of the coin called toxic masculinity the latest Indian films released on Netflix tell the stories of women’s lives in a man’s world  Note: spoilers ahead. Is it pure coincidence that the two latest Indian films released on Netflix tell the stories of female lives in a man’s world? The films are set in […]

Suicide as spectacle

Sushant Singh Rajput’s death was turned into a spectacle by much of media, especially on TV it was speculative, sensationalised, and irresponsible “Arey! Apni hi film dekh lete, Sushant!” (You should have watched your own movie, Sushant!) This is how News24 chose to report on the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, 34, who allegedly died by […]