Is Indie film dead? Ask Rahul Bose
The exciting low-budget film movement in Indian cinema is dead and buried, and may not ever see a resurrection reminiscent of its glorious days, says actor Rahul Bose. The versatile …
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The Great Indian Paradox: Simon Long
This is a remarkable, brave, moving, disturbing, funny and at times beautiful book. It tackles head-on the great Indian paradox, which most observers tend to ignore or obfuscate: that India …
Read MoreA Rising India sans Faith
In spite of Gods — read Hindu nationalist hysteria, mystical mumbo jumbo and occultism — India, a nation of one-billion plus people and one of the world’s fastest growing economies, …
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Riding on God’s Chariot
Priti Aisola evokes divine frenzy and fervour she saw on her recent visit to Nataraja Temple in the ancient pilgrim town of Chidambaram in South India – the home to …
Read MoreDancing Widows
Dancing Widows In this exclusive extract from her stirring novel about the plight of widows in pre-independence India, Bapsi Sidhwa evokes yearnings of Chuiya – a child bride who is …
Read MoreIndia Soars Beyond Florid Clichés
India is no longer trapped in florid clichés of Bollywood, spiritual nirvana and spices but is increasingly seen as a major partner and power in the world. On the contrary, …
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From RK to SRK, Bollywood forever in China
There are hardly any Indians in Haikou, the booming capital of the southern Chinese island province of Hainan, known for its sandy beaches, exotic sea food and spanking new high-rises. …
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Don’t fight, see 3 Idiots!
Singing and dancing versus kung fu and martial arts? India and China may have been projected as rivals, but where diplomacy stutters, popular culture scores. Iconic Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, …
Read MoreTaj was a symbol of imperial power
The Taj Mahal was more than a monument of conjugal love built by Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal; it was as much a statement of …
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