Trans Kashmir is a testament to the power of documentary film-making.

On the third day of the Graz theatre festival, Himali Kothari finds out how Instagram and Twitter are shaping the structure of performances.

Partition literature helps us make sense of one of the most traumatising events in the country’s history so that we don’t repeat a similar catastrophe in the here and now.

The street plays of Jana Natya Manch, the Delhi-based theatre group that turned 50 this year, remind us how a culture of open, free, and public performance is vital to deepening India’s democratic ethos—an ethos under serious threat, and therefore more urgent than ever to nurture, protect, and expand. 

An ongoing exhibition reveals yet another facet of Satyajit Ray, that of prolific letter writer, which opens a window into the uniquely vibrant mind of one of India’s greatest film-makers. 

Danish film-maker Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s ‘Flee’ is a complex and moving story about refugees, with Afghanistan as its background.

The sound of the band could be heard and the baraat was almost at the doorstep. The thirteen-year-old bride was crying her eyes out in a backroom. Dom

The significance of ‘The Waste Land’, which turns 100 this year, and the continuing appeal of T.S. Eliot’s oeuvre.

The Marathi film Mi Vasantrao on famed classical singer Vasantrao Deshpande takes us into the very essence of his life.

They are river people, whose lives ebb and flow with the waters of the Brahmaputra in a timeless rhythm. But now, hydroelectric projects and homogenising exercises raise uneasy questions in the Mising tribe about notions of ‘belonging’.

They are river people, whose lives ebb and flow with the waters of the Brahmaputra in a timeless rhythm. But now, hydroelectric projects and homogenising exercises raise uneasy questions in the Mising tribe about notions of ‘belonging’.

Besides slick marketing, there is clearly a certain narrative that explains the stupendous success of films such as Baahubali, KGF, Pushpa: The Rise, RRR, and The Kashmir Files. A predestined saviour, a powerful oligarch, fake historicity, misogyny and violence have emerged as hallmarks of the new ‘pan-Indian’ film.

On the 110th birth anniversary of Saadat Hasan Manto, a celebration of his writing, his ambiguous identity, and what he represents in a world torn apart by religious polarisation and hate.

A walk through a festival in Bidar commemorating a Bahmani Sultan venerated equally by Hindus and Muslims.

Translated by Malini Seshadri.

A walk through a festival in Bidar commemorating a Bahmani Sultan venerated equally by Hindus and Muslims.

Interview with the film-maker Anand Patwardhan.

The rise of music apps has individualised the consumption of music, allowing users to create their own music, sing songs, upload them, and sing live with like-minded singers. Although the creative engagement may engender a sense of freedom of choice, these apps are not entirely free of the tangles of capitalism.

Translated by Veena Deo.

The eminent Rabindra Sangeet exponent Debashish Raychaudhuri sends across a message of peace through his novel interpretation of Tagore’s iconic opera Valmiki Pratibha.

Dealing with a problematic colonial or racial past requires a nuanced approach rather than an attempt to “correct” historical wrongs by tearing down old statues and erecting new ones.

Dealing with a problematic colonial or racial past requires a nuanced approach rather than an attempt to “correct” historical wrongs by tearing down old statues and erecting new ones.

As Chile looks forward to a hopeful future under the recently elected socialist President Gabriel Boric, a review of the large body of films that has come into existence in the past three decades examining the period of the dictatorship and its aftermath in the country.

Translated by Prabha Sridevan.

Lata Mangeshkar (1929-2022) enthralled music lovers across eras and leaves behind a treasure trove of songs that will resonate with generations to come.

Interview with Akeel Bilgrami.

Gajadhar babu looked at the pieces of luggage piled up in the room—two suitcases, basket, bucket. “Whose box is this, Ganeshi?” he asked. Ganeshi, fas

Interview with T.M. Krishna, singer, writer and activist.

Interview with the historian Audrey Truschke.

Shamsur Rahman Faruqi (1935-2020) married Western perception to Urdu sensibilities, enriching the world of literature and criticism with his unique perspective.

The Mahabodhi temple complex in Bodh Gaya, where the Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment under a pipal tree, has a multi-layered history and also figured prominently in the formulation of independent India’s foreign policy.

G. Venkatasubbaiah dedicated his life to the development of Kannada linguistics, lexicography and research studies. At 107, he continues his ardent association with the language.

Built in the 16th century, the golden age of the Vijayanagar empire, the Lepakshi temple in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh boasts impressive sculptures and exquisite murals portraying stylised versions of scenes from Hindu lore on its ceilings.

MY mother told me more lies than anyone else in this world. The realisation burns through my being with the relentlessness of an unwavering flame.Amma

Manjamma’s life began on the margins of society as a Jogathi. It has now taken centre stage with the government honouring her with the Padma Shri in recognition of her efforts in bringing respectability to Jogathi nritya and her transgender community in Karnataka.

The Malayalam movie 'The Great Indian Kitchen' addresses the gender issue by bringing into the narrative the oppressive patriarchal values within communities, relationships and institutions.

The thanas, dak bungalows, jails, railway lines and many other such structures dating back to the 1800s that dot the landscape of Jharkhand stand testimony to the State’s colonial past and to the political and economic significance of the region.

The thanas, dak bungalows, jails, railway lines and many other such structures dating back to the 1800s that dot the landscape of Jharkhand stand testimony to the State’s colonial past and to the political and economic significance of the region.

The literature-in-translation programme supported by the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation in collaboration with some of India’s leading publishers seeks to open up new vistas for Tamil literature and culture through English.

Creative explorations helped to put ageing on the literary map. By being in touch with feelings and relationships, and demonstrating that that they could access emotional truths, writers made fiction a source of knowledge.

The piercing quality of a child’s perspective is juxtaposed with the power of money in this short story by Kannada writer H. Nagaveni, translated into English by Mamta Sagar.

Serious Men attempts to address the contentious issue of “merit” that is bandied about as a counter to affirmative action but fails to go the full distance.

Vishwanath Suvarna’s coffee-table book, which photo-documents over 100 major and minor forts in 27 districts of Karnataka, is a pioneering attempt that speaks of a rare passion.

The two translations of Chandrashekhar Kambar’s plays retain the lyrical imagination and folk-inspired creativity of the originals.

This short story was first published in Tamil as “Neer Vilayattu” in Kalachavudu, January 1999, Nagercoil. It features in “Katha Prize Stories Volume 10” edited by Geeta Dharmarajan and Nandita Aggarwal (Katha, 2000) pp. 49-57.

Vishwanath Suvarna’s coffee-table book, which photo-documents over 100 major and minor forts in 27 districts of Karnataka, is a pioneering attempt that speaks of a rare passion.

A musical rendition of Asokan edicts rekindles interest in the ethical values ingrained in them and the Mauryan emperor’s vision of a humane society.

An unusual story about the dappu and the legendary skills of the one who plays it—the madiga drummer. Traditionally played on ceremonial occasions, today the dappu is a presence at political meetings as well. A most unusual story by Gogu Shyamala

One of the greatest issues for historians has been the geographical understanding of India, as well as its cultural and civilisational edifice. While a sense of unity, spatially, culturally or in religious terms, may have contributed to the idea of India as it exists today, modern Indian ethos rests on more than a unified historical consciousness.

A Graeco-Roman head of a miniature statue from the same trench that produced the Sphinx was another significant artefact of the 2020 season. This happ