Our seasoned columnists with expertise in economics, philosophy, recipes, addiction, and film review share their views and ideas in this section
Narali bhaat or sweet coconut rice is a delicacy made during Narali Purnima – the full moon day in the month of Shravan. But if you are nostalgic about home and craving for some traditional Maharashtrian food, then a simple narali bhaat will do the magic. Read more
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – Prince William and Kate Middleton, keep their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte out of the limelight. But Prince William has released two cute photos of six-month-old Princess Charlotte clicked by her mother, the Duchess Kate Middleton. Read more
Driving on UK roads is very different from driving in India – the weather conditions in the UK are different, the rules are different, the etiquettes are different and the test itself in the UK is more stringent than it is in India. Read more
Most ageing actors are forced to resort to self-parody to remain relevant. So one walked into Shilpa Shetty's maiden production Dishkiyaoon hoping to see Sunny Deol put his dhai kilo ka haath to good use. That and the promise of watching Harman Baweja's ‘revamped’ avatar. Confession: I’ve never seen the man on screen before, having miraculously escaped his debut debacle and thereafter… Read more
Addiction (or "substance abuse") has a genetic component and a behavioral component. Addiction, much like diabetes or hypertension, is a chronic illness - prone to relapses and remissions based on factors that influence the course of the illness. There is no cure for any chronic illness but one can definitely enjoy a high quality of life if one learns to manage the illness and "fix" the issues that crop up as the illness takes its course. Read more
Traditionally, Shrikhand is made using a chakka. Chakka was made by hanging curd/yoghurt in a muslin cloth overnight. As a child, I remember aai (mum) making Shrikhand with chakka (tied it on a tap with paraat underneath). The whey which drained off the chakka was later used to make the dough for chapatti. Read more
Debutant Syed Ahmed Afzal's Youngistaan gets my vote for two reasons—its makers had the grace to play a special tribute to Farooque Shaikh at the start of the film, and in its own ham-fisted way it exhorts the youth to vote. Read more
Worse than senseless films are those with the germ of a great idea squandered in pursuit of easy gratification. Nupur Asthana's Bewakoofiyaan falls in this category. It picks up a topical theme and fails to make a halfway decent watch of it. Read more
In Queen, Rani (Kangana Ranaut) is dumped by her fiancé (Rajkummar Rao) on the eve of their wedding. While the family is still struggling to come to terms with this shock she locks herself in her room crying all night long. Then, on an impulse, she decides to avail of the honeymoon ticket to Paris and seeks her father's permission. "Jaana zaroori hai?" he asks. "Nahin," she replies, "Agar aapk manaa karenge to nahin jaaoongi." Read more
Instead of the regulation item song, the end credits of Soumik Sen's Gulaab Gang roll to inspiring stories of women who've overcome disadvantages of birth and of patriarchal oppression to find ways to fulfil themselves and help others. It's a welcome change. Read more
