Toot! Toot!‘The Romantics’ Shows the Thinning Line Between Documentaries and PR 'The Romantics' presented a PR exercise neatly packaged as intellectual discourse, blurring the line between documentaries and PR. By Devrupa Rakshit
Achchhe Din in the West?Nikki Haley Is Running for US President – Signaling the Conservative Indian Diaspora’s Rising Power The rise of conservatism among Indian-Americans in the West reflects voting patterns based on a parallel rise in Hindu nationalism. By Devrupa Rakshit
Domestic Ordeal17 Year‑Old Domestic Worker Alleges Severe Abuse by Gurgaon Employers. Why Is Domestic Work Still Such a Vulnerable Profession in India? The devaluation of household labor means that domestic workers are often paid low wages, leaving them with no bargaining power, and thus, prone to forced labor. By Devrupa Rakshit
Formula FactorySpy, Cop, and ‘Astra’ Universes Taking Over Cinema, Points to the Marvel‑ification of Bollywood The larger problem lies with our persistent reliance on formulaic plots, rather than with franchising itself. By Devrupa Rakshit
Fingers Crossed!A Canadian Province Decriminalized Heroin, Cocaine to Fight Overdose Crisis. Can It Work? "Substance use is a public health matter, not a criminal justice issue," the government website said, about decriminalizing the drugs. By Devrupa Rakshit
De-Urbanization In ProgressWhy Bollywood Moved Away From Urban Romances in Favor of Small‑Town Ones Socio-economic shifts in the country have changed what Indian audiences relish -- and it is no longer the idealized NRI archetype. By Devrupa Rakshit
Mainstreaming It AllSome Andaman and Nicobar Islands Are Now Named After Military Heroes. This Undermines Both Local Culture and Military Lives The bid to "unify" the country comes at the cost of erasing local, indigenous cultures -- and glorifying the narrative of sacrifice. By Devrupa Rakshit
Food Separation MovementIs This Normal: ‘I Can’t Stand Different Foods Touching Each Other on My Plate’ There's a name for the driving factor behind food separatism: brumotactillophobia, or the fear of different food items touching each other. By Devrupa Rakshit
Demanding AgencyWhy Are Dharavi’s Residents Protesting Adani’s Redevelopment Plan? At the heart of the protests is the assertion that it should be the residents of Dharavi who decide what redevelopment means to them. By Devrupa Rakshit
Army of WallflowersAs the Shadow of the Pandemic Looms Over Cities, Urban Loneliness Is Rising Although people are attempting to restart their old lives, many are finding that the pre-2020 versions of their lives no longer exist. By Devrupa Rakshit
No ConsequencesSomy Ali Accused Ex‑Boyfriend Salman Khan of Physical, Emotional Abuse. Why Is No One Listening? Salman Khan's enduring popularity -- despite previous allegations -- forces us to reckon with the immunity of men in positions of power. By Devrupa Rakshit
Don't Need a Fresh StartCan We Move On: From the Woman Who Uproots Her Social Life, Career to Be With a Man The trope suggests that a woman's achievements and interests matter -- but only if they're somehow benefitting her heterosexual partner. By Devrupa Rakshit
New Year New AnxietyWhy the New Year Can Trigger Anxiety for Many People Uncertainty and change are two of the biggest triggers behind the anxiety people experience while making their way into January. By Devrupa Rakshit
A Passionate SymbiosisCan Passion for Work Exist Without Struggles, Challenges? Struggles at work can be either stimulating or discouraging -- depending on how easy they are to overcome. By Devrupa Rakshit
Not A Good ExcuseInclusive Christmas Rom‑Coms Are Proof We Can Indulge in Nostalgia Without Being Bigoted Christmas rom-coms used to be predominantly white, heteronormative nostalgia trips. But more diversity in the genre stays true to its spirit -- without excluding anyone. By Devrupa Rakshit
Incoming Word VomitIs This Normal? ‘I Always Wake Up Embarrassed About Oversharing Every Time I Socialize’ Anxiety and loneliness are, more often than not, strong driving forces behind oversharing at social gatherings. By Devrupa Rakshit
Where's The Other Shoe?How Unhappy Childhoods Can Make People Scared of Feeling Happy as Adults "[T]raumatic experiences as a child may have a long-lasting impact on the person’s perception of happiness." By Devrupa Rakshit
Uh... Minus!An Indian Woman Won ‘Mrs. World 2022.’ But Why Do We Still Have a Separate Beauty Pageant For Married Women? The separation of beauty pageants for married and unmarried women speaks to their role in maintaining heteronormativity. By Devrupa Rakshit