She has beauty, charm, grace, and elegance. But her courage and optimism shine the brightest and essentially define her personality. I’m talking about none other than Lisa Ray, who needs no introduction and is known to most of us as an actor, model, and television personality. However it’s her skill as a writer and her philanthropy that have also come to focus, especially post 2009. … Continue reading Looking Beyond The Actor: Getting to Know Lisa Ray

On June 12, Netflix released Nicholas Kharkongor’s Axone. The film had its world premiere at the 63rd BFI London Film Festival. Based on the theme of discrimination against the people of North-East India, the film is interlaced with humor that provides quite a few light-hearted moments despite a serious theme. The trio of Upasna, Chanbi, and Zorem lives in Delhi and hails from the North-East. … Continue reading Axone Sheds Light On A Problem Plaguing North-East Indians

Film Companion has initiated a weekly Sunday Showcase program to celebrate pathbreaking short films. On May 31, the website screened Abhiroop Basu’s Meal on their YouTube channel. The film, which has made it to several film festivals, has earned numerous accolades and was India’s entry at the Oscar-qualifying Odense International Film Festival, Denmark. Its most recent recognition was when it earned an award in the … Continue reading Abhiroop Basu’s “Meal” Mirrors Reality Sans Words

The Indian film industry has lost one of its greatest stalwarts with the passing away of Basu Chatterjee on Thursday, June 4. In a career spanning four decades, he has gifted priceless gems that posterity will always hold close to their hearts. Basu Chatterjee began his career as an illustrator and cartoonist with the weekly tabloid Blitz. His cinematic excursion started when he assisted Basu … Continue reading Remembering Basu Chatterjee: A Tribute

The term “dabbawala” has never been unfamiliar to me. But it was enriching to know in depth how the Dabbawala brigade functions from someone who is connected to the very core of that community. The director and co-founder of Speaking Minds, Raga Olga D’Silva, in yet another interesting session (May 19) of her “From The Other Side” series, brings to the table Dr. Pawan Agrawal. … Continue reading The Story Of The Dabbawalas During COVID-19 Crisis

Over the last couple of months, staying home has almost become a global norm. There has been a plethora of interesting videos and live chats on social media where actors, writers, sportsmen, and other celebrities have shared how they have been coping with this sudden change in their lifestyle. I decided to focus on a section of the community that is not made up of … Continue reading How Are Youngsters Handling Social Distancing During COVID-19?

The world is submerged into the depths of the COVID-19 crisis. At a time when we are shaken to the core, it’s heartwarming to hear stories that make us smile and restore our faith in humanity. It’s just like the rainbow that emerges after the storm, when we come to know that we have amongst us the good samaritans whose hearts flow with love and … Continue reading Javed Akhtar and Shankar Mahadevan’s “Zindagi Jeetegi” Is a Song For Hope During COVID-19

With COVID-19 shaking the world, our lives have changed in dramatic ways. In the midst of the pandemic that is giving birth to chaos, fear, and uncertainty, another harsh truth has come to light. It’s the unpleasant fact that we take certain people for granted: those individuals who symbolize a strong invisible force and play an important part in our lives. Social distancing is the … Continue reading Domestic Helps: Are They The Unsung Heroes?

Continue reading Domestic Helps: Are They The Unsung Heroes?

A heart-breaking incident from the night of March 22nd sends a chill down the spine. A girl from Manipur in Delhi’s North Campus had stepped out with a friend to get groceries. On her way back, a man in a scooter allegedly called her “corona” and spit paan on her face. The scariest part was that the paan juice entered her eyes including bits of … Continue reading We are from the North-East and Definitely Indians!

My heart swelled with pride to see an announcement from Nick Low, the British High Commissioner to Kolkata. He expressed his excitement to visit Assam to present the Commonwealth Points of Light Award on behalf of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The honor is for Jadav ”Molai” Payeng, who single-handedly planted and nurtured an entire forest on the island of Majuli. It is a prestigious … Continue reading The Man Who Loves the “Good Earth”: A Tribute to Forest Man Jadav Payeng