By Aayushi Rana. Rakhi has always been described as a thread of protection, of love, of belonging. But what happens when the ritual remains, and the emotion feels absent? This year, I found myself asking that question.

By Rakhshanda Jalil. Read this book, maybe not from cover from cover, but dip into it in no particular order, perusing the stories included here one at a time at your leisure allowing their full import to sink in. Read it for its affirmation of the ‘idea’ of India that is under threat, yes, but is not fully effaced. Read it also for its robust assertion that the Urdu language is alive and well, and yes, Urdu is not the language of the Indian Muslims, alone.

Raju Mansukhani. 60 rich years of the Museum Society of Mumbai: Knowledge, culture, aesthetics. An intense labour of love. A report.

By R Kalpana The stance on divorce, however, is slightly different, and creates curiosity. This is because I know many couples who have divorced, then got back, divorced again, and got back. These things are best left unanswered and not analysed too much, because even if you ask the questions, they really do not have any answers.

By Tathagata Chatterjee. Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt once said, nations aren’t built by borders -- they’re held together by stories. And Sholay is one of those stories.

By Uttara and Sudarshan Shidore. To mark 50 years of the greatest entertainer, blockbuster, and the most successful Hindi film ever made, here's a quiz on the film, designed by Uttara and Sudarshan Shidore.

By Amit Sengupta. No food, no milk, no baby formala, no mother’s milk, no medical care for thousands of orphaned children with entire families wiped out, no nourishment, no maternal care – the babies must die.

By Harshit Rana. In this dark world, there is a need of little spark, so as to make a better world where at least two people can love, work, study, play and share, without the fear of age-old boundaries and prejudices imposed on them.

By Monita Soni. If you’ve ever held on to someone longer than you should have, this narrative will feel achingly familiar.

By Avinash Kumar. Just a cool evening, a small pond and two friends gazing at it, arm in arm.

“Heart-smashed” by her mother’s death, Arundhati Roy began writing the memoir to process her grief and understand her complicated feelings...

By Janaky Sreedharan. Atreyakam, a novel in Malayalam penned by R Rajasree (2024), in its 25th edition now, is the latest entry into the world of contemporary Mahabharata retellings. She discovers that equations of male virility in bed, with manliness in war, make honour a key word around gender identities.

By Amartya Acharya. What we have thus is one of the most gorgeous and visually striking outings the Marvel Cinematic Universe has offered as of yet, and that automatically elevates it a touch above usual mainstream or superhero fare.

By Puja Bhakhoo. This piece explores what happens when divine rage collides with human emotions. It’s not about the thunder we hear, but the storm we feel — the tension, the anticipation, the unraveling beneath the surface.

Photo Feature by Avinash Kumar. Moments overlooked. Fleeting. The dignity, beauty and melancholy of ordinary folks.

Freida Pinto will star in Netflix adaptation of the author’s acclaimed ‘Unaccustomed Earth’, whose first book, ‘The Interpreter of Maladies’ was a big success. The award-winning short story collection will now get the streaming treatment with a star-studded creative team.

By Tathagatha Chatterjee. A charismatic cinema legend in his lifetime in Bengal, Uttam Kumar’s unfading brilliance continues to cast a magical spell across all generations -- his immortal legacy endures. A tribute to the Mahanayak on his 45th anniversary.

By Shubho Roy. Over 75 years ago, a landless immigrant arriving in the city of Kolkata planted a tamarind tree. The act of planting a tree in an unfamiliar land thus became a part of the long negotiation for inclusion, for rehabilitation. An act of re-rooting oneself in the new land.

By Hussain Naqvi. Muharram and the Legacy of Channu Lal Dilgeer's Marsiyas. A forgotten poet of the Ganga-Jamuni culture — this Hindu poet transcended religion to immortalize the tragedy of Imam Hussain.

R Kalpana reviews Aap Jaisa Koi: Love is blind in this adult rom-com. But this infatuation lacks punch.