In recent years, journalists have been attacked, intimidated, and the likes of Gauri Lankesh and Shujat Bhakari murdered. Nikita Chatterjee explains how violence, government pressure, paid news, and more have shackled India’s press freedoms and landed a major blot upon our idea of democracy.

S.P. Balasubrahmanyam’s iconic voice and plethora of soundtracks marked the multilingual singer as one of the most essential artists of his time. Jamie Alter recalls the impact of the crossover artist in the Hindi film industry.

In his urgent and timely novel The Machine is Learning (2020), Tanuj Solanki confronts the rise of artificial intelligence with the complexities of 21st century humanity - by Kiran Bhat.

Gulmarg’s Raja’s Hut was the subject of the 2018 documentary Iron Khan. Citing the film and personal experience, Zachary Conrad recalls the guest-house and its owners, in the foreground of the Himalayas, snowboarding, and insurgency in Kashmir.

Mira Nair’s limited series, A Suitable Boy—based on Vikram Seth’s novel—reveals even with changing times, many of our approaches to arranged marriage in India have remained the same. By Nidhi Choksi Dhakan.

While India’s musicians take the show online, the unsung heroes of live shows—technicians, backstage coordinators, tentwallahs and more struggle to make their ends meet since the lockdown. Some in the events industry have united to give back. - by Barkha Kumari

Photo Essay: Lost without direction, and happy to keep moving—Varanasi’s labyrinthine old gullies and the Ganga riverside provide the glimpse of a world without time, where the ancient world collapses into the present. By Karan Madhok

In Bitter Chocolate (2000), Pinki Virani turned the spotlight on the extent of child sexual abuse in India, and the possible ways forward to address the challenges with this issue. - By Nikita Chatterjee

How Anvita’s Dutt film Bulbbul (2020) turned the age-old story of churails into a complex feminist fairy tale - by Harshita Murarka.

India has to grapple with both caste and colonisation to get a holistic understanding of mental health issues, stigma, treatment and community interventions. - By Sadaf Vidah

Nagaland-based singer-songwriter Abdon Mech discusses his lockdown-inspired single “Again”, his song writing process, future plans, and more.- by Ady Manral

An interview with Analyst & Writer Shefali Saldanha on the COVID-19 vaccine research, logistical challenges for India, promoting hand-washing, fighting disinformation, and much more.