The four short films in Netflix’s Ajeeb Daastaans—far removed in theme and setting—are bound together by their ability to shock. And it’s Neeraj Ghaywan’s beautifully-crafted Geeli Pucchi that elevates the uneven anthology. By Harshita Murarka

Two poems by Antara Mukherjee: ‘The war cry has long bled the emblem, all sons / Headless heap now, trumpetless coronation’

Short story by Vedant Srinivas: ‘The guards meanwhile had crept through the bushes on both sides and brought back big brambles. I looked at the pile, then at them and guessed what they were planning. But I was too terrified to ask.’

Photo-essay: In long walks across Kolkata, Sufia Khatoon comes across lives in motion, lives continuously moving forward, each person an immortal story that fuels the city and adds to its history.

In their latest live release Grugs Are Dood, Mumbai band Punk on Toast present a melodic, controlled chaos, a politically-charged sound of young Indians in musical rebellion. - by Karan Madhok.

Poem by Aaqib Khatibi: ‘I see them drifting along the smoke by the ocean / to lavish lands which are mine no more’.

What’s The Chakkar? Episode 6: We’re listening to Punk on Toast; reading Lori Gottlieb and Franz Kafka; and watching India’s best worst film, Deshdrohi. Featuring Ady Manral, Shaista Vaishnav, and Prateek Santram. Hosted by Karan Madhok.

Matchmaking can be a tricky exercise, especially for cats. In a poignant essay, Barnali Ray Shukla shares the story of Zorro and Ginger, and the complex fissures of politics and morality that tug apart a pucca rishta.

The book Our Freedoms: Essays and Stories from India’s Best Writers confronts the challenges of the present, with remarks on religion, caste, sexuality, politics, and more. Saurabh Sharma argues that the collection has the elixir to inspire the soul of the nation.

Last year, 21-year-old Saraf Bhat became the first Kashmiri author to bag the Global Reader’s Award. Akhila Damodaran explores the young writer’s work, inspirations, and path ahead.

Golchakkar Series - The April panel of our virtual literary talk features Anuradha Kumar and Rochelle Potkar: Imaginging Place in Literature.

Megha Ramaswamy’s What Are the Odds? (2019) is a film unlike any other about Indian young adults, harkening the uncertainty of youth on screen to present an experience that is at once innovative, surreal, and profound. By Paromita Patranobish