We Need to Talk About Hanumankind
With an electrifying, viral video, Hanumankind’s “Big Dawgs” has become Indian hip hop’s biggest global smash. In an email exchange, Karan Madhok and Nakul Yadav discuss his unlikely breakthrough, the future of Indian rap, and Baba Sehgal’s “Aaja Meri Gaadi Mein Baith Ja”.
‘Afraid of Feeling So Great’: Green Park’s Moody Melodies of Separation and Growth
Newly Aged (2024), the debut album by Green Park, is an experimental, cross-cultural rock project that responds to the uncertainties of transition, joy, and the life ahead. By Karan Madhok
How Chamkila’s Music Holds a Mirror up to Punjab’s Cultural Vices
Imtiaz Ali’s biographical drama Amar Singh Chamkila (2024) returns to the profane and scandalous themes of the Punjabi artist’s music, reclaiming the singer’s societal impact, and exposing the flawed notions of morality in Punjab’s cultural milieu. By Deepansh Duggal
Courage Becomes Cruelty: An Appropriation of “Arjan Vailly” in ANIMAL
With a bloodthirsty protagonist and an army of brute Sikh men, Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s controversial hit Animal reduces the Punjabi folk song “Arjan Vailly”—a storied war cry against oppression—into a chorus of vile brutality. By Deepansh Duggal
Revolution on the Airwaves: An Account of India’s Tumultuous Radio History
In Radio for the Millions: Hindi-Urdu Broadcasting Across Borders, Isabel Huacuja Alonso demonstrates how radio created transnational communities of listeners and broadcasters, who defied colonial and postcolonial governments’ stranglehold over the medium and maneuvered it for their own purposes. By Sohel Sarkar
Pioneers of Bangla World Rock: An Interview with members of Krosswindz
In a wide-ranging conversation, bandmates Vikramjit ‘Tuki’ Banerjee and Chandrani Banerjee of Krosswindz spoke about the legendary band’s inception, the legacy of Bangla rock, secrets of their musical craft, and much more. By Ronald Tuhin D’Rozario
A Stage in Symphony: The Alchemy of QALA’s Music
How the music from Qala (2022)—produced by Amit Trivedi—diverged from the flow of mainstream formulas in the Hindi film industry, and succeeded in inhabiting a rare sweet spot of commercial and critical appeal. By Raunaq Saraswat
‘Meetha Sa Chara Hai Bukhar’: The Timeless Musical Fever of DEV.D
The music of Dev.D—produced by Amit Trivedi—still sounds fresh and imaginative, honouring Indian traditions while pushing the envelope of a global sound, remixing this popular tale with a burst of enigmatic new energy. By Karan Madhok
Excerpt: THE STORY OF JONAH STONE by Amrit
Fiction: “And then whaddayaknow, they did, and here I am, sitting nonchalantly on a park bench on a Wednesday afternoon, half a free man.”
Paa De Lohri: A reconsideration of the spring festival’s most popular folk songs
From the happy chorus of ‘Desi trick or treat’ singers to the problematic lyrics in folk classics, Deepansh Duggal takes a deep dive to explore the cultural significance of Punjabi Lohri music in contemporary times.
Poison Pop
Saurabh Sharma explores the rising wave of propaganda anti-Muslim music on Indian airwaves, songs filled with jingoism, religious bigotry, and xenophobia masquerading as art.
808s & Sufiyana: Ahmer’s hip hop tapestry from the Kashmir Valley
Srinagar-based rapper Ahmer spoke to The Chakkar about how a deeper examination of his own community, culture, and history helped jolt him out of his comfort zone, and inspire his ambitious sophomore LP, Azli. By Karan Madhok