The Man Who Remembers
Jaideep Ahlawat again portrays Hathi Ram Chaudhary in the second season of Paatal Lok, the haggard cop whose memory serves both as a crime-solving device and as moral code to leave no life unforgotten. By Karan Madhok
Chef’s Kiss
Despite an uneven recipe, Abhishek Chaubey’s Killer Soup has enough strong performances and intrigue to make for a palatable—and entertaining—main course. By Karan Madhok
Black Water and Black Hearts: The Politics of Citizenship in KAALA PAANI
The medical survival thriller Kaala Paani (2023) explores the dehumanization of indigenous communities through the prism of politics, development, and a dangerous pandemic in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. By Anusha Prakash
Garmi: A scorching drama on Indian Campus Politics
Set in a fictional college-town in North India, the SonyLIV thriller Garmi (2023) takes viewers on a nuanced exploration of the nexus of caste, politics, power, and violence. By Chittajit Mitra
PANCHAYAT is a throwback that looks ahead
Rural India takes centre-stage again in Season 2 of Panchayat, a series that follows the thread of comic absurdity to stitch up a progressive lens on village life. By Karan Madhok
The Great Indian Waste of Potential
Despite its ambitions to be a crime drama at the grandest scale, The Great Indian Murder (2022) falls into a trap of stereotypes and cliches, offering only an amalgamation of old ideas wrapped in a shiny new box. By Karan Madhok
A Mature Portrayal of Science and Sensibility
SonyLIV web series Rocket Boys is a rare exception among recent dramas, where an entertaining story of post-Independent India also holds up a mirror of truths. - By Atulya Pathak
The ‘Secrets’ beyond a compelling Indian true-crime series
In House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths, Leena Yadav moulds the story about a tragedy into an active question of self-reflection for the larger society. - By Atulya Pathak
Wendy Doniger, Lagaan, and Dot. - What’s The Chakkar?
What’s The Chakkar? Episode 12: We’re reading books by Wendy Doniger and Sophia Naz; watching Lagaan; and listening to Dot. Featuring Saurabh Sharma, Prateek Santram, and Ady Manral. Hosted by Karan Madhok.
Tinctures, The Disciple, and Suchitra Vijayan - What’s The Chakkar?
What’s The Chakkar? Episode 11: We’re listening to Tinctures; watching The Disciple; and reading books by Suchitra Vijayan and Kiley Reid. Featuring Anurag Tagat, Jamie Alter, and Shaista Vaishnav. Hosted by Karan Madhok.
S. Hareesh, Tejas, and The Family Man - What’s The Chakkar?
What’s The Chakkar? Episode 10: We’re reading books by S. Hareesh and TJ Klune; listening to music by Tejas; watching The Family Man. Featuring Shaista Vaishnav, Ady Manral, and Prateek Santram. Hosted by Karan Madhok.
Ray, Irfana & Taslina, and Albert Camus - What’s The Chakkar?
What’s The Chakkar? Episode 9: We’re watching Ray; listening to Irfana & Taslina; reading Albert Camus and Anthony Doerr. Featuring Prateek Santram, Anurag Tagat, and Shaista Vaishnav. Hosted by Karan Madhok.