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
Dinesh C. Sharma, Goatsmoke, and Panchayat - What’s The Chakkar?
What’s The Chakkar? Episode 21: We’re reading books by Dinesh C. Sharma and Maggie O'Farrell; listening to music by Goatsmoke; and watching Season 2 of Panchayat. Featuring Shaista Vaishnav, Anurag Tagat, and Prateek Santram. Hosted by Karan Madhok.
A city translated through the languages of love
Modern Love (Mumbai)’s greatest realization lies in the offering of the city’s palette: an architectural marvel in the Sea Link, an underlying bedrock in Thane, a warm enclosure in cutting chai. The city is steeped in the love its characters exude towards themselves and others. By Raunaq Saraswat
The Revisit Project, Guilty Minds, and Nev March - What’s The Chakkar?
What’s The Chakkar? Episode 19: We’re listening to The Revisit Project; watching Guilty Minds; and reading books by Nev March and Marlon James. Featuring Anurag Tagat, Harshita Murarka, and Shaista Vaishnav. Hosted by Karan Madhok.
Mir Kashif Iqbal, Gehraiyaan, and Chandan Pandey - What’s The Chakkar?
What’s The Chakkar? Episode 17: We’re listening to Mir Kashif Iqbal; watching Gehraiyaan; and reading Chandan Pandey and Alice Munro. Featuring Anurag Tagat, Prateek Santram, and Shaista Vaishnav. Hosted by Karan Madhok.
Mocaine, R.K. Narayan, and Sardar Udham - 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.
The Past Superimposed upon the Present: Shoojit Sircar’s SARDAR UDHAM
It’s impossible to watch the biopic Sardar Udham without identifying how the past still haunts India’s present, how old imperialism continues in the form of the new state. By Karan Madhok
Chennai is Joking Around
“There will be laughter every minute.” From Kalaivanar to Improv, theatre to film, satire to stand-up, Padmaja Jayaraman reveals a brief history of comedy in Chennai.
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.
A roaring commentary on Indian Wildlife
In Amit Masurkar’s man-versus-wild thriller Sherni (2021), a disturbed tigress is on the loose, spreading alarm and fear. But, with critiques of industrialisation, politics, and greed, the film is instead a mirror reflecting the wilder side of humanity itself. By Nidhi Choksi Dhakan.
The Next Episodes: The Best Indian web series in a year of OTT excellence
The diversity of Hindi-language web series over the calendar year was truly remarkable, featuring shows that thrilled, entertained, and pushed forward Indian storytelling more than ever before. From Paatal Lok to Aarya, and Scam 1992 to Panchaayat and beyond, Jamie Alter picks ten of the very best.
Mass Entertainment Outrage
From Paatal Lok and Leila to A Suitable Boy and Deepika Padukone’s films, Indian movies and web series face targeted attacks from the outraged right-wing, hell-bent to shape the national narrative to their own terms. Is there a way forward for true creative voices to survive in the mainstream? By Karan Madhok