There is a peculiar loneliness to Indian crime stories. Not the kind printed in newspaper headlines with red circles and dramatic fonts. I mean the older loneliness. The one that sits beneath railway bridges at 2 a.m., wrapped in a torn shawl, chewing paan under sodium-vapour lights. The loneliness that smells of stale rainwater, police... Continue Reading →
Ah, the "Master Storyteller" was back on stage last night. It was a bravura performance: jaw set in firm resolve, voice oscillating between a paternal whisper and a lion’s roar, all to celebrate the "divine power" of the Indian woman. If irony were a taxable commodity, the treasury would finally be full. In this decade-long... Continue Reading →
Kehta hai Joker saara zamaana, Aadhi hakikat, Aadha Fasaana... All of us may have heard this song, but how many of us have actually felt the pain it projects? Artist No. 3 died out of hunger, No. 68 is burnt deeply, No. 50's daughter had turned to begging and No. 100 isn't giving 100% anymore. The... Continue Reading →
“Ae Munshi Ji... Beta ke Biyah ba agala hafta, Launda kab naachii? (Hey Man! Your son is getting married next week, when will the Launda(s), dance?)”, said a middle-aged man, somewhere in rural Bihar. And that's how in claims and clause, are denigrated the dancing boys of Bihar. Launda Naach is [allegedly] a folk dance... Continue Reading →
Unknown to many, Courtesans, respectfully termed as Tawaifs, were the first women in Indian cinema and unlikely regarded as sex workers today, history honoured them with immense respect and honour. Here are some insights into the evolution of these women from Devdaasis to Kothewaalis... Devdaasis, also known as Tawaifs, Bai Jis, Naikins, Nochi, Kanjari, Kasbi, or Domni, were... Continue Reading →
All assumptions come down to the trial when one actually discovers the festival of an alleged superstition. For over 30 years now, the Natwar village of Rohtas District (Bihar) celebrates "Ghinahu Brahm Mela" for a week-long, during the Durga Puja. It is believed to be attended by both, evil spirits and the Babas (Witch Doctors). Apparently, Bihar has been... Continue Reading →
When Rajesh Khanna said, “Babumoshai, Zindagi badi honi chahiye lambi nahi” on the reel, she proved that right for real. Here's the forever living life story of a 15-year-old National BalShree Awardee, Priyantara Bharti. Priyantara was born to a family of five on 21st August 2005. In 2007, when her father met with an accident... Continue Reading →
Despite being brought up in a joint family, she lived her life as a loner. Discarded from stitching a wedding gown because of her being a widow, she encountered several social taboos closely. With two unsuccessful marriages, this Dabangg lady has no regrets about moving on and living life on her own terms. This is... Continue Reading →
A lady who lost her mother, child, and husband in a span of just 26 months; People called her insane, in-laws blamed her for being a bad omen and society gave her everything that she never deserved. Breaking the taboos around the definition of an independent woman, she lives alone amid this chaotic city with... Continue Reading →
At 15, her brother-in-law physically abused her; at 20, strangers on the streets of Bihar hurled insults, hit, and chased her in broad daylight; and job interviews were more about measuring the length of her saree than her skills. This is the journey of India’s first transgender counselor of Bihar – Anupriya Singh. Born into... Continue Reading →
Aditya Sagar 