Shruti Sonal
The enemy within: Changing face of rape on screen
No torn blouses, leering villains and revenge sagas. Some filmmakers are moving beyond tropes to confront the ordinariness of sexual offenders and systems that enable everyday harm
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
‘Do we go back to begging or sex work?’ Trans bill sparks fear, fury
Transgenders across the country speak of betrayal and anxiety as hard-won recognition appears to slip away
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
Inside the ‘looksmaxxing’ broverse where masculinity is measured in jawlines
An extreme makeover culture is pushing young Indian men to try everything from skincare to surgery in a bid to boost their ‘sexual market value’
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
Not your old superhero saga! Children’s cinema grows up
Boong’s BAFTA win shows how a new wave of Indian filmmakers is looking beyond capes and cartoons to tell layered stories of young lives
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
Happy hour, but make it dawn
Morning raves are swapping booze for brews, giving early risers and fitness fans a healthier way to party without late nights or hangovers
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
How ‘AI slop’ went from viral nonsense to billion-view jackpot
Behind muscular monkeys & sari-clad cat wives are faceless creators from small-town India using generative tools and surreal storylines for reach
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
India’s archaeological sites might just be the country’s next travel trend
From live excavations to luxury stays, ancient ruins are getting a makeover, helped by the proposals outlined in the Union Budget
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
Too young for a memoir? Not anymore
Millennial and Gen Z writers are reclaiming the genre to make sense of their identity, illness, and ordinary ambition while their lives are still in progress
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
High spirits: The year ‘desi’ horror came of age
It wasn’t just box-office numbers that made 2025 the year of horror. The genre also evolved as many desi elements, such as local folklore and comedy, helped it move beyond mere jumpscares and tap into new segments of the audience.
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
How guides are helping visually impaired athletes chase their dreams
From global competitions to local marathons, they double up as trainers, motivational coaches, and even friends
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
From Sabari to Shurpanakha, Ramayana’s overlooked women find a new voice
On stage and in books, the epic’s forgotten women are sparking conversations on contemporary themes like consent, caste, and ecology
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
Brews, brains, and banter: How Indian bars are raising the bar
Nerding out is the latest nightlife trend as pubs become impromptu classrooms, host lectures
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
From pitches to playdates, pickleball is the new icebreaker
Over 178 million Indians hit the courts every month, and not just to stay fit. It’s the newest space for both business and bonding
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
India’s big, fat dowry problem through the tale of two survivors
One had 22 surgeries, the other gave up after a draining court battle. Their stories show why the tradition continues even 64 years after dowry law
Shammi songs to Srivalli, Indian cinema has a consent problem
From songs in 'An Evening in Paris' and 'Pushpa' to glorification of a one-sided love affair in the recently re-released 'Raanjhanaa', lines between romance and obsession are blurred
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
Lip lockdown! Superman can’t kiss but Devika Rani did — and how
A 33-second kiss just got chopped, but a 2-minute lip-lock once rolled uncensored and unapologetic. Sunday Times looks at how we went from reel freedom to real prudish
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
From Umrao Jaan to Pakeezah, how an archive frames Bollywood's unseen history
For eighty years, Kamat Foto Flash has been chronicling Hindi cinema’s most iconic movies through stills.
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
Raj Kapoor to Ranbir, the India-Iran reel connection lives on
Tehran was among the first global stopovers for Hindi cinema. Even as that bond survived the revolution and censorship, Iranian auteurs found a devoted audience in India
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
Repeat. Retry. Regret? The human cost of UPSC’s ‘try again’ culture
The exam promises power and prestige — but often leaves behind burnout, debt and depression
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
Anatomy of a Booker: How Indian translations are going global
Indian writing in English once hogged all the attention. But with translations winning two International Bookers in three years, language lit is finally getting its due