'19 Issue 07

Each of the films that Vikramaditya Motwane has directed — Udaan, Lootera, Bhavesh Joshi Superhero and Trapped — grapples with the desire to change one’s circumstances; the relentless chase for happiness, love, success…freedom. He surveys the commercial Hindi movies of the last 70 years and picks seven iconic releases, exclusively revealing how each one has guided his own aspirations, especially once he found his métier
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Addressing stereotypes about North-East India is a key element of Abhineet Mishra’s stand-up comedy act on stage. We test his skills in the kitchen, where the reluctant cook gamely whips up a staple dish of the region while filling Zaral Shah in on the less-talked-about culinary connection with his roots
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Following a serendipitous opportunity, the girl who once hated cricket is now a fixture on its televised English coverage in India. Over the last 13 years, Mayanti Langer-Binny has commentated on a host of major global sports events, and in a long-overdue encounter, former national cricketer Snehal Pradhan observes the off-camera confidence that has maintained the broadcaster’s steady position in such an unpredictable field
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The end to yet another fashion week causes clothes maker Kallol Datta to look inwards, shining a torch into the shadowy crevices of the abandoned runway halls. He speaks about the need for fashion to be more political…
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The menswear retail sector has undergone a visible evolution as it moved from offering just boring basics or expensive designer garments to including multi-designer men’s stores and Instagram brands that are eco-friendly and influenced by street style. Verve gives you an overview of the ready-to-wear market while highlighting a mix of well-established and under-the-radar labels
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Two breakout books of 2019, Jenny Odell’s How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy and Jia Tolentino’s Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion are lessons in what the internet generation was promised, what it got, and where to go from here
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