Neerja Bhanot and the Making of a Hero
As Smit Machchhar’s bravery captivates the world, another rescue 40 years ago reveals how courage takes on a life of its own.
Isha Banerjee
Where Did All the Bollywood Tours Go?
For decades, diaspora fans packed arenas to see their favorite stars live. Then, the stars stopped coming.
Why Tamil Baddies Are Winning in Hollywood
They’re landing major roles long denied to those who look like them. Yet, their success has also led to a salty backlash.
Why Stalking is So Deadly for South Asian Women
Shalini Thakur did what victims are told to do: report her stalker and get a restraining order. It still wasn’t enough.
The Postpartum Case India Almost Got Wrong
Over a year before the Lindsay Clancy trial, an Indian mother was convicted of doing the unthinkable.
What the Hell is ‘Lakshmi-Maxxing’?
A wellness influencer repackaged a Hindu goddess as self-optimization. Then came the backlash.
Are Indians Really Gaming Airport Wheelchairs?
Viral videos have convinced us that travelers are faking disabilities. But the data tells a messier story.
When the Mahabharata Went Global
Over 40 years ago, a British director cast actors from 17 countries in an Indian epic. The backlash still feels surprisingly current.
Why Bengal Gets Left Out of the Partition Story
Millions were uprooted not just in Punjab and Sindh, but also in the east. Yet one side dominates how we remember 1947.
Before ‘Best of the Best,’ There Was Best of the Best
Exclusive: We spoke to director Lena Khan and the dancers behind the real championship that might have inspired the Netflix film.
The Making of an Indian Pop Girl
Charli XCX, Tyla, and Lara Raj have conquered global music. Why did it take so long to see them at the top?
The Internet’s Latest Mama’s Boy Wants to Set the Record Straight
Exclusive: The Ultimatum’s Jebin John went viral for saying his wife should be like his “new mom.” He told us what everyone got wrong.
The Odyssey and the Ramayana: The Comparison That Won’t Die
Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster revives a centuries-old question: are the two epics related?
The Joyful Absurdity of ‘Caminho das Índias’
Indians are rediscovering a 2009 Brazilian telenovela about them — and loving it. Why does it still hit across borders?
Why Yasmeen Ghauri Could Only Exist in the 1990s
There was a time when supermodels ruled. She defined the era, and left before the party was over.
Rukhmabai, The Woman Who Said No
By refusing to comply with her child marriage, she exposed the violence embedded in tradition — and forced a legal reckoning that gripped colonial India.
Bengalis Are Falling in Love — Just Not With Each Other
For a culture so obsessed with its own superiority, why do so many marry outside the community?
The European Fantasy That Betrayed Its Bengali Heroine
In the 1930s, a Romanian scholar turned one woman’s story into a salacious novel. She refused to let his version become history.
The Outrageous History Behind the Taj Mahal Necklace
Hollywood and Western luxury houses keep exploiting Indian royal artefacts to sell jewels on the red carpet. When will it stop?
The Making of the South Asian Mother-in-Law
The Beckham drama cracked open generational trauma and power plays many of us know too well.
Dengue: From Dacca Fever to Today’s Deadly Crisis
In 1964, the West branded Bengal as the site of “worldwide epidemics.” Did the stigma predetermine its destiny?
Sabu, the Indian Who Made It in 1930s Hollywood
As the West’s “elephant boy,” he was exotic enough to be adored — and expendable enough to be forgotten.
Oil Pulling, the Viral Ayurvedic Practice Your Dentist Hates
Celebs swear by it. Western researchers call it pseudoscience. The ancient ritual is at the center of a deeper battle: whose medicine do we trust?
Is Ed Sheeran the First Western Pop Star to Get India Right?
Critics have accused Coldplay, Selena, and others of exoticizing the country. Here’s why “Sapphire” might be different.
Why South Asians Are Disney’s Forever Maybes
From Prince Naveen to Jasmine, the community has always existed in the famed animator’s fantastical in-between.
What Italians Call Chaos, We Call Indian Pasta
We fry it. We spice it. We drown it in sauce. The result? The tastiest remix South Asians never meant to create.
Brown Girl, White Guy: The Trope That Won’t Die
In Hollywood, South Asian characters almost never end up together. Is it bias — or something deeper?
South Asia Banned Dowries. Why Are Brides Still Paying?
Two newlyweds died in Tamil Nadu in two days. The practice’s real cost isn’t gold or cars — it’s women’s lives.
Prada’s $1,300 Kolhapuris Are a Call to Arms
South Asians have had enough. Stop the absurdity — it’s time to buy local.
Zohran Mamdani’s Unlikely Fan Base
The 33-year-old’s socialist platform targeted the working class — but it was New York City’s richest who put him on top.
The Queer Magazine That Defied a Nation
Xulhaz Mannan founded Roopbaan as a love letter to Bangladesh’s LGBT community. The price of ink was his life.
Can Air India Be Saved?
Tata is pouring billions into the airline. But a deadly crash — and years of passenger complaints — continue to cloud its comeback.
The Magical, Experimental World of Eid Henna
The joyful declaration of identity — inked in Mughal arches, crescent moons, and dainty flowers — is undergoing a revival.
Why ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’ Nails Rich People Drama
Don’t let the glamour fool you. A 2015 film about wealthy people on a cruise shouldn’t be so relatable. And yet, it is.
Bengal’s Goddess Contradiction
A history of worshipping powerful women shapes the region’s identity as a matriarchal utopia — but the data tells a more uncomfortable truth.
How Faizan Zaki’s Spelling Bee Win Marks a New Era
From jhumkas to on-stage prayers, Indian American spellers are reshaping the bee as a place for cultural belonging.
The Sepoy Mutiny: Spark or Setback?
History books say the soldier-led 1857 rebellion ignited India’s fight for independence. Not everyone agrees.
Being Sharmila Tagore
The first Bollywood actor to wear a bikini wasn’t trying to make a statement. That’s what makes her radical.
India Molded Math. Then Europe Claimed It.
We all know the quadratic formula and the Fibonacci sequence. Why don’t we talk about their roots?
R.D. Burman’s Musical Magic
You definitely know his tunes, but do you know him?
How Cricket’s Saurabh Netravalkar Engineers Victory
He’s who your mom compares you to: Oracle engineer, Cornell grad, star cricketer.
Kamaladevi, the Activist for All
She saw no struggle as separate, fighting injustice everywhere — from Jim Crow America to British-ruled India.
The U.S. Cricket Team is Here to Stay
A group of dreamers and part-timers beat some of the world’s best. We asked them how they did it.
The Ambanis: The Making of a Global Brand
India is already the fastest-growing major economy. Its richest family is its next biggest export.
The Indian Americans Voting for Trump
Democrats have always relied on the community’s vote. This election year, that relationship is complicated.
Gaja Gamini is Great, But Not Enough
Aditi Rao Hydari’s back flabs in ‘Heeramandi’ made people feel seen. Yet, body inclusivity for South Asians still feels far off.
Gold Chains for Men Aren’t New
The West deemed jewelry too “effeminate” for South Asian men and too “flashy” for Black men. Now, they’re hopping on the bandwagon.
The Dotbusters Were Not “A Joke”
New Jersey officials downplayed the group’s deadly attacks against Indian Americans. Over 36 years later, little has changed.
The Sari Blouse: Colonial Import or Indian Ingenuity?
Some would have you believe the British introduced the garment. But that’s far from the full story.
How Bollywood Perfected the Love Triangle
Long before ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ and ‘Challengers,’ India’s biggest films thrived on this messy formula. Why can’t we look away?
Rabindranath Tagore’s Lost Legacy
The Bard of Bengal won a Nobel Prize and global fame. So why do we tend to ignore his relevance today?
Jasmine Flowers Are More Than an Accessory
The delicate white buds have stood the test of time, cementing themselves in pop culture, weddings, mythology, and everyday life.
How Parkchester Became “Little Bangladesh”
The once exclusively white neighborhood is a haven for immigrants. But does its success threaten its future?
Piercings: Tradition for South Asians, Rebellion in the West
For those from the subcontinent, the practice is a given, even for babies. In the West, it’s taboo and reviled. Why?
Jhumkas Are Now Everywhere
For South Asians, the ancient chandelier-shaped earrings have always been a classic. Now, others seem to be joining the party.
The Unlikely Sponsor Behind the New York City Marathon
TCS pours tens of millions of dollars into global marathons every year. That few know what it does or its Indian origins is by design.
