Meher Manda

Before ‘RRR,’ There Was ‘Anniyan’

Shankar’s 2005 vigilante drama cracked the pan-India formula long before it had a name — by speaking to ordinary people on their own terms.

What’s Really Killing Bollywood

The decline of Hindi cinema isn’t just about streaming or bad scripts — it involves something far more sinister.

‘Sabar Bonda’: A Marathi Queer Drama Triumphs at Sundance

Rohan Kanawade’s feature debut offers a radical undertaking on love.

‘Santosh’: When Justice is a Performance

In Sandhya Suri’s Oscar-shortlisted film, a widow finds freedom and power in a police uniform — but at what cost?

‘All We Imagine As Light’: Sisterhood and Survival in Mumbai

Payal Kapadia shares how her award-winning film offers a radically refreshing depiction of India’s busiest city.

‘Haider’ Revisited: The Tragedy of Kashmir

Ten years later, Vishal Bhardwaj’s elegy for a land ravaged by violence remains as haunting as ever.

‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!’: Two Weddings, One Funeral, and 14 Songs

How Sooraj Barjatya’s 1994 blockbuster defined more than just Hindi cinema.

‘Kalki 2898 AD’: A Future We’ve Seen Before

Nag Ashwin’s sci-fi universe harnesses Indian mythology and a superstar cast, but its all-too-familiar packaging dampens its ambition.

‘Amar Singh Chamkila’: An Ode to a Punjabi Folk Hero

Diljit Dosanjh stars in the Imtiaz Ali biopic that isn’t afraid to embrace the violence and vulgarity of the real-life story behind it.

‘Highway’ and the Making of a Star

How the 2014 Imtiaz Ali film set the stage for Alia Bhatt’s dominance.

Why Are We Still Talking About ‘Animal’?

Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s paean to violence, misogyny, and daddy issues is a laughably poor film, one that benefits from endless discourse.

‘The Archies’: An Ode to Being Young and Free

Zoya Akhtar’s film adaptation of the beloved American comic isn’t for the serious. Rather, it’s an endearing reminder of the joys of young adulthood.

‘Jubilee’ Review: A Dazzling Homage to the Dawn of Hindi Cinema

Vikramaditya Motwane’s ambitious series explores the style and scandal of Bollywood in post-Partition and post-Independence India.

Opinion: Bollywood Nepo Babies Aren’t the Problem

While offering a needed conversation on privilege, the nepotism discourse in India’s film industries has grown stale. Rather, it demands a closer look at changing the system.

‘Bride & Prejudice’ and East vs. West

Gurinder Chadha’s Bollywood spin on the Jane Austen classic brought fun silliness to the clash between Indian and American values.

How ‘Garm Hava’ Reframes the Partition Narrative

Instead of focusing on the traumatic events of Partition, the 1974 M.S. Sathyu film provides a searing look at what happened after.

How ‘Taal’ Took Aishwarya Rai to New Heights

The plot of Subhash Ghai’s 1999 film was nothing new. The killer soundtrack and a rising star made it a global sensation.

The Evolution of Karan Johar’s Queer Eye

What has driven the filmmaker’s increasingly nuanced portrayals of LGBTQ characters?

India’s Parallel Cinema Remains Unmatched

Govind Nihalani’s ‘Party’ was among a slate of films that used realism to challenge political power. Where are such movies now?

How 'RRR' and 'Baahubali' Raised the Bar for the Indian Blockbuster

Filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli has achieved the Hollywood blockbuster effect — using large budgets for even larger box office payoffs — by turning Indian folklore and the freedom struggle into must-see epics.

What Makes The Kashmir Files Controversial

The blockbuster film has repurposed the true story of the horrific mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits for political gain, fanning calls for violence.

Where Has Bollywood’s Romance Gone?

In these divisive times, love remains a mere blip — not the central character it once was — in most Hindi films.

Lata Mangeshkar: The Voice of the Nation, In Good Times and Bad

Arguably the most decorated Indian singer of all time was also a witness to, and sometimes a participant in, the country's murky history.

The Cricket Pitch as Battleground in Indian Cinema

If cricket in India is no less important than religion, then films like ‘83’ and ‘M.S. Dhoni’ have deified the sport and its players beyond reproach.

It’s Time to Bid Bollywood Masala Films a Definitive Goodbye

The genre that once crackled with all the dramatic possibilities of mainstream Hindi cinema and united a country has devolved into divisive, repugnant storylines.

The Diluted Revolutionary: Bhagat Singh in Hindi Cinema

Shoojit Sircar’s “Sardar Udham” is the latest in a long line of Bollywood portrayals of the Indian freedom fighter, but the first to delve into his humanity and nuanced politics.

How Mughals Turned Into Hindi Cinema’s Newest Villains

From “Mughal-e-Azam” to “Jodhaa Akbar,” Bollywood has long been fascinated with the stories and extravagance of the Mughal empire. But in recent years, films have reduced the Muslim rulers to caricatured villains.

Why Kamal Haasan's “Hey Ram” Tries — and Fails — to Rewrite History

In the daring historical drama, the actor and filmmaker poses the question, “What if a man could be dissuaded from assassinating Gandhi?”

How Mani Ratnam’s Terrorism Trilogy Stoked 1990s Nationalism

Though critically acclaimed, the director’s “Roja,” “Bombay,” and “Dil Se...” pushed jingoistic narratives that persist in Bollywood today.

How Bollywood Failed Kashmir

Hindi cinema has long viewed Kashmir through a glossy lens, erasing its people, their agency, and their political histories.

‘Fire’: An Inextinguishable Part of Queer Brown Cinema

The 1996 film was the first in India to portray two women in love. Some called it revolutionary. Others called it a war against Indian culture.

The Devolution of Journalism in Hindi Film

Bollywood’s ethical journalists are increasingly disappearing from the screen.

‘Swades’ and the NRI Burden

The 2004 Shah Rukh Khan film broke away from the fantasy of overseas glamour. Instead, it showed us the political responsibility of returning home.

How a 1990 Satyajit Ray Film Predicted the Future

Amid the coronavirus pandemic and increasing politicization of society, "Ganashatru" is loudly prescient.

Opinion: It’s Too Easy to Criticize Rupi Kaur

Many have ridiculed the Instagram poet, but her politics deserve a chance.

Dissenting Cinema: Why India Censors Films

The Indian government has long been quick to censor content that poses a challenge to the reigning politics of the time.

When Rang De Basanti Taught Us to Be Angry

The radical film — which turns 15 today — roused a generation, sending political shockwaves throughout India for years to come.

A Year After CAA, India Doubles Down on Dissent

December 12, 2020, marked the one-year anniversary of the enactment of CAA. A global pandemic hasn’t stopped India from going after its own citizens.

25 Years of Rangeela, the Quintessential Ode to Bollywood

Armed with a brilliant cast and a glorious soundtrack by A. R. Rahman, the film is a tribute to Mumbai, moviemaking, and the filmiest of love stories.

"A Suitable Boy" is Lavish, But Far Too Hasty

The BBC adaptation of Vikram Seth’s 1993 novel boasts a solid cast and seasoned director, but feels rushed within the network’s six-episode format.

The Essential Legacy of M.I.A.

Her Brownness was palatable to the industry and their persistent search for a fresh eclectic star — but her politics were not.

The Complicated Exuberance of Rishi Kapoor

The iconic actor will be remembered not only for his on-screen vivacity but also for some uncomfortable off-screen moments.

The Evolution of Home in Bollywood

As we stay at home during coronavirus, a look at how Bollywood has depicted home in all its possibilities.

What is the Religion of Bollywood?

How the default lens of India’s most visible film industry others Muslims.