Culture

If I were to describe Taare Zameen Par in one line, I’d  say – A movie that takes you back to your childhood days and makes you question society’s insistence on being the best. Aamir Khan’s directorial debut TZP is the story of a dyslexic boy struggling for his identity. Ishaan Awasthi (Darsheel Safary) is a misfit in a world enamoured by grades, ranks and trophies. Labelled a loser by his teachers, friends and classmates; he finds…

I am not the first reviewer to compare Rules of Civility to The Great Gatsby. Both are period dramas set in the glamorous worlds of high society of New York with a doomed romance at their center. It’s probably literary blasphemy to say so, but I found Rules of Civility infinitely preferable. I never did have any patience for the story of the purposeless life of the bored rich and their poor life choices. Maybe…

The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets is one of those books that does really well on the book blogger circuit. It’s literary enough to catch a more discerning reader and sufficiently romantic to appeal to a more casual purveyor of books. The Plot Based in post-war Britain, this is a story of the friendship of three twenty-somethings – Penelope, Charlotte, and Henry. And that is just one layer of the story. Eva Rice transports the…

This July, I fell in love with Hong Kong. It was quick and unexpected and on short three- day stopover trip en route to Los Angeles. With temperatures in the 90s and typhoon season humidity, those few days are a sweaty blur in my mind. But I remember the feeling of being in a giant mass of humanity, of a place of some importance. As I boarded my flight back home, I carried specific images…

When my friend and personal trainer, Missy told that she is finally watching Game of Thrones ( you know, after the rest of the world has moved on), I really wanted to understand her experience. And she was kind enough to do a guest post about it! —————————————————————————————————————————- I really thought I was the only person on the planet who had never watched Game of Thrones, until I posted on Facebook. Apparently there are a…

There is a lot of good television these days everywhere. It’s not surprising that a hard sci-fiction for a niche audience would get lost in the mix. If you haven’t seen The Expanse, you are probably not alone. But I suggest you correct that quickly and get on board. With every season, this show is on its way to cement its legacy as one of the best sci-fi shows ever. Seriously, its last season rated…

British murder mystery novels are my go-to comfort reads. There is something very genteel about them. There is no gore or loud action or twists and turns. The plot peels off in oniony layers, there is suspense but it’s never scary. As a reader, you can sip a cup of tea and breeze through a novel and engage your mind pleasantly for a few hours. Michael Innes’s Death at President’s lodging is the quintessential ‘closed…

Located across the narrow Straits of Gibraltar, Morocco has been Europe’s gateway to Africa. For many years ruled by both France & Spain, the free Morocco of today asserts its Islamic & Berber heritage. I recommend the following books for your first time Morocco travels.  These will help plan your trip and familiarize yourself with the rich and conflicted history of this small country in North Africa. Fodor’s Travel : Essential Morocco From the multicultural…