Ishita Sengupta
Senior Sub Editor
Articles By Ishita Sengupta
Rani Mukerji and the worst advice to end the year of #MeToo
Rani Mukerji was the Messiah we all needed at the roundtable. Living in an ideal world, she believes that "back off" would end all instances of sexual assaults. The actor's optimism was both enviable and absurd.
‘Cancer became a metaphor for all that was wrong in my life’: Manisha Koirala on her new book
Over a telephonic conversation, Manisha Koirala told indianexpress.com how cancer became a metaphor for all that was wrong in her life, and how it also triggered self-reflection that ultimately led to a soul-searching journey.
Are translators co-creators of a novel? Jasmine Days’ author and its translator weigh in
The year 2018 has largely been about translated works. It began with Polish novelist Olga Tokarczuk winning the prestigious Man Booker International Prize for Flights, translated by Jennifer Croft, on May 22.
Booksellers of College Street: Between tiny shops and greasy palms, an untold story
College Street, a kilometre-long stretch of road from Ganesh Chandra Avenue Crossing in Bowbazar to Mahatma Gandhi Road is lined with books on both sides; the eclectic collection on display can entice any connoisseur of books.
Kolkata’s new crop of vegetarian cafes offer food lovers choice, and much more
People in Kolkata are still aficionados of good food, and this often surpasses their rigidity regarding vegetarian and non-vegetarian. In Kolkata, good food, still, triumphs all.
Smog: How it affects the eye
Every year, after Diwali, people in the Capital are engulfed in a thick cloud of smog. We spoke to people and doctors in the city to find out how smog affects the eye and if it could be prevented at all.
Paradise Towers review: In search of a plot
Set in Mumbai, Shweta Bachchan-Nanda's debut novel shares its name with a building in the city. Paradise Towers, by the author’s own admission, not only stands as an anachronistic edifice among the skyscrapers, but also has a name that is dripping with irony.
Shweta Bachchan-Nanda on her debut novel Paradise Towers, her biggest critic and literary influences
In an e-mail interview with indianexpress.com, Shweta Bachchan-Nanda talks about her debut novel Paradise Towers, the reason for using stereotypes and the family member who has always been her biggest critic.
On World Heart Day, we ask – does heartbreak ever get easier?
Bereft of the luxury of time, I don’t languish in heartbreaks anymore - but the pain now hits in waves. Many a times I have kept memories of an agonising night neatly beside the bed, unaware of it till a song floating in the air makes it difficult for me to breathe.
Pyjamas are Forgiving review: Despite interesting premise, Twinkle Khanna’s novel ceases to be engaging
Twinkle Khanna situates her debut novel Pyjamas are Forgiving, in the midst of a Kerala’s Shanthamaaya Sthalam, a spa where people are supposed to exercise restraint, consume copious amount of ghee and in turn get treated for their ailments.
Anuradha Roy on her latest novel and books that are part of her bloodstream
Anuradha Roy's novel All The Lives We Never Lived has been receiving rave reviews and most recently was longlisted for The JCB Prize for Literature. The author spoke to indianexpress.com about the novel, what goes into building the characters and who are the authors who inspire her.
Coming out of the closet? Three people recount their experiences and have some advice
The Supreme Court on September 6 passed a landmark judgment of decriminalising part of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, 1861. Members from the LGBTQI community and otherwise took to the streets in exuberance as rainbow colour flags dominated the road and seemed to touch the sky.
Zuni Chopra on her new novel, favourite authors and the book that made her cry buckets
The young author also spoke about how rejections hit her hard when she was trying to publish her first novel.
For the Love of Books
Gifting books offers an intimacy that is beyond the immediacy of the words within its pages.
Remembering Rituparno Ghosh: Film-maker, cultural icon and a man who lived life on his own terms
Sangeeta Datta, who has co-authored a book and made a documentary on the filmmaker discusses his contribution to cinema and why he is considered a legend.
Decoding the ‘feminist’ in Ismat Chughtai’s most (in)famous short story, Lihaaf
Ismat Chughtai's Lihaaf, indisputably, remains one of her most (in)famous works and the controversy it sparked hung like a perceptible shadow over everything Chughtai wrote after that. The story was charged with obscenity and she was summoned to Lahore to defend it.
How do Parsi women who’ve married outside the community celebrate Navroze?
It’s good to see that old customs are changing. Marrying outside the Parsi community usually results in the women being considered outsiders. They are not allowed to participate in various ceremonies or enter the Fire Temple.
For Ritwik Ghatak, the pain of Partition was always in frame
Cinema, by Ghatak’s own admission, was nothing more than a means of expression. He obdurately refused to present a unified picture of Bengal or look at the jubilation of Independence. Instead, he focussed on the price one had to pay for it and compelled the audience to do the same.
Dietland: A dark satire that bites off more than it can chew
Dietland, adapted from Sarai Walker’s novel of the same name, does seem to have a rather predictable plot. But Joy Nash wins your empathy with her performance.
Hanging on a Thread
A documentary sheds light on the dying art of weaving in Varanasi- how the practicing artisans took pride in it, and now with the passage of time, the looms, neatly kept, lie untouched.
