Kunal Ray
The writer teaches literary and cultural studies at Pune’s Flame University.
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More From Kunal Ray
A Hindi remake of ‘Manjummel Boys’ is unlikely to work. Here’s whySubscriber Only
May 28,2024 18:24:34 PM
Films are bound to a context. Stories do travel but to make those stories adaptable, one must think about a lot of associated factors such as the casting for the film
Tue, May 28, 2024
My phone call with Malini Rajurkar — and why her music resonated with meSubscriber Only
September 12,2023 15:48:03 PM
She asserted pride in her art form, refused to let it be reduced to simplifications art often is
Tue, Sep 12, 2023
Indian treasures in US museum: Western institutions must move beyond talk of decolonisationSubscriber Only
March 15,2023 18:51:21 PM
Reports about artefacts stolen and smuggled to foreign shores should make museums reflect on their ethics, existence, and curatorial decisions
Wed, Mar 15, 2023
In a violent and polarised world, Malayalam film ‘Saudi Vellakka’ represents a cinema of kindnessSubscriber Only
January 12,2023 14:30:14 PM
Kunal Ray writes: The film shows us that kindness is not a stray event. It is nurtured and executed by a collective
Thu, Jan 12, 2023
Art attack: Targeting the SunflowersSubscriber Only
November 02,2022 09:27:45 AM
Kunal Ray writes: The activism of those who vandalise art cannot be taken seriously.
Wed, Nov 02, 2022
Bachchan at the multiplex: If viewers no longer flock to film theatres, why did they make an exception for Amitabh’s old films?Subscriber Only
October 12,2022 17:58:16 PM
Visuals of fans singing, dancing, and clapping during the screenings took over our social media feed. This is significant at a time when our favourite topic of conversation about contemporary, mainstream Hindi cinema is its poor performance at the box office.
Fri, Oct 14, 2022
In the failure of ‘Shamshera’, a warning and lesson for BollywoodSubscriber Only
July 31,2022 16:55:17 PM
It is getting tougher to compete with good content from South India, whether big-screen spectacles or small-budget gems. Hindi cinema must move beyond formula.
Mon, Aug 01, 2022
Is the box office failure of ‘Samrat Prithviraj’ a rejection of Bollywood’s nationalism formula?Subscriber Only
June 08,2022 18:45:32 PM
Kunal Ray writes: The fate of the Akshay-Kumar starrer could be a sign of audience disenchantment with biopics masquerading as history.
Wed, Jun 08, 2022
It shouldn’t have taken a Booker shortlist to recognise Geetanjali ShreeSubscriber Only
April 18,2022 03:45:16 AM
Kunal Ray writes: Writers in Indian languages deserve recognition on their own terms.
Mon, Apr 18, 2022
Astad Deboo assimilated many forms to create a new language of contemporary dance in IndiaSubscriber Only
December 10,2020 19:32:25 PM
Astad Deboo defied attempts to pigeonhole his practice. Taking dance beyond the proscenium space and extending the vocabulary to many others, he created collaborators for his work.
Thu, Dec 10, 2020
Soumitra Chatterjee lived a full life beyond the screenSubscriber Only
November 16,2020 03:09:32 AM
Soumitra Chatterjee’s acting career is characterised by a diversity of roles that very few of his contemporaries could demonstrate. This diversity was the handiwork of several filmmakers alongside Ray.
Mon, Nov 16, 2020
Irrfan struggled before he made it. That’s what made him such a good actorSubscriber Only
May 01,2020 04:00:08 AM
Irrfan’s success story is a testimony to his acting talent, which subverted box-office norms. His work abroad helped to further strengthen his prospects in the country. It is rather sad that some of our finest have to wait for Hollywood or Western validation to receive their rightful dues at home.
Fri, May 01, 2020
Parasite’s Oscar is likely to awaken many film viewers to cinema beyond HollywoodSubscriber Only
February 13,2020 04:30:56 AM
For whatever reasons, the Oscars are popular and have a wide reach, and if this popularity can help bring attention to the many cinemas of the world, perhaps that’s not such a bad thing. Am I being too ambitious while saying this?
Thu, Feb 13, 2020
Vetri Maaran’s ‘Asuran’ shows the power of images to go where words cannotSubscriber Only
October 22,2019 04:40:18 AM
Asuran deals with caste oppression and social injustice. The visuals convey a searing reality that is most potent and penetrative. In such a case, language or dialogue is perhaps a shortcoming in itself.
Tue, Oct 22, 2019
Writer who was a listenerSubscriber Only
September 07,2019 02:56:00 AM
Kiran Nagarkar’s oeuvre owes much to his interest in people and their stories
Sat, Sep 07, 2019
There cannot be a single story for layered narratives in a time of traumaSubscriber Only
August 21,2019 04:00:54 AM
Large parts of the country are adversely affected by floods while some still continue to languish in water scarcity. Kashmir is back in public discourse, and how. In such anguishing times, I often think about the role of writing. Does writing really help?
Wed, Aug 21, 2019
The teacher I never had..Subscriber Only
December 08,2018 08:53:47 AM
Aniket Jaaware was a cult and that too a difficult one to decipher.
Sat, Dec 08, 2018
Blinded by AndhadhunSubscriber Only
October 20,2018 00:50:01 AM
Celebration of the thriller points to a hunger for new narratives in Hindi cinema
Sat, Oct 20, 2018a better experience