Leher Kala
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In defence of the lowbrow
September 07,2025 07:10:06 AM
It would be a pity to go through life without the perspective critically acclaimed books and movies have to offer because cheesy as it sounds, they can be transcendental experiences.
Sun, Sep 07, 2025
In Lies and Weddings, Kevin Kwan explores the aspirational lives of the Chinese diaspora during a decadent celebration in HawaiiSubscriber Only
September 07,2025 05:30:32 AM
Behind the frothy descriptions of upper-crust life are astute observations on a new generation of confident Asians
Sat, Sep 06, 2025
We let the dogs outSubscriber Only
August 24,2025 06:45:47 AM
Nobody wants children mauled or terrorised by dogs and indeed, something needed to be done. To cultivate awareness means to remain as true to the truth as possible; and to make peace with all the ugliness that comes with, as Camus said, the terrible responsibility of life.
Sun, Aug 24, 2025
When the show doesn’t go onSubscriber Only
August 10,2025 07:23:20 AM
Political correctness and cancel culture have forced creators into petrified self-consciousness — people are so scared of being written off as dated has-beens, they’re willing to sacrifice whatever they stand for.
Sun, Aug 10, 2025
In Mumbai train blast acquittals, the end of an errorSubscriber Only
July 27,2025 07:15:56 AM
Criminal justice failures capture our imaginations because they speak so profoundly to the human condition, to fundamental questions about punishment, ambition and ethics. Throughout history, in mythology and in reality, there have been people who couldn’t get a fair trial.
Sun, Jul 27, 2025
Best of Both Sides: Language issue is a distractionSubscriber Only
July 18,2025 07:10:23 AM
Linguistic divisions have got an alarming amount of air time and newsprint, while our garbage-laden streets are sinking in the monsoon
Fri, Jul 18, 2025
Leher Kala writes: Beauty junkies, bewareSubscriber Only
July 13,2025 07:05:35 AM
The Bezos wedding provided much grist for the rumour mills, from the foam parties to the love lives of attendant A-listers. Indeed, the vicarious thrill of living the dream is intense.
Sun, Jul 13, 2025
Tata chairman should know: You can’t copy and paste tears after Air India disasterSubscriber Only
June 29,2025 07:10:00 AM
It’s impossible to look at the randomness of this airline crash and not realise how tenuous our foothold on earth really is. Intellectually, we may know loss is omnipresent. A twist in fate means some unlucky people are forced to confront this reality in discombobulating ways.
Fri, Jul 04, 2025
The slap that was, or wasn’tSubscriber Only
June 01,2025 06:30:25 AM
A viral video suggests French President Emmanuel Macron was smacked by the First Lady, Brigitte Macron. The President scoffed at the latest “disinformation” being put out by “crazy people” that he was pushed in the face by his wife while they were about to disembark in Hanoi, Vietnam. The footage certainly shows him looking stunned but he recovered quickly to wave to the crowd.
Sun, Jun 01, 2025
What we lose to AISubscriber Only
May 18,2025 07:04:42 AM
What is the endgame of all this shameless cogging? Nothing to be particularly proud of because between watching Instagram Reels and relying on AI, people are getting dumber and less interesting to be around.
Sun, May 18, 2025
We plan our life amid its infinite dangerSubscriber Only
May 04,2025 07:08:36 AM
A heinous crime has occurred, 26 families’ lives have changed forever and the hardest part is coming to grips with the fact that it wasn’t even personal.
Sun, May 04, 2025
The politics of thinnessSubscriber Only
April 20,2025 07:07:23 AM
Ozempic is not going to fix the desire for one-upmanship; new ways to distinguish oneself from the herd will emerge. Gossipy Internet sleuths derive great pleasure in closely watching celebrities and salaciously pointing out who’s on the drugs.
Sun, Apr 20, 2025
The coming of ageSubscriber Only
April 06,2025 07:45:49 AM
Seeking a new way to go on is a creative act, the beginning of transformation. Perhaps, it takes an acknowledgement of impending mortality to spur one to change. A sense of urgency that this is it. Act now, or forever hold your peace.
Sun, Apr 06, 2025
When bad things happenSubscriber Only
March 23,2025 07:20:01 AM
The main theme of Adolescence isn’t new; of lonely, lost boys hiding their festering confusion, exhausting tough-guy bravado driving their feelings underground.
Sun, Mar 23, 2025
The shaky state of ‘manosphere’Subscriber Only
March 09,2025 07:30:41 AM
Since the days of Cleopatra, the mystique of the ambitious, independent woman has been seen as a threat. Today, there’s a Cleopatra, everywhere.
Sun, Mar 09, 2025
The low bar of Indian comedy Subscriber Only
February 23,2025 07:21:42 AM
In a country of 1.4 billion, it’s not that hard to find a few lakh followers who are titillated by crude humour dripping with cheap innuendo and abusive language. When money is rolling in with zero effort, the flourishing Indian attitude of kaam chalao prevails, so why bother raising the bar?
Sun, Feb 23, 2025
Leher Kala writes: First paid, first servedSubscriber Only
February 09,2025 07:26:08 AM
Perhaps, crowd management at historic temples requires innovative solutions and a fee structure but it’s interesting to note newer temples eschew the paid model.
Sun, Feb 09, 2025
Versions of lost and found at the KumbhSubscriber Only
January 26,2025 07:30:07 AM
It is only fitting that during the greatest Hindu festival on earth, replete with colourful processions of devotees singing and dancing while wielding ceremonial spears, some unique characters emerge, their complicated backstories revealing how the Kumbh Mela can be a spiritually elevating experience.
Sun, Jan 26, 2025
A dinner invite for picky-tariansSubscriber Only
January 12,2025 07:30:12 AM
Personally, I am of the opinion that unless there’s a possibility that you may keel over and die, or break out into hives because of an allergic reaction to something, it’s only polite to eat what’s served, one’s own culinary requirements be damned.
Sun, Jan 12, 2025
Minimum training, maximum funSubscriber Only
December 29,2024 07:00:11 AM
All the greatest sages of the world have repeatedly said the key to navigating life’s challenges is to focus on the present moment. However, in our striving, goal oriented culture, we’re trained to constantly look ahead.
Sun, Dec 29, 2024
What an artwork, a murder revealSubscriber Only
December 15,2024 05:00:29 AM
Part of the reason Cattelan’s Comedian has become a media sensation is because, in many ways, it’s a clever metaphor for our times: a zero-effort piece with zero aesthetic value, the Kim Kardashian version of art, famous and expensive for being ridiculous and nothing else.
Sun, Dec 15, 2024
Going bust with statuesSubscriber Only
December 01,2024 02:30:28 AM
In India, there’s no getting away from politicians in power. They hog the limelight on prime time TV, page one in newspapers and even on the road, with their lal batti and VIP security. It’s not such a big ask that the museum be spared from displaying them on pedestals as well.
Sun, Dec 01, 2024
What an older Bridget Jones in ‘Mad About The Boy’ can teach us about love and imperfectionSubscriber Only
November 29,2024 05:00:09 AM
The older Jones captured the angst and insecurities women of a certain age carried. Like how this charmingly imperfect anti-star who would take off her watch before stepping on her weighing machine, fervently praying it would help
Fri, Nov 29, 2024
Nathan Hill’s second novel, Wellness, is a clear-eyed exploration of the limitations of romanceSubscriber Only
November 23,2024 15:52:40 PM
Hill is at his cleverest while subtly poking fun at the post-truth internet generation’s modus operandi; first, “invent alternate stories for people to believe in, before needing to test the efficacy of those stories”.
Sat, Nov 23, 2024
Banning books is ultimately futileSubscriber Only
November 17,2024 07:30:15 AM
It’s possible to spend a lifetime avoiding the discomfort zone, just treading on the surface of things.
Sun, Nov 17, 2024a better experience