Leher Kala is a multifaceted journalist, columnist, and filmmaker associated with The Indian Express. She is widely recognized for her sharp social commentary and lifestyle writing, which explores the nuances of modern Indian society, culture, and human behavior.
Professional Experience & Career Kala began her journalistic journey in 2000 with the India Today Group, gaining early experience in one of India's leading media houses. She subsequently joined The Indian Express, where she served as the Editor of Daily Features for four years, playing a key role in shaping the newspaper's lifestyle and feature content.
In addition to her print journalism career, she has experience in broadcast media, having worked with Aaj Tak. Broadening her creative scope, she ventured into filmmaking and founded Hutkay Films, a production house specializing in bespoke documentary-style celebration movies and biographies.
Expertise & Writing Style Since 2010, Leher Kala has been a regular columnist for The Indian Express. Her writing is known for its wit, observational depth, and ability to critique social trends. Her columns often dissect:
Social Trends & Lifestyle: From the "quiet luxury" of the elite to the changing dynamics of Indian weddings and social behavior.
Cultural Commentary: She writes extensively on the intersection of tradition and modernity in India.
Human Condition: Her pieces frequently touch upon philosophical themes, mental well-being, and the pressures of contemporary life.
Her column has often been titled "On The Loose," reflecting her free-ranging and candid take on the world around her.
Authoritativeness With over two decades of experience in the media industry, Kala has established herself as a distinct voice in Indian lifestyle journalism. Her ability to transition between hard news environments and feature writing, as well as her entrepreneurial venture in filmmaking, demonstrates a versatile command over storytelling in both text and visual formats.
Find all Columns from Leher Kala here

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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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, 2024
November 03,2024 04:00:42 AM
Besides taking the fun out of learning, people are exhausted by the time they enter the workforce. If academics and careers could be seen as marathons not sprints, with zig zag routes and circles, some ups and downs, we may even relish the adventure.
Sun, Nov 03, 2024
October 23,2024 13:00:59 PM
More than ever, people in India want to be rich and when they’re not — they watch the rich as the gatekeepers of an enchanted kingdom, they may only dare to dream about
Thu, Oct 24, 2024
October 20,2024 03:10:22 AM
There’s good reason that Sadhguru has 12.1 million subscribers on YouTube. His videos on “letting it go” and “living in the moment” skillfully package blissful liberation for the internet era. Pop salvation? Perhaps. But any trek inwards, is a step forward.
Sun, Oct 20, 2024
October 13,2024 02:00:29 AM
The big questions are, can we escape our conditioning? What should we do differently so crimes against women stop? Constant engagement with our sons will expand the idea of what manliness can be.
Sun, Oct 13, 2024
September 22,2024 01:17:28 AM
Today’s virtual life demands the opposite from girls, that they seek validation from their peers online. The psychological cost to viewing airbrushed lives is that we feel compelled to airbrush our own.
Sun, Sep 22, 2024
September 08,2024 07:45:46 AM
Who started this sanctimonious nonsense that it’s inappropriate to praise a woman’s looks? It depends on who’s doing it and the context. As a woman I can say, of course it’s nice to be appreciated for one’s work. But I’m also aware that the morning newspaper is the evening’s trash.
Sun, Sep 08, 2024
September 02,2024 18:17:08 PM
We talk witheringly of male privilege but rarely consider how exhausting it must be to be boxed in the role of the strong man, who’s not permitted to show emotion.
Mon, Sep 02, 2024
August 25,2024 07:15:38 AM
It’s debatable if all this painstaking effort at improvement has dramatically improved user experience, or skewered the competition. Like most people, Netflix too, falls somewhere in the middle.
Sun, Aug 25, 2024
August 11,2024 07:45:55 AM
Pre-Covid, some version of the daily morning meeting was the norm in offices around the world.
Sun, Aug 11, 2024
August 04,2024 16:00:37 PM
There is something tragic about the fact that generational hardships and a negative, autocratic atmosphere have killed the innovative spirit of Indians here, while their counterparts in the US with exactly the same qualifications are able to reach stratospheric heights
Mon, Aug 12, 2024
July 28,2024 08:00:42 AM
Mental health professionals are always at pains to dispel the irritating myth about depressed people, that they’re hopelessly wallowing in self pity 24/7.
Sun, Jul 28, 2024
July 14,2024 07:15:11 AM
It’s easier to develop a long view of events. Finally, you can pursue interests without thinking about competition and the pressure of needing to excel, that plagues our youth. Life isn’t over till it’s over, and it’s long, with many opportunities for do-overs.
Sun, Jul 14, 2024
June 30,2024 07:23:00 AM
Young singles, it turns out, are less enamoured of old fashioned commitment, which is increasingly seen as not a one-size-fits-all model.
Sun, Jun 30, 2024
June 16,2024 07:05:19 AM
One has to wonder though, considering the first Jamnagar jamboree was barely three months ago, how much enthusiasm these 800 guests can muster up for the actual wedding, slated for mid-July.
Tue, Jun 18, 2024
June 02,2024 07:35:29 AM
Even a decade ago, in public perception, the FTII style of filmmaking revolved around dreary activism and depressing truths. Exhausted by life’s challenges, Indian viewers were clear — their precious rupees were to be spent on escaping reality.
Sun, Jun 02, 2024
May 25,2024 19:33:38 PM
Towles has keenly observed the desires of the rich which allow indulgence but seldom bring happiness
Sat, May 25, 2024
May 19,2024 07:15:48 AM
US influencer Haley Kalil attended the Met Gala event and posted a video mouthing those legendary words attributed to Marie Antoinette while pro-Palestine protests were taking place right outside. This triggered the hashtag #blackout2024, a celebrity boycotting campaign targeting stars for tone-deaf responses to the conflict in Gaza.
Sun, May 19, 2024



