India's Right-wing has sought to own our democracy by making itself appear the stuff of majority, and sometimes, a national ethos older than the Constitution on which our democracy is based, argues Shyam G Menon.
Where the larger-than-life villain hogged the show by hurting the hero or throwing hurdles in his path, the role of his female counterpart has evolved from seductive sidekick to she-devil.
Held at Ved Niketan Dham in Haridwar from December 17-20, the Dharma Sansad was organised by Yati Narasimhanand Giri of the Juna Akhada, who is already under police scanner for making hate speeches and inciting violence against Muslims.
'There is a whole gang working against me.'
Relationship problems? Let Love Guru help.
In this weekly self-help series, mental health and life coach Anu Krishna tells you how to take control of your life.
Anjuli Bhargava, who, as a rule, does not trust god-men, and has little respect for Ramdev, admits that Patanjali products are not only cheap, but are indeed very good.
'We have struggled to pay the rent, we have struggled to pay the electricity bill, we have struggled to send them to school, to buy books and uniforms but there was food on the table every day!'
'...Your confidence.' 'You go through this emotional roller coaster ride, which affects your partner as well.'
Mumbai's Trisha Devadiga, one of the winners at Comic Con 2019 tells Rediff.com's Hitesh Harisinghani how she designed the fascinating costume from scratch.
Sukanya Verma takes a look at some of Bollywood's most playful, popular Gujarati acts in recent times.
After a lifetime of showing us what it means to 'act at the top of one's bent and never hit a false note', Mammootty had the good sense, in the third act of his career, to pare down his style, become less mannered, draw directly from life. And getting a performer like that to play characters who seem 'completely dead inside', is, in my view, a betrayal of his legacy, his still-burning ambition, and his still-sharp feelers, observes Sreehari Nair.
In this weekly self-help series, mental health and life coach Anu Krishna tells you how to take control of your life.
'When you are not from this industry, you have to take everything really, really seriously.'
Bollywood's star moms celebrated Mother's Day with adorable pictures of their children, spreading love at a time when we really need it.
AFSPA can be safely lifted from almost 90 per cent of Nagaland, argues Shekhar Gupta.
'God will give you your due.' 'I don't want my due from people.'
'I have been hearing this for the last four generations, that this is the last generation of superstars.' 'We will not leave it for the younger generation to take it easily.' 'We will not hand it over to them.'
In this weekly self-help series, mental health and life coach Anu Krishna tells you how to take control of your life.
'There is a part of me that says it is a great time to tell stories from my own land.' 'But then opportunities are coming my way from all over the world.' 'So one foot is here and one foot is in the West.'
'We are all going through an entire gamut of emotions. I only saw these players on TV and now I will play alongside them. It's indeed a great feeling.'
A look at the top tweets from your favourite Bollywood celebrities.
Nargis Fakhri is really fun to be around, discovers Patcy N/Rediff.com.
'My main ambition is to be on the sets everyday for the rest of my life.'
'If the circumstances warrant me to enter politics, I won't allow such people to come anywhere near me, not even allow them an entry.'
On November 7, which marks 100 years of the Russian Revolution, Syed Firdaus Ashraf recalls a conversation he once had on Communism.
'You need to be very passionate towards life, not because you are a film-maker, but because you are a human being.' 'If you can do that, then I think it reflects in the films that you make.'
'There are times when you give an audition and it doesn't even reach the director.' 'In such a scenario, what can I do? 'More than nepotism, it's about favouritism.'
Upbeat Venus ready to 'kill it' after loss to little sister
'I don't like watching myself. I find my voice very irritating,' Disha Patani tells us.
Ten people, including the gunman were killed in in Dayton's Oregon district, while another 20 were shot dead at a crowded Walmart store in the southern border town of El Paso in Texas.
A Rediff.com journalist reveals what it's like to live in a building sealed by the authorities because one of the residents is COVID-19 positive.
'Trust me, I don't even enjoy the company of friends who live in regret.' 'You either own your decisions or just let it go and work harder to get something better.'
Biju Menon tells Divya Nair/Rediff.com how he transformed himself to play a 73 year old character, one of his most challenging and satisfying roles as an actor.
This is a film where random storylines are padded together with obscure Internet facts, observes Sreehari Nair.
'Our Lockdown Life has a sort of schizophrenic, Dr-Jekyll-and-Mr-Hyde personality about it,' says Vaihayasi Pande Daniel.
Sukanya Verma celebrates 25 years of Bollywood images.
'One is trying to be an upright citizen with a fresh-faced liver, in full possession of her faculties, but if ever one has needed a stiff drink, it has been now,' says Mitali Saran.
