This Thursday, March 19 begins the Maharashtrian new year. Gudi Padwa is brought in with traditional rituals that revolve around a new kalash. There is rangoli too. And flowers. An a spectacular array of food.
'Cinema is such a powerful medium. It is not just the emotional impact, but some of these films are so strong that your entire body cannot help but react.'
Raghu Rai, one of India's most celebrated photographers, passed away at a private hospital in New Delhi at the age of 83. He is survived by his wife, son, and three daughters.
He was childlike with a camera in his hands -- not nave, but wonderstruck, as though the world were always on the verge of delivering something unrepeatable. Pulitzer Prize nominee Namas Bhojani recalls his long association with Raghu Rai, the legendary photographer who passed into the ages on Sunday.
'The city was not only a setting but also a major character in Sankar's stories, providing the readers insight into the ever-changing and complex nature of Calcutta,' observes Atanu Biswas.
The multi-generational ensemble of world-class musicians dedicated to the masterful compositions and enduring legacy of the legendary sitar-musician.
Tintin Stays Timeless. From his earliest appearances to the extraordinary stories that followed, Tintin's journey is one of imagination and curiosity.
Om Puri would have been 75 in October. We look back at his early years through these 16 pictures from his life.
'At a time when there was little awareness of world music, playing western tunes on eastern instruments like the flute and the dholak, blending vocal polyphony with Indian folk and contemporary styles, Salilkaku created a new musical genre in Bengal called Gana Sangeet.'
Seventy years after Pather Panchali released on August 26, 1955, we finally get it. Shuttling between the village of Boral and a studio in Calcutta, caught between worrying about the next purse of funds and wondering which item to mortgage next, Satyajit Ray was explaining Indians to themselves, discovers Sreehari Nair.
'After Pather Panchali, she became a housewife. She hated the spotlight. That was so strange and yet so admirable.'
For the special screening of their film Aranyer Din Ratri at Cannes, Sharmila and Simi were dressed to the nines.
'The second Sunday after Sholay's release, Amjad and Shehla had taken Shadaab to Juhu beach. They were strolling leisurely when, to Shehla's shock, he suddenly picked up their son, grabbed her hand and pulled her along, urging her to run. They raced towards their car and had just managed to get in and lock the doors when all hell broke loose. Hundreds started banging on the car, shouting, 'Gabbar Singh bahar niklo!''
'When you are a pioneer and someone who's put on a pedestal, but then the pedestal gets dusty, people don't look at the statue anymore.' 'They would say, 'Yes, yes, of course I know Bimal Roy. He made Do Bigha Zamin.'.'
There is a world that Satyajit Ray created in his films that I wanted to be a part of -- as Durga bathed in the rain to Ravi Shankar's music; when Charulata sat on the swing regretting she never had a child; and Aarti stood up in defence of her colleague. Aseem Chhabra shares interesting memoris of Satyajit Ray on the latter's birth centenary on May 2.
'When India opened its doors to the world, moving away from an agrarian to a market economy, everything, whether life or love, was commodified.'
Indian non-profit 'Educate Girls' wins the Ramon Magsaysay Award for its work in educating out-of-school girls in remote villages. The award recognizes selfless service to the peoples of Asia.
'If you watch songs like Acha Ji Main Haari Chalo Maan Jao Na, Lag Ja Gale or Jhumka Gira Re, you'll notice they're not just a distraction. There's a story unfolding within them.'
Bollywood's biggest stars arrived at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai on May 1 to take part in the inaugural edition of World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025.
Satyajit Ray would have been a hundred years old on May 2. To mark the legendary film-maker's birth centenary, Rediff.com bring you a treasure trove of features from our archives.
'I don't know how long cinema will survive.'
'Don was declared a flop because not many people turned up.' 'Luckily, Khaike Paan Banaraswala became a big hit.' 'Word of mouth publicity led to the film becoming a big hit from the second week on.'
'I am glad Aranyer Din Ratri is being shown at Cannes.' 'The film was better appreciated outside India even when released originally.'
'...not because they want to but because life leaves them with no choice.'
'I often wondered while watching the film/trilogy, what if Durga had lived. What if Ray made The Durga Trilogy.' Sandip Roy looks back at Pather Panchali's Durga and the woman who brought her alive, Uma Dasgupta.
The closing ceremony of the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) saw a lot of glamour, as stars headed to the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Goa and made it a night to remember.
Shyam Benegal passed into the ages on December 23, leaving behind a rich legacy. We look back at some interesting moments from his life.
The 55th International Film Festival of India kicked off in India's party venue, Goa, and the stars added to the dazzle.
Fashion designer, actor and sometimes model Masaba Gupta and actor Satyadeep Misra were blessed with a baby girl on October 11.
'After Om's untimely demise, he would call us every Sunday for the next two years to ask, "How are you doing my dear? How's the young fella?"'
'Representing our country is a wonderful honour and a mighty task that we are all looking forward to.'
'I find his sense of history astounding, not just history of film, but of life in general.' Another fascinating excerpt from Sangeeta Datta's book Shyam Benegal.
Anasuya Sengupta became the first Indian to win the Best Actress award in the Un Certain Regard segment of the Cannes Film Festival.
An easy-to-cook recipe from blogger Satyajit Kotwal that's loaded with health benefits.
'I love the country and the people so very much. My children grew up watching Om Shanti Om.'
None of Amjad Khan's subsequent roles could outshine Sholay. He had begun his career at the top and had no higher peaks left to conquer. Dinesh Raheja salutes the iconic actor on his 80th birth anniversary.
Salman does a reality check... Kartik spends time with Katori... Bipasha shows her whole world...
He was colourful. He was dramatic. He was The Master of His Craft. There never will be an editor as versatile as Pritish Nandy, notes Nikhil Lakshman.
The Gurugram-based company had acquired Lucknow-based drone manufacturer and consultant start-up TechEagle in December, to expand food delivery using drones
An encyclopedia to the best Durga Pujo eating.
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