With a team of 20-odd people, Snafu tries to unearth the rough diamonds from millions of songs. Can AI help look for a needle in a haystack? Ritwik Sharma finds out.
'As I watched Mammootty 'try out' Mathew Devassy, I could hear from my theatre seat the ready-made appreciation of the liberal press, their applause for the great actor having flirted with queerness on screen.' 'But it is a flirtation and nothing more, for I could not detect in Devassy any hint of love, not for his homosexual lover, not for his wife,,' observes Sreehari Nair.
There was dancing, there was singing and heavy dose of patriotism on a glitzy night at the Indian Premier League opening ceremony in Chennai on Friday.
Tendulkar mourned Bappi Lahiri's demise and said the singer's range of talent was truly amazing.
Prabha Atre, the woman who could have been lawyer, scientist or doctor but became a globally renowned Hindustani classical vocalist instead, died in her Pune home on Saturday hours before she was to leave for a concert in Mumbai. She was 92.
A sojourn in Seoul, one of Asia's largest metropolises, where the ultra-modern coexists with the ancient -- temples and palaces with futuristic skyscrapers climbing to the stratosphere, K-pop with Buddhism, a village within city limits.
Anup Jalota and Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt pay tribute to the late Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma.
'I have no family (in the industry), no network, no mentor.' 'Still, I'm consistently working since 20 years and now I have a National Award.' 'It may take time, but if you're consistently at it, nothing can stop you.'
'After Diwali, I don't see this trend of re-releases going forward. We won't have that window to re-release films because of the kind of movies that are slated to be released.'
Aseem Chhabra lists his favorite 2023 films -- a healthy blend of Bollywood, Hindi indies and some of the best work that is being done in Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Bengali cinema.
'My trajectory right now is five steps forward, two steps backwards.'
Thiruvaiyuru, where composer-saint Tyagaraja lived, is an annual pilgrimage for Carnatic musicians, eminent and unknown, young and old.
'Today, music directors do not work on a song that turns out to be the biggest hit of the year.' 'Their main focus is on creating a song which becomes an instant hit.' 'Whether the audience remembers that song after a couple of months or not, that does not concern them anymore.'
'Everything about farming is enjoyable and relaxing.'
Throughout its 155 minutes, every scene is doused in blaring background music and melodrama. Disappointment alone won't do, it must feel like a full blown catastrophe, observes Sukanya Verma.
What are the reasons why a girl's education falls by the wayside? Why was Safeena a casualty too? Maybe because the education system doesn't give youngsters enough options? Or there are societal issues or pressures?
'The Bengali middle class, who never fully embraced Mamata Banerjee's policies, are now expressing their deep-seated frustration by spilling out on to the streets.'
'I have no idea as to what Lucky Ali is singing but to me, it sounds great and gels with what I sing.'
Bollywood superstars Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff will bring their signature charisma and high-octane energy to the ceremony.
Tral, the former hotbed of terrorism, rocks to the music of democracy.
Nasreen, who served as the director of the Indian Cultural Centre at the high commission of India in Male, Republic of Maldives, from 2019 to 2023, shared insights into the growing influence of China and Pakistan in countering India's soft power.
'I was one of those children who didn't feel I had to adhere to instructions on how to behave.' 'That must have made things very awkward for my parents.'
'When you walk on to a Sanjay Leela Bhansali set, it is complete surrender. You have to become a sponge.'
'I don't feel like going back to India, to the old Delhi that I grew up in. Because the place doesn't exist anymore.'
Songs from big ticket movies regaled on the strength of spunk and swagger even as pre-existing bangers like Diljit Dosanjh's Lover in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, Kohraa's Beqarar Karke Humein in Jawan and an Iranian wedding favourite Jamal Kudu in Animal grew a brand new fanbase in the course of enhancing the storytelling values.
An encyclopedia to the best Durga Pujo eating.
Right from the lofty title, Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha keeps aiming to be an epic, and keeps falling short, discovers Deepa Gahlot.
Vaughan unleashed a scathing criticism of the pitch at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, calling it "sub-standard"
'I am extremely happy that I am bringing Grammy to my country. Hope I continue making India proud with my work.'
There's a new actor in town, and Shraddha Kapoor is particularly excited about it!
'The air would be filled with the aroma of biryani and kheer getting ready in the kitchen, and the visitors would overflow from the lobby and drawing room into the garden.'
India's appetite for music tourism is only growing.
'Here are 25 stories special to me for one reason too many,' says Sukanya Verma who scored 25 years writing about the movies last week.
We asked colleagues, present and past, to reflect on a man who has made such a difference to their lives and careers. Here it is then, a rich collection of memories that offer enchanting glimpses of the enigmatic Ajit Balakrishnan.
Amitabh Bachchan was honoured with the Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award at a ceremony in Mumbai's Dinanath Mangeshkar Natyagrih.
'Diljit and Prabhas are so similar -- very humble, down-to-earth, extremely shy introverts and at the same time, extremely talented guys.'
India Ocean gave one of their last interviews as a foursome to Aseem Chhabria.
'The film-literate public in Kerala are not happy watching run-of-the-mill movies.'
The practicing Jew who discovered Vedic culture in India in the '60s, Cheb's recently released his album Devotion, his seventh album on Six Degrees Records, which was recorded and produced entirely in New Delhi.
A highly respected figure in the field of music, Balamuralikrishna featured in the popular national integration song "Miley Sur Mera Tumhara" in which he rendered Tamil lyrics.
