This V-day, turn to Ghalib for inspiration.
Salman Khan's Sikandar may not be the spectacle one hoped it would be. Many decades ago, Sohrab Modi made the historical extravaganza Sikandar that continues to inspire audiences today.
Syed Firdaus Ashraf offers a ready reckoner on Javed Akhtar's great great grandfather Fazl e Haq Khairabadi who fought the British empire during the 1857 Mutiny and was imprisoned in the Cellular Jail in Port Blair.
A leader of reserve and quiet dignity, former prime minister Manmohan Singh had a keen taste for Urdu verses, and his poetic banters with Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sushma Swaraj in the Lok Sabha are among the most viewed parliamentary debates on social media.
'Delhi's streets were not alleys but an artist's canvas,' the eminent poet Mir Taqi Mir noted more than 150 years ago. Syed Firdaus Ashraf savours the sights and cuisine of the national capital.
'What scares me is the fact that there is so much content that people have content indigestion.' 'How do you entice people who have indigestion of content?'
If Sanjay Leela Bhansali could make Mumbai's Kamathipura sparkle in Gangubai Kathiawadi, Heera Mandi is bound to be drowned in glitter, observes Deepa Gahlot.
Entertainers can be good politicians if they treat the citizens as the audience, and treat their job like a live show, and work hard to make sure the audience likes them, asserts Sandeep Goyal.
Javed Akhtar says he has to write Hindi dialogues in the Roman script for the new generation of actors today because 'they can't read anything else'.
While the country is gripped by Ram Mandir frenzy, Danish Husain -- without shouting from the rooftops -- silently staged his opinion with this play on one of India's best-known poets, observes Neeta Kolhatkar.
'They were as late as June 2023 and they did not follow it up with concrete measures immediately in terms of a secretariat or common minimum programme, working group or seat sharing etc.' 'They continued to have periodic meetings after a gap of weeks where they had tasty dinner and coffee, but beside that they did nothing else.'
Shah, in a video that has gone viral on Twitter, said every Indian Muslim must introspect if they want 'reform and modernity' in the religion or live with dated 'barbarian' values.
Karisma plays with red... Is Urvashi heartbroken?... Sunny's having fun...
'Once RM is done commenting on the hand symbol, can he answer: Have the Chinese occupied Indian territory in Ladakh,' he asked on Twitter. Singh had on Monday hit out at Gandhi with a couplet of noted Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib, saying when there is pain in the hand, one takes medicine, but what does one do when the hand itself is a pain.
'There doesn't seem to be much to look forward to in the new year.'
The legendary ghazal singer enthralled a jam-packed audience on the banks of the Dal Lake.
Fire Brigade sources said 30 fire tenders have been pressed into service to control the blaze.
The application came up for hearing on Thursday before a division bench of justices Tejinder Singh Dhindsa and Lalit Batra through video conferencing during which the counsel for Jammu and Kashmir R S Cheema requested for a new date that was granted.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday took a swipe at Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his remarks that India is strong in protecting its borders and said everyone knows the reality of the situation at the country's borders.
'No matter how big the name, no one lives forever; like medicines, we come with an expiry date.' 'But, in the short time that we have, we try to make something that will stay on long after we are gone.'
The judge started his order with the couplet from Ghalib's ghazal -- Pinha tha daam-e-sakht qareeb ashiyaan ke, udhne hi nahi paye the ki girftar hum hue.
Sukanya Verma celebrates the acting legend.
Gulzar, best known for penning memorable hits like 'Tujhse Naaraaz Nahi' and 'Tere Bina Zindagi Se' besides directing critically acclaimed films like 'Aandhi' and 'Mausam', was on Saturday chosen for the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award, the highest official recognition for film personalities in India.
Sushant Singh Rajput came, sparkled and left for a world that will hopefully understand and treat him better, hopes Sukanya Verma.
We list down some of the memorable performances as historical figures.
This is Satya Nadella's third visit to India since he took over as Microsoft CEO in February 2014.
For generations to come it will be difficult for any other Urdu poet to attain such high standards as Nida Fazli, who passed into the ages on Monday, says Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com.
It looks like Hindi, which faces political opposition at the front door, is entering Tamil Nadu through the kitchen, says Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
Beauty is woven into the ghazal with such deep feelings of love that the focus is always on seeking oneness with the other, notes Gopi Chand Narang.
Tapas Bose from Kolkata sent us this interesting story about his Rajdoot 175cc.
Saluting Tom Alter, who passed into the ages on September 29.
'We are a young nation. But I wanted to explore the conflict between the young and the old.' 'The cynicism of people who have lived it versus the optimism and naivete of the young.'
The vigour Divya Spandana has added to Rahul Gandhi's social media persona has brought him back in the reckoning.
Nine candidates, including three women, from Jammu and Kashmir have qualified the prestigious UPSC Civil Service examination, the results of which were declared on Saturday.
Majaz, based on the life of Asraul Haq Majaz, the John Keats of Urdu poetry, marks Talat Aziz's debut as a composer in Hindi cinema. The film could have been an excellent biopic had it stuck to the poet's poetic self rather than his unfulfilled love, says Mohammad Asim Siddiqui.
India and Iran on Monday decided to jointly combat terror, radicalism and cyber crime as the two strategic partners signed 12 agreements including a "milestone" pact on developing the key Chabahar port for which India will provide $500 million.
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