Arts & Entertainment Stories
China to Chandni Chowk: Indians now bingeing on Chinese content
Animation film ‘Ne Zha 2’ has become a global money-spinner but that’s not Beijing’s only soft power flex. Chinese microdramas and shows have Indians hooked
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
Decoding Queenie: The secret life of an Indian Hollywood star
Merle Oberon was born in Bombay, spent her adolescence in Calcutta, and became a Hollywood star in the 1930s and 1940s. But her life was riddled with controversy. Now, a new biography unravels everything that lay beneath
- Avijit Ghosh
- TNN
VK Shukla, the extraordinary Hindi writer who captures the ordinary
Shukla, who just won the Jnanpith, wears his awards lightly but the quiet simplicity of his poetry and prose have catapulted him to cult status. So much so that he's also acquired a fair share of millennial and Gen-Z fans
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
Walt Disney dominance, Oscar man Rahman: 8 charts recapping Oscars’ 97-year journey
Four awards for Sean Baker at this year's Oscars, Walt Disney's unparalleled Oscar wins, Titanic winning Oscars and also making tons of money, and AR Rahman being the only Indian to win two Oscars, TOI hits rewind to bring you the big picture up till Season 97
- Richa Gandhi
- TNN
Prudes over nudes? What two ‘obscenity’ controversies tell us
The works of Francis Newton Souza and M F Husain, two Indian modernist greats, have yet again sparked controversy. While some consider them to be obscene, art collectors and gallerists argue many Indians are getting more comfortable with nudes
- Neelam Raaj
- TNN
R-Day special: What makes India's Constitution most artistic in the world
India’s Constitution is the world’s lengthiest. Unlike others, it is also artistically embellished. As the nation completes 75 years as a republic on January 26, here’s the inside story of how state principles and paintings came to join hands for the monumental project
- Avijit Ghosh
- TNN
Flipping the gaze: The year women filmmakers captured global spotlight
Films by directors such as Payal Kapadia and Shuchi Talati have not only grabbed awards at film festivals like Cannes and Sundance, but also stood out for their nuanced portrayal of women's desires, loneliness, and more
- Shruti Sonal
- TNN
The strange and complex paradox of writer MT Vasudevan Nair’s legacy
Despite the many memorable fictional characters he created, MT might well be remembered more for his cinema than prose
Filmmakers want 3-day ban on real-time reviews. Why court ruled against it
Since producers can promote movies online and on TV, the audience also has the right to real-time reviews
- R Srinivasan
- TNN
How Shyam Benegal talent-spotted Indian cinema's famous trio
Shyam Benegal came out of nowhere and lit up the Hindi film scene in the 1970s at a time when the industry was “an absolutely closed shop”. His debut film 'Ankur's' success staked out new ground for the ‘art/parallel cinema’ movement that over time showcased new talent such as Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Om Puri & Govind Nihalani
- TNN
Mohammed Rafi at 100: From a barber shop to India’s heart
From Chaudvin Ka Chand Ho to Chahe Koi Mujhe Junglee Kahe…Yahoo to Sar Jo Tera Chakraye, Hindi films wouldn’t have been the same without the magically versatile voice of Mohd Rafi, whose 100th birth anniversary falls today
- Avijit Ghosh
- TNN
When Nehru invited Mohammed Rafi to sing 'Suno suno aye duniya walon…'
On his 100th birth anniversary on December 24, as calls for a posthumous Bharat Ratna grow louder, why there is no playback singer like Mohammed Rafi — even decades after his death, no one can sing of the joy and pain of love like he did and how there is a Rafi song for every occasion in our lives, according to these two articles by TOI archives
The Shloka, The Rasa, The Raga
The enduring appeal of Indian classical music, as performed by greats like Zakir Hussain, lies in its incredible complexity & sophistication. It combines iron-cast fixity with complete freedom of improvisation
I’m Muslim, wife’s Catholic, daughters were baptised, and my music’s universal: Zakir Hussain
A look at the tabla virtuoso’s life and legacy, blending music, spirituality and individuality. In an excerpt from an interview, he reflects on how he got his name, his upbringing, artistic journey and belief in universal oneness
The Kapoor who established Raj across the world
From the USSR to North Africa to South America to Iran, Raj Kapoor’s films swept the world in the 1950s and 1960s. On his 100th birth anniversary, The Times of India rewinds to recreate the phenomenon of India’s first major global star
- Avijit Ghosh
- TNN
Salsa to bhangra, wheelchair dancers show their moves
Several differently abled Indians are finding their groove in wheelchair dancesport, acing classical to contemporary styles
- Sneha Bhura
- TNN
Inside the Kishore Kumar 'museum' in Hyderabad
At his Hyderabad apartment, Parthiv Dhar has an entire room reserved for Kishore Kumar memorabilia, some of which is truly unique.
- BALAJI VITTAL
- TOI.in
How an ardent Kishore Kumar fan turned his house into a ‘museum’
The collection built over decades includes posters, rare records, the singer’s hand imprint, and even plaster from his hostel room
What is Bluesky, that’s now a favourite of ex-X users?
It has the same DNA as the Elon Musk-owned platform formerly known as Twitter, which many American users are now quitting after complaining of a drop in standards
- TNN
Aila! How Andaz Apna Apna became a cult classic
As the comedy turns 30, a look at how it lives on through dubsmashes, reels, memes and merch