News / Author / Madhusree Ghosh

Madhusree Ghosh

Madhusree is a feature writer who loves Kolkata, is learning to love Mumbai. She loves to travel, write and bake

Articles by Madhusree Ghosh

Wheels of fortune: How one cycle shop fared during a long and winding year

Business stalled, then restarted with a bang. Mumbai’s iconic Happy Cycle Shop, a stone’s throw from Gateway of India and smack in heart of the Colaba tourist district, has had a ringside view of how the city coped in the pandemic.

“Whether it’s a toddler getting on their first bike or an office-goer getting back on a cycle after decades, I am always happy to see it,” says Abdul Hamid Khan of Mumbai’s iconic Happy Cycle Shop. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT)

lifestyle

Updated on Jan 24, 2021 06:37 AM IST

ByMadhusree Ghosh

What the next few seasons will look like for the fashion industry

Overnight, the buying stopped. Covid-19 altered silhouettes and buying patterns too. What is the way forward? A return to the classics, conscious creation and relaxed silhouettes, designers say.

Designers have been rethinking their collections. Above, a printed jumpsuit with relaxed silhouette by Nachiket Barve. An Anita Dongre lehenga with pockets, made up of pieces that can be reused separately. A powder blue chanderi kurta with trousers meant for comfort, by Ritu Kumar. A dressy sweatsuit with statement sleeves by Twenty Dresses. A woollen sari by Anavila Misra.

lifestyle

Published on Jan 22, 2021 10:02 PM IST

ByMadhusree Ghosh

Clothes are becoming a little more needs-based, says designer Ritu Kumar

To thrive again, in the pandemic, the fashion industry must return to its roots — the unique and sustainable handloom and handicrafts, the veteran designer says

“We’ve had a whole year to think about the effects of fast fashion and how we spend. We have had the time ask ourselves, do I need so many things? The answer, most probably, is no,” Ritu Kumar says.

lifestyle

Published on Jan 22, 2021 09:25 PM IST

ByMadhusree Ghosh

Queer eye: There’s a new trans news magazine in Madurai

The free fortnightly online magazine offers updates on the news, tips on fashion, health and home decor, lists products made by members of the community, and lists job openings too.

A Trans News cover. “Its most special attribute,” says editor Priya Babu, “is that the models for all the photos used with the stories are transgender people.”

lifestyle

Published on Jan 22, 2021 08:54 PM IST

ByMadhusree Ghosh

‘Govt spending, private sector incentives crucial’

Sumit Jalan, an investment banker, and managing director and co-head of India investment banking and capital markets at Credit Suisse Securities (India), assessed that 30% to 40% of existing business models were deeply impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2021, Jalan predicted a reverse of 2020 — still a tale of two halves, but with the first half seeing the bulk of capital markets activity.(Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

business

Published on Jan 21, 2021 07:48 AM IST

ByMadhusree Ghosh

How to reclaim the lost art of doing nothing

In times of chaos, it’s even more important to wipe the slate clean. Here are tips to help you get started, and a primer on why you should.

lifestyle

Updated on Jan 16, 2021 10:14 AM IST

ByMadhusree Ghosh

Meet the dream catchers at work in Khwaabgaon, a village of art in West Bengal

An initiative by a group of artists is helping villagers earn more through arts, crafts and now tourism, and opening up new worlds to their children.

Residents and visitors get together to paint the walls of the mud houses in Khwaabgaon, in the initiative led by artist Mrinal Mandal. There are also workshops where visitors can try their hand at arts and crafts, and exhibition spaces where villagers sell their crafts.

lifestyle

Updated on Jan 10, 2021 04:21 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

Detox your device to protect yourself online

All that time spent with your phone means you’ve accumulated tonnes of stored data, giving up more of your privacy to online apps and snoops. Here’s how to hit refresh for ease and safety.

Before life starts to imitate an episode of Black Mirror, consider clearing unused apps and stored data off your devices.(IMAGE COURTESY NETFLIX)

lifestyle

Updated on Jan 10, 2021 04:23 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

Gems from Delhi’s Janpath market, now a click away

An Instagram account set up by two women adds in surprises from other parts of the country too.

The e-store @janpathonline, set up by Sheetal Munshi and Deekhsha Khanna, sources its pieces from Janpath as well as Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Chennai.(Image courtesy JanpathOnline)

lifestyle

Updated on Jan 08, 2021 07:43 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

Lifting the curse: The Gaali Project aims to change how you swear

Two women, Tamanna Mishra and Neha Thakur, are compiling a glossary of Indian insults that you can use without guilt, because they’ll put down your foe without prejudice.

Once a word has made it into the Gaali Project repository, it is uploaded as a designed social media post or meme, the origins and meaning explained.

lifestyle

Updated on Jan 01, 2021 06:20 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

Coping mechanisms: The pandemic guide to grieving

Life amid Covid-19 can resemble the five stages of grief. What stage are you at, and what should you aim for?

lifestyle

Updated on Dec 18, 2020 05:17 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

Couch surfing: As therapists turn influencers, here’s what to watch out for

The helpful, humorous videos about mental health can act as a gateway in times of stress, make the idea of counselling less intimidating, but must never be seen as a substitute for the real thing.

In a country with 0.29 psychiatrists per 100,000 people — against a recommended 3 per 100,000 — according to 2017 World Health Organization data, online access to counselling can be a vital tool.(HT Illustration: Gajanan Nirphale)

lifestyle

Updated on Dec 21, 2020 02:19 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

Isaivani: The pathbreaking woman gaana singer now on a BBC Top 100 list

The 24-year-old discusses her journey, the politics of patriarchy and caste, and what drives the music of the band she’s in, The Casteless Collective.

Isaivani began her music career as a cover artist, singing Tamil film songs. “I discontinued my studies in Class 12 because I wanted to sing. ‘Isai’ means music in Tamil, so I guess it was destined,” she says.(The Casteless Collective)

lifestyle

Updated on Dec 18, 2020 04:02 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

The Almirah Project: A cupboard as a metaphor for pandemic-era emotions

Sharmila Nair’s online art installation has Bharatanatyam dancer Ramya Suvi emoting inside a 100-year-old wardrobe full of unused saris.

Suvi expresses frustration in a clip from Project Almirah.

lifestyle

Updated on Dec 12, 2020 07:57 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

Tail, claw, bite: The gradual evolution of Catwoman

From Eartha Kitt’s portrayal in the 1960s, catty and endearing, to Pfeiffer’s superheroine of action and Anne Hathaway’s rebel and revolutionary, it’s been a series of graceful leaps.

Michelle Pfeiffer played Catwoman as a fierce fighter in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns, 1992.

entertainment

Updated on Dec 11, 2020 08:02 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

Say it in style: The woke fashion glossary

Say ”dripping” instead of ”flattering”, choose conscious over organic, and always question the fat tax.

lifestyle

Updated on Dec 12, 2020 09:13 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh & Rachel Lopez

Bite dance: A look at how the pandemic has changed what we eat, who feeds us and how

Picnic baskets, family meals, DIY kits and home chefs with super-specialised menus — tracking the sea change.

The Aloo aur Gosht ka Salan by Ghosht Stories, a cloud kitchen in Mumbai that serves up only mutton dishes.

lifestyle

Updated on Dec 04, 2020 08:54 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

Flash in the pandemic: New kinds of chefs that emerged after March

Some became chefs almost by accident, others are “cooking” but can’t speak yet, the influencers are mostly just getting in the way, and really we have heard all we need to about sourdough.

Home chefs have rallied and shone during the lockdown. Above is the Onam Sadya made and home-delivered by Chris Mary Kurian of Delhi, who specialises in Malayali cuisine.

lifestyle

Updated on Dec 04, 2020 08:21 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

I think some people hire me only for my eyes: Shefali Shah on craft, passion and the Delhi Crime Emmy win

“At the Sundance Film Festival, I heard a couple of people ask, ‘Is she the real cop who cracked the case?’ I felt that was a win,” the 47-year-old actor says.

entertainment

Updated on Dec 06, 2020 07:39 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

A ragdolls to riches tale: Feminist icons get a new avatar, in Kodaikanal

Former journalist Smriti Lamech is working with women from a self-help group called Prowess to make dolls of Frida Kahlo, Savitribai Phule, Maya Angelou, Kalpana Chawla and other women icons.

The dolls are faceless, but instantly recognisable.You can tell Frida Kahlo from her brows and flowers.

lifestyle

Updated on Dec 02, 2020 07:39 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

How not to be a lawnmower parent

Jumping in to smooth every path for your child won’t make the journey easier. It hurts learning, confidence and problem-solving ability.

lifestyle

Updated on Nov 29, 2020 03:02 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

Snapshots from a new Harvard study on Covid-era dreamscapes

Bugs have featured widely in nightmares during the pandemic. Invisible monsters and invitations from the dead are being reported too. But they’re not all frightmares — some are also dreaming up a cure.

lifestyle

Updated on Nov 15, 2020 03:06 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

My life feels like a fairy tale in the middle of its happy ending, says actor Pankaj Tripathi

The 45-year-old actor has, over the past three years, become the man to watch. He returns as the dreaded gangster Kaleen Bhaiya in Mirzapur S2. He sat down with Wknd to talk films, life and Bollywood.

“I don’t have many friends in the industry. I’m friends with strangers I meet in my travels, carpenters, people who don’t have any connection with the cinema business,” Tripathi says.

entertainment

Updated on Nov 08, 2020 10:22 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

Virtual reality, green screens: The near future of weddings

Is there a way to rescue the sangeet? Make shopping online less mundane? The answers to these and other questions are emerging as the industry pivots to fit a new reality.

A server in PPE gear. Celebrations are making a comeback and bookings are trickling in, but weddings will continue to look different well into 2021.(Photo courtesy Megha Israni)

lifestyle

Updated on Oct 24, 2020 04:01 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

Doing it differently: Wedding workarounds from around the world

Couples are tying the knot with guests in their cars, on the street, in the driveway...

Roma Popat and Vinal Patel at their drive-in wedding in Essex, England.(Courtesy Saheli Events / i-Maani Photography)

lifestyle

Updated on Oct 23, 2020 09:02 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

Inside the no-touch pandemic wedding

Photographers with zoom lenses, cake-top dolls in masks, special zones for seniors — as we head into wedding season, a look at how the celebration is changing to suit the times.

Some couples are taking the pandemic in their stride and incorporating it in their wedding themes, decor and cake.(Photo courtesy Megha Israni)

lifestyle

Updated on Oct 24, 2020 06:00 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

A beauty brand borne of a great-grandma’s alchemy

Noor Arora, her mother Geeti Arora and aunt Mani Khurana have founded a company based on 90 notebooks full of experiments that they found years after their Ammaji’s death.

Some of the journals in which Shakunatala Devi noted down her experiments.

lifestyle

Updated on Oct 18, 2020 01:47 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

Can’t stop scrolling? Here’s how to frame a nutritious digital meal plan

New apps can help you balance the news you need with the good news you don’t get enough of, and a sprinkling of humour and bite-sized entertainment. You can do it yourself too.

lifestyle

Updated on Oct 18, 2020 10:48 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

How Mira Nair turned Vikram Seth’s novel into a suitable show

She’s known for taking Indian stories to the world; listen in as she discusses her latest, the six-part mini-series based on Seth’s A Suitable Boy, due out on Netflix later this week.

‘We decided it wouldn’t be a period piece alone, but a mirror to Indian society today. A beautiful mirror to what we have left behind, the world we should never forget,’ Nair says.(Getty Images)

lifestyle

Updated on Oct 18, 2020 10:33 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

Living the dream? What moving to Goa is really like

Hear from early mover Karan Manral, who runs and organic farm and consultancy, and helps others dreamers make the shift — and adjust their expectations.

lifestyle

Updated on Oct 11, 2020 10:25 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByMadhusree Ghosh

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Madhusree Ghosh

Madhusree is a feature writer who loves Kolkata, is learning to love Mumbai. She loves to travel, write and bake

Business stalled, then restarted with a bang. Mumbai’s iconic Happy Cycle Shop, a stone’s throw from Gateway of India and smack in heart of the Colaba tourist district, has had a ringside view of how the city coped in the pandemic.

Overnight, the buying stopped. Covid-19 altered silhouettes and buying patterns too. What is the way forward? A return to the classics, conscious creation and relaxed silhouettes, designers say.

To thrive again, in the pandemic, the fashion industry must return to its roots — the unique and sustainable handloom and handicrafts, the veteran designer says

The free fortnightly online magazine offers updates on the news, tips on fashion, health and home decor, lists products made by members of the community, and lists job openings too.

Sumit Jalan, an investment banker, and managing director and co-head of India investment banking and capital markets at Credit Suisse Securities (India), assessed that 30% to 40% of existing business models were deeply impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In times of chaos, it’s even more important to wipe the slate clean. Here are tips to help you get started, and a primer on why you should.

An initiative by a group of artists is helping villagers earn more through arts, crafts and now tourism, and opening up new worlds to their children.

All that time spent with your phone means you’ve accumulated tonnes of stored data, giving up more of your privacy to online apps and snoops. Here’s how to hit refresh for ease and safety.

An Instagram account set up by two women adds in surprises from other parts of the country too.

Two women, Tamanna Mishra and Neha Thakur, are compiling a glossary of Indian insults that you can use without guilt, because they’ll put down your foe without prejudice.

Life amid Covid-19 can resemble the five stages of grief. What stage are you at, and what should you aim for?

The helpful, humorous videos about mental health can act as a gateway in times of stress, make the idea of counselling less intimidating, but must never be seen as a substitute for the real thing.

The 24-year-old discusses her journey, the politics of patriarchy and caste, and what drives the music of the band she’s in, The Casteless Collective.

Sharmila Nair’s online art installation has Bharatanatyam dancer Ramya Suvi emoting inside a 100-year-old wardrobe full of unused saris.

From Eartha Kitt’s portrayal in the 1960s, catty and endearing, to Pfeiffer’s superheroine of action and Anne Hathaway’s rebel and revolutionary, it’s been a series of graceful leaps.

Say ”dripping” instead of ”flattering”, choose conscious over organic, and always question the fat tax.

Picnic baskets, family meals, DIY kits and home chefs with super-specialised menus — tracking the sea change.

Some became chefs almost by accident, others are “cooking” but can’t speak yet, the influencers are mostly just getting in the way, and really we have heard all we need to about sourdough.

“At the Sundance Film Festival, I heard a couple of people ask, ‘Is she the real cop who cracked the case?’ I felt that was a win,” the 47-year-old actor says.

Former journalist Smriti Lamech is working with women from a self-help group called Prowess to make dolls of Frida Kahlo, Savitribai Phule, Maya Angelou, Kalpana Chawla and other women icons.

Jumping in to smooth every path for your child won’t make the journey easier. It hurts learning, confidence and problem-solving ability.

Bugs have featured widely in nightmares during the pandemic. Invisible monsters and invitations from the dead are being reported too. But they’re not all frightmares — some are also dreaming up a cure.

The 45-year-old actor has, over the past three years, become the man to watch. He returns as the dreaded gangster Kaleen Bhaiya in Mirzapur S2. He sat down with Wknd to talk films, life and Bollywood.

Is there a way to rescue the sangeet? Make shopping online less mundane? The answers to these and other questions are emerging as the industry pivots to fit a new reality.

Couples are tying the knot with guests in their cars, on the street, in the driveway...

Photographers with zoom lenses, cake-top dolls in masks, special zones for seniors — as we head into wedding season, a look at how the celebration is changing to suit the times.

Noor Arora, her mother Geeti Arora and aunt Mani Khurana have founded a company based on 90 notebooks full of experiments that they found years after their Ammaji’s death.

New apps can help you balance the news you need with the good news you don’t get enough of, and a sprinkling of humour and bite-sized entertainment. You can do it yourself too.

She’s known for taking Indian stories to the world; listen in as she discusses her latest, the six-part mini-series based on Seth’s A Suitable Boy, due out on Netflix later this week.

Hear from early mover Karan Manral, who runs and organic farm and consultancy, and helps others dreamers make the shift — and adjust their expectations.

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