Manali Shah

I’m ready for MasterChef: comedian Sapan Verma

Stand-up comedian Sapan Verma can cook a five-course meal. But there’s a catch.

Remember Razzberry Rhinoceros? The iconic music venue comes back as a cultural hub

Known for supporting rock bands in the ‘90s, Razzberry Rhinoceros is now a cultural venue that goes beyond music

If I’m responsible for the rise of angry TV hosts, I apologise: Raghu Ram

The producer and actor may continue to make life hell for people (this time in a fiction web series). But he insists he’s just a shy person trying to make a difference through political activism

Why folk rock band Swarathma’s members wore school uniforms for their new video

Swarathma’s new song, Beta Sweater Pehno, is rather tragicomic

We recommend: We scour the internet for the good stuff

Mallika Dua’s video on sex and pregnancy, to a series of politicians getting yelled at: what to watch online right now

How gaming, flea markets and art installations became a part of music festivals

Life of Pi to Phillauri: What actor Suraj Sharma has been up to

Five years since Life of Pi, and four years after moving to New York, actor Suraj Sharma is still the young Delhi guy with a dream. And, no, he doesn’t have an accent.

A new play exposes the entertainment industry’s dark secrets

A premiering play explores murky stories underneath the glamourous world of films, fashion weeks, and page 3 parties.

Bahubali movie gets a prequel book; Sivagami is made protagonist

How Anand Neelakantan came to write a prequel to the mega-budget Bahubali film. And why he thought SS Rajamouli was a prank caller.

Anjali Lama, first transgender model at LFW, moves to Mumbai: Never been so busy

Anjali Lama became the first transgender model to walk the ramp at Lakmé Fashion Week. But the journey — bullying in school, professional rejection, sex reassignment — has not been easy.

HT Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2017 in Mumbai: High on cheese, thrills and music

The interactive session was conducted by physicist-turned-cheesemaker Aditya Raghavan, and it had participants riveted. Some took notes; others asked questions. One participant even wanted to know how much dairy produce a man can eat in a day, a question that drew hearty laughs.

I’ve always been a movie buff: Actor Naveen Kasturia

Actor Naveen Kasturia would rather stay home and binge-watch movies than go partying.

I played tabla, guitar, piano during school: DJ Zaeden

Gurgaon-based DJ, Zaeden, started playing at age 14, and has already been to the EDM mecca, Tomorrowland. But back in school, he used to play instruments like the tabla and the piano

Pay what you want at this music festival

Control Alt Delete runs on support from the community

Canada-based viral tabla player Shobhit Banwait on his Bollywood dreams

Toronto-based YouTube artist Shobhit Banwait found fame with covers of Bollywood and international hits. And came to be known as the internet’s “hot tabla player”

I want to do mainstream Bollywood roles: Mallika Dua

Mallika Dua is a bona fide millennial star: she found fame on Snapchat and became a social media celebrity in just one year. Now, she wants to make it as a mainstream actor

Mumbai’s only American bansuri player on his love for classical ragas

Ahead of his performance, meet Mumbai’s only American bansuri player

Writer Karishma Attari on why women authors often resort to pen names

Some of the most popular classics were written by women under pseudonyms. This weekend, author and Shakespeare nerd Karishma Attari will discuss that and more

We recommend: 3 shows to binge-watch this weekend

Beyond the hashtags: How online activism led to women reclaiming the street

A generation accused of only raging on social media is taking to the streets. Bengaluru might be the trigger, but the midnight runs and post-dark park visits are part of something bigger

Not just weed: Rastafarian singer Ti Rat on the real Rasta philosophy

Ahead of his debut India gig, Rastafarian singer Ti Rat on using reggae to highlight social issues

Enjoy fables and folktales through performance arts at this event

Classic fables and folk tales will be brought to life through various performance arts this weekend

Meet comedian Naveen Richard, a practical joker with ethics

Ahead of his first solo special, comedian Naveen Richard says he made prank calls as a kid, has a fear of pressure cookers, and can’t count to save his life

3 new things to check out in Mumbai

Try new cocktails, visit the newest Social outlet and check out this lounge with a view

Enjoy short stories, poetry, and music at this literary event

Upcoming writers and noted actors will read out a mix of original and famous works, while musicians narrate folk tales, at a literary event this weekend

Podcasts, poetry, music: How the arts took up the fight for mental health

As conversation around mental health grows in India, we look at how people are using creative mediums like poetry, cinema, music, and stand-up comedy to fight the stigma around it.

5 best Indian web series of 2016

2016 in comics: Everything that happened in the indie music scene

2016 has been an eventful year for indie music followers.

2016 in comics: Web series took off in India

If there is one trend in the online space that defined 2016, it is the web series

Root cause: Why DJ Kshmr’s music highlights the conflict in J&k

Indian-American DJ Kshmr grew up listening to his grandparents’ stories of Kashmir. Now, he uses music to highlight the strife in the area