Lakshmi Madhavan explores identity, heritage through kasavu cloth, bridging art and tradition through weavers

Lakshmi Madhavan explores identity, heritage through kasavu cloth, bridging art and tradition through weavers

For conceptual artist Lakshmi Madhavan, the gossamer fine cotton cloth woven with gold zari (kasavu) is her chosen medium to explore a people’s stories, culture and social mooring. The Mumbai-based artist uses the kasavu-bordered cotton textile to explore her identity, her roots and her efforts to bridge the different facets of her life while juxtaposing […]

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How Akashvani celebrates Republic Day every year with poems in Indian languages

How Akashvani celebrates Republic Day every year with poems in Indian languages

A celebration with verses. That is what the national broadcaster Akashvani (earlier known as All India Radio) has been doing for the last 68 years to mark Republic Day. All stations of Akashvani broadcast poems written in the 22 official Indian languages. Translations of these poems are broadcast in the voice of reputed poets from […]

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Kochi photographer’s Kollam Era calendar which uses Malayalam numerals is an ode to Malayalam

Kochi photographer’s Kollam Era calendar which uses Malayalam numerals is an ode to Malayalam

The Kollam Era calendar  | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Jinson Abraham’s Kollavarsham 1199 calendar [the Malayalam calendar, known as the Kollam Era calendar] stirred his father’s childhood memories; one of his first lessons, when he started education, was learning Malayalam numerals. It was the same for actor Mohanlal. “When I gifted one to the actor, […]

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Bhavana Studios’ Malayalam YouTube series ‘The Fanatic’ pans in on the emotional connect that fans have with their idols

Bhavana Studios’ Malayalam YouTube series ‘The Fanatic’ pans in on the emotional connect that fans have with their idols

Reese Thomas, a Paulo Coelho fan in a screengrab from the series | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Watching Abhirami Radhakrishnan, an Ayurvedic doctor from Manjeri, Kerala, and more importantly an avid Vijay fan, reduced to tears when she gets a phone call from the Tamil actor sums up the Bhavana Studios’ YouTube series The Fanatic. […]

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Award-winning Malayalam costume designer Stephy Zaviour turns director with the movie ‘Madhura Manohara Moham’

Award-winning Malayalam costume designer Stephy Zaviour turns director with the movie ‘Madhura Manohara Moham’

When costume designer Stephy Zaviour told friends that she was set to direct a film she was warned that there would be frustration and a lot of tears. “There were no tears, if there was a problem I would just deal with it. What is the point of tears?” says the award-winning costume designer who […]

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‘Thrishanku’: Trailer of Anna Ben-Arjun Ashokan starrer out

‘Thrishanku’: Trailer of Anna Ben-Arjun Ashokan starrer out

Anna Ben and Ajun Ashokan in ‘Thrishanku’ | Photo Credit: @ThinkMusicIndia/YouTube The trailer of Malayalam romantic comedy drama Thrishanku, starring Anna Ben, and Arjun Ashokan is out. The film is directed by debutant Achyuth Vinayak. The trailer reveals the story of Sethu and Megha, and their plans to elope. However, it appears destiny has other […]

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‘Live’: Trailer of Mamta Mohandas-Soubin Shahir’s thriller out

‘Live’: Trailer of Mamta Mohandas-Soubin Shahir’s thriller out

Mamta Mohandas from the trailer of ‘LIVE’ | Photo Credit: @MAGIC FRAMES/YOUTUBE The trailer of V K Prakash’s Malayalam film Live, starring Mamta Mohandas, Soubin Shahir, Shine Tom Chacko, and Priya Prakash Varrier is out. The 112-minute is touted to be a thriller that takes a dig at media sensationalism. Mamta plays a doctor in […]

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‘Gold’ movie review: Alphonse Puthren-Prithviraj’s film fails to sparkle

‘Gold’ movie review: Alphonse Puthren-Prithviraj’s film fails to sparkle

Prithviraj Sukumaran in a still from ‘Gold’ | Photo Credit: Magic Frames Music/YouTube Tastes evolve, trends change, and trendsetters of yore sometimes end up playing catch-up. Bereft of ideas to inject some novelty, they may even repeat the tried and tested. This seems to be the case for filmmaker Alphonse Puthren with Gold, which comes seven […]

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‘‘1744 White Alto’ is a crime comedy’ says Senna Hegde

‘‘1744 White Alto’ is a crime comedy’ says Senna Hegde

Senna’s next film, Padmini, has Kunchacko Boban and Aparna Balamurali in the lead Senna’s next film, Padmini, has Kunchacko Boban and Aparna Balamurali in the lead Senna Hegde is not one to sit on his laurels. The director, who won the national award for the best Malayalam film for his Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam, is busy finishing […]

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Dileep S has been a travelling vendor of books for 23 years

Dileep S has been a travelling vendor of books for 23 years

Dileep’s customers are mostly policemen and government employees in Thiruvananthapuram Dileep’s customers are mostly policemen and government employees in Thiruvananthapuram There is a buzz around a sightly built man on a motorcycle at the State Armed Police (SAP) campus at Peroorkada in Thiruvananthapuram. Conversations are animated and after an hour or two, each of the […]

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