Author: Sweetlena Mandal

Why the AR Rahman Controversy Proves the “Candid Artist Interview” is a Double-Edged Sword in 2026. The “candid interview” has officially become the most high-stakes gamble in Indian pop culture. One hour “artist interview” behind a microphone can either humanize a legend or dismantle a legacy. (Image courtesy: framerusercontent) It started this January with Mary Kom. The boxing icon, usually the picture of iron discipline, sent shockwaves through the internet with a raw, messy revelation of divorce and financial betrayal on Aap Ki Adalat. Before the dust could even settle on that, AR Rahman, the man who usually speaks in…

Meet the 6 Young Indian Women Proving Age is Just a Number: A Glimpse into the Future of Nari Shakti. Imagine a world where a 13-year-old fights the strong currents of the Palk Strait for eleven hours, not for a medal or a trophy, but for the soul of our planet’s waters. Now, envision a girl from a small village in the state of Rajasthan standing bravely at 17,000 feet on what is famously known as the highest battle site in the world. This is not a film script; it is the new reality of India. Today, a tough breed…

BTS V’s “Namaste India” Hint and the Mumbai Office: Connecting the Dots for 2026 The saga between BTS and India has piqued the interests of fans for the better part of a decade, and the duo has managed to keep the love alive via streaming figures and trending topics on the “world’s biggest” microblogging website, Twitter. However, as we enter the year 2026, the story has changed from whether they will come to how they will alter the Indian entertainment industry forever. And the Indian ARMYs can’t wait for the BTS Concert India. (Image courtesy: ndtvimg0) With the recent launch…

Mary Kom vs. Onler Kom: Understanding the Complex Reality Behind the Headlines Mary Kom belonged to a country that watched her fight her way out of poverty, into the ring, and into history. She belonged to young girls who learned, through her fists and her persistence, that strength did not need permission. And after her biopic Mary Kom arrived in theatres, she also belonged to cinema: sharpened, simplified, and made mythic. (Image courtesy: manoramayearbook) The film did something powerful and dangerous at the same time. It gave India a hero’s journey with clear emotional signposts. Mary Kom was the warrior.…

From cricket and chess to football, boxing, and para sports, how Indian women athletes reshaped global sport Last year, something quietly irreversible happened in Indian sport. Across cricket stadiums, chess halls, football pitches, boxing rings, and para arenas, Indian women stopped being stories of promise and became stories of proof. They didn’t wait for better systems, louder applause, or perfect conditions. They showed up anyway, and won. What followed wasn’t just a collection of medals or firsts, but a visible shift in how Indian women in sports are seen, funded, and believed in. This wasn’t a breakthrough moment. It was…

Jaipur Literature Festival 2026: Dates, Speakers, Authors and What to Expect Each year in the month of January, Jaipur becomes one of the most fascinating cultural destinations in Asia. Dubbed “the greatest literary show on Earth,” the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) is back in 2026 with its 19th edition to bring five days of riveting discussions, debates, and narratives that target book lovers and intellectual elites from around the world. Widely known as Jaipur Lit Fest 2026, the festival continues to strengthen its position among the most celebrated literary festivals in India. (Image courtesy: firstpost) Mark Your Calendars: 15 -19…

How restraint, mood, and storytelling made Shashwat Sachdev’s music in Dhurandhar stand out At a time when film music is designed to trend before the film even releases, Dhurandhar took a risk-it let its music unfold slowly. No attention-grabbing anthems. No emotional shortcuts. Just sound that served the story. (Image courtesy: indianexpress) That decision put Shashwat Sachdev right in the middle of the most striking sequences of the film. Usually invisible behind several flashier names, his contribution for Dhurandhar is now being appreciated for precisely what it is-music that doesn’t seek attention, but demands it. How Dhurandhar uses music as…

Differently-abled Talents are changing how India measures strength and success. Decades have blurred by and sport has neatly been segued into two boxes: able-bodied and para-athlete. Two tracks, two labels, and two rather unequal levels of recognition. But that separation is cracking-fast. Today, the differently abled talents of India are forging into a new era where competition is not defined by categories but pure, unadulterated performance. They do not aim for representation; they want equal footing. They don’t walk onto the field for sympathy; they step on to win. And increasingly, they are doing precisely that. (Image courtesy: bbci) And…

Messi GOAT Tour India Fan Experience: When Fans Became the Story Fans paid, queued, cheered, and hoped. When Lionel Messi’s GOAT Tour arrived in India, what they wanted was simple: time with their hero, a clear view, and memories to take home. Instead, in cities like Kolkata the experience cracked under the weight of unmet expectations; brief appearances, blocked sightlines, and chaos that ended in vandalism and arrests. That fury was not random; it was the natural reaction of audiences who felt promised an encounter and were given less than they paid for. (Image courtesy: olympics) Coldplay Fan Experience in…

Stranger Things at Work: Understanding Team Dynamics Through Workplace Archetypes If you have ever walked into a meeting and felt, “Wow… this feels just like a scene straight out of Hawkins,” then you are not alone. The workplaces these days are a Stranger Things universe in themselves: buzzing with ideas, chaos, unexpected twists, heroic last-minute saves, and of course, unique personalities who manage to hold everything together. (Image courtesy: dengarden) And just like Hawkins needs its squad, every workplace needs its archetypes. So, we created the Hawkins Archetype Framework: a fun, people-first way to understand kinds of energies that make teams…