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Wednesday, August 13, 2025
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Around Town

Parasite to Past Lives—PVR is in on K-culture boom. Audience is now ‘mature, language agnostic’

PVR has been screening concert films of K-pop bands since 2018. Their other biggest international draw is anime. Suzume, released in April across 85 cities collected Rs 10 crore

Ghee in risotto, Mexican bhel—Tarla Dalal made international cuisine accessible

She was the first cookbook author to receive a Padma Shri. Now Dalal is making history once again as the first Indian chef to get their own biopic, Tarla, starring Huma Qureshi.

UPSC, NEET hub Mukherjee Nagar is a fire hazard, costly, lacks mentors. A daily ‘battle’

Students say ‘there is no point’ asking for guidance from institutes solely focused on zipping through course materials and flaunting toppers.

Badass Begums — A new heritage walk of Old Delhi is all about Kothas & courtesans

Mughal princesses and princes were sent to kothas to learn elite etiquette or train in music and dancing. They were the ‘etiquette institutions’ of the Mughal era, said the tour leader Anoushka Jain.

Jai Shri Ram chants, mantras, garlands—what happened when JNU screened 72 Hoorain

After screening Kashmir Files & Kerala Story in the past, JNU's Vivekananda Vichar Manch attracted the biggest audience for 72 Hoorain. The aim is to battle the dominant narrative.

Jungle life is wilder than you know. Ex-IFS officer’s new book reveals politics of forest

Former forest officer Sunayan Sharma said that people don’t know much about what forest life actually looks like, especially the challenges faced foresters who deal its complexities.

IAS officers on how they deal with politicians’ pressure. Sheila Dikshit to Mamata Banerjee

Retired IAS officer Sanjeev Chopra said working with Mamata Banerjee was difficult for him. That's generally the case with CM-driven parties, he said.

Queer entrepreneurs are claiming a new public place — Indian malls 

Queer Made Weekend, organised by Gaysi Family and Tinder India, showcased queer entrepreneurs, performers.

Abolishing drugs a romantic notion. Legalisation is a better shot at combating addiction

At the launch of psychiatrist Dr Anirudh Kala’s book Most of What You Know About Addiction is Wrong, panellists wanted the audience to change their view of addicts as criminals.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee has just been gift-wrapped, returned to the RSS in a new book

Vajpayee: The Ascent of the Hindu Right 1924–1977 shatters BJP poet-politician’s reputation as a liberal hero. “I recognise more of Vajpayee in this book," said BJP's Swapan Dasgupta.

On Camera

Asim Munir wants to be guardian of the Middle East. He’s fated to fail at home

Countering insurgency needs the Pakistan Army to demonstrate a political will that ties leaders at the centre with those in the borderlands. But it may not have the imagination.

Slashing GST on waste can unlock Rs 1.8 lakh crore, high tax hurting circular economy goals—CSE

Centre for Science and Environment in new report makes case for rationalising GST on waste material, saying most informal operators can’t afford high tax & it also hinders recycling.

India, US troops to undertake joint military exercise next month, first after Op Sindoor

21st edition of annual joint military exercise will be held from 1 to 16 September, aimed at sharing military tech, operational best practices & disaster relief coordination methods.

Modi’s ready to risk it all for farmers. Farm reform can answer Trump with new Green Revolution

Standing up to America is usually not a personal risk for a leader in India. Any suggestions of foreign pressure unites India behind who they see as leading them in that fight.