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Thursday, April 30, 2026
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Reel Take

1976 film Chhoti Si Baat is one of Bollywood’s most progressive portrayals of masculinity

Films such as Kabir Singh and Animal have normalised toxic masculinity to the point where the gentleness of Arun in the 1976 film Chhoti Si Baat is almost disorientating.

In Angry Young Man era, Khel Khel Mein stood out for its wisecracking rogue — Rakesh Roshan

Rakesh Roshan, never known for his success in leading roles, outshines Rishi Kapoor in 1975’s Khel Khel Mein, Bollywood’s first college murder thriller.

Saath Saath begins where most Bollywood love stories end—after the wedding

The film proves that sometimes the most compelling love stories are not about overcoming villains, but about learning how to live through everything life throws your way.

Gora Aur Kala is 1970’s Bollywood tackling racism. If anything, it makes it worse

For a film that tries to show that 'beauty is skin deep', director Naresh Kumar and the scriptwriters seem wholly oblivious to its problematic depictions of blackface.

Asha Parekh set the tone for 1970s glamour in Aan Milo Sajna

‘Achha toh hum chalte hain’—it’s the songs that stuck around in the 1970 film Aan Milo Sajna.

Vamps, NRIs, and the feudal system — the makings of Rekha’s Hindi film debut Sawan Bhadon

Rekha's spunky portrayal of the traditional Chanda and Navin Nischol's easy-going foreign-returned Vikram steal hearts with their banter and chemistry.

Ittefaq stood out from the musicals and morality of the 1960s. It offered ambiguity

Shot in 28 days, no song & dance—Rajesh Khanna took the spotlight in Yash Chopra's Ittefaq

Indo-Soviet film Ali Baba Aur 40 Chor wasn’t a diplomatic feat but a commercial success

The 1980 blockbuster is the age-old story of “good over evil”,  featuring an ensemble cast of Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Rolan Bykov, among others.

Mother India took Hindi cinema to global stage. Its Oscar nomination was a turning point

The Oscar nomination of the film highlighted how deeply local stories can resonate globally when told with honesty and conviction.

Before Sholay, there was Mera Gaon Mera Desh. Its Gabbar was more ruthless

At its core, Mera Gaon Mera Desh is the story of a prodigal son and his redemption through Ajit, played by Dharmendra.

On Camera

India’s real estate will meet the reality of agentic AI

New Delhi: The outsourcing industry, India’s largest white-collar employer, is a juggernaut that has all but stopped moving. The dollar revenue at the top...

Adani’s giant copper plant hits technical setbacks in first year

The 500,000 tonne-per-year plant produced just 94,000 tonnes of refined copper from April 2025 to February this year.

Indian drone tech company ideaForge signs MoU with Japanese firm to develop next-gen AI powered drones

By pairing Indian drone engineering with Japanese semiconductor expertise, the two firms aim to develop more advanced autonomous systems tailored to both defence & commercial use.

Trump, Netanyahu’s Iran gamble: The regime change rebound

American objectives are unmet. They neither have muscle nor motivation to resume the war. As for Iran, the regime didn’t just survive, it’s now led by more radical individuals.