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Thursday, October 2, 2025
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Reel Take

When Rajesh Khanna was upstaged by a toddler. Aakhri Khat is a forgotten gem

Director Chetan Anand didn’t let Rajesh Khanna sleep for three nights before shooting a pivotal scene. He would call him in the middle of the night.

‘You’ve put on a bit of weight though’—how this film on mother-daughter bond begins

Anvita Brahmbhatt draws from her personal experiences to build the relationship between a mother and her adult daughter in her film 'Over A Cup of Chai'.

Hamraaz was Bollywood’s Shakespearean tragedy. Sunil Dutt, its Othello

The popularity of the film’s album can be jointly credited to the lyrics of Sahir Ludhianvi and the soulful voice of Mahendra Kapoor.

Yash Chopra’s ‘Daag’ had a love triangle with no jealousy. It happily ends in bigamy

Daag would go on to establish Chopra as a filmmaker who would not just explore the fun elements of romance but also touch upon subjects like infidelity, and in this case, bigamy.

Dil Hi Toh Hai was a ‘Muslim social’ — but it put insaniyat and sharafat above khandan

The 1963 film Dil Hi Toh Hai, starring Raj Kapoor and Nutan, is a compelling outlier in the ‘Muslim Social’ genre. It defied conventions, even if gently.

Trishul tested Amitabh Bachchan’s emotional range—and he was more than an angry young man

Trishul came when Salim-Javed were at the high point of their creativity and Bachchan at the top of his stardom.

Ek Chadar Maili Si isn’t an easy watch. Hema Malini plays a woman trapped by tradition

Based on Rajinder Singh Bedi’s Urdu novel, the 1986 film directed by Sukhwant Dhadda is a portrayal of a woman’s bruised dignity and the silent scream of suppressed rebellion.

Jaya Bachchan made Mili unforgettable. Her acting rivalled Rajesh Khanna’s in Anand

With this 1975 film, Jaya Bachchan established herself as a serious performer in an era where women were confined to glamorous, arm-candy roles.

ChaalBaaz was Bollywood’s wild take on feminism. Sridevi showed no one did double roles like her

Sridevi carries ChaalBaaz entirely on her shoulders, effortlessly switching between the timid Anju and the brash Manju. Sunny Deol and Rajinikanth pale in comparison.

Doosara Aadmi tackled emotional infidelity before Bollywood had a language for it

The 1977 film Doosara Aadmi explored obsession, longing, and the human tendency to seek lost love in new relationships. It’s one of Rakhee’s most nuanced performances.

On Camera

Why Modi’s supporters fear ‘proud Hindu’ MK Gandhi and venerate his murderer Godse

Every Gandhi Jayanti, we witness a contradiction in Hindutva position — PM Modi hails ‘beloved Bapu’ while his supporters attack and abuse him.

More Andhra-style prawn fry for Indian plates? How Naidu’s trying to blunt US tariff hit on aqua exports

Naidu attempts to shield aqua farmers after Trump’s tariff hits the shrimp farming sector in Andhra Pradesh, leading to the cancellation of 50% of the state's exports.

Finnish giant ICEYE to build signature radar microsatellites in India, offers full control to govt

Company builds microsatellites that are smaller, faster, cheaper to produce. ICEYE will develop & launch micro-satellites, hand them over to India, which will have full control & sovereignty.

Something’s hidden in the Oval Office photo of Trump, Munir, Sharif. India must look closely

What Munir has achieved with Trump is a return to normal, ironing out the post-Abbottabad crease. The White House picture gives us insight into how Pakistan survives, occasionally thrives and thinks.