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Tuesday, August 12, 2025

PoV

K-pop industry needs a Taylor Swift revolution—openness on failed romances, mental health

An NYT article on singer Goo Hara’s life cut short by suicide angered K-pop fans. But it has reignited a necessary conversation that otherwise surfaces only when a K-pop star takes the extreme step.

Stray dogs don’t ‘charge to kill’, ‘plot to poop’. So-called menace is a human-made problem

Hate to mention the obvious, but stray dogs are animals. They do not think like humans, they don’t know logic, they aren’t operating with a conscience. They are simply trying to survive.

Pankaj Udhas made the ghazal relatable, away from its high-culture Urdu citadel

Pankaj Udhas’ melancholic voice resonated with the grief-filled hearts of many North Indians. With a drink and chakhna in hand, or at a Mughlai food restaurant, his ghazals provided comfort and solace.

Suspending IFS officer for Akbar-Sita naming controversy shows how vulnerable Forest Service is

It sends the message to every forest official that their jobs no longer depend just on addressing environmental concerns, health of wildlife; it also depends on naming of animals.

‘Everything happening now has roots in 90s’—Why Varun Grover chose it for ‘All India Rank’

Varun Grover’s central character in ‘All India Rank’ is not the underdog. He is nearly an outsider figure in Kota’s IIT race who experiences the urgency and pressure but isn’t compelled to participate in it.

Aditya Dhar’s ‘Article 370’ wins over Kashmir Files, Kerala Story. Focuses on entertainment

Where 'The Kashmir Files' and 'The Kerala Story' fell flat by relentlessly pushing propaganda, Article 370 scores by striving for entertainment alongside its message.

Wedding makeover can now literally kill you. ‘Looking good’ is a dangerous pursuit

Beauty procedures aren't always risk free & can cause more damage. But the pressure is so high that people shell out lakhs for the perfect smile and dimpled cheeks.

Big K-pop stars aren’t coming to India and it’s because fans aren’t rich enough

Everyone in showbiz wants to tap into and capitalise on the fan base in India, but it’s insulting to think that we are so obsessed with K-pop that we mindlessly consume all things Korean.

The Devil Wears Prada is going to Broadway. But it makes no sense without Meryl Streep

No actor can replace Streep as the iconic Miranda Priestly. And it is not a comment on Vanessa Williams’ acting prowess, but rather on the fact that no one can recreate perfection

UK’s TikTok army to stop immigrants—influencer envoy is the new era in diplomacy

For the Rishi Sunak govt, the key to solving the migrant issue lies not in careful policy-making or international cooperation but in using the TikTok algorithm for ‘dystopian sponcon’.

On Camera

With nuke lunacy, Asim Munir joins Pakistan’s Hall of Generals who swapped brains for bluster

Munir indicates that he’s willing to go for broke, even if it risks taking his country “and half the world” down with him. It’s important to understand where he is coming from.

How mining, manufacturing & power sectors weighed on India’s industrial output since January 2024

India’s industrial output growth saw a 10-month low in June, with Index of Industrial Production (IIP) growing by mere 1.5% as against 1.9% in May 2025.

‘Next war may come sooner than expected, will require whole-of-nation approach’—Army chief

Gen Dwivedi framed Op Sindoor not just as retaliation to Pahalgam, but as demonstration of India’s capability to fight multi-domain conflicts with integration between services & agencies.

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.