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Tuesday, August 19, 2025
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The FinePrint

Hindi cinema is ‘fixing’ its Punjab on screens. No more Yash Chopra’s mustard-tinted fantasy

Kohrra, CAT, Tabbar, Amar Singh Chamkila, Dunki, and Chamak—this latest wave of Punjabi content is taking an unflinching look at the lingering wounds of militancy, caste, drugs, and police brutality.

‘Want to buy peace’—Narendra Jain can’t get Salman Rushdie to end a 5-decade legal battle

Narendra Jain has received stony silence from author Salman Rushdie, whom he wants to acknowledge the 1970 sale of 4 Flagstaff Road bungalow in Delhi's Civil Lines.

Urdu’s popularity in Devanagari is a lesson for Muslims—acceptance lies in Indianisation

Today, Urdu literacy is lowest among the Ashraaf and highest among the lower classes who are educated in madrasas. But it’s the Ashraafs who claim to live the ‘Urdu culture’.

Smart Bangladesh or Sharia — For Hindus, it’s Hasina or an abyss this election

It is for Hasina to show the world that even though the State religion is Islam, Hindus can live in peace in Bangladesh.

JNU comrades, Kamal Nath’s cold feet, Gehlot’s insecurities—tales about Congress meltdown

Beyond BJP's victories in the three states lie untold stories of the several mini-wars that played out in the Congress party’s backrooms.

New Ramjas teachers ‘quote Ramayana, dislike Marxist historians’—students miss academic rigour

The history department at Ramjas is a microcosm of how the teaching is changing across DU, claim several permanent and former ad hoc teachers at Ramjas and other colleges.

Modi is following Indira Gandhi playbook—election wins are personal triumphs, CMs don’t matter

Modi's charisma and vision for India is the only mandate for elections. Local leaders become no more than facilitators. They are not expected to win votes in their own names.

Manichaeism worshipped Jesus, Buddha. This Silk Road religion’s strength became its weakness

Manichaean icons and ideas trickled into the art of Tibet and Japan, with Mani and Jesus represented as Buddhas.

Myanmar crisis has put India in a difficult situation. Can it balance competing interests?

Ever since the Myanmar military regained control of the State in 2021, India—like China and other nations in Southeast Asia—has seen its power as a kind of necessary evil.

Ayodhya is being rebooted, rebuilt, & reimagined—Gen Z pilgrims, luxury hotels, 3D shows

Ayodhya is the ultimate 21st-century pilgrim town with its wide roads, international airport, and ‘uniform’ aesthetic. You can enjoy pizza on the ghats while watching Ram and Sita in 3D.

On Camera

Why Modi, BJP should worry about bad blood between CEC Gyanesh Kumar and Rahul Gandhi

If there is bad blood between the CEC and the Opposition leaders, it will shake the people’s faith in election results. It’s the worst thing that could happen to Indian democracy.

Navigating Trump’s tariffs is no child’s play. Indian toymakers are losing out on orders, enquiries

Indian toymakers are now exploring new markets, but they want govt to negotiate a trade deal with US soon, introduce incentives and subsidies to make the industry more competitive.

India provides Nepal with military equipment, medical supplies; PM Oli likely to visit next month

New Delhi: India has handed over military equipment, medical supplies, trained dogs and horses to the Nepalese Army Monday, ahead of Prime Minister K.P....

War of IAF, PAF doctrines: As Pakistan obsesses over numbers, India embraces risk, wins

Now that both IAF and PAF have made formal claims of having shot down the other’s aircraft in the 87-hour war in May, we can ask a larger question: do such numbers really matter?