Soumitra Chatterjee – Towering Thespian with a Poignant Appeal

BY KAUSTAV BHATTACHARYYA Recently I had the good fortune of serendipitously coming across a book chronicling the life, work, passions and oeuvre of the eminent film actor and cultural personality of the thespian Soumitra Chatterjee in a vintage bookstore titled ‘Soumitra Chatterjee: A life in Cinema, Theatre, Poetry & Painting’ authored by the duo, Arjun Sengupta and Partha Mukherjee. My mind drifted in a momentary … Continue reading Soumitra Chatterjee – Towering Thespian with a Poignant Appeal

countrysquireindiaAugust 4, 2022August 4, 2022

Film

The Online Experience

BY DRISHTI RAKHRA My first time in a cinema hall post-pandemic saw many many emotions, but most of all I felt an immense amount of nostalgia. INOX always seemed much bigger to my childish eyes, with the bodies of much taller, older people bumping up against me. I would return to the cinema hall every time holding a feeling of wonder. There was a sense … Continue reading The Online Experience

countrysquireindiaApril 7, 2022April 7, 2022

Film

Pop it like the 80s: Nostalgia

BY KAUSTAV BHATTACHARYA Reminiscence of an innocent adolescent’s love for the Hindi Pop songs In one of my previous textual reminiscences about Hindi Disco music, while writing and reflecting upon the 80s music, my mind drifted into the world of music of the 80s bringing back fond memories of those ‘innocently delinquent’ years. This time I wish to dwell upon the trend which defined 80s … Continue reading Pop it like the 80s: Nostalgia

countrysquireindiaMarch 15, 2022March 10, 2022

Film

Celebrating the Disco Generation

BY KAUSTAV BHATTACHARYYA The year was around 1982-83, this was pre-liberalization, pre-globalization India where imported tech gadgets were not readily available and I was excited since a movie would be screened in a VCR (Video Cassette Recorder) at a festive gathering. We looked with awe at the magic of popping in a thick cassette and images appear on the television screen. Those days watching a … Continue reading Celebrating the Disco Generation

countrysquireindiaFebruary 19, 2022February 19, 2022

Books, Film

Always: Magic And Memories Of Potterverse

BY ZAINAB AHMED The year 2022 started on a stellar note for a lot of people across the globe. What’s stellar in the midst of a global pandemic, you ask. Believe it or not, It is the magic of the global fandom of Harry Potter, that made everything better. On January 1, 2022, an entire generation walked down the memory lane together as ‘Harry Potter 20th … Continue reading Always: Magic And Memories Of Potterverse

countrysquireindiaFebruary 18, 2022February 17, 2022

Culture, Film, Society

Remembering Bangalore From Februaries Past

BY DRISHTI RAKHRA Telling someone that I’m from Bangalore is never easy. The statement of belonging always appears with a little bit of shame. My memory of Bangalore is not steeped in the sharp twists and turns of Kannada, it is not heavy with the experiences of going to landmarks like Lalbagh on weekends or eating breakfast at one of the many efficient darshinis of … Continue reading Remembering Bangalore From Februaries Past

countrysquireindiaFebruary 5, 2022February 9, 2022

Film

King of Bollywood

BY ANDREW MOODY “Shah Rukh Khan is the face of a glittering new India. He is a modern-day god. On streets in India, his posters are sold alongside those of religious deities. Shrines have been erected in his name. For Indians and the varied non-Indian lover of popular Hindi cinema, Shah Rukh is bigger than Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt combined. Over fifteen years and … Continue reading King of Bollywood

countrysquireindiaDecember 22, 2021