Post-truth Apostate

On November 12, 2021, India and China faced the heat of both the developed nations as well as the small island countries which are at greatest risk from climate change, due to their collective lobbying to water down the aim of the Glasgow pact from ‘phase-out of coal’ to ‘phase down of coal’. It was a rare moment when you had both the Asian giants on the same side of the argument, though for a debatable outcome. The sentiments coming from civil society activists as well as western leaders, after the summit had concluded, was not quite reassuring for climate optimists as everyone tagged the Glasgow Pact as ‘disappointing and unfruitful.  But was this historic summit a complete failure? To know the answer to this, it is important to look at it from the perspective of countries like India which face a two-pronged challenge ahead: Reduce poverty or go green? Though some may call this a false binary, it is hard to ignore the immense cost involved in going completely carbon neutral, espe...

Campus romance and friendship have always been a blockbuster combo for Malayalam movie industry. Several of our most cherished movie stars rose to fame and public appeal through such movies. Even Mohanlal inherited the name 'Lalettan' from a character of the same name in the campus movie 'Sarvakalashala', which created a turning point in his career. Kunchako Boban rode the wave through his hits after hits of campus movies, but hit a roadblock when people reached the saturation point in terms of campus movies.  Similarly, 'Thattathin Marayathu' and 'Premam' were the genesis forces behind the 'boy next door' appeal of Nivin Pauly. But looking back at the most popular of Malayalam campus movies, one thing which becomes evident is that people always receive fresh themes with full heart and reject mere adaptations, stereotypes and cliches. That was why 'College Kumaran' and several campus movies of Kunchako Boban were commercial flops. All thi...

    സ്വപ്ന ലോകത്തെ കൊട്ടാരവാതിൽക്കൽ തട്ടി ഗുരുവന്ദ്യൻ ഒരു കടലാസ്കെട്ടു നീട്ടി ഉച്ചവെയിലത്തു വാടിതളർന്നോരെൻ ഉച്ചി മറക്കാനും ആകാതോരരക്കെട്ട് " വീരാ, വീരേന്ദ്ര യത്നിച്ചു കാണുമല്ലോ നീ പാടെ വീണ്ടുമൊരൊറ്റയനെപ്പോൽ സമ്പൂജ്യനായി നീ" കൂട്ടിലടച്ചൊരു കുട്ടിക്കുരങ്ങെന്നപ്പോൽ നോക്കി കുതുകമേറും സഹമിഴികളൊക്കെയും വൈകിയില്ല പിന്നെ പട്ടാഭിഷേക കർമ്മങ്ങൾ കരാള ഹസ്തങ്ങൾ പതിച്ചെൻ നെറ്റിയിൽ ഗുരുതൻ മിഴികളെക്കാൾ ഉരുണ്ടൊരു വൃത്തം പള്ളിത്തേർ തെക്കോട്ടു ഉരുണ്ടുനീങ്ങി പടിക്കലേ കാത്തുനിൽപുണ്ടിത ഒരു കുട്ടിച്ചാത്തൻ ചാത്തന്റെ ചാട്ടംകണ്ടണഞ്ഞു ചിലർ മുന്നിൽ ചരിഞ്ഞൊരു ത്രസ്സുമായ് മദർ ഇന്ത്യ പിന്നിൽ കയർ പിരിക്കുന്നു ചാക്കോ മാഷ് മുടികൊണ്ട് മറച്ചൊരാ മുദ്ര കണ്ടലറി ചാത്തൻ നിണനിറം കണ്ടൊരു കാളപോൽ സടകുടഞ്ഞിരുവരും കല്പിച്ചു ശാസനം : " വിഴുപ്പേണ്ടും കഴുതപൊൽ ഇനിമേൽ ചുമക്കു നി മിടുക്കനാം സഹപാടി സുഗുണനെ ".

  While watching the newly out trailer of KGF 02, you might have wondered whether the character played by Raveena Tandon was an allusion to the iron lady Indira Gandhi. While Raveena's character and her desire to invade into Rocky's gold mines would be evident only when the film comes out, there is a similar story linked to Indira Gandhi - Indira's quest for the treasure of Jaigarh fort. The story is set in the backdrop of the emergency period, the time when the iron lady ruled with an iron fist.  Jaigarh is an ancient fort of more than 300 years of antiquity located in the state of a thousand palaces, Rajasthan. Situated at a distance of 15 kms from Jaipur, Jaigarh Fort was built by Raja Sawai Jai Singh in 1726, the same man who founded the city of Jaipur and built Jantar Mantar. It was originally built as a check fort for the Amer and Nhargarh forts.  One of the main attractions of the fort, present to this day is the Jaivana Cannon, which is claimed to be the biggest m...

   Away from the field of violence turned the captain to the highlands, flowed there with pacific shyness a brook like a mirror of silence. He ye who come from yonder.... this bloodshed did you ponder? the cattle grazed meadows highs is reeking with mellow vice. People call ye King of Lands! Trophy of thy bloody hands? The only thing that come of war a sorry heart full of scars. Slowly the captain took his shield wishing he had left the field. Knowed he that when duty calls march in like 'em wrecking balls. Turned he from the shining mirror which for him was a thing of terror. Marching with his swooping sword spoke he not a single word.

Baby, can you hear my plea? The pain of love that longs to be. I know I stumbled, I know I fell, But let me mend what words don't tell. This time, I promise, my love is true, No more tears, I had no clue. We'll build a world where laughter rings, And fill it with your favourite things. Wandering where wildflowers bloom, We'll chase the stars, outshine the moon. We'll write our story in the sand, Etched forever, hand in hand. I hurt you once; that is true, The pain I caused, I can't undo. But love's a flame, it can ignite, Even in the darkest night. So hold my hand, walk with me, Through sun and rain, in joy and pain. Read my heart, let doubts depart, Together, we'll make a fresh start.