THE WEEK India Magazine - September 08, 2024

In this issue

SEX, LIES & MALAYALAM CINEMA

The Malayalam film industry is rocked by sexual harassment allegations, with several actors speaking out about their bitter experiences. Did the Kerala government mishandle the situation? The questions raised extend beyond Mollywood, resonating across all sectors where men and women work together.

Also read: Modi-Zelensky meet—what really transpired? Our report from Kyiv

In untold stories: A Telugu community in Bangladesh with a history spanning over 150 years is facing multiple challenges. Will the new government listen to their concerns?

@Leisure: National award-winning cinematographer Ravi Varman loves to experiment with techniques.

In Health: Bullies in childhood manifest such behaviour in adulthood, often leading to unpleasant consequences, both for the bullies and the bullied. What is inside the mind of the bully and the bullied?

Of hugs, handshakes, folded hands

Two years ago, the whole world was coming down on Narendra Modi like a tonne of bricks for not having condemned Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine, and for buying the bad guy’s oil. So Modi flew to Samarkand, pulled aside the big bad Russian to a corner at the Shanghai gang-up, and told him bluntly—look here big boy, \"Today's era is not of war.”

2 mins

HOP & WIN

Assembly polls may not be a straightforward MVA versus Mahayuti affair; ambitious second-rung leaders could switch parties or contest as independents, upsetting calculations of major alliances

4 mins

MEDIA SENSATIONALISM CANNOT DETERMINE THE NARRATIVE OF A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION

MAMATA BANERJEE HAS never shied away from a political challenge. But the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata seems to have put her government in West Bengal on the back foot.

6 mins

The rapist vote bank

I am sensing some ennui in the reportage around the horrific rape and murder at the R.G. Kar Medical College. Perhaps it is just me, but it seems that the media, while putting on their grimmest faces and asking—‘how many girls will have to die horrible deaths before we fix ourselves as a society?’—seem to be mouthing this often-repeated line a little mechanically.

2 mins

Blast from the past

Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy cries foul as the illegal mining-related case against him gathers pace

4 mins

THEATRE OF OUTRAGE

A shocking report on abuse and exploitation in Malayalam cinema has unleashed a revolution for gender justice. Will the heroic struggle, led by a group of courageous women, succeed?

10+ mins

This isn't about one person; it's about a broader issue

If you start unmasking, I am sure 90 per cent of the people would end up behind bars. This behaviour has become normalised, as if people think they have to give something to get something.

2 mins

Cinema has been reduced to gossip

Their (of the women who are speaking out) information, their thoughts and their feelings are added ingredients in the formulation of the film policy.

2 mins

Delay in justice amounts to apathy

She has captivated audiences through numerous characters over a career that spans nearly two decades.

4 mins

Criminals have their bhais, messiahs and patrons

INTERVIEW-Tanushree Dutta, actor

3 mins

I don't want juniors to have the same experience as I did

The R.G. Kar incident showed how little the authorities care about women. The Hema Committee report gave me confidence that this is the right time to begin this discussion in the Bengali film industry as well.

2 mins

Women must speak up then and there

INTERVIEW-Khushbu Sundar, actor and BJP leader

3 mins

Most men are decent

My work today is focused on mental health, and I’m pleased to see significant progress for women in the film industry.

1 min

This industry is a cesspool of molesters

INTERVIEW-Chinmayi Sripada, singer and voice actor

2 mins

The Kursk bombshell

At its best, high-cost victory. Once again, Russia’s southwestern Kursk area is a battlefield fraught with ominous omens. Ukraine has launched a cross-border offensive into Kursk—the first invasion of Russian territory since World War II.

2 mins

A HISTORIC VISIT IN A HURRY

Modi-Zelensky meet: what really happened

3 mins

I TOLD PM MODI ABOUT INDIA HOSTING THE PEACE SUMMIT

IT WAS WHILE answering questions from THE WEEK at the press meet that Zelensky said he had told Modi about India hosting a peace summit.

2 mins

BALANCING ACT

Modi's Ukraine visit has thrown open the question whether India has effected a subtle shift in its strategic posture by aligning more closely with the west

4 mins

Hope in the midst of havoc

A Telugu community in Bangladesh, with a history dating back more than 150 years, faces multiple challenges. They want the new government to lend them a patient ear

5 mins

Lakshya needs to focus on training his mind

SOON AFTER LAKSHYA Sen lost the bronze medal match at the Paris Olympics to Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia, Prakash Padukone issued a statement that divided the sporting community.

4 mins

Immune to the Hindenburg variant

The economic landscape of a nation is never a stranger to turbulence.

2 mins

WARRIOR OF LIGHT

National award-winning cinematographer Ravi Varman loves to experiment with techniques that others avoid

4 mins

Unsolved mystery

A new book seeks to shake the dust off the Nagarwala case files

2 mins

A maestro's many faces

A new book deconstructs actor Kamal Haasan's rare combination of intellectual prowess and popular appeal

2 mins

HEAD OVER WHEELS!

Be it a double-decker bicycle or one with a car seat, Uday Thapar is a master of creating quirky rides

2 mins

Lit fest, literally

A first-of-its-kind book festival in Srinagar

2 mins

And what of blood?

The Soviet Union of yore had a straightforward way of naming places. Moscow’s railway stations, for instance, are named after destinations, broadly defined. Before the war, the beautiful Kievsky station used to send trains to Kiev in Ukraine, an erstwhile Soviet republic.

2 mins

LOSING A LOVED ONE CAN ACCELERATE AGEING

A US study published in JAMA Network Open finds that people who lost a parent, partner, sibling or child showed signs of older biological age compared with those who had not experienced such losses.

1 min

CAN YOUR FACIAL TEMPERATURE HELP DIAGNOSE DISEASES?

Doctors could one day use temperatures in different face regions to assess ageing and diagnose metabolic diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

1 min

CANCER CASES RISING AMONG GEN X, MILLENNIALS

Incidence of 17 types of cancer is rising among Generation X and millennials, finds a study from the American Cancer Society published in the journal The Lancet Public Health.

1 min

NO HEALTH BENEFITS TO MODERATE DRINKING

Drinking a glass of wine daily may not be healthy after all.

1 min

THE DANGERS OF EXCESS BELLY AND ARM FAT

A new Chinese study published in the journal Neurology suggests that people with high levels of fat in their arms or belly have an increased risk for neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

1 min

NEW ANTIDOTE FOR COBRA BITES

A commonly prescribed blood thinner-heparincan be repurposed as an inexpensive and effective antidote for cobra venom.

1 min

VEGAN DIET CAN SLOW BIOLOGICAL AGE IN JUST 8 WEEKS

Eating a vegan diet, even for a short duration, may help you slow down the biological ageing process, finds a new study published in BMC Medicine.

1 min

CYCLING TO WORK LOWERS RISK OF DISEASE, DEATH

Cycling or walking to and from work or school has immense mental and physical health benefits and may lower your risk of death, finds a Scottish study published in the journal BMJ Public Health.

1 min

Mpox won't spread as fast as Covid, but the world needs to gear up

The surge in mpox cases following the outbreak in Africa is unprecedented: 18,000 cases and more than 600 deaths have been reported this year. The World Health Organization has declared it a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).

3 mins

The truth about teeth

Neglecting dental health can have varied repercussions

5 mins

TRAINING THE BRAIN

Sports mastery is a lot more than physical capability; it shapes the brain, too

5 mins

THE BULLY AND THE BULLIED

The prevalence of bullying in India is very high. With easy access to internet and social media, it has only got worse. There is a need for awareness and resources in how to handle not just the victims but also the perpetrators with care

10+ mins

Mother nurture

Padmini Janaki promises to be with women on their fertility journeys, whether virtually or in person

4 mins

Read all stories from THE WEEK India

THE WEEK India Magazine Description:

THE WEEK is an Indian English-language news magazine published by The Malayala Manorama Co. Pvt. Ltd. It was founded in 1982 and is the largest circulated English news magazine in India.

THE WEEK covers a wide range of topics, including politics, business, society, and culture. The magazine is known for its in-depth reporting and its balanced coverage of the news.

THE WEEK has won numerous awards, including the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism and the National Magazine Award for General Excellence.

Here are some of the features of THE WEEK India Magazine:

* In-depth reporting: THE WEEK's reporters go the extra mile to bring you the latest news and analysis.
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* Compelling storytelling: THE WEEK's writers tell stories that will stay with you long after you've finished reading them.
* Thought-provoking opinion: THE WEEK's columnists challenge you to think about the world in new ways.
* Engaging visuals: THE WEEK's photography and design make the magazine visually appealing.

THE WEEK is a must-read for anyone interested in Indian politics, business, and society.