TRIPLE THREAT

Possibly the most memorable — and significant — hattrick in a very long time, Ayushmann Khurrana changed the game this year with three releases, all superhits, and has established himself as the most important leading man in the industry who is entertaining, reliable and outrageously talented

THE YEAR OF THE OLDER WOMAN

At least three films did something unusual in 2019. Saand ki Aankh, Mission Mangal and De De Pyar De had older women centre stage, a big change from the penumbral margins they are usually banished to in popular Indian cinema.

MEN OF THE YEAR 2019

Commercial isn’t “commercial” anymore. While the wave of the alternate merging with the mainstream had been building for the last two years, 2019 truly became the turning point for quality cinema becoming the norm. So, we decided to celebrate the men and women who would otherwise have been “parallel” but are the biggest players in Indian cinema right now. They are talented, intelligent risk-takers who understand the importance of offering socially-relevant and content-driven cinema, while also making sure that the execution is engaging and entertaining, to ensure maximum impact. From writers, filmmakers to leading stars, these men and women are changing the rules of Indian cinema.

India's Increasing Obsession With Cringe Content

From TikToks to memes to trolling ourselves, the YouTube content creator talks about its all-time rise, and how the quality is debatable

Can Indian Fashion Exist Without Bollywood?

The fashion designer talks about B-town influences in Indian fashion, and how it's up to the industry to sell a story

Busy Bee

With a busy 2019 and a 2020 full of releases, Kubbra Sait talks about evolving storylines, meatier roles for women and the perfect timing of web content

BMW 745Le

BMW's luxury sedan sucessfully left the mark it intended to leave

Bollywood's New Daddy

While his acting career might have kicked off a tad late, Gajraj Rao is definitely making his mark in web shows and in feature films, mostly as a cool father figure, but more importantly, as a talented acting powerhouse.

A Shot Of S-Presso

Mini SUV is a new segment in the car market with Maruti Suzuki leading the way

Better Late Than Never - Viineet Kumar

It took him 17 years to find a solo lead role in Mukkabaaz (2017), and he couldn't have been busier since. He will be seen in as many as half a dozen films and web series over the next six months.

He's Just Not That Into You (And Here's Why)

While the ignorant believe that all human beings are interested in sex, the world is slowly waking up to the fact that asexuals and aromantics exist, thanks to the Internet.

Families Under Stress

The troubled family storyline has travelled a long way in Hindi films from the 60s melodramas to the contemporary mix of irony and irreverent love. Seema Pahwa’s Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi, which releases this month, is the latest that confronts this enduring theme

Kickass Kaushal

He’s the golden boy of the industry right now, with all the right projects and great friends, building a career that looks formidable and a filmography that would be any (intelligent) leading man’s envy. Vicky Kaushal is on the road to success, and most probably, superstardom.

Ertiga - Maruti Suzuki's Answer To The Toyota Innova Crysta

The XL6 is what you get when you take Maruti’s popular people carrier and jazz it up.

A Man For All Seasons

Manoj Kumar is the man behind the growing fame of Araku as a world class coffee from India. But the story behind how he marshalled 100,000 adivasi farmers to create the world’s largest small farm-based organic coffee plantation surrounded by 23 million newly-planted trees in a Naxal-blighted corner of Andhra Pradesh, is an even more inspiring one

Nitesh Tiwari And The Art Of Fatherhood

From the Haryanvi patriarch training his daughters to be wrestlers in Dangal, to the harried dad who has to teach his teenage son to cope with failure in Chhichhore, the writer-director tackles fatherhood more sensitively than anyone else in mainstream cinema.

Hyundai Makes A Bold Move With Nios

The South Korean giant has pitched the new Grand i10 Nios (meaning ‘more’ in Gaelic) against Maruti Suzuki’s Swift, India’s second-largest selling car. Can it win?

Sound Of Freedom

Azadi Records, one of India’s burgeoning home grown labels, has been able to provide a platform for music with a cause – and they are here to stay.

Gandhi The Person Vs The Movie Gandhi

Some of the most enduring memories of Gandhi might not necessarily come from his life but from Attenborough’s historical blockbuster that re-introduced the legend to a new generation around the world.

Ishaan Khatter, The Suitable Boy

Ishaan Khatter chose to debut in the film industry with Majid Majidi's Beyond the Clouds in 2017 where he played a drug dealer who has to grow up and become responsible when his sister gets arrested. A year later, he starred in an as-mainstream-as-it-gets romantic drama called Dhadak which was critically panned but was a huge commercial success. Khatter's equal parts aloof and out there — we hear nothing from him on Instagram for days and then we're greeted with a drool-worthy picture of his glistening, bulging muscles. According to the media, he’s dated or is dating all the new debutantes but he tells us that he’s as cheesy — and monogamous — a lover as it gets. Just like his career kick-off, Khatter's set to star in Mira Nair's adaptation of Vikram Seth's novel A Suitable Boy on one hand, and in a masala potboiler called Khaali Peeli on the other. It will be exciting to see what path this millennial actor charts for himself in an industry that’s as unpredictable as he is.

Hrithik Roshan Is Back!

Hrithik Roshan never disappears. One of the most enduring megastars of the country, Roshan is a story of constant reinvention and bouncing back. What is exemplary is that negativity fails to affect him even when he stands right in the eye of the storm. After back to-back “acting-driven” roles in Kaabil and Super 30, the man is back with War and his comfortable terrain of guns-kicks-and-muscle. He still looks like a Greek god – something he refuses to acknowledge or pay any importance to – and is ready to match Tiger half-his age Shroff step for step. The Hrithik Roshan we know, love and drool over, is back.

The World Of Rye And Bourbon

The author takes a trip to Louisville, Kentucky, to explore the fascinating world of American whiskies.

The New Level Of Bespoke Experience

Raymond’s by-appointment-only bespoke Atelier in Mumbai takes the concept of made-to-measure to the next level. From suits to chinos, jeans and cufflinks, you can customize and personalize almost everything in a man’s ardrobe here.

Reaching New Terrains

A prominent name in designer menswear, Kunal Rawal has a lot up his sleeve. With a sprawling space in Mumbai’s iconic Rhythm House, a flagship store in Juhu and now a new standalone in Delhi’s DLF Emporio, the designer is planning for global domination - one stitch at a time.

Less Power To You

The Mercedes-AMG C43 Coupe is no bar-room brawler, but that may be a good thing.

Interview With Emraan Hashmi

After a rather dull innings at the box office for some time, Emraan Hashmi has a golden chance to come back with his next project, Netflix’s new original show, Bard of Blood, where he plays exRAW agent, Kabir Anand, on a suicide mission to bring back Indian hostages racing against the speed of time. The show is produced by none other than Shah Rukh Khan.

Hidden Faces, Bare Bodies

They were the inspiration for the much acclaimed Marathi film Nude last year. For three generations, the women from the Naidu family have posed as nude models for Mumbai’s art students and painters. Their’s is a sad life, lived in near-poverty and secrecy.

Flying High

Maverick theatremaker Akarsh Khurana has been balancing theatre and cinema for almost two decades now. While his work in the two mediums might be starkly different, they stand out for their ability to engage with audiences. Khurana brings The Kite Runner to stage this month and this mammoth challenge is equal parts daunting and satisfying.

Everything For Everyone

Spoiler alert: the new Kia Seltos is a fantastic car, and with its many variants and huge features list, you’ll find one to suit your budget and tastes.

Coupe De Grace

The new Lexus LC500h might run counter to the purist's view of a true sports car, but on the upside, it is one that pretty much anyone can drive.