‘Jugnuma’: A Riveting Flight of Fantasy
By Renuka Vyavahare Story: Set in the late 1980s, Dev (Manoj Bajpayee), an orchard owner, lives with his family in a picturesque house nestled in the Himalayas. Each morning, he steps into his workshop, straps on a massive pair of handcrafted wings, and casually heads to a nearby cliff—where he takes flight like a bird. […]
JLF Houston 2025: A Mighty Lineup of Thinkers, Writers & Ideas
HOUSTON: The 8th edition of JLF Houston, produced by Teamwork Arts, unfolded from September 5–7, 2025, across four of the city’s most iconic venues—in association with the Consulate General of India, Houston, Asia Society Texas, Inprint, Rothko Chapel, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and, Eternal Gandhi Museum Houston. As always, this edition celebrated literary […]
Lilting Traditional Strings from a Beloved Father-Son Duo
HOUSTON: Vidwan Sri Vittal Ramamurthy’s association with Houston is 40 years long, as he himself noted, having presented his first concert here in 1995 (with Vidushi Bombay Jayashree), and having visited here almost every year in those 40 years (with the exception of 2 years). The US musical family of Vittal Sir (as he is […]
‘Inspector Zende’:
By Archika Khurana Story: International con-man Carl Bhojraj (Jim Sarbh) escapes prison and resurfaces in Mumbai, reigniting a tense cat-and-mouse chase. Inspector Zende (Manoj Bajpayee), relentless and sharp, must outwit the charming yet dangerous fugitive before his deceptions spiral into chaos once again. Review: Crime thrillers based on real-life criminals are not new to Indian […]
‘Param Sundari’: Charming Chemistry Anchors this Rom-Com
By Dhaval Roy Story: Param Sundari is a cross-cultural love story between Param Sachdev (Sidharth Malhotra), a brattish North Indian boy, and Sundari (Janhvi Kapoor), a responsible and simple South Indian girl. Despite their contrasting personalities, traditions, and expectations, Param is convinced they are soulmates. But there’s more to their love story. Will love truly blossom for the […]
‘American Warrior’: A Story about Redemption, Family, and Second Chances
By Anjanika Walker In the crowded landscape of sports dramas, American Warrior stands apart as an indie film with both grit and heart. Produced by a female-led team, the film dives deep into the world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), but at its core, it’s a story about redemption, family, and second chances. Written by and […]
JLF Houston 2025: A Confluence of Words, Ideas, and Thinkers – Bringing the Jaipur Lit Fest Caravan to USA
HOUSTON: As JLF International makes its way to the city of Houston, Texas, we prepare ourselves for yet another unmatched celebration of books, art, and the people behind them. Sessions shall be running from September 5th till September 7th, 2025. Presented by Teamwork Arts in partnership with the Consulate General of India, Houston, Asia Society […]
‘Tehran’: A Tense and Timely Spy Thriller Rooted in Real Events
By Ronak Kotecha Story: Based on true events, Tehran follows a resolute Indian special officer who, after a deadly 2012 bomb blast in Delhi, embarks on a covert mission in Iran. With Iran hunting him and India turning its back, he must untangle a web of deception linking three nations — before it’s too late. Review: Tehran is […]
‘Coolie’: A Thumping Ode to Rajinikanth’s Legacy
By Sridevi S. Plot: Deva, aka Devaraj (Rajinikanth), is the charismatic owner of Deva Mansion, a haven where students can stay at discounted rates. When his close friend Rajshekhar (Sathyaraj) suddenly dies of a cardiac arrest, Deva stumbles upon the original death certificate — and the truth is far from natural. It reveals his friend […]
“The Bengal Files” Stirs Up Old Wounds, Reminds to Not Repeat Crimes
By Sukanya Biswas HOUSTON: My father passed away almost 27 years ago, but there were stories he told us that have stayed with me. Then I was younger, life was all about friends, sneaking out and doing things that were forbidden. I listened to his stories, but now I wish I had paid more attention. One […]
‘Son Of Sardaar 2’ : An Overstuffed Sequel that Delivers Laughs in Parts
By Dhaval Roy Story: The comedy follows Jassi (Ajay Devgn), who pretends to be a war hero to help a young woman impress her boyfriend’s family and win their approval for marriage. Review: Director Vijay Kumar Arora’s film follows Jassi, who finally joins his wife (Neeru Bajwa) in Scotland after waiting 13 years for his […]
Golden Jubilee of Dr. Rathna Kumar’s Anjali Center for Performing Arts
HOUSTON: Anjali Center for Performing Arts — one of the earliest dance institutes in North America, founded by Dr. Rathna Kumar, celebrated its Golden Jubilee last Saturday, August 2, at the Stafford Centre with thousands of her patrons and well-wishers attending to witness the felicitations and dance performances by her past and present students. India’s […]
‘Dhadak 2’: Siddhant Chaturvedi Shines in this Poignant and Relevant Story
By Dhaval Roy Story: The film follows the journey of Nilesh (Siddhant Chaturvedi), a law student from an oppressed caste who falls in love with his classmate Vidhi (Triptii Dimri), an upper-caste girl. Men from Vidhi’s family humiliate and harass him in a bid to protect their so‑called honour. Review: A remake of the Tamil […]
‘Spirit of Punjab’: Riyaaz Qawaali Presents Diverse Moods of Folk Music
HOUSTON: “The Spirit of Punjab” was a soulful Sufi folk journey by Riyaaz Qawaali, a Houston-based music group. The performance unfolded through the layered folk history of Punjab — where music has both memory and meaning. At its core, The Spirit of Punjab refuses the surface-level perception of Punjabi music as conveyed through only dhol […]
‘So Long Valley’ : Thrills in the Hills with Just Enough Chills
By Ronak Kotecha Story: When a young woman disappears while traveling from Shimla to Manali, a frantic search begins, pulling the local police into a dangerous chase. But what seems like a straightforward kidnapping quickly spirals into something far more sinister. Review: Psychological thrillers demand a unique balance of intrigue and tension. Unlike classic whodunits, where the […]
‘Nikita Roy’: A Rushed Thriller that Evokes Fear but Falters in Building Suspense
By Renuka Vyavahare Story: Author Nikita Roy (Sonakshi Sinha) suspects foul play in her brother Sanal’s death (Arjun Rampal). She rushes to London to investigate his murder and discovers that he was out to expose a cult leader Amar Dev (Paresh Rawal) before being haunted by a demonic entity. What’s the truth? Review: Director Kussh […]
Anupam Kher’s ‘Tanvi the Great’
The story of a bitter old man brought back to life by a bright-souled child has never been more relevant or touching. By Juhi Varma Centered on autism and the Indian Army, Anupam Kher’s new film Tanvi the Great is set for theatrical release on July 18, 2025. I was among the lucky Houstonians who […]
‘Kaalidhar Laapata’ : Abhishek’s Moving Act is the Key to this Slice-of-Life Drama
By Sreeparna Sengupta Story: When a man begins to suffer from episodes of memory loss and hallucinations, his family decides to abandon him. Only to realise that they need to find him again, to serve their own purpose. But by now he has moved on with plans of his own and has no intentions of returning. Review: When […]
A Melodic Evening to Remember: NRI Antakshari with Annu Kapoor Lights Up Houston
HOUSTON: On April 20th, 2025, the city of Houston was swept up in a wave of nostalgia, melody, and cultural celebration as AN-joy Entertainment, a BABAY Company founded by Archana Nigam and Raghvendra Sengar, hosted the much-anticipated NRI Antakshari – Ka Suhana Safar with Annu Kapoor at the Ayva Center. The event brought together nearly 400 attendees, all […]
‘Metro … in Dino’: Chaotic Yet Charming
By Renuka Vyavahare Story: When it comes to matters of the heart, one shoe doesn’t fit all. Multiple people across ages and cities discover this the hard way, as they grapple with evolving relationships in times of modern love and its unsurety. Review: Falling out of love is normal. How you manage to fall back in love […]
