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Showing posts from September, 2020

Indian Fantasy: Literature and Cinema

  In Indian literature, fantasy is often inspired by mythology. Generally, most fantasy novels are based on the rich Indian mythology. Take Amish Tripathi and his celebrated works as an example. Everything he has written falls under the category of fantasy and has been inspired by mythology. Thus it won’t be wrong to say that India has its own style of fantasy literature. Unlike dragons, witches and wizards, in Indian literature, we find war between different gods, Lok’s, and sometimes even different dimensions. As grand and expansive as the Indian mythology is, you’d think that the work Indian authors produce in the fantasy genre would be immense. Here I am to break that notion. Besides Amish Tripathi, there is no other author who has written fantasy novels and has received global recognition. To some extent, I find Midnight’s Children a fantasy as well, but this is where the quota ends. The lack of Indian fantasy novels is felt not just in the book stores filled with autobiograph

Noir and India- The Perfect Setup?

  One might think that in a country like India, film noir would be quite common and widely appreciated. When we study noir, we notice a few elements that are imperative to all pieces on noir content. These elements; a broken system, cynicism, and outsiders, complete a noir story. Other than these there are quite a few other things like femme fatale and night scenes that add more depth to a story and can be seen quite commonly. To say that the reel life is inspired by the real life and vice versa is absolutely true in all measures. Often filmmakers pick up real life stories, experiences and create art out of it. As a country, India, and as a style of writing, noir, both have quite a few links and similarities. If for nothing else, we as Indians realise the broken nature of Indian institutions and governments at certain levels. On a daily basis, the common man struggles for basic amenities and works hard to make ends meet. This struggle often picks up individuals from the confines of

Why Every Modern Woman Should Read Jane Eyre

  This is not the first time that a book that was written almost 200 years ago still manages to inspire people in the 21 st century. The book I’ve picked up today is Jane Eyre. A classic piece of literature, Jane Eyre is a tale of sorrow, solitude, and love. There is something quite out worldly about reading classic literature. Little pieces of history centuries old, these literary pieces provide insight into the lives and the society of the past, unlike the history chapters we study in school. Jane Eyre too is a novel of such sorts. Written in 1847, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë is the story of an orphan girl who gets by life as an unwanted, unloved, and uncared for bag of blood and bones. Through every phase of her life, Jane Eyre persists. After being sent to school for girls on account of being wicked and evil, Jane Eyre receives education and becomes a governess. The story ahead is full of love and pain, and I won’t spoil it for you. But, like every piece of literature, Jane