This Week in Culture: How ONĒK Learned To Love Himself, Cities In Conversation, & More

I took my first trip of the year with my girlfriends to Ooty. It was my first time there, and yes, it really is that beautiful. The hills were truly alive with the sound of music. And as I roamed the pinecone forests and took cringey pictures with my friends, I realised just how deep my love and adoration for them runs.

We’re not a particularly affectionate triad. We don’t hug, and you’ll catch us dead before we compliment each other. But beyond all that bluster is a loyalty that is fierce and incomparable.

We managed to survive the trial-by-fire induction that was college, all while sitting on the same bench. There are days when I miss sitting beside them in class. But I guess some habits die hard, because whenever we have to be seated, from a bus in Ooty to a bar cubby in Bengaluru, we always end up sitting in the same order we did for those three years. It was nice to know that sometimes falling into old patterns isn’t always a bad thing.

As we wind up January and pray for a more fruitful and considerate February, this week brings a sort of concoction — an assortment of things you can check out this weekend. From a deep dive into Bangladeshi-Queens rapper ONĒK’s artistry to a sculptural installation made entirely of cigarette butts, here’s what we have for you this week:

ONĒK's Awakening: How The Bangladeshi-Queens Rapper Learned To Love Himself

In a conversation with Homegrown, Anik Khan aka ONĒK breaks down his process and what lead to him finding his sound. By tracing his journey from a one bedroom home he grew up in to becoming one of the most resounding upcoming South Asian voices in the scene, ONĒK puts his artistry into perspective in a  conversation with Homegrown here. 

'Dhurandar', Hans Zimmer, & More: In Conversation With Indian Composer Shashwat Sachdev

In a conversation with Homegrown, composer Shashwat Sachdev reflects on his evolving relationship with sound, cinema, and storytelling. Tracing his journey from a childhood shaped by Hindustani classical traditions and Western classical music to scoring some of contemporary Indian cinema’s most recognisable films, Sachdev unpacks the instinct-driven process that defines his work. He speaks about listening closely to narratives, building emotional worlds through sound, and allowing intuition to guide his compositions across genres and formats. Read more here.

A Homegrown Reading List For The International Kolkata Book Fair 2026

Growing up book fairs were always special, an invitation to browse endlessly a tangible catalogue of books that can unlock endless doors of imagination. The Kolkata Book Fair running till the 3rd of February, is a cultural touchstone in the city. As Drishya puts it, “Unlike most international book fairs designed primarily for industry professionals, Kolkata’s is defiantly democratic: part literary pilgrimage, part adda, part carnival of ideas. Read more about the fair along with Homegrown's reading list for the fair here.

Cigarette Butts, Media Memory, And Prashant Pandey’s Art of Remembrance

Prashant Pandey’s ‘Biography’ is made from over 350,00 cigarette butts as a record of lived time, presence, and shared social behaviour.Beign displayed at Gallery maskara in Mumbai till the 28th of February the installation acts as  a totem of time passed. Read more about it here. 

Raabta: An Exhibition Tracing Centuries of Exchange Between Lucknow and Calcutta

A culmination of over nine years of research, this exhibition traces centuries of migration, movement, and exchange between Calcutta and Lucknow. Spanning the mid-18th century to the present, it brings together stories, video, sound, painting, installations, and archival photographs to map the liminal lives shaped by both cities. From poets and administrators to Wajid Ali Shah’s exile in Metiabruz, Bengal School artists, personal letters by a young Satyajit Ray, and present-day figures living between identities, the exhibition captures the ebb and flow of two deeply intertwined cultural worlds. As part of MSLF 2026’s theme Raabta: Lucknow Calcutta Ka, the exhibition opens in Lucknow from 30 January to 3 February. Learn more about it here.

The Good Craft Co. Is Nurturing India’s Craft Culture — One Saturday At A Time

The Good Craft Co. opens the doors to a different kind of craft — one rooted in fermentation and community. At its Flavour Lab in Bengaluru, Saturday workshops led by experts like Chef Payal Shah dive deep into time-honoured techniques like koji fermentation while spotlighting how Indian creatives are reimagining them in syrups, salts, sauces, and craft spirits. The space doubles as an experiential hub and learning ground where enthusiasts and makers explore the art and science behind India’s diverse craft spirit landscape, blending history with hands-on tasting and discovery. Learn more about its weekly workshops here.

At Sundance 2026, India Embraced The Diversity Of Its Rooted Regional Narratives 

At the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, Indian cinema’s regional voices took centre stage, proving that deeply rooted, local narratives can resonate globally. Two Indian short films — O’Sey Balamma (Telugu) and Pankaja (Kannada) — were selected for the festival’s short film programme, spotlighting stories not just shaped in urban landscapes. Learn more about Sundance’s India line up here.

If you enjoyed reading this, here's more from Homegrown:

Made In Rajasthan, Greyweave’s Hand-Knotted Rugs Are An Homage To Migration As Memory

Homegrown Watchlist: 4 Films You Should Watch In January

Baalti & Lapgan’s ‘Threads’ Connects Indian Musical Memory With Club Culture