This Week In Culture: South Indian Space Operas, Mithai Bars, & Much More

I’m gonna be 29 next month. Based on the lives of women in their 30s on my Instagram feed, I’m not doing well. Apparently I should be a CEO by now; sipping champagne on the weekends, and taking vacations thrice a year. Yet, here I am in my unwashed hair and an overly affectionate boy-cat purring on my shoulder. To be honest, I don’t mind this at all.

Every now and then the unrelenting wheel of time gets me though. I fret about what I should’ve achieved by now and how far I am from my goals. Also, Reels that go “In 4 months 1990 will be 25 years ago” do not help. Grasping how much time has passed is overwhelming sometimes. But then I look around and wonder, “Have things really changed that much?”

I may be growing older but I’m still stuck in the same news cycle from years and even decades ago. This may seem callous, but what anti-ageing cream can fight a nation that is stuck in its ways? 

I, however, work at Homegrown and that means cross paths with something new and refreshing every day, especially artists who are changing the status quo. It’s a delightful contrast to the ‘is desh ka kuch nahi ho sakta’ (There’s no hope for this country) narrative we can fall victim to. I like seeing the change; I like feeling old. Here’s what we have for you this week:

Daily Hymns By Cord

Cord’s latest collection celebrates life’s finer details. From printed co-ord sets to breezy dresses and sarees, it features hand-embroidery, smocking, and prints. Created in collaboration with Pakistani artist Sajal Sajjad, the collection is a tribute to the ordinary, yet profound experiences that the South Asian community shares. 

Go through the collection here.

Homegrown Short Films On Queer Love

Despite the progress we’ve made in the discourse around queerness in India, there are still privileges in its expression that are limited to the upper classes in the community. In reality, queer experiences intersecting with various marginalized identities like caste, class, and religion are still underrepresented. A new wave of homegrown short films aim to change that by depicting queer love stories through the lives of daily wage workers, rural women, and religious minorities. 

Watch them here.

South Indian Space Operas

The latest blockbuster Sci-fi film Kalki 2898 AD, transports viewers to the ancient Kurukshetra War through stunning CGI and animation. While sci-fi has always been a playground for imaginative worlds and visual spectacles, space operas have often been not met with the same response. Despite their history of being considered overblown and cheesy, the subgenre's appeal lies in its ability to capture our imagination and has most probably paved the way for the recent film. 

Find the here.

Homegrown Handpicked - August 2024

Homegrown Handpicked is our monthly curation of the freshest music from across the country by artists that represent the essence and spirit of the musical zeitgeist. Whether you're a fan of Desi hip-hop, an EDM fanatic, a metalhead, an indie-pop girly, an alt-rocker, or a softie who enjoys acoustic ballads, we have something for everyone.

Listen to the August edition of our playlist here.

Permit Room - A Portal To Bombay's Prohibition Era

A new venture by the restaurant group Dishoom, Permit Room is a homage to the permit rooms of prohibition era Mumbai. Through a quintessential Indian alcohol and food menu, and music reminiscent of the rang bhavan jam sessions of a 70's Bombay, the bar-cafe aims to transport us back in time.

Learn more about it here.

Mithai Bar By Pistabarfi

Homegrown brand Pistabarfi known for their traditional Indian sweets, have repackaged their staple mithais into a new silhouette. The 'Mithai Bar' by the brand, moulds the Kaju Katli and Pistabarfi we all know and love into the shape of a chocolate bar that can be broken and eaten like an individual sweet. With the same old ingredients, the Mithai Bar has all the tactile experience of a chocolate bar but the authentic taste of Indian sweets.

Get it here.

The Palace On The Hill By Niky Games

‘The Palace on the Hill’ by homegrown developer dup Niku Games takes you to 90s-era rural India. You play the game as Vir, a teenage boy who wants to be an artist, but is currently exploring the picturesque landscapes around him, discovering little Easter eggs inspired by South Asian heritage. With an earthy colour palette and storybook-like graphics, the game is a sensory respite from the daily grind.

Play it here.

Keerthana Kunnath's Photo Series On Women Bodybuilders

In her latest photo series, London-based photographer Keerthana who is known for initiating a dialogue on socio-cultural issues though her work, captures South Indian women bodybuilders. Subverting the norm that the slimmer and fairer the woman, the more feminine she is, the photographer highlights the beauty in strength and the liberating power of bodily autonomy.

Go through the photo series here.

Reincarnations By Sam Madhu

Inspired by old colonial-era photographs of Tamil women across India and Sri Lanka, Berlin-based digital artist Sam Madhu creates a series of CGI artworks capturing the faces of a lost South Asian past in an exhibition by Collage in Chennai. The dark-skinned woman in the artwork is adorned with intricate silver jewelry and traditional saree that used to be worn with a blouse and a white kolam as a tattoo on her chest, as a nod to South Asian heritage.

Learn more about the exhibition here.

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