Standing for Good Cinema

For M.F. Thomas, the defining moment in life came inside a cinema in Thrissur some 50 years back.

As he watched Apu crying near his mother’s grave…

Kerala’s Stray Dog Menace: Why Killing Is Impractical, Inhumane & Futile

Man’s best friend has become his worst enemy in Kerala.

India’s most advanced state – with the best healthcare, education and social…

The Accordion Man

When K.S. Chithra walked up to the microphone on stage, she was a bit overwhelmed by the crowd. She started singing, as perfect as ever, but kept glancing at…

Election 2016: Beginning of a Tectonic Shift

The outcome of the Kerala assembly election underscores a rather disturbing trend: religion has become a decisive political factor in the state, more than ever.

Election 2016: Who’s Got it Right & Who’s Got it Wrong So Far

We are just a fortnight away from what looks like an epic assembly election in Kerala. Unlike in the past three decades when the outcome was more or less a foregone…

Kali: A Very Angry Young Man’s Tale That’s Missing Some Nuances

When heroes become angry, they thrash evil, fight against injustice and question the establishment. Don't we love it? It was Amitabh Bachchan's deft portrayal…

In Pursuit of Happiness

Ordinary people doing extra-ordinary things and extra-ordinary people doing ordinary things make news. Abdul Latheef’s story may not exactly fit into that…

Lightening the School Bag: Kollam Shows the Way

An initiative by about a dozen schools in Kollam district could go a long way toward addressing a perpetual problem children and their parents face every day:…

Vetta: A Lackluster Hunt

I’ve never watched a film on its first day, as I always played it safe rather than risk wasting a couple of hours. Still, I thought Vetta (The Hunt) was…

Maheshinte Prathikaaram: The Punch That Makes You Smile

When I went to watch `Maheshinte Prathikaaram,' the last thing in my mind was writing a review. The film was into its second week, already a hit, and reviews…

Sinking Lives of Munroe Thuruthu

Sixty-five-year old Achamma’s day begins with a wade through the saline water that fills her bedroom and kitchen.

She spends the initial hours of…

Sinking Lives of Munroe Thuruthu -- In Photos

A walk around Munroe Thuruthu’s affected areas reveals a grim picture: Many houses have sunk, the earth devouring their foundation. A number of them are…

A Writing Problem

About two months ago, when students of the Government Oriental Higher Secondary School at Edathanattukara in Palakkad began preparing ground for a medicinal…

Interview: Affordable Healthcare, Infrastructure Biggest Problems, Chandy Says

It’s well over 10 at night, but Oommen Chandy still has visitors lined up at Cliff House, his official residence in Thiruvananthapuram. The chief minister…

Chandy Is Worried -- Prohibition Could Open Hooch Tap

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who ordered the closure of bars in Kerala, said he is worried about the possibility of a surge in illicit liquor trade, as authorities…