Sober-curious, digitally isolated: Why Gen Z parties at coffee raves Subscriber Only

What is a coffee rave? An attempt to reclaim the morning or another iteration of performance culture?

‘If only there was a Pulitzer Prize for Twitter prose…’: A homage to Literary Twitter Subscriber Only

If you followed Literary Twitter in its hey days, you'd know of Duchess Goldblatt and the 'kidney gate'. Cris writes about the quiet demise of the literary movement on the micro-blogging site.

The year we obsessed over living longer Subscriber Only

As the world chases longer lifespans with anti‑ageing experiments and longevity products, it raises the question: what are we living longer for?

Things that made me cringe in 2025 Subscriber Only

From digital snans to LinkedIn trauma dumps to the Coldplay-gate, Jatin Varma, founder of Comic Con India, jots down a list of things that give him second-hand embarrassment in 2025.

How social media, limited-edition menus drive Mumbai’s Christmas obsession Subscriber Only

With viral desserts or Instagram-y décor, cafés across Mumbai vie for customer attention in December. But the appeal is not purely performative. Long queues outside season favourites are proof.

A Christmas classic that never grows old: Revisiting Home Alone’s magic Subscriber Only

Nothing says Christmas quite like the 1990s children’s comedy Home Alone. Is it time we saw a reboot?

Pakistan Idol reminds me why I fell in love with music Subscriber Only

Music has the power to move, unite, and transcend borders — if we let it.

Dhurandhar-inspired ‘spy’ memes flood the internet: Coping with humour? Subscriber Only

The memes expose a shared fatigue with the done-to-death “enemy” plot and the persistent feeling of being instructed, time and again, to feel a certain way.

Gen Z’s pop breakouts danced in Britney Spears’ footsteps in 2025 Subscriber Only

A fresh cohort of post-post-Britney female artists, Sabrina Carpenter, Tate McRae and Addison Rae, signaled a subtle generational shift in pop’s mainstream.

As young women voters, why must we be ‘laadli’ and ‘behen’ instead of citizens? Subscriber Only

Naming alone doesn't determine a scheme's impact, but language shapes consciousness, and the language we use in governance matters.

2025’s internet, summed up in three words: Parasocial, rage bait, and slop Subscriber Only

Parasocial connection pulls people in. Rage bait keeps them emotionally activated. Slop ensures there’s always more to consume. And the loop resets.

Is Dhurandhar the ultimate rage-bait? Subscriber Only

With gory scenes interwoven with crowd-pleasing elements such as Akshay Khanna’s viral Balochi 'chaap' dance and heroic entry scenes, Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar wants you to be angry, but also entertained.

In a frictionless world, can boredom save us? Subscriber Only

Algorithms ensure seamless viewing experience, apps promise faster deliveries and AI offers one-click solutions. We have been trained out of patience.

How the attention economy has us watching content at 2x speed Subscriber Only

The digital ecosystem is built to make us feel like we are falling behind. There’s endless content and endless chatter about that content. The speed-watching culture, then, is a survival tactic.

When money comes in the way of love: coping with a pay gap in relationships Subscriber Only

When one partner earns less than the other, it may impact the dynamics of the relationship. How does one move forward?

Text, don’t call: The Gen Z survival guide to communication Subscriber Only

We have grown up in a visual-first, text-first culture with WhatsApp, Instagram DMs, Discord channels, and voice notes. Messaging is our mother tongue.

I get my news from Instagram — is that bad? Subscriber Only

Memes are making me more politically aware. Humour is my coping mechanism. But is there also a risk of desensitisation?

Smriti Mandhana deserves grace Subscriber Only

The question isn't whether Smriti Mandhana has earned privacy through her achievements, but what kind of audience we want to be.

Let’s talk about Italian brainrot: Why Gen Alpha loves gibberish Subscriber Only

From a Nike-wearing three-legged shark to a ballerina with a cappuccino drink for its head, Italian brainrot thrives on shared context.

Cost of performance: Are we all tired of social media? Subscriber Only

I have been actively trying to unlearn the need to "perform". To go somewhere and not take a picture. To read without announcing it. It’s harder than I thought.

Women celebrities are done with ‘fun’ questions, they are answering back Subscriber Only

Actor Gouri G Kishan’s response to an inappropriate question from a YouTube vlogger highlights a dual reality: women continue to face sexist, intrusive queries, but they are also pushing back with increasing clarity and confidence.

AI-generated Mahabharat proves one thing: storytelling still needs humans Subscriber Only

Mahabharata: Ek Dharmayudh review: To be fair, the launch had an impact. The show hit over 6.5 million views on day one. But the story deserves better, writes Jatin Varma

Death of the typo: how AI chatbots are changing the way we communicate Subscriber Only

AI’s ability to effectively convey our thoughts cannot be undermined. But here is the problem: we all sound the same.

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: from Ustad to Gen Z’s ‘NFAK’ Subscriber Only

Though today Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s initials, NFAK, circulate across digital spaces much like any modern pop star’s moniker, he has always been a pop-cultural icon. Even at his peak, he was more than a

When love is a hashtag and loneliness a PR crisis: Algorithm’s guide to your heart Subscriber Only

Between #CoupleGoals and #HotGirlSummer, we are constantly optimising our feelings for the internet. When did we stop just being?