Listen: Asha Bhosle
The world of music lost a star when the “Queen of IndiPop”, Asha Bhosle, passed away on April 12. Whether you are an avid listener of Asha or not, her music would have weaved its way into your ears at many a family function or in your mum’s favourite beauty parlour.
Her voice is light, breezy, but most of all, enticingly expressive; a perfect accompaniment to films such as the 1978 Bollywood classic Don, in which she performed one of her biggest hits, “Yeh Mera Dil Pyaar Ka Deevana” (My Heart Is Crazy For My Lover).
She made waves in Bollywood by choosing more sensuous and giddy tunes in an era of Indian cinema when most remained conservative. Her repertoire was mainly in Hindi; however, she also sang in over 20 different Indian regional languages, with popular tracks like “Konjam Neera” from the 2005 Tamil film Chandramukhi.
Pay tribute to the legendary Indian playback singer by streaming her melodies, available across all major music streaming platforms.
Watch: Mandela
As Tamil Nadu gears up for its Legislative Assembly elections, it is the perfect time to revisit the 2021 political satire film Mandela, written and directed by Madonne Ashwin. In a small village in Tamil Nadu, the local elections come to a standstill when the votes end up in a tie between two brothers. The possible tie-breaker? A local, lower-caste barber named Smile, played by Tamil comedian and actor Yogi Babu.
Both brothers compete for his vote through bribery: from gifting him shiny mirrors to nearly half of their inheritance. But Smile doesn’t give in to either faction and is unfazed by their scheming. He ends up changing his name on his voter ID to Nelson Mandela, on advice from his assistant, funnily referred to as Side Burn, since much like the renowned leader, he’s not taking either side in the electoral fight.
The film is lauded for its quippy writing, which does not skim on the meaningful talking points on corruption and discrimination, leading it to snatch industry awards like Best Screenplay at the 68th National Film Awards.
Read: Selection Day
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been the name on all cricket lovers’ lips as the next big player, and no other book is apt for these times as the famed author Aravind Adiga’s 2017 novel, Selection Day.
The novel follows two brothers and their tumultuous relationship with their father, who has groomed them since birth for the titular Selection Day, where they must fight to become the next Sachin Tendulkar or Imran Khan.
The plot spins from gritty, wicket-breaking matches to off-field developments such as the growing pains of the two brothers as well as their heated rivalries with their contenders, coaches and investors. And it’s not all just bat and ball talk, as the book also digs into the stickier, grotesque side of boyhood, fame, and class discrimination.
The sports tale has also been adapted into a Netflix series. However, the plot strays quite far from the original and subdues much of the book’s zaniness and provocative nature.
Selection Day is available in selected bookstores in Singapore, like Kinokuniya, as well as mainstream e-book platforms.
