The Human Factor: The Untold Story of the Bombay Film Orchestras Netflix
The Human Factor is a documentary film that traces the journey of how the Indian film music has evolved over the years. The documentary looks at the history of film orchestras in Bombay, through the lens of Cawas Lord, one of the last surviving members to have been a part of the orchestra that played the live background music for the first Indian film Alam Ara. It’s a great insight into how people who have such great contribution towards some of the most famous Indian songs, have slipped into oblivion as times changed, and so did music.
– Dhyanesh Vaishnav
The Killing of a Colorado Rancher, The Atlantic
A gripping report on the mysterious disappearance of a 29-year-old man set against the dramatic backdrop of the Rockies. Rachel Monroe walks the perfect line between story-telling and reportage, weaving elements of betrayal, drama, greed, and friendship. After reading this, let’s just say, if I had a plot of land and covetous relatives, I’d lock my bedroom door every night.
– Snigdha Sharma
Why 1918 matters in India’s corona war Livemint
How a novel and dangerous influenza epidemic in Bombay during colonial India can teach us lessons about the growing coronavirus epidemic that has begin to grip us with panic and fear today.
– Hameeda Syed
The Next President Should Speak a New Language of War The New York Times
This NYT opinion piece talks about how Democrats needs to come up with revolutionary policies on defense and national security, something they often struggled to establish credibility with voters.
– Anusuya Som
The Breadwinner Netflix
An 11-year-old girl’s ordeal to provide for her family, when her father is wrongfully arrested by the Taliban. Set in Afghanistan, this Nora Twomey movie, based on Deborah Ellis’s novel of the same name, is highly thrilling and enchanting, to say the least.
Ps: Not to oversell the movie or anything, but the music and the visuals together, makes this animated feature a spectacular watch.
– Parikshit Sanyal
The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez Netflix
Directed by Brian Knappenberger, the documentary revolves around the murder of an 8 year old and the how the trials of his guardians and social workers prompt questions about the system’s protection of vulnerable children.
Absolutely brutal and horrifying!
Also watch: Madhu Trehan in conversation with Brian Knappenberger at The Media Rumble 2019.
Pushpavalli, Season 2 Amazon Prime
Pushpavalli is a woman who falls for a man, Nikhil, she meets at a convention. She moves cities, upturns her life, just to be close to him. This soon turns into an unhealthy obsession.
This show is hilarious.
– Meghnad S
Slavoj Zizek’s talk at Google, Silicon Valley
Zizek is a well-known Slovenian philosopher. In this lectures where he talks about how ideology — in a more profound sense than “right” and “left” — affects the most trivial, ordinary actions of our lives. He says that the way we imagine a non-ideological world is also deeply influenced by ideology. There are wonderful nuggets in the video on female leaders in politics, vulgarity, social manners, truth, and more. He also explains what toilets in Germany, France and England say about their respective countries. A thought-provoking and therapeutic talk, overall.
– Ayush Tiwari
Source: https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/03/15/nl-recommends-an-influenza-epidemic-in-colonial-era-bombay-has-lessons-for-today
