Thought Factory

THOUGHT FACTORY: FILMS. AUDIENCES. FILM CRITICS.

India, the world’s largest film-producing nation, thrives on cinema and media, yet its film critics remain undervalued. Monojit Lahiri investigates the purpose, influenc...

Read More

THOUGHT FACTORY: WHO DESERVES REAL RECOGNITION?

Monojit Lahiri examines the stark contrast between stardom’s glamour and the selfless pursuit of empowerment, questioning who truly deserves recognition, rewards, and re...

Read More

THOUGHT FACTORY: MEDIA SHAPES MINDS AND MEMORIES

From Storytelling to Learning: How Media Shapes Minds and Memories, Deepa Bhalerao explores Hum Log, Entertainment-Education, and the evolving media landscape, where stories m...

Read More

THOUGHT FACTORY: ONCE UPON A TIMELESS TALE

Fifty years after its release, Sholay continues to resonate across generations. A timeless saga of friendship, vengeance, and morality, it blurs past and present, uniting nost...

Read More

THOUGHT FACTORY: BOLLYWOOD HEROINES FROM GRACE TO GRIT

Monojit Lahiri attempts to objectively investigate this contentious issue, diving into generational perceptions of Bollywood heroines, shifting values, cinematic eras, and the...

Read More

THOUGHT FACTORY: MOVIE MAGIC DEFEATS ONLINE NOISE

Rajinikanth’s Coolie: When Sheer Movie Magic Trumps Noise (and Logic) Everyone wants to ride a trend. Remember the Coldplay concert? A Rajinikanth movie is a bigger con...

Read More

THOUGHT FACTORY: WHY MARRIAGE SCARES YOUNG LOVERS

“Love me?” Like mad! “Marry me?” Mad!! Whatever happened to the pavitra bandhan that symbolised this revered bonding? Why does the M word evoke such de...

Read More

THOUGHT FACTORY: BOLLYWOOD GRAPPLES WITH DISABILITY

Portrayal of differently abled in Bollywood: Tokenism? Caricature? Empowerment? There are no easy answers because disability in Bollywood cinema is a tricky issue, says Monoji...

Read More

THOUGHT FACTORY: RONA MANA HAI!!

Monojit Lahiri wonders whether, in an age when the price of everything is skyrocketing, the role, relevance and value of grief is taking an unprecedented nose-dive! Once cele...

Read More

THOUGHT FACTORY: THE MAN WHO LISTENS TO DOGS

Through the intertwined lives of Sugar, Peppy, and Missy, Ramesh Narayan discovers not just unconditional love—but a purpose: to honour the Indie dog and rewrite its his...

Read More

KALEIDOSCOPE: LUCKNOW BETWEEN PAST AND NOW

Cultures are never frozen in time, they keep moving, keep evolving.Filmmaker and writer ...

January 19 2026

HEALTH: WHEN CANCER GETS PERSONAL

As cancer treatment continues to rely on averages and probabilities, a breakthrough appr...

January 18 2026

GENDER: CHAI AND LOVE MEET ON STAGE

In this intimate column, Vinta Nanda writes about The Chai Queens, its emotional homecom...

January 17 2026