Saturday Feeling: Stories and art for the child in you
There are ogres stapled to the floor—and they're the first thing that catch your eye when you enter the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishad in Bengaluru, where a huge exhibition, One Hundred Years and Counting, to mark the birth centenary of artist K.G. Subramanyanhas arrived, after a showing in Kolkata. Subramanyan was prolific and versatile—the 200 works, including murals, oils, sketches, watercolours, wooden toys and even swatches of fabric he designed, are a fraction of his oeuvre. But, it's in his books for children that one can read his belief that no one was too young for him or his work. The characters on the floor are similar to the ones in his 1974 book, Our Friends, The Ogres, a playful yet pointed critique of corporate greed and environmental damage at a time when few thought about concepts like solastalgia, and especially not for children. The book surprised me when I happened upon in a museum gift shop a decade ago, and then learned that Subramanyan did a set of 10 screen-printed children's books, all of them attacking big issues with whimsy. It's the kind of work that scores of children's book illustrators are doing today, recognizing that children can't, and don't need to be shielded, from complex ideas and bitter truths. This week, Avantika Bhuyan takes a look at how artists and illustrators are leading the storytelling at many children's publishing imprints, ensuring that there is greater representation of voices, communities, regions and experiences. It's a story about artists using their voice but also emphasizes that children's books aren't just for little people; they open up new perspectives for adults, speak to the child within the grown-up, and remind us of a time when the world held novelty.
The cover of the print issue of 'Mint Lounge' dated 3 May 2025, with art from Ogin Nayam's 'When the Sun Sets', published by Pratham Books.
There are quite a few stories about storytelling this week. A travel writer tells a tale of nearly getting stuck in Utah's slot canyons, and we have a great read on microdramas, a new digital storytelling sensation that has spawned a multibillion-dollar industry. These vertically-shot microseries run to 50-100 episodes, each just a minute at best. They're terrible, but they're so very addictive—and they're probably not something to watchso pick from our recommendations instead.
We're all tired of ads—targeted, random, pop-up, autoplay, or whatever other form they take while we're online. As advertising creeps deeper into digital life, technology geeks, privacy enthusiasts and digital rebels are quietly fighting back. With sophisticated but free-to-use ad blockers and VPN settings, they are shaping a parallel version of the internet—one where users' attention isn't for sale at every blink. Shephali Bhatt meets the people checking out of the ad-verse by installing browser extensions, privacy guards, VPN services. As more people turn to these tech-savvy users for guidance, ad-blocking could move from the margins to the mainstream—and the future of the attention economy may no longer belong to platforms, but to individuals reclaiming control over what gets their time. Read more.
Ritu Beri was one of the earliest fashion designers from India to work in Paris—opening and shutting a store, joining a luxury house, having a ramp show—but she doesn't have a string of stores to her name in India. Instead, she's opened an experiential space in Palolem in Goa, where she sells a limited line of her clothing alongside other artists' and designers' works. She also curates meals, shows, talks and performances at her property, Escape. She talks to Pooja Singh about this new stage in her career, and about why she doesn't plan to sell her brand. Read more.
There's one smartphone brand that has flown under the radar over the past year, quietly releasing new models with low-key marketing. Going by market data, Motorola, now under the tutelage of Lenovo, is a winner with its mid-range smartphones propelling the company's market share. The Motorola Edge 60 Fusion is one of the new releases, which Sahil Bhalla used the breezy, no-frills smartphone for a few months. Priced from ₹ 22,999 onwards, it has a significantly improved OLED display (with Gorilla Glass 7 protection), a larger battery capacity, increased storage, a refreshed chipset, and faux vegan leather finishes in three colours, making it a solid choice as a good budget smartphone. Performance is good, and only gamers should look elsewhere. Read more.
Supper clubs are no longer just about serving regional specialities or homemade sourdough. Home chefs who made a name for their tables during the pandemic are now travelling the globe, mastering cuisines from all corners of the world and serving them in their homes with the touch of intimacy and care that restaurants can't match. Read more.
The Champions League final is a while away but all the semi-finalists this year were a surprising mix of teams that worked through their adversities and found their identities over the course of the season. It's been a season that Dutch football legend Ruud Gullit describes as thrilling, since he admires teams that play attacking football. Gullit, who once formed a part of the fearsome attacking trio with Marco Van Basten and Frank Rijkaard, is a staunch advocate of 'Total Football', the flowing, attack-minded, space-exploiting, mode of play. In an exclusive interview with Rudraneil Sengupta, Gullit breaks down the Champions League semifinals, celebrates club identity, attacking football, and discusses the return of football DNA. Read more.
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This pop-up series in Bengaluru wants to bring back the joy of cooking
In a city like Bengaluru that's teeming with restaurants, bars and breweries as big as playgrounds, few establishments have managed to capture the fondness and loyalty of its people as Kopitiam Lah has. Designed after Malaysia's unassuming coffee shops or kopitiams, the restaurant that's located in Indiranagar, has in a span of few months earned its spot as one of the city's happier places; it's the one where you go to yap endlessly with your gang while sipping on cups of kopi or cold milo and plates of kaya toast. Now, as it turns a year old, Kopitiam Lah's team, led by Joonie Tan, is celebrating the milestone by hosting a series that stays true to the essence of every kopitiam – of camaraderie, warmth, and joy of simple, good food. Called 'Masak Masak' — a Malay term that translates simply to 'play cooking" or more vividly into 'childhood games that involve cooking" — the series over the next few weekends will have chefs from around the country taking over Kopitiam Lah's kitchens to cook dishes that hold their personal stories. ''Masak Masak' is inspired by those childhood moments where you'd play chef with toy pans and plastic eggs — pure imagination, no rules. We're bringing that playfulness into the real kitchen by inviting chefs to create, experiment, and enjoy the process with us," tells Tan in an email interview with Mint Lounge. Recalling her favourite childhood memories of 'standing on a stool, pretending to stir soup in a pot with nothing more than water and vegetables as my mother played along", Tan adds that the series is a way of saying, 'food should be fun again." The series kicks off this weekend with a special pop-up by chef Seefah Ketchaiyo, co-founder of her eponymous South-east Asian restaurant in Mumbai, and one of India's best-loved Thai chefs. For Ketchaiyo, the phrase 'masak masak' is a warm and playful one that conjures up memories of 'being in the kitchen with my father — no measuring tools, just hands, eyes, and heart." And so, saying yes to an invitation from Tan and her team was instantaneous. 'I loved the idea the moment I heard it," she says over email, adding that the menu she's bringing to Bengaluru features signature dishes that each have a story. 'Either it's something I grew up eating, I learned from someone I respect deeply, or something that reflects who I am today as a chef." The menu, which includes small plates and main course, has dishes such as the Saan Grilled Pork, Chilli Cereal Prawns, Stir-Fried Tenderloin in Oyster Sauce, Fresh Crab Meat Fried Rice and Phad Thai among others. Ask Tan if she had any specific brief for Ketchaiyo and she says, 'We just told chef Seefah to cook whatever brings her joy. Whether it's something from her own menu or a dish she grew up with, we wanted her to feel completely at home in our kitchen. When chefs are comfortable and happy, that translates into the food." As women of Southeast Asian origin (Tan is from Malaysia, Ketchaiyo is from Thailand) who've married Indians and made India their home, the two restaurateurs share quite a few similarities that translate into an easy sisterhood. 'When Joonie and I talk, it's always from the heart. We're both very rooted in our cultures, but we also understand what it means to build a life and career in a new country. Our conversations are full of food stories, laughter, ideas and a lot of respect for each other's journey." For Tan, teaming up with Ketchaiyo for the anniversary celebrations felt natural owing to their similar childhood experiences. 'Chef Seefah and I share not just a regional background, but a deep respect for heritage cooking and flavour-first food. There's something about being raised in Southeast Asia that shapes your palate early — the balance of sweet, sour, spice, and umami is intuitive. So yes, it felt incredibly natural to collaborate," she admits. Ketchaiyo's expertise in Thai cuisine has made her a 'pop-up favourite" in the country, with invitations coming in from five-star hotels and stand-alone restaurants. 'Pop-ups for me are not just about food, they're about sharing energy, culture, and memories with new people," she says. 'I love the creative freedom they offer and I also love how they connect me with different cities and communities. Every pop-up has its own story and I always come away inspired and grateful." While Ketchaiyo sets the tone for Kopitiam Lah's celebrations that will last for a few more weekends, Tan lets on that 'Masak Masak' as a series will continue for longer, and will include chefs who work across different cuisines. 'The goal is to invite chefs who can bring a part of their own childhood or culture to the table — chefs who aren't afraid to play, to take risks, and to cook with heart. Each edition will be a little surprise," ends Tan. 'Masak Masak' with chef Seefah is at Kopitiam Lah, Indiranagar 12th Main Road, Bengaluru, on 21-22 June, for lunch and dinner.
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World Music Day: Is streaming helping or harming indie music?
We're constantly told that attention spans are shrinking and that with it, everything is getting shorter and faster. But there's one thing most of us have lots of time for and can't ignore—music. It's easy to make time for music because we don't have to be musical to enjoy it, and it's hard not to be affected by it. We tap fingers and hum bars, most people passing a piano will almost unconsciously trail their fingers across the keys, we feel infuriated by tunes on loop in elevators, we have favourite songs and memories of songs, we relax to it or boost our mood with it. Music can be exactly what we need in any situation. On World Music Day, we look at two different aspects of streaming and its impact on music discovery. On one hand, streaming has brought more music from a diversity of voices into the mainstream. 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Beyond the words, these are stories written by music lovers—and the sounds they reference can help you create a whole new playlist for some easy listening this weekend. And now on to other stories we did in the week gone by. The cover of Mint Lounge dated 21 June 2025. Everything seems to getting shorter with attention spans shrinking and we have a shorter format of rugby—like T20 cricket—with seven players to a side. A match is 14 minutes long—or 22 minutes, including breaks. It's the brevity that is the superpower of the Rugby Premier League (RPL), the latest in the assembly line of sports leagues in the country. The RPL, which run till 29 June, has six teams playing 12 matches over 15 days. Of the 48 international players participating, more than 20 are Olympians or world champions—but it's Rahul Bose who remains the face of Indian rugby, writes Arun Janardhan. Read more. India makes 95% of handwoven textiles in the world, and the country's rich textile heritage allows you to combine your love for fashion with a meaningful travel experience, writes Sujata Assomull as she tracks a new trend that marries travel with textile traditions. More people are signing up for craft and textile trails to visit dyeing hubs across the country, block printing centres in Rajasthan or weaving hubs in Madhya Pradesh and Kanchipuram. These curated craft trails and immersive offer travellers a deeper understanding of culture, heritage and slow luxury. Read more. British inventor and entrepreneur Sir James Dyson's engineering breakthroughs have reshaped consumer technology as we know it today. Best known for creating the world's first bagless vacuum cleaner, Dyson, 78, has built a global company that champions design-driven problem-solving, while his named foundation aims to support budding inventors and innovators working on physical products. 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Mint
14-06-2025
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250 years after her birth, Jane Austen's spirit lives on in India
Bored of reading about sewing, pianoforte sessions and perambulation, a friend and I tried rewriting Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and Emma to fit into our high school-setting in Chennai about three decades ago. 'Fan fiction' wasn't a term we knew, Clueless was a hit but hadn't yet reached our corner of the world, and so, in our ignorance, we felt quite bold, creative and original. We weren't really fans, but the Bennet sisters held promise, we decreed. They were more interesting and independent-minded than the four Little Women and not as preachy as Thomas Hardy's characters—also in the syllabus—but they still seemed rather old, prim and hemmed-in for 15-year-olds who borrowed adventure stories from the library and were repelled by the idea of conformity and marriage. So I was convinced there'd be little to recommend Austen to the contemporary reader in India—an opinion that was greeted by horror from the team, which wanted to mark the 250th anniversary of her birth. And I'm really glad to have been proved wrong, as the stories we've done in the past week bear out. Somak Ghoshal reports that for discerning young women, Jane Austen represents freedom of expression and pursuing one's own goals despite the circumstances. Udita Jhunjhunwala finds that Indian cinema thrives on Austen's universal themes—of family and misunderstanding, tradition and independence, duty and love. And author Mahesh Rao discovered the spirit of Jane Austen alive in Delhi, instead of her hometown in the UK where she's reduced to quotes on cushion covers. We also have a Clueless moment in our Style section, when Pooja Singh decides to make AI her stylist for five days with less than exciting results. For more weekend activities, pick from our lists of what to watch, read, eat, and do. As for me, I'm going to finish Persuasion, which I bought when we started talking about Austen's 250th birth anniversary—and this time I am able to see its charm (and if you are invested in the fate of that early fanfic effort—it hasn't survived the years though the friendship remains much like one Austen might have written). There's plenty to read in the print issue of Mint Lounge dated 14 June 2025. In the 1970s and 80s, restaurants in Maharashtra had to segregate alcohol-serving areas and patrons needed a permit to drink here. These permit rooms are now making a return—but in an urbane, gentrified avatar for younger drinkers. From Goa, Bengaluru and Mumbai to New York and London, restaurateurs are now reinventing traditional toddy shops, permit rooms and tavernas, transforming these hyperlocal bars into trendy destinations. By modernising classic drinks and dishes, they're not just celebrating regional heritage, but also making communal experiences fun and relevant to a new generation, writes Sayoni Bhaduri. Read more. Known locally as Karlsbad/Carlsbad, Karlovy Vary (literally Charles' spring) was a European spa town for centuries before Czechia got swept behind the Iron Curtain. The picturesque town is home to over a dozen hot springs, all revered for their healing properties. Anita Rao Kashi walks around the tiny town—and takes a dip in the hot springs. Read more. Created by Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky, Hacks is a show about writing, the art of the joke and the commercialization of comedy—and yet it manages to be laugh-out-loud funny. The fourth season of 'Hacks' is a rousing return to form, with clever cameos and a new urgency, writes Raja Sen. Read more. Fitness and integrated health expert Luke Coutinho thinks 10-minute deliveries are great for many things—toothpaste, masalas, even tissues and veggies. But he's also concerned that the promotion of junk food through quick commerce is messing with people's health. He tells Mahalakshmi Prabhakaran that well-intended health and wellness initiatives are being launched in the country, but alongside apps and gadgets that encourage couch-potato behaviour are also gaining a following. Read more. Kazakh cuisine traces its roots to the country's nomadic herdsmen and their practices, and is shaped by necessity and easy availability—which means the diet is mostly meat (lamb, beef, horse) and dairy products. It is simple and yet interesting food, as Joanna Lobo discovers during a two-week trip. Read more. With summer holidays in full swing, most people are heading to the hills to unwind and escape the heat and bustle of the plains. Besides figuring out how to get there and where to stay, the other daunting task is what to wear, especially if you are going on a trek. Yes, clothes need to be practical, functional and light, but it isn't a bad idea to look stylish for those Instagram photos. Manish Mishra asked some experts for advice for practical yet stylish looks that are great on hiking and trekking trails as well as on Reels. Read more.
