Stories written by
Malini Nair
Malini Nair is a regular Scroll.in contributor
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In Diwan Singh, an unsung instrument of Indian classical music found an unsung champion
Singh went to Delhi to become a domestic worker but somehow became a sought-after tanpuriya. He is among the last few who haven’t abandoned the manual tanpura.
Malini Nair
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A runaway boy’s journey to becoming a patron saint of experimental dance in India
Narendra Sharma founded Bhoomika, a pioneering dance company, 50 years ago, when Delhi’s cultural spaces were hogged by classical forms.
Malini Nair
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Before Indian classical music loses its diversity, an online project is rushing to archive it
A sweeping, hugely ambitious online project is documenting traditional knowledge systems, pedagogy, compositions and commentaries.
Malini Nair
Trending
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India suspends visa services in Canada as rift widens over Sikh leader’s murder
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Sriram Raghavan: Remembering the dark side to Dev Anand
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A celebrity fitness instructor offers five rules of fitness for everyone
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‘Jaane Jaan’ review: A dream cast and solid craft steer ‘The Devotion of Suspect X’ adaptation
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In the poetry of Amir Khusrau, food is served with style and flourish
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Bijayini Satpathy is pushing the boundaries of Odissi – some think too far
In Satpathy’s hands, the dance form known for its languid, curvilinear liquidity has become deliberate and almost balletic.
Malini Nair
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‘I’m a small man but my music is huge’: Wasifuddin Dagar on the AR Rahman plagiarism row
The ustad has accused ‘Ponniyin Selvan 2’ of copying a family composition. The film’s producers claim their inspiration was a traditional song. Who is right?
Malini Nair
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Why is Punjab, a land of sublime classical music, known only for bhangra?
A robust classical music system flourished in Punjab until socio-religious movements and colonists decided to cleanse it.
Malini Nair
Video
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Watch: Man brews coffee and records it in cinematic style inspired by the film ‘Oppenheimer’
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Watch: Deep-sea footage of World War II shipwrecks from the Battle of Midway in the Pacific Ocean
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Watch: A surprise visit from a therapy pony delights UK nursing home resident
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Watch: When Cristiano Ronaldo’s free kick hit a cameraman behind the goalposts on the head
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Caught on CCTV: Masked robbers hold pharmacy staff at gunpoint, flee with cash and chocolates
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In Kumar Gandharva’s bandishes, hear the music of the common man
Hindustani khayal had become clichéd through pedantic repetition of ideas. Kumar Gandharva gave it a fresh-faced vitality.
Malini Nair
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A strain of music that has flourished in India for centuries is being silenced by communalism
Muslim jogis, who were once venerated for their singing powers, are being pushed to the margins.
Malini Nair
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The secret ingredient to Bollywood’s funny songs was a unique drum played by a distinctive man
The twang of Zahoor Khan’s bhapang underlined the humour in many Hindi film songs. But it was his traditional ditties that made him famous.
Malini Nair
The Reel
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‘Jaane Jaan’ review: A dream cast and solid craft steer ‘The Devotion of Suspect X’ adaptation
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What’s behind the Kareena Kapoor Khan swerve: ‘It’s important to keep changing yourself’
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Sriram Raghavan: Remembering the dark side to Dev Anand
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‘Khufiya’ trailer: Tabu, Ali Fazal in Vishal Bhardwaj’s spy thriller
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Start the week with a film: ‘The Host’ is a Korean creature feature with head and heart
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Three generations of the brightest Carnatic violinists have trained under this one legend
Avasarala Kanyakumari’s students are all over the Carnatic firmament – playing, composing, collaborating and sometimes doing all these at once.
Malini Nair
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One woman’s search for the kathak dancers who were relegated to the background by Bollywood
Who were the extras in early Hindi cinema? And what ever happened to them? Researcher Siddhi Goel found some troubling answers to these questions in her work.
Malini Nair
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The world of Rajasthani folk music is shrinking – despite its global fame and success
In the absence of local patronage, Manganiyars and Langas are forgetting the gathas and kathas inhabited by magical, bewitching characters.
Malini Nair
The Field
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Misplaced priorities: India’s preference for multi-sport events needs a relook
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Watch, Asian Games highlights: India stun three-time champs Korea to make it to volleyball knockouts
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Asian Games, Boxing: Deepak Bhoria – once undernourished and counted out, now India’s best medal bet
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Live
India at Asian Games 2022, live updates: India take on Bangladesh in men’s football
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India at Asian Games, September 21 schedule: Women’s cricket team, football teams in action