The debate between alternating current and direct current in the distribution of electricity is the subject of a new biopic starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Michael Shannon. The Current War, directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl), traces the professional rivalry between inventor Thomas Edison and engineer George Westinghouse in the late 1800s in the United States of America. Edison backed direct current while Westinghouse favoured alternating current, and both men go to war in the trailer. Nicholas Hoult stars as inventor Nikola Tesla, who, when asked what he does for a living, says, “I fix problems for idiots.” The movie will be premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9 and will be released in the US on November 24.
Reading
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In the injustice of Bhutan’s ‘mindfulness city’, a plea to King Jigme Khesar
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In a new book, violinist L Subramaniam looks at how Carnatic music developed over the centuries
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Kele ki machchli, moong dal ke shami kebab, atte ka keema: The faux ‘meat’ dishes of Kayasth cuisine
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From the memoir: A longtime Indian Railways employee remembers her first posting at a remote station
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With the Waqf Bill, the state brings a legal bulldozer to minority rights
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‘All regional languages should get equal parity’: The Hindi-Tamil tussle in TN has a long history
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Shengole, Misal: This book on food from the Marathi kitchen features two one-pot recipes
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What underpins India’s deep education inequality?
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How the ghats of Banaras became a defining image of the ancient city
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Turkey: How Islamic nationalism has curtailed freedoms and become a tool for exclusion