IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES, it was the worst of times. The tale of two Mukeshs stands testament to that. The first one worked as a guard at one of the many highrise condominiums dotting Gurugram. The first outburst of Covid-19 in the spring of 2020 surprisingly did not affect him, as the residents’ association offered all guards extra allowance.
But it all got a bit too much for him after a few months. On top of the long working hours was the fear of infection. Then one fine day, his contractor let him go, citing budget cuts. Mukesh has been on temporary jobs since then, with frequent spots of joblessness in between.
The other Mukesh is a businessman in Mumbai, who spent much of the past two years sewing up business deals with global tech companies and pivoting his oil-to retail conglomerate to technology and renewable energy. He added ₹163 crore every day to his already immense wealth since the pandemic started.
“There were two distinct sides—one went down and the other went through the roof! There was no in-between really,” said celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor, whose business interests range from restaurants and food channels to cookware and nutraceuticals. “So, it really depended on which side of the fence you were sitting.”
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Not All Of Ray's Films Are Equally Great
Having a conversation with Girish Kasaravalli at his home in Bengaluru is not easy as his replies often get drowned out in the din of the traffic outside. The globally acclaimed director has a clear opinion about the evolution of Indian cinema and the contributions by eminent directors like Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak and Mrinal Sen. In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, Kasaravalli says although Ray’s cinema language was unique, it was missing in his final few films.
Bengali Literature No Longer Fit Enough To Make Movies
The second wave of the pandemic robbed film buffs of the chance to celebrate the birth centenary of Satyajit Ray. This year, however, people from all walks of life are flocking to 1/1 Bishop Lefroy Road, Kolkata—Ray’s home for the last two decades of his life—to pay homage to the maestro. Ray’s son, Sandip, who is also a famous director, stays here now. In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, Sandip opens up about his father and explains the attempts being made to preserve and protect his legacy.
From Ray To Decay
Satyajit Ray influenced mainstream Bengali cinema like no one else did, and he drew inspiration from Bengali literature for his works. Seven decades after his Pather Panchali, Bengali cinema seems to be lost. A parallel decline in Bengali literature could be key to this free fall
SEA DREAMS
Work on Mission Samudrayaan, India’s daring deep-sea crewed voyage—set to be launched in 2024—is in full swing. THE WEEK explores the details of the ambitious project
ON THE HIGHWAY TO GROWTH
Tamil Nadu takes big strides in growth and development under the able leadership of Honourable Chief Minister Thiru M.K. Stalin
Delimited franchise
Despite the allegations of gerrymandering against the BJP, the opposition is keen for elections
What happened to Dabholkar and Kalburgi can happen to me
ON JULY 11, 2016, a mob of upper-caste men at Una town in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district attacked seven members of a dalit family who were skinning a dead cow.
THE BENGALI FILM INDUSTRY HAS BECOME BANKRUPT
Goutam Ghose is one of the last remaining stalwarts of the Bengali parallel movie movement, along with Sandip Ray. Although he is a product of the new wave cinema, his style is quite different from that of doyens of the industry like Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen and Ritwik Ghatak. In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, Ghose talks about the masters of the new wave movement and the dramatic decline of Bengali cinema.
PATHER PANCHALI WAS THE FIRST GENUINE CINEMA TO COME OUT OF INDIA
A door Gopalakrishnan, one of India’s greatest filmmakers, has been among the stalwarts of the country’s new wave cinema, pioneered by Mrinal Sen. In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, he speaks about his friendship with Satyajit Ray, his admiration for the maestro’s craft and the declining standards of Bengali cinema.
LOSING THE PLOT
Poor technical quality, inane insertion of song and dance, nonsensical dialogues and contrived plot lines have dealt a body blow to Bengali mainstream cinema
HOW POLITICS POISONED THE CHURCH
THE EVANGELICAL MOVEMENT SPENT 40 YEARS AT WAR WITH SECULAR AMERICA. NOW IT'S AT WAR WITH ITSELF.
Desire for Face Time Revives Business Travel
Companies are reporting more trips, proving doomsayers from the pandemic's darkest days wrong
Level Ground
A dairy farming father's love for his family lives on in the tools that he left behind.
An Overview of Namibia's Agri Sector
In a recent report, the Namibia Agricultural Union outlined the state of that country’s agriculture sector, and how it has been affected by COVID-19 and other factors.
Left Behind By Long Covid
As the world pretends the pandemic is over, at least half a million children in the U.S. are struggling
Shanghai's Black Eye
Expats are ditching the city, jeopardizing efforts to turn it into a top financial hub in Asia
Lockdown Hell
Critics call on Chinese government to ease lockdown regulations
a GOOD READ
James Read is a far cry from his villainous alter ego on DAYS.
VOICES AS TOLD TO LIFE'S Work
Better Things creator and star PAMELA ADLON on how the show gave her an OPPORTUNITY to REINVENT some things about the way HOLLYWOOD operates-both on-screen and off
Meghan's LIFE WITHOUT HARRY
Nearly four years after their royal wedding, the fairy tale appears to be over for Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle