Entertainment

Vidya Kalyanaraman with Papanasam Kumar (mridangam); H. Prasanna (ghatam) and B. Ananthakrishnan (violin) | Photo Credit: M. Srinath The emergence of talents like Vidya Kalyanaraman augurs well for the performance scene of the next generation. It is a double delight that she embraces the time-tested musical values, as was evidenced in her concert. ‘Gajavadana karuna sadana’ in Sriranjani was sprightly in a…

In 2025, it was clear that it was not going to be easy to draw moviegoers into cinema halls in large numbers. Stories that do not feel dated, a tighter rein on the scripts, and films that make the audiences feel that the time, effort and money spent to be at the cinema hall are…

With his sophomore film, Theertharoopa Thandeyavarige, Ramenahalli Jagannatha has taken several steps forward as a filmmaker. His debut, Hondisi Bareyiri, was a mixed-bag coming-of-age drama, suffering from a lack of freshness in execution despite a relatable plot. With his second film, the director appears to have refined the rough edges, exhibiting fine control over his…

“This concert is dedicated to Muthuswami Dikshitar and will feature only his compositions,” announced T.M. Krishna at the start of his December 25, 2025, performance, drawing a thunderous applause from the packed hall. Smiling, he added, “It’s heartening to see such a response to the composer on his 250th birth anniversary. It’s not just about…

After a mixed-bag year, 2026 seems promising for the Kannada industry. The year is set to witness a mix of star-driven movies and unique attempts from young filmmakers. Will star movies be worth the hype? Will fans encourage the young voices of the industry? Only time will tell. Here are the Kannada movies that are…

This sci-fi thriller, which counts The Conjuring’s James Wan as one of the executive producers, is set five minutes into the future, where one’s brain could be hacked to broadcast to the world. Never mind, we seem to do that quite happily with our smartphones and socials! The Copenhagen Test (English) Season 1  Episodes: 8…

Violinists Lalitha and Nandini accompanied by Vijay Ganesh on the mridangam and Hariharasubramaniam on the ghatam. | Photo Credit: UMESH KUMAR V Grace and poise marked popular violinists Lalitha and Nandini’s concert at the Indian Fine Arts Society. From the vibrant ‘Jalajaksha’ varnam in Hamsadhwani by Manambuchavadi Venkatasubbiah to the closing soulful Tiruppugazh, their proficiency came through in every piece. In raga Mandari, the…

The name Alkazi is not new to theatre, with the association going back decades. Saudi-Indian theatre director Ebrahim Alkazi was a renowned name in theatre circles, and his son Feisal Alkazi, a theatre veteran with a career spanning 53 years has made a mark of his own in the field, with over 300 plays to…

The poster of ‘Krantijyoti Vidyalay’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement It was in 2009 that a disgruntled Sachin Khedekar stirred the conscience of the Marathi-speaking commoner with Mahesh Manjrekar’s punchy, deeply felt social-drama, Mi Shivaji Raje Bhonsle Boltoy. When Khedekar invoked the glory of the charismatic Maratha king to display the decay of Marathi language…

Aswathi K | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Aswathi K, a disciple of Shijith Nambiar and Parvathy, won the Junior Kalavaahini Scholarship, which offers mentorship by Malavika Sarukkai for a certain period of time. For her performance at this year’s edition of the Dance for Dance Festival, she chose K.N. Dhandayuthapani Pillai’s pada varnam, ‘Saamiyai azhaitthodi va’ in Navaragamalika, Adi, which has plenty of scope to elaborate. Aswathi is a promising young dancer with…