The Great Indian Soundtrack by Snehith Kumbla

Celebrating the Hindi film songs sung by the timeless romantic Krishnakumar Kunnath, known by his stage name KK, who we lost too soon on May 31, 2022. He was only 53.

Recording the arrival of the southwest monsoon in India.

A medley of R.D. Burman songs to celebrate his extraordinary talent.

Featuring R.D. Burman's swan song, the soundtrack that reestablished his reputation as a maverick, genius music director. But R.D. wasn't around to enjoy ots success.

Featuring A.R. Rahman's stunning fusion of western sounds with Indian vocals to produce one of the greatest Indian soundtracks of all time.

On the amazing M.M. Kreem score that surprisingly few are talking about - the brilliant songs and bgm for the exagerrated, over-the-top action entertainer RRR.

Talking about how Michael Giacchino's score elevates Matt Reeves' The Batman (2022).

Revisiting the 2002 Rajkumar Santoshi movie, cowritten with Piyush Mishra, featuring music by A.R. Rahman, starring Ajay Devgn, Sushant Singh and others.

The Will Smith slap to Chris Rock, the implications, reactions.

Celebrating the singing journey of probably one of the greatest Indian playback singers of our time, Shreya Ghoshal. She has been singing for movies for 20 years, and only turned 38 today!

On his 101st birth anniversary, celebrating the legendary Hindi film songs of one of the greatest Indian poets and Hindi film lyricists, Sahir Ludhianvi (1921-1980).

Wishing the masterly vocalist and composer Shankar Mahadevan a grand 55th birthday, here's a selection of songs that dot the Shankar Mahadevan story.

An atmospheric A.R. Rahman classic unusual for its vocal choices, especially featuring Malayalam legends M.G.Sreekumar and K.S.Chitra, and how Rahman uses technology to his advantage. Featuring Javed Akhtar as lyricist. A song that certainly deserves more listeners.

Featuring a soulful qawwali sung by the zany, innovative Sonu Nigam, composed by Shailendra Barve, lyrics by Jitendra Joshi. Moving away from qawwali cliches, devoid of heavy chorus, yet full of soul.

Featuring three more songs amd some honourable mentions from the epic journey that the great playback singer Lata Mangeshkar had across seven decades in Indian soundtrack history. Music copyright belongs to the music owners including Saregama, YashRaj Music, Sony Music and others.

Featuring the best songs of composer, singer, Bappi Lahiri, who passed away today on Feb 16, 2022, at the age of 69, leaving us a legacy of soulful romantic and dance numbers.

A podcast on probably the best horror dram ever made in India, Tumbbad (2018).

In spontaneous memory of my maternal grandmother, Radhamma Adka (1933-2022).

Reading from one of Roald Dahl's most deliciously macabre tales ever, a story that was first published in Playboy, The Visitor.

Reading from the evergreen 1902 Sherlock Holmes novel, with a touch of the supernatural.

On January 7, 2022 what did Pune resident Yogita Satav do to be immortalized as a hero? Know more on The Wednesday Story by Snehith Kumbla.

Reviewing the Kerala State Award winner 2021 for second best movie and best story, the one location setting based drama-comedy, Thingalaycha Nichayam (2021).

The attempted remedy for the dreaded Monday blues, episode one.

Reading from the long awaited memoir of the great, late intellectual, playwright, actor, writer and director, Girish Karnad (1938-2019)

Celebrating the great Irrfan on his 55th birth anniversary (January 7, 2022).

Soundscapes from my recent travels.

The new satire featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Cate Blanchett, Meryl Streep, Mark Rylance & Timothee Chalamet.

Reviewing the new Anand L. Rai movie starring Dhanush, Sara Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar.

Reading from Ruskin Bond's first book ever, the 1957, award winning The Room on the Roof.

Reviewing the Malayalam superhero Netflix Dec 2021 release, Minnal Murali, starring Tovino Thomas, Guru Somasundaram, Femina George and others.

Reviewing the 2017 neo noir thriller starring Madhavan and Vijay Sethupathi.

Reviewing the Malayalam movie based on the longest fugitive chase of an Indian criminal.

Reading from the true life memoirs of a teacher, about how he interacted with his students in London's East End.

Reading from the 1990 travelogue classic by British travel writer Alexander Frater (1937-2020)

The first episode of the weekly celebration of poetry, idleness, music, movies, delicious food and sensuality.

Book extracts that shed light on how Jim Corbett finally got down to write his wildlife experiences.

A short story about fate, life's experiences, isolation, country, longing for a land, and other timeless human emotions.

Review of the first part of the new Beatles documentary: Get Back,now showing on Disney Hotstar.

Impromptu rain songs for the heck of it. Also includes songs that have nothing to do with rain.

Trailer analysis of the upcoming Kabir Khan sports movie, 83.

Featuring a book excerpt featuring Sartaj Singh's first appearance, before Vikram Chandra's third book, Sacred Games, now a popular Netflix series.

A Hindi language episode on a fun Hindi movie to watch this weekend.

Singing for the heck of it, any resemblance to singing in tune is purely accidental.

The initial review of the Peter Jackson edited footage heavy documentary of The Beatles working on their final studio album, Let It Be, that was initially called Get Back.

Reading from the prologue of a non-fiction account of the Indian cricket team's historica 2003-2004 tour of Pakistan in dangerous, uncertain times.

Reading from the translated third book of poetry by Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, published when he was only 20 - Twenty love poems and a song of despair.

Revisiting a school favourite Hindi poem and its translation, by Kedarnath Agarwal.

Reviewing the new Ram Madhvani thriller flick Dhamaka (2021), starring Kartik Aaryan, an official remake of a 2013 South Korean movie.

Reviewing Mani Ratnam's flawed but cinematic political drama and the new Tamil flick on the fight against caste oppression.

Reading recommendation to improve your English vocabulary.

A celebration of the classic Indian western drama Sholay (1975) that remains the ultimate classic four decades and counting.

An excerpt from chapter 1 of the 1890 novel by Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Featuring the song Afghan Jalebi from Phantom (2015), music by Pritam, lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya, singers (various).

Reading from the travelogue of Argentinan revolutionary Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, describing the 1952 motorbike trip taken with his friend Alberto Granado.

A curtain raiser and summary of male playback singing in Hindi films over the last eight decades.

Reading from the 1976 short story collection by Irish writer and film maker Neil Jordan.

Recommending the US adaptation of the sparkling British original The Office.

Reviewing two movies and a web series, all playing on Netflix.

A detailed introduction and selections from reading from haiku poets, anthologies, and knowing more about this Japanese form of poetry.

A reading recommendation to those looking to improve their English and get into the intricacies of the language and why it is essential and hard to communicate in simple English.

Reading from the shockingly relevant 1891 essay by William Morris.

Recommending Vishal Bharadwaj's 2018 comedy drama, featuring great acts by Sanya Malhotra, Radhika Madan, Sunil Grover and Vijay Raaz.

Reviewing two recent Hindi direct to OTT releases, Sardar Udham and Bhoot Police

Is Dave Chappelle the greatest stand up comedian of all time?

First two chapters read from An Autobiography or The Story of My Experiments with Truth by M.K. Gandhi

Reading from the poetry of the environment movement icon Robinson Jeffers (1887 - 1962)

Celebrating the movie soundtrack songs of composer Ravi Shankar Sharma aka Ravi.

Reading from this wonderful, timeless collection of short stories.

On the great lyricist, poet and filmmaker Gulzar who turned 87 on 18th August 2021.

Book excerpt from the Mario Puzo novel featuring Michael Corleone and The Godfather plot weaved into this heroic rebel tale.

A timeless story of love, secrets, tradition, and a wicked kid.

Reading from the elegant prose of Anita Desai, a school favourite, Games at Twilight.

Reviewing the Hindi war bioepic Shershaah (2021) and the Malayalam home invasion thriller Kuruthi (2021).

Recommending a Humphrey Bogart classic that may not be his best performance, but certainly an engaging psychological drama.

Reading from the legendary writer's 2017 autobiography.

Celebrating the legacy and songs of the Hindi playback singer Mukesh (1923-1976)

Reading from the classic 1952 novella, where not a word seems wasted.

Celebrating the greatest songs of Hindi film playback singer Sonu Nigam.

A tribute to the great Indian actor Dilip Kumar, who passed away early today at the age of 98.

Of careless times, journalism classes, and discovering the works of bilingual poet Arun Kolatkar.

Excerpts from the 1976 autobiography of the legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar - Sunny Days.

Reading a short story from Ruskin Bond's 1998 collection, A Bond with the Mountains.

Random memorable songs of the legendary Rafi going on the livewire Shammi Kapoor.

Celebrating the best songs by Hindi playback singer Sonu Nigam.

Celebrating the greatest songs of Hindi playback singer Sonu Nigam.

Random medley of Hindi film playback singer Udit Narayan's songs.

Celebrating the best songs of Hindi film playback singer Sonu Nigam.

Reading from Booker Prize Winner, Michael Ondaatje's first novel, a fictional take on a jazz pioneer.

Celebrating the greatest Hindi film songs of the 1973-born Sonu Nigam.

Fifth part of celebrating Hindi movie playback singer Sonu Nigam's greatest songs.

Excerpts from India's best-known journalist, Khushwant Singh's work.

Continuing on the journey of celebrating the best songs of Hindi film playback singer Sonu Nigam.

Part three of many to come, celebrating the greatest songs of Hindi film playback singer Sonu Nigam.

Featuring the best Sonu Nigam Hindi film songs between 1998 and 2000, in the second part of the series.

Featuring the musical journey of Sonu Nigam, the mercurial Hindi film playback singer. Part one of many to follow.

Celebrating film song lyrics written written by Sahir Ludhianvi, one of India's greatest poet and songwriter.

A run through the best rain songs ever made in popular Hindi cinema.

Excerpts and crime thriller talk about this exceptional 1953 James Hadley Chase page turner.