Blogs News - Page 30

Moral of Subrata Roy's story: don't mess with SC, public sentiment

The judiciary is not something to be scoffed at and neither is public sentiment.

Legalising Mumbai's pre-2000 slums: Why it won't do any good

The Congress-NCP government is hoping to corner votes with the decision but could also run into legal trouble.

Did Freida, Nargis turn KJo into the first closet heterosexual?

Why was Johar so flummoxed by Pinto in a dress that was more cut out and less ‘dress’, and Fakhri wearing a Monisha Jaising creation that was such a close fit, it could be her second skin?

How power relationships among nations shaped the Ukraine crisis

Editor's note: This is a reader we received on the piece 'Another Cold War? India can’t ignore Crimea crisis in Ukraine'. As per Firstpost policy, the comment has been lightly edited for spellings and grammar.

Why Matthew McConaughey deserves the Oscar for Best Actor this year

So why has the world gone bananas over the performance in Dallas Buyers Club? Well, for starters, it is probably because this new and improved McConaughey is the polar opposite of every other variation of him that has existed.

Oscars 2014: Why it's no better than the Filmfare Awards

I hate the Oscars. I passionately hate the Oscars. The Oscars isn’t something unique. It’s just a show and it’s no better than the Filmfare Awards.

Her review: Spike Jonze has made the defining 21st century love story

Her is an ode to urban loneliness and the emotional, existentialist crises brought on by the march of communications technology.

Green clearance: PMO can always step in but not to mess it up further

Our weak and complicated green clearance norms help neither development nor environment. But instead of making the process simple and robust, the UPA has been busy undercutting it.

Modi's Mentors: Keshavrao Deshmukh, who revamped RSS in Gujarat

The RSS is an eight-decade old institution focussed on character-building. It is enough for a human to become humane, that is the mantra adopted.

Shaadi ke Side Effects review: Vidya, Farhan make it a fun watch

There are a handful of solid giggles and the film cleverly pushes the right double standard buttons to outrage both sexes, and ties it all up with a neat little bow in the end.

Pulping Doniger's book: Will publishers only print 'safe' books?

Will no one be able to question conventional wisdom about history, politics and mythology? Will no one be able to expose the wrong-doings of politicians and corporate leaders?

Legalising Mumbai's slums: Why the Cong-NCP govt is in a fix

Legalising pre-2000 slum structures is not going to be easy, but not being able to do so can be an acute embarrassment for Congress and NCP leaders.

After Deng-isms, some Teddy-isms for our next Prime Minister

Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt was also called the "trust buster", smashing America’s "robber baron" monopolies with ruthless reforms.

Akshat Singh's got talent, but are audiences laughing at a 'fat' kid?

What I’m waiting to see is how the corporate machine working on Akshat’s behalf chugs on, knowing that there’s a limited window within which to maximize on his fame.

Were Swansea right to sack Michael Laudrup?

Had it not been for Laudrup, Swansea would not be where they are today. He just needed time to steady the ship, and he would have, given what he did with extremely limited resources at Real Betis when he was in Spain.

Blaming Dhoni pointless, it's Duncan Fletcher who has to go

The one name that has not been brought up in this debacle is Duncan Fletcher. India’s woes abroad have coincided with his tenure as coach.

The curious case of Moily, Essar, Hindalco and Mahan coal block

Why the UPA is desperate to sidestep the Forest Rights Act, one of its flagship achievements, and why a private company moves court to safeguard a sitting union minister

Why there's nothing wrong in releasing Rajiv Gandhi's killers

This “rarest of rare” business is something few really understand and the fact is that Indian courts keep sentencing so many people to death that rarest of rare has lost meaning.

Telangana creation: BJP failed in its opposition to Congress

If Andhra Pradesh is divided and humiliated like this, what about the rest of our states? We probably won't have a say.

Telangana fall-out: Who is running Andhra now?

Now that Lok Sabha has passed and Rajya Sabha concurred on conceding the demand for Telangana, who is running Andhra Pradesh now?

Jayalalithaa should wait till 6 March to release Rajiv Gandhi's assassins

Tamil Nadu government will be playing with fire if it were to go ahead with the release of four other convicts not specifically mentioned in the Supreme Court order.

Modi's mentors: Inamdar, who shaped his ideas of Hindu-Muslim relations

Modi also wrote a poem for him, titled The debt to the Rishi'. Modi's stark view of Hindu-Muslim relations appears to come from this mentor, affectionately Vakilsaheb.

Don't believe Rahul, here's why the Whistleblower Bill won't matter

The fustian charade of anti-corruption stands exposed even as the political class pussyfoots around a severely faulty bill.

Some Deng-isms for our next prime minister

China was an abysmally poor country at the end of Mao’s reign in the 1970s.

Dear Mr FM, why give me discounts on cars when I can't afford food?

A letter from one of our readers to the Finance Minister following the budget.

Berlin Diary: Nymphomaniac punctures popular notions of love

Danish director Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac is a remarkable film. It explores an obsession of our times — sex — but with absolute dispassion and artistry.

Berlin diary: Alia Bhatt's family connection to the German city

Alia Bhatt, just 20, arrived for the Highway press conference at the Berlin Film Festival, looking ravishing in flaming red Dior suit. It turns out that Bhatt has a Berlin connection in her past as well

Berlin Diary: 'Movies are like infections', says Imtiaz Ali on Highway

This year, 12 films were selected to be screened at the Berlin Film Festival. One of them is Imtiaz Ali's Highway, which premiered at the festival last week.

Why voters should back AAP now, if only to fight it later

If Delhi was Arvind Kejriwal's stepping stone to national politics, Kejriwal can be India's stepping stone to change.

Why we can't blame just Penguin for pulping Doniger's book

We must not blame the law here. The problem is expecting that a benevolent and broadminded judiciary will thread the needle.