Amol R [Round Table India pays tribute to the legacy of Raju Kamble sir on his 2nd death anniversary, and we are glad to share this interview with Amol R, one of his close associates.] Anu: Jai Bhim. Amol, you are someone who is very familiar with Raju Kamble Sir’s work …
Some Thoughts on Manipur and Asad Haider’s book, Mistaken Identity: Race and Class in the Age of Trump
Jackson RK Racism is a face producing machine. It gives a face to the living things, non-living things, and, this time, to an entity that is both a living and a non-living thing at the same time: virus. As the world shrinks into private rooms in the aftermath of the corona-virus pandemic, racism succeeded …
Decoding the post-2014 Parashuram-esque ‘vigilante figure’ in Bhavesh Joshi Superhero
Mohimarnab Biswas (Megh) This study locates the middle-class ‘vigilante figure’ in Bombay cinema within the larger paradigm of the rise of the ‘vigilante publics’ in the backdrop of the BJP’s massive electoral gains in 2014. It attempts to do so by focusing attention on the articulation of justice in Bhavesh Joshi Superhero. It looks …
The Plot Against AR Rahman
Umar Nizar The musician AR Rahman has recently been castigated in certain circles for speaking out strongly against a lobby working against him in Bollywood. This has caught many by surprise. The huge fan following of the Academy Award-winning composer commanded has not really translated into popular support. The politics of music and the …
Storming Libraries, ‘Achhe Din’ and the New Education Policy
N Sukumar and Shailaja Menon The NEP 2020 has been rolled out amidst the Corona pandemic with the grandiose dreams of unleashing India’s potential as a world teacher (Vishwaguru). Ironically, a few months back police stormed the library of Jamia Millia Islamia, thrashed students and vandalized the reading space. No one knows when the culprits …
Presidency University engages with Dr. Ambedkar
Ekalavya Ravidas The historic Hindu College of Calcutta, later named as Presidency College and currently known as Presidency University, has conventionally been an academic space almost exclusively occupied by the upper caste Hindus. The minorities of India, particularly those who are now known as SCs, STs, and OBCs and those who constitute 85% of India’s …
Let’s move on from this simplistic debate of nepotism in Bollywood
Anurag Minus Verma For the last few weeks, nepotism and insider/outsider has become the trending topic. As an outsider who is working in the Mumbai industry for more than 5 years, I would like to add that the debate of nepotism is a simplistic debate. There are much deeper issues which are plaguing the industry …
Ruling Class’ Stupidity and Privilege
Pranav Jeevan P There is an argument that is put forth often by people of privilege that not everyone who is privileged is naturally intelligent enough to be “woke” from reading and understanding the issues of discrimination and atrocities in the name of caste or class. So, the argument goes on to say that …
Do ideas of Phule-Shahu-Ambedkar matter anymore?
Shailesh Narwade Jayanti, for many, is merely a celebration of the birth anniversaries of socio-political thinkers who were instrumental in bringing social change of which our generation is a beneficiary. Some people see it as an occasion to eulogize and recollect the contributions of these great leaders. Though these modes of celebrating and remembering …