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How do you accurately portray a town? Through facts or personal testimony? Writer Anjum Hasan suggests it’s through the latter. Her latest work Hometown: Shillong in the World draws upon scholarship, her own experiences and the personal testimonies of the residents of Shillong to add a new perspective to this storied and complex city. Once a hill station, it has since been transformed by its young people, its music scene and by political tensions. Described by the people who know and love the place the most, this book shines a light on one of India’s most overlooked cities. October 2026 favourites
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This highly awaited film adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s beloved novel may just be the film we need in light of how AI has now become deeply embedded into our personal lives. Scream queen Jenna Ortega stars as Klara, the humanoid robot selected to be the “artificial friend” of Josie (played by British Indian actress Mia Tharia). Essentially a toddler, but forced into the world of adulthood, one of her many challenges is to grapple with the concepts of human loneliness, tragedy and mortality. Director Taika Waititi infuses this somewhat tragic story with his signature comedy, promising a film that truthfully captures the human condition.
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RnB, Carnatic music and soul…Gayathri Krishnan has mastered them all. Nowhere is this clearer than in her latest album Never Too Lost, Too Found, which highlights her singular ability to balance classical techniques with contemporary sounds while never sounding contrived. In her title track, these competing yet complementary sounds drive home the message that our cultures live on within us regardless of where we are. Conversely, her song “Self-Esteem,” may just be the most melodious diss-track ever released. This album, through its playfulness and experimentation, deserves a place in the mainstream.
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The Kingston Biscuit trend is mind-bogglingly easy to make considering how delicious it is. It’s totally thrown the high-effort-equals-high-reward equation out of the window, and Desi foodies were quick to notice. Behold the Chai Kingston Pear Bake; the brainchild of Melbourne-based business Prana Chai. Step 1: Combine the syrup of canned pears with chai leaves, and let that simmer a bit. Step 2: Pour the concoction over Arnott’s Kingston Biscuits and pop that into the oven for 25 minutes at 180 degrees celsius. Step 3: Let the dish rest for just a min, add a scoop of ice-cream and dive right in.
READ ALSO: Indian films releasing in October 2026
