Classrooms, cosmos and everything in between

April 2, 2026

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Urvi Majumdar, Rao Morusupalli

Urvi Majumdar spends her days teaching in a classroom; Rao Morusupalli studies the stars. This year, both step onto the stage at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, each testing whether their jokes hit.

In Miss!, Majumdar draws on the rhythms of the teacher-student dynamic, while Morusupalli’s Space Comedy launches audiences into the cosmos with his astrophysicist’s eye.

The performers are but two of over 30 Indian-origin artists bringing bold, electric energy and sharp wit to the lineup. They speak here with Indian Link, describing their careers in comedy so far, bringing fresh perspectives and new voices to the stage, reshaping what South Asian comedy looks like, one show at a time.

Clearly, neither arrived at comedy through a conventional path. For Majumdar, the shift from classroom to stage revealed unexpected parallels. “You never know who you’ll be in front of!” she laughed. For Morusupalli, a life spent gazing at the universe became material – proof that some stories are simply too vast not to share.

Urvi Majumdar, Rao Morusupalli — Teacher-by-day and comedian-by-night, Urvi Majumdar’s “Miss!” delves into the dynamics | (Source: supplied)

Both comedians know though, that none of it works without the audience. Rao is refreshingly candid about it. “The audience is very important, it’s one of the main reasons I do comedy,” he says. For him, the comedian’s job is to earn their trust, direct energy, and bring everyone on board for the ride. Without them, the spaceship splutters and comes crashing back down to Earth. Urvi Majumdar, Rao Morusupalli

Urvi knows the feeling well. Her show thrives on spontaneous crowd connection, going off on tangents that pull her audience somewhere unexpected. The energy in the room, she believes, is what makes the night a success. “The more energetic the audience, the better the experience for everyone,” she explains.

Staying relevant in the age of social media algorithms is a challenge most artists face, but these artists believe that a truly good joke doesn’t need to be relevant to land. Urvi sees the relentless churn of the news cycle as a double-edged sword. By the time a joke is written, the story has already moved on. “News of the moment fades quickly,” Urvi says, explaining why she avoids following trends.

By contrast, Rao believes in the timelessness of comedy – with some of our favourites like Mr. Bean and Monty Python coming to mind. He believes in letting the jokes age, and performing for the connection, not the relevance. Even when it bombs, he follows an advice he received – “to not think about it after 24 hours.”

Despite their different approaches, neither is chasing viral glory. Rao puts his faith in a well-crafted show over a perfectly timed crowd-work clip engineered for social media, saying that, “Written jokes are always stronger. An hour of crowd work can be fun, but a well-crafted show is much more impactful.” Urvi, meanwhile, ditches the tight script entirely in favour of something more alive and unpredictable, and when it doesn’t land, her greatest wish is for the audience to get amnesia the second she walks out the back door. Once, during a bit about potentially facing racist comments on a “curry bag” her parents had packed for her, a heckler decided it would be funny to shout out prices for selling her curries.

But when everything clicks, when the joke lands, the room erupts, and the connection is real, both describe the same feeling. “You feel less like a freak for thinking that way,” Urvi says. Rao puts it more succinctly, “Orgasmic.”

Whether it’s a classroom, a spaceship or a dimly lit comedy room, Urvi Majumdar and Rao Morusupalli are proof that the best stories come from the places you least expect.

Dhurandhar 2 rewrites Australia’s box office history in just 10 days

Torrsha Sen

April 2, 2026

Reading Time: 3 minutes

If there was ever a moment that confirmed Hindi cinema’s global dominance, it is this one. Dhurandhar: The Revenge (also known as Dhurandhar 2) has not just performed well overseas, it has reset expectations – with Australia emerging as the most compelling headline. In just 10 days, the Ranveer Singh-led spectacle has become the highest-grossing Hindi film of all time in Australia. Not eventually. Not over weeks. Almost instantly.

Australia is no longer a side market for Hindi cinema

For years, Australia was seen as a dependable but secondary overseas territory for Indian cinema. Strong diaspora presence, steady footfall – but rarely the place where history was made. That narrative has now been disrupted.

Dhurandhar: The Revenge has already crossed AUD 6 million, officially overtaking all previous Indian films in the market. What earlier films took weeks or even months to achieve, this one delivered in days. It did not creep towards this record – it sprinted past it. Even more telling is the consistency. The second weekend alone brought in close to AUD 1.5 million from Australia and New Zealand, reinforcing the film’s strong hold beyond opening hype.

The diaspora effect has evolved

There is now a visible shift in how Indian films are being consumed in Australia. The diaspora is larger, younger, and more willing to show up for big-screen spectacles. But Dhurandhar 2 is not just benefiting from that shift – it is accelerating it.

The film has retained over 80 percent of its screens into week two across overseas markets, a rare feat that signals strong word of mouth and repeat viewing. In cities like Sydney and Melbourne, screenings have remained packed well beyond the opening weekend. This is franchise loyalty at work. The first part Dhurandhar had already set a benchmark in Australia; for its sequel to overtake it so swiftly reflects deep audience investment in the story, the characters, and the scale.

A global phenomenon anchored in local wins

While Australia is leading the narrative, the global numbers are equally striking. It took just 11 days for Dhurandhar: The Revenge to cross roughly AUD 55 million overseas, becoming the fastest Indian film to reach that milestone without relying on Gulf markets. The overseas total now stands at approximately AUD 56 million, with Australia and New Zealand contributing about AUD 7.8 million.

Globally, the film has surged past an estimated AUD 250 million, with overseas earnings exceeding AUD 60 million. North America alone has crossed roughly AUD 35 million, while the UK is pushing strong numbers close to AUD 7 million. Yet Australia stands out – not just for scale, but for the speed at which the record fell.

What may have worked

A combination of factors has driven this unprecedented run.

First, scale. Dhurandhar 2 is mounted like a global franchise – it looks and feels like an event that demands theatrical viewing.

Second, star power. Ranveer Singh leads a cast that blends mass appeal with strong recall across international audiences.

Third, timing. With fewer competing Hindi releases and a favourable holiday window, the film has capitalised on audience availability.

And finally, sentiment. The film taps into themes that resonate with diaspora audiences navigating identity, nationalism, and belonging. Whether one agrees with its messaging or not, it has clearly struck a chord – lingering in the music and lyrics that echo the ache of leaving home behind.

A new benchmark for Hindi cinema?

What Dhurandhar: The Revenge has achieved in Australia is more than a box office record – it marks a turning point. Markets like Australia are no longer peripheral; they are central to how success is measured. A film that dominates Sydney and Melbourne now carries as much cultural weight as one that dominates Mumbai or Delhi.

The fact that a Hindi film has crossed AUD 6 million in under two weeks – and is still climbing – signals a new phase for Indian cinema abroad. The ceiling has shifted.

And perhaps the most exciting part is this: if this is what the first 10 days can deliver, the final number may not just set a record – it could redefine the benchmark for years to come.

Indian Link Loves: Our April Favourites

Sruthi Sajeev

April 2, 2026

Reading Time: 2 minutes

April favourites

READ

kandasamy meena book — Author Meena Kandasamy and her latest book. (Source: kandasamy.co.uk)

In Fieldwork as a Sex Object, writer Meena Kandasamy tackles every contemporary author’s kryptonite: the subject of the internet. The result is a novel that truthfully represents the struggle of operating in online spaces. When main character Amrita Chaturvedi stumbles across a deepfake of her, she decides to take on the world of incels and reclaim her story. Described by reviewers as a “Bridget Jones meets Karl Marx” type of novel, this work will spark vital conversations about women’s agency in the digital world.

WATCH

riz ahmed bait — Guz Khan and Riz Ahmed on ‘Bait’ (Source: Instagram)

Shah Latif (Riz Ahmed), a down-on-his-luck actor often mistaken for Dev Patel, thinks he’ll become a spokesperson for the South Asian community by becoming the next James Bond. It’s a premise that hooks. But Bait truly shines for the alternate storyline which lies beneath it. Latif’s main adversary isn’t the casting director, but himself, as he struggles with his own self-worth and desire to become a ‘somebody’ for the sake of his family. It’s a show that’s unafraid to embrace its weirdness and is an honest reflection of the community it seeks to represent.

LISTEN

anish kumar ak cuts vol 3 — AK Cuts vol 3, Anish Kumar (Source: Soundcloud) April favourites

Anish Kumar’s club tunes bring together old Indian melodies with techno music to tell a story that is reflective of today’s diaspora. The artist has recently released two singles as part of his upcoming EP AK Cuts: Vol 3. His song ‘Come on Let’s Get It,’ constantly surprises with its combination of the spoken word, piano and techno, whilst ‘Passionfruit,’ takes a step back without losing its groove. He’s also recently collaborated with Grammy Award winner Arooj Aftab for an Urdu version of ‘Sweet Dreams Are Made of This,’ a sure sign that he’s on his way to bigger things.

EAT

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A post shared by tastyuk (@tastyuk)

Created by influencer Anjali Harikumar, this fusion dish is colourful, warm, aromatic and the reward you need after having braved through the first quarter of the year. The vegan twist, replacing milk with coconut cream, gives the panna cotta a softer, more delicate texture. When making halwa, Harikumar recommends using soy instead of nut milk for a creamier dish. What you’re left with in the end is a quick, indulgent dessert that’ll beat all your autumn/winter cravings.

Awards to celebrate the men who get it right

Prutha Chakraborty

April 1, 2026

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Raj Shekhawat

Much of today’s discourse around masculinity is dominated by the language of crisis – toxic traits, harmful behaviours, and what needs fixing. While these discussions are necessary, they often leave little room to acknowledge the many invisible men who are quietly doing the right thing – showing up with integrity, supporting their communities, and leading with empathy.

It is this gap that Adelaide-based Professor Raj Shekhawat is trying to address by shifting the narrative from critique to recognition through the Positive Role Model Awards. This is a growing initiative that celebrates men who embody what positive masculinity can look like in action.

The idea is simple – the unfair smearing of all men through a narrow focus on toxic masculinity must stop. The awards, first launched in 2024, and after two successful rounds in South Australia, are now expanding nationally, with its first stop in Victoria on 12 June this year.

“The idea emerged from a simple but powerful observation,” Prof. Shekhawat tells Indian Link. “We are surrounded by extraordinary men doing good work quietly, consistently, and without recognition.”

The timing, he stressed, cannot be more accurate. “Why now? Because we are at a point where redefining masculinity in a constructive, inclusive way is not optional, it’s essential.”

Celebrating positive men

The thinking behind the awards is rooted in Prof. Shekhawat’s years in academia – a journey he describes as unplanned but transformative.

“My entry into academia was never part of a grand plan, it was shaped by opportunity, curiosity, and a desire to contribute,” he recounts. “The turning point came after completing my PhD from the University of Auckland, NZ, when I realised that academia wasn’t just about teaching or research; it was a platform to influence systems, shape future professionals, and create meaningful societal impact.”

What began as an accident, he adds, “became a deliberate commitment to impact at scale.”

The focus of the Positive Role Model Awards is on the “quiet achievers” (Source: Linkedin)

At the core of both his academic and community work is a strong belief in people. “I am a product of generosity,” he confesses, continuing, “Every meaningful opportunity I’ve had has been because someone believed in me, often before I believed in myself.”

Shekhawat emphasises the role of mentors and networks in shaping his path. That grounding is reflected in how the awards define and identify impact.

For Shekhawat, positive masculinity is not about grand gestures but everyday actions. “To me, positive masculinity is about responsibility, respect, and contribution… it’s about showing up with integrity, being accountable for your actions, supporting others, and using your influence for good.” It also embraces “vulnerability, kindness, and strength in equal measure”.

Finding the model man

The focus of the Positive Role Model Awards is on the “quiet achievers” – those who work tirelessly behind the curtains, but their work’s impact is evident.

“Impact isn’t always loud or easily quantifiable. We look for consistency over time, depth of contribution, and the ripple effect individuals have on others,” he explains. Often, it is testimonials from communities and colleagues that reveal the true extent of someone’s influence.

2025 Positive Role Model Award winners South Australia (Source: Supplied)

The response to the awards has been positive. Reflecting on the first two editions, he recalls “the sheer depth and diversity of stories” – from teachers and tradies to healthcare workers and community leaders.

“What stood out was the humility. Many nominees didn’t even see themselves as role models,” he says, reinforcing why such recognition matters even more.

This year as the initiative grows beyond South Australia, maintaining its core ethos is crucial. “We are intentionally keeping the focus on storytelling, community validation, and meaningful engagement rather than scale for the sake of visibility… If we ever lose authenticity, we lose the essence of why this started.”

In a landscape where conversations often revolve around toxic masculinity, Shekhawat believes there is a need for balance. “If we only focus on what’s going wrong, we risk overlooking and undervaluing what’s going right. Highlighting positive role models doesn’t negate the challenges, it provides tangible examples of what good looks like.”

For him, the awards are only the beginning. “The awards are just the vehicle, the real goal is cultural change,” he says. “This is about creating a movement that celebrates contribution, encourages reflection, and inspires the next generation.”

Financial Reporting Specialists are the sponsors for the inaugural Victorian awards, to be presented at the Men’s Health gala event on 12 June. Winners will receive a cash prize totalling $1,000, and a certificate.

To nominate, head here

More than blue lights: Autism and cultural barriers

Dr Raj Khillan

April 1, 2026

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Every year on 2 April, the world marks World Autism Awareness Day. In Australia, it is often recognised through blue-lit buildings, awareness campaigns, school activities, and social media messages of support – gestures that signal visibility and inclusion.

But in a country as diverse as Australia, awareness must go further. It must translate into mean earlier recognition, faster diagnosis, stronger support, and less stigma across every language, culture, and postcode. For many multicultural families, that promise is still unmet. Autism and cultural barriers

A common condition, but not an equal journey

Autism is now a recognised part of everyday life in Australia. More families, schools and health professionals are talking about it. Awareness has improved. Parents are more alert to developmental concerns. Support services are more widely discussed than they were a decade ago.

Yet the road to diagnosis is not the same for every child.

For many families from migrant and culturally diverse backgrounds, autism is still approached with fear and silence. Parents may notice early signs – speech delays, limited eye contact, sensory sensitivities – but hesitate to act, unsure of what they are seeing or hoping their child will “catch up.” Fear of diagnoses, labels, or community judgement can delay support. In some communities, autism is still misunderstood as bad behaviour or late development, and even well-meaning reassurances (such as “Don’t worry,” “He’ll grow out of it,” “Every child develops differently”) can unintentionally delay vital support.

can unintentionally postpone vital early help.

autism and cultural barriers — Being different is okay Source: Instagram

The weight of cultural silence

For many migrant families, the barriers to autism support begin long before the first medical appointment – at home, in quiet conversations and private fears. Past experiences from home countries – where awareness was low, services limited, and developmental conditions seldom discussed openly – can leave parents unfamiliar with autism or exposed only to negative narratives. Without clear understanding, early signs may be missed, and fear or shame can delay help. This is where World Autism Awareness Day must go further, reaching not just public spaces but homes, communities, and cultural networks where stigma still quietly shapes decisions.

Lost in a complex system

Even when families are ready to seek help, navigating Australia’s system can be daunting. Many parents are unsure where to start: should they see a GP first? Paediatrician? Psychologist? Speech pathologist? What’s the difference between diagnosis and therapy? What support is available through schools? What help may come later through disability services? How do diagnosis, therapy, school support, and disability services fit together? For families new to the country, the process can feel overwhelming. Language barriers add another layer of difficulty, making it hard to explain concerns or understand referrals and reports. The result is often delay – not from lack of care, but because the pathway is complex and confusing.

Every child is different (Source: Instagram)

Distance, waiting lists and cost

Regional and outer suburban families face added barriers. Developmental specialists are scarce, forcing long travel, long waiting lists, and months of uncertainty. Transport, time off work, and childcare for siblings all become obstacles. Cost adds further strain: private assessments are expensive, while public options are slower. For families under financial pressure or still settling into Australia, diagnosis can feel out of reach. These delays matter — early recognition doesn’t change who a child is, but it can transform access to support, parental understanding, and educational outcomes.

Why culturally informed care matters

As a paediatrician who has worked across India, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, the UK, and Australia, I have seen how deeply culture shapes families’ understanding of child development — and how trust can change everything. When parents can speak in their own language, share fears openly, and feel heard without judgement, they engage differently. When a clinician understands migration stress, extended family dynamics, cultural beliefs and community pressures, the family feels safe. Being able to speak English, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and some Arabic has helped me unlock those conversations. Sometimes the biggest shift comes not from a report, but from reassurance.

Above all, families need to hear this clearly: autism is not caused by bad parenting or bilingual homes, and seeking help early is not failure. Autism and cultural barriers

What awareness should really mean

World Autism Awareness Day should absolutely be visible. Let buildings glow blue. Let schools talk about inclusion. Let communities celebrate autistic people and their strengths. But awareness must also lead to action.

It should mean stronger education in multicultural communities, culturally safe services, interpreters, clearer information, more affordable pathways, and shorter waiting times. It should mean better access in regional Australia and, above all, giving families the confidence to seek help without shame. Autism and cultural barriers

In multicultural Australia, real autism awareness is not just symbolic. It is about ensuring no child loses precious time to fear, stigma, language barriers, or system complexity.

On 2 April, the lights will shine – but will the pathway shine too?

Free trade: Rum and Aussie lamb chops in the tandoor

Charmaine O' Brien

April 1, 2026

aus india food trade rum — (Source: AI Generated)

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Australia India food trade

The jubilant tone of the Australian High Commissioner Philip Green in the Indian Express on January 1 this year was no declaration of hopeful New Year resolutions, it was a statement of fact. From that day, he said, “no Indian goods face any tariff entering Australia. None. Zilch, nada, zippo across the board. No asterisk. No hash. No fine print … In return many Australian goods now enter India under reduced or zero duties”.

This was, he said, a great opportunity to enhance the Australia-India pact, underpinned by the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA), currently worth upwards of 50 billion AUS. Trade in food makes an important contribution to this amount. Since the 1970s, Australian primary produce exports, mostly legumes and cereals, have bolstered Indian supply of these everyday foodstuffs. Once the ECTA was signed in 2022, tariffs reduced bilaterally, resulting in premium Australian food and beverages, including avocadoes, wine, lamb, almonds and fruit becoming available to Indian consumers. It is an exciting advance, and a contemporary rendition of the food and drink trade between Australia and India which began in the first years of British settlement.

In 1790, New South Wales’ newly settled convicts and officials faced an impending crisis. They had only carried two years of rations, hoping the land they were to occupy would yield a bounty of food from imported seeds. It was a false imagining. The foreign plants failed to thrive in the sandy soil. The colonists lacked the skills to capture native animals for meat or substantively utilise indigenous plant foods. With their supplies depleted, the possibility of starvation loomed. A second shipment of convicts in 1791 meant another 1000 mouths to feed. The colony’s Governor, Arthur Phillip, was compelled to take extraordinary action.

The supply ship Guardian’s unfortunate encounter with an ice-berg off the Cape of Good Hope preventing it delivering food supplies the colony of NSW was one of the factors that caused Governor Phillip to send to Calcutta for supplies. (Source: Supplied)

Phillip’s instructions for governing NSW forbade direct engagement with India, to protect the monopoly the East India Company had on trade in Asia. But needs must, so Phillip dispatched the Atlantic to Calcutta, the closest British settlement. Eight months later when the ship returned with rice, “dholl” and “soujee”, the colonists “inexpressible joy” turned to disappointment. They did not understand how to prepare the “different species of provisions” sent out, so the soujee turned sour and the dholl cooked “hard”. The rice was full of husk and the salt pork unfit to eat. No-one complained about the 250 gallons of Bengal rum included in the cargo.

A “satellite of India”

The Indian foodstuffs had eased the colonists’ hunger, but their discontented experience of these, led them hope there would be no future shipments of supplies from the subcontinent.

Robert Campbell. One of Sydney’s earliest merchants who traded in rum (and other spirits) from India, along with sugar, livestock and rice. (Source: Supplied)

Instead, the episode opened the way to a buoyant trading relationship between the colonial cousins. The Australians became “indebted” to India for the “comforts” and “luxuries” of their lives; the subcontinent became their main source of imported foods, and the homes of wealthier colonists featured Indian furnishings and textiles, which signalled status and sophistication. India was “the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow” in the British Empire, a place British merchants could make stupendous fortunes, live in luxurious homes, attended by numerous servants, and enjoy lavish meals every day. Trading links with India likewise contributed to wealth creation in colonial NSW, and an aspiration to emulate British Indian society.

India was evident in NSW, and later Tasmania, in tastes as well as tangible goods. Early Australian cuisine is egregiously represented as uniformly monotonous and bland. However, spices were a familiar ingredient in upper class colonial cookery, including in ‘curry’. Curry was a term describing both a spiced sauced dish as well as mulligatawny, kedgeree and “kabobs”; hybrid dishes, blending Indian and British elements which symbolised the glorious high living of India for the colonists. Spices sold by Sydney merchants were shipped from India, although selling these did not bring riches. It was another Indian import that did that: rum.

The prominent colonist John Macarthur made himself wealthy in early NSW trading in Bengal rum, and sheep. His household ledgers show regular purchases of spices and curry powder for use in family meals. Anne Marie Macarthur, John’s niece-in-law, was advised to include various curries when hosting NSW high society to dinner. The Blaxlands, another prominent colonial family, enjoyed “all sorts of nice Indian dishes” on their table in the early 1830s.

Aussie avo on toast with Manipuri crispy chilli — Aussie-Indic brunch at Subko, Lodhi Colony, Delhi. — Aussie avo on toast with Manipuri crispy chilli, Aussie-Indic brunch at Subko, Lodhi Colony, Delhi. (Source: Supplied)

By 1840, British settlement had expanded across Australia, and the local food supply became more abundant. The food and drink trade with India waned, as did its material and cultural influence. Fashions moved on and curry went from status symbol to unremarked middle class eating. The revitalisation of our trading relationship promises enriched eating ahead in both countries. At the ‘Taste the Wonders of Australia’ event at the Australian High Commission in Delhi last March, guests enjoyed dishes melding Australia and India on the plate, including avocado infused chickpea bhel puri, quandong -tamarind water golgappa, Australian apple and pepperberry jalebi. Come March 2026 and Subko cafes across metropolitan India are featuring an ‘Aussie- Indic’ brunch including avo toasts with crisp Manipuri chilli and eggs benedict with tikka gravy. A taste of things to come.

Read Also: A spirited evolution: How India went from prohibition to pinot Australia India food trade

Waiting to be chosen: A renting experience

Sharanya Sathyanarayanan

April 1, 2026

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Finding accommodation in Melbourne

Twenty people stood outside the modest brick unit when I arrived. They were clutching folders and scanning each other with quiet calculation. I began profiling them instantly.

Young couple. Dual income? Stable.

Three university boys with identical puffer jackets and easy laughter. Confident. Unbothered.

Who looks older? Who has a steady job? Who seems like they’re from here? Who appears settled?

Then there was me, an international student from India, quietly wondering if I had any real chance in this competition.

Finding accommodation in Melbourne — Renting in an expensive city like Melbourne as a new international student | (Source: Canva)

It felt like the city was saying, “Welcome to Melbourne’s rental market, where you can have tuition paid, visa stamped but still feel borderline homeless.”

With vacancy rates at record lows, landlords look for predictability, not personality. Professionals seem stable, couples show shared responsibility, but students make them hesitate. The application forms showed this caution: pages of documents, job details, bank statements, and references. Sign here. Initial there. Promise you won’t default, disappear, or cause trouble. At twenty one, I felt like just another line on a spreadsheet.

Eventually, I stopped taking things personally and tried to think more logically. I saw the rental process as a system I could learn and manage. I started tracking every property in an Excel sheet, listing the address, weekly rent, distance to university, tram access, the nearest supermarket, and how many people came to inspections. I kept notes on how responsive agents were, compared commute times, and weighed the pros and cons. Even if I couldn’t control how others saw me, I could control how prepared I was.

Without any local rental history, I had to rely on the small network I was building. Every supervisor, acquaintance, and friendly chat became a chance to build credibility. In a new country, you really do have to start from scratch.

You don’t need to prepare much for inspections. You walk in, check the cupboards, look at the light, and then leave. The real decisions happen during the application. That’s when you try to clear up doubts by attaching documents, showing your income, and listing references. You’re always trying to answer the unspoken question: can they trust you as a tenant? I started checking my email more often than I’d like to admit. Between lectures, on the tram, even on walks; whenever my phone buzzed, I felt a brief surge of hope. Usually, it was just a university update or promo, never the subject line I waited for.

After applying, everything slowed down. All that was left was waiting, and learning how much patience the process demanded. Finding accommodation in Melbourne

And finally, I became the one – out of twenty – that walked away with the lease.

A set of keys is all it took, to feel like I belonged.

Moving in brought its own challenges. Sharing a kitchen required teamwork. Paying bills on time mattered. Even small problems had to be discussed. Renting became a daily lesson in responsibility.

Concepts like bonds, utilities, and lease clauses were all new to me, but I learned to manage them. What was confusing at first slowly became more organised.

As I handled these new responsibilities, university kept me busy. I learned to split up chores: groceries one day, laundry another, and cleaning on a schedule. When my apartment was tidy, the city felt easier to manage. Contracts, expectations, and communication all had their own rhythm.

Finding a place asked more of me than I expected – patience, resilience, and faith through uncertainty. What I gained in the end wasn’t just a set of keys, but the knowledge that I was learning how to hold my life together, one responsibility at a time.

Indian films releasing in April 2026

Ekta Sharma

April 1, 2026

Reading Time: 2 minutes

This month’s releases are worth planning around. A solid mix of action, comedy, drama and romance, with titles that should hold up beyond the hype. Grab your popcorn, pick a seat, and settle in.

RABB DA RADIO 3 (In cinemas)

Rabb Da Radio 3 (Punjabi) continues the heartwarming saga that began in 2017 and reappeared in 2019, rooted in family, love, and rural Punjabi traditions. While the first two films explored emotional bonds, sacrifice, and staying true to one’s roots, the third chapter introduces fresh challenges and poignant twists. Reuniting Tarsem Jassar and Nimrat Khaira, and directed by Harry Bhatti, the film promises the same warmth, depth, and cultural richness that made the franchise so beloved.

Releasing 3 April

DACOIT: EK PREMA KATHA (In cinemas)

This Adivi Sesh – Mrunal Thakur starrer finally releases after a brief postponement from March 27. Directed by Shaneil Deo, the Hindi-Telugu action thriller follows a man wrongfully accused who escapes prison and turns the tables on his former girlfriend. Exploring themes of love, betrayal, and revenge, the film promises high-octane action and a taut narrative, with an eventual streaming release on Amazon Prime Video.

Releasing 10 April Indian films in April 2026

BHOOTH BANGLA (In cinemas)

Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan reunite after 14 years, bringing back their signature mix of comedy and chaos. Set in a spooky, old-world backdrop with supernatural elements, the film blends light scares with humour, with Kumar leading the story through his trademark comic timing. The ensemble cast including Tabu, Wamiqa Gabbi, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav and Asrani adds to the film’s lively, comedic energy. Overall, it promises to be an easy, entertaining mix of horror and humour with plenty of fun moments.

Releasing 10 April

PATRIOT (In cinemas)

This much-awaited Malayalam film brings together two of the biggest stars, Mammootty and Mohanlal, making it a major draw for fans. Directed by Mahesh Narayanan, the spy thriller follows covert operatives who uncover a vast surveillance conspiracy that escalates into a national security crisis. Racing against time, they must dismantle a dangerous network before voices are silenced. Featuring an ensemble cast including Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban, Nayanthara, and Revathy, the film promises high-octane action and emotional depth.

Releasing 23 April

GINNY WEDS SUNNY 2 (In cinemas)

What caught my attention in Ginny Weds Sunny 2 is the catchy, soulful track ‘Chapp Tilak Sab Cheeni’ featured in the trailer. The original 2020 film, starring Yami Gautam and Vikrant Massey, found an audience with its quirky romance and humour on OTT. The sequel, written and directed by Prasshant Jha, arrives in cinemas with Avinash Tiwary and Medha Shankar as the new Ginny and Sunny. With its charming leads and memorable music, the film promises laughs, warmth, and a feel-good big-screen experience.

Releasing 24 April Indian films in April 2026

PEDDI (In cinemas)

Peddi is an action drama led by Ram Charan, with Janhvi Kapoor as the female lead, and later streaming on Netflix in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada. The film also stars Shiva Rajkumar, alongside Jagapathi Babu, Boman Irani, and Divyendu Sharma. Set against intense action and emotion, the story follows a gripping journey of love, sacrifice, and redemption. Directed by Buchi Babu Sana, with music by A. R. Rahman and striking visuals by R. Rathnavelu, Peddi promises a gripping cinematic experience.

Releasing 30 April Indian films in April 2026

Foretold, now unfolding: Trump’s echo in Australia

Ritam Mitra

March 31, 2026

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Trump Australia impact

Just over a year ago, in the immediate aftermath of Donald Trump’s return to the White House, I wrote that the world was on the precipice of a reversion to nationalist, isolationist policy agendas more in line with the pre-war era, and that Australia was not immune from the circumstances that led to Trump 2.0v. The point was that as politics becomes increasingly underpinned by division, rhetoric matters – it’s not ornamental, but foundational. It shapes incentives, redraws norms, and ultimately acts as a call to action.

These arguments were not particularly new or novel, but they have, for the best part of the last decade, been met with a familiar refrain. That the reaction to Trump’s rhetoric is overblown. That he just says things without meaning them. That long-standing institutions would hold. That he would deliver what he promised his constituents. That even if not, whatever seismic shift was unfolding in the United States would remain contained there, too distant to meaningfully affect Australia.

It’s worth revisiting those assumptions now. Trump Australia impact

As the widest and most consequential conflict in generations unfolds in the Middle East, the world is, by most assessments, entering what could become an equally significant global economic downturn. Even in just a few weeks, markets have not merely corrected, but have convulsed under the weight of policy uncertainty, trade fragmentation, and the erosion of long-standing institutional safeguards.

None of this has occurred in a vacuum. It’s the first real global conflict in the social media age, and the first victim has been regulatory independence. Sinister commodities trading and Polymarket betting patterns have emerged – in parallel with Trump’s market-moving posts on Truth Social and X. Days before the attack, Trump’s oldest sons invested in companies that make AI-driven drones; Bloomberg reports that the duo have made hundreds of millions of dollars. Trump Australia impact

Yet US securities regulators have remained silent, either paralysed by fear or infiltrated by those seeking favour. And it’s not a surprise: as political discourse over the last decade has normalised distrust in institutions like courts, regulators and electoral systems, it has created both the justification and the public tolerance for weakening them – now, to the point of ineffectiveness.

It could previously be theorised – even rationalised – that Trump would do anything to appease his base, even if it meant abandoning the majority of the country that he is also required to govern and protect. Yet Trump’s war is self-evidently against the interests of not just his base, but billions of people, far removed from the initial theatre of conflict, who find themselves paying the price – at the petrol pump, at the supermarket, in higher interest repayments, in diminished job security. Indeed, the only ones who stand to benefit from the conflict are those who already have it all.

And this brings the argument back home.

The rise of One Nation – which has torn swathes of support from the fumbling Liberal Party – needs to be understood in the context of the broader shift that was long foretold by Trump’s return to power. One Nation’s anti-elite, anti-institution, selectively populist agenda echoes the same currents that have reshaped politics elsewhere.

Just like the increasingly fractured MAGA movement, One Nation’s voting record runs counter to the economic interests of the very constituents it claims to represent, historically opposing measures that would materially improve living standards while amplifying narratives of cultural grievance.

This dissonance is not accidental – the party’s policy cabinet is quite bare – but by pushing cultural or identity-based conflict rather than economic, policy substance becomes secondary. Overlay this with the role of media, and the picture sharpens further.

Changes in media ownership at home and abroad, alongside both the intentional and consequential erosion of regulatory independence, have reshaped the information landscape. In the US, a Trump-aligned FCC chairman is at the centre of a bid to re-align CNN’s political leanings. The Pentagon initially evicted some, then all reporters, from its quarters. The White House openly disparages and revokes the credentials of journalists who report negatively on the administration.

In Australia, the Murdoch press continues to control the vast majority of print and digital news platforms. Other billionaires, including Kerry Stokes, Bruce Gordon and Gina Rinehart own much of the balance. Digital platforms regulation remains inadequate and slow-moving, incapable of keeping up with the rapid ubiquity of artificial intelligence.

The cumulative effect is not always overt bias, but a narrowing of the space in which genuine scrutiny can occur. Trump Australia impact

While Australia is privileged to enjoy some of the most robust democratic and regulatory institutions in the world, it’s abundantly clear that we are not insulated from the effects when those institutions fail elsewhere.

It means when we ignore warning signs like systemic changes in political rhetoric, or dismiss as hysteria any concern raised about the direction of global political discourse, we fail to prepare for what is headed our way – as already appears to be the case.

None of this is to suggest inevitability. Democracies are not destined to fail, nor are economic crises preordained.

But 12 months ago, it was possible – if optimistic – to view these trends as containable or ephemeral. Today, that optimism is harder to sustain. Trump Australia impact

Feel a sense of belonging in the Blue Mountains

Indian Link

March 31, 2026

Reading Time: 4 minutes

When Sydneysiders get bored with utter urbanism, they head to the Blue Mountains for a break amidst the mountainous landscape blanketed in native bushland, and to belong with nature.

Only a two-hour drive from Sydney, the soaring sandstone ridges, spectacular gorges, streaming waterfalls, lush rainforests, expansive tablelands and rolling valleys make the region a great outdoor place any time of the year. It glows in autumn, chills in winter, bursts with colour in spring, and refreshes in summer.

The area is densely populated with oil-bearing eucalyptus trees. They release finely dispersed droplets of oil that combine with dust, vapour and sunlight to give the atmosphere a bluish haze and thus the name. Said to be ten times older than the Grand Canyon in the US, the area was World Heritage-listed in 2000 in recognition of its geographic and cultural importance.

Family trek in the BLUE MOUNTAINS — Source: Destination NSW

One of the most visited sights here is the glorious rock formation known as the Three Sisters. This natural wonder features three enormous rocks on top of a sandstone cliff which guts down towards the Jamison Valley. Standing at around 1000m above sea level, the rocky lumps are 922m, 918m and 906m tall respectively.

More than a natural wonder, they boast a famous indigenous story. The legend goes that three beautiful sisters Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo once fell in love with three brothers from a neighbouring tribe Sadly, the two tribes were enemies and marriage between them was forbidden. So, when the brothers set out to claim their loved ones, a war broke out. To help the sisters, a local witch doctor transformed them into stone to protect them from the carnage. However, tragedy struck during the battle when the witch doctor was killed, leaving no one able to reverse the spell and bring the women back to life. And so, the three sisters remain rocks for all eternity, standing mournfully high above the expansive gorge.

Walking through bush-filled mountain paths is a popular excursion at the Blue Mountains. The Blue Mountains National Park features more than 140km of trails and walking tracks. Visitors can choose from any of the numerous guided walks, including half and full-day walks and wilderness hikes.

The breath-taking Scenic Railway allows you to enjoy a sense of adventure as it is said to be the steepest railway incline in the world. It takes riders down a sharp descent through a tunnel and the beautiful fern-damp cliff face. Adjacent to the Scenic Railway is the Scenic Cableway, the steepest aerial cable car in Australia. The Scenic Cableway offers a 545m ride into the World Heritage Area rainforest of the famous Jamison valley.

There are hundreds of scenic lookouts throughout the Blue Mountains, each providing a different perspective of this breathtaking connect with nature. The “Three Sisters” are best viewed from The Echo Point lookout in Katoomba. Experienced by millions each year, the view changes every hour as the sun moves from east to west.

The Blue Mountains are well connected by rail and road from Sydney. If driving, you could take the M4 Motorway one way, and the picturesque Bells Line of Road the other way, stopping at Bilpin, “the fruit bowl” of the region, picking up a classic apple pie or a meat pie if you prefer.

The 19^th century township of Katoomba is the heart of the region. It’s home to heritage hotels, galleries, artisans and boutique cafes, bakeries and restaurants. Other quaint towns that draw day trippers are Leura, famous for the Everglades Gardens and Cascade Falls, Wentworth Falls for the gorgeous plummeting of water, and Blackheath for its bohemian soul, punching well above its weight with cool cafes, galleries and local markets, a day out is sure to rejuvenate your soul.

Located further 75km away from Katoomba is the world-famous Jenolan Caves, said to be the world’s oldest grottos. Some make it a day trip to the Blue Mountains just to explore the beautiful limestone formations there.

While returning to Sydney it has almost become a ritual for the visitors to stop for afternoon tea at the Hydro Majestic – one of Australia’s most iconic historical hotels that features panoramic views overlooking the Megalong Valley.

If you’ve seen these Blue Mountains attractions before, try a specialised day trip – gain a sense of belonging with some mountain biking, abseiling, canyoning, fossicking, fishing, foraging, mushroom-picking, or simply browse at the country markets, enjoy the garden tours, or check out the amazing history.

Fossicking for gold in the blue mountains — Fossicking (Source: Destination NSW)

For more information www.visitnsw.com/feelnsw

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