A note on the issue: Writing for everyone
Raj & DK's writing and directing makes the effort to reflect variety in personalities, politics and cultures, yet this diversity is realised on screen without apparent effort
There’s a scene in the Amazon Prime series Farzi when special agent Michael’s in-laws speak to him—treating him like the man-child he often proves himself to be—about his marriage, gently trying to reason out concepts of responsibility and letting go, in Telugu. He responds, easily and naturally, in Tamil. The conversation continues, with all three switching smoothly between Telugu, Tamil, Hindi and English. It’s a moment that reflects the drama and practicality of negotiating the many twists in daily life in India—from finding bridges between different languages and cultures to earning a living.
It’s also a scene that typifies what film-makers Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K., who are on our cover this week, do, whether they are making a streaming series or a full-length feature film. Theirs is writing and directing that is self-aware and makes the effort to reflect variety in personalities, politics and cultures, yet on screen, this colossal diversity is realised without apparent effort. Their previous hit, the spy series The Family Man, is another example of this and I was very interested to learn that their writing starts in English and then makes the transitions to include dialogue from other languages. These former engineers have spent 20 years building their career in film and they tell Lounge about their process, the range of projects they have done or have in progress, and the part of their job they enjoy best.
Quite a few pieces this week have turned out to be in-depth profiles: Former ambassador Nirupama Menon Rao writes about India’s first woman career diplomat, the inspirational C.B. Muthamma, and the central role women play in diplomacy and international affairs. We meet Priyanka and Harshil Salot, co-founders of The Sleep Company, who set up their own company after their search for the perfect mattress and a good night’s sleep seemed endless.
Another long feature reveals the depth to the art in the Ajanta Caves—they are not merely depictions of the Jataka Tales, as we are usually told, but a record of the international trade, politics, culture, governance and economy of fifth century CE. And to bring you back to this century, we have reviews of a selection of gadgets, films, art shows and books.
Write to the Lounge editor at shalini.umachandran@htlive.com
@shalinimb
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First Published:11 Mar 2023, 08:34 AM IST
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