Karina Pandya

  Known as India’s only surviving opera house, the Royal Opera House itself made the evening feel special even before the play began. On 2nd May 2026, I had the opportunity to watch Ank Theatre Group’s   Sita Banbas , based on Agha Hashar Kashmiri’s 1928 retelling of the   Uttar Ramayan . Watching a live performance in such a historic venue made the experience even more memorable. From the very beginning, I felt drawn into the world of the play. The atmosphere, combined with the anticipation of the audience, made it easy to get completely absorbed in the story. What I found most interesting was how the play focused on Sita’s life after her exile, showing her not just as a mythological figure but as a strong individual dealing with injustice and difficult choices. This made the story feel more relatable and meaningful to me. The performances really stood out. The actor playing Sita portrayed her emotions with subtlety and depth, making her pain and strength feel very real....

What truly shapes a child’s future—academic success or emotional well-being? While many believe that education is primarily about gaining knowledge from textbooks, it is, in reality, much more than that. Education plays a crucial role in shaping a child’s overall personality, influencing their values, behaviour, and life skills. Understanding this broader purpose of education requires an understanding of child psychology, which helps explain how children grow and develop. Every child is unique and is influenced by different environmental factors. These differences affect how children learn, behave, and express themselves. Some children grasp concepts quickly, while others may need more time and support. Similarly, some children express their emotions openly, while others tend to be more reserved. Recognising these individual differences is essential for creating an effective and supportive learning environment. While academic achievement is important, a child’s emotional well-being is ...

 When  The Big Bang Theory  first aired in 2007, the world looked very different. Life felt simpler—there were no AI assistants woven into everyday routines, no TikTok shaping trends overnight, and remote work wasn’t the norm. Fast forward to 2026, and technology has completely transformed how we live, work, and connect. Back then, comics and gaming were considered niche interests; today, they are a global mainstream culture. Social media would add an entirely new layer to the show, making it faster, smarter, and far more digital—though its core essence would remain unchanged. The real question is: would modern technology bring the gang closer together, or push them further apart? It’s easy to imagine Howard Wolowitz as a tech influencer with a popular YouTube channel, while Penny might thrive as a lifestyle content creator. Sheldon Cooper, on the other hand, would likely avoid social media altogether—or perhaps use it only to correct strangers on...

Exploring themes of sacrifice, friendship, resilience, and hope,   Project Hail Mary   delivers a visually engaging and emotionally grounded science fiction experience. Directed by   Phil Lord   and   Christopher Miller ,   and based on the novel by  Andy Weir ,   the film blends high-stakes science with heartfelt storytelling. Ryan Gosling   gives a compelling performance as Ryland Grace, an astronaut who wakes up alone on an interstellar spacecraft with no memory, only to discover he must save Earth from a mysterious sun-consuming organism known as Astrophage. His journey is both intellectually challenging and emotionally resonant, especially as the story unfolds through a mix of present-day tension and flashbacks. The film was shot in the United Kingdom.    Puppeteer James Ortiz voiced Rocky.  Rocky was built and designed by the legendary Neal Scanian  and his creature shop and is performed by puppeteerin...

Kunal Jhawar is an English and Hindi open mic poet who has been inspiring audiences for over a decade. He is also India’s only poet to have been featured in the IPL and on Hotstar. An engineer by profession, Kunal brings immense passion to his poetry.   A voice that has been described as 'thought-provoking' and 'unexpectedly intimate', Kunal Jhawar is well known for the heartfelt poetry that he writes.  He is also the founder of kalArt – a platform for poetry and storytelling. His poems carry a lot of emotional storytelling.  Some of his best poems include One Sided Friendship, Kuch Aisi Hai Mohabbat, Aakhri Mulaqaat, Ek Sheher, Bas Tumhe Dekhta Rahoon, Yun Hota To Kya Hota,    Woh Tera Muskurana ,  A Love Poem ,  Yun Hota To Kya Hota , and  Kuch Aisi Hai Mohabbat  and Sach. He is well known amongst the poetry circuit in Mumbai.  Karina Pandya gets candid with Kunal Q1)  You’ve built a strong identity as both a poet and a ...

Two decades after   The Devil Wears Prada   first hit screens, the sequel brings back   Meryl Streep ,   Anne Hathaway ,   Emily Blunt , and   Stanley Tucci , with   Justin Theroux   and   Kenneth Branagh   joining the cast. Filmed largely across   Manhattan   and   Milan —with additional portions shot in   Newark —the film premiered on April 20 in New York. I managed to catch an early screening on April 30, 2026, in Mumbai, and it felt like stepping back into something familiar, yet completely evolved. Andy Sachs returns to   Runway , now navigating a media landscape that looks nothing like it once did. Miranda Priestly is still at the helm, but the stakes have shifted. The magazine is no longer just about fashion—it’s about survival. With print struggling and advertising revenues collapsing,   Runway   is forced to confront its fading relevance in a digital-first world. In a twist that feels both iron...

Why some friendships feel easy—but don’t actually feel safe The Friendship That Feels Right… But Isn’t You know that friend you can laugh with for hours—but hesitate to open up to? The one who feels easy to be around, but not safe to be yourself with? A friendship can feel easy and still not be safe. It can be familiar and still not be healthy. It can feel like home, yet quietly remind you that this is not where you’re meant to stay. As humans, we are wired for connection. We don’t just seek relationships—we seek belonging. And in that search, we often choose familiar closeness over uncertain honesty. The Comfort Trap We all seek comfort from one another—and this is where the trap lies. Comfort looks like laughing at the same jokes, sharing history, and slipping into patterns that feel effortless. It feels good. It feels easy. But what we often overlook is something deeper: Are we actually safe here? How often do we feel unheard, disappointed, or subtly drained? How often do we avoid c...