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  Want healthy, glowing skin? That's obvious - Who doesn't? Men and women over the ages have aspired to have radiant skin, for which they have experimented with various skincare treatments and formulae. From getting bathed in donkey’s milk to being layered in mud packs, what not has been tried to get that elusive beautiful skin!  Now, the first thing about looking beautiful is feeling good about yourself, and accepting yourself as you are. Self love is the best beauty tip. Still, we all want to look our best and avoid mistakes that take away our natural glow. So, did you know that some of our daily habits can be detrimental to skin health? No? Then read on....l take you through the most common habits that end up harming our skin (Nos 4 and 9 are too commonly done!) 10 Skin-Detrimental Habits to Avoid Not  getting sufficient sleep or rest. This is really, really harmful for the skin and overall health. All of us need our six to eight hours of shut-eye. The ...

  We are in the last month of 2021. This year has been a mixed bag on the entertainment front. OTT watches have ruled, with cinema halls opening up as late as October. More than two hour feature films, the short film format has thrown up interesting pieces. Short films or anthologies by different directors have gained popularity and are showcasing diverse directorial talent.  “ Stat Host ” and “ Interview ” from #Netflix ’s anthology of short films - Feels Like Ishq , were a pleasant surprise for me in the barrage of streaming releases this year. Though Feels Like Ishq is a mixed bag, featuring stories about young love, something in these two short films deeply resonated with me. One speaks of rediscovering the joy within us and of being companionable with our own selves, while the other casts a light on the fast-disappearing human element in our social transactions. Both these shorts struck a chord with me through their simple stories and universality of theme. Topical...

Ghosting. Ignoring people. Breadcrumbing. Gaslighting. These are a part of  relationship lingo these days, more than ever. Unfortunately, these have become part of online professional behaviour as well. A significant component of effective communication is giving and receiving feedback. It completes the cycle. 📩 Now just imagine you enthusiastically send a portfolio, quote the most reasonable amount, and finish off the mail with the little note, "Looking forward to hearing from you soon".📝 You keep waiting for acknowledgement or just a "received, will get back to you." But it never comes. There's only silence on the other end. 👽 🤕 Let's reverse the situation. What if you did the same after a prospective client asks for a proposal? Lose the project through procrastination, right?📆 A request to people. Please respond. Period.📌 Give a reply or just acknowledge receipt. Don't stop communication. If you need time, say so. If it's negative, say...

A short break away from the humdrum routine and the stress of daily living is always a welcome change. Frankly, I had got quite sick of cooking, cleaning, keeping house, doing my content writing work on loop. In short, I was thristing for a peaceful holiday.  We didn't want to risk taking flights or trains in this Covid situation, so any beach or mountain vacation was out of question.  Finally, after searching on the net for weekend destinations near Kolkata, and on the recommendation of friends, zeroed in on Taki , a small hamlet near the river Ichhamati .  Taki is a weekend getaway situated about 60 km near Kolkata (about three hours on road).  And it was a well-deserved and long-delayed (due to the pandemic) break at Hotel Sonar Bangla, Taki  .  First things first, we really liked  Hotel Sonar Bangla, Taki , a three-star hotel that offers great food and courteous service. Best of all, is the layout of the hotel.  Fresh Air, Green Lawns, Quietl...

My city, #Kolkata , is gearing up for its biggest festival of the year - the grand #DurgaPuja or the earthly visit of the Mother Goddess aqlong with her children . For the uninitiated, Hinduism deifies #Shakti or Power in the form of the #MotherGoddess Durga. It is believed that She embodies all that is good and pure in the universe, having been created with the combined energies of the Triumvurate of Hindu Gods - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.   As soon as the monsson recedes and autumn peeps in, #Kolkata starts sprucing up for the much-awaited annual carnival. #Kolkata metamorphosizes from a homely woman into a newly wedded bride during the festival days (a sight that needs to be seen to be believed). Lights twinkling everywhere, people decked up in their best dresses, the hum of music and the beats of the dhaak (a traditional percussion instrument)! And the smiling, eager faces of people. #DurgaPuja or rather #Pujo , as we call the festival, in the cultural capital of India...

We normally do not associate #BollywoodCinema with pathbreaking insights or life messages. But there have been some gems now and then, that have shed light on unconventional topics, or have shown a well-known malaise in a different light. Four Hindi films taught me more about life, learning and living than any book could.  These are #Hichki, #DearZindagi, #TaareZameenPar and #Queen . Hichki – Right of Each Child to a Good Life #Hichki  the film about a teacher afflicted with Tourette Syndrome, goes to talk about the barriers and restrictions we ("so- called normal people") have in our minds that hold us back. Image: IMDb First, why do we, as teachers and as parents, lay so much stress on teaching the same old syllabus in the same old manner? Why go around the beaten path only, and drone on and on about formulae and theories in physics, maths, chemistry? Why not imagine creative situations where these theories can be demonstrated, exemplified, and therefore ingra...

Myra had just spent a bombshell on a wellness package for herself at a reputed spa. She had gone for the complete head to toe massage, rejuvenation and body polishing package. She felt like a million bucks looking into the mirror. A week later, Myra feels sluggish and morose. Her post-spa glow is gone, and so is the feeling of vitality she had felt after taking the wellness program. She doesn't feel like getting out of bed, and binges on colas and cheese balls, while binge watching Netflix. See the pattern? The wellness package did its job in recharging Myra and giving her a post-workout glow, but her lifestyle and eating habits let her down. Which means that unless our overall diet and lifestyle supports healthy ways of living, no wellness or fitness package will work in the long run.  Staying healthy and looking good need not cost the earth. Splurging on expensive cosmetics and applying chemically laden ointments are not the only ways to attain beauty. Some simple everyday habit...

There was a documentary film that used to be shown on Doordarshan in my school days. It was about unity in diversity, and had a catchy song “Ek, anek…Hind desh ke niwasi sabhi jan ek hai". That was the time when this sentiment was entrenched in all our hearts.   Our country has for ages, had a rich history and tradition of assimilation and synthesis of cultures, and religious tolerance. And though there have been sporadic riots and targeted violence now and then, we can proudly say that very few cultures have had such a glorious background of peaceful co-existence of multiple religious, cultural and linguistic groups. Things have changed over the past few years, however. The word "Secular" is being bandied about as an offensive term. You have to take sides, to prove your nationalism and love for your country with frantic chest thumping. If you don’t flaunt your nationalistic pride, you are prone to being name-called, either “sickular”, a “libtard” or “urban naxal...

For the last couple of years, handloom fabrics have made a huge comeback in fashion. Prints and dyes using natural vegetable colours are the "in thing" today.  India has a rich tradition of block printing techniques. We have Dabu, Bagh, Batik, Bandhni, Ajrakh printing styles that are hugely popular with both fashionistas as well as conservationists.  Traditional # IndianPrints  like Kalamkari, Bandhni, Dabu, Batik, Ikkat, Telia, etc. are so vibrant and colourful, they can give any modern print a run for its money! Image Source: Indiamart.com Ajrakh happen s to be one of   the oldest textile printing methods created by man. This craft had almost gotten lost in obscurity, but thankfully has been rediscovered in recent years by textile revivalists. It has got a well-deserved shot in the arm from the growing popularity in fashion and couture.   #AjrakhPrints are the in-thing in sarees and traditional wear now. What is Ajrakh? The origins of this # textile...

When a seasoned actor like Seema Pahwa (Badhki of the original TV saga “Hum Log”) helms a film on something as sensitive as death, you expect something really out of the ordinary. And you aren’t disappointed. # RamprasadKiTehrvi is a nuanced look at the politics of death. Set in Lucknow, UP, the film portrays changing equations, the pull and push of filial loyalty, and the monetary repercussions of a patriarch’s sudden death. This delightfully layered film highlights the rituals and power-play that take centre stage after the head of a traditional Hindu North Indian family breathes his last. Memorable Moments The film unfolds like poetry on the screen, unravelling peel after peel with a humorous, ironical undertone. Image Source: Wikipedia Some scenes stand out, like the one where the brothers are bonding among themselves, singing a ditty their late father used to sing. This comes right after they bitterly reflect how their parents have failed them and neglected their welfar...

Let's talk about the elephant in the room - negative feedback. 😫😒 As writers or content creators, we revel in praise and acknowledgment. After all, we need people to love our work. But as it often happens with a new client, there is a mismatch of expectations and effort. Or maybe we couldn't really project the brand image. Or perhaps, the tone or style was something we got wrong.🤕 Whatever it is, we get to hear "No, this is not quite working. Change this, add that, remove repetition, make it more suitable for..... etc."😦 Freelance content writers are anyway an under-appreciated lot. And lets not even talk of monetary encouragement. Now downright criticism is quite demotivating.😭 Here's how I deal with it: 👉Keep telling myself I did a good job, but need to do better (yeah, the usual pep-talk) 👉Accept that it is not personal criticism (Not an attack on my writing style or thinking) 👉Remind myself that all creators get trashed sometimes (Who hasn't heard ...

This blog is live on  https://www.filmcompanion.in/readers-articles/axone-movie-netflix-an-underrated-gem-of-a-film-on-diversity-and-inclusion-sayani-gupta-dolly-ahluwalia/ AXONE , streaming on Netflix, is a lovely, well-made film on food and the politics surrounding it. The beautiful, thought-provoking film hasn’t got its due acclaim or the popularity it deserves. The film is about a bunch of youngsters from various North-East Indian states, trying to cook a local favourite, Axone- a highly pungent-smelling fermented dish, on the occasion of a friend’s wedding. What’s the Hungama?  A group of North-East students living in rented flats in Delhi want to prepare  Axone  (pronounced Akhuni) in honour of their friend on her wedding day. The dish, made with smoked pork and fermented soya bean paste, has a strong putrid smell that is sure to alert their neighbours. They fear they will be hounded out of their hard-earned accommodations because of their food habits....