Desi Cool
But as Rishabh slides into an unexpected raga-meets-remix groove, none of that matters. Phones come out—not to scroll, but to record. Instagram Reels are filmed mid-performance. Later, sipping chai in the muggy Delhi heat, sweat glistening on his forehead, Rishabh says, 'Gen Z don't want to be told what to like. They want to feel it.' That's the heart of his revolution. He doesn't dilute tradition—he dresses it in denim and lets it jam with synths.
It is Desi Cool. And it's come for us.
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Indian Express
13 hours ago
- Indian Express
The age of the fig tree: Why Sylvia Plath speaks to a generation paralysed by choice
Over 60 years have passed, and yet the haunting allure of Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar has not dimmed one bit; if anything, it is seeing a renaissance among the younger generations grappling with the debilitating burden of choice. A passage from the novel, now widely known online as the fig tree metaphor, has become a rallying cry for Millennials and Gen Z, spreading rapidly on social media platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest. It is a symbol of the pervasive crisis of decision-making paralysis in a world saturated with opportunity. In the modern classic, published in 1963, Plath describes a fig tree whose branches each hold a fig, representing a different possible future: marriage, motherhood, literary success, academic prestige, adventure. As the protagonist, Esther Greenwood, a college student, reflects: 'I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked.' In an age when the world is one our fingertips, for every road taken, their are hundreds of roads not taken. Choosing one future can mean closing the door on a dozen more. In such a case, an abundance of choice that should be liberating, becomes suffocating. 'One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet and another fig was a brilliant professor, and another fig was Ee Gee, the amazing editor, and another fig was Europe and Africa and South America, and another fig was Constantin and Socrates and Attila and a pack of other lovers with queer names and offbeat professions, and another fig was an Olympic lady crew champion, and beyond and above these figs were many more figs I couldn't quite make out,' she continues. The 20s are often framed as a time for making monumental decisions: careers, relationships, where to live. For Gen Z, who face a world overflowing with options, Plath's metaphor of decision paralysis has struck a deep chord, and has become the symbol of the melancholia of an entire generation. Terrified of making the wrong choice, Greenwood can only sit beneath the tree, unable to act, watching the figs fall: 'I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn't make up my mind which of the figs I would choose.' A post shared by michelle (@inksbymich) The reflection, written in the context of the 1950s, has found new resonance in an age defined by limitless possibility. Today, people in their 20s and 30s face an unprecedented abundance of options in all walks of life, whether career paths, cities, partners, and lifestyles. 'I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet.' Even seemingly trivial decisions such as how to spend a lunch break, which film to watch, what book to read become exhausting. The metaphor extends: the figs multiply, and they rot. The passage has been circulating widely online for years, often rediscovered and reposted with fervour in bursts. On Reddit, one user, shared: 'I found this excerpt from The Bell Jar today and it really nailed how I feel. The indecision makes me feel like the whole world is going by while I sit and ponder which life I want, and with all that wait, the 'figs' just rot.' 'I'm so haunted by this concept that I have chosen to believe … in a multiverse that contains an alternate universe where I make the opposite choice. I am probably too risk-averse and too afraid of hating my life to ever have a kid in this universe, but I like to think that in a different universe, I'm happily raising a great kid,' confessed another. On Instagram, users took to posting their own fig trees, with each fruit bearing a possible identity: bookstore owner, singer, writer, cottage dweller. On social media, the fig tree has become a visual metaphor, a personal inventory of dreams and possibilities. Compounding this is the social media–fuelled culture of comparison. Curated lives — seamless work–life balance, creative fulfilment, perfectly plated brunches — create a subtle pressure: to do more, choose faster, live fuller. The failure to keep up breeds a quiet sense of inadequacy. A post shared by The Fig Archives (@thefigarchives) This generation, often accused of indecision or delay, may instead be confronting the profound pressure to live multiple lives in one — to 'have it all'. There is a quiet sorrow in realising that to choose one life is to relinquish others. Some doors, once closed, may not open again. In her 1998 essay, The Mother, the Self, and the Other, scholar Yōko Sakane observes that Esther's indecision is shaped by her discomfort with traditional femininity and her refusal to identify with the women around her. Citing the fig tree passage, she wrote: 'Esther, being an intelligent college student 'with fifteen years of straight A's', could easily choose any of these figs, but she finds herself increasingly incapable of choosing even one. Her sense of loss reveals not only her 'neurotic' ambition of 'wanting two mutually exclusive things at one and the same time', but also a sense of alienation.' For many today, the metaphor hits home. As one online collective put it: 'We all desire to experience everything. Ironically, we can only afford to pick one to sustain our day-to-day lives… Will [our passions] just wrinkle, go black, and plop to the ground?' The Bell Jar endures not only for its portrayal of mental illness and feminist unrest, but for its brutally honest confrontation with the paralysis of potential. Plath's fig tree has become a generational emblem of phantom potentials, grief for roads not taken, uncertainty, longing, and the toll of standing still. (With inputs from Anosha Rishi Kakanadan)
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
‘Rohit Sharma is India team's dominating jethani, Jasprit Bumrah is the always unhappy saas', says Rishabh Pant, Gautam Gambhir's response leaves Kapil Sharma in splits
The Great Indian Kapil Show recently hosted cricketers Rishabh Pant, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Abhishek Sharma, along with their coach and former batsman Gautam Gambhir. The cricketers shared several inside jokes on the show and also opened up about how strict Gautam is as a coach. During the episode, Kapil asked Rishabh about Gautam Gambhir and whether he is strict or allows the players to have some fun. The cricketer responded, 'They make me do all the wrong stuff.' When Kapil asked what kind of wrong stuff, Rishabh made a cigarette gesture and admitted, 'If anybody asks any normal, internal thing, I just can't keep my mouth shut. I won't say it unprompted, but if someone asks, I don't hold back.' He added, 'Normally the environment is relaxed in the dressing room but it also depends on the situation of the match.' In another segment of the show, Kapil named certain family relations and asked the cricketers to identify players in the Indian cricket team who best fit those roles. When he asked who behaves like a 'jethani' — someone who dominates others while taking advantage of their seniority — Rishabh promptly replied, 'Rohit bhai is like that.' To this, Gambhir quickly pointed out, 'He is mentioning Rohit, but he is retired now.' Kapil then asked who plays the role of 'devrani' — the one who gossips about other players and loves stirring the pot. Rishabh responded, 'There are many. The whole town is filled with them.' He then named cricketer Suryakumar Yadav. Rishabh was also asked who is the 'damaad' type — someone who is very demanding and full of himself. Archana Puran Singh quickly quipped, 'I think Hardik Pandya.' When asked who resembles the 'fufa', the one who gets offended over small things, Yuzvendra Chahal named Kuldeep Yadav. He said, 'He can get upset at any point in time. He will not see the time. He will also get upset after hearing this. We will have to pacify him.' When asked, 'Who is the jija who complains a lot?' Rishabh said, 'That is Mohammed Shami.' He also said that Jasprit Bumrah is the player who is like a 'saas' (mother-in-law), adding that he is never happy with anything.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Bade Acche Lagte Hain 4: Rishabh and Bhagyashree's marriage takes an unexpected turn
Bade Acche Lagte Hain 4 has been capturing viewers' attention with its emotionally driven plot and the evolving relationship between its lead characters, Rishabh and Bhagyashree, played by Harshad Chopda and Shivangi Joshi. According to recent episodes, the storyline took a complicated turn when Bhagyashree was shown pretending to be married to Rishabh in order to protect her family's reputation. What was initially intended to be a simple cover-up appeared to grow more complicated. As per the ongoing track, the building's secretary was said to have grown suspicious of the duo's relationship and allegedly threatened to expose the truth. This development reportedly created mounting pressure on both characters, placing them in a delicate situation. Amid the tension, the narrative introduced a new emotional angle. In one of the episodes, Bhagyashree was shown witnessing Rishabh with another woman. Her reaction, described as one of unexpected jealousy, hinted at deeper feelings that she may not have fully acknowledged. This moment was reportedly portrayed as a subtle shift in Bhagyashree's emotions, suggesting a change in her understanding of her bond with Rishabh. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Искате да научите повече за новото BMW 2 Gran Coupe? BMW Научете повече Undo Viewers were also shown a light-hearted and romantic sequence between the two characters in a later scene. Drawing inspiration from a popular Bollywood film, the scene depicted Rishabh and Bhagyashree performing a puja together. The moment, though brief, was said to reflect a growing comfort and connection between the two, providing a break from the surrounding tension. The series, which had seen earlier success through previous seasons, continued to follow its legacy by focusing on layered characters and emotional storytelling. Industry sources noted that Harshad Chopda and Shivangi Joshi's pairing had been well-received by the audience.
