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Time of India
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Nostalgia – Now available in limited edition at select stores
The idea for this article began, as many important quests do, with a VHS tape. I had found it while I was clearing out my old almirah. The tape labelled 'Hyderabad Trip and Quiz Broadcast' (in my mother's handwriting of course) was broken at one corner and gave off that peculiar smell of ageing plastic and unwinding magnetic tape. Naturally, I wanted it fixed. What followed was a month-long wild goose chase through the narrow gullies of Chandni Chowk and Daryaganj. The man who used to fix our VCR – a mercurial genius named 'Rosy' who smoked Wills Gold and cursed MTV for 'corrupting the youth' – had long since disappeared. I then scoured Lajpat Nagar, Karol Bagh, and even shady establishments in Nehru Place. But none could guarantee that they could repair the tape. But by then, the tape had already done its work. I did not need to watch it, because I could remember everything, quite vividly. The jerky zooms, the grainy texture, sitting near Hussain Sagar Lake, answering a streak of tough quiz questions on national television. All the memories came flooding back, not in a single file, but in a battalion. It was, truly, a resplendent afternoon. But at the back of my mind, I felt a strange unease, a sneaky feeling that I was being manipulated by my own past. Or worse, by a curated version of it, which I was viewing through rose-tinted glasses. This led me to reflect upon the position that nostalgia holds in modern Indian life. It would be easy to dismiss all this rumination as overthinking. After all, isn't nostalgia supposed to be comforting? A warm bath for the soul, mildly tinged with melancholy but ultimately safe? Here, we must differentiate between two kinds of nostalgia: the nostalgia of remembering and the nostalgia of performance. True nostalgia, the nostalgia of remembering, is messy and it remembers not only the sweetness of the mango, but also the stringy bits stuck in your teeth. It includes the restlessness during power cuts, the needlessly corporal school punishments, and the sweet heartbreaks that now seem embarrassingly small but once loomed larger than life. It is not always pleasant, but it is still an integral part of us. It is after all our lived experience – an indelible memory that courses through our veins. However, what we are seeing nowadays is not nostalgia, but its performance, a commodified imposter that has been hollowed out and glossed over for mass appeal. And this demands an interrogation. Scroll through Instagram, and there it is: montages of '90s and '00s Indi-Pop music videos, lo-fi versions of Mile Sur Mera Tumhara, reels of Phantom Sweet Cigarettes, and old clippings of radio jockeys like Ayushmann Khurrana on Channel V. That stark Doordarshan logo, rotating like the Konark Wheel on an old Onida CRT screen, now appears on overpriced UNIQLO T-shirts. The irony is rich. The same generation that once rolled its eyes at DD's painfully slow newsreaders and monotones is now buying merchandise to celebrate it. It is like romanticising boarding school once you are safely out of range of its discipline. This imitation of the past, what one might call 'simulacral memory' (if one were paid by the syllable), does not invite reflection but encourages regression. It is not merely longing for the past, but longing for a past without difficulty. In allowing only the sugar, we are denying the salt, leading to a case of cognitive hyperglycemia. Why is this happening now? Partly because the past feels anchored and familiar compared to a dissatisfying present and an uncertain future. But the more we pine for the past, the more we flatten it and risk turning memory into a Pinterest moodboard. Another aspect is the institutionalization of nostalgia. It has been packaged into products for mass consumption. Your old Nataraj pencil now comes in a vintage collector's box. Shaktimaan action figures abound in stores. Even the palate has not been spared. There's a new gourmet startup selling 'maa ke haath ka achaar'. I tasted one, and it had more preservatives than love. This kind of nostalgia has a very specific consumer in mind – the middle to upper-middle-class urban Indian – who came of age in the post-liberalisation era. Theirs is usually a life of parts – pining for the (supposed) innocence of the past while struggling with the pangs of urban loneliness. They want to remember what their childhood felt like, without remembering what it cost. It is a kind of historical cosplay. Perhaps, the issue is not even the people, or nostalgia's corporatisation. It is the act of nostalgia itself. In small doses, it cures the fever of wistfulness, but we seem to have overdone it and made the present feel counterfeit. Well, here is the truth: the good old days weren't all that good. They were rife with their own problems, which we conveniently forget due to the tyranny of distance. The irony, of course, is that even my own recollections fall into this trap. When I walk past the park near my home, I remember cricket matches played with tennis balls. What I forget, conveniently, is how often those matches ended in minor fights, or in being told off by someone's angry parents. As for that VHS tape, I never could get it fixed. But I could not bring myself to throw it away either. So, today, it sits on my desk as an artefact of a different time. Some evenings I pick it up, run a thumb over the label, and let the images play out in my head sans filters, captions, or likes. This allows me to let nostalgia be what it once was, a personal murmur and not a product. Because memory, in its purest form, is not a brand but a silent bruise that we are wont to carry throughout our lives. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
NDTV
11-07-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Can A Keto Diet Stop Panic Attacks, Mood Swings, Depression? We Asked Experts
Singer Neha Bhasin is known for her work in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil cinema, as well as independent music in Indian pop and Punjabi folk genres. She became an overnight sensation when she was selected by Coke [V] Popstars, a nationwide talent hunt conducted by Channel V. She was just 18 at the time. Now 42, Neha has grown up in the public eye and, like many celebrities, has faced constant scrutiny from the paparazzi, online trolls and the public. But things took a darker turn when she started struggling with anxiety, depression and severe panic attacks. She was eventually diagnosed with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), a debilitating form of PMS characterised by intense emotional and behavioural symptoms. Her struggle was compounded by PCOD, and at one point, she even attempted suicide. In a recent YouTube podcast with comedian Bharti Singh and Harsh Limbachiyaa, Neha opened up about how a change in her diet played a transformative role in her recovery. "Keto has changed my life," she said, explaining how her anxiety and depression have almost completely disappeared and that her mood swings are now much more manageable. According to her, the keto diet, a low-carb, high-fat diet, changed not just her physical but also her mental health. But is that really possible? We asked experts. What Is The Keto Diet? Nidhi Sahai, Head of Clinical Dietetics and Nutrition at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Vaishali, explains that the keto diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that forces the body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat instead of glucose for fuel. "To do it properly, one must reduce carbohydrate intake to around 20-50 grams a day (that's even less than what you get from two wheat chapatis). The focus should be on consuming healthy fats like nuts, seeds and avocados, eating moderate amounts of protein, and completely avoiding sugar," she says. Kanikka Malhotra, Consultant Dietician and Diabetes Educator, agrees. She adds, "The keto diet shifts the body's metabolism from burning glucose to burning fat, which results in the production of ketones. A standard keto diet typically consists of 70-75% fat, 20-25% protein, and only 5-10% carbohydrates." She also shares tips for following keto safely: Base it on whole foods: healthy fats like olive oil, avocados, nuts; moderate protein from eggs, poultry and fish; and low-carb vegetables such as leafy greens and broccoli. Avoid processed foods and prioritise nutrient-dense, minimally processed options. Gradually taper carb intake to ease the transition and supplement with adequate hydration and electrolytes to reduce side effects. Who Should And Should Not Try Keto Sahai says the keto diet can be beneficial for individuals struggling with obesity or Type 2 diabetes (under medical supervision), and for those with epilepsy. Malhotra adds that keto may aid in weight loss and improve glucose control. However, it's not suitable for everyone. "Keto should be avoided by individuals with liver failure, chronic kidney disease, Type 1 diabetes, eating disorders, or those on SGLT-2 inhibitors," Malhotra warns. It's also not recommended for pregnant or lactating women, people with osteoporosis, or those with severe digestive disorders like IBS, unless supervised by a qualified medical professional. Bottom line: Always consult a trained healthcare provider before starting keto, especially if you have any underlying health conditions. How Does Keto Affect Mental Health? Aayrin Memon, Nutritionist at Bhailal Amin General Hospital, Vadodara, believes that keto's impact goes well beyond the waistline. "Ketones serve as a stable, efficient source of energy for the brain, which may help reduce brain fog, fatigue, and even improve mood stability," he explains. Ongoing research is also investigating keto's potential to manage mental health conditions and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. Malhotra concurs, noting that keto has attracted attention for its positive effects on mood and cognition. "By stabilising blood sugar, reducing neuroinflammation and supplying ketones as brain fuel, keto may help improve mental clarity, energy levels and overall mood," she says. She also points to early research and anecdotal evidence suggesting that a well-formulated keto diet may reduce symptoms, and sometimes even induce remission, in cases of depression and anxiety. This may be due to increased levels of GABA (a calming neurotransmitter) and improved mitochondrial function. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Neha Bhasin (NB) (@nehabhasin4u) However, she cautions that the initial phase of keto, especially for those with pre-existing depression, can temporarily worsen symptoms like fatigue or irritability. "The restrictive nature of the diet can also lead to nutritional deficiencies or social withdrawal, which might aggravate mental health issues. Supervision is essential," Malhotra says. Sahai adds that ketones can reduce energy crashes and mood swings commonly associated with sugar spikes. "Keto also has anti-inflammatory properties which may support brain health," she says. Some studies even show improved neurotransmitter balance, particularly GABA and glutamate, both of which are key to mood regulation and focus. However, not everyone agrees. Ushakiran Sisodia, Chief Dietitian at Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre, cautions that more research is needed. "While ketones bypass the need for glucose and insulin in the brain, which can help in some cases, this could also lead to complications or mental disturbances in others. Keto therapy for mental health still remains a somewhat contradictory area," Sisodia warns. Despite the debate, all three experts agree on one point - keto must be done under professional guidance. If not followed correctly, or followed for too long, the diet can have unwanted side effects. The 'Keto Flu' And Other Side Effects One of the most common short-term effects initially of the keto diet is what's known as the "keto flu". "This can include irritability, headache, fatigue, nausea, constipation, dehydration and even bad breath," Malhotra explains. Memon and Sisodia list additional side effects: Lethargy, light-headedness, and headaches Mood swings, bad breath (halitosis) Muscle cramps, reduced stamina during workouts Fat-induced diarrhoea or constipation Risk of nutrient deficiencies without proper planning Possible muscle loss if not accompanied by resistance training Another concern is that the long-term effects of keto are still not fully understood, especially in the context of mental health. The Final Bite The keto diet - when done right and under expert supervision - can offer significant benefits for physical health, weight management, and potentially even mental well-being, as seen in Neha Bhasin's case. But that doesn't mean it's a one-size-fits-all solution or something you should start overnight. A drastic change in diet requires thoughtful planning, proper nutritional guidance and a full understanding of your body's needs and medical history. Keto might help you feel better, but only if done responsibly, and not just because it worked for someone else.
