Can propaganda be great art?

The age-old question of whether works created with explicit ideological intent can achieve artistic greatness has long divided critics, artists, and audiences. From Leni Riefenstahl’s films glorifying Nazism to the bold, constructivist posters of the Soviet era, history offers uncomfortable affirmations of propaganda transcending its purpose to become enduring art. Recently, this debate has been reignited by Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar, a sprawling spy thriller. While critics have lambasted it for selectively blending real events with fiction to push ultra-nationalist narratives, defenders of the film have argued that its technical finesse, immersive storytelling, and raw intensity elevate it beyond mere messaging, much as in historical precedents, where aesthetic power outlives ideological baggage. Can propaganda be great art? Guests: Prof Asim Siddiqui teaches English Literature at Aligarh Muslim University, writes opinion pieces on Hindi cinema, and is the author of Muslim Identity in Hindi Cinema: Poetics and Politics of Genre and Representation. Sudhanva Deshpande is an eminent theatre personality, author, and film actor. Host: Anuj Kumar Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-GRAMG) Bill, 2025 has received the President’s assent. This Bill replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which stands repealed.  The move has sparked an outcry, from the Opposition and civil society. Critics say this new law will destroy the very substance of the erstwhile MGNREGA – which is to provide work on demand. That is how MGNREGA had served as a lifeline for India’s poor and marginalised people. But that is going to change. So, what are the ways in which the G-RAM-G Bill is different from MGNREGA? How will it impact the beneficiaries of MGNREGA? How does it impact federalism?  Guest: Rajendran Narayanan, Associate Professor in the School of Arts and Sciences at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru. Host: G. Sampath Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India’s top human rights body, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), is going to have its accreditation status downgraded -- from ‘A’ to ‘B’. The Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) is the international body that mediates the relationship between national human rights institutions and the United Nations (UN).  In March this year, GANHRI’s Sub-Committee on Accreditation recommended that India’s accreditation status be downgraded to ‘B’. India appealed this move to the GANHRI bureau. Earlier this month, the appeal was turned down. This means that from April 2026, India’s NHRC will no longer enjoy the ‘A’ category accreditation that it has enjoyed till now – a major embarrassment for the institution, and also for India.  What were the reasons for this downgrading? Why was our appeal turned down? What can India do to get the ‘A’ accreditation back?  Guest: Henri Tiphagne, Working Secretary with the All India Network of Individuals and Organisations working with National and State Human Rights Institutions (AINNI). Host: G. Sampath Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone knows someone with diabetes or heart disease or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It’s impossible to find somebody who doesn’t have at least one victim of these diseases in their family or friends circle. That’s how widespread they’ve become. All these disorders share one thing in common – all are ‘lifestyle diseases’ linked to insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction. For the longest time, India’s biggest public health challenge was controlling infectious diseases. But now we have an epidemic of lifestyle diseases, causing millions of premature deaths. A new book ‘Sick Nation’, drills down to the root causes of this epidemic. What are the factors driving it? Why do people ignore the signs until it is too late? And what can you, as an individual, do to protect yourself from this growing epidemic of metabolic dysfunction? Guest: Karan Sarin, metabolic health coach, and author of ‘Sick Nation: Inside India’s Lifestyle Disease Epidemic and How to Fix it’. Host: G Sampath Recorded, produced, and edited by Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Data shows that India’s exports increased by over 15 percent in November year-on-year, the country’s fastest growth in three years.  India’s total exports (Merchandise and Services combined) for November 2025 is estimated at $ 73.99 billion. This is a growth of 15.52 per cent, compared November 2024.  The rise comes at a time when U.S. has imposed steep tariffs on India. U.S. President Trump introduced reciprocal taxes ---the so-called “liberation day” tariffs -- in April. The U.S. slapped an additional 25 percent tariff on India in retaliation for its continued purchases of Russian oil, bringing total tariffs to 50 per cent. Despite all the new tariffs, exports to the US are booming. U.S. is still the largest destination for Indian exports, growing at 22 per cent in November, compared to last year. It reached approximately $7billion. Engineering, electronics, jewellery and gems, and pharmaceuticals are the top performing sectors. China, Spain, United Arab Emirates and Tanzania are the other top destinations.   This is pretty much the same in April-November this year. Data shows USA, China, Spain, the UAE and Hong Kong were the top destinations for Indian goods in this period. These numbers are pretty great, but there are some causes for concern too.  While exports are estimated at $ 562.13 Billion during April-November 2025, growing by 5.43 per cent, total imports jumped in this period. Total imports during April-November 2025 is estimated at $ 651.13 billion, up 5 per cent. Merchandise trade deficit during April-November 2025 was $ 223.13 billion as compared to $ 203.33 billion during April-November 2024. One way to tackle the ballooning trade deficit is to urgently diversify both products and trading partners. This plays into a larger context. 2025 will be remembered as they year of the return of protectionism. There is an urgent need to diversify both products and trading partners. How should India navigate this new normal?  Guest: Arpita Mukherjee, Professor, at Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) Host: Nivedita V Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Indian Premier League 2026 mini-auction delivered record spending and a clear shift in team priorities, as franchises splurged on Indian domestic talent alongside marquee overseas names. While Cameron Green became the costliest overseas buy in IPL history, the night belonged to uncapped players, several of whom attracted multi-crore bids and reshaped auction dynamics.In this episode of In Focus, The Hindu’s Amol Karhadkar reports from the auction venue in Abu Dhabi. Amol analyses the biggest purchases, the rise in demand for domestic uncapped players and strategies adopted by teams such as CSK and KKR.Guest: Amol Karhadkar, The Hindu’s sports reporter Host: Reuben Joe Joseph Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Global spending on Artificial Intelligence (AI) is projected to reach $375 billion this year and and $500 billion by 2026, according to the UBS. That raises a fundamental question: is AI’s value being driven by genuine technological progress, or by investor enthusiasm racing ahead of reality? Is the AI boom a bubble? Guests: Bhagwan Chowdhry and Anoop Kunchukuttan Host: Areena Arora Edited by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the 21st of November, the government of India has brought in 4 labour codes to reform and replace the 29 existing laws in the country They are Code on Wages, Code on Industrial Relations, Code on Social Security and Code on Occupation Safety, Health and working conditions. The government is touting these labour codes as India’s biggest labour reforms—brought in nearly eight decades after Independence and over five years it was passed in the parliament. These codes seek to ease work regulations, expand social security, and bring greater uniformity to wage structures. However, on 26th November, the Left parties in the country took to the streets to protest these reforms citing them as “anti-labour”. So, why are the left parties opposing these reforms? What are the changes brought by the four labour codes and how do they reshape the future of labour in India? Guest: Venkatesh B. Athreya, economist, and former head of department, Bharathidhasan University Host: Bhagavathi Sampath K J Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For years, India’s political debates, parliamentary discussions, and health-policy arguments have leaned heavily on a simple figure of one doctor per 1000 people supposedly set by the World Health Organization or WHO But the WHO in a written reply to the Hindu has clarified that it has never actually recommended this ratio. This episode breaks down the history behind the 1:1000 myth, examines the WHO’s current SDG-linked framework for assessing health worker availability, and explores why India’s own data paints a far more uneven picture — from rural-urban gaps to ongoing disputes over counting AYUSH doctors. Guest: Siddhesh Zadey, health-systems researcher and co-founder of the Association for Socially Applicable Research (ASAR) Host: Devyanshi Bihani Edited by Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In its recent assessment, the International Monetary Fund India’s national accounts statistics, which includes key figures such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Gross Value Added (GVA), a grade of ‘C’, the second-lowest grade there is. “National accounts data are available at adequate frequency and timeliness and provide broadly adequate granularity,” the IMF noted, adding, “However, some methodological weaknesses somewhat hamper surveillance and warrant an overall sectoral rating for the national accounts of C.” At a time when the government is celebrating 8.2% GDP growth, this grade has sparked uncomfortable questions. What is the IMF saying and is India truly growing as fast as the government claims?  Guest: Prof. B. Bhagwan Das, Former Associate Professor of Economics, Loyola College, Chennai Host: Nivedita V Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices