Zohran Mamdani, the new mayor-elect of New York City, surprised many when he ended his victory speech with a Bollywood song. As he finished speaking, he placed his hand over his heart, and then the song "Dhoom Machale" started playing. This choice of music was not random; it reflected his cultural background and the influence of Bollywood on his campaign. Mamdani's ...

Bollywood, the world's largest film industry, has a problem. It's not just about the dancing or the music. It's about the way women are often portrayed in these songs. These are called "item songs. " They are short dance sequences that often objectify women, treating them as objects of desire rather than fully realized characters. But why do these songs still exist? ...