Henna Rakheja writes on city, art and culture, for the daily Entertainment & Lifestyle supplement, HT City.
Articles by Henna Rakheja
Kargil heroes get a theatrical tribute on Delhi stage
On Kargil Vijay Diwas, July 26, actors from National School of Drama’s Repertory Company will perform a play that highlights the valour of soldiers. For this performance, the actors also underwent training in presence of Indian Army officers, for the first time ever.
Updated on Jul 26, 2022 11:05 AM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
NSD presents a theatrical ode to India’s unsung heroes
Delhi’s theatre hub, National School of Drama is staging five plays based on the life of lesser known freedom fighters and unsung heroes from the Partition. These performances are being staged as part of 22nd Bharat Rang Mahotsav - Azadi Series, as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
Published on Jul 17, 2022 11:48 AM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Arunoday Singh: I don’t think I’ll ever write my memoir!
Bollywood actor Arunoday Singh has compiled the first collection of his poems, and shares how he’s more comfortable to find his rhythm in poetry vis a vis prose. A self-confessed “compulsive poet”, he reveals about his muse from his school days, his quarantine poetry after divorce, and why he never names his poems.
Published on Jul 09, 2022 11:28 AM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Deepti Naval: My self image is contrary to the sweet girl-next-door label
Actor-writer-painter Deepti Naval opens up about her memoir, which she feel she should have written “20 years ago”. She confesses missing her co-actor, late Farooque Shaikh, while compiling this book, and shares that she wrote it as a tribute to her parents. Having lived her life unabashedly, she comes out unfiltered in this piece of writing, and adds that the image of “sweet girl next door” that people label her, is not her.
Updated on Jul 08, 2022 11:49 AM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
HT City 30Under30: Quest for the go-getters begins!
The HT City 30 Under 30 awards, presented by Raheja Developers Limited, raise a toast to fearless achievers from different walks of life, who have achieved phenomenal success before they turned 30.
Published on Jun 11, 2022 02:38 PM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Usha Uthup: I’m a very non-controversial person
Singer Usha Uthup shares some candid anecdotes of her life, which have now found space in her recently released authorised biography, The Queen of Indian Pop. A “compulsive optimist” in her own words, she stays strong in the wake of the pandemic and encourages the youth to “stay away from depression”.
Published on Mar 02, 2022 10:24 AM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Seema Goswami: Have had many offers to turn the books into web series
Author Seema Goswami says her latest political thriller Madam Prime Minister, and its prequel Race Course Road, have aroused the interest of many web platforms. When asked if her characters have any resemblance to specific politicians in the present times, the author denies adding “they are not prototypes of any particular leader, dead or alive, in politics or retired”.
Published on Feb 26, 2022 07:03 PM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Omung Kumar: Portraying intense drama with history is a challenge
National Award winning filmmaker and production designer Omung Kumar, has designed the set for Babasaheb: The Grand Musical, which is being staged in Delhi’s JLN Stadium. He talks about what excited him to take up the project, and recalls his memories of performing for the live audience during his college days.
Updated on Feb 25, 2022 11:03 PM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Sketching tales of persistence and passion of digital stars
Authors Harsh Pamnani and Manish Pandey have came together to bring out the book, Booming Digital Stars. It narrates the stories of 11 digital content creators of India namely Yashraj Mukhate, Ranveer Allahbadia, Nikunj Lotia, Bhuvan Bam, Team Naach, Kabita Singh, Ujjwal Chaurasia, Prajakta Koli, Ashish Chanchlani, Madan Gowri, Abhi and Niyu.
Updated on Feb 20, 2022 06:48 PM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
The She Age: Honouring women who lead the way
The She Age awards, by HT City, Hindustan Times and Bhutani Grandthum, raise a toast to fearless women from different walks of life. These leaders have had phenomenal journeys, which are living examples of grit and determination!
Published on Feb 17, 2022 02:48 AM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
IAS officer cracks the secret to ‘healthy pregnancy’
Durga Shakti Nagpal — the IAS officer who took down the sand mafia in Ghaziabad — says it’s not her feat in career but motherhood that inspired her to write her story. Her debut book, Grow Your Baby Not Your Weight, talks about all it takes to have a healthy pregnancy without undermining the nutritional needs of the body.
Published on Feb 12, 2022 02:08 PM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Westland publishing closure comes as shock to authors, book lovers
Westland Books publishing house, which was founded in 1962 got acquired by Amazon in 2017. In a recent development, it has been decided to shut down the publishing company, which has left the authors and book lovers feeling disappointed.
Published on Feb 01, 2022 04:41 PM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Thich Nhat Hanh (1926-2022): The mindful monk had said, ‘Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet’
Known as the Father of Mindfulness, author, activist and Zen Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh passed away on Friday at the age of 95.
Updated on Jan 26, 2022 02:46 AM IST
Anjuri Nayar Singh and Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Exclusive| Int Dog Day: Soha and Kunal to co-author children’s books
Actors Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Kemmu are compiling a series of three children’s books titled Inni and Bobo, which will be published by Penguin. The story of the series is inspired from their three-year-old daughter Inaaya’s love for stories and animals.
Published on Aug 26, 2021 11:37 AM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra: Sports as an expression should not be underestimated
The filmmaker highlights how “sports develops citizens, and teaches them courage, the value of hard work and most importantly how to fail and bounce back”!
Published on Aug 18, 2021 01:57 PM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Monsoon mingling: Sun romances Delhi sky
Here’s how the Capital’s sky captivates when it sings with the sun, in between the rains, to present a magic show for mere mortals.
Updated on Aug 18, 2021 02:15 PM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
National Handloom Day: Threads of culture that bind these ambassadors to India
On National Handloom Day, German ambassador to India, Walter J Lindner, and the Polish ambassador Adam Burakowski along with his wife Agnieszka, tell us how they fell in love with Indian clothing. Giving us a peak into their closets, they share many lesser known tales!
Published on Aug 07, 2021 04:36 PM IST
Anjuri Nayar Singh and Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Neena Gupta: I’m not a bold person
The Bollywood actor who has penned her autobiography, Sach Kahun Toh, shares that one incident in life can’t label her. From her days of growing up in Delhi, remembering how she was abused like any other young girl, to uncovering the truth of casting couch in Mumbai’s film industry, and taking to social media to ask for work, she talks about most of her ups and downs in life, but names only those people who gave her permission to do so.
Published on Jun 25, 2021 08:25 AM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
A vow of art: To bolster the society battling Covid-19
Subodh Gupta and Bharti Kher, established Indian artists, recently organised a fundraiser with nine works that were created to contribute to the efforts of NGOs toiling for Covid relief work.
Updated on Jun 06, 2021 05:40 PM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Alka Raghuvanshi (1961-2021): A sentiment from the art world departs
Artist, curator and art critic Alka Raghuvanshi passed away in Delhi, at 60. Her vast repertoire of work includes her experimentation with art, and how she created new platforms for it to get assimilated in everyday lives. Her contemporaries express grief and share memories of her effervescent persona.
Updated on May 27, 2021 02:28 PM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Exclusive: Kalki Koechlin to write debut book on motherhood struggles, says ‘People just don’t talk about how difficult it is’
Kalki says she too “suffered from postpartum depression” and it’s really important that people know that this happens a lot more than it’s admitted. In her graphic memoir, she aims to use her experiences to address the many challenges that pregnancy poses to women in the present times.
Updated on May 08, 2021 03:46 PM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Kabir Bedi: Protima and Parveen Babi are just one chapter each in my book
The actor has dedicated his memoir, Stories I Must Tell, to his late son, Siddharth, and also revealed a lot about his past love affairs, broken marriage and Hollywood.
Updated on Apr 19, 2021 03:44 PM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Many wonder how can a kid write a book for other kids: Vivan Ramdeo
The 12-year-old has come up with his debut book, which is based on a fictional tale inspired from his visit to the historical monument of Moth Ki Masjid, in Delhi’s South Extension.
Published on Apr 11, 2021 08:00 PM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Anuja Chauhan: I’m terrified of being cast into a certain formula
“My daughter has been posting pictures from Sunder Nursery, and I see those and crave to visit Delhi since the city looks lovely in spring,” says author Anuja Chauhan, who has been living in Bengaluru for around six years now, and adds, “My son is going to his college here, and I still have a house in Gurugram
Published on Mar 12, 2021 04:42 PM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Pet parents ahoy! Here’s a team of experts at service of furry friends
This new state-of-the-art pet care facility in the Capital is nothing short of a dreamland for animal lovers.
Updated on Mar 10, 2021 04:30 PM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Delhi’s Covid tales: 60+ Give a shot to life, say better safe!
As the Covid-19 vaccine becomes available to people aged above 60, and those above 45 with comorbidities, quite a few Delhi-NCR based popular personalities come forward to inspire others.
Published on Mar 06, 2021 01:47 PM IST
Henna Rakheja, Naina Arora and Digvijay, New Delhi
Book is full of Bangalorean characters, hopefully no one comes to know: Anuja Chauhan
Author Anuja Chauhan reminisces the time when she decided to settle in Bengaluru, and feels elated to have made the Garden City her home.
Published on Feb 24, 2021 06:31 PM IST
Henna Rakheja, Bengaluru
Jaipur Literature Festival 2021: Lit minds, on a virtual path
Over 300 speakers and performers representing about 25 Indian and 18 international languages from more than 23 nationalities are part of the 14th edition of JLF.
Updated on Feb 20, 2021 02:25 AM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Mughal Gardens open in Delhi: Denizens, the blooms are back!
Visitors will be allowed entry at Rashtrapati Bhavan only through online bookings this year, to maintain social distancing.
Published on Feb 13, 2021 10:55 AM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi
Bombay Jayashri on Padma Shri win: It’s big for people who loved me for 40 years
As soon as her phone began buzzing on the eve of Republic Day, Carnatic vocalist Bombay Jayashri Ramnath browsed through TV news channels
Published on Jan 28, 2021 01:41 AM IST
Henna Rakheja, New Delhi