Entertainment

It all starts with a mask in the forest—Avantika's sturdy, battle-worn mask, forgotten almost like evidence of a life spent fighting. But for Baahubali, it becomes something else altogether. In "Khoya Hai," he doesn't envision the fierce rebel she is; he envisions an apsara gliding through waterfalls, hair billowing like a shampoo commercial. Before even meeting her, he etches a fantasy in sand—replete with flowing hair and perfectly carved eyes. 

All the way back in 2015, journalist Anna M.M. Vetticad had caught this contradiction early. In her sharply titled piece “The Rape of Avantika,” she questioned the way Baahubali turns a soldier into his personal makeover project in the name of romance. Almost a decade later, Tamannaah Bhatia revisited that article in an interview—and instead of examining the filmmaking, she claimed the critique policed her sexuality. But the article wasn’t about her; it was about the cinematic language which equates a woman’s resistance with flirtation, and her discomfort with character development.

Take, for example, the infamous “fight” scene. Avantika is throwing punches like her life depends on it; Baahubali is… smiling. Leisurely dodging blows, gently undressing her, untying her hair and—why not—giving her a waterfall bath. There's beauty in the visuals, sure. But beneath the spectacle lies the subtext: her fierceness is a hurdle, her masculinity-coded armour something to literally wash away. The camera insists that she must be softened, lightened, prettied up—because only then can she be worthy of his love song.

Years later, Rajamouli justified the scene, referring to Avantika as a "wounded divine feminine", as if the audience was supposed to be grateful that Baahubali unleashed her inner goddess through unsolicited grooming. 

This isn't new. Bollywood and South Indian cinema have a long love affair with troubled men and the women expected to love them into redemption. Just ask Dia Mirza, who has openly admitted that Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein hasn't aged well. On the other hand, there are actors like Rashmika Mandanna, defending deeply flawed characters like Ranvijay from Animal as "raw expression," as though audiences exist in a vacuum devoid of influence. Kiara Advani keeps insisting that Kabir Singh is not "about the slap"-as if editing out one moment erases the trail of toxic entitlement leading up to it.

Their defenses reveal a fascinating truth about the industry: actresses often bear an onus of contextualising problems they didn't create. Caught between massive fandoms, strict PR machines, and the politics of pleasing directors, responses from actresses become partially survival strategy, partially conditioning, partially unexamined loyalty. But when they defend the indefensible, they unknowingly reinforce the very stereotypes their on-screen characters suffer under.

Which brings us back to Avantika, and Baahubali's grand re-release. Nearly a decade later, the visuals still dazzle, the soundtrack still soars—but the questions linger louder than ever. Does an actor's responsibility end once the camera stops rolling? Can fantasy excuse every narrative blind spot? And how is it that a character written as a warrior ends up remembered for a makeover she never asked for? Perhaps the true epic isn't what transpires on screen but, rather, the conversations we're finally willing to have about it.

More than 100 specially curated films from 25 countries, including France, Spain, Germany, Kyrgyzstan, and the UAE, will light up classrooms across India in the eighth edition of the School Cinema International Film Festival.

It is scheduled from November 14 to 30 and would be screened in more than 40,000 government and 1,000 private schools across the country, marking one of the largest educational film outreach programs in the world.

"SCIFF was born of this simple yet profound belief that cinema should be within the reach of every child, not confined to exclusive festivals or privileged spaces," said Syed Sultan Ahmed, Festival Director at SCIFF, Founder & Chief Learner at LXL Ideas.

According to Ahmed, thanks to SCIFF, any school in India can now host its film festival, turning classrooms into windows to the world.

This is in tune with the National Education Policy 2020, which also advocates for integrating creative media into education, such as cinema, for learning to be truly holistic.

"Through SCIFF, we aspire to nurture young minds that watch with awareness, learn with curiosity, and express with empathy. Every frame becomes a classroom, and every story a life lesson," he said.

This edition has drawn international partnerships and recognition. Prestigious film festivals like Annecy International Animation Film Festival of France, AniMela Festival of India, Giffoni Film Festival of Italy, and ZERO PLUS International Film Festival of Russia will support SCIFF 2025 in this journey to carry diverse cinematic voices to Indian schools.

The country partners in this festival are France and Spain.

Opening on Children's Day, November 14, the 2025 edition will showcase over 103 curated films in more than 20 Indian and international languages.

Building on the engagement with 23,000 schools and over one lakh students last year, this time around, the festival hopes to reach a far larger number.

SCIFF follows a framework: "WATCH, LEARN, MAKE," which involves the students in all aspects of cinema.

WATCH Cinema transforms classrooms into mini theaters where movies are screened that require involvement and discussion.

The LEARN Cinema program takes students behind the camera through a range of in-person workshops and online masterclasses led by experts in scriptwriting, cinematography, sound, and editing. MAKE Cinema supports students in filmmaking and entering a competition; winners join the youth jury as members the following year. The SCIFF, earlier known as the IKFF, has grown since 2017 as a transformational educational initiative in which art, learning, and social awareness come together. Having engaged over 10 million students and 60,000 schools thus far, the festival has redefined how film can function as a pedagogical instrument in teaching empathy, creativity, critical thinking, and global awareness. By turning regular classrooms into cinematic sites of exploration, SCIFF continues to make storytelling one of education's most powerful tools, inspiring young viewers to learn, imagine, and create a better world.

CSE is considered one of the most prestigious and demanding competitive examinations conducted in the country. UPSC conducts a CSE every year, a sort of entrance test for induction into All India Services and several Central Services of the Government of India. It comprises services like IAS, IFS, and IPS.

Born to a respectable family, her father Ajay Mishra is a senior advocate, mother Dr. Renu Mishra a senior scientist, and brother Aditya Mishra is an IPS officer and now the deputy commissioner of Indore.

Pallavi gives the credit for her success to her family and especially to her elder brother whose motivation and guidance at different stages of her journey made all the difference. Pallavi failed to clear the UPSC exam during the first attempt but in 2022 she tried with more seriousness and after the second attempt, cracked the exam without attending any formal coaching with an overall All India Rank( AIR) of 73. She is presently serving as Assistant Collector(Trainee,) North Goa, Goa. She has 63.8k followers on Instagram.

Born and brought up in Bhopal, Pallavi was educated in the city and later pursued her graduation from National Law University, Delhi. After the law degree, she had also finished her MA in music and was a trained classical singer, having learnt from late Pandit Siddharam Koravara.

Pallavi Mishra from Bhopal has accomplished this very inspirational milestone; she cleared the UPSC CSE without any formal coaching, securing a brilliant AIR 73. In this process, she has become a center of attraction amongst media and students who wish to crack this examination via self-study.

She did her LL.B. from the National Law University, Delhi, before doing an MA in Music. She is a trained classical singer too and received her tutelage under the late Pandit Siddharam Koravara.

One of the most awaited films in 2026 is the epic Ramayana, by director Nitesh Tiwari. Recently, spiritual leader Sadhguru sat with the producer of the movie, Namit Malhotra, discussing the film and the huge responsibility bestowed upon them in producing such a story.

Namit explained this journey to Sadhguru and asked him why he was chosen for such an important project: "I lead a life of reasonable success. I mean, starting alone with an Apple computer, then going on to become the world's biggest visual effects company. I think that 30 years of my career prepared me to make Ramayan, because I don't think a 20-year-old me would have done justice to it. Why do you think that has happened?

To that, Sadhguru said, "Don't try to look for mystical reasons for simple realities that should have happened a long time ago. We have been so brainwashed and hypnotized that in these 80 years we have not produced a movie of some substance around Ram, Shiva, Krishna." "Those who did make those films, I found them very rudimentary. But still, those things had such a massive impact. When Mahabharat was going on on the television, the streets of India would be empty. No people on the street – that was the grip it had on the audience. That is the level of aspiration that is there, but we have left them unfulfilled." Sadhguru said the situation in the world is grim and the "younger generation needs to be shown what the Ramayana truly is." "The younger generation needs to be shown what the Ramayana truly is. Because he fought because he felt some injustice was being done, not because he was battle hungry. He repented killing his own enemies. Today, we are more empowered than before, we aren't using bows and arrows. Our fight will finish humanity and Ramayan is in many ways a representation of what is at the core of us as human beings," said Sadhguru

The Ramayan Mela Delhi 2025 is set to be a grand cultural celebration from October 30 to November 5, 2025, at Pocket-52, DDA Park, C.R. Park, New Delhi. This is considered to be one of the largest festivals in India dedicated to the Ramayana epic and invites devotees, tourists, and cultural enthusiasts to come and enjoy the unforgettable anecdote of Lord Ram and his quest that is marked by dharma, heroism and devotion.

During the mela, visitors will witness dramatic re-enactments of some of the incidents in the Ramayana that will be passionately and culturally recreated to relive the ancient saga. Delightful art exhibits, devotional music/performances, and storytelling acts accompanying these live performances enthrall all the age groups of the audience. The festival is not just a celebration of spiritual learning, but also the festival that highly appreciates the conservation and propagation of the rich Indian cultural heritage.

In addition to the performances, the Ramayan Mela offers workshops where attendees can engage with traditional crafts and culinary delights through vibrant stalls showcasing local artisans and authentic cuisines. This creates a lively atmosphere connecting people to India’s artisan legacy and culinary traditions. Contests and competitions held during the mela further encourage community participation, especially among children, nurturing an early appreciation for the epic’s moral and cultural lessons.

Structured around a central theme of spiritual enrichment, the mela offers a one-of-a-kind experience of the residents and visitors of Delhi to relate to the deep metaphors of truth and righteousness that Ramayana has to share. Having become a combination of education and culture along with devotion, the Ramayan Mela has already become a must-visit festival in the festive season, guaranteeing an inspiring, joyful, and absorbing cultural experience to all.e

The 2025 version is expected to be both traditional yet at the same time inclusive and participatory to different communities, making it a bright example of cultural diversity and spiritual harmony in the capital city of India. The Ramayan Mela is a rich experience to the families, students, scholars, and tourists alike reading into one of the most adored Indian epics

Navratri is not a festival of devotion,dance and celebration,it is also a time of self discovery,positivity and new beginning. At Edinbox Communication,we believe festivals like Navratri hold deep inspiration for students. Just as Maa Durga fought challenges with strength,courage and wisdom students too can embrace these values in their academic and personal lives.

Navratri teaches us discipline,focus and determination. For students preparing for exams, building careers or dreaming of success in fields like media journalism, design technology or communication, this festival reminds us that hard work with devotion always brings victory. Each of the nine nights of Navratri represents a different form of Goddess Durga symbolizing power, knowledge, courage and creativity.These qualities are the true guiding lights for every learner.

• Maa Shailputri inspires you to begin new academic journeys with confidence.
• Maa Bramcharini motivates you to stay dedicated to your studies. 
• Maa Chandraghanta gives you courage to face academic challenges.
• Maa Skadamata encourages wisdom and compassion.
• Maa Katyaani symbolizes strength to achieve your goals.
• Maa Kaalratri reminds you not to fear challenges.
• Maa Mahagauri shows the importance of clarity and focus.
• Maa Siddhidatri blesses you with success and accomplishments.

Why Festivals like Navratri Matter in a Student’s Life

Festivals are not only about traditions they are about learning life lessons. For students,Navratri teaches 

Discipline- Managing time like fasting and devotion.

Balance- Just as there is celebration and prayer, balance study with relaxation. 

Courage- Like Maa Durga, never give up on your goals.

Unity and Networking- Celebrating together builds strong connections ,just like students should in their academic journey.

At Edinbox Communication, we believe every student is like a lamp when guided with the right education ,it spreads light everywhere. Navratri is a perfect time to remind you that your journey may have challenges but with focus, strength and blessing you can shine bright.

Celebrate with joy,study with dedication and grow with purpose. Your future is waiting to bloom,just like the divine energy of Navratri.