Anirban Halder

@anirban48

Momo Sapiens | Cinema-wanderer

The city of joy

Joined July 2009

356 Following

379 Followers

4.3K Posts

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Anirban Halder @anirban48

almost 7 years ago

One of the better Indian groups on cinema on Facebook with an active interest in Bangla cinema now has a visual identity. #Logo #WeTheAudience #CinemaGroup #FacebookGroup #cinema #IndianCinema #BanglaCinema

Anirban Halder @anirban48

3 months ago

In a content-hungry world, this needs to be read.

Pratim D Gupta @PratimDGupta

3 months ago

There was a time when stardom was a fortress. In the 90s, Ruby Bhatia wasn't just a VJ; she was the electric pulse of a new, liberalised India, reportedly commanding Rs 1 lakh per show. Rahul Roy wasn't just an actor; he was the face of a generation’s collective heartbreak, the Aashiqui boy whose silhouette defined romance and whose haircut was the bestseller in every saloon. Govinda? He was—and is—the undisputed king of the masses, a comic genius who could make a cinema hall shake with a single pelvic thrust. Fast forward three decades, and the fortress has been dismantled by the relentless, voyeuristic machinery of social media. Today, these icons find themselves under the harsh, unforgiving glare of a "content-hungry" digital mob that mistakes struggle for failure and evolution for desperation. Recent headlines have taken a perverse pleasure in dissecting Ruby Bhatia’s career shift. Yes, the woman who once defined "cool" is now a life coach charging Rs 3,000 for a six-month program. To the keyboard warriors, this is a "fall from grace." To any sane mind, it is a woman finding meaning after a nervous breakdown, choosing to make mental health accessible to the masses rather than gatekeeping it for the elite. Similarly, Rahul Roy has been subjected to the "cringe" treatment for appearing in social media reels with unknown creators. The internet, in its infinite cruelty, ignores the fact that this man is a brain stroke survivor. He is fighting aphasia, paying off legal debts that predated his illness, and trying to "stay active" and work for as long as he is alive. When he asks his trolls to find him "decent work" instead of mocking his reels, he isn't showing desperation; he is showing a spine of steel that most "influencers" couldn't dream of possessing. Then there is Govinda, the man who once gave the Khans a run for their money, now frequently seen performing at school annual days and weddings. The "dark shadow" of social media brands these "small shows," as if the size of the stage dictates the stature of the legend. Govinda’s response is a masterclass in humility: "I never let my ego influence my work." Whether it’s a Chief Minister’s event or a local school function, the man dances because he is a performer. There is more dignity in one of his "wedding steps" than in the entire collective output of a thousand anonymous trolls. Social media has birthed a generation of spectators who believe that unless you are at the absolute zenith of your power, you should vanish into the shadows. We have become a culture that feeds on the "tragedy" of the legacy act. But here is the truth: There is nothing sad about a veteran getting up and going to work. There is nothing "cringe" about an icon refusing to be defeated by a health crisis or a shifting industry. The desperation doesn't belong to Ruby, Rahul, or Govinda. The desperation belongs to the social media ecosystem that needs to tear down giants just to feel tall.

PratimDGupta's tweet photo. There was a time when stardom was a fortress. In the 90s, Ruby Bhatia wasn't just a VJ; she was the electric pulse of a new, liberalised India, reportedly commanding Rs 1 lakh per show. Rahul Roy wasn't just an actor; he was the face of a generation’s collective heartbreak, the Aashiqui boy whose silhouette defined romance and whose haircut was the bestseller in every saloon. Govinda? He was—and is—the undisputed king of the masses, a comic genius who could make a cinema hall shake with a single pelvic thrust.

Fast forward three decades, and the fortress has been dismantled by the relentless, voyeuristic machinery of social media. Today, these icons find themselves under the harsh, unforgiving glare of a "content-hungry" digital mob that mistakes struggle for failure and evolution for desperation.

Recent headlines have taken a perverse pleasure in dissecting Ruby Bhatia’s career shift. Yes, the woman who once defined "cool" is now a life coach charging Rs 3,000 for a six-month program. To the keyboard warriors, this is a "fall from grace." To any sane mind, it is a woman finding meaning after a nervous breakdown, choosing to make mental health accessible to the masses rather than gatekeeping it for the elite.

Similarly, Rahul Roy has been subjected to the "cringe" treatment for appearing in social media reels with unknown creators. The internet, in its infinite cruelty, ignores the fact that this man is a brain stroke survivor. He is fighting aphasia, paying off legal debts that predated his illness, and trying to "stay active" and work for as long as he is alive. When he asks his trolls to find him "decent work" instead of mocking his reels, he isn't showing desperation; he is showing a spine of steel that most "influencers" couldn't dream of possessing.

Then there is Govinda, the man who once gave the Khans a run for their money, now frequently seen performing at school annual days and weddings. The "dark shadow" of social media brands these "small shows," as if the size of the stage dictates the stature of the legend. Govinda’s response is a masterclass in humility: "I never let my ego influence my work." Whether it’s a Chief Minister’s event or a local school function, the man dances because he is a performer. There is more dignity in one of his "wedding steps" than in the entire collective output of a thousand anonymous trolls.

Social media has birthed a generation of spectators who believe that unless you are at the absolute zenith of your power, you should vanish into the shadows. We have become a culture that feeds on the "tragedy" of the legacy act.

But here is the truth: There is nothing sad about a veteran getting up and going to work. There is nothing "cringe" about an icon refusing to be defeated by a health crisis or a shifting industry. The desperation doesn't belong to Ruby, Rahul, or Govinda. The desperation belongs to the social media ecosystem that needs to tear down giants just to feel tall.

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Anirban Halder @anirban48

3 months ago

@PratimDGupta A brilliant piece of food writing that's truly celebratory of Bengali culinary gems. 'Luchi and shada alur torkari' to me is the best breakfast in the world (with no bias).

anirban48 retweeted

Pratim D Gupta @PratimDGupta

4 months ago

Taste Atlas, what in the actual name of culinary heresy is this?! Three Indian dishes crack the top 50 best breakfasts in the world, and they’re Misal Pav at a suspiciously generous 18th, Paratha slumming it at 23rd, and Chole Bhature wheezing in at 32nd? I mean, come on! I respect the attempt at democracy in global taste buds, but this ranking feels like it was decided by a panel that’s never once woken up to the quiet poetry of a proper Bengali dawn. None of these heavyweights can hold a ladle, not even a teaspoon, to the luminous glory of Luchi with Shada Aloor Torkari or the transcendent Koraishutir Kochuri with Cholar Daal. None. Zip. Zero. My Bengali soul is personally offended on behalf of every mother who ever rolled out dough at 7 in the morning. Misal Pav? It’s a fiery, sprout-laden explosion from Maharashtra—spicy, tangy, pav soaked in that usal gravy like it’s trying to wake the dead. Fine for a chaotic Sunday brunch when you want your sinuses cleared or have stocked up on too many bottles of Aqua Ptychotis. Paratha? Fine but which paratha? The thick North Indian stuffed paratha that sits in your belly like a warm brick? Or the flaky, buttery, layered lachcha version that’s basically edible architecture? They can all be delicious, sure, but this is a vague entry. Almost like an all-encompassing tick mark in the India box. Chole Bhature? Those deep-fried maida balloons that puff up like edible clouds paired with chickpeas swimming in an indigestible masala is perhaps the best of the three entries. They’re crowd-pleasers, loud, bold, Instagram-ready. They shout. They conquer. They dominate the plate. But Bengali breakfast? It doesn’t need to shout. It whispers. It seduces. It wraps around your soul like a soft gamchha on a winter morning. Take Luchi with Shada Aloor Torkari. Maida dough rolled whisper-thin, dropped into hot oil, and blooming into a perfect, golden orb of puff. Crisp on the outside, feather-light and hollow inside, so delicate it almost feels like it might float away if you don’t pin it down with your fingers. And then the shada aloor torkari—white potato cubes, deliberately kept pale and gentle, no turmeric staining it yellow, no garam masala throwing a tantrum. Just simmered with a kiss of nigella seeds, green chillies, and maybe a hint of cumin. It’s humble. It’s comforting. It’s the culinary equivalent of a jadoo ki jhappi. One bite and you’re home. And then there’s Koraishutir Kochuri with Cholar Daal. This is the undisputed champion, the breakfast that deserves a throne, a crown, and its own national holiday. Kochuri—those little puffed breads stuffed with a fragrant mash of fresh green peas, green chillies, and just enough spice to make your nose tingle with joy. The peas burst with sweetness and earthiness inside that crisp, golden shell. And the cholar daal? Cooked to creamy perfection, lightly sweetened with a touch of sugar, tempered with hing, whole red chillies, and coconut slivers that add this subtle, nutty depth. It’s sweet-savory, silky, soul-stirring. Every bite is a love letter from Bengal’s kitchens. Balanced, nuanced, never overwhelming. Misal Pav might wake you up like a brass band; Paratha and Chole Bhature might fill you like a victory feast. But Luchi-Shada Aloor or Koraishutir Kochuri-Cholar Daal? They nourish. They linger. They remind you that true greatness in food isn’t measured by how loudly it shouts on a global list. It’s measured by how deeply it warms to your heart.

PratimDGupta's tweet photo. Taste Atlas, what in the actual name of culinary heresy is this?! Three Indian dishes crack the top 50 best breakfasts in the world, and they’re Misal Pav at a suspiciously generous 18th, Paratha slumming it at 23rd, and Chole Bhature wheezing in at 32nd?

I mean, come on! I respect the attempt at democracy in global taste buds, but this ranking feels like it was decided by a panel that’s never once woken up to the quiet poetry of a proper Bengali dawn. None of these heavyweights can hold a ladle, not even a teaspoon, to the luminous glory of Luchi with Shada Aloor Torkari or the transcendent Koraishutir Kochuri with Cholar Daal. None. Zip. Zero.

My Bengali soul is personally offended on behalf of every mother who ever rolled out dough at 7 in the morning.

Misal Pav? It’s a fiery, sprout-laden explosion from Maharashtra—spicy, tangy, pav soaked in that usal gravy like it’s trying to wake the dead. Fine for a chaotic Sunday brunch when you want your sinuses cleared or have stocked up on too many bottles of Aqua Ptychotis.

Paratha? Fine but which paratha? The thick North Indian stuffed paratha that sits in your belly like a warm brick? Or the flaky, buttery, layered lachcha version that’s basically edible architecture? They can all be delicious, sure, but this is a vague entry. Almost like an all-encompassing tick mark in the India box.

Chole Bhature? Those deep-fried maida balloons that puff up like edible clouds paired with chickpeas swimming in an indigestible masala is perhaps the best of the three entries. They’re crowd-pleasers, loud, bold, Instagram-ready. They shout. They conquer. They dominate the plate.

But Bengali breakfast? It doesn’t need to shout. It whispers. It seduces. It wraps around your soul like a soft gamchha on a winter morning.

Take Luchi with Shada Aloor Torkari. Maida dough rolled whisper-thin, dropped into hot oil, and blooming into a perfect, golden orb of puff. Crisp on the outside, feather-light and hollow inside, so delicate it almost feels like it might float away if you don’t pin it down with your fingers. And then the shada aloor torkari—white potato cubes, deliberately kept pale and gentle, no turmeric staining it yellow, no garam masala throwing a tantrum. Just simmered with a kiss of nigella seeds, green chillies, and maybe a hint of cumin. It’s humble. It’s comforting. It’s the culinary equivalent of a jadoo ki jhappi. One bite and you’re home.

And then there’s Koraishutir Kochuri with Cholar Daal. This is the undisputed champion, the breakfast that deserves a throne, a crown, and its own national holiday. Kochuri—those little puffed breads stuffed with a fragrant mash of fresh green peas, green chillies, and just enough spice to make your nose tingle with joy. The peas burst with sweetness and earthiness inside that crisp, golden shell. And the cholar daal? Cooked to creamy perfection, lightly sweetened with a touch of sugar, tempered with hing, whole red chillies, and coconut slivers that add this subtle, nutty depth. It’s sweet-savory, silky, soul-stirring. Every bite is a love letter from Bengal’s kitchens. Balanced, nuanced, never overwhelming.

Misal Pav might wake you up like a brass band; Paratha and Chole Bhature might fill you like a victory feast. But Luchi-Shada Aloor or Koraishutir Kochuri-Cholar Daal? They nourish. They linger. They remind you that true greatness in food isn’t measured by how loudly it shouts on a global list. It’s measured by how deeply it warms to your heart.

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Who to follow

Indrajit Lahiri

@ILahiri

Actor I Published author I Josh Talks speaker I LitFest Panelist I Food Blogger I Street photography enthusiast I Businessman I Human

anirban48 retweeted

Bong Pen @mtanmay

7 months ago

- ভেরি স্যাড বুঝলে মেজমামা। এইসব বিলিতি উৎসব পালন করতে গিয়ে দেশটা জাস্ট উচ্ছন্নে যাচ্ছে। - (কেকে ছোটো কামড় দিয়ে) ঠিকই বলেছিস ভটকে। ঠিকই। - আরে, দেশে কি দেব-দেবী কম পড়েছে যে এখন যীশু পুজোয় আদে��লামো করতে হবে? - (প্রকাণ্ড এক টুকরো কেক এ'বারে মুখের মধ্যে নিয়ে) ...বফেই ফো...বফেই ফো...ফিফই ফলেফিস...। - কী? - (কেক গিলে ফেলে) না মানে...বলছিলাম...বটেই তো...ঠিকই বলেছিস...। - এই ক্রিশ্চান উৎসব নিয়ে মেতে থাকা, এ'টা একধরণের গোলামি...মনের গোলামি...। - (কেকে আর একটা পেল্লায় কামড় দিয়ে)- ফিফ্‌। ফিফ্‌। (গিলে নিয়ে)...আই মীন...ঠিক। ঠিক। - আমার জাস্ট গা রি রি করে এ'সব দেখলে। আজকাল আবার বাচ্চাকাচ্চাদের মধ্যে স্যান্��া ক্লজ নিয়ে কী বিস্তর ন্যাকামো। অথচ এদেরই মিনিট দশেক পুজোর আসরে ভক্তি নিয়ে বসতে বলো...দেখবে হাজারো অজুহাত...। - (আর এক কামড় কেক...) গা... রি রি...করাই উচিৎ... (আরও বড় কামড়)...ফে ফ্যান্টা! ফাফতু ফত! - আরে তোমার সঙ্গে কথা বলাই দায়। - আহা, ��টকে। রাগ করিস না। এই প্লাম কেকটা ভীষণ টেস্টি। নেহাত তুই ক্রিসমাস বিরোধী তাই খাওয়াতে পারছি না। অবশ্য চিন্তা করিস না। তোর জন্য মামি সাবু মেখে রেখেছে। বেশ করে নুন লেবু দিয়ে...। - সাবু মাখা? - দু'টো তুলসী পাতা ফেলে দিতে বলবো তা'তে? - না। থাক গে। আমার তেমন খিদে নেই। - বিপ্লবী মানুষ তো তুই। তোদের অত খিদে পেলে চলবেই বা কেন। যাক গে, শোন। পুলিকে পাঠিয়ে দিস। বলিস মামা তলব করেছে। - পুলি তো আর এক কুলাঙ��গার। সে নিজের বয়ফ্রেন্ডকে নিয়ে ব্যান্ডেল চার্চ ঘুরতে গেছিল কাল। এত করে বারণ করলাম, অথচ দাদা বলে মিনিমাম রেস্পেক্ট করলে না! - পুলিটা একটা ইডিয়ট। তুই ওকে পাত্তা দিস না। শুধু বলিস, মামা ডেকেছে। একটা স্পেশ্যাল গিফট দেওয়ার আছে। - গিফট? হঠাৎ? - আরে। আর বলিস না। সে'দিন তুই বাইরে গেলি, আর বাড়ির সবাই সিক্রেট স্যান্টা খেলবে বলে লটারি করলে। আমি কত করে বারণ করলাম এ'সব থার্ডক্লাস জিনিসে সময় নষ্ট না করতে। কেউই আমায় বিশেষ পাত্তা দিলে না। এমন কি তোর বাবা-মাও পার্টিসিপেট করলে। তোর বাবা তো বললে ভটকেটাকে ভালো করে উত্তমমধ্যম না দিলে শোধরাবে না। তবে বিশ্বাস কর আমি প্রটেস্ট করেছি। যাক গে। কী আর করা যাবে। তা পুলির সিক্রেট স্যান্টা আমিই। গিফট কিনে রে��েছি। টিনটিনের বক্স সেট। ওকে পাঠিয়ে দিস। - তুমি পুলিকে টিনটিনের বক্স সেট দিচ্ছ মামা? - চিন্তা করিস না, সামনের পূর্ণিমা দেখে তোকে একটা পাঁচালিটাচালি কিনে দেব'খন। - গা রিরি করছে মামা। - কী করবি বল, এ পোড়া সমাজ তোর ইন্টেন্সিটিটাকে অ্যাপ্রিশিয়েট করতে পারলো না। ভেরি স্যাড। - আছে নাকি মামা সামান্য কেক? - সে কী রে! - ধ্যাত্তেরি! দাও দেখি কেকের ডিবেটা।

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Anirban Halder @anirban48

7 months ago

@mtanmay লঙ্কার সবুজ হল ডিমের অলঙ্কার!

Anirban Halder @anirban48

over 1 year ago

@IndiaTales7 I think Dr Kadambini Ganguly from Kolkata shares this honour. Both she and Anandibai received the degree in Western Medicine in 1886.

Anirban Halder @anirban48

over 1 year ago

@mtanmay সিক্যোয়েল যেখানে অরিজিনালের চেয়েও ভাল!

Anirban Halder @anirban48

over 1 year ago

কারণ এবং ফল। হেমন্তের বাজার ও তার রান্না নিয়ে ইন্দ্রনাথ রূদ্রর লেখা, রোববার পত্রিকায়। তারপর এই হেমন্তর বাজারে জ্যান্ত বড় রুই পেয়ে তার স্বাদের গরিমায় মুগ্ধ হওয়া। #FishyFishyBongBong

anirban48's tweet photo. কারণ এবং ফল।

হেমন্তের বাজার ও তার রান্না নিয়ে ইন্দ্রনাথ রূদ্রর লেখা, রোববার পত্রিকায়। তারপর এই হেমন্তর বাজারে জ্যান্ত বড় রুই পেয়ে তার স্বাদের গরিমায় মুগ্ধ হওয়া।

#FishyFishyBongBong https://t.co/JyQYzelTam

Anirban Halder @anirban48

over 1 year ago

ভেটকির ভাল বাসা ফ্রাইতে। আমাদের ভালবাসা ফ্রাইতে। #FishyFishyBongBong #fishfry

Anirban Halder @anirban48

almost 2 years ago

হাত ঘোরালে নাড়ু পাবে। #লক্ষীপুজো

Anirban Halder @anirban48

almost 2 years ago

দীপান্বিতা লক্ষীপুজোর loaded ভোগ থালা। সৌজন্যে boss।

Anirban Halder @anirban48

almost 2 years ago

Thanks a bunch, @airtelindia for this extremely useful feature of spam marking on calls! It's a paradigm shift.

airtel India

@airtelindia

almost 2 years ago

We are India's first SPAM fighting network and here's how we're doing it! #AirtelFightsSPAM

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anirban48 retweeted

SunandaSSinha

@SunandaSSinha

almost 2 years ago

শোভাবাজারের লাল মন্দির থেকে যেতে বাঁদিকের ফুটপাতের রাত জাগা শিশুদের #দুর্গাপুজো ... জীবনের গ্লানি আর ক্লান্তি থেকে ওদের চারটে ছুটির দিন !! ওরাই ঠাকুর তৈরি করে ,বাতাসা ভোগে অঞ্জলী দেয়। প্যান্ডেল হল পুরোনো কলকাতা র সাবেকি বাড়ির জানলা সংলগ্ন বর্ধিত একটু জায়গা... https://t.co/0oMsLHDpwn #শুভশারদীয়া #DurgaPuja2024

SunandaSSinha's tweet photo. শোভাবাজারের লাল মন্দির থেকে যেতে বাঁদিকের ফুটপাতের রাত জাগা শিশুদের #দুর্গাপুজো ...
জীবনের গ্লানি আর ক্লান্তি থেকে ওদের চারটে ছুটির দিন !!
ওরাই ঠাকুর তৈরি করে ,বাতাসা ভোগে অঞ্জলী দেয়।
প্যান্ডেল হল পুরোনো কলকাতা র সাবেকি বাড়ির জানলা সংলগ্ন বর্ধিত একটু জায়গা...
https://t.co/0oMsLHDpwn
#শুভশারদীয়া #DurgaPuja2024

Anirban Halder @anirban48

almost 2 years ago

থিমের যুগে হরেক কিসিমের দুর্গা আছে। আর আছে এক এভারগ্রীন দুর্গা। রণরঙ্গিনী। প্রাপ্তিস্থান: একডালিয়া এভারগ্রীন ছবি: রূপম দাশগুপ্ত #Pujo #Pujo2024

anirban48's tweet photo. থিমের যুগে হরেক কিসিমের দুর্গা আছে। আর আছে এক এভারগ্রীন দুর্গা। রণরঙ্গিনী।
প্রাপ্তিস্থান: একডালিয়া এভারগ্রীন
ছবি: রূপম দাশগুপ্ত
#Pujo #Pujo2024 https://t.co/JfJJAQG8ea

Anirban Halder @anirban48

almost 2 years ago

#পরশুরাম #Parashuram #BengaliLiterature

Anirban Halder @anirban48

almost 2 years ago

@Soumi33 দিলখুশা?

Anirban Halder @anirban48

almost 2 years ago

@tamaghnaTOI Your article published in today's TOI says that Goyal becomes ADG, STF, a position he had held before. But information available in articles online suggests that he was Jt CP, STF. So, it was not the same position.

Anirban Halder @anirban48

about 2 years ago

শুভ গুরুপূর্ণিমা!

Anirban Halder @anirban48

about 2 years ago

A hearty meal at a Kolkata Maidan club! That popular, delectable stew. #Kolkata #Maidan #Stew

Anirban Halder @anirban48

about 2 years ago

@RujutaDiwekar I guess all will have to be homemade. But carrying a homemade evening snack from home apart from lunch is not easy. It would help to have some dry snack options which one can make on his/her own (like muri-peanuts-bhujia in Bengal).

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Anirban Halder

@anirban48

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