#romeo & devika.

[rcsplendent]

he's practically tearing his suit coat off before he even gets out onto the balcony — the damn thing has proven to be far too tight & definitely too warm, especially after dancing. he'd decided to get a bit of fresh air to cool off, draping his coat over the back of a chair as he steps outside with a slow sigh. it's then that he realizes he's not alone, his eyes widening for a moment as he attempts to assess whether or not she looks like she'd rather be left that way — but he decides, ultimately, that she looks friendly enough. " taking a break, love? " he asks simply, sauntering to the balcony railing to lean against it.

Devika had been keeping to herself most of the party, not wanting to draw attention to herself, knowing that by now, many of the guests would've heard rumors and whispers about what is going on between her and Ashir. After all, they didn't exactly tried to keep it a secret, mostly after her permanent move to his chambers. As much as she didn't care what others thought, she also didn't want to be bombarded with questions about it. Devika took a sip from the glass of champagne she was holding before walking out into the balcony, wanting to get some fresh air and get away from the partying crowd for a moment. @francehqstarters

[halfwcytohell]

closed starter for @embrcssemoi (devika) location: goldfinch café

Leaning back in his seat at the café, Romeo picks at the pastry in front of him, popping a piece of the baked good into his mouth as he waits. He had arrived early, killing some time by going through his emails while he waited until he sees Dev come in, waving her over once she gets her own coffee. "Hey, glad you could make it. I was about to yell at Luc for making you work so hard." Romeo teases, motioning for Dev to take a seat.

[decadeslife]

10 Indian LGBTQ Web Series on Same Sex Love Relationships

Digital entertainment sites have been introducing a lot of bold content in recent months. Web series is one such content that does not have to face censorship like films and TV shows. Although there are web series that feature gay and lesbian characters, there are others that are exclusively about same-sex love and relationships. Below is my list of Indian web series that have gay and lesbian characters.

Here are the list of LGBTQ Web Series that you can watch online

Romil And Jugal

This is a gay web series from the Internet platform ALTBalaji, known for bold content. Romil and Jugal recreate Romeo and Juliet with a twist. Manraj Singh and Rajeev Siddhartha play the gay couple in this series. The couple engages in passionate kisses and intimate scenes, but you will need to have a paid ALTBalaji subscription to watch the entire series

The Other Love Story

In this Web Series, the lead actors are heterosexuals who admitted to having trouble kissing at the beginning. The two lead characters, Shweta Gupta and Spoorthi Gumaste, said that they had trouble expressing lesbian love because they were not experienced in performing that act. The web series is available on YouTube.

Love Life & Screw up

This web series is a story about the romantic relationships of lesbian and gay couples. Zeenat Aman plays a pivotal role in this web series, acting in the story. The other Cast of this Series are Mita Vashisht, Dolly Thakore, Kapil Kaustub Sharma, Yuvraaj Parashar, Diandra Soares, Sonali Raut, Akshay Sethi, Shushant Divgikr, Sezal Sharma, Vibhoutee Sharma, Meghaa, Shipra Kasana, Mahi Sharma, Ruchita Tahiliani, Ashish Sachdeva, Ashish Khatri, Riyaaz Qureshi and Rahul Vyaas. There is a lot going on within this series where Bigg Boss contestant Diandra Soares kisses Mahi Sharma and Sonali Raut & Yuvraj Parashar’s shower scene is made news. The series is available on YouTube.

UNTAG

This is the story of 6 individuals who have their own issues and problems. However, the story is mainly focused on one character and her struggles, the fat girl. Meiyang Chang and Naveen Polishetty plays the Gay characters in the show. They are joined by VJ Andy, Dipannita Sharma and Shiv Pandit.

All About Section 377

This is a fictional series about a heterosexual man living with two gay men. The series aims to educate the viewers on the struggles faced by the LGBT community in India. Amit Khanna and Ankit Bhatia play the gay couple while Gulshan Nain plays the straight man. You can watch this Web Series on YouTube.

Dev DD

Dev DD is the female version of the classic Devdas. Devika is a woman whose addiction to sex and alcohol threatens her life. She is the daughter of a rich businessman and an alcoholic wife. Her boyfriends are both men who are in love with her and have similar backgrounds. Their relationship is based on mutual respect and understanding. This web-series is a fun-filled romantic comedy with some of the hottest kisses.

Class of 2017

This is a Teenage Web Series from Ekta Kapoor’s ALTBalaji, starring Rohan Shah and Gaurav Sharma. The series revolves around a young gay couple and the challenges they face in their relationship. The series features a couple of on-screen kisses, which the viewer can watch. The other cast of this Series include Shweta Bajpai, Krissann Barretto, Anshuman Malhotra, Rohit Suchanti, Ashish Chanchlani and Pooja S Jadhav.

Twisted

Twisted is a romantic-thriller web series from Vikram Bhatt starring Nia Sharma and Namit Khanna. Their was a queer twist in the story where Alia and her live-in-relationship girlfriend Dr. Zara Khan indulged in some intimate kissing and lovemaking. You can watch this series on YouTube.

Tanlines

Tanlines is centered around six teenagers who take a holiday together after college. Mehak and Prachi are lesbians and their secret comes out in the open in the web series. Raviza Chauhan and Sachi Maker portray the role of the lesbian couple. You can watch this interesting web series on SonyLiv and YouTube.

Confessions It’s Complicated

This web series tells the story of three girls: Nupur Murthy from Coimbatore, Raka Ghosh from Kolkata and Sameera Saxena from New Delhi start their career in Mumbai with a news organization, Pulse. They are exposed to a city they have never been before. Their stories are intertwined with the lives of the city dwellers, and how they manage the challenges they face. The character endorsing the sponsor products in every episode. You can watch this Web Series on YouTube.

Many consider LGBTQ relationships to be unconventional, and many consider them to be a deadly disease! Love is not a crime, and every individual deserves the right to experience love. Let us not judge people based on their sexual preferences. Hopefully, The web series helps some more people to come out of the closet.

Source: https://www.decadeslife.com/10-indian-lgbtq-web-series-on-same-sex-love-relationships/

[immcrtalize]

"Fine, fine," Lucas conceded. He couldn't argue with that logic. He'd asked her, after all, to run budget related things by him first. So, he should've been thanking her for sticking with that request. Lucas waved a hand in a lay it on me kind of way, nodding a bit as Devika continued. "I think..." He paused as he considered what she was proposing. He'd only just been talking to Romeo about ways of keeping business fresh and appealing, and here Devika was with an idea. "I think it's a great idea," he concluded. "I think a partnership with other small businesses would be a great way to compete with the resort. We've got a lot to offer here but a lot of the business gets swallowed up by those damn springs. So, yeah, I'm on board. What would you need from me?"

"I know I am allowed, but you're still my boss and the guy behind the money to actually implement those changes." Devrim told the Humming Bird's newest owner with a little smile of hers. The one that made her scrunch her nose in a cute and very unprofessional way, but it was part of herself and it was something she wasn't going to let go of. Alas, she was still a very serious professional manager. All things considered. "So, I've been thinking about a partnership." The brunette began as she poured Lucas some tea and let it sit for a moment. "With both Memory Box and Bon Appetreat." She then proceeded to pour herself some tea, and then looked up at Lucas. "It's a small town, I figured our visitors would like some exclusive treats and pampering, you know? How do you feel about it? I mean, people come here to heal, and sometimes, there's nothing more healing than food, a homey feeling and love." / @immcrtalize

[anamikasjain]

Top 10 Indian Web Series on Same Sex Love Relationships : WebSeries with Gay & Lesbian Characters

Digital Entertainment Sites have come up with a lot of Bold content lately in the form of Web Series as the content does not have to face censorship like Films and TV Shows. Most of these WebSeries have intimate love making and kissing scenes. There are even some Web Series exclusively on Same sex love and relationships. Given below is my Top 10 list of Indian Web Series that has Gay and Lesbian characters.

Love Life & Screw ups has both Lesbian and Gay characters. This Web Series explores the explores relationship struggles of Couples. Bollywood Actress Zeenat Aman plays a pivotal role in this web series. The other Cast of this Series are Mita Vashisht, Dolly Thakore, Kapil Kaustub Sharma, Yuvraaj Parashar, Diandra Soares, Sonali Raut, Akshay Sethi, Shushant Divgikr, Sezal Sharma, Vibhoutee Sharma, Meghaa, Shipra Kasana, Mahi Sharma, Ruchita Tahiliani, Ashish Sachdeva, Ashish Khatri, Riyaaz Qureshi and  Rahul Vyaas. There are a couple of bold scenes in this series out of which Bigg Boss 8 contestant Diandra Soares kissing scene with Mahi Sharma and Sonali Raut & Yuvraj Parashar's shower scene made news. This Web Series is available on YouTube. 

The Other Love Story is the first Indian Web Series on Lesbian love. This series tells the same sex love between two neighbours who live in Bengaluru, Aachal and  Aadya. Being Hetrosexuals, the lead pair Shweta Gupta and Spoorthi Gumaste revealed in an interview that they had trouble enacting the kissing scene initially. You can find this Lesbian Web Series on YouTube.

 All About Section 377 is a  fictional show about a straight guy living with two gay guys. This Series aims at educating the masses on the struggles of the LGBT community in India. Amit Khanna and Ankit Bhatia plays the Gay couple in the Series while Gulshan Nain plays the role of the straight Guy. You can watch this Web Series on YouTube.

Romil And Jugal is a Gay Web Series from the Adult Entertainment platform ALTBalaji known for bold content.  Romil And Jugal recreates Romeo and Juliet with a twist. Manraj Singh and Rajeev Siddhartha play the Gay Couple in this Series. The Couple is seen indulging in passionate kisses and intimate scenes. But you will need to have an ALT Balaji paid subscription to watch the entire Series.

UNTAG is the Story of 6 individuals living with tags. However, the story mainly concentrates on the fat girl(Anjali Anand) and the Gay. Meiyang Chang and Naveen Polishetty plays the Gay characters in the Show. The other cast include VJ Andy, Dipannita Sharma and Shiv Pandit. You can watch this Series on Voot.

Class of 2017 is a Teenage Web Series from Ekta Kapoor's ALTBalaji. Rohan Shah and Gaurav Sharma plays the role of the Gay Couple. There are a couple of on-screen kisses in this Web Series as well. To watch the Series you will need ALTBalaji paid subscription. The other cast of this Series include Shweta Bajpai, Krissann Barretto, Anshuman Malhotra, Rohit Suchanti, Ashish Chanchlani and Pooja S Jadhav.

Dev DD is another WebSeries from ALTBalaji. This Series is the female version of the classic Devdas and tells the story of Devika (Aasheema Vardhan) who is addicted to sex and alcohol. Devika's best friend Chandni is a Lesbian and lives with her partner. There are some intimate and kissing scenes in this web series too! You can watch Dev DD here.  Sanjay Suri and Akhil Kapoor plays the role of Devika's boyfriends.

Tanlines is centered on six teenagers who take a holiday together after College. Mehak and Prachi  are Lesbians and hiding the secret from the rest of the group. What happens when their secret comes out in the open? Raviza Chauhan and Sachi Maker portrays the role of the Lesbian Couple. You can watch this interesting web series on SonyLiv and YouTube.

Confessions It's Complicated tells the story of 3 Girls - Nupur Murthy from Coimbatore, Raka Ghosh from Kolkata and Sameera Saxena from New Delhi start their career in Mumbai with a News organization named Pulse and the struggles they have to go through to survive in the city. Other than some straight intimate and kissing scenes, this series also have a kissing scene between the characters Raka and Myra. What is annoying? The characters endorsing the Sponsor Products in every episode. You can watch this Web Series on YouTube. 

Twisted is a romantic-thriller web series from Vikram Bhatt starring Nia Sharma and Namit Khanna in the lead roles. Their was a queer twist in the story where Alia (Nia Sharma) and her live-in-relationship girlfriend Dr. Zara Khan (Isha Sharma) indulge in some intimate kissing and lovemaking.  You can watch this webseries on YouTube.

Many consider #LGBTQ relationships inconventional and unnatural. Many treat them as if they are some deadly disease! Love is not a Crime and every individual deserves the right to experience love. So let us not judge people based on their sexual preferences. Hopefully, these LGBTQ Web Series helps more people to come out of the closet. Check out my Video below!                                                                               

Did you like this Post on Web Series based on Love between the same gender? If Yes, Please like and Share! Do you support the LGBTQ Community? Which Webseries in this list is your favorite? Have I left any? Please share your opinion by commenting below!

via Blogger http://ift.tt/2v2fXLr

[lazyupdates]

There have been so many moments on the silver screen when all we could do was get emotional. But Filmfare has had to overlook many gems in an effort to put forth a definite 100 films that have stood the test of time. And we assume shall continue to do so. This isn’t the list. Believe us, if we had a free hand we’d have compiled a 1000 movie list. Instead, we prefer a hot list that stands for what is the best of our cinema. Yes no amount of commiserations can console the runners up who didn’t make the cut. But every single movie featured in the following list deserves its place at the top of the marquee. 

Raja Harishchandra Year: 1913 Director: Dadasaheb Phalke Producer: Dadasaheb Phalke Cast: Dattaraya Damodar Dabke, Salunke, Bhalachandra D Phalke, P G Sane

The ad for the first Indian film read like this: Raja Harishchandra. A performance with 57,000 photographs. A picture two miles long. All for only three annas. Dadasaheb Phalke was influenced by Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings and based his film on the travails of king Harishchandra, who gave up his kingdom, his wife and children to keep his promise to sage Vishwamitra. Dadasaheb couldn’t find women to act the female parts and eventually had to settle for young boys for such roles. The film was processed in London. It’s said Phalke’s wife manually perforated the reels in the night. Live music was used as an accompaniment. The film was an instantaneous success. It opened to packed houses everywhere. Sadly, only an incomplete copy of the film exists today. Harishchandrachi Factory, a tribute to Phalke made by Paresh Mokashi, is a must-see for all cinema history buffs as it gives a fair idea about the challenges faced by the man who pioneered Indian cinema. 

DID YOU KNOW?

1. Phalke’s wife cooked food all alone for the cast and crew of more than 500 people. 2. Filmmaking as a profession was virtually unknown back then. Hence, Phalke advised his cast and crew to tell others that they were working in the factory of one ‘Harishchandra’. 

Alam Ara Year: 1931 Director: Ardeshir Irani Producer: Imperial movie tone Cast: Master Vithal, Zubeida, Jillo, J Sushila, Prithviraj Kapoor Music: Ferozshah M Mistri, B Irani

Alam Ara, as we know it was our first talkie. When it was first released on March 14, 1931 at Majestic cinema in Mumbai, police had to be brought in to control the crowds. This Ardeshir Irani film had many firsts to its name. The first song of Indian cinema, Dil de khuda ke naam par, was sung by Wazir Mohammed Khan. It was recorded live (Khan played a fakir in the film) as there was no playback then. The period film was mostly shot at night to avoid modern daytime ambient sounds. Hence, Alam Ara also started the tradition of shooting under studio lights. Hidden microphones were used to record the voices of the actors. Incidentally, two actors connected with the film, Prithviraj Kapoor and LV Prasad, went on to become giants in their own right. Both were awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (Kapoor posthumously in 1972 and Prasad in 1982) for their immense contribution to Indian cinema. 

DID YOU KNOW? 1.The last known print of this film was destroyed in a fire at the National Archives of India, Pune, in 2003. 

2. Director Mehboob Khan was briefly considered for the male lead’s role, which finally went to Master Vithal.  

Devdas Year: 1936 Director: Pramathesh Chandra Barua Starring: K L Saigal, Jamuna Barua, TR Rajakumari Music: R C Boral, Pankaj Mullick

If the West has the classic Romeo And Juliet, we have Devdas. The immortal love story written by Sarat Chandra Chatterjee has seen numerous cinematic interpretations down the years. The pioneering one was this Bengali/ Hindi bilingual directed by PC Barua. The Hindi version had KL Saigal playing the doomed lover while Barua himself essayed the role in the Bengali version. The story was a critique on the prevalent cast system. Devdas couldn’t marry his childhood sweetheart Paro as she belonged to a lower caste. The dejected lover finds solace in the arms of a nautch girl, Chandramukhi who gets reformed through love. Paro is married off to a wealthy widower and a distraught Devdas, his health  deteriorated  by excessive alcohol, finally dies at her doorstep. The film helped Saigal carve his superstardom and its influences impacted all the subsequent interpretations.

Achhut Kanya Year: 1936 Director: Franz Osten Producer: Himanshu Rai Cast: Ashok Kumar, Devika Rani Music: Saraswati Devi

If Devdas talked about disparity between the classes then Achhut Kanya went a step further and tackled untouchability, which was a curse during those days and is still rampant in our social fabric. Interestingly, Ashok Kumar was cast in the film because the original actor Nazam-ul-Hassan tried to elope with the producer’s wife Devika Rani. Ashok Kumar played a Brahmin’s son in love with an untouchable girl played by Devika Rani. Director Franz Osten didn’t shrink away from depicting the truth of the situation and the film is remembered for its intense mob scenes. It’s also known for its musical score. The song, Main ban ke chidiya sung by the lead stars is popular even today. Incidentally, the music was given by Saraswati Devi, one of our pioneering women composers. 

DID YOU KNOW?

Ashok Kumar worked as a laboratory assistant in Bombay Talkies when he was asked to play the lead in the film.

Kismet Year: 1943 Director: Gyan Mukherjee Producer: Bombay Talkies Cast: Ashok Kumar, Mumtaz Shanti, Shah Nawaz Music: Anil Biswas

This can be termed as Bombay Talkies’ most successful film and earned for its protagonist Ashok Kumar the tag of the superstar. The dye for the suave, urban hero was cast and Ashok Kumar’s urban chic serves as a model to date. The film pioneered the lost-and-found formula and the ‘double role��� formula as well. Also, the public accepted that lead characters could be grey-shaded as well. The film is also known for its nationalistic song, Door hato ae duniyawalon Hindustan hamara hai. The British thought lyricist Pradeep was writing anti-German and anti-Japanese slogans in the middle of World War but the Indians got its true meaning. By the time the British realised it, it was too late. Another song, a duet between Ashok Kumar and Amirbai Karnataki, Dheere dheere, is also remembered till date. 

DID YOU KNOW?

1. Kismet ran for three years at a theatre in Kolkata.   2. The movie also has the distinction of being the first ‘double-role’ played by any Indian actor.

Neecha Nagar Year: 1946 Director: Chetan Anand Producer: Rashid Anwar Cast: Kamini Kaushal, Uma Anand Music: Ravi Shankar

The film’s top notch quality shared the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film award at the first ever Cannes Film Festival held in 1946. The film was director Chetan Anand’s magnum opus and brought to light the disparities of the millions of Indians who have next to nothing while a few rich enjoy all the benefits. In an era which thrived on escapist musicals, the maverick director brought out his Marxist leanings into play to make a grim realistic film, which stands tall with the best of  Satyajit Ray or Ritwik Ghatak products. It can be called the granddaddy of the parallel film movement that was to follow later. The film is still relevant in the sense that nothing has changed, there are parallel Indias which co-exist – the India of glass towers and the India where people don’t have access to clean water are juxtaposed. Kamini Kaushal and sitar maestro Ravi Shankar were the other two besides Chetan to begin their careers with this film. 

DID YOU KNOW?

1. The opening credit shows the certificate of the award won by the movie at the Cannes Film Festival.

2. The film starred Uma Anand,  Chetan Anand’s wife in a prominent role.

Mahal

Year: 1949 Director: Kamal Amrohi Producer: Ashok Kumar and Savak Vacha Cast: Ashok Kumar, Madhubala Kanu Roy, Vijayalaxmi Music: Khemchand Prakash

Kamal Amrohi’s classic is home to many firsts – it started off the trend for reincarnation thrillers, it turned the 16-year-old Madhubala into a superstar and made Lata Mangeshkar  a household name. It’s said that the name of the singers on record jackets started appearing only after the immense popularity of Lata’s Aayega aanewala. Music director Khemchand Prakash brought out the echo effect in the song by making the singer walk from one corner of the recording room to the mike kept in the middle. Cinematography by German cinematographer Josef Wirsching, reminiscent of German expressionist cinema added to the film’s appeal. The film was the biggest earner at the Indian box office that year, its revenue eclipsed that of Andaz and Barsaat released the same year. The film proved to be another feather in Ashok Kumar’s cap, who was also one of the producers of the film. 

DID YOU KNOW?

Mahal was the first Hindi thriler to have a song which worked as a leitmotif throughout the film. This became a trend and was followed in other such films like Madhumati, Woh Kaun Thi and Mera Saaya.

Andaz Year: 1949 Director: Mehboob Khan Producer: Mehboob Khan Cast: Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Nargis Music: Naushad

This Mehboob Khan venture was the only film in which Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor starred together. Andaz was a sizzling love triangle with Nargis and offered a preachy take on the flirtatious nature of modern women. The film played up the strength of its heroes. Dilip was the shy, introverted lover who takes to tragic undertones after rejection while Raj was the happy-go-lucky man who charms the heroine and later lectures her on how she shouldn’t be engaging as it lead to misunderstandings. We might find the melodrama involving missing letters and miraculous revelations a bit clichéd today but the audience went berserk seeing their favourite stars in tandem and the film’s popularity gave rise to multistarrer romances. It could be a precursor to the Yash Chopra formula of having stylised, upper class characters falling in love in exotic locales. Another highlight of the film was music director Naushad effecting a reverse by making Mukesh sing for  Dilip Kumar and Mohammed Rafi for Raj Kapoor.

DID YOU KNOW?

1. Cameraman Faredoon Irani was unhappy with Dilip Kumar’s casting and allegedly asked, “Who’s this monkey?” when Khan first walked in on the set

2. At the time of its run at the theatre, Andaz was considered an ill omen for the director and his stars, with Mehboob losing his mother and brother, Nargis losing her mother and Dilip Kumar being assaulted by goons at Worli. 

Awara Year: 1951 Director: Raj Kapoor Producer: Raj Kapoor Cast: Prithviraj Kapoor, Raj Kapoor, Nargis, Leela Chitnis, KN Singh Music: Shankar Jaikishan

The Russians loved it, the Turks loved it, the Egyptians loved it and so did the Europeans. Such was the film’s craze that it was remade in Turkey as Avaray. The song Awara hoon is still popular in the former Soviet bloc countries. Awara is touted as a premier Indian product, which found a global audience. Its lead pair  Raj Kapoor and Nargis achieved cult status abroad. The film, written by leftist writer Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, dealt with the issue of nature versus nurture. It railed against the false notion of lineage – that the son of a criminal would have crime running in his veins and vice versa. One can also interpret it as a critique about the class disparity in India. The film cut a chord with the Nehruvian socialism that was sweeping across the country at the time. Another reason for its evergreen popularity is the sizzling chemistry between Raj and Nargis, which owed much to their off-screen romance. 

DID YOU KNOW?

1. The character Raj is given prisoner number 308, which is the same as article number of Indian Penal Code for which he is charged and tried i.e.’Attempt to commit culpable homicide’ in the film.

[newstfionline]

To protest against Modi, these Indians are cooking beef in public

By Vidhi Doshi, Washington Post, June 6, 2017

KOZHIKODE, India--As soon as the evening call to prayer sounded over Kozhikode, a line formed along the esplanade. Volunteers started heaping food onto plates, cautious to keep the beef-to-rice ratio low, making sure there was enough to go around.

One man took out his smartphone to film the action; videos of beef-eating have been doing well on Facebook recently. News cameras from local stations zoomed in on the slogans plastered on a nearby screen that read “our food our choice.”

In this sleepy, palm-fringed city in southern India, eating beef has become a political act. On May 23, the Indian government introduced new anti-animal cruelty rules, restricting the sale of cattle in markets. The move was widely interpreted as an attempt to close in on the country’s thriving beef industry, in line with right-wing Hindu ideology, according to which the cow is considered holy.

Some think the new rules are too draconian. For the past week here in the southern state of Kerala, people have gathered with pots and pans and firewood to cook beef and share it with strangers in the streets, a convivial form of protest. Many Hindus, who usually avoid cooking or eating beef, have joined the feasts.

At stake is the country’s $4.3 billion beef industry, which provides 23 percent of the world’s beef exports. Since the government’s new rules were introduced, global beef prices have shot up and major brands such as Prada and Armani, which source leather from India, are concerned about the stability of their supply chains.

Small-time beef and leather traders will bear the brunt in India. Most of them are Muslims and lowest-caste dalits--the people once called “untouchables”--since Hindus historically considered these jobs “unclean.” According to Jayakumari Devika, associate professor and historian at the Center for Development Studies in Kerala, the new rules will allow large supermarket chains to control supply.

“Beef will become scarce,” she said, “at least for the time being.”

But for many in Kerala, the new rules are more than an economic blunder. To them, it epitomizes the arrogance of Hindu politicians in faraway New Delhi.

“For you in the north, beef may be food,” said Muhais Mohammed, one of those at Kozhikode’s beach. “For us, it is a deep-seated emotion.”

Since the election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cow ambulances, cow hostels and even a system of ID cards for tracking cows have been introduced in veneration of the sacred animal. This bovine obsession hints at a bigger lurch toward the right in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Protecting the “gau mata”--the cow mother--has long been on the agendas of Hindu supremacist groups such as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which has close links to the BJP and its ruling elite. In Hindu tradition, eating beef is considered unscrupulous, to be left to the morally inferior.

Many say that the Modi government’s anti-beef rhetoric has gone too far. Some argue it is emboldening bands of cow protectors, known to maul and even kill people suspected of carrying beef. In 2015, a mob dragged a man named Mohammad Akhlaq out of bed and beat him to death because they suspected he had slaughtered a calf. In recent months, a man was harassed because he was suspected of carrying a bag made of cowhide. In another case, a dairy farmer transporting cattle from a market to his village was killed.

For Keralans, the Hinduism of the north is unrecognizable. Hindus here coexist peacefully with sizable Muslim and Christian minorities. They consider themselves ethnically and culturally different from those in the north. Beef is a staple part of the local cuisine and culture. Even the state BJP here breaks with its northern allies on the issue; the state party promised better quality beef in a recent election campaign.

Since the ban, the hashtag #dravidanadu has trended on Twitter, calling for south India to break off from the north. In the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu, students at the elite Indian Institute of Technology Madras wore black and ate meat in front of news cameras. At one beef party, an ox was slaughtered and the video was shared online. Right-wing parties retaliated, throwing milk parties of their own, and carrying out vigilante attacks against protesters.

On Kozhikode’s beach, the feast lasted less than an hour, long enough to scrape a large pot of curry bare.

Danish Subair was traveling with his cousin through the city when he came across the celebration. “We also brought beef with us in our bag,” he said. “Everyone in Kerala is eating beef now. I have a friend who is big BJP supporter. Even he posted on Facebook yesterday about how much he loves beef.”

Taking cues from the south, states in eastern India are crying foul too. In West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, a fierce critic of Modi, said that the government’s passage of the rules using anti-animal cruelty laws was underhanded and amounted to federal interference in state decisions. In Arunachal Pradesh, where the vast majority of people eat beef, Padi Richo, leader of the opposition Congress party, said the move was “dictatorial.” “Even China doesn’t do that,” he said.

Modi, a strict vegetarian, spoke often about cow protection during his election campaign in 2014. One of his slogans was “Vote Modi, give life to the cow.”

Spurred by a recent electoral triumph in state elections, the BJP has become increasingly nationalistic. In Uttar Pradesh, a hard-line Hindu cleric named Yogi Adityanath was appointed as chief minister and immediately launched a crackdown on illegal slaughterhouses, strangling the state’s booming beef industry. He also initiated “anti-Romeo” squads to crack down on Western-style public displays of affection.

The BJP, already weak in the south, is showing signs that it is alarmed by Kerala’s reaction. Party President Amit Shah swooped in over the weekend to do damage control, meeting with church leaders and party loyalists.

But for some, the government’s efforts to restrict access to beef are a sign of darker things to come. Referring to the largest ethnic group in Kerala, Devika said, “Beef has been a part of Malayali culture for many centuries. If there was a move to deny something very normal to you, wouldn’t you protest?”

[embrcssemoi]

Despite not being as close to Lucas as Romeo was, she would be upset if her new boss got real tired of the Springs and left. The young woman didn't know whether or not Lucas would sell the Hummingbird to someone else or if he would keep it, just never set foot in the Springs again, but, overall, Devika didn't like the idea of him leaving. They'd made a good team so far. Hopefully, it would continue that way. "Where was the furthest that you've travelled to meet a client?" Devi asked curiously, smiling as she reached for her coffee cup and sipped on it. "That's nice! Do you and your family usually travel somewhere for the holidays?" / @halfwcytohell

"We're both highly convincing people, so I have no doubts." Romeo agrees, nodding. Lucas wasn't just his roommate, but a great friend as well. He would miss him if he decided to leave Hemlock Springs one day. Selfishly, Romeo hoped that he wouldn't. "A little of both, most likely. I like to meet people in person. You can't really get a true feel of someone over the phone or Zoom, I don't think." He points out, gesturing vaguely. It was true that he put a lot of himself into his work, but it was also important work. Romeo didn't mind the travel and the time zones and sometimes long hours. "No, no. No intervention needed, I promise. I'm good. Year end will be here before we know it so I'm just trying to wrap some things up before the holidays so I can take some time off and spend them with my family."

[embrcssemoi]

Devika smiled as soon as she spotted Romeo in the back of Goldfinch Cafe and waved. She hated spending her days off in the house because it made her feel less productive in so many ways, so, when Rome asked if she'd like to head out for coffee, she accepted right away. "Poor Luc." She chuckled, before setting her caramel latte on the table, and then, placing her bag on the empty chair she'd be soon taking. Then, Devi leaned in for a hug on a friend. "If anything, I'm the one who's making him work so hard. But..." And then, she leaned in again, lowering her voice to a whisper, as if she was about to tell Romeo a secret. "I think I might be getting him to hate the Springs a little less." Once she leaned back, she was sporting that same bright smile that hardly ever wavered from her lips. "But how have you been, Rome? I haven't seen you in what—a month?" / @halfwcytohell

closed starter for @embrcssemoi (devika) location: goldfinch café

Leaning back in his seat at the café, Romeo picks at the pastry in front of him, popping a piece of the baked good into his mouth as he waits. He had arrived early, killing some time by going through his emails while he waited until he sees Dev come in, waving her over once she gets her own coffee. "Hey, glad you could make it. I was about to yell at Luc for making you work so hard." Romeo teases, motioning for Dev to take a seat.