Nobody disputes that Indian food is now taken more seriously globally. But what about Indian restaurants? That’s a tough one but my instinct is to say ‘yes’.
Covering the media and entertainment beat for The Economic Times at the turn of the century, more than two decades ago, proved to be quite exciting for this writer. Private broadcasting was just being launched. Emerging from our dreary newspaper offices, the flashing TV screens at Zee or the ‘Quick Gun Murugan’ poster (a fictitious Channel [V] character) at the Star TV reception was a whiff of fresh air. And then Sushma Swaraj, as I&B minister, for the first time recognized film-making as an ‘industry’. This meant the sharp shooters of Bollywood could now officially get access to bank loans.
31 December 2020. A chapter ended in the history of Disney Star India. According to public announcements by the mouse house, it was the last working day for chairman Uday Shankar at Star India, a company he steered – along with the Murdochs – into its arms over a decade.