The Daily Vanilla

With the release of the official remake of Forest Gump, Laal Singh Chadda round the corner, Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan is facing a lot of backlash on social media for the statements he and his ex-wife Kiran Rao had made in the past. One of the trending hashtags #boycottlaalsinghchadda has put the makers of the film in a tight spot as it could adversely affect the performance of the film.

Aamir Khan’s reaction came after some Twitter users dug up Aamir’s controversial 2015 “India’s growing intolerance” statement and made it viral. Back in 2015, Aamir Khan had said that he and his wife Kiran Rao (now ex-wife) were feeling petrified of the rising intolerance in the country and were seriously considering migrating to some other country.

It may also be recalled that while speaking at an award function in 2015, Aamir Khan said, “When I chat with Kiran at home, she says ‘Should we move out of India?’ That’s a disastrous and big statement for Kiran to make. She fears for her child (son Azad). She fears what the atmosphere around us will be. She feels scared to open the newspapers every day.”

The Bollywood megastar further said, “That does indicate that there is this sense of growing disquiet, there is growing despondency apart from alarm. You feel why this is happening, you feel low. That sense does exist in me.”

These statements that are being circulated after almost 7 years were initially made after the BJP and Narendra Modi came to power in India. Although Aamir Khan seemed to have made peace with the new government and was even seen being cordial with the Prime Minister, these ghosts from the past have seriously affected the movie’s promotions which also stars Kareena Kapoor Khan, Mona Singh and Naga Chaitanya.

Past statements by the female lead Kareena Kapoor who asked audiences not to watch her films if they think she is a product of nepotism have also added fuel to the fire. However, if reports are to be believed, Aamir Khan seems to have found a way to make things right.

Read full article at https://thedailyvanilla.com/2022/08/02/aamir-khan-announces-biopic-on-arnab-goswami/

Self-Driving cars are slowly gaining prominence on our roads with many people opting for the AI-controlled journey experience than having to physically drive a car and brave the traffic and other drivers on the roads. This new-age luxury is currently being tested in various parts of the world and many governments have taken it upon themselves to draft legislation around it. Until they come into effect there is nothing to prevent these autonomous cars from taking passengers to their destination.

Various non-traditional car manufacturers have entered the race to perfect the self-driving car and are exploring all possible avenues to be the first one to make the perfect zero error truly automated vehicle. This includes tech companies like Google and Apple apart from other car manufacturers like BMW, Tesla and Audi. The technology being used varies between them and only time will tell which route will be the one that is later replicated at mass.

Elon Musk of Tesla has been making unfulfilled promises to develop self-driving Teslas since 2015 when he predicted that the technology would hit the roads in three years. Tesla already has an "Autopilot" feature that allows its cars to automatically adjust their speeds and steer within their lanes, though the function still requires driver supervision. This is a far cry from the truly autonomous function that we are all sold on.

He recently created a stir when he claimed that the true test of the longevity of the Tesla company would be reliant on how soon they can crack the autonomous code. This is because car manufacturers will realise that going forward, the margins on the sale of the car will be minimal compared to the cost of the high-end spare parts and after-sales service.

Google has been experimenting with cars with cameras loaded on top of them to somehow manage a way to integrate the data from the cars with the Google Maps function making it one of the front runners in this category. Apple has kept its project tightly under wraps as usual but we expect them to come up with something nothing less than mind-blowing.

Read full article at https://thedailyvanilla.com/2022/07/06/self-driving-car-takes-man-to-girlfriends-house/

The internet accessibility of the average Indian has prompted a major shift in not only the spending habits in the country but also opened up multiple avenues for knowledge creation and consumption like the Google-owned platform YouTube. With over 500 million internet users in India, it is only second to China in the world in how many people use the internet. This itself has led to the ushering in of technology from OTT platforms for entertainment to UPI-linked payment portals. Almost every Indian Kirana store and roadside vendor has some mode of digital payment.

This ease of access to the internet was further spurred on by the telecom giant Reliance Jio who practically gave away internet for free to allow users to experience the power of the internet on their phones. The rapid upgrading of technology within the mobile phone industry just propelled this phenomenon even quicker.

In 3-4 years, the Indian population of all ages have now accepted the mobile phone and the internet as an essential part of their lives. The pandemic and the resulting lockdown further established the need and importance of these technologies even more by becoming the only viable option in many cases.

The Internet and mobile phones have not only made us better consumers, but they have also made us self-reliant by giving creators multiple platforms like YouTube to create content and showcase their skills. Many of these platforms provide an opportunity to reach out to the world and reward them financially for their work. This has carved out a new section in society whose primary source of income is from creating content that others consume.

There are multiple platforms available today including YouTube, Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook and many homegrown ones like Moj and Taka Tak as well. Content creators usually pick one platform and create the content that works best on it and slowly get more popularity as they expand over multiple platforms and genres. Some of the biggest names in the Indian scene like Carryminati and Bhuvan Bam have gained international acceptance for their content.

Read the full article at https://thedailyvanilla.com/2022/07/05/youtuber-says-she-never-paid-for-food-since-2021/

India has been divided on the recent bulldozer activity that has been carried out in the aftermath of the stone-pelting events across the country before the official visit of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Although the Supreme Court of India has issued a stay order on the demolition of unauthorised structures in various parts of the country, some reports say that this could be violated due to technicalities in the Supreme Court ruling.

The demolition of illegal structures in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and some other parts of the country has been branded as a retaliatory activity by the BJP governments in these states after Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanthi processions were pelted with stones by the Muslim community in these states. Although investigations on these incidents are still in progress, the local authorities have taken it upon themselves to dish out justice by using bulldozers to bring down so-called illegal structures to prevent miscreants from using them as a cover for such activities in the future.

Politician Brinda Karat was in the news recently as she tried to stop this activity by standing in front of a bulldozer until the SC stay order was implemented. Regarded as an opportunity to score a few political brownie points for the almost irrelevant Communist Party of India, she was the only politician from the opposition parties to hit the streets against the order.

With the Supreme Court stay order putting a stop to the activity, various other groups both religious and political have come out and started taking sides in this conflict that is set to be another one to give more fuel to the ongoing minority vs majority debate that has plagued the nation in recent times. Any activity that happens in the country is first analysed through this lens before looking into any other aspect or future potential.

Read full article at https://thedailyvanilla.com/2022/04/22/boris-johnson-disappointed-by-sc-stay-on-demolition-drive/

Street food in India has been a mainstay of tourism for a very long time. Almost all visitors to the country will at some point or the other indulge in the amazing variety of street food that is on offer. Not just international tourists, domestic travellers also ensure that no trip to a new city is completed without a food tour along the busy streets.

This phenomenon is not just confined to tourists. Street food vendors have their regular clientele who form part of the city’s workforce for whom this cheap, wholesome food is a blessing in their otherwise hectic lives. Whether it is a quick bite in the form of a vada pav or a treat in the form of a nice warm gulab jamun, the streets of India cater to one and all.

Many cities in India have dedicated areas for street food like Indore, Delhi and Bengaluru while others like Mumbai have a street food counter at every corner. While chaats are the most prevalent form of street food, this has now evolved into dosa counters, sandwich shops, ice cream stands and many many more. The choice for a person is endless and some budding entrepreneurs have built successful businesses around the street food phenomenon.

Another reason for the explosion in the consumption and proliferation of street food is social media. Almost every other person on Instagram is a food blogger now and they keep searching out new and unique vendors to showcase on their channels. They focus on the store, provide publicity and essentially do the marketing for the otherwise clueless vendor. In return, most of these bloggers do not take money but satisfy themselves with a free meal and a ton of likes and shares.

Read the full article at - https://thedailyvanilla.com/2022/04/20/street-food-2-times-a-month-will-lead-to-insurance-trouble/

In a surprising turn of events, the Indian Olympic Association or the IOA has requested the Delhi Police to provide them with all the information they have gathered about the perpetrators of the stone pelting incident that happened in New Delhi during Hanuman Jayanthi. The Delhi Police has been trying their best to frame a case without upsetting either of the communities involved, unlike the UP and MP governments which decided to destroy the illegal settlements of the accused.

The Indian Olympic Association has been under pressure from the sports ministry to find new talent like Nikhil Chopra to win medals for them at the Olympics. Every medal that India wins at the Olympics will be an indicator of how the whole sports infrastructure in the country has improved under the NDA. The IOA has always had trouble finding world-class talent as even with the 2nd largest population in the world, the focus has never been sports. 

Read the full article at https://thedailyvanilla.com/2022/04/19/outstanding-stone-pelting-performers-to-be-groomed-by-ioa/

In a startling revelation, our sources have claimed that the frequent clashes and issues that keep arising out of the JNU or Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi are not something new or in fact out of the ordinary.  The problem stems from the fact that the JNU is not a University of Learning and the teaching element is just a sham to attract a certain type of student to the campus. The latest issue of clashes between 2 student unions over non-veg being served and a havan being conducted on the occasion of Ram Navami is just one of the many flashpoints on campus recently.

Our highly placed source within the management of JNU told us the details on the strict promise of anonymity. She claims that from the mid-1970 the purpose of the university was clearly defined and it was markedly different from the original intention when JNU was established in 1969. The JNU was established to keep noble ideas in mind and provide accessibility to students from weaker sections of society. Most of the students who study at the JNU are on scholarships and discounted fees which have further aggravated the section of society who believes that the students are wasting taxpayer money.

Despite having highly accomplished alumni, the university is facing an existential crisis where nothing noteworthy has come out of the campus for a very long time. Once an epicentre of thought and ideas, the whole campus is now just a breeding ground for unchecked political ideologies claim noted academics and teachers.

"See, when the JNU was established in 1969, the biggest internal issue that the country was facing was the growth of the militant left or what was known as Naxalites or Maoists. The influence they had on the youth at that time was uncanny. We as a nation are required to somehow contain this threat without resorting to detention centres or jails as this would put us on the same footing as Nazi Germany. The central government under Indira Gandhi who also held the Home Ministry portfolio took an important decision that changed JNU forever," said our source.

We asked her if she had proof for all this but she denied having any evidence for her statements. "These are all passed on from one office bearer to another and nothing can ever be written down or shared with an outsider. However, I am breaking this decades-old rule for the sake of my country."

Read the full article at https://thedailyvanilla.com/2022/04/12/jnu-surveillance-centre-for-youth/

R Ashwin continues to baffle not only the batsmen on the field but also cricket lovers and experts around the world. After being in the limelight of sorts for the famous “Mankading” incident from a few IPLs back, he is once again in the spotlight for the new “Retired Out” action that he took in yesterday’s match against the Lucknow Super Giants.

The IPL has had its share of drama this season but the one that will take the centre stage for the next couple of days will be this decision of R Ashwin. Although it is not unusual for a batsman to retire hurt and come back to bat, later on, being retired out means that the player is no longer available to bat for the rest of the match.



Commentators, experts and former players have expressed their views on this incident and surprisingly most of them were in support of the action, terming it a new strategic move that could change the way T20 cricket is played. This move allowed an in-form batsman to come in and help add runs that Ashwin might not have been able to do.

This was the first time that this tactic was used in the IPL and it left many viewers confused initially as to what was going on. Knowing that Ashwin probably has a good grasp on what he was doing, it was the turn of the commentators to then figure out what was being done and explain to the viewers how this concept of retired out works. With this now being finally done at the IPL, it is quite certain that the other leagues and players will soon adopt this as well.

Read the full article at https://thedailyvanilla.com/2022/04/11/ashwin-phd-in-cricket-from-iipm/

The Arnab Zelenskyy interview that was broadcast on Republic TV the other day was a coup of sorts as no other Indian media outlet has been able to get Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to appear on Indian television let alone agree to be part of a full-fledged one on one interview. He has appeared on various other international channels and poured his heart out on the condition of his people after the Russian invasion and military attack on the country.

Arnab Goswami, the Editor in Chief of Republic TV, had a 45-minute exclusive interview with the Ukrainian President and put forward questions in his style to get to the crux of the matter. He ended the interview wishing for President Zelenskyy's safety and demanded that the war would come to an end. Arnab took a different style during the Arnab Zelenskyy interview and appeared to be more receptive to what was being said. President Zelenskyy speaking via a translator said that he understood India's position but needed more concrete action.

This interview could be another turning point in Indian television after Rajdeep Sardesai was considered for the Bafta's last year. The Arnab Zelenskyy interview took all the other channels by surprise and everyone is waiting with bated breath to see what the TRP numbers looked like. 

Read the full article at - https://thedailyvanilla.com/2022/04/08/arnab-zelenskyy-interview/

Launching a pet day care was the last thing on the mind of 29-year-old Chennai resident Parthiban Suryakumar. When finally he could not take the frustration and stress associated with his tech support job at one of the largest IT firms in the city, he quit and decided that he will no longer continue with his society and family-approved “IT job”.

More and more employees today are demanding a better work-life balance over salary and perks as the quality of life in India has steadily gone down in recent years. Employees’ salaries and hikes have been on the rise but this has blurred the lines between professional life and personal life. The increased compensation has also increased the expectation that employees are now at the beck and call of the company and the client.



While this has always been the case, the older or more experienced workers also admit that they had it much easier when they were younger. The current generation has more options to enhance their lives but ends up frustrated when it is not possible to do so. Now managers are being told to be extra sensitive to the employee’s needs which results in an additional load on the middle management.

With the raging pandemic in the past couple of years, it has become difficult for the HR department of companies to try and arrange any activities that would help elevate the mood or give employees a glimmer of hope that things will get better.

In the case of Parthiban Suryakumar, things took a nasty turn when he was asked to come to the office or quit after the company ended the work from home option. He chose to quit as he was already frustrated with the amount of work, lack of social life and most importantly the inability to find a pet day care centre for his Shi Tzu, Peppa.

Read the full article at https://thedailyvanilla.com/2022/04/07/pet-day-care-business-makes-frustrated-techie-a-millionaire/