BE N N E T T, C OL E M A N & C O. LT D. | E S TA BLI S H E D 183 8 | T IM E S OF IN DI A .

C OM | N E W DE L HI

STUDENT EDITION
➤ A brief history on India ➤ How Daniel Craig ➤ Records set during
and COP 26 PLUS: changed Bond forever the IPL
TODAY’S Reducetarianism; why you PLUS: ‘Goosebumps’
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2021
Newspaper in
Education

EDITION must watch nature docs and Halloween TRIVIA TIME

PAGE 2 PAGE 3 PAGE 4
EINSTEIN’S
‘THEORY OF
CLICK HERE: PAGE 1 AND 2 HAPPINESS’
WELLNESS Pics: Istock

Since when did we start EAT INDIAN

looking for only celebrity  Kokum: This fruit, found in Western
Ghats, is cardiotonic, reduces tumours,
foodstuffs to fill our kitchen alleviates pain, is high in vitamin C, low
racks? Well, ever since the in fat and calories, low in sugar
 Soursop: Also
whole ‘superfood’ bug bit us known as thorny
custard apple in
[email protected] tropic India,
soursop is touted to

A
s American author and colum- be a miracle cancer-
nist Susan Maushart puts it, killing super fruit
“The whole superfood thing —  Amaranth: It’s a protein pow-
the notion that certain edibles erhouse. At about 13-14%, it easily
contain powers and abilities far trumps the protein content of most
beyond those of mortal fruits and vegetables grains, contains more than three times
— has only been with us for about 15 years. the average amount of calcium and is
The truth is, the superfood designation has
never carried much weight with food scien-
also high in iron, magnesium, phospho- This is among his lesser-
rus, and potassium
tists. They have pointed repeatedly to the  Buckwheat: Despite its name, buck- known theories – the life
lack of empirical goodness around most of
the claims for superfoods.”
wheat is totally unrelated to wheat and
is an awesome gluten-free superfood
truth that Einstein jotted
that is inexpensive. It has lipid-lowering and handed to a bellboy
properties, betters your blood sugar
THE REAL PICTURE control and lowers risk of diabetes in Tokyo in 1922 in lieu of
Dr Anjali Hooda Sangwan, consultant,
 Moringa: Native to India, moringa has
Obesity, Metabolic Medicine & Clinical
been used worldwide to combat malnu- a tip! It was auctioned for
Nutrition says, “No foods are actually cate-
gorised as superfoods by USDA or FDA, these
trition. There are 13 species of moringa, a whopping $1.56 million

The super in
of which the drumstick tree is
are terms used to market a certain food item
and items not available easily or sourced
the most widely cultivat- on October 25, 2017.
ed. It is a nutrition-
from different geographical locations.
Scientifically speaking foods rich in vitamin
ally complex Here’s what it said...
whole food

1
C, vitamin E and beta carotene should be Albert Einstein is, of course, world
naturally
considered better than others in same cate- famous for coming up with the theory

‘SUPERFOOD’
abundant in
gory.” Basically anything nutritionally dense of relativity, which in many ways
vitamins,
can be superfood. changed our conception of time and space.
minerals
Other than Physics, Einstein had offered
and
many a pithy and poignant opinion on topics
amino acids
THE EXOTIC QUOTIENT from love to government and god. In 1922,
A food needn’t always be alien sounding to he handed a small handwritten note to a
earn the super title. These foods are consid- ety of foods, include all bellboy in Tokyo that explained how to live a
ered exotic because a lot of them are exotic in India but not in China where they to market it like the West does and don’t GET A BALANCE the food groups, in the right amounts happy life. This came to be widely known as
unavailable to the com- grow in abundance. Similarly, Chia seeds are have enough research to put something in Did you know that eating too much quinoa as a part of a healthy diet,” says Einstein’s “theory of happiness.”
mon man. For from another continent therefore consid- the spotlight. Why go all gaga after quinoa could actually give you a lot of unwanted Khosla. Just blend it in. Introduce

2
instance, goji ered rare in India. “We have a barrage of when we have amaranth, why overdo olive flab? Too much of anything is bad holds superfoods gradually into your diet without It was written on a piece of hotel
berries are superfoods all around us in legumes, oil when our mustard is so good and why true for these edible superstars. Don’t making any major alterations. Alternate stationery at the Imperial Hotel in
considered spices, vegetables and oils. overspend on goji berries when there is increase your super quotient at the expense your oils, greens, nuts and grains. Mix them Tokyo. Einstein was there on a lecture
We just don’t know how amla,” argues clinical nutritionist Ishi Khosla. of a balanced diet. “The goal is to eat a vari- in your salads, juices and smoothies. tour and had just heard about his Nobel
Prize win. Not having any change to tip the
SELF-CARE bellboy, he wrote
down some
A DETOX IS SAID TO DRAIN THE TOXINS OUT OF “I have no words of
FOOT SOAKS: A simple way of special talents. I wisdom,
soaking feet in water with prefacing that
THE BODY AND THE LATEST TREND IS TO… some Epsom salt and
am only passion-
the piece of
essential oils. Keep the ately curious” writing could be

Try a FOOT DETOX

[email protected] overall health.
feet immersed in water
for 15 minutes and
then gently dry them
and massage with some
moisturiser.
– ALBERT EINSTEIN worth more than a
tip one day. Indeed,
the payday came to
the nephew of the bellboy who ended up
with the note that was sold for $1.56 million
Experts claim that a good FOOT MASKS: You can get at an auction in Jerusalem.

A
detox today has become as foot detox can burn calories too over the counter foot masks

3
necessary as eating and but there is little scientific evidence or go to a spa for a customised What was in the note? Einstein wrote:
breathing healthy. We to prove that food detox helps in weight foot mask. These masks are applied on “A calm and modest life brings more
WHAT’S TRENDING encounter toxins everywhere, loss. However, it is proven that foot detox the feet for a few minutes and then washed happiness than the pursuit of success
in the water we drink, the air does remove the harmful chemicals from off. A foot mask can soften your skin, combined with constant restlessness.” He

Awesomeness of we breathe, our beauty products and our

common home products. Toxins
accumulate in our liver and colon and also
the body and makes the body more alkaline
so that the harmful organisms are
destroyed. There are many different ways
remove the toenail fungus, and also help
with athlete’s foot.
FOOT SCRUB: Foot scrubs should be done
also wrote another short note on a second
sheet, saying “Where there’s a will, there’s a
way.” That paper sold for $250,000.

AWE WALKS
contribute to ageing. Therefore detoxifying that you can do a foot detox: on a regular basis. They help in

4
becomes the priority because removing dead skin and kill feet odour. The auction was carried out through
or body’s natural detox FOOTPADS: Food pads are specially Winner’s Auctions and Exhibitions in
methods like breathing, A FOOT DETOX CAN designed to make the feet sweat. This Jerusalem. They had estimated that the
sweating, are not able to  Balance body’s pH process is believed to pull out the notes would fetch about $5,000 and $8,000.
LONESOME WALKS WITH A SENSE OF AWE IS A WAY TO keep up with the  Reduce swelling toxins from the body.

5
contamination around. ACUPRESSURE BASED TECHNIQUES: According to ‘The New York Times’, the
ENHANCE THE ALREADY HEALTHY PRACTICE OF WALKING The latest is foot
 Improve mood Acupressure techniques apply bellboy happened to be at the right
detox. A foot detox is  Relieve stress pressure to the specific points on the time at the right place. Einstein had
believed to be the best  Burn calories feet and encourage relaxation. heard about his Nobel win just recently,
[email protected] HOW AWE WALKS CAN detoxifying method  Improve IONIC FOOTBATH: These are special informed by a telegram. He was
because feet are rich with footbaths that help by sending an overwhelmed by wellwishers and was trying
CHANGE YOU

T
hat walking alone can enhance
heart health
nerve endings and sweat electrical current in a tub of water. to write down his thoughts when the bellboy
your mood, increase your circu- Nature often inspires awe. An “awe walk” is
glands. Even soaking our  Balance The water ions divide and create came. It was certainly fortuitous for the boy
lation, and help you sleep bet- a stroll during which your focus is purposely blood sugar
feet in hot water can calm negative oxygen ions and these that Einstein didn’t have any cash on him as
ter is well proven fact backed directed outward rather than inward. So
you’re not worried about the looming dead-
down the body, reduce  Destroy harmful neutralising particles draw the toxins “he decided to make the most of his new
by numerous studies. Forest swelling, and improve out of the body. exalted status.”
line, the incomplete project, homework, or microorganisms
bathing — the Japanese practice of mind-
concerns about the coronavirus. According
fully engaging all five senses while
to a study published in the journal ‘Emotion’ RETHINK

Heard of The
immersed in nature — is recommended as
a complimentary strategy to reducing on September 21, a frequent dosage of as- luxury goods are
stress, depression, and anxiety. And now, tonishment can increase happy moods. A term that took effect in 2013, it’s the reason presented separately.
according to a new study, finding awe dur- why groupfies are more effective than selfies Similar practices are
WHAT’S NEW?

CHEERLEADER EFFECT?
ing a stroll can also be beneficial. relevant for self-marketing
A group of researchers led by Virginia Sturm, on social media. You appear more attractive
an associate professor of Neurology and in a selfie with other people than in isolation,
AWE YOU SURE? Psychiatry at the University of California, as long as the others are equally or less
You know what we’re talking about if you’ve
San Francisco, tracked 52 healthy seniors attractive.” Key points: The m ore

T
felt goosebumps while watching a sunset, or he cheerleader effect, aka group cognitive phenomena: The human visual corresponds to any situation
over eight weeks to see how they responded The attractive you are, the less you’ll gain
while gazing at the majestic Taj Mahal or felt attractiveness effect, is the system takes “ensemble representations” of where we make a first
to awe walking. The participants were divid- basic idea of from this effect. Second, it won’t
chills while watching someone you care cognitive bias which causes faces in a group and perception of individuals impression. When it comes
ed into two groups: control and experimen- “cheerleader effect” work if other people
about receive an award. For most, simply people to think individuals are is biased towards this average. Average faces to first impressions, faces
tal, with the latter being given instructions to is that our asymme- in the frame are
watching the sunrise early morning or more attractive when they are in are more attractive, perhaps due to benefit when they’re flanked
discover something awe-inspiring based on tries and disproportion- more attractive.
watching a sunset feels nothing short of a group! Fictional character Barney Stinson “averaging out of unattractive by less attractive faces.
two criteria: physical vastness and novelty. alities tend to “average
awe-inspiring – a trend finding social media played by Neil Patrick Harris in the idiosyncracies”. When all three of It is most useful in
Researchers recorded participants’ emotion- out” amid a group
cred now with people sharing their sunset popular television series ‘How I Met This these phenomena are taken posting on social media.
al responses before, during, and after the of faces
photos on their Instagram. Your Mother’ first coined the effect is rele- together, the individual faces will Fagan writes: “It is a well-known
According to researchers, ‘awe’, is main- walk, and asked them to take selfies before,
during, and after the walk, as well as com- phrase in November 2008. vant when posting seem more attractive in a group, marketing practice that we
ly a good emotion that you experience selfies. Examine your as they appear more similar to typically encounter low-budget
when you’re in the presence of something plete a daily mood survey. Dr Sturm ex-
selfies: do you look the average group face! products, such as
so immense that you can’t immediately plained: “One of the key features of awe is
that it promotes what we call ‘small
GOOD-LOOKING better alone or cheap watches,
comprehend it. According to psychologyto-
day.com, the state of awe is a paradox. You self’, a healthy sense of proportion be- GROUPS with others?
USING THE EFFECT presented side
by side,
feel smaller even as you connect to some- tween your own self and the bigger Interestingly, in a case of fiction An article in ‘The Atlantic’ examined
picture of the world around inspiring science, behavioural whereas
thing bigger/larger than yourself. It’s like the effect to actually try and see how the
feeling like a speck of dust in the universe you.” researchers Drew Walker and Edward Vul in ‘cheerleader effect’ can be used in social
— you feel humbled by your smallness, yet 2013 decided to test this out. Across five situations. Abigail Fagan wrote: “One key
at the same time you feel bigger than life Whether studies, participants rated the attractiveness explanation of the so-called Cheerleader
itself. it’s seeing the of male and female faces when shown in a Effect is that people switch from
sunrise over the ocean on a group photo, and an individual photo, with internal to external evaluation
deserted beach or taking a long hike the order of the photographs randomised. standards.” Importantly,
through a deep forest, nature typically inspires awe. You can The people photographed got higher scores research on the
OTHER experience it by looking at a cityscape, listening to music, or absorbing a for their group photos. The effect occurs to Cheerleader Effect has
WAYS work of art that transports you to a lovely place. It may make you feel lit- the same extent with groups of four and 16 focused on evaluating
TO BE tle (in a good way), reminding you that there’s something bigger out people. Walker and Vul proposed that this unknown faces flanked
AWED there, and you’ll feel more connected to others as a result effect arises due to the interplay of three by unknown faces. This
 02 “We don’t have time to sit on our hands as our planet burns. For
young people, climate change is bigger than election or re-election.”
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, US politician & activist
ENVIRONMENT SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2021

PICS: ISTOCK

INDIA AND
COP26:
A brief history
Let’s talk about...
With COP26 starting in a few weeks in Glasgow, let’s take a look at a
greenhouse gas emissions through measures like
brief history of COP, what events lead to its establishment and how avoiding the use of fossil fuels like coal, increasing

REDUCETARIANISM
forest cover and investing in renewable energy. But
India’s plans to shake things up in the field of renewable energy this is easier said than done. Most countries run on
electricity and most electricity continues to come

B
BY INVITATION etween October Wildlife is endangered. The more we understand from fossil fuels. That’s why, they need fossil fuels to
31 and November climate change, the more we realise how dangerous it develop. However, the problem of climate change has
12, leaders from
more than 190
can be for all of us. become even more serious and IPCC reports,
including its 2021 report, have repeatedly
Thanks to the documentary ‘Meat Me Halfway’,
countries,
WE NEED TO STEP UP
In
1988, a dedicated
raised alarm bells. ‘reducetarianism’ is the latest buzzword — described as the
including India, will meet in That’s why countries are trying to
the UK at the 26th To battle it, the UNFCCC recommends body of scientists was power their growth by generating practice of eating less animals and dairy products for the
Conference of Parties (COP that countries reduce their set up to study human- electricity from renewable sources
26) to discuss climate induced climate change, its like the sun, wind and water. India
sake of better health for themselves and the planet
change and ways to fight it. impact on the planet and has been at the
ways to address it. This was
[email protected]
The very fact that there have A 2018 study published by the
been 26 COPs, shows just the Intergovernmental University of Oxford found that cutting
MEGHAA GUPTA Panel on Climate
how pressing a problem
climate change is for our world. Change (IPCC). SO WHAT IS IT? meat and dairy products from your diet
could reduce an individual’s carbon
Reducetarianism is the consumption of less
Human activities like burning fossil fuels meat (red meat, poultry, and fish), less dairy, footprint from food by up to 73 per
and cutting down trees have been filling up and fewer eggs. This practice offers an easier cent. According to it, a vegan diet was
the atmosphere with heat-trapping alternative to the only meat vs no meat kinds the “single biggest way” to reduce your
greenhouses gases like carbon-dioxide of diet that may not appeal to all. environmental impact on earth. If
for hundreds of years. However, it was Reducetarianism — which includes vegans, everyone stopped eating these foods,
only in the 1980s that the world began to vegetarians — is basically anyone who cuts they found that global farmland use
get really worried about global down on animal products in their diet. The could be reduced by 75 per cent, an
warming and climate change. Many word was coined by activist and film area equivalent to the size of the US,
countries were fighting maker Brian Kateman around 2015 China, Australia and the EU combined
heatwaves and droughts. when he edited and published ‘The
Fires broke out in the Reducetarian Solution: How the of global greenhouse gas emissions and 80
Amazon rainforest… Surprisingly Simple Act of per cent of all antibiotics used in the United
something was Reducing the Amount of Meat in States. He dreams of a world where everyone
going terribly Your Diet Can Transform Your eats more plant-based foods. Rather of
wrong with Health and the Planet.’ preaching an all-or-nothing attitude, the
the planet. Later he also started the reducetarian movement promotes little
Reducetarian Foundation dietary modifications that add up to a big
(RF) in 2017.
HOW IT effect in the world.
Animal farms and processing facilities
STARTED? WHY REDUCE require a large amount of land to run, and the
animal agriculture business is directly respon-
In 1988, a dedicated
body of scientists was MEAT IN YOUR DIET sible for much of the Amazon Rainforest’s
deforestation due to rising demand for growth.
set up to study human- According to RF, consuming less animal
Clearing land in Brazil to raise chicken feed,
induced climate change, products lowers your risk of heart disease
for example, has resulted in the destruction of
its impact on the planet and some cancers, minimises your car-
over 3 million acres of rainforest. According to
and ways to address bon footprint and the suffering of
RF, animal agriculture is responsible for
it. This was the farmed animals, and even helps to alle-
around 30 per cent of global biodiversity loss
Intergovernmental Panel viate global food and water shortages. In
due to the effects of deforestation, pollution,
on Climate Change (IPCC). this scenario, meat includes chicken,
and climate change.
Shortly afterwards, in 1992, over DID YOU KNOW? turkey, and duck, fish, lobsters, and other
100 countries met at Rio De Janeiro, When compared to pre- crustaceans, beef, veal and pigs. On their FAQ
for the first Earth Summit to discuss climate industrial levels, the Paris forefront of this page, RF cites the United Nations’ Food and
Agriculture Organisation study which sug-
HOW TO BE ONE?
change and ways to tackle it. In the aftermath of the targets would result in development. In You can start by eating meat/animal products,
summit, they signed an international environmental warming of well above 3 fact, India and gested that the meat industry contributes for but in a lower quantity than you are used to.
treaty – the United Nations Framework Convention on degrees by 2100. If we keep the UK are roughly 20 per cent of worldwide greenhouse Remember your friend who went on and on
Climate Change (UNFCCC). All the countries that have doing what we’re doing, planning to gas emissions. Methane — which has a global about the benefits of ‘meatless Mondays’?
signed the convention are members of the COP. India has been temperatures will con- announce a warming potential of more than 20 times that They’re a ‘reducetarian’. And it is good for
India has been part of the COP since the very part of the COP tinue to rise! transnational solar of carbon dioxide — is produced in large health. RF cites the American Heart
beginning. As a country with a large coastline since the very begin- grid, from which quantities by animal waste. Association which says eating less meat
and millions of poor people, it is among the ning. As a country with a different countries can RF isn’t alone though. Over the years there improves your health by decreasing your
worst-affected by climate change. Rising large coastline and draw power, at COP26. Will India succeed in its have been many studies that have called for chance of heart disease, certain types of can-
temperatures melt glaciers and raise the sea- millions of poor people, it plans to battle climate change? How will this lowering the consumption of animal and dairy cers, strokes, diabetes, and many other chron-
level which threatens coastal areas. They lead is among the worst- affect our development? The answers will products and how that may benefit the plan- ic illnesses. Some of the ways one could start
to extreme weather events like heatwaves, affected by climate evolve through our lifetime. et. According to Kateman, our world and its is by practicing: Meatless Mondays, Vegan
droughts, floods and cyclones that destroy lives. change — The writer is the author of ‘Unearthed: inhabitants are suffering as a result of factory Before Six, Weekday Vegetarian, Go
People lose their homes. Farmers lose their crop. An Environmental History of Independent farming, which is responsible for 15 per cent Vegetarian or Vegan.
Fishermen find it hard to fish. Diseases break out. India’ (Penguin, 2020)

GREEN B E ATS THE BLUES

WATCHING NATURE SHOWS HAS HELPED PEOPLE OVERCOME Be mindful of

ANXIETY AND INDOOR BOREDOM IN THE LAST ONE YEAR the types of media
you consume on a regu-
lar basis — avoid too much
[email protected] ditions, then introduced scenes of an underwater coral sion. Living in greener urban areas is chronic, negative, and cat-
reef through three different means: on the television, linked to lower incidences of heart astrophic information.

L
ong-standing research shows that chronic TV through a virtual reality (VR) headset using 360-degree disease, obesity, diabetes, asthma, Make an earnest effort
watchers and news followers have elevated video, and with a VR headset using computer-generat- mental distress, and mortality rates. to see more green
fears because the events they observe start ed interactive graphics. All experiences contributed to
to seem as if they are happening outside their less feelings of sadness, negativity and boredom, but
front door, especially seismic events such as watching nature documentaries through virtual reality
HUMAN-ANIMAL CONNECT
To see the majestic blue whale spout or
the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, scientists have headsets goes one step further. According to the
adorable dolphins catch their prey stir-
also figured out an antidote for this paranoia: watching study, this method directly resulted in increased hap-
ring up ring-shaped plumes of
nature documentaries! According to a new study done piness and enhanced the feeling of connection to the
mud with their tails, reinstates
for The Real Happiness Project by a team of researchers natural world of all participants.
the emotional exchanges
at BBC Earth and the University of California, Berkeley,
between humans and animals
it was discovered that watching “nature documen-
taries” was one of the best types of TV shows to boost
MINDFUL ENTERTAINMENT and also our connect with the
Other than just being mindful of the outside world. Another study
your mental health.
types of media we consume on a shows that you don’t need to
regular basis — avoid too much have ready access to
HOPE IN THE FACE chronic, negative, and catastrophic nature to experience its
information — and how it impacts positive effects. Seeing it in any form
OF CRISIS our mind, we must make an is enough to provoke
Last year, researchers at the earnest effort to see more green. joy. So, whether it’s
University of Exeter published a Scientists have amassed a body of learning about the
study that shows these pro- research that shows exposure to way the cuttlefish
grammes can counteract the bore- natural green spaces such as masks its movements across
dom associated with being isolated parks, woodlands, mountains, and the sea floor, or how a lion
indoors during Covid-19. Consisting beaches has healing properties on combats a pack of wild dogs
of 96 participants, research leads your mental and physical health in wilderness, we see metaphors
induced feelings of boredom to the and well-being. It reduces anxiety for our own behaviour in that of
participants under laboratory con- and rumination and lowers depres- wild animals.
 CLICK HERE: PAGE 3 AND 4
FILMS.BOOKS.MUSIC
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2021
“I have never played a role in which someone’s dark side
shouldn’t be explored.”
— Daniel Craig
03 PICS: ISTOCK

The

How DANIEL CRAIG

25th Bond movie,
‘No Time To Die’, is also
Craig’s swansong for the

changed BOND forever...

billion-dollar franchise. In the
last 15 years (and 5 movies),
the English actor has changed
the way we perceive the
Haimanti.Mukherjee@
timesgroup.com
chise, with a careless and thoughtless
comment.
nomenon to audiences worldwide.
He may have been as cold as Sean
perhero — who
arms Bond with the
suave MI-5 agent.
On hindsight though this was Connery’s Bond, as playful and ro- snazziest of instant- Here’s how… body
blows
possibly the closest that Craig, the mantic as Roger Moore, or as fierce kill technical equipment
ome time dur- actor, had ever come to mimicking as Pierce Brosnan, with those deep — didn’t play a larger role, (got shot by

S ing the pro-

motion

tor Daniel
Craig’s fourth Bond
outing, he was asked
by a
of
‘Spectre’, ac-

journalist
the character he’d been playing – off-
camera. In one statement to the press,
possibly because of a tired body and
mind, Craig epitomised the devil-
may-care attitude that is quintes-
sentially Bond. A rebellious British
government agent, often careless
blue piercing eyes, but Craig’s Bond
also went where no Bond had gone
before. Even if it were a 5-second
scene, we saw Craig’s version of
Bond accepting that he’s broken,
shedding tears, struggling to keep
the mask of coldness for too long.
Craig’s answer was that he was
far more concerned with the evolu-
tion of the character, exploring his
moral dilemmas, rather than “just the
gadgets advancing with the times”.
Blasphemous for hardcore fans?
Possibly. But somewhere deep down
his beloved
British government),
stood still — even if for a sec-
ond — to express despair, feel
every loss, and then move for-
ward, carrying the exhaustion, and
the burden of being a spy, with him.
whether he’ll do an- with feelings or the consequences of For a franchise that’s rooted in the producers and Craig agreed that This Bond raised has the bar sig-
other Bond film. His his actions, James Bond, has over the tradition, and with a set way of doing formulaic scripts were a thing of the nificantly; almost to the point of no
answer was he’d years become the spy we love to love; things, it was difficult after the 1990s past. return. From here on, whichever di-
rather die. A media and also, love to hate. to depict a Bond without encompass- That is why you see stereotypes rection the Bond franchise takes, some
frenzy ensued. Social ing any of the socio-cultural changes turned on its head as Daniel Craig things have forever changed.
media was on a roll. that new millennium brought about. emerges out of the sea instead of a Much the like the world around
And the powers that AN ICON RE-IMAGINED Post Noughties Bond could not be Bond girl in a bikini in ‘Casino Royale’. us right now where most things are
be went on an over- For someone who came in with as trapped in the Cold War era stereo- You also hear Bond saying the three uncertain, whether political or social,
drive to undo the much bad press as possible, Craig’s types, when things were definitive. words that you never thought you’ll Craig’s vision of Bond that he set out
damage done to the Bond in the last 15 years has had the So, hardcore Bond fans may have hear any Bond express: “I love you”. to change in the last decade, was tru-
image of mega block- maximum impact on the character’s complained over the last decade as to Using just his eyes (read acting skills), ly ahead of its time. In hindsight, we
buster Bond fran- growth – a hitherto unseen phe- why the character Q, the gadget su- Craig’s Bond flinched, took severe will all see that.

[email protected]

MOVIES TO WATCH
10 THIS HALLOWEEN
STINE’S WRITING RULES

A
uthor RL Stine has been terrify-  One of the biggest rules in writing
ing and enchanting young read- horror is that the audience has to know
ers all across the world for what’s happening can’t happen in real
more than 30 years – having life; it’s fantasy, he makes it scary but
penned over 330 novels. In that he steers clear of real world stuff.
time, his ‘Goosebumps’ series has sold mil-  In his Masterclass, Stine said that
lions of books and writing shouldn’t be something you
slave over. It should be fun. He ‘hates’
Kids are often protagonists in the best horror movies. You may
inspired a televi-
sion show, comput- serious writers who think writing is have heard about ‘The Omen’ and ‘The Exorcist’ too many
er games, a zone in hard, or can only write in a quiet room.
a theme park, and  He doesn’t want kids to write from the times. Here are some others…
a film starring Jack heart! In an interview, the author poo- their comatose son (Ty Simpkins) is
pooed authors who tell kids to write
THE BABADOOK possessed by a malevolent entity.
Black as Stine (the Amelia, who lost her husband in a
sequel is expected from the heart because they will never
car crash on way to give birth to
write again! He said, “I say to kids, ‘I’ve
to release soon). As
written 330 books, not a single one from
Samuel, struggles to cope with her THE AMITYVILLE
if that wasn’t fate as a single mom. Samuel's con-
enough, the genius my heart. Not one! They’re all written to HORROR
stant fear of monsters doesn't help When George Lutz (Ryan Reynolds)
author has created yet another series entertain an audience. That’s it.’”

STINE’S
her cause either, which makes her and his wife, Kathy (Melissa
promising to make Halloween deliciously friends become distant. When things cannot get
frightful. Stine’s ‘Just Beyond’ is a hair-rais- important to him that his readers know his George), find a beautiful new house in
any worse, they read in a strange book in their the small town of Amityville, NY, they think the
ing eight-episode OTT series based on the stories are fantasy and can’t really happen.
house about the 'Babadook' monster that hides in place is too good to be true. It turns out is.
That said Stine did once write a book with

SPOOKTOBER
author’s series of graphic novels by the the dark areas of their house!
same name. It focuses on a reality ‘just an unhappy ending which didn’t go down Strange things start to happen soon after
beyond’ what we know in real life. The well with the audience. In ‘Best Friend,’ one they move in.
series tackles important topics, like bully- of his ‘Fear Street’ books, Stine ended the MAMA
ing, peer pressure, and teen worry even as story with murderer going scot free. He got On the day that their parents die, UNDER THE SHADOW
characters encounter mysterious witches, innumerable queries as his audience sisters Lilly and Victoria vanish in After Shideh's building is hit by a
ghosts, aliens, and parallel universes. couldn’t accept the end. He ended up writ- the woods, prompting a frantic missile during the Iran-Iraq War, a
Here’s a look at why Stine works, globally. Have you ever wondered why ‘Goosebumps’ series ing a sequel to finish the story. search by their Uncle Lucas (Niko- neighbour suggests that the missile
laj Coster-Waldau) and his girl- was cursed and might be carrying
Humour in horror author RL Stine is such an integral part of Halloween Stine just wants you to friend, Annabel (Jessica Chas- malevolent spirits. She becomes
tain). Five years later, miraculously, the girls are
Stine’s first horror novel for teenagers
called ‘Blind Date’ topped the Publishers
celebration every year? Read on to find out... read more found alive in a decaying cabin, and Lucas and
convinced a supernatural force
In an interview, Stine once offered an within the building is attempting to
Weekly list. In an interview with ‘Collidor’, chapter end is a punchline. This is how who doesn’t really want to scare kids (even Annabel welcome them into their home. But as
explanation to why his young audience possess her daughter Dorsa, and she has no
Stine had said, “The secret is that I never Stine spawned a generation of readers. His if his editors tell him to make it scarier). He Annabel tries to reintroduce the children to a nor-
gravitated to his scary stories. “I talked choice but to confront these
plan to be scared. That wasn’t my goal. I horror stories were not tragedies, they once said, “ My thinking is that these mal life, she finds that someone – or something –
once to a child psychologist in LA, and he forces to save her daughter and
always was funny. I did a humour maga- were episodic and ended (mostly) on a books are entertainment. I’m very careful still wants to tuck them in at night.
told me he had a patient, this girl, who herself.
zine for teenagers for 10 years, called funny note. to keep reality out of it. The real world is
much scarier than these books. So, I don’t came every week, and all she did was
‘Bananas’, and I wrote about a hundred
joke books. I was always funny. So, when I
He doesn’t really want to do divorce, even. I don’t do drugs. I don’t recite ‘Fear Street’ plots to him. And he THE SIXTH SENSE THE OTHERS
thought this was her way of dealing with Young Cole Sear (Haley Joel Os- Grace (Nicole Kidman), the de-
got switched over, which is a long story, scare you do child abuse. I don’t do all the really seri-
ous things that would interfere with the all her fears, going through these books. ment) is haunted by a dark secret: voutly religious mother of
and started being a scary guy, I had to If you grew up reading Stine’s stories, you he sees ghosts. He is too afraid to
entertainment.” You’re having all of these horrible things Anne (Alakina Mann) and
bring the humour with me because that’s know you can expect to be spooked in a tell anyone about his anguish, ex-
When writing for young readers, Stine’s happen, but you’re still safe in your room, Nicholas (James Bentley),
my main interest, really.” That’s why in good way, with a happy endings. Stine cept child psychologist Dr Malcolm
one rule is that it can’t be too realistic. It’s reading.” moves her family to the Eng-
‘Goosebumps’ and ‘Fear Street’, every calls himself a careful, conservative writer Crowe (Bruce Willis). As Dr Crowe lish coast during World War II. She awaits word on
tries to uncover the truth about her missing husband while protecting her chil-
Cole's supernatural abilities, the consequences dren from a rare photosensitivity disease that
by Tom Fletcher & Shane Devries
BOOKS TO INTRODUCE KIDS TO for client and therapist are a jolt that awakens

10 HUMOUR & HORROR

causes the sun to harm them. Anne claims she
Franky can’t wait to move to his new them both to something unexplainable.
town. But everything changes after the SPOT’S SPOOKY FUN sees ghosts, Grace initially thinks the new ser-
vants are playing tricks but chilling events and vi-
storm, when strange green lightning and by Eric Hill LIGHTS OUT sions make her believe something
powerful thunder crash It’s Halloween and all of Spot’s friends are
When Rebecca (Teresa Palmer) supernatural has occurred.
down on the town. dressed up. Helen’s a fairy, Steve’s a
and find the treats? left home, she thought that her
FUNNYBONES DAISY AND THE clown and Tom’s a pirate. But what does
childhood fears were behind her.
by Janet & Allan HOW TO AVOID WITCHES Spot want to be? THE RING
As a young girl growing up, she
Ahlberg by Roald Dahl & Quentin Blake TROUBLE WITH was never really sure of what
It sounds like just another urban leg-
end -- a videotape filled with night-
A big skeleton, a little They have ordinary jobs, live in ordinary VAMPIRES DANGER was real when the lights went marish images leads to a phone call
skeleton and a dog houses and wear ordinary clothes. That’s out at night. Now, her little broth- foretelling the viewer's death in ex-
skeleton venture out what makes them
by Kes Gray REALLY IS er Martin (Gabriel Bateman) is experiencing the
It’s Halloween and actly seven days. Newspaper reporter
one night to find witches so hard to Daisy is going trick- EVERYWHERE same unexplained and terrifying events that jeop- Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) is sceptical of the
someone to scare, catch! ardised her safety and sanity. story until four teenagers all die mysteriously ex-
or-treating for the by David
but everyone is in actly one week after watching just such a tape.
THERE’S A very first time. In the dark, in the fog, and O’Doherty
bed so they amuse with a vampire! Any POD (Pupil of
LET ME IN Allowing her investigative curiosity to get the bet-
themselves by scaring each WITCH IN Owen leads a lonely life and is ter of her, Rachel tracks down the video and
other. THE WITCH’S VACUUM Dangerology) knows
bullied by his peers at school. He watches it. Now she has
YOUR BOOK that schools are full of danger – from
by Tom Fletcher & CLEANER
happily befriends Abby, his new just seven days to
THE VERY HUNGRY vampire teachers to haunted books.
helpful neighbour, without be- unravel the mys-
CATERPILLAR’S HALLOWEEN Greg Abbott by Terry Pratchett WHERE MONSTERS LIE ing aware that she is hiding a tery.
Imagine a war between wizards, a secret from him.
A grumpy little witch has thrown a magic
TRICK OR TREAT spell at you. If you can capture it, you can
rebellious ant called 4179003, and a time- by Polly Ho-Yen
travelling The children of Mivtown have grown up
by Eric Carle use your finger wand to make magic hearing the legend of the monsters of the INSIDIOUS
Our favourite hungry caterpillar is getting television!
yourself. loch. But it's only a story – a warning to Parents (Patrick Wil-
into the Halloween spirit. He’s on the hunt
stay away from the water. Then strange son, Rose Byrne) take
(again) for some tasty treats. Can you
help him count all the different creatures THE DANGER GANG things start happening in the village. drastic measures when
it seems their new
home is haunted and
 “The winner is the one who believes in victory more.”
Novak Djokovic, tennis player

RECORDS GALORE
The 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League was sheer entertainment. Chennai
Super Kings won their fourth title comfortably beating KKR. Some of the games
went right down to the wire, while the claim to the fourth spot remained a
mystery till the last minute. Let us look at some of the major records made and
broken during the course of this season of IPL…

VIRAT KOHLI - KL RAHUL - MS DHONI - 300 CAPS HARSHAL PATEL -

10K RUNS AND FAST RUN ACCUMULATOR MOST IMPRESSIVE
MS Dhoni became the first to captain 300 T20 matches. ‘Thala’, as he is fondly DEBUTANT
COUNTING called, achieved this feat as Chennai Super Kings captain in the final of the IPL
KL Rahul is one of the many players who
were bought at the mega auction in 2021 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He further led his team to a fourth IPL Royal Challengers Bangalore
Royal Challengers Bangalore
2018. He has delivered consistently. The title victory. Having captained teams for CSK and Rising Pune Supergiants earli- pacer Harshal Patel claimed his
captain, Virat Kohli, became
Punjab Kings’ captain became the first er, he has won every major T20 trophy, including maiden Purple Cap with a total
the first Indian player and
Indian to score 500 runs in four consecu- IPL, CL T20, Asia Cup and T2o World Cup. of 32 wickets in the 2021 edi-
fifth overall to complete
tive seasons, with a stunning average of Daren Sammy is a close second with tion of the Indian Premier
10,000 T20 runs. He achieved to: P
TI
62.60. He is the second IPL player, after Pho 208 matches. League. With that, the death
this landmark while opening
the batting for RCB against David Warner, to achieve this feat. He also bowling specialist broke Jasprit
Mumbai Indians, a match that became the fastest Indian to score 3000 Bumrah’s record by becoming
RCB went on to win. The 32- runs in IPL, a milestone he achieved in his the Indian bowler with the
year-old, who is all set to 80th IPL innings. Had he reached most wickets in a single IPL
step down as RCB captain, play-offs, he may have been season. Harshal played an inte-
has scored runs at an aver- the leading gral part in RCB’s qualification
age of 41.61 with the help of run-getter. for the playoffs in his debut
five hundreds and 73 fifties. season with the franchise.
His highest individual score is Pho Harshal proved his worth in
to: P
113. TI
their first match of the season
Kohli’s for- by taking a fifer against the

Pho
TI
to: P

mer RCB five time champions Mumbai

to: P
Pho

TI
team- Indians. His extraordinary
mate performance also consist-
Chris ed of a hat-trick which he
Gayle leads claimed against the
the list of Mumbai Indians in the
highest run- second half of the
getters in season. Harshal
T20 cricket. broke Dwayne
Virat Kohli also Bravo’s record by
became the first claiming 32
player to play scalps in three
200 IPL matches.
matches for Bravo took
one single 18 matches
team. to set
the
record.

DWAYNE
RISHABH BRAVO -
PANT - 550
YOUNGEST WICKETS
CAPTAIN Dwayne Bravo
and T20 records
At 24 years and six go hand in hand.
days, Delhi Capitals’
ES

The CSK all-

MAG
Pho

Rishabh Pant added

to: G

rounder
TY I
GET
ETT

another feather to his cap ‘Champion’

Y IM

to:
Pho

as he became the youngest

AGE

became the
S

captain to lead a team in the first bowler

IPL playoffs. He is also the to:
PTI to take 550
Pho
fifth youngest to lead an IPL wickets in
team, after Steve Smith, Virat T20 cricket.
Kohli, Suresh Raina, and He is also the
Shreyas Iyer. He made his cap- first bowler to take 300, 400,
taincy debut against Chennai UMRAN MALIK and 500 wickets in T20 Cricket.
Super Kings, as a wicketkeep- SANJU SAMSON - - THE INDIAN FLASH Coming into the match, he was
er-batsman for DC, and FIRST TON AS chasing the record of Lasith
attainted the top job when for- CAPTAIN In the match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Malinga, who is the highest
mer captain Shreyas Iyer suf- Royal Challengers Bangalore, Hyderabad team pacer wicket-taker in the history of
fered a shoulder injury. He was Rajasthan Royal’s newly-appointed Pho
to:
PTI Umran Malik clocked 153kmph on the speed gun. It is the IPL. Bravo achieved this feat in
picked over players like skipper Sanju Samson started his fastest delivery in the IPL 2021 season, and had both his skipper Kane the Qualifier 1 match of IPL
Shikhar Dhawan, Steve Smith, captaincy journey in the IPL 2021 Williamson and RCB captain Virat Kohli gushing over his pace. On his IPL 2021, which was played
and Ishant Sharma to lead the with a blazing century. His 54-ball debut a couple of days before, Malik had clocked 151.03 kph. Since then, the between Chennai Super Kings
team. In the qualifier 1 against century, makes him the first player in the history of the Indian Premier League 21-year-old lad from Kashmir has been making headlines with his pace– leav- and Delhi Capitals.
CSK, Rishabh’s counterpart M S to score a hundred on debut as captain of a side. This is Sanju Samson’s third ing batsmen facing his deliveries uncomfortable on the pitch. He was roped in The second-highest wicket-
Dhoni, at 39, was the second overall century in IPL. In his first match as captain, he scored 119 runs off 63 as a replacement for T Natarajan, who had tested positive ahead of taker in T20s is veteran South
oldest captain in IPL play-offs. balls with 12 fours and seven sixes. It is the highest individual score by a captain Hyderabad’s encounter against Delhi Capitals on September 22. Previously, African spinner and his fellow
The oldest captain in play-offs in an IPL innings, and breaks the record of Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 93 for Delhi KKR player and New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson held the record for the CSK teammate Imran Tahir with
was Rahul Dravid, back in 2013. Daredevils against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2018. fastest delivery, clocking 152.75 kph. 420 wickets from 334 games.