Bookazine Nov 20 - Mar 21

Bi - Annual 
Bookazine

2021

Editor's Note
This year has been filled with mixed emotions. Concerns, anxieties and confusion loom more or less in everyone’s minds. For the first time, the whole world is feeling the same sentiment. The Arts, however, have always provided a glimmer of hope. They’ve kept us calm, engaged and provided some relief.
Be it through the various shows and films on the OTT platforms, virtual art exhibits, inspiring webinars or engaging reads – the Arts have been a positive distraction. For us, at Platform, the Arts have continued to inspire us for the last fifteen years. The journey so far has been exciting, challenging, but mostly, inspiring. The talent that we continuously have the privilege of interacting with, drives us to explore and experiment, and that’s exactly what we set out to do with every issue.
This edition of Platform has the immensely talented musician/artist, Anoushka Shankar on the cover. 'Love Letters', her new EP that has been nominated for a Grammy Award this year, sees her for the very first time taking on the role of a singer. From a career in fashion design, to his debut book – Shuggie Bain, The Man Booker Prize winner 2020, Douglas Stuart shares how writing found its way in his life.

The multifaceted actor Farhan Akhtar gives us an insight into the mind and body when transforming to play a part. Author Hari Kunzru’s new book Red Pill, flits between past and present, opening our eyes to state surveillance, psychological warfare, human vulnerabilities and poses hard questions many of us are often too preoccupied to consider. We have promising young talent, Ishaan Khatter who talks films, choices and challenges. Celebrating twenty-five years in fashion, Tarun Tahiliani takes us down memory lane and highlights the key moments that have shaped the designer he is today.
Even though our plans for 2020 have been pushed, our spirit and passion have made us more certain about where we want to go next. Not only does the year 2020, mark Platform’s 15^th anniversary, but also the expansion of its narrative beyond the medium of the magazine. In 2021, we will introduce Platform Books and Platform Fashion, a collaboration with the avant-garde fashion brand Rishta by Arjun Saluja. This year, Platform Retail debuted which has been actively creating functional products for everyday use.
As the next fifteen years at Platform move steadily towards collaborations and exploring different tracks, we are excited and hopeful. Although 2020 has not been very kind, we look forward to leaving all our concerns behind and starting 2021 on a stronger note.

Happy 2021! 

Shruti Kapur Malhotra, Editor-in-Chief