Some of Hindi cinema’s most enjoyable songs feature this hide-and-seek game. What makes this game deliciously ironic is that everyone in the cinema hall can see through the ruse and, indeed, enjoy the attempted obfuscation. Except the actors themselves

Abode is house. More precisely, it is home. It is where the heart resides today … and, tomorrow, the memories … As Covid-19 constrains us to stay indoors, it is a wonderful time to renew our acquaintance with, and gratitude for, this much loved shelter.

An oath is a promise, a pledge, a kasam or a vaada. A promise is usually sincere, unless it is a politician making it.

Searching is painful, even agonizing. But a successful search is most satisfying, almost exhilarating

From somewhere far away, I hear the shrill whistle of an approaching train. It isn’t a single long whistle; there’s a sequence of short and long whistles, and there’s a rhythm to it. The train driver is trying to tell a story, and he’s having a lot of fun.

Hindi cinema has had more than its share of puzzles. So listen to this lovely collection of songs and try to guess that common underlying thread. Jaane kya baat hai inn haseen nagmon mein?

You get the idea? ‘Rambunctious’ could also describe the frenzied celebration of devotees during Navratri, or of sensible US citizens after Trump is defeated this November