Wednesday, July 31, 2013

5 Magazines I absolutely Love [UBC Post 26]

I love magazines, probably not as much as I love books but they come a close second. And you know what, much to my husband's dismay, I hoard them too.

I wish I could say Harvard Business Review or The Economist, even our own Outlook as my favourite magazines. But thank you very much, that is not the case. There are two things which I can never get tired of reading about - Books and Filmy (celebrity) Gossip. 

Here are 5 Magazines which I absolutely love:

Image courtesy: ebharat.in
PEOPLE: Somehow I remember I first saw this magazine while standing in the queue of Mumbai-Pune Shivneri buses at Dadar (Mumbai). I was waiting for my turn and checking out magazines in the stall next to the ticket counter. I think the introductory issue had then-much-in-love Deepika and Ranbir. I didn't give it a second glance, brushing it off as yet another celebrity magazine amongst several. But I had heard about the international PEOPLE magazine. So, on one of the days when I went to Landmark, I bought it. And I have never looked back. I have been a subscriber for I think 4 years now. It is not like the usual sensational celebrity gossip magazine. It has a certain standard in the kind of features, interviews it covers. The candid pictures are awesome, but still the first thing I check out even in this magazine is the book reviews section towards the end. I have bought several books from these recommendations. Know more about this magazine here.
Image courtesy: bollywoodlife.com

FEMINA: I don't even remember clearly for how long I have been reading FEMINA. In my humble opinion, it is the best women's magazine in India. From gossip to fashion trends, from inspiring stories to interiors, food, makeovers and what not! What I love most are the special issues like the one you can see alongside. The current issue is about 100 years of Indian cinema. Femina has been around for so many years now that its special issues are reflections of changes in the society over the years. No wonder, I refuse to part with them. Here is their official page.

Image courtesy: bollyone.com

FILMFARE: I have recently converted into a Filmfare fan. I always thought it was quite boring and repetitive. But recently I saw a few issues and I liked them. It is no secret that Fimfare finds favours with most of the film celebrities. It has gorgeous pictures and some good interviews. So, why not! For me, filmy gossip is never enough. I am always open to reading more.  
Here is the official page of the magazine.  



BRUNCH: BRUNCH is a weekly magazine from the house of Hindustan Times. Actually it is a weekly supplement of the daily newspaper. It also has a Quarterly variant called BrunchQ. I absolutely love Brunch. I love reading about books, culture, society, films, art, etc., and Brunch has all of that. My only grouse is that we don't have a Pune edition of HT. I had been lucky to get Sunday editions (for Brunch) by my papaerwala, but now he is unable to get it for me. So, I have subscribed myself the Quarterly one. Though I can read the online version of the weekly Brunch but I never actually get around to it. Where is the time!  

Image courtesy: murganigroup.com
LOUNGE: LOUNGE is another weekly from Hindustan Times. It is actually the Saturday paper of HT'S Mint. Mint's Lounge, very similar to BRUNCH, covers trends, social changes, books, culture, movies and anything related to society or culture worth talking about. I used to get even this on Saturdays by my paperwala without subscribing to Mint for all days. But now I don't get it. I read the online version once in a while. Of course, it is not the same thing.

So, what are your favourite magazines?

12 comments:

  1. I like Femina, Reader's Digest and Cosmopolitan too.

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    1. I loove Femina. I have read Readers' Digest once in a while but never followed. But of course, it is good. Cosmo is tries too hard to be a modern, sexy woman, I feel.

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  2. I used to love Filmfare but not now!!! I feel they have re invented Femina and I liked the new one!

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    1. Why you don't like Filmfare now? It ahs actually taken some leaf from People, I feel. Ya, Femina is super gorgeous now. Lots of fun stuff.

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  3. Nice. When I was younger, my mother used to get both Woman's Era and Femina. I would also read them (in secret till I turned 13, although I know now that she was aware of it, and openly post 13 :-)) It was very interesting to observe the contrast - Woman's Era seemed to cater to a more "traditional" audience and Femina catered to more "progressive" audience. Femina is still going strong and seems to have evolved, Woman's Era eventually turned into a pathetic attempt to copy "progressive" magazines!!!

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    1. Ha ha I have done that too. I was not allowed to read 'Manohar Kahaniya' or some such magazine about true stories.
      Yes, I have read 'Women's Era' earlier. Mom used to read 'Sarita' or 'Grihashobha'. Femina has evolve big time. It is quite good now. Cosmopolitan is another magazine which I tried but I felt it was too fixated on sex. Femina suits my taste much better.

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  4. Brunch Q and People I have never heard about #Confession :( ... the others I have read on and off...Femina I may still spend money and buy but not the others... not that i don't like gossip (duh!!) but can't bring myself to buy them.. library se utta leti hu lekin :P

    Economist, Outlook & HBR I have a prepaid yearly subscription :D :D I know I know you don't like them...but I live for those mags :P

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    1. Arre you know the dynamic nature of celebrity news. By the time, I will get the magazines from library, it will be stale. I am big one on celebrity gossip, I don't know why/how? I worship PEOPLE. It does not stoop to the level of STARDUST.
      Come on, I like Outlook but too much politics. I like when they talk about culture or books or movies in special issues, which I can pick off-the-rack anyways. Honestly speaking, I have never read HBR and Economist. I just feel they are not my type :-)

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  5. Anonymous9:37 AM

    I just have one magazine subscription from ages - Reader digest..Dont know exact reason but I never tried another magazine..
    Got so many tips from this post :-)

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    1. I don't know why but after reading your comment I suddenyl realized what example I am setting for my child :-(
      May be I will get e-mags of Filmfare etc, and get Readers Digest otherwise. That will give him good magazines to read. I can't tell him don't read these magazines!

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  6. Am a die hard fan of fashion/ (as u know) so Vogue, GQ, & Verve for me. But just started with Savvy also as it’s the only Indian magazine available onboard. Every month they feature some women celebrity or powerful personality & gives itsy bitsy details of there life.

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    1. No Femina? And why Savvy? Just as I read your comment, I saw Alia Bhatt on this month's Savvy.
      I have read Cosmopolitan, Verve, Vogue but never GQ.

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