Welcome back to the PopShift newsletter.

I'm Rumneek, the new editor behind the scenes helping bring dope stuff to your inbox every single week. I'm super excited to bring new stories to life and share what's trending, what we're listening to, what we're ranting about, and so much more.

It would only make sense to kick things off with an absolute Bollywood legend, two incredible dancers, and a rich bit of history you'll be able to bring up at dinner parties.

Let's gooooo.

— Rumneek Johal

How is Rekha still relevant?

For her first interview in 20 years, Bollywood legend Rekha graced the cover of Vogue Arabia this week and understandably—the internet is losing their minds.

There is no way you can talk about industry icons without mentioning Rekha’s name, yet the leading lady has remained an enigma, with so little information available about her beyond her career milestones throughout her 54-year long career.

The 69-year-old actress has starred in countless films and earned numerous awards and accolades, and has always maintained her superstar status, no matter how many years have passed.

Although Rekha has always been mum about her personal life, in an exclusive interview on the Simi Garewal show in 2004, she revealed details about the passing of her husband and her alleged affair with Bollywood godfather Amitabh Bachan.

Rekha’s husband Mukesh Aggarwal died by suicide only seven months after they married, and much of her career was clouded in speculation around her relationship with frequent co-star Amitabh Bachan.

She admitted at the time that she was “madly, hopelessly, desperately,” in love with Bachan.

@chubbycheeks7861

The veteran actress #rekha #🥰 #bollywood #hollywood #tollywood #georgeos #90s #love #passion #viral #viralvideo #world #😍

She also iconically quipped back at Garewal when asked, “are you planning to get married again?”

Rekha: “With a man?”

Garewal: “Well, not with a woman.”

Rekha: “Well, why not?”

Legend.

In the same interview, the actress, who has never had children, mentioned that you don’t have to have a baby to be a mother. And I think we can all agree that she has mothered many of these new Bollywood girlies by laying out the blueprint.

After starring in over 300 films and remaining single since her husband’s passing, Rekha revealed to Vogue Arabia that she hasn’t taken a film role in nearly 10 years because she finds joy in her reclusivity, and in saying no to things.

Still, she says her love of her craft has not died.

“When you love someone or something so deeply, does the love disappear?” she asks. “No. Once the relationship is established, it is forever. Sometimes we may want more and sometimes it’s just enough. This applies to my craft. Whether I make films or not, it never leaves me.”

Perhaps that was a hint at other forms of love within her that has never died?

Beyond her past, the interview summed up that in addition to her acting skills, Rekha is a symbol for what it means to be fierce, independent and relentless in the pursuit of happiness—irrespective of its form.

And if anything is a guarantee, Rekha certainly served in the form of looks and wise words in her Vogue Arabia feature, reminding us all of the legend she is, was, and will always be.

@indianpopculture

Vogue Arabia you picked the best one!!!! Im obsessed. Need to print and put these on my walls asap. The queen herself! Ib: @thatgirltas I’... See more

You Can Learn Bollywood Choreography From The Pros Right From Home

These two South Asian women are changing the way you learn dance.

After meeting in a restaurant in Glendale, CA, Shivani Bhagwan and Chaya Kumar fused their love of dance and South Asian culture to bring memorable routines to their hometown and beyond. They set the dance community ablaze by combining the best of Bhangra, Bollywood, and hip-hop to studios in Southern California—and eventually worldwide.

BFunk exploded on the scene six years ago with their choreography to a remixed version of “Lean On featuring Diljit” by DesiFrenzy. First posted on Youtube, the video has garnered about 1.5 million views to date.

BFunk’s videos have gained almost 500 million views combined and have shown no signs of stopping. The duo have continued to experiment with a variety of styles in their in-person classes and have gained fans such as Arjun Kapoor, Bappi Lahiri, and Diljit Dosanjh himself. Their classes in Los Angeles are consistently sold out and the pair have remained a hot commodity when they go on tour. They never fail to bring the heat with their live performances—especially at the most recent PopShift festival in May in New York City.

The pair have continued their online domination with the launch of bfunkdance.com, a collection of virtual tutorials and dance classes that will be updated every week. Subscribers have access to a variety of dance styles and can purchase memberships based on a monthly, 6 month, or on yearly basis. At last, fans can engage in high-energy and skillful sessions that have mesmerized so many - all from the comfort of their own homes.

The Rich History of Intricately Woven Kashmiri Shawls

Soft, silky Kashmiri shawls are a staple in Desi households. Mothers and grandmothers have many stunning embroidered fabrics in their closets, waiting to be worn over Indian salwar kameez or styled on top of blouses.

From being worn by Mughal royalty to being replicated by Scotland weavers, the threads of intricately woven Kashmiri shawls have many stories to tell.

How did Kashmiri shawls become prominent?

Kashmiri shawls originated from the 15th-century ruler of Kashmir, Zayn-ul-ʿĀbidīn who introduced weavers from Turkey to the region.

There are a few different ways to make shawls but there historically there were two dominant forms: pashm or tus. Pashm wool came from domesticated goats known as Pashmina Goats while tus came from the Tibetan antelope known as Chiru. Tus or Shahtoosh was worn exclusively by high-ranking royals during Akbar’s rule of Kashmir in 1586.

How did the shawls make their way to the Western world?

Pashm shawls were gifted to visitors as a mark of service which is how they made their way to the Western world. Many British and French aristocrats were also gifted the fabric, including the French monarch Napolean Bonaparte.

As shawls began to make their way to Europe, the demand for them increased and weavers tried to recreate the intricate weavings of Kashmiri embroiders. However, a lack of resources and access to goats made it difficult for them to reproduce the same fine quality of Kashmiri shawls.

As demand grew, even Indian producers had trouble keeping up and eventually gave in to working with European administrators. There were still many trying to recreate the shawls, and the best attempt came from Paisley, West Scotland, which is where we get Paisley designs.

Paisley designs follow the Persian buta motif which looks like a teardrop. You have probably seen the design everywhere from bandanas to fashionable fits worn by the Beatles.

The motif was most prominent during the 1960s psychedelic era and signified the return of the shawl. In fact, Prince named his record label and studio after the design. Remnants of the style are still around today as Paisley is used on wallpaper, shirts, scarves, etc.

It’s time to take out those shawls from the closet because they have always been a classic fashion staple with an intricately woven rich history.

Other Notable News

• Priya Raghu released a new track “Easy.”

• Divine x Sidhu Moosewala release the much-awaited song “CHORNI.”

• Rhea Raj teases new single with dope cover art.

• Hallmark releases new film about an Indian Matchmaker.

• Zayn Malik released teasers for some new music

Listen to the PopShift Playlist on Spotify.

• Public Opinion: Is Dance a Sport?

• WatchList: The One Year Anniversary of Desi Me Dating

• How much are people paying for rent in New York?

Writers: Nikita Satapathy, Aneesa Khan, Saumya Monga & Rumneek Johal
Editors: Rumneek Johal