I remember Outlook in the 1990s—those were the best years of the magazine. In its early years, the magazine was a showcase of great writing which changed the rules of the game. It was a breath of fresh air. I wish I could see those days of Outlook return. Vinod Mehta’s style of doing a magazine was something I loved. We take ourselves too seriously now. VM’s quality of not even taking himself very seriously helped make the magazine more varied and gave it a delightful irreverence which I find missing 19 years later. Though I still enjoy the occasional essays that Outlook provides of public intellectuals like Ramachandra Guha, which allows us to read people we won’t see often on TV, I do miss the lighter, more pleasant read Outlook used to be. A well written profile, a major investigation or a hatke subject like the recent 1965 war story make Outlook covers interesting. The quality of writing that once was a mark for Outlook is not the same; I’d like to see more high-quality photofeatures too. There are the occasional nice ones, but again, there is no consistency. Outlook redefined magazine journalism and for that it deserves a place in the sun. However, of late it has been on slightly thin ground with its inability to move beyond the headlines.
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Consulting editor at TV Today group
Outlook invites readers to take part in its 20th anniversary celebrations. Send us your bouquets and, more importantly, your brickbats. E-mail your entry to editor [AT] outlookindia [DOT] com
