Faking News: A journey of harmless fiction and wild photoshop

December 6, 2009 was that celebrated day, when Indian cricket team grovelled to that top spot in International Test Rankings. I’m fiercely loyal to the Indian team, and also a big fan of the sport. But still I might’ve probably been one among just a few to have viewed this development with much scorn, thanks to the media coverage of the whole feat.

Coverage was given in such a way that December 6 would be viewed from then on, as the Day of Indian Test Cricket, and not as the day of the Babri Masjid Demolition. Probably one thing that made me smile then was a news headline that read:

RT @FakingNews: BCCI to give 5-day holiday to celebrate Indian team’s achievement.

And that, for me, is the biggest USP of Faking News. Its ability to cash in on real life events, create stories about certain truth and people that you love to hate.

With nearly 50,000 fans on Facebook and 20,000 followers on Twitter, Faking News is clearly India’s answer to world renowned news satire website The Onion. Its fan base witnesses an upward trend everyday as netizens laugh over headlines like:

IIT honors Digvijay Singh for inventing call records eraser technology.

Lashkar also plotted to attack Hogwarts and kill Harry Potter.

Fevicol appoints Suresh Kalmadi as their new Brand Ambassador.

Rajinikanth sweeps Nobel Prizes, wins awards in all categories for inventing Robot.

With a tagline that reads ‘Where truth doesn’t hide, Where truth doesn’t hurt.’ Faking News is anything but the truth. It is a news website with absolutely no reliable sources, one that fakes news just to attract attention. But if there’s anything true that we can take out of this, it is that, in the battle for our attention, sensational news seems to be winning over worthy news.

Faking News has ‘faked news’ to such an extent that some of the mainstream media have even taken it to mean real exclusive articles. One such article is about how a frustrated man sues Axe perfumes, which was reported by The Australian, and went viral on many radio stations in UAE and USA.

When you’re too flabbergasted to even comment upon a certain issue, Faking News swoops in to your immediate rescue, not by articles, but scathing and sarcastic one-liners. Sample this.

RT @FakingNews: Pakistan believes Kashmir should have gone to it. But India believes the same about the whole of Pakistan.

Sometimes they go after news channels themselves.

RT @FakingNews: Leading English television news channel Times Now has finally conceded that it might have asked just too many questions in the last few years. A bulk of these questions were asked on the channel’s prime time news show 'The Newshour.'

The website’s template features a typical newsroom, and a news presenter with the pseudonym 'pagal patrakar’, which literally translates to ‘crazy journalist’. Pagal Patrakar, shown as a television news anchor with a Pinocchio style nose, has won many hearts and followers all over the country, thanks to his obsession to highlight funny trivialities of the Indian news media.


More than anything, I quote these lines from the founders, which sum them up the best. “Please don’t visit this website if you are too religious, too political, too sentimental, too serious, too liberal, or too anything.”

Their picture gallery is an absolute delight, set to crack your ribs from laughter.

Amethyst: A jewel in the heart of the city.

“Dear customers, we will be shifting to Whites Road shortly.”

The signs of Amethyst café in Gopalapuram shifting spaces do not restrict itself to this notice board message alone. Where you ogled at beautiful jewellery, are attendants bustling about, trying to pack all the precious ones carefully inside cardboard boxes. Where you checked the fabrics of absolutely stunning clothes, are naked cloth hangers devoid of clothes. Where you squealed in delight at a dazzling collection of leather goodies are iron crates that have been shabbily named ‘Shoes and Bags.’

Amethyst is recognised as one of Chennai’s most stylish and popular hotspots to chill out. Tucked inside a 100-year old Bungalow, it is now all set to shift location following a family dispute that involves the property shifting hands.

Obstinately old, Amethyst is a picture of turn-of-the-century furniture, pretty lamps and days-of-yore photographs. The café spills out from the building onto a lovely oasis of peace and beauty, a garden chequered with flowers and myriad plants that you can’t name. Tables and chairs are placed throughout the garden and beg you to experience a connect with nature that they offer. And this is clearly the USP of Amethyst. Rohan, a student and a regular at Amethyst says, “The best part is that you can sit outdoor, close to nature. Enjoy the beauty of nature and all the lush greenery. I hope they manage to recreate at least this part.”

The boutique at Amethyst houses jewels mostly from Amrapali brand, and also has a wide collection of clothes, scarves and trinkets. Amethyst is also home to a culture centre that hosts a variety of events like photography exhibitions, astronomy workshops and musical performances.

Amethyst moves only two streets away but not into a heritage building. But it hopes to retain its loyal customer base, as the ethos of the place will continue. Shanti, who works at the Amethyst boutique, says “This shift will affect us mainly because of the ambiance. This is a quite road that shuts out the noise of the city. Our customers are also happy with the comfortable facilities for parking.”

Amethyst has been celebrating everything that’s history for the past 12 years. And will continue to do so, assures Kiran Rao, the owner. “We are quite established and we will not lose our touch.” Will the jewel shine just as bright somewhere else? We have to wait and watch.


You can dig out more information about Kiran Rao and the making of Amethyst here. Also learn a bit more about Amethyst here.