What are zines? Meet 4 practitioners of this beautiful and niche art of publishing

Entertainment By Prutha Chakraborty 05/04/2023 Read the article

Short for magazine or “fanzine” and known as a form of self-expression, zines are publications that address a variety of themes — identity, culture, art, and social and political commentary.

[{"selector":"#anim-ef3b3661-82cf-4c0d-ad85-3af47fab5674","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d7930437-5967-4f1f-b929-b2c9128a096c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 49.27403%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9519c79a-f91f-41cd-be0d-9436cce4bd7f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e3afe30e-49a7-44e2-8ecc-f87fba0ab027","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 149.55809%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cead3966-e456-46b8-b2d8-3e8b7a157521 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-31.249999886225726%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Read the article Entertainment

The zine culture — which can be traced back to the 1920s US — is now catching on among India’s young adults, with a small but growing tribe of zine creators making their mark.

[{"selector":"#anim-53613013-98df-4e9c-ba09-278f005c54ee","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-92cea2c7-ffc3-45f6-881f-230ecdce8576","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 49.27403%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c442dd06-d2fa-45b3-aca4-08ddc2902e3a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-56af5b35-1518-402e-943b-3c646e7772fe","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 149.55809%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1b977640-a184-4bb2-bba2-f82ec8d91eac [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-10.317460317460318%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Read the article Entertainment

Ipsa Jain is a scientist-turned-illustrator from Bengaluru. Currently a faculty member at Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology.

[{"selector":"#anim-8f1a01d7-4a37-40d8-b443-6a2f0103ef28","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-942d705e-ac2a-4449-adce-91cb6e101236","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 45.14748%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-542ab1c1-e0b5-48d8-9f24-a3b4c15e0d70","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6922f512-1d39-47a0-a9d9-295bc1879733","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 159.33485%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-41a69256-7560-480e-90d4-82f29c1e7540 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-14.843749786673241%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6394a7d4-2692-45d8-af02-b35afc72857b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-125.73529%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-02dd3b6a-55e4-4fb5-be9c-8510c7632444","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ccd28fca-da04-4837-a992-6069e9d87e50","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Read the article Entertainment

“There are NO rules,” she said, “Just make them. Zines are a place for your voice.”

[{"selector":"#anim-ad4991a9-1ca6-45cf-b737-424d169642e4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4ecb37da-1160-46ed-b8d0-636a77379ebd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 38.26991%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-24eddea6-61cf-44e9-8459-3e47b9dff665","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5fae548a-aa3a-4042-bded-7bdcf50b3e93","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 204.69131%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bc64e5df-5d8d-46cc-96e0-694e169b4d31 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-12.499999772451451%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Read the article Entertainment

A writer from Kerala now working at an advertising agency in Mumbai, Hari Chakyar made his first zine during the Covid-19 lockdown.

[{"selector":"#anim-208bd66f-b864-4a02-895c-479d2711341d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bec7f9ff-763c-4f54-9335-5071ebe6f07b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 46.52301%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5bf7baa7-3c7f-439f-a98f-77b40e60e4cd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5d589c76-9c0b-41d5-b99a-f3c702e8e9ae","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 166.13756%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-57b058b0-7873-49d0-b66f-6be985a48227 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-17.773437304450464%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bf2f90ac-2c33-43b9-bca9-32b11fad743e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.2807%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8c4d4510-0444-434b-b1ea-a52b2a5ff8a9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ef2beb66-0f85-4f55-b3e2-ff3385132a2d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Read the article Entertainment

His mini zines are usually whimsical musings, he confessed. ‘Man like Damu’ is a commentary on the gentle kind of masculinity my dad exudes.”

[{"selector":"#anim-3a28b376-a870-48b4-a090-8e1ee7613f2a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-865a8bf1-d4fb-4b2f-b8cb-fa222f2c4800","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 46.52301%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f181daae-3584-494d-a80f-0f99c3ade580","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-823f4a8d-06d6-4e96-9e99-18a5b3a5e5cd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 166.13756%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c44b8cb2-dcf2-4972-aecc-1ad387a4bcb7 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-7.8337101513764065%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Read the article Entertainment

Sisters Sreya and Sravya, one living in Hyderabad and the other in New York, publish their zines on an Instagram page, Pointless Publishers.

[{"selector":"#anim-aca0bb89-4c92-4001-b3f1-61ef1589b89f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5a7c299c-467a-4141-b9c4-78257ad456ed","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 46.52301%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-57e9e079-bb7b-4d2c-9066-c54fb24bcd79","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fd23db04-f8b3-4d9a-a0e4-92f9dff808db","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 166.13756%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bc04812f-abe2-4e85-9e17-3d20f82aa786 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-36.08847767632162%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-60e02773-7a28-4877-b02a-5040ba4bade1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-104.35356%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b7b9e7ae-3249-48b8-b239-5fcfec8711ad","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-00a56ae8-7b0a-4d21-a39b-794268e2e268","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Read the article Entertainment

Her first zine was a TV guide called ‘Tele Tubbies‘, to make people watch smarter television during the pandemic.

[{"selector":"#anim-642f3dbe-e862-4054-9530-acd512ccdb0b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ede8b22f-b34e-48ce-8076-d3f09094b839","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 42.39646%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-25b59825-0987-466a-aacc-6fe305cec412","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2941c12f-c333-4fe8-8888-68b90ed23243","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 181.54427%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6321247b-8f43-4ee5-919a-b6fa1d540306 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-29.10391553585398%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Read the article Entertainment

Vasvi Oza is a visual artist and researcher based in Bengaluru who feels the “zine party has just started” in India. “We are bringing a whole new flavour to it,” she said.

[{"selector":"#anim-ca14e331-015e-47fd-a5ba-f0d950bd9384","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8a8d483c-8569-4a11-8cab-1432cf01521e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 50.64955%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e15f803b-49e9-4b8c-b604-aea38e5c8235","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2bd8f16b-9df6-47f5-94e2-50c60d6be937","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 155.80811%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-15978e62-115a-4ab4-b510-ac46ced39adc [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-21.874999829338588%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-368656ec-c03a-4098-bfdf-934377e708e4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-118.43853%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7aa8fb24-000d-4b6a-83cc-32b13cbdeef4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-66b3f0fe-f799-4c9b-a012-68307a1ca6de","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Read the article Entertainment

Oza’s first zine ‘LADIESeat’ emerged from an old collection of memory drawings she had made of the women she encountered in BMTC buses in Bengaluru.

[{"selector":"#anim-5b578cc2-7bab-41a1-a809-6f1949812b32","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0b005f72-d6db-471b-8713-1f3bb533948d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 50.64955%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-85293110-376e-4fbe-a76d-1d649afbaf63","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9e659a65-0457-4d3c-8a61-0ff891d521f7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 155.80811%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2869010a-5d19-435f-9498-02a8443a6f66 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-20.988683782905905%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Read the article Entertainment