Meet the movie buff who diligently solves Bollywood mysteries in Rajeev Masand's columns

Shamanth, a self-confessed movie buff, says he's been reading Masand's columns for close to two years now and has been "solving" them for over a year now.
Meet the movie buff who diligently solves Bollywood mysteries in Rajeev Masand's columns
Meet the movie buff who diligently solves Bollywood mysteries in Rajeev Masand's columns
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While most working professionals look forward to Friday as the last working day before they log off for the weekend, 25-year-old Shamanth Kuskur from Bengaluru awaits the day for a very different reason. 

Every Friday after work, the marketing professional is most likely poring over a column by popular film critic Rajeev Masand in the Open Magazine. 

The column follows a somewhat set structure. In the first half, Masand writes about what's happening in and around Bollywood. It is however the second half that Shamanth is more interested in. 

Towards the end of each column, Masand gives a bit of gossip from inside the film industry without divulging any names. And Shamanth is among those who religiously put together the clues provided in the column and give names to people and organisations mentioned. Shamanth posts can be seen in the comment section of several of the Masand's pieces.

Shamanth, a self-confessed movie buff, says he's been reading Masand's columns for close to two years now and has been "solving" them for over a year now. 

"It has become an obsession of sorts. I eagerly wait for his columns every week," he says. 

Being a news junkie is what helps him to connect all the dots together in Masand's columns, Shamanth says.

"I read up on everything, from politics to international affairs. For Bollywood related news, I usually read portals like Pinkvilla, Miss Malini and Bollywood Journalist," he says. 

So confident he is of his answers that Shamanth claims that 90% of it is correct. "Some of the clues are pretty obvious. For the others, I research a bit after reading the column. I love solving the clues, sort of like being a journalist" he says adding that he also watches the interviews conducted by Rajeev Masand and Anupama Chopra, another well-known film critic. 

So how does Rajeev Masand feel about someone solving the Bollywood puzzles?

"I did not know this, but it's good to hear. People have at times complained to me that some of the clues are so easy. But it is good to hear that someone is enjoying the column," he says.

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