Reality is Starting to feel Scripted

As January unfolds, it’s clear the world isn’t holding back on surprises this year. From a dating app straight out of a novel, to headlines straight out of fiction, here’s your weekly dose of everything wild and unexpected.

1. ‘Bookmark’: A Dating App for the Ages

Two years ago, Shruti Sah and Harsh Snehanshu met on Hinge and bonded over their love of books. Their Saturday reading rituals at Cubbon Park in Bengaluru, shared under the shade of a grand peepal tree, sparked the idea for Bookmark, a dating app for book lovers.

The app connects users through virtual bookshelves, witty prompts and a unique approach where faces are revealed only after 10 messages. A year in, Bookmark boasts 15,000 installs, 5,000 active users, and over a million chat lines exchanged.

Bookmark can be the new cupid for our single readers out there. (Valentine’s day is right around the corner)

2. Saif Ali Khan’s Real Life Thriller

In a series of events, Saif Ali Khan survived a stabbing during a terrifying home invasion last week. Yes, you read that right—the Nawab of Pataudi himself had a close call with a knife-wielding burglar in Mumbai.

Here’s the breakdown: Saif fought back (because clearly, he’s been preparing for Agent Vinod 2) and managed to hold off the attacker until help arrived in the form of his son and a very sweet auto driver. The good news? Saif is recovering and already cracking jokes about his “method acting” for the next action blockbuster. Mumbai Police have nabbed the culprit, so justice has been served.

Fans are calling this “the most dramatic promo stunt ever”, but we’re just glad Saif is okay.

3. TikTok is Back, and So Is Trump—Coincidence?

Love him or hate him, Donald Trump knows how to make an entrance. Back in office for a record-breaking second term, Trump kicked things off by bringing TikTok back from its brief “disappearance.”

The ban-lift has been met with a mix of relief, eye-rolls, and conspiracy theories. Is this Trump’s way of proving he’s still got the juice with younger voters? Or was he just bored of not seeing himself meme-ified daily? Either way, TikTok’s return has influencers back in action and the internet buzzing. Our prediction for Trump’s first TikTok post back- him lip-syncing to “Guess Who’s Back” with a MAGA hat filter.

Onto a (sad) update from the Hub

Hubdate 1: Neha’s Graduation 🎓

This week, we said goodbye to one of our most beloved Hubbers, Neha, who’s been with us for 16 incredible months. Neha wasn’t just part of the team—she was the team’s backbone, building Hub Studios from scratch and creating iconic IPs like How to Style with Neha and Girl Bestfriend, which became Instagram famous almost immediately.

A little about Neha- She’s a style icon (her wardrobe is a tribute to her favorite color, black), a creative powerhouse, and a softie for Mash, our resident office dog. She’s also that person who never missed a deadline and somehow managed to do it all with a smile (and killer fashion).

We’ll miss her sarcasm, her eyerolls, and her ability to make anything look effortlessly cool. But we know she’s off to shine even brighter in her next adventure.

Neha, your legacy here is eternal—just like your love for black. 🖤

Written by - Tanya V

Edited by - Anand Menon