India, Dec. 28 -- A year of drama, melodrama and mammon drama.

A year that saw new-age narratives tweaking and twisting many a classic tale or folk fable.

The Louvre heist imbued new-age twists to the famous fable, 'Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves'. Forty thieves are passe; all it takes is four.

Ali Baba's proverbial 'Open Sesame' to bundle off with billions' worth of booty has a new verve, vocabulary and vintage vibe. Vehicle-mounted extendable lift and swank angle grinders to gatecrash glass galleries are the new 'Khul ja sim sim'.

The Shakespearean drama, 'Merchant of Venice', too, tossed up twists that were new age. Giving moneylender Shylock a run for his money was none other than POTUS Donald Trump.

Sporting shades of Shylock-es...