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The corporate world in the city of Chennai is ever exciting. Yet, the industrial groups in Chennai are always dubbed as conservatives. This is far from the truth, however. This company from the Murugappa group was, perhaps, among the first in the post-liberalisation era to daringly make an open offer to acquire Wendt India in early 90s. Much water has flown under the bridge since then. Today, each constituent of the Murugappa group is chalking out its own aggressive growth path. September 16, 2024 was a hectic day for Carborundum Universal Limited (CUMI), a leading materials sciences engineering solutions provider headed by MM Murugappan. It announced a couple of deals. First, it said it had entered into a Purchase Agreement for acquiring 100% membership interest in Silicon Carbide Products Inc through a special purpose vehicle at an enterprise value of around Rs 56 crore. SCP specialises in producing high quality Nitride Bonded Silicon Carbide (NBSiC) products. It has also announced a deal with Amplus Energy Solutions PTE Limited, Singapore, and Grian Energy Private Limited (GEPL) to invest Rs 8 crore in GEPL having its registered office at Okhla Industrial Phase, aggregating to 4.19% in its equity capital for accessing the contracted capacity of around 10 MW in the captive power plant of GEPL. This particular investment is expected to aid CUMI source clean green energy, thereby reducing the carbon footprint. Trust CUMI to stay contemporary!
Generally speaking in Tamil Nadu the alliance partners whether of the DMK or AIADMK get itchy and periodically restless then threaten to walk out. So it was not surprising to see Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi’s (VCK) supremo Thol Thirumavalavan make his stunning move when chief minister MK Stalin was away to the U.S. for a month. Thiruma announced plans to hold the mother of all public meetings on Gandhi Jayanti (Oct 2) to hammer home the need for prohibition in TN (where state sells liquor to the thirsty populace) and highlight the fast spreading drug menace. Holding a mega meet of over 35, 000 women against liquor, on 8 acres of his venue, bringing women voters from 134 wards to Kallakuruchi. Thiruma cannily invited the AIADMK to join the mammoth meet and share a common platform. But his other demand, more share in power and governance is what shook the ruling DMK, shocking Stalin and his stalwarts Duraimurugan, KN Nehru, AV Velu and Ponmudi. Sure enough Stalin was rattled sufficiently to call Thiruma for an immediate meeting at DMK Anna Arivalayam. Thirumavalavan poured out a litany of woes…his party did not get respect when the party flags had to be put up whereas PMK and even newbie Vijay’s TVK were getting better treatment from the Police. It is not clear which hit Stalin most…Jet lag or Thiruma’s tirade. Muscle flexing seems to be the best optic for alliance partners.
If it has been puzzling everyone in the Lutyens political circles how Atishi Marlena, daughter of Marxist parents, was chosen over the likes of Raghav Chadda, Sanjay Singh and Saurabh Bharadwaj to be Delhi CM, the reasons are apparently not far to seek. It seems she was chosen because she was fully endorsed by Arvind Kejriwal’s wife Sunita, a public activist who had a voice in this decision. The proof of it is the manner in which estranged Delhi AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal who was in Sunita’s crosshairs has come out openly against Atishi’s elevation. Through a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Swati has hit out that Atishi as Delhi CM could be a security risk as her own family has fought a long battle to save terrorist Afzal Guru, the man responsible for Parliament attack in 2001 from death penalty. “Her parents wrote mercy petitions to the President several times, that he is innocent, that he should not be hanged, that he is a victim of political conspiracy. How wrong is this? Today, Atishi will become the CM but we all know that she will be only a “dummy CM”. Still, this is a major issue because she will be the CM and this matter is directly linked to the security of the country as well as Delhi. God save the people of Delhi from such a CM”. Swati also posted signed copies of the mercy petition. Of course the Kejriwals may have preferred a rootless Atishi as she will step down whenever told. So far the BJP has not accused her of corruption and it will be difficult for it to do this now. And of course the LG will get little ground support if he blocks files.
In an interesting political twist, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal picked Atishi Marlena, a junior minister and someone considered close to Deputy CM Manish Sisodia as the new chief minister of Delhi, as he decided to step down and hand in his resignation to Lt Governor VK Saxena. Known as the main brain behind Delhi Government school reforms, Atishi played down her elevation as a stopgap arrangement. Making it clear that Delhi and its 2 crore people can only have one CM — that is Arvind Kejriwal. Atishi asked party cadres not to celebrate her elevation. There could be celebration only after Kejriwal gets re-elected in the March 2025 assembly elections. Initial announcement about Atishi was made by a party heavyweight and potential contender Gopal Rai. AAP also made it clear that there will be no deputy CM this time. By choosing to play the woman card and not opting for his wife Sunita as CM, Kejriwal may have tried to buy time with voters but will it blunt the edge on incumbency and non-delivery? Only time will tell. Yet with her rise as CM, Atishi will be the third woman CM of the UT after Sushma Swaraj and Sheila Dikshit. Born in June 1981 Atishi hails from an academic family in Delhi, with her parents, Vijay Singh and Tripta Wahi, both professors at Delhi University. She will be the youngest CM of Delhi at 43.When Kejriwal became CM in December 2013 he was 45. With an undergraduate degree in History from the prestigious St Stephen’s College in 2001, she completed her Master’s from Oxford University as a Rhodes scholar.
AAP’s former CM Arvind Kejriwal has a new political guru in Congress MP and advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, instrumental in his enlargement on bail. Initial plans to reward Singhvi with Rajya Sabha seat failed, even blowing up in Kejriwal’s face over l’affaire Swati Maliwal, with Congress accommodating their estranged leader from Telangana instead. Senior BJP leader Mahendra Jain says, the non-resignation drama first, by Arvind Kejriwal, continuing during incarceration over five months and then, precipitating as two-day resignation drama played over worries about Delhi LG, VK Saxena’s imminent intention to seek his resignation following Supreme Court’s diktat against Kejriwal attending CMO, other official duties. While incarcerated, Kejriwal pretended to carry on as CM from jail although no government papers were signed by him over issues of confidentiality and directives of SC. Even his note to the LG seeking approval for AAP’s CM incumbent Atishi (Marlena Singh) hoisting the tricolour on August 15 was rejected by Saxena instead authorizing AAP minister Kailash Gehlot.” The LG took issue over Kejriwal’s access to official CMO letterhead over the communique with SC also curbing jail visitors thereafter. Plans to reach consensus over two days for better half Sunita Kejriwal as incumbent CM were shelved as LG would cite her unelected status with less than five months to state assembly elections in Delhi. With Atishi helming AAP, BJP lost no time raking up her parents’ leftist leaning as ideologues demanding release of parliament attack terrorist Afzal Guru. The saffron party insists moniker ‘Marlena’ was a combination appended to Atishi Singh’s name by parents assimilating leftist philosophers: Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin.
Political parties have their own whims and fancy notions about good luck charms of their parliamentary party offices. That’s why when it comes to the new Parliament complex, it seems — both the Congress and the BJP– are reportedly being reluctant to move their parliamentary party offices from the old Parliament House. Both the offices are on the ground floor and have plenty of history to it. Of course ministers and the LoP do have their offices in the new complex. The only party which has moved into the new building is the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) which stormed to power in Andhra Pradesh winning 164 of 175 assembly seats in an electoral alliance with Janasena Party and the BJP and has 16 seats in Lok Sabha. The Lok Sabha Secretariat allocated a new office, F09, to the TDP on the first floor of the new Parliament, a prime location that also houses the offices of the Prime Minister and Union Ministers. This change marks a transition from the party’s previous office, Room No 5, which was situated in the old Parliament building. Recalling how the YSRCP led by Jagan Mohan Reddy had occupied TDP’s office after party was routed in 2019 elections, a TDP source pointed out that in the 2019 LS polls, the YSRCP had swept the elections, winning 22 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state and TDP was reduced to just 3 seats. Official sources said regional parties like DMK are also reluctant to move into the new Parliament complex.
A new star has joined the Indian insurance galaxy! Galaxy Health Insurance Co Ltd is the new addition. The birth of Galaxy signals the re-entry of yet one more family of the erstwhile TVS group into the insurance space. Significantly enough, this happens a few years after the formal legal separation of four families of the erstwhile TVS group. Galaxy Health Insurance is promoted by Venu Srinivasan and his family. V Jagannathan, former CMD of United India Insurance Company and the founder of Star Health & Allied Insurance, is the co-promoter. Industry stalwart G Srinivasan, former head of United India Insurance, is the MD & CEO. The Galaxy board comprises Dr Sai Satish, a renowned cardiologist, and Sudarshan Venu, MD of TVS Motor Company. Galaxy Insurance is all set to commence its operations shortly. Insurance business is nothing new to the Chennai-based TVS Group. It was the owner of Madras Motor and General Insurance before the industry’s nationalization. After nationalization, Madras Motor merged into United India Insurance. Subsequently, in the post-liberalization era, Sundaram Finance, initially promoted by Madras Motor, launched Royal Sundaram Insurance, a general insurance company. Ironically enough, two former heads of United India Insurance will be guiding Galaxy Health Insurance to make a mark in the space. The size of the Indian health insurance sector was estimated at Rs 1.17 lakh crore in FY 2024, and is currently growing at a CAGR of 20%. Post the legal separation, assorted organisations who once formed part of the erstwhile TVS group are now freely exploring the freedom of opportunity, it appears.
Top BJP minister Nitin Gadkari’s sensational disclosure that he had been offered support for Prime Ministership by a prominent opposition leader before the Lok Sabha election is considered significant owing to its crucial timing. Gadkari generally avoids commenting on political developments and does not entertain any media questions in this regard. Hence, his candid revelation has surprised the BJP brass, which has refrained from reacting to it. The opposition, by and large, also has kept away from the potential bombshell. Gadkari has refused to name the opposition leader who made this offer to him. But the political grapevine is on overdrive to identify the opposition emissary. Various algorithms are applied to find out who it could be. Is he from Maharashtra? From Nagpur or Vidarbha? A former BJP member? Close to Rahul Gandhi or Mallikarjun Kharge? Or someone having tacit approach to the RSS decision makers? Of course, all these are supposition without any factual backing. Still, the suspense is mounting in view of the coming assembly elections. It is deepened since Gadkari has declared on multiple occasions that he is not interested in the topmost job and is happy with his ministry. In the past, his name was being discussed to become the Maharashtra CM but he had firmly rejected the idea. His only connection now with the state elections is that he is one of the star BJP campaigners.
The ongoing RG Kar Medical College protests have cast a shadow over the Bengali film industry, with many in the fraternity struggling to return to work amid constant backlash and online trolling. While several actors, directors, and singers actively participated in the protests, some have gone back to work sparking mixed reactions from the public. The situation intensified after West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s call to “return to festivities”. This statement was widely criticized. Amidst this political tension, prominent figures in the Bengali entertainment industry have found themselves facing undue criticism from netizens. Celebrities like singer Iman Chakraborty, actors Swastika Mukherjee, and Sohini Sarkar, all of whom supported the protests, became targets of online trolling. Swastika faced particular backlash after promoting her upcoming film Tekka, despite her regular attendance at protest rallies. Dev, who stars in Tekka and is also a Trinamool Congress MP, defended his stance, supporting the movement while stressing that livelihoods, especially during Durga Puja, should not be affected. He pointed out that marginalized groups, such as dhakis, decorators, and vendors, depend on the festive season. Singer Shilajit, another victim of online criticism, echoed similar sentiments. He defended the importance of continuing work, noting that events contribute significantly to artists’ earnings. Director Raj Chakraborty expressed concern over how easily celebrities become targets for trolls, leading many to avoid social media. Amid this growing tension, promotions for upcoming Puja releases, such as Bohurupi and Shastri, have been toned down to avoid further controversy. The Bengali film industry continues to navigate these challenging times with caution.
The mantle of head coach of the Indian cricket team has passed on smoothly from Rahul Dravid to Gautam Gambhir. The once famous ‘Wall’ of Indian cricket has returned to IPL’s Jaipur franchise, Rajasthan Royals, but the immediate focus will be on the doughty left hander from Delhi who showed guts and gumption for India across the three formats, scored 10324 runs in 242 matches embellished with two World Cup titles — the Twenty20 In 2007 and the 50 over format in 2011. Gambhir’s international career spanned from 2003 to 2016 after which he spent time as a BJP member of the Lok Sabha from 2019 to 2024 before he joined Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders. His success there has catapulted him to the national team that won the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies in July. Gambhir’s first major work will be to facilitate India qualify for the final of the World Test Championship. India under Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri and Rohit Sharma and Dravid finished second best against New Zealand and Australia in the two previous cycles of the WTC, the finals being played in Rose Bowl and The Oval. India has to win at least five of the remaining 10 Test matches to be in the running for a third consecutive WTC final appearance, and this time the final will be played at the famous Lord’s Cricket Ground in London from June 11 next. Gambhir will have five home Tests — two against Bangladesh, starting this Thursday and three against New Zealand — before the historic five-Test series in Australia from November 22. Guiding India to the WTC summit before the ICC Champions Trophy in February- March 2025 in Pakistan will give a perspective about Gambhir’s coaching and mentoring philosophy.
The D Gang’s clout was all pervading. All top stars – heroes, heroines and producers – were forced to fly to Dubai and perform for bhai’s events. There is video footage of stars hobnobbing with the Don at a Sharjah cricket match. A ‘No’ was not an option. And the job of terrorizing the film industry was entrusted to the handsome gangster Abu Salem, now languishing in Taloja jail, on the outskirts of Mumbai. Abu Salem almost threatened every top actor and producer. One of the early victims was Rajiv Rai, son of Gulshan Rai of Trimurti Films fame. He fled to the UK with his wife Sonam and son after a failed attempt on his life by Abu Salem’s henchmen. Gulshan Kumar of T Series fame was chased and gunned down. Bollywood biggies – producer-director Subhash Ghai, Manmohan Shetty, and Rakesh Roshan received threatening calls from Abu Salem. Rakesh Roshan survived a brutal murderous attack, and luckily recovered from gunshots wounds. Not unlike Haji Mastan, Abu Salem too needed his share of Bollywood beauties – and he got Monica Bedi. His threat forced producers to cast her opposite big stars in movies like Jodi No 1, and Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat. In September 2002, Monica Bedi and Abu Salem were arrested in Portugal. After serving prison sentences there, they were deported to India. To cut to the chase, the gangsters had paid informers in the film industry who tipped them about stars’ financials – movie signing amount, movie release date etc. Armed with this information, the underworld would make extortion calls. The Bollywood-Underworld nexus became apparent when Mumbai serial blasts of 1993 was investigated. READ PART 4
High on money and muscle power, the underworld started dominating Bollywood. The money was routed through financiers and big stars who often visited Dubai to meet the Don. In the late 90s, early 2000s photographs of top actors, musicians and singers performing at Dawood’s Darbar were published by the media. These photographs exposed the nexus between Bollywood-Underworld. And proof of that was tapped telephonic conversation between Dawood’s right hand man Chhota Shakeel and various film personalities. This nexus pressurised Mumbai police to arrest diamond merchant cum film financier Bharat Shah under MCOCA. Reportedly, Shah was arrested for aiding Chhota Shakeel. Somebody like Rakesh Roshan had a narrow escape on the eve of the release of Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai, his son Hrithik’s first movie. The sharp shooters fired two rounds at him for not paying Rs 5 crore. This incident shook the film world. The Mumbai police came forward to provide them protection. But, things started ebbing with Dawood not keeping well; Abu Salem incarcerated, and Chhota Rajan too cooling his heels in Tihar jail. Insiders say the extortion cases have come down. Though there were sporadic incidents like gangster Ravi Pujari trying to take advantage of the situation. Now, he too has been arrested. Now the underworld has almost stopped extortion but continues with its piracy business. Ironically, the fraternity which complains about the underworld are the same people who glamorize the underworld, making them larger than life. CONCLUDED
The fashionable world of Parisians, also accustomed to a ‘Bon Appetit’ of the Rafael Nadal variety of tennis on the red shale at the Roland Garros, recently got to taste caviar on toast of one for the books kind, so imposingly dished out by a Serbian champion. Down and out virtually, Novak Djokovic summoned his physical and mental reserves, picked up the pieces to play havoc on the mind of the far from pretender for the crown, Stefanos Tsitsipas and eventually downed the terrific 22-year-old Greek with a blonde mane and Adidas bandana. The final bout lasted four hours and 11 minutes as the versatile tennis artist, who has won 1,102 singles matches on the ATP tour, proceeded to win his 19th Grand Slam singles title and come within whistling distance of Nadal and Roger Federer’s 20 each. The Serbian, 34, had stopped the successful run of the southpaw Nadal in the semi-finals, who had proved to be a one-man Spanish Armada, winning the title in Paris, a baker’s dozen times between 2005 and 2020 and lifted the 14kg Musketeers Cup Trophy. Nadal did not win in Paris in 2009, 2015 and 2016, when the Serbian clinched his first clay Grand Slam. Trailing by two sets (6-7, 2-6), Djokovic smothered the Greek 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, firing a mere five aces to his opponent’s 14. The 187cm tall Djokovic who began his professional career in 2003, has won 305 matches on clay, 520 on hard courts, 104 on grass, 140 in indoor courts and 33 Davis Cup singles matches. Leading to the French Open, Djokovic had lost three Clay court matches at Monte Carlo, Belgrade and Rome this year but was unstoppable in Paris. He is in line for a sweep of the calendar year Grand Slam wins and be hailed as the Greatest of All Time (GOAT).
It is almost akin to running with the hare and hunting with the hounds. Shiv Sena, which heads the Maha Vikas Aghadi government with NCP and Congress, is not only striving to maintain its Hindutva identity but also projecting its secular credentials. Recently, party MP Rahul Shewale stoked a controversy after he proposed to rename flyover on Ghatkopar-Mankhurd link road after Ajmer’s Khwaja Gareeb Nawaz Moinuddin Chishti. The BJP and VHP slammed Shewale for his demand. Shewale reacted saying that he was unaware of BJP MP Manoj Kotak’s proposal to name the flyover after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja or demand by locals for Krantikarak Vastad Lahuji Salve and Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe. Earlier, Sena leader Pandurang Sakpal, Vibhag Pramukh of south Mumbai likened ‘Azaan’ (a call for Muslim prayer) with Hindu ritual of ‘aarti.’ And mooted the idea of holding an ‘Azaan’ recital competition for Muslim children. The BJP accused Sena changing its stand to remain in power. Interestingly, CM Uddhav Thackeray has told BJP not to teach him Hindutva reiterating that the party has not left it despite joining hands with the NCP and Congress with an agreement to follow secular principles.
Yes, ever since the DMK win, it has been a Stalin overkill about how he is everywhere, doing everything, covering everything. Just the other day, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin visited Mettur Dam, to inspect desilting preparations to receive the annual inflow of Cauvery waters from neighbouring Karnataka. This is very crucial to irrigate the TN kuruvai (short term) crop that has seen many a parched and lost year in the past, with both states fighting over river water sharing. With his new found confidence, Stalin announced that Mettur dam would be opened and that he expects Karnataka to open the hatch, a fait accompli decision, no longer up for negotiation. Is this a positive shift in the power equations of these two warring states? The same strong narrative in demanding vaccine stock for TN, reaching out to non BJP CMs for possible Third Front to leverage more federalism….the canvas is big. But some chinks in the armour are evident too: the opening up of liquor outlets (opposed earlier) as the state needs revenue (TASMAC revenue is Rs 30,000 crore plus) to back emergency healthcare. There are also serious concerns and talk about the Omandurar Hospital changing yet again to become the TN Assembly building, the original dream project of Kalaignar. The historic King Institute may take the place of this hospital. Taxpayers are the obvious beasts of burden.
At 69, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin knows that he has to hurry up and deal an impressive hand to the people who voted him in. May be even take on the issue of enhanced federalism. In his earlier avatar as lieutenant to Karunanidhi, and his mayoral stint, Stalin earned the sobriquet of Flyover Man with a visible preference for flyovers. Singara Chennai (Beautiful Chennai) was his other pet project to leave a lasting impact on the Chennai landscape. The Greater Chennai Corporation, under Gagandeep Singh Bedi, has launched Singara Chennai 2.0 with a slew of plans for beautifying its beaches (even far flung beaches of Thiruvottiyur and Uthandi with 21 km of coastline are to be developed as coral reefs). An integrated scheme for making a dramatic aesthetic impact on urban spaces, including water bodies, roundabout gardens, an underwater aquarium and numerous other breath-taking schemes! Ambitious? The cynical say, “Ah, new brooms sweep clean. Let’s see when all these sprout.” The practical punters are happy….so much to gain, invest and of course, earn. Who is the Catalyst powering this State Vista? Could it be that Chanakya who orchestrated the party’s telling win? Or did a certain Wall Street wizard motivate Stalin? Whatever the genesis of Stalin’ takeover makeover, Gagan Deep Singh Bedi will lead the charge of the light brigade to make Stalin’s plans take shape.
For more than three hours she was not just the elephant in the room. Sasikala, confidante to J Jayalalithaa who ruled Tamil Nadu more like an empress, was the hot topic of discussion within the party founded by MGR and consolidated by his protege Jaya. Former CMs E Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam joined ranks to keep Sasikala out of the party while expelling her loyalists who had the temerity to speak to her on their mobile phones seeking her comeback. So long as the two heads of AIADMK keep their flock together, they can stave off any attempts by the discredited Jaya aide to create confusion in the party about her imminent comeback. But she seems determined to get back in and seize control by manipulating sentiment among the party rank and file. Jailed for graft, Sasikala’s strength is a seemingly infinite access to funds. Disqualified as she is from standing in elections for another six years, Sasikala aims to become a party boss like Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is under a similar cloud. Her strategy before the polls was to announce retirement from politics in the hope that once the AIADMK was trounced at the polls, there would be a clamour for her re-entry. That didn’t happen with the party winning 66 of 75 alliance seats. But Sasikala lurks, waiting for that chance to pounce.
Karim Lala was one of the three dreaded dons of Mumbai till the early 1980s. The other two dons were: Haji Mastan and Vardabhai or Varadarajan Mudaliar. This Pashto speaking Pathan who had moved to Mumbai from Afghanistan in the early 1920s was operating from Mumbai’s Dongri area. He ran two hotels and a travel agency – which was just a façade. As a leader of the Pathan gang his real job was extortion, kidnapping, contract killing and narcotics. Many people instead of going to the police went to Karim Lala’s court to get instant justice. During his peak, Lala frequently invited several film personalities to his parties and Eid celebrations. One of his close friends was a well-known Pathan — Mohammad Yusuf Khan aka Dilip Kumar (who hailed from Peshawar in British India – now in Pakistan). At one such party, cabaret sensation Helen tagged along with Dilip Kumar to meet Lala and casually complained about her manager PN Arora, who had allegedly duped her of large sums of money. All that Karim Lala did was make a phone call. By the time the party was over and Helen reached home, a sweating Arora was standing outside her building with a briefcase full of money. For many producers, it was an Open Sesame moment. They started paying the underworld to put a stop to starry tantrums and ensure stars report to their sets on time. In south India, stars are time-conscious and report on sets with full make up. There are stories galore about top stars keeping the entire crew waiting for hours. Producers’ myopic vision and actors’ indiscipline paved the way for the entry of the underworld into the film world. For the goons not only the money was good but they were more than rubbing shoulders with stars and starlets. Guns and roses were a deadly combination. READ PART 2
Neither dreaded don Karim Lala nor Vardarajan Mudaliar were glamour struck. For them looking at other women was a taboo – well, that was the image they had arduously cultivated. But, not so for Mastan Mirza aka Haji Mastan, the man from Salem, Tamil Nadu. He was besotted by actresses. So much so that he financed quite a few movies with well-endowed stars. He was particularly infatuated by Madhubala. And in her memory, married an upcoming starlet Sona, a look alike of Madhubala. There are photographs of well-known film makers paying obeisance to Haji Mastan by touching his feet. It was fear and money. Mastan’s diktat ran large. There are stories of how well-known actors and actresses were forced to complete movies. A top leading actress, on her arrival from London, drove straight from the airport to the set as she was confronted by Mastan’s men. Similarly a thespian actor was physically picked up by the goons from his bungalow taken to Hyderabad and brought back after completion of shooting. Parallely, even as Mastan was going about his filmy business, Dawood Ibrahim’s notoriety was fast rising for contract killing, gold smuggling, extortions, drug trafficking and real estate deals. After fleeing to Dubai he had corporatized illegal activities under the umbrella D Company, paid his henchmen monthly salaries. For D Company, which was spreading its tentacles, the film industry was the low hanging fruit. Of course, like all Dons he and his brothers too sought to have their own harem of heroines and starlets. A case in point is Mandakini of Ram Teri Ganga Maili fame. With the D gang entering the scene, stars started reporting to sets on time. Producers were happy. But, not Dawood. This protection money was small beer for him. He saw huge business opportunities in acquiring distribution rights in India, then he moved to acquiring overseas rights before becoming a producer. Of course, Dawood’s brother Noora penned songs for Hindi films. TO BE CONTINUED – PART 3 & PART...
In Joe Root’s words, it’s been a week of “ugly truths” for the England cricket team when the raging tweet storm has not spared James ‘Jimmy’ Anderson either. The fast bowler was all set to become the Test cricketer with the most appearance (162) for England beating Alastair Cook’s record when an old tweet he had sent out on fellow fast bowler Stuart Broad which said he “looked like a 15-year-old lesbian” bobbed up. While Anderson’s single contentious tweet is also under the scanner, it is a series of tweets by Oliie Robinson that is the eye of the storm. Over a 12-month period, they made references to Gary Speed’s suicide, the disappearance of young English girl Madeleine McCann in Europe, the N-word, derogatory messages about Muslims, people with disabilities and women. The fast bowling all-rounder seems to have been quite a fiery character when he sent those tweets in 2012 and 2013. The storm might take the sheen off the marathon man Anderson’s achievement in being a fast bowler who is passing all the batsmen and wicket-keeper batsmen who used to be the ones with the most Test caps for England, beginning with Hobbs, Woolley and Hammond through Cowdrey, Gooch and Stewart down to Cook who retired recently. Anderson needs four wickets to pass Anil Kumble on the all-time Test bowlers’ list and six wickets to make it 1,000 first class wickets.
Why be a spoiler…watch this recently released hilarious movie, Malaysia to Amnesia directed by talented director Radha Mohan. Enjoy. Here we talk about another Malaysia to Amnesia theme: former AIADMK Minister, M Manikandan, who held the IT portfolio as one of the youngest elected from the party, is now facing serious charges of cheating, sexual exploitation and blackmail from an Indian actor, Shantini Theva from Malaysia. In her police complaint she has alleged that she was cheated, exploited, and blackmailed. Manikandan is an MBBS from Annamalai University, MS from Ramchandra Medical College, is a Fellow of the Indian Association of Endo Surgeons, taught surgery as an Asst Prof in Madurai Medical college where he was considered a strict disciplinarian. Such charges from exploited women are now frequent, especially when a high profile person is alleged to be involved. But even more intriguing is the allegation that Manikandan lured the lady with promise of investments in IT sector in Malaysia. Why is the news about an alleged relationship that had gone on for five years, brought to light as soon as the erstwhile government falls? And the lady from Malaysia is shouting hoarse that she has enough proof that the former minister is having Amnesia about her pregnancy, subsequent miscarriage. Now an even more murky allegation… that he threatened her and her family by posting pictures on the net about her promiscuity. Affairs of the heart are taking more precedence than affairs of the state.
The Prince of Najafgarh — Virender Sehwag — was a natural and glorious hitter of the cricket ball. He smashed two Test triple centuries at Multan and Chepauk. His legion of followers would have hardly imagined that the high-spirited opening batsman who went leather hunting from the word go would have gone out of the way to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to refine his ways of aggression in the scene of action. But eight summers after he bid adieu to international cricket, the dashing batsman of the new millennium has announced that he would deploy the novel AI to teach how to play the game through the app “CRICURU” that he and former India player and assistant coach, Sanjay Bangar, have founded for the benefit of budding cricketers. He took the centre stage for near about one-and-a-half decades from 1999, clouted 243 x 6s and 2398 x4s and entertained the paying spectators, but all this he did by watching Sachin Tendulkar bat and learning from his personal coach that had the human touch. Now, he believes human coaching simulated into a machine can thrash out glitches in batting and bowling. At the launch of the AI enabled app CRICURU, Sehwag revealed that not many, who pointed out his lack of footwork, had answers, that was eventually told to him by Sunil Gavaskar, ‘Tiger’ Pataudi and Srikkanth. Sehwag’s experimental learning will be imparted by top guns of cricket.
“When you play Test cricket, you don’t give the Englishmen an inch. Play it tough, all the way. Grind them into the dust,” declared Sir Don Bradman, the colossal performer against England with 5,028 runs at 89.79 in 37 Tests. No cricketer has surpassed the record for 73 years. The Indian team led by Virat Kohli can only be inspired by cricket’s all-time Don’s matter-of-fact words in order to put it across Joe Root’s England in the Test series to be played in August-September at Trent Bridge, Lord’s, Headingley, The Oval and Old Trafford. On the previous two tours to England in 2014 and 2018, India was trounced 3-1 and 4-1. The cause of the mismatched results was the lack of wherewithal to lift the batting average well above 23.95 in 2014 and 23.91 in 2018, when Kohli’s average was a fraction lower than 60! India’s bowling unit worked wonders in 2018, taking 82 wickets at 29.82 as against 59 at 43.25 in 2014. Statistics are part and parcel of cricket, more so in the bilateral series played in flannels. And achievements in England get a premium value. Familiar with the fickle weather, England has been a tough nut to crack. It has won 223 Tests and lost 123 of the 528 it has played at home since the one-off first Test against Australia at The Oval in 1880. England’s winning percentage of 54.84 against India at home (played 62, won 34, lost 7, drew 21) is the highest against a traditional opponent for close to six decades. England though has a 100% record at home against Bangladesh and Ireland and 75% win against Zimbabwe. So, India’s task is cut out; just try and put into action the Don’s message to the hilt to upset England apple cart.
The top leadership of BJP — Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Party President JP Nadda — seems to be having one too many problems on their plate. From handling of Covid-19 second wave to dissent in key states where it is in power. According to highly placed sources, the move to appoint PM’s trusted aide and former IAS officer AK Sharma as Deputy CM of Uttar Pradesh (so as to rein Yuva Vahini apostle turned Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath) has been dropped with Yogi raising strong objections to Sharma’s inclusion as well as cabinet reshuffle. It is learnt that RSS tried to reason out with Yogi but he remained adamant. BJP has to tread cautiously here as any move to antagonise Yogi will see the revival of Yuva Vahini which may impact its poll chances not just in the assembly polls but also in Lok Sabha elections slated for 2024. So for now BJP and RSS will continue to hold Chintan Baithaks and gives suggestions to Yogi from time to time.
In Karnataka, the Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has been under attack from the party ministers and legislators who are running a campaign for his removal. Yediyurappa who is serving as Chief Minister of Karnataka for the fourth time is under tremendous pressure to resign and pave the way for his successor. Last week Yediyurappa, a prominent leader from influential Lingayat community, ultimately yielded and announced that he will step down if directed by the central leadership. Modi and Shah have yet to take a call. RSS functionary BL Santosh, who hails from Karnataka, does not get along well with Yediyurappa. In Madhya Pradesh, the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s leadership has been challenged by few party legislators who want the central leadership to immediately change him. Sources say that the state’s Home Minister Narottam Mishra and state BJP chief VD Sharma have thrown hat in the ring. Former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is now BJP MP in Rajya Sabha, went to Bhopal, after which speculations of change in leadership sparked a row. BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, who camped in Bhopal and met many state leaders has clarified that MP will run only under the leadership of Shivraj Singhji. However, BJP insiders claim all is not well in MP; it is a wakeup call for Shivraj Singh Chouhan, popularly known as Mamaji.
Just when the real estate sector was picking across the country, the second wave has hit the sector really hard. In Mumbai, the scene is looking bleak. According to Squarefeatindia.com, a leading real estate website, “property sales in Mumbai in May 2021 saw a 50% dip to 5,360 units from 10,135 units in April.” The reason for this fall is the withdrawal of incentives by the Maharashtra government. It may be recalled that during the first lockdown – in August 2020 – the Maharashtra government had slashed stamp duty to 2% from 5%. This had a salutary effect on property sales. Besides, new sales, It is learnt, many investors who bought flats and had not registered took advantage of this low rate and got their properties registered. Thus, between September 2020 and March 2021, property registrations were brisk. In December 2020, property sale-registration peaked at 19,581 units — 204% jump over December 2019. Citing this example, the industry’s apex body, CREDAI-MCHI, has dashed off three letters to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, urging him to once again reduce stamp duty to 2%. The other setback to builders is that nearly 4.22 lakh homes, across the top seven cities, which were expected to be completed by December 2021, will be delayed due to disruptions in supply chain. Add to this, work from home culture is hitting sale of commercial premises and leases. According to Squarefeatindia.com, “There are 7,400 Office Leases, spanning approximately 90 million sqft which will come up for renewals in 2021 across Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Gurugram and Noida.” But real estate agents are not bullish about renewal possibilities.
She oozed oomph in the most unselfconscious manner. Maybe she herself was not aware of the magnetic sexuality she projected when she came alive on the screen. If fate had consigned her to the backwaters of Eluru in Andhra Pradesh as Vijayalakshmi Vadapatla, this seductive actor launched as Silk Smitha in the Tamil film, Vandichakram in 1979, would have remained yet another anonymous villager. Silk fought her way out of abject poverty and struck out to conquer the arc lights of Kodambakkam as the Rani of raunch. This dark skinned, scintillating, and striking woman careened across the filmy scape, like a meteor, acted in over 300 films in just a span of 17 years, before she died by suicide in 1996. Whatever a lecherous audience spoke about her in trashing terms, few had the integrity to speak about the goodness of Silk Smitha. Bayilvan Ranganathan, a film actor, critic and chronicler talks about Silk as a generous, dignified person, who was punctual and disciplined. If a producer was in dire straits, she would not insist on immediate payment, cooperated with all on the sets, never asked for exotic meals to be catered. Even when the skimpiest costumes were given, she would robotically perform. Director Bharathi Raja cast her in a memorable role in Alaigal Oyvadillai. But Late Balu Mahendra exploited her raw sensuality to the maximum in Moonram Pirai (Sadma ). Even when Rajnikant or Kamal Haasan were signed as leads, the distributor/ financier would insist on at least one dance by Silk, guarantee for repeat audience. Three biopics, including Dirty Picture (Vidya Balan as lead) were made on Silk Smitha.
Sometimes, bad times unexpectedly bring good tidings for some. Almost pushed to the realm of history, Sterlite Copper, part of the Anil Agarwal-controlled Vedanta Group, has suddenly started breathing. Closed for a few years now in the wake of a police firing that killed close to a dozen people outside its plant at Thoothukudi (Tuticorn earlier) in Tamil Nadu, Sterlite Copper virtually got the oxygen when the Tamil Nadu government complied to a court directive to let the plant produce medical oxygen to meet the shortage caused by the deadly Second Wave of pandemic. No doubt the environment (read political) has changed in the Dravidian land with the return of the DMK to Fort St George. But the Corona-induced health dynamics too have brought a change in the anti-Sterlite sentiment in the State. Insiders indicate that the Sterlite Copper team has all of a sudden undergone a major metamorphosis at the top. Vedanta has reportedly named an old-timer Kishore Kumar as the new CEO of Sterlite Copper. The incumbent CEO, Pankaj Kumar, who navigated the Sterlite Copper during its tough phase is believed to have called it quits. Along with him, a top functionary has also reportedly resigned. What surprises long-time watchers of Sterlite is the suddenness with which the changes are made at the top. The top-level re-jig, especially the timing and suddenness of its implementation, has taken everybody completely off-guard.
He comes from a political lineage famous in the south of Tamil Nadu. Palanivel Thiaga Rajan or PTR, the finance minister in MK Stalin’s cabinet, is the weapon the DMK government will be using to take a hard look at the Centre’s financial policies. The suave former investment banker has been told to deconstruct BJP top brass moves in finance and take them down whenever the opportunity arises. The finance minister’s contempt for the Goa transport minister Mauvin Godinho, who attended the GST meet and kept parroting lines in support of the Centre, will rate as an all-time classic. Dipping with sarcasm, the TN finance minister had a lot to say about Godinho, which he topped off with the throwaway line that said a lot: “Finally, I sincerely request the [Bharatiya Janata Party], even across the political divide, to impose some minimal quality control on its ‘MLA Acquisition’ procedures. If it had done so, Goa, and the Nation would be saved a lot of pain.” Some might say that sarcasm is the lowest form of art but it is an art form the 55-year-old may have perfected. The DMK has always been short of polished speakers in English who could take on Delhi and it has found a champion now. The finance minister and his vitriol could turn out to be a double-edged sword but right now he has been told to sharpen his skills.
Easy to speculate: did Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala’s cult CM look over his back after watching Mammootty in the just released Malayalam movie 1? Every Malayalee worth his pips as an educated political would wish… if only Mammootty stood for election, if only he could lead our state to that Camelot. This Mammootty showcase has a laudable theme…the Right to Recall your elected representative if he is proved corrupt, self-serving and insensitive. Many films have taken inspiration from this kernel….unbridled corruption, and unpatriotic representatives. But the ideal is beyond the best intentions of the idealists. 1 too tries and weaves a few commonplace incidents to ignite that fire of selfless service to the people. Even as the CM, Kadakkal Chandran played by Mammootty, moots the bill to Recall the Elected, the expected outcry, posturing and malevolent reactions from his own party and the opposition erupts. And in a telling comment, the ruling party MLA hits out, “we will face elections every two years.” The ganging up of the plundering and profiteering is quick. Even as the well-intentioned plot touches a chord, no viable or practical solutions are given. In fact, 1 leaves the viewer mystified, baffled: why so many loose ends including those memory losses the CM suffers? But it is Mammootty who carries this me-too motivational effort on his towering self. And makes 1 worth a watch…who knows some young contenders may come up with an ideal of politics.
A soft spoken person, he is now ready to demonstrate his wares afresh. Indeed, he is unfolding a new future. Well, KV Ramani of Future Soft fame is now venturing out to set up a brand new private university. Established under the name and style of Sai University, it is aimed to integrate three fundamental pillars of education – learning, research and societal impact. The 104-acre campus in Chennai has been designed with an eye on maintaining a balance between modern aesthetic and cultural heritage. Ramani, the founder and chancellor of Sai University, played no small role in India achieving a pre-eminent place in the global information technology space. He was a co- founder of the IT industry body National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM), and served as its chairman during 1997-98. Ramani is currently the CMD of Digital Holdings and the founder and managing trustee of Shirdi Sai Trust. A hugely successful technology entrepreneur, he is a prominent philanthropist now. He joined IBM as a graduate engineer in 1970. Later, he went on to found Future Software in 1985. He also co-founded Hughes Software Systems, a telecommunications software company in India, as a joint venture with the US firm Hughes Software in 1990. The board of Sai University comprises some illustrious names. Well, a new innings has just commenced for Ramani. For a man with a kind heart, providing quality education is not just a passion but a mission too.
For BJP the battle ground has now shifted to Uttar Pradesh. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the guiding force for Sangh Parivar, has already swung into action to help UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who seems to have got a bad Press for handling the coronavirus pandemic. To make matters worse, there has been strong rumours of a cabinet reshuffle including induction of a new deputy chief minister. To allay fears and indicate full faith in Yogi’s leadership, BJP’s national general secretary BL Santosh praised Yogi Adityanath’s “effective” management of Covid-19. He tweeted: “In five weeks, Yogi Adityanath’s Uttar Pradesh reduced the new daily case count by 93% … Remember it’s a state with 20+ Cr population. When municipality CMs could not manage a city of 1.5 Cr population, Yogiji managed quite effectively.” Having put one problem to rest, the next step was to up the ante. It is learnt that RSS along with VHP, Bajrang Dal, Sewa Bharati will mobilize their swayam sevaks and karyakartas in the run up to the next assembly elections in 2022. It may be recalled that in the recently held Gram Panchayat Election Samajwadi Party won big in PM’s constituency Varanasi. So, Sangh Parivar is leaving no stone unturned. UP with 403 assembly and 80 Lok Sabha seats is critical for the BJP which is aiming at a record hat trick in Lok Sabha elections slated for 2024.
It is one of the big ticket real estate deals in recent times, says squarefeatindia.com – a leading real estate website. “Three duplexes, spread over five floors comprising 18 flats and 42 car parking spaces, were sold for Rs 427.81 crore.” The 60-storeyed Raheja Artesia located at Mumbai’s tony address Worli Sea Face is a project of K Raheja Corp. And interestingly, buyers are from the developer’s family. Chandru Raheja, Chairman of K Raheja and his two sons Ravi and Neel, have bought five floors between them. Thus, the duplex on 41st and 42nd floors measuring 2,079 square metres (sqm) costing Rs 143.63 crore will be occupied by second son Neel and his wife Jaya Raheja. The duplex on 42nd and 43rd floor spread over 1,989.71 sqm costing Rs 137.78 crore will be occupied by Chandru and his wife Jyoti Raheja. While the eldest son Ravi and his wife Sumati who paid Rs 146.40 crore will occupy 44th and 45th floors measuring 2,138.23 sqm. Effectively, the three families between them will be occupying 66,811 sqft. Each duplex comes with 14 car parking. This project has been attracting any number of HNI buyers, especially from the HDFC Group. HDFC Securities MD & CEO Dhiraj Relli and wife Archana forked out Rs 30.31 crore to buy an apartment. HDFC’s MD & CEO Keki Mistry paid Rs 41.23 crore and Smita D Parekh, wife of HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh, paid Rs 50 crore.
Rajiv Lochan, having taken over as MD of Sundaram Finance (SFL) at a very challenging time from his iconic predecessor, TT Srinivasraghavan (who presided over the fortunes of this ever dependable, beacon like NBFC for 18 years), is firming up strategies to recover from the pandemic that has left its devastating impact on business two years in a row. So, how will Lochan take on the prevailing challenges, and also prepare for new ones? To start with, Lochan will have to slay the demand for morphing into a bank — a tough decision taken by the Board. He will have to innovate to navigate. A high level source says that for the last two years in a row they have borne the brunt of not getting receivables on time, “We don’t resort to harsh measures for EMI recovery, keeping our accounts alive is more important. About 70% of SFL’s portfolio consists of retail operators, owning and operating two or three trucks; only 30% are big fleet operators. Till the manufacturing sector kick starts, the aim is to stay connected and keep these small enterprises alive.” SFL outlook for quicker recovery is for three sectors: the IT, pharma, and hatchback auto segment. With public transport posing a health hazard, people are aiming to buy their own small cars. The Sundaram Group has a clear view of where to head, and how even during this pandemic. Soft touch for tough times.
It’s not without reason that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, son of the DMK patriarch late M Karunanidhi whose birth anniversary was on June 3, is being thought of as someone with the potential to match the brightness of the Rising Sun in the party symbol. He may have spent decades in the shadow of his father but Stalin, as CM, seems determined to be the change in a new era of politics in Tamil Nadu. His visit to inside a Covid-19 ward may have been stage-managed to some extent to ensure he was not at risk but he was willing to make the bold gesture to reassure patients, nurses and doctors that treating the disease is a priority. In fact, the TN CM has made Covid-19 management such a priority that he has eschewed any celebrations in the whole of May after ascending the Fort St George throne. Freely delegating powers to his senior ministers to handle their portfolios, meet Union ministers in Delhi and take a call on their subjects, he has only told them that they would be accountable for their actions and that the buck in their fields stops with them. All the while he has sent soft-spoken diktats to them on sensitive matters. Right now, Covid-19 is his priority and his image as CM second and he has been willing to make any number of concessions to be an acceptable face to all.
The 1957 romance-drama Pyaasa starring Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman is widely considered one of the best Indian films. Produced and directed by Guru Dutt, it was a box office hit too. And of course who can forget the melodious songs like Jaane woh kaise log they jinake pyaar ko pyaar milaa or ye mahalo, ye takto, ye taajo ki duniyaa… Guru Dutt not only perfectly fitted the role of a sensitive poet, he immortalized the character! But Guru played the role not because he wanted to but because he was left with no option. How? Actually for the main role of the poet, the actor finalized was Dilip Kumar. Guru Dutt briefed him about the story and finalized the deal. But strangely as promised, Dilip Kumar never reported to the set for shooting. The entire crew was kept waiting and a totally exasperated Guru Dutt decided he will put on the make-up and do the role. And what a momentous decision he took. It turned out the best thing that could have ever happened to him, the movie and also the Indian audience. Even today Pyaasa is regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. It frequently features on world cinema’s greatest films lists. It was one of the earliest films to have achieved a healthy blend of artistic as well as commercial mainstream traits. One may ask, was it destiny or luck that played the role here!
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has come a long way from once being described as nothing more than a “post office” by a former England batsman and renowned Match Referee, Raman Subba Row. The England-born with Indian ancestors, Row, who liked to prove he has Andhra blood in him by biting a green chilly at Mumbai’s Samrat Restaurant, was instrumental in recommending to the ICC that the Match Referee has the last word on the outcome at the toss and confirm which of the captains had called it correctly (Heads or Tails). It was during Row’s time in the 1990s that several regulatory measures were put in place, notably the Players’ Code of Conduct. But more significantly, the ICC took women’s cricket under its wing. Three years ago, in 2018, the ICC under the leadership of Nagpur-based lawyer, Shashank Manohar, took a trailblazing call to bring in Indra Nooyi (Ex-Chairperson and CEO of Pepsico and presently on the Board of Amazon) as the first independent female director. Three years later, Greg Barclay, the Auckland-based commercial lawyer who succeeded Manohar, has founded the innovative 100% Cricket Future Leaders programme designed to support emerging female talent in cricket. Sharda Ugra (mentor); and Vijaylaxmi Narasimhan and Harini Rana (mentees) are the Indians involved in the six-month programme meant to empower women. Others driving the programme are former Australian cricket icon Belinda Clark, and the ICC’s Claire Furlong and Ketaki Golatkar. Lauding the ICC initiative, former India captain and ICC Women’s Committee member for 13 years, Shubhangi Kulkarni said: “As of now, we have hardly any women in leadership roles and in decision making positions in cricket. This programme will give them a foundation to develop their skills in administration, officiating, broadcasting, journalism and other aspects of cricket organisations.”
West Bengal’s ex-Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay, who has been served notice under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 for refusing to comply with its lawful direction, is being made a scapegoat amid political fight between PM Narendra Modi-HM Amit Shah combine and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, political observers feel. The babus in the corridors of power claim Bandyopadhyay has an upper hand in arguing his case and let the political bosses continue to settle scores against each other. Bandyopadhyay, who opted to retire and be appointed as West Bengal CM’s chief advisor for three years — instead of reporting to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), has dashed off a letter to the Centre in which he makes his case, adding he has all the respect for the PM. The undersigned was privy to the letter which says: “The CM to whom I reported directly was also doing disaster management and she wanted me there. I followed protocol by going there. CM had taken permission, so I thought it applies to me. I left. If I was wanted there I would have certainly waited. I had nothing against the PM or cyclone review meeting. Both were important but CM wanted me to accompany her. After I got the recall notice, I consulted the CM and my understanding was I cannot go unless CM asked me to go. She flatly refused. With such a situation I was in a quandary. I had all the intention to come and report to DoPT. In any case I decided not to continue as CS, so I had no hesitation in coming but I was stopped. If I had decided to report to DoPT against the CM’s wish, she could have ordered a department inquiry against me and not allowed me to retire or suspended me for subordination. So, I decided to go with the CM’s express order.’’ The ball is now in the Centre’s court for further action.
Last night’s YouTube news channels were on overdrive with news of the Return of the Pink Panther…er, Small Mummy as a popular Tamil weekly gave her this moniker. VK Sasikala, confidante of the late J Jayalalithaa, is supposed to have dialled a few loyalists and reassured them that her return to active politics is imminent. The effort to find if the caller was truly Chinnamma’s voice is now viral. She seems to have set the cat among the already rustled pigeons, even as an uneasy peace reigns among the warring AIADMK factions, with an EPS and OPS face off, after the election results. But OPS is seen frequently in the DMK confabulations on Covid, even being seated next to the health minister. Sleeping with the enemy? Running with the Hare and hunting with the Hounds? Sasikala finds this the ideal entry point after her mega welcome scheme coming out from jail, fell flat. In fact, the widespread view is that she was more newsworthy behind bars! …Sasikala goes to the mall in Bengaluru with a snazzy handbag, has a suite of rooms at the Parpana Agraharam Jail, superintendent Ms Rupa complains to the State government….. She was more Memed trolled, fake newsd, YouTubed than any other inmate. So, her home coming was built up to unbelievable heights. ..700 cars, roads lined with AIADMK loyalists, 7 Hours to travel from Hosur to Chennai! AIADMK deputy co-ordination, KP Munusamy said acerbically, “In this pandemic time, vested interests are trying to create chaos.” Chinnamma is definitely up to some sinister plans ….Will the AIADMK withstand her onslaught and serious comeback plans?
While Covid-19 gathers momentum and lockdowns stretch across the country, the vaccines are depleting as the production has not kept up pace with the demand. According to a source, the Hyderabad-based Indian Immunologicals Ltd (IIL) is working on a vaccine. Animal trials are underway and the new vaccine is expected to be ready for human use by next year. IIL makes over 150 products and runs one of the largest plants in the world for veterinary vaccines. Soon it is expected to make drug substance for Bharat Biotech, which makes Covaxin, say sources. IIL will make the substance for 2-3 million doses and scale it up to 6-7 million per month later in the year. Meanwhile, Panacea Biotech has commenced production of the Russian Sputnik vaccine.
Tamil Nadu’s masala market is put at a sizzling Rs 715 crore, the highest among the southern states. And 93% of this lip smacking, aromatic and jazzed up taste is delivered to the homemaker by the two top players of TN, Aachi Masala and Sakthi Masala, brands that have held the ready to go masala market captive with a slew of spice combos that send taste buds into culinary stratosphere. Not surprising that the scent of these spices has tickled the competitors across the country to zero in on TN. Take Bengaluru-based MTR Foods, with a turnover of Rs 1,000 crore. They have already put up a Rs 125 crore product infrastructure to take on the Aachis with Sakthi. According to MTR Foods CEO Sanjay Sharma, even product differentiation has been planned, “Our masalas are pounded, according to tradition, not ground like others.” With an average of Rs 35 crore ad spend, the masala brands are pounding, grinding and literally stomping their aromatic way into kitchens, which now witness more home cooking, gourmet experiments and taste adventures while a family is locked down. Coimbatore’s Annapoorna, a 45 year food brand, plans to pepper the TN masala market and more than double their turnover to Rs 90 crore in 2021-22. And the promos by TN’s masala players including entrants from the Punjabi belt, MDH, Badshah, Everest are getting more creative. Actor Jyotika’s hiatus in film appearances was hardly noticed. As Brand Ambassador, she carried the Sakthi Masala ads with as much aplomb as she did the Saravana Store Diamond Jewellery brand. From the days of standalone ground spices like turmeric powder and pepper, when homemakers would rather make their own sambhar and rasam mixes, every household now reaches out to popular ready mixed spices, podis and even easy do kits for homemade Biryani. The right masalas matter.
For nearly a year, Sushant Singh Rajput’s name has been trending on Twitter. But, on May 31, 2021 the hashtag #SUSHANT YOU WILL WIN was trending at #1 spot with over 93,400 Tweets. It is understandable. His first death anniversary is just a fortnight away on June 14. The successful Bollywood star died young and that too under mysterious circumstances. His death has indeed devastated millions of his fans and that perhaps explains why he keeps trending for a year now. He is a rare phenomenon. It appears that no death — be it that of Mahatma Gandhi, John F Kennedy, John Lennon or Lady Diana — has been in the news for nearly a year now. And like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose whose disappearance has intrigued a whole generation, so is the case with Sushant Singh’s death. The investigating agencies must answer one simple question: was Sushant Singh Rajput murdered or forced to commit suicide? Till a satisfactory answer emerges, rumour mills will keep doing overtime. Yes, there was a glimmer of hope in December 2020 when the CBI, in response to a letter written by the BJP’s Rajya Sabha member Dr Subramanian Swamy to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “The CBI is conducting investigation in a thorough and professional manner using latest scientific techniques. During investigation, all aspects are being looked at and no aspect has been ruled out as on date.” Since then, there has been a deafening silence. Come to think of it, some of the most complex cases have been solved in double quick time. Take for instance, the case of the rogue cop Sachin Vaze, who was dismissed from the service for his alleged involvement in planting bomb near Antilia, home to the industrialist Mukesh Ambani. The investigating agency within a fortnight said, Vaze was involved in the murder of businessman Mansukh Hiren – this murder was earlier communicated as a case of suicide! So, the question everybody is asking, why is this case dragging endlessly? Who benefits from keeping Sushant Singh...
It was quite a popular song of the 1970s Do Bichaare Bina Sahaare, Dekho Puchh Puchhkar Haare sung on screen by Ashok Kumar and Pran in the 1972 comedy movie Victoria 203. The movie, produced and directed by Brij Sadanah, had Navin Nishchol and Saira Banu in the lead roles. Those days most of the films were shot with the original sound recorded simultaneously at the time of shooting. There was no post-production concept. The shooting of the movie was in full progress at a Mumbai studio with Ashok Kumar (Raja) and Pran (Rana) in full flow…delivering their dialogues. But there was a problem. Every time the camera rolled it would capture the cooing sound of pigeons. The sound recordist said that pigeon cooing noise was interfering with the dialogues. After three takes everybody was exasperated as to how to overcome the pigeon noise issue. Ashok Kumar said, “Okay, don’t worry, I will manage.” No one understood what he meant by ‘manage’. When the director said lights, camera, action, Dada Moni effortlessly added a line before his actual dialogue, ”Kya zamana aa gaya hai Rana, aajkal raat me bhi kabootar bolte hain!” This thinking on the feet or ad-libbing as it is popularly known saved the day and the director Brij could finally say cut and pack up.
Be it Assembly election or Lok Sabha poll, Uttar Pradesh has always remained at the centre of electoral calculations for all political parties in the country. The five year term of the BJP government led by Yogi Adityanath ends on 14 March 2022. So the election for 403 seats will be held some time in February. It is against this backdrop one has to see why all political parties are going to town to smear Yogi Adityanath’s government’s performance on all fronts — handling of second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, law & order issues, unemployment, minorities appeasement etc. Even the Sangh Parivar with its ear to the ground is not taking any chances. It is learnt that the RSS held a chintan baithak with home minister Amit Shah and national president JP Nadda to discuss a comprehensive strategy for image makeover ahead of elections. The agenda also included maintaining the much-needed coordination between the party organization and Yogi’s government which they feel is currently missing. According to informed sources, various remedial measures were discussed by the BJP and RSS leaders, including SD Hosbale; and UP BJP’s organization secretary Sunil Bansal. According to insiders, a cabinet reshuffle is imminent with some non-performers being dropped. Besides, there is a strong possibility that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trusted aide and former IAS officer AK Sharma, who was elected recently to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council may be appointed as new Deputy Chief Minister. Sharma can play a crucial role to streamline the administration and curb anti-incumbency. One thing is loud and clear: BJP cannot afford to lose the UP Assembly election as 80 Lok Sabha seats are at stake which are crucial for them to retain power at the Centre in the 2024 elections.
“I will legally defend Chennai PSBB school if TN Govt does not stop goons slandering them, says Dr @Swamy39 jee.” This was retweeted by Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy early morning Thursday (May 27) to reiterate his stand on Chennai’s distinguished Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan Senior Secondary School (PSBB). The legally sharp BJP leader has decided to step in, sensing that the prestigious institution could be unfairly targeted for an employee’s alleged misdemeanours – in a highly polarised Tamil Nadu polity where Brahmins are often at the receiving end of toxic, hate campaigns. Reacting to caste-phobic slurs, he tweeted earlier: “Only a Gyani and Tyagi can be a Brahmin. So Muthuramalinga Thevar is for me a Brahmin. School teachers, Pujaris etc are Brahmins. No one is born Brahmin per se. If some teacher misbehaves by an inquiry, he should be disowned.” The accused teacher was suspended by the school administration – after complaints of online harassment; and later arrested under POCSO Act sections 11 and 12; IPC Act 354 (a) and 509; and IT Act section 67 and 67 (a). While the law will take its course, the schools are required to raise the bar on compliances to protect children. PSSB was founded by educationists. The allegations come close on the heels of the Tamil Nadu State Commission for Women directing Chennai’s Loyola College to pay Rs 64.3 lakh to a woman faculty member who was allegedly harassed by a Jesuit Father and terminated from service.
The Chennaite, housebound and locked down, a salacious incident has ignited his voyeuristic interest for the past three days. A teacher, from the Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan, Rajagopalan, allegedly sexually harassed his female students, both online and in person. Sexual harassment in workplace, and educational institutions is nothing new. But this school, PSBB, considered a Holy Grail institution, founded by two eminent academics, the late YG Parthasarathy and his wife Late Yecha Gunja Rajalakshmi Parthasarathy or Mrs YGP and the scandal garnered more than normal attention. Why? For the Brahmin bashers, this has come like manna from heaven for those who are bent on denigrating the well-disciplined and highly respected Brahmin community of Tamil Nadu, not just for their scholarly ethos but for the top bureaucratic positions held by this small community. YG Mahendran and his daughter, Madhuvanthi (who stood for the BJP ideology in the just concluded elections), both trustees on the School’s Board are facing scathing criticism, as they are seen responsible for what happens in the school under their Board. Agreed, sexual harassment by anyone has to be dealt with an iron fist, no one should take shelter under any community label if proved guilty. But using this incident as a rallying point for political mileage, to shame and bash to pulp the reputation of an entire community crosses all boundaries of decency.
A champion in his own right for over three decades in the cricketing media world, Sunil Gavaskar is all set to travel to England for the ICC World Test Championship final at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton, from June 18. Celebrated as one of the best opening batsmen in the annals of Test cricket, Gavaskar will be the only Indian voice for the official broadcaster at the WTC final. Prior to starting his duties in England, the legendary opener, also known as the Little Master, has to endure the bio-bubble life that has been in place across the world for sports events. From September 2020, though, Gavaskar has beautifully adjusted to the hotel quarantine in the UAE, Australia and in India. Hinting a philosophical note about the unprecedented times of these days, Gavaskar said: “I am in Mumbai and God willing, should travel to the UK by next weekend. There is nothing much to do in quarantine as you are confined to your room. Catch up on sleep, read and watch some series on TV. In the bio-bubble, you can go out, like to the match and even to the hotel gym or restaurant, since these are open only for the others with you in the bio-bubble, and not to outsiders. So, the bubble is a lot easier as there’s interaction with others. As for the number of tests (RT-PCR for detecting Covid infection), yes, I could be approaching a century there, but not too sure. Trust all well. Stay safe and healthy,” signed off, Gavaskar, an NRI UAE resident. For half a century, Gavaskar has been in the vanguard of Indian cricket, as an opening batsman and commentator. His Pune-based friend Raju Metha said: “He must have completed 100 Test matches as a commentator long time ago.”
Thirty-year-old Kartik Aaryan, considered one of the most bankable NextGen stars, has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons. First, Karan Johar’s Dharma Production dropped him from Dostanna2 for his ‘alleged misbehaviour’. Now, comes the news that Shah Rukh Khan promoted Red Chillies Entertainment has dropped him from Good-Bye Freddie. Is it coincidence or a coterie at play? There has been no official confirmation but people close to Kartik say that he has returned the signing amount of Rs 2 crore. His exit seems to have evoked mixed reactions. His rivals that include few producers and stars who were unhappy with his meteoric rise are elated. They are wishing he goes down like the yesteryear’s superstar. But it’s wishful thinking as there are producers after producers eagerly waiting to sign this most bankable star. The news brings to fore once again the raging debate about nepotism and outsider vs insider in Bollywood which started with the untimely death of Sushant Singh Rajput in June 2020. Reportedly, Karan Johar is playing safe and is looking for Kartik’s replacement from ‘outside’. So what are the reasons for Kartik’s exit? Sources say in both cases he asked for scripts to be changed – a theory that has not many takers. But is it the first time a star has made such a request? All stars have made changes while at the peak. Luckily, two production houses have offered Kartik a three-film contract worth Rs 70 crore, but he is yet to sign on the dotted line. For now, millions of his fans need not worry, they will see more of their hero.
It does seem like Salman Khan has set the trend of hybrid releases in India. Even if the net business is Rs 125 crore, Radhe has set a new yardstick for tangible recoveries, proportionate to Box Office (BO) returns. Overseas, the theatre numbers of the film are very encouraging, given the currently restricted footfalls in the cinemas. In the past Zee had released Khali Peeli which didn’t work but a Tamil/ Telugu film released on the same day worked wonders. So, the writing is on the wall, that in the coming months when cinemas will start opening, the hybrid formula of the revenues via Transactional Video on Demand (TVOD) will continue. It has raised the bar, which will only add to the BO number game. There are middle-order films that are now released directly on OTT like Hungama 2 and Bhoot Police and we also hear that some big films that are in the pipeline are looking to keep a TVOD window for their films.
He shocked and surprised everybody by severing ties with BJP after 32 years. Not without reason. The Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray was very clear from day one — he wanted to be the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Here, the NCP supremo Sharad Pawar played a key role by bringing NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena to form Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi, and in the process cocked-a-snook at BJP. But, ever since Thackeray took over the reins he has been battling crisis after crisis — first wave of Covid-19 lockdown, Sushant Singh Rajput case, Sachin Vaze conspiracy to second wave lockdown. In all fairness he managed to stem the Covid wave in Maharashtra with Mumbai becoming a role model for other states to emulate. According to insiders, Thackeray is nursing a bigger ambition; he is keen to play a bigger role at the national level. It may be mentioned that Thackeray was a prominent signatory to two recent letters signed by leading Opposition leaders demanding free vaccination and supporting the farmers’ agitation. Thackeray, it seems, has already dropped sufficient hints not to rejoin hands with the BJP but will play a crucial role in the anti-BJP front. He enjoys good relations with veteran opposition leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Farooq Abdullah, Mamata Banerjee and Akhilesh Yadav. Shiv Sena MP and Saamana, Executive Editor Sanjay Raut has reportedly launched backstage activities to project Thackeray as a leader who managed the second wave of Covid outbreak successfully, and can be the leader to lead the anti-BJP front. Thackeray is indeed getting ambitious.
One of the most intelligent cricketers to ever twirl the ball in the air with a zillion variations, Ravichandran Ashwin is just emerging from the shadows after taking a break from IPL because of illness affecting a number of family members. The quick-witted spinner is always ready with a handy retort on social media but this time he took up the cause of children in getting into the heart of the issue of sexual harassment of schoolgirls by a teacher in a reputed school. As an alumnus of the school, Ashwin had an extra reason to join the issue after several people had commented on the unseemly goings-on in school, rightly calling for action to put an end to such episodes. In quarantine ahead of the England tour, Ashwin seems to have a bit of time to keep his spinning fingers busy on the mobile keyboard. But, to his credit, he has not taken those who trolled him seriously after they went at him viciously, even finding imaginary reasons why he quit IPL mid-season, saying he did so because he was annoyed with skipper Pant over his refusing a DRS review call the spinner seemed bent upon. Willing to back himself to do his own thing, Ashwin was not scared by the nasty reactions to his “Mankading” Buttler. The spin master knows he cannot always have the last laugh but is always willing to battle to make his point.
Covid-19 has been affecting the global economy for about 15 months now, yet global markets seem to be doing well. Dow Jones is at a lifetime high and the Indian markets too have been doing reasonably well. The BSE SENSEX is a mere 600 points shy of its lifetime high of 51,259 points made on February 16, while NIFTY is 234 points away from the level of 15,431 points. In India, companies have learnt how costs can be controlled. Travel and travel related expenses have come down significantly. FMCG and consumer companies have also adopted WFH with unbelievable savings and performance. The bulls have complete control of the markets and there are many factors which support them: 1) The FIIs or FPIs continue to invest in India; 2) the second wave appears to have been arrested in a major way and the infrastructure has improved significantly in the intervening period; 3) the monsoon forecast is positive; 4) inflation is under control and interest rates are quite soft; 5) there is enough liquidity in the system in India to spur growth. There is a talk of a third Covid wave happening and hopefully we would be well prepared for the same. The fact that there is a huge trust deficit about China post the pandemic, more and more companies globally are putting in place a policy of China plus one supplier. India is an automatic choice for the one spot and we are seeing traction on this front. Considering all these factors, it becomes almost a certainty that the stock markets would see a new lifetime high in the month of June 2021. That would give us another six months before the calendar year ends and the possibility that markets moving another 5-7% looks distinctly possible.
Several reasons have been bandied about the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) being loath to rework the five-Test series and enable the BCCI to fit in the interrupted IPL-14, and make good the balance revenue of Rs 2,500 crore. A view that’s going around is that the five Test matches have been sold out and the home broadcaster is in all preparedness as per the itinerary charted in the Future Tour Programme (FTP) agreed by the two cricket boards. According to a BCCI official who in the past has been part of informal conversations on scheduling matters, England’s Professional Cricketers Association (PCA), which is a member of Federation of International Cricketers Association (FICA), would not have liked any force to disrupt the original schedule. The series against India starts at Trent Bridge on August 4, the second Test at Lord’s on August 12, with a gap of three days, and the third Test at Leeds on August 25, with an extended gap of eight days. The fourth and fifth Test matches at The Oval starts on September 2 and 10, with a gap of three days each in between. “The long break during a four or five Test series is done to keep the players fit and fresh. There has been instances in India, of visiting teams being given a holiday in Goa in between a Test series,” the official said. England is set to play two Tests against New Zealand, starting on June 2 and 10. Then India and New Zealand will feature in the World Test Championship final at Southampton from June 18. Then the ECB will flaunt the pioneering ‘The Hundred ball’ bash from July 21 to August 21, leaving the BCCI to look for a window after the Test series in England to complete the IPL-14.
Tamil Nadu’s finance minister Palanivel Thiagarajan is in demand internationally as his old contacts, especially diplomats, ask for him whenever they are thinking of routing aid to the State in the time of the pandemic. When Rev Jesse Jackson Sr wished to contact Tamil Nadu to say he was pressing US President Joe Biden to release US vaccines for India, the civil rights leader could think of no one better than ‘PT’ to be his go-to man. As a finance professional, the graduate from MIT and former investment banker with a British bank, ‘PT’ is accustomed to calling a spade a spade. But, as a politician, he is struggling to control his propensity to let loose barbs aimed at various personalities. He was in the news straightaway as he took on Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, founder of the Isha movement, putting him down as a land-grabbing godman who will have to face the law soon. Isha Foundation said they were “appalled that a man of his (Jaggi Vasudev) stature has been subject to the Minister’s unparliamentary and uncalled for personal attack.” The media dream of having a politico come out with all guns firing to offer the public lively bytes is being fulfilled almost on a daily basis. The other day, ‘PT’ came up with “barking dogs” to classify a rabble rousing right wing politician of Tamil Nadu. The world of finance may be a grey area surrounded by figures in black and white but the TN finance minister is proving to be colourful when in front of the media as he is never shy of sharp and witty retorts.
Looks like the second corona wave has deluged Tamil Nadu in unprecedented ways. Agreed, TN Chief Minister MK Stalin has proactively taken the views of all the stakeholders concerned in several meetings. After nearly 15 days of a regulated lockdown, when shops remained open from 6 am to 10 am, a sudden decision on Saturday, May 22 to impose very strict lockdown, and yet allow shops to remain open till 9 pm on both Saturday and Sunday sent the people into a feeding frenzy. Within minutes, commercial neighbourhoods were inundated with pushing, shoving and elbowing crowds, wanting to stock up, sending black marketing up ….the lowly Lauki or Bottle Gourd cost Rs 70 a kilo, Snake Gourd Rs 80, as for other exotic veggies, the middle class would rather do without these. It is hard to judge such decisions by the ensuing fallout. The parable of the blind men trying to decipher an existentialist truth is so very apt. The bigger the round table, the more varied the solutions. Probably, the government’s view that at one stroke traders would liquidate most of the inventory, and allow the people to stock up for a week’s strict lockdown was the logic behind this. Unfortunately, this decision could make matters worse in an already frightening situation. Instead, the TN authorities would have done lasting service by opening up neighbourhood vaccination centers/ camps, demanded that the state’s vaccine needs were met by the Centre, and dangled the carrot of incentives for those who rushed to get the jab. Stricter lockdowns only spread a sense of panic and defiance. The blind men are still figuring out this elephant.
Covid 19 has overturned our ethos and lifestyles in ways that we haven’t fully fathomed. OTT is one of the most significant changes in our entertainment spectrum. Whichever the platform, the content and creative genius still remains supreme. Without sounding partisan, Tamil content has made that OTT transition, a much more creative, smooth as silk experience …whether in its earliest Anthology…Putham Pudhiya Kaalai, of five stories brilliantly directed by five outstanding directors among them Gautam Menon, Sudha Kangana, Suhasini Maniratnam. This showcased how the characters handle a corona ridden milieu. Urvashi, Jayaram, Kalidas, Prakshraj are memorable for their performances. Another anthology, Paava Kathaigal did fairly well. Two cute Hindi movies, Pagglait and Choked were super entertainers on a small budget. Bombay Begums is a pretentious me too. Big budget producers and mega vista directors like Shanker have to wait patiently for cinemas to come to life. In the meanwhile, new stars, new trends and more appealing entertainment in the privacy of your home are gaining big currency. One such OTT star is predicted to be Aishwarya Lekshmi, the stunning Malayalam actor from a hit movie, Maayanadhi. Her Jagame Thandiram with Dhanush, directed by Karthik Subburaj, is expected to raise the OTT bar even higher when released in June. Lekshmi is also in the ensemble cast of Mani Rathnam’s Ponniyin Selvan. No wonder OTT’s are in a keenly run race to garner gripping content. Reportedly, Zee5 claims their subscriptions have jumped 50% during Covid lockdown. Bloomberg analysts also estimates that multiple OTTs, Hotstar, Amazon Prime, Netflix are cashing in on an 82% increase in viewership.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson may have been heaving a sigh of relief after copping much criticism that he was pursuing a trade deal with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that stopped him from ordering a ban on flights from India. Scientific evaluation of the India-dominant strain of the coronavirus has been declared to be less transmissible than it was first feared. Critics had Boris in their crosshairs ever since the India strain began to threaten UK’s road map out of a strict lockdown that has marked June 21 as the day of liberation after May 17 saw people being allowed to gather indoor at bars and restaurants and even hug each other. Strangely, hugging had been prohibited since the outbreak flared up in March 2020. Researchers say the India strain may have proved a problem because of what is called the “founder effect”, which is small numbers proving explosive in a tight community in which three generations of people may share living space. This comes after Boris was repeatedly slammed for postponing a ban on flights out of India as the UK and India negotiated on a possible trade deal and the Indian strain filtered through to Britain to threaten pronounced Asian neighbourhoods like Bolton in Northern England. The same criticism was made of Modi who had wooed Donald Trump in February 2020 and hence delayed a national lockdown.
It was a mixed reaction for Salman Khan-Disha Patani starrer Radhe released on Eid. A few film critics and some in social media platform were quite negative. A video of youtuber sharing her expert opinion on the movie in a typical Bhojpuri flair just added to the suspense and curiosity. If it was the plant of rival camps and certain multiplexes to ensure that the film is not a hit, it clearly didn’t succeed. “Radhe has experienced positive response from viewers, right from the first day of its release, wherein it clocked 4.2 million views across platforms. The film has also received encouraging box office collections in the overseas markets. The film has reinforced the fact that the viewers in India are ready for the Pay Per View model and ZEE has been at the forefront of this change,” said Shariq Patel, CEO of Zee Studios. Pay Per View is a very old model. DTH platforms have this. You could also compare it with VCR which one hired in the eighties to watch movies; it is just that the mode of delivery has become digital. Interestingly, the popular IMDb gave Radhe, a rating of 1.7 – the lowest this season. Yet the brand pull of Salman Khan saw the movie reportedly gross over Rs 250 crore. This figure more than covers its production cost and earns the producers tidy profit. Only digital approach may not work for big ticket films. But there is no denying the fact that hybrid model is here to stay. One must commend Salman’s production house for innovative marketing and distribution of Radhe. He has shown the industry a new path. And perhaps his confidence stems from the fact that 50 million plus fans on social media will not let him down.
Today, the main problem with RPower is the name of Anil Ambani, in whom the markets unfortunately have lost confidence. According to one source, if one looks beyond the name, all signs of a turnaround can be seen. The company is reducing debt by up to Rs 3 lakh crore this year, which means reduction in interest burden by Rs 300 crore per annum. People have missed the fact that now RPower has an operating portfolio of 5,960 MW (about 6 GW). It has, since the last two precious quarters, been able to come into consecutive profits. The total liabilities of RPower come to about Rs 22 lakh crore. The total assets of RPower, going by replacement cost theory of power sector (1 MW of Rs 10 crore) works out to Rs 60,000 crore worth of assets. Meanwhile, RPower, which was having issues in servicing debt in the past, has now been able to do so in the last three quarters, albeit slowly. It was wilfully defaulting on debt, so that debt restructuring can be done. Now, the company is doing everything to cut debt.
Equestrian sport, patronised by the Royals, Maharajahs and the blue-blooded, has suffered aplenty in the Mumbai megalopolis because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdown. The three main sport for the warm-blooded animals — show jumping and dressage, both medal sport at the Summer Olympics and polo — and run by the nearly eight-decade old Amateur Rider’s Club (ARC) at the Mahalaxmi Race Course — has been missing at the separate riding arenas within the premises of the Royal Western India Turf Club. Moreover, imparting riding lessons to beginners upwards have also come to a standstill, leaving the large membership of the ARC most disappointed and left them forlorn. Founded in 1942, the ARC is one of the oldest and largest private civilian horse-riding clubs in India. As of now, the ARC houses 150 warm blooded animals under the care of 125 odd syces, grooms or stable boys. The ARC made it known on May 18, that because of the cyclone, the 150 horses experienced extreme anxiety due to heavy winds and rains. A spokesperson of the ARC said: “The owners of the thoroughbreds have been unable to see their horses and are worried about their pets. The ARC has ensured that the horses’ routine daily health and hygiene regime is not disturbed. Arrangements for veterinary services on call and a compounder on the premises to tend to the horses’ needs has been made available. Members are video calling their grooms just to see their beloved pets and get some relief seeing the majestic creatures.” The ARC hosted the Polo season in January 2021 with all SOPs in place but had to cancel the Regional and Mumbai Equestrian Leagues due to the COVID second wave.
For any political party growing from 3 to 77 seats is a big achievement. Not for BJP. It was hoping to form the government by winning over 200 seats in West Bengal 2021 Assembly Elections. But in the end Mamata Banerjee’s party Trinamool Congress won 211 seats. Now, everybody is doing soul searching – BJP, political analysts, bookies, journalists, pollsters. But, the real answer has come from a karyakarta Sourav Chakraborty (@Mahakal_k_Bhakt). In his 10-part tweet to PM @narendramodi and HM @AmitShah he has lucidly explained the reasons for BJP’s failure. He says everybody is blaming Bengali Hindus for not voting for BJP. But the ground reality is totally different. Some of his reasons are: 1. Many of their karyakartas were ex-CPI-M, who joined BJP only to save themselves from TMC but did not accept BJP’s ideology. They made BJP’s ground organisation weak in many constituencies. 2. Welcoming and promoting TMC leaders and ignoring its own dedicated karyakartas. 3. Ignoring Hindutva for Muslim votes. 4. Ignoring the warning of RSS by taking corrupt politicians from TMC and compromising with party’s idealogy. 5. No CM face in front of Mamata. 6. Scam in MLA ticket distribution. 7. Congress and CPIM aligned with TMC to stop BJP. And finally poor management of polling and counting agents. Clearly, you don’t need to be masters in political science to read the writing on the wall. Political strategist Prashant Kishor saw it long back but a confident BJP did not take him seriously.
TRENDS & VIEWS
Editor’s Note: Big Punch In Small Pack
It is the Third Anniversary of Short Post and as a news media startup launched during the Covid-19 pandemic it certainly feels better than good to find ourselves where we are today. Here, I must cite the unstinted support of our seasoned contributors, all senior editors in the country, who brought a great degree of maturity and sagacity to the Short Post newsroom. But for them, our tagline “Authentic Gossip”, an Oxymoron, would not have matured viably. Our user numbers may be small but our stories have created the desired impact among people who matter — decision makers and influencers. We offer a big punch in a small pack and Short Post with its 225-word stories has been punching above its weight category. Having posted close to 3,000 stories in the last 36 months, Short Post, I feel, is an idea whose time has come.
And this is vindicated by our two marquee advertisers – IDFC FIRST Bank and ICICI Lombard. Both believed in our story and have supported us from Day one. A big thank you to both.
If you look at the media landscape – print, TV and digital — it is a mixed bag. There are job losses as some outfits have closed down while a lucky few were bailed out by large corporate houses. Yes, there is a lot of action in the digital space. However, the entry of corporate houses has raised the question of independence of news media outfits. Sadly, there are just a handful of independent media outfits in the country that are highly respected for their neutrality. At Short Post, our credo is not to take sides, prejudge issues or be biased but, informing readers of behind-the-scenes happenings. In essence, Short Post strives to be a neutral editorial platform — neither anti-establishment nor pro-establishment.
As I said last year, disruptions in the media world are moving at a fast and furious pace. Technology is playing a very big role in how content is generated and consumed. But, we are neither alarmed nor perturbed as it is all a part of the evolution process. What gives us comfort is that AI is unable to create original gossipy content. And that is the news arena where we have achieved a distinction.