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Contrary to expectations there weren’t fireworks in the Lok Sabha when the government took up Waqf Bill (Amendment) for passage. It even saw some lighter moments between Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the selection of the next BJP president. Speaking in the House, Akhilesh Yadav mocked the “biggest political party” for its inability to elect its own president.” To which Shah quipped that the process in the BJP was unlike other parties, where presidents were selected from few family members.” Akhileshji made his remark with a smile, so I will respond in the same manner. The parties sitting across from us in this House all have national presidents who are selected from just five family members. But in our party, we have to conduct a process involving 12-13 crore members, so naturally, it takes time,” said Shah. “In your case, it will not take much time. I am saying that you will remain president for 25 years,” Shah said in jest. The process to elect the next BJP president has been pending for 10 months after incumbent JP Nadda was inducted into the Narendra Modi Cabinet following the BJP’s win in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Yadav also took a veiled dig at PM Modi over his visit to the RSS headquarters on March 30, saying the “yatra” (pilgrimage) was to save his chair. While the banter showed that the Opposition had no real issue against the bill, Yadav claimed that the Waqf Bill would hurt India’s secular image in the world and that it was being brought as part of the BJP’s “divisive agenda”.
If the IPL, had among a number of awards along with the Orange Cap to the leading run-getter and Purple Cap to the leading wicket-taker, founded the best talent scout award over multiple seasons, it would have been won by John Wright hands down. The former New Zealand opener and a former coach of the Indian team should get the credit for recommending Jasprit Bumrah to Mumbai Indians for the 2013 season after seeing him bowl for Gujarat in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Twenty20 tournament. Bumrah has to be deemed the find of the IPL and India in the last decade having taken 443 wickets across formats and 165 wickets for the MI. The Ambani family owned MI has a pool of talent scouts — and so do the other nine teams — and this season, the five-time winner introduced three raw talents in left-arm wrist spinner Vignesh Puthur, seamer PVSN Raju, batter Robin Minz for a trial by fire start in the unforgiving world of IPL competition. While Puthur created a buzz in Kerala and across the country, it’s the Punjab left-arm seamer Ashwani Kumar, a tyro in Indian cricket’s domestic tournaments, who demanded compelling attention with his 4 for 24 in the team’s first home match; it was a peach of an effort that won MI its first match of the Tata-IPL-18 against Kolkata Knight Riders. The talent scouts of the 10 franchisees spot talent, travelling to the nook and corners of the country. These are early days for the likes of Puthur and Ashwani, and only a good run in the hectic IPL season can enable them to crash open the doors of the national team.
In his interactions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai had reportedly made it very clear that the BJP should enter into a pre-poll alliance with the AIADMK only if it did not agree to projecting to anyone from the regional party as CM candidate. Armed with facts and figures, he explained to Shah that the AIADMK under Edappadi K Palaniswami’s (EPS) leadership had been steadily declining including its vote share. Annamalai insisted that the BJP must work on stitching up a NDA alliance in TN that builds on gains that the BJP made in 2024 Lok Sabha elections by going alone. It may be recalled that it was the AIADMK that had walked out of the NDA alliance in Sep-Oct 2023 months ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Yet, the BJP managed to double its vote share from 3.66% to 11.1% though it did not win a single seat. It would be interesting to see how the AIADMK chief EPS responds to this precondition from BJP. EPS has been pushing for the NDA to project him as the CM face. BJP sources say EPS has been playing tricky. Soon after his meeting with Shah, EPS reached Chennai and repeated charges against Modi government that the DMK government has been making regarding the NEP and Centre not clearing state’s dues. His comments surprised some Congress leaders. So, will Annamalai who has been TN BJP chief since 2021 be eased out? Such posts are for three-year terms only. For the sake of caste dynamics — as there are one too many Gounder community leaders like Annamalai and Mahila Morcha chief Vanathi Srinivasan, it is felt the party may go for a Thevar leader Nainar Nagendran, a BJP MLA from Tirunellveli. A final call on Annamalai, who has opted to work as cadre, will of course be taken post PM Modi’s TN visit on April 6.
Indo-US political compatibility will witness preferential tariff rates worked out for India by the latter with clear bias against China. Well-placed sources explained, “China faces a 60% tariff rate imposed on exports by the U.S. President Donald Trump. Disparity will be evident when similar exports from India will face sub-40% tariff rates. Prime Minister Narendra Modi bargained hard, on pain of cutting off exports to the USA, taking Indian goods to the European Union instead.” This worked tremendously in favour of Indian exporters who won’t face sudden spikes in duty rates levied. President Trump is now eager instead, to up bilateral trade between our two nations to scale up to $500 bn by 2030. Sector specific negotiations are currently underway even as nations like Canada, China and the European Union experience trepidation over Trump’s tariff war against them. The U.S. conceded to India’s demand for technology transfer under long pending agreements for fifth and sixth generation fighter planes. Sharp negotiations progressing with Russia and France encompassing a wider arena of joint collaborations including marine drone technology, space missions helped tremendously. The proposed visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India will focus upon enhanced business in the wake of sanctions against Russian crude on the verge of being lifted. Strong winds are also blowing to foster cultural relations between India and Russia as a new coalition of global players is being disrupted to include the USA, France, Italy and Israel for a new world order. Ukraine and Hamas (in Gaza) stand relegated to minion status on the world stage in the meanwhile.
After 15 seasons in the IPL as Chennai Super Kings’ talismanic personality, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has drawn attention for all the wrong reasons. He evoked encomiums for his lightning stumping of Suryakunar Yadav of Mumbai Indians and Phil Salt of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the ongoing Tata-IPL-18, but after a 50 run defeat i against the RCB, Dhoni aka “Thala” is under flak for coming to bat at No 9 (with CSK at 99 for 7) against RCB which had set a formidable target of 197. Dhoni scored a quick 30 not out off 16 balls with 3x4s and 2x6s, but his blitzkrieg has far from convinced the CSK fans of his value to the team. While the majority of them go to the extent of hero-worshipping him, there were voices of dissent about him batting at No 9. One cricket lover said that a genuine CSK fan like him cannot be fooled anymore. “He should have come ahead when the target was 197,” he said. Dhoni will turn 44 coming July and once again the grapevine is rife with the news that he will hang his boots at the conclusion of this season. Australian Brad Hogg was 45 when he played his last IPL match in 2016 for KKR and Pravin Tambe was 44 when he played his last match for Gujarat Lions in 2016; this makes Dhoni the third oldest player in the league. He has featured in 138 winning matches for the CSK, averaging a little under 45 in these matches and scoring 1000-plus runs at No 4 and 5. He has batted at No 9 only twice and the CSK fans are, naturally, angry!
Union Home Minister Amit Shah came down heavily on Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for his criticism of the Parliament’s functioning, saying at the allotted time to speak in the Lok Sabha, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi was in Vietnam. He also pointed out how the Congress had got 40% of the time to speak on the Budget. He said it was possible that the LoP in the Lok Sabha was perhaps not aware there are rules for speaking in the House, which cannot be run through whims and fancies. “His (Rahul’s criticism of the functioning of the Parliament) were completely misplaced. Parliament proceedings can’t be conducted like party office meetings,” pointed out Shah. Last week, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had made oral observations about improper conduct of the LoP. Rahul had walked into the House even as the proceedings were on. Instead of walking directly to his seat, Rahul had indulged in some PDA with his sister Priyanka, drawing sharp observations from the Speaker Om Birla. It was later pointed out that Rahul was not being respected as LoP as he was not allowed to speak as the House was adjourned immediately after the Speaker’s observations. Rahul had apparently wanted to speak soon after PM Modi’s statement on Mahakumbh on March 18 and wasn’t given the floor. Interestingly Shah made his remarks on Rahul at Times Now Summit. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had also mentioned about Rahul’s preference for Vietnam in the Lok Sabha.
It was the trailer launch of AR Murugadoss directed Sikandar. Salman Khan with childlike enthusiasm brought Kollywood’s grizzly actor Sathyaraj to meet his dad Salim Khan — the iconic script and screenplay writer, celebrity half of Salim-Javed. “Pappa, Kattappa,” said Salman while introducing Sathyaraj to his dad. Sathyaraj, who plays the role of a transgender villain in Sikandar said, “Salim Sir has been my hero from my college days. I have worked for 47 years in 258 films. Today, I have fulfilled the wish to meet him in person.” He was delighted that Salman introduced him by his famous character’s name. Sathyaraj reiterated that his multi-dimensional role in Sikander may well be another Kattappa. At the event Salman got an opportunity to unburden his angst. “We see Rajni and Chiranjeevi films and welcome South Indian productions wholeheartedly. But find that though Bollywood stars are celebrated down South, our films don’t get the same overwhelming reception.” Bahubali made the Pan India trend into vogue. So, is Salman on the cusp of another EID Mubarak? His future is riding on Sikandar. He must have longed for that thumping box office success of earlier times when his career seemed it would never tank. But five years of a barren streak, and his efforts to keep his premium slot intact have been obvious. Sikandar’s muqaddar is set to change. At the Press meet Salman said that “Kitna bhi log bole…mere fans 100 crore toh pahuncha dete hai”.
Odisha’s Opposition leader Naveen Patnaik, former chief minister and head of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) seems to have got a jolt from his man Friday ex-IAS officer VK Pandian. The big news is Pandian has left Naveen Nivas vis a vis politics for good thereby putting his master in a spot. So, what made the influential Pandian leave Navin Nivas? Sources say, even though Pandian holds Naveen babu in a very high esteem but he sees no future for BJD nor for himself within the party. The power corridor in Odisha is buzzing with the news that Pandian is in talks with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for a senior level position to handle some part of their India ops. If he does join, it makes eminent sense, because as a seasoned IAS officer he has considerable clout both in Delhi and Odisha. Also, Bill Gates Foundation is known to hire top notch ex-IAS talents. It may be recalled that sometimes back Bill Gates while meeting both Naveen Patnaik and VK Pandian had praised Odisha’s health initiatives, sanitation intervention, effective management of Mission Shakti and Pandian’s administrative capacity to solve issues and getting proposals cleared by respective ministries. The latest news is Pandian’s wife Sujata Karthikeyan, an IAS officer who was working as special secretary – Finance Dept in Odisha has opted for VRS. The Centre has not only accepted her resignation but also waived her notice period. Is she entering politics?
The simultaneous release of three films, Tumko Meri Kasam directed by Vikram Bhatt, Pintu Ki Pappi by Shiv Hare and Baida by Sudhanshu Rai seems to have skidded at the box office. These films are emblematic of a troubling trend in the industry, characterized by poor marketing, lack of visibility, and minimal audience excitement. Tumko Meri Kasam features Adaah Sharma, Ishwak Singh, Isha Deol and Anupam Kher. However, it suffers from a lacklustre promotional strategy that fails to generate buzz. The film’s dark and dull poster does little to entice potential viewers, making it feel like a B-grade production rather than a cinematic offering worth watching. Similarly, Pintu Ki Pappi is struggling with a title that fails to convey its essence, leaving audiences confused and uninterested. With Ganesh Acharya as the producer and newcomers Sushant and Jaanya Joshi in leading roles, this film too lacks the marketing push to draw the audience. A title like Pintu Ki Pappi may be catchy, but without context or appeal, it risks alienating potential viewers. In the case of Baida, a supernatural thriller that despite its intriguing premise, has not garnered attention. Directed by Sudhanshu Rai who also stars in the film, it suffers from a lack of awareness and visibility. All three films represent small-budget productions that have entered the market without effective marketing strategies or brand recall. The absence of excitement and visibility raises serious questions about how these films expect to attract audiences to theatres. The only commonality among these releases is their dismal box office performance, highlighting the urgent need for filmmakers to prioritize marketing and audience engagement if they hope to succeed in an increasingly competitive landscape.
What made the BJP-AIADMK alliance, now being talked about freely, come about was Vijay’s refusal to tag along with anyone on the Tamil Nadu political scene and to go it alone in the 2026 polls. And he made that decision based on Prashant Kishor’s advice. It was known that Vijay had virtually decided to go with the AIADMK in an alliance to try and gain power quickly in his political career for which he was ready to be Edappadi K Palaniswami’s (EPS) deputy CM if that scenario came good. It was Prashant who told him not to do that and to go on his own as he was guaranteed to pull in at least 20% of the vote, much of it expected from youth willing to give a new idea a try and women who determined to look for change from the tired Dravidian major party scene of the DMK and the AIADMK. Prashant was said to have postulated that either he could become the kingmaker in any split decision in a hung Assembly or even king if the tide turned all in his favour. Otherwise, he would have been only second fiddle if his alliance with AIADMK did well enough to get the majority. EPS made his move to go to Delhi and seek out Amit Shah only when he came to know that Vijay was unwilling to get into an alliance with his AIADMK. It does appear then that Prashant has made this 3-way scenario come about with DMK+, AIADMK-BJP and TVK in the fray with Seeman likely to join the mega alliance with AIADMK. Having lost his banker in Vijay as an ally, EPS will soon be firmly in BJP’s lap.
Sandeep Marwah wears one too many hats. He is a filmmaker, educationist, media champion and entrepreneur. Sixty-three year old Marwah, founder-owner of Noida-based Marwah Studios, has produced a number of short films. Interestingly, he is married into a family which thinks, breathes, and lives films – Kapoors. He is married to Reena, sister of Boney, Anil and Sanjay Kapoor. Marwah, founder-president of the Asian Academy of Film & Television and Noida Film City, invited one of the youngest councillors of Indian origin Tushar Kumar from London to address the graduating students. Twenty year old Kumar is a Labour Party politician, pursuing a BSc in politics from King’s College London. Tushar was elected to Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council in Hertfordshire. His mother Parveen Rani was also elected as councillor during the same time. His speech at the convocation ceremony focussed on the power of youth in shaping a better future and the importance of perseverance and dedication in whatever field one pursues. At Noida he found time to meet with Rishabh Sinha, known for playing the role of Ayaan in Qubool Hai, participating in MTV Splitsvilla, Bigg Boss 9 and the likes of Shikha Malhotra who has worked in movies like Fan, Running Shaadi and Majbooriand Arzad Naaz, a web series.
Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal has hit the box office like a tsunami with the film crossing the Rs 100-crore mark in Day 2 in India and over Rs 200 crore worldwide. Movie critic Taran Adarsh took to X to say it’s a “box office monster”. And this is Ranbir’s biggest hit at the box office ever since he entered Bollywood in 2007 with Saawariya. This Sandeep Vanga Reddy film did face criticism on the portrayal of women — almost objectification of the heroine and a pronounced male alpha. But that has been the way Vanga Reddy has told his stories. Trade circle say this factor has worked in favour of director Vanga Reddy and actor Ranbir. Forty-one year old Ranbir, who has acted in over 21 films in the last 16 years, has taken pains to pick up scripts which are different for every movie as he did not want to be typecast. His life goal is to be recognised as an actor and is confident with that stardom will follow. Historically, Kapoor’s films have not been very extraordinary at the box office; his last film Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar was a semi hit and the only blockbuster was biopic Sanju. But Animal is leagues ahead. Animal is one film that has broken all the norms of a hero in Hindi cinema
At 72, this Kerala megastar defies all efforts to define his reach and artistic core. Mammootty is in a different range altogether, with no gimmicks, star props and hectic marketing image to sustain his star aura. Mammootty is Mammootty…perhaps a bit bored with the kind of roles that have come his way, he is consistently reinventing himself. So he started Mammootty Film Kampany not to show that he can produce more saleable films but to give himself ample space to experiment with themes and ideas that can impact society. Nanpagal Nerathu Mayakkam and Kannur Squad are from his stable though not commercial successes. His latest film Kaathal: The Core is being acclaimed as a path breaker, a reinvention of his versatility and a film that will be remembered long after you watch the last fade out. Director Jeo Baby, fresh from his success with The Great Indian Kitchen has partnered with Mammootty to deal with a taboo subject not with surgical strike aggression, but the delicate cuts of a trauma surgeon. But it has been banned in Qatar and GCC countries where an overwhelming Malayali diaspora lap up Mammootty films. Reason Mammootty is a homosexual, leading a complex life of deceit, though happily married to Omana (played brilliantly by Jyotika). These countries have strict censorship for offbeat themes. There are ever so many stigma subjects in society and films like Kaathal: The Core do impact how society can show more tolerance and acceptance.
Historically, audiences went to the theatres to see stars for their looks. Rewind to 60s, 70s, 80s and you will see all Bollywood actors were handsome, good looking, macho. Dharmendra, Rajesh Khanna, Shashi Kapoor, Vinod Khanna to name a few. In the case of actresses it was their ravishing beauty, the dream girl of every man. Sadhana, Saira Banu, Hema Malini, Rekha, Madhuri Dixit and Dimple Kapadia. Chocolate heroes and dream girls were synonymous with Bollywood. It was only in the art cinema that looks were secondary – Amol Palekar, Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah. The advent of hinterland cinema brought the ordinary looking boy and girl center stage. Says a Bollywood’s senior casting director, “Those days of having a conventionally good looking actor are gone. If you see most of the actors today who are doing well especially on the OTT are far from being that.” Today the audience is more open to looking at realistic characters whom they can connect, relate and identify with. Today being a good actor is far more important than good looks. “Acting and talents are the first two criteria of casting today, if the actor is good looking then it’s an added advantage,” says the casting director. Hrithik Roshan called the Greek God did not mind to wear brown make up for Super 30. If you look at OTT stars — Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Jitendra Kumar, Pankaj Mishra –then it is clear today acting matters not looks.
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Evergreen hero Dev Anand had planned two versions of Guide (1965) — English for international audiences and Hindi for India. The English version was written by Pearl S Buck and directed and produced by Tad Danielewski. Dev wanted his elder brother Chetan Anand to direct the Hindi version. Unfortunately, he was busy with his own movie Haqeeqat. So Dev’s next choice was his close friend — the celebrated director Raj Khosla. But the heroine Waheeda Rehman categorically told Dev that she will not work with Khosla. Reportedly, Khosla while making Solva Saal (1957) with Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman insisted Waheeda wear a particular dress which she refused. Post that movie Waheeda vowed never to work with Khosla ever again. As a result, the choice fell on his younger brother Goldie-Vijay Anand. Vijay Anand totally discarded the idea of making a film on RK Narayan’s novel. He said this is ‘no good’ for a film. Dev had to cajole Goldie. Finally, he agreed on the condition that he will write the screenplay. Dev gladly agreed. Goldie went to Khandala, locked himself up for 20 days and wrote the script. The rest is history. Incidentally, the Hindi version was a runaway hit and later achieved a cult following; it has since been deemed one of the best Bollywood films produced of all time. The English version flopped. This version was then screened again at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, 42 years after its release.
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Every controversy that breaks always has a celebrity quotient to it. The drug cases came into the limelight because of Sushant Singh Rajput and Aryan Khan; the Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) made an example of them. From Deepika Padukone to Shradda Kapoor, Rakul Preet Singh, Rhea Chakraborty, Sara Ali Khan were under NCB scanner. Some like comedian Bharati Singh and her husband were arrested. Besides, many actors and actresses were issued summons by the Enforcement Directorate. Says an insider, time and again Bollywood has been targeted and some of them have been called anti-national. Looks like we are an easy target for police and politicians. Take the case of conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, the case was hyped because names of Jacqueline Fernandez and Nora Fatehi were linked to him. Now the latest case is that of the Mahadev App which again is more about the celebrities who danced at the wedding of the promoter Saurabh Chandrakar and endorsement of the app. Ranbir Kapoor has been summoned by ED for endorsing the app. So too many actresses and singers are being investigated by the ED for accepting cash for attending the event. Sources say, it was a pure professional and commercial deal. Mumbai police have registered FIR against 32 people including promoters for ‘fraud’ of Rs 15,000 crore. Be it the drug case or now Mahadev App scam the end result is that most of the allegations on the celebrities haven’t really yielded any results.
Kamal Haasan has turned a legend in his lifetime, conquering artistic heights that only a few Indian actors have scaled. The Ulaga Nayagan (universal hero) sobriquet in his case is not just a cinematic encomium but a justified title. A skilled Bharat Natyam artist, screenplay and story writer, singer, director and actor, his every film only adds to his aura. Veteran actor Sivakumar says, “I consider only two actors as unparalleled – the late Shivaji Ganesan, and Kamal.” Kamal turned 69 on November 7. Imagine the delight of his fans when his upcoming movie with Mani Ratnam was introduced with a riveting title video Thug Life. Thirty five years after the worldwide acclaim of Ratnam and Kamal’s classic Nayakan, Thug Life will soon play in cinemas enhanced by its team of super talented artists –AR Rahman, Dulquer Salman, Trisha and Jayam Ravi. The cherry on the cake was the voice over of Kamal, “I am Ranganayakan Saktivel Nayakkar from Kayalpattinam“, enough to send diehard Kamal fans into ecstasy. Thug Life is bankrolled by his own production house and Udhayanidhi Stalin’s Red Giant Movies. This conveys a significant message; business is business and political postures are on a different track, expedient and expected. Kamal has annoyed the DMK by insisting that his party Makkal Needhi Maiyyam be given three seats — Coimbatore, Madurai and South Chennai.
Lyca productions started in 2014 by Subaskaran Allirajah has quantum leaped into big stakes cinema production. Lyca’s growth is big, bold and audacious to compete with the other two iconic production houses — SUN pictures and Udhayanidhi Stalin’s Red Giant movies. Has Lyca put all its eggs into one basket? Lyca is sure of its strategy; cross fertilise the marquee names of both Rajini and Kamal simultaneously and use their mass standing as rocket launchers. The sequel version of 1996 blockbuster Indian directed by S Shankar is now ready for cinemas in January 2024. The film started in 2017 had some setbacks. Pre-release promos have now taken on a new mega dimension in Kollywood and every trick in the marketing book is woven in to whip the insatiable appetite of fans. Superstar Rajini did the honours by releasing the teaser of Indian 2 and sent the combined fan club of both these superstars into raptures. Lyca is currently producing Rajini’s Thalaivar 170, and this media exposure is not going to hurt its prospects even as the much delayed Indian 2 gets its endorsement from none other than Rajini who after a string of duds, got back to his pristine popularity through Jailer. Earlier, it was Kamal’s extraordinary success with Vikram. Similarly, Ilaya Thalapathy Vijay’s marketing and media moves for Leo put Rajini on the back foot.
Is reel life influencing 36-year old Kangana Ranaut’s real life? At least that’s what seems on the face of it. A politically savvy and well informed actor, she has been consciously choosing characters that are political heroes or villains. And she has been vocal about it that she is interested in politics and that too Modi kind. Kangana has played the role of modern leaders like Indira Gandhi and J Jayalalithaa. Besides, she has also donned the role of legendary and religious characters in movies like Manikarnika 2, Sita: The Incarnation. In all these films she worked hard to make sure that the film got noticed by the audience. In the case of Thalaivii she chose to focus on how Jayalalithaa was shamed by her male counterpart in the Tamil Nadu assembly. Is she thinking of plunging into politics full time? Her various interviews clearly convey that she is keen on representing Himachal Pradesh but will BJP oblige? She arrived at the new Parliament building to attend the session as a woman invitee. In the film trade people say most of her movies do okay business and so producers are a little shy of signing her. Also, her cinema is becoming more about showcasing herself and her political leanings. For instance, there was no need for her to show Ayodhya being targeted by the terrorist in her latest film Tejas which incidentally did not do well at the box office. Is Kangana Ranaut like many south Indian stars using the movie platform to pursue her political dream?
Controversy doesn’t seem to leave Odia superstar and BJD MP Anubhav Mohanty. Be it his ongoing divorce proceedings with his wife Varsha or his fraternity in Ollywood denying his accusations. Reportedly, Manoj Mishra Ollywood’s well-known actor-director-producer has strongly denied via social media Mohanty’s allegations that he is instigating factionalism. The trigger apparently was the key role played by Mishra to boycott the screening of the film Ram at Sambalpur few days ago due to his strained relationship with the film producer Jitu Mangaraj. Mohanty also alleged that Mishra also tried to create conflict and misunderstanding between fellow cine stars Babushan, Arindam and himself. Reacting to these allegations Mishra said “I have never made any attempt knowingly or unknowingly to create any division in the industry”. Mishra also cited indifferent behaviour of cine stars Anubhav and Arindam not attending the release of his film Mind Game in spite of a personal invite by him to bless the inaugural show with their presence. With these controversies out in the open, Utkal Cine Chambers of Commerce have chosen to ban Manoj Mishra’s upcoming movies for two years. This action saw massive protests in western Odisha coming out in support of Mishra. Odia actor Babushan has said that this issue should not be escalated any more.
The media couldn’t stop gasping over the grand Vijayadashami Golu celebration hosted by superstar Rajinikanth’s wife Lata. The Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at Antilia by Nita Ambani may have inspired Rajini’s wife to present this event, even as the superstar was in Mumbai for the shoot of his film Thalaivar 170 with Amitabh Bachchan. It was the guest list that set off all kinds of speculations.Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin’s better half, Durga was invited, his sister Selvi was seen clinging to her now powerful bhabhi. Not to be missed Tamilisai Soundararajan (Governor of two states), and yesteryear Tamil heroines Khushbu, Lata and Meena. Tamil super hero Vijay’s mother Shobha, a well-known singer was there too. To add to the mystery mix, the presence of breakaway AIADMK’s O Panneerselvam was significant in what was a predominant ladies Puja party. Oh, did we forget to mention that cinema and politics are a volatile mix in TN? Daughters Aishwarya and Soundarya were busy hosts .The event was obviously orchestrated to convey speculations. Lata Rajinikanth could be planning a women’s auxiliary team under her leadership. Or was it a back room bid to bring in Panneerselvan, TTV and Sasikala as the substitutes for EPS who dared the titans? Whatever the purpose, the arc lights were turned on, literally on Brindavan. The dead end location of Rajini’s residence and the long line of vehicles backed up, made the intended statement.
Bollywood’s two popular stars Aditya Roy Kapur and Ananya Pandya have gone public about their romance. Will it end in marriage? Early days. Interestingly, Bollywood has had quite a few marriages in 2023 — Parineeti Chopra tying knots in Rajasthan with AAP leader Raghav Chadda being the biggest of them all. Then came her co-star Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani’s marriage again in Rajasthan. Parineeti married Raghav, her colleague from the London School of Economics. She was earlier dating director Maneesh Sharma. Swara Bhasker, known for making controversial statements, married Samajwadi Party leader Fahad Ahmad. Now in motherhood, she was going steady with script writer Himanshu Sharma who dumped her for Kanika Dhillon. Unlike the earlier days when actors hid relationships, age as they were worried about their stardom getting affected today’s stars are quite open about it; walk hand-in-hand and pose for the paps. Recall Ranbir Kapoor had taken offense about paps following him and Katrina Kaif and the same man didn’t mind posing with Alia before marriage. Katrina was one oddball who didn’t let the paps get her and Vicky Kaushal together till the marriage was announced. In the end it shows those selling dreams to their fans actually want to lead a normal family life — have children, run their house, and don’t mind sacrificing their career. Neetu Singh did it. So did Madhuri Dixit, Meenakshi Seshadri. But, the younger lots like Karishma, Aliya, Anushka and Kiara are quite smart in managing both the worlds.
Have you heard of LCU? Unlikely. It has just come into cinematic coinage pre- and post-release of Vijay’s Leo. It is Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU). Who is Lokesh? Remember that exotic character who clinched the super success of Vikram, overshadowing even Kamal Haasan? …. Rolex played by Surya. Lokesh Kanakaraj is now firmly at the centre of the film firmament after back to back hits like Master, Vikram, Michael and now Leo. His style of film making is now branded LCU. DMK’s controversial youth icon Udhayanidhi Stalin has also endorsed Leo. Ever since Leo shooting started, the savvy team of Vijay and Lokesh have carpeted social media with a blitz of bits, bites of news managing to captivate Vijay fans to drool with anticipation for the movie. Pre-release Leo had enough bug bears …early morning show times denied by DMK, cancellation of audio release, the falling out of cinema owners and distributors over percentage share et al. Looks like Vijay’s imminent political entry has added more spice to Leo. The final digital straw on the DMK’s back… chief minister’s son-in-law Sabareesan is said to have conducted a lightning survey of over 65 villages, found that youth in 20-25 age group have selflessly put up Leo flex banners at their own cost…this youth following may well translate into party cadres for Vijay Makkal Iyakkam. Politically savvy Kollywood stars have mastered the art and science of seamless crossover from cinema to politics
Undercurrent, chemistry or professional rivalry has existed in Bollywood from Day One. Is it ego or plain jealousy? Take the case of Salman Khan and singer Arijit Singh who have patched up nearly after 5-6 years and have sung songs for Tiger 3. The rivalry started rather innocuously when Arijit stepped onto the stage to receive an award, and Salman mockingly asked looking at his attire, “So gaye the (were you sleeping)?” To this the singer responded, “Aap logon ne sula diya (you all put me to sleep).” This answer seems to have angered Salman and he immediately removed Arijit’s song from his films, Sultan and Bajrangi Bhaijaan. It did affect his career. Bollywood has a history of star rivalry. For instance Khans are not comfortable working with each other. Similarly, Sunny Deol was angry with Shah Rukh for snipping his role in Darr. Recently, at the success party of Gadar 2 both patched up. Raaj Kumar and Dilip Kumar acted in Paigham and fell apart till Subhash Ghai brought them together in Saudagar. Similarly, Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand avoided working with each other. It is quite well known that Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan who worked together in Anand fell out after success of Namak Haram. Likewise Big B and Shatrughan Sinha did not get along well as the latter had a habit of making sarcastic comments. Well, it is not restricted to male stars. There has been a strong undercurrent between Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra, Rani Mukerji and Aishwaraya Rai, Katrina Kaif and Deepika Padukone.
At a time when Bengali TV soap operas are paving way for budding actors and actresses, it is also becoming a trend that these are going off air before the end of their contractual run. Gone are those days of mega serials such as Janoni and Janmobhumi longest-run in Doordarshan Bangla during the 90s. Even with the advent of private satellite channels — Subarnolata in Zee Bangla, Sreemoyee in Star Jalsa witnessed a shelf-life of 4-5 years. However, few shows make it past the 100-episode these days, making it difficult for TV networks and producers to break even. Incidentally, as consumption is shifting to OTT platforms, seasoned producers and networks are keen on the new format of ‘TV orginals’ made on a comparatively less budget than that of an episode for a TV serial. In recent times several noted serials such as Balijhor, Ekka Dokka, Guddi from Star Jalsa and Mukut, Icche Putul, Khelna Bari from Zee Bangla have witnessed abrupt endings. Many of these are run by noted producers — Leena Gangopadhyay and Saibal Banerjee owned Magic Moments Motion Pictures, Blues Production by Snehashis Chakraborty, Arka Ganguly of Organic Studios production house. Significantly, Leena is creating for Star Plus, where her popular serial Jol Nupur to be made in Hindi. Chakraborty admitted that the number of successful shows has gone down drastically and hence many are now targeting Hindi channels. His own serial Sarbajaya – helmed by celebrated Bengali actress Debashree Roy was remade in Odiya.
Kollywood superstar Vijay’s movie LEO, set to hit the screens on October 19, has raised the frenzy of his crazed fans. But LEO has also gathered a big baggage of controversies in its promotional rollout. With the box office competitive stakes sky high after the overflows of Vikram and Jailer, Vijay and Ajit in the same superstar status have to try harder. With his imminent entry into politics, the stakes have doubled for Vijay and his team, to work overtime in LEO’s pre- release publicity. But they did not have to work really hard. The controversies that twinned with its poster release, cancellation of the audio event, the shocking use of expletives in the trailer, the protest by 1000 dancers for not being paid for their work have charged up the pre promos sufficiently. Between Lokesh Kanakaraj the director, hit music director Anirudh and the production house, the team has kept the arc lights focussed on Vijay constantly. But not without some negative rumblings. Take the permission granted by the DMK government for extra crack of dawn shows (4 am and 7 am) on the first two days of release when fan mobs stampede their way into cinemas. The media immediately raised the question that when such shows are not permitted after Ajit’s Thunivu created problems, what made DMK agree? Is Vijay being wooed for an alliance?
It’s a regular affair in Bollywood. Big stars launching their kids with fanfare. In the last decade we saw Alia Bhatt, Tiger Shroff, Jahnvi Kapoor and Ananya Pandey being launched. This tradition continues with slight change. For instance everybody was expecting Shah Rukh Khan to launch his daughter Suhana Khan via his home production Red Chillies. Instead she along with Agastya Nanda and Khushi Kapoor are making their debut in a Netflix project produced by Zoya Akhtar. Hrithik Roshan’s cousin Pashmina is being launched by Ramesh Taurani in a love story. Hrithik was launched by his dad’s home production company Filmkraft. Likewise Salman Khan’s niece Alizeh Agnihotri is being launched in a very unconventional film directed by Somendra Padhi. But, some stars prefer the traditional route. Sunny Deol and Poonam Dhillon are launching their son and daughter through Rajshri Production run by Barjatyas. Interestingly, Rajveer Deol and Paloma will be directed by Sooraj Barjatya’s son Avnish. Industry insiders say that ever since the untimely death of Sushant Singh Rajput Bollywood has been stung by Insider Vs Outsider debate. With a view not to become an easy prey for the media, the new generation star kids prefer their skills to speak for them. Suhana Khan has already started making impressions with public and press appearances. Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda is already being talked about as he has replaced Varun Dhawan in Sriram Raghavan’s Ekkis.
After romancing Shraddha Kapoor in Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar, 41-year old Ranbir Kapoor returns with a crime drama Animal directed by Sandeep Vanga Reddy and the teaser has been highly appreciated by the audience. Even the trade is upbeat about the film and surely sees Ranbir in the top bracket with the release of Animal. Forty-one year old Ranbir, whose family has been part of Bollywood for four generations now, is a natural actor who made his debut in 2007. Acting is in his genes and he has done all kinds of roles. Perceived as a critically acclaimed popular hero of Bollywood, Ranbir has never followed a set trend of playing safe with the choice of subject and this approach saw him work with directors like Anurag Kashyap, Anurag Basu and Imitiaz Alia. Even his last romantic film was not a regular love story. Ranbir Kapoor seems to be on a journey to being an actor and exploring various facets of himself as an actor. Married to Alia Bhatt, the reigning queen of Bollywood, Ranbir babysits when Alia is on shoot. Both have worked together in Brahmastra which was well appreciated but the latest news is that both have opted out of Ramayan. But that does not stop them from shooting together for a steel brand along with King Khan.
Siddharth was addressing the press in Bengaluru, talking about his latest film Siddha, which deals with the incendiary theme of child sex abuse. Suddenly a team of Cauvery activists walked in and literally shooed him out. “Pack up your film promotion. Even as the two states are in headlong confrontation, your Tamil rhetoric is not welcome here“. A cool Siddharth just thanked the media and walked out. This act of chicanery is shocking in a state run by Congress, best buddies and allies of the DMK, a party that is in total denial that the TN farmers are deeply agitated and frustrated by Karnataka refusing to open the Cauvery hatch. Siddha is a small budget film with a heart rending message in which Siddharth plays the role of a family man taking care of his deceased brother’s 8-year old daughter. How he gets into the vortex of alleged sexual abuse and what really happens to this child is a heart rending story. SU Arunkumar, director of low budget hits like Pannayarum Padminum , Sethupathi and Sindbadhas crafted a meaningful story. And a powerful social message. Shockingly, this political interference in artistic entertainment is condoned by leaders …shows how hollow political alliances and their fulsome social platitudes are, in reality. Who cares if more children are brutally assaulted?
Impressed by the success of south films pan India, the Punjab film industry is thinking of emulating it and releasing all Punjabi films pan India. What has given them confidence to go mainstream is the super success of Carry On Jatta 3 which has grossed Rs 150-crore plus at the box office. Actor-producer Gippy Grewal is planning to release his next film Maujan Hi Maujan in over 150 screens in Mumbai circuit. Like the South industry which roped in north Indian producers and actors like Karan Johar and Alia Bhatt for Bahubali and RRR to gain entry into the Hindi belt, the Punjabis are planning to enlist the support of the Khans to draw the attention of the Hindi movie goers. Salman Khan was at the trailer launch of Maujan Hi Maujan has promised to work in Punjabi films. This cross pollination of stars across the country will give a big boost to the country’s film industry. Aamir Khan was seen at the trailer launch of Carry on Jatta 3. Of course Punjabi comedian Gurpreet Ghuggi had his film Mastney released in Mumbai and the reason was that the subject had a pan India appeal; they wanted the country to know about Punjab’s martyr’s story. Given these new dynamics, it will not be surprising to see SRK come out and support the next Punjabi film. Ironically, Punjabis who dominate Bollywood have not supported movies made in their own mother tongue.
Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan is creating records at the box office. The audience has connected with the film as it has raised all the relevant points that the Opposition parties have been asking the Modi government. A WhatsApp message has gone viral saying how the movie is a campaign for the Congress party. Jawan was released at a time when the whole world was busy with the G20 Summit. To avoid any backlash like Pathaan, SRK played it smart by congratulating PM Modi for the success of G20 Summit. Those in the trade feel it is too late for politicians to do anything now as Jawan has turned out to be a tsunami at the box office. The Badshah of Bollywood has made a big comeback and is not going anywhere for the next 10 years. The kind of subject he has chosen gives him ample scope like Rajnikanth who continues to rule the roost at 72. On a personal level, SRK is a hurt man after what happened to his son Aryan Khan in the drug case and the way the media hounded him. Post that he has kept the media at arm’s length. Of late, he prefers to connect with his audience through appearances at Mannat and social media. In the case of Jawan his move to get an accomplished South director, Atlee has enabled him to create an impact in the South.
AR Rahman, the slumdog millionaire and Oscar holder dreamt of a grand music concert, planning to belt out his immortal songs in Tamil to delight a mammoth crowd. Passionately he named the concert Marakkuma Nenjam(will this heart forget). Sure enough the 50,000 odd crowd that pushed into the venue which could accommodate just 20,000 ticket holders swear they would never forget the stampede, women and kids screaming in alarm, people pushing their way through and genuine ticket holders of Rs 5000 left high and dry, unable to get to their assigned seats. The blame game is in full swing…most blame the organisers ACTC events who seemed to have only focused on raking in the money at any cost. The sound system was so poor that even those near the stage could not hear much. People in the know are putting the onus squarely on the maestro himself for trusting an event organiser like ACTC. Incidentally, the maestro himself was grounded in the traffic grid near the venue. The negative publicity saw Rahman tweeting, “Dearest Chennai Makkale, those of you who purchased tickets and weren’t able to enter owing to unfortunate circumstances, please do share a copy of your ticket purchase to arr4chennai@btos.in along with your grievances. Our team will respond asap.” Will this tweet be music to the ears of Rahman’s fans? Not really.
While the Khans are seen all over the media we have Hrithik Roshan, one of the last actors to get superstar tag, shooting quietly for his next film Fighter. The 49-year old actor who has worked with Siddharth Anand in War wants to work with him even more especially after Fighter. In the pipeline is Krish 4 but nothing has been finalised. Hrithik, one of the highest paid stars, is an insider both from paternal and maternal sides but he started from the bottom to eventually become a superstar. He formally entered Bollywood in 2000 with Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai. Post that he has had one too many hits like Fiza, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Koi Mil Gaya, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara sequels Krrish, Dhoom. Hrithik who has had his own share of controversies both personal and professional is known to be shy; he avoids parties preferring to spend more time with his children and girlfriend Saba Azad. Besides, he is also deeply involved with his father Rakesh Roshan’s banner. Maybe he is toying with the idea of becoming a director. Trade circle says that Hrithik is definitely one of the most dependable stars who has carved his own place by not being part of any camps. He is also quietly growing his HRX brand by opening gyms and eateries serving healthy food.
Bollywood seems to have got its mojo back. After a series of flops, sequels seem to have given Bollywood a new lease of life. Sunny Deol’s Gadar 2 is a runaway hit, earning close to Rs 450 crore thus surpassing KGF 2 collection’s record. Interestingly, Sunny Deol travelled around promoting Tara Singh, the character and not himself… and that worked. In the case of Akshay Kumar, now an Indian citizen, he has finally got a hit after a string of flops. OMG 2 has earned Rs 120 crore till date and counting. And for Ayushmaan Khurrana Dream Girl 2 got the biggest opening of his career. All these three hits indicate its boom time for Bollywood. Audience is back to theatres. And what is also giving the leg up to the whole industry is the OTT platform. Some of the characters like Vartika played by Shefali Shah in Delhi Crime, Kaalen Bhaiya by Pankaj Tripathi in Mirzapur have made them a household name. No wonder they are thriving on Season 2, 3…Earlier, Bollywood which thrived on remakes of Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil movies is now encashing on sequels. Some of the successful sequels were: Munnabhai by Raju Hirani, Krrish by Rakesh Roshan, Singham, Phir Hera Pheri by Firoz Nadiadwala. Get ready to see Salman Khan’s Tiger 3 this Diwali and also in the pipeline is the confrontation between two Khans in Tiger Vs Pathaan. Happy days are here again!
Radhika Sarathkumar chugged into the film scene in Bharathiraja’s Kizhakke Pogum Rail in 1978. Today, she is the Bullet train of Kollywood, trail blazing her way through over 200 films and Tamil mega serials that have spun money and enduring fame for this superb actor. Her very first film (ran for 365 days in theatres) and its success brought her the sobriquet Rail Radhika, and the SUN TV serial, Chithi made her the family icon of thousands of women who waited for the prime time slot of Chithi. Significantly, Radhika would have not aced any star test…she herself once acknowledged that she is a plain Jane, no sultry siren nor sexy screen sizzler. But she was the master of transformation to the character she played and the audience remembered her performance even in average films. Her only claim to fame at her debut was that she is the daughter of late MR Radha, a controversial and stormy petrel of Kollywood in his heydays. She went through three marriages, her second one to Prathap Pothan, actor-filmmaker. Finally she has found her anchor in actor Sarathkumar. Her vast experience in show biz motivated her to start her own company, Radaan Mediaworks which has produced a number of TV shows. Radhika still remains the iconic rail Radhika, a woman who scripted her life on her terms. Happy birthday Radhika.
Superstar Rajinikanth’s latest movie Jailer has crossed the Rs 500-crore magic figure. Having scripted one of the most telling comebacks, the superstar climbed the Himalayas to worship at Badrinath, even as he laughed all the way to the bank with his producers. The comeback seems to have boosted Thalaiva’s morale enough to think of a political comeback too. No, he has not made any announcements. But, his actions and touching base with key players in UP and Jharkhand have raised the speculation balloon sky high. He met Jharkhand Governor Anandiben Patel, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. His mercurial enthusiasm must have waned a tad when Yogi deputed his deputy CM for the special screen of Jailer. But the most visible and talked about optic was Rajini touching the feet of Yogi — a 72-year old falling at the feet of a 52-year old! His avid rabid followers were visibly upset and condemned this “slavery attitude”. The talk that Rajini is back to teasing his followers, dangling the political entry bait is sweeping the fan clubs. But a more practical, sane voice says, with marked desperation levels, the BJP could have dropped the clickbait again…if not openly joining the party, at least give your charismatic voice. For the superstar, spouse pressure could well be the major push towards a political entry, yet again.
There is no stopping this 66-year old Deol who has in a way created history at the box office for Bollywood. Sunny Deol is not stopping the promotion, and is city hopping post release of Gadar 2 which is only adding to the collection numbers. Gadar 2 has crossed the Rs 200-crore mark and is not stopping at that. Trade pundits are betting that it may surpass SRK’s Pathaan collections. Interestingly, the weekend in the metro cities also saw his father’s film Rocky aur Rani ki Prem Kahaani getting Housefull boards in the multiplexes. The legendary actor Dharmendra received maximum applause when he came on screen. The 87-year old actor has signed a couple of more films. Younger brother Bobby Deol, who could not carve a niche for himself on the big screen, is one of the most sought after OTT stars. Gadar 2 also saw the public appearance of Hema Malini daughters – Esha and Ahana — with the Deol brothers. The sisters and mother were not seen at the marriage of Sunny’s son Karan and an apologetic tweet by Dharmendra just confirmed it. Esha also is an OTT star. And the third generation of Deols are already here; Sunny’s eldest son Karan is two films old while younger one Rajveer is making his debut with Rajshri Productions.
Those who predicted another crash landing at the Box Office for superstar Rajini are now silently swallowing their dire forecast as Jailer has reportedly crossed the Rs 300 crore mark worldwide box office in the first five days of its release. Trade circles are predicting that it could overtake Kamal’s Vikram and Vijay’s Beast. Reportedly, Rajini has already worshipped at Badrinath temple — his Himalayan escape — a routine so familiar to him on the release of a new film. After the lukewarm response to his Darbar and Annathe, he must have vowed to make a serious course correction and reclaim his place as the superstar in the filmy firmament. What a course correction it turned out to be! SUN Pictures’ strategy of signing on brand each from Bollywood (Jackie Shroff), Mollywood (Mohanlal ) and Shiv Rajkumar from Karnataka ensured that the legion of fans from each region would watch Jailer for their chosen icon. Anirudh and his peppy music made magic out of Kaavallaa, a track that Tamannaah ensured would leave the audience gasping; an overdose of violence to elicit a cathartic release of anger and angst and a family-centered story where revenge overcomes all else. And not to forget the promo blitz and pre-release publicity barrage that super-hyped the star Rajini’s dialogue, “inimey pechu ille, veechu thaan” (no more talk, just hack). Love him or hate him, but you cannot ignore Thalaiva.
Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani seems to be the game changer for Bollywood which has been a series of flops in the first half of 2023. The film has crossed the Rs 100-crore mark at the box office and continues to rake in the moolahs. More good news. Akshay Kumar’s OMG 2 and Sunny Deol’s Gadar 2 are only looking at adding big business to the Bollywood’s box office. The trade pundits feel that good times are ahead for Hindi films and the month of August has franchisees that definitely promise a decent opening at the box office. The trade has also given thumbs up Dream Girl 2.If August has franchisees then SRK returns with Atlee’s Jawan in September which trade feels may have a bigger opening than his previous film Pathaan. And Salman Khan who has not had a great run in the recent past is strongly depending on Tiger 3 which has a strong recall value and will see Katrina and Salman Khan come together and mind you there is Pathaan in a special appearance which is going to be the highlight of the film. Ranbir Kapoor too returns with Animal, one of the most anticipated films of Sandeep Vanga Reddy followed by Vicky Kaushal’s Sam Bahadur. The month of December is expected to end on a high note with Merry Christmas that will see Katrina Kaif in a different role with Vijay Sethupathi.
Have you ever seen Indian women wearing a saree, bindi, and a Derby Hat at the Mahalaxmi Race Course? But in the UK last year several Indian women displayed the saree with swag and were seen at the reputed Ascot Racecourse in large numbers. Following this saree swag, a first-ever Saree Walkathon led by the British Women in Sarees Group will be held in London on August 6, 2023, to raise awareness about the handlooms of India. Women in London will walk a day before the ‘National Handloom Day’ in India on 7th August to voice solidarity with India’s Swadeshi movement. Around 500 women representing different states of India and draping different handloom weaves from their states are expected to walk past the iconic and historical London monuments, beginning from Trafalgar Square to the historic Parliament Square in Westminster, London via 10 Downing Street. The event is hosted by British Women In Sarees – a group under Dr Dipti Jain’s leadership with several Indian women’s organisations. The Kerala team is coordinated by Dr Deepa Hegde, Dr Hema Santhosh and Shirley Gibson with around 30 members. The Kerala team will be showcasing handloom settu mundu and sarees from Kuthumpully handloom, Chendamangalam kaithari, Balaramapuram kaithari, Kuthampully kaithari, Karimpuzha kaithari. They will also do a traditional Kerala dance at Parliament Square before finishing with a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
Even as Rajini’s Jailer opening song, Kaavaalaa has set the internet and fans on fire, Anirudh Ravichander, the music director is going places in just 11 years. After his notable success in South films, his very first song Vanda Idam he has created for Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan, to be released on September 7 in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu is expected to be a rage. The Hindi version of the song is titled “Zinda Banda“, apt for Anirudh whose music is now a rage in Kollywood, Bollywood. His infectious tunes are converted into visual treat videos that titillate and tease the senses. Tamannaah’s Kaavaalaa dance stoked collective frenzy. It helped that Tamanna and her Lust Stories 2 had already broken OTT records. Anirudh known as ‘single haddi’ when he came to films is fast turning into a music director of substance with successive hits. For added measure, this nephew of Rajinikanth is making more news in the industry. Director Shankar who journeyed with AR Rahman for over 20 years has now shifted his loyalty to Anirudh, signed him up for Indian 2.
A mere 14 people (that too his relatives) participated in the last rites of legendary film producer SA Rajkannu who was celebrated and feted sky high when 16 Vayadinule produced by him in 1977 under the banner Sri Amman Films was a super hit. Kamal Haasan as the protagonist, chapani (the village idiot) is now Ulaga Nayakan. The late Sridevi as Mayilu (just 14 then) sizzled and skyrocketed to stardom post that film. And who can forget Rajnikanth’s Parattai, the negative role ruffian who confronts Kamal in this Tamil hit directed by Bharathiraja! The late MR Radha’s daughter, Radhika is even today known as Rail Radhika, a throwback to her debut film Kizhakke Pogum Rail. The multi-faceted artist Bhagyaraj was Rajkannu’s hero in Kanniparuvathile. But all these super marquee names of Kollywood forgot this man who gave them their debuts. Rajkannu spent the fag end of his life in a rented house, and died an unsung producer. His close family were hoping that these celebrities would at least turn up to pay their salaams on his final journey. However, stars were content to tweet their sorrow. Clearly, filmdom and politics celebrate only success and status. Reminds one of Rajesh Khanna immortal dialogue, “Yeh duniya badi kuthi cheez hai. “
Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor starrer Bawaal directed by Nitesh Tiwari of Dangal fame is a direct OTT release. The trade feels that producer Sajid Nadiadwala took a wise decision on this front as its trailer is unimpressive. But, Nadiadwala has defended his decision by saying that the film needs global reach and OTT is the best platform in today’s time. But nobody is buying it. Thirty-six year old Varun, son of the well-known director David Dhawan and one of the highest paid Bollywood stars (Rs 20 crore), has not had a big hit for quite some time now. His last two releases Jugjugg Jeeyo was an average film while Bhediya a disaster. Ironically, the star who had 11 consecutive box-office successes between 2012 and 2018 (Rajesh Khanna had seven) is finding it difficult to draw audiences to his movies of late. Clearly, Varun seems to be having a bad run. And he is trying to make up for it. He has signed up for Bhediya 2 and the Indian version of Citadel. Besides, he is also donning the producer’s hat and for that project he has roped in the renowned Tamil film director Atlee. It is rumoured that Janhvi may be paired opposite him. People in the trade feel that Varun should focus more on commercial cinema not on OTT platform.
The latest in the Indiana Jones franchise, Dial of Destiny is attracting droves of Harrison Ford admirers, just to relive their enduring fascination for Ford as the intrepid adventure archaeologist. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, the creators of Indy Jones (which took on the Bond brand) ensure the 80-year old Ford looks and pulls punches like he is 45 in the action sequences. All the amped up action of the Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Temple of Doom and the Lost Crusade are served up in spades, even as he is transformed to his youth apt for the time Travel theme. Dial of Destiny too harks back to historical religious uprisings, holy symbols and royal treasures buried in the caves of time. This film digs, dives even deeper to discover the science behind what Archimedes created, a Cypher driven dial, Antikythera that enables time travel. In this fast paced gig, full of chases and chill thrill action that whirls you through Morocco, Greece, Sicily peppered with back to back surprises. Ford fans love his comeback…for those befuddled by the overwhelming action and unbelievable theme, an IMAX screen, the buttered popcorn and the sheer amazement of going back to the time of Archimedes promises a definite Eureka moment.
Tamil film superstar and aspiring politician Vijay’s 49th birthday on June 22 turned out to be a rambunctious, rocking event. It was the release of the first song of Leo which featured Vijay singing this peppy number himself sending his fans into rapture. The furious pace of the song, Naa Ready only amped up the boozy, inebriate kick of the lyrics, the double entendre lyrics and the sizzling music meant to be a clarion call to his huge fan did not sit well with conservatives. Amongst all those who protested stoutly via videos and media, a case filed by Rajeshwari Priya, founder chair of Anaithu Makkal Katchi, a breakaway from Dr Ramadoss’s PMK, managed to hog more optics…she went in person to meet Chennai DGP Shankar Jiwal to file her case. Later, Priya claimed that she had netted 70 lakh hits for her videos of the expose. Then started what she claims as the Vijay incited reprisal…filthy memes, Facebook threats and a host of ugly protests that sent her scurrying for cover. Though the police are wary about Priya’s vociferous protests which could well be for political gain, TN has a number of conservative influencers who object to film stars morphing as political leaders .Why glorify addictions like drinking and smoking ? This kind of cheap entry strategy to build up political impact is not inspiring.
Is Kamal Hasaan, a part time politician and full time film star or is it the other way round? Ever since he floated his party Makkal Needhi Mayyam in 2018 and cast himself as a significant political force, this question has been raised often. His party did not win a single seat in the Tamil Nadu Assembly election in 2021, little wonder he persisted in riding the elliptical of films and politics. Vikram’s success gave new life to a mothballed Indian 2 with ace director Shankar bent on repeating the success of the first Indian. Out of the blue, Kamal has been offered a meaty role in the prestigious director Nag Ashwin’s sci-fi Project 2 with Amitabh Bachchan, Prabhas, Deepika Padukone and Disha Patani. His rumoured remuneration for the film is Rs 20 crore. Recently, he gave a cheque to TN’s first woman bus driver Sharmila. Driving a private bus on the Coimbatore-Somanur route Sharmila was over the top when two women VIPs — Vanathi Srinivasan of the BJP and DMK MP Kanimozhi — travelled in her bus. But, the bus owner was unhappy with the publicity and Sharmila lost her job. Even as Kanimozhi, the DMK’s alter ego leader promised her a job, Kamal stepped in. Wags are now busy speculating that Kamal is already in election mode for 2024. Riding two horses simultaneously is a rare talent.
Om Raut’s film Adipurush seems to have disappointed Bahubali Prabhas’ fans. There are conflicting reports about collections and footfalls in the theatres even as Prabhas tweeted “Adipurush continues its roaring success at the box office! With a mind boggling collection of Rs 375 crore (sic)”. But movie critic Taran Adarsh tweeted “Disappointing”. So how does the future look for the first pan India star Prabhas? Not bright, feel some trade analysts. They say it is his third flop after Saaho and Radhe Shyam. Adipurush ran into controversy from Day One when the trailer was released and for its poor dialogues after release. Son of a Telugu film producer, the 43-year old Prabhas entered the Telugu film industry in 2002 and all his seven films were hit. What changed his life and catapulted him into the big league –making him the highest paid star in the south — was the title role he bagged in SS Rajamouli’s Bahubali and its sequel grossing. The film was an all time hit and the rest is history. Prabhas has a couple of projects in the pipeline; one with Deepika Padukone and Big B. Also releasing this year is action thriller Salaar. Interestingly, like Salman Khan even Prabhas is the most eligible bachelor… and heart broken. Anushka Shetty turned down his marriage proposal and the latest grapevine he is dating Adipurush co-star Kriti Sanon.
In south India film stars dabbling in politics is commonplace. So Tamil Nadu superstar Vijay signaling his entry into politics is not surprising. But, his entry strategy is. Thalapathy, as he is fondly known, chose to launch his political entry with a unique event. He hosted a gala lunch to felicitate top three rankers from every constituency in Chennai’s Neelankarai. The student’s community were ecstatic to be honoured by their youth icon. The star picked the most impressionable group, Gen Z to motivate and build allegiance. This box office vasool Raja has quietly pursued his political persona, interacting with his legion of fans, engaging them in social service like blood donation camps, flood hit relief camps and helping the differently abled people. The AIADMK, DMK, AMMK and other parties have found their political calling thanks to film stars. Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar has not openly claimed his religious faith. Vijay is strong and self-willed… father, director S A Chandrasekhar was in a hurry to launch Vijay the politician, leading to a family split. At the felicitation meet, the 48-year old Vijay exhorted the merit scholars, “If there is one crucial thing you can all do, it is to influence your parents DO NOT VOTE for money “. Vijay, who has set his sights on 2026 assembly polls, knows he has miles to go…but for now it is a good beginning.
After many hiccups and pickups, Prabhas led Adipurush is all set for release. One would think Bahubali Prabhas as Ram, Kriti Sanon as Sita, and hold your breath, Saif Ali Khan as Ravan would fly high even in the pre-release teasers and publicity pleasers. But controversy and caustic carp is already being tossed like hailstones. Prabhas, it seems, does not fit into that beloved divine mould of Lord Ram. Even his dialogue is dead pan. The cast and crew visited Tirupathi Balaji temple for a Big Bang trailer release, and director Om Raut stirred up a salacious controversy…he publicly kissed Kriti, the Sita Ma whose chastity is the anchor of the epic ballad. Ram devotees taunted Kirti’s claim that she had observed Vrat for the film. But the arrow that hit the jugular was the one liner of Censor Board Member and film critic, Umair Sandhu: ”Adipurush…Torture“.To add more grist to this devilish mill Kangana Ranaut, the self-styled moral police, critic and media high priestess has poured out her anger at yet another Ramayan in the works, which has Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Alia Bhat as Sita and the KGF rough Yash as Ravan. Is Bollywood drained and devoid of compelling stories? Or is this artistic hara-kiri, to relive again and again the beloved epic of our land to indulge the egoistic fantasies of top stars?
MS Dhoni’s popularity in Tamil Nadu is beyond belief…if he were to contest an election, never mind the party, he would win hands down. If there is a popularity contest between TN’s other Thala, star Ajitkumar and Dhoni with the same sobriquet Thala, all bets are off for who would win. Maybe Dhoni’s wife Sakshi was well aware that such high profile fame could easily be monetised; start any venture…sports goods, eatery, clothing with the Dhoni brand and harvest profits. Dhoni being Dhoni hit upon filmmaking, Tamil films in particular. Remember M S Dhoni: The Untold Story it was a box office hit and was ranked as the 5th highest Bollywood movie for 2015. The couple have started their own production house Dhoni Entertainment, and just released the teaser of their maiden film Let’s Get Married. Ramesh Tamizh Mani directs a cast of popular actors. Harish Kalyan, Ivana, Nadia the evergreen beauty, Yogi Babu and other entertainers. The teaser clearly reflects the film’s theme – a wholesome family entertainment. Dhoni’s humility and never-say-fail attitude is sure to sustain this new venture of the Chennai King.
South’s popular actor Trisha Krishnan is still in royal mode after her superlative performance as the Chola Princess Kundavai in Mani Ratnam’s two-part magnum opus, Ponniyin Selvan. After the slick success of her film with Vijay Sethupathi, 96 in 2018, her career was on a downward plunge. And then after her 40th birthday, she hit the mother lode with Ponniyin Selvan, a role she carried with much elan, and grace even when pitted against beauty queen Aishwarya Rai. Post Ponniyin Selvan, Trisha is the most sought after star. She has signed six new films with all top heroes. Just shows what a legendary director and his talent to showcase an actor as a living character of the story can do to falling ratings. Trisha is already in Leo with superstar Vijay, a pairing that reminds of their earlier super hit, Gilli. She has Vidamuairchi with hero Ajit. She has signed up for a Mani Ratnam directed Kamal Haasan movie, ready to pit her acting skill against Dhanush in his 50th film and has a hot Malayalam film with Mohanlal. Besides, first web serial The Road. Looks like her 40th birthday was the turning point of her life. K Town is in awe of this petite pack of dynamite who leaves an unforgettable impression. Despite talk of romantic links after she walked out of two engagements.
In the name of religion one more movie that has created a mild stir is the Tamil film Farhana starring Aishwarya Rajesh in the lead. So much so the protagonist had to be provided police protection by the Tamil Nadu government. Earlier it was The Kashmir Files, followed by The Kerala Story. It seems Farhana has raised the hackles of Tamil Nadu Muslim women who are worried that Muslim women may seek emancipation like the heroine. Farhana is the simple story of a Muslim wife, mother and daughter of conservative Aziz who owns a footwear shop, leading a modest life. Her husband Kareem is trying for an overseas job. Farhana opts to work at a Call Centre much against her very conservative family’s will. The Call Centre environment of modernity, female freedom and openness is both daunting and exciting for Farhana. A change in assignment, puts her in the chat room for a week. Farhana is revolted by the quirky, kinky and smutty talk in the chat room. Is the film a metaphor for freeing Islamic women from stifling bonds? Director Ameer, a well-known name in Kollywood has heaped praise on Nelson Venkatesan for his sensitive handling of a woman centric story. He says by giving protection to Aishwarya, a wrong impression is conveyed about the film. Time to allow creative artists the freedom to chisel ingenious films.
BJP’s Mumbai president Ashish Shelar held a special screening of The Kerala Story at Gaiety- Galaxy in Bandra which was well attended by BJP party workers and others. What made it special was that the movie’s lead actress, co-stars, producer and director were present at the screening and they shared their experiences with the audience. Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur, said that the film exposes the sinister nexus of religious conversions which “Every sister and daughter must watch”. When was the last time we saw a political party openly promoting a film? Earlier, we have seen protests for Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmvat and for the trailer of Om Raut’s Adipurush. It may be recalled that Vivek Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files too was promoted by the BJP government to indicate that they empathised with Kashmiri Pandits. Interestingly, both the movies have made big money at the box office. During Emergency Gulzar’s Aandhi starring Suchitra Sen and Sanjeev Kumar was banned by the Congress regime. Generally, the government’s way of supporting a movie is to give it a tax break. Now, all eyes are on Adipurush. Its music was launched at Ayodhya. It is widely rumoured that some filmmakers who are aligned with the ruling establishment’s ideology have been commissioned to do movies on certain subjects that will show the ruling party in good light.
Generally, all film stars prefer to release their movies on an important festival day. But Shah Rukh Khan is different; he has chosen a non-festival day to release Jawan, his second release this year. Those close to the actor feel that he didn’t want to upset those who have already announced release dates of their movies in the third quarter of the year which includes Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal and Ajay Devgn’s Maidaan. It is probably after Fan which was released in April 2016, the actor has chosen a non-festival release date – Janmasthami, which is not a big ticket film day as far as exhibitors are concerned. But they are fine as SRK’s Pathaan released on Republic Day was a runaway hit creating box office history. Those in the trade feel that releasing films on festivals became fashionable in the nineties after globalization, and Indian movies becoming favourites of the Indian diaspora. A senior trade person said, “Earlier, Shah Rukh Khan had regular releases in between the Diwali releases as he used to work in many films but once he cut down on his films Diwali became synonymous with Shah Rukh, Eid with Salman Khan and Christmas with Aamir Khan. ” Coming back to Jawan the real reason for SRK delaying the release from June 2 to September 7 is the film is still not complete and the film is VFX heavy and after the success of Pathaan he does not want to take a chance.
Rumour mills are doing the rounds that superstar Shah Rukh Khan may do a repeat of Pathaan. That is, keeping media at bay during the release of his forthcoming film Jawan directed by Atlee. The action film which releases in June has just been wrapped up and the heroine of the film Nayanthara was in Mumbai for dubbing and surprisingly did not oblige the waiting paparazzi with poses as is generally the practice. All stars including those from south are always cooperative with paps. It may be recalled that King Khan has distanced himself from the media for quite some time for two reasons. First, there was no film release, and second, he is quite disturbed by the fact that media literally hounded his son Aryan Khan when he was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau in a drug case. The way media mishandled the case upset him. Although the actor has stopped covering his face with an umbrella but he refuses to pose for the media. This was evident at Congress leader Baba Siddiqui’s Iftaar party where he refused to stop even for a minute. The moot point is how long can SRK shun the media?
The Bengal film industry which saw the likes of Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Ritwik Ghatak, Tarun Majumder and others, today struggles to hold on to its glory. There is a marked shift from big screen content to OTT platforms — Hoichoi, Zee5, Klick, Addatimes. Moreover, several renowned actors are also seen in Bollywood movies and regional movies of South. All top stars and directors like Prosenjit Chatterjee, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury feel that the Bengali film industry requires the much-needed investment and passionate people to surge ahead. Films Manobjamin, Projapoti, Kaberi Antardhan, Maayakumari, Dilkhush, Ghore Pherar Gaan, Mitthye Premer Gaan and others released in the first quarter of 2023. While Projapoti could turn box office collections into gold, others failed as they were replaced by Pathaan at the theatres. Interestingly, actors like Jisshu Sengupta, Anirban Bhattachajee, Tota Roy Chowdhury, Saswata Chatterjee, Churni Ganguly, Swastika Mukherjee, Parambrata and recently veteran actor Prosenjit are taking up projects from Bollywood and those from the South. Mardaani, Manikarnika, Sadak 2 famed actor Jisshu pointed out that the emergence of OTT platforms have blurred the lines between regional industries. For Parambrata, directing Bengali movies is passion and acting in Bollywood contents such as Bulbull, Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi, Aranyak, Mithya gave him national exposure.
Compared to his own standard Salman Khan’s Eid release Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan was ordinary, exactly as trade had predicted. They say the Rs 15.81 cr opening collection is the actor’s star power and Eid numbers going by his past track record could have been better. In a way his fans saved the day with collections on the first three days touching Rs 78.34 cr. His well-wishers feel that Sallu bhai is being misled by the mutual admiration society around him. They praise his film even though the content is not upto the mark like Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan. And he easily trusts and believes people around him. Analysts say that post Covid-19 Pandemic the viewers have become very discerning. Thanks to OTT they don’t just walk into a theatre because of star power. The content has to be top gun like RRR, Pushpa etc. King Khan’s Pathaan seems to be an aberration, maybe because of controversy surrounding its release. Salman has always had a decent opening on Day 1 with all his Eid releases. Dabangg (2010) Rs 14.50 cr, Bodyguard (2011) Rs 21.60 cr, Ek Tha Tiger (2012) Rs 32.93 cr, Kick (2014) Rs 26.4 cr, BajrangiBhaijaan (2015) Rs 27.25 cr, Sultan (2016) Rs 36.54 cr, Tubelight (2017) Rs 21.15 cr, Race3 (2018) Rs 29.17 cr and Bharat (2019) Rs 42.3 cr. Although the trade is disappointed with KKBKKJ there is hope for Salman this Christmas with Tiger 3.
Netflix, the California-based OTT player, is rejigging its business strategy. To start with it has done away with its initial business of mail order DVDs. The DVD postal service was launched as an alternative to DVD rental stores. This business generates only $ 126 mn of Netlfix’s annual turnover of $ 31.6 bn. Besides, it is also aggressively cracking down on free password sharing among its subscribers. Recently it launched a new password sharing policy in the U.S. which includes paid sharing. This policy is being introduced to all its 231 mn paid subscribers across 190 countries. Also, on the anvil are more streams, like subscription only and ad driven streams. In the first quarter of 2023 Netflix added 1.75 mn new customers as against 7.66 million customers last quarter. Though the customer additions look lower, it is considered a significant turnaround as it had lost 200,000 customers in the first quarter of 2022. Netflix’s India business too is looking up with engagement growing nearly 30 % in the first quarter of 2023 vis a vis last year. This follows lowering of prices by 20% to 60 % in December 2021, leading to deepening the penetration of the market. This also led to a revenue growth of 24% in 2022 as against 19% in 2021. Netflix now plans to replicate the India model to 116 other countries.
Bollywood’s powerful producer-director-host Karan Johar was spotted at a Juhu venue meeting the busiest star Kartik Aaryan. The meeting has led to speculations whether it was a peace-making deal or professional meeting to revive Dostana 2 which was 40% shot. Those close to the Gen-Next star say it was just a professional meeting. One wonders if Karan is keen to revive the project after all around Rs 20 crore has already been spent on the film. The other speculation doing the rounds is that he is likely to sign on the bankable star for a new film. It may be recalled that the outspoken actress Kangana Ranaut has been vociferously defending “outsiders” and has been targeting Karan for being unfair to outsiders including the late Sushant Singh Rajput and Kartik Aaryan. When Karan, one of the most influential filmmakers, dropped Kartik from Dostana 2 even Shah Rukh Khan and Anand L Rai dropped Kartik from their projects. But, 32-year-old Kartik was lucky as the “outsider” gang of producers supported him; today he is one of the most sought after actors commanding a price of Rs 30 crore which is almost at par with Varun Dhawan and other senior stars of Bollywood. His guest appearance in Ranbir Kapoor’s film is a clear hint that Kartik has a big fan following. So it will not be surprising if Karan Johar announces the revival of Dostana 2.
The latest Tamil offering Viduthalai-Part 1 directed by Vetri Maaran is drawing crowds and appreciation for almost every dimension of its story. When Vetri Maaran narrated B Jeyamohan’s story to producer Elred Kumar, he laid out a simple Rs 4 crore project, but then they cottoned on to making it in two parts that added a zero to the 4 crores. Not that Vetri and team haven’t had hiccups. Viduthalai was immediately slammed as a copy of ‘Solagar Thotti ‘, a similar themed novel. The South film makers have the courage to cast the plot /story as the hero, and dare to experiment with actors who don’t need glamour and unbelievable stunts to prove their machismo, they are super confident enough to deglamourise even female leads. Focus is on the story unfolding with its relatable grip, and most important ….keep the cost down, cinema is an uncertain medium. Why pour the lion’s share of the money on a hero (with back to back flops) and end up in creative and financial penury? Viduthalai is a period crime thriller. The film stars Soori and Vijay Sethupathi.
Priyanka Chopra (PeeCee) has revived the topic of victimization of outsiders in Bollywood. The actress who is promoting her global spy series Citadel, admitted why she was forced to leave Bollywood and go to Hollywood. “I’m not a nepo baby. I didn’t have the kind of support that exists in a big way in Bollywood movies,” she said on an episode of Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard. Many are attributing her raking “outsider” issue to promote her spy series. Some have supported her. Kangana Ranaut and writer Apurva Asrani said that the insider camps don’t allow those who want to work on their own terms. Kangana tweeted: “…This is what @priyankachopra has to say about bollywood, people ganged up on her, bullied her and chased her out of the film industry, a self-made woman was made to leave India. Everyone knows Karan Johar had banned her (sic).” She further added, “Media wrote extensively about her fall out with Karan Johar because of her friendship with SRK and movie mafia Cruella who is always looking for vulnerable outsiders saw a perfect punching bag in PC and went all out in harassing her to a point where she had to leave India.” Shekhar Suman and his son Adhyayan who are also victims tweeted: “Priyanka Chopra’s sensational revelation has not come as a shocker. It is well known the way the cabal within the film industry functions. It will oppress, suppress and persecute you till you are finished. It happened with SSR.”
TRENDS & VIEWS
Editor’s Note: Short Post Noticed By People Who Matter
Four years have zipped by and we are crossing another milestone on 31st January 2025 – it’s our 4th Anniversary. It feels good.
Looking back at the 1460 days, I must say Short Post has made its mark with people who matter via 4000 stories published in the areas of politics, business, entertainment and sports. All made possible by the unflinching commitment and dedication of our senior editors, most of whom have been part of this journey from Day One.
Small pack, big impact is in essence the story of Short Post which was launched at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. It shows our conviction. In all humility, I can say, we have created a new niche in the news segment space like Hindustan Unilever which created a new segment, when it launched CloseUp Gel.
Yes, we have created a brand (in a limited sense), created demand (readers) and created supply (senior journalists). But we are facing teething problems like all start-ups. What makes us happy and confident is the recognition of our efforts. For instance, we have an arrangement with the OPEN Magazine, part of the $4.5 billion Kolkata-based Sanjiv Goenka-RPG Group. This arrangement sees around 10 Short Post stories posted on OPEN Magazine website every week. This arrangement is testimony that our content has been well received! Also, I may add that the Maharashtra government has recognised Short Post and has allowed our senior editor to cover the Assembly sessions. Ditto: Odisha.
Our goal is to ensure that Short Post becomes a habit. I would like people to keep checking their smartphones to know the latest Authentic Gossip. As regards AI and the fear of it disrupting all businesses including media. On that, personally, I have no such fear as I am confident AI cannot smell news particularly Authentic Gossip. That’s the place we are well entrenched.