All
Politics
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Celebrities
Actor Trisha Krishnan generated a lot of political interest as she visited Coimbatore on a private engagement over the weekend. There were fangirl moments among TVK supporters as the actor arrived at the airport. She also pulled crowds when she went on a brief roadshow after opening a mobile store. Her sway over the crowd naturally led the media to wonder whether she would enter politics just as former AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa had done. Would Trisha enter Rajya Sabha? Trisha merely smiled and walked away without responding. Did Trisha deliberately make a public appearance just a day ahead of actor Dhanush’s possible launch of a political party? At this stage, it is not clear if the TVK is merely hoping to take attention away from Dhanush’s political entry via Trisha. Visuals of Trisha in a bright red sari waving to an enthusiastic crowd on a roadshow could briefly cloud out some serious political stuff. Yet that may not be enough. It must be said that the TVK is under pressure to perform and deliver. More so because ever since chief minister C Joseph Vijay had the courage and imagination to end the rule of duopoly of the DMK and AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, a number of Tamil film stars are reportedly planning to enter politics. In the forefront is actor Dhanush, former son-in-law of Rajnikanth. He held a meeting with his fan club office bearers in Chennai on October 25. Dhanush made many trips to Delhi and has been consulting political pundits on how to launch a political party. Another Tamil film star who also imagines he can make the transition is Shivakartikeyan. Like Vijay, he too has been invoking MGR’s legacy in his public utterances.
Cinema fans, corporate czars, and political heavyweights are buzzing about the upcoming destination wedding of Kavya Maran (net worth ~Rs 500 crore) — daughter of billionaire media tycoon Kalanithi Maran (net worth ~Rs 30,000 crore)—to turbo-charged music director Anirudh (net worth ~Rs 60 crore) in Barcelona, Spain. The private ceremony will bring together four major celebrity families. Anirudh’s aunt, Lata Rajinikanth, is married to superstar Rajinikanth, who played Cupid to the famous duo…the groom’s parents are celebrities too, Ravichander and Lakshmi. Ravichander, a co-founder of YES Bank, is a popular TV star, while Lakshmi comes from a well-known family too…niece of Bharatnatyam exponent Padma Subramaniam, a successful event planner, and the driving force behind Anirudh’s rocking career. Naturally, the bride’s stellar pedigree is dialing up the curiosity quotient. The Maran brothers are great-grandnephews of Kalaignar, with Murasoli Maran serving as the patriarch’s lifelong political alter ego. Growing up in this high-octane ecosystem of wealth and influence, Kalanithi Maran inherited a ringside seat to power. Building the Sun Network empire took immense grit, but the Midas-touched media mogul expanded aggressively into Sun Pictures and beyond. Daughter Kavya, born with multiple gold spoons, effortlessly transitioned from her MBA into her role as CEO of the IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad. With this high-voltage mix of media, political, and cinematic DNA, it’s no wonder public necks are craning to catch a glimpse of the spectacle. Barcelona is officially setting a new benchmark for ultra-rich Indian weddings.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Baramati visit has been postponed one more time, though not cancelled. Modi was to reach NCP boss Sharad Pawar’s home town on 3rd November. The earlier scheduled date was in October. That was revised and now changed again. Pawar’s grandson Yugendra Pawar, a trustee of Vidya Pratishthan, said the PM’s visit has been postponed. There is no official communication confirming the probable next date, 16 November 16. Modi was scheduled to inaugurate Prerna Sthal, a structure developed within the Vidya Pratishthan campus in Baramati. The friendly relations between Modi and Pawar are no secret. Both have repeatedly asserted that these are on a personal level and there is no political angle. Still, Pawar’s supporters and detractors are equally befuddled about his future moves. This includes his own daughter Supriya Sule, who has described her father as unpredictable. Pawar has stood by Modi, not caring about the Congress stand though his party is a member of the INDIA bloc. Another sore point for the Congress party is Pawar’s steadfast amity with industrialist Gautam Adani. When the business giant was the focus of some serious allegations, Pawar had dismissed the demand to set up a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to probe them. As far as Maharashtra is concerned, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and his ministers have treated Pawar with utmost respect. This sweet relationship is needling the state Congress but Pawar has remained unfazed. As and when Modi lands in Baramati, the knot of friendship between the two will become tighter, it is said.
BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde has been entrusted with the task of looking for party aspirants for the UP-2027 assembly election. So far, his team has completed survey of about 125 assembly constituencies as part of a study to finalise party candidates. Tawde’s has been a classic case of loyalty and reward, the BJP formula that has been tested time and again. An influential leader in Maharashtra BJP, Tawde’s name off and on figured in the list of potential CM aspirants. But everybody was shocked when he was refused the 2019 assembly election candidature. Tawde maintained a stiff upper lip and did not utter a word about the party decision. In the days to come, he was asked by the high command to shift base to Delhi and was entrusted with one task after another. The most prominent of these was the Bihar assembly election, for which Tawde had toiled tirelessly. His stock grew after the BJP emerged the winner and finally installed its own CM in Patna. Uttar Pradesh being the largest state, it is important for every political party. It has been ruled by the BJP for the past decade under Yogi Adityanath. Still, not to take any chance, the BJP has appointed Tawde to make preparations for the assembly election scheduled to take place in early 2027. As the election is dubbed as a dress rehearsal for the 2029 Lok Sabha election, Tawde’s responsibility has increased manifold since he will have to recommend some new faces in the 403-seat UP assembly.
Was raising last-minute objections to photo exhibits of Raihan Vadra, 26-year old son of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra by the Bikaner House in New Delhi serve any purpose? Apparently, it did. Bikaner House is the seat of Rajasthan government in Delhi. When Rajasthan government officials objected to display of some “political photographs” of recent protests among Raihan’s exhibits, citing “current tense” situation, it naturally brought forth a protective mother in Priyanka in defence of her son. Raihan himself said he had held around 12–15 shows at the same venue over the past six years and described it as one of his favourite places. The Wayanad MP took a swipe at PM Modi saying “when someone with power becomes afraid of the expression of another, he doesn’t know it but he has already lost the very power he is trying to protect.” Meanwhile Kerala chief minister V D Satheeshan offered to host Rahihan’s photo exhibition in Keralam. Ordinary Congress leaders however found it odd that Priyanka should come out battling for her son.”Priyanka ji should have made no reference to this issue. These days people don’t like nepotism. Everyone was asking why is she promoting her son now? Is Raihan going to contest UP assembly elections? Whether we like it or not, Modi has shown the way of not promoting family, ” said a Muslim Congress leader. In fact, speaking at an NDTV event, PM Modi took a dig at the Gandhi family’s many attempts to launch Rahul Gandhi as PM material. He also charged Rahul of trying to take foreign help — he is currently in Vietnam — to organise protests in the country.
Has Sanju Samson put an end to the narrative that often questioned his place in the men in blue Twenty20 team, especially after the arrival of teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi? Known for his breezy knocks in the first six-over powerplay and even beyond, the right-handed one-person demolition squad is currently in the second-best phase of his career in the shortest form of the game, with a collection of 770 runs in 26 innings at 10.87 an over, including the 33-ball 67 with 8x 4s and 4x 6s against New Zealand in Christchurch. His best was two years ago when he made 436 runs in 12 innings at 10.81 an over. Samson went through a lean phase in 2025, scoring just 222 runs in 11 innings. Samson has been erratic even after a brilliant run of 97*, 89 and 89 in the last three matches of the ICC Twenty20 World Cup in February-March this year; 5 x 50s in 16 innings after the World Cup final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad. Samson has somewhat changed the trend with three half-centuries in the last five internationals against the West Indies and New Zealand. Whenever he has scored 40+ runs, India has won 13 matches. These are not great numbers, but when one looks at the 1126 runs he and Abhishek Sharma have amassed for the first wicket – India’s third best after Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma’s 1743 and KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma’s 1412 – one can understand the value of his hitting in the first half of the innings. Samson has struck 158x 4s and 107x 6s – only the sixth Indian to smash 100 + 6s – and it is his boundary-hitting consistency and quality that have made him an asset at the top.
Nitesh Tiwari directed magnum opus Ramayana is about to stun audience not just by the scale of this epic but by the sheer visual appeal of 4000 pieces of period jewellery worn by the main artists. CEO Tarang Arora of Amrapali Jewels has spent 18 months in executing the exotic, intricate and amazing jewels worn by Ram, Sita and Ravana. Brand Amrapali is not new to period and royal jewellery design. Their body of work was seen in Bahubali, Manikarnika and Tumbbad. The talk is Ravana may just cause the most visual impact with the kind of ornaments adorning him. Ravana’s powerful personality is personified in his jewels without being brash and brassy. Older generations may remember the visual treat of Spartacus and Gone With The Wind —Hollywood classics that swept audience attention for jewellery and costumes. Jewels play a critical role in the epic; Sita throws her jewels from Ravan’s Pushpaka Vimanam as she is abducted. Some question the veracity of this incident asking since Sita left Ayodhya for the forest why would she wear her jewellery? Valmiki has a response…they visit the Ashram of Sage Atri and Anasuya, who lovingly decks Sita with a few jewels …even as Jatayu tries to fight Ravan, Sita scatters the keepsakes. But anyone who has delved deep into this classic is fully aware that Hanuman has to prove to himself that it is Sita in the Ashoka Vatika. She hands over the intricate piece of jewellery on her hair. In turn Hanuman hands over Rama’s signet ring to establish his identity. Ramayana’s visual and aesthetic appeal is sure to sweep the audience. We predict the jewellery may set a fashion trend in Indian motifs and intricate design. Ram is a Suryavanshi…the Sun is the leitmotif of this immortal epic.
Twenty-six years ago, when the U.S. President Bill Clinton visited India in March 2000, Reliance Industries founder Dhirubhai Ambani enjoyed unusual access to the world’s most powerful leader. Dhirubhai Ambani then reportedly hosted the U.S. President Clinton a private breakfast at The Oberoi Towers in Mumbai. It was attended by his two sons Mukesh and Anil. This private breakfast of four people was facilitated by the Congress leader Murli Deora, a close friend of both Ambanis and Clintons. A year later, Clinton, now a former President, was hosted to a private lunch by Dhirubhai at his Mumbai residence. Fast-forward to 2026, and you have Mukesh Ambani and his son meeting senior American officials at Jamnagar. The Ambanis are once again playing host to America’s powerful political establishment. This time, it was the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, accompanied by the U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, who visited Reliance’s sprawling Jamnagar complex. Mukesh Ambani and his youngest son Anant welcomed the American delegation. What makes the visit significant is that Jamnagar is home to the world’s largest single-site refining complex, processing around 1.4 million barrels of crude daily. Washington is keen to leverage Reliance’s capabilities, particularly for processing Venezuelan crude. Clearly, the Ambanis’ influence extends far beyond India’s corporate corridors. From Dhirubhai’s personal relationships with global political leaders to Mukesh’s strategic importance in international energy markets, the family has maintained remarkable access across generations. The message from Jamnagar is unmistakable: the Ambanis are not merely meeting global power. Global power is coming to their doorstep.
Axis Bank has chosen a unique way to utilise its CSR funds—by wholeheartedly supporting the Lakshya Shooting Club High Performance Centre in CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai. How many banks, public or private, would go that extra mile and commit Rs 24 crore over three years to back a sport that is not fashionable, but quite popular across the world, is an Olympic, continental and Commonwealth medal sport? The bagful of medals in gold, silver and bronze hues bring fame to athletes and the country. Axis Bank’s super decision has to be seen as a fresh start-up in India’s deprived non-cricket sports environment, placing faith in the “Dream Girl” Suma Shirur and her architect and pillar of strength hubby Siddharth, who have created an integrated infrastructure described by London Olympics medallist Gagan Narang as the second private enterprise in India after JSW Sports. Suma is an acclaimed shooter and coach, winning medals at the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Asian Championships from 2002 to 2010. She equalled a world record at an Asian meet in the 10-metre rifle event and has coached others to realise their full potential. She has won the Arjuna and Dronacharya Awards. She has sweated for two decades, but creating a facility dedicated to the Elite in the 10-metre rifle category is an admirable achievement. It’s one of a kind in the world, said Suma, who has travelled widely to compete and coach India’s brightest talents, including in the para category. Gagan and Suma averred that the idea isn’t just to win medals, but to become better spokespersons and human beings. All in all, Axis Bank’s decision to back Suma, Siddharth, and shooting sport is a terrific call.
The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) may not have gained much traction with their recent protests in Delhi against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, however, one hears the DMK is planning to use the CJP to reconnect with the youth in Tamil Nadu. With the ruling TVK consolidating its position in the TN, the DMK one hears is feeling a compulsion to distance itself from the Congress that has been spearheading the political protest against the poll body. The political positioning was spelt out at a meeting of DMK MPs chaired by former chief minister MK Stalin over the weekend. Interestingly, the party not only demanded removal of CEC but also scrapping of the very SIR — that the DMK regime — had presided over before it was voted out of office early this year. Political analysts find DMK objections to SIR in TN rather odd. In fact, everyone is asking — if the TVK headed by Vijay was voted in post-SIR, why is DMK making a fuss about it now? It is being said that DMK MP A Raja has been tasked with the responsibility of reaching out to CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke and invite him to Chennai to create nuisance in streets against SIR. That means DMK is bent on creating a false storm in Chennai against Vijay and the TVK government. The moot point is will people of Chennai really have a short memory and flock to the Dipke’s show? Will the CJP be allowed to run amok in Chennai attacking the cops like the way they hit the Delhi cops on July 20? One thing is certain, the courts may not give a long rope to either the roaches or the DMK this time round.
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has dismissed incumbent Congress MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam with immediate effect following an inquiry into allegations of sexual harassment. According to a university order dated October 9 and signed by Vice-Chancellor Santishree D Pandit, JNU’s Internal Committee conducted the inquiry and recommended a major punishment. The university said it decided to dismiss Akoijam after following due process and considering the available facts and the committee’s report. The issue had taken a political turn, with BJP’s students wing, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staging a protest at the university last month to demand action over complaints that had been filed by 11 women students. Akoijam had rejected the allegations, accusing what he described as “racist schemers” of trying to damage his reputation through unverified allegations and lies. Akoijam taught at the Centre for the Study of Social Systems in JNU’s School of Social Sciences. He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Manipur’s Inner Manipur constituency in 2024 on a Congress ticket. So far the Congress has not officially reacted to action on him. JNU V-C was heard saying that Akokijam had played truant and was not responding to “some 300 emails sent to him” by the Inquiry Committee. He was reportedly calling the women students home which were objected to by the students. The V-C went on record praising the women students who had the courage to see through their complaints. The complaints took a political hue with BJP’s Mahila Morcha planning to hold protest outside Congress offices across the country
Jadavpur University, long regarded as one of West Bengal’s strongest Left ideological bastions, is witnessing a significant political shift as the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), BJP’s student wing, rapidly expands its presence following the party’s victory in the Assembly elections in May. Within weeks of the change in government, RSS held its routine activities on the campus, marking a visible departure from the university’s long-standing liberal and Left-dominated political environment. ABVP leaders said the organisation is focusing on removing what it calls the corruption associated with the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) while promoting nationalism on campuses. It has launched a state-wide membership drive targeting 10 lakh students by December 2026, including two lakhs in Kolkata. ABVP, which had around 75,000 members in the state until last year, now has units in nearly 100 colleges and universities and plans to expand to over 500 campuses. It has also renewed its demand for immediate student union elections, suspended in most institutions for years. ABVP had remained inactive because campuses were dominated first by Left student organisations and later by the TMCP. They said the political transition had created greater space for alternative political views. The expansion marks a strategic shift from ABVP’s traditional strongholds in north Bengal and districts such as Purulia and Bankura towards Kolkata’s premier educational institutions. ABVP national general secretary Virendra Singh Solanki said the BJP’s victory had created an opportunity to transform the education sector and deepen student engagement. Academics said the BJP’s campus expansion reflects its effort to build organisational influence beyond electoral success. The real measure of ABVP’s growing support will emerge only when long-pending student union elections are finally held.
In a notable shift in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student politics, the RSS affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) made significant gains in the recent student union elections. While the Left retained key positions, ABVP hailed its performance as “historic”. It now aims to expand its presence at Jadavpur University (JU). Aniruddha Sarkar, ABVP’s South Bengal State Secretary, called the JNU outcome a mandate for ideological change and declared the time had come to replicate it in JU. He emphasised that ABVP had disrupted Left dominance in JNU and would challenge the “Left ecosystem” in JU as well. ABVP has accelerated its activities at JU. Recently, it organized a Ram Navami puja at the university’s engineering gate placing a Hanuman image beside murals of Marx, Lenin, and Mao. While such acts had earlier triggered strong opposition, this time there was little protest, partly due to the Sunday holiday. Nonetheless, the event marked a symbolic assertion of right-wing presence in a traditionally Left-dominated campus. Srijan Bhattacharyya, an SFI All India leader and JU alumnus, who also contested the Lok Sabha Election 2024 on CPI(M) ticket, dismissed comparisons with JNU. He said JU’s ideological identity is fundamentally different and that a handful of non-Bengali-speaking engineering students would not enable ABVP to take over. He maintained that ABVP would remain on the periphery. However, ABVP leaders viewed the Ram Navami event as a breakthrough. One said it had given them the “oxygen” they needed and vowed to go further, framing future plans as a “surgical strike” on JU’s Left bastion — signalling a deepening ideological contest on Bengal’s premier campuses.
TRENDS & VIEWS
Editor’s Note: Short Post Is Here To Stay…
Time, they say, flies—and how true that is. Here we are celebrating our 5th Anniversary. Five years ago, when Covid-19 was wreaking havoc across the globe, I took a leap of faith and launched Short Post, India’s first website for Authentic Gossip. That was on January 31, 2021. I was convinced there was a clear gap in the market for gossip that was credible, sharp, and impactful—especially if told in just 250 words.
In this, I was fortunate. Scores of senior editors across diverse verticals bought into the idea and, in the process, gave wings to my dream. Quite honestly, Short Post could not have crossed these milestones without the unflinching support of its contributing editors. Like all start-ups, we have seen our share of ups and downs, but these editors have stood by us like a rock. I take this opportunity to doff my hat to them.
Thanks to their commitment, we have published close to 5,000 stories spanning politics, business, entertainment, and sports. I say this with pride: we made our mark as people who matter read us. “Small packs, big impact” truly captures the essence of Short Post.
We all know that Covid-19 has reset businesses worldwide, and the media sector is no exception. In the post-Covid era, investors have become more cautious and selective—and advertisers too. To compound matters, the entry of AI has disrupted the media landscape in equal measure. So far, we have managed to hold our ground, hopeful that some angel investors will take a shine to us.
What gives me confidence is this: AI cannot smell news—especially the gossipy kind. In other words, AI cannot churn out Short Post-type stories, no matter the prompt. That puts us in a safe zone. As someone rightly said, “AI is a co-pilot, not a pilot.”