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The bonding between both the ruling and opposition coalition partners in Maharashtra went for a toss for the forthcoming local self-government bodies elections scheduled in December. The local polls for 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats, the first local polls being held in state post-Covid lockdown, are crucial for all the parties as they are being held after a long gap. Surprisingly, the ruling Mahayuti government has poached a leader from their own coalition partners — Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. This upset Shinde’s ministerial team so much so that they protested by boycotting the November 18 cabinet meeting. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis remained unrepentant and is said to have not just justified the poaching. Keen to form a “triple-engine sarkar” in Maharashtra, Fadnavis is keen to replicate BJP’s success at the Centre and State level for the third time at the local governance level. Equations at the local self-government elections have always been known to be at variance with parties’ stated positions at the state or central government level. The split in outfits like the NCP and Shiv Sena has further muddied the political waters in the state and parties are finding it difficult to rein in the ambitions of their party workers. While Sharad Pawar, known to have his ear to the ground, has already clarified that his partymen were free to align with anyone at the local level, others fail to be that clear. The Congress is going solo and not aligning with the MVA in these local polls in response to the political alignment of the Thackeray brothers. While Congress is worried about allying with Raj Thackeray’s MNS lest it affect their North Indian voters, it is equally wary of allying with its own coalition partner, Uddhav Thackeray for successfully attracting their core Muslim vote bank in recent polls.
It is really amazing to see that both the Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu — the ruling DMK that is part of INDIA Bloc and aligned with the Congress, and the Opposition AIADMK that is aligned with the BJP — are drawing a lot comfort from the historic verdict in Bihar which saw return of Nitish Kumar as CM for a record 10th term. Of particular interest is the way DMK leader and Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, who had even travelled to Bihar in August and joined Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav in a rally against SIR of electoral rolls. Stalin was convinced that Nitish Kumar decisively won the electoral battle for “fulfilling the expectations of the people of Bihar”. On X he tweeted “Election outcomes reflect welfare delivery, social and ideological coalitions, clear political messaging, and dedicated management until the last vote is polled. The leaders of the INDIA bloc are seasoned politicians capable of reading the message and planning strategically to address emerging challenges.” At the same time, he felt the results cannot whitewash the misdeeds and reckless actions of the ECI. On the other hand, AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami in a X post which has a tagline “Say YES to Women Safety”, said how on Nov 14 the people of Bihar had given a fitting response to the Congress-led INDI alliance, rejecting its falsehoods and attempts to undermine the institutions of democracy. In more ways than one, the Bihar verdict had ended uncertainties about the NDA alliance in Tamil Nadu. In fact, a group of AIADMK leaders were already in Patna on Nov 14 cheering for the NDA win. This is in contrast to the way Stalin had been mocking Biharis for flocking to Tamil Nadu for low skilled jobs.
It’s become increasingly clear that India’s batters of the highest quality of recent times come a cropper against quality tweakers from overseas countries — especially on designer tracks that show bias of the surface. There have been one too many instances of the top batters failing repeatedly to spin. It happened against New Zealand at Pune and Mumbai last year and the spinners who exposed the vulnerable nature of the India batters were Mitchel Santner and Ajaz Patel, both left-arm spinners. Prior to that, India’s batters could not put up a commanding display against Australia’s experienced Nathan Lyon and tyro spinners in Tod Murphy and Matthew Kuhnemann and England’s Tom Hartley, Shoaib Bashir and Rehan Ahmed. Of the above lot, New Zealand’s Patel has been the most successful at a single venue — the Wankhede Stadium where he has taken 25 wickets in two Tests. While India managed to prevail over Australia 2-1 and beat England 4-1, the Rohit Sharma led team lost 0-3 last year. In the current home international season, India scored an easy win against the West Indies, but struggled against the South African off spinner in the first innings of the first Test at the Eden Gardens. Fresh from their victory against Pakistan at Rawalpindi where Harmer and Maharaj took 17 wickets, the off spinner took four in the first innings at the Eden on a spiteful surface. Utter chaos happened on the pitch that is likely to earn the wrath of the ICC. The uneven bounce was dangerous on occasions and not a single batter could play strokes without fear. The Eden pitch also proved that the home team batters were far from equipped to deal with good spinners.
T Sathishkumar started as a simple Dhoodwala in Erode. Expanded to procuring 8 lakh litres from 70,000 farmers …a business he could sustain for long, as India had reached top spot as the world’s top milk producer, powered by the White Revolution and Verghese Kurien’s panavision dream for Anand and Amul. Today, Milky Mist Dairy (MMD) procures milk from 20 districts of TN and has every derivative product from milk – paneer, cheese, curd, flavoured yogurt, milk shakes, ghee, butter, payasam and shrikhand. MMD’s mozzarella cheese making plant is the biggest in the country, boasting a robotic line of production and crucial in the supply chain of the fast food industry. MMD’s paneer is a marketer’s dream journey…a few years back, paneer was not so popular in South cuisine. Now Milky Mist has won aggressively challenging Amul, Mother Dairy, Nandini, Gowardhan and some regional brands. Before the advent of Milky Mist, AAVIN TN’s flagship dairy brand had kept much of the market in its grip. The way retailers were coaxed to stock Milky Mist paneer is a case study for business schools. The same business spirit of adventurous strategy is now evident in the introduction of Milky Mist SKYR, a protein-led traditional Icelandic recipe that wants to lead the fitness market with a unique protein product …easy to consume straight out of the cup to those in search of muscle and strength. All these are reflected in its impressive financials. It has grown from Rs 1,015 crore in FY22 to Rs 1,437 crore in FY23 to Rs 2,349 crore in FY25. Now, the company is getting ready for an IPO at an expected valuation of Rs 20,000 crore
Ajay Devgn has long been a study in contrasts: a brooding intensity that anchors thrillers and dramas, and a surprisingly limited palette when it comes to frothier entertainments. As De De Pyaar De 2 hits theatres, it’s worth asking whether the actor’s recent script choices are eroding the cachet that once made him a dependable box-office draw. Devgn’s strengths are clear. He remains one of Hindi cinema’s most effective serious actors, capable of delivering taut, controlled performances in films that require grit rather than glamour. That steady gravitas has earned him big payoffs with the right material. But his flirtation with lighter comedy and flamboyant romcom territory has been uneven. Where he convinces as the silent, suffering hero, he often looks out of sync when a role demands snappy comic timing, dancing dexterity or an easy romantic swagger. Past attempts at broader comedy and mixed-genre projects have underlined this mismatch. Recent outings have done little to reassure audiences. Films such as Son of Sardar 2 and previously, Thank God had failed to fully connect with critics or viewers, De De Pyaar De’s first instalment drew mixed reactions, and a string of smaller turns and guest appearances went largely unnoticed. More recent projects like Auro Me Kaha Dum Tha’, Maidaan and Bholaa were widely seen as disappointments, reinforcing a narrative that not every script suits his strengths. For Devgn, the clear path forward is selective boldness — leaning into taut thrillers, moral dramas and textured character work, while being more discerning about lightweight fare that asks him to play against his core strengths. His next choices will determine whether he reaffirms his standing or drifts into forgettable territory.
Kerala’s seaplane project, first conceived in 2013 and aborted twice following protest from environmentalists and coastal fishermen, is finally set to takeoff. The civil aviation ministry has cleared 48 routes for operations in the state under the government of India’s UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik) scheme. The project has received seven proposals from private operators. Till date, the State government has approved India One Air, MEHAIR, PHL and SpiceJet to operate, according to Kerala Tourism Minister PA Mohamed Riyas. The development comes about at a time when the authorities have successfully completed the groundwork for the launch of seaplane services from Kochi Airport to Lakshadweep. Spice Shuttle, a subsidiary of Spice Jet plans to operate a 22-seater plane for tourists and as a public transport. A one-way trip is expected to cost Rs 12,000. The authorities also promise to extend a few tickets at subsidised rates — Rs 4,000 under the UDAN scheme. Lakshadweep, which is now being heavily promoted by the government of India as a top tourist destination to take on the likes of Maldives, has only one airport, Agatti. A flight from Kochi takes one and half hours to reach Agatti. Today tourists and local inhabitants have to travel to other islands like Kavaratti and Kadmat by boat or helicopter. In the long run, the seaplanes from Kochi will also fly directly to the neighbouring islands. A model similar to the proposed Kochi-Lakshadweep seaplane, manufactured by Canadian company De Havilland, was used to conduct trial flights from Kochi to Mattupetty in 2024. In addition, the routes being explored include Kochi-Wayanad, Kochi-Idukki. Other destinations for expansion to leverage Kerala’s abundant natural beauty, include Kovalam, Ashtamudi Lake, Kumarakom, Idukki dam, Malampuzha dam, Banasura Sagar Dam and Bekel.
The Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India has blocked the release of yet another Bengali film, fuelling speculation over whether it is merely a procedural dispute or one tangled with political undercurrents involving cast members Rudranil Ghosh and Sourav Das. The latest film caught in the crossfire is The Academy of Fine Arts directed by SRFTI debutant Jayabrata Das. Despite receiving the go ahead from the Central Board of Film Certification, the November 14 release was halted just 48 hours before opening. The move triggered a flood of social-media outrage, with many alleging arbitrary gatekeeping by the Federation. The guild claims the film breached industry rules due to the involvement of Pramod Films during post-production. That association, it argues, makes the project a commercial production, mandating guild-registered technicians and prior clearances. Federation president Swarup Biswas insists their objections target Pramod Films, not students, and has demanded the removal of the banner’s name from posters, trailers, and the censor certificate. He dismissed allegations of financial demands. Jayabrata, in a lengthy post, stated that the student team had worked independently for five years with scant resources and sought limited help from Pramod Films only when funds were depleted. The Federation has also questioned the film’s Mumbai registration, high-end shooting locations, extensive marketing, and a distribution plan involving INOX, PVR and UFO Cube, which typically costs Rs 18–20 lakh. The presence of actors like Rudranil Ghosh, now with the BJP, and Sourav Das, who appeared in The Bengal Files, has added to speculation on whether political optics are influencing the Federation’s stance. Meetings between the parties remain inconclusive, leaving the fate of the Rs 25-lakh partly crowdfunded film in limbo as calls for its release grow louder online.
Presence of mind by a Varanasi journalist resulted in the reunion of a four-year-old girl with her parents. The toddler was kidnapped from Mumbai in May this year. The Mumbai Police had launched two special search efforts called “Operation Shodh” (Operation Trace) to find the missing child. The breakthrough came when a local Hindi-speaking journalist alerted the authorities about a girl, speaking in Marathi, housed at a local children’s shelter. The girl and her family, originally from Solapur, were in Mumbai for her father’s medical treatment when she went missing on 20 May while playing in a crowded area. Mumbai police teams travelled to Uttar Pradesh time and again during their six-month investigation. The child had been left near Varanasi station by an unidentified suspected kidnapper. Local authorities placed her in the care of an orphanage, where staff members started calling her “Kashi.” After receiving the tip, Mumbai police confirmed her identity and later, the parents, too, identified their daughter over a video call before her physical reunion with them, incidentally on Children’s Day. Mumbai’s DCP Zone 1 Dr Pravin Mundhe and Senior Inspector Yogesh Sable led the investigations. The CCTV footage revealed that the kidnapper boarded a train from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus towards Uttar Pradesh. During the November 1 to 15 ‘Operation Shodh’ drive, the police distributed the girl’s photos, stuck posters all over Varanasi and published information in the local newspapers. That was when the breakthrough came. The kidnapper is still at large.
Tiny Temba Bavuma played a giant’s hand in keeping South Africa in the hunt at the bowlers’ paradise that Kolkata’s Eden Gardens turned out to be. His seventh half century in his last 11 innings was another valuable contribution to a team that he led to an unlikely victory in the World Test Championship last summer at Lord’s over defending champions Australia. His gritty presence at the crease even brought out a rare curse from the lips of India’s gigantic performer with the ball, Jasprit Bumrah. A taunt over Bavuma’s dwarfish physique was not in order, but it might have escaped attention of the match authorities as it might have been lost in translation. What it signified was what a gutsy performer the pocket-sized batsman is and how he outlasted everyone to make the highest individual scores in very tough batting conditions. The sporting crowd at the Eden Gardens stood up to a man to celebrate Bavuma’s half century. Without the advantage of height or power, the Cape Town born battler has built his game around patience and solid defensive technique and is nearing the 4000-run mark in Tests. The first black African batsman to be picked to play Tests for South Africa has more than justified his place in the rainbow nation’s team. His stature in South African cricket is a tribute to the spirit of man that shone through regardless of race or colour.
Various stories are doing the rounds about why the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) poor performance in the Bihar assembly elections has brought out fissures within the Lalu Yadav’s family out in the open. Internecine feuds at this juncture clearly reflect that the legatee war over Lalu Yadav’s political legacy have begun even as the RJD patriarch is alive and kicking. It simply shows that all is not well in the RJD first family. Of Lalu’s nine children, at least five including wife Rabri Devi are known to be politically active and ambitious. However, what has not gone down well with those watching the Bihar political scene is the manner in which Lalu’s Singapore-based daughter Rohini Acharya was forced to air her differences with her brother Tejashwi. According to sources, Tejashwi had an argument with Rohini on Nov 15 afternoon. In a summary of review of the defeat, Rohini told Tejashwi that they should respond to the party workers’ protests regarding Haryana-based Sanjay Yadav. The very mention of Sanjay Yadav, a close buddy to both Tejashwi and his wife, sparked an argument between Tejashwi and Rohini. Tejaswi told Rohini, “We lost the election because of you. We are cursed by you.” During the argument, Tejashwi angrily threw a slipper at his elder sister; he also abused her. Rohini, it is learnt, wanted to campaign in every assembly constituency in Saran but she was only allowed to go to Raghopur. In July 2023, a year before the Lok Sabha elections, Tejashwi had asked Rohini to contest from Saran. Post her father’s consent she expressed desire to contest from Pataliputra but Misa was reluctant. Ultimately, it was Saran. It is being said increasingly Sanjay Yadav was uncomfortable with Rohini’s political role and sees her as a threat to Tejashwi; he had even advised Rohini to leave politics.
It is striking how quickly lack of marketing leads some producers to resort to manufactured controversy as a substitute for a coherent release strategy. Hindi feature film, ‘Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi’, a biopic of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath illustrates the risks of that shortcut. The film, directed by Ravindra Gautam with newcomer Anant Joshi in the lead, endured censor delays and repeated postponements, and was released with almost no pre‑release publicity: no sustained trailer campaign, limited social assets, negligible media buying and no visible on‑ground outreach. With no established star, director profile, or promotional momentum, the makers appear to have leaned on controversy to generate interest. Media reports and social chatter suggested that some groups opposed the film and that it faced restrictions in certain overseas markets; those narratives were amplified across news channels and digital platforms, creating a storm of attention that had little to do with the film’s craft or storytelling. By contrast, Jolly LLB 3 benefited from classic, disciplined marketing: franchise recognition, TV integrations, viral short‑form content and broad social amplification. The result was Jolly LLB 3 reported opening day collection of around Rs 13 crore, while Ajey managed barely Rs 20 lakh nationwide. That gulf underlines a simple truth: controversy is not a marketing plan. Manufactured outrage may produce headlines, but it rarely translates into sustained audience trust or ticket sales. The Ajey case serves as a cautionary tale for low‑budget and debut projects. Effective promotion need not be extravagant, but it must be strategic: clear positioning, targeted digital spend, festival and critic engagement, and grassroots visibility. When films are launched without those basics, manufactured controversy becomes an all‑too‑tempting, and usually ineffective, fallback.
By this time next week, the biopic on Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath — Ajey: The Untold Story Of A Yogi — is slated for global release on September 19. The film made in multiple languages traces the remarkable journey of Ajay Singh Bisht, from a Himalayan village to becoming Yogi Adityanath, a monk, spiritual leader and his emergence as CM of Uttar Pradesh. Based on Shantanu Gupta’s bestselling book, The Monk Who Became Chief Minister (published in 2017) the film blends politics and spirituality in a compelling biopic. Gupta says an effort was made to produce it like M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016).”We got Dhoni script writer — Dilip Jha — to work on the film. Along with Priyank Dubey and me on the script, ” he says. The idea of making the film came to the author during Covid years. Gupta says it was his chance meeting with the California-based NRI Ajay Menji in course of promoting his book that led to the making of the biopic. When asked if Yogi had a sneak preview of the film, Gupta shared that of the two books that he had written on the UP CM, Yogi always preferred the second one — The Monk Who Transformed Uttar Pradesh (2021) — as it showcased his work. “He has not seen the film yet,” says Gupta. With only Bihar polls round the corner and UP polls, a good two years away.”Ajey” may have nothing to do with votes. The film under Samrat Cinematics banner with a modest budget of Rs 35 crore is directed by Lucknow born Rajinder Gautam. It has a stellar cast with Anantvijay Joshi, Paresh Rawal, Nirahua, Ajay Mengi, Rajesh Khattar, Pawan Malhotra, Garima Vikrant Singh and others.
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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.