Can BJP win over dalits and tribals again in West Bengal?

Operational Reddyness: Telangana Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy is not your average politician. He flew MiG fighter jets for the Indian Air Force before he swapped cockpits for cabinet meetings—a fact he proudly recalled during a recent media interaction. As journalists discussed Operation Sindoor and escalating India-Pakistan tensions, the former state Congress president did not miss his chance to share some high-flying stories from his days patrolling sensitive border regions. Reddy went beyond mere nostalgia, making the bold declaration that he stands ready to trade his political khadi for aviator overalls should duty call | Illustrations by Jairaj T.G.

Going downhill?: Himachal Pradesh is heating up—and it is not the weather. Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri recently cried “conspiracy” in a dramatic social media post, setting tongues wagging faster than tourists flee to the hills in the summer. Minister Vikramaditya Singh quickly jumped on Team Agnihotri, making it obvious that there were two factions in the government—one supporting Agnihotri and the other loyal to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. The Congress tried to deflect attention by pointing fingers at the BJP, but the unrest in the party is now an open secret. Sukhu’s tenure has been anything but smooth. As he hits the 2.5-year mark this month—hello, political midlife crisis!—his government looks shakier than a poorly built mountain road. Delhi is not exactly rushing to resolve problems. Its solution? The classic “ignore it till everyone gets bored” approach.

Action vs faction: The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee ushered in a new leadership with fanfare at its Thiruvananthapuram headquarters on May 12. V.D. Satheesan, leader of opposition in the assembly, confidently announced that the party would approach the upcoming assembly elections “ottakkettayi” (in complete unity) and secure more than 100 seats—an ambitious projection for a party with a well-documented history of faction feuds. Even outgoing president K. Sudhakaran had alleged that party factions were attempting to marginalise him. Interestingly, former KPCC president K. Muraleedharan offered perhaps the day’s most astute observation. “We don’t need to repeatedly proclaim ‘ottakkettayi, ottakkettayi’,” he said. “The more people hear it, the more they may begin to doubt whether there is indeed unity in the party. It’s better to demonstrate unity through our actions.”

Rhyme and reason: Ram Charan is the latest movie star to get his wax statue at Madame Tussauds in London. But it is his pet pooch Rhyme who has earned a rarer distinction. The actor’s wax statue, which shows him in his 2023 Oscars attire (black velvet bandhgala), has Rhyme’s replica sitting pretty on its lap. This is only the second time in Madame Tussauds’s history that a celebrity’s wax figure has been accompanied by a pet’s, the first being Queen Elizabeth II with her corgi. Ram Charan, who will next be seen in Peddi, brought his parents, wife, daughter and, of course, Rhyme for the unveiling of the statue | AFP

Cannes calling, again: Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan is going places with his Homebound. After a much-impressed Martin Scorsese came on board as executive producer, the film will be screened at the Cannes Film Festival in its Un Certain Regard section. Ghaywan’s first film, Masaan (2015), had also premiered at the festival. Homebound, his second film, stars Ishaan Khatter and Janhvi Kapoor, both of whom will make their Cannes debut together, just like they did with films | Instagram@neeraj.ghaywan

(W)rite of passage: Art collector and cultural phenomenon Shalini Passi of Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives fame will debut as an author next year. The untitled book, to be published by Penguin Random House India under its Ebury Press imprint, will be a “bold, unapologetic and deeply personal narrative” on the moments and principles that shaped her life. “Who says you can’t be glamorous and game-changing? My book is my love letter to fabulous, fearless living—with heels on, heart open, and art everywhere,” she said in a statement | Getty Images

Log in: The ‘Queen of Pop’ is bringing her life to our screens. Madonna has teamed up with director and producer Shawn Levy of Deadpool & Wolverine fame for a Netflix limited series. It is not yet clear whether it will span her entire life and career or just a particular phase. Fans of the singer, nonetheless, would be elated with the news, especially after the biopic she was working on, with Julia Garner in the lead, was shelved in 2023 | Getty Images