Exclusive: Life in Russia in the shadow of Ukraine war

Old guard united: After stepping out of the extended Congress working committee meeting for a photo shoot at Gujarat’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Museum on April 8, two veteran ex-chief ministers, Ashok Gehlot of Rajasthan and Bhupendra Hooda of Haryana, were spotted sharing a rare moment of bonhomie. As the cameras zoomed in, Gehlot casually raised his elbow, rested it on Hooda’s shoulder, and gleefully whispered something. Hooda modestly acquiesced with silence. At a time when there is speculation on whether the Congress is easing out the old guard to infuse young blood, tongues are wagging on whether this was the soft launch of the post-retirement reunion tour | Illustrations by Jairaj T.G.

What about a response?: Recently, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was asked about his government allegedly diverting funds meant for welfare measures for SCs and STs to guarantee schemes. In response, he demanded to know if there was a single BJP-ruled state that had implemented the act in question—the SCP/TSP Act. Similarly, when the lorries and transport vehicle owners’ association sought a roll back on the diesel prices and warned of an indefinite strike, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy asked why they had not gone on strike when the Modi government hiked diesel prices.

Changing with the times: The Ezhava Hindu community in Kerala has traditionally supported the CPI(M). However, over the past decade, there have been growing signs that the party is gradually losing its foothold within the community and the BJP has been making a concerted effort to convert the left’s losses into its own gains. In a notable move, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan recently adopted a tactical tone of appeasement by lavishing praise on Vellappally Natesan, the long-time general secretary of the powerful Ezhava community organisation SNDP. Natesan had recently made a controversial remark about Malappuram, a Muslim-majority district. However, Vijayan downplayed the controversy, asserting that Natesan’s statement was not targeted at any religion but rather at a political party—read, the Indian Union Muslim League—while also congratulating him on completing 30 years at the helm of the SNDP. Interestingly, critics of Vijayan on Facebook dug up his posts from 2015, in which he had strongly criticised Natesan, even calling him a mouthpiece of the RSS.

Dream team: Meghna Gulzar’s next film, a crime thriller, features a dynamite combination—Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran. “As I celebrate 25 incredible years in Hindi cinema, I’m thrilled to announce my next film, Daayra, with the incredible Meghna Gulzar in the director’s chair,” said Kareena. “I’ve long admired her work, from Talvar to Raazi, and to be directed by her is a dream come true. The opportunity to collaborate with the talented Prithviraj is also a highlight....” Kareena and Prithviraj is not a pairing that is obvious, but sometimes those are the best kind. Like peanut butter and jelly. Or Jack Black and that bushy beard | AP, PTI

Just for laughs: After action and romance, Priyanka Chopra gets to flaunt her funny bone in her next Hollywood project—a comedy with Baywatch co-star Zac Efron. To be directed by Nicholas Stoller, the film also features Michael Pena and Will Ferrell. It is about a young convict (Efron) who takes revenge on a TV judge for delivering a wrong verdict. Meanwhile, PeeCee’s plate is certainly stacked high, with projects like Heads of State, alongside Idris Elba and John Cena; The Bluff, in which she plays a Caribbean pirate; and Citadel 2 | AFP

Snake shake: ‘Snake’, the single by Nora Fatehi and American pop musician Jason Derulo, climbed to the top spot on the UK British Asian Music Charts, broadcast on BBC Asian Network. It beat ‘48 Rhymes’ by Karan Aujla and Manna Music and ‘Afsos’ by Anuv Jain and A.P. Dhillon. ‘Snake’—a blend of pop with Latin and middle-eastern beats—had become the most viewed music video within 24 hours of its release in January. It quickly turned into a popular party anthem, especially with Fatehi’s ‘slithering’ dance moves | AP

Drumming it up: Hip-hop star Hanumankind began with a bang at Coachella, with the thundering beats of the chenda. He sang his best hits like ‘Big Dawgs’ and ‘Go To Sleep’. Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had congratulated the rapper for putting Indian martial arts like Kalaripayattu on the world map in his latest song, ‘Run It Up’. Although other Indian musicians like Diljit Dosanjh and A.P. Dhillon have performed at the renowned music festival in California, Hanumankind is the first Indian hip-hop artiste there | Getty Images