ULFA's dissolution has cemented Himanta Biswa Sarma’s political standing

Manyavar, Behenji…: In the poll chatter dominated by the BJP and the INDIA bloc in Uttar Pradesh, the BSP is trying hard to find its space. As expected, party president Mayawati has been the star campaigner. But now, she has company. Her nephew, Akash Anand, is increasingly making his presence felt. Unlike his aunt, Anand does not shy away from the glare of the media. He also regularly invokes B.R. Ambedkar. Interestingly, Anand’s rise coincides with the absence of Mayawati’s close aide Satish Mishra from the campaign. The BSP’s clout in electoral politics may be declining, but Anand is rising within the party and is expected to inherit the legacy from Mayawati | Illustrations by Jairaj T.G.

KCR 2.0: After his party’s electoral setbacks, former Telangana chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao has found both the time and inclination to connect more closely with the public. In a surprising move, KCR recently joined X to reach out to netizens. He has also revamped his approach to election campaigns. Now, he engages in road shows and addresses crowds from bus-top—things he never did while he was in power. His stance towards the media, too, has changed. After almost a decade, he visited a news channel’s studio and gave an interview running into more than four hours.

Dark days ahead?: In recent weeks, there has been a notable increase in power consumption in Kerala—thanks to the heat wave scorching God’s Own Country. April saw power consumption hit an all-time high. And, as water levels are low in dams with hydroelectric projects, the government is contemplating load-shedding. Meanwhile, power cuts have increased in frequency, prompting novel protests—like a sleep-in at a Kerala State Electricity Board office by a group of young men. The unkindest cut was that the lights went out when Electricity Minister K. Krishnankutty was casting his vote for the Lok Sabha polls. The minister clarified that while unchecked consumption was stretching the capacity of the grid, there was no plan to impose load-shedding in the immediate future. Now that the Lok Sabha polls in the state are over, the gloves might come off.

Tune in: She’s got zen in her name, but Zendaya doesn’t mind making some noise, or rather music. The Dune actor revealed that she might release new songs one day. In 2011, she had released two singles—‘Swag It Out’ and ‘Watch Me’. She signed with Hollywood Records in 2012, and a year later came out with her eponymous studio album. But, for now, she is making money—she scored her first big solo box-office opening with Challengers at $15 million | shutterstock

Another feather: Nicole Kidman became the first Australian actor to receive the American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award. Meryl Streep presented her with what the AFI calls the “highest honour in American cinema”. The Moulin Rouge actor thanked all her directors “for making me better at my craft and giving me a place, however temporary, in this world”. Her husband, singer Keith Urban, and her Big Little Lies costar Reese Witherspoon were among those who attended the ceremony | AP

Reunion time: Vir Das’s directorial debut—Happy Patel—will have more than one Delhi Belly connection. One, Happy Patel is backed by Aamir Khan, who co-produced the latter. Two, it will have Khan and his nephew Imran in cameos; both of them were also part of Delhi Belly. This will mark Imran’s return to films. Das will play the lead in the quirky comedy. He is directing the film with Kavi Shastri—they first “met as background players in Love Aaj Kal”. The Emmy-winning comedian will be touring Australia and East Asia in May for his ‘Mind Fool’ standup show | Getty Images

Fab 50: Fifty years on screen is quite an achievement. And if it is the versatile veteran Shabana Azmi, all the more so. The New York Indian Film Festival will celebrate her 50 years in cinema at its 24th edition in May. Azmi will delve into her “remarkable journey, from her groundbreaking debut in Shyam Benegal’s Ankur to her trailblazing roles that have earned her five National Awards and international accolades”, read the NYIFF statement | Amey Mansabdar

Crooner’s comeback: Pakistani singer Atif Aslam made his Malayalam debut with a song for the upcoming romantic film Haal. The ‘Woh Lamhe’singer reportedly recorded the song in a studio overseas. The Malayalam track marks Aslam’s return to the Indian film industry after almost seven years. Pakistani artistes were barred from working in India following the Uri attack, but the Supreme Court dismissed a plea seeking a ban on them last year. There were also reports that Aslam had performed at a pre-wedding bash of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant in London | Instagram@atifaslam