Stalin’s image-building alone may not help him win election: Palaniswami

Cadre disorder: Puthuppally MLA Chandy Oommen was one of those likely to be accommodated in the V.D. Satheesan cabinet, only to be dropped at the last moment. When the media asked, he said he never aspired for it, and hence was not disappointed. His supporters, standing beside him, openly expressed disappointment on his behalf. Some announced a boycott of the swearing-in. Chandy urged them to attend. They remained adamant. He then joked that his supporters were helping the media generate more stories about a cabinet berth he never wanted | Illustration by Job P.K.

Role becomes real: If you want to be an army man, act like one. In the case of Ishaan Khatter, this is literally true. For his portrayal of a cavalry officer in the film Pippa, he has been conferred an honorary membership of the 45 Cavalry of the Indian Armoured Corps. Khatter was suitably grateful. “As somebody who came from a life far removed from military exposure, this is truly mind boggling for me,” he said. “I only did my best as an artiste to bring authenticity to the role of a cavalier but this is fuel for a lifetime to keep giving my heart and soul to every role I essay.” Directed by Raja Krishna Menon, Pippa tells the story of Captain Balram Singh Mehta, who fought in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war | AFP

Gotham’s got her: Gotham City has a new resident—Scarlett Johansson. Director Matt Reeves confirmed that Johansson will be part of The Batman Part II, set to release next year. The first part had wowed audiences with its gritty retelling of the story of “one of the major characters of the 20th century”, as Robert Pattinson, who plays Batman, put it. With Johansson’s superhero credentials—her tenure as Marvel’s Black Widow spanned over a decade—she is likely to have a meaty role | AFP

Fifty shades of Javier: Actor Javier Bardem has done it again, with a seven-minute standing ovation at Cannes for his latest, The Beloved. Directed by Oscar nominee Rodrigo Sorogoyen, it is about a famous filmmaker who opens old wounds when he offers his estranged daughter a role in his latest film. Afterwards, Bardem was all smiles as he affectionately hugged his co-stars and festival director Thierry Fremaux. One wondered if this was the same man who used the global platform to call out toxic masculinity, one of the film’s themes, turning the full force of his anger on the likes of Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin for their “f*****g male toxic behaviour” | AFP

Actor, unmasked: Naseeruddin Shah has essayed dozens of characters, but who is the real Shah underneath his costumes? That is what filmmaker Arunima Sharma of Four More Shots Please! fame set out to discover. Backstage, her no-holds-barred documentary on the legendary actor, will be out next year. “His memoir, And Then One Day, only takes us up to the age of 32,” said the national award-winning filmmaker. “This film is him today at 75, and simultaneously also about him at various stages of his life.” She says the documentary includes many hilarious stories about him. Shah, funny side up? Bring it on | AFP