#Muffler man, mature & mellow

Disc-wielding warrior: Former Karnataka chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy is a favourite of online trolls. He had released a CD with videos of the December 19 clashes between police and anti-CAA protestors in Mangaluru, and thereafter he was dubbed “CDK” by BJP leaders. Social media is abuzz with fake visiting cards of Kumaraswamy, offering his photography and videography services. In the past, too, Kumaraswamy had released CDs against political adversaries. Meanwhile, the Janata Dal (Secular) took to social media to hail Kumaraswamy and equated him to Lord Krishna with the sudarshan chakra | Illustrations by Jairaj T.G.

Missing in action: The glaring absence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s photos from the hoardings advertising the DefExpo in Lucknow from February 5 to February 8 has created quite a stir in South Block. The hoardings feature Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The expo is Asia’s largest exhibition of military hardware and Lucknow is Singh’s constituency. While the omission has upset defence ministry officials, he has remained tight-lipped about it.

The patience pill: If there is an award for patience in politics, then Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Mullappally Ramachandran certainly deserves it. Over the last one year, he has been holding talks with all the top guns in the state unit to restructure the organisation. After marathon deliberations, he submitted a list to the AICC last month, only to see it being rejected almost immediately. Now, he has to start from scratch, and other senior leaders in the party, who incidentally have more clout than the KPCC president, are not showing much interest. Ramachandran, it seems, is left with no option, but to patiently persevere.

Making his mark: Sunny Kaushal seems to be following in Vicky Kaushal’s footsteps. Like his elder brother, he is gradually establishing himself as an actor who could be trusted. The new year opened with Sunny’s Bhangra Paa Le, and now he will be seen playing an important role in Kabir Khan’s The Forgotten Army on Amazon Prime Video. Starting with assisting directors on films like My Friend Pinto and Gunday, he has taken the long route to fulfil his dreams. And, he is here for the long haul, he says | AFP

Spy high: Following the success of Raazi (2018), which was adapted from the 2008 novel Calling Sehmat, Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions will be turning another spy thriller into a movie. “Bringing to you an adaptation of Nitin Gokhale’s book—R.N. Kao: Gentleman Spymaster—to the silver screen,” tweeted Johar. The film will tell the story of Kao, the first chief of the Research and Analysis Wing, and “how he went on to become a success story in the world of international espionage”. | PTI

Roasts to bake: AIB cofounder Rohan Joshi is back with Wake N’ Bake, “a relaxed, chill show” about marriage, sex, being in your thirties, smoking up and “getting baked”. The beleaguered AIB, which came into censure when the #MeToo movement erupted in 2018, is struggling to stay relevant at a time of unprecedented political awakening of the Indian youth. This is Joshi’s solo project where he has extracted an hour of material for the Amazon special from some hundred shows he did across the country between February and October 2019.

Plucky pick: If you think Alia Bhatt is too cute to play a hardened brothel owner, then you are in for a surprise. The recently released first look of Gangubai Kathiawadi, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, shows the actor in two avatars—one, a pigtailed Alia in a blouse and skirt, and two, Alia, in a monochrome, closeup shot, with a big red bindi, choker necklace and nose-pin to boot. The film is based on the life of Gangubai Kothewali aka ‘madam of Kamathipura’ who was known for her connections with the underworld, and is slated for a September 11 release | AFP