How the enigmatic Naveen Patnaik changed Odisha

An overstatement: Janardan Mishra, the BJP’s MP from Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, is known for his unusual style. He is also not new to controversies. While inspecting a girl’s school in Khatkhari, Mishra found that the toilet was not clean. He searched for a brush and a pair of gloves, but could not find them. With no time to waste, Mishra cleaned the toilet with his bare hands. Soon, Mishra tweeted the video, tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi among other leaders. The video went viral, but was it really necessary to take the cleanliness message so far? On social media, Mishra received more brickbats than bouquets | Illustrations by Jairaj T.G.

Parotta and Rahul Gandhi: As the Congress’s Bharat Jodo Yatra passed through Thrissur district in Kerala, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (the youth wing of the CPI(M)) took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi. It installed flex boards in Malayalam with the message, Poraattamanu badal, parottayalla, which means ‘fight is the alternative, not parotta’ (Kerala version of the paratha, also known as Malabar parotta). Though the flex boards did not name any Congress leader, they were destroyed by Congress workers. The DYFI’s parent, the CPI(M), was already displeased that Rahul was spending 18 days in Kerala and only two in Uttar Pradesh.

In a spot: The sleuths of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) were recently left high and dry when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) refused to help them. After the NIA arrested workers of the Popular Front of India for allegedly supporting terror activities, the NIA officials reached out to the CBI for a loan of their lockups across the road for the night. The CBI agreed first, and then refused. Senior NIA officials were then forced to reach out to the Delhi Police and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). Finally, the NCB offered its facilities to the NIA. It was only after the accused were sent to these lockups that the NIA officers could head home. The CBI’s explanation was that it had other jailbirds to take care of.

Double role: Actor Randeep Hooda will be on both sides of the camera for his next. He will both star in and direct the film Swatantra Veer Savarkar, after director Mahesh Majrekar, who had initially taken up the project, dropped out due to prior commitments. The film, which will show the independence struggle in a different light, is being produced by Anand Pandit, Sandeep Singh and Sam Khan. “Randeep is already into the script, the character.... He would be the safest bet for me....,” said Pandit. The film is expected to be shot across London, Maharashtra, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Instagram

A six-yard statement: Pernia’s Pop-Up Shop, India’s largest luxury fashion e-commerce platform owned by Purple Style Labs (PSL), has launched Six Yards by Madhuri Dixit, an ambitious collaboration that highlights her love for the sari. The collection includes luxurious saris in chiffon, georgette, silk and satin and aims to generate global buzz around Dixit’s keen eye for the silhouette. Shoppers can now take inspiration from her glamorous style expressions through handpicked drapes for festivities, weddings and statement-making everyday wear | AFP

Scamster on the loose: After his last release Grahan, actor Anshumaan Pushkar is back with the second season of Jamtara, which released on Netflix on September 23. Jamtara, which borrows its title from the city in Jharkhand, follows a group of scamsters who run credit card frauds. “I am now in a position to choose my scripts,” said Pushkar. “Interesting work is coming my way after Jamtara.” The actor, who made his debut with ALTBalaji’s Gandii Baat in 2018, plays the scamster Rocky in both seasons of the show | Instagram

Wading into showbiz: Malala Yousafzai is no stranger to the limelight. Perhaps that is why she is dabbling in showbiz, this time behind the camera. Her production house, Extracurricular, has started work on its first project for Apple TV+—a film adaptation of Elaine Hsieh Chou’s best-seller, Disorientation. “What I hope to bring to the table are the voices of women of colour and debut writers and Muslim directors and writers,” said Yousafzai. “I hope we can have a wide range of perspectives....” The deal that Extracurricular struck with Apple TV+ in March 2021 includes everything from dramas and comedies to animation and children’s series | AP

One-woman show: It’s confirmed! Rihanna will perform at the Super Bowl half-time show in February 2023. “Rihanna is a generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn,” stated hip-hop legend Jay-Z, whose entertainment agency is an executive producer of the half-time show. Rihanna herself posted on Instagram an image of an outstretched hand holding an NFL football. The most-viewed half-time show ever on YouTube was the one headlined by Jennifer Lopez and Shakira in 2020. Will Rihanna topple the Latino beauties? | Shutterstock