Deepika Padukone: Star Power

Being a member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festi­val, check. Presenting the FIFA World Cup football trophy, check. Presenting at the Oscars, check. Got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, check, check.

For someone who has done only one Hollywood movie, a noisy popcorn blockbuster, xXx: Return of Xander Cage, in 2017, Deepika Padukone has had tremendous success at becoming the global face of Indian beauty. Much of it is because though her recent film work has been selec­tive, her roles as an advocate for mental health and as the Indian face of global luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, have put her right on the international map. She is not as iconic to Cannes as Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, nor is she as mononymously famous in the US as her contemporary Priyanka Chopra Jonas, but Deepika Padukone has always known how to maximise her celebritydom.

So whether it is the ability to ride the storm of contro­versy around Padmaavat by becoming the poster girl of feminism or to become a proponent of eight-hour working days for new mothers when she went head-to-head with one of India’s most successful filmmakers, Padukone has shown immense marketing skills. Then there is the choice of films she has done in India, mostly action spectacles opposite top heroes such as Shah Rukh Khan (Jawan and Pathaan), Hrithik Roshan (Fighter) and Prabhas (Kalki 2898 AD). These last four films alone, in the last two years, have grossed `3,599 crore, solidifying her status as the go-to star for action in India. If her application for a star on the walk of fame has been accepted, it’s only fair. (By Kaveree Bamzai)

Sanjay Gaikwad: Canteen Ruckus

Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad was in the news for all the wrong reasons when he beat an employee at the MLA hostel canteen in Mumbai. Gaikwad was understood to have been incensed over the poor quality of food and later acknowledged his actions were harsh but claimed to have shaken the authorities out of their slumber. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis disapproved of the incident but this is not the first time Sena MLAs or MPs have got agitated over food at canteens. In 2014, soon after the Lok Sabha election, a controversy erupted when Sena MPs sought to force feed a staffer at Delhi’s Maharashtra Sadan for poor fare.

Ideas
Originality

If you have been to a theatre lately, you’d be forgiven for thinking you had time-travelled at least a few decades. Superman, the latest James Gunn-Warner Bros attempt at rebooting the story of the original caped crusader, arrives this weekend to theatres already teeming with remakes, sequels and reboots. There is Jurassic World: Rebirth, the latest iteration of a franchise that stretches back to 1993’s Jurassic Park; 28 Years Later, where Danny Boyle has reanimated the corpses of his 2002 zombie flick 28 Days Later; and there’s still Final Destination: Bloodlines, the latest in an unending horror franchise still hanging around in multiplexes. And there are many more arriving soon, from a remake of the 1997 slasher film I Know What You Did Last Summer, a new The Naked Gun; a remake of 1989’s The War of the Roses called The Roses; to a sequel to the 2003 comedy Freaky Friday; and not to forget a new Fantastic Four movie.

Hollywood has a long history of remaking films, but this latest spell teeming with so many remakes and sequels shows an industry in a creative free fall. Remakes of course can be creative, but that is not what most of these films aspire to be. Gareth Edwards, the director of Jurassic World: Rebirth, told the BBC, “The goal was that it should feel like Universal Studios went into their vaults and found a reel of a film, brushed the dust off and it said: Jurassic World: Rebirth…”

The pandemic proved to be a big blow globally for film industries, with audience choosing to watch movies on streaming platforms. As more films fail, studio heads, who probably came of age in the 1990s, are signing off on films that seek to recreate the feeling of an era they grew up in.

Money Mantra
Earnings Season Is Key
It gives an insight into whether the business is meeting real economic demand

 

 

THE EARNINGS SEASON, which has just started, will determine the long-term trend of stock market and prices of individual companies.

Here’s why it matters more than almost anything else.

First, earnings season delivers a reality check. Stock prices often incor­porate expectations about revenue growth, profit margins and future outlook. When companies report, they either confirm those expecta­tions or shatter them—sometimes wildly. By tracking earnings releases, you gain insight into which businesses are meeting real economic demand and which ones may be running out of momentum.

Second, earnings season offers forward guidance—and therein lies its true power. Many companies frame their performance not just by reporting past results, but by forecasting upcoming quarters. If management raises guidance, implying stronger sales or cost efficien­cies ahead, investors tend to bid the stock higher. Conversely, lowered guidance often triggers sell-offs, even if the current quarter’s numbers look decent.

Third, you get a deep dive into profit margins and expense drivers. Top-line revenue growth is important, but the story often lives in the details: gross, operating and net margins. Did margins expand because of pricing power, leaner operations or a more favourable product mix? Or did inflationary costs force the company to sacrifice margins just to keep sales volume steady?

Fourth, earnings season shines a light on cash flow and balance-sheet strength. Earnings per share can be influenced by non-cash items—depreciation, amortisation or one-off charges—whereas free cash flow tells you how much real cash a business generates. Positive cash flow is the lifeblood of dividend payments, share buybacks and debt reduction.

In sum, earnings season is a recurring litmus test for corporate health and market expectations. By focusing on earnings surprises, forward guidance, margin dynamics, cash-flow strength, manage­ment commentary and broader sector trends, you position yourself to react swiftly and intelligently. (By Ramesh Singh)

Viral
Train Stops As Elephant Goes Into Labour

An elephant, seemingly distressed, stands at a distance, just beside a railway tracks. This is an area in Jharkhand known to have many elephants moving about. The elephant had gone into labour, and the people recording this moment were staffers aboard a goods train, who upon realising what was going on, had halted the train and waited for over two hours for the animal to safely deliver its calf and move away. Our social media feeds often abound with reports of human-animal conflict, often involving elephants. But here was a rare moment of understanding and compassion. And these videos, shared online by Bhupender Yadav, the Union minister for environment, forest and climate change, who was moved by this episode, went viral quickly. In another video, the elephant can be seen walking into a nearby forest, with a tiny calf tottering beside her.