High-Risk, High-Reward Motto Fits Into IPL Scheme Of Things

Twenty20 has always been a “high-risk, high-reward” game, in particular for the batters, and Abhishek Sharma’s go-for-broke knock of 141 when the Sunrisers Hyderabad was seemingly looking down the barrel — chasing Punjab Kings’ 245 at a venue in Uppal in Charminar City — is a case in point. Sharma who plays for Punjab in the Ranji Trophy went through a 5-match poor run, making a mere 51 at 10.20 an innings, but his bellicose-like pounding of the PKS bowlers took his average to 32.08. It was the Sunrisers’ second win in six outings of the Tata-IPL-18, and once again the southpaw opening pair in Travis Head and Sharma took a heavy-duty risk to pave the way for their side to surpass a big target. Teams aim to achieve the maximum potential in the first six over power play and in doing so risk the peril of gifting their wickets. Among the opening pairs, Gujarat Titans’ Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan have made 320 which is a high 27.87% of the team score in six matches; next is the Sunrisers’ Head-Sharma pair which has made 255, followed by the Lucknow Super Giants’ Aiden Markram and Mitchell Narsh pair that has collected 226 and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s opening pair in Phil Salt and Virat Kohli who have contributed 217 to their team aggregate. But the highest run-production has come from the GT’s second wicket pair in Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler who have made 292 which is equivalent to nearly 30% of the team score. The second best here is 274 by LSG’s Marsh and Nicholas Pooran. (By G Viswanath)

After Manipur, President’s Rule Looms Large Over West Bengal?

Two months after President’s rule was imposed in Manipur, West Bengal’s Murshidabad riots converted Hindu families into refugees pouring in exodus to neighbouring Malda district. Possibilities of imposition of Central rule in West Bengal have turned probable now as mobs of masked (mostly juvenile delinquents) carried out coordinated attacks upon the majority community. Hindu homes were targeted with stones, sticks, sickles by rampaging mobs threatening mass rapes of women in the TMC administered state. They were apparently only venting anger over amendments to the Waqf Board law legislated by the Indian parliament last week. On Friday (Apr 12), right after Muslim congregations offered prayers, coordinated protests were witnessed across Mamata Didi’s West Bengal followed by the targeted Murshidabad terror attacks upon Hindu families that continued well into Saturday. Highly placed sources tell shortpost.in there is clear and present danger of West Bengal being engulfed in communal frenzy as part of the tool kit being perpetrated from across the borders (from Bangladesh and Pakistan). “The BJP led Central government bit the bullet in Manipur, sacking its own party CM Birendra Singh, imposition of President’s rule there. West Bengal is steadily deteriorating over Mamata Didi’s reluctance to act against Muslim hardliner elements (including illegal Bangladeshis and Rohingya immigrants) comprising her core voter base,” sources reveal adding, “For long the possibility of WB’s balkanization into north and south Bengal over communal fault-lines has loomed large. Central rule may become the only option to prevent disintegration of India’s Bhalo Bhashi state. “The Calcutta High Court also ordered immediate deployment of central forces in Murshidabad district. after the incidents of widespread violence, vandalism and arson in the region over the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025. (By Renni Abraham)

Telangana Congmen Worry As Chief Minister Doesn’t Care For AICC In-Charge

Telangana Congress leaders wonder if the new AICC in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan will do them any good. Natarajan replaces Deepa Das Munshi, who is now in-charge of election-bound Kerala. Deepa who helped to bring Congress to power in 2023, faced the brunt of factionalism. The house for which Telangana PCC was paying rent for Deepa in Hyderabad had even become a subject of controversy. In contrast Telangana Congress workers admit that Natarajan is completely low-maintenance. “There hasn’t been much of a lifestyle change in her since she began her career in the Congress two decades ago — when she used to commute by three-wheelers for party work. She has opted to stay in MLA guest house whenever she visits Hyderabad,” said a Telangana Congress leader. She apparently insists on meeting all leaders including ministers in the party headquarters. And dissuades party people from receiving her at the airport. Yet no one is sure if her down-to-earth activism will be able to tame chief minister Revanth Reddy as he didn’t seem to be bothered about Meenakshi. Many Congress leaders wished the party had a high-ranking leader, say a former CMs like Digvijay Singh or Bhupesh Baghel as in-charge of Telangana. However, since Rahul Gandhi is comfortable only with those close or loyal to him, he has opted for Natarajan. Of course, for the past two months Natarajan has been maintaining an equi-distance from all factions and sent a strong message to the party heads that party cadres should get highest respect as it was on their sacrifices that the party came to power. (By Lakshmi Iyer)

Kerala Govt Gives Big Push For Cruise Tourism

Kerala Tourism is introducing cruise tourism across the state’s coastline. The initiative aims to launch cruise routes that connect major and minor tourist destinations in Kerala. The government backed plan offers tourists a chance to explore and experience the state from a different perspective. According to an official of the tourism department, the state is shifting from destination-based tourism to experimental tourism. The plan is to start cruise operations from seven ports in the state — Vizhinjam, Kochi, Alappuzha, Kollam, Beypore, Neendakara and Kayamkulam. Kerala has been facing competition from other tropical countries which offers almost everything it has, the official said. The game plan is to offer a more immersive and memorable travel experience, he added. Private operators will operate vessels with varying seating capacity, cabins and other luxury amenities, says N S Pillai, Chairman, of Kerala Maritime Board, which will be overall supervisor of the project. The operations would be inter-state, inter-district and in the long run linking Goa and Bengaluru. With the operations of the Vizhinjam International Port gaining momentum, plans are afoot to integrate the cruise tourism project with broader port developments. Interestingly, even before the green signal had been given for the internal cruise project, the state government at a cabinet meeting yesterday, approved the sale of liquor on boats cruising across the Kerala coast for a license fee of Rs 50,000. (By Our National Editor)

TN Polls In 2026: As Of Now The Stars & Satellites Favour Stalin

Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin is a “stated atheist” though his wife Durga is an entrenched devotee of the Hindu pantheon. Even those who cluck at this family dichotomy admit that right now the stars, satellites, Gods and The Economist are all smiling at him. The UK-based news magazine, The Economist in its April 4 edition has posted a very objective piece on the “delimitation” plan of the Centre after the census. For those who are yet to catch up with this constitutional upheaval, if this delimitation is implemented, TN and the four peninsular states except AP along with Punjab may lose representation in Parliament due to the success of their family planning efforts. And the overpopulated Hindi heartland states with their bursting demography and low living standards may benefit by getting an increased number of MPs in the Lok Sabha. Stalin was the first off the block to form a Joint Action Committee to vociferously protest this plan…a move that has earned him the admiration of the Southern states. As it is he is battling the “imposition” of Hindi in TN. Even Home Minister Amit Shah’s reassurance “Southern states will get a fair share” has been dubbed by Stalin as vague and not substantial. The icing on the cake came with the Supreme Court’s verdict questioning the Governor’s role …stymying and stalling bills passed in the Assembly. TN is currently on top in many growth indices, a key contributor to the national economy, its share being 9.21% to the country’s GDP in 23-24. After being elected in 2021 with a significant majority, Stalin has often voiced his dream of making TN a $1 trillion economy by 2030… but has he laid a strong foundation?  (By Padma Ramnath)

Amit Shah’s Mumbai Visit Generates New Speculations

Union minister Amit Shah’s 2-day Mumbai visit has posed more problems for the ruling 3-party Mahayuti alliance than it has solved, it seems. Shah visited Raigad Fort to pay tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Later he held discussions with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and both DCMs, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, together and separately. Within minutes of his departure, social media platforms were abuzz with posts that Shinde had complained to Shah that the departments allotted to his party were not obtaining financial provisions. While Shinde has kept mum about this, Ajit Pawar, who holds the finance portfolio, has explained that nothing of the sort has happened. Pawar said he had accompanied Shah throughout the latter’s visit and was not aware of Shinde complaining to the top leader. Significantly, Fadnavis, too, has not commented on the posts. After the Raigad Fort visit, Shah lunched at the residence of NCP (Ajit) leader Sunil Tatkare, who is among the main adversaries of the Shiv Sena led by Shinde in Raigad district. His daughter Aditi is a cabinet minister while Shinde’s ardent supporter Bharat Gogawale from the district is still awaiting a ministership. Shah’s visit was expected to unravel the complication. Instead, leaders from both sides have started coming out with their own versions, once again creating an impression that the Mahayuti is still struggling to iron out its internal wrinkles. (By Dilip Chaware)

Rajini’s ‘Coolie’ And Hrithik’s ‘War 2’ Set To Clash On Independence Day

The North South divide along with the Tamil Hindi collusion are set to hit each other in yet another field, cinema. Never-say-retire Rajinikanth and the suave dancing star Hrithik Roshan are about to wage war for the biggest grosser on August 14 with their Coolie and War 2. Lokesh Kanakaraj directed Coolie produced by Sun Pictures, with Anirudh’s rambunctious music has a marquee of stars from every state –a Rajini backed formula meant to draw the crowds in their home states. Coolie has Sathyaraj, Aamir Khan, Upendra and Nagarjuna with Shruti Haasan as the glamour quotient to bring in hordes of fans to cheer their favourite. The same date is planned for War 2, directed by Ayan Mukherji with Hrithik Roshan, Junior NTR, Anil Kapoor and Kiara Advani. So which film will be paisa vasool for the fans? Obviously, Coolie is sure to lead in the South and it is the talk that Aamir Khan’s souped up role is bound to floor fans. Is Coolie about to carry the big load in the North Indian market too? Even as federalism is in for heated discussion, state supremacy is ostensibly promoted …Nagarjuna the hot favourite in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Upendra in Karnataka and Soubin Shahir in Kerala. War2 Jr. NTR is no pushover, with his overwhelming fan base in Telugu Desam. and may have a better reception overseas too. If you think producers are playing a high stakes IPL, don’t discount and scorn the viewer as a walkover. Cinema is undergoing a huge churning, with multiple dimension competition…from OTT, piracy and small budget but significant story tellers. Many well thought out strategies can fail despite big stakes. (By Padma Ramnath)

Bhushan Gavai Tipped To Be The Next CJI

The next Chief Justice of India is tipped to be Justice Bhushan Gavai, who started his legal career from Amaravati in Maharashtra. He is the son of veteran parliamentarian late Ramkrishna Gavai. According to indications available here, Gavai will be administered the oath of office on 14 May when present CJI Sanjeev Khanna retires. He is due to retire on 23 November 2025. Born on 24 November 1960, Gavai started practising in Mumbai High Court. For some time, he was junior to senior lawyer Raja Bhosale, who later worked as a HC judge for some time. Gavai was first appointed as a judge at the Nagpur bench of the HC and later elevated to the Supreme Court on 24 May 2019. Gavai has been known for many of his landmark judgments, especially those upholding fundamental rights. He will head the judiciary soon after earlier Maharashtra jurist DY Chandrachud, retired. While his father, YV Chandrachud, was CJI, Gavai’s father RS Gavai was a member of the Maharashtra legislature as well as Parliament of India. He also functioned as governor of Bihar, Sikkim and Kerala. Justice Gavai initiated some new trends in the Apex Court. For instance, he fixed one day every week for hearing public interest litigations. Gavai’s criticism of the government on deploying bulldozers to raze properties of some of the accused in Uttar Pradesh had proved to be an eye opener. (By Dilip Chaware)

Sharmila Tagore, Rakhee Gulzar Returns To Bengali Cinema In Lead Roles

Tollywood is undergoing a quiet revolution where septuagenarian heroines are taking centre stage, not as stereotypical grandmothers or mothers-in-law, but as leading characters driving the narrative. Breaking away from ageist casting norms and prosthetic disguises, directors are now turning to veteran actresses to bring authenticity, depth, and grace to stories that reflect lived experiences. Legendary actresses Sharmila Tagore and Rakhee Gulzar have made a grand return to the industry, not in nostalgic cameos but as the central protagonists of major upcoming films. Sharmila Tagore, whose last Bengali film was Antaheen in 2009, marks her comeback with Puratawn, directed by Suman Ghosh and produced by the National award winning actress Rituparna Sengupta. Rakhee Gulzar returns after 22 years with Aamar Boss directed by the popular duo Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukhopadhyay. Her last appearance was in Shubho Mahurat (2003), a film still remembered as one of Rituparno Ghosh’s finest. This return of the stalwarts isn’t a coincidence. Bengali filmmakers are now crafting stories with these legends in mind, placing elderly women in the spotlight — not as background figures, but as emotionally rich, complex leads. Suman for his Puratawn, believed in casting 79-year-old Tagore not for commercial reasons but because she perfectly embodied the character he had in mind. He felt no need to compromise authenticity by choosing a younger actress made up to look older for box office collection. Shiboprasad, co-director of Aamar Boss, slated to release in May, observed that films featuring veteran heroines as protagonists often yield better returns than those led by younger stars. Looks like Bengali cinema is embracing age with pride. (By Tanya Bagchi)

KIIT University Suicide Controversy: Odisha HC Stays NHRC Proceedings

The Odisha High Court has issued a stay order on the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) proceedings pertaining to the alleged suicide of a Nepalese girl student at KIIT University. This effectively means that HC has temporarily suspended the NHRC’s March 27 order which held KIIT accountable to the suicide incident. KIIT moved HC stating it was not given an opportunity to be heard. One of the KIIT directors told shortpost.in it had to move the Odisha High Court because of victimisation. Justice SK Panigrahi at Odisha High Court while hearing KIIT petition emphasised the adherence to the principles of natural justice in quasi-judicial proceedings. The HC has issued notice to NHRC to respond by April 26 with the next hearing date scheduled for April 29. It may be recalled that KIIT University’s move, asking Nepali students to go back, was a diplomatic embarrassment for India as our country enjoys a good relationship with Nepal. In all this drama being played the general question everybody is asking: Will the deceased Nepali girl student ever get justice? (By Sangram Mohanty)

Shinde’s Key Role In BMC Polls Keeps Him In BJP’s Good Books For Now

Maharashtra deputy CM Eknath Shinde currently enjoys a special place at the ruling BJP’s table, thanks to the key role he is scheduled to play in the forthcoming crucial BMC polls for them. A straight victory has evaded the BJP in the Rs 59,000-crore budget civic body till date. Politically too, winning the BMC polls for BJP has become crucial since dislodging Uddhav Thackeray from here would truly deliver a big blow to the Uddhav Thackeray Sena and decimate them. Not surprisingly, Amit Shah held a one-on-one with Eknath Shinde at Mumbai for a good half an hour without his own chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in attendance. Shinde has already got down to the task at hand and has been poaching Uddhav’s key supporters quite regularly. Shinde is using the opportunity to get his way around too. Shinde’s men have started grumbling about budgetary cuts introduced by the finance minister Ajit Pawar that have impacted their ministries. Shinde, who had funded many welfare schemes while as a CM, finds many of his schemes being curtailed, folded up or ignored by the Fadnavis government. His pet scheme, the Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana, still continues, albeit with many restrictions. Shinde also has Sanjay Raut breathing down his neck, comparing him to a goat with nowhere to go and awaiting his butchering. Unlike the Ajit Pawar’s of NCP, who have warmed up to each other, the Sena factions continue to a collision drive breathing fire and fury against each other.  (By Hepzi Anthony)

John Abraham: The Uncertain Future Of ‘Tehran’ After ‘The Diplomat

John Abraham has long struggled to establish himself as a consistent box office draw, and his recent release, The Diplomat, exemplifies this ongoing challenge. Despite the film’s potential, it has failed to recover its production costs, raising serious questions about Abraham’s viability as a producer. The film faced a protracted release timeline of over a year, primarily due to a lack of interest from its production partner, T-Series, and poor marketing strategies. The promotional efforts, which relied heavily on the presence of a real diplomat, did little to enhance visibility or generate audience excitement. Given the backdrop of several recent disappointments, including Veda, Ek Villain Returns and Satyamev Jayate 2, Abraham’s track record at the box office has become increasingly questionable. While Pathaan achieved remarkable success, it is essential to note that this triumph belongs to Shah Rukh Khan rather than Abraham. The disappointing performance of The Diplomat, which received critical acclaim but failed to resonate with mainstream audiences, casts a long shadow over his upcoming project, Tehran. With the fate of The Diplomat likely to influence the reception of Tehran, Abraham faces an uphill battle in securing a successful release. The lack of spectacular content in The Diplomat suggests that Tehran may encounter similar challenges. As audiences continue to demand engaging narratives and compelling performances, John Abraham must reassess his approach to both acting and production if he hopes to revitalize his career and reclaim his status in the competitive landscape of Bollywood. (By Girish Wankhede)

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