Tariff Talks: U.S. Delegation In India After Piyush Goyal Snub!

USA President Donald Trump has blinked first under the incessant stare of Indian PM Narendra Modi over the bilateral tariffs issue. The Union Commerce minister Piyush Goyal led trade delegation to USA returned back in a huff over American attempts to brow beat India into the formers’ one-sided tariff pact. “Goyal and delegation negotiated hard and long till he got the cue from PM Modi to break off talks and return home. Not even a day after the Indian trade delegation returned to India, Trump’s crestfallen team went into a huddle and has decided to send a team of U.S. delegates to India to retrieve the situation and still thrash out a trade and tariffs pact,” a person familiar with the developments told shortpost.in. They will be on our turf now with Goyal strategically making public our disinclination to accept American dairy and agro products on American terms. Massive de-dollarization is taking place in the world after many nations emulated India to deal only in their respective currencies internationally which has impacted the U.S. badly. Ascending gold prices (10 gm) crossed Rs 1 lakh price barrier with silver set to reach Rs 1.5 lakh per kg and countries are focussed on their precious metals reserves. With the hegemony of the U.S. dollar all but vanquished, India looks forward to a more balanced trade and tariffs deal with the U.S. even as it exports reliable and durable technology to the world. An Indo-French and Indo-German collaboration in technology, Russian tie-up for fifth generation fighter jets and more has ushered India into the Big Four of the world both economically and politically. (By Renni Abraham)

 Underrated KL Rahul Finally Getting His Due!

KL Rahul who is on his 25th Test series in 10 years has not been able to stamp his authority in a consistent way though. He was ever a batter with promise and potential. When he scored a 110 in his third Test innings in Sydney in January 2015, he was seen as a gifted opener emerging out of the Karnataka stable and in the mould of a typical opener, showing the full face of the bat in defence and sure shot in stroke making. After 109 innings (109th incomplete) in 62 Tests, it can be said that he belonged to the highest echelons of international cricket, in particular in red-ball cricket. He has evolved over time and the first thing that he would tell even a layman is that of his organised ways of responding to a delivery from a fast bowler or a spinner. He has not figured in 46 Tests after his debut in Australia, but he is the fourth highest run getter for India after his debut. Only three others — Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane — have scored more than him, but in many more Tests. He has scored 3765 runs with ten x 100s, nine of it in Sydney, Colombo, Kingston, The Oval, Lord’s, Centurion Park, and Headingley. Rahul has scored 3311 runs as an opener and for the first time in his career he went past the 500-run mark in the course of his second innings at Manchester. He has gritted it out to score 508 + runs at an average exceeding 72 and become the second highest run-getter on the tour of England contributing almost 18 % of the team score. Underrated all though his career, Rahul is finally getting his due! (G Viswanath)

Kamal Haasan: Successful Star, Failed Politician

It is as a failed politician that the 69-year old Kamal Haasan took oath as member of the Rajya Sabha. In 2017, he floated a party Makkal Needhi Maiam amidst much fanfare that failed to take off. He suffered the same fate as Sivaji Ganesan who was seen as a talented actor but not a people’s saviour as MGR was perceived to be. Having come into politics with the same enthusiasm as many others of uprooting the system and making a new one work for the people, Kamal surrendered to the same Dravidian power monger politics by aligning with the DMK and then angling to get this Rajya Sabha nomination. He may have been nominated by a political party but Kamal’s place in the Upper House may be the same as that of many celebrities who failed as nominees of the nation like Sachin Tendulkar whose voice is rarely heard in Parliament. Once a firebrand in his early days of initiation into politics with his double barrel guns pointed equally at the Dravidian majors, Kamal will be just another celebrity unless he takes his appointment seriously and gets his voice heard often in the legislature on topics that will pertain to public issues that count and talking about which might help bring about change to some extent. Until then, Kamal will remain a nonentity as a political figure who may have realised that the public is not idolatrous to the extent that any film star can become an MGR or an N.T. Rama Rao. Meeting him to wish him before his Rajya Sabha entry was Rajinikanth, the Superstar who developed cold feet about entering politics, It remains to be seen now what will become of Vijay though he is one matinee idol who is giving up cinema at least temporarily to appear like a serious politician. (By Tamil Raja)

Police Invited To Watch Fisticuff Between Shiv Sena MLA And AIMIM MP At Azad Maidan

Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena party MLA Sanjay Gaikwad has created another first by challenging his critic and former AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel for an unarmed combat in Mumbai’s Azad Maidan ‘any time, any day.’ After gaining notoriety for slapping a canteen boy in the MLA hostel for serving unsavoury food, Gaikwad has asked Jaleel to face him in the physical bout. This is not just a verbal challenge. Gaikwad has published a draft agreement on a stamp paper, to be signed by both, in case Jaleel accepts the invite. On July 11, Gaikwad had threatened to thrash Jaleel for criticising him over the canteen assault. “I thrashed that canteen worker by just punching him twice. But I will beat Imtiaz Jaleel so badly that he will not be in a position to run,” the legislator said. Jaleel immediately accepted the Sena MLA’s challenge, and asked him to fix the venue and time for the potential confrontation. Unabashed, Jaleel once again (July 22) ridiculed Gaikwad for the assault. Promptly, Gaikwad challenged him to meet in Mumbai’s Azad Maidan, a ‘neutral’ venue, in presence of the police, making it conditional that no one else will be coming between. Coincidentally, Eknath Shinde and another deputy CM Ajit Pawar are finding themselves in hot water for the questionable deeds and statements of a few of their ministers. (By Dilip Chaware)

Will AI Kill Creative Communication As We Know It?

A recent issue of The Economist has a solar plexus hitting writeup about advertising and Artificial Intelligence. The whoosh after this sucker punch was the subject of the annual Holy Grail meet at Cannes where adland titans revealed and predicted many a doomsday status to creativity. The crystal balls revealed that human intelligence is overwhelmed by AI. But such “bare all” events are significant as Cannes proved. In this cockroaches and computers head on collision who will survive, who will be eliminated? Surprisingly, the legendary cockroach endures to see yet another epoch, because its survival instincts are too strong. TikTok, Meta and Google put on their fiercest Halloween masks to shock and shake the professionals in denial. Sam Altman, the Moses of AI predicted that 95% of marketing as we know may be AI delivered. The 5% is the surviving cockroach that shall still burrow into the $ 1-trillion adspend annually on “workmanlike campaigns”. AI is definitely going to impact the landscape …some advertisers are shifting their communication onto billboards. Chennai’s iconic Gemini Circle proved this point in more ways than one. A huge billboard shows very apt, creative copy (though oldies may be shocked) superimposed on the anatomy of unmistakable bums. The copy then fires …“let Elon Musk explore Mars. Our Mission is Uranus”. Discover a whole new world of colorectal care. The name of this clinic is even more creative — Assana Colorectal & Gut Wellness Clinic. A few years back, such an ad may have brought a smirk to the genteels, who do not discuss rectal troubles, pain in the arse including piles in a group. They called it anal fixation and anal retentive to be dealt behind bathroom doors. AI has not killed the cockroach…yet. (By Padma Ramnath)

Didi Seeks Tollywood’s Voice Against ‘Language Terror’

On the death anniversary of “Mahanayak” or Great Hero of Bengali cinema Uttam Kumar, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee issued a strong statement against what she described as “language terror” targeting Bengali speakers in various parts of the country. Speaking at the annual Mahanayak Samman ceremony organised by the state government since 2012 to honour artists and technicians from the world of Bengali cinemas, Didi appealed to the industry stakeholders to defend Bengali language, warning that if necessary, a new language movement must begin to protect mother tongue. Bengali is the fifth most spoken language in the world and second in Asia, with nearly 300 mn speaking it worldwide. Mamata made it categorical asking not to insult the Bengali language. Didi’s remarks followed recent incidents where Bengali-speaking migrant workers were allegedly harassed, detained or even deported from other states after being branded “Bangladeshis.” She had earlier addressed the issue on July 21 at the Martyrs’ Day rally, accusing the BJP of targeting Bengalis. She said that this language which gave birth to Rabindranath Tagore, Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay, Kazi Nazrul Islam reminded everybody that the country’s national anthem was written in Bengali. (By Tanya Bagchi)

‘War 2’ Banking On Masala Formula To Create A New Record At The Box Office

The trailer for ‘War 2’ has all the ingredients of a quintessential masala potboiler, promising to deliver an exhilarating cinematic experience. As the sixth instalment in the expansive Spy Universe of Yashraj Studios, this film boasts impressive production values, breathtaking action sequences and a palpable energy that is sure to captivate audiences worldwide. Starring Telugu superstar NTR Jr and Bollywood icon Hrithik Roshan, the film is set to release on August 14^th. With simultaneous release in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil, War 2 is expected to make a big impact at the box office. Initial projections suggest that the Hindi box office alone could exceed Rs 50 crore on its opening day, with a global total—encompassing all three languages—expected to surpass Rs 100 crore. If the film crosses the Rs 100-crore mark on its first day, it could potentially gross upwards of Rs 300 crore throughout its theatrical run. Audiences can expect breathtaking visuals, including high-speed chases, intense ground battles, and aerial dogfights, all choreographed to perfection. director Ayan Mukerji, known for his work on Brahmastra brings his visionary approach to the project, while writer-producer Aditya Chopra, celebrated for hits like Tiger 3 and the original War ensures a compelling script. War 2 is shaping up to be the quintessential masala entertainer, blending style, substance and sheer excitement—a formula that has historically resonated with audiences, reminiscent of the fervour generated by the Dhoom franchise for Yash Raj Films. (By Girish Wankhede)

Odisha’s Govt’s Ambitious Metro Rail Project Derailed

Odisha’s ambitious metro rail project — Bhubaneswar Metro Rail — has failed to take off. The project launched on January 1,2024 with much fanfare by the then BJD chief minister Naveen Patnaik is still at the drawing board stage. The latest news is that BJP-run Odisha government has officially scrapped the previous tender and contract awarded to Ceigall India and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation for the design and construction of Bhubaneswar Metro project due to protracted delays and coordination setbacks. This move throws the project’s immediate future into uncertainty, even as the Odisha government asserts its commitment to revive the ambitious urban transport initiative with a revised blueprint. Ceigall India has indicated plans to pursue compensation legally for the contract termination. It is learnt that Odisha government has now questioned the viability of the then BJD government’s fully state-funded project stating that currently no official proposal had been sent to by the state to the Centre. Then Detailed Project Report submitted by the BJD government indicated the metro project would be financed internally. Political analysts are asking why Mohan Charan Majhi government did not pursue the financing issue with the Centre since it had one year’s time. State’s housing & urban development minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra clarified that his government will submit revised plan to the Centre with a request for central assistance. (By Sangram Mohanty)

After A Break Tamil Cinema’s Versatile Comedian Vadivelu Makes A Comeback

Probably no other actor, pan India has launched such a plethora of memes as Vadivelu. Tamil media, be it politics, cinema or just everyday life peppers their narratives with Vadivelu memes and gifs…his pathetic expression, beat up state, costumes and crazy dialogues are memorised and talked about, long after taking the bus home from the cinema. The 64-year old Vaigai Payal Vadivelu (reference to a storm from Vaigai river) has acted in countless comedy roles, a comic timing so perfect that it cannot be replicated. At one point he took on hero roles, his 23 Aam Pulikesi, a comic balloon that burst all myths about classic heroes. Suddenly his career climb took a beating as the Tamil Film Producers Council red carded him. It was a temp ban from 2018-2020. But Vadivelu’s drunken outbursts, run in with late Vijayakant founder of DMDK, his films failing all these led to his break. His master comic dialogue, “Varum aana Varadhu” adlibbed by thousands kept the fan following only clamouring for Vadivelu. But Maamannan brought him back…a film which proved that Vadivelu’s versatality was vintage. Director Sudesh Sankar knew what he wanted in Maareesan, the just released film of Vadivelu (as Velayudhaswami Pillai) and Malayalam artist Fahad Fasil (as Dhayalan) under the Super Good Films banner. Maareesan is serious comedy with shades of humorous pathos. (By Padma Ramnath)

 

India-US trade relationsKamal HaasanKL RahulMamata BanerjeePiyush GoyalRajinikanthtrade tariff