Rahul Dravid's calm nature played a big role in Indian victory: Roger Binny

A lot in a name: Union Industry Minister Piyush Goyal getting the pronunciation of Vizhinjam wrong at the Invest Kerala summit has thankfully not led to mocking. Instead, Malayalis are defending the BJP leader, who mispronounced it as Vi-si-gam, when referring to the international seaport. The “zhi” sound in Malayalam often troubles non-natives and Goyal was no exception. The incident has reignited calls to rename the port as Thiruvananthapuram International Seaport, to align with the brand of the city, named after Hindu god Vishnu (Anantha). Pro-change lobbyists argue that the name of such a big project should be easier for non-Malayalis to pronounce | Illustrations by Jairaj T.G.

A new hope: After the Delhi elections, the focus has shifted to Bihar. With Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s health remaining a topic of debate, the discussions often turn to succession. Names like Janata Dal (United) working president Sanjay Jha and former IAS officer Manish Kumar Verma, an OBC leader who recently joined the party, are often mentioned. But, Bihar, a state known for political surprises, may see a different succession story—one involving Nitish Kumar’s son, Nishant Kumar. Though Nishant has not joined the party officially, he has become politically active, campaigning for his father. If he takes the political plunge, it could trigger a shift in state politics. The BJP may even ask for the chief minister’s post as part of a broader compromise to secure Nishant’s political future.

Peacekeeping force: After Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh’s supposedly private rebuke of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd went public, the defence ministry has reportedly stepped in and asked the Indian Air Force and HAL to sort out their differences in a professional manner. The video showed the chief of air staff sitting in the cockpit of an aircraft and talking to HAL personnel. HAL is making the long-delayed Tejas Light Combat Aircraft for the IAF. ACM Singh was heard saying: “...I am just not confident of HAL, which is a very wrong thing to happen.... I was promised that when I come here in February, 11 Tejas Mk1As would be ready. And not a single one is ready.”

Ramped up: Wamiqa Gabbi will make her debut at the Milan Fashion Week in Italy. The Baby John actor will attend the high fashion event, held from February 25 to March 2. “Fashion has always been a reflection of who I am, and attending Milan Fashion Week feels like stepping into a dream,” she said. “It’s a space where creativity knows no bounds, and I am excited to soak it all in—styles, stories, and everything in between. It’s amazing to be part of this ever-evolving art on such a big stage.” Gabbi will be next seen in Bhool Chuk Maaf, set for release on April 10 | PTI

List tickle: After last year’s ‘Slow Dance’ collaboration with South Korean singer Jimin of BTS, American singer and actor Sofia Carson probably ticked off an item from her personal bucket-list. This year, she will be doing standup comedy, play one-on-one basketball and more—all as Alex Rose in her upcoming film The Life List. An adaptation of Lori Nelson Spielman’s book by the same name, it is a coming-of-age film that has romance, comedy and family drama. The film will be out on Netflix on March 28 | AFP

Joint venture: After Richa Chaddha and Ali Fazal, another B-town couple is turning producer. Patralekhaa and husband Rajkummar Rao are producing Toaster, where Rao will play the lead and Patralekhaa, who was last seen in IC 814, will stay behind the scenes and look after the business side of filmmaking. “I genuinely wanted to understand how films are made,” she said. “I was very sure from the beginning that the first film that we will produce, I won’t act in it.” Sanya Malhotra has been cast opposite Rao, a serial biopic actor who will next play former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly in his biopic | PTI

Going gaga: Lady Gaga promises to cause much Mayhem this March. Her new album, which will be out on March 7, has 14 tracks, including already-released singles like ‘Die With a Smile’ with Bruno Mars and ‘Abracadabra’. Recently, she gave a peek into two new songs—‘The Beast’ and ‘Perfect Celebrity’. While she revealed that ‘The Beast’ has her singing to a werewolf that represents her, ‘Perfect Celebrity’ explores the concept of duality that is present in her other songs as well. The album, she said, is inspired by New York’s ballroom culture that she was exposed to when she was very young. “I was always inspired by the tremendous amount of grace, freedom, expression and joy of ballroom culture,” she said. “I was lucky enough to be around some dancers that were a part of that life.” | Getty Images