Sonali's Society

Popcorn EntertainmentNothing says lsquoOTT promotionrsquo like wearing the ultimate cinema snack right on your lapel Sai Tamhankar brings the crunch to a media event on Wednesday while costar Vijay Varma keeps things lsquoreelrsquo by documenting the frenzy Their show Matka King premieres next weekThe Art of the cosmic calloutBe careful what you shout from the bleachers because the universe doesnrsquot just have ears it has a sassy scriptwriter with a penchant for poetic justice This evening as the Wankhede Stadium names a stand after Ravi Shastri we celebrate a cricketer who practically invented main character energyRavi ShastriBack in February 1980 while watching an IndiaEngland Test match with his Podar College mates Shastri didnrsquot just enjoy the view mdash he claimed it He declared that by the next Test at Wankhede hersquod be on the field True to his word he played his maiden Test at Wankhede in November 1981 mirroring a young Sir Don Bradman who once told his father he wouldnrsquot rest until he played at the Sydney Cricket Ground Clearly this cosmic lsquocalling your shotrsquo is alive and wellLook at the viral clip of a tiny Vaibhav Suryavanshi in the stands frantically cheering for Jasprit Bumrah only to fastforward to today where the 15yearold is hitting his idol for sixes Whether itrsquos Shastri eyeing the pitch or a kid visualising a faceoff with a legend the theme is clear put your ambition into the universe and watch it bend to your willA queen against complianceIf therersquos one thing Sushant Divgikar aka Rani KoHEnur wonrsquot do itrsquos take a seat mdash unless itrsquos a throne And in a world of quiet compliance this is exactly the thunderclap we need On a fiery episode of InControversial with Pooja Chaudhri that dropped yesterday the artist and activist doesnrsquot just spill the tea mdash wersquore served a whole damn brewerySushant Divgikar aka Rani KoHEnurAddressing the ldquoabsurdrdquo Transgender Amendment Bill on the podcast Rani drops the ultimate logic bomb ldquoIf itrsquos about me it should not be without merdquo With a Masterrsquos in Psychology and the poise of a queen Rani dismantles the hypocrisy of a system that ldquoworships goddesses but oppresses daughtersrdquo and asks why a room full of men is busy policing trans bodies while rape laws and trafficking remain ldquounrectifiedrdquo The message to lawmakers A perfectly timed utterly unfiltered ldquoAre you highrdquoRani also takes a moment to call out the entertainment industryrsquos conveniently ldquodisappearing backbonesrdquo taking aim at those who cash in on queer stories but go radio silent when itrsquos time to stand up and be counted Because for Rani drag isnrsquot just performance mdash itrsquos protest power and pure presence From singing in the bathroom to the billboards of Times Square this isnrsquot just one queenrsquos glowup story mdash itrsquos a reminder that visibility is political and silence is not an optionBoundaries CrossedA toptier allrounder known as much for his explosive strike rate as his luxury lifestyle appears to have lost control of the scoreboard at home While he continues to rake in massive sponsorships and a heavy paycheque from his IPL franchise insiders whisper that he no longer holds the keys to his own vaultThe power has shifted entirely to his lady love who has reportedly taken over his accounts with an iron fist The situation has turned particularly sour within the family circle mdash word is the cricketerrsquos own mother has been placed on a strict stipendNo matter what the cameras capture we hear the real game is being played in the ledger books Itrsquos a sad story indeed when mum has to make do with lsquopocket moneyrsquo while the flavour of the season is busy lining her own pocketsBrunch for a starOur Easter hangover appears to be far from done with Sundayrsquos shenanigans still steering the mood And frankly when the evergraceful Bindiya Goswami is playing hostess one doesnrsquot simply recover from a brunch mdash one ruminates on itSitararsquos Easter brunchAn annual fixture at filmmaker JP Duttarsquos Juhu residence Easter afternoon has always been a sentimental ode to Bindiyarsquos late Catholic mother This year however the party pulled out all the stops doubling as a grand debut for the tiniest star in their orbit daughter Nidhirsquos tenmonthold SitaraLeave it to the Dutta household to pivot from cinematic epics to a fullblown Beatrix Potter fever dream For a family that famously skipped the lsquopet phasersquo growing up the arrival of a petting corner filled with live rabbits was the ultimate plot twist Nidhi and husband Binoy Gandhi presided over the scene as doting parents navigating a setting that was partfairytale partfeteNidhi DuttaBetween the vintage ice cream cart and the Peter Rabbit placemats the aesthetic was pure curated whimsy Eschewing the usual party favours that inevitably end up in a bin tiny guests departed with classic Peter Rabbit books mdash a touch of oldschool gravitas amidst the overthetop indulgence If this is how the Duttas do a first Easter we can only imagine the theatricality awaiting Sitararsquos first birthday Stay tuned