Revanth Reddy arrived for his swearing-in ceremony Thursday – the 54-year-old is now Chief Minister of Telangana and head of the first Congress government in the still-young state – in an open-top jeep waving to a vocal and adoring crowd at Hyderabad’s 30,000-seat capacity LB Stadium.

READ | Revanth Reddy Takes Oath As Telangana Chief Minister, Gandhis On Stage

As big-ticket entrances go, Mr Reddy’s was relatively subdued; dressed in a white shirt and black trousers, and perched on a heavily-garlanded open-top vehicle driven cautiously through a sea of supporters chanting his name. But, in politics, optics are at least as important as the situation itself.

And in this entrance there was one important message – Sonia Gandhi standing by his side. Why was this significant?

Because former Congress chief Mrs Gandhi is revered in the southern state as ‘Sonia amma (mother)’ and seen by many as the driving force behind the creation of Telangana in 2014 – when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance was in power at the centre.

For Revanth ‘Tiger’ Reddy, standing next to Sonia Gandhi does two things.

First, it underlines the support of the matriarch of the Gandhi family in his elevation to Telangana’s top job six years after joining the party. Widely seen as a near-automatic choice for Chief Minister, Mr Reddy still had to see off two challengers – Uttam Kumar Reddy and Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka.

Both are Congress veterans with decades of service to the party, both played key roles in the campaign that delivered Sunday’s win, and both expected to be ‘rewarded’ for their loyalty.

READ | Revanth Reddy Is Congress Choice, Rivals Give Party A “Loyalty” Reminder

For now, any discontent at losing the top post to Mr Reddy has been put to bed by making one a Deputy Chief Minister and the other a minister, most likely with a high-profile portfolio. And Mrs Gandhi’s public show of support should strengthen the new Chief Minister’s hand.

Second, it also ups Mr Reddy’s likeability factor among the people of Telangana, millions of whom are firm admirers of Sonia Gandhi particularly, if not the Congress as a party. Mr Reddy may not have needed the helping hand – he is already hugely popular – but a boost could never hurt.

Telangana was formed in 2014 amid tension within the then-ruling Congress, and Mrs Gandhi is widely seen as having played a key role in pushing through the bill that birthed the state.

READ | Telangana State Likely, Sonia Gandhi Has Cleared It, Say Sources

This included reaching out to the BJP’s Venkaiah Naidu for her fierce rival’s support, and even expelling six of her MPs for attempting to stall the bill in the Lok Sabha and issuing no-confidence motions.

The Congress has never shied away from reminding Telangana voters of Mrs Gandhi’s contribution, even demanding, in 2020, that a chapter on this topic be included in school syllabuses.

“Just as role of KCR (outgoing Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, hailed as the ‘father of Telangana’) cannot be denied… same is with Sonia Gandhiji’s role. You are incorporating KCR’s role in school syllabus… then why incorporate Soniaji’s contribution,” then party leader Sravan Dasoju said.

Mrs Gandhi herself called in that love ahead of this election; in a video message 48 hours before voting, she said, “I, with my colleagues, had the opportunity to be part of the birth of this great state… It is my dream to see a Congress government in Telangana… Will you give us your support?”

Message from Telangana’s own ‘Sonia Amma’ to the people of the state#MaarpuKavaliCongressRavali pic.twitter.com/R5tlW0yjSO

— INC Manipur (@INCManipur) November 28, 2023

The answer, as it turned out, was yes. The Congress eased to victory after votes were counted on Sunday, winning 64 of 119 seats to oust the BRS that had ruled since the state was formed in 2014. The Congress, divided when Telangana was formed, failed to capitalise on its role in its birth to win the first election. Now, nine years later, it finally has the reigns, and a second state in South India.

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During a recent interview, Margot Robbie and Cillian Murphy delved into their respective projects, Barbie and Oppenheimer, which clashed at the box office. Margot Robbie revealed an interesting encounter where a producer from Oppenheimer, Chuck Roven, suggested Barbie move its release date due to concerns about the competition.

Refusing to budge, Robbie stood firm, asserting that the clash was a great idea for both films. Cillian Murphy commended her instinct in handling the situation. The clash of the two films, dubbed Barbenheimer, was one of the major pop culture moments of the year.

Later, the conversation shifted to the potential for a Barbie sequel. Robbie expressed pride in the originality of their film and the rarity of such projects in today’s cinema landscape. While she cherished her experience playing Barbie and the camaraderie on set, she admitted reservations about a sequel, acknowledging the pressure to live up to the first film’s success.

Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig, boasts a star-studded cast including Ryan Gosling, Issa Rae, and others, while Oppenheimer, helmed by Christopher Nolan, portrays the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer during World War II and the complexities surrounding the atomic bomb.

The much awaited debut of Zoya Akhtar’s The Archies is here. The film promises a cinematic extravaganza, showcasing not only a new and vibrant cast of stars but also a unique Indian take on the iconic Archie Comics.

Here’s everything you need to know about The Archies before watching the film. 

Cast

The Archies features an exciting ensemble cast. As the endearing and gifted Archie Andrews, Agastya Nanda assumes the part, and Khushi Kapoor plays Betty Cooper. Suhana Khan plays Veronica Lodge, Mihir Ahuja plays Jughead Jones, Vedang Raina plays Reggie Mantle, and Yuvraj Menda plays Dilton Doiley. As Ethel Muggs, Aditi “Dot” Saigal completes the group.

Apart from the principal characters, noteworthy cameos by Koel Purie, Santana Roach, Tara Sharma Saluja, and Delnaaz Irani enhance the cinematic story.

Plot

The story is presented as a coming-of-age musical that takes place in the fictional hilltop town of Riverdale. The film examines friendship, independence, love, heartbreak, and rebellion from the distinctive perspective of the Anglo-Indian community.

The central theme of the film is the bond between a group of friends, which is put to the test when a well-liked park is put in danger by a large-scale local redevelopment project. The redevelopment is being led by Veronica’s father, who wants to build a hotel on the park site. The gang puts aside their disagreements and puts up a united front to prevent the public area from being destroyed.

Runtime and trailer

The Archies, which runs for two hours and twenty-one minutes (141 minutes), promises an engaging experience for viewers. The teaser, released in November, provides a look into a world full of love, friendship, music, and a group of people determined to be heard. The teaser, which concludes with the inspirational phrase “You’re never too young to change the world,” sets the tone for an engrossing cinematic experience.

Crew

Director Zoya Akhtar, who also worked with Reema Kagti and Ayesha Devitre Dhillon on the writing, is behind the camera for The Archies. Nikos Andritsakis does a fantastic job with the film’s cinematography, and Nitin Baid handles the film’s editing. Bosco-Caesar and Ganesh Hegde choreographed the song scenes.

Soundtrack

The film’s soundtrack has contributions from Aditi Saigal, The Islanders, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, and Ankur Tewari. Tejas, Arijit Singh, and Suhana Khan—who is making her singing debut—are a few of the gifted talents that are enhancing the musical aspect.

The Archies, which is now out on OTT made waves on November 22nd at the 54th International Film Festival of India. The film’s premiere was attended by of Bollywood’s glitterati, such as Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and others.