Cruel gaze
Sir — For over two decades, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been one of the defining Indian faces at the Cannes Film Festival. Yet, in recent years, the actor has faced relentless scrutiny — first for gaining weight and, then, for allegedly concealing it beneath oversized outfits, layered silhouettes and dramatic capes. The latest wave of criticism centres on her age and claims that she appeared “bloated” and seemed to be “waddling” while walking on the red carpet. Such commentary has little to do with fashion. Rather, it reflects a broader public discomfort with Rai Bachchan — once celebrated as the embodiment of perfection — no longer fitting into the template of Bollywood’s narrow and unforgiving standards of beauty.
Mansi Jaiswal,
Delhi
People’s reckoning
Sir — In his article, “Liberation hour” (May 21), Swapan Dasgupta identified two turning points in the chronicle of the 2026 Bengal elections. First, the prevention of foul play by goons through the deployment of Central forces and the elimination of false voting through the Special Intensive Revision; and second, the high voter turnout.
However, Dasgupta overlooked several key developments that profoundly shaped the electorate’s mind. Among these were the brutal rape and murder of the trainee doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in 2024 and the widespread protests in the aftermath of the incident, the teacher recruitment scam and the termination of appointments of thousands of teachers, and the rise of syndicate culture under the dispensation led by Mamata Banerjee.
Dhruba Chandra Das,
Barrackpore
Sir — Swapan Dasgupta’s suggestion that the results of the Bengal elections reflected a mass polarisation of Hindu votes raises questions. Since the Bharatiya Janata Party’s loss in the 2021 assembly elections, it had failed to secure victory in successive elections in the state. Apart from widespread resentment against the Trinamool Congress, there was little indication that the BJP was heading towards such a sweeping mandate in 2026.
If Bengali Hindus had indeed awakened politically after a long period of inertia and the BJP was confident of toppling the TMC, then why was there a hurried SIR exercise in the state that allegedly disenfranchised 27 lakh voters? There are clear indications that the poll outcome may have been affected in constituencies where voter deletions exceeded the winning margins.
Abhik Dasgupta,
Calcutta
Sir — It was a pleasant surprise to see the byline of Swapan Dasgupta again on May 7 after a brief absence. However, a careful reading of his article, “Profound shift”, raised a few questions. Dasgupta wondered whether the BJP’s emphatic victory was merely a response to the misdeeds of a regime or a sign of something more profound. Yet he himself appeared to conclude, through anecdotal narratives, that the verdict was a reaction against the incumbent government. As an admirer of his style, though not necessarily of his views, I found it intriguing that he treated the SIR controversy as a non-issue.
Shantanu Basu,
Calcutta
Renewed ties
Sir — The four-day visit of the secretary of state of the United States of America, Marco Rubio, to India marked an effort by Washington and New Delhi to steady strained relations (“Crease marks”, May 26). The visit underlined cooperation in trade, energy, defence and maritime security.
Relations between India and the US have come under strain in recent months after the Donald Trump administration imposed steep tariffs on Indian exports and tightened H-1B visa restrictions. Given the increasingly uncertain trade relationship between the two countries, both nations must synchronise their efforts and explore new avenues of cooperation.
Jayanta Datta,
Hooghly
Sir — The US is pushing India to buy more US energy, partly as a commercial strategy and partly as an attempt to draw India away from Iranian and Russian supplies. The message is clear: America can serve as India’s economic stabiliser if New Delhi deepens its strategic dependence on the US-led system. But New Delhi is unlikely to surrender its strategic autonomy so easily. Marco Rubio’s biggest challenge lies in recognising the reality of India’s strict policy of multi-alignment.
S.S. Paul,
Nadia
Sir — The Opposition attacked the Narendra Modi-led dispensation after Marco Rubio announced that India would buy $500 billion in American goods over five years. The Opposition questioned why major developments relating to India’s foreign policy were increasingly being announced from Washington. The government’s willingness to appease the US is condemnable.
Bhagwan Thadani,
Mumbai
Brutal heat
Sir — This Indian summer has been exceptionally harsh. Office-goers, labourers, children and homemakers have all been affected by the relentless heat. The government and private employers should revise workplace timings. A 7 am to 2 pm work schedule or a work-from-home arrangement would ease commuting difficulties. Productivity is also likely to improve. Summer-friendly clothing must be allowed in offices; clean drinking water, fans and air-conditioners must be ensured.
Ganapathi Bhat,
Akola, Maharashtra
Sir — The extreme heat of the past few weeks is a stark reminder that some of the worst predictions about climate change are coming true. Rising temperatures, which are expected to intensify further, pose a danger to everyone. We must treat this issue with the urgency it deserves before it is too late.
Anwar Saeed,
Calcutta