Doomed love

Sir — Romance as a cinematic genre has undergone a shift. Gone are the days of the trope of boy meets girl, they fall in love, they overcome hurdles to live happily ever after. In the recent pool of romance films and TV series — The Drama is an example — love seems to be headed for failure. Going against viewers’ expectations, these doomed romances do not show how people fall in love but how they fall out of it. The unravelling of on-screen romance seems to be more a realistic take on the current dating scene, countering the fantastical assumptions on love that romantic films tend to sell to the audience.

Puja Basu,
Calcutta

Decisive shift

Sir — The appointment of Samrat Choudhary as chief minister of Bihar marks a significant political shift in the state (“Samrat takes oath as CM, Big 2 absent”, April 16). This is the first time the Bharatiya Janata Party has taken direct leadership of the state. Nitish Kumar’s exit from the chief ministerial post after two decades brings to an end a prolonged phase of coalition-driven politics. Choudhary’s appointment underscores the BJP’s organisational dominance. His social positioning as a Kushwaha leader and his administrative background indicate that his elevation was a calculated political strategy. But the transition raises concerns regarding democratic mandate and accountability.

The administration faces structural challenges that demand urgent attention. With public debt nearing 30% of GSDP and deficits in employment generation, infrastructure, and service delivery, Choudhary must focus on administrative performance.

V.R. Kethiri,
Warangal, Telangana

Sir — Samrat Choudhary was elected the BJP legislative party leader in Bihar at the National Democratic Alliance meeting in Patna that paved the way for him to take oath as the chief minister (“Baton change”, April 16). But Choudhary is inheriting a government that is riddled with fiscal strain owing to allowances announced before the assembly polls such as the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana.

Dimple Wadhawan,
Kanpur

Sir — The new BJP-led government raises hopes for development and stability. Citizens expect a strong focus on jobs and infrastructure.

T.S. Karthik,
Chennai

Heavy burden

Sir — According to a study in The Lancet, childhood cancer has become the eighth leading cause of death among children worldwide (“Be warned”, April 13). One of the biggest challenges in treatment is financial instability. Many families are unable to afford the full course of care and are forced to discontinue treatment midway.

Limited access to healthcare facilities, abandonment of treatment, low awareness, and the concentration of advanced cancer infrastructure in major cities worsen the situation. Early detection and timely treatment at specialised centres can make a crucial difference.

Kiran Agarwal,
Calcutta

Naval tactic

Sir — Swarm warfare is an asymmetric naval tactic that is being used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran. In this, numerous fast boats overwhelm larger warships. The high-speed boats, such as Peykaap, Seraj and Zolfaghar, operate in the Persian Gulf and strike in large numbers. This swarm can threaten costly ships at low expense. The United States of America must counter Iran’s strategy with more innovative warfare. Diplomacy, however, remains the wiser solution.

R.S. Narula,
Patiala

Value creation

Sir — Orange economy, valued at 2.5 trillion rupees in India in 2024, has very promising prospects (“The orange economy”, April 15). This sector promotes value creation through content, gaming and other creative avenues, It received significant attention in this year’s Union budget. Several countries, including South Korea, have made progress in this sector by increasing the number of streaming subscribers. India, despite having the second-largest number of internet subscribers, suffers from a lack of freedom of expression and digital equity. Our vast pool of art, music and other intangible resources must be tapped into.

Prasun Kumar Dutta,
West Midnapore

Blind faith

Sir — Recently, nearly 11,000 litres of milk were poured into the Narmada river during a ritual. The devotees argued that milk was being offered to honour the river and feed its aquatic life, and that this would ensure spiritual fulfillment. It was not only a wastage of milk but also amounted to ecological harm.

A.K. Chakraborty,
Guwahati

Deep concerns

Sir — Artificial Intelligence has given rise to certain challenges. Concerns about job displacement, privacy protection, and data security, necessitate inclusive technological development.

Saikat Kumar Basu,
Calcutta