Bandwagon effect

Sir — If one were under the impression that "classic black and white studio portrait" with "dramatic Rembrandt lighting on the face" or "1950s Hollywood glamour portrait" with "soft vintage curls, pearl necklace, smoky velvet backdrop" are aesthetics which only film stars could command, he or she would be gravely mistaken. These are the prompts any internet user can now feed Google's Gemini and turn their ordinary selfies into dramatic photographs that resemble high-profile photoshoots. Called the 'Nano Banana' trend, it comes close on the heels of the similarly Artificial Intelligence-powered Studio Ghibli trend early this year that raised concerns about data privacy. These indicate that social media metrics have become drivers of our self-worth.

Sulagna Dey,
Delhi

Bridges burnt

Sir — The recent visit of the prime minister, Narendra Modi, to strife-torn Manipur has given a ray of hope ("864 days: Road to future & the roadmap they didn't get", Sept 14). Modi urged the communities to ensure dialogue and harmony. The announcement of the construction of houses for the displaced families is welcome.

However, it is equally important that these promises are implemented sincerely and without delay. The people of Manipur, especially the youth, are longing for justice, stability, and equal opportunities. Lasting peace can only be ensured when development goes hand in hand with fairness and mutual trust. The prime minister's visit was encouraging, but action on the ground will determine its true success.

Md. Hammad,
Mumbai

Sir — In the past 28 months since ethnic strife erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023, the prime minister has made more than 40 foreign tours but did not find it in his heart to visit the violence-ravaged state of Manipur. Narendra Modi's speeches during his visit to Churachandpur and Kangla Fort focussed primarily on development while sidestepping the urgent need for concrete solutions to end the bitter conflict between Meiteis and Kuki-Zos. His touch-and-go trip did little to generate hope.

Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee,
Faridabad

Sir — During his first-ever visit to Manipur since the beginning of ethnic violence, Narendra Modi received a warm welcome at the airport and the rehabilitation centres. This starkly contrasts with the ordeal that Manipuris have been going through. His unexpected visit came amidst mounting pressure from the Opposition over his stony silence on Manipur.

The prime minister's visit was neither reassuring enough to restore normalcy, nor will it address the plight of the Manipuris. The Centre’s blatant disregard for Manipur's concerns, including mass displacement, rampant crimes against women and lawlessness, underscores the extent of its blunders.

Aayman Anwar Ali,
Calcutta

Sir — Narendra Modi’s visit to Manipur has ignited cautious hope for peace. Modi announced various projects in Churachandpur and Imphal, thereby linking development and prosperity with reconciliation.

R.S. Narula,
Patiala

Sir — That it took the prime minister more than two years to visit Manipur is quite appalling. The Bharatiya Janata Party's 'double-engine' government in Manipur has failed miserably in containing the internecine conflict. The losses could have been minimised had Narendra Modi intervened earlier. His visit came at a time when all the bridges had been burnt. The visit on September 13 was an electoral stunt rather than a genuine attempt to redress pent-up grievances.

Dileep D. Anand,
Alleppey, Kerala

Youth power

Sir — After the loss of 72 lives in the Gen Z-led revolt in Nepal, the 73-year-old Sushila Karki has been chosen as the interim prime minister ("Nepal's Birnam Wood", Sept 13). The issue of social media ban has now become a topic of international debate. Restricting social media platforms is perceived as an obstacle to fundamental rights.

Yugal Kishore Sharma,
Faridabad

Sir — The editorial, "Nepal’s Birnam Wood", beautifully reminds us that politics often finds its truest reflection in literature. Citing Dickens, Hardy, and Shakespeare, it frames Nepal’s unrest not merely as a political crisis but also as a drama unfolding on a timeless stage. The parallels are striking: the rot of Hamlet’s Denmark, the prophecies for Macbeth, the restless crowd of Dickens’ Paris. On Kathmandu’s streets, students armed with hashtags resembled the advancing Birnam Wood, their voices turning into a storm.

What I value most in this piece is its affirmation that literature is no ornament to politics but is its mirror. To read Nepal through Shakespeare and Dickens is to recognise that the struggles of our age echo the cadences of timeless texts.

Satyajit Mallick,
Siliguri

Prejudiced view

Sir — In the article, "Worth watching" (Sept 13), Swapan Dasgupta waxes eloquent about the virtues of the Vivek Agnihotri-directed The Bengal Files, which is not being screened by any cinema hall in Bengal.

Jahar Saha,
Calcutta

Sir — It goes without saying that The Bengal Files showcases only one side of the incidents concerning the 1946 Calcutta killings and the Noakhali riots to turn one particular religious community into a 'villain' and hold it responsible for Partition. A centuries-old mosque gets razed to dust through sheer muscle-flexing and naked invocation of Islamophobia. The film is a crass propaganda harbouring a mischievous intention of instigating communal hatred in West Bengal to earn electoral dividends in the 2026 assembly polls.

Kajal Chatterjee,
Calcutta