VS preferences: Cucumber for shaving cream, Bhagwad Gita to refresh mind
2
Kochi: VS never used shaving cream. He used cucumber. He cut the cucumber and used its juice instead of a cream. "Much before cucumber made it into beauty salons, VS has been using it," his press secretary K V Sudhakaran once told TOI with a chuckle.
A voracious reader, VS had a special liking for Bhagwad Gita. "He has a great collection of Gita and I have seen him reading them many times," added Sudhakaran.
--------------
Giggling through Left debacle
In 2009, then-chief minister VS's post-poll giggles — while his CPM comrades wept over a 4-16 Lok Sabha rout — sparked a Marxist melodrama. Was it schadenfreude as rivals flopped? Or joy at Pinarayi Vijayan's faction eating humble pie? Deshabhimani thundered: "Only enemies laugh at defeat!" Writer Sukumar Azhikode called VS a traitor for chuckling while Rome burned.
VS brushed off the criticism with characteristic nonchalance: "Each one according to his culture puts out such articles.
"
------------------
Mimicry artists' Achumama
Agree or not, V S Achuthanandan must thank mimicry artists too —especially with the advent of cable television — for his boost in popularity as the media had dismissed him at one point as too 'rustic' a leader to strike a chord with the masses. "We found his mannerisms cool and amusing," Diana Silvester, the producer of a hugely popular satire show on a TV channel, was once quoted as saying.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
15 most beautiful women in the world
Topgentlemen.com
Undo
Many actors aped his rare intonation style and unpredictable meters which the audience lapped up.
The name Achumama, propagated to malign his image, was also accepted widely.
---------------
Amul Baby touches raw nerve
VS touched a raw nerve nationally in 2011 when he described Rahul Gandhi as an 'Amul Baby' after the then Congress general secretary provoked the communist veteran saying Kerala would have a 93-year-old as chief minister if LDF retained power in the state. Congress found VS's reference as an insult, formed a ring around the then 41-year-old and went hammer and tongs at VS though Shashi Tharoor tweeted "Amul babies r fit, strong, focused on the future".
Amul, as always, tapped into the controversy and brought out an advertisement.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
15 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Will quit post if UDF wins 100 seats in Kerala assembly election 2026: Vellappally Natesan
KOCHI: Asserting that the Congress-led UDF will not be able to win the 2026 assembly elections, SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan on Sunday challenged Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, saying he will resign from his post if the UDF secures 100 seats. 'Satheesan is merely boasting by saying that the UDF will win 100 seats. If it manages to win that many seats, then I will resign from the SNDP Yogam general secretary post. (Otherwise) Is he ready to go into political exile? The LDF will enjoy a third term in power... their (Congress') Thiruvananthapuram district president itself said so,' Vellappally said. His continued tirade against Satheesan came at separate meetings of SNDP Yogam union leaders in North Paravoor and Kochi. Vellappally continues tirade against Satheesan, calls him arrogant leader Calling Satheesan an 'arrogant leader', Vellappally claimed that the same leader of Opposition who had called him three weeks ago, seeking a one-to-one meeting, was now raising charges against him. 'He thinks he is a superstar... He is trying to create confusion in the minds of the Ezhava community by claiming their support in his constituency. The community should be cautious against such false appeasing attempts,' Vellappally said, while speaking at a meeting of the SNDP union leaders of Kanayannur taluk held at Palarivattom.
Hindustan Times
15 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Karnataka BJP demands action against firms selling fake seeds, fertiliser
As farmers across the state staged protests over an alleged shortage of urea and reports of fake agricultural inputs surfaced, the state BJP on Sunday accused the Congress-led government of negligence and demanded immediate action against companies distributing counterfeit seeds and fertilisers. State BJP president BY Vijayendra alleged that the crisis was not the result of supply constraints but a consequence of poor planning by the state government (PTI) State BJP president BY Vijayendra alleged that the crisis was not the result of supply constraints but a consequence of poor planning by the state government. He claimed that despite receiving sufficient quantities of urea from the Centre, the government had failed to ensure proper distribution, causing distress among farmers and panic in several districts. 'The efforts to trouble the food-providing farmers and exploit them within the system have been ongoing for a long time. Companies supplying fertilizers and seeds are engaging in the despicable act of sabotaging agricultural activities by providing fake seeds to the enthusiastic farming community that is expecting a good harvest in the backdrop of a promising monsoon this time,' Vijayendra said. He demanded the registration of criminal cases against such firms and called for a dedicated police vigilance team to investigate and dismantle networks involved in deceiving farmers. 'I urge the government to file a criminal case against such companies in this regard and take strict action, and also to take all necessary measures to ensure that the farming community gets quality seeds and necessary fertilizers in a timely manner,' he added. Vijayendra further said the BJP's farmers' wing would stage statewide protests on Monday to express solidarity with the farming community. According to him, the state received over 870,000 metric tonnes of urea from the Centre, but only around 530,000 metric tonnes had reached the market. He alleged that the remaining quantity was being hoarded by middlemen and traders, with the state government turning a blind eye. 'What about the rest? The fear is that somewhere there is some kind of hand-in-glove. Brokers and traders are keeping the stocks; it has to be released. The state government is trying to create an artificial shortage. This will not help farmers and that's the reason farmers are upset,' he said. The BJP leader claimed the early arrival of the monsoon had worsened the situation. 'This time, mother nature has embraced the farmers through a good monsoon, I urge the government to take all possible precautionary measures to thwart any fraudulent attempts that may disrupt the farmers from enjoying its benefits,' Vijayendra said. Agriculture minister N Chaluvarayaswamy, however, pushed back against the allegations, attributing the pressure on fertiliser supply to a combination of early monsoon and increased cultivation. 'The rains have been good for the past one and a half months. The monsoon arrived early, which has caused some challenges as the dams have filled up sooner than expected. Moreover, the area under cultivation has increased by two lakh hectares. Because of these factors, the demand for fertilizer has gone up. I have urged the chief minister to focus on addressing the farmers' issues instead of criticising them, and requested him to write a letter,' he said. The minister said the global situation had also disrupted supply chains. 'I have already written to minister Pralhad Joshi regarding the disruption in urea supply due to the ongoing conflict in Iran. I've also sent letters to all MPs from the state and the Union ministers representing Karnataka. Yet, Joshi ignored these efforts and instead chose to target Siddaramaiah,' he said. 'I didn't expect them to politicise an issue as serious as agriculture. Fertilizer used to be supplied on time, and we had better stock last season. But currently, there are two or three issues at the central level. Due to the Iran conflict, urea supply has been disrupted, and shipments from China have completely stopped. National-level production is also low,' he said, insisting that the Centre must step up. Chaluvarayaswamy sought to reassure farmers. 'I can criticise too, but that's not what matters right now. What's important is resolving the problems farmers are facing. Farmers need not worry. We will ensure they get whatever they need, whenever they need it. Everyone should remain calm. Even if there's a delay of two days, we'll make sure it's delivered by the third or fourth day,' he added.
News18
41 minutes ago
- News18
Dulquer Salmaan Turns 42: Malayalam Actor's Net Worth And Car Collection Will Blow Your Mind
Dulquer Salmaan Birthday: A look at Malayalam actor's net worth, most acclaimed movies, career milestones, and the major films and OTT projects he's set to star in next. Dulquer Salmaan, who is one of the highest-paid Malayalam actors, turns 42 on July 28. The actor, singer and producer is known for his impeccable on-screen is a recipient of several honours including four Filmfare Awards South, one Kerala State Film Award, Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival (DPIFF) Award among others. On his birthday, let's take a look at his staggering net worth, top movies and upcoming projects. The son of Malayalam superstar Mammootty, Dulquer Salmaan has worked in a number of movies. As per a report by the TOI, his estimated net worth is Rs 57 crore. His estimated annual income in 2017 was Rs 9.28 crore, which marked his entry in the prestigious Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list. He charges around Rs 8 crore per movie. In addition to acting, Dulquer Salmaan's other sources of income include brand endorsements and appearances at various public events. Dulquer Salmaan's Car Collection Coming to his luxurious possessions, Dulquer Salmaan owns expensive cars, including the Porsche 911 Carrera S, Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Range Rover Vogue and BMW M3 Convertible. The O Kadhal Kanmani actor also has a Ferrari 458 Spider, BMW X6, Mercedes Benz AMG G63, BMW Z4, BMW M5, and BMW i8 at home. He also owns luxury bikes, including a Triumph Bonneville and a BMW R1200GS Adventure. Dulquer also owns a penthouse in Dubai priced at approximately Rs 14 crore. The actor is a co-owner of a home in Kochi with his father, reportedly worth Rs 100 crore. Dulquer Salmaan's box office success has contributed to his wealth. Here are his highest-grossing films: Lucky Baskhar (2024): The actor last appeared in the period crime drama, co-starring Meenakshi Chaudhary, Tinnu Anand, P. Sai Kumar, Ramki, Raghu Babu, Sarvadaman D. Banerjee, Sachin Khedekar and Y. Kasi Viswanath. It became his first film to gross over Rs 100 crore and earned over Rs 110.5 crore worldwide. Sita Ramam (2022): Another milestone film in Dulquer Salmaan's career was this romantic drama alongside Mrunal Thakur. It collected Rs 96 crore worldwide. Mahanati (2018): Dulquer Salmaan appeared in the biographical drama based on the life of actress Savitri. The movie had earned Rs 84 crore globally. Kurup (2021): Kurup, which was based on a true story, featured Dulquer Salmaan in a new avatar as a criminal and fugitive. It has collected almost Rs 81 crore worldwide. O Kadhal Kanmani (2015): Dulquer's romantic drama featuring Nithya Menon was also a super hit movie. It collected Rs 46.5 crore worldwide. Other blockbuster movies on his list include Bangalore Days (2014), which grossed Rs 46 crore, Charlie (2015), which collected Rs 40 crore worldwide and Jomonte Suvisheshangal (2017), which was a super hit with a collection of almost Rs 37 crore worldwide. Dulquer Salmaan's Upcoming Projects The actor next has several movies in his pipeline, including a Malayalam movie titled Lokah – Chapter One: Chandra, where Dulquer will be seen in a cameo role. The movie is being co-produced by the Mahanati star and is set to release on August 28. Dulquer Salmaan is working on a Tamil film titled Kaantha, where he will play the role of M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar. Following this, he has a Telugu movie titled Aakasam Lo Oka Tara, which has also begun filming. First Published: July 28, 2025, 07:25 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
