Best of BS Opinion: Fragile powers, bold dreams, and magic of the old

Here are the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for today

Some feats are so implausible they feel like walking on water. Yet, every day, we see people and powers attempting just that, balancing on surfaces that shouldn’t hold, driven by faith, ambition, or desperation. It could be a government promising energy security while its wells run shallow, or an underclass daring to imagine a future beyond borders. It could even be teenagers commanding markets before they’ve finished high school, or generals convinced of destiny written in holy texts. And sometimes, it’s Bollywood, reviving old reels to coax us back into theatres. Let’s dive in. 

Ajay Srivastava writes that America’s push to sell oil and gas to allies is one such act. The US remains a net crude importer, yet pressures India and others to ditch Russian barrels for its own light shale, oil which is unsuited to Indian refineries and fragile to produce. Shale wells dry up fast, costs stay high, and output can’t replace Russia’s global share. Washington’s insistence on building energy security atop shale looks less like strategy and more like faith stretched thin. 

Faith of another kind fuels the Dalits Quit India Party. As Aditi Phadnis notes, its founder Chandra Bhan Prasad calls on Dalits to dream beyond India, arming themselves with elite foreign education and global exposure. It’s a leap into deep waters, one where prejudice persists even overseas, but also where opportunity lies. Education, entrepreneurship, and defiance remain the planks they hope will keep them afloat. 

Meanwhile, Sandeep Goyal shows how Generation Alpha, digital natives born after 2010, is already reshaping consumption. At 15 or younger, they sway food, fashion, and travel decisions in most households. Raised in AI-driven, gamified worlds, they demand authenticity and ethics from brands. Ignore them, and even the biggest names risk sinking. 

And Shekhar Gupta decodes the Trump-Munir-Sharif tableau, where Pakistan’s generals again stride above politicians. Munir, steeped in ideological certitude, believes in India’s eventual collapse. For India, that conviction is dangerous, like an adversary who thinks he can walk across the water to you. 

Finally, in cinema, Arushi Bhaskar finds Bollywood rediscovering the thrill of old magic. Re-releases are no longer fillers but headline acts, with Sanam Teri Kasam’s revival setting records and Deewaar and Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! drawing families back for shared nostalgia. Remastered prints, singalongs, and the electric hush of a hall packed with fans offer what new films often fail to deliver: collective joy. For an industry battling streaming fatigue and boycotts, betting on memories has become the safest way to stay afloat. 

Stay tuned!