This Week in Explainers: How ‘Melodi’ frenzy gave Melody toffee its viral fame

This week, perhaps, not just India but the entire world is wondering the same question: "Melody itni chocolaty kyun hai?" India’s popular toffee has caught the global attention after Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted the candy to his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni in Rome.

India was left stunned after two back-to-back cases of dowry deaths came to light. Two young women, both belonging to Noida, died allegedly by suicide after facing “dowry harassment”. The cases have once again put the focus on India’s dowry menace.

India is boiling. The extreme heat in many regions is making people sick as temperatures soar above 40 degrees Celsius, with no respite even during the night. India is unlikely to get a breather from the scorching heat as a ‘super’ El Niño event is predicted to form in the Pacific Ocean this year.

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Here’s all this and much more in our weekly wrap from India.

1. Melody became a talk of the town as the 'Melodi' frenzy took over the internet. PM Narendra Modi’s selfie at the Colosseum in Rome with Italy’s Giorgia Meloni went viral. Later, an Instagram reel featuring the two leaders showed Modi gifting PM Meloni a packet of Parle Melody Toffee.

The clip blew over the internet, with the online craze pushing up the shares of Parle Industries. However, the Melody toffees are made by Parle Products and have nothing to do with Parle Industries. As the viral reel drew the world’s attention to the Indian candy, data shows that India’s toffee and confectionery exports have skyrocketed by 166 per cent from 2013-2014 to 2025-2026. We explain the Melodi frenzy here.

2. United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in India for a four-day visit. Instead of New Delhi, he landed in Kolkata, his first stop during the trip. Rubio will head to the national capital later in the day for key talks with PM Modi.

For the US, Kolkata holds significance as it houses one of the oldest American diplomatic missions in the world. In fact, the US Consulate General in Kolkata is the first in India, established much before the country's independence. We take a look at the history of the American diplomatic mission here.

3. The scourge of dowry continues to plague India. Twisha Sharma, a 33-year-old MBA graduate and Miss Pune, was found dead at her marital home in Bhopal last week. Days later, Deepika Nagar, a woman in her early 20s, died allegedly by suicide by falling from the roof of her house in Greater Noida’s Ecotech-III area.

The families of the victims have accused their in-laws of dowry harassment. In Twisha’s case, there have been claims and counter-claims from the victim’s and the accused’s families. The autopsy report of Deepika has revealed grievous external and internal injuries on her body. The two ‘dowry deaths’ have rocked the country, shedding light on the prevalence of the illegal practice in India. Read more here.

4. India is sizzling as mercury has soared above 42 degrees Celsius in many regions. There is no respite even during nights as high temperatures make people sweat. This week, Banda in Uttar Pradesh became one of the hottest places on Earth as temperatures surged above 48 degrees Celsius.

From the brain to the gut and even the skin, extreme heat is bad for the body. It could also lead to heat stroke, which is a life-threatening emergency. Experts have warned that an El Niño could develop in the Pacific Ocean this year. The weather event is known to lead to high global temperatures and weakened precipitation. We take a look at why this is bad news for India.

5. The Supreme Court has turned down petitions against its November order that directed authorities to remove stray dogs from public places, including hospitals, schools, railway stations and bus stands. Sounding alarm over growing attacks from these canines, it said it threatens public health and that it cannot remain a ‘passive spectator’ to the crisis.

The apex court has also permitted the euthanisation of rabid and aggressive stray dogs. It also underlined that the right to life includes living freely without threat from dog attacks. We explain the order here.

6. Political cartoons are often meant to show a mirror to the powerful about the harsh realities. However, not all such cartoons are funny. Sometimes, they are offending not just the subject but an entire race of people.

Western media has had a habit of engaging in racism through its cartoons. Many times, political cartoons have been racist and depicted India as a third-world nation. The pattern was repeated again after a newspaper in Norway showed PM Narendra Modi as a snake charmer. The cartoon ended up angering many for its racist stereotyping. Read more here.

7. India has seized ‘jihadi drug’ for the first time. Captagon is a synthetic stimulant that is often referred to as the ‘jihadi drug’ due to reports that terrorist groups such as Islamic State have used it to induce endurance, focus, and fearlessness during fighting.

Authorities confiscated 227.7 kg of Captagon in tablet and powder form, valued at about Rs 182 crore, from a residence in Neb Sarai, New Delhi, and from Mundra Port in Gujarat. Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the drug, also known as the “poor man’s cocaine”, was seized during a coordinated crackdown named Operation Ragepill. Read more here.

This is all we have for you this week. If you like reading our analyses, you can bookmark this page.