Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

Burning hot
Radhika Apte was spotted at a masterclass session in Andheri listening in despite running a temperature. Pic/Satej Shinde

Mixing it up
A recently launched multicuisine bar in Mulund West spells good news for its residents, with the bar menu curated by veteran mixologist Shatbi Basu.

When asked what spurred her on, Basu, who seems to be back on Mumbai's gastronomical radar, told this diarist, "Creating the beverage programme was an interesting challenge and we wished to bring to Mulund an exciting experience in cocktails, spirits and wine."

The wife and I
It's always interesting to know the back story of a painting in order to see it in a different light. One such anecdote is that of FN Souza and his honeymoon in Goa. An unseen artwork by the modernist, titled, Honeymoon in Goa, is an acrylic and oil canvas portrait which Souza dedicated to his wife Barbara Maureen Zinkant to immortalise the memories of their first trip after marriage. It's not often that reclusive artists offer a peep into their personal lives. Here's your chance. Make a stop at Cymroza Art Gallery for a glimpse.

Hail Ladakh's superhero
We remember the fuzzy feeling we left with after watching the Bollywood film Three Idiots when it released almost a decade ago. At the time, however, we had no clue that the incredible character of Phuntsok Wangdu was based on a real-life person. Now, we know better. And Sonam Wangchuk received the prestigious Magsaysay Award recently for all his brilliant inventions, which are coveted the world over. And here's how he struck a chord with us.

In his acceptance speech, Wangchuk gave the entire world a lesson on how important it is to overhaul the way we view the idea of commercial enterprises in general, and education in particular, if we are to save ourselves from the perils of climate change. Not just that, he also pledged to use his prize money to start a school in Ladakh where children will be taught to combat the challenges of tomorrow. So even though Phuntsok Wangdu was a fictitious character, we do have a real-life hero in Wangchuk.

From Mumbai to Manipal
The 2017 edition of the Manipal International Literature and Arts Platform (MILAP) is remembered for noted author Kiran Nagarkar's reply when he was asked about the future of Indian literature. "The Internet is a disaster for mankind. But the rescue operation can be done only by us," he had said. For its upcoming edition this week, it's Ranjit Hoskote who will take a slice of Mumbai with him to the educational hub in Karnataka. The poet and cultural theorist will be in conversation about his new book of poems. The platform also features the North East, Kannada and Konkani panels, which will discuss the language, and socio-political realities of the region.

The millenials have arrived
At 27, British author and Marxist Sally Rooney's second book, Normal People is already on the long list for the 2018 Man Booker Prize. Her first book was titled Conversations with Friends and both are being adapted into films. Some have hailed her "the Jane Austen of the precariat," while others have compared her to youth icons like Lena Dunham. Rooney's most significant achievement however lies in being able to create a space not just for herself, but also for politically and socially awakened millenials. Rooney's powerful narrative is now being dubbed as a new wave in literature. Speaking to a leading daily in the UK about what inspired her to write her first book, Rooney said she wrote it for people who like her "share my ideology or have a similarly jaundiced view of social systems."

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