Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

Gang of Girls
Esha Deol and her troupe crack up while prepping for a ballet based on the Ramayana presented by her dancer mother Hema Malini, on Saturday. Pics/Rane Ashish

Food from the patri to the pantry
A new show called Station Master's Tiffin is set to hit the small screen soon. And it has adapted a unique concept which celebrates the Indian Railways in all its glory. Ranging from salt trains in Rajasthan to Kolkata's iconic trams, chef and anchor Ranveer Brar is getting ready to explore the country's culinary landscape, culture, history and folklore through a bogie window.

"There is a definite stream of cuisines that started with sahabs and memsahabs on the railways, which has continued till date. And then there is station food, which is very distinct and unique across regions. There is a certain amount of nostalgia associated with travelling in a train and that's what we are trying to put together in this show," Brar told this diarist. "It has been exhilarating. Being in the culinary field, I have had the opportunity to visit various countries and learn new culinary techniques. But travelling through my own country in trains, visiting wonderful places, discovering inspiring stories of people who treat you as their own has been the best experience," he said speaking about his adventures during the show.

Back with a bang
Family is family, and there's a reason why people keep reasserting this fact. There's no love that can match up to a mother's and really no bond stronger than the one you share with your sibling. So, it was understandable that Tripling, a web series chronicling the lives of three estranged siblings out on an accidental road trip, spoke to so many people across India. And protagonist Sumeet Vyas announcing on his social media recently that the show will be back for its second season surely made thousands of fans super happy!

40-year-old stage
In 1944, Shashi Kapoor started a self-funded travelling theatre company in memory of his father, Prithviraj Kapoor. But the venture only found a home in Juhu in 1978 - the first performance being Majma's Udhwast Dharmshala, starring Om Puri and Naseeruddin Shah. Now, 40 years later, the Prithvi Festival will kickstart with Motley's The Truth starring Shah. Commencing on November 3 at the Royal Opera House, it will be followed by shows at the iconic theatre till November 12.

Ballet in a mall
It's World Ballet Day today. A collaborative celebration among the world's major ballet companies, it has been observed since 2014. While Mumbaikars may not be able to catch a Bolshoi ballet performance tonight, they sure can watch two professional ballerinas in action. In an unusual move, a Lower Parel mall will be presenting a live ballet performance. While purists may raise their eyebrows at the idea, it would be interesting to watch how shoppers react to the lifts and moves.

A little slice of hiss-tory
JK Rowling seems to have landed herself in a bit of a kerfuffle with the character of Nagini in her book, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. According to her, Nagas are snake-like mythical creatures that originated in Indonesian mythology.

But an author from our neck of the woods - Amish Tripathi - schooled the venerable Scotswoman on the subject, and informed her that the Naga mythology actually originated from India, since it's a Sanskrit word. That sounds right to us, and to a legion of miffed keyboard warriors who expressed indignation on social media at the Harry Potter creator. Someone should have warned her that we Indians are a sensitive lot.

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