Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

Rajeshwari Sachdev and Zila Khan in Gauhar Jaan

Fifty and going strong
It was a play that many felt was too serious for an audience that is used to watching comedy and romantic productions on stage. But Lillete Dubey went ahead with directing Gauhar Jaan anyway, and the story of the feisty thumri singer who became the first Indian to record on the gramophone that premiered in November 2015, will soon complete its 50th show.

Lillete Dubey

"I had been wanting to do something with music for a while, and when Mahesh Dattani recommended Vikram Sampath's book on Gauhar Jaan, we knew it had to be adapted," Dubey told this diarist. "I am very pleased with the way people have responded to the play. It just proves that you can't always assume what the audience wants. There are enough people who prefer engagement over entertainment," she added.

The play features live singing in every show by noted singer Zila Khan, and Rajeshwari Sachdev; both play Gauhar Jaan in the production. After travelling to several cities in India and the UK, the play is set to travel to the USâu00c2u0080u00c2u0088in February.

Pic/Shadab Khan

Who's the youngest?
Anil Kapoor shakes a leg with Ileana D'Cruz at a promotion for their upcoming film, as Athiya Shetty, Arjun Kapoor and Anees Bazmee look on.

Guitar, sarod and Farhan
Both are string instruments, albeit with different emotions, but a sarod and a guitar - if put together on stage - could be a treat to hear. Recently, Bollywood actor/director/singer Farhan Akhtar jammed with sarod virtuoso, Soumik Datta at an event in London.

They paid tribute to Mughal-e-Azam and its director, K Asif. Akhtar played his popular songs, including Tum Ho Toh from Rock On. Datta, who has performed with the likes of Beyonce and Jay-Z, believes he could connect to Akhtar's music. "Farhan has the soul of a true musician. He is generous and collaborative. We found a great sound together, and an aesthetic that we will develop in the future," he said about the gig.

Japanese invasion
This diarist had called it a day when a courier brought in a tin box encasing Bateau de Macadamia cookies, which are shortbread biscuits with a milk chocolate filling. We got curious. Yoku Moku, a Japanese confectionary brand which launches in Colaba on August 12, had sent goodies.

The story begins with the founder of Yoku Moku, Noriichi Fujinawa, who struggled to find the right ingredients after the second World War but continued to make confectionery and cookies. He said he was moved when he saw his products could give people, deeply distraught after the war, some joy. With this one mouthful, we are looking forward to know what else is on the menu.

Sugar wars with Shekhar Kapur
For close to a decade now, Shekhar Kapur has thrown his weight behind the fight against the growing incidence of diabetes among children in India.

The filmmaker has been particularly vocal about celebrity endorsements of unhealthy food items directed at children. So, it came as little surprise when we recently saw Kapur in conversation with UK cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra, known for taking on the sugar lobby.

The conversation shows Kapur discuss Dr Malhotra's recent book about the lifestyle of the residents of the Italian village, Pioppi, known for its average life expectancy of 90 years. "People there eat dessert only on Sundays," the doctor tells Kapur. Now, that's something brownie-loving Mumbaikars might want to emulate.

What's cooking here?
We were delighted to see two TV favourites, Maria Goretti and Sakshi Tanwar baking together in an Instagram post. Intrigued, we wondered if Tanwar appeared as a guest on one of Goretti's forthcoming food shows only to learn that the tables had turned.

Pic courtesy/Maria Goretti's Instagram

This diarist has learnt that it was in fact the affable chef who was a guest on the famous TV bahu's show that revolves around festive fasting and feasting. The show will air soon on a lifestyle channel. On this show, be certain that the tears will be thanks to onions and not glycerine.