Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

Mid-air fist bumps
Boxer Mary Kom and choreographer Prabhu Deva have to be nimble on their feet and fast with their hands in their professions. So the bonhomie they display in this photo taken during a midair meeting isn't surprising.

But then Kom captioned the picture, "A day with @PDdancing. I like his moves..." Do we smell some interesting collaborations in the air? We'll wait to hear some more from the champs.

Pic/Atul Kamble

Divided attention
Different people seem to have caught the eyes of Salman Khan, Helen and Katrina Kaif during the launch of actor, politician and wildlife photographer Bina Kak's book on the tigers of Ranthambhore at a Bandra five-star last evening.

The biennale ball is rolling
With exactly a year to go for the fourth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, septuagenarian Nilima Sheikh (in pic) became the first artist to make it to the illustrious list of participants in the contemporary art event. A historian by training, Sheikh, who is based in Vadodara, is known for her bold works on the turmoil in the Kashmir valley, Partition and displacement, and her portrayal of women-centric issues.

Nilima Sheikh

"The tender compassion in the paintings of Nilima Sheikh, in their quiet grandeur, aligns the feminine with the mystic and subversive strains in our tradition. She is a voice we must listen to, especially in these violent troubled times," said curator Anita Dube in an announcement made on Monday. We'll keep our eyes peeled as the list grows longer.

Atul Khatri

Santa's got a new sleigh
The festive season is here, and revellers across the world begin counting down to Christmas over the 12 days leading up to December 25. One of our fave desi funnymen, Atul Khatri, has joined in the revelry in his witty way.

He's decided to go ahead and create a festive take on the recent political goings-on in our neighbouring state. And just to clear the air about any possible link, he's offered a caption to the frame as well: "Santa on a Seaplane - Not on the Sabarmati riverfront..."

Dhokla in Paris
Chef Ranveer Brar, who is currently soaking up the winter sun in Paris, has been cooking up quite a storm in the European culinary hotbed.

Chef Ranveer Brar

So far, he has cooked with chef Pierre Sang, entered the kitchen at Lido, sampled the city's famed cheese and visited Eiffel Tour. What piqued our interest was his visit to Bhojan, an Indian restaurant in Paris. While there, the chef plated tum tum dhokla, a dish he had first tried in Ahmedabad in Gujarat. We wonder what's next. Bon appétit chef!

Local veggie evangelist
We've heard of all kinds of superheroes in our midst, and the latest to join this gang is Chef Thomas Zacharias. A vocal supporter of local produce, anyone following his Twitter handle will vouch for his commitment to the cause. From desi seasonal finds to unheard-of veggies sourced from his wanderings across the country, he's got it all covered.

Chef Thomas picks seasonal veggies at Grant Road market

Often, we spot some of this inspiration make its way to the menu of the hip Lower Parel restaurant that he's associated with. Here's one of his recent posts: "I just convinced a Maharashtrian lady at the market who'd never seen ponkh (green jowar) before to buy it and cook at home. Feeling like a superhero for local Indian produce right now." More power for desi veggies.

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