Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Kaunsi Disha?

We wonder what Aditya Roy Kapoor is pointing at as Disha Patani laughs on during an event at a Malad mall on Thursday. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Hunt for empathy

Over 78,000 mountain lions have been killed in the past two decades. And trophy hunters reportedly slaughter 100 million animals globally each year! These are some of the facts we gleaned from a video that 10-year-old students of Podar International School have created to encourage the United Nations project, Life on Land. In the video, schoolchildren dressed as animals lock horns with others dressed up as hunters, American corporate entities and Argentinian socialites in fur coats, putting each other's points of view across through the medium of rap.

"We will continue to create such opportunities for our children to evolve into caring, empathetic and clear-sighted, responsible global citizens," said Vandhana Lulla, the school's principal. Good job done.

An animated tribute

Yesterday, city-based animator and filmmaker Gitanjali Rao released a wonderful tribute to the women of Shaheen Bagh. The two minute-odd video uploaded on YouTube starts with a woman lighting a candle, only to be joined by more women by the end of it - this, to the tune of Iqbal Bano's Hum dekhenge.

It ended with a quote by Rao's sister Nivedita which read, "The revolution will come. Wearing a burqa, a bindi and bangle." Rao started working on the video two weeks ago. "It stemmed from the helplessness you feel as an artist - that you're not doing enough," Rao told this diarist.

She had a clear picture of how she wanted the video to flow and the response has been positive ever since it went live. She adds, "For me, the one language to express solidarity was animation."

Remembering Wendell

It was two-and-a-half years ago during one of their research trips to Goa that O Pedro co-partners Yash Bhanage and Sameer Seth and chef Hussain Shahzad were invited by Wendell Rodricks to his quaint Goa home where they learnt traditional recipes of the household.

It's a memory that the BKC eatery chose to share with a post on social media, a day after the designer passed away. "Wendell shared his passion for food, he welcomed us not only into his home but also his kitchen. He shared recipes and secrets [assado and feijado], he truly enjoyed talking about food and reviving all things Goan," Shahzad told this diarist.

Groovy V-Day at an art gallery

It's not every day that you hear of a SoBo art gallery and exhibition space hosting a music gig, and that too on Valentine's Day.

But Kala Ghoda's ARTISANS' is taking a different approach this year with a Valentine's Concert featuring folk, dream pop and RnB music by two young city-based outfits - Water & Rum, and Second Sight.

The event is being put together by HivePad, a venture that facilitates intimate gatherings. Speaking about why she opened up the space for the event, gallerist Radhi Parekh told this diarist, "We've hosted Hindustani classical concerts and have had exhibitions around V-Day.

But it's the first time that we're hosting something informal that caters to youngsters. I've listened to the work of both duos and liked their music. Plus, the gallery has great acoustics."

Dating in the times of CAA

A dating app has released the findings of a survey that reveals interesting observations ahead of Valentine's Day. It reveals that today, 65 per cent men are more likely to plan a first date than women (50 per cent).

As many as 82 per cent women voted that they'd like a single partner. Keeping it current, users were also asked if they would date someone with opposing views on CAA and NRC and only 20 per cent men and 30 per cent women were against the idea.

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