Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

Say cheese!
NCP chief Sharad Pawar admires a portrait of him made by artist Bharat Singh, at Nehru Centre on Friday. Pic/Ashish Raje

AR Rahman

Sticking with Rahman and Gulzar
Come November, Odisha will play host at the Hockey Men's World Cup in Bhubaneswar. Adding the Bollywood touch to the extravaganza are AR Rahman and Gulzar who have come together to create the official song titled Jai Hind Hind, Jai India. Gulzar has penned the lyrics, and Rahman will sing and compose the piece.

Gulzar

He will also perform at the opening ceremony on November 27. Nupur Mahajan, strategy and communication consultant to the Odisha government for the HWC 2018, says, "As a world cup coup, AR Rahman is also directing the music video, which will be shot across hockey heartlands of India. The song's theme is India and Odisha."

Brett Lee with hotel manager Sachin Mylavarapu

Brett does a desi lunch
Bowling legend Brett Lee is often spotted in India thanks to his brand and professional commitments, and this time around, we hear that he is currently staying at The St Regis in Lower Parel. While there, Lee had a hearty Indian lunch at The Sahib Room & Kipling Bar on Thursday, and had quite a gala time, he tells us. "I tried some of the authentic, signature Indian dishes such as Sahib ki khaas gilawat, dak bangla broccoli, nalli nihari and Purvanchal ka saag!" Whoever said Aussies can't stomach desi khana, think again.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (centre) arrives with her mother Doria Ragland and Prince Harry at the launch. Pic/Getty Images

Royal love triangle
India's love for samosa is evident in its availability across the country. And recently we found another samosa loyalist. At the launch of wife Meghan Markle's cookbook - Together: Our Community Cookbook - which features the triangular snack, Prince Harry was spotted interacting with visitors holding samosas in a tissue. He even sneaked a few extra pieces for home only to be caught red-handed by the paparazzi. Can we blame him for wanting more?

Grandmama moves out
In the aftermath of the Kamala Mills fire, we wondered how many restaurants would continue to hold fort or chose to move out, especially after footfall took a beating post the disaster. We now hear that Grandmama's Cafe will be shutting shop on September 30. The cafe will be moving to Phoenix Mills down the road in a bid to pull in the high number of shoppers who visit the space. We wonder who's next.

Soho comes to Juhu
SoBo residents had a new members-only club to cheer for this year with the opening of The A in Lower Parel. And now, there's another opening across the sea link for the creative folks from the 'burbs. Soho House, an exclusive club from the UK for professionals from the creative industry, will be opening on Juhu beach in November. The property is aiming to woo high-heeled folks from the film, fashion, music and art fraternities. The sea-facing property will include a rooftop space, cinema, gym, hotel and multiple restaurants and bars too. With 22 clubs across the UK, US, Germany, Spain, Turkey and Canada, this will be their first property in Asia. The good news is that non-members can also book rooms at the property and visit its restaurants and bars. And for those wondering what the charming Noi Cecilia Oldne is up to after quitting as the VP (marketing) at Sula, well, turns out Oldne is part of the membership committee of the property.

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