Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

God before PM

Vivek Oberoi, rides the Modi win wave, hoping his film on the PM makes gains as he visits Siddhivinayak temple on Friday. Pic/Bipin Kokate

An eight-hour broadcast

Activist Dhruv Rathee has been one to frequently release political videos on his YouTube channel. But on election day, he set a record for himself with an eight-hour long live video that mimicked a television broadcast minus the extravagant graphics we see on screen, but with double the satire. And there were panelists, too - journalists Chaveesh Kumar and Bhakt Banerjee, comedian Kunal Kamra and satirist Akash Banerjee.

The video received 2.5 million views, which isn't surprising considering how hilarious it was, although it did receive a fair bit of trolling in the comments section. It was also interesting to see actress Gul Panag make a cameo, who felt "the opposition couldn't rustle together an opponent of the stature of the Prime Minister". And then there was the ticker that kept throwing up news updates like, "There is a clear Arnab wave in the country: Amit Shah", while the makers of the show took a dig at themselves with "Sadhvi Pragya breaks her silence vow, Kunal Kamra and Dhruv Rathee to start theirs anytime soon [sic]."

Masaba shuts down trolls

Thanks to our collective love for "fair and lovely", it's not difficult to come across accounts on social media commenting on a woman's complexion. And with Instagram making celebrities more accessible, the menace has only grown worse.

Fashion designer Masaba Gupta was subjected to the same when a user DM-ed her on Instagram with "Gupta ji bahut kaali ho aap". The Mumbai-based designer was quick to respond, and even borrowed from Hindu mythology for the fitting, "kaali toh goddess thi", before sharing it on her stories. Now, that's how you handle trolls!

New restobar races into BKC

There's a new restobar in town and it's bringing yet another new concept to patrons in BKC. Called Derby, which translates to a horse race between local rivals in England, this will be an interactive bar where you can bid on events from across the world in a virtual setting supported by Artificial Intelligence-driven software.

"With a unique dining experience that helps guests earn rewards, the place is designed in such a way that every event will reward a lucky guest while keeping them entertained as they dine," owner Saloni Rupani told this diarist.

They will serve cuisine from around the world come June 3, which is when they open doors, along with a specially curated bar menu.

A podcast for all things bhonu

Adding another feather to her cap, home chef Perzen Patel has launched a new all-Parsi one podcast, the first ever. Called Not Just Dhansak, it comprises new episodes releasing every Tuesday, as she talks to friends, fellow bawas and Parsi entrepreneurs about all things Bhonu. Food historian Kurush Dalal, Cyrus Dotivala, owner of Dotivala Bakery Parsi, home chefs Gulrukh Irani and Furrokh Regina, and Parsi cookbook author Niloufer Mavalvala, are some of the people already featured in it.

"Through all our chats on this podcast, the one thing you're sure to learn is that there's more to Parsi food than dhansak, a mission that I have been on for more than five years now with my Parsi food website, Bawi Bride, home to 150 unique Parsi food recipes," Patel told this diarist. Upcoming episodes will feature Kainaz Messman of Theobroma and Kainaz Contractor of Rustoms Parsi Bhonu.

Time to make meaningful music

As non-bhakts wrap their heads around the "tsunamo" and supporters rejoice, what happens to the plethora of musicians who composed umpteen songs that weren't exactly in favour of the ruling party? Well, gypsy jazz and psychedelic outfit Peter Cat Recording Co. put their views out there with a link to their 2018 Independence Day release called Kya Farak Padega. Comparing the ebb and flow of luck and time in India to Delhi's Anupam Market, whose popularity fades and resurfaces every few years, they emphasise that though this election was upsetting, it was needed to finally end the "painfully pathetic final stand of many of the last few generations of politicians".

Though they state that "it's not going to be a good five years", they stay hopeful that new, young leaders will now get a chance to develop and forge a new future. "On our part, we will try and make more music, which goes beyond our current class of listeners, something which will fight the drowning of our society in soulless nonsense. If there was ever a time to make something meaningful, it is now," they wrote.

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