Mumbai Diary: Sunday Dossier

Are they here for Taimur?
Soha Ali Khan's daughter Inaaya Naumi Kemmu looks puzzled to find photographers waiting in Bandra for her as she alights from the car. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Author Prajwal Hegde signs a copy of What's Good About Falling for Javagal Srinath as her husband Dr Sanjay Hegde looks on, in Bangalore on Friday.

Sri bowls a tidy length
India fast bowler-turned-match referee Javagal Srinath was on a song in Bangalore where he launched sports writer Prajwal Hegde's debut novel, a sports romance, a cricket meets tennis affair, ‘What's Good About Falling', on Friday.

Srinath, who was match refereeing the Australia v Sri Lanka Test series a few days ago, showed no sign of jet lag and Prajwal, a former mid-day reporter, was quick to reiterate that he is India's most reliable celebrity. Srinath touched upon something that is easily ignored as sports lovers hail their heroes after their feats - the struggles.

While acknowledging the intense pressure sporting families endure in their journey to raise champions, he doffed his hat to Sania Mirza's father Imran sitting in the audience for coping well with the struggles to help Sania reach the top of her sport.

As Imran was getting ready to make his way out of the hall later in the evening, he was heard telling Srinath that he got it absolutely right. Srinath's spell extended to education and sport. Again, he bowled a different length as it were to say that sportspersons should be encouraged to return to their books by sports associations. An engineer himself, he knew what he was talking about but his modesty and pragmatism came shining through when he admitted that academics-inclined cricketers have a more difficult time now with so many age group tournaments, something that was not the case in his youth. Well bowled, Srinath.

Let's talk shop
Lower Parel's KOKO might be a haunt for the swish set, but it's now attracting the city's fashion forward folks as well. For the first time, owners Ryan and Keenan Tham have collaborated with designers to create an exclusive preview of their new line, which will be showcased at the resto bar. "The idea is to integrate our love for food with fashion. So, it'll feature specially curated installations by a series of designers," said Keenan, without revealing the line up.

Looking Northeast
Theatre director Faezeh Jalali has spent the last week in Agartala teaching a group of students the Laban movement technique. The Theatre in Education programme at National School of Drama, which has an outpost in Tripura only for students from the Northeast, was looking for an expert, when the two were introduced by actor and puppeteer Choiti Ghosh.

Jalali is learning as much as teaching. She says, "The experience has actually been quite amazing. Movement in a body is a language in itself. But, despite a lot of technicalities, the students have been able to grasp it very well. I have had a really good time. Last week, we went to this festival, which had three food stalls with traditional Tripura food, and lots of regional dance and song. It felt like everybody there was celebrating. We all come from these big cities and we miss some of these small, happy moments."

Kaul in English
Tumhari Sulu actor Manav Kaul's work is finally being made accessible to English readers. Kaul's Hindi collection of short stories, originally titled Prem Kabootar, is being translated into English by Pooja Priyamvada and will be out later this month. Called A Night In The Hills, and published by Westland, the collection is set in unnamed places, and touches a slew of emotions, from fear, love and lust. "Hindi readers have loved my books and I hope English readers will also enjoy my stories equally," the actor said.

A virtual tour
DURING a discussion held at Kamalnayan Bajaj Art Gallery on February 7 aimed at examining the role of technology in understanding art and anthropology, this diarist met professor Sumant Rao of the Industrial Design Centre, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. At the panel discussion, Rao, who is currently creating a virtual experiential museum on Ajanta Caves in collaboration with the Nehru Science Centre, expressed the need to make rich cultural heritage available to all. The aerospace engineer said, "The idea is to study the layout, design and engineering aspects, and collaborate with restoration architects to implement other projects for the world heritage site." We can't wait to see our history come alive.

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