Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

Pic/Anurag Ahire

Closely tracking the news

A man pores over his morning newspaper at Lower Parel

Comics sense

Artwork on the cover page of Adventures of Chahal-Pahal

As Sanjay Gupta, owner of Raj Comics, kickstarts a new venture for superheroes through Alpha Comics, Mumbai's Saahil S Sharma is a key part of the publishing house's initial steps into the boundless world of graphics. Gupta, who is also a comic book writer, will launch two books - Agent J in Operation Ganga (graphic novel) and Adventures of Chahal-Pahal (comic book) - created and written by Sharma, at Bengaluru's Comic Con today.

Saahil S Sharma and Sanjay Gupta

"Saahil had pitched numerous stories to me. I was instantly captivated by them. Our creative connection was strong; the content he presented was screenplay-driven, aligning perfectly with my vision. It became evident that he was the perfect collaborator," said Gupta. Sharma revealed that while the comic book is for a younger audience, the graphic novel is a package of mythology, history, international politics, and a winsome female detective.

Return ticket to Kitab Nagari

Commuters check out the books on sale

A treat awaits commuters on the Western Express Highway Metro (WEH), at the concourse of level 1 that joins Line 1 and 7. Bibliophiles can pick their favourite reads at discounted prices or even on a per kilo basis (children's books at R300 for a kg) at an ongoing book fair organised by the Mumbai Metro authorities. "Commuters take a great liking for bookstores at various stations. We wanted to extend this at WEH halt for a temporary period at the interchange station for commuters of both the lines," shared Deepika Mavalankar, general manager of corporate communication. While the fair will continue till November end, she added that they might extend it by one month, if required.

Twenty-five, and counting

Core team members Mandar Neve, Ayesha Kundra, Aliza Kathawala and Arun Gupta

Theatre fest Thespo is back with its 25th edition that promises drama, and some more of it. Set to kick off in the city of its birth, Mumbai, on December 4, the week-long fest that began in 1999, will see performances, workshops, play readings, and even an awards night at Prithvi Theatre. "Our aim is to work closely with young people from across the country between the ages of 15 and 25, giving them an opportunity to explore theatre as a career path," said Arun Gupta, from the core team of four young theatre enthusiasts.

A moment from the 2024 edition of the fest

"For the festival, we received an overwhelming response with 148 registrations from 20 cities, all the way from Kochi to Dibrugarh. This year, we will present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Satish Alekar [Marathi playwright] on December 10. This presentation will be preceded by a conversation between him and a young theatremaker from Mumbai," he revealed.

Indie on the rise

Listening to Mumbai-based musician and producer Maalavika Manoj (below) AKA Mali's newest synth-driven single, Semi automatic butane, took this diarist back to the good old days of classic electronic indie music. It's only apt then, that the artiste, who made waves on the scene with her recent MTV EMA nomination, will be hitting stages across the country after a four-year hiatus next month with a titular Semi Automatic Butane India tour. "The tour has been on the cards for a while now. The pandemic stalled a few plans we had for tours, but things are back on track. I released my new single just in time for the touring season, and I am excited to lead the tour with the track," she said. Revealing how touring can bring out mixed emotions in artistes, she added, "I'm stoked to be doing such an extensive tour. It can get challenging sometimes. I'm eager to see how many people listen to my music in different parts of the country and how they react when I perform with the band. It will be a good learning experience."