Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

Pic/Atul Kamble

Bandra-E-Ishq

Students from a Bandra college rehearse for their upcoming play at Carter Road promenade

Singing for India

Rajeev Raja at a performance

Not many musicians wake up to calls from government offices in New Delhi marking them out for sudden foreign trips. For city-based flautist and composer Rajeev Raja, the week began with one such intimation. "The Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) had intimated us about two weeks ago, but the confirmation came a little over a week ago. The short notice made it challenging, but we definitely could not miss the chance," he shared. With performances scheduled in Eindhoven in The Netherlands and across two provinces in South Africa, Raja confirmed that it will be a short two-week trip. The six-member team will include Finix Ramdas, Adrian D'Souza, Umesh Varbhavan, John Jaideep Tirumalai and Hitesh Dhutia. "It is quite an honour, especially in the 10th year of our maiden album, Cosmic Chant. We are already working on our next, and hope to be ready with it in 2024," he told this diarist.

Spurs some magic

Ledley King, D'Souza with Ossie Ardiles. Pic Courtesy/Twitter

As English Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur's former players Ledley King and Ossie Ardiles arrived in the city last weekend, Spurs fans flew from across the country to meet the players in person. Among those who got to meet and greet the players, and even received a jersey as a gift, was city-based comedian Joel Dsouza. "I have been a Spurs fan since I was nine years old. What I love about Tottenham Hotspurs is that they attack first, and without fear. I believe it is the most entertaining way of playing sports," Dsouza chuckled, adding that the match screening was a massive hit. We say, it is a well-shot goal.

When Twinkle was toasted

(From left) Akshay Kumar, Dimple Kapadia, Kiara Advani, Shabana Azmi, Twinkle Khanna, Vidya Balan and Karan Johar at the book launch. Pic/Atul Kamble

Her wry humour is legendary, and we got a taste of it at her book launch. Twinkle Khanna released her fourth book, Welcome to Paradise, at a Bandra five-star on Wednesday, where friends and well-wishers descended to celebrate. Childhood friend Karan Johar was accompanied by actors Vidya Balan, Shabana Azmi and Kiara Advani, who read from the book. Her husband Akshay Kumar kept her mother Dimple Kapadia company while sister Rinke Khanna looked chic in a black and white pants-suit. Johar, who was the master of ceremonies, along with Khanna, had the crowd in splits. They roasted each other as well as some in the crowd. When asked by an audience member how her parenting style differed from her mother's, the 48-year-old author quipped that she was raised by ‘wolves', continuing, "There are two ways - either you instill values in your child every day, or you drink, smoke and be deranged, and have the child learn that that's not the way to be… My mother wasn't deranged, but she taught me to be independent; that I was complete by myself and didn't need a partner to complete me." When Kumar asked that since Khanna's book was about women, what role did men play in her life, she responded in her trademark wit: "We always need dessert!"

C for Ceramics

Tasneem Zakaria Mehta delivers the keynote address at the curtain raiser

Clayware has a tradition that dives deep into art and history. Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum witnessed a half-day symposium titled Evolving Clay Practices - A Prelude to Common Ground earlier this week. A precursor to the upcoming Indian Ceramics Triennale to be held at New Delhi in January 2024, the keynote address saw Dr Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, managing trustee and director of the museum touch upon the rich history of the Bombay School of Pottery. "The innovative pottery produced by the students at the JJ School of Art Mumbai, forms a significant part of the Museum's collection and the symposium introduced the participating artists, curators and our audiences to the story of this unique style of pottery," Mehta said adding that she looked forward to the line-up of Indian artists at the Triennale.

Keeping school fun

Children perform alongside teachers at an earlier fest on the campus

The students of St Andrew's High School in Bandra will have a day of fun and games, and their teachers might just join them. And why not? The one-day celebration of Androtsav is dedicated to teachers and students, said Arlene DSa, one of the co-ordinating members of the organising committee for the festival. "We have planned a fashion show and dance competition for the children from junior kindergarten to Grade 10. There will also be skill-based games to challenge them. These are in addition to food stalls and entertainment events," she added. The festival is not just for fun, but can also educate them,
DSa remarked.