Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Beak hour traffic

A girl playfully runs into a crowd of pigeons at Powai

Breaking new ground

Yuvika Wadhawan was 12 when she started dishing out Chinese food and desserts through a cloud kitchen. Now the 18-year-old is taking her culinary dreams forward with Grounded, a new café that will open doors in Bandstand this month. From spiced chicken stuffed buns and Californian Benedict to an extensive coffee menu, the eatery will offer dishes that can be enjoyed throughout the day.

"After class 10, I took up business management and economics. I didn't learn cooking from any academy, but have always been curious about what's happening in the kitchen, and used to hang out there since I was seven. I want to create an experience for every person that walks in," she told this diarist.

Husain and Raza's Dali-ance with Van Gogh

Atul Chaudhari's artwork featuring Salvador Dali, Vincent Van Gogh, SH Raza and MF Husain

A rare sight will greet you if you walk through Princess Street's iconic Chemould Frames this week. Atul Chaudhari's work features Salvador Dali, Vincent Van Gogh, SH Raza and MF Husain out for a drive felt like a quirky addition to our daily art bytes. It carries a deeper significance since the gallery was a space that Raza and Husain would frequent to discuss their artworks. It was that very reason why Adil Gandhy (inset) chose to have the work painted.

The owner said, "I recall a picture of Van Gogh and Dali on a car ride with Mona Lisa and Frida Kahlo. I asked artist Atul Chaudhari to recreate it with an Indian touch, featuring Raza and Husain, as a tribute." Chaudhari revealed that the artwork pays tribute to the artists with Van Gogh's Starry Skies forming the background while Husain's horses and Raza's Bindu also show up. The 30 x 36 inches artwork will be put up by Gandhy for auction to raise funds for an animal charity. A message to @chemould_frames can get patrons more details.

Also Read: Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

Sweet memories of Nissim Ezekiel

Last weekend (December 16) marked the 98th birth anniversary of one of India's finest poets, Nissim Ezekiel. And who better than his daughter, Kavita Ezekiel Mendonca to reminisce about his life and work? She kindly obliged this diarist by sharing a few lines from her poem (see below). I feel the pulse/ Of your life's rhythm/ In every poem,/ Soft and tender/ Your hands that write,/They rock me still/ Like they did/ The cradle/ At my birth. (Extracted from a Tribute to a Master Poet Published in the Sahitya Akademi Journal of Indian Literature, July/August 2020) Kavita recalled walking with him to the nearby store to buy a bottle of Vino Royale, though he would only drink less than half a glass! "I would ask, "What are we celebrating daddy?" as there didn't seem to be a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary. "Life," would be his reply. So, I celebrate his enthusiasm and zest for life all year long, and will do every day of my own life, not just on this day," she reminisced, adding, "He had a sweet tooth but he ate everything in moderation. Often, he ate the dessert before the meal!" The messages that people send about how he touched their lives, not just as a poet, but as a kind, generous, humble, warm-hearted individual, are the ones I love and cherish most," she revealed. Kavita admitted that it's hard to capture her close bond with him in a few words. "He remains alive in every poem he wrote, and is celebrated in every poem that I write."

Go with the flow

(From left) Sridhar Rangayan, Wendell Rodricks

Kashish film festival director, Sridhar Rangayan, announced a new theme Be Fluid, Be You for the 2023 edition. "It will highlight the aspirations of the youth because they are the changemakers" he said. The festival has also put out calls for its poster design contest, instituted by late designer Wendell Rodricks. The designer was a keen supporter of the festival since 2012. This edition of the contest will be momentous for the festival, Rangayan noted. "After his demise, his partner Jerome Marrel will continue the legacy. With Wendell passing away, we lost a great fashion designer, a brave gay activist, and one of the most humane persons I've known," he noted. Designers participating will have the chance to create the overall look and official posters for the festival. The deadline for submissions is January 31, 2023.

Rhymefighters come to life

Rhymefighters figurines by the Kinis

Illustrator Abhijeet Kini has added a new family of collectibles to his popular Rhymefighters comics. "My wife Diksha suggested that we take the comic forward and create a series of collectibles," he shared. Kinistudios has now tied up with a local NGO, Kuprkabi, to create terracotta figurines of his characters to showcase at Comic Con 2023. "The idea was in sync with characters synonymous with Mumbai, like the dabbawala, the Irani café bawaji. We also have the chaatwala, the chaiwala and a Koli fisherwoman," Kini revealed.