Mumbai Diary: Wednesday Dossier

Pic/Nimesh Dave

The fence-sitter

A monkey observes customers at a coconut seller's stall at Chikoowadi in Borivali West

Aging on the stage

Growing old is all about accepting your flaws. Theatremaker Jyoti Dogra (in pic) knows it better than most. The 50-year-old is set to premiere her performance, Maas, at the Prithvi Theatre stage on June 27 next week. "My intent [behind the play] was very personal. I was fascinated to know what it is about my aging that others find so difficult to accept," she said. Having worked on the subject for over three years, Dogra now plans to take it to smaller cities where the societal pressure on women is equally strong. "After all, the woman's body has always been a political subject," she reminded us.

Anniversary time for 1983 cricket heroes

Skipper Kapil Dev with man of the match Mohinder Amarnath at Lord's in London on June 25, 1983. Pic/Getty Images

It will be 40 years for India's epic 1983 World Cup cricket win on Sunday. Are there any celebrations planned? We are told that one of these days - probably Friday - the champions will travel on a chartered flight to Ahmedabad, where a prominent businessman will felicitate and reward the team that beat the West Indies at Lord's for Indian cricket's most fabled silverware. We also gather that there are two gala dinners planned in Mumbai over this weekend after the team members return from Ahmedabad. It must be stressed that the 1983 World Cup win fuelled the cricketing aspirations of countless Indians including a certain 10-year-old Sachin Tendulkar. More recently, the Ranveer Singh-starred movie, 83 provided new insights into that famous triumph. Those star cricketers made appearances galore in the build up to the 2021 film. Now, you'll see more of Kapil's Devils. Happy 40th in advance.

Tadgola trail

Sanjay Gandhi National Park began the third edition of their Mission Tadgola programme to collect fallen seeds of the plant in the forest last Sunday. Assistant conservator of forests, Sudhir Sonawale mentioned, "Tadgolas cannot germinate naturally and have to be manually planted. The collection will continue for the entire week followed by a plantation drive on the weekend. Volunteers can participate through our social media."

On boy! BTS are still global chart-toppers

BTS recently released their new single Take 2. Pic courtesy/Instagram

If being the biggest boy band in the world was not enough, K-pop group BTS have added yet another feather to their hat. After the release of their solo number, Take 2, on June 9, they have extended their own record as the group with the most No.1 hits on the Digital Song Sales chart. Applauding the hard work of the septet, Andheri-based fan Tanishka Sikarwar (inset) exclaimed, "It is amazing news. The release of this song was a surprise to everyone. Even though the boys are currently focussing on their military enlistments and solo projects, they continue to achieve milestones as a group."

Sikarwar, who has been part of the fandom, universally referred to as the A.R.M.Y., for two years, revealed that BTS songs have healed her. "Although I was aware of the group before, I started listening to their songs in the lockdown. I was in a bad space, and their music helped me cope with situations and come closer to my family and friends. As Yoongi, one of the members, once said, "BTS finds you when you need them the most," she signed off.

The sky is where his limits begin

(Left) A shot of Javed Choudhari while sky diving; (right) the sportsman on the way to the event

As the saying, ‘He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life,' comes to mind, we think of Javed Choudhari. A member of the Indian wheelchair basketball team, Choudhari recently tried his hand at skydiving in the United States and came out with flying colours. "I attempted the sport when I went to the country for an exchange programme at the University of Tennessee," he revealed. While he loved this new experience, the 29-year-old revealed that attaining his goal was tough. "I love adventure sports but have faced difficulties where I often had to pay extra, or had to convince instructors to train me. Their precautions are valid but for a person with disabilities, getting a chance to attempt something that they love is their moment of freedom. Although it was not as difficult this time, the sky diving company was reluctant in the beginning. But as soon as they saw my parasailing and sailing videos, they got on board," Choudhari said. "I am trying to break stereotypes in society. After I attempted parasailing in Goa, I have seen several people try the sport despite their disabilities," he concluded.