High profile wedding

Bride Arundhati with her sisters and mother Shobhaa De

The almost weeklong nuptials of Arundhati, daughter of Shobhaa and Dilip De to Sahil Seth had many highlights: traditional lavani dancers from Nashik performed to the famous Pinga number from Bajirao Mastani to the delight of assembled guests at a restaurant at Colaba; the wedding at a five-star witnessed the well-heeled baraat featuring three generations of the groom's family, break into a spirited jig; and the reception saw the likes of reclusive publisher Nari Hira, Shyam and Neera Benegal, Rahul Bajaj and Anil and Tina Ambani, friends from over four decades, drop in to wish the couple. "The nuptials were marked for their elegance and warm personal touch," said a guest. "Every one present was known by the families for at least decades!"

Bride Arundhati with her sisters and mother Shobhaa De

The lavani

His first love
Mahesh Mathai, ad film maker and co-founder of Blue Frog, is back to doing what he loves best - making movies. We met the former rugby player who had directed Bhopal Express, at the Mumbai release of Pramod Kapoor's Gandhi. "Anjum Rajabali has written the script and I'm excited about getting back to my first love," he said. Bhopal Express, which had featured Naseeruddin Shah and Zeenat Aman amongst others, was penned by brothers Piyush and Prasoon Pandey, and though it hadn't fared well at the box office, it had witnessed the launch of one of Bollywood's most successful music composers, the trio of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. Will his new venture launch more such talent? Watch this space.

Mahesh Mathai

Loy Mendonsa, Ehsaan Noorani and Shankar Mahadevan

Fitness First
We have been following real estate tycoon Niranjan Hirandanani's tryst with fitness with interest. The lean and rangy billionaire son of Mumbai's legendary ENT specialist, Dr LH Hirandanani, had started it off by signing up for a rigorous morning work out at a nearby gym a few year's ago, which he would visit every morning with wife Kamal, also a fitness enthusiast. More recently he had begun to take part in the marathons organised at his township. This weekend he upped the ante considerably by participating in 'The Devil's Circuit,' an obstacle race at the Hiranandani Fortune City at Panvel, as these pictures demonstrate. Not all middle-aged tycoons are as fit, so as a cautionary note we should add 'don't try this at home…' for the others.

Niranjan Hiranandani

A slice of Paris
Word comes in that next week SoBo will see a pop up of French gastronomy to be hosted at the unusual location of a Kemps Corner spa and salon. The event has been put together by a glossy magazine, in partnership with the French tourism board, and Air France airline amongst others. "A showcase of French gastronomy trough iconic Chef Alain Ducasse's signature global initiative 'Gout de France,'" promises the invitation. Chef Ducasse is perhaps the world's most famous chef, who among his numerous accolades, became the first chef in the world to own restaurants carrying three Michelin Stars in three different cities. He also owns the tourist friendly one Michelin starred restaurant Le Jules Verne, which is located on top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Last year Ducasse along with the government of France was instrumental in organising the first Gout De France or Good France Day, which is now hosted annually on March 21 in five continents, and is a celebration of French cuisine. And though the event doesn't promise an appearance from the legendary Ducasse, anything he lends his name to, is already setting the bar high.

Alain Ducasse. PIC/AFP

So there you are!
As the editor of a popular newspaper, we recall having launched a department titled 'Whatever Happened to,' ostensibly to trace once ubiquitous and currently 'lost' personalities. We were reminded of this when photographs of the once high profile Tarot reader Sunita Menon surfaced during the wedding of Devangi Nishar and Saharsh Parekh in Abu Dhabi this week.

Sunita Menon and Neeta Lulla

The attractive Menon had been one of the building blocks of Bollywood legends like Ektaa Kapoor and Karan Johar, and her modest studio at Khar had witnessed some of the biggest names in entertainment draw up each day in their limos, to seek her guidance. And then she'd disappeared from the scene almost as suddenly as she'd arrived on it.

So, for the department 'Whatever Happened To' we are happy to report that Tarot Card reader Sunita Menon is alive and well and for all we know has a client base of equally if not far rich clients in the Middle East.

Spendthrift no more
He is known as a spendthrift and a hedonist, splashing out on extravagant parties and holidays, and posting pictures of himself surrounded with semi clad girls half his age on social networks. But recently when stories of his treatment of his former spouse emerged, even those who know him for what he is were appalled.

According to sources, when the high profile lady went over to his residence to discuss the issue of their kids' upkeep and finances, he had made sure that his 'fiancé,' a woman around the same age as his daughters - sat through the entire encounter - and was witness to his ex-wife's humiliation. "He said he was broke had no money to spare and that she should not send them abroad for their education etc," said sources.
Tch Tch.

Overheard
India is burning. And the emperor is fiddling, on twitter
- Posted by digital entrepreneur Mahesh Murthy on Twitter commenting on the Prime Minister's last few tweet