Now: A six-pack Kapoor?

Everyone knows that Ranbir Kapoor who is currently in Sri Lanka shooting the last schedule of Anurag Kashyap's neo-noir Bombay Velvet (based on a screenplay by Indian-born, US-based academic Gyan Prakash's book Mumbai Fables) has kept his look for the upcoming film under wraps so far.

Ranbir Kapoor

Insiders reveal that Ranbir who isn't known to spend hours in the gym regularly and has always maintained that a lead actor doesn't need to look like a bodybuilder unless the script requires it, this time around has been pumping iron.

"The script requires him to have a fit, athletic body and he has taken it very seriously by following a strict diet and he has also hired the same team of trainers responsible for Hrithik's body in Krrish 3," said our source, "He will be the first actor from the Kapoor family to sport a lean, ripped body with six pack abs." A Kapoor with a six-pack? The mind boggles. After all, filmdom's first family is known for its fondness for good food. What might have motivated the star to develop his biceps? Couldn't be the praise Ranveer Singh received for his ripped body in Ram Leela by any chance now can it? Meanwhile, the industry is looking forward to the film's release at the end of the year featuring a newly constructed Ranbir in one of his most exciting roles yet.

Of Harry Winston and Haile Selassie
Her grandfather was the legendary jeweller Nanubhai Jhaveri, a close associate of Harry Winston and jeweller to most of the Royal families in India and Royals abroad such as the Late Aga Khan and Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia. And her grandmother would empty the contents of her safe of priceless jewels for her and her sister to play ‘grown up' with during their childhood.

Janhavi Kamani

But Janhavi Kamani, who had an exhibition of her jewellery line Wanderlust yesterday at the Four Seasons, has taken a completely different approach to her family heritage. "I work with semi-precious stones on silver and gold plated brass," says the 26-year-old who says she named her line Wanderlust because she "wanted to make jewellery that looked great but which you could travel with without fear."

After studying photography, Janhavi went on to study gemology and jewellery. Design at the Gemological Institute of America in London.

She returned to Mumbai as a qualified gemologist, accredited jewellery professional and designer. "The absence of ‘Bling', and the use of large stones characterises my work," she says.

An idea worth sharing
Mercifully, unlike the rest of the heaving city, we rarely have to venture out during rush hour traffic. Because, truth be told, the situation on our roads is horrific. Half the road rage, stress and ailments of this city would disappear if the traffic situation improved.

Yashraj Akashi

But what perhaps adds most to our stress levels is if we are caught in a traffic jam in the company of an ambulance with its siren wailing.

The thought that somebody's life might be slipping away is unbearable, and every second when we have been in this situation has been painful. Which is why we are heartened to note that others are equally pained by such scenarios.

Yashraj Akashi, the bright and enterprising curator of Tedx Mumbai, whose day job is as a senior media marketing executive, might just have hit upon a solution that could save lives: ‘Can one compartment of some local trains in Mumbai be used as an emergency compartment to ferry patients or injured citizens via a faster method versus the conventional ambulance that often faces traffic congestion that result in delays to treatment?' he asks. A compartment of a local train fitted out with medical equipment to rush patients to hospitals? Might sound far-fetched and unfeasible, but at least some one's thinking of the problem.

"It's still just the germ of an idea," says Akashi. Yes, we reply, ‘But it's an idea worth sharing," we say borrowing the legendary Ted motto.

As for stranded ambulances carrying emergency cases the next time you see one, please try and help - or just move aside to allow it to pass!

The Maharajah and the actor
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 2 has made strange bedfellows of Richard Gere (who appears in his choice of roles and causes to be last gen's George Clooney) and the plumy voiced dapper Sriji Maharana of Udaipur Arvind.

Come to think of it, it had been the latter that'd invited us to a preview of the poignant and delightful surprise box office winner.

Sriji Arvind Singh Mewar, the Maharana of Udaipur with Richard Gere

Based on These Foolish Things, it was the kind of the movie that producers Merchant Ivory would have made in their early years, ‘the Laura Ashley kind of films,' as one sharp-witted critic had called them, featuring favourite British grande dames like Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. The Maharana's benevolent patronage perhaps might have come about, thanks to the filming, much of which took place in Udaipur. But the sight of two men together gave rise to much teasing when he posted a pic of his with the Hollywood star. "The two most handsome men," said one female admirer. "Absolutely prefer the man with the beard on Gere's right," said a second, while a third enquired if the Maharana had landed a role in the sequel.

Come to think of it, the producers should write him in. What's a Victorian-Indo Brit saga without a plumy accented Maharana after all?

Act One Scene One: Enter Maharana: "I say old chap…"

Celebrating Gerson and Uma
A delicious slice of Mumbai's old guard gathered to celebrate Gerson and Uma da Cunha's 45th wedding anniversary on Thursday afternoon.

Uma and Gerson da Cunha

Drawn from the da Cunhas' varied and concentric circles of interest in film, media, design, art and civic activism, we spotted Julio and Melba Riberio, Charles and Monica Correa, Shyam and Neera Benegal, Shama Habibullah, Anil Dharker, Ayesha Sayani, Padmini Mirchandani, Farzana Contractor, Asha Sheth and Niloufer Billimoria and many others. The air was rife with celebration and good wishes for the couple who have shared so much of their wit wisdom and graciousness with the city.

What was particularly heartwarming is that Gerson paid tribute to his late mother Ena da Cunha whose birthday fell yesterday.

We remember her vividly, a striking profile with her walking stick, striding into cinema halls alone, at an age when most would be on their rockers!