Sonali’s Society: Of calendar woes and red-letter days

Red and radiantKicking off the Year of the Horse in style actress Richa Chadha galloped into the Chinese New Year celebrations at Kuan Kung Temple in Mazagaon Fans from all communities flocked to catch a glimpse of the Gangs of Wasseypur star and join in the vibrant celebrations on February 16Home is where the cat isIf Aram Nagar screams struggling actors Bandra is for the belles of the ball Among its brightest is The Lunchbox star Nimrat Kaur who has been comfortably ensconced in the same Carter Road building as Kamal Sadanah and Leena Chandavarkar for some years mdash until recently With the seafacing property being redeveloped Nimrat now finds herself in transition ldquoI am midmove as we speakrdquo she confesses adding ldquoNew beginnings always come with discomfort and difficulties but itrsquos a welcome changerdquoNimrat KaurNot a soul who clings to her comfort zone Nimrat is packing up and relocating without regret It helps of course that she isnrsquot moving too far mdash her new pad is in Bandstand ldquoI love Bandra I love the cafeacutes here I love the culture and the milieu of people who come from different parts of the country to make this their home Between the by lanes and the bungalows it is all so cosy and beautifulrdquoWhile she is a selfconfessed fan of this suburbrsquos dazzling Christmas lights it is something else altogether that has us feeling warm and fuzzy Nimratrsquos 20yearold feline friend cattily called Karamchand is at the centre of this story ldquoI have planned this entire move basis his comfort Hersquos so old I donrsquot want to cause him any stress Once the new house is absolutely ready he and his couch will be the last things to moverdquo Sounds purrfectIn time with traditionRishab Rikhiram Sharma has Gen Z swooning over the sitar and if that wasnrsquot flex enough he has a stamp of approval from the White House too mdash having performed there during the Joe Biden administration These days the Delhiborn sitarist music producer and mental health advocate calls New York home but wears India on his sleeve at every opportunityRishab Rikhiram SharmaQuite literally Despite his eyecatching trishul mehendi one cannot help but marvel at Rishabrsquos swadeshi timepiece a stunner called The One designed by Gaurav Mehta of Jaipur Watch Company Featuring an authentic quarter anna coin dating back to the late Thirties it is adorned with Devanagari numerals that whisper heritage while making a decidedly modern statementA favourite with our very own Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well he has a piece from the brandrsquos Baagh collection these timepieces are an ode to India mdash much like Sharma himself whose music carries the countryrsquos classical soul across continents with algorithmbreaking global resonance It is that same resonance he now brings to Mumbai on March 20 as part of his lsquoSitar for Mental Healthrsquo India Tour Music to our earsFrom lens to legacyWe may be 18 days into February but it doesnrsquot feel like the beginning of the year without Dabboo Ratnanirsquos calendar on my desk An annual highlight that the celebrity photographer has left us bereft of in recent years we are delighted to hear it is set to return in 2027Dabboo RatnanildquoThe churn of content is nonstop with social media now so it only makes sense to put something out there if it is decidedly differentrdquo says Dabboo Currently conceptualising a calendar that shines a spotlight on film talent from across the country he hopes to have robust representation from Punjab to the South Trailblazers from the worlds of sport and music may also find their place in these august pagesHaving shot MS Dhoni a few months ago and with Sourav Ganguly set to be photographed for a commercial next week Bollywood darling Dabboo certainly has the requisite access across industries Expect then a calendar not just of faces but one that captures the countryrsquos cultural pulseFamily tiesVikram Salgaocarrsquos wedding last week was the talk of the town with a guest list so long and luminous it could stretch across several columns Son to Dipti and Dattaraj Salgaocar and eldest grandchild to late industrialist Dhirubhai Ambani this family celebration was one for the ages The proverbial knight in shining armour arrived in a white Rolls Royce while uncle Mukesh Ambani danced alongsideShweana and Vikram Salgaocar PicInstagramBut even before the baraat and bride Shweana Poy Raiturcar had settled in days of prior merrymaking were marked by several performances International artistes and local stars rocked the party but it was doting grandmother Kokilaben Ambanirsquos song that stole the show Blessings never sounded sweeter