The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
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Who's the prettiest?
Farah Khan and Raveena Tandon goof around while shooting for a television serial at Chitrarth Studio in Powai on Tuesday. Pic/Sameer Markande
Small wonder
India may still have a long way to go when it comes to making a mark on the international ballet scene. But going by the feats of young ballerinas in the city, it won't be an exaggeration to say that in a few years from now, we may just have a set of artistes who can put India on the world ballet map. Samita Nayak of the Indian Academy of Russian Ballet in Mumbai has won a scholarship to the Asian Grand Prix Intensive Ballet Program 2018. The scholarship has been awarded to the young girl on the basis of her performance at the Asian Grand Prix regional competition in Bangkok held earlier this month. In January, this newspaper had reported that four ballerinas from the institute became the first to represent India at the European Ballet Grand Prix in Vienna. We are keeping our eyes peeled for this young brigade.
Astad Deboo's earlier performance with the drummers. Pic/Amit Kumar
One for the cops
It was an intriguing blend of east meets west at the investiture ceremony of the Maharashtra Police held recently at the National Centre for the Performing Arts. Pioneering contemporary dancer and choreographer Astad Deboo was invited to perform with the Pungcholam drummers of Shree Shree Govindajee Nat Sankirtan, Manipur, whom he has earlier collaborated with for a performance at the prestigious Opera Bastille in France. In the audience were the Governor of Maharashtra C Vidyasagar Rao, Minister of State for Home (Rural), Finance and Planning Deepak Kesarkar, and DGP of Maharashtra Satish Mathur.
On track
Things are heating up for DIVINE fans in the country. Even as a Bollywood film on the hip-hop musician and his ilk reaches completion, news arrives that he has released a new single, with a video to boot. Called One Side, the track begins with a sinister laugh reminiscent of Clint Eastwood by Gorrilaz. It then goes on to talk about oppression, with lines like, "Kya hoga yaha tera marzi se/ Shaitan yaha hai wardi mein (How will your will hold here/ The devil is in uniform)". Heavy stuff, indeed.
Lassi jaisi koi nahin
We were tickled pink to spot an international news website's travel section featuring our very own mango lassi. The desi drink has featured on a list of the 50 most delicious drinks in the world. The beverage rubs shoulders with a popular energy drink, pina colada, a Japanese milk drink and Ireland's most famous stout. The website features a picture of the beverage and the copy that goes alongside says in a nutshell that there are some in the country who are lucky to work in air-conditioned comfort. For others, it says, there is always mango lassi. It compares it to a "sweat-beating summer drink that acts like an internal sun screen". It also says "mango, milk and yoghurt combine in creamy harmony". As juice centres in the city festoon their interiors with mango offerings, we find this mention flattering and aam-using, too.
Arjun Kapoor at the Kashish 2017 opening night at Liberty cinema
Bigger and better
If it is May, it must be Kashish. A month before, though, the run-up to Mumbai's queer film festival that is growing in scope every year is peppered with events. Kashish 2018 will be back for its ninth edition to be held from May 23 to 27, at Liberty Cinema, the venue it is now identified with. Like every year, the festival has started a crowd-funding campaign, but organisers have also announced rewards for contributors like free registration, T-shirts, priority badges, opening night party passes, coffee mugs, and what they claim is this year's special — a "Together With Pride" calendar. We like how this fest is growing, from small cinemas to mainstream ones; from one event to a run-up of events, both celebratory and cerebral; new sponsors shedding the qualms and blushes and standing next to the old loyalists; and most importantly, adding to its bouquet of films one country at a time.
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