<h2>Trained to catch</h2>
<p>A hawker waiting on the tracks boards a train in motion at Bandra Terminus.</p>
<h2>Hat-trick with a difference</h2>
<p><img title="(From left) Farzana Contractor, Justice Ahamed Ebrahim, Khalid and Zeynasan Ansari at the book launch earlier this week. Pic/Fotocorp" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/dec/dos-ninteen-dec-b_e.jpg" alt="(From left) Farzana Contractor, Justice Ahamed Ebrahim, Khalid and Zeynasan Ansari at the book launch earlier this week. Pic/Fotocorp" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>(From left) Farzana Contractor, Justice Ahamed Ebrahim, Khalid and Zeynasan Ansari at the book launch earlier this week. Pic/Fotocorp</em></strong></p>
<p>What do you call someone who has just published his third book on his cruises in less than 13 months? Well, let&rsquo;s call him a cruise headliner. In Khalid A-H Ansari&rsquo;s case, this would be apt since he spent a good part of his years in the newspaper industry, giving and encouraging the <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/culture/article/sunburn-2025-world-no-1-hard-dj-sara-landry-female-djs-have-always-dominated-recognition-is-long-overdue-23608314" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">art </a>of entertaining readers with smart headlines and crisp copies &mdash; ever since he launched Sportsweek magazine in 1968, followed by mid-day in 1979.</p>
<p>mid-day&rsquo;s former chairman&rsquo;s eighth book overall, Turkey, Croatia, Greece - An Encore, was released by Justice Ahamed Ebrahim at Ansari&rsquo;s South Mumbai residence lawns on Monday. Zimbabwe-based Ebrahim, apart from his legal background, is a former International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee, and has known Ansari since 2003.</p>
<p>How can any party thrown by Ansari not include cricketers? Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar as usual smartly attired and wife Manali were present, along with fellow ex-Test cricketers Karsan Ghavri and Yajurvindra Singh.</p>
<p>The evergreen Sabira Merchant, charming Dolly Thakore, and natty Nisha JamVwal read sections from Ansari&rsquo;s book, edited by Zeynasan Ansari.</p>
<p>Journalist Ayaz Memon did the honours of introducing Justice Ebrahim to the audience, while publisher Farzana Contractor interviewed the husband-wife duo who were such fine hosts. Contractor called them the cruise specialists of India and not many enjoying the cool evening breeze could disagree.</p>
<h2>When the cinematic eye meets art</h2>
<p><img title="(From left) Ratna Pathak Shah; Anooradha Patel; Naseeruddin Shah. Pic Courtesy/Method; (right) Aditya Singh" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/dec/dos-ninteen-dec-c_e.jpg" alt="(From left) Ratna Pathak Shah; Anooradha Patel; Naseeruddin Shah. Pic Courtesy/Method; (right) Aditya Singh" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>(From left) Ratna Pathak Shah; Anooradha Patel; Naseeruddin Shah. Pic Courtesy/Method; (right) Aditya Singh</em></strong></p>
<p>Actor Naseeruddin Shah and wife Ratna Pathak Shah were among the many fans who dropped by on Thursday to soak in Where is Jennifer? Aditiya Singh&rsquo;s new show at Method <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai-guide/things-to-do/article/galloping-into-a-green-future-23475835" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Kala Ghoda</a>. The solo exhibition presented a series of acrylic, ink, and watercolour works exploring themes of identity, absence, and the compulsive pursuit of a fleeting presence. &ldquo;What started off as a hobby while exploring pareidolia, ended up becoming a passion for expressing art. To me, art is not about capturing what is seen, but finding what refuses to stay still, keeping my art free from any kind of limitations,&rdquo; concluded Singh.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>United we read</h2>
<p><img title="Arefa Tehsin, Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan and Nandita da Cunha" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/dec/dos-ninteen-dec-d_e.jpg" alt="Arefa Tehsin, Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan and Nandita da Cunha" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Arefa Tehsin, Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan and Nandita da Cunha</em></strong></p>
<p>On the morning of December 20, children&rsquo;s authors from across the country will participate in an online reading session in support of Child Rights and You (CRY). Among the decorated panellists are authors Arefa Tehsin, Deepti Menon, Khyrunnisa A, Hemangini Dutt Majumder, Nandita da Cunha, Mona Verma, and Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan. While Tehsin believes the initiative is &ldquo;an opportunity to use our stories for something bigger than ourselves,&rdquo; Tharoor Srinivasan echoed the sentiment, calling the end of the year a time for reflection, gratitude, and giving back. Those keen to reserve a spot can log on to @cry_india.</p>
<h2>Revisit Raza</h2>
<p><img title="Arbre, Bindu, Cinq Elements, 2008. Pic Courtesy/Storyltd" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/dec/dos-ninteen-dec-e_e.jpg" alt="Arbre, Bindu, Cinq Elements, 2008. Pic Courtesy/Storyltd" width="1280" height="659" /><strong><em>Arbre, Bindu, Cinq Elements, 2008. Pic Courtesy/Storyltd</em></strong></p>
<p>This striking lithograph on paper work by the late art legend SH Raza will have art enthusiasts glued to their screens today. As part of a five-lot online auction by StoryLtd, Raza&rsquo;s Arbre, Bindu, Cinq Elements, 2008 (124th from a limited edition of 150) will be up for grabs in a five-hour live auction. The auction will also present works by city sculptor Arzan Khambatta and artist Rekha Rodwittiya. Readers keen to place their bids can log on to storyltd.com at 3 pm sharp.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/dec/dos-ninteen-dec-f_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<h2>Nature decoded</h2>
<p><img title="Subrato Banerjee" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/dec/dos-ninteen-dec-g_e.jpg" alt="Subrato Banerjee" width="1280" height="720" /><strong><em>Subrato Banerjee</em></strong></p>
<p>Behavioural scientist and a faculty member at <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/photo/in-photos-massive-student-turnout-at-iit-bombay-annual-festival-causes-chaos-and-traffic-snarls-in-powai-108757/5" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">IIT Bombay</a>, Subrato Banerjee, will be hosting a talk at Raasta in Khar on December 21 at 2 pm, titled Honeybee Economics, revealing how animal behaviour explains costs, benefits, and survival in this economy. In conversation with Banerjee, he revealed, &ldquo;People need to focus on scientific thought and economics because at the end of the day, nature itself is an economist.&rdquo;</p>

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