Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce

For our fathers

A devotee bathes after making offerings to their ancestors on Mahalaya Amavasya at Banganga tank in Walkeshwar. 

The Quarter is back

The interiors of the venue at The Quarter

It has been a while since one of the regular music venues of the city had seen people grooving to music inside its halls. The Quarter at The Royal Opera House had slowly slipped out of this diarist’s radar since it stopped hosting live acts in 2019. Last weekend, it returned with its first live performance of the season hosting the Adil Manuel Collective at the revamped haunt. “It was a challenge getting back on track with liquor licenses post the pandemic. We finally got it done this August,” shared restaurateur Nico Goghavala. The focus, he shared, is to hold two gigs every week with a diverse range of music from indie pop to jazz and the blues. “We are also looking to open up a new cocktail bar on the premises. We are hoping to be ready for patrons by November,” Goghavala revealed to us.

Nico Goghavala

Regal as ever at 90

Regal Cinema is a mark of modern architecture. File Pic

Regal Cinema turned 90 on October 14 with the grace and quiet of a grand old Mumbaikar. From 1933, the theatre has seen the cinema go from reels and video recorders to digital and OTT. For Atul Kumar, founder of the Art Deco Mumbai platform, the theatre is one of the iconic hallmarks of the city’s cinema connection. “From its first year, it was one of the premier picture palaces in the city. It had underground parking, air conditioning, and neon signage. It is a landmark piece of modern architecture created by Charles Stevens, son of FW Stevens, who designed the Victoria Terminus that is now called Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus [CSMT],” he said. Despite its evolution, Kumar noted that it still carries the hallmarks of its past with grace. “Regulars remember the life-size Oscar statuette etched into the mirror as you come up the landing. While no one really knows the secret since it is so long ago, the story goes that it was a symbol of the Hollywood connection. Regal would screen films from Warner Bros in the city, while Metro was the hotspot for MGM films. That’s the Oscar connection.” Talk about heritage!

Atul Kumar

Paint it red

(From left) Stéphane Doutrelant, Aashti Miller, Consul General of France in Mumbai, Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet

As earlier reported on this page, Alliance Française de Bombay (AF) had set out on a journey to fill nearly 13 cities of the country with colourful murals, October 1 onwards, as part of its Wall Art Festival, which aims at uniting Indian and French artists. Mumbai-based Aashti Miller was in charge of dolling up the façade of Bombay Gymkhana. “Painting a mural at Bombay Gymkhana was a deeply gratifying experience. The warm earthy tones, coupled with sports motifs and the Gymkhana’s iconic façade, have captivated all, fostering a sense of connection between art and athleticism,” she remarked. Stéphane Doutrelant, director of AF added, “We are happy to have completed the third edition of the Wall Art Festival in Mumbai. We look forward to bringing more colours to this vibrant city next year.”

The mural on the wall of the Bombay Gymkhana

Not really kidding here

Natasha Mehta; (right) At a pop-up

Five years ago, Natasha Sabharwal Mehta had a dream, to start a kid-friendly gifting idea, and thus Bombay Kids Company, the e-commerce platform was born. Today, it has evolved into a community. “I had envisioned a platform only for gifts. Now, we have started posting blogs about parenting tips; we host pop-ups and events with leading bookstores, and we will also go on to open our first physical store soon,” she said.

We are one

(Fourth from left) Manish Modi shares his views with the council

Imagine no religion”, wrote John Lennon in his 1971 hit, Imagine. The Interfaith Solidarity Council in Mumbai is determined to turn that into reality. The council that wrapped up its third meeting at Anjuman-E-Islam High School last weekend, is a platform for scholars of all faiths to gather and discuss peace. “This year the scholars spoke about concepts from their own religions that promote mutual peace and brotherhood. We strongly believe that the world is one religion,” Manish Modi, one of the speakers, told us.

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