Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

The daily catchFisherwomen on their way home after a long workday watch a local train zoom past them at Malad railway stationGive love a chanceA participant holds up a sign at the event PIC COURTESYMUMBAI FOR PEACEMumbai for Peace a new citizenled movement went vocal for a harmonious Mumbai last Saturday At an open jam in Prabhadevi artistes like Imaaduddin Shah Anand Patwardhan and Aamir Aziz mdash whose poem Sab Yaad Rakha Jayega became the background score of the 2019 CAA NRC protests mdash showed up in solidarityChildren at the jamldquoMumbai was never like this The recent rise in intolerance is appallingrdquo said member Sandhya Gokhale In the months to come the community aims to host film screenings and discussions to remind Mumbaikars of their true spirit If yoursquore keen to sign up head to mumbai4peaceA fivezitar actFrom left Niladri Kumar and Makarand Deshpande in rehearsal at Prithvi Theatre PIC COURTESYHussain AttariThe latest collaboration in Makarand Deshpandersquos special project Patni alongside sitarist Niladri Kumar last Saturday was just as fun for the actor as it was for the audience The jam session features Deshpande enacting the story to Kumarrsquos zitar melody ldquoHe Niladri Kumar goes with the flow He is such a sensitive soul If he catches a musical thought and pursues it I have no choice but to follow suitrdquo Deshpande laughed describing it before going on stageCapoeira callingGary Curzai trains students in Bandra PIC COURTESYGARY CURZAIBrazilian mixed martial art form Capoeira has found new footing in the city This diarist was surprised to learn that it is Gary Curzai whom wersquove usually seen wielding a trombone who is helming it ldquoI have been training for nearly nine years with the Capoeira Academy India It was time I made the transition from learner to instructor The art form itself is rooted in a sense of community buildingrdquo Curzai revealed to us Under the Academy the classes will be held at a Bandra venue where Curzai also runs a creative design studio ldquoIt all comes naturally These are different mediums to the same endrdquo he says Clearly hersquos not one to toot his own horn Those keen can head to garycurzai to learn moreMore room for graffitiThe new graffiti near Silver Beach in Juhu PIC COURTESYRAHUL MAURYAFor years now visitors at Juhursquos Silver Beach have been greeted by the crumbling grey walls of the seaside settlements at its entrance We have Mumbairsquos bright graffiti artists to thank for bringing a change of scenery last week A new funky graffiti artwork by Rahul Maurya aka Alchemy Bengalurubased Rahul Sonar and the Road Runners Crew now brings visual respite to the area ldquoThe salt and breeze from the seas had eroded the walls To our surprise the local residents thanked us for the revamp Many of them even posed for pictures as soon as we were done Itrsquos not every day that we get to paint by the sea so Irsquod call it a winwin situationrdquo Maurya told this diaristBandra back in the dayDenzil Smith and Joy Bimal RoyLast Friday film and theatre actor Denzil Smith hosted a book club for which he picked Joy Bimal Royrsquos Ramblings of a Bandra Boy a collection of short stories and essays chronicling the authorrsquos past and present experiences on the streets of Bandra his special encounters with people battle with mental health with an ode to his childhood memories ldquoAs the son of Bimal Roy he has experienced life in a way few of us do and he is also a wonderful writerrdquo remarked Smith all praises for the author In a discussion with Shireen Gandhy gallerist and director of Chemould Prescott Road the duo spent time reminiscing about the past and its journey sprinkled with joy and magic