Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

Elephant in the roomStudents at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Vidyalaya in Dharavi marvel at Ely a lifelike mechanical baby elephantlsquoWithout Zubin Mehta we wouldnrsquot be herersquoWith this glowing introductory tribute to honour the maestro Mehroo Jeejeebhoy foundertrustee Mehli Mehta Music Foundation MMMF opened up the conversation that followed the launch of Encore last weekend at Pundolersquos in Ballard Estate The book was released to commemorate three decades of the prestigious platform at the forefront of Western Classical music education among young learners Jeejebhoy recalled the early days of the foundation with Zubin Mehta where he felt it was necessary to honour his father Mehli Mehtarsquos contribution to music in then BombayFrom left to right Dr Farokh Udwadia Mehroo Jeejeebhoy Shabnam Minwalla and Cyrus Guzder in conversationThe session moderated by Cyrus Guzder cultural patron was heartwarming and insightful and included thoughts from fellow panelists Dr Farokh Udwadia senior physician and music aficionado and Shabnam Minwalla author of Encore ldquoHe has always been a silent supporter and opened many doors for us Over 30 years we could do 40 concerts thanks to him with finest orchestras from across the worldrdquo Jeejeebhoy reminisced adding ldquoI wish he could have been with us today We are planning to celebrate his 90th birthday in January 2026rdquoThe MMMF Singing Tree Senior and Youth Choirs conducted by Rohini Basu accompanied by Tavan Shah and Kalpesh Karde of the Udayachal High School PICS COURTESYMEHLI MEHTA MUSIC FOUNDATIONEarlier memorable performances by the MMMF Singing Tree Senior and Youth Choirs and The MMMF String Quartet lilting from traditional to contemporary tunes wowed all The tagline in the invite alluded to plenty of lsquounofficial storiesrsquo And it didnrsquot disappoint as Jeejebhoy Udwadia and Minwalla revealed many sidelights courtesy Guzderrsquos gentle nudgesDr Udwadia and Mehroo Jeejeebhoy release the book EncoreAs the glorious evening rolled by we learnt about how they lugged a piano up a marble staircase to an apartment in Banoo Mansions for rehearsals and how Jeejeebhoy worked tirelessly with Mehta to bring the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra to India We secretly wished for what else but an encore But we arenrsquot complaining The enriching evening was worthy of a standing ovation that aapro Zubin would have been very proud ofMumbai hop for PrydzEric Prydz PIC COURTESYWIKIMEDIA COMMONSA BIG date on the calendar is staring back at electronic music enthusiasts in Mumbai Popular Swedish DJ and record producer Eric Prydz is all set to take the stage for one night making this an opportunity that diehard fans as well as newly interested enthusiasts will not want to miss Prydzrsquos India tour of 2025 includes performances in Delhi today October 4 at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium and in Mumbai tomorrow October 5 at Dome SVP Stadium Notably the artiste is performing in India after nearly a decade He is famous for blending sharp visuals with progressive house sound in his performances alongside unique production elementsReady for the Big MASH in MumbaiPhilanthropist art curator and collector Shalini Passi was always a star in Delhirsquos elite circles but she became a loved name across Indian households with her affable personality on Netflixrsquos series Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives Passi who hosts the fundraiser MASH Ball in Delhi it also featured in the series in support of UNICEF India is now hosting the second edition in Mumbai at the St Regis tomorrow As an ode to the host city Passi has chosen fashion in films as the theme for the event this year a list many are trying to make it toShalini Passi Pic courtesyshalinipassiThe event will showcase design fashion and works by artists including the late icon FN Souza artists Raghava KK and Narayan Biswas and architectdesigner Ashiesh Shah ldquoFashion in cinema has been a powerful form of storytelling since the 1910s and Mumbai has been at the heart of that visual language For a UNICEF fundraiser I wanted a theme that celebrates this cityrsquos creative legacy while bringing people together for a meaningful causerdquo Passi told this diaristShe adds that curating this collection has been deeply personal While itrsquos difficult to choose her favourites she says ldquoAnn Carringtonrsquos intricate metalwork is stunning Michelle Poonawallarsquos piece on water as a life force is deeply moving especially for UNICEFrsquos mission Madonnarsquos son Rocco Ritchiersquos donated a selfportrait for Art Be A Partrsquos education programmes mdash that generosity defines the evening Souzarsquos work always resonates the way he transforms the human face into something raw and powerful is extraordinary But the one closest to me is Biswasrsquo work from Palette Art GalleryrdquoShobhaa De unpluggedShobhaa DeAuthor and columnist Shobhaa De is soon to make the rounds amongst bibliophiles once again this time with a book that will likely serve as a handy guide for many readers The Sensual Self Aleph Book Company will be released on October 7 Dersquos latest work is intended to be a companion for its readers chronicling advice for the various personal barriers and woes faced by many people in particular by women within the confines of their personal lives The book speaks of love physical intimacy selfacceptance and selfexploration encouraging women to unabashedly express themselves and their desires regardless of age covering themes such as heartbreak love languages and topics largely considered taboo