Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

In your face
At his wedding reception in Mahalaxmi, Prateik Babbar fools around with brother Aarya. Pic/Bipin Kokate

Manisha Koirala

Literary waves in Mumbai
The 'greatest literary show on earth' aka the Jaipur Literature festival concludes today. But closer home, another one is all set to take place by the sea for the first time in the country. Helmed by Shripriya Dalmia Thirani, the owner of the twin Queensline floatels off the Gateway of India, Queensline LitFest (QLF) will commence tomorrow and former First Lady of UK, Cherie Blair, will inaugurate the festival and deliver a keynote address. She will later be in conversation with festival director Kounteya Sinha on "India's Forgotten Women - Widows". The next day will see renowned photographer and Padma Shri awarded Raghu Rai talk about Finding Faith in the 21st Century Rubble, while actress Manisha Koirala will discuss her new book Healed that details her battle with cancer. When asked about the inspiration and curation behind QLF, Thirani was unavailable for comment. But tickets are already available on their website with prices starting at Rs 500 for a single-day pass and Rs 1,200 for all three days. We hope this ship sails smoothly.

A glimpse of the recently concluded Delhi edition

Weaving change for a sustainable tomorrow
Today, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Elephanta Caves, is going to transform into a crochet of vibrant threads as the city's textile industry comes together at Artisan Speak, an initiative seeking to urge the private sector towards conscientious retailing, to foster collaborations between brands and to link clothing companies and handloom clusters.

Smriti Irani and Sachin Tendulkar

Initiated by the Ministry of Textiles, the event will be attended by Union Minister for Textiles, Smriti Z Irani as well as cricket icon, Sachin Tendulkar. The event has been tied together with music and cultural performances, in a bid to make this step towards sustainability an engaging one. Designers Rahul Mishra, Payal Khandwala and Shantilal Bhangade will be among those showcasing their work. Sounds like the Government of India weaved together a massive event, no?

Desi fare, everywhere
With 30 years in hospitality and having worked with the likes of Taj Mahal Palace and Intercontinental, Tapan Vaidya is now set to start enter new terrain with his new Indian eatery, Talli Turmeric, that will be opening its doors to patrons on February 9. Located inside a mall in Worli that seems to be a new favourite among restaurateurs, this eatery will feature street food with a modern twist and long-time bestsellers like kebabs.

Tapan Vaidya

Speaking of the new venture, Vaidya, who will co-helm the restaurant with Mansij Vaidya, told this diarist, "The idea is to bring together a collection of known and unknown gems from all over India representing the classic tastes of good home cooked food, simple fare as well as gourmet dishes, and much more."

Harish Iyer

It's time for us to open up
A big problem regarding mental health issues in India is that many people aren't willing to talk about them. The person suffering is often hesitant to open up and families, too, sometimes want to brush it under the carpet. But the only way that sustained change can come about is if we remove the stigma attached with such conditions. And that's why an online campaign that writer and activist Harish Iyer has started is a step forward in the right direction. Iyer has encouraged his followers on social media accounts to list their name, mental health disorder, the name of the professionals they are seeking help from, and the names of their support groups. What this does is encourage people to talk about their problems more, while also building up a handy database of people working in the field.

A poster a day
On Republic Day, an initiative called Posters Unite! was launched, under which a new poster will be uploaded every night on the eponymous Instagram page. A collaboration between 2020 Group - a group of artists, architects and filmmakers - and Artists Unite! it aims to provide visions for a society that the artists "wish to realise".

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