Mumbai Diary: Tuesday Dossier

No tobacco on the tracks
Mumbai's power puff kids went all out to show that smoking is not cool. The Salaam Bombay Foundation survey held a press conference on the eve of World No Tobacco Day - which falls today - by depicting how tobacco companies advertise aggressively to lure kids.

(Seated, left-right) Aditi Parikh, Tshering Bhutia and Madison Rose of Salaam Bombay with kids in the backdrop. Pic/Sayed Sameer Abedi

The NGO had conducted a survey towards the tail end of 2015 where areas near 40 Mumbai schools came under the scanner. Numbers reflected gross violations; for example, 54 per cent shops around schools were found to have tobacco advertisements and 56 per cent of the shops surveyed were within 100 yards of a school.

Figures aside, the Foundation is moving full steam to create anti-tobacco awareness among Mumbaikars. Today, commuters on the trains will hear messages by Bollywood celebrities like Shraddha Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Sharman Joshi and Govinda on its public address system, urging people to stay away from tobacco. So, if you're on a local, you might just have a starry twist to chaotic proceedings.

And now, the tennis style awards
The official website of the ongoing French Open now wants you to play fashion judge too. So, from the (in)famous zebra prints that have got everyone talking to more practical polo dresses, the viewer can pick and choose favourites at Roland Garros.

That's what we call game, set and match 'em too. We wonder what the prize would be, though. Courtside tickets for next year's finals, perhaps?

Heal the world
This World Environment Day (June 5), step out of your home and pedal for a healthier future. Cycling promotion group, The Smart Commute is inviting enthusiasts to take a ride from eight locations in Mumbai in a bid to reduce carbon footprint.

The starting points of this two-and-a-half hour journey will include Hypercity (Malad), Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Tulip Star (Juhu), Raymond junction (Thane), Everest Cycling Co (Vashi), Skyline (Marol), Hiranandani (Powai), Traffic Police HQ in Worli and the tour will end at at Sofitel Mumbai in BKC. The event is free and open to all.

Malaika, the camera's this side
...We wonder if that was playing on Riteish Deshmukh's mind, going by his expression towards Malaika Arora Khan.

Pic/Tehmiyat Fatima

Meanwhile, the rest of the cast of Housefull3, (standing) Karan Johar and Abhishek Bachchan, (seated) Jacqueline Fernandez, Akshay Kumar and Kirron Kher are all eyes for a mega selfie taken by Siddharth Shukla last evening at a studio. Pic/Tehmiyat Fatima

Designer dekko

Pic/Shadab Khan

(Left to right) Shane and Falguni Peacock, Nachiket Barve, Narendra Kumar, Nitya Arora and Sanam Sippy at the third edition of Couture Cabana's party presented at a five-star in Lower Parel over the weekend.

Superheroes need a break too

Pic/Shadab Khan

Emraan Hashmi's son Ayan (centre) appeared visibly tired at the goings-on during the release of Kiss of Life: How A Superhero And My Son Defeated Cancer, co-authored by the actor and Bilal Siddiqi (right) at a Bandra bookstore last evening.

Beyond compere
For exuberant Harish (‘Samay') Bhimani, it was a bonus bonanza, when one legend, Asha Bhosle, made him wear the National Award medallion while the other, Ameen Sayani read out the citation.

(Left to right) Asha Bhosle, Amin Sayani and Harish Bhimani. Pic/Chaitanya Padukone

The distinguished compere had recently been honoured for his voice over, for a Deepak Haldankar directed docu-feature, Mala Laj Watat Nahai (I'm Not Ashamed) in the Non-Feature Film category. Guests including singers Anup Jalota, Shailendra Singh, Dilraj Kaur, Chintu Bhosle and ad guru Sam Balsara were treated to anchor Bhosle's witticisms, even as the beaming Bhimani turned euphoric.

"It's just that one is, reliving that momentous occasion, with senior voice-centric icons, who I have always looked up to," shrugged the award-winner, who was also gifted an expensive fountain pen with a hand-written note from Lata Mangeshkar, who was unable to attend the event.