Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

Prateik Babbar at a fashion week in BKC

Theatre ka Babbar

Actor Prateik Babbar, known more for his theatre work, brought some of it to the ramp at the ongoing fashion week in BKC last weekend. Pic/Satej Shinde

Mumbai's own art residency

Illesha Khandelwal at the residency

Method, one of the city's independent creative art spaces in Kala Ghoda, recently concluded its first art residency and is showcasing the resultant collection. The gallery had a month-long residency for seven artists, who have put together Spatial, a show that challenges the constraints city life puts on artistic creation due to a lack of space.

Parts of Aftermath by Arshi Sayed

The list of artists include Loveleen Bajaj, Darshika Singh, Aditya Damle, Nandan Joshi, Surabhi Chowdhary, Illesha Khandelwal and Arshi Sayed. Speaking about his work, Sayed told this diarist, "Aftermath is a mixed media exploration of the inevitability of human suffering, regardless of privilege, race, gender or location."

Mumbai to Canada

After schooling at St Pius X High School in Mulund and receiving a diploma in culinary studies at Cidade de Goa, Daley Solomon made his way to one of the best culinary institutes in the world, Le Cordon Bleu in Canada's Ottawa. Solomon became a Canadian citizen, having worked in various five- and seven-star hotels. But the 36-year-old's success doesn't end there. Turns out that Solomon, who is presently a station chef at Ottawa's House of Commons, is now part of the Canadian team at the IKA/Culinary Olympics, the oldest and largest international culinary arts competition in the world, which sees professional chefs test their skills against each other. Owing to this prestigious feat, his parents and sister are flying to Stuttgart to cheer him on. Proud father Robinson told this diarist, "He has been practising for this for over a year, and most practice sessions were held in Toronto. We are thrilled as his passion is in the kitchen."

Pablo's PDA on Valentine's Day

As we aww-ed or rolled our eyes at the flurry of Valentine's Day posts that flooded social media, one particular dedication caught our eye. Mumbai-based chef, Pablo Naranjo Agular, joined the choir with a sweet post with his beau, model Mariette Valsan. In a cheesy, but sweet, Valentine's Day post, the Colombian chef wrote, "One year ago I was having a lot of fun cooking a 14 anti-Valentines course menu... and now this! Finding a special monkey that understands and accepts me for who I am, but most importantly, that is almost as obsessed with food as I am! Only difference is that she doesn't put on any weight... ugh I know @mariettevalsan is just amazing (sic)," he wrote. Congrats to the happy duo.

Air India in trouble

Following a series of unfortunate events, Pandit Shubhendra Rao is suing Air India for damaging his instrument in transit. In a petition, the world-renowned musician sta­ted, "My sitar was damaged three times in the last four years because of careless handling by airlines, including our very own Air India. What makes it even worse is they have refused to pay for the damages saying they are not liable to pay. I'm taking Air India to court but the problem is bigger. Many artistes have suffered the same way."

Let's talk about sex

Anju Kish is a sex educator and occasional stand-up comic who founded Untaboo, an aptly named company that is dedicated to disseminating sex, sexuality and safety education. Kish wrote a 208-page sex education book for children titled How I Got My Belly Button. It's an easy-to-understand book that tackles topics like puberty, growing up, and sex. Its story format and illustrations ensure that the child reading the book remains engaged. It was written with the aim to open doors for conversations between parents and children. She credits her older son Rohil as the inspiration for the book. Growing up, he would bombard her with questions about the human body and sexuality. He would ask her, "How do babies end up in someone's tummy? Why can't boys have babies?" Her son's curiosity prompted her to write the book, to answer all his questions. The title has now bagged the Best Children's Book of the Year Special Jury Award at the FICCI Publishing Awards. "The book not only gives facts to kids but also leads them to think about values, body positivity, gender sensitisation, respect and empathy - all through a story.

As a sex educator, it feels great to be validated after years of knocking on tightly shut doors, to 'untaboo' sex education," an elated Kish said.

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