Mumbai Diary: Sunday Dossier

Pic/Shadab Khan

Biker mulgis

Women dressed in traditional Maharashtrian attire take selfies as they take part in the Gudi Padwa bike rally in Parel

A new beginning

Pic/Instagram

Talent manager and agent Arjun Shah got married to his fiancé Arushi Sethi, founder and CEO of Trijog, a mental health care organisation. Shah is also the founder of event management and talent representation company, Shark & Ink, which is known for representing renowned names in the independent music industry. Their artiste roaster includes musicians such as The Yellow Diary, Raghav Meattle, Dino James, DJ Shaan, among others. Shah proposed to Sethi in June last year. "I found someone I can annoy for the rest of my life and she said YES (in her pyjamas)," Shah wrote in his caption on Instagram last year announcing their engagement. The wedding celebrations at Cafe Panama in Mumbai saw the newly married couple celebrating with their friends and many others from the music industry.

MSD-DK, now that's a cool comparison!

Dinesh Karthik (left) shares a light moment with then India captain MS Dhoni in 2009. Pic/Getty Images

Earlier this week, Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Faf du Plessis compared his senior pro Dinesh Karthik's cool ways to MS Dhoni after his teammate's last-over six and four helped the Bangalore franchise beat Kolkata Knight Riders in an IPL game. "DK's experience helped in the end, cool-calm, runs weren't never really too far away. He's probably as cool as MS Dhoni can get in the last five overs," Du Plessis said. Doubtless, it was a huge compliment for DK. Cricketers are not known to give in to temptation and indulge in comparisons often. But when they do, it turns out to be memorable. South African Du Plessis's utterance reminds this diarist of what David Gower, that classy left-handed batsman from England, wrote at the start of a profile of West Indian great Clive Lloyd in the 1983 book, Heroes and Contemporaries. We quote: "A cricket writer once went in search of someone with a long memory who could describe Gilbert Jessop [ex-England batsman] to him. When he at last found an eyewitness, the old man said: ‘If you can imagine Clive LIoyd as being small, white and right-handed then you've got Jessop!'" Now, that could have been a fine way of putting it. But Gower believed Lloyd, whose batting ability often got forgotten while pundits praised his leadership qualities, couldn't be compared to anyone. "I would prefer not to compare Clive to anyone else, alive or dead. He has a style all his own," Gower further wrote. We agree!

An arty and foodie weekend with Ferreira

Fashion designer and heritage activist James Ferreira has more reasons than one to be happy about. After 20 years of fighting to preserve and save his 200-year-old village, Khotachiwadi, he told his diarist that "good things are beginning to happen". mid-day had earlier reported that ground floor of his colonial-style 19th century home will be converted into a brand new gallery called 47-A, where Jehangir Jani will be showing his new sculptures. To celebrate the launch, Ferreira is hosting a two-day event at the bungalow, where Aazol, a just-launched sustainable brand that celebrates homegrown foods of Maharashtra (look out for their irresistible Solapuri peanut chutney and rich liquid jaggery called Kaakvi), will be holding a pop-up, along with Thotpop, an NGO which works with traditional artisans and women's organisations. Apart from that, Ferreira will also be hosting a few brands of young, talented designer collections. "My ground floor will be converted into an East Indian and Maharashtrian cafe pop-up, too. We will be serving home-made pancakes, potato chops, meatloaf," he shares, adding that he hopes to plan weekend events more regularly at his home. You can visit the space on April 9 and 10, between 11 am and 7 pm.

A birdy mural in my city

Muralist Dzia's graffiti at Mahim Art District

Popular Belgian street artist Dzia, whose murals featuring playful animals, birds and insects in bright colours adorn walls in many cities and countries including Amsterdam, London, Italy, Germany, Spain and Norway, was recently in aamchi Mumbai. The muralist was invited by the Belgian Consulate in association with St+art India to create graffiti art at Mahim Art District to celebrate India's 75th year of independence. As part of his collaboration, the alumna of Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, Belgium, captured the local fauna and flora as he presented different birds communicating with each other. Dzia, who prefers going by his first name and keeping his face hidden from the limelight, calls it "Birds of India" and it is his tribute to our country, where different languages and cultures coexist and have their own ways to communicate.

A singer with a funny bone

Pic/Instagram

We like an artiste who doesn't stick to just one talent. Mumbai singer Sanaea Bubber is not just a musician, but also a talented comic of sorts. What we appreciate is that she usually combines her two talents. Bubber went to AR Rahman's KM College of Music & Technology, and is now pursuing a double Masters degree in Music Performance. Her latest reel, which takes on Dua Lipa, who has two suits against her now for the alleged plagiarising of Levitating, has Bubber comparing the hit song with Mauja Mauja from Jab We Met! We were in splits. Keep them coming!