The city — sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
The great leveller
A group of 12th standard students are using theatre as a medium to bridge the social gap between them, and to also highlight common issues that plague youngsters in Mumbai. This Sunday, BD Somani International School student, Ashana Joshi and her six friends will take to the stage along with seven children from the Salaam Bombay Foundation’s theatre academy at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA).
ADVERTISEMENT
Students at the rehearsal of Udaan. Pic/Datta Kumbhar
Joshi shares, “I’ve learnt to be freer while I am on stage and to perform wholeheartedly no matter who is watching. Two weeks ago, I approached Salaam Bombay to collaborate with them, and make Udaan a reality. I had this vague idea — to raise funds and help kids my age who do not have the same opportunities I do.”
The 35-minute play looks into common children-related concerns like bullying, crimes and studies. Rajkumar Salve and Adish Janjal, students of Malad’s Mittal College, are also part of the play. Salve said, “I relate to this play, as it seems like the story of my life.” Janjal added, “I’ve learnt to improvise a lot on stage.
I dream of being an actor when I grow up. I am an average student, but as an actor I have managed to find great happiness as well as an inner talent bloom.” Aditi Parikh of Salaam Bombay felt that the play was an ideal way for both groups of children to grow and develop an interest in theatre. “The scope that theatre offers a person to grow is immense and this collaboration is testimony to it,” she told this diarist. More power to theatre.
Touch up and go
Pic/Bipin Kokate
A make-up man applies last-minute touches to the evergreen screen hero Anil Kapoor inside the station master’s office at Churchgate station. This was prior to Kapoor’s appearance on a suburban local train as part of an event for his upcoming TV show.
Food coma for Lisa
We’re not quite sure what caught Lisa Ray’s attention when she was caught in a candid moment.
Pic/Lisa Ray’s Twitter account
A self-confessed foodie, she was committed to ploughing through Amritsari’s fare at the popular Crystal restaurant. Her expression is priceless, and certainly keeps the guessing game on.
Missed out
Critics were all praise for the subtle nuances that seasoned actors Vikram Gokhale and Reema Lagoo brought to their performances in the Marathi play, Ke Dil Abhi Bhara Nahin in September 2015.
Vikram Gokhale and Reema Lagoo
The story revolves around an elderly couple, Arun Nagarkar and his wife Vandu who have completed 35 years of married life. Arun wants to surprise his wife by announcing retirement from his business in order to spend time with her.
The wife, on the contrary, informs him that she has completed a course of a professional priest to keep herself busy by offering a service to others, where she can performs religious ceremonies. However, the audience will now miss the lead cast of this humour-filled emotional drama who we are told are unavailable due to ill health.
Actors Mangesh Kadam and Leena Bhagwat will now be seen playing the roles of Arun and Vandu, in the play. We’ll be waiting for their return.
Tea lessons, really?
A Kolkata-based tea company had a bizarre way to catch US Presidential hopeful Donald Trump’s attention. Two sari-clad women were spotted doing a special tea delivery to NYC’s Trump Tower much to the shock of onlookers.
Their message: Mr Trump, it’s never too late to cleanse yourself. Using their modern take on Gandhian principles, the brand felt that green tea’s goodness could help Mr Trump, and in turn aid the country, suggesting he drinks three cups a day, at least. We wonder why this stunt hasn’t been pulled off to ‘cleanse’ our mantris, closer home in New Delhi.
Wine, chow and chatter
Recently, over 50 diners, including guests from overseas, were treated to a smorgasbord of flavours as part of a seven-course wine dinner by Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar and sommelier Nikhil Agarwal at the former’s BKC offering, NRI.
Chef Atul Kochhar adds finishing touches to Mamak Rojak. Pic/Prabhanjan Dhanu
From Mamak Rojak (Malaysian street-style fruit and bean salad) to Pind Da Hummus, Sri Lankan Potli Chicken served with idiyappam and Lamb Bunny Chow (traditional Durban preparation of curried lamb in a scooped out bread that this diarist loved), each dish was paired with wines from Argentina, Chile and even, local varieties.
“There’s a misconception that Indian food can’t be paired with wine. At Benares (London), we serve over 400 wines,” shared Kochhar. Kochhar regaled the group with stories of the origins of some of the dishes (largely by the Indian diaspora living abroad) while Agarwal played sommelier on cue.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
