The city — sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
Let’s take the stage, Sai
Pic/Atul Kamble
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Naseeruddin Shah tries to get long-time theatre and film colleague, Sai Paranjape’s attention to something at a press conference to announce Shah’s autobiography in Marathi last evening.
String quotient
Many in the film and music fraternity are notorious for ignoring the contributions of their wingmen and support that make them look, act and sound like a million bucks.
Which is why this photo posted by Shaan brought a smile to our face. He took to social media to wish his music partner, and ‘Guitar Monster’ (in his tweet) Gourav Dasgupta on his birthday. We like.
A session to chair
Part memoir and part investigation, Saeed Naqvi’s Being the Other: The Muslim in India was released in the city yesterday.
Saeed Naqvi and Kumar Ketkar at the event. Pic/Atul Kamble
The book argues that divisions between Muslims and Hindus began in the modern era. Several such burning issues find their way in the book, and were discussed at the release last evening at Nehru Centre by Kumar Ketkar. The two went on to discuss the political forces that have shaped contemporary Indian society.
Comic book ending in Sri Lanka
Comic Con India head, Jatin Varma was recently in Colombo for the Lanka Comic Con — it’s first-ever edition of the global franchise. It featured a vibrant mix of exhibitors along with quirky panels. The event also saw the launch of Lion Born, which is apparently the first graphic novel series from Lanka.
A couple of cosplayers at the event. Pic/Prasanna Welangoda
Recalling the visit, he says, “Their special theatre setup was cool; it’s given me ideas for my shows.” The event had a tabletop gaming area for not just adults but with kid-friendly activities too. And as always the Cosplay Contest stole the show, with some really great costumes and role-play too. Rounding up his experiences, Varma says, “The Comic Con gets a 10/10 on all parameters.”
Palate to pen
His is a story that makes for a page-turner. From starting with a modest catering business at 17 to working under top chefs at five-stars, honing culinary chops at Cornell and Le Cordon Bleu, going bankrupt in 2006 when three of his ventures shuttered to being the toast of the culinary world with Michelin-starred Junoon in NYC — the Amritsar-born Vikas Khanna has come far.
Little surprise then that a biography is being penned on the celeb chef by close aide, Karan Bellani. The debut author will travel to his hometown for insights and discover facets from his family, colleagues and former associates for the 300-pager, slated for a November release.
Corner stories
Mumbai’s swish residential locales are known for their grapevine in the form of newsletters. And it cannot get more juicier than Malabar Hill. Called Voice of Malabar Hills, its August edition had a nostalgic whiff. In it, Anita Garware, Malabar Hill resident and chairperson Indian Heritage Society, writes about the Kemps Corner of a time when India was under British rule.
Kemps Corner sans the traffic
She writes: “A pharmacy on Kemps Corner was called, Kemp & Co. Ltd. One resident of Cumballa Hill, Gautam, has vivid memories of his visits to the pharmacy. His mother would dress him in weird shorts, polka dot shirts and bow ties. Whilst she placed an order for the prescription to be filled for his snotty nose, he would head straight for the large weighing scale like the one on railway platforms, with a clock face and a red hand. He would jump up and down as hard as he could, in the hope that the hand would turn full circle and surprise his mother. It never did, but it angered the grumpy old man behind the counter and he got a smart whack for his efforts from his mother.”
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