By now everyone will have told you about the star-studded line up at the seventh Kashish International Queer film fest on Wednesday night.
By now everyone will have told you about the star-studded line up at the seventh Kashish International Queer film fest on Wednesday night. How Sonam Kapoor blew kisses at the adoring crowd, how Kunal Kapoor said he'd never been to a film festival as wonderful, and how Sir Ian McKellen dramatically shrugged off his blazer, his scarf and stuck his chest out so that the words on his flaming red Tee could be read. 'Some People Are Gay - Get Over It' it said.
What none can tell you about is the feeling in the air. McKellen getting mobbed blowing out the candles of his cake like a delighted child to a lusty rendition of 'Happy Birthday to youuuu;' of the love and bonhomie in the air.
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Festival director Sridhar Rangayan, Sonam Kapoor and Sir Ian McKellen. Pic/Malavika Sangghvi
As one member of the jury said on stage, "Shucks it's so nice here that I'm almost feeling bad I'm straight."
Net memoirs
"I only started this blog cause one day just out of the blue, I wrote this poem on Malala, and was looking for a decent way to post it on Twitter," said actress, director, wife of Mahesh Bhatt, star mom to a fast rising star, Soni Razdan, about a recent bout of creativity on the Net.
Soni Razdan, Shaheen and Mahesh Bhatt
Written in the genre of memoirs, Razdan writes with equanimity and honesty about her life career and views. "I had absolutely no previous intention of ever starting a blog. And where/how does she manage it? "I write in my living room amidst all the cacophony of my crazy household, while my maid asks me what to make for dinner, five people come to get Alia ready and daughter Shaheen is having a bit of a fit cause her eggs haven't been boiled," she said, demonstrating more of that equanimity and honesty.
Alia Bhatt
Salt of the earth
"It was shot ten days ago when Suresh had gone to an event hosted by the Mangalore Chamber of Commerce where he was the chief guest. After that we went to this beautiful beach." It was our friend and former colleague Uma Prabhu, wife of the Union Minister for Railways, Suresh Prabhu, about this stirring portrait of the two of them.
Uma and Suresh Prabhu
The Prabhus are that rare couple whose stratospheric rise has brought forth only delight amongst their friends. As one of the most dynamic ministers in the Vajpayee government where he served variously as Minister of Environment and Forests and Industry, the wiry young technocrat had earned a reputation of being as hardworking and informed, as he was clean. Even the fact that he had belonged to the Shiv Sena had not prevented people across the board from praising his qualities. It was good to see the couple relaxing away from Delhi's heat and stress we remarked. "Suresh loves the sea," said Uma. "Just gazing into it refreshes him. As for me, being from Goa, I am the daughter of the sea."
Another kind of class war
School reunions are a thing of beauty and a joy forever, or an odious drag usually depending on where you sat in class; and this one of students of the Class of '76, Lawrence School Springdale in the Nilgiris certainly attracted alumni from both sides of that geographical divide. Thus, tycoon Vikram Kirloskar was seen looking pleased as punch in one group shot; whereas Booker Prize winning author Arundhati Roy looked well ...thoughtful. Always a rebel, Roy, we note, also chose not to wear her school colours for the picture.
The Lawrence School, Class of ’76 meets. One of the classmates is Arundhati Roy
Overheard
My God! All those front page Modi ads today add them up and think of how many water tankers could have gone to parched drought hit areas!
— Posted by journalist Shobhaa De on twitter
By the river in Goa
Mariketty and her Greek restaurant Thalassa in Vagator, have become something of a Goan institution. During the high season the sea-facing restaurant is almost always packed with well-heeled revellers in their beach footwear. And now news comes in that this weekend will be Thanasi's last offering of the season, as Mariketty and team will take a break till they reopen towards the end of the year. But Thalassa regulars need not worry: Mariketty's son Spiro Grana, who helps her manage the restaurant (he also doubles up as one of the Greek dance performers at the venue on the weekends) has recently opened his own restaurant 'The River House'. Located in a heritage bungalow on the banks of the Baga River, we are told River House is the new hot resto-bar in Goa. "Apart from trendy bar food and the popular karaoke nights the best part is we are open all year round," said an excitable Grana.
Spiro Grana and a chef
Will they break more plates? Let's wait and watch.
Bonfire of the vanities returns
You want to hear a story about a grotesque sense of entitlement? Consider this: the students of a top flight city school recently checked into a luxury five-star resort in Goa as part of their school leaving tradition. All around eighteen and with a cushy seat on the engine that drives Mumbai they are said to have been a tad irritated by the underage drinking rules that prevailed in the hotel, and more so when they had to seek their succour outside.
This incident occurred when one such lad returned late one night more than a bit inebriated, and is said to have puked in the hotel as he was staggering back.
Reprimanded by a junior member of staff, his immediate response was chilling. "One phone call to my dad and you will lose your job," he managed to slur, adding, "And another to his boss and your GM will lose his job."
'We don't need no education; we do need no thought control…'
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