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Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

Updated on: 18 March,2021 08:04 AM IST  |  Mumbai
Team mid-day |

The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce

Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

Pic/Atul Kamble

Walking away from safety
A mask-less fitness buff and a woman, who uses her saree as a shield, reveal the casual attitude towards safety in the time of rising COVID-19 cases. 


Vir’s ticket to Hollywood



Vir Das is a multi-faceted person. He might be best known for his prowess as a stand-up comedian. But he is also an accomplished singer with his own band, Alien Chutney, and an actor who has essayed roles in movies including Delhi Belly. Das has even made a foray into the US before with his role in the web series Whiskey Cavalier. But now, he’s gone a step ahead. He’s landed a role in The Bubble, a mainstream Hollywood film. It’s Judd Apatow’s next directorial venture, after big-budget comedies including The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up. The Bubble stars other big names including David Duchovny and Karen Gillan. “I have been shooting for this for a bit now. Everyone on this cast is immensely funny,” Das shared about the film that’s about a bunch of actors and actresses stuck in a pandemic bubble, while trying to complete a film commissioned by a studio franchise.

Tradition honoured

Two much-loved eateries, that have stood the test of time in this ever-changing city, have put Mumbai on Asia’s food map. Ahead of the ninth edition of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, The World’s 50 Best Restaurants platform curated Essence of Asia, a collection of eateries that reflect the continent’s culinary diversity. Kalbadevi’s Shree Thaker Bhojanalay and Swati Snacks (in pic) at Nariman Point and Tardeo — both known for their traditional desi fare — have made it to the list among six Indian restaurants. Karan Shah, director, Swati Snacks, told this diarist that it was an exciting surprise. “We’ve been serving Mumbai for over 50 years; our advertising has been solely through word of mouth, since we believe in focusing on quality. So far, we’ve been proven right.”

The show goes on at Liberty Cinema

The iconic Liberty Cinema turned 72 this week. An Art Deco structure named in honour of Independence, it dedicated itself to Hindi films since its inception. “The cinema is the last of South Mumbai’s picture palaces that also include Regal, Eros and Metro. It has remained in mint condition, despite the financial pressures faced by single-screen cinemas that have seen many others getting compromised. Even after owner Habib Hoosein’s death two years ago, the family has continued to uphold its legacy,” shared Atul Kumar, a trustee of the Art Deco Mumbai Trust.

Playing a big art

This one’s for serious art collectors. Rare modern Indian works by the likes of MF Husain, KH Ara, Krishen Khanna and Anjolie Ela Menon (in pic), which the present owners had acquired directly from the artists and kept in their possession, will go under the hammer for the first time. Tushar Sethi, CEO of auction house AstaGuru that’s organising it, said, “This catalogue has been crafted for seasoned buyers looking to add unique works to their collections.” Make your bids on March 30 and 31, if your pockets are deep enough.

Time for a green screen

How this diarist wishes he could watch a movie on a big screen at an iconic venue like The Royal Opera House in Girgaum. That, sadly, will have to remain a dream for a while. But in the meantime, the venue’s online thrust continues to get a fillip with a film festival it’s organising under its Sustainability Now series of programmes. The three-day event starting April 2 is themed on wildlife and the environment. The line-up includes Treasures of Grasslands: A Journey into the Realm of Wolves by Mihir Godbole and Makarand Dambhare, who journey through the grasslands of Maharashtra, documenting the Indian wolf, an elusive predator. That beast might be hard to catch, but you can catch this fest on The Royal Opera House’s YouTube channel.

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