<h2>Hustle over heat</h2>
As onion and potato prices tank, a vendor ferries vegetables in the afternoon sun at <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-crime-news/article/mumbai-man-injured-in-firing-near-p-dmello-road-assailant-flees-away-with-valuables-23460045" rel="nofollow">P D&rsquo;Mello Road</a>
<h2>Postal stamps come alive</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/may/Stamp_e.jpg" alt="A 2019 Russian Stamp. Pic courtesy/Ulhas Chogle" width="1280" height="720" /> A 2019 Russian Stamp. Pic courtesy/Ulhas Chogle
As part of the<a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai-guide/things-to-do/article/international-museum-day-2025-mumbai-experts-reveal-vision-of-themes-for-new-museums-in-the-city-23545075" rel="nofollow"> International Museum Day</a> celebrations at Nehru Science Centre, visitors on May 18 will get to explore a fascinating display of rare and unusual stamps curated by avid philatelist Ulhas Chogle. Among the highlights will be a Russian Augmented Reality (AR) stamp featuring the endangered Siberian Crane, released on January 22, 2019.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/may/NSC-Museum_e.jpg" alt="A liquid nitrogen show to celebrate International Museum Day at Nehru Science Centre. Pic courtesy/Nehru Science Centre" width="1280" height="720" /> A liquid nitrogen show to celebrate International Museum Day at Nehru Science Centre. Pic courtesy/Nehru Science Centre
The stamp will come alive through a smartphone application, allowing viewers to watch the bird soar across a virtual landscape while listening to its chirping sounds. Chogle, who began collecting stamps and coins at the age of 14, will also showcase stamps printed on unconventional materials such as glass, leather, cloth and plastic.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/may/Ulhas-Chogle_e.jpg" alt="Ulhas Chogle" width="1280" height="720" /> Ulhas Chogle
&ldquo;I have managed to collect most of the stamps released by India Post over the years,&rdquo; he says. He adds that augmented reality stamps have intrigued collectors across the world for over 15 years. The exhibit is expected to attract both young visitors and seasoned collectors alike.
<h2>Blue is his canvas</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/may/Gawand-a_e.jpg" alt="Indian Summer Rituals. Pic courtesy/Roshan Gawand" width="1280" height="720" /> Indian Summer Rituals. Pic courtesy/Roshan Gawand
Navi Mumbai-based artist Roshan Gawand (below) has had people turning their heads with his illustration series Faces of India, drenched almost entirely in vivid blues and vibrant colours.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/may/R-Gawand_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" />
When asked about this out-of-the-blue (no pun intended) colour scheme, he told this diarist, &ldquo;Blue in my work isn&rsquo;t just a colour palette; to me, it reflects memory, silence, nostalgia and humanity itself.&rdquo; Check out @roshangawand10 for more art.
<h2>One-shot wonder</h2>
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/may/Black-bird_e.jpg" alt="A still from Blackbirds. Pic courtesy/Team Blackbirds" width="1280" height="720" /> A still from Blackbirds. Pic courtesy/Team Blackbirds
We&rsquo;re over the moon because the short film Blackbirds, produced by Mumbaikars Joey Kaushik and Omkar Divekar, has earned a spot in Straight 8&rsquo;s Top 8 shortlist. The film, shot in a local train, was screened at <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/article/cannes-2026-alia-bhatt-replies-to-trolls-mocking-her-red-carpet-appearance-23630491" rel="nofollow">Cannes </a>last weekend, and will also be screened at London&rsquo;s BFI IMAX on May 23.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/may/Joey-Kaushik_e.jpg" alt="Joey Kaushik and Omkar Divekar" width="1280" height="720" /> Joey Kaushik and Omkar Divekar
Made on a single roll of 8mm film without retakes or edits, the project marks an international nod for Indian indie cinema. &ldquo;The project was quite interesting &mdash; we rehearsed about five or six times on a local train because the final film cannot have any retakes. Along with the perfect casting of Simrat Harvind Kaur and Harshika P in the lead roles, this is an exciting moment for us,&rdquo; said Divekar amidst packing and travel appointments.

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Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

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