The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
Pic/Rane Ashish
Head in the clouds
With the early onset of the monsoon, the Bandra skyline is hidden by the dense and low cloud cover at Bandra Reclamation.
Unstoppable dabbawalas
Dabbawalas with their batch of tiffins
The dabbawalas are a perfect example of the city’s spirit, which is always high, never mind the downpour or scorching heat. Ulhas Muke, president of Mumbai Dabbawalas Association, said, “The untimely rains came as a surprise setback. Despite the challenges, Mumbaikars can be assured that there will be no incorrect deliveries. Currently, we handle close to 80,000 deliveries daily.”
Living the childhood dream
Ritam Bhatnagar with his mural; (right) Bhatnagar works on a facet of the mural. Pics Courtesy/Ritam Bhatnagar
For entrepreneur and lifelong LEGO enthusiast Ritam Bhatnagar, the chance to visit the first LEGO store in Delhi was a childhood wish fulfilled. “I was even more delighted when LEGO reached out asking for Indian builders to design and contribute something for the opening last week,” the 35-year-old shared. With only three weeks at hand, Bhatnagar set out to create a six feet by 10 feet mural of LEGO bricks depicting the icons standing in front of Delhi’s India Gate. “The challenge was to get the bricks. We needed over 67,000 bricks, and Indian suppliers did not have that many at hand,” he revealed. He reached out to sources in Munich, Germany as well as the internet for help. “I put out a few posts on social media inquiring if anyone was travelling to Germany and could help transport it for me. The logistics of getting the bricks was more challenging than making the mural itself. Once the bricks arrived, it was all about getting it done on time,” Bhatnagar told this diarist.
Sketches on a cafe hop
Illustrations depicting Benne Bombay. Pic Courtesy/Nandita Khanwani
Ever get impatient on the long wait at cafés? Nandita Khanwani has found a fun solution to beat those blues. The designer often finds herself watching people at cafes during food hops.
“I am from Pune. But I love Mumbai and its vibrant culture. The habit started because I would pick up a cup and doodle on them while waiting at cafes. As an architect, I tend to also notice the facades at these structures,” Khanwani shared. The doodles of her recent jaunt to the crowd-favourite Benne Bombay caught this diarist’s eye. “It is my favourite, and the autorickshaw was a touch of Bandra,” she shared.
Storytelling through movement
Jainil Mehta and Shubham Mahawar in a performance. Pic Courtesy/Jainil Mehta
Not all stories need words. Jainil Mehta’s concept performance, Sam Aaj, is set to begin its tour to Hyderabad, Chennai, and Pondicherry where it will find expression in movement and poetry. “The show is primarily a dance narrative, but it also uses poetry and a strong storyline. However, there are no dialogues,” Mehta shared. The name, the 26-year-old shared, is a nod to the subject. Though it was designed in November, Mehta premiered it in Mumbai in March this year. “Ideally, it is pronounced as Sam-Aaj. Sam refers to balance, while Aaj implies today. The performance is a take on how we approach change in society, and grow in and out of relationships. It is told through the perspective of Sameer and Miraj who are finding a way past their own conflicts,” the director revealed to us.
Ozzy’s day out
A closer look at Howdy’s Ozzy Osbourne tattoo also reveals the rockstar’s signature
You can imagine our surprise when we saw English heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne, in the flesh, at a Bandra bar on Monday. A life-like tattoo of Ozzy’s face on the arm of a fellow patron across our table kicked off an unexpectedly fun conversation. Simon Howdy, the tattoo-clad Israeli-British stage rigger who was in town for an instructional tour, revealed, “I met Ozzy at a concert in Israel more than a decade ago. He gladly signed the tattoo and I got his autograph inked.” The ace rigger has also worked with the likes of Keanu Reeves on the production of John Wick 4 (2023). “Keanu is everything you hear about him, and more. Throughout the gruelling shoot in Berlin, he checked up on every crew member to ensure everyone was having a good time,” he added. Keanu get any cooler?
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