Artistically arranged clusters

Clusters of interesting people have always made for interesting portraits and some glossy magazines have more or less perfected the artSomething of this nature appears to have taken place recently when a group of denizens from Mumbai and Delhi wearing white were scattered artistically to show off Delhibased designer Rohit Balrsquos outfits to best advantage These included artist Bharti Kher scenographer Sumant Jayakrishnan designer Malini Ramani film maker Mozez Singh media maven Madhu Trehan fashionistas Gunit Sodhi and Nandita Mahtani writer Aatish Taseer and budding star Ajit SodhiCelebrating Rohit Balrsquos outfitsShot to commemorate Balrsquos 25 years in the fashion business and featured in a fashion glossyrsquos latest issue the shoot saw the designer choose 50 of his favourite muses and icons who he felt epitomized his oeuvre including Sonam Kapoor Arjun Rampal Shabana Azmi and Renuka ChowdhuryldquoIt was fun A few months before the shoot we had to go in and give our measurementsrdquo said one of the subjects Did they party through the shoot ldquoNo the party happened that night and we all went back for itrdquo she said adding quite superfluously ldquoIt was EPICrdquo IndeedElegant SoBo extravaganzaNo doubt about it When SoBo decides to organize a party it raises the bar Guests at the Bhandari ndashMoolobhoy nuptials on Saturday night are still recovering from the gaspinducing arrangements from the NSCIrsquos dome being turned into the interiors of a French Chateau replete with chandeliers book shelves and settee configurations to a mixology laboratory bar to an international DJ and singer to the acrobats who slithered down from the ceiling to present the rings to the engaged couple it was apparently the last word in elegant extravaganzaRishi and Queenie SethiaThe likes of Madhu and Ravi Ruia Rima and Manoj Jain Queenie Singh and Rishi Sethia and Athiya Shetty were seen partaking of Blue Searsquos sumptuous banquet on tables bedecked with fresh flowers and candelabraRima and Manoj JainldquoApparently the engagement has been so lavish because the wedding has been planned as an intimate destination onerdquo said a grande dame before knocking back a couple of Alka Seltzers washed down with coconut water The reason ldquoToo much bopping to Bollywood and knocking back the Moet on tap from the partyrdquoAthiya ShettyAnd as expected no VIP and nonVIP segregation this time around she assured usChetan gaya LondonThe weekend saw author Chetan Bhagat being interviewed by SOAS academician Rachel Dwyer at the London Library as part of the in London Asian Film Festival 2016Rachel Dwyer with Chetan BhagatThe author of some of Indiarsquos biggest blockbusters like Five Point Someone 3 idiots The 3 Mistakes of My Life Kai Po Che 2 States The Story of My marriage Two States shared his experience both as a successful novelist and as a screenwriterldquoWe talked frankly about writing English language fiction and the appeal of Bhagatrsquos novels to a new group of readers who were learning Englishrdquo said Dwyer ldquobefore focusing on the films adapted from his booksrdquoIncidentally Half Girlfriend adapted from Bhagatrsquos book of the same name and starring Arjun Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor rolls in May 2016 for an April 2017 releaseMumbai to MadridA little bird tells us that IIFA 2016 is going to be held in Madrid this year The glittering awards ceremony the only one initiated by Bollywood itself has seen its share of star politics and controversies in the past and has been noted for its ambassadors including Salman Khan and Amitabh BachchanSonakshi SinhaAnd to make the announcement public today in Spainrsquos city that never sleeps is no less than Sonakshi Sinha who flew in looking quite sparkling over the weekend You heard it here firstDefaulting woesldquoItrsquos not only the Reserve Bank Governor and the worldwide financial community who are affected by the current state of Indiarsquos loan defaultersrdquo It was our Oolong Teafavouring SoBo hostess as usual holding forth on matters big and small A pocketsized masseur was massaging her temples as she spokeldquoThere is this wealthy business clan who owe banks far more than what poor Vijay Mallya does who have suddenly begun to act quite jitteryrdquo she cackled How so we askedldquoWell after a recent family betrothal the boyrsquos side just cannot understand why the patriarch of the clan wants to hold the wedding six months before planrdquo said the OTFSH ldquoThey are bewildered by the hasterdquo she saidldquoBut how can they know that following the VJM headlines the family fears that there will be a similar situation involving themselves and an earlier big fat wedding will be less awkward for all concernedrdquo Hmmm we saidldquoNo doubt about it The VJM factor is affecting Indian affairs in more ways than just the financialrdquo said the OTFSH as she tinkled her little bell to ask for some more hot water