Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

Common man and memories
Recently, this page had reported about the 90th birth anniversary celebrations of Mario Miranda. Today, on World Cartoonists Day, it is rewind time to remember another icon, the legendary RK Laxman. It is a poignant time for Laxman's Mumbai-based family - his son Srinivas, daughter-in-law Usha and granddaughter Rimanika.

R K Laxman's immortal creation, The Common Man at Worli Seaface

Says Usha, with a laugh, "I remember dad, simply smiling with equanimity, when told it is World Cartoonists Day, and time for celebration. The cogs in his brain were churning the next day's cartoon. He would always say that every day is like the other, a celebration of life and living, rather than special in some way or the other. Whether it was a birthday or like today, World Cartoonists Day, it did not really affect him." Maybe, RK Laxman would even have a special cartoon for all these special ‘World' days that seem to have sprung up on us.

Selfie company

Pic/Tehniyat Fatima

Vidya Balan (centre) smiles for a selfie with Atul Kasbekar after an event to mark a trailer launch in Juhu yesterday.

Three cheers to Indian wine
Fifteen years ago, Sula Vineyards turned Nashik into an oenophile's paradise by setting up a winery there. Now, the wine producer has won the award for best contribution to wine and spirits tourism.

Sula's Rajeev Samant at the award ceremony

Presented by a leading, global wine and spirits publication at a ceremony held in London recently, the recognition is supposedly one of the most respected commemorations in the industry and Sula is the first Indian company to receive the honour.

Look who performed at the White House!
We apologise for the grainy frame, but we had to share this with you.

Our desi ambassador for Indian classical cool, Ustad Zakir Hussain posted this photo on his Instagram account of him performing at a recent concert at the White House.

A Swiss salute
For decades, Yash Chopra kindled India's love affair with Switzerland as his lens captured chiffon sari-draped leading ladies romancing in the meadows and snow-clad mountains. In fact, the legendary filmmaker has a train and a five-star suite named after him, besides being honoured as the ‘Ambassador of Interlaken', a few years ago.

Pamela Chopra (right) and Rani Mukerji with Urs Kessler, CEO of Jungfrau Railways

Now, the Swiss government has honoured him with a special statue, inaugurated a couple of days ago in the presence of his wife Pamela Chopra and bahu Rani Mukerji. Weighing 350 kilos, the bronze sculpture, which sees the legendary filmmaker in an iconic pose with his camera, will be installed at the heart of Interlaken, inside the Kursaal area. Near the Congress Centre, it's is a popular tourist spot.

Making the write noise
This diarist has lost count of the number of celebrities who've turned authors in the recent past. The latest to join the list is German import, Claudia Ciesla. Does the name ring a bell? You'll remember the model's entertaining run in Bigg Boss Season 3, followed by her reportedly brief association with Salman Khan and also, an appearance in the item number Balma, a must-have track on the pub playlist of a Bollywood night.

Claudia Ciesla

Now, as a certified nutritionist, she has penned Keep Eating Keep Losing, Weight-Loss Secrets (by Om Books International), providing tips, suggestions and recipes for a healthy living. While we were in two minds about flipping through it, the cover piqued our interest as it mentions a foreword by Sonakshi Sinha. Sometimes, you could judge a book by its cover, no?

Breach Candy to get a new ministry
It seems to be raining ministries in Mumbai, and not the government kind, fortunately. After Ministry Of New, Fort's latest co-working space, there's the Ministry Of Salads coming up at Breach Candy.

Pic courtesy/instagram.com/dhruvmehra88

Set up by Nishka Lulla's better half and SoBo entrepreneur Dhruv Mehra, it is likely to open mid-May. The checkered interiors surely look inviting.