Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

Cause it's Randeep Hooda
Often, film personalities like to associate themselves with a cause to help create awareness about an important issue that may otherwise not garner as much support.

But looks like, actor Randeep Hooda wants to utilise his celebrity status to the maximum. While JP Nadda, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, recently thanked Hooda for his support to organ donation, the actor also seems invested in caring for the environment.

Another cause that he has become associated with is the Global Citizen India's initiative for celebrating the unsung heroes of the country. This, even as he remains the brand ambassador of Mumbai Fire Brigade. More power to you, Randeep!

Are you bunking school?

Pic/Satej Shinde

Actor Suniel Shetty was spotted with some starry-eyed children at Yari Road in Versova yesterday.

No hoardings, only doggie love
It is Poonam Mahajan's birthday today, and the BJP MP from Mumbai North Central has made a wish: no hoardings in the city on her vadhdivas. Mahajan is in Delhi for Parliament's winter session and took to Twitter immediately after she got a call from someone in Mumbai yesterday, informing her about a birthday-greetings hoarding that had come up in the city.

"Though I understand the emotions of the party workers, it's high time we put an end to these illegal hoardings. My father never appreciated this, and I don't believe in it either," Mahajan told this diarist over the phone. This brought us to the second part of her tweet, where she requested her well-wishers to donate all the money saved to a cause for the needy, or animal shelters.

"My brother and I have had pets since we were kids; rescuing a puppy or keeping a pigeon egg safe was something we always did," she revealed. Incidentally, she also heads the Maharashtra Animal Welfare Board. Mahajan has a 10-year-old beagle, Biscuit (in pic), and the two recently posed for a pet magazine's cover. Here's wishing you a paw-some birthday, lady.

Twinkle Khanna

Now, Mrs Green Thumb too
Popular columnist and award-winning author Twinkle Khanna isn't the sort to sit still. Fresh off the hype and buzz around the release of her second book, The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad, she is now directing her energies towards gardening.

Twinkle Khanna daughter Nitara

The articulate wordsmith recently posted pictures on social media where she and her little one, Nitara, are seen pottering around the saplings in their lawn. We're waiting to see if this mini green revolution will find its way into the next bestseller.

The guru who spotted Adele, Coldplay
You read it right. Sat Bisla, a luminary in the global music circuit for his immense contribution and sharp eye for spotting talent, is in town. He will host a master class at the True School of Music that will dwell on global trends among artistes and their repertoire. Being a music journalist and running a radio show helped him discover and groom new talent.

He's been credited for having spotted blockbuster artistes like Adele, Coldplay and Katy Perry. He also acts as advisor to many musicians and the media. Event management firms and experiential platforms around the world consult him before their projects. Now, it's Mumbai's chance to pick his brains.

Best in Australia
For all the fans of MasterChef Australia, there is good news. The hugely popular food show from Down Under recently won the best reality show award at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards in Sydney - for two years in a row.

The judges, Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris (in pic), got together for a video on the sets of the show to express their gratitude to all those who work behind the scenes to make the show what it is. Wondering if the grand kitchen set was opened only for the video?

There's more good news. The shoot for the next season is underway and going by the closing gap between the Australian and Indian air dates, it may be Vegemite time soon.