Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

Dancing India proud
Two months ago when mid-day featured Sumeet Nagdev Dance Arts' latest production Dhrut (means speed), the team of four dancers was performing a show in the city to help gather funds to represent India at the Erasing Borders Dance Festival in New York. The team has finally reached New York and will perform tonight.

Tejaswee Sontakke, a member of team Dhrut, poses at the Erasing Borders Dance Festival in New York

The production brings together Contemporary, Breaking, Ballet and Kathak styles, and portrays the intricate relationship between time, space and speed. If the academy's rehearsals that this diarist attended and their fund raising show in the city are anything to go by, we are sure New Yorkers are in for a treat.

Looking forward

Pic/Nimesh Dave

Something appears to have caught the eye of Tina Ambani, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his wife Amruta at the launch of a new cancer centre in an Andheri hospital.

A compelling symphony
One of our favourite museums in the city is soon turning into our favourite concert venue. This Friday, the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum will host the String Quartet of the Lisbon Youth Symphony Orchestra.

The String Quartet of the Lisbon Youth Symphony Orchestra

The 43-year-old quartet has some current and former members of the Lisbon Youth Orchestra, who have have played all over Portugal. Their line-up is sure to appeal to classical music fans - we spotted a Mozart Adagio, a J Vianna da Motta Andante and the 12th string quartet by Antonín Dvorak.

Bike ride for freedom
Everyone has different ways of celebrating Independence Day. This, year, five friends with a passion for biking, will set out on a 5,000 km trip across five Asian countries - Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar and India along the one route that connects them all, Asian Highway Number 2. The Great Independence Day Ride 2016 is a chance for them to promote tourism across these countries.

Nikhil Kashyap (left) and Bhanu Pratap Singh

They will head out today from the Indian Embassy in Singapore. The five include marketing consultant Nikhil Kashyap, rally driver Bhanu Pratap Singh, super biker Vikram Mehta, pilot Harkirat Singh and banker Rahul Dixit. Accompanying them is a crew that will be documenting the trip, and two of the biker's children. Dixit's son Devaditya and Singh's daughter Enaaya, both aged four, will be the youngest people to have ever navigated this route.

Dine in the dark
In the age of Insta-first-eat-later, would you be able to tell a Vindaloo from a Rogan Josh if you had to try it blindfolded? Sharpen your senses at the first edition of Flavours, a unique pop-up scheduled for later this month.

Saransh Goila

Chef Saransh Goila will dish out a five-course meal from South, North, East, West and Central India that guests have to identify blindfolded. "With the depth of Indian cuisine, it will be fun to see even if the guests can guess the regional origin of the dish, if not the ingredients," said Goila, who was put through a similar exercise during his student days.

Dubai designs for Kareena
Dubai based designer Faraz Manan will be presenting his first show in Mumbai at a new exhibition space for luxe and lifestyle exhibitions, Zoya.

Kareena Kapoor Khan in a Faraz Manan design

Manan has in the past designed couture for Victoria Beckham as well as the Saudi royals. Even Bollywood has been a fan of his lines, including sisters Karisma and Kareena Kapoor, who have worn his creations often.