Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

Pic/Satej Shinde

Caught you, mr Photographer!
Amidst the melee of lensmen at an event she attended with husband Karan Singh Grover, Bipasha Basu reacts to our photographer.

Pics/AFP

Real meets reel for Mindy Kaling
It could be an episode right out of actress Mindy Kaling's hit show, The Mindy Project: a millennial gal finds herself in the big, bad world of DC politics. A few days back, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker tweeted to the actress, ribbing her about a scene in the most recent episode, in which she referenced him and took a jab at Newark. He ended by saying he still loved her. Kaling responded saying 'If Mindy Lahiri shades it, it means we know it's cool', adding that the love was mutual.

Booker's response was to invite her to dinner in Newark. Fans took the opportunity to egg both on, with PATH (the rail line running between New York and New Jersey) even sending her their timetable. How will this episode end? We have to wait and watch.

Shashi's brush with Bollywood
After the screening of Rahul Bose's new film Poorna at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor caught up with the actor-director and Aditi Inamdar, who plays Malavath Poorna, the youngest girl to climb Mount Everest. Fittingly, the real Malavath Poorna (in orange) was also at the event, and happily posed for a picture with the bunch.

Muse in the Himalayas
Away from the city's soaring temperatures, Shilpa Gupta (in pic) is taking inspiration from the sights and sounds of Kathmandu. Joined by fellow artist Mithu Sen from India, she is among more than 50 artists from 25 countries including the UK, Belgium, Germany, Israel and the host nation, to participate in the inaugural edition of the Kathmandu Triennale. The theme for the triennale, which concludes on April 9, is The City. The triennale has also included a component of direct 'encounters' with artists to encourage wider community participation and exhibition visitations.

Pic/AFP

Chopra and Oprah talk hope
Their life stories are the stuff of urban legend. Like peas in a pod, they continue to inspire each other and the world with their projects, words and platforms. Now we hear that spiritual guru Deepak Chopra and media mogul and philanthropist, Oprah Winfrey will come together in a 21-day meditation experience, Hope in Uncertain Times.

The powerful duo has in the past worked on several collaborative projects focused on the mind and body, each emerging as hot sellers. And, going by the online buzz generated from just the trailer, social media mavens and self-help swamis look set to gobble up this latest guidebook.

Vir's best friend
Comedian-actor Vir Das's love for his pet British bulldog, Watson, often finds its way to his social media posts. Recently, on National Puppy Day, Das uploaded this adorable picture, saying, "In honour of #NationalPuppyDay am sharing my favourite picture in the world. Here's Watson, two days after he came home." Das's work often involves a lot of travelling, which he otherwise enjoys. He had, however, recently said that the only thing about his travel, especially when it's international, which he doesn't like is leaving behind a pet dog for days together. Well, with such a cuddly companion we can imagine why it's sorely missed.