Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

Saving the Origin
It's one thing for publishers to be on guard before a heavily-anticipated title is set to release but another to run an anti-piracy campaign around it.

The unprecedented buzz around bestselling author Dan Brown's Origin, which releases tomorrow, has led publishers Penguin Random House UK to announce a campaign to ensure a check on the sale of pirated and counterfeit copies across the world, including in India.

They've even gone ahead and created an email ID to encourage readers to report about such copies floating in the market. The highly anticipated new novel from The Da Vinci Code author, follows another adventure by Professor Robert Langdon that crisscrosses labyrinths of religion, science, art and terror. We'd like to see how the anti-piracy chase turns out.

Pic/Sneha Kharabe

Ma knows best
Actor Rani Mukerji and mother Krishna check their frames in a photographer's camera during Durga Puja celebrations in Juhu over the weekend.

Bonding over selfies and Bollywood dynamics
It was a busy weekend for Neha Dhupia and Dia Mirza, who were present at the seventh edition of India Film Project, a leading festival for content creators, held in Worli. The duo, along with director Shashank Khaitan, was part of a panel discussion, Changing Dynamics of Bollywood.

Pic/Shadab Khan

While Mirza highlighted that today's audience is mature and prefers realistic films over escapist fare, Dhupia pointed out that this change calls for a lot more research to cater to discerning viewers. The fest also packed in masterclasses, talks and discussions on a range of topics, from food to music and web content.

Thanks, says Champakbhai
Call it cool, classy or amusing, but we couldn't help notice the way veteran racing man Champak Zaveri thanked those who voted for him in the recent Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC elections). Champakbhai, as he is known at the Turf Club, is a visible and expected presence on the dais, usually hidden behind a pair of sunglasses.

He has a huge hoarding at Haji Ali, (near the racecourse gate next to Lala Lajpatrai College, in fact) where he thanked the 636 voters who cast their vote for him, in the elections held earlier this month. Interestingly, Champakbhai, who has been on the committee for 16 years, missed out this time.

The veteran, incidentally married to yesteryear actor Bindu, who played a vamp in Bollywood, says win or lose, he must at least thank the voter base. Can't say neigh to this cool dude attitude.

Revving up to kick cancer
On Saturday, India Bike Week hosted Dishoom to Cancer, a bike ride in support of childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

The ride, in which 20 bikers from city-based DARK (Devils Angels Riders Klub) had participated, was flagged off in Thane in the morning and ended at the Access Life Foundation Centre in Chembur, where they got to spend time with a few kids who are battling cancer. It's always nice to see people coming out in support of a cause, especially on a holiday.

A key miss
It's been almost three weeks since pianist Karan Joseph passed away. But a conversation this diarist recently had with two city musicians revealed that they are still struggling to come to terms with the loss, not just emotionally, but professionally too.

"I was working on a project with Karan, but we hadn't been able to find the time to sit down and give shape to it. We kept putting it off because he was working on many other things. But now he's gone and I don't know what to do with it," said Sidd Coutto with genuine anguish.

Incidently, it was Mumbai Piano Day on Saturday. Here's hoping the musical void that Joseph's death has left behind fills up.