Mumbai Diary: Sunday Dossier

Tales of extraordinary people
AN inspiring story can help change a life. And that's why The Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, TISS, Mumbai, in partnership with Dainik Jagran, has initiated an online talk series called ‘ST-inspire', by Storytellers.

Shriya Saran and Adhik Kadam

The platform is all about successful individuals from different backgrounds, recounting their inspirational stories. Some of the first speakers include actress Shriya Saran, who started a spa that employs visually-impaired people.

There is also Adhik Kadam, president of the Borderless World Foundation, who braved ‘fatwas' from gunmen and chose to serve Jammu and Kashmir's children of conflict, particularly women who have lost their fathers to violence in the valley. Get ready to be moved.

SRK comes to Dadar

Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Actor Shah Rukh Khan was spotted shooting for an upcoming film amidst heavy security in Dadar.

KISS and buy
VJ, model and television presenter Archana Vijaya has stepped into a new role. This time, with a fashion label that deals in accessories and jewellery.

"KISS stands for ‘keep it simple and sexy'," says Vijaya, who launches an app for the project. "We are curating accessories exclusively for our site," says Vijaya, whose own style is about statement pieces. "I don't like to look like a Christmas tree. So one piece that stands out works for me."

The app bridges the online and offline shopping experience. "We have stylists who buyers can talk to, discuss options and preferences with. Online is the future and I realised that it is a 24/7 job. While I continue with my shows, this project takes up all my time."

Taking Chemould to Instagram
Gallerist Shireen Gandhy has sudenly grown fond of Instagram, and we love her vibrant feed. A couple of weeks ago, Gandhy Instagrammed her wedding card, on the occasion of her 25th wedding anniversary, designed by artist Arpita Singh.

Singh imagined Gandhy's husband to be a farmer from Haryana and Gandhy, a waif flying into thin air. But, the sneak peek into Gandhy's life is a rare one, for the gallerist prefers to keep Instagram professional, and Facebook, personal.

Her favourite hashtag is #contemporaryIndianart, and she tells us that she hasn't fallen in love with the photo-blogging portal, but, her "addictive personality" and the "image-driven world" she occupies make it a necessity. She's obviously good at it considering her activity on Instagram takes over the gallery's official account!

Different strokes in Dharavi
Fresh from the success of their first exhibition that brought Dharavi's broom-makers into focus, the Dharavi Design Museum rolled out their second exhibition on Saturday. And this time, it was about cricket.

"After showcasing funky pottery and fan-like brooms, we wanted to choose a completely different culture. The intention was to see how cricket modifies the rules in Dharavi," says the museum's founder Jorge Mañes Rubio (in pic). The exhibition saw new bats and uniform designs (white shirt with embroidery) made by local embroiders and tailors.

"It's not only about exhibiting funky bats and gloves, but using them in the game," he adds. The event culminated in a cricket tournament with four teams from the community testing out the new designs.

Whatever happened to all that good humour?
The other day, Australian batsman David Warner complained about abusive crowds in New Zealand during the recent Test series.

West Indian cricket supporters have always something funny to say

And although Warner is no saint on a cricket field, his criticism of insensitive spectators, who indulge in ugly talkathons is justified. "It doesn't matter if you're home or away, you're going to cop some form of abuse, but we don't expect to be hounded for six or seven hours," Warner was quoted as saying to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Cricketers do not have a problem with some banter which can cause a chuckle with even the most serious of players. West Indian spectators top the charts where such harmless, humourous ‘sledging' is concerned, On Australia's short tour of Canada in 1975, wicketkeeper Rodney Marsh was finding it a task to keep to Jeff Thomson on a cold day in Vancouver.

A West Indian in the crowd, who knew his history, exclaimed: "Hey Rodney, whatever happened to BN Jarman - he on sick leave?" Now, Barry Jarman kept wicket for Australia well before Marsh made his debut in 1970-71 and this remark from the West Indian impressed Marsh's captain Ian Chappell because Jarman had toured the West Indies a good decade ago and the last time Jarman ever toured with an Australian team was in 1968.

Sanjay Dutt chats with his kids, Shahraan and Iqra at his Bandra residence. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar