Mumbai Diary: Sunday Dossier

Earn the photo
Actor-model Milind Soman asked women to do 10 push-ups if they wanted a selfie with him at the World Health Day campaign held in Khargar on Saturday. Pic/Sneha Kharabe

Great fast bowlers can be good guys too... like Morne
Amidst all the drama over Australia's role in the ball tampering controversy and the deflating effect it had on the team in the fourth and final Test at Johannesburg, a South African gentle giant bid goodbye to international cricket this week.

Tall fast bowler Morne Morkel, 33, served his country for 11 seasons and departed on a high - a home series win over Australia after 48 years. In the cut throat world of international cricket, Morne was a role model to young fast bowlers and though everyone's different in attitude, his is a good one to possess - cool and let the ball do the talking. In fact, he once admitted that he is a poor sledger and save an incident involving England's Andrew Strauss, one cannot remember Morkel having a serious verbal go at an opponent. Off the field, it seemed nothing could disturb him more than when people were cruel to wildlife.

At the end of his 309-wicket journey in Test cricket, he didn't forget to remember his roots and the backyard games with his brothers Malan and Albie. They didn't give him many chances to bat at home and that's how he developed his love for bowling.

And when he woke up on his first morning as a retired South Africa player, he embraced philosophy. "So the sun came up and life is moving on but I'm still holding on to one of the highlights of my life. Thanks for all the support and messages," he tweeted. Morne was a great fast bowler and his teammates swear he is an even better man. Take cue, gents.

Rekha Rodwittiya working on Songs of the Blood of the Weary for Dialogues of Peace - Geneva, Switzerland, 1995. Pic/Rekha Rodwittiya

United in art
In just a week, the city will have a chance to see a work that was exhibited nearly 23 years ago as part of the 50th anniversary commemoration of the UN at Geneva. The work was made by noted artist, Rekha Rodwittiya, and brings together 12 paintings in the form of a painted room. Songs from the Blood of the Weary is the artist's celebration of womanhood and, as she says, explores the many avatars that female empowerment embraces. The work was included in the collection of Jehangir Nicholson around 1996, and his namesake gallery at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya will now exhibit it. "It is an important work of art representing one of the earliest installations by an Indian artist; its message of peace resonates strongly in today's world and the collector believed strongly enough in the work to invest in an installation that was a stretch both in terms of space and investment," says Kamini Sawhney, curator at the Jehangir Nicholson Art Foundation.

With love, from grandpa
FANS of writer Gulzar don't need an introduction to this mega house of talent. Each time the veteran writer wields his pen, he outdoes himself, be it with plays, screenwriting, poems or fiction. Now, we hear that Gulzar has released a new Hindi collection of children's poetry titled Samay Ka Khatola (HarperCollins India), dedicated to his grandson Samay Sandhu. Gulzar has always made kids smile - remember his cheeky lyrics Jungle-Jungle Pataa Chala Hai, which was the title track of Jungle Book, and Lakdi ki kaathi from the film Masoom (1983). His new collection won't be any different. The informative yet fun book contains enchanting songs and poems, which range from the playful Ek Bar Socha Pustak Ne about books wanting to go on holiday, to the deeply symbolic Madhou Doudo. The master poet's works will be accompanied with vibrant illustrations by Raika Sen.

Vikas Khanna with Mitha's miniature khichdi plate

A sweet salute!
LOOKS like we aren't the only ones who can't get over food miniaturist Shilpa Mitha's creations. The artist who creates miniature food out of clay has over 60K followers on Instagram. And, now adding to the list is master chef Vikas Khanna, who struck a pose with a miniature khichdi plate created by Mitha. Turns out it was the same khichdi that he had cooked at a food reality show. She also made another of the chef's signature dishes - winter pea soup. Mitha said in her post, "After a few exhaustive attempts, I made a miniature of the khichdi and his Winter Pea Soup." It was commissioned by someone who wanted to send them as a gift to Khanna, and Mitha was only too glad to do it. Quite a feat by Mitha who got to show off "my fake cooking skills to one of the top chefs in the world".

The wall of fame
AS you read this, four Indian graffiti artists, Zake, Nme and Mooz from Mumbai and Zero from Delhi, are prepping to leave for Brazil. The quartet have been invited to the Street of Styles festival in Curitiba, Latin America's biggest graffiti festival that starts on April 15. "Everyone represents their own country through their art. Sadly, there hasn't been a lot of influence from Indian art in graffiti, so we'll be focusing on that," says Zake (in pic). While he's cautious not to hurt sentiments through his paintings, he's excited about getting a free rein. "We will get to do exactly what we can't do in India," he says.

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