Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

Taapsee Pannu and Amaal Malik

Loo and behold
Singer Amaal Malik breaks into a laugh while actor Taapsee Pannu tells the audience at an event in Lower Parel that her new film is so good that people wouldn't even want to go to the washroom while watching it. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Lebanese bites in a Bandra eatery
The intrigue about Mediterranean cuisine in the city has seen a steady growth, be it in the mushrooming of several faux shawarma stalls across the suburbs, or the rise of Levantine fine-dining spaces. And it looks like the trend is here to stay, as we have news of a new eatery opening in Bandra. Indian couple Atiq Kapadia and Zareen Baig's brainchild, Bandra's new haunt, Arbab, opens today and comes with the promise of authentic fare.

And to ensure that that promise is lived up to, Kapadia and Baig have roped in Lebanese chef Raed Askar, who is currently in town. But the question is, will the schezwan-loving Mumbaikar warm up to the delicate intricacies of this nuanced cuisine? "Over the past four months of my stay in Mumbai, Atiq and I have researched extensively to understand the local palate. This included trying out every place serving Middle Eastern cuisine, from small joints to fine-dining restaurants in Mumbai.

But we couldn't find the real taste of Lebanon at any of the places," the chef explained. Speaking about the venture, which will flaunt a French café-like ambience, Kapadia told us, "Lebanon's food has transformed and we're happy to bring these layers of fascinating history in the freshest form, right onto our diners' plates."

Some sweet news
If you are of a certain vintage, then you would remember iconic candies of the 1980s and '90s, like Kismi, Melody, Poppins and Phantom cigarettes. And you'd also remember Rola Cola, the black circular sweets that had a sour tinge. It's been years since its manufacturer, Parle, stopped production. But that might be changing soon after the authorities at Parle took notice of a tweet that urged the company to bring the candy back.

So, they have now promised that if a post they have put up seeking public opinion on whether bringing back Rola Cola is a good idea is retweeted 10,000 times, they will indeed start manufacturing it again. "Is this a joke," one particular user asked, to which Parle's reply was that it definitely isn't. So, you know what to do if you, too, want to pop one into your mouth again and relive your childhood. Otherwise, all it will remain is a sweet memory.

New-age nutrition for modern kids
Apart from being a celebrity nutritionist, Rujuta Diwekar wears another hat - that of an author. And having written seven books on food before - such as Don't Lose Your Mind Lose Your Weight - she will now launch her eighth title tomorrow. It's called Notes for Healthy Kids, and no prizes for guessing that it's targeted at children. We asked Diwekar what the biggest challenge was to work on a book like this for today's new-age, fussy kid.

She said, "The main challenge was to talk to parents about what they could do for their kids without it sounding like instructions or judgmental. It was also about writing it in a way that would appeal to kids, which is why I have a section each for parents and kids on both diet and exercise. But overall, I must say that the book has been a joyride for me and I hope that it inspires families to keep up with their heritage of health and happiness."

A song to help you stay on track
It seems like everybody and their uncle wants a slice of the Gully Boy pie. From fashion labels to comedy crews, people have constantly fed off the movie's hype to come up with inspired content. And Western Railway (WR) is the latest to jump on that bandwagon. WR recently released a spoof track based on the film's song, Apna Time Aayega. Called Tera Time Aayega, the song serves as a warning to all those people who think they can get away without buying train tickets.

The lyrics include lines like "Mere jaisa shaana TT tujhe naa mil paayega/ Bina ticket aya hai tu, pakda zaroor jayega (You won't get a more cunning TT than me/ You came without a ticket and are bound to get caught)." And there is also one that goes, "Jahaa tera ticket hai wahi tak tu jaayega/ Aisi meri nazri hai ke tu na bach payega (You'll go only to the place you have a ticket for/ I am so alert that you won't be able to escape me)." Nicely done, we feel.

Thespians who play their part
At the ongoing Jaipur Navras Festival in the Pink City's Jawahar Kala Kendra, theatre artiste Abhishek Majumdar's play on Kashmir, Eidgah ke Jinnat, was stopped from being staged when a group of protestors stormed the venue on Monday. While the incident has once again stoked the debate on the frequent stifling of artistic expression in India, thespians have taken it upon themselves to register their protest.

Sameera Iyengar and Sanjna Kapoor

It started soon after the incident, when Purva Naresh's theatre group, which staged a performance that evening, maintained silence after the curtain call. The cast members also showed their disappointment when fellow artistes gagged them in an impromptu act. An online petition to the government of Rajasthan has been floated, calling for ensuring "the safety and security of all those involved in the play, as well as the staff and premises of Jawahar Kala Kendra", which has been signed by Sanjna Kapoor, Sameera Iyengar, Sunil Shanbag, Jehan Maneckshaw among other well-known artistes.

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