Mumbai Diary: Wednesday Dossier

Panel at Elephanta Caves shows Shiva slay demon Andhakasura

What about rest of the year?
As with each year, our babus in the state's tourism department went into overdrive on World Tourism Day yesterday. From sops and new travel destinations, it was all covered, complete with photo-ops and press releases.

Other city organisations like Central Railway joined in to celebrate the day with heritage walks inside the CST building. We were impressed but apprehensive too.

As with each year, interest levels drop, and we are left with ill-behaved guides, poorly maintained sites and litter-strewn landmarks. We'll be keeping a watch. And hoping that this year ushers in better, and common sense. For Mumbai's sake.

Crossing The Threshold
Gay issues in India have crossed borders and have gone global. The Marathi short film Daaravtha (The Threshold) directed by Nishant Roy Bombarde will compete for The Iris Prize, Cardiff's (Wales) International gay and lesbian short film prize, to be held from October 12 to 16, 2016.

In a nutshell, Daaravtha is the story of an adolescent Pankaj discovering his sexuality. Pankaj loves dance, mehndi and jewellery, things traditionally considered feminine. He is the butt of bullies for his attraction to an older schoolboy. How does Pankaj survive within a society that imposes its norms on people? Or, does he survive at all? All is revealed in Daaravtha.

Often referred to as the Gay Oscars, the Iris Prize is the largest Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) short film prize in the world, with the winner receiving £30,000 to make their next short film in the UK. KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, which is one of the partner festivals of the Iris Prize Festival, nominated Daaravtha as India's entry for the prize.

The artful masterpiece
For aficionados and watchers of the art industry, this will come as good news. Christie's will publish a title to coincide with its 250th anniversary. The books charts the history of taste and collecting through the stories behind 250 iconic and often record-breaking sales. Many of the items in the book were auctioned in record-breaking sales that made news headlines.

They include the Rothschild Fabergé Egg commissioned by the family in 1902 and sold over a century later for almost £9m ($19m) in 2007; Lucian Freud's Benefits Supervisor Sleeping (1995), which, in 2008, became the most expensive painting by a living artist sold at auction when it was bought for $33.6m (£17.2m).

The selection of 250 objects reveals fascinating discoveries including the musical score by Giuseppe Verdi, described as ‘one of the most exciting musical discoveries of the last decades' was performed for the first time in 164 years at Christie's ahead of its sale, after its discovery in a museum library in Milan. This title's meant for the mantelpiece.

When Rajdeep came calling
Ever since Deepa Malik, India's champion paralympian struck gold in Rio last month, she's been the toast of the nation, including being felicitated by PM Narendra Modi.

Rajdeep Sardesai with Deepa Malik and her family

Most recently, TV journalist Rajdeep Sardesai dropped by, and tweeted immediately after his visit: Have spent super morning with India's family number one! The story of Deepa Malik is truly inspirational!' We couldn't agree any less.

One tapli for the khiladi

Pic/Satej Shinde

Dimple Kapadia engages in some masti directed towards son-in-law Akshay Kumar at the launch of a Marathi film at a Juhu five-star last evening.

Pav wow chicken
The pillowy favourite of most Mumbaikars, the pav has, for a while now, caught the imaginatin of innovative restaurateurs and chefs to elevate it from its humble origins into hybrid snacks.

After kebab-pavs. not it's the turn of celeb chef Saransh Goila's famous butter chicken to be sandwiched in between the soft confines of the doughy superbread.

This, along with a butter paneer version will be introduced to foodies, at a Bandra eatery over the weekend. We are yet to taste it, but we'll share the review soon after we sink our teeth into what sounds like a delish combo of Mumbai meets Punjab.