Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

Pic/Sameer Markande

That's how i see the frame
Raj Zutshi engages in an animated discussion with Ila Arun and Sanjay Manjrekar at a music launch in Juhu yesterday.

Love that still endures
If Raj Kapoor were to call a country his second home, he would've definitely picked Russia. How the erstwhile Soviet Union adored the actor-filmmaker is the stuff of legend. His films, especially Awaara and Shree 420, struck a chord with the people of the socialist country that was still bearing the brunt of the war with Germany. This diarist remembers the story of how Kapoor landed in Moscow without a visa (thinking he had one), but was welcomed with open arms and issued a visa on arrival - a rarity.

Almost 30 years after his passing and the USSR no longer on the world map, the love still endures. An Indian bureaucrat, on a trip to St Petersburg recently, shared a video of Russian officials singing along to Kapoor's Mera Joota Hai Japani over tea, as the song plays on an official's phone. Cinema sure has a way of creating lasting bonds, but this is special.

Jose eyes a greener Mumbai
Podcaster and former VJ Jose Covaco, who became a social media star through his wit, is a Mumbai lover. A Twitter watchdog, the news of Sarjapur residents (in Bengaluru) transplanting trees - that were to be axed - through crowdfunding, touched him. Since then, Covaco has been reaching out to his followers so that the process can be replicated in Mumbai. "Since our authorities don't seem to be interested, who would like to try and make this happen for Mumbai? Any leads would help," he said. The trees in Sarjapur had to give way to widen a state highway. But instead of letting them wither away, the citizens raised Rs 2,75,000 from 187 people across the country to save them.

A delish gesture
We've been reading some really heartwarming stories following the horrific bombing in Manchester. One story that caught our eye was The Boston Globe sending over pizza as a gesture of solidarity to the hardworking folk at Manchester Evening News, the local media outlet that has managed stellar coverage of the attacks and their aftermath. Journalists on Twitter immediately took to praising the USâu00c2u0080u00c2u0088newspaper for their thoughtful gesture. Sometimes, competition in the media can take a backseat.

Eros Cinema are examples of the architectural style. Mumbai is home to the second highest number of art deco buildings in the world

Putting art deco on the map
Mumbai Art Map, an initiative of Asia Art Projects, is all about mapping the city's best art galleries, cultural spaces, museums and eateries in a free publication that comes out every six to eight weeks. Its latest issue, however, takes a slight detour and is dedicated to the city's art deco buildings.

Rajjab Mahal

Starting from the cover to the content, here's a chance for Mumbaikars to dip into a style that sets the city apart. Copies can be picked up from art galleries and cultural spaces across the city.

Nadir Godrej (centre) with R Gopalakrishnan (in blue) at the launch

Through an insider's lens
What's better than a book about entrepreneurship by a business tycoon himself? Earlier this week, Alan Rosling, entrepreneur and strategic advisor in India for 35 years, launched his book, Boom Country?

Alan Rosling (centre) interacts with an audience member

The New Wave of Indian Enterprise. Drawing from his own experience and over 100 interview conducted with entrepreneurs representing traditional business houses, first-generation entrepreneurs and new-generation start-ups, Rosling explores the profound change the Indian business landscape is going through. The title has earned praise from Narayana Murthy, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw and Vijay S Sharma among other names from the industry.