Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

Pic/Sameer Markande

Flippin' good

A group of youngsters perform acrobatic flips during a dance practice session at Juhu Chowpatty on Sunday. Pic/Sameer Markande

Chandamama's magician

Savio Mascarenhas

Legendary Chandamama comic artist Shankar may have passed on last week but his legacy remains among comic book fans in India. Recalling the iconic illustrator's contribution, Savio Mascarenhas, art director, Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle, shared, "My mother was a huge fan of Chandamama. I was first introduced to Shankar's works through her collection of the comic. Reading and enjoying the comics was her favourite afternoon pastime. She would read it out to us. While Tinkle, Amar Chitra Katha and Target comics defined our childhood, what was incredibly special about Chandamama was the attention to detail in every frame. It was only as an artist that I could truly appreciate the effort that Shankar put into every comic he worked on. While we may have moved to digital illustrations for comics now, Shankar created magic with his hands where he sketched and coloured every element." He recalled how the illustration Shankar drew of Hanuman fighting Vali in the jungle still gives him goose bumps. "He remains one of the very few illustrators who influenced artists like me. His passing is a huge loss to the Indian comic world. But his artworks have made him immortal."

Blast from the past

If you've had a love-hate relationship with popular Indian matchmaker, Sima Taparia (inset), check out filmmaker Vrinda Kapoor's latest podcast episode of Viral Vrinda. It narrates hilarious real-life Indian stories of 30-something women meeting prospective partners through matchmakers, marriage bureaus and websites. In the latest episode, Kapoor shares a throwback from the time she met Taparia in 2016. "From telling me that women in the media don't find good matches to asking me to portray that I worked for my family business, her advice confused me. Everything in the series from the ticking clock to flexibility, was told to me four years ago." She adds how her family was given an envelope with details of registration fees, travel and accommodation fees for verification of prospective grooms. "There were percentage cuts from shaadi budgets if the match worked. None of this made it to the series, portraying the matchmaker as a messiah who brought couples together. What about the money minting business?"

Once upon a period

Raho Safe, a personal hygiene brand under Pee Safe is hosting a contest for storytellers to express their views and perform pieces that break the taboo around menstruation. Top picks stand a chance to not only change rigid mindsets but also win cash prizes. The first prize winner will be rewarded with Rs 15,000, the second with Rs 10,000 and the third with Rs 5,000. The judges' panel includes actor Sharib Hashmi and spoken word poet Rakesh Tiwari among others. Hashmi told this diarist, "I did a film on the subject of menstrual hygiene myself, Phullu. Before the film, I was hesitant to talk openly about menstruation or the taboo around it. The film completely changed my perspective, helped me step out of my comfort zone and be the voice of change through the character of Phullu. It is just a natural phenomenon and shouldn't be viewed as a taboo."

Music straight from the heart

There's a new music festival to look forward to in mid-October. Island City studios is hosting From the Island that will feature some of the coolest independent artistes from Mumbai, including Ankur and the Ghalat family, Bombay Brass and Nikhil D'Souza, among others. "This will go beyond a one-off gig. It is going to be a full-fledged experience with raw music at its core. The heart behind it is to bring the independent artistes community together and tell the public that we take our craft seriously. The proceeds from this will help artistes. It will showcase Mumbai's best indie acts," owner of Island City studios, Jehangir Jehangir (in pic) told this diarist.

Mental health matters

If you've been looking for a sense of community in a world of isolation, this is what the doctor ordered. The Belongg Collective, Niyogi Books and the Indian Novels Collective are hosting a read-along ahead of World Mental Health Day (October 10). It will feature Brink, the translation of S L Bhyrappa's book, Anchu. "The book deals with mental health, suicidal ideation and other themes. Apart from reading it together and discussing it in chunks, we will also host a final discussion on the crux and relevant parts in a later session," Lasya Nadimpally, community manager at Belongg told this diarist.

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