Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

Welcome to the family
Nita Ambani greets Shloka, son Akash Ambani's fiancee at Siddhivinayak temple in Dadar as Akash and Mukesh Ambani complete the family portrait. Pic/Atul Kamble

Dance for today's times
For those who keenly follow the city's buzzing dance scene, a name that has constantly shone bright when it comes to nurturing young talent is Sumeet Nagdev. After what we'd call a hiatus of sorts, we were happy to learn that the dance guru is back with a new production, Jan-Jaati, that will be staged today in Dadar for a select audience. And before you think that the public won't get a glimpse of it, here's good news. The public premiere will be held later this year. With music by Sandesh Shandilya, the show is a contemporary dance piece that looks at present-day dilemmas and countless questions that plague the human mind.

Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

When the book met the arts
It was the launch of noted artist, sculptor and poet Satish Gupta's book, Zen Whispers, over the weekend, and right from choice of venue (the stunning Royal Opera House) to his collaborative piece with actor and dancer Isha Sharvani that brought together sculpture, contemporary dance, poetry and gestural painting, everything about the evening spoke of art. With another book launch that included a performance along with a dramatic reading by Naseeruddin Shah, we wonder if this makes for the latest development in the city's literary scene.

Work meets leisure
A new venture by hotelier Romil Ratra and entrepreneur Alkesh Tandon in Lower Parel is a clear indication of the fact that as more and more Mumbaikars take the self-employed route, the scope for workspaces that give them the facilities of a formal office set-up is only growing. Except that the two have taken the concept to another level by opening a space that is a club, workspace, gym, spa, performance space and restaurant all rolled into one. The venture had a soft launch over the weekend and saw the who's who of hospitality in attendance. All we can say is those who'd take membership of this space would have clearly cracked the freelancing-for-a-living code!

Fully filmy weekend
Films are such an integral part of India's DNA that we churn out more of them in one year than any other nation. And one place that has fostered a fine legacy of movie-making is Film and Television Institute of India, the country's premier school for budding auteurs, actors, scriptwriters and the like. Those who have ever wondered what transpires inside its sprawling Pune campus got their chance to find out when the institute hosted an open day over the weekend. So, people got a peek into the archives, and attended seminars and a poster exhibition on RK Films, among other things.

Pics/Shadab Khan

Stunts, cute tricks and some polo!
The city's polo lovers clearly have it going for them. While the last weekend saw players from the national team of Argentina battle it out with ARC India at the Mahalaxmi race course, this weekend was all about a band display and stunning dog show by the Indian army, before The Southern Command Polo Cup final was played.

Kriti Sanon

And today marks the beginning of the Sternhagen Ten Goal Polo Tournament, which will run in the league format and also see participation by Richard Le Poer, English polo player and Earl of Tyrone. The first four days of the tournament will be open to public - a good opportunity for those who'd like to see a polo match live. The guest of honour for the event, we hear, will be actor and equestrian enthusiast Kriti Sanon.

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