Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

Isn't that you?
Abhishek Bachchan reacts to a photo of Subhash Ghai and his daughter with Amitabh Bachchan at an exhibition of the legend's pictures at a Goregaon venue. Pic/Sneha Kharabe

Zero 7 looks East
As the Indian alternative music community continues to push the boundaries to create a fertile ecosystem for indie musicians to thrive in, another city-based festival returns, and how. Disrupt 2018 will be back this November with the promise of a good time and even better music.

But most importantly, it returns with the power of making dreams come true for many as they have announced big names such as London-based electronic act and celebrated artiste Zero 7 (in pic, above), Los Angeles-based producer and DJ The Gaslamp Killer and European DJ Lefto in the line-up. It also features Indian acts Spryk, DJ Uri, Abhi Meer and Kaleekarma (left). We suggest you book your tix and get your groove on!

Unveiling a secret
The NCPA has a clutch of venues within its precincts already, what with The Experimental Theatre, Little Theatre, Tata Theatre, etc. And it will soon make an addition to the list on October 28. That's when the cultural hotspot will launch a new performance space called The Secret Garden. It's quite literally a secret, since once you enter the NCPA from gate no 3, an usher will guide you to the place. The first gig there features indie band Marshall & the Mischief. So if you do attend it, remember where you first read the news.

Jason Hudanish

All in one place
Top chefs in the city may not always get the opportunity to collaborate with their peers. But a vibrant culinary scene calls for cross-pollination of ideas, which Mumbaikars will get to witness at the debut edition of The Culture Table next weekend. The festival will see the coming together of Vicky Ratnani, Seefah Ketchaiyo and Karan Bane, Kaviraj Thadani, Nitin Kulkarni, and Jason Hudanish, who are at the helm of some of Mumbai's celebrated restaurants.

Vicky Ratnani

There will also be live music performances, which attendees can enjoy while sipping on ales from microbreweries. "The hallmark of the event is the coming together of pioneers from the F&B industry to showcase its evolution. Food festivals are becoming a testing ground for chefs to try new menus and concepts," said Ninad Shah, founder, Brothers Incorporated, one of the presenters of the event.

Deepa Jacob and Jacob K Joy with daughter Asawari

When music heals
In 2013, Deepa Jacob and Jacob K Joy lost their musically gifted daughter Asawari to cancer when she was just 15. But it was music that kept the young girl going in her last days when she would sing and play the piano, trying to master tough compositions. To channel their grief and encourage youngsters in their pursuit of musical goals, the couple, based in Bandishola Coonoor in Tamil Nadu, started the Asawari Music Foundation (AMF). Ashu Phatak and Nitin Chandy of the True School of Music in Mumbai have joined hands with AMF to promote western music learning. This Sunday, they are organising a show called Outperformers, where students who outperform their peer group, but lack the financial backing to follow their passion, will be offered scholarships. We cannot think of a better way of keeping the memories and spirit of Asawari alive.

A Braille-embossed railing at Borivli railway station

Borivli station becomes blind-friendly
Navigating the crowded railway stations of Mumbai can be a daunting task for many. So one can only imagine how much harder it would be for the visually challenged. In a bid to change that, Western Railways, Anuprayas, the organisation behind India's first blind-friendly station in Mysuru, and the philanthropic arm of a leading travel company came together to unveil a slew of measures at the Borivli station yesterday. These include Braille-embossed railings on foot overbridges and in subways, Braille-embossed entry and exit points, and Braille booklets that will be placed at ticket counters. While we'll wait for things to settle to gauge the success of these measures, this sure is a step in the right direction.

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