Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

In the nick of time

Actor Urvashi Rautela gets a helping hand as she readies herself before a fashion show audition, at a hotel in Sakinaka. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Taneja's French sojourn

Indian writer Shweta Taneja has made it to the shortlist of the Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire Awards that rewards writing in science fiction and fantasy, in France. Her short story, The Daughter that Bleeds, translated in French by Mikael Cabon speaks of gender, fertility, class and parental affection in post-apocalyptic India.

"I'm delighted that this feminist humourous story that I wrote to explore my experiences and fears as a modern, independent woman, has received recognition and resonance not only in Asia but also in Europe," Taneja said.

Delivery kitchen to open doors in SoBo

This diarist recently heard that restaurateur Gauri Devidayal and chef Amninder Sandhu were working on a project to bring her famed gas-free cooking to your dining room.

Signature mutton kebabs

And Devidayal has now confirmed the news, revealing that a delivery kitchen is set to open doors in SoBo later this month.

"It will be called Angeethi and will feature her [Sandhu's] Indian food from across the country," Devidayal said. "The city shouldn't be deprived of her cooking and delivery services are the new thing, so it only made sense," she added. Sandhu, too, believes that ordering in is what the future holds for a while.

Amninder Sandhu and Gauri Devidayal

"My philosophy of slow-cooking on charcoal and wood remains, and the menu will comprise my signature dishes from butter chicken to dal makhani and biryanis. Basically, comfort food that you crave," Sandhu told this diarist, adding that she is working on another project that is under wraps for the time being.

Rebuilding Aarey, one tree at a time

It was last year that popular YouTuber Saiman Says aka Saimandar came out in support of T-Series in the T-Series vs PewDiePie battle, while American YouTuber MrBeast batted for the latter as the most subscribed YouTube channel. This time, Saiman is walking in MrBeast's shoes, who raised funds to plant 20 million trees.

"If he is doing something good, I should do that too," said Saimandar, who has planted 2,508 of 4,282 saplings he had pledged to, in and around Aarey Colony, through his initiative TreeSena, in collaboration with Mission Green Mumbai. "We had a live stream fundraiser with Tanmay Bhat who has shared the proceeds with us," he said. Talking about what makes the plantation drive unique, he said, "The saplings planted will be four feet tall and maintained for a year to ensure their survival." You can donate a tree at the click of a button, too. Log on to treesena.org.

Going beyond stereotypes

It's hardly a surprise when a mention of Madras conjures up images of steamed idlis mid-conversation. Indians tend to stereotype, and while this causes its share of problems, it can sometimes lead to some humour, too. That's what a couple of Twitter confessions that turned into threads had in store.

From "I am a Marathi and I don't like Marathis" to "I'm Tamil and I haven't seen a single Rajnikanth movie" all the way to "I am from UP.............(Do i need to say more?)" stereotypes are being dismantled one tweet at a time. While that happens, there are laughs in it for everyone.

Saying it loud and clear in a poster

After announcing a poster competition recently, fashion designer Wendell Rodricks has picked the winning creative that forms the central motif of the 11th Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival. The winner, UK-based designer Joyston Moreira also receives a cash prize of R25,000 and a trophy.

The festival will be held between May 20 and 24. Rodricks told this diarist, "The artist has cleverly included visual delights that don't register immediately. From the butterfly to the rippled coloured rainbow flag, this poster wins on all levels."

Joyston Moreira and Wendell Rodricks

Joyston Moreira in turn said, "I came out when I was 19. At first, my coming out was hard on my loved ones; but with time they are starting to understand who I really am. This win makes me stronger and courageous as I continue my battle towards freedom. For all the LGBTQi+ community out there, don't stop fighting for who you are. Seek support and join hands for a better and a brighter future."

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