Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

Parde mein rehne do
The recent attention seems to have got to Priyanka Chopra, as she hides behind a window shade at the city's international airport on Wednesday. Pic/Dutta Kumbhar

One for the master
The mutual respect that George Harrison and Ravi Shankar had for each other is the stuff of legend. It's no secret that the late Beatle was heavily inspired by Indian music, and spent a great deal of time with the sitar maestro learning his craft. So, it comes as no surprise to us that Shankar shared a great bond with Harrison's son, Dhani, too. Proof of the same lies in this photograph that Dhani recently posted on his social media profile, which shows the warmth that the two shared. He captioned it, "Remembering Ravi today," since it was the Indian musician's death anniversary . But the person who posted the most heart-warming tribute for him was his daughter, Anoushka. She wrote that her son had made a card for him and then burnt it so that it would reach Shankar wherever he was, and also sent her "transcendent love".

Why music makes the world a better place
Want to go for a gig while bringing in the festive spirit and donating to a cause? Kill two birds with one stone at the Playing for a Change concert scheduled at an Andheri venue this Saturday. Kabir Cafe, Easy Wanderlings and Bryan Ernest are the artistes performing in this collaboration with Playing For Change Foundation, which aims to help the unprivileged. "It feels great to use your talent to bring about a change in society. This initiative gives us a reason to positively impact someone through music," members of Kabir Cafe (in pic) told this diarist.

Dream appearance
While big-budget movies prove to be duds at the box office, it's heartening to see indie filmmakers surge forward despite the many odds that non-commercial movies face in the country. Director Kanu Behl of Titli fame is a case in point. Behl's next, Binnu Ka Sapna, is already earning acclaim and is the only Indian film this year to make it to the international competition at what's considered the mecca of shorts, the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival. The fest will be held in France in February 2019. We are keeping our fingers crossed!

A global feather in Tandon's cap
These are happy days for Amit Tandon. The stand-up comic is soon going to perform his routine Still Struggling in Mumbai (which is an apt city for the set given its title). But more importantly, he is ready to make his global debut on a popular streaming platform on January 1, which has featured comedians of the calibre of Dave Chappell, Russel Peters and Chris Tucker. The series is called Comedians of the World, and Tandon will join 46 other comedians from 13 different regions as a part of the project. He is known for a clean brand of humour sans cuss words. Here's hoping that his jokes tickle the funny bone of an international audience.

Kamala Mills gets its 145
After their landmark outlets at Kala Ghoda and Bandra, the folks at 145 have decided to venture into the already busy restaurant scene in Lower Parel. A third outlet of the cafe-cum-bar is set to open at Kamala Mills (which, incidentally, seems truly back on its feet after last year's infamous fire). The 4,500 sq ft space promises a playful ambience with a generous dose of art and an island bar. Designed by Sumessh Menon, the eatery opens its doors this Saturday. Ishaan Bahl, CEO of the hospitality firm that runs the chain, said, "We are taking the next step in making the 145 experience more accessible, engaging and affordable."

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