Mumbai Diary: Wednesday Dossier

Das's words of caution
Vir Das has some career advice for Indian stand-up comics - don't get too big for your boots too fast. One of the country's first English stand-up comics, Das has put up a social media post where he has urged his younger counterparts to acknowledge how nascent the circuit in India is when compared to the West.

"We've got a big population, we get a lot of attention, very fast and very young," he says, adding, "As of now, outside of the super-seasoned Johnny Levers and Raju Srivastavs, truly none of us are pros."

In the West, he says, comedy greats like George Carlin (in pic, below) and Chris Rock found their beat 20 years into the profession and even now, Indian comics 'get taken to school' when they perform abroad. Harsh words these might be, but they are coming from the horse's mouth.

Pic/Shadab Khan

Fist pumps from Raveena
Actor Raveena Tandon seems excited about something as she arrives at the launch of a spa in Vile Parle yesterday.

All dolled up for the festive season
We are all for treating animals with love and care, but this is perhaps taking it a bit too far. This diarist happened to receive emails pegged around the upcoming marathon and wedding seasons in the city. The common factor? How your pet can be a part of the revelry.

While one was about a social fitness initiative urging pet owners to sign up for a team run with their dogs, another mail offered designer wear options for baraati pooches. And we aren't talking about fancy leashes here. They are suggesting that you go the whole hog by dressing your four-legged pal in sequin kurtas, sherwanis, and even tuxedos and bowties. If only the poor animals had a say in this!

Calling trigger-happy wildlife buffs
If you love photographing nature in its myriad hues, then we have good news. The Sanctuary Nature Foundation is organising its first-ever wildlife photography festival in the first week of November.

The highlights of the festival, which will conclude with the Sanctuary Wildlife Photography Awards ceremony, are two wildlife photography workshops at the beginner and advanced levels.

The latter will be conducted by experts including international award-winning wildlife photographer Kalyan Varma, Wildlife Conservation Trust President Dr Anish Andheria (inset) and well-known marine photographer Digant Desai.

Brar's a nomad dad
Food is a subject Ranveer Brar can chat about for hours but it's not every day you that hear the chef open up about his personal life.

So, we were all ears when the enterprising chef-restaurateur discussed his under-three-year-old son Ishaan, when we met the chef ahead of the launch of a new cafe in Kamala Mills featuring his menu. As the conversation veered towards how busy his year had been, he added that it had been the same personally too.

"This morning, I had to reach some place early but my son insisted that I dress him up and drop him to school. Though, I have nothing to complain about," smiled the doting father, adding that the previous week was the longest stretch he had been at home. "I'm a nomad that way."

The lit wave comes to Mumbai
Meandering its way from the hills of Kasauli to the plains of Bengaluru, the literary wave will arrive in the city in mid-November, with the eighth edition of Tata Literature Live.

The line-up of speakers for the event is an impressive one with three-time Pulitzer Prize winner Thomas Friedman talking about what it means to live in the post-truth world, while noted writer Keki Daruwalla will discuss why short stories get the short shrift.

The fest has its fair share of politicos including Shashi Tharoor and Jairam Ramesh. And with fiery speakers as Teesta Setalvad in the guest list, we are expecting some sparks to fly, too.