Mumbai Diary: Wednesday Dossier

Kriti Sanon and Kartik Aaryan

Our lips are sealed
That's what Kriti Sanon and Kartik Aaryan seem to be saying about their upcoming film a Goregaon studio on Monday. Pic/Satej Shinde

Bhuvan dribbles in the US
YouTube star Bhuvan Bam was invited to North Carolina for All-Star weekend, a festival held every February, and hosted by the National Basketball Association as part of the league's International Influencer programme.

Bam even ran into iconic striker, Thierry Henry. And of course, he took to Instagram to post this with an apt caption. "G.O.A.T". That's short for "greatest of all time".

Meme academy
The Oscars might have wrapped up earlier this week, but for the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), the party has just started. TMC took to Twitter to present their version of the Academy Awards through a satirical video where Prime Minister Narendra Modi gets an Oscar for Best Actor.

The viral video is a montage of the actual award ceremony as well as footage featuring him washing the feet of sanitation workers. Irrespective of intent, the video is well-edited and we can at least say that TMC has played the meme game well.

Look who's back
It's no secret that part of Grammy-winning guitar virtuoso John McLaughlin's heart lies in India. The man has even dedicated a lot of his musical energy to exploring Indian sounds through the prism of jazz.

And now, it seems that there is more of the same up his sleeve, because McLaughlin is back in the country. His friend and musical ally Shankar Mahadevan posted that he is collaborating with the guitarist and tabla maestro Zakir Hussain. Khub jamega rang jab mil bethenge teen yaar.

Mumbai wins big at Cartier's Jaipur show
Being a Mumbaikar is something of an identity that its residents carry with indelible pride. On February 24, Amir Jetha won the Best Car of the Show trophy at the 6th Cartier Travel with Style Concours d'Elegance held at Rambagh Palace in Jaipur. His 1935 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Gurney Nutting Streamline Coupé was specially ordered for the Maharaja of Jodhpur in the green-and-cream colour of his polo team, and eventually ended up with the Mumbai-based Jetha family of vintage car collectors in 1962. It's particularly special because it's the last Rolls-Royce Continental to exist.

Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur and Christophe Massoni, CEO Cartier-Middle East, Africa and India, hand over the Best Car of the Show trophy to Mumbai resident and owner Amir Jetha

Sandeep Kapoor won the Best Motorcycle of the Show for his skillfully restored 1940 Indian - Junior Scout. The front row of guests at the prize distribution included Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur (Pacho for his close family and friends), Princess Diya Kumari of Jaipur, Maharaja Gaj Singhji of Jodhpur and Christophe Massoni, CEO Cartier - Middle East, Africa and India.

Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh

Since its inception in 2008 at Mumbai's Royal Western India Turf Club, the prestigious event curated by Manvendra Singh Barwani, has showcased the best and rarest of Indian automotive heritage, and has in the recent past travelled to New Delhi and Hyderabad.

The 1968 Mercedes Saloon is now owned by car enthusiast Sudhir Kasliwal

Among the 86 classic automobiles from nine distinctive classes and 26 motorcycles from three signatures classes featured at the event from the stables of Indian royal patrons and private collectors, majestically stood the 1968 Mercedes Saloon that once belonged to the late Rajmata Gayatri Devi, and is now owned by vintage car enthusiast Sudhir Kasliwal of the much-loved Gem Palace of Jaipur.

Heritage high
There seems to be no dearth of talent in this city when it comes to sensitive conservation. Their efforts have resuscitated legacies and facades in Mumbai and the rest of India. Recently, at the HUDCO Design Awards in Delhi, three top Mumbai firms bagged honours in the Conservation of Heritage category.

Vikas Dilawari, Brinda Somaya and Abha Narain Lambah

The first prize was shared by Vikas Dilawari for the conservation of Esplanade House, and Abha Narain Lambah for the Moorish mosque in Kapurthala. The second prize went to Somaya & Kalappa Consultants founded by Brinda Somaya for her work at Rajabai Clock Tower and University of Mumbai Library Building. Navi Mumbai firm, Vistaar Architects & Planners was a prizewinner in the Green Buildings category for their eco-sensitive work at Delhi's Rajaswi Bhavan. In a city where heritage is under constant threat, this is a hat-tip to its healers.

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