Mumbai Diary: Wednesday Dossier

Milind the Ultraman
After bagging the Ironman title at the triathlon in 2015, Milind Soman has now added another shiny medal to his collection - that of Ultraman. Soman and four other Indian sporting enthusiasts participated in the 2017 Ultraman, Florida's Ultra-Endurance Event, which concluded on February 19.

Milind Soman with a fellow Indian participant

The event required participants to swim 10km and cycle 148km on the first day, while the second day involved a 276-km bike ride. On the third day, they had to run 84km. Soman was the only barefoot runner, and was the 41st to finish the race.

About the experience, he wrote in a Facebook post, "A distance of 276km in 12 hours is daunting in itself. Add to that fatigue from the day before of 10km of swimming and cycling 148 km. Add to that the weather in Florida. Cool morning, hot, hot afternoon and treacherous rain in the evening, making the roads slippery and strong headwinds." Soman completed the run with five seconds to spare.

Milind congratulated by his mum

We did try getting in touch with Soman to congratulate him, but couldn't reach him, possibly because the Ultraman is still recovering from an exhausting three days.

Vroom! Riders end on high
Rock music and the sound of motors have an uncanny friendship. Back in the day, highways and motels acted as leitmotifs with artistes and their music (Highway Star by Deep Purple and Highway To Hell by AC DC to name a few). Hence, it was no surprise when the first leg of the Rider's Music Festival in New Delhi was a fest that featured bike stunts and spectacular performances by stars like Lucky Ali and Amit Trivedi.

Lucky Ali

The stand-up comedy section saw Kanan Gill and Kenny Sebastian at their best. The biking-cum-music event also included flea markets, gaming arenas and grub stations.

Sober, candid and motivated
When it comes to telling it like it is, trust the Bhatt household. Actress-filmmaker Pooja Bhatt has been trying to kick her drinking habit, and has no qualms admitting it. "Sixty days sober & counting...!" she tweeted recently.

Pooja Bhatt

We weren't surprised when father Mahesh Bhatt responded on the platform congratulating Pooja for confronting her demons. "Sobriety is the best gift to yourself," he said. Thanking Bhatt for leading by example, she wrote, "I now take my demons for a walk at dawn & they toe the line." Keep it up, lady!

Grammar lessons from Anthony
While jokes about US President Donald Trump's size of hands have been doing the rounds for a while, enthusiasts have now shrunk his entire body to make him look smaller than leaders next to him in photographs.

Anthony Bourdain. Pic/Neeta Lind; Wikimedia Commons

His doctored image with Barack Obama has been particularly popular of the lot, such that US celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain couldn't help tweeting it. As is the case with anything online, he got instant feedback.

"I use to respect you and like your shows but you have proven to be a pethetic individual (sic)," said a follower. And much like his TV persona, Bourdain quickly corrected him, "Pathetic."

"You should give up your attempt at comedy and stick with cooking, at least your good at that (sic)," said another. "You're," replied Bourdain, much to the amusement of his fans, who now love him for being a stickler for correct grammar.

(R)ace of clubs
Racing bigwigs have a big challenge on their hands getting punters into the Mahalaxmi racecourse during weekdays. Tomorrow, though, may be different as The Royal Western India Turf Club hosts the innovative Club Day, where eight prominent Mumbai clubs including the Willingdon, Cricket Club of India and Bombay Gym will have races named after them. Invites have been sent out to each club to bring in their members to the racecourse, which of course, is run by a club too.

There is also a curated fashion and food fest with music that will go on concurrently with the races. What will be interesting, though, is what the officials of the clubs would discuss when they meet. Some gupshup on the controversies and problems clubs seem mired in, of late?

Top of the list would perhaps be how to negotiate sensitive topics like government servants asking for ‘favours', expired BMC lease, accounts that show a loss, or factionalism within the club… But then, there is the thunder of hooves that will quiet all those discussions.