Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

Pic/Bipin Kokate

Can-I-ne Be In The picture?

A man sets up a selfie for his human and four-legged companion on Marine Drive

Canvas to Delhi

Rufescent, 2021 by Jaideep Mehrotra

The city's Tao Art Gallery will take its works to Delhi to participate in the India Art Fair 2022, in April. The showcase will feature the dynamic canvas work by Jaideep Mehrotra and kinetic and textile installations by Isha Pimpalkhare. The show will premiere at the fair from April 28 to May 1. Describing his art, Mehrotra told this diarist, "Every map has a tale to tell and is definitely a lot more than curvy lines leading you from one destination to the other. I bring attention to changes we take for granted or do not observe." Pimpalkhare shared, "My pieces for the India Art Fair are investigations of the material itself, exploring factors such as tactility, movement and rhythm, to create heightened sensory experiences." The works will return to Mumbai after the event.

Justice denied?

A film screening with retired Supreme Court Justice BN Srikrishna is not an everyday occurrence. Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj and Neeraj Kumar's film, India's Sons, that will be screened today at the St Andrew's Auditorium, Bandra, could be one such event. The film about men fighting false rape cases is bound to trigger some debate. Bhardwaj clarified that rape is a serious crime and must be dealt seriously, but regular misuse of law will result in its dilution. "This is a very serious crime. If the misuse is not addressed or spoken about, then it is going to hurt society in a really bad way," she cautioned. Produced by Shonee Kapoor, the film questions the lack of investigation and partiality of authorities. She revealed that blind investigations take place in some cases. A question for all.

Out of the shadows

A still from From the shadows

A movie that literally emerged from the shadows has ended up being highlighted by the Cannes Film Festival 2022. Miriam Chandy Menacherry's From The Shadows is shortlisted on the Breaking Through The Lens programme of the festival. The film's exploration of the survivors and the fight against child sex trafficking began with the glimpse of an artwork, Menacherry revealed. "It made me curious about what the artist was trying to say, and led me to the work of these women in the area of child sex trafficking and the survivors."

Director Miriam Chandy Menacherry

The artwork by Leena Kejriwal was the first seed for the film. "It was an interesting starting point to draw an average passerby, who doesn't think that trafficking has anything to do with them," she said. Kejriwal, the director revealed, had been counselling young girls in the red light district of Kolkata, which fuelled her art. Another fighter, Menacherry added, is Hasina Kharbhih. Kharbhih's legal fight against sex trafficking has been long and hard. The Cannes highlight is for them. "It is really important that women get to tell their stories in the way that they tell them," the director said.

Found in translation

To make diverse narratives in regional languages accessible to a wider audience, the New India Foundation launched the NIF Translation Fellowships. The fellowships were awarded to literary translator Venkateswar Ramaswamy and Amlan Biswas to translate Nirmal Kumar's Diaries 1946-47 from Bangla; academician NS Gundur to translate DR Nagaraj's Allamaprabhu Mattu Shaiva Pratibhe from Kannada; historian Rahul Sarwate (inset) to translate Sharad Patil's Marxvad: Phule-Ambedkarvaad from Marathi to the English language. Sarwate said the fellowship is recognition of the multiple vernacular worlds of ideas that contributed to the making of Indian modernity. "It will encourage many translators to bring forth similar brilliant texts from diverse linguistic and intellectual contexts."

The wonder years

(From left) Priyanka Khanna and Hemali Jain

An event for children, Sunday's Kidspreneur Expo could open up several options for early skill-learning. The expo to be held at a venue in Andheri, will allow children to learn new skills and create outcomes for their inventiveness. From home décor, to cooking, baking and doodling, kids will have a free rein all day. With children leading the events themselves, there will be no dearth of inspiration. Priyanka Khanna, co-founder, Kidspreneur, shared with us, "We want to empower children and encourage out-of-the-box thinking, and also provide them a platform where they can be independent - both financially and creatively." Her partner, Hemali Jain, revealed that given the right platform, kids could come up with big ideas and unique experiences.