Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

Pic/Satej Shinde

Surfing, Mumbai-Ishtyle

A boy hangs on to a large thermocol sheet while riding the crest of a wave over shallow waters at Versova beach.

Indulge in the Met Gala in Mumbai

(Left) Gaurav Batra with consulting chef Virat Patel

Today while Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra and Alia Bhatt walk the Met Gala carpet in New York, a few in Mumbai can also raise a toast to one of fashion's biggest nights on the global stage. Bollywood biggie Karan Johar's Colaba restaurant Neuma is hosting the Met Monday in honour of his three leading ladies being invited to the Metropolitan Museum of Art event. Gaurav Batra, the restaurant's brand head, told this diarist, "For the event, we have created a special menu to commemorate and celebrate the larger-than-line yet irreverent glamour and style quotient of the Met Gala. The signature offering includes drinks named after iconic celebrities and design houses."

Also Read: Mumbai Diary: Sunday Dossier

Pic Courtesy/instagram

This includes a drink named the Lagerfeld Mist, after this year's theme Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty. Other eclectically named drinks that caught our eye are the Versace Bling and the MET Mule. The day-long limited edition menu is available for lunch and dinner. Unlike the Met Gala, you won't need an invite to walk in. A reservation will do.

Look! The Shahs have a portrait

(From left) Imaad with Buddhu the cat, Ratna Pathak, Naseeruddin, Heeba and Vivaan Shah. Pic Courtesy/Gitanjali Rao

The Shahs are known for their serious talent on stage and cinema, and yet artist and filmmaker Gitanjali Rao couldn't help herself from sketching the complete family in a different light while working on a project with Naseeruddin Shah. "It started off as a fan thing, but they are also close friends, so I couldn't help myself," she said. Working off photographs, Rao said that she looked to capture the essence of her characters.

Gitanjali Rao

"I am not a caricaturist. I was hoping they'd like it because people tend to hate their own caricatures," she said. The illustration captures the little quirks such as Imaad Shah's hairdo, and the family's now departed pet cat, Buddhu. "He was a part of the family for 15 years. So it was only right that he be in the picture," said the filmmaker who is also a cat-lover. As for the family's reaction, Rao confirmed, "I met them at a party recently, and they said that they loved it."

Mumbai se Miami

The bas relief at Swastik Court

Last weekend was an important one for Mumbai's architecture buffs. The 16th World Congress of Art Deco held in Miami saw Art Deco Mumbai founder Atul Kumar present on their recent work at Colaba's Swastik Court. "We focused on showing how one can affordably repair cement concrete heritage and enhance value," he said.

In addition to Miami's similarities with Mumbai, Kumar noted that it was the birthplace for Art Deco conservation. "Barbara Baer Capitman was the original historic preservationist who saved Miami's Art Deco. She founded the Miami Design Preservation League and also inspired many cities across the world," he told us.

When theatre gets a digital push

Rashmi Mann and Ankit Verma rehearsing for the play

In March this year, The Guide section in this newspaper had written about city-based theatre group Alfaaz's plans to take plays to the digital platform. Co-founder Yamini Joshi confirmed that it will take off on May 13 with Ankit Verma's satire, The Age of Prison. "It is a cerebral play about the breach of freedom of expression, and has been subtly put across," she shared. The play had been created in collaboration with Harkat Studios, but never ventured beyond Zoom shows in the pandemic. Verma remarked, "It is a metaphor for the power structures that control our freedom." Joshi noted, "The first few plays will be on our website, alfaaztheatre.com, till our app goes live later this year."

Getting the kids squared up

A child solves a Rubik's Cube at the weekend session

Speed was the name of the game at Suprlegends Cubing Championship held at Kurla over the weekend. "The championship offered children a unique experience by encouraging skill development, healthy competition and social interaction," said Leena Savla, director of the Junior Cubing Association, that has been hosting the event since 2020. Skills apart, the competition also helped the children build friendships and learn communication, she added.