Mumbai Diary: Saturday Dossier

Pic/Shadab Khan

Thanda thanda cool cool

As temperatures soar in the city, Anarkali, the elephant at Byculla zoo, gets a bath in the pond.

Sachin Tendulkar just got Rubik's cubed

Siblings Annie (right) and Ethan (left) created the mosaic of Sachin Tendulkar in three hours to celebrate his 50th birthday

The week began not just with Sachin Tendulkar celebrating his 50th birthday, but also his fans toasting to the occasion in their own special way. Mira Road-based siblings - Annie, 9 and Ethan, 11, went the extra mile to create a mosaic of the cricketer made entirely from Rubik's Cubes. The feat took only three hours for the young geniuses to achieve, and an added two hours to create a Rubik's cube banner that read - Happy 50th Birthday. "I am always ready to create a Rubik's Cube mosaic," Ethan told us. His sister adds, "It's fun to make this kind of art; I feel very happy once it's ready." The youngsters began by solving Rubik's Cubes during the lockdown after their mother, Zeenie Singh noticed their interest and encouraged them to pursue it. The 36-year-old social media marketing expert explained that a portrait begins with pixelating a photo to help the kids visualise the artwork. "It takes a lot of time to create and they work very hard. As a parent, it is my duty to make sure their talents are nurtured." Watch out for their next portrait of footballer Messi on @the_talented_mind.

Zeenie Singh

Dance it out

Members at the practice session

While you may have spotted the Juhu Laughter Club engaging in an immersive session every morning on the beach, this senior citizens' group is soon going to put up a professional performance to celebrate the club's 25th anniversary. Forty members from the group will take the stage at Juhu Jagruti Hall tomorrow for Bharat ki aatma gaumata - a dance play that is choreographed and directed by member Rajshree Daga. "As soon as the theme was announced, everyone showed their interest. We can tell that age is just a number for them," Daga said.

Also read: Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

A spicy folk melody

The group sings medleys of songs, Tangewala and Nach pori nach

Get your party on this weekend, East Indian-style. The musEIc Project by Mobai Gaothan Panchayat has released a medley of masalas, an apt term for their upbeat songs, on their YouTube channel called Mee East Indian. The song's video features singers from gaothans across Mumbai, with music by Francis Gigool. One of the singers who conceptualised the video Roystan D'silva from Kirol said, "My family used to sing these songs at parties. We wanted to revive them for future generations to enjoy." Sion-based singer Franco Patil added, "East Indians like the Kulbis, Kolis, Aagris, Bhandaris, and Kumbhars used to sing these folk songs while doing their day-to-day chores."

The Canadian connection

Loufiti (centre) in discussion. Pic Courtesy/Instagram

Daniel Loufiti, deputy director of political relations and global affairs of Canada, recently dropped by LGBTQiA+ NGO Humsafar Trust's Vakola office. "He wanted to know more about the queer scenario in Mumbai; the progress over the three decades; needs of the community, and also to discuss how Canada can offer help without intruding into India's cultural aspects," Sudhanshu Latad, assistant advocacy manager shared. Loufiti was accompanied by Consul et Délégué commercial, Justin Elavathil. The Trust has been a constant recipient of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives yearly grant, so this visit was a special one for them.

The cop with cool moves

Kamble has a massive following on social media for his dancing reels. Pic Courtesy/instagram; (right) Virag Dubal

If Ranveer Singh matches your vibe, you've got some swag. And if you watch Amol Kamble grooving to Bollywood and hip-hop tracks, you'll know why Singh wanted to create an Instagram Reel with him when the two met a few years ago. Adding to the cool quotient is the fact that Kamble is a part of Mumbai's police force, and is posted at Dadar East. Recently, we caught a glimpse of him grooving to Pyaar hota kayi baar hai. Kamble told us, "I have loved dancing since I was a child. Earlier, I used to enjoy creating comedy videos with my friends. One day, I posted a dance video, and people liked it. I am proud of my 19-year-old long career in police service. I do my duty well and in my free time, I dance." His manager, choreographer and founder of Malad's Ukiyo Studio, Virag Dubal added that his passion translates into hard work. "People tell me that I inspire them and that's a big deal for me," Kamble humbly shared.