Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

Keeping the faith: Aside from masks and social distancing, we could all do with God’s mercy, these believers at Mount Mary, Bandra, would say. Pic/Atul Kamble

Play the lofted shot in heaven

Ranjita Rane at Airoli in January. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

The spirited Mumbai women's cricketer Ranjita Rane passed away on Wednesday at a city hospital, battling cancer. This paper had carried a report about the former Mumbai all-rounder in January this year and her battle with cancer. Rane, had then spoken about the financial bind the treatment had put her through, post her diagnosis of cancer of the ovaries in 2015. Rane, who lived in Prabhadevi, had not given up on her dreams of working as cricket coach and scorer. The 44-year-old, whose favourite cricket stroke was the lofted shot, had said spunkily, "I want to find a job to start earning again," when this diarist met her at the time. We hope Rane soars above like her favourite lofted shot, in the game she dearly loved.

Also read: Beyond the boundary: Mumbai cricketer Ranjita Rane's battle with cancer

Of love and loss

During the lockdown last year, Akarsh Khurana of Akvarious Productions had adapted Iranian playwright Amir Reza Koohestani's work, Timeloss, into a play suited to the Indian context. Starring Chaitnya Sharma, Dilshad Edibam Khurana, Shweta Tripathi Sharma and Siddharth Kumar, it revolves around two actors and former lovers who are compelled to dub together for a film. This diarist is happy to report that the play is up for viewing online again, and proceeds will help the relief efforts of Theatre Dost. "My adaptation, shot in the last lockdown, is in the form of a hybrid medium. It deals with loss and mental health," said Khurana, adding, "It's also been a bit emotional to stage the play now, as the editor, Ajay Sharma, passed away recently." Log on to insider.in to watch it before May 30.

Putting the bun in fundraiser

From bake sales to cooking classes, the F&B industry has not only stepped up to aid the fight against Covid-19, but is also innovating while doing so. Take for instance, city-based deli Bun & Only, which is launching Bun & Chefs: Food for a Cause, on World Burger Day tomorrow. They're teaming up with famous chefs and culinary experts to curate limited-edition burgers every month. Ten per cent of the sales every month will support Mission Oxygen Foundation, shared co-founder Sameer Uttamsingh. "We introduced the city to a gourmet burger experience delivered to your doorstep. We now want to take this experience to the next level by collaborating with our friends from the hospitality industry," he said. In the first month, chef Karishma Sakhrani (below) will create a vegan burger with BBQ jackfruit and guacamole. "Even the hardest carnivores won't be able to tell [that it's not meat]," she promised.

The one with food

Owner of Malad's Hope Bakery, Jade Williams, is a die-hard fan of Friends. When she found out that her favourite show was back with a glorious reunion episode, she did what she does best, recreated the show's most famed meals for customers to order. From Joey's meatball sub to Monica's famous lasagne, her themed menu has all the show's favourites, just in time to accompany the much-awaited reunion episode that airs today. "Over the years, I've collected lots of merchandise and done multiple reruns. I was really excited to hear that they were coming back together, so my team and I decided to do something to honour that," she said.

Phoebe's grandmother's choco-chip cookies that's on Williams' menu

An owl-some idea

Sketch of Forest Owlet by Arte

Neha Arte is a Khar-based environmental architect, who loves illustrating birds. On May 29, she'll be spreading her love for the feathered creatures for a good cause, through an online session called Birds Around Us, organised by Humane Warriors, which has been helping with Covid-19 relief efforts. The ticket sales will support them. "I'll be talking about birds in and around my locality and also in different parts of India through my illustrations," she told this diarist. Head to humanewarriors.in for more details.