Mumbai Diary: Tuesday Dossier

Pic/Shadab Khan

Mum's the word

A couple looks forward to the birth of their child with a maternity shoot at Five Gardens in Wadala on Monday.

Culturing cinema

Cine buffs, celebrate. From July 17 to 21, Culture Cinema 2021, a concept-based film festival, will be held to showcase films of different themes and perspectives, introducing Indian and global audiences to several cultures and social dialogues, with added events including workshops and panel discussions, featuring artists, filmmakers and more. What was originally to be held on UN-declared World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development on May 21, has been moved to July owing to the pandemic. The festival also has support from platforms including UNESCO and Jaipur Literature Festival. "The fest will play a vital part in pushing back the narrative of hatred and violence often stemming from the ignorance of minority communities and their cultures," shared Sanjoy Roy, member of the organising team for the event.

Click for help

A photograph by Louie Banks that is being sold as part of the fundraiser

Last week, we had mentioned on this page about how arts platform Offset Projects had put up print versions of photographs clicked by noted shutterbugs for sale, in order to raise money for Covid-19 relief. We are now happy to report that Hope 4 India, another charitable organisation, is putting together a similar exercise. They are offering the works of Indian and international photographers, including David Byrne, Riddhibrata Burman and Louie Banks, for $150 dollars ('11,000) a pop, the money being spent on gathering emergency oxygen cylinders for people in need. Log on to hope4india.us and pick a photograph of your choice.

A bite-sized helping hand

The saying goes, "We are what we eat." But sometimes, what we eat also goes a long way in helping other people out. Take the initiative Cooks for a Cause, for instance, which is back for its second edition. This time, it involves four star chefs in the city joining forces to rustle up a meal that costs '6,000, and serves two. They are Gresham Fernandes (inset), Hussain Shehzad, Prateek Sadhu and Amninder Sandhu (below). The profits will be diverted to Athrout Kashmir, an NGO that will use the funds to alleviate the misery of pandemic-affected people in the Valley. Fernandes shared, "This being the second edition, we not only wanted to cook something completely different, but also support a cause that hasn't been highlighted enough. Athrout is doing notable Covid-19 relief work in Kashmir, which needs everyone's attention. We have cooked an amazing family-style Kashmiri meal and hope that more people donate towards the cause." Call 9999931957 to order your share.

Celebrating Vanraj's legacy

Indian film and television music lost one of its leading lights recently when Vanraj Bhatia passed away. But his legacy will live on through his work, which has been donated to The Film Heritage Foundation (FHF), founded by Shivendra Singh Dungarpur. "Vanraj was a maverick composer who blended both western and Indian musical forms to create an unforgettable legacy that was captured so beautifully in the cinema of the Indian New Wave movement," Dungarpur told this diarist. He added that Bhatia had meticulously preserved the notations of his music, which FHF will now take upon itself to preserve, along with personal photographs that Bhatia and his family shared.

Dylan at 80

He is truly a man who needs no introduction, because who hasn't heard of Bob Dylan? The musician celebrated his 80th birthday yesterday. Suman Chattopadhyay aka Kabir Suman, an Indian musician who has famously covered Dylan's music, summed it up. "There is everything that has been said before about him, and I don't know what else to add." Let's just say, "Happy birthday," in that case, and add a, "Thank you" for the music.