Mumbai Diary: Tuesday Dossier

Pic/Shadab Khan

Decked up in red

A child steals a glance at one of the brides at a mass marriage ceremony organised by by Hazrat Shah Saqlain Academy of India in Agripada.

Fast forward

An artwork from the series shows the revamped Gateway of India promenade; (right) Sanket Sawant

If filmmaker Sanket Sawant's newest series of AI artworks are any indication, Mumbai's is yet to see its biggest infrastructural revamp. Titled Mumbai 2050, the artworks show familiar locations like Gateway of India and the Bandra-Worli Sea Link with a futuristic twist. "The inspiration for creating the Mumbai 2050 series stemmed from my deep fascination with envisioning future urban landscapes. The series serves as a platform to spark discussions on urban planning, technological advancements," Sawant shared.

Like the movies

Pic Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons

If you're one of those cinema-goers who let out a snarky "I could've done that better" every time you watch a movie, Humans of Cinema's (HOC) newest initiative is your time to shine. The organisation is offering participants a chance to recreate their favourite iconic Bollywood scenes but this time with them as the main characters. "The idea struck when I spotted three friends sitting on the edge of the road facing a farm and I was immediately reminded of the movie, Dil Chahta Hai," Harshit Bansal, founder, HOC, revealed, adding that a special team of cinematographers, stylists, and directors will ensure the shoots are executed to perfection. "Most queries that come in are for scenes with Shah Rukh Khan. People love him," he added. Those interested, can contact tushar@humansof cinema.com.

Harshit Bansal

Smoke on the water

The picture shows a thick layer of smoke on the sea

The newest victim of the rising AQI in Mumbai is the iconic city skyline. Taking to X to comment on the distressing sight, Shaunak Modi, co-founder, Coastal Conservation Foundation, shared a photograph of a thick layer of smoke and dust above the sea. "I was out at sea as part of a boat survey when I noticed the smoke. This is not even the worst that I have seen. On bad days, the smoke forms a thick curtain making the skyline disappear completely," Modi shared. Expressing his concerns about the effects of the phenomenon on marine life, he told this diarist, "Air-breathing animals like dolphins, porpoises, and turtles breathe the same air as us. There are studies on how ocean acidification as a consequence of atmospheric pollution may affect marine life. This should be studied in India as well."

A roadtrip through culture

Students explore the exhibits inside the museum bus

Mumbai has a gift for Rajasthan's students and it comes wrapped in a big blue bus. Museum on Wheels, a travelling museum conceptualised by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS), is on its way to Rajasthan for the first time. Carrying with it the Ancient Sculptures: India Egypt Assyria Greece Rome exhibition, it will traverse two districts over the course of 12 days, and visit various educational institutions in Udaipur and Chittorgarh. "The students were fascinated by the idea and responded enthusiastically to the exhibition. In their responses, many shared that while they had read about ancient civilisations in history books, the chance to observe these sculptures in person provided a fresh and tangible experience," Vaidehi Savnal, curator of education, CSMVS, informed this diarist.

Poetry crawl on campus

Pradumn Chourey

College days were always fun, but they might just get more fun in the coming weeks. The spoken word poetry and performance platform, Spoken Fest, will be visiting multiple college campuses across the city in the lead-up to their annual festival, said Pradumn Chourey, community manager. "Students are potential participants, and one of our biggest audiences. The roadshow is an attempt to introduce and also to discover talent," he shared. The venture has already lined up interactions at IIM Mumbai, Jai Hind College and Sophia College in the coming days, he revealed to this diarist.