Head on collision

For those who are curious to see how the battle between Bajirao Mastani, with its trio of Ranveer-Deepika and PC, against the SRK-Kajol, Dilwale YRF plays out today, there's an even more scintillating skirmish on the sidelines - the head on collision of SRK-Priyanka Chopra blockbusters. Of such piquant human situations is the Bollywood saga strewn.

Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra

Natural biz leader
There's a reason we say that of all his contemporaries, Anand Mahindra shows signs of being a true blue biz leader/statesman.

Anand Mahindra

Consider his position on the Supreme Court's recent reforms to control the alarming pollution in Delhi, by the registration of diesel SUVs and high-end vehicles in the city, with capacity of over 2000 cc until March 2016, a move that is sure to have some negative impact on Mahindra's bottom line.

Rather than join his other industry peers in opposing this to protect self-interests (a recent TV debate revealed them in shameful light arguing against the greater good), Mahindra's altruism and feel for the public pulse shone through.

"We thrive on challenges and rise above them. We'll surprise everyone with our resilience…just as we have done for decades...." tweeted the savvy and socially conscious alumni of Harvard.

"So even if we believe the decision on diesel vehicles isn't optimal, we'll honour it and develop vehicles that comply with their stipulations. I have always believed that the Supreme Court is an institution that sustains our faith in social justice and democracy in India."

Big-ticket wedding
So as the wedding season is already underway and every weekend the city's movers and shakers are busy preparing new outfits for the next occasion, word comes in that last weekend saw Tushar and Bhavana Motiwala's handsome son Chitrang Motiwala marry his long time girlfriend, Sanjana Bhargava.

Chitrang Motivala and Sanjana Bhargava

Chitrang graduated from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and worked with the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital for some time.

Tina and Anil Ambani

We hear the elegant wedding was held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Goa, and it was a stylish get together of family and friends, which saw the likes of Anil and Tina Ambani and family fly to Goa for the occasion (Bhavana is Tina's older sister). We wish the couple a happy married life.

Chennai Calling
Even as Chennai's citizenry rose to the occasion to aid victims of their flood hit city, Mumbai has not been a slouch in this department either.

Ashok Kurien

Marketing guru and media maven Ashok Kurien has been one such Mumbaikar who has extended himself. Five hundred Livinguard drinking water filters made by Kurien's company, have already been distributed by R Bharaneshwaran and Sendhil Thiagarajan, to the victims of the Chennai floods.

Given that each of these filters convert 100-120 litres of highly contaminated floodwater per day into 50,000 - 60,000 litres of pure, bacteria and virus free water, that's a sizeable contribution. But what on earth is the affable, former Bombay Gym Rugby player, and quintessential ad man doing with water filters in the first place?

"It's the most exciting and rewarding thing I have done. Livinguard Technologies, a Mumbai-based company, provides water purification solutions that can convert water from dirty contaminated muddy source into potable water, without the use of electricity for as low as 1 paise per litre," said Kurien. "We already have 500,000 underprovided rural people drinking our pure, bacteria free water, and will reach 3 or 4 million in the next few months."

And what next? "Along with Mahindra we've developed the mobile ‘Drinking Water Brigade'. Vehicles which can drive into flood areas and purify up to 1000 litres an hour of water! We have written to the Tamil Nadu state government and hope to receive the green light soon." Nice!

New Years in Dubai
"The Vaswanis of Dubai will not be hosting their New Year party." It was our friend, Mumbai's die hard partygoer, a direct descendant of the species known as the ‘Party Animal'. Partygoer, the 0.2 versions, are an altogether more international improvement version, his preferred whooping it up nooks being Dubai, Ibiza and London over the erstwhile Colaba and Alibag.

Yes, the Vaswanis, tired of New Year's Eve gate crashers are most likely hosting a brunch in London instead," said our peripatetic friend, adding: "However, the ‘happening party to attend' is the one thrown by this young and dashing builder in Dubai." Said PA version two, "It's at his home and given how he does things in grand style, there will be acts from abroad, the last word in food and wine and the best crowd."

The best crowd from Dubai? We asked, suitably impressed. "Dubai?! What's Dubai?! It will have the best crowd from Mumbai attending," said the party creature. "Excuse me, I have to book my tickets to Dubai pronto." See what we mean?