Look what you started KJO

At Sunita Kapoor's Karva Chauth party in Juhu

It's a measure of how far right the political narrative has veered that Karan Johar, the pioneer of the regressive big fat Hindu ceremony, is regarded as something of a rebel today. This analogy was brought home to us when we saw the growing sway that Karva Chauth has on modern Indian women across the world.

From the glamorous Louboutin Lasses like the sassy Queenie Singh and the elegant Pratima Bhatia, to their just as glam elders, this year was witness to an unprecedented number of women who kept the fast, wore the clothes, saw the moon and won their ‘Traditional Hindu Woman with Best Intentions' badge for their efforts.

Karan Johar

The likes of Sridevi, Rima Jain, Maheep Kapoor, Lally Dhawan and Kaykasshan A Patel for instance were seen in their resplendent best at Sunita Kapoor's glittering Karva Chauth party in Juhu. "Sunita is one of the most elegant hostess and her quiet understated style and tasteful home sets her apart from Bollywood," said one the guests. "Which is why her Karva Chauth parties are the most popular."

And for those who can't imagine what has made this rather quaint ritual in which women are supposed to abstain from food and water all day so that their menfolk prosper, so popular, we have only two words to say - Karan Johar. No one does soft focus, archly choreographed rituals and communal devotion better than old KJo. How ironic that he appears to have fallen foul of the same regime that subscribes to much of the same thing.

Holy grail of publishing
He's something of a legend at international book fairs, feted and celebrated as a visionary publisher at most of them.

Roli Books' founder Pramod Kapoor

So imagine Roli Books' founder Pramod Kapoor's thrill when his illustrated bio-graphy of Mahatma Gandhi (whose launch we attended at the NCPA not too long ago) received the highest global award for illustrated books by winning the prestigious ‘Best Illustrated Book of the Year' and ‘Best History Book' awards this week at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

"To receive this award last night at the fabulous dinner in the presence of over 130 of (the) world's topmost art book publishers gathered at (the) Frankfurt book fair was a humbling yet proud moment," said the modest and soft spoken Kapoor about winning this Holy Grail of publishing. "My sincere thanks to the international publishing fraternity for the recognition."

New restaurant in town
This Sunday will see the official launch of Rishad Nathani and his wife Priya Ailawadi's spanking new restaurant ‘The Clearing House' at Ballard estate. It will have a sparkling and boisterous brunch for city foodies.

The group of Voguettes

"It is the first restaurant for Breadbox Hospitality, a new venture by Nathani, who was a part of the core management team at one of Mumbai's finest standalone restaurants (read Indigo)," says a spokesperson, adding, "With well known chef Nitin Kulkarni at the helm in the kitchen, it aims to bring back the forgotten art of genuine and friendly hospitality."

Yummy Mummies invited for food tasting

And though the restaurant officially opens with the big fat Sunday brunch, there has already been a series of soft launches with groups of Yummy Mummies (like the group of former models Sharmilla Khanna, Gauri Sinha, Suzanne Sablok) and Voguettes (like Priya Tanna, Bandana Tewari and Anandita Ghosh) being invited in for food tastings all week. The verdict? As one of the women declared in insta-speak: ‘#Theclearinghouse #burrata #pumpkin #quinoasalad #dimsum #crab #instalove #delicious'

Here's simplicity and elegance at its best
In this season of over the top and extravagance, this understated e-mail greeting sent out by one of the country's leading bankers Uday Kotak and his wife Pallavi stood out for its simplicity and elegance: ‘Dear Friend, a very happy Diwali to you.

Uday Kotak

Encouraged by the thousands of warm smiles from last year, we have decided to continue supporting the Midday Meal Programme in lieu of the Pre-Diwali party we usually host,' it read, referring to one of the city's much-awaited annual social events, which saw the Kotaks invite their friends and peers to the Taj.

The festivities would be spread over at least three of the banquet halls. "We seek your blessings for this small step that we are taking to ensure that India's future stays focused on learning," said the message, adding, "May this festive season bring you joy and fulfillment."

"With so much going on in the festival season, including too many parties and many of them on the same night, this gesture of the Kotaks, to afford their friends a night of rest and instead direct their own resources to as worthy a cause as meals for school children has been extremely well received," said a source. "Hopefully it will encourage others to follow suit too." Nice!

A Dabbang of an eatery?
So who is the muscle-flexing star that obviously has so much moolah that he cannot find enough places to park it in? Mr Superstar's latest business acquisition is this once classy joint in Bandra run by a group of bright young restaur-ateurs, who had added zest to the suburban restaurant scene until their enterprise appeared to go belly up.

Recently, when a woman of impeccable foodie credentials visited the joint she was quite appalled to see that standards were not what they used to be. "Who owns the place now?" she asked a manager. "Mr Prakash," she was informed. "But isn't it owned by XXX?" she asked. "Madame if you know this already then why are you asking?" replied the manager before shuffling away. With R50 crore being cited as his latest fee for his latest TV outing, what's a restaurant or two between friends...