Mumbai Diary: Monday Dossier

The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce

In praise of the other Kapoor
"Though we have worked in just two films, a lovely co-actor and poker player, Rajat Kapoor. The only irritant about him is he is a teetotaler, unlike me, and doesn't carry a mobile. An under used actor waiting to burst. Go man go!" (sic) tweeted Rishi Kapoor about his co-actor in an upcoming courtroom drama. In an industry that thrives on networking and connections, it is indeed a rarity to come across an actor who doesn't twiddle with his smartphone. But on occasions when this diarist has interacted with Rajat — a one-off landline call and email conversations in general — it has been way smoother than reaching most artistes on their personal mobile numbers. And the degree of promptness is a journalist's dream.

Another actor who kept away from the cellphone nuisance? The late Tom Alter. Inspired to give this semi-digital detox a shot?

Not Easy Being A Woman
What do the guys know about juggling a tricky dress with a smile, Kajol is sure to think while Subhash Ghai gives her a clap at an award ceremony. Pic/Atul Kamble

Israeli tunes for the prince
While Prince William's recent visit to Israel has come to be symbolised by the picture of him at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City, he made sure that he was also seen with the country's contemporary cultural icons. The royal visitor kicked off his second day in Israel by meeting the singing talent show Eurovision's 2018 winner Netta Barzilai at Tel Aviv's Rothschild Boulevard, where the two also had a drink at the city's first kiosk. This takes us back to 2016, when Prince William and Kate Middleton visited Mumbai on their maiden India tour and went out of their way to blend in with the city's cricket and film-loving culture. We must say this is quite a shift from the earlier monarchical visits when the British stamp was a truly palpable one.

White weddings, Sabya style
When it comes to wedding wear, trust designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee to set trends and do things differently. While he has worked with western silhouettes earlier, the news of the Kolkata designer launching his first ever international wedding line has made the industry sit up and listen. For his first white wedding line, Mukherjee has collaborated with a Hong Kong-based luxury retail giant.

The first glimpse of the line had the signature Sabya stamp, handcrafted Indian luxury that speaks equally well to an international audience, delicately embroidered tulle with pearls and semi precious stones, and inspiration from the 1920s. "Indian craftsmanship is second to none in the world. We try to push the boundaries of creativity constantly by taking a no-holds barred approach to couture. I think a wedding is a time that people want to celebrate with fine workmanship and unforgettable bridal ensembles. It is this feeling and the spirit of indulgence that I am bringing to the new collection," says the designer.

Breaking down the Great Wall
India and China have made it a habit of playing a game of tu-tu-main-main in the recent past. But what led to this situation of mutual distrust between the two Asian giants? That's the question that Dr KN Raghavan, the commissioner of GST and central excise, Mumbai Central, delves into in his book, Dividing Lines (Platinum Press). Now, an updated version of the book digs deeper into the issue, focusing on China's relations with Pakistan, the role of the US, and that of the Dalai Lama.

Soccer mania on set
Akarsh Khurana's upcoming film, Karwaan, is a project of many firsts. While it is Khurana's first movie as a director, it also marks theatre actors Mithila Palkar and Daquer Salmaan's first steps in Bollywood. What could be another first is the fact that when the shooting of the road-tripping comedy got rained out for two days in Ooty, Khurana got the entire cast and crew to ditch the comfort of the hotel and come out and play some football on both the days. Khurana, we hear, is a huge soccer fan, and he made sure the match was played professionally. He divided the cast into two teams and chose to play the referee himself. Here's hoping the film bears a reflection of all the off-screen masti.

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