Mumbai Diary: Tuesday Dossier

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

Touch of joy

Alaya F gets camera ready before film promotions at her mother Pooja Bedi's place in Juhu on Monday. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

Protest poem gets musical

Lyricist and writer Varun Grover's poem, Hum kaagaz nahi dikhaayenge has become an anthem of sorts for the anti-CAA and NRC protesters around the country. It has now received a musical rendition from Indian Ocean's Rahul Ram.

In his trademark style, Ram takes the poem and brings back a composition that is hummable, and impactful. Nikhil Rao steps in to strum the guitar as video clips of the protests play in the background. Some funny, some heartbreaking, the slogans and images correlate with the words. Here's to a new (now musical) protest anthem.

End of an era at Byculla

Mumbai's Irani cafés and restaurants have been an intrinsic part of the city's culinary culture, standing as institutions that have withstood the test of time. Most of them were built early in the last century, after a bunch of enterprising Parsis took advantage of the fact that Hindus wouldn't conduct any sort of business in buildings located at the corner of a street, since they considered that inauspicious. One such establishment is Byculla Restaurant and Bakery, established in 1934.

The place embodies an old-world charm, with a menu that includes salli boti and dhansak outside of staples like mutton samosa and bun maska. But the sad news is that it is now shutting down. Owner Darias Ferzandi's son, Neville, told this diarist, "Dad was old and there was no one to look after it, since I am an architect and too busy at my job. There were also too many government hassles." mid-day had paid tribute to this and nine other Irani cafés during The Guide Restaurant Awards earlier this year. So it's doubly sad to see the eatery bowing out.

Catch a glimpse here: www.mid-day.com/videos/guide-awards-lesser-known-irani-cafes--byculla-restaurant-and-bakery/1025469

Bookmarking the PM

Last year, author Aatish Taseer's Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) status was revoked by the Government of India — many suspected it was little to do with concealing information about the nationality of his father as much as a critical piece on PM Modi he wrote for a US publication.

Now, Taseer's mother, journalist and columnist Tavleen Singh has come out with a new book titled Messiah Modi? (HarperCollins). It chronicles his regime so far as well as her journey from being a relentless supporter to a disillusioned observer. With a frank tone, she looks at lynching, demonetisation and the abrogration of Article 370. With the ongoing anti-CAA and NRC protests, this sounds like a storm in a teacup.

Making it mainstream

Four Indian LGBTQ+ short films, The Fish Curry, Ladli, U for Usha and A Monsoon Date starring Konkana Sen Sharma, will be screened at PVR Juhu, and in six other cities including New Delhi, Kolkata and Bangalore, for two days, starting today. The community has used the term "historical" to describe this development, and insists it is not used loosely.

The word historical is to denote that LGBTQ+ entertainment, usually relegated to film festival slots is slowly taking the mainstream route and is now accessible to a wider audience. One accedes it is only two days and one show but it is an important step forward. "Short films too do not get a theatrical release easily. We have put together this bouquet of LGBT short films, that is significant," Shridhar Rangayan, festival director of Kashish, an annual LGBT film festival held in Mumbai, told this diarist.

When Cardoz got scammed

Chef Floyd Cardoz of The Bombay Canteen and O Pedro fame woke up to an Instagram scam on Monday and decided to share it on, you guessed right, Instagram. The message on his Insta stories reads that his account is being permanently blocked due to copyright infringement.

He pointed out that if the email originated at Instagram's Menlo Park headquarters, it would spell centre as 'centre' and that the scammer wasn't too smart. From what seems like a hearty laugh later, Cardoz was back to doing what he does best, creating and sharing food.

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