The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
Pic/Kirti Surve Parade
Craft of the matter
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A cobbler near Azad Maidan crafts miniature Kolhapuri chappal-shaped key rings that are used to ward off the evil eye.
Dialogues on desire
A moment from a previous workshop. Pic courtesy/Vaishali Kohle
In a bid to open up space for conversations around desire, sexuality and disability for young women and gender diverse people living with disabilities, NGO, Point Of View has extended the applications for their new initiative, The Pyaar Plus Learning Circle till March 23. “One of the objectives is to challenge the myth that people with disabilities are not sexual beings. Sexuality and disability are not separate worlds — they coexist, and deserve to be celebrated,” Shazia Qureshi, project anchor-disability, shared.
Shazia Qureshi
The world through Sai’s eyes
A still from Sai Paranjpye’s film, Chakachak. Pic Courtesy/NFDC
The National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) is screening a retrospective of the legendary filmmaker Sai Paranjpye from March 21 to 23 in Pune. “With nine films being screened over a span of three days, this is among the larger retrospectives for the filmmaker held in Pune,” a NFDC-NFAI representative shared with this diarist. The screening aims to showcase some of the lesser-known films from Paranjpye’s oeuvre. “We have included her short films like Horrrn Pukare and Suee as well as the restored classic, Sikandar. The latter was Paranjpye’s second release, and often forgotten among her filmography,” she added. With the legendary filmmaker scheduled to grace the screenings, the organisation might also bring the retrospective to other cities as well. “She is willing to participate in the Question and Answer sessions, and has said that she will be present on all days. For now, the sessions are only being held in Pune. However, depending on the response, we might consider taking it to other cities, including Mumbai,” she concluded.
Sai Paranjpye. File pic
Memes that matter
The sign post at Military Road in Marol. Pic Courtesy/Omkar Dhareshwar; (right) Omkar Dhareshwar
Marol-based art activist Omkar Dhareshwar has found a new way to share memes. Dhareshwar turned up with a Bollywood-inspired meme signpost near a bus stop in Military Road, Marol to spread awareness about waste disposal. “The pile of garbage near the bus stop causes plenty of inconvenience to commuters. Memes are one of the most popular forms of communication these days and as an artist, I wanted to initiate a conversation about this,” Dhareshwar told this diarist.
An anime treat for Mumbaikars
A scene from the manga series One Piece. Pic Courtesy/Crunchyroll
Mumbai’s anime fans can rejoice. In their first trip to the city, Kappei Yamaguchi and Hiroaki Hirata, voice actors behind Usopp and Sanji of the popular Manga series, One Piece will attend Mumbai Comic Con scheduled for next month. “We’re always looking for ways to bring fans closer to the anime they love. Bringing both these voice actors to Mumbai is an exciting moment for the anime community in India. This is a rare opportunity for fans to connect with them and we’re thrilled to make it happen,” Akshat Sahu, senior director of marketing, Asia-Pacific, Crunchyroll, American anime OTT platform that is bringing them to Mumbai, told us.
Jamshedi joy
Armin Wandrewala
A familiar name at the Bombay High Court, lawyer Armin Wandrewala is also an author. Two decades after her first book, Wandrewala will launch her latest title, The Moment of The Banyan (Vakils Feffer& Simons Pvt Ltd), today. The story is built around a multi-generational Parsi Zoroastrian family in an agrarian town, and for a reason. “The declining numbers of the Parsi/ Irani Zoroastrian community is a concern for both this vibrant community, and their many well-wishers across the country. What is equally of concern is that the unique stories of this community are also in danger of fading away and being forgotten,” she said. The book is the culmination of a dream project, and fittingly opens on Jamshedi Navroze — the harbinger of spring, she said. Readers can find the book at bookstores and e-stores.
