Our sister Devieka and brother-in-law Suresh Bhojwani have sure been hitting the high notes in Los Angeles where they have been catching up with their friends, writer Ian La Frenais (Across The Universe), and his artist wife Doris Vartan who are an integral part of the rock-chic inner circle
Our sister Devieka and brother-in-law Suresh Bhojwani have sure been hitting the high notes in Los Angeles where they have been catching up with their friends, writer Ian La Frenais (Across The Universe), and his artist wife Doris Vartan who are an integral part of the rock-chic inner circle.
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The Bhojwanis have serious rock cred themselves: industrialist Suresh was a popular member of the Jets and then the Trojans and very much part of India’s pioneering rock scene; Devieka sang at many folk and rock concerts where she was known as India’s ‘Joan Baez’. Staying at what was formerly Quincy Jones’ mansion, their trip has included attending the closing down party for the House Of Blues with Ian and Doris.
Walsh, Starr and Suresh Bhojwani
“It was like the Samovar farewell, lots of nostalgia, speeches and Indian sculpture all around!” she told us even while hanging out with Hollywood teen sensation Robert Pattinson, whom she described as “shy, well-behaved and not at all starry, and he’s dying to come to India, specially Goa!”
Devieka with Robert
And if that wasn’t enough, they met their old friend Joe Walsh of the Eagles, as well as the legendary former Beatle Ringo Starr (Walsh and Starr are married to sisters), at a small dinner where, by popular request, Devieka cooked chicken curry and other sundry Indian specialties.
Incidentally, this is not the Bhojwani’s only close encounter with a former Beatle. Way back in the nineties, they travelled across India on a private jet with George Harrison. What was Starr like? “He was lovely such a warm and slightly spacey guy,” said Devieka.
Tomorrowland Comes to Mumbai
“The Tomorrowland team, Michiel Beers and his people are just like us warm, dedicated, creative and truly care about the fans, and uniting them through dance music,” said Percept’s Shailendra Singh, whose Sunburn is one of the region’s biggest dance music festivals.
Michiel Beers (co-owner Tomorrowland) Shailendra Singh, Dimitri Vegas (of Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike - the world’s #2 Djs) and Nick Royaards (management DV&LM)
Singh was calling to share his latest triumph: that Tomorrowland probably Europe’s largest and most popular dance music festival that takes place annually in the appropriately named Boom, Belgium will be brought live to Mumbai’s Dome, NSCI, by Sunburn/Percept Live at an event titled Unite.
“People of Mumbai will be able to experience the festival in their city on July 25 through a live video connection from Boom to Mumbai and back again. Mexico is the only other city to be chosen,” said the consummate impressario, adding, “The party will take place from 11am to 2:15 am, with a lineup of Armin van Buuren, Martin Garrix, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike and local talent as well.”
As for his own ultimate Tomorrowland experience? “It was the time when I was in a special enclosure at the festival along with my core team sipping a ‘marquee’ champagne with a clear view of the stage and 11,00,000 people dancing around me” he said, “That was priceless!”
Actor’s day off
Could there be any thing more delightful than this candid picture of Ayesha Dharker with her two-and-half-year-old daughter Ava, taken on a sunny day in London just a few days before the opening of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Othello performed at Stratford upon Avon?
Dharker with daughter
The play that opens today has Mumbai’s own attractive thespian playing the role of Emellia an exceedingly prestigious assignment if we may say so. “The picture was taken on my day off before we began the crazy ride of previews and opening night!” said Dharker. Nice!
Priya Raje Scindia at Christie’s
The royals have always been celebrated for their patronage of art and no one knows this as well as the delectable Amin Jaffrey, Christie’s London-based International director of Asian Art, whose book ‘Made For Maharajas’, a sumptuous recounting of the staggering bespoke luxury of Indian Maharajahs, was the toast of both academics and collectors a few years ago.
Priya Raje Scindia
This week Jaffer managed to persuade the otherwise low-profile and media-shy Priya Raje Scindia, wife of Congressman Jyotiraditya Scindia, the former junior minister for power in the Government of India, to speak at one of the auction house’s events in London.
Scindia, a Mumbai girl who eschews public life unlike the rest of her politically high profile family, is the daughter of Kumar Sangramsingh Gaekwad, the third son of Pratap Singh Gaekwad, the last ruler of Baroda State and Asharaje Gaekwad, a descendant of the powerful Rana dynasty of hereditary prime ministers of Nepal. Last heard of she was active in organising earthquake relief for the victims of Nepal and urging her friends to donate towards its rehabilitation.
In his care
At a late night show of Zoya Akhtar’s recent offering, as we waited patiently for the trailers to commence, our attention was drawn to a striking short film, an initiative undertaken by the Mumbai police to spread awareness about violence against women.
Rakesh Maria
The film, which features female police officers, highlighted a few cases where the victim has been wronged, but is too poor/scared to report the incident. A female officer speaks into the camera about how the force went out of its way in these cases to ensure an FIR got filed and the criminals were apprehended.
The public interest film also features Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria, who announces zero tolerance in any case that involves injustice towards women. And we hear Maria has also set up a helpline (103) that is specifically manned for this much-needed and timely intervention. We like!
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