The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
Pic/Ashish Raje
All the gossip under the sun
Employees take a break from work on the balcony of a corporate building in Andheri
In the Koli groove
Yung Clyde (in red) performs at the club. Pic Courtesy/Yung Clyde
You can accuse Mumbai of being expensive, but not exclusive. While there has been a trend of regional songs taking over the clubs in the city, it was quite the sight for revellers to walk into an East Indian celebration in Andheri last Sunday. Rapper Yung Clyde was joined by Maxwell Fernandes and Joywin Vasaikar at the familiar venue of Kitty Su as they put out a mix of East Indian hip-hop and new rap tracks for a vibrant party. “I never expected the songs to take off among a crowd in Andheri. When we were invited, we thought we would mix it up with Hindi, English and one or two East Indian songs for diversity. Even as I entered, I noticed the crowd speaking mainly in English, Hindi and even a little Gujarati. This made me a tad doubtful of the idea of even playing East Indian songs. However, as it went on, the demand for the East Indian tracks grew,” Clyde shared. Though the crowd was upscale and hip, Clyde shared, “The Koli songs also got a great response. The oft-repeated one was Paskin. I almost felt like we were at a Gaothan block party. We are now eager to try this genre more at clubs since we are confident of a welcome response.”
The chawl’s memory keeper
Malgavkar’s work inspired by the Keshavji Naik Chawl in Girgaon. File Pic
It is not every day that you catch a sight of chawls in Kala Ghoda. Mena Malgavkar’s upcoming exhibition at Jehangir Art Gallery delves into the details of the disappearing chawl culture of Mumbai. “I have been painting since 2010, but I did not notice the features of the chawls till six or seven years ago,” the artist shared.
The Mahim resident happened upon the idea during a chance walk around her neighbourhood. “It was in 2018 that I happened to pass through Bhageshwar Bhavan in the neighbourhood. I had never used that route, and was fascinated by the architecture — the trellis, grills and the combination of stone and wood.”
An artwork based on the now demolished Zubeida Manzil in Mahim. Pics Courtesy/Mena Maigavkar
The exhibition, which opens on May 5, will feature nearly 30 works inspired by Malgavkar’s visits to chawls across the city ranging from the Keshavji Naik Chawl and Kshatriya Niwas Hall in Girgaon to the now-defunct Zubeida Manzil in Mahim. “There was a lifestyle and culture, as well as beauty in these structures that I find interesting,” she added.
Let’s make reading cool again
A child and his guardian read a book at a session
This summer, we suggest you start logging your ‘page time’ instead of the infamous screen time. Starting today, families visiting Worli’s Nehru Centre Library will be encouraged to unwind in the company of books. “The Let’s Read Together campaign is our attempt to create a comfortable, air-conditioned space for families to read together,” shared Arati Desai, librarian and documentation officer, Nehru Centre Library.
Author Katie Bagli signs an autograph for a young fan. Pics Courtesy/Nehru Centre Library
As a newer introduction, Summer Book Club, the Centre will invite eminent authors like Katie Bagli, Medha Rajadhyaksha, Nandita Da Cunha and Lavanya Karthik, among others to read excerpts from their books. While the author sessions are scheduled from May 5 to 10, families can head to the library for a literary respite till June 15. Those keen can write to nehrucentrelibrary@gmail.com.
Special appearances in Andheri
A moment from the performance on stage
Nearly 15 children living with intellectual disabilities sealed a dramatic win against stage fright in Andheri on Monday. Performing at Raashaa Theatre’s staging of their play Woh Khula Asmaan, the artistes were joined by theatremaker Anupama Chouhan and her troupe on stage.
Anupama Chouhan. Pics Courtesy/Anupama Chouhan
“The story is a reminder of the need for inclusivity. It follows four friends who reunite after decades, each with their own stories and struggles,” Chouhan told this diarist. While a majority of the young participants hailed from Mumbai, artistes from as far as Delhi joined the performance. “We’re now looking to take it to more stages across the city,” the theatre maker revealed. The troupe is already marking their calendars for a upcoming showcase on July 7 in the western suburb. To follow the young artistes’ journey, head to @raashaa_theatre.
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