On top of the world
A BMX rider demonstrates a professional trick in the air at Carter Road Skatepark in Bandra West
Dastangoi nostalgia
Mahmood Farooqui during a performance. Pics courtesy/mindworkz;@kindlecastindia
For Mumbaikars who are nostalgic about the days when the city was Bombay, there’s a treat for theatre-goers on November 15. As part of the 2025 edition of the Prithvi Festival, at Prithvi Theatre in Juhu, the esteemed writer, director, and performer Mahmood Farooqui, will be showcasing a performance of Dastan-e-Guru Dutt, utilising Dastangoi, a traditional form of Urdu storytelling.
Farooqui’s performance presents the big four of Bollywood in the 1950s: Raj Kapoor, Bimal Roy, Guru Dutt, and Mehboob Khan, encapsulating the cinematic theme of Bombay noir, from anti-heroes and the city’s perennial spirit of desiring and seeking more.
Curious to know more about this storytelling form, this diarist reached out to artiste Danish Husain, who has been instrumental in bringing Dastangoi to the forefront. “Dastangoi usually features a presentation where the performer remains seated and recites continuously, with a cadence somewhere between prose and poetry. It was revived in 2005 in India,” Husain describes.
Change is in the air
There’s a bittersweet new update for the LGBTQI+ community in Mumbai. The Gay Gaze Bombay, a city-based platform popular among members for hosting parties and nightlife events, announced a split between its founders, Gurleen Arora and Winnie Chopra. This diarist caught up with the duo about the turn of events. “I will be beginning a new platform named MAD Society,” shared Arora. “The purpose is to move forward from events curated solely for the queer community, and to open up a space for artists in particular, to be able to thrive.”
Gurleen Arora performs at a previous event, that showcased the Madrobe Walfunction collection, which will be integrated into MAD Society. Pics courtesy/The Gay Gaze Bombay
Arora elaborated further, “MAD Society will be an innovative space, and a culmination of more than 20 years of work of mine in media, and will comprise everything from fashion to creative solutions, to bring artist(e)s, queer and otherwise, to the mainstream. We will also focus on how creators can get more job opportunities, as that’s what the community of creative minds needs the most right now.”
Chopra, who will manage The Gay Gaze solo from now onwards, also shared her plans, “I want to develop The Gay Gaze as a safe space, especially for older queer members, and those seeking professional and personal guidance. I’d also like to engage in more events related to sport or arts and crafts, and even start a mentorship programme.”
Literature finds voice
(Left) Dr Sujata Jadhav; (right) Arundhathi Subramaniam
The National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) celebrated the 100th edition of its Page to Stage initiative at the Godrej Dance Theatre on November 12. The programme nurtures literary expression alongside the performing arts. It featured the launch of poet Arundhathi Subramaniam’s book, The Gallery of Upside Down Women. Curated by Dr Sujata Jadhav, head, Libraries & Documentation Centre, NCPA, the event saw a dramatic reading by Anahita Uberoi and Shernaz Patel. Dr Jadhav shared more about this idea, “My vision for Page to Stage is ‘Where Literature finds its Voice and Vision’. Literature becomes a lively performance, moving beyond potentially boring book readings.”
Gully cool in London
A moment from the event. Pic courtesy/Gully Labs
It was a step in the right direction for the Delhi-based design studio, Gully Labs, as they headed over to the United Kingdom for their first international collaboration earlier this week. Teaming up with Amra London and DominAsian Magazine, the Arjun Singh and Animesh Mishra-led studio made its first foray overseas with a pop-up in London. The studio brought together over 350 attendees including some prominent names from the UK music and creative industries, engaging the South Asian diaspora. It looks like India’s hip-hop is not the only thing that is spreading its wings in London.
Crafting ideas in the park
Participants at a previous session in Pune. Pics courtesy/Shruti Gandhi
Craft, arts, and similar hobbies are something most people like to use for fun and relaxation, so there’s no reason they should have to pay a hefty amount for that,” opines Shruti Gandhi (below), a Pune-based UX designer. She will host a get-together named Crafternoon, free-of-cost, on November 16, at Jogger’s Park, Bandra.
“It’s my first time hosting this in Mumbai; I’ve hosted six to seven [sessions] in Pune. It’s a way for people to connect and learn a new skill, like origami and knitting. There’s no reason why good things should be expensive,” she reminds us.
