Hear Ye, Hear Ye
A man winces while getting his ear swabbed by a roadside ear cleaner near Shivaji Park
A new stage for Tamaasha
Shanta Gokhale speaks to guests at the inauguration in Andheri. PICS COURTESY/@studioTamaasha
Finding a home of your own in Mumbai can be a challenge. Ask theatermakers Sunil Shanbag (right) and Sapan Saran. The founders of Studio Tamaasha welcomed friends and theatre icons, from Shanta Gokhale, to Akarsh Khurana to their new rehearsal space in the suburb on October 10. “A space in Mumbai is a very important part of our plans. After we moved from our Lokhandwala address about two years ago, we have been looking, and we were lucky to spot this space a few months ago,” shared Saran. Located opposite Navrang Cinema, the studio has been under renovation for a few months. Shanbag revealed that the studio will serve many purposes. “The studio is designed as a multi-use space — for rehearsals, readings, small performances, and workshops,” he revealed.
Rom-com in the city
Journalist and author Deepanjana Pal (below) is back in the spotlight with her new book, Lightning in a Shot Glass (HarperCollins India), a rom-com-like, feminist take on the lives of two women, one aged 40, the other at the threshold of 30. Set in Mumbai, the story utilises the ‘City that never sleeps’ as a crucial anchor in shaping its protagonists’ friendships, identities, the unconventionality of their respective romances, and their familial and workplace challenges. Pal describes the book as ‘a love letter to all working women’. She shared, “It began as something I wrote to distract myself from the awfulness around us, but quickly became less about escapism, and more about what makes everything better.”
Hear it from the superfan
Rohit Sharma clicks a selfie with Roshan Kundiya. PICS COURTESY/ROHIT KUNDIYA
Rohit Sharma’s heated moment with his security guards at Shivaji Park on Friday, after a fan tried to steal a selfie with him, has divided fans online. We caught up with Roshan Kundiya, the fan who was at the centre of all the action, for the real scoop. Speaking to this diarist through his elder brother Rohit Kundiya, the 10-year-old said, “We learnt of Rohit’s visit to our home turf at around 2.30 pm. The venue was packed with fans.” A student of Our Lady of Salvation High School, Roshan is an avid cricketer walking in his icon’s footsteps. “Roshan tried to reach Sharma twice. The second time, he was sternly stopped in his tracks by Rohit’s team. Sharma saw this, and immediately called out the brash behaviour,” the elder brother added. We learnt that the gentle Hitman checked on the young fan’s condition, before striking up a conversation about his cricketing ambitions, even ensuring he had a guardian to take him home safe amid the commotion. The moment was sealed with a candid selfie that has earned the young fan bragging rights for days. “When Roshan came back to us, he was in tears. It was quite a distressing experience that was fortunately saved by Sharma’s act of kindness. My little brother’s legs are still shaking from excitement,” Kundiya revealed to us.
Out on a limb for paws
PIC COURTESY/HAPPYCARTS
After a stressful few months, good news is finally in order for Mumbai’s dog lovers. Happy Carts, an animal welfare group that has been crafting mobility wheelchairs for injured dogs, has announced a Diwali-special initiative: wheelchairs at just R5 for furry friends that need a pick-me-up to get around. “The idea took off after my own dog, Happy, was left physically impaired nearly a decade ago. The ‘happy carts’ can improve a canine’s quality of life drastically,” said founder Utkarsh Gare. Those keen to enquire about purchasing or customising carts can dial 9584816817.
Kabaddi’s new buddies
The mascots for (left) Telugu Titans and (right) Jaipur Pink Panthers. PICS COURTESY/IRON THREAD STUDIO
A Goregaon-based studio is sending its finest men to the 2025 season of the Pro Kabaddi League. Costume designer and cosplayer Jeet Molankar’s (below) Iron Thread Studio has crafted five revamped mascots that will turn the heat up during the upcoming matches of the ongoing season.
While the Telugu Titans are set to receive a Spartan-inspired warrior mascot, the Pink Panther mascot will cheer on the Jaipur contingent. “It was time we came on par with the global standards set by leagues like the NBA and NFL in the USA. We have spent months in the studio perfecting these costumes. I hope the players love it,” Molankar told us over a call from Delhi, where he’s on a fabric shopping spree for his next project.
