Out with a bang
Revelers bid the festive season adieu with bright fireworks at Shivaji Park in Dadar.
NYC, via Bengal
Dr Pheroza J Godrej; (right) William Wood, Joanna de Silva, 1792. Pic Courtesy/The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (2020.234)
Yesterday, the Museum Society of Mumbai (MSoM) and Cymroza Art Gallery, hosted an insightful talk, From Bengal to New York: Two New Indian Portraits at the Met. Adam Eaker, a European Paintings curator from The Metropolitan Museum of Art discussed two recently acquired 18th-century portraits by The Met. The first is of an Indo-Portuguese ayah (1792); the second is a Mogul Lady, (1787). The session explored how these acquisitions shift narratives of Indian representation in Western institutions. “These paintings will profoundly impact the country as both represent Indian subjects,” revealed Dr Pheroza J Godrej, chairperson, MSoM.
For the khaas adman
(From left) Piyush Pandey and Louiz Banks; Shimona Rashi in the iconic Cadbury ad. Pics Courtesy/Cadbury India, Neil Banks
The passing of the famed adman, lyricist and author Piyush Pandey on October 24 marked the end to a life that produced moments of pop-culture that redefined India on screen for millennials. A generation of Indians would recall the memory of a girl dancing her way onto the cricket pitch in a 1994 Cadbury ad. Composer Louiz Banks knew it too well, having worked with the adman for over four decades.
“I still remember when Piyush had a deadline to have the jingle ready, and I had to catch a flight to Kolkata for a concert. Within an hour, I composed the jingle — Shankar Mahadevan sang the Hindi version and Gary Lawyer the English version. That one rushed hour Cadbury’s Kuch Khaas Hai went on to win multiple awards,” the composer shared. This was not their only collaboration either. Banks added, “We’ve worked together on numerous ad campaigns. He also assisted the legendary Suresh Mullick on the timeless Mile Sur Mera Tumhara [composed by Banks]. His creative inputs were invaluable in shaping the arrangements. I am saddened by his sudden passing. I will miss my dear friend, Piyush.”
Millions versus billions
Sophie Devine. Pic Courtesy/White Ferns
The White Ferns (New Zealand’s women cricket team) may have been knocked out of the ongoing Women’s ODI World Cup, but their amazing team spirit is worth saluting each time one of them is at the mic. This, despite their rotten luck with the rain gods having washed out most of their matches. On Thursday, when Sophie Devine, their talismanic captain was at the post-match conversation, she didn’t hold back with her disappointment at losing to India. “It’s bloody frustrating,” she responded to Julia Price’s query about the mood in the camp. “But I am proud of the girls, and how we fought till the end; who knows what could have happened if it was a 50-over match,” alluding to another rain-hit game at Navi Mumbai. She revealed about the talk in the dugout that while India is home to over one billion [referring to the immense talent and facilities], New Zealand is a country of five million; “…yet we continue to punch above our weight against the bigger nations,” she signed off. Now that’s what we call playing on the front foot, on and off the field.
Meet me onstage
Sachin Khedekar in rehearsal. Pic Courtesy/NCPA
Actor Sachin Khedekar is feeling a lot like himself this week. The veteran Marathi actor is gearing to play the role of an acclaimed actor who loses himself in his character, at a stage show tomorrow. Directed by Chandrakant Kulkarni and written by Kshitij Patwardhan, the new production Bhumika will take stage at the NCPA. Giving this diarist a peek into his headspace before taking on the performance, Khedekar revealed, “As an actor, I have played many roles which have had an impact on me… But I try to separate it from my day to day life. One has to have a switch-on-switch-off perspective to one’s art with respect to the screen. I don’t take myself so seriously to imagine that I am a great person. That would be delusional.”
Baba’s gone arty
Baba Sehgal paints a canvas. Pic Courtesy/Baba Sehgal
Hindi rap’s OG icon Baba Sehgal will have a brush with the world of art later this month. The Aaja Meri Gaadi Mein and Dil Dhadke hitmaker told us, “My songs have found somewhat of a cult following over the years, but not many know that I picked up the brush way before I started rapping. My new works explore the themes of Azaadi (Freedom).” Sehgal’s first solo exhibition is set to open in Singapore’s Orchard Road between November 25 and 30. Like his quirky tracks, Sehgal isn’t taking himself too seriously as a canvas artist, he assured us. “I’m not too hard on myself. Some days, I feel like making music, while other days are for the canvas,” he revealed to us.
