In meow spot
A cat lounges comfortably atop the parapet of a building opposite Shivaji Park in Dadar
Naseer sahab drives it home
A still from Far From Home. PIC COURTESY/ANKITA M KUMAR
A hectic week with commitments at the ongoing Prithvi Festival hasn’t distracted Naseeruddin Shah (right) from what truly matters. The veteran actor recently put on the executive producer’s cap for Far From Home, a documentary that explores the lives of Afghan refugees in India.
Directed by Mumbai-based Ankita M Kumar, the documentary is currently on an Academy Award campaign for Best Short Documentary. “I’ve always believed the most important function of cinema is to act as a record of its times. Since it is the only medium that can do that, I consider documentaries to be of more value for posterity than features,” Shah shared.
Fiction call for Amitav Ghosh
Amitav Ghosh. FILE PIC/ASHISH RAJE
HE promised us fiction, and Amitav Ghosh has delivered. In an interview with this diarist in January this year at a Bandra teahouse, the novelist said, “I have a novel coming out at the end of the year. It feels so nice to get back to writing fiction,” as he continued to sip on one of his favourite brews, the Muscatel Okayti.
The new title, Ghost-Eye (HarperCollins), will be released on December 15. As always, Ghosh has picked up on a thread that blends the contextual with a surreal story that raises questions about culture, environment and history, set in Calcutta/Kolkata and Brooklyn. Just like a good brew, this too will be worth the wait, we can tell.
Lessons from the police station
A moment from the visit in Mahim. PIC COURTESY/EDUSMART PRESCHOOL
While most of us might avoid stepping into a police station like the plague, pre-schoolers from Edusmart Preschools in Shivaji Park were all smiles when they dropped by Mahim Police Station last weekend. As part of the practical learning module, the children were accompanied by teachers on a visit to meet the uniformed heroes in action. “Children read about public service personnel in their textbooks, but it is never enough. The visit was a welcome change for the police personnel as well. They gladly gave us a tour of the police station, and showed us how emergency protocol helps them stay on their toes. It is important to de-sensitise children to the concept of emergency workers, so they don’t hesitate before reaching out for help in the future,” said preschool administrator Richa Singhi.
Who’s down for a puzzle?
A view of the newly-opened Puzzle Room. PIC COURTESY/NSC
THE Nehru Science Centre (NSC) in Worli will eagerly wait for the clock to strike 11.11 am today (November 11), to inaugurate a new section called the Puzzles Corner in the premises. The launch will be one of the highlights of the Centre’s 40th anniversary celebrations. Interactive math, memory, and logic-based games, creative challenges, and immersive panels will keep curious young visitors (and their parents) engaged, an official from the Centre confirmed. As a hat tip to the anniversary month (the Centre was inaugurated in November 1985), we learnt that visitors born in November will get free entry passes on the inaugural day on producing valid identification proof. We rate this idea 11/11.
New home for 3ArtHouse
Guests at the old Khar space. PIC COURTESY/3art
3ArtHouse, the Khar-based community art space known for comedy shows, open mics, and workshops, is moving to a larger two-floor venue to accommodate its growing community.
“This Sunday, we’re moving purely because of space constraints. Vacating the old space feels like letting go of your baby,” said co-founder Jasmeet Kaur Bagga (left). The team is now on the lookout for takers who pledge to “keep art alive in the old space” and continue fostering creative freedom.
