Sweet beginnings
Women at the Gharoba Khamang Faral in Prabhadevi pack ladoos ahead of Diwali celebrations
Cycle like the Dutch
Vijay Malhotra (left) and Geert Kloppenburg. PIC COURTESY/VIJAY MALHOTRA
City-based cycling community leader Vijay Malhotra is steadily pedalllng towards the release of his new documentary, All About Dutch Cycling. Slated for a release later this month, it will highlight the benefits of adopting cycling as a mode of commute. “I spent three weeks shooting in The Netherlands, interviewing 10 experts,” he revealed to us. Geert Kloppenburg, one of the featured experts, added, “I cycled in South Mumbai today, and saw facets of the city that I would have missed if I was on a bus or a train. I’m glad that Mumbai is slowly embracing cyclist-friendly infrastructure.”
In memory of the Ustad
Late Ustad Zakir Hussain at a performance. PICS COURTESY/NCPA
He might have passed on, but the memory of his playful rhythms continues to echo and resonate. Come December 14, and the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) will host a two-day tribute to the memory of the late Ustad Zakir Hussain; Maestro Forever: A Tribute to Zakir Hussain.
A dated photograph of (from left) Ustad Alla Rakha, Pandit Ravi Shankar and Zakir Hussain onstage at the Nariman Point venue
“Zakir has been a dear and long-time friend, apart from being a valuable and contributing member of the NCPA Council. The least we can do is honour him with a function befitting his talent, and stature as a national figure,” shared Khushroo N Santook (right), chairman, NCPA. The festival will also witness the presence of his family, alongside performances by over 55 artistes, lectures, talks, a photo exhibition, and documentary screenings.
“The curation was developed in collaboration with his wife, Antonia, and his brother, Taufiq Qureshi. Every element — from documentaries and musical performances, to talks, photo exhibitions, and more — has been thoughtfully chosen based on each artiste’s personal association with the late maestro,” shared Dr Suvarnalata Rao, head of Indian music at NCPA.
Stand up for a cause
Urooj Ashfaq. PIC COURTESY/@UROOJASHFAQ
Mental health is no laughing matter. Ask comedians Urooj Ashfaq, Aman Jotwani, Tarang Hardikar, and Rohan Desai, who showed up in solidarity at a fundraiser for affordable therapy last weekend in Versova. The performance, organised by Ira Khan’s Agatsu Foundation and Dialogue Mental Health, seems to have left the artistes a tad cheerier as well. Following his time on stage, an enthusiastic Jotwani told us, “We had a sold-out show. It was an interesting experience, talking about our own childhood stories and experiences with mental health onstage.”
All roads lead to Prithvi Theatre
Prithvi Theatre decked up for a previous edition. FILE PIC
The iconic Prithvi Theatre is ready to celebrate the 46th year of bringing stories and communities together. The iconic Prithvi Festival is scheduled to take place from November 1 to 17. This year’s edition presents a diverse line-up, featuring acclaimed voices in Indian theatre.
Mahmood Farooqui. PIC COURTESY/MAHMOOD FAROOQUI
Yuki Ellias and Mahabanoo Mody Kotwal bring a fresh take on women-centric plays. Mohit Takalkar, Akarsh Khurana, Atul Kumar, along with Mahmood Farooqui will showcase their talent. NT Live screenings of acclaimed National Theatre UK productions, brings an eclectic experience of English theatre.
StageTalk@Prithvi by Pragya Tiwari, marks its 14th edition. Trustees Kunal and Zahan Kapoor (left) shared, “This edition promises a bouquet of fresh performances by some of the finest directors in the fraternity. It’s a celebration of the performing arts, of our community, and of our roots.”
UN’s got an eye on us
Zidaan Castellino presents the report to Erik Solheim. PIC COURTESY/ZIDAAN CASTELLINO
Erik Solheim, former executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme, got a glimpse of Mumbai’s green spirit on Monday. During an informal meeting with 17-year-old Malad-based environmentalist Zidaan Castellino, Solheim was introduced to the clean-up and greening initiatives Mumbaikars have been conducting at Carter Road, Charkop and Malad, among other ecologically sensitive areas. “I have been in touch with Solheim since 2023 over email. It was an honour to finally meet him. I presented him with my report on the ongoing efforts in Mumbai. He was particularly impressed by the logistics behind orchestrating large-scale efforts in the densely populated city. I’m looking forward to translating these talks into action with Solheim soon,” Castellino revealed to this diarist.
