The storytellers
The storytellers
Konkona Sensharma and Gulzar at the launch of Vishal Bhardwaj’s new film.
It’s a family affair
Family Matters More
WRITERS Rohinton Mistry and brother Cyrus should take a break from publishing literary masterpieces and tell us how to reprint their DNA. The Sahitya Akademi Awards were announced two weeks ago and Cyrus was feted for his Chronicle of a Corpse Bearer — the ceremony will be held in February. Meanwhile, the elder, Rohinton, has been appointed a Member of the Order of Canada, the country’s highest civilian honour, for “his acclaimed work as an author of international renown”. The author’s much beloved works include Such a Long Journey, A Fine Balance and Family Matters, Our chest is puffed with pride for the Bombay boys. We just need to know — is it in the water? Because we don’t usually drink that.
Silver anniversary
WAY back in 1990, the Poonawalla siblings, Cyrus and Zavaray introduced the million dollar juvenile horse racing trophy. The runaway success spun copycats, and top prizes at horse races now come with even more zeroes. Twenty-five years later, the Poonawallas aren’t resting on past laurels. Zavaray is the title sponsor of the full-fledged night racing programme, hosted at the Mahalaxmi Race Course this year, to which he’ll be contributing over Rs 1 crore. But blinker your eyes, because they might dazzle. The Zavaray Poonawalla TripleMillion, with its inaugural run this weekend, comes with an imposing silver trophy worth a million rupees. Four feet high and three feet wide, the trophy is apparently made of 20 kilos of sterling silver. It may just need a stable to house it.
A tailor-made theory
WHEN a Nobel laureate in Chemistry is seated next to an internationally renowned mathematician, does the conversation gravitate to the neutral ground of physics? Well, in a matter of speaking. At the Indian Science Congress in Mysuru, Dan Schechtman collared US & Canada-based mathematician, Prof Manjul Bhargava about his kurta asking, “Is this what you go with even in the USA?” Bhargava gave the Nobel laureate some homespun wisdom— “Especially under the fierce sun, it is more comfortable than the formal suit we are made to wear.” Just like science, changes must be made by minuscule degrees.
Tailpiece
THE diarist has learned that Gaurav Dhingra, producer of last year’s fierce and feisty feminesto, Angry Indian Goddesses, which is still a talking point among film goers, is back. Faith Connections is a documentary on the frenzy and chaotic devotion that the Kumbh Mela churns up. “After releasing it globally, we are thrilled to bring our feature documentary to Indian audiences in 2016,” says Dhingra. Well, he’s already appeased the angry goddesses, so here’s an offering to the rest of the pantheon.
Konkona Sensharma and Gulzar at the launch of Vishal Bhardwaj’s new film.
It’s a family affair
WHEN a real-estate mogul, among India’s biggest billionaires, asks you to Sunday brunch, you actually hope the affair will be hosted at home. Niranjan Hiranandani and his charming wife Kamal (pictured) are among the few folks we’d trek to Powaii for — their three-storey party pad rewards the effort — but this weekend’s invitation is for a midtown hotel, and we’ll simply have to make do. The reason for the celebrations? “Our 40th anniversary was in the first week of December and my son Darshan was not in town so we had to postpone,” Niranjan tells us, “It’s only family and personal friends though.” How many? “About 200 maybe 300.” That’s not small, this diarist protests. “It is, by my standards,” he laughs. The Hiranandanis are especially happy to have spent three days with their daughter Priya Vandrevala and their two grandchildren in London this past October. Vandrevala and her father have been battling a very public dispute over one of his businesses, and are still in arbitration. “But it is all well,” he says. And pour the bubbly over troubled waters, we say.
Family Matters More
WRITERS Rohinton Mistry and brother Cyrus should take a break from publishing literary masterpieces and tell us how to reprint their DNA. The Sahitya Akademi Awards were announced two weeks ago and Cyrus was feted for his Chronicle of a Corpse Bearer — the ceremony will be held in February. Meanwhile, the elder, Rohinton, has been appointed a Member of the Order of Canada, the country’s highest civilian honour, for “his acclaimed work as an author of international renown”. The author’s much beloved works include Such a Long Journey, A Fine Balance and Family Matters, Our chest is puffed with pride for the Bombay boys. We just need to know — is it in the water? Because we don’t usually drink that.
Silver anniversary
WAY back in 1990, the Poonawalla siblings, Cyrus and Zavaray introduced the million dollar juvenile horse racing trophy. The runaway success spun copycats, and top prizes at horse races now come with even more zeroes. Twenty-five years later, the Poonawallas aren’t resting on past laurels. Zavaray is the title sponsor of the full-fledged night racing programme, hosted at the Mahalaxmi Race Course this year, to which he’ll be contributing over Rs 1 crore. But blinker your eyes, because they might dazzle. The Zavaray Poonawalla TripleMillion, with its inaugural run this weekend, comes with an imposing silver trophy worth a million rupees. Four feet high and three feet wide, the trophy is apparently made of 20 kilos of sterling silver. It may just need a stable to house it.
A tailor-made theory
WHEN a Nobel laureate in Chemistry is seated next to an internationally renowned mathematician, does the conversation gravitate to the neutral ground of physics? Well, in a matter of speaking. At the Indian Science Congress in Mysuru, Dan Schechtman collared US & Canada-based mathematician, Prof Manjul Bhargava about his kurta asking, “Is this what you go with even in the USA?” Bhargava gave the Nobel laureate some homespun wisdom— “Especially under the fierce sun, it is more comfortable than the formal suit we are made to wear.” Just like science, changes must be made by minuscule degrees.
Tailpiece
THE diarist has learned that Gaurav Dhingra, producer of last year’s fierce and feisty feminesto, Angry Indian Goddesses, which is still a talking point among film goers, is back. Faith Connections is a documentary on the frenzy and chaotic devotion that the Kumbh Mela churns up. “After releasing it globally, we are thrilled to bring our feature documentary to Indian audiences in 2016,” says Dhingra. Well, he’s already appeased the angry goddesses, so here’s an offering to the rest of the pantheon.
