The girl's father Mukesh and brother Deepak have been arrested Reported by DNA 4 hours ago.

Maharashtra government would soon take a decision on exempting light vehicles from toll at the five entry points of Mumbai -- Dahisar, Airoli, Vashi, LBS Road and Mulund, state PWD minister Eknath Shinde said on Friday.

Replying to a debate on a calling attention notice moved by Sanjay Dutt (Congress) and others in the Legislative Council, he said the government had received reports of Anand Kulkarni and Sumit Malik Committees on toll at entry points of Mumbai and the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.

"The government is examining the administrative, financial and legal aspects of the recommendations made in the report," he said, adding the government was 'positive' about the waiver but refused to give any time-frame. The government had also been constantly taking steps to reduce the traffic jams, he said.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Sisraat-Jahan-s.jpg*Sisraat Jahan and Mohammed Afez Khan, grandparents of Dilnawaz have been trying to get his birth certificate for the last five years*

KEM claims they do not have any data about his birth. On Thursday, Khan went to KEM, visited one department after another, requesting doctors and officers to provide them the right document so that they could get Shaikh’s birth certificate and admit him in a school.

“I have been doing the rounds of the hospital for the past five years but despite this, no one has come to help us. The hospital provided us the wrong documents while discharging him. Now, they are saying that they do not have data about his birth on the day,” Khan said.

Shaikh was born on August 16, 2010 at KEM hospital but the diagnosis in his discharge certificate from the hospital was listed as ‘malaria’ instead and he was termed as a one-year-old, when his existence was only 48 hours long.

“On the day my grandson was discharged, he was only two-days-old, then how can he become a one-year-old? They made a mistake in providing the discharge certificate, because of which we have been suffering for five years,” said grandmother Sisraat Jahan.

*BMC can’t help either*
As the certificate provided by the hospital does not state that Shaikh was born in the hospital, even the BMC cannot provide a birth certificate. “In 2010, when Dilnawaz was born, we didn’t notice the discharge documents properly as it is written in English and so we didn’t even understand it. But later, when we went to BMC to take the birth certificate of the child, we were first told that the hospital didn’t give the right documents,” said Khan.

When mid-day spoke to the administration department of the hospital, an official said, “We have checked our database but cannot find the name of child in it, except for his malaria documents, which state that he was one-year-old in 2010.”

*Other kids have proof*
Now, because of the confusion and goof up of the documents, the family is unable to admit the child in any school, as it is compulsory to submit the birth certificate for admission. “After Shaikh, my daughter gave birth to two other children in KEM hospital and we have received their birth certificates from BMC. I don’t know how Dilnawaz would get admission in a school without the birth certificate. In fact, he would never be able to get admission in a good school under Right to Education (RTE),” said Khan.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/SRK-book-launch-a-s.jpg*Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi*

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On March 29, two men barged into a house at Boisar area in Palghar district and took away the two children when they were sleeping with their parents, Inspector Boisar police station, K S Hegaje said.

The two accused later allegedly raped the girl. They also inflicted injuries on the boy's ear and his private parts, he said, adding that the accused then fled from there.

Later, the parents, employed as labourers, found the wailing children at some distance from their house. Following the incident, special police teams were formed and based on a tip-off, one of the accused, identified as Anil alias Kala Zalim Sheikh (20), was arrested from Kota in Rajasthan last week and later brought in Palghar, the police officer said.

Interrogation of the arrested person was on, police said adding, they have launched a manhunt to nab the other accused. The accused, who are drug addicts, used to make baskets and sell them near the house of the victims.

Offences under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 376 (2)(i) (rape) and 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) of the IPC and sections 3 and 4 of POCSO Act were registered against the accused, the inspector said.

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*Workshop 1*
*Kids photography workshop*
Photography is a simple and easy hobby to cultivate and doesn't require long learning periods. At the same time, it helps to improve the child's creative thinking and enhances the skills to observe and appreciate the beauty around. By attending this workshop and getting introduced to photography, children learn an activity that can keep them frequently engaged, active and curious.

Date: Saturday, 23 July 2016
Timing: 12.00pm to 1:00pm
Age: 6 years to 14 years
Registration fees: INR 1000 per participant

*Workshop 2*
*Much Ado about What? - 5 Steps to being Shakespeare Smart*
Awareness of Shakespeare's works is easily the much coveted knowledge that everyone desires and without difficulty at that! For varying reasons people want to be 'Shakespeare Aware' but often despair, at the sight of the archaic language... and reading the abridged versions is like having stale food- sans flavour, sans taste, sans nutrition. So how does one enjoy Shakespeare without feeling bemused? Come to this fun workshop and discover for yourself how you too Can decode sans-stress the well-crafted works of a great dramatist.

Date: Saturday, 23 July 2016
Timing: 2.00pm to 6.00pm
Age: 18 years and above
Registration fees: INR 2000 per participant

*Workshop 3*
*Speech and Drama - An introduction to Mime*
Mime encourages confidence and awareness of self and of others. It encourages physical control, simplicity of thought and movement and more importantly it stimulates the imagination.

Date: Sunday, 24 July 2016
Timing: 10.00am to 11.30am
Age: 6 years to 12 years
Registration fees: INR 500 per participant

Venue:
British Council Division, 901, 9th Floor,
Tower 1, One Indiabulls Centre,
Senapati Bapat Marg, Elphinstone Road (W),
Mumbai 4000013.
Click here to view map

*Registration Details:*
Kindly email the following details to Mark.Gomes@britishcouncil.org
1. Participant’s name

2. Age

3. Parent/guardian’s contact numbers

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*Also Read: Thane: Frustrated with her health, mom kills 18-month-old son**The women were found dead in their second floor flat in Jai Hanuman co-operative housing society*

The incident came to light after the son raised an alarm after witnessing the act. The neighbours then alerted the police. Laxmikant Kangutkar, Akshata’s husband, was at work at the time of the incident. “There have been noticeable quarrels between the two. Both were killed in front of the son and then the police came to their house to take custody of the bodies. We got to know that the daughter-in-law killed the mother-in-law and then drank poison,” said a resident of the housing society.

*Read Story: Mumbai: Woman, colleague held for making obscene calls to her*

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Neetu-Jindal-s.jpg*Despite opposition from animal lovers, six Humboldt penguins are scheduled to arrive at Byculla Zoo next week. Pic for representation/AFP*

Indian expat and animal rights activist Neetu Jindal has decided to highlight the issue by gathering like-minded people and protesting outside the Indian Embassy in New York in the coming weeks. “The idea is to make the BMC understand that there is international concern about the matter. We object to raising any animal in captivity in the first place, let alone keeping penguins in a tropical country. I have been mustering support for the cause over the past few days, towards which friends and relatives have expressed solidarity,” said Jindal. The protest is likely to take place in the first week of August.*Neetu Jindal, animal rights activist*

*Reality check*
Meanwhile, local activists have clarified that they not only condemn the introduction of penguins at Byculla zoo, but are against the idea of displaying exotic or local animals in captivity. When asked why they weren’t demanding the release of other animals at the zoo, Anand Siva said, “Those animals have lived in captivity for too long. They might not survive in the wild.”

When it was pointed out that even the penguins were probably bred in captivity, he countered that penguins aren’t made for a tropical country with perpetual water shortage.

Jindal and Siva termed the introduction of penguins a waste of public money, water, electricity and resources. They stated that the penguin enclosures will require 2.4 million litres of water, which is a criminal waste, considering the year-long water cut the city experienced until Wednesday. Also, a lot of electricity will be consumed by the air-conditioners for maintaining the optimum temperature inside the penguin enclosure.

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The incident in question took place around noon on Thursday, and the youth has been identified as Gulam Hussain. As per reports, he is a resident of Govandi, and runs a tailoring shop. Hussain has been admitted to KEM Hospital in Parel with multiple fractures, and his condition is said to be serious.

*Also Read: Man jumps off mall after meeting girl who filed rape complaint**Raghuleela Mall. File pic*

As per media reports, the man had been after the girl, who is his neighbour, for a few months, but she repeatedly snubbed him. But, Hussain did not give up, and made another try on Thursday.

*Read Story: Woman jumps off mall building a day before wedding in Delhi*

The two meet at Raghuleela mall, where Hussain again proposed to her. But, her reply was the same, and this led to a fight between the two. After his latest attempt also failed, he decided to jump off the mall.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Falguni-Pathak-s.jpg*Falguni Pathak (in black) poses for a selfie with fans at Marine Drive. Pic/Bipin Kokate*

Pathak has decided to shift the venue for her dandiya spectacle from Ghatkopar to Borivali. “My band, Ta-Thaiya and I have been practicing a few new songs that will debut for the 11 nights from October 1 to 11. It has been god's grace that I have become the voice of the Navratri festival. Coming to Borivali and performing for the first time in my 20 plus years of dandiya performance is exciting,” she said.

With two weekends falling in the period (October 1-11), organisers Shreya Events were hoping to get permission to extend timelines up to midnight. “I will perform from 7.30 pm to 10 pm with a mix of Gujarati, Hindi and Marathi songs. I spend the rest of my year preparing for dandiya and always feel blessed to entertain so many people,” she added. However, she as well as the organisers were mum on the rate she was being paid for the big bash.

*Kalam’s wisdom*
Former President of India, APJ Abdul Kalam’s first death anniversary falls on July 27. The visionary and nuclear scientist, inspired a generation to fight their circumstances through education.

*APJ Abdul Kalam*

During his stint as President, he visited educational institutes across the country and encouraged students to read more. As a tribute to his principles, bookstore chain Landmark has invited its patrons to buy books an avail of the chance to win a copy of the book, Reignite signed by Kalam himself and its author Srijan Pal Singh.

*More cheer for Potter fans*
With less than two weeks to go for the release of the new Harry Potter title, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts 1 and 2, the frenzy is high as expected. Bookstores are bedecked to mark the launch of the book with fan events, parties and activities.

To add to the joys, country publishers Hachette India have launched a contest winning which two fans will get an authentic limited edition author-signed copy of the new title.*Contest winners stand a chance to win limited edition author signed copies of the new title*

Speaking about the release, Thomas Abraham, Managing Director of Hachette India, said, “Once again this is going to be a publishing sensation as the magic continues from where it left off in Book 7. The rave reactions from fans, post the London previews clearly indicate that this is classic Harry Potter back again.”

*Going home with Papon*
“Maybe I make losses playing here sometimes, but no matter however big I become outside, yahaan pe aana hi hai,” says Papon, affirming his love for the Northeast and his hometown, Guwahati, in a 60-second trailer of Hometown Heroes, a seven-part documentary series, that releases on August 4.*Papon in Assam. Pic Courtesy/ Ali Bharmal*

Produced by Red Bull Media House, the series revisits the folk singer’s (nee Angaraag Mahanta) journey, delving into different facets of his life, be it, his relationship with his father (Khagen Mahanta known as the King of Bihu) and the impact he had on Papon’s childhood, how the picturesque landscape shaped his music or his days as a student in Delhi and finally, finding his feet as a musician.

Spiced with shots of the breathtaking mountains, Assam’s culture and delicious Northeastern fare, the docu-series also promises little-known anecdotes about the singer from his school teachers, old friends and musician colleagues.

*What’s the peep show?*
After a successful run at the Delhi antiSocial, #peepshow, a property that curates the best of Indie Cinema and allows movie buffs to interact with their counterparts and film makers from all genres, will come to Mumbai on July 26. The curation of the films will be looked over by the watering hole and Lights On Films, an independent production house. The first film to be showcased is Storyteller Ink's Placebo.

Directed by Abhay Kumar, it tells the story of a filmmaker who goes undercover, after witnessing an act of brutal violence and begins to investigate rising incidents of violence amongst some of the best minds in the nation. It's a good time to be an indie film junkie, clearly.

*Game of Thrones, Bollywood version*
Superstar Shah Rukh Khan found himself in a watery situation at a book launch at a SoBo five-star when Nita Ambani guided him to a seat beside Mukesh Ambani. King Khan realised that water had spilt on the chair, after which it was musical chairs.*Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi*

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http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/ATS-police-s.jpg*Police outside the Islamic Research Foundation office. File pic*

The officials raided the residence of Qureshi where he stays with his wife, in Seawoods at 3 am on Thursday. Qureshi was later produced in Vashi court. He is in four days’ police custody at Bhoiwada jail.

According to sources, Bestin Vincent alias Yahia (24) a member of IRF, and his wife Merin alias Mariam, got converted to Islam. Both are from Palakkad in Kerala. Ebin Jacob (25), the brother of Merin told the police in his statement, that they were attempting to forcefully convert him to Islam and asked him to join the Islamic State terror group.

Bestin and Merin are among the 20 who are missing from Kerala and are suspected to have joined ISIS. Bestin brought Jacob to Mumbai and made him meet Qureshi. Jacob has said in his statement that he was taken to IRF where Qureshi told him to get converted to Islam.

On the complaint from Jacob, Palarivattom police in Kochi have filed a case against the two missing people, and Qureshi under Section 13 of the Unlawful activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Section 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups on the basis of religion) of the Indian Penal Code.

*Witness detained*
A Kalyan-based youth, Rizwan Khan was also detained by the ATS. “We detained Khan on Thursday as we found that he was the witness on the marriage certificate of the Kerala-based couple. But later we released him as he didn’t have any link to their activities,” said an official from ATS. Reported by Mid-Day 2 hours ago.

*A 14-year-old Dalit girl, a rape victim, is battling for life on ventilator for the past two months. She was kidnapped days before a court hearing in May, repeatedly raped again and fed corrosive agents.
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In the past two months, the girl has undergone treatment at Lok Nayak Hospital. Currently, she is admitted to Max Hospital at Shalimar Bagh under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota.

The girl's family lives in a rented house at north Delhi's Burari. On the basis of her complaint in December 2015, a rape case under Indian Penal Code and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) was filed against a man named Shivshankar.

On May 15, just before a court hearing, the girl was kidnapped from her house following which another FIR was filed with Burari police station on May 19. Police managed to rescue her in the last week of May and called her parents to the police station.

Her parents claim that she was bleeding profusely from her head. In her statement, the girl told police that she was kidnapped by Shivshankar's maternal aunt Dolly.

It is alleged that while she was kept in confinement, she was again repeatedly raped by Shivshankar. Her hands and feet were tied and she was refused food during this period. Towards the end of the ordeal, Shivshankar and Dolly allegedly fed her a corrosive substance mixed in soft drink.

After her rescue, she was admitted to Lok Nayak Hospital and was recently shifted to Max Hospital.

On Saturday, Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal met the girl and her family members at the hospital. "The doctors have informed me that her chances of survival are extremely bleak," Maliwal said.

The girl's family has alleged that she previously changed her statements due to pressure from Shivshankar and that he is now trying to kidnap her brother.

The girl's family claims that police also forced her to change her statement under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) before appearing before the Metropolitan Magistrate. It is also alleged that the girl was sent to a Nari Niketan after her statement was recorded.

The DCW has now recommended police protection for the girl and her family on a priority basis. A notice has also been issued to Delhi Police seeking a reply in 72 hours. No case under the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act has been filed so far. Reported by Deccan Herald 8 hours ago.

*A BJP MLC was today arrested by railway police in Hajipur on the charge of sexually harassing a minor girl on board the Howrah-Gorakhpur Poorvanchal Express.*

The BJP member Tunna Ji Pandey was arrested on the basis of a written complaint from the parents of the 12-year-old girl, Superintendent of Railway Police (SRP), Muzaffarpur, B N Jha said. The MLC was caught by the escort party on board the train and handed over to the GRP Hajipur, the SP said.

The MLC, however, dismissed the charge saying the girl shouted when he switched on the light to take his mobile charger. Talking to reporters at the GRP police station, Pandey said he had told the girls parents that since he had to get down at Hajipur he was taking his mobile charger from the plug and for that he switched on the light.

The party has suspended Mr Pandey after the complaint, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said in a tweet.

An FIR has been registered against the MLC with the GRP Hajipur under IPC 354 A (demand or request for sexual favours) and POSCO ACT, the SP said. Reported by Deccan Herald 6 hours ago.

The once-famous 'Fly the Good Times' tagline, Flying Models, Funliner, Fly Kingfisher and five other trademarks that defined Vijay Mallya’s airline are up for grabs for the second time around. This time at a lower rate. Earlier in April, the bank had quoted a price of Rs 366.70 crore for the nine trademarks. However, the rates have been lowered to Rs 330 crore.

After the failure of SBI in auctioning the Kingfisher House, this will be the second asset belonging to Mallya, for which the bank has lowered the price. The auction for trademarks will be held on August 25. As of January 31, 2014, Mallya's Kingfisher Airlines owed banks a staggering Rs 6,963 crore. Which is why SBICAP Trustee Company Limited plans to carry the sale of trademarks through an online auction. It will be held between 11.30 am to 12.30 pm. Bids will be accepted till August 23, 5 pm. The reserve price is Rs 330 crore, with an Earnest Money Deposit of Rs 33 crore.

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The set of the Indian version of 24, at Goregaon (East), is a sleek one. Lead actor Anil Kapoor, who reprises his role of ex-Army man Jai Singh Rathore in the second season, is dressed in fatigues and a bullet proof vest. The scene is an intense one set in the Anti-Terrorism Unit, full of computers that beep and blink with graphics and pictures of missing people and suspects. If the first season was about saving a politician from being assassinated, this one is about saving the country from a terror attack — think bio warfare. "We are waking up to reports of terrorism every day. So it made sense to address that. This season is adapted from the third season of the original series for the same reason. The terrorists have gone beyond weapons of mass destruction. This attack deals with a virus — a virus that can kill within 24 hours of infecting you," says Kapoor, who owns the Indian rights to the show.*Anil Kapoor on the sets of Return of 24. Pic/Nimesh Dave*

Written by Rensil D'Silva (Rang De Basanti), Bhavani Iyer and Priya Pinto, and directed in parts by D’Silva and Abhinay Deo (Delhi Belly), the show is a fast-paced, stay-on-the-edge-of-your-seats thriller. Along with Kapoor, it stars Sakshi Tanwar, Ashish Vidyarthi, Sikander Kher and Suvreen Chawla. "In the first season, we got comments such as 'oh we can't even go to the bathroom, for fear of missing something’. But that’s the fun of it. The plot and execution is done so well that you wouldn’t want to move," Deo tells us.*Rensil D'silva directs Anil Kapoor on the sets of 24*

It’s clear that the makers have upped the ante from the first season, which followed the antics of Rathore trying to save the Prime Minister from an assassination attack. Rathore, a patriot, ends up saving the PM but loses his wife. Season 2 starts three years later — Rathore has been fired from the ATU, and is an alcoholic. There is also a son, who is now an agent, with whom Rathore has a troubled relationship. But, of course, he gets his act together to save the country.

"This time around, the scale has been upped in all ways possible," says Deo, "characters, locations, magnitude of threat… but we have still kept it simplified keeping the TV audience in mind." D’Silva adds, "There are many things happening — there is a jail outbreak, so a jail set had to be set up. There are people getting infected, they need to be quarantined... it was ambitious in many ways. The good thing is that TV is a writer’s medium. We took two years to write the show and it was exhausting. We had to make sure whoever was directing — Abhinay or me — we had to keep the grammar of the show intact."

For Kapoor, it’s key that the audience is hooked.

"We have tried to make the twists and turns original, and that’s why everyone will enjoy it," he says, as he wraps up a scene. As actor, he had to go through intense training to be prepared for the show’s action scenes. Deo was convinced that 60-year-old Kapoor needed to try out action like he had in his entire career. "He’s the youngest on set if you go by energy levels," laughs Deo. And so experts were brought on to train Kapoor in the fine art of fighting.

"It’s a lot like dance. You need to be choreographed. And it’s not like hammer and tongs physical. There are slight movements — where a single touch can maim someone," explains Kapoor. Ask him how much input he gives to direction and writing, and he says, "I am always around if they need any help. But my main focus was to get the right people and then let them do their work. They let me focus on the acting."

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Sandhan-Valley-s.jpg*Sandhan Valley is a 200 feet-deep canyon located near the Bhandardara region in the Sahyadris. Trekking the valley during the monsoons can be fatal due to falling rocks and the many, deep pools of water inside. At present, except for locals, there is no one on site to warn reckless trekkers. Pic/Dylan D' Silva*

It’s hard to pinpoint what exactly may have gone wrong. One could blame the waywardness of nature or the unavailability of immediate rescue facilities. “But, some precaution on part of the trekkers could have saved a life,” says Dhiren Talpade, founder-director of Jumpstart Outdoors Ltd, an adventure tour platform that operates out of Mumbai.*Dhiren Talpade of Jumpstart Outdoors Ltd. attended a first-aid workshop by NOLS, India, in 2008. He later followed it up with a Wilderness First Responder course, and now, gets himself recertified with NOLS every two years*

Every weekend, despite several cautionary warnings, similar tragedies unfold in the Sahyadris. Recently, the body of a 28-year-old trekker was found on top of Barad Hills in Talasari. Another software engineer from Pune died after a boulder fell on his back at Raigad fort.

With over 100 hiking groups crawling the mountains every weekend across Maharashtra, the need of the hour is to ensure that accidents are kept in check. However, with little or no regulation in place, these efforts become twice as challenging.

*The buck stops with you*
Hiking, or any adventure sport, has caught the fancy of Indians only recently, says globe-trotter and avid trekker 33-year-old Vahishta Mistry, who quit his full-time job in 2013, to travel the world. “Since we are not a hiking culture, government bodies here have done little to incentivise the sport,” says Mistry, adding, “This means that you have to do everything by yourself.”

From marking trails to getting the right trekking gear and ensuring safety measures are adhered to — everything falls under the ambit and responsibility of a trekker.

“In Maharashtra, it’s more or less a community-driven sport,” says 34-year-old Vikrant Chheda, founder of White Collar Hippie, a travel company that offers off-beat outdoor experiences.

“The trails are marked as easy, moderate or difficult, based on experience gathered over the years by adventure companies, clubs or associations,” adds Chheda.

But, while the logistics of trekking are usually taken care of, most adventure groups fall short in ensuring safety measures are in place. “Trekking is a dangerous activity. In the last four years, there have been a considerable number of deaths, and at least some of these could have been avoided,” says Talpade. “People do not consider safety an important aspect of trekking. They would rather break a limb or die, than be prepared,” he adds.

Talpade partially blames it on the mushrooming of adventure operators in the market. “In 2011, the travel industry saw a sudden boom. Every second person was starting a new adventure outfit. Many were those who’d go on treks with somebody, and, before you knew it, they were leading treks themselves,” says Talpade. “While this is all right from the point of view of enterprise, 80 per cent of the groups handling outdoor adventure sports in Maharashtra today, have little clue of how to cope with accidents that take place in the outdoors.”

Talpade himself claims to have been ill-equipped to handle crisis-like situations, until he attended a four-day first-aid workshop by National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), India, in 2008. He later followed it up with a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) training course, and now, gets himself recertified with NOLS every two years. He also conducts free first-aid workshops for adventure enthusiasts in the city.

According to Chheda, one measure to avoid mishaps is to ensure that there are enough guides to handle the trekking group. “The ratio of the number of guides to that of the clients should always be maintained. We usually follow a 1:8 or 2:10 ratio, depending on the type of group (young or old) we are handling. We also take the phone numbers of doctors and local ambulances in the vicinity, and keep them in the loop about us being around, in case of emergency,” says Chheda.

Outward Bound India - Himalaya, the Indian arm of Outward Bound International — a worldwide outdoor learning organisation — follows a standardised protocol to assess and manage risk in the arena of adventure, outdoor and wilderness activities. “The basic methodology to ensure safety, lies in risk assessment and management. Once you know what could be a risk, you can cater for checks, balances or avoidance thereby creating a safety net. That’s the basic you can do, for safety in the field, and this is what’s essentially practised worldwide. We also do something, which is rather bureaucratic. Post the programme, we get feedback from facilitators, instructors and the incident management team. Here, we review if any incident occurred and if it did, how did we react to it. This helps mitigate future incidents,” says Pavane Mann, executive director of Delhi-based Outward Bound India - Himalaya.

Sherwin Rebello, founder of The Land of Wanderlust that undertakes budgeted trips outside Maharashtra, suggests hiking with a minimum of four persons, including a local, irrespective of how easy the terrain is. “Never do it alone,” he says.

*Everyone’s a company*
If you thought starting an adventure company was as tedious as baking your own bread, you are in for a surprise. “All you need is to register under the Maharashtra Shop and Establishment Act and form a partnership or an ownership firm, so that you have a document for a current bank account,” says Talpade. Rebello says he followed a similar protocol when establishing his company in 2012.

The scenario is very different in the West. To you start your own company in Europe and America, you require multiple certifications from registered bodies. You also need to complete a 90-hour WFR course with NOLS, says Talpade.

According to Mistry, who has spent nine months trekking in the US, one of the things that differentiates the US and India, when it comes to the sport, is that there’s a huge hiking culture there, due to which there is public pressure on the government to maintain and have infrastructure. “Part of the mandate is to make sure that people have a safe time in national, local or county parks. It entails accurately marking trails and making sure that at every trail head, there is a bunch of maps and resources, including forest rangers and immediate recourse to emergency services. If owing to a natural calamity (like landslides), the landscape changes, a new trail is marked out within weeks. When you have such infrastructure, one doesn’t need an organisation to lead a trekking group,” says Mistry.

*An unregulated sport*
Currently, adventure sports are not regulated by the government, largely because the industry is still nascent in Maharashtra, says Talpade. But, the arbitrary ways of several adventure start-ups and tour operators with a devil-may-care attitude towards safety procedures, has put the industry on tenterhooks, a time too many.

This is why Adventure Tour Operators of Maharashtra (ATOM) — created on the lines of Adventure Tour Operators Association of India — was formed five years ago. “The idea behind ATOM was to get both commercial operators and clubs from within Maharashtra involved in a standardised practice, without the government having to enforce anything on us. So, we introduced uniform safety measures, operating procedures and a point of recourse for people, who haven’t had a good experience with tour groups,” says Andre Morris, president of ATOM, and founder of tour company Outbound Adventure. One can register with ATOM for an annual fee, and has to adhere to the rules stipulated by the association. Another plan of ATOM was to document the net worth of this growing sport. Industry experts claim that with an average day-long hike priced anywhere between Rs 600 to Rs 1,000 per head, the profits could run into crores annually.

In June 2014, when a Government Resolution, atte-mpted to thwart the free reign of tour operators in Maharashtra, ATOM was among the first to raise an objection. “It did ruffle a lot of feathers,” says Talpade.

Following a PIL filed by the association, the High Court put the GR on hold; the case is now subjudice. “While I am not against the idea of regulating the sport, our grouse with the GR was the ridiculous clauses,” says 54-year-old Morris, who has been part of the trekking industry for over 30 years. “The GR states that one needs to take permission from the district collector or the seniormost police officer in the area, before heading out in a group, without specifying what entails a group. The babus are going to look at this as an opportunity to make money,” he adds.

Another aspect is the certification. The GR states that tour operators would need a basic or advance certificate from a government body. At present, Morris says that there are only five Himalayan mountaineering schools recognised by the government. “But, these schools only focus on teaching you how to summit peaks in the Himalayas. How will such a certification prepare you to handle a group in the Sahyadris, which has a very different landscape?” Morris asks. “The Himalayas have ice and snow, and while that is phenomenal, the Sahyadris, which are all volcanic, offer a whole bio-system of rich plant and animal life. Also, rock climbing in the Sahyadris is a lot tougher than in the Himalayas, because while you have all kinds of gear like pitons and crampons to use there, in the Western Ghats you don’t have any equipment that you can use to dig into the rock,” says Morris.

He instead suggests that the government focus on creating schools or establishments in the state, to address this gap. “If they do plan to introduce a regulation, they should try and involve more people from within the industry,” he says.

Regulation, however, is still a grey area for most tour operators. The sport rests on thrills, and regulating it will only act as kill joy and take away from enjoying the experience, feels Rebello.

Mann of OBI, who has more than 30 years of experience in the field and helped compile the Wilderness code for Uttarakhand, says that the occurrences of accidents and disasters are unfortunate. “As more people become aware of what’s required in an adventure or wilderness programme, in terms of safety, they will start asking the right questions and get pickier about the company, guide or trip leader they choose. At the time, the providers will naturally have to match up to the right standards. It is a cart and horse story.”*What to ask your tour operator*
>> Is the adventure tour operator affiliated with a recognised body?

>> How many people will be trekking per guide? Is there an upper limit?

>> What will be the fitness levels of other people on the trek and what is a good benchmark fitness level for you to have?

>> Is there going to be medically trained personnel on the trek and what level of training does she/he have?

>> What are the plans for emergencies? (You will have to research potential emergencies depending on the location/terrain/altitude/ weather and ask specific questions)

>> Is an insurance policy necessary/recommended for the trek? Will the tour operator provide a good reference?

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Saurashtra-s.jpg*Saurashtra, made by Raza in 1983, sold for  Rs 16.51cr at a Christies auction in 2010, making it the higest-selling work by an Indian artist at that time*

Syed Haider Raza, fondly addressed as Razasaab, was an individualist. At the start of his career, while his contemporaries within the Progressive Group were engaged with the human figure revolutionising a new vision, he simply painted landscapes with the vision and vigor of the Impressionists. He painted the streets and stately monuments capturing the essence of life and the times with colour swatches and washes. Overtly, it seemed his stimuli originated from the brilliance of the Parisian Impressionists Monet, Degas and Pissarro. However, the post-Impressionists, like Cezanne and Van Gogh apparently held the torch light towards a perfect understanding of colour and form, construction and composition. Ironically, on setting foot in Paris he discovered the Bindu, a primordial form released from his roots, from the deep recesses of his childhood memories. Earlier influences became the bedrock to his new expressions that now expressed a refined sophisticated language.

*Raza’s palette, which he never washed and layered with colours. Pic/Tao Art Gallery*

Throughout his career, Raza’s concern with Nature was to explore the fundamental values of Time and Space. To express these primary notions that form the core of Indian thought, he used the discipline and control of Geometry. Within the Bindu were the archetypal triangle and square, the circle and the pulsating point. He composed a language that investigated the energies that coordinated and controlled the sacred stability of the universe.*A 2001 show at Tao Art Gallery, Worli, titled Ashtanayak brought together key figures from the Bombay Progressive Artists’ Group. Seen here, along with SH Raza (centre, in red) are (from left to right) art patron Jehangir Nicholson, Krishen Khanna, MF Husain, Tyeb Mehta, Bal Chabda, (centre, standing) poet Ashok Vajpayee and Tao Art’s gallerist Kalpana Shah. Pic/Tao Art Gallery*

Despite his international accomplishments he stayed entrenched to his roots. Regular visits to Barbaria, in Madhya Pradesh, kept him rooted to this place of his birth. He talked to students, about the art world at large, his boundless inspirations quoting from the Bhagvad Gita and other mythologies, answering questions and opining about their work.

The contemporary Indian art world will miss this nonconformist individualist artist who stood solitary, using a language that encompassed the universe. In a true sense, there is or was no artist like him.

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Once, a woman in the audience said to me, 'Khoon ka rishta lagta hai tera Savitri ke saath," laughs Sushama Deshpande, as we settle into her living room in Mahim. Telling an actor that she has a blood tie with the character they have portrayed may be dramatic, but in Deshpande's case, it rings true.*Rajit Kapur and Shernaz Patel first staged Love Letters in 1993 *

*

Today, costumes have changed and Kapur wears a wig*

*

Kumud Mishra in Manav Kaul’s Shakkar Ke Paanch Daane*

For 27 years, the theatre director and actor has played the role of Savitribai Phule, a Marathi poet and India's first woman teacher. The 61-year-old recalls how, during a visit to the municipal office for some paper work, the official in charge identified her as Savitribai. "He jumped up from his seat and said with deep respect, 'Welcome Savitribai, please allow me to assist you'. Naturally, the paperwork was done faster than usual," she laughs. But, more than a social perk, Savitri, says Deshpande, is a friend and often, an alternate identity. "When I speak to people, I invariably end up saying, 'You know, Savitri wouldn't do something like this...' or 'Don't judge Savitri by today's feminism rules,' giving the impression that she's somebody who is here in the flesh."*Mishra says he has to guard against lapsing into monotony*

*

Sushama Deshpande first played Savitribai at age 30*

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To combat short attention spans, the play is now for 60 mins*

Deshpande's Vhay Mi Savitribai, which she has written and directed, opened on January 3 (Savitri Phule's birth anniversary), 1989, in Pune, at a show organised by Nari Sammata, a group of staunch feminists. When she started, Deshpande didn't imagine that the play would cross 3,000 performances. Rarely does an actor think she will end up with the same role for over a decade, yet there are many examples. Satish Kaushik, who played Salesman Ramlal in the Indian version of Arthur Miller's 1949 play, Death of a Salesman, for 13 years, returned to theatre this month after a three-year break with a comic role as Mr Murarilal. "Salesman Ramlal," he told this paper in an earlier interview, was too intense.*Sushama Deshpande was 30 years old when she first went on stage as Savitribai. The play follows the life of the social reformer from childhood to her death*

What happens when an actor reprises the same role for over a decade? 

*Age waits for no one *
The most obvious changes of course, are in the body. Shernaz Patel, who still reprises her role of Melissa Gardner, in Rage Productions' Love Letters, 23 years after the first performance, says the costumes for her and co-actor Rajit Kapur (who plays Andrew Makepeace Ladd III) have had to be redone. "Rajju has a wig now because he has gone bald," she adds.
Directed by Rahul da Cunha, the play is an adaptation of the 1988 AR Gurney play. It follows the lives of Andy and Melissa, who over 50 years, exchange letters. That the play provides a range of ages for the actors to relate to helps.

"When you're in your 20s and playing 45, you don't understand 45. Now that I have crossed 45, I understand what it is," adds Patel, now 51.*First staged in 2003 at Juhu’s Prithvi Theatre, Vagina Monologues has completed over 1,000 shows, including in Hindi  
*Kapur, 56, says that over the years, how they related to their role has changed. "Earlier, we'd be able to relate more to the characters during the first half when they were between the ages of 12 and 20. Now, we are more comfortable in the second half."

*An actor's challenge*
When actor Kumud Mishra first heard of playwright and director Manav Kaul's Shakkar Ke Paanch Dane, it was a mere idea. "Mujhe yeh bahut adbhut laga," he says of the monologue in which he, as Rajkumar, a resident of a nondescript village, talks of the five people who have added flavour to his life. Mishra was attracted by the non-linear aspect of the story.

But, in the 14 years of performing the role (Kaul doesn't have a count of the number of shows they have done), the National School of Drama graduate says there have been days when he has told Kaul that he can't do any more shows. "While experience does give new meaning to text, at times, I have caught myself operating from memory, which is not right. Sometimes, I would compare a performance to what I would do at the start and realised that I was trying to relive the rhythm that I had 10 years ago. This is when your act falls flat. It happens when you don't trust the text," the 47-year-old adds.*First staged in 2003, Class of ’84, written and directed by Rahul da Cunha, has an ensemble cast of eight characters, all of whom are on stage at all times*

Sometimes, the character grows with you, says Sohrab Ardeshir who, along with Patel and Kapur, is part of the ensemble cast of Class of '84, another Rage Production. The play, which was first staged in 2003, touched the 350-show mark this year. Ardeshir plays Cyrus Cooper, a man he describes as a charsi, albeit a sophisticated one. "The character evolves as you grow. Now, Cyrus is more laidback, more comfortable in his skin and stands up for himself more," says the 54-year-old.

We have to ask, after all these years, do they still need to rehearse before a show?
The answer is a unanimous yes. Mishra says he religiously reads the text at least eight times before getting on stage and goes over his stage movements once at least. "If there's any hesitation, the audience picks it up immediately," he adds. Patel adds, "The great thing is because we have done it for years, you're not at all concerned if you're in character or not. She [Melissa] is just a part of me."

*Then and now*
But, it's not just costumes and fatigue that need to be considered when a play is being staged for over a decade. Language, context and audience behaviour also become an issue. Over the years, Deshpande has shortened the length of the play from 2 hours 10 minutes to an hour. "These days, people have low attention spans."

Da Cunha talks of a particular line in Class of '84 that has been debated often. "Someone is playing Budha Bar music and Ardeshir's character asks what is Buddha Bar, and someone responds 'it's Buddha's favourite music compositions'. The first time it was staged, Buddha Bar was huge, but now, 14 years later, it is obsolete. But, do you change it?" he asks.

"We took a call to not change it in order to make the script more today. After all, there have been plays written in the 1970s that have not been adapted to modern times."

*Actor and counsellor*
Journalism students of 2002 from a south Mumbai college will remember a meeting with Mahabanoo Mody-Kotwal who at the time, just ahead of the first show of Eve Ensler's Vagina Monologues, promising the most explosive show ever with words "you've never heard in public". Fourteen years on, 'vagina' is no longer a taboo word. "If my only contribution to the world is that women shout out the word 'vagina' freely, I will be happy," says Mody-Kotwal, who has produced, directed and acted in the play.

She and actor Dolly Thakore recount the numerous times people come up to them after a show and recount stories of abuse. "Once, a girl in the audience fainted during the monologue of the Bosnian rape victim. After the show was over, in between sobs, she recounted how she had witnessed her sister being sexually violated by her uncle," Thakore recounts. Mody-Kotwal says now women reach out to her either after a show or on Facebook.

Often she ends up playing counsellor. "The one thing I tell women in bad marriages is to not wait too long to walk out. And, to educate their daughters so that they don't suffer the same trauma and can fend for themselves," she adds. The stories do hurt. "When you come home you are upset, but then you think of how the women who are actually suffering cope with it," she adds.

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Sources from the investigating agencies said Khan had also helped the couple with legal paperwork when they converted from Christianity to Islam.

Rizwan Khan, who was arrested on Friday, is in his early 50s and is a resident of old Kalyan, where he lives with his wife and three children. He was produced in court and will be in police custody till July 25.

Just a day before, at 3am on Thursday, investigating agencies arrested Arshi Qureshi (45), a resident of Seawoods and a receptionist with controversial preacher Zakir Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation.

*Who is Khan?*
Khan is a social worker and visits various Muslim social organisations in Mumbai and the suburbs. “He helps people who wish to convert to Islam. He prepares the affidavit and other legal documents,” said an officer who is part of the investigation. According to sources, Bestin Vincent alias Yahia (24), a member of IRF, and his wife Merin alias Mariam, had converted to Islam in 2015. Both are from Palakkad in Kerala. Ebin Jacob (25), Merin’s brother, told the police in his statement that the IRF had got Bestin and Merin forcibly converted to Islam and had asked him (Jacob) to join the IS.

Bestin and Merin are among the 20 people missing from Kerala, suspected to have joined IS. Based on Jacob’s complaint, the Palarivattom police in Kochi have filed a case against the two missing people and Qureshi under Section 13 of the Unlawful activities (Prevention) Act UAPA and Section 153 (A) (Promoting enmity between different groups on the basis of religion) of the IPC.

*Khan’s involvement*
"During the investigation, the police found that Khan was one of the witnesses at the wedding of the couple who converted to Islam. We have arrested him and are further investigating the matter,” said an investigating officer.

When the police raided Khan’s house, they found 800 legal documents of people who had converted.

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In actual fact, this quartet of lanes off Colaba Causeway has zip to do with anything remotely Italian. Pasta Lanes 1, 2, 3 and 4 are a decidedly desi throwback to a Bhatia family lauded for philanthropy in their native Kutch and business centre Bombay. ‘The name of Sheth Goculdas Liladhur Pasta stands high on the list of those who upheld the fair fame of the City of Bombay’ reads the opening line on the stalwart profiled in Representative Men of the Bombay Presidency. I turn pages of this rare volume with Goculdas Pasta’s great grandson at a midtown café. It’s strange hearing the benign 65-year-old break into Gujarati when I’ve pictured Pasta as someone entirely European.*Chandu Halwai at Sheila Mahal, at the start of Lane 1, is one of the earliest establishments here. Pics/Bipin Kokate*

Goculdas’ ancestor Sheth Mohanjee arrived in the city around 1855 to trade as a cotton merchant — ‘He won the title of “pasta”, or “prince”, on account of his generosity, and this cognomen is borne by his descendants.’ Honouring the trust the British invested in them, Goculdas and his son Madhavdas inherited that charitable bent to sponsor civic services, temples, dharamshalas, wells, tanks and plantations.*The ground floor flat windows of Kismet building retain their original art deco grill design and awnings from almost a century ago*

Another pair of lanes behind Chitra Cinema in Dadar is named after the Pastas. But I decide to start exploring these eponymous four.*Esther Malaney with daughter Pia on the mosaic and vitreous tile-encrusted terrace of Kismet in 4th Pasta Lane, 1971. The 1920s building was erected brick by brick under the supervision of Goolbai, Dr Sohrabji Cama’s wife. This Chippendale-furnished apartment was designed by Vina Mody of the firm Mody & Colgan (Vina Colgan married architect and Swatantra Party founder Piloo Mody)*

Colourful, crowded, complex, it’s hard imagining the gullies as once dramatically different. Colaba Island had just 50 inhabitants, isolated by swelling tides till the 1838 Causeway connection. A New Account of East India and Persia, by J. Fryer, notes Colaba being ‘of no profit but to keep the Company’s antelopes and other beasts of delight’.

A far cry from the rush and crush of the Causeway today. Though centrally situated, lane residents revel in their seclusion from main street mayhem. “Barring the Ganpati feast when these lanes go mad competing for the biggest pandal,” groans a friend.

Capped at six storeys, most buildings came up between 1930 and 1950. Exceptions from the 1920s include Brady’s No. 10 of Lane 1, Shree Krishna of Lane 2, Porbunder Castle of Lane 3 and Kismet of Lane 4. Low roofs bring their own rewards — “We wake to an orchestra in our bird paradise!” an old-timer exults. “Crows caw from four in the morning, joined by koels at six, parakeets next. And sparrows still chirrup here.” Gazing up at Ashoka boughs that cast cool shadows at my feet, I even spot a circling kite.

Lane 1 hangs right after Sorab Bharucha Marg (occasionally known as 0 Pasta Lane, where nine elegant Brady’s Blocks cluster). It is heralded by corner-hugging Chandu Halwai, the mithai chain around longer than most, informs Ganesh Kamath, who manages this branch. Beside is Kailash Parbat, begun by the Mulchandani brothers who fled Karachi with basic pots and pans to mix ragda sold from a humble handcart, before serving Bombay their success story.

A familiar adjacent fixture completes this tangy ethnic food triangle: Ashok Mirchandani’s appetising planks-on-wheels array of kitchen-fresh papads, pickles and wadis. Typical treats are basar ka achaar – tiny whole onions marinated in mustard seeds and oil eaten with sai bhaji, kheecha —dried rice crisps, and bhee ka kachri — deep fried lotus stem. His father Daulatram set this up in 1970 and Ashok rides the miles daily from Ulhasnagar to follow in his footsteps.

Dr Prakash Shetty of Lane 1 explains each gully has a residents’ association. President of the first, he says, “We got rid of garages, fought eateries encroaching with kitchens which were a fire hazard, yet our lanes aren’t clean as earlier.” His home stretch boasts a burst of a tender green garden facing Baba Issardas Darbar prayer hall.

Lane 2 pulls you into a kitschy quilt of parlours, godowns, tenements and stray housing societies. Blossom in the dust, a Sai Baba temple has risen on a plot which was a stinky dump. Diagonally across, I approach a one-time “house of ill repute” as food critic Antoine Lewis delicately describes. Growing up a lane beyond, he finds the essential character of the place intact. “The lanes enjoy great cosmopolitanism but changing community profiles. The Jains, for instance, have always lived with Bohris, Sindhis, Parsis, Catholics, Jews and Punjabis. Starting from kirana and hardware shops, they’ve diversified into jewellery and mobile phone outlets.”

Lanes 3 and 4, linked by Cawasji Jehangir Road, prove interesting. Neither residence-rowed like Lane 1 nor commercial like Lane 2, their locals clearly know insider history. Everyone from passing delivery men to long-time tenants sidle up with snippets... “That locked yellow kothi door stores wood, but used to be Comfort Library with thousands of titles for us 1970s kids.” “The gas company was Irani restaurant Roshan.” “This was Pranlal Bhogilal’s vintage car warehouse.”

Maratha Stores continues going strong since 1945. Close to a century old, Porbunder Castle looks deceptively modern after sliding windows replaced its beautiful balconies that sadly, simply fell off with age. Happy Cycle Shop in Lane 3 is Colaba’s sole such after two in the bazaar shut. Dsouza’s garage now hawks chai and Chinese. The swank Star supermarket has clients but people prefer phoning their bania for deliveries. Cafe Shanghai fronted Pasta Lane 4 before being rented by Canara and UCO Bank. Imbiss in Pipewala Building went through serial avatars — Hina dance bar, Hawaiian Shack and Bootleggers.

Laburnum-lined but bereft of well remembered wider pavements, Cawasji Jehangir Road ends in Namdar Manzil. Its flats exclusively for defence forces, the property formerly belonged to Benazir Bhutto’s family. Referring to his as Lane 3 ½ (a parallel strip not to be confused with C J Road), Zahir Fatehi declares he loves the Art Deco architecture around Lalchand Mansion where he greets “80 per cent of original neighbours”. No compound walls enclose these buildings, so parking is a contentious issue.

Tales of two Lane 4 trees are told. The family of 1946-established Akbar Motors speaks of a “bunder se bhara badam ka jhaad”.

Thieving-for-gold monkeys caused havoc in Sunrise building opposite this almond tree. Sunrise, incidentally, was home to Rohinton Mistry’s tuition teacher Moti Dalal, popularly called Baby Auntie by Campion School boys and Fort Convent girls, and dubbed The Duchess by the novelist.

A second story comes from Esther Silliman and her Sindh-born husband Hira Malaney, occupants of Kismet’s fourth floor from 1962 to 1998. Hawks nested in the peepul tree brushing their mosaic-tiled terrace which treated them to unobstructed views all the way to Governor’s House. A barber shaving customers in its shade spied a root that resembled an elephant’s foot. Cashing in on the discovery, he created a Ganesh idol over the natural growth. The self-styled tantrik’s ruse got easy prey “worshippers” to leave money offerings.

The Malaneys’ was among the first flats furnished by Chippendale in Bombay. “Kismet was a haven I miss,” Esther says, sitting in the sprawling NCPA Apartments home they moved to. “We had warm times in that small house with a round-pebbled outdoor stone rockery.” She recalls pushing her babies’ pram on Cuffe Parade’s pedestrian promenade before the fishing colony sprang up.

“We still order sodas for parties from Joseph & Co. in our old lane,” Hira says, forwarding me to Moses Joseph. At 58, the proprietor of this 43-year-old provisions hub is proud he introduced the shop as a teenager, studying for SSC exams at its counter.

“I was young but wanted to be enterprising,” he says — quietly asserting the spirit of a city as it was, as it is.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Sanam-Hasan-s.jpg*Sanam died on October 2, 2012, while celebrating her birthday with friends in Pune*

The case has already witnessed a series of blunders, with botched up post-mortem and histopathology reports throwing up ridiculous findings of Sanam being male, and suffering from ischemic heart disease, which the parents have denied.*Sanam Hasan seen cutting a cake with her friends at the party where she died*

 

Now, the CBI is facing another roadblock in its investigations with the Versova Muslim Kabrastan Trust denying the investigative body permission to exhume Sanam’s remains from the grave.

The exhumation is essential for taking the case forward as reports of the forensic science laboratories in Kalina and Hyderabad have pointed to the fact that the samples provided in the case were not those of Sanam’s.

It was because of the multiple goof-ups in the case that the HC had transferred the case from the state CID to the CBI in September 2014. Following a magistrate court’s order recently, the CBI was finally granted permission to exhume the body on July 26. The CBI team now plans to hand over the court’s order to members of the kabrastan trust on Sunday. A senior CBI officer, on condition of anonymity, confirmed the development and said, “All the departments concerned including forensic team, revenue department, photographer and local police have been informed about Tuesday’s exhumation. We already have the court’s permission, but some members from the community attached to the trust have reservations. We, however, haven’t received any written communication regarding this, from the trust yet.”

"The kabrastan members have assured us that they will put up our request before the committee and let us know of their decision soon," the official said.

Sanam's father Layique Zia Hasan (58) has expressed frustration at the situation. "I pleaded with them to allow for the exhumation, but they issued a fatwa, saying that after four years of burial, they do not allow a body to be exhumed, especially that of a woman. They also cited religious references, which do not permit exhumation. I will now approach senior community members and plead their intervention to allow the CBI to exhume my daughter’s body."

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Asian-Pied-Myna-s.jpg*The Asian Pied Myna*

Our common Mynas are the local brown dons among birds with a jelled look on their crown feathers, complimented by a boisterous demeanour. In comparison, their close cousins, the Pied mynas or what are now christened the Asian Pied starlings (Gracupica contra) are a melodious and happy lot. I can recollect my exhilaration on seeing Pied starlings (Mynas) twitter and fly around the wetland, way back in 1986. I watched their flocks dwindle into loose pairs engaged in courtship activities such as calling, fluffing of feathers and head-bobbing. Their loose, grass-ball nest with a lateral entrance, on an Indian Coral tree, next to the lake, had a stench that could repel even the most ardent mammalian predator. Favoured nesting trees include banyan, mango, jackfruit, rosewood, Bhend and Pangara or the occasional man-made tower.

Asian Pied starlings, found in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, have a contrasting black and white plumage with a red-based yellowish bill and a red bare skin-patch besides the eye. They are gregarious birds, mainly distributed from the Indo-Gangetic region extending south to the Krishna River, occurring in plains and low foothills with access to open water. However, accidental cage escapees have been possibly responsible for their historical range extension and establishment of populations in Pakistan, Rajkot and since 1953, in Mumbai. Although naturalised birds in Amchi Mumbai, their highly muscular preying apparatus allows them to part a mat of grass while their eyes are positioned to obtain a binocular view of the space between the parted beaks. It’s no wonder then that we find them foraging on our sports fields, garden lawns and in mangroves feeding on grains, fruits, insects and earthworms.

As pied starlings are a highly social, group members call frequently with a wide repertoire that includes whistles, trills, buzzes, clicks, and warbling calls. Their outstanding ability to mimic human speech and imitate songs of other birds had young birds taken into captivity or trained for performances. The metallic calls they emitted while scavenging in the lakeside grassland were reminiscent of a bunch of giggling school girls.

With dwindling grasslands, wetlands and even indigenous tree cover, it’s becoming a rare phenomenon to find pied starling parents bustling around to raise their single brood of six. Sadly, unless you live around areas with wetlands such as the Aarey Milk Colony, IIT Powai, parts of Mulund, Vasai, Panvel or the Race Course, it is becoming increasingly unlikely to sight these Pied Pipers of our Urban Kingdom. So, revive your old ponds with grassy edges on mud embankments and watch these singing starlings happily re-colonise your silent lawns.

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*Protesters rally against BJP official Dayashankar Singh, who was expelled from his party for comparing politician and Dalit leader Kumari Mayawati to a prostitute, in Lucknow on Thursday. Pic/AFP*

Every time, especially if there’s a woman involved (and it so often is. Why?) the default insult, without fail is: ‘prostitute’ (which makes it with fail, actually).

The latest attempt to pass this off as an insult in the direction of Ms Maywati of the BSP came from Mr Dayashankar of the UP BJP.

Why do you think they keep trying to pass the same word off as an insult? Do they think that if they keep writing this in the insult exam they will suddenly be right one day? Sometimes they try a sly variation — ‘presstitute’ — but alas, that just makes it a bad pun and a failed insult.

Of course, people also mislead these fellows by gasping on social media and then talking about this fake insult as if it is a real insult.

“They are only saying this because Mayawati is a woman.” “They are only saying this because she is not married or conventionally feminine.” “They are only saying this because she is Dalit.” “How could he use such words, we are pained.”

Well, you should be pained. Because of all the reasons that are spelt out above, but not because you imagine “prostitute” is a functional insult. ‘They’ have certainly passed in the prejudice and bias as well as the narrow-minded bigotry and small-minded misogyny theory papers and should be called out on these counts. But it pains us to say, they have not cleared the Insult Practicals.

It is mystifying that anyone continues to think the word prostitute is an insult. Prostitution is not a criminal activity — it is legal. Prostitutes as a group, are not known to cheat, kill people for eating beef, discriminate on the basis of caste or class, or intentionally hurt people.

Sex workers don’t even fool people about money — they tell you what a service costs and they render that service. Can we say the same about, say, the Mobile Phone Service companies? Your Internet Service Provider? Why, there’s a whole advertisement about how cell phone companies show four dandis but you can’t hear anyone. Real life (As per the ad. And why would the company that made that ad lie, huh?) people are angrily telling us all this. So, it might be a better insult to call someone a cell phone company, no?

Someone must give these repeater insulters some help. I’ve personally been helped a lot by reading Waiting for Godot and the round of insults exchanged by Estragon and Vladimir (Lawyer, Politician and Critic among them).

They could turn to Urdu or Bengali (choosing Horse’s Egg) or any other Indian language for insults that don’t involve sexual body parts and are really, genuinely insulting.

But no, they don’t even try. Every month Prostitute, every month re-exam. Someone provide a lesson for these…Critics, I mean, Politicians.

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No? Okay, you have heard of it, dear reader, obviously, but you’re not sure what the fuss is about.

So, it’s this augmented reality game, where you wander about the place obsessively looking for fictional characters. Then, you capture them.*Illustration/Uday Mohite*

(I know it sounds ominously like that 80’s craze… Pac Man).

Research has shown that the results are both rewarding and tragic — being run over, robbed and riddled with bullets are just some of the macabre fallouts.

On another level, I don’t understand how this is any different from our everyday life in India. But hey, that’s me.

I mean, for instance, I receive my electricity bill — I go to a fictional office looking for a fictional counter to pay my bill… there are fictional officials who are out to fictional lunch.

At least in Pokeman Go! I can see these creatures and follow them and capture them.

Worried parents watching their crazy kids run out of the homes in a catatonic daze, justify, “At least my Pappu is outdoors, burning some calories”.

No he’s not, ignorant parent. The only exercise he’s getting are for his thumb and forefinger.

Plus, he’s just caused five cars to crash as they tried to avoid colliding with him on Dadar flyover.

Anyway, mastery over video games and mobile pastimes that explore virtual reality is my special skill set — many clients have approached me to create variations or customise Pokeman Go! for their specific needs.

Here are some of my software options:

*1.* Worried road contractors, who’ve been thrown into jail for their shoddy work, have called frantically. For them I have created a GPS based solution to warn pedestrians and motorists called ‘Pothole man! Don’t go!’

*2.* The Lodha Commission has asked me to devise a game that enables them to sack people within the BCCI — corrupt officials, 70+ old timers, players cum politicians. The new game is called ‘Pack up men! Go!’

*3.* I’ve created a software for BJP to hang onto Navjot Singh Sidhu and prevent him from going to the AAP. At least till the Punjab elections are over. It’s called “Paaji mann lo! Please Don’t Go’.

*4.* For the cops who are trying to crack the Indrani Mukerjea soap opera, I have a fabulous game in mind named ‘Pack her up in a suitcase and Go”.

*5.* Masterchef India is another client — To make the programme seem more desi, I’m renaming it ‘Pakao-man’.

*6.* For our meddling, heckling neighbours across the border, I have created a reality app called ‘Pak! Just go’.

*7.* For politicians who sleep in Parliament — either because they’re bored or jetlagged — I have a video game with a built-in alarm clock. It’s called ‘Wake me up before you go go!’

*8.* Finally, the Catholics of Bandra, needed an app to help them locate local food eateries. So, I’ve created — ‘Poke, men, let’s go!’ Where the hungry can find all the Goan delicacies they want — poke sorpotel, poke roast and poke sausage chilly fry.

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mid-day had reported yesterday about how road engineers from 24 wards were woken up on Friday by irate citizens who had got their mobile numbers from an advertisement published by the BMC in newspapers. The advertisement had been put out following High Court directives to the BMC earlier this month that the names and numbers of all engineers responsible for bad roads be made public as the BMC’s mobile application MCGM24*7 is not functioning.

One angry engineer dashed off a letter to his boss, on Friday, saying he should not be held responsible for inaction on complaints received on his personal number. Sub-engineer Rakesh Chouhan's letter, addressed to assistant municipal commissioner, R-South ward, stated, “I should not be held responsible for complaints received on my personal phone, as the BMC administration did not take me into confidence before publishing my number to attend to public grievances. I have stopped using WhatsApp now. I could lose my mind attending to calls all day about bad roads.” mid-day is in possession of the letter.*Paver block potholes on Anik Road in Wadala. Pics/Atul Kamble*

On Friday, when mid-day contacted Chauhan, he said, “Call me on my office number. My personal number has been published without my consent. Despite repeated attempts, Chouhan did not respond to phone calls and text messages yesterday. When contacted, assistant municipal commissioner R-South, Sahebrao Gaikwad, said, “I have received the letter from the sub-engineer. The letter has been forwarded to the chief engineer (roads).”

While the other engineers, too, are unhappy about their phone numbers being made public, they are circumspect about voicing their opinion.

When contacted, Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta said, “We were only following HC directives.”

Sainath Rajadhyaksha, general secretary, BMC engineer union association, said the BMC must have not informed the court that the engineers are not given official mobile numbers. “Left with no choice, the BMC published the personal numbers, which is not right," he said.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/24-Devdutt-Pattanaik-s.jpg*Illustration/Devdutt Pattanaik*

When was the last time you heard the story of the forgiving God of Islam? You most likely heard the story of a God who offers jannat (paradise, in Arabic) full of virgins to those who participate in jihad. Which story do you think is more in the media, and the madarsas? Any guesses?

For an ambitious person, the idea of a forgiving God does not work. It does not grant middlemen, a.k.a. clerics, any power. One would rather have an angry God, one who is eager to punish for mistakes and crimes, and who goads people to do battle with the promise of heaven.

This idea of an outraged God, who wants you to go to Holy War, was used by the leaders of the Catholic Church to foment the Crusades a thousand years ago. It was very different from the loving, caring and forgiving God found in the parables of Jesus, who celebrates the return of the prodigal son. It rejuvenated the beleaguered Holy Roman Empire.

We find this now happening in Islam. Religious radicals are reframing the idea of God to present the divine as a vengeful oversensitive impatient being, one who goads his chosen people to purge the world of non-believers with promises of a good afterlife. Religion is overshadowing the idea of the nation-state. God’s laws, or convenient interpretations of these laws, are bypassing civil liberties. The images of religious warriors with guns, and vast crowds of the faithful mourning for the martyr are being glamorised for political goals in social media. The forgiving God is all but forgotten.

This social disease, and an increasing fondness for war, is leading young artists to reimagine Hindu gods. No more are they gently smiling images as on temple walls. Now Ram, Krishna, Shiva, Durga are all red-eyed, outraged, muscular, aggressive warriors and avenging superheroes. What does it tell us about our society? Faith now manifests not as patience, but as impatience, even intolerance.

Rational atheists are no better, turning victimhood into a fetish, constantly dividing the world into ‘oppressors’ and ‘oppressed’, ‘victims’ and ‘villains’, justifying their arguments with statistics, not realising that it is exactly what fundamentalists are doing. It is they who glamourised the word ‘angry’.

Today, Hindu radicals feel threatened by Muslims. Muslim radicals feel cornered by the world. Patriarchs are feeling threatened by feminists. Left Liberals blame the state for structural inequality. The state feels torn between judgemental journalists, greedy capitalists, and manipulative lynch mobs. Things are spiralling out of control. Time to pause, and ask: who made forgiveness a sign of weakness and punishment a sign of strength? Not God, for sure.

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We remember Kaizad Gustad as the writer-director whose first feature film was Bombay Boys — a scandalous story of three expat boys "finding themselves" to the tune of numbers by Indus Creed. It stereotyped locals in a way that only an NRI can and had a heavy dose of homosexuality. Some found it offensive, others thought it was progressive. If you were a 90s kid, however, chances are you watched it on the sly.

*A creative from the web series, Lost and Found starring Faraz Khan and Poppy Jabal and directed by Kaizad Gustad*

But, here’s a little known fact. Gustad’s first feature was shot on 1,00,000 feet of 35 mm Kodak film — a prize he won for best short film in Asia at the Kodak Awards in 1995, three years before Bombay Boys. Decades after that win and a couple of career setbacks later, Gustad — Parsi boy, Mumbai-schooled, Sydney-bred and now 46 — has debuted as the writer-director of a web series that shares the same title as that short — Lost and Found. The similarities stop there, however. The new web series, which released last week and is serialised for six weeks on SONYLiv.com, follows a rather familiar formula of polar opposites — an introverted geek and a gregarious Punjabi kudi. Jai Veer Rathod (Faraz Khan, of Ship of Theseus fame) loses his phone, which lands in the hands of Preeti (Poppy Jabal) and a chase ensues. "It’s a road movie, a love trip gone mad. Jai chases after the phone, only to find her, and in the process, himself," Gustad writes to us.*Kaizad Gustad*

Lost and Found has the Gustad trademark — scenes of Bombayana, unusual plot twists and some easy laughs. "I always write my own films and it appeals to me to make original and ‘hatke’ stuff. Bombay Boys and Lost and Found — both are urban stories. I like that milieu, and every story from me offers lots of twists and turns. And usually the girl comes out on top," says the filmmaker, who gave us Boom (which launched Katrina Kaif) and Jackpot (featuring Sunny Leone).

For Gustad, film has gone digital and his world has changed. He recalls the first film he saw — in a cinema built by his grandfather in an open field in Karnataka. "The screen came out of the field and everyone sat on the earth and watched the show, one day a week. Formats will come and go, but the core remains the same — entertain me!" he says.

Thus, making Lost and Found is "quite possibly the hardest thing" that Gustad has ever done. It was his first in-house production with his company Adda Media and shot in 12 days straight with a small crew and cast. And, the last couple of decades haven’t been the most favourable either to Gustad — the death of Nadia Khan, a crew member, in 2004 on his sets was followed by a six-year-long trial and he served jail time for a month. While he has in the past spoken of major career setbacks caused by the incident, it looks like he is ready to move on, in life and with his film formats. "I’ve been a part of the film industry for almost 20 years now, never been cut off from it. As a filmmaker, it takes forever to mount a film. I think every filmmaker will tell you that. Digital just means that you can tell your stories quickly and without the usual fuss over cinema. But yes, with the internet, and with digital in particular, the rules have changed," he says, adding that his first novel, Seven Storeys, releases this year as he works on Auto Bhagwan, a feature film. "So it’s been a very busy year — a web series, a feature, a novel and a play."

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/23-Churchgate_s.jpg*Churchgate station will also get a makeover. Stations will be cleaned and painted. File pic*

Stations which were adopted by others for beautification on these two corridors have been excluded.

However, no station on the Harbour line has been adopted for this project.

The city’s think-tank organisation, Mumbai First, will helm the project in association with a local non-profit organisation, Making a Difference. The two have charted out a 7-day programme in which volunteers, corporate employees, real estate companies and industries will paint the stations with a design based on landmarks in respective localities. Designs based on station-specific themes will be selected through a competition held at city art colleges like the JJ School of Art and Rachna College.

Mumbai First’s Chief Executive Officer Shishir Joshi told mid-day on Friday that the project ‘Hamara Station, Hamari Shaan,’ was planned in such a way that the commuters would feel the ownership of the stations they use, because they too would be urged to contribute in crowd funding.

“Some stations have already been beautified, but this will be a massive programme to be completed in just six days,” he said.

*Cleaning and painting*
Joshi said corporates, real estate and paint companies, a telecom giant have come forward to contribute to the project, not only financially but also through employees who will be encouraged to play an active role in the project. The employees will work at these stations, cleaning and painting, as per the time off provided by their employers. So far, 3,000 employees and volunteers, including students and citizens have registered to participate, he said. The volunteers will work during non-peak hours in the afternoon and after 9 pm.

A telecom major has agreed to work on a plan to provide Wi-Fi on some stations. Some Catholic groups too have volunteered to help financially and physically.

According to Joshi, each station will need funding of Rs 3 to 5 lakh, of which a significant contribution would also come from crowd funding. The methodology of crowd funding is being finalised and it will be put on the project’s website very soon.

Some members of Mumbai First will also adopt the stations and raise funds.

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It has been learnt that Aarey's Worli dairy hasn't produced an ounce of the flavoured milk in the last few months. And the stock supplied to city currently comes from a Pune-based firm to whom Aarey has given rights for production against an annual royalty of Rs 1.38 crore. Hence, the missing nostalgic taste.*Losing ground: An Aarey booth operator selling dairy products similar to the ones sold by the state-owned dairy. Pic/Satej Shinde*

Speaking to mid-day, a senior dairy officer said, “Due to low supply of milk and defunct machinery, all three government run dairies have stopped manufacturing milk products. While Worli and Goregaon dairies are partially operational, Kurla dairy has stopped operations completely. The daily supply of milk, which was once over 12 lakh litres a day, has reduced to a trickle of 50,000 litres. This highlights the downfall.”*Zero nostalgia: A new bottle  of Energee manufactured by the Pune-based firm. Pic/Bipin Kokate*

He added that the dairy requires special alcohol negative milk for Energee, which is expensive as compared to the regular milk. “At a time when we are finding it difficult to get regular milk, forget about procuring the special one. Even if we get it, machines aren't working.”

*'Difficult to break even'*
Kutwal Foods Private Limited, the Pune-based firm to whom the rights were outsourced to produce and sell the flavoured milk, is struggling to break even by selling Energee and other Aarey products claiming lack of support from Aarey booth owners in Mumbai.

Speaking to mid-day, Prakash Kutwal, chairperson of Kutwal Foods Pvt Ltd, said, “We were informed that the state dairy department has around 1,801 Aarey booths across Mumbai and another 300 across Maharashtra. But after winning the online tender of Rs 1.38 crore, we discovered that only 400 plus booths were operational across Mumbai. Surprisingly, most of them sell competitors' products, thus affecting the sale of products like Energee.”

He added that his company hasn't even thought of breaking even, as it only sells about 30 to 40 per cent of the total Energee produced despite offering a commission of Rs 3 per bottle to the vendors. “After deducting all overheads, including procurement of alcohol negative milk and delivery, we make a profit of just 50 paise per bottle,” Kutwal said, adding, “Vendors refuse to sell any other Aarey product claiming less incentives in comparison to the ones offered by the competitors. This is a setback, as it limits the reach and sale of Aarey products.”

Upon inquiry, Kutwal told this correspondent that besides procuring the rights to sell Aarey products, the company also bagged formulae for various milk products, including Energee. “We have been allowed to use the formula under the direct supervision of the Dairy Development officials. The officers conduct surprise checks to prevent the misuse of formulae. Moreover, we are also allowed to fix our own pricing for the Aarey products.”

When asked whether brand Aarey will survive, Kutwal replied positively stating that it wouldn't take more than a month to recapture the market, provided booth operators are pulled up and reprimanded for selling dairy products manufactured by other companies.

He also claimed that the previous NCP-Congress government ministers, who either had their own dairies or were associated with cooperative milk businesses, wanted Aarey to die a natural death. But the present government wants to ensure that brand Aarey doesn't fade into oblivion and is doing everything possible to revive it.

*Loss making machine*
Sources told mid-day that despite incurring heavy losses, the dairy department purchased an automatic continuous shelve machine for the Energee section by paying 80 per cent of R10 lakh upfront.

The machine was procured from a Gujarat-based company three years ago.

“Since the day of its installation, the machine has been lying idle. The main machine, which was imported from Denmark in 1960's, which developed a technical snag recently also remains unused. We thought that at least the new machin Reported by Mid-Day 2 hours ago.

Gigi Hadid sits on a sailor’s back while he does push ups in a brand new clip from Tommy Hilfiger’s The Girl perfume ad. The 21-year-old model is the face for the new scent and in the clip, she runs roll call and puts the sailors through drills. If you missed Gigi‘s full campaign, check [...] Reported by Just Jared Jr 8 hours ago.

LOCALS claim the girl arms herself with a hammer and a truncheon to destroy property and threaten neighbours who try to intervene. Reported by Daily Record 8 hours ago.

*Los Angeles:* 'Criminal Minds' actor Josh Stewart has joined the cast of "Insidious: Chapter 4" in a yet to be announced role.

Stewart previously played Bane's second-in-command Barsad in "The Dark Knight Rises."

Lin Shaye, who has been in all three films, returns as parapsychologist Elise Rainier. Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions is financing. Sony will handle international distribution while Universal will handle domestic, reported Variety.

The film is slated to open on October 20, 2017.

"Insidious" launched the franchise in 2011, followed by "Insidious: Chapter 2" in 2013 and "Insidious: Chapter 3" in 2015. The movies had grossed USD 357.7 million worldwide.

Series newcomer Adam Robitel ("The Taking of Deborah Logan") will direct "Chapter 4" from a script by co-creator Leigh Whannell, who wrote the trilogy and directed "Chapter 3."

Horror kingpin Jason Blum is producing again through Blumhouse, which also handles "The Purge" and "Ouija" franchises, along with Oren Peli ("Paranormal Activity") and co-creator James Wan ("The Conjuring,""Furious 7").

The first two films starred Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne as a couple dealing with their son mysteriously entering acomatose state and becoming a vessel for ghosts.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/24Twinkle-Khanna-s.jpg*Twinkle Khanna*

Twinkle, 42, the elder daughter of Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia, tweeted, "Sir if you can't respect the living, respect the dead - mediocrity is attacking a man who can't respond @NaseerudinShah."

In an interview, Shah had said that 70's was the time when mediocrity came in Hindi films and also when Rajesh Khanna joined the industry, who according to him was a "poor actor".

Twinkle's friend and filmmaker Karan Johar agreed with the actress-turned-author and criticised Shah, saying his comments were in "exceptionally bad taste".

"I agree with you @mrsfunnybones... due respect to seniority but this was in exceptionally bad taste and not becoming of a fraternity member," Johar posted on Twitter.

Rajesh Khanna, who was Bollywood's first superstar, died of cancer in July 2012 at the age of 69. He has starred in films like "Baharon Ke Sapne", "Aradhana", "Haathi Mere Saathi", "Amar Prem" and "Aap Ki Kasam" among others.

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Katrina Kaif considers filmmaker Kabir Khan her best friend in the industry.*Katrina Kaif*

The actress has worked with him in Phantom and Ek Tha Tiger. All this while, we thought Sultan director Ali Abbas Zafar was her best buddy!*Ali Abbas Zafar*

Ali still remains in Kat’s scheme of things, but she now feels she has not met anyone who is as happy to hear her out as Khan.*Kabir Khan*

All of this is now public knowledge since the reticent actress is sharing her likes on social media.

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Recently, Ali Fazal had a run-in with a fan. He was in Lucknow when a girl popped up at his doorstep.

*Ali Fazal*

The girl, accompanied by her father drove down from Kanpur, on learning of the actor’s whereabouts via social media.

Ali was pleasantly surprised to meet his fan who brought him a gift as well. But when he was told that she had skipped a school test to make it to Lucknow, Ali was miffed with the father to have encouraged his daughter.

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Masaan actor Vicky Kaushal is making news for dropping out of projects.

He is out of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati as well as Bejoy Nambiar’s next.

Considered the most promising face of 2016, this is a pity.

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Deepika Padukone almost forgot her bag while on her way out at a screening of Madaari.*Deepika Padukone*

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So, there is no way Sonakshi Sinha will talk about her personal life.

The recent buzz about her and entrepreneur Bunty Sajdeh is because of her being spotted hanging with his sister Seema Khan. Sona is furious with the gossip doing the rounds.

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Prachi Desai is in the mood to kick butt. The actress, who will be seen in Rock On 2, has been attending kickboxing sessions. She now feels kickboxing is the best workout and the only way to stay in shape. You go, girl.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Anil-Ranveer-s.jpg*Ranveer Singh and Anil Kapoor playing tag*

He also invited Dil Dhadakne Do co-star, Ranveer Singh, for the show.*Sapna Pabbi**Surveen Chawla**Sakshi Tanwar*

The actor emulated Anil and posed with the posters of the series.*Sudhanshu Pandey*

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In ancient times, when men dressed up as women on stage, it was the need of the hour because there was a dearth of women who did theatre. Over time, the paradigm has shifted from necessity to providing entertainment, and somehow it always makes the audience chuckle when they see men dressed up as women. Case in point: Kiku Sharda or Ali Asgar flirting with Bollywood celebrities on The Kapil Sharma Show.*Gaurav Gera as Chutki dances with Salman Yusuf Khan*

In season 7 of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (JDJ), the channel introduced Kiku as Palak on the reality show and he kicked up a storm with his performance. This year, the makers have roped in Guarav Gera as the new man in women's garb to compete in the dance contest. But, Gera claims it is no mean feat. The actor says in his Chutki and shopkeeper videos, he only had to concentrate on his facial expressions, but on JDJ, he has to be careful about how he walks, talks, the body language — and dancing in heels, of course. “I have been watching Kiku's videos from the previous season and there are too many steps. I still dance like Mithun Chakraborty and Rajesh Khanna; I am a very '70s man. Today, dancing is too crisp and fast. I am trying to rehearse in heels and since I am not used to it, it makes my legs ache. It's quite a challenge.”*Ssumier Pasricha as Pammi Aunty*

Does dressing up as women really work? “If it weren't working, it wouldn't exist. There is a supply because there's demand for it. It's not something I started a year ago. I was a big fan of a show called Little Britain; the producer of a show wanted me to do something like that. So, they came up with a show called Dekh India Dekh (2009) where I played a female character, Malti Manohar Mishra, for the first time. When I began making videos online from 2010 to 2011. Then I came back in 2015, Chutki became a sensation. I think it is interestingly weird and the concepts are not regular. That's why people are attracted to it,” said Gaurav.*Kiku Sharda as Palak*

Kiku, who began donning the female avatar with Great Indian Comedy show in 2005, believes that people's acceptance of an artiste as a woman is the most difficult part. Once that happens, it's an achievement. “Certain faces are harsh and masculine, and turning those into a woman's face can be difficult. It can go wrong and make you look really bad. Luckily for me, being chubby and plump worked in my favour. I could easily pass off as a woman. The softness in tone, women-like gait and feminine demeanour can be difficult to achieve. There has to be acceptability in what you do. So often, people talk to me as if I am a woman. I think that's an achievement,” he says. How do people react to a man playing a woman? “Before these videos became a hit, people were a little judgmental. I did get comments of people asking me to behave like a man and not be cheap, but they were few. Initially, I thought I get a mixed reactions, but after it became a hit, 90 per cent of the junta appreciated what I did, baring a few,” expressed Gaurav.

Ssumier Pasricha claims that his family was not kicked about his Pammi Aunty avatar at all. “Initially my family was not keen on me doing something like this. They didn't know what could be done about it. But now, they are extremely proud of it and are enjoying its success with me.”

Gaurav claims that he is wired as Chutki, but only as one of the many characters he plays. “I am a grown up guy; I am not going to transform into a girl by doing these videos. I am too stubborn to change like that. My parents know that Chutki is a character that I can get in and out of easily. This character appeals to me, so my parents are with me. Initially, my dad would ask, 'What's the use of making videos and uploading them?' But truth be told, I have made maximum money in the last year with those videos.”

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/24Yami-Gautam-s.jpghttp://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Akshay-Ileana-s.jpghttp://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/jul/22-Mehmood-death-s.jpg*Mehmood*

In spite of rarely playing the lead role, he was a superstar alright. His name helped producers sell more tickets and his picture on the poster ensured that scores turned up at the theatres. Such was the effect of this young, funny man and his self-effacing easy humour that it is said that some male stars of his time were insecure about sharing screen space with him.*Helen and Mehmood in 'Gumnaam' (1965)*

The sixties belonged to this mad, mad man who was so effortless that sometimes it'd seem like he had forgotten that he was in front of the camera. There was a time when his presence in films was imperative for the film to do well at the box office.*Shammi Kapoor and Mehmood in 'Dil Tera Diwana' (1962)*

He must be one of the few comedians who managed to deliver box-office hits with some films riding solely on his shoulders. A case in point is Do Phool where he played the double role of Chuttan and Phuttan with much aplomb.*Dhumal with the actor in 'Ziddi' (1964)*

*In pictures: 10 funniest comedians in Bollywood*

Mehmood was not just a laugh-a-minute comedian. This intelligent man went on to make some sensitive films like Ginni Aur Johnny and Kunwara Baap.

*We speak to some new-age comedians to tell us about their impression of this one-time phenomenon...**Mehmood*

*Sorabh Pant

*
*Quote unquote:* "How can anyone forget the scenes from 'Padosan'? This great actor represented the prototype of the comedy genre. I have watched this film at least 30 times and that guy was insane. You could see that there is this really funny man who seemed to be totally enjoying himself. He clearly was having a blast on screen and that was infectious. He had this wicked twinkle in his eyes. He starred in two of the funniest films made in Hindi: Padosan and Andaz Apna Apna. I remember about nine years ago when I was writing the script for The Great Indian Show on television, most of our references would come from Mehmood's scenes. To think that even after so many years the man brings a smile to our faces is an amazing achievement. My favourite scene, of course, is the jugalbandi (duet) between him and Kishore Kumar in Padosan. But I also loved one of the other scenes where he is arguing with Kishore Kumar. It was pure comedy gold."

*Sunil Grover

*
*Quote unquote:* "One can learn from Mehmood how to be easy, effortless, natural and impactful. He had an amazing connect with the audiences. He believed in what he did. And he did it on his own terms. He will always live on in our hearts. I loved his comic timing, especially the scene where he narrates a ghost story to Om Prakash in the film, Pyar Kiye Jaa."

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/jul/Daniel-Radcliffe-birthday-s.jpg*Daniel Radcliffe*

*1.* Daniel Radcliffe wanted to act since he was 5 years old and he made his screen debut at the age of 10 in BBC One's TV adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel 'David Copperfield', portraying the titular character as a young boy.*Daniel Radcliffe in a still from ‘David Copperfield’. Pic/YouTube*

*2.* 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' (2001) was not Daniel Radcliffe's first film. He made his Hollywood debut in 'The Tailor of Panama', a 2001 film based on John le Carré's 1996 spy novel.*Daniel Radcliffe in a still from his film debut ‘The Tailor of Panama’. Pic/YouTube*

*3.* Wondering how Daniel Radcliffe landed the part of Harry Potter? He once attended a play titled 'Stones in the Pockets' with his parents. David Heyman, the producer for the Harry Potter films, happened to be at the play too. Daniel's father, who knew Heyman, introduced him to his son. On meeting him, Heyman thought he was perfect to play Harry. Daniel auditioned for and bagged the role he is now most recognised for.

*Daniel Radcliffe in ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone’. Pic/Santa Banta*

*4.* His favourite book from the Harry Potter series is 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban' and his favourite character is Hagrid.

*5.* Daniel Radcliffe is a huge fan of cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar and he cherishes an autograph he got from the batting legend after the Lord's test in July 2007. For his love for cricket, Daniel aspired to play the game for England.

*6.* Daniel Radcliffe is a poet and his work was published in 2009 under the pen name Jacob Gershon. He published four poems in an underground magazine titled 'Rubbish'.

*7.* He suffers from dyspraxia or developmental coordination disorder. It is a condition that affects your brain's ability to communicate with your body, making common motor skills difficult. Daniel's condition is mild, but he has expressed trouble with small tasks like tying shoelaces and writing.

*8.* Besides his film debut, his first non-Harry Potter film is 'December Boys' (2007) and first post-Harry Potter film is 'The Woman in Black' (2012). He has tried to shed his 'Harry Potter' image along the way by featuring on Broadway and indie films.

*Daniel Radcliffe in ‘Horns’ (2014)*

*9.* Daniel Radcliffe has voiced characters on 'The Simpsons'. He guest starred as Edmund in 'Treehouse of Horror XXI' (2010) and as 'Diggs' in an episode by the same name in 2014.*Daniel Radcliffe voiced the character of Diggs (left) in an episode of ‘The Simpsons’ in 2014*

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jun/27-Rana-Daggubati_s.jpg*Rana Daggubati*

A source says," Rana and Bipasha were part of the project but it was delayed due to script change and other issues.

Vikram claimed that the project is back on track. Even though Rana who was once linked to Bips had then allegedly moved on.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/23Ranveer-Singh-s.jpg*Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone. Pics/Satej Shinde*

We spotted rumoured lovebirds Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh at the do.

We quite liked the actress's striped pyjama suit. It's perfect for the rains given, the ankle hem. Ragini Khanna and Gulshan Devaiah were also snapped at the screening.*Ragini Khanna**Gulshan Devaiah*

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/23Shah-Alia-s.jpg*Shah Rukh Khan. Pics/Yogen Shah*

Alia Bhatt, who apparently came straight from the airport, looked radiant in a floral maxi. Also present were Kunal Kapoor, Ali Zafar and Upen Patel.*Alia Bhatt**Upen Patel**Kunal Kapoor*

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/23John-Abraham-s.jpg*John Abraham and Jacqueline Fernandez. Pics/Yogen Shah*

After visiting the set of several reality shows to spread the word about their film, the duo was spotted at a restaurant sans Varun Dhawan.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/23Amber-Heard-s.jpg*Amber Heard and Elon Musk*

The actress, who has been navigating her way through a very public divorce from estranged husband Johnny Depp, reportedly spent the weekend with Musk at the Delano South Beach in Miami.

Heard was there with her sister. Sources have said that although the 30-year-old actress and the 45-year-old CEO of electric automobile-maker Tesla Motors had separate rooms, he was seen entering a specific room and Heard was spotted exiting the same room at different times over four days.

The sources also claimed that she and her sister were seen hanging out in Musk's hotel bungalow.

However, sources close to Heard and Musk claim that they are just friends and that Musk allowed Heard to use his room at the Delano while he was working on his rocket launch.

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*Arjun Bijlani* injured himself while rehearsing for his act in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. The actor hurt his pelvic bone while performing a stunt on the dance reality show.*Arjun Bijlani*

He has been advised bed rest, but Arjun is determined to be back on set. He has been popping painkillers to reduce the swelling.

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*Vatsal Sheth* has turned chaiwalla on the set of his TV show, 'Baazigar'.*Vatsal Seth*

He makes his cuppa special by adding lemon grass, ginger and mint leaves.

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*Anil Kapoor* and 24's action director *Allan Amin* share a special connect.*Anil Kapoor and Allan Amin*

Their friendship goes back to the days when Allan was trying to find a toehold in the industry.

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To take on the new releases, the makers of 'Sultan' have come up with a new marketing strategy.*Anushka Sharma*

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Almost three months after their marriage, *Bipasha Basu* and *Karan Singh Grover's* honeymoon does not seem to end. The two have taken off yet again, and are posting their lovey-dovey snapshots on social media.*Karan Singh Grover and Bipasha Basu*

Karan posted a picture and wrote, "You are the cutest, sweetest, most adorable, most gorgeous person in the whole wide world!!!

Thank you for being mine." Bipasha reposted the picture with the caption, "Thank you for making me believe in love stories." Mush makes their world go round.Also read...*Honeymoon diaries! Karan Singh Grover shares sensuous photo of 'goddess' Bipasha Basu*After giving fans a glimpse into their honeymoon in Maldives, newlywed Bollywood couple Karan Singh Grover and Bipasha Basu have shared more pictures from their dream holiday *(Click here to read)*

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*Arjun Rampal* posted a heartfelt message talking about his mother's health on Twitter yesterday.*Arjun Rampal*

It read, “My brave heart, my mom, comes back from NYC, healthier. She has braved her fight with cancer. Please keep her in your prayers.

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*Shraddha Kapoor* can't wait to be back on the set of 'Half Girlfriend'.*Shraddha Kapoor*

The actress has been missing the unit and is waiting for the next schedule to roll.

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*Aamir Khan* has been shooting for a promotional song for his upcoming wrestling drama, 'Dangal'.*Aamir Khan*

Mr Perfectionist was spotted at Mehboob Studios, Bandra, with kohl-laden eyes. The accessories and the stubble sure make him look badass.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/23Abhishek-Bachchan-s.jpg*Kiran Rao and Abhishek Bachchan at the film festival last year; (inset) Arpita Das*

Arpita Das, a Delhi-based publisher curating the award, says "We were keen to invite entries in Hindi last year, but felt it would be too ambitious. The priority then was instituting the award for books in English. But now, we want to introduce the award for Hindi, if not other regional languages, because there is a lot of good writing in the language. Next year, we plan to expand the award to Marathi, Bengali and Malayalam."

The award covers works of fiction, graphic novel, creative non-fiction, reportage and analysis written in English and Hindi, and carries a cash prize of Rs 2.5 lakh. Last year, a three-member jury picked the winner. However, this time, there are two juries.

"We will have an independent jury for every language. Two members will look into English, two into Hindi and one individual, who is well versed in Hindi and English, will decide for both languages," she explains.

Das says writing on films has not been explored to its full potential and genres like documenting the lives of people behind the films and film journals have a bright future.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/22-Madaari-review-s.jpg*A still from 'Madaari'*

A wronged man takes on a corrupt system and anyone who comes in between. ‘Madaari’ is another addition to those films that give the common man power to topple the movers and shakers of society. The message: you alone can make things happen, if you take things in your stride.

Over a decade ago, director Nishikant Kamat made the hard-hitting Marathi film, ‘Dombivili Fast’, which dealt with the trials and tribulations of a common man. In ‘Madaari’, he yet again sets out to highlight societal ills. Though the intention is right, the execution isn’t.

Juxtaposing songs (there is a long-winding track at the end of the first half) with montage shots of crowds in the second half mar the narrative. They pose as hindrance in striking a chord with the protagonist, single parent Nirmal Kumar (Irrfan Khan), who loses his school-going son in a bridge collapse. The mishap is shown to be unfolding in Andheri (east), while the announcer says the victims are being taken to the ‘paas ke’ KEM Hospital. Now, any Mumbaikar would know that KEM is in Parel and nowhere ‘paas’ to Andheri. It is at least an hour’s drive or more, given the city’s infamous situation. Glitches apart, there is that emotional connect with the grieving father. More than remorse and guilt for not dropping him to school that day and allowing him to go alone, Nirmal seethes in anger. Why did his son die in a manmade tragedy? He seeks answers. Devastated, he thinks of ending his life, but then decides to expose the people responsible for the tragedy.

After that point, ‘Madaari’ takes off on a roller-coaster ride as a dishevelled Nirmal kidnaps a minister’s son. The boy is a brat, who, somewhere down the line, gets comfortable with his kidnapper. He wonders if his kidnapper has also warmed up to him as he realises Nirmal means no harm to him but wants to bring his minister-dad to book.

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*Priyanka Chopra's* bestie, filmmaker *Mubina Rattonsey*, is visiting her in New York where she is shooting for TV show, Quantico.


 

A photo posted by Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra) onJul 20, 2016 at 1:19pm PDT



The actress posted this photo on social media with her pal wearing envy-inducing designer shades.

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The film also starred star cricketer Yuvraj Singh’s father Yograj.

You may not understand the language, but his antics seem funny nonetheless!

*Watch it*

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/22Deepika-Padukone-s.jpg*Deepika Padukone*

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/22Salman-Yusuf-Khan-s.jpg*Salman Yusuf Khan and Nora Fatehi*

Actress Nora Fatehi, who is taking part in the dance reality show, said, "It's not fair to us that Salman is suddenly a contestant. He is a gazillion steps ahead of us and understands the game. There have been seasons of Jhalak where trained dancers like Lauren Gottlieb participated, but this is different."

TV actor Arjun Bijlani chose to play it safe by saying, "He is part of JDJ now, so I cannot comment. In fact, he will be able to raise the bar and others will strive to match his level." Karishma Tanna shared similar sentiments. "We cannot judge what's fair and what's unfair. Salman is a good performer. He has been brought on the show so that we can get inspired by him."

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/22Aamir-Kareena-s.jpg*Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan*

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The Indian film fraternity went onto their social media accounts praising Thalaiva on the occasion of the first day of the film's release.

*

a still from Rajinikanth-starrer 'Kabali'
*

Directed by Pa. Ranjith, the film features Rajinikanth as a don who fights for Tamils in Malaysia.

On Thursday night, the film had its world premiere in Malaysia and Singapore, followed by Dubai and some parts of the US.

The film has also been released in Hindi and Telugu, apart from its Tamil version. The dubbed Malay version is slated to release on July 29.

“Saluting” Rajinikant, celebrities like director S.S. Rajamouli, Madhur Bhandarkar, Kunal Kohli and Dhanush expressed their energised sentiments on Twitter while some shared their disappointment over missing the first day, first show of the film due to work.

*Here is what the fraternity had to say:*

S. S. Rajamouli: Missing 'Kabali' first day first show. Stuck in shooting. How I wish I could be there in the theatre engulfed by Thalaiva mania...

Madhur Bhandarkar: On my way to watch first day first show of 'Kabali' at Aurora Theatre, Matunga and excited to be a part of the Rajinikanth mania.

Resul Pookutty: Rajinikanth namma Thalaivar eppiadi irukku...?

Priya Anand: Sulking on set today because I didn't get the day off to watch 'Kabali'. Watching you guys showing off on Twitter ain't helping either!

Kunal Kohli: So today is 'Kabali'. Rajnikant, what a man. He doesn't need a holiday weekend, it becomes one when he releases a film.

Kamaal R. Khan: What a great film 'Kabali'. Full of emotions and patriotism. It's going to be sure shot blockbuster all over south India. Salute to Rajnikant.

Lakshmi Rai: The one and only Thalaivar. 'Kabali', superstar, star power.

Raja Sen: Best wishes to Thalaivaress Radhika Apte for the biggest release of the year. Tickets booked for Tamil extravaganza. 'Kabali', no dubs please.

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On Thursday, Chahatt Khanna Mirza's friends threw her a surprise baby shower!

'Bahu Hamari Rajni Kant' actress Tanvi Thakkar, 'Madhubala – Ek Ishq Ek Junoon' actress Shraddha Jaiswal and 'Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani' actress Vahbiz Dorabjee and other friends joined in the celebrations at Chahatt Khanna's baby shower.

*Check out photos from the baby shower:*


 

Different colours of life #chahattkhanna #grattitude #family #friends #girls #babyshower #surpriseparty #lovelife

A photo posted by Chahatt Khanna Mirza (@chahattkhannamirza) onJul 21, 2016 at 12:34am PDT




 

Tnx my darlings for this surprise baby shower, you'll mean so much to my life😘 luv u girls to bits .. @tanvithakker @shraddhajaiswal @vahbz

A photo posted by Chahatt Khanna Mirza (@chahattkhannamirza) onJul 20, 2016 at 10:37pm PDT




 

Poster girls ! Can't wait to be awesome aunts ! 🙋🏻🙋🏻🙋🏻🙋🏻🙋🏻🙋🏻

A photo posted by Tanvi Thakkar (@tanvithakker) onJul 20, 2016 at 7:06pm PDT




 

Love u , mommy to be ! @chahattkhannamirza #babyshower#mommytobe#cantwait

A photo posted by Tanvi Thakkar (@tanvithakker) onJul 20, 2016 at 1:00pm PDT



 

Chahatt Khanna has worked in TV shows like 'Kumkum', 'Tujh Sang Preet Lagai Sajna' and 'Qubool Hai'.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/22kabali-fever-s.jpg*Musicians play the kombu and chenda drums at Rajinikanth's Kabali premiere at Aurora’s 6 am show on Friday. Pic/Meenakshi Shedde*

"The reaction to the film is ecstatic. The atmosphere inside the cinema hall is electrifying," grinned Nambi Rajan, the owner of Aurora Theatre, which created history by hosting six full-house shows of "Kabali" starting 6 a.m. today.

According to the distributors, "Kabali" released in 12,000-plus screens globally in 30 countries, including China. Of these, 6,200 screens are spread across India -- of them, 116 in Maharashtra which include Mumbai's 104 screens.

Due to fans' pressure, the theatre had applied for permission to screen the film at 3 a.m. on Friday, but it was denied by the concerned authorities.

"Patrons have been coming dressed in all their finery, a majority sporting Rajini tee-shirts, one even came in the actor's trademark three-piece suit. A Rajini Fans Club had organised complimentary food packets for the patrons during the 9 a.m. show today," Rajan told IANS.

The day for the 'Thalaiva festival' started early on Friday - at 4 a.m. for many -- with a customary visit to the nearby Sri Shankara Mathham and offering prayers.

Thereafter, the festivities started for the inaugural show with a huge procession of fans beating drums, singing and dancing upto the theatre for the much-coveted 'first day, first show'.

At the theatre entrance, two 60-feet tall (almost a 7-storied building) gigantic cut-outs of Rajinikanth looked benignly at the fans who bowed, prostrated and prayed before them (the cut-outs), some even broke coconuts, poured coconut milk and water.

Then the jostling crowd started to quickly enter the dark cinema hall where 152 minutes of entertainment awaited in the form of "Kabali".

Since early morning on Friday, social media sites were flooded with viewers' reactions. They largely gave a 'Thumbs Up' sign to "Kabali" and lauded Rajinikanth's performance in the Tamil film dubbed in Hindi, Telugu, Malay and other languages worldwide.

Rajan expects a minimum 50-day run for "Kabali" in Aurora Theatre since it's being released simultaneously in so many screens, some with multiple shows, in different languages.

"For the next few days, all the shows here are housefull. It is clear that people continue to idolise Rajinikanth," smiles Rajan, himself a die-hard fan of the icon.

Inaugurated in 1942, the 700-seater Aurora Theatre has been given a fresh coat of paint, enhanced interiors and exteriors, a shiny new screen, glittering clean ambience with shining lights to welcome aKabali.'

Well known ophthalmologist S. Natarajan of Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital -- himself a die-hard Rajini fan -- conducted a free eye camp for all, while Rajinikanth fan clubs in Mumbai organised blood donation drives at the cinema hall, besides patrons contributing to various charities on Friday.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/22-Kabali-review-s.jpg*'Kabali' poster*

*(This review contains spoilers)*

The scene that ushers the interval in Kabali is reminiscent of a movie from 21 years ago, Baasha, the last and most memorable occasion Rajinikanth played a gangster. Dead centre of the frame is a lamppost with someone lying crumpled under it.

In Baasha, this someone was an evil man. Standing in front of him was the person who put him there with calibrated savagery — Manickam, played by Rajini. In Kabali, Rajini is the man lying under the lamppost.

Baasha’s formulaic first hour had but one purpose — to set up the unsuspecting viewer for those 10 minutes of mayhem before the interval. An interval that left you breathlessly wondering ‘what next?’

In comparison, Kabali’s first hour has no purpose (Rajini sleepwalks through it) and leaves you wondering where it all went wrong — nothing ever happens before and very little after.

*Also read: The Thalaiva is here! Rajinikanth's 'Kabali' fever grips Mumbai*

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. When news came last year that Rajini’s next would be with Pa Ranjith, it gave rise to hope. Hope that — following the failed family experiment Kochadaiyaan, which really was just an indulgent Rajini humouring his elder daughter Aishwarya, and the insipid Lingaa, which had no reason to exist — the superstar has decided on a course correction. This was fuelled by the beautiful but flawed Madras, which had several virtuoso moments before the tame denouement.

Hope also that, finally, Rajini has tired of playing himself on loop and instead chosen to submit himself to a director who writes his characters first and then chooses the best people to play them.

This much is true — Rajini plays Kabali, a Tamil don in Malaysia who has come out of jail after serving 25 years. While Kuala Lumpur has changed a lot in these 25 years — dull skyscrapers have replaced the vibrant community shops — a lot else has remained the same. The men responsible for sending him in are still out there, flooding the streets with all kinds of drugs. Kabali’s got to set things right all over again. Only, this time he is also trying to find meaning after the long incarceration and is still struggling to come to terms with his loss.

In theory, this could have been a great film. You have a star who is willing to leave out the ‘mass’ entry and ‘punch’ dialogues that send fans into a trance, comedy tracks, and elaborately choreographed song sequences. And you have a director who isn’t afraid to take his time setting up characters and base his scripts on the assumption that his audience is intelligent enough to not be spoon-fed every single plot point.

But the biggest letdown is the characterless — literally and figuratively — script, which is not only bereft of any intelligence or imagination but also telegraphs and spells out in all-caps what little plot twists it has. The resultant soggy mess of a film is thus neither director’s nor star’s. Ranjith has, somehow, managed to deliver a Rajini movie with no ‘Rajini’ in it.

*Also read: Here's how Mumbai theatres are gearing up for Rajinikanth's 'Kabali'*

The superb music by Santosh Narayan and the extremely political lyrics only magnify the script’s flaws. (Even some of the key dialogues are political, but they do not have the same impact as the powerful lyrics, primarily because of the poor script.)

The only high notes are when Kabali and his daughter Yogi (Dhansika) finally reunite with his long lost wife Kumudhavalli (Radhika Apte) and a brief scene towards the end. Apte’s Kumudhavalli is the only character of note in the whole movie. That is saying something for a movie where she is seen for about 10 minutes in all and which has a raft of proven performers like Kishore in the cast.

This is also sad because in those brief moments, Apte and Rajini convince you they are two people who till then thought the person in front of them was no more. You can’t help but wonder what may have been had the film taken some time (and trust me, the film has a lot of time for a lot of insignificant episodes) to explore what it must be like for Kabali and Kumudhavalli to come together after all these years.

But the plot hurriedly shifts back to Malaysia and to the other high note, when Rajini — again briefly — twinkles on the terrace of a KL high-rise. Despite being in a poorly-written scene, Rajini owns the screen like few other stars can and fills it like only he can.

The closing scene that follows the drab climax is similar to that of Mani Ratnam’s Nayagan, arguably the greatest ever Indian gangster movie. When Nayagan ended, it made you reflect on the life of the gangster and also why a certain boy did what he did. But because there are some absolute no-go zones for a Rajini movie, Kabali doesn’t even allow you to do that. Not that there is much to reflect upon besides what could have been.

*Also read: 'Kabali' craze! Here's how Rajinikanth fans have taken Mumbai by storm*

Up next for Rajini is his third film with that hit machine called Shankar, Robot 2.0. After that, one only hopes — both for the star’s and audience’s sake — that Rajini doesn’t feel burnt by this good-intentioned experiment with Ranjith and decides to go back to the tried-and-tested ‘Rajini film’ formula. It must have taken tremendous courage to take the leap of faith that is Kabali for someone who can still stake claim to being the country’s biggest star. It will be a travesty if he shelves the experiment after one bad film.*Watch the trailer of 'Kabali'*

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Here's the first look of the Kaala Chashma track from *Sidharth Malhotra* and *Katrina Kaif's* upcoming film, Baar Baar Dekho.

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His rap act in Udta Punjab is long over, but *Shahid Kapoor* still has fans sending him different versions of the film's title track.*Shahid Kapoor*

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*Also read: Kriti Sanon feels rumours of dating Sushant Singh Rajput are 'nasty' **Jan 21, 2016: Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon*

Says a source, "Sushant and Kriti may not admit to their relationship, but cosy pictures on social media say it all. The makers of Raabta are worried that over-exposure will affect the film's prospects."*Feb 22, 2016: Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon*

Shooting for the romance drama began around the same time that Sushant parted ways with longtime girlfriend, actress Ankita Lokhande. Their bonding over movie dates and horse riding sessions became a talking point. So did their crackling chemistry in Raabta's first look poster. *(View poster!)**April 20, 2016: Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon*

Last month, when he shifted out of his former love nest in Malad to a new pad in Bandra, Kriti was invited to the housewarming party. They are apparently spending a lot of time together at his house. Reports of the two holidaying in Bangkok then surfaced, but they denied it outright. Kriti claimed to be spending time with her sister in Mumbai while Sushant labelled stories of their alleged romance as "entertaining but fictional".

*Also read: Is Kriti Sanon with Sushant Singh Rajput in Thailand? Here's what she has to say!**April 25, 2016: Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon*

The rumours, however, continue to keep the grapevine buzzing. "Sushant and Kriti were signed on as a fresh pair and their on-screen chemistry is great. But their film's release is a long way off — February 2017. If they are going to be featured in the media every other day, the curiosity and novelty surrounding the pairing will wear off in no time. So, the makers have advised them to take it slow," adds the source.

*Also read: Are Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon enjoying each other's company?**June 10, 2016: Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon*

The actors and the film producer, Homi Adjania did not revert to text messages.

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*Here's the photo from the party:*


 

Main men 😘😘❤ï¸Â

A photo posted by Seema Khan (@seemakhan76) onJul 16, 2016 at 10:41am PDT



 

Sonakshi Sinha took to her Twitter to rubbish the news and tweeted:

"SO glad i dont subscribe to trashy Mirror in which a fun dinner at a restaurant turns into a "sleepover". Want to know what they r smoking."



SO glad i dont subscribe to trashy Mirror in which a fun dinner at a restaurant turns into a "sleepover". Want to know what they r smoking.

— AKIRA/Sonakshi Sinha (@sonakshisinha) July 21, 2016

Sonakshi Sinha and Bunty Sajdeh sparked dating rumours back in 2012 when Sajdeh started managing her endorsement deals. For the uninitiated, Bunty Sajdeh is Seema Khan's brother.

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James Wan may have given horror a new lease of life with his 'Conjuring' run at the Box office but it's not one that can last forever for sure. His latest attempt 'Lights Out' expanded from David F Sandberg's much revered short film, with Sandberg himself at the helm, basically makes a dash at jump-scare horror tricks.

*Watch the trailer of 'Lights Out'*A dysfunctional family is haunted by a hostile supernatural, Diana (Alicia Vela-Bailey) whose specialty is that she only appears in the dark. Rebecca (Teresa Palmer) the one primed for bearing the brunt of the paranormal effects, left home after her father went missing but since her depressed mother Sophie (Maria Bello) is unable to care for her home and her younger brother Martin (Gabriel Bateman) she is forced to return and face the clinging problems of the past which she suspects can be life-threatening. The script by co-producer Eric Heisserer delivers well on it's promise but there's not much artistic depth in the representation envisaged by Sandberg. Clichés as expected form the major chunk of horror referencing here. And Diana of course is not a new concept as it is. 'Darkness Falls' did it in 2003 and we've also seen several Japanese and old Indian films propagating that ideology.

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This one is basically pre-programmed to keep the fans whetted. Notwithstanding their previous follies and misadventures (which eventually come good) in the unknown space, the Starship Enterprise and her crew set out on another deep space mission.

The Star Trek franchise was lying dormant for a long time before it was propelled alive by J.J. Abrams 2009 origin Story ‘Star Trek’ but the subsequent line-up ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ just did not have the required energy or intriguing dynamics to retain interest.

*Watch the trailer of 'Star Trek Beyond'*

The franchise now appears to have gotten into episodic mode. This is Chris Pine’s third outing as Captain James Tiberius Kirk and there’s already a sense of ennui (both within and without), in the experience. The movie begins with Captain Kirk (originated by William Shatner on TV as well as in the earlier films –now ably replaced by Chris Pine) musing in his Captain’s log as his birthday approaches and then cuts to a event where the Captain finds himself fighting off alien gremlin like creatures before being teleported back into the ship. It’s probably a symbolic assimilation of the Captain’s state-of-mind which he verbalizes in his log. The thrill of adventure appears to have palled and the newness of the experience has been wearing thin. There’s a hint that an in-station admiral’s position is being vacated for him to step into. So this could well be his last trip into the unbeknownst.

This outing appears to put nostalgia upfront by paying tribute to legendary Vulcan Leonard Nemoy and recently deceased (in an accident) young actor Anton Yelchin who plays Chekov in the film. This is in fact amongst Anton’s last roles before his untimely death. So those two tributes are guaranteed to bring on some emotional affect. The script by Simon Pegg (who also plays engineer Montgomery Scott) and Doug Jung (who shows us his face as Sulu’s gay partner) reaffirms the traditional ideals of Utopianism propounded by the Federation. The 1960s vision continues to ring true while post-modern inter-personal developments have been written in without much of a song and dance heralding it. The gay leanings ascribed to Sulu (John Cho) are in fact germane to the liberal spirit and tone of the series.

There’s not much variation in theme and tone here. It’s a big budget action adventure existing within sci-fi frames and as such goes into destructive mode before righting the imbalance brought on by a revenge seeking Krall (Idris Elba), a fearsome alien eager to poach an ‘ancient death machine’ artifact from under the captain’s nose. But that’s just a knuckle warmer. There’s more intrigue and subterfuge to come.

Krall does not believe that unity gives strength. So his attack on Star ship Enterprise just when Kirk and Spock (Zachary Quinto), are in the midst of introspective crises and career shifts, bears fruit. Kirk is approaching a coming of age that will make him older than his father lived to be while Spock is compelled, despite his feelings for Uhura (Zoe Saldana), to return to his people. Both those concerns get dashed in the force of Krall’s vicious attack that leaves the Enterprise crew stranded without a vessel on the rocky desert terrain of Altamid, an inhospitable planet surrounded by an unstable nebula.

The ensuing realignment also involves a suspicious alien (Lydia Wilson), Bones (Karl Urban), Scotty (Simon Pegg) and new entrant Jaylah (Sofia Boutella), a zebra-faced alien also stranded on the planet and living in an abandoned Federation ship.

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*HERE'S THE POSTER:*



Here's the new poster of #Dishoom. #7daysfordishoom. Catch us on 29th July 👊 pic.twitter.com/yDkM4xoRi1

— Varun JUNAID dhawan (@Varun_dvn) July 22, 2016

The film also marks the Bollywood comeback of actor Akshaye Khanna.

*(Watch trailer of 'Dishoom' here!)*

Directed by Varun's brother Rohit Dhawan, 'Dishoom' also stars Saqib Saleem.

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Shah Rukh Khan took to Twitter to share a lovely black-and-white picture with his team.

*HERE'S THE PHOTO:*



Thank u Dear Zindagi. Had a wonderful evening with the whole team finally. pic.twitter.com/U6DG3XYAtF

— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) July 22, 2016

Don't you love it?

Recently, Shah Rukh Khan and Alia Bhatt unveiled the first look of their film 'Dear Zindagi'.

*('Dear Zindagi' first look: Shah Rukh Khan turns love guru for Alia Bhatt)*

Alia Bhatt will be seen dating four different characters in the film before she eventually meets Shah Rukh Khan. These characters are played by Aditya Roy Kapur, Ali Zafar, Kunal Kapoor and Angad Bedi.

'Dear Zindagi' is jointly produced by SRK and Karan Johar and directed by Gauri Shinde.

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*Divyanka Tripathi*'s grandfather, Purnanand Tripathi, passed away on Wednesday. He was 84.*Divyanka Tripathi with grandfather, Purnanand Tripathi*

The actress, who recently wed telly actor Vivek Dahiya, has flown to her hometown, Bhopal, for the last rites.

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*Swara Bhaskar*, Vir Das, Vivek Oberoi, *Kalki Koechlin* and Govind Namdev have come together for an awareness video on air pollution.*Kalki Koechlin and Swara Bhaskar*

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*Ranveer Singh* recently shot for an ad which had *Farah Khan* choreograph his moves.*Farah Khan and Ranveer Singh*

The two were a riot on the set and left everyone in splits.

They even did a take-off on Ranveer's Tatad Tatad step from his 2013 film, Goliyon Ki Rasleela: Ram-Leela.



Mere do anmol Ratans.. Shooting with @RanveerOfficial n got the best surprise visitor @AnilKapoor .. Madnesssss pic.twitter.com/1W3GHZ9YI0

— Farah Khan (@TheFarahKhan) 21 July 2016

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*Tamannaah Bhatia* is shielded from the whimsical rain while readying for an ad shoot for a jewellery brand in Andheri.*Tamannaah Bhatia. Pic/Prabhanjan Dhanu* Reported by Mid-Day 6 hours ago.

July 24 (Reuters) - Min Woo Lee, younger brother of women's world number 14 Minjee, became the first Australian to win the prestigious U.S. junior golf title on Saturday, matching his sister's feat in the girl's championship in 2012. Reported by Reuters India 6 hours ago.

A man has been arrested in connection with the death of a 16-year-old girl in Newark.Officers were called to Pierson Street at about 12.10am this morning. Ambulance crews attended to try to resuscitate the girl, who was taken to the Queen's Medical Centre. She was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at hospital.Read more: LIVE: Two men in hospital after serious assault in MansfieldNottinghamshire Police arrested a 23-year old man in connection with the death, which is currently being treated... Reported by Nottingham Post 3 hours ago.

Just a few hours after meeting his childhood friends, a 27-year-old Mumbai man committed suicide after being upset on learning that his long time girlfriend was getting married to someone else.

The deceased has been identified as Amar Sawant, a resident of Lalbaug who killed himself by hanging in his house.

Amar's friend Arun explained, "He met us (friends) in the evening and was completely fine and he was smiling even when he left for his house. It was the next day that we came to know about him ending his life. He was in a relationship with a girl since several years and wanted to marry her, but her marriage was arranged with some other person. On learning this, he was depressed and had even confided one of his relative about it. I met him on Wednesday night he did not even look as if he would take such an extreme step. He was creamted on Saturday said."

Amar, residing in the Lalji Khimji building in Lalbaug area was shifted to the KEM hospital by his neighbours who also alerted the Kalachowkie police regarding the incident.

Investigations revealed that Amar worked with a five star hotel in the housekeeping department earlier and had recently taken up a job in an another hotel. On Wednesday night, after meeting his friends, he chatted for a while and left for home.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Vijay-Chauhan-s.jpg*Vijay Chauhan*

The Vanrai police, Goregaon east have arrested one while the other two are at large.

The arrested accused has been identified as 26-year-old Vijay Chauhan while other two have been identified as Mukesh Chauhan and Sunil.

According to the police, Vijay hired an auto rickshaw from Oberai Mall at Goregaon to go to Jogeshwari on Saturday late night. He however got down in front of Hindu cemetery on Western Express Highway at Goregaon east, where his two gang member were present. They held the auto driver and forcibly took him inside the bushes and stole his mobile phone and cash by putting knife on his throat before fleeing. The auto driver started shouting for help. His cries were heard by Vanrai Police who were patrolling the area. They immediately rushed for the help which is when the auto driver narrated his ordeal to the police.

PSI. P.H. Sable of Vanrai police station said, "We immediately informed about the theft to our night duty police inspector Anil Veratk and with our detection staff, we went inside the bushes. Around 20 minute of intense search, we succeeded catching one accused but the other two accused escaped taking advantaging of the darkness. The arrested has confessed his crime and the police have also recovered mobile phone and 700 rupees from him. On the complaint of auto driver, Uday Ranjan Mishra, 36, we have booked the accused under section 392, 34 of IPC and also under Mumbai Police Act 37."

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Pokemon-games-s.jpg*Gamers walked from Churchgate station to Marine Drive in search of the rare Pokémon. Pic/Bipin Kokate*

Till before the cancellation, around 7,000 gamers had confirmed participation in the walk.

Tany Joseph (23), who had planned the Pokewalk, said, "We had cancelled the event, but went ahead with it unofficially. I had even approached the DCP for permission, but was told that because the number of people coming for the walk was very high, it was risky and permission could not be given."

Joseph addressed the gamers outside the restaurant at 5 pm and told them that because there was no permission, everyone “should only fight virtually” (referring to virtual Pokemon battles fought on the cellphone). The crowd then walked towards Marine Drive.

"I have heard that you get a lot of Magicarps and Gyrados in this area," said Gaurav Singh, a resident of Goregaon and a Pokemon Go addict. “even the number of PokeStops are more here. I didn’t know the event was cancelled.”

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*Representational picture*

A diamond exporter,Sejal Savera, 40, the owner of Nikhil gems was cheated for 37 lakh rupees after the companies email was hacked and their client based in the United States of America was sent an email stating the company had changed their bank accounts and the deal amounts should now be transferred to a bank in Haryana.

The diamond and jewel export company that has clients in USA and Japan mostly communicates online with the clients abroad for sending quatations, bank details and information on dispatching the goods but recently one of the email account of the owner was sneaked into and a Los Angeles (LA) based client was sent an email informing that the bank transactions would be with a bank located in Haryana for which the client was also sent details of the bank account.

However when the goods were dispatched from Mumbai to LA the details of the goods were shared with the client and further the payment was done in the Haryana based bank account which actually did not belong to the company which is run by Sejal and her 21 year old daughter. On learning about the incident the victim researched and found out that there were several emails sent to the business clients and a part of advance payment was made by the LA client which was sent to the alleged hacker's account.

Advocate, Pankaj Bafna, the Victim's lawyer said, “A few days later of dispatching the goods, my client informed me that there was an advance payment paid by an international client and she had shared details of a Bank located in Malabar Hill but the money was sent to another bank. She found that the email inbox had atleast 20 emails communicated across her business client stating that for future the new bank account details should be updated and the amount should be made in Haryana Bank. Accordingly the email spoofing was done for the fraud. We then registered an FIR in Malabar hill police station but the police is yet to reach a conclusion in the case."

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Here are two ways to hop onboard this month-end’s Potter mania:

*At your doorstep*
If you haven’t already booked your copy, don’t get your wands in a knot. Food delivery app Scootsy is paying attention to other kinds of hunger pangs. Pre-order on Scootsy, and have a copy delivered by noon, July 31. This speed-a-book order comes with a 25% discount, so you get the Rs 899 copy at Rs 674.
*Vist:* www.scootsy.com

*Bring it in style*
What’s Potterworld if not for some merrymaking? Head to select Crossword stores for a costume contest, Where you get to dress-up like any character from the series and win a prize. There are also Potter tatoos and accessories that you can try out as well as a Potter scavenger hunt and a quiz contest.
*When:* July 31, 11.30 PM onwards
*Where:* Crossword Bookstore, Turner Road, Bandra (W); R City Mall, Ghatkopar (W)
*Entry:* Rs 1,000
*Call:* 8080590590

*Poetry in the rains*
4 PM onwards: It’s double dhamaka for poetry lovers. Begin with readings and discussions on classical and contemporary multilingual poetry in Maazi-e-sukhan. Then gear up for Poetry Social, in which one of Bollywood’s favourite screenwriters and lyricists Varun Grover slams it out with a music meets a poetry performance.
*Where:* antiSocial, 5th Road, Khar (W)
*Entry:* Rs 300
*Call:* 65226324

*Life’s a Waiting Room*
9 PM: Watch the Gujarati play, The Waiting Rooms, that’s all about revealing the facts of life. It is the story of people who are at a crossroads, waiting for that one twist of fate, that can catapult them from the rut into a life worth living. The best part is, everything happens in a rather light-hearted way.
*Where:* Bhaidas Auditorium, Vile Parle West
*Entry:* Rs 150
*Log on to:* bookmyshow.com

*
*

*Meet a new Marx*
7 PM: After sold-out shows in the past, here is your last chance to catch Karl Marx in Kalbadevi for this season. Starring Satchit Puranik, the plot revolves around what happens When Marx comes to aamchi Mumbai, but has neither the time nor the inclination for economics. He would rather talk about the generous thali he had at Bhagat Tarachand.
*Where:* Harkat Studios, JP Road, Aaram Nagar, Andheri (W)
*Entry:* Rs 350
*Call:* 26350064

*Let’s talk about sex, baby*
7 PM: Skip the sleaze and head for a stand-up routine that is sure to the put ‘sex comedy’ in a different light. Hosted by Aditi Mittal, this show will have an inclusive line-up of five comedians and crush those myths and taboos around disability and sexuality. PS: the event is wheelchair accessible.
*Where:* Daughters of St Paul, Waterfield Road, Bandra (W)
*Entry:* Rs 200
*Call:* 26401691

*Watch a short film*
8 pm: Watch Elixir, a Bengali short film by Anirban Guha that got selected in this year’s Cannes Short Corner. The film is about a woman and her parallel reality. It all starts with a phone Call she gets from her husband. He asks her to meet someone and hand him a parcel. What happens next in unexpected, and she suddenly is in a world Where all fanstasies come true. Can we come along?
*Where:* The Hive, Chuim Village Road, off Union Park, Khar (W)
*Entry:* Rs 250
*Call:* 9619962969

*A breadtastic pop-up*
Food lovers down town, get ready to salivate! Bandra’s Between Breads, a cosy burger and fries joint, is setting up a SOBO pop-up in collaboration with Pop-Up Hut. Get ready to sink your teeth into lip-smacking burgers, that include the Veg Ramen Burger and the BBQ Chicken Burger.
*Where:* Kemps Corner
*When:* 12 noon to 11 pm

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*

*Adopt a pet*
11 AM – 5.30 PM: It’s never too late to make a furry friend. World For All is hosting a pet adoption camp with 20 Indian breed puppies and kittens. Head to the camp and find the one for you.
*Where:* Metro Mall, Western Express Highway, Borivali (E)
*Call:* 9769997540

*Try a khamanoxide*
ONGOING 5 PM – 1 AM: Fumes is the latest addition to the list of ever-growing cafes in Lower Parel. You can try the khamanoxide (khaman crumble with flavoured Indian chutneys) or delicious samosa videshi chaat.
*Where:* Fumes, Block No.25, Raghuvanshi Mills Compound, Lower Parel
*Call:* 24927001

*Rewind to vintage India*
26 July, 6:30PM: Attend a lecture on The Glory Days of the Progressive Writers’ Movement in 1940s Bombay. The movement was crucial in shaping political consciousness.
*Where:* Jnanapravaha, Queens Mansion, Fort
*Call:* 22072974

*Same classic, new perspective*
The narration of the Ramayana changes with every age. This is the age of the woman. Can we see Valmiki’s story as one that was driven by Sita’s choices? Devdutt Pattanaik has chosen to re-tell the epic from the eyes of the woman in this children’s version.
*Title:* The Girl Who Chose: A New Way of Narrating the Ramayana
*Price:* Rs 199

*Join the cocktail party*
ONGOING: Drink to happiness at the Cocktail festival at Smaaash. Choose from drinks like Green Drizzle, a combination
of lemongrass and vodka, to Flaming Rain, a power-packed combination of sambuca and Redbull, and the Titanium Tempest, 90 ml of unadulterated alcohol thrown together with some lime juice.
*Where:* Mighty Small, Smaaash, Gate 4, Kamala Mills Compound, Lower Parel
*Call:* 49143143

*Go back to school*
JULY 30, 6.30 PM: Govind Menon, Bhavish Ailani and Gaurav Kapoor will share their most ridiculous school stories in this show, Present Ma’am.
*Where:* Barking Deer, Mathuradas Mill, Lower Parel
*Entry:* Rs 300
*Call:* 61417400

*Attend a photo exhibition*
July 25, 10.30 AM to 7 PM: Vist the fourth edition of the photography exhibition by Bharati Vidyapeeth’s School of Photography, Where select images captured by the students will be on display.
*Where:* Nehru Centre Art Gallery, Dr E Moses Road, Worli
*Call:* 24963426

*Catch a sketchy artwork*
TILL AUG 22, 6.30 PM ONWARD: For those who missed artist Sameer Kulavoor’s solo works the first time around at ARTISANS’, here’s a chance to catch Please Have a Seat. The show focuses on intimate human gestures captured through spontaneous drawings. The limited edition works from this series were originally captured in Kulavoor’s sketchbook; everyday moments observed over the years.
*Where:* Cafe Zoe, Mathurdas Mills Compound, Lower Parel
*Call:* 24902065

*Watch a patriotic play*
4.15 PM: One of the costliest productions on Marathi stage, Code Mantra, is an engaging courtroom drama set against the background of the Indian Army. Starring Mukta Barve, Ajay Purkar, Umesh Jagtap among others, Code Mantra challenges the very notion of patriotism and how an excess of it can be dangerous.
*Where:* Shivaji Mandir, NC Kelkar Road, Dadar (West)
*Entry:* Rs 200-300
*Call:* 90043 37004

*Own a Paithani*
11 AM – 7 PM: The National Handloom Development Corporation Ltd has launched an initiative Called Silk Fab to connect consumers and weavers on one platform. Get a feel of handwoven silks like pochampally, muga silk, paithani, kosa silk and baluchuri with traditional motifs and designs.
*Where:* World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade
*Call:* 66387272

*Get wasted*
6.30 PM: To rid you of those mid-week blues, True Tramm Trunk is hosting Wasted Wednedays, Where DJ Cyrus will spin his tunes in collaboration with percussionist Anish Kale. Also sip on some desi-inspired cocktails like the Tharra and Gulaabo from UP, Santra and Badi Saunf from Mumbai.
*Where:* True Tramm Trunk, next to Options Showroom, VL Mehta Road, JVPD Scheme, Juhu
*Call:* 9769696050

*Groove to an indie band*
8.30 PM onwards: As We Keep Searching, the band from Ahmedabad, is set for a live wire performance, closer home. Comprising vocalist Uddipan Sarmah, guitarist Shubham Gurung, bassist Bob Alex and drummer Gautam Deb, the outfit, it’s a concert you’d not want to skip.
*Where:* Hard Rock Cafe, Fun Cinema Lane, off Veera Desai, Andheri (West)
*Entry:* Rs 500
*Call:* 8898087841

*Bite into a bacon slab*
5 PM – 9 PM: Meat lovers can go satiate their appetite with a special menu of grills curated by artisanal meat-man Kaviraj Thadani. You can try the smoked Chicken Cheese Bomb, Bacon Slab, American Bratwurst and more at the live barbecue grill.
*Where:* Craft Deli. Bistro. Bar, 1st floor, Phoenix Marketcity, Kurla
*Call:* 61802073

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He also realised that he was stuck in a “structure”. And that’s when the idea for BLOCK, his new digital art show, started taking form in his head. “I realised I was missing all those crazy thoughts that I used to have when I was in school or college. I wanted those back.”

It may have led him to finding his own ‘block’, but the 36-year-old credits the publishing industry for introducing him to the digital format. “It’s still not a very accepted medium in the art world. But, that’s one of the issues I want to raise with this exhibition — that digital prints are also just another form of art,” he says.

His artworks, which will remind you of artist Andy Warhol’s pop prints, illustrate the static world we live in, depriving ourselves the scope for growth, and the aversion to face challenges head-on. “I was interested in portraits and all the moods are expressions I went through during that time. It was not work pressure or financial pressure, but my mental journey that is reflected in this show,” he says.*Artist Sameer Pawar*

He says that the show tries to delve into the psyche of a person, and make you wonder if there is a sense of desperation, a desire to escape and be somewhere else.

Pawar has also taken inspiration from the world around him, as well as the one within.

“The world I see around me fascinates me like nothing else. I observe and introspect. I adapt myself to different situations. As I travel, I watch people going about their daily rigmarole. I have attempted to look beyond the obvious, tried to get underneath the surface — between the multiple layers of human emotions, reactions and expressions, to study the struggle that each individual goes through while trying to do something different. This work is based on these observations,” he says.

But, he is quick to point out that it’s not really a block if you are happy with it. “I discovered my block where I could feel it gnawing at me every day. I was unhappy with my situation. You won’t find it if you don’t look for it. And that’s the question — are you unhappy enough to look for it.” Something to think about?

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/D-Wood-s.jpg*D Wood*

Wood’s tryst with the musical genre began decades ago, when he was still in the US. He has collaborated with many artistes since then. “Unfortunately, Indians are not exposed to this kind of music on a regular basis, and that’s one of the reasons why we don’t have too many Latin Jazz artistes emerging from here,” Wood explains.*Carl Clements*

The concert will bring the music of the samba, rumba, tango and Cha Cha Cha, all played by a band, comprising Wood (bass), Carl Clements (saxophone), Karim Ellabodi (piano), Aron Nyiro (drums) and Anand Bhagat (percussion).
While Clements hails from the US, Ellabodi is of Sudanese origin, and Nyiro from Hungary. Bhagat is the only Indian artiste, who will be part of the band, whose repertoire will range from classical to original compositions.

“We will also be including a live dance performance at the event, because only then can one really enjoy the Latin Jazz experience,” says Wood.

Jazz was dance music up until the 1940s, when it became more intellectual and a high-art form, Wood explains. “Meanwhile, Latin Jazz continued to remain a form of dance music, which kept the tradition going, even as the swing era yielded to more technical forms,” he says.

Speaking about its origins, he says, “Latin has always been part of the Jazz tradition. New Orleans had a lot of people from the Caribbean and Africa, who influenced the music’s development. But, most specifically, it got popularised in the 1940s with trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and percussionist Chana Pozo. That collaboration changed the way people saw the genre,” he adds. Wood hopes that Indian Jazz listeners warm to the music too.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/24Saiyami-Kher-s.jpg*Saiyami Kher*

"I had pre-conceived notions that being Anil Kapoor's son, Harsh would be filmy. But he is completely different. He is normal and chilled out person. We got along well. He is passionate about his work. He has worked too hard for this film," Saiyami told PTI.

Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra's directorial venture "Mirzya" introduces Harshvardhan and Saiyami, the granddaughter of actress Usha Kiran and niece of Tanvi Azmi and Shabana Azmi.

The world of films is not new to Saiyami. She made her acting debut with Telugu film "Rey", but "Mirzya" marks her entry into Bollywood.

The film is touted as Harshvardhan's debut film, but Saiyami is not insecure about the focus on him.

"I was very happy because I have been a fan of Anil Kapoor since long. I went crazy seeing him (Anil Kapoor) in 'Dil Dhadakne Do'... he was incredible. I was excited as Anil Kapoor's son was getting launched and even I am there in that film. It's an exciting thing," she said.

"There is no insecurity. I find it exciting to be making debut in Bollywood with one of the biggest actor's son (referring to Harshvardhan). It is not a worry for me.
The film is a love story, it is about both of us," she said. The model-turned-actress says both Anil Kapoor and his daughter Sonam had come on the sets of "Mirzya".

"I have been to their (referring to Anil Kapoor) house couple of times. I did interact with them (Anil and Sonam Kapoor) and it is too much fun to be around them," she said.

Saiyami hopes to have the same amount of energy and enthusiasm towards her work as the "Mr India" star. "When Anil sir came on the sets while we were shooting
(for 'Mirzya') in Rajasthan, the energy is incredible. He (Anil Kapoor) is still passionate about his work. This is something (referring to his energy and passion) we all youngsters must learn from him," she said.

"Sonam is an easy person to get along, she has no hang ups, she is sweet. They all, Sonam, Rhea (Harshvardhan's sisters) and Harsh are different," she said.

For this romantic-drama, Harshvardhan and Saiyami had to learn horse-riding.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/24Twinkle-Khanna-s.jpg*Twinkle Khanna*

Twinkle, 42, the elder daughter of Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia, tweeted, "Sir if you can't respect the living, respect the dead - mediocrity is attacking a man who can't respond @NaseerudinShah."

In an interview, Shah had said that 70's was the time when mediocrity came in Hindi films and also when Rajesh Khanna joined the industry, who according to him was a "poor actor".

Twinkle's friend and filmmaker Karan Johar agreed with the actress-turned-author and criticised Shah, saying his comments were in "exceptionally bad taste".

"I agree with you @mrsfunnybones... due respect to seniority but this was in exceptionally bad taste and not becoming of a fraternity member," Johar posted on Twitter.

Rajesh Khanna, who was Bollywood's first superstar, died of cancer in July 2012 at the age of 69. He has starred in films like "Baharon Ke Sapne", "Aradhana", "Haathi Mere Saathi", "Amar Prem" and "Aap Ki Kasam" among others.

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Katrina Kaif considers filmmaker Kabir Khan her best friend in the industry.*Katrina Kaif*

The actress has worked with him in Phantom and Ek Tha Tiger. All this while, we thought Sultan director Ali Abbas Zafar was her best buddy!*Ali Abbas Zafar*

Ali still remains in Kat’s scheme of things, but she now feels she has not met anyone who is as happy to hear her out as Khan.*Kabir Khan*

All of this is now public knowledge since the reticent actress is sharing her likes on social media.

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*
Pizza By the Bay*
The best part about this glass-walled, corner restaurant on Marine Drive is its location itself. No matter Where you sit, you are assured a gorgeous view of Arabian Sea and casual strollers on the promenade. With its urbane interiors and soothing ambience, it’s a perfect Sunday destination to savour a classic pizza.
*Order A: Classic Margherita (Rs 590)*
*Where: Soona Mahal, 143, Marine Drive, Churchgate, Mumbai *
*When: 7 AM – 11 PM
Call: 22843646*

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*

*Yoga House*
This laidback Bandra café has its regulars, so you may have to queue up to scoop a seat or a diwan by the window. Here, with a view of the legendary Bandra bylanes, you can finish that romance you have been wanting to read. The chairs are not meant for long relaxation spells, so for that full aaram feeling, head to the balcony upstairs.
*Order a: Bombay Chai (Rs 110)*
*Where: Nargis Villa, Sherly Rajan Road, Bandra*
*When: 8 AM – 9.30 PM
Call: 33126014*

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*

*Cafe Universal*
Even on a gloomy rainy morning, the light trickles in from all corners into this art nouveau-inspired café. The arched French windows, curtained by fancy grills that surround this space, keep you airy and warm at once. Reading the newspaper with a glass of tea at a table next to one of these windows, is what we describe as ‘small joys’.
order a: Irani Black Tea (Rs 75)
*Where: Shop 299, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Ballard Estate*
*When: 9 AM – 11 PM*
*Call: 22613985*

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*Wayword & Wise*
It’s always a luxury to steal some quiet reading time inside a cozy space, even as the rest of the world rushes past. At this little SoBo bookstore, such comfort is granted. Just pull out a cane stool and take the best spot, offering the glass door view and witness Ballard Estate unfold on a rainy day, while soaking in some good literature.
*Where: Strategic House, 44, Mint Road, *
*Ballard Estate, Fort*
*When: 11 PM – 7.30 PM*
*Call: 66349946*

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*Mockingbird Cafe*
If you are looking for an inspiring nook, then this café’s window seats might just do the trick. The windows overlook a herb garden — which looks sprightly this season — and a low verdant hedge that should cut you away from the crowd outside.
order a: Cappuccino (Rs 170)
*Where: 80, Veer Nariman Road, Churchgate *
*When: 9 AM – 12.30 AM
Call: 60226023*

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*The Great Eastern Home*
Less like a shop for fine interiors and more like a sprawling luxury wonderland, you can stroll through the wide collection of chandeliers and knick-knacks at this Byculla store. Assisting your indulgent saunter is an unobstructed view of the pretty lane outside, through large windows.
*Where: 25-29, Dr Ambedkar Road, Byculla*
*When: 10.30 AM – 8 PM*
*Call: 23770079*

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Yet again, there is speculation over whether Salman Khan will put a ring on rumoured ladylove Iulia Vantur.*Salman Khan *

There have also many hushed whispers about someone close to him not wanting him to get married.

But those in the know state that Bhai’s heart always rules his head.

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Masaan actor Vicky Kaushal is making news for dropping out of projects.

He is out of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati as well as Bejoy Nambiar’s next.

Considered the most promising face of 2016, this is a pity.

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Deepika Padukone almost forgot her bag while on her way out at a screening of Madaari.*Deepika Padukone*

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Dhwani Shah believes her sketches to be accidental heroes. In June this year, Shah, a Vasai-based graphic designer and illustrator, made a two-week visit to Kashmir. It was one of those routine trips to the Valley and its go-to vistas. Shah made visual records of the everyday lives and conversations she encountered during her stay. A graduate from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, and a compulsive doodler, Shah went equipped with journal pages laid out with empty panels as part of her baggage to Kashmir.

When she returned home on July 2 — excited about the quaint cafes, sky-mirroring lakes and the pleasantness of Kashmiri hospitality — little did she know that Kashmir was going to be on the boil a few days hence. On July 8, Hizbul Mujahideen commander from South Kashmir’s Tral area, Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with the Indian Army. Following this, street protests and mob-led destruction have led to several killings and injuries, followed by a government-enforced information blackout.

"The situation turned so sour that I was in two minds about posting photographs of a picturesque Kashmir online," says Shah, when we meet her at an Andheri café. "It seemed wrong to post happy pictures of our stay," she continues, adding that between photos and sketches, the latter is what comes to her more naturally.

The hesitation is still obvious today in Shah, who went on to share her visual records. Unpredictably, the virtual community was delighted. "Ever since the conflict, our news and social media feeds have been filled with gory images of the territorial conflict in Kashmir. I suppose viewers found my sketches to be a different narrative and a break from many of the hateful comments," muses Shah.

Shah’s work is in the manner of wordless comics, a silent observation of Kashmiri life and many of its cultural facets and rather than a sequential narrative, it collects memories into panels. These stories come in the line of Shah’s interest in non-fiction, which led her to create a story on Goa’s mining issue for a graphic anthology titled First Hand.

In detailed black and white drawings, Shah’s sketches also offer a welcome relief from the two kinds of imagery that Kashmir creates — paradise and pandemonium. However, Shah is quick to warn us that none of this was intentional. "I was just doodling," she clarifies. In the aftermath, however, random doodles have led to a more conscious understanding of conflict, as she says, "Someone observed that we often tend to focus on the issue and not enough on individual lives."
As we chat on, Shah fishes out a graphic novel by Srinagar-born Malik Sajad, titled Munnu: A Boy from Kashmir, a work that was published last year and offers an alternative history to Indian administered Kashmir. Like many of her viewers, Shah found it to be a lighter, more human approach than the disturbing accounts found in Curfewed Night, a memoir of Kashmir’s conflicts by journalist Basharat Peer, who went on to write the screenplay for Haider. She says she finds it easier to ask her friends to first read Munnu and then Curfewed Night as a way of easing them into Kashmir’s politics.

"Back here in the city, we have an option of switching off from things happening up north, but that is not so for Kashmiris," she says, as we prepare to pay for our coffees.

*Chai Jaai, Shrinagar *
*27 June 2016*
"I frequented this newly opened tea centre in Srinagar. I was only hoping for a comfortable corner table with a plug point, and the beautiful interiors that I found myself in were totally unexpected. The cafe included an exhibit of old Kashmiri photographs and the walls filled with intricately detailed floral patterns were hand painted by a local artist, who I was glad to find was given due credit in the space. I had the grandest and tastiest cup of Kahwa served in an exquisite looking samovar — hot golden chai with badam, kesar, elaichi and gulkand. The place holds my memories for two random conversations that led to some wonderful discoveries: My casual chat with the girl at the next table led to me knowing about her personal Kashmir Photo Archive project and an old lady who spotted me sketching the cafe suggested I visit the Shahi Hamdan mosque, if I liked meeting Muzaffar chacha."

*Shahi Hamdan, Srinagar *
*28 June 2016*
"As I stood sketching this intricate window at the Shahi Hamdan mosque, the priest came up to chat with me. Why are you alone in this part of the city, he asked. Oh no, not another moral police, I thought in my head, recalling the old lady who shoved me out of the ladies praying room because of my half-sleeved kurta. But, I was wrong, and glad to be, because Muzaffar chacha turned out to be the friendliest person I ever met. He not only gave me a quick tour of all the popular sites in the old city on his scooter, but he welcomed me into his home and showed his wife’s vegetable garden and fed me despite fasting himself and then got me into a bus to get back to my home stay and also insisted on paying the bus fare, all the time asking me to come back some day with my family. One of those serendipitous happenstances that teach you that, sometimes, it is okay to trust a total stranger."

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To the naked eye, however, the dimensional differences are imperceptible. At least from the outside. What is perceptible, though, is the wider single-piece grille with sharper contours, which works together with the newly designed headlamps to give the A3 a bit more presence on the road than before. On the inside, the cabin does not feel cramped, but only while you are sitting in the front. Shift to the rear of the car and the old chink in the A3’s otherwise shining armour becomes all too visible yet again. Knee-room at the rear continues to be limited and will remain a cause for criticism with the new A3 as well, just as it was with the old car.

Switch on the ignition and you realise that the car doesn't have an instrument panel. Instead there is a 12.3-inch TFT screen that the driver can configure to show her whatever info she desires. Audi call this a ‘Virtual Cockpit’. You have the choice of seeing the regular conventional instrumentation on it but you can also switch views via a button on the flat-bottomed steering wheel, which seemed to be a standard fitment in all the cars we saw in Germany (even though the literature Audi provided lists it as an optional extra).*Knee room still an issue in the second row of the A3. PICS/ audi*

The MMI system’s Voice Control function, too, has been optimised to recognise everyday phrases. Apart from these, the new Audi A3 gets a host of new innovative technologies such as Audi Connect wherein an embedded SIM card allows passengers to access customised online services. There are assist technologies such as Traffic Jam Assist and Cross Parking Assist, which will most likely not make it to India.*The updated TDI engine produces slightly more power and torque*

Although in global markets Audi will offer a choice of five engines, ranging from a smart 1.0 TFSI petrol to the familiar 2.0 TDI diesel, what we’re likely to see in India is the continuation of the latter in unchanged form. The current 1.8 TFSI petrol option sold here, however, is likely to be replaced by the new 2.0 TFSI from Audi but it’ll still be the 2.0 TDI-equipped vehicle that will drive the numbers for the A3 in India.*The virtual cockpit is a new addition to the A3*

This is the one we drove in and around Munich. Be it under the sculpted bonnet of the sedan or the cabriolet (we drove both), the now familiar 150-PS 1,968-cc four-cylinder in-line turbo-diesel feels at home. Power delivery is linear, making the A3 an easy car to drive through traffic or cruise on highways (the latter being better enjoyed in the cabriolet with the roof down in the crisp Bavarian weather). The fact that the 340 Nm of twist force is provided at a low 1,750 RPM and then stays with you all the way up to 3,000 revs helps this facet of the A3 no end. Stamp on the throttle hard and Audi says you should be able to do 0 to 100 km/h in just 8.5 seconds before hitting a top speed of 218 km/h. Audi also offers a more powerful 184-PS 380-Nm version of the 2.0 TDI with quattro and after driving that for some time, the more sober front-wheel-drive A3 feels less punchy and fun.

On the narrow and winding roads around Ascheim, just outside Munich, the A3’s handling felt confident. The electro-mechanically assisted steering makes you always conscious of where the wheels are. The result is greater confidence to push harder round a bend. Thus, so far as driving pleasure goes, the new A3 is as much fun as the old one was. The A3’s four-disc setup is capable of a drama-free brake. It’s all too easy. Even so, there are ABS, EBD and ESC (Electronic Stability Control) to assist the driver through almost all kinds of driving environments.

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So, there is no way Sonakshi Sinha will talk about her personal life.

The recent buzz about her and entrepreneur Bunty Sajdeh is because of her being spotted hanging with his sister Seema Khan. Sona is furious with the gossip doing the rounds.

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This is the GLC, the off-road ready C-Class, named in line with Mercedes’ new nomenclature system. It’s only available with four-cylinder motors and nine-speed transmissions, that is, until you start looking at the AMG version. For now, that’s still on the shelf. What are ready to roll are the petrol and diesel versions: the GLC 220 d turbo-diesel and the GLC 300 turbo-petrol.*Snazzy 18-inch wheels are shod with tyres that are easily available*

Chances are if you’ve seen the GLE-Class and stared into the beautiful eyes of the new W205 C-Class, you would identify it immediately once you process the difference in size. There are obvious differences that are telling of its added multi-terrain capability, such as the higher ground clearance and higher-profile tyres. The fact that there is a ‘G’ in its name is enough — or so they hope — to evoke thoughts of the evergreen Geländewagen: the iconic G-Class. The standout details are the smart front end with the beautiful C-Class LED eyes with the Intelligent Lighting System and the suave two-slat grille. The proportions are more butch estate-like and less rounded, which makes it unmistakable as the GLS’ younger sibling. The Offroad package is standard for India, and that brings a stylish front bumper which allows a better approach angle — worry less about those massive speed humps — together with underbody protection, running boards, 18-inch wheels with 235/60 R18 rubber, and further-tweaked electronic aids in the form of three additional drive modes — Off-road, Incline and Slippery — as well as tweaked ABS, ESP and traction control, plus Downhill Speed Regulation and more intelligent lighting. Oh, and you also get 20 mm more ground clearance, so that’s 201 mm. India doesn’t get the Air Body Control, so there are no adjustable air springs here.*The interiors are well-appointed as expected in a Merc. Pics/Sanjay Raikar*

We were driving the GLC 220 d from Kodagu to Mangaluru and we managed to cover some 80-odd kilometres in the car over what was mostly winding mountain road. We stand by our sentiments about the cabins of new Mercedes-Benz models: they have a certain air of quality that is hard to match.

Space is good, thanks to the long wheelbase, with the rear feeling even better than it does in the C. Knee-room is more than adequate and the seat angles seem comfortable and ergonomic enough for long drives in the car. Cabin sound insulation, as always, is top-notch and ride quality is fantastic even with the standard spring setup. The Dynamic Select has five drive modes: Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual. These are apart from the Off-road special menu.

Mercedes has brought in the GLC with two driveline choices: one petrol and one diesel. The diesel variant, the GLC 220 d, continues to have the 2.2-litre in-line four turbo-diesel motor making 170 PS and 400 Nm, but is now paired to the 9G-Tronic automatic transmission and 4MATIC intelligent-all-wheel-drive. The all-new ‘300’ petrol finally makes its Indian debut. Gone is the old 228-PS naturally-aspirated V6 last seen in the previous-generation W221 S-Class and in comes a more powerful 2.0-litre turbo unit. Seen in the CLA-, C- and E-Class cars as the ‘200’ with 184 PS and 300 Nm, the ‘300’ gets 245 PS and 370 Nm.

The GLC 220 d 4MATIC is comfortable pottering at city speeds as well as triple-digit ones on the open road. It’s a sensible car and, at Rs 50.7 lakh (ex-showroom) onwards, is priced rather competitively too. The three-pointed star has struck at the burgeoning luxury compact SUV segment, and it looks set to leave a mark. Yes, we’re happy to finally see it here.*
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*Scorpio gets a new tech upgrade*
Mahindra’s Scorpio SUV has received an Intelli-Hybrid upgrade to improve fuel efficiency, a factor that Indian buyers are particular about. The upgrade includes Motor Assist, Brake Energy Regeneration and Electronic Start-Stop, resulting in a fuel efficiency improvement of up to 7%. The tech costs Rs 12.84 lakh (ex-Navi Mumbai).

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*Aprilia announch launch of SR 150 scooter*
The Italian bikemakers have decided to throw their hat into India’s ultra competitive scooter market with the SR 150. The SR 150 is powered by a four-stroke 150cc engine. Engine specs are under wraps so far. The SR 150 will be priced at Rs 65,000 as an introductory offer, and will be produced in the company’s Baramati plant.

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Prachi Desai is in the mood to kick butt. The actress, who will be seen in Rock On 2, has been attending kickboxing sessions. She now feels kickboxing is the best workout and the only way to stay in shape. You go, girl.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Anil-Ranveer-s.jpg*Ranveer Singh and Anil Kapoor playing tag*

He also invited Dil Dhadakne Do co-star, Ranveer Singh, for the show.*Sapna Pabbi**Surveen Chawla**Sakshi Tanwar*

The actor emulated Anil and posed with the posters of the series.*Sudhanshu Pandey*

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Eighteen professional chefs from India huddle around pastry genius Eric Perez as he empties a tray of ice on a tabletop. "If he pours chocolate on it, it will condense due to water from the melting ice," Chef Anees Khan, founder of Bandra’s Star Anise Bakery and a participant at the four-day baking programme at Macaron Pastry Training Centre in Bangkok, thinks to himself.*Chef Anees Khan, founder of Bandra’s Star Anise Bakery, learnt the science behind timing, temperature and measurements, during a four-day baking programme in Bangkok. Pics/Sneha Kharabe*

But, Perez, who founded the school in 2004 after a glorious career across the world, has other plans. He covers the tabletop with clean wrap, before pouring the chocolate for tempering.

This is one of the many tricks that the participants mastered during the workshop, held from July 4 to 7.
"A chef goes about doing the same things day in day out, and begins to rely on judgement instead of temperatures. But, simple and effective procedure is the key, as Perez puts it," says Khan, who joined the class to touch base with what was trending in the pastry world.*Chef Khan has reinvented the mille feuille, a flaky pastry with vanilla or caramel cream, by giving it a softer base  *

Perez, who is half Spanish and French, started his baking journey at the age of 15 in Toulouse, France. At the programme, he had a hands-on training planned for the group.

On day one, the group was divided into three teams. The teams would create desserts over the next four days. "The school runs a patisserie outside its premise. Most of what we made was sold off the counter," says Khan.Individual recipe folders and thorough instructions turned the bakers into science students, as timing, temperature and measurements became the crux of every process. "As we weighed and measured ingredients, Perez observed from a distance," recalls Khan, whose first task was making the classical macaroon on a religeiuse choux pastry. "We even learned to create one in the form of a rectangular cylinder shape."

Perez, who has worked at hotels such as the Ritz Carlton (1988-2000), and has won a silver and bronze at the Coupe du Mondepastry World Cup held in France in 1996 and 1998 respectively, has a modern plating approach to classical dishes.

That could be the reason why he makes tiramisu in a microwave, says Khan. "I told the chef that traditionally one whips the egg yolks and sugar in a double boiler. In a microwave, there’s a high chance of overcooking the egg," narrates Khan. But, Perez surprised him. All it took was heating the eggs for two minutes in the microwave, while whisking it twice at regular intervals, after which it went into the blender for another two minutes. Perez explained that the eggs should be cooked above 65°C, to kill the salmonella, says Khan.

*Creams and meringue*
Revelations didn't end here. The team also learned simple things like using water-absorbing pectin instead of gelatin. "When I make layered desserts, my jelly layer would sometimes give out water. This is because gelatin doesn’t absorb water," says Khan, adding that he can now put the new lesson to use.

He also tried his hands at making Italian meringue. "Unlike a French meringue, where you whip up egg whites, sugar and fold in almond powder, here, you need to cook the sugar in water at 118°C. This is then added to the egg white, while it is in the blender," he adds.

*Around town*
While the sessions were held from 9 am to 4 pm, Khan spent his evenings visiting patisseries in Bangkok. "I realised that local bakers do not waste time on elaborate flavours and serve what the customers want," says Khan. Mumbai desserts, on the other hand, do not have distinct flavours. "Now it boils down to simple offerings. And that is what you will see in our new menu next month," says Khan.

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In ancient times, when men dressed up as women on stage, it was the need of the hour because there was a dearth of women who did theatre. Over time, the paradigm has shifted from necessity to providing entertainment, and somehow it always makes the audience chuckle when they see men dressed up as women. Case in point: Kiku Sharda or Ali Asgar flirting with Bollywood celebrities on The Kapil Sharma Show.*Gaurav Gera as Chutki dances with Salman Yusuf Khan*

In season 7 of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (JDJ), the channel introduced Kiku as Palak on the reality show and he kicked up a storm with his performance. This year, the makers have roped in Guarav Gera as the new man in women's garb to compete in the dance contest. But, Gera claims it is no mean feat. The actor says in his Chutki and shopkeeper videos, he only had to concentrate on his facial expressions, but on JDJ, he has to be careful about how he walks, talks, the body language — and dancing in heels, of course. “I have been watching Kiku's videos from the previous season and there are too many steps. I still dance like Mithun Chakraborty and Rajesh Khanna; I am a very '70s man. Today, dancing is too crisp and fast. I am trying to rehearse in heels and since I am not used to it, it makes my legs ache. It's quite a challenge.”*Ssumier Pasricha as Pammi Aunty*

Does dressing up as women really work? “If it weren't working, it wouldn't exist. There is a supply because there's demand for it. It's not something I started a year ago. I was a big fan of a show called Little Britain; the producer of a show wanted me to do something like that. So, they came up with a show called Dekh India Dekh (2009) where I played a female character, Malti Manohar Mishra, for the first time. When I began making videos online from 2010 to 2011. Then I came back in 2015, Chutki became a sensation. I think it is interestingly weird and the concepts are not regular. That's why people are attracted to it,” said Gaurav.*Kiku Sharda as Palak*

Kiku, who began donning the female avatar with Great Indian Comedy show in 2005, believes that people's acceptance of an artiste as a woman is the most difficult part. Once that happens, it's an achievement. “Certain faces are harsh and masculine, and turning those into a woman's face can be difficult. It can go wrong and make you look really bad. Luckily for me, being chubby and plump worked in my favour. I could easily pass off as a woman. The softness in tone, women-like gait and feminine demeanour can be difficult to achieve. There has to be acceptability in what you do. So often, people talk to me as if I am a woman. I think that's an achievement,” he says. How do people react to a man playing a woman? “Before these videos became a hit, people were a little judgmental. I did get comments of people asking me to behave like a man and not be cheap, but they were few. Initially, I thought I get a mixed reactions, but after it became a hit, 90 per cent of the junta appreciated what I did, baring a few,” expressed Gaurav.

Ssumier Pasricha claims that his family was not kicked about his Pammi Aunty avatar at all. “Initially my family was not keen on me doing something like this. They didn't know what could be done about it. But now, they are extremely proud of it and are enjoying its success with me.”

Gaurav claims that he is wired as Chutki, but only as one of the many characters he plays. “I am a grown up guy; I am not going to transform into a girl by doing these videos. I am too stubborn to change like that. My parents know that Chutki is a character that I can get in and out of easily. This character appeals to me, so my parents are with me. Initially, my dad would ask, 'What's the use of making videos and uploading them?' But truth be told, I have made maximum money in the last year with those videos.”

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Baba-Ling-s.jpg*Baba Ling, proprietor of Colaba’s Ling’s Pavilion, inherited the Oriental eatery business from his father, who ran another eatery one lane away. File Pic*

Two months ago, when this paper inquired with the Ling’s, owners of Colaba’s most loved Chinese eatery, if they had introduced missal pav on their menu, they said no. We dropped in to check the Ling's Pavilion menu, and went away having licked our lips after a Stuffed Crab Claws dinner. Last week, we heard that proprietor Baba Ling had admitted to press about having “put the items on the menu”.

A U-turn! Let’s review, we thought. We dropped in at Ling’s, well aware of its history, wondering how it would marry heritage with political coercion. One of Colaba’s first Oriental grub houses, it was set up by Ling’s father Yick Sen Ling in 1945. Nanking stood one lane away from Ling’s, which Baba set up even while the father's establishment was feeding the well heeled of Mumbai.

That evening, Ling’s was predictably packed. The two menu cards handed to us had no mention of Maharashtrian dishes. We ordered for sliced pork and Ling’s Rice Supreme with chicken and mushrooms and then asked if they had any of the missal left. “No,” the steward said, returning minutes later to ask if we had read about the missal in the papers.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Byculla-Zoo-s.jpg*Protestors at the Byculla Zoo. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi*

Out of the 100 people expected by the organisers, a group of 30 protesters had gathered outside the gate of the zoo, armed with banners and slogans, as a sign of protest against the decision of the BMC-owned zoo to include eight Humboldt penguins. "We will be filing a writ petition against the inclusion of these penguins in the zoo next week," said Meet Ashar, an animal activist who was one of the members spearheading the protest.

They managed to catch the attention of pedestrians passing by, while shouting slogans of “Byculla Zoo, Bandh Karo”. Meanwhile, as vehicles on the main road slowed to down to watch this unusual activity outside the zoo, around 25 cops were on stand by inside the zoo compound, in case things got out of hand.

"The penguins cannot survive in a city like Mumbai," said Ashar. "The enclosure built for the penguins is only 400 square feet...these birds are used to swimming in oceans at nautical speeds. What will they do in just 400 square feet of space? Mumbai is going through a water crisis; this is not the need of the hour. If they (civic authorities) really want to work for the animals and give them a good life, the focus should on setting up a wildlife transit center."

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Fred-Trueman-s.jpg*Fred Trueman*

Pirie participated in the 1956 and 1960 Olympics at Melbourne and Rome respectively and recommended that Trueman be put on a diet of nuts and lettuce instead of Trueman’s favourite steaks.

Pirie also ordered the fast bowlers to run up and down on the wooden decks of the ship en route to Australia. This wouldn’t have done Trueman’s knees any good and so he protested. When things reached boiling point, ‘Fiery Fred’ as Trueman was called, asked Pirie whether he had run against someone called Vladimir Kuts (Russia). When Pirie answered in the affirmative, Trueman shot back, “Yes and if I remember rightly he was doing his lap of honour before you had crossed the finishing line, so if that’s what your training does for you, then you can count me out.”

Trueman was referring to how Kuts had led favourite Pirie by a huge margin and clinched the 10,000m gold at Melbourne.

*Read like Rajini*
When Rajinikanth’s fans made a dash for the theatre to watch Kabali on Friday, none of them had any plans to head to the bookstore soon after. But, that’s what happens when Thalaiva picks up a book. You buy it too!

In the opening scene of Kabali, an incarcerated Rajini is seen reading author YB Satyanarayana’s My Father Baliah inside his prison cell. The book, published in 2012, traces Satyanarayana’s Dalit family history. Now, four years on, it’s making news all over again.

And, trust Rajini devotees to leave no stone unturned to ensure the book is read. Twitter is abuzz with stories about what Rajini is reading in jail and thanks, to the many re-tweets, the author’s promotion appears to be on in full swing. Satyanarayana wouldn’t have predicted this accidental stroke of luck, which in all likelihood is boosting his book’s sales. Writers of the world, please take note: Thalaiva is your man!

*Do a burpee*
While most of us are battling the bulge thanks to unhealthy lifestyles, former Indian pace bowler Zaheer Khan is bent on reversing the trend. After launching the ProSport Fitness centre in Lower Parel, he has now opened a new franchise in Andheri.

“While trying to balance professional and personal life, fitness often takes a backseat,” says Khan, who has designed some fun workouts like burpees (squat thrusts) and shadow boxing at the centre. Khan assures us that the exercises can be pulled off by people of any age. Get, set, fit!

*Throwback to the disco era*
Restaurateur Nityanand Shetty, owner of the soon-to-be-launched all-day bar, Thyme Bistro, takes pride in calling himself a Pancham Pagal. This incidentally happens to be the name of RD Burman’s fan club.

“I even wooed my wife with his songs,” laughs Shetty, who each year on Burman’s birthday distributes the composer’s favourite Kesar Pista ice cream from Gokul for free to all his customers at Pebbles, Juhu. The 48-year-old now plans to take his love a step further by introducing Pancham nights every month at Thyme.

The evening will see talented musicians paying tribute to the legend. “We’ll also have a Pancham quiz for the patrons,” he adds. Attend it, if you happen to be Pancham Pagal.

*A report card for artists?*
The Union Minister of culture and tourism Mahesh Sharma certainly managed to raise eyebrows with his proposal to introduce a rate card for artists and writers. Promising, Outstanding and Waiting are the grades on offer, which got trolled as the POW system.*Union Minister of culture and tourism Mahesh Sharma*

While there were those who hinted at how some moolah might get you bumped up from Waiting to Outstanding, a rather acclaimed photographer, chose to use some tact regarding this. Here’s what he wrote: “So, here’s the new India art lingo: A couple of well-heeled collectors walk into an Indian Art Gallery. ‘Please, we are looking to buy some P Grade art.’

The gallerist looked puzzled, ‘Why P Grade?’ The collectors respond, ‘Because we hope our P Grade investments will mature into O Grade! And please don’t waste our time showing us any of that horrible W Grade stuff.’ ‘Oh’, the gallerist responds, ‘Don’t worry! We would never think to show W Grade art here! Only P and O need apply!’” Well, isn’t this true of things, with or without a rate card?

*Mom knows best**Pic/Bipin Kokate*

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The 37-year-old woman who stays in Dubai and is a teacher by profession had come to Mumbai for vacation and was staying with her fiancee at apartment next to her brother and father. While lodging the complaint, the woman told police that her 24-year-old brother has sexually harassed her on different occasion from July 5 to 22, when her fiancee was out for work. The accused while harassing her kept saying that if she can get physically involved with her fiancee then why not with him. He also forced himself on her.

According to police, the woman tired with her brother's behavior revealed the incident to her father but he just let it go with a warning. When the accused repeated the offence, the woman complained about the same to her fiancee. When fiancee confronted the accused, he raised his hands on him and threatened him. Later the woman along with her father decided and went to police station and filed the complaint on Friday. Father while giving details about his son said that he is unemployed.

Senior Police inspector of Dongri police station Nitin Shamrao Bangale said, “The woman had come woman had come with her father to file the complaint. After filing the complaint, we immediately arrested the accused.”

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By the time we arrive at Pooja and Omkar Joshi’s apartment in Chandanwadi, Thane, the sun has already hit the half-way mark in the sky. The couple has just wrapped up the morning’s tiffin orders. But, the aroma of sheera lingers in the kitchen. A white board that hangs on the wall of the spacious room lists the number of orders for poha, upma and puran poli for the day, so we know exactly what we missed.*Omkar and Pooja Joshi prepare polis (dosa) at their Thane home. Pics/Sameer Markande*

"Pooja updates it daily because the team needs to know the quantity they’re supposed to prepare, and if there are any last-minute requests," says Shubhada Joshi, Omkar’s mother.

The board is a communicating tool for the seven-member team at Pooja Catering Service, spearheaded by the young couple. Like these two, the staff is hearing and speech impaired. Shubhada uses sign language to help us communicate with the couple.*Their breakfast box usually comprises sabudana khichdi*

As we take a seat in the living room that sees a flurry of activity every morning with Pooja filling the tiffins, marking the names of customers on each box, and Omkar dispatching them it’s evident that the duo is happy to take a breather.

"We normally relax in the afternoon, because our day starts at 5 am. Twice a week, I go to the nearby vegetable market at 4 am to buy the supplies," says Omkar, whose breakfast menu spans south Indian staples like idli and medu wada and the typically Maharashtrian poha and sheera.*Shubhada Joshi, Omkar’s mother, steps in when the couple needs to interact with customers*

Launched three years ago on the day of Diwali, the catering service has been dishing out Maharashtrian snacks like sabudana khichdi, kothimbir vadi (coriander fritters made of chickpea batter), poha, aluwadi (a traditional Maharashtrian recipe made with colocasia leaves) and more around Thane, right until Mulund. The two, both 36 years old, have been hearing and speech impaired since birth. They run the enterprise from home, which they share with their two children and Omkar’s parents. What started as a 15-customer-a-month service, now caters to more than 800 people.

The service began as both — a means to earn a sustainable livelihood and kill time constructively.

"I’ve studied till Class 3 only. My parents did try getting me admission into other schools, but I was never inclined towards academics, so the teachers suggested I get vocational training," says Omkar, who also provides motivating vision boards for corporate offices.

Pooja, his wife of 10 years, would teach basic computer application at Kamlini School for Deaf and Dumb before launching the catering service. "I would get a monthly salary of Rs 3,000 which was not enough. Moreover, it was a part time job so I would get bored sitting at home," he adds. She, however, admits to always having had a flair for cooking. "After our wedding, my mother-in-law taught me Maharashtrian specialties like zunka bhakri (chickpeas or besan paste cooked with onions, curry leaves, ginger-garlic paste, cumin and mustard seeds, best served with bajra rotis) and bharleli vangi (aubergines a packed with fresh coconut and tangy spices)."

It was on one regular afternoon, while the family was sitting for lunch, that their mother-in-law pitched the idea of starting a catering service. Coming from a business family, with no experience in hospitality, the prospect seemed exciting, but risky. "We didn’t know how it would be received," says Pooja. "We would prepare dishes in small quantities, and let our neighbours try it for feedback before we launched," she says.

The first and only time that the couple invested in promotion of the service was via pamphlets with the morning newspaper. "The response turned out to be overwhelming. It was not just customers who called us for orders, but also parents of children with hearing and speech impediments requesting us to employ them," recalls Omkar, who now handles a team of five. "Our staff was hired from a nearby educational institute. After two months of training, they were ready to roll," says Omkar, who initially handled all the deliveries himself. The couple provides breakfast to their customers and, by 11.30 am, all deliveries are completed. On occasion, they also handle party orders. "When I’m out, my wife and I communicate through video-calling or WhatsApp. In fact, Pooja was the one to suggest video-calling. She is far more tech-savvy than I," he smiles.

It’s technology that’s helped the couple manage the orders without outside help. A large chunk of catering requests are managed through WhatsApp. "For instance, the professors at Joshi Bedekar College in Thane order breakfast every morning. If there’s any change in the order, they ping Pooja or me," he says.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Everest-sunrise-s.jpg*The sunrise from behind the Everest. Pics/Kuntal Joisher*

mid-day had first exposed the couple in its June 29 edition. A police probe was ordered, the report of which is awaited.

While the intense physical endurance training required is fairly well known, the money involved in this extreme sport is not common knowledge outside of mountaineering circles.*The golden sunset on Everest*

“The cost could vary from $20,000 (Rs 13 lakh) to more than $100,000 (Rs 67 lakh),” says Alan Arnette, renowned climber and motivational speaker, who started climbing at the age of 38.

Most climbers take personal loans from banks, friends and family and some even mortgage property to achieve their dream of getting to the top. “The difference is in what kind of experience the climber is seeking and also the level of safety he or she wants,” Arnette says. Low-end agencies will provide you with the basic requirements, and one could be compromising on gears and safety. High-end companies provide everything, including experienced guides who are internationally certified, but come with a high price tag.

*‘Loans from banks, friends, family’*
Satyarup Siddhantha, the climber from West Bengal, who lives in Bengaluru and whose picture the Maharashtra constable couple morphed, quit his job last year in order to climb Everest. His company would not give him three months leave. In the last two years, he has spent nearly Rs 32 lakh on climbing. He says, “I took personal loans from banks, friends, family, credit cards and ready credit options at banks to fund my climbs.”

“The summit pictures were not just a photo-op for me. From being an asthmatic child to climbing Mount Everest, it has been a very personal battle. And, then Makalu Adventures goes and morphs my photograph and gives credit to the Rathods. It’s an insult to my struggle,” says Siddhantha.

Rafiq Shaikh, the police constable from Aurangabad, who reached the Everest summit on May 19, 2016, and made the Maharashtra police proud, has spent Rs 45 lakh in the last three years, pursuing his passion. He raised funds through pers Reported by Mid-Day 1 hour ago.

Just a few hours after meeting his childhood friends, a 27-year-old Mumbai man committed suicide after being upset on learning that his long time girlfriend was getting married to someone else.

The deceased has been identified as Amar Sawant, a resident of Lalbaug who killed himself by hanging in his house.

Amar's friend Arun explained, "He met us (friends) in the evening and was completely fine and he was smiling even when he left for his house. It was the next day that we came to know about him ending his life. He was in a relationship with a girl since several years and wanted to marry her, but her marriage was arranged with some other person. On learning this, he was depressed and had even confided one of his relative about it. I met him on Wednesday night he did not even look as if he would take such an extreme step. He was creamted on Saturday said."

Amar, residing in the Lalji Khimji building in Lalbaug area was shifted to the KEM hospital by his neighbours who also alerted the Kalachowkie police regarding the incident.

Investigations revealed that Amar worked with a five star hotel in the housekeeping department earlier and had recently taken up a job in an another hotel. On Wednesday night, after meeting his friends, he chatted for a while and left for home.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Pokemon-games-s.jpg*Gamers walked from Churchgate station to Marine Drive in search of the rare Pokémon. Pic/Bipin Kokate*

Till before the cancellation, around 7,000 gamers had confirmed participation in the walk.

Tany Joseph (23), who had planned the Pokewalk, said, "We had cancelled the event, but went ahead with it unofficially. I had even approached the DCP for permission, but was told that because the number of people coming for the walk was very high, it was risky and permission could not be given."

Joseph addressed the gamers outside the restaurant at 5 pm and told them that because there was no permission, everyone “should only fight virtually” (referring to virtual Pokemon battles fought on the cellphone). The crowd then walked towards Marine Drive.

"I have heard that you get a lot of Magicarps and Gyrados in this area," said Gaurav Singh, a resident of Goregaon and a Pokemon Go addict. “even the number of PokeStops are more here. I didn’t know the event was cancelled.”

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jun/Cyber-crime-s.jpg

*Representational picture*

A diamond exporter,Sejal Savera, 40, the owner of Nikhil gems was cheated for 37 lakh rupees after the companies email was hacked and their client based in the United States of America was sent an email stating the company had changed their bank accounts and the deal amounts should now be transferred to a bank in Haryana.

The diamond and jewel export company that has clients in USA and Japan mostly communicates online with the clients abroad for sending quatations, bank details and information on dispatching the goods but recently one of the email account of the owner was sneaked into and a Los Angeles (LA) based client was sent an email informing that the bank transactions would be with a bank located in Haryana for which the client was also sent details of the bank account.

However when the goods were dispatched from Mumbai to LA the details of the goods were shared with the client and further the payment was done in the Haryana based bank account which actually did not belong to the company which is run by Sejal and her 21 year old daughter. On learning about the incident the victim researched and found out that there were several emails sent to the business clients and a part of advance payment was made by the LA client which was sent to the alleged hacker's account.

Advocate, Pankaj Bafna, the Victim's lawyer said, “A few days later of dispatching the goods, my client informed me that there was an advance payment paid by an international client and she had shared details of a Bank located in Malabar Hill but the money was sent to another bank. She found that the email inbox had atleast 20 emails communicated across her business client stating that for future the new bank account details should be updated and the amount should be made in Haryana Bank. Accordingly the email spoofing was done for the fraud. We then registered an FIR in Malabar hill police station but the police is yet to reach a conclusion in the case."

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Here are two ways to hop onboard this month-end’s Potter mania:

*At your doorstep*
If you haven’t already booked your copy, don’t get your wands in a knot. Food delivery app Scootsy is paying attention to other kinds of hunger pangs. Pre-order on Scootsy, and have a copy delivered by noon, July 31. This speed-a-book order comes with a 25% discount, so you get the Rs 899 copy at Rs 674.
*Vist:* www.scootsy.com

*Bring it in style*
What’s Potterworld if not for some merrymaking? Head to select Crossword stores for a costume contest, Where you get to dress-up like any character from the series and win a prize. There are also Potter tatoos and accessories that you can try out as well as a Potter scavenger hunt and a quiz contest.
*When:* July 31, 11.30 PM onwards
*Where:* Crossword Bookstore, Turner Road, Bandra (W); R City Mall, Ghatkopar (W)
*Entry:* Rs 1,000
*Call:* 8080590590

*Poetry in the rains*
4 PM onwards: It’s double dhamaka for poetry lovers. Begin with readings and discussions on classical and contemporary multilingual poetry in Maazi-e-sukhan. Then gear up for Poetry Social, in which one of Bollywood’s favourite screenwriters and lyricists Varun Grover slams it out with a music meets a poetry performance.
*Where:* antiSocial, 5th Road, Khar (W)
*Entry:* Rs 300
*Call:* 65226324

*Life’s a Waiting Room*
9 PM: Watch the Gujarati play, The Waiting Rooms, that’s all about revealing the facts of life. It is the story of people who are at a crossroads, waiting for that one twist of fate, that can catapult them from the rut into a life worth living. The best part is, everything happens in a rather light-hearted way.
*Where:* Bhaidas Auditorium, Vile Parle West
*Entry:* Rs 150
*Log on to:* bookmyshow.com

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*

*Meet a new Marx*
7 PM: After sold-out shows in the past, here is your last chance to catch Karl Marx in Kalbadevi for this season. Starring Satchit Puranik, the plot revolves around what happens When Marx comes to aamchi Mumbai, but has neither the time nor the inclination for economics. He would rather talk about the generous thali he had at Bhagat Tarachand.
*Where:* Harkat Studios, JP Road, Aaram Nagar, Andheri (W)
*Entry:* Rs 350
*Call:* 26350064

*Let’s talk about sex, baby*
7 PM: Skip the sleaze and head for a stand-up routine that is sure to the put ‘sex comedy’ in a different light. Hosted by Aditi Mittal, this show will have an inclusive line-up of five comedians and crush those myths and taboos around disability and sexuality. PS: the event is wheelchair accessible.
*Where:* Daughters of St Paul, Waterfield Road, Bandra (W)
*Entry:* Rs 200
*Call:* 26401691

*Watch a short film*
8 pm: Watch Elixir, a Bengali short film by Anirban Guha that got selected in this year’s Cannes Short Corner. The film is about a woman and her parallel reality. It all starts with a phone Call she gets from her husband. He asks her to meet someone and hand him a parcel. What happens next in unexpected, and she suddenly is in a world Where all fanstasies come true. Can we come along?
*Where:* The Hive, Chuim Village Road, off Union Park, Khar (W)
*Entry:* Rs 250
*Call:* 9619962969

*A breadtastic pop-up*
Food lovers down town, get ready to salivate! Bandra’s Between Breads, a cosy burger and fries joint, is setting up a SOBO pop-up in collaboration with Pop-Up Hut. Get ready to sink your teeth into lip-smacking burgers, that include the Veg Ramen Burger and the BBQ Chicken Burger.
*Where:* Kemps Corner
*When:* 12 noon to 11 pm

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*Adopt a pet*
11 AM – 5.30 PM: It’s never too late to make a furry friend. World For All is hosting a pet adoption camp with 20 Indian breed puppies and kittens. Head to the camp and find the one for you.
*Where:* Metro Mall, Western Express Highway, Borivali (E)
*Call:* 9769997540

*Try a khamanoxide*
ONGOING 5 PM – 1 AM: Fumes is the latest addition to the list of ever-growing cafes in Lower Parel. You can try the khamanoxide (khaman crumble with flavoured Indian chutneys) or delicious samosa videshi chaat.
*Where:* Fumes, Block No.25, Raghuvanshi Mills Compound, Lower Parel
*Call:* 24927001

*Rewind to vintage India*
26 July, 6:30PM: Attend a lecture on The Glory Days of the Progressive Writers’ Movement in 1940s Bombay. The movement was crucial in shaping political consciousness.
*Where:* Jnanapravaha, Queens Mansion, Fort
*Call:* 22072974

*Same classic, new perspective*
The narration of the Ramayana changes with every age. This is the age of the woman. Can we see Valmiki’s story as one that was driven by Sita’s choices? Devdutt Pattanaik has chosen to re-tell the epic from the eyes of the woman in this children’s version.
*Title:* The Girl Who Chose: A New Way of Narrating the Ramayana
*Price:* Rs 199

*Join the cocktail party*
ONGOING: Drink to happiness at the Cocktail festival at Smaaash. Choose from drinks like Green Drizzle, a combination
of lemongrass and vodka, to Flaming Rain, a power-packed combination of sambuca and Redbull, and the Titanium Tempest, 90 ml of unadulterated alcohol thrown together with some lime juice.
*Where:* Mighty Small, Smaaash, Gate 4, Kamala Mills Compound, Lower Parel
*Call:* 49143143

*Go back to school*
JULY 30, 6.30 PM: Govind Menon, Bhavish Ailani and Gaurav Kapoor will share their most ridiculous school stories in this show, Present Ma’am.
*Where:* Barking Deer, Mathuradas Mill, Lower Parel
*Entry:* Rs 300
*Call:* 61417400

*Attend a photo exhibition*
July 25, 10.30 AM to 7 PM: Vist the fourth edition of the photography exhibition by Bharati Vidyapeeth’s School of Photography, Where select images captured by the students will be on display.
*Where:* Nehru Centre Art Gallery, Dr E Moses Road, Worli
*Call:* 24963426

*Catch a sketchy artwork*
TILL AUG 22, 6.30 PM ONWARD: For those who missed artist Sameer Kulavoor’s solo works the first time around at ARTISANS’, here’s a chance to catch Please Have a Seat. The show focuses on intimate human gestures captured through spontaneous drawings. The limited edition works from this series were originally captured in Kulavoor’s sketchbook; everyday moments observed over the years.
*Where:* Cafe Zoe, Mathurdas Mills Compound, Lower Parel
*Call:* 24902065

*Watch a patriotic play*
4.15 PM: One of the costliest productions on Marathi stage, Code Mantra, is an engaging courtroom drama set against the background of the Indian Army. Starring Mukta Barve, Ajay Purkar, Umesh Jagtap among others, Code Mantra challenges the very notion of patriotism and how an excess of it can be dangerous.
*Where:* Shivaji Mandir, NC Kelkar Road, Dadar (West)
*Entry:* Rs 200-300
*Call:* 90043 37004

*Own a Paithani*
11 AM – 7 PM: The National Handloom Development Corporation Ltd has launched an initiative Called Silk Fab to connect consumers and weavers on one platform. Get a feel of handwoven silks like pochampally, muga silk, paithani, kosa silk and baluchuri with traditional motifs and designs.
*Where:* World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade
*Call:* 66387272

*Get wasted*
6.30 PM: To rid you of those mid-week blues, True Tramm Trunk is hosting Wasted Wednedays, Where DJ Cyrus will spin his tunes in collaboration with percussionist Anish Kale. Also sip on some desi-inspired cocktails like the Tharra and Gulaabo from UP, Santra and Badi Saunf from Mumbai.
*Where:* True Tramm Trunk, next to Options Showroom, VL Mehta Road, JVPD Scheme, Juhu
*Call:* 9769696050

*Groove to an indie band*
8.30 PM onwards: As We Keep Searching, the band from Ahmedabad, is set for a live wire performance, closer home. Comprising vocalist Uddipan Sarmah, guitarist Shubham Gurung, bassist Bob Alex and drummer Gautam Deb, the outfit, it’s a concert you’d not want to skip.
*Where:* Hard Rock Cafe, Fun Cinema Lane, off Veera Desai, Andheri (West)
*Entry:* Rs 500
*Call:* 8898087841

*Bite into a bacon slab*
5 PM – 9 PM: Meat lovers can go satiate their appetite with a special menu of grills curated by artisanal meat-man Kaviraj Thadani. You can try the smoked Chicken Cheese Bomb, Bacon Slab, American Bratwurst and more at the live barbecue grill.
*Where:* Craft Deli. Bistro. Bar, 1st floor, Phoenix Marketcity, Kurla
*Call:* 61802073

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Digital-prints-s.jpg

He also realised that he was stuck in a “structure”. And that’s when the idea for BLOCK, his new digital art show, started taking form in his head. “I realised I was missing all those crazy thoughts that I used to have when I was in school or college. I wanted those back.”

It may have led him to finding his own ‘block’, but the 36-year-old credits the publishing industry for introducing him to the digital format. “It’s still not a very accepted medium in the art world. But, that’s one of the issues I want to raise with this exhibition — that digital prints are also just another form of art,” he says.

His artworks, which will remind you of artist Andy Warhol’s pop prints, illustrate the static world we live in, depriving ourselves the scope for growth, and the aversion to face challenges head-on. “I was interested in portraits and all the moods are expressions I went through during that time. It was not work pressure or financial pressure, but my mental journey that is reflected in this show,” he says.*Artist Sameer Pawar*

He says that the show tries to delve into the psyche of a person, and make you wonder if there is a sense of desperation, a desire to escape and be somewhere else.

Pawar has also taken inspiration from the world around him, as well as the one within.

“The world I see around me fascinates me like nothing else. I observe and introspect. I adapt myself to different situations. As I travel, I watch people going about their daily rigmarole. I have attempted to look beyond the obvious, tried to get underneath the surface — between the multiple layers of human emotions, reactions and expressions, to study the struggle that each individual goes through while trying to do something different. This work is based on these observations,” he says.

But, he is quick to point out that it’s not really a block if you are happy with it. “I discovered my block where I could feel it gnawing at me every day. I was unhappy with my situation. You won’t find it if you don’t look for it. And that’s the question — are you unhappy enough to look for it.” Something to think about?

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/D-Wood-s.jpg*D Wood*

Wood’s tryst with the musical genre began decades ago, when he was still in the US. He has collaborated with many artistes since then. “Unfortunately, Indians are not exposed to this kind of music on a regular basis, and that’s one of the reasons why we don’t have too many Latin Jazz artistes emerging from here,” Wood explains.*Carl Clements*

The concert will bring the music of the samba, rumba, tango and Cha Cha Cha, all played by a band, comprising Wood (bass), Carl Clements (saxophone), Karim Ellabodi (piano), Aron Nyiro (drums) and Anand Bhagat (percussion).
While Clements hails from the US, Ellabodi is of Sudanese origin, and Nyiro from Hungary. Bhagat is the only Indian artiste, who will be part of the band, whose repertoire will range from classical to original compositions.

“We will also be including a live dance performance at the event, because only then can one really enjoy the Latin Jazz experience,” says Wood.

Jazz was dance music up until the 1940s, when it became more intellectual and a high-art form, Wood explains. “Meanwhile, Latin Jazz continued to remain a form of dance music, which kept the tradition going, even as the swing era yielded to more technical forms,” he says.

Speaking about its origins, he says, “Latin has always been part of the Jazz tradition. New Orleans had a lot of people from the Caribbean and Africa, who influenced the music’s development. But, most specifically, it got popularised in the 1940s with trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and percussionist Chana Pozo. That collaboration changed the way people saw the genre,” he adds. Wood hopes that Indian Jazz listeners warm to the music too.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/24Saiyami-Kher-s.jpg*Saiyami Kher*

"I had pre-conceived notions that being Anil Kapoor's son, Harsh would be filmy. But he is completely different. He is normal and chilled out person. We got along well. He is passionate about his work. He has worked too hard for this film," Saiyami told PTI.

Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra's directorial venture "Mirzya" introduces Harshvardhan and Saiyami, the granddaughter of actress Usha Kiran and niece of Tanvi Azmi and Shabana Azmi.

The world of films is not new to Saiyami. She made her acting debut with Telugu film "Rey", but "Mirzya" marks her entry into Bollywood.

The film is touted as Harshvardhan's debut film, but Saiyami is not insecure about the focus on him.

"I was very happy because I have been a fan of Anil Kapoor since long. I went crazy seeing him (Anil Kapoor) in 'Dil Dhadakne Do'... he was incredible. I was excited as Anil Kapoor's son was getting launched and even I am there in that film. It's an exciting thing," she said.

"There is no insecurity. I find it exciting to be making debut in Bollywood with one of the biggest actor's son (referring to Harshvardhan). It is not a worry for me.
The film is a love story, it is about both of us," she said. The model-turned-actress says both Anil Kapoor and his daughter Sonam had come on the sets of "Mirzya".

"I have been to their (referring to Anil Kapoor) house couple of times. I did interact with them (Anil and Sonam Kapoor) and it is too much fun to be around them," she said.

Saiyami hopes to have the same amount of energy and enthusiasm towards her work as the "Mr India" star. "When Anil sir came on the sets while we were shooting
(for 'Mirzya') in Rajasthan, the energy is incredible. He (Anil Kapoor) is still passionate about his work. This is something (referring to his energy and passion) we all youngsters must learn from him," she said.

"Sonam is an easy person to get along, she has no hang ups, she is sweet. They all, Sonam, Rhea (Harshvardhan's sisters) and Harsh are different," she said.

For this romantic-drama, Harshvardhan and Saiyami had to learn horse-riding.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/24Twinkle-Khanna-s.jpg*Twinkle Khanna*

Twinkle, 42, the elder daughter of Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia, tweeted, "Sir if you can't respect the living, respect the dead - mediocrity is attacking a man who can't respond @NaseerudinShah."

In an interview, Shah had said that 70's was the time when mediocrity came in Hindi films and also when Rajesh Khanna joined the industry, who according to him was a "poor actor".

Twinkle's friend and filmmaker Karan Johar agreed with the actress-turned-author and criticised Shah, saying his comments were in "exceptionally bad taste".

"I agree with you @mrsfunnybones... due respect to seniority but this was in exceptionally bad taste and not becoming of a fraternity member," Johar posted on Twitter.

Rajesh Khanna, who was Bollywood's first superstar, died of cancer in July 2012 at the age of 69. He has starred in films like "Baharon Ke Sapne", "Aradhana", "Haathi Mere Saathi", "Amar Prem" and "Aap Ki Kasam" among others.

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Katrina Kaif considers filmmaker Kabir Khan her best friend in the industry.*Katrina Kaif*

The actress has worked with him in Phantom and Ek Tha Tiger. All this while, we thought Sultan director Ali Abbas Zafar was her best buddy!*Ali Abbas Zafar*

Ali still remains in Kat’s scheme of things, but she now feels she has not met anyone who is as happy to hear her out as Khan.*Kabir Khan*

All of this is now public knowledge since the reticent actress is sharing her likes on social media.

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*
Pizza By the Bay*
The best part about this glass-walled, corner restaurant on Marine Drive is its location itself. No matter Where you sit, you are assured a gorgeous view of Arabian Sea and casual strollers on the promenade. With its urbane interiors and soothing ambience, it’s a perfect Sunday destination to savour a classic pizza.
*Order A: Classic Margherita (Rs 590)*
*Where: Soona Mahal, 143, Marine Drive, Churchgate, Mumbai *
*When: 7 AM – 11 PM
Call: 22843646*

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*Yoga House*
This laidback Bandra café has its regulars, so you may have to queue up to scoop a seat or a diwan by the window. Here, with a view of the legendary Bandra bylanes, you can finish that romance you have been wanting to read. The chairs are not meant for long relaxation spells, so for that full aaram feeling, head to the balcony upstairs.
*Order a: Bombay Chai (Rs 110)*
*Where: Nargis Villa, Sherly Rajan Road, Bandra*
*When: 8 AM – 9.30 PM
Call: 33126014*

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*Cafe Universal*
Even on a gloomy rainy morning, the light trickles in from all corners into this art nouveau-inspired café. The arched French windows, curtained by fancy grills that surround this space, keep you airy and warm at once. Reading the newspaper with a glass of tea at a table next to one of these windows, is what we describe as ‘small joys’.
order a: Irani Black Tea (Rs 75)
*Where: Shop 299, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Ballard Estate*
*When: 9 AM – 11 PM*
*Call: 22613985*

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*Wayword & Wise*
It’s always a luxury to steal some quiet reading time inside a cozy space, even as the rest of the world rushes past. At this little SoBo bookstore, such comfort is granted. Just pull out a cane stool and take the best spot, offering the glass door view and witness Ballard Estate unfold on a rainy day, while soaking in some good literature.
*Where: Strategic House, 44, Mint Road, *
*Ballard Estate, Fort*
*When: 11 PM – 7.30 PM*
*Call: 66349946*

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*Mockingbird Cafe*
If you are looking for an inspiring nook, then this café’s window seats might just do the trick. The windows overlook a herb garden — which looks sprightly this season — and a low verdant hedge that should cut you away from the crowd outside.
order a: Cappuccino (Rs 170)
*Where: 80, Veer Nariman Road, Churchgate *
*When: 9 AM – 12.30 AM
Call: 60226023*

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*The Great Eastern Home*
Less like a shop for fine interiors and more like a sprawling luxury wonderland, you can stroll through the wide collection of chandeliers and knick-knacks at this Byculla store. Assisting your indulgent saunter is an unobstructed view of the pretty lane outside, through large windows.
*Where: 25-29, Dr Ambedkar Road, Byculla*
*When: 10.30 AM – 8 PM*
*Call: 23770079*

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http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/24Salman-s.jpg

Yet again, there is speculation over whether Salman Khan will put a ring on rumoured ladylove Iulia Vantur.*Salman Khan *

There have also many hushed whispers about someone close to him not wanting him to get married.

But those in the know state that Bhai’s heart always rules his head.

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Masaan actor Vicky Kaushal is making news for dropping out of projects.

He is out of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati as well as Bejoy Nambiar’s next.

Considered the most promising face of 2016, this is a pity.

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Deepika Padukone almost forgot her bag while on her way out at a screening of Madaari.*Deepika Padukone*

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Dhwani Shah believes her sketches to be accidental heroes. In June this year, Shah, a Vasai-based graphic designer and illustrator, made a two-week visit to Kashmir. It was one of those routine trips to the Valley and its go-to vistas. Shah made visual records of the everyday lives and conversations she encountered during her stay. A graduate from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, and a compulsive doodler, Shah went equipped with journal pages laid out with empty panels as part of her baggage to Kashmir.

When she returned home on July 2 — excited about the quaint cafes, sky-mirroring lakes and the pleasantness of Kashmiri hospitality — little did she know that Kashmir was going to be on the boil a few days hence. On July 8, Hizbul Mujahideen commander from South Kashmir’s Tral area, Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with the Indian Army. Following this, street protests and mob-led destruction have led to several killings and injuries, followed by a government-enforced information blackout.

"The situation turned so sour that I was in two minds about posting photographs of a picturesque Kashmir online," says Shah, when we meet her at an Andheri café. "It seemed wrong to post happy pictures of our stay," she continues, adding that between photos and sketches, the latter is what comes to her more naturally.

The hesitation is still obvious today in Shah, who went on to share her visual records. Unpredictably, the virtual community was delighted. "Ever since the conflict, our news and social media feeds have been filled with gory images of the territorial conflict in Kashmir. I suppose viewers found my sketches to be a different narrative and a break from many of the hateful comments," muses Shah.

Shah’s work is in the manner of wordless comics, a silent observation of Kashmiri life and many of its cultural facets and rather than a sequential narrative, it collects memories into panels. These stories come in the line of Shah’s interest in non-fiction, which led her to create a story on Goa’s mining issue for a graphic anthology titled First Hand.

In detailed black and white drawings, Shah’s sketches also offer a welcome relief from the two kinds of imagery that Kashmir creates — paradise and pandemonium. However, Shah is quick to warn us that none of this was intentional. "I was just doodling," she clarifies. In the aftermath, however, random doodles have led to a more conscious understanding of conflict, as she says, "Someone observed that we often tend to focus on the issue and not enough on individual lives."
As we chat on, Shah fishes out a graphic novel by Srinagar-born Malik Sajad, titled Munnu: A Boy from Kashmir, a work that was published last year and offers an alternative history to Indian administered Kashmir. Like many of her viewers, Shah found it to be a lighter, more human approach than the disturbing accounts found in Curfewed Night, a memoir of Kashmir’s conflicts by journalist Basharat Peer, who went on to write the screenplay for Haider. She says she finds it easier to ask her friends to first read Munnu and then Curfewed Night as a way of easing them into Kashmir’s politics.

"Back here in the city, we have an option of switching off from things happening up north, but that is not so for Kashmiris," she says, as we prepare to pay for our coffees.

*Chai Jaai, Shrinagar *
*27 June 2016*
"I frequented this newly opened tea centre in Srinagar. I was only hoping for a comfortable corner table with a plug point, and the beautiful interiors that I found myself in were totally unexpected. The cafe included an exhibit of old Kashmiri photographs and the walls filled with intricately detailed floral patterns were hand painted by a local artist, who I was glad to find was given due credit in the space. I had the grandest and tastiest cup of Kahwa served in an exquisite looking samovar — hot golden chai with badam, kesar, elaichi and gulkand. The place holds my memories for two random conversations that led to some wonderful discoveries: My casual chat with the girl at the next table led to me knowing about her personal Kashmir Photo Archive project and an old lady who spotted me sketching the cafe suggested I visit the Shahi Hamdan mosque, if I liked meeting Muzaffar chacha."

*Shahi Hamdan, Srinagar *
*28 June 2016*
"As I stood sketching this intricate window at the Shahi Hamdan mosque, the priest came up to chat with me. Why are you alone in this part of the city, he asked. Oh no, not another moral police, I thought in my head, recalling the old lady who shoved me out of the ladies praying room because of my half-sleeved kurta. But, I was wrong, and glad to be, because Muzaffar chacha turned out to be the friendliest person I ever met. He not only gave me a quick tour of all the popular sites in the old city on his scooter, but he welcomed me into his home and showed his wife’s vegetable garden and fed me despite fasting himself and then got me into a bus to get back to my home stay and also insisted on paying the bus fare, all the time asking me to come back some day with my family. One of those serendipitous happenstances that teach you that, sometimes, it is okay to trust a total stranger."

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To the naked eye, however, the dimensional differences are imperceptible. At least from the outside. What is perceptible, though, is the wider single-piece grille with sharper contours, which works together with the newly designed headlamps to give the A3 a bit more presence on the road than before. On the inside, the cabin does not feel cramped, but only while you are sitting in the front. Shift to the rear of the car and the old chink in the A3’s otherwise shining armour becomes all too visible yet again. Knee-room at the rear continues to be limited and will remain a cause for criticism with the new A3 as well, just as it was with the old car.

Switch on the ignition and you realise that the car doesn't have an instrument panel. Instead there is a 12.3-inch TFT screen that the driver can configure to show her whatever info she desires. Audi call this a ‘Virtual Cockpit’. You have the choice of seeing the regular conventional instrumentation on it but you can also switch views via a button on the flat-bottomed steering wheel, which seemed to be a standard fitment in all the cars we saw in Germany (even though the literature Audi provided lists it as an optional extra).*Knee room still an issue in the second row of the A3. PICS/ audi*

The MMI system’s Voice Control function, too, has been optimised to recognise everyday phrases. Apart from these, the new Audi A3 gets a host of new innovative technologies such as Audi Connect wherein an embedded SIM card allows passengers to access customised online services. There are assist technologies such as Traffic Jam Assist and Cross Parking Assist, which will most likely not make it to India.*The updated TDI engine produces slightly more power and torque*

Although in global markets Audi will offer a choice of five engines, ranging from a smart 1.0 TFSI petrol to the familiar 2.0 TDI diesel, what we’re likely to see in India is the continuation of the latter in unchanged form. The current 1.8 TFSI petrol option sold here, however, is likely to be replaced by the new 2.0 TFSI from Audi but it’ll still be the 2.0 TDI-equipped vehicle that will drive the numbers for the A3 in India.*The virtual cockpit is a new addition to the A3*

This is the one we drove in and around Munich. Be it under the sculpted bonnet of the sedan or the cabriolet (we drove both), the now familiar 150-PS 1,968-cc four-cylinder in-line turbo-diesel feels at home. Power delivery is linear, making the A3 an easy car to drive through traffic or cruise on highways (the latter being better enjoyed in the cabriolet with the roof down in the crisp Bavarian weather). The fact that the 340 Nm of twist force is provided at a low 1,750 RPM and then stays with you all the way up to 3,000 revs helps this facet of the A3 no end. Stamp on the throttle hard and Audi says you should be able to do 0 to 100 km/h in just 8.5 seconds before hitting a top speed of 218 km/h. Audi also offers a more powerful 184-PS 380-Nm version of the 2.0 TDI with quattro and after driving that for some time, the more sober front-wheel-drive A3 feels less punchy and fun.

On the narrow and winding roads around Ascheim, just outside Munich, the A3’s handling felt confident. The electro-mechanically assisted steering makes you always conscious of where the wheels are. The result is greater confidence to push harder round a bend. Thus, so far as driving pleasure goes, the new A3 is as much fun as the old one was. The A3’s four-disc setup is capable of a drama-free brake. It’s all too easy. Even so, there are ABS, EBD and ESC (Electronic Stability Control) to assist the driver through almost all kinds of driving environments.

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So, there is no way Sonakshi Sinha will talk about her personal life.

The recent buzz about her and entrepreneur Bunty Sajdeh is because of her being spotted hanging with his sister Seema Khan. Sona is furious with the gossip doing the rounds.

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This is the GLC, the off-road ready C-Class, named in line with Mercedes’ new nomenclature system. It’s only available with four-cylinder motors and nine-speed transmissions, that is, until you start looking at the AMG version. For now, that’s still on the shelf. What are ready to roll are the petrol and diesel versions: the GLC 220 d turbo-diesel and the GLC 300 turbo-petrol.*Snazzy 18-inch wheels are shod with tyres that are easily available*

Chances are if you’ve seen the GLE-Class and stared into the beautiful eyes of the new W205 C-Class, you would identify it immediately once you process the difference in size. There are obvious differences that are telling of its added multi-terrain capability, such as the higher ground clearance and higher-profile tyres. The fact that there is a ‘G’ in its name is enough — or so they hope — to evoke thoughts of the evergreen Geländewagen: the iconic G-Class. The standout details are the smart front end with the beautiful C-Class LED eyes with the Intelligent Lighting System and the suave two-slat grille. The proportions are more butch estate-like and less rounded, which makes it unmistakable as the GLS’ younger sibling. The Offroad package is standard for India, and that brings a stylish front bumper which allows a better approach angle — worry less about those massive speed humps — together with underbody protection, running boards, 18-inch wheels with 235/60 R18 rubber, and further-tweaked electronic aids in the form of three additional drive modes — Off-road, Incline and Slippery — as well as tweaked ABS, ESP and traction control, plus Downhill Speed Regulation and more intelligent lighting. Oh, and you also get 20 mm more ground clearance, so that’s 201 mm. India doesn’t get the Air Body Control, so there are no adjustable air springs here.*The interiors are well-appointed as expected in a Merc. Pics/Sanjay Raikar*

We were driving the GLC 220 d from Kodagu to Mangaluru and we managed to cover some 80-odd kilometres in the car over what was mostly winding mountain road. We stand by our sentiments about the cabins of new Mercedes-Benz models: they have a certain air of quality that is hard to match.

Space is good, thanks to the long wheelbase, with the rear feeling even better than it does in the C. Knee-room is more than adequate and the seat angles seem comfortable and ergonomic enough for long drives in the car. Cabin sound insulation, as always, is top-notch and ride quality is fantastic even with the standard spring setup. The Dynamic Select has five drive modes: Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual. These are apart from the Off-road special menu.

Mercedes has brought in the GLC with two driveline choices: one petrol and one diesel. The diesel variant, the GLC 220 d, continues to have the 2.2-litre in-line four turbo-diesel motor making 170 PS and 400 Nm, but is now paired to the 9G-Tronic automatic transmission and 4MATIC intelligent-all-wheel-drive. The all-new ‘300’ petrol finally makes its Indian debut. Gone is the old 228-PS naturally-aspirated V6 last seen in the previous-generation W221 S-Class and in comes a more powerful 2.0-litre turbo unit. Seen in the CLA-, C- and E-Class cars as the ‘200’ with 184 PS and 300 Nm, the ‘300’ gets 245 PS and 370 Nm.

The GLC 220 d 4MATIC is comfortable pottering at city speeds as well as triple-digit ones on the open road. It’s a sensible car and, at Rs 50.7 lakh (ex-showroom) onwards, is priced rather competitively too. The three-pointed star has struck at the burgeoning luxury compact SUV segment, and it looks set to leave a mark. Yes, we’re happy to finally see it here.*
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*Scorpio gets a new tech upgrade*
Mahindra’s Scorpio SUV has received an Intelli-Hybrid upgrade to improve fuel efficiency, a factor that Indian buyers are particular about. The upgrade includes Motor Assist, Brake Energy Regeneration and Electronic Start-Stop, resulting in a fuel efficiency improvement of up to 7%. The tech costs Rs 12.84 lakh (ex-Navi Mumbai).

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*Aprilia announch launch of SR 150 scooter*
The Italian bikemakers have decided to throw their hat into India’s ultra competitive scooter market with the SR 150. The SR 150 is powered by a four-stroke 150cc engine. Engine specs are under wraps so far. The SR 150 will be priced at Rs 65,000 as an introductory offer, and will be produced in the company’s Baramati plant.

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Prachi Desai is in the mood to kick butt. The actress, who will be seen in Rock On 2, has been attending kickboxing sessions. She now feels kickboxing is the best workout and the only way to stay in shape. You go, girl.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Anil-Ranveer-s.jpg*Ranveer Singh and Anil Kapoor playing tag*

He also invited Dil Dhadakne Do co-star, Ranveer Singh, for the show.*Sapna Pabbi**Surveen Chawla**Sakshi Tanwar*

The actor emulated Anil and posed with the posters of the series.*Sudhanshu Pandey*

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Eighteen professional chefs from India huddle around pastry genius Eric Perez as he empties a tray of ice on a tabletop. "If he pours chocolate on it, it will condense due to water from the melting ice," Chef Anees Khan, founder of Bandra’s Star Anise Bakery and a participant at the four-day baking programme at Macaron Pastry Training Centre in Bangkok, thinks to himself.*Chef Anees Khan, founder of Bandra’s Star Anise Bakery, learnt the science behind timing, temperature and measurements, during a four-day baking programme in Bangkok. Pics/Sneha Kharabe*

But, Perez, who founded the school in 2004 after a glorious career across the world, has other plans. He covers the tabletop with clean wrap, before pouring the chocolate for tempering.

This is one of the many tricks that the participants mastered during the workshop, held from July 4 to 7.
"A chef goes about doing the same things day in day out, and begins to rely on judgement instead of temperatures. But, simple and effective procedure is the key, as Perez puts it," says Khan, who joined the class to touch base with what was trending in the pastry world.*Chef Khan has reinvented the mille feuille, a flaky pastry with vanilla or caramel cream, by giving it a softer base  *

Perez, who is half Spanish and French, started his baking journey at the age of 15 in Toulouse, France. At the programme, he had a hands-on training planned for the group.

On day one, the group was divided into three teams. The teams would create desserts over the next four days. "The school runs a patisserie outside its premise. Most of what we made was sold off the counter," says Khan.Individual recipe folders and thorough instructions turned the bakers into science students, as timing, temperature and measurements became the crux of every process. "As we weighed and measured ingredients, Perez observed from a distance," recalls Khan, whose first task was making the classical macaroon on a religeiuse choux pastry. "We even learned to create one in the form of a rectangular cylinder shape."

Perez, who has worked at hotels such as the Ritz Carlton (1988-2000), and has won a silver and bronze at the Coupe du Mondepastry World Cup held in France in 1996 and 1998 respectively, has a modern plating approach to classical dishes.

That could be the reason why he makes tiramisu in a microwave, says Khan. "I told the chef that traditionally one whips the egg yolks and sugar in a double boiler. In a microwave, there’s a high chance of overcooking the egg," narrates Khan. But, Perez surprised him. All it took was heating the eggs for two minutes in the microwave, while whisking it twice at regular intervals, after which it went into the blender for another two minutes. Perez explained that the eggs should be cooked above 65°C, to kill the salmonella, says Khan.

*Creams and meringue*
Revelations didn't end here. The team also learned simple things like using water-absorbing pectin instead of gelatin. "When I make layered desserts, my jelly layer would sometimes give out water. This is because gelatin doesn’t absorb water," says Khan, adding that he can now put the new lesson to use.

He also tried his hands at making Italian meringue. "Unlike a French meringue, where you whip up egg whites, sugar and fold in almond powder, here, you need to cook the sugar in water at 118°C. This is then added to the egg white, while it is in the blender," he adds.

*Around town*
While the sessions were held from 9 am to 4 pm, Khan spent his evenings visiting patisseries in Bangkok. "I realised that local bakers do not waste time on elaborate flavours and serve what the customers want," says Khan. Mumbai desserts, on the other hand, do not have distinct flavours. "Now it boils down to simple offerings. And that is what you will see in our new menu next month," says Khan.

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In ancient times, when men dressed up as women on stage, it was the need of the hour because there was a dearth of women who did theatre. Over time, the paradigm has shifted from necessity to providing entertainment, and somehow it always makes the audience chuckle when they see men dressed up as women. Case in point: Kiku Sharda or Ali Asgar flirting with Bollywood celebrities on The Kapil Sharma Show.*Gaurav Gera as Chutki dances with Salman Yusuf Khan*

In season 7 of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (JDJ), the channel introduced Kiku as Palak on the reality show and he kicked up a storm with his performance. This year, the makers have roped in Guarav Gera as the new man in women's garb to compete in the dance contest. But, Gera claims it is no mean feat. The actor says in his Chutki and shopkeeper videos, he only had to concentrate on his facial expressions, but on JDJ, he has to be careful about how he walks, talks, the body language — and dancing in heels, of course. “I have been watching Kiku's videos from the previous season and there are too many steps. I still dance like Mithun Chakraborty and Rajesh Khanna; I am a very '70s man. Today, dancing is too crisp and fast. I am trying to rehearse in heels and since I am not used to it, it makes my legs ache. It's quite a challenge.”*Ssumier Pasricha as Pammi Aunty*

Does dressing up as women really work? “If it weren't working, it wouldn't exist. There is a supply because there's demand for it. It's not something I started a year ago. I was a big fan of a show called Little Britain; the producer of a show wanted me to do something like that. So, they came up with a show called Dekh India Dekh (2009) where I played a female character, Malti Manohar Mishra, for the first time. When I began making videos online from 2010 to 2011. Then I came back in 2015, Chutki became a sensation. I think it is interestingly weird and the concepts are not regular. That's why people are attracted to it,” said Gaurav.*Kiku Sharda as Palak*

Kiku, who began donning the female avatar with Great Indian Comedy show in 2005, believes that people's acceptance of an artiste as a woman is the most difficult part. Once that happens, it's an achievement. “Certain faces are harsh and masculine, and turning those into a woman's face can be difficult. It can go wrong and make you look really bad. Luckily for me, being chubby and plump worked in my favour. I could easily pass off as a woman. The softness in tone, women-like gait and feminine demeanour can be difficult to achieve. There has to be acceptability in what you do. So often, people talk to me as if I am a woman. I think that's an achievement,” he says. How do people react to a man playing a woman? “Before these videos became a hit, people were a little judgmental. I did get comments of people asking me to behave like a man and not be cheap, but they were few. Initially, I thought I get a mixed reactions, but after it became a hit, 90 per cent of the junta appreciated what I did, baring a few,” expressed Gaurav.

Ssumier Pasricha claims that his family was not kicked about his Pammi Aunty avatar at all. “Initially my family was not keen on me doing something like this. They didn't know what could be done about it. But now, they are extremely proud of it and are enjoying its success with me.”

Gaurav claims that he is wired as Chutki, but only as one of the many characters he plays. “I am a grown up guy; I am not going to transform into a girl by doing these videos. I am too stubborn to change like that. My parents know that Chutki is a character that I can get in and out of easily. This character appeals to me, so my parents are with me. Initially, my dad would ask, 'What's the use of making videos and uploading them?' But truth be told, I have made maximum money in the last year with those videos.”

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Baba-Ling-s.jpg*Baba Ling, proprietor of Colaba’s Ling’s Pavilion, inherited the Oriental eatery business from his father, who ran another eatery one lane away. File Pic*

Two months ago, when this paper inquired with the Ling’s, owners of Colaba’s most loved Chinese eatery, if they had introduced missal pav on their menu, they said no. We dropped in to check the Ling's Pavilion menu, and went away having licked our lips after a Stuffed Crab Claws dinner. Last week, we heard that proprietor Baba Ling had admitted to press about having “put the items on the menu”.

A U-turn! Let’s review, we thought. We dropped in at Ling’s, well aware of its history, wondering how it would marry heritage with political coercion. One of Colaba’s first Oriental grub houses, it was set up by Ling’s father Yick Sen Ling in 1945. Nanking stood one lane away from Ling’s, which Baba set up even while the father's establishment was feeding the well heeled of Mumbai.

That evening, Ling’s was predictably packed. The two menu cards handed to us had no mention of Maharashtrian dishes. We ordered for sliced pork and Ling’s Rice Supreme with chicken and mushrooms and then asked if they had any of the missal left. “No,” the steward said, returning minutes later to ask if we had read about the missal in the papers.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Byculla-Zoo-s.jpg*Protestors at the Byculla Zoo. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi*

Out of the 100 people expected by the organisers, a group of 30 protesters had gathered outside the gate of the zoo, armed with banners and slogans, as a sign of protest against the decision of the BMC-owned zoo to include eight Humboldt penguins. "We will be filing a writ petition against the inclusion of these penguins in the zoo next week," said Meet Ashar, an animal activist who was one of the members spearheading the protest.

They managed to catch the attention of pedestrians passing by, while shouting slogans of “Byculla Zoo, Bandh Karo”. Meanwhile, as vehicles on the main road slowed to down to watch this unusual activity outside the zoo, around 25 cops were on stand by inside the zoo compound, in case things got out of hand.

"The penguins cannot survive in a city like Mumbai," said Ashar. "The enclosure built for the penguins is only 400 square feet...these birds are used to swimming in oceans at nautical speeds. What will they do in just 400 square feet of space? Mumbai is going through a water crisis; this is not the need of the hour. If they (civic authorities) really want to work for the animals and give them a good life, the focus should on setting up a wildlife transit center."

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Fred-Trueman-s.jpg*Fred Trueman*

Pirie participated in the 1956 and 1960 Olympics at Melbourne and Rome respectively and recommended that Trueman be put on a diet of nuts and lettuce instead of Trueman’s favourite steaks.

Pirie also ordered the fast bowlers to run up and down on the wooden decks of the ship en route to Australia. This wouldn’t have done Trueman’s knees any good and so he protested. When things reached boiling point, ‘Fiery Fred’ as Trueman was called, asked Pirie whether he had run against someone called Vladimir Kuts (Russia). When Pirie answered in the affirmative, Trueman shot back, “Yes and if I remember rightly he was doing his lap of honour before you had crossed the finishing line, so if that’s what your training does for you, then you can count me out.”

Trueman was referring to how Kuts had led favourite Pirie by a huge margin and clinched the 10,000m gold at Melbourne.

*Read like Rajini*
When Rajinikanth’s fans made a dash for the theatre to watch Kabali on Friday, none of them had any plans to head to the bookstore soon after. But, that’s what happens when Thalaiva picks up a book. You buy it too!

In the opening scene of Kabali, an incarcerated Rajini is seen reading author YB Satyanarayana’s My Father Baliah inside his prison cell. The book, published in 2012, traces Satyanarayana’s Dalit family history. Now, four years on, it’s making news all over again.

And, trust Rajini devotees to leave no stone unturned to ensure the book is read. Twitter is abuzz with stories about what Rajini is reading in jail and thanks, to the many re-tweets, the author’s promotion appears to be on in full swing. Satyanarayana wouldn’t have predicted this accidental stroke of luck, which in all likelihood is boosting his book’s sales. Writers of the world, please take note: Thalaiva is your man!

*Do a burpee*
While most of us are battling the bulge thanks to unhealthy lifestyles, former Indian pace bowler Zaheer Khan is bent on reversing the trend. After launching the ProSport Fitness centre in Lower Parel, he has now opened a new franchise in Andheri.

“While trying to balance professional and personal life, fitness often takes a backseat,” says Khan, who has designed some fun workouts like burpees (squat thrusts) and shadow boxing at the centre. Khan assures us that the exercises can be pulled off by people of any age. Get, set, fit!

*Throwback to the disco era*
Restaurateur Nityanand Shetty, owner of the soon-to-be-launched all-day bar, Thyme Bistro, takes pride in calling himself a Pancham Pagal. This incidentally happens to be the name of RD Burman’s fan club.

“I even wooed my wife with his songs,” laughs Shetty, who each year on Burman’s birthday distributes the composer’s favourite Kesar Pista ice cream from Gokul for free to all his customers at Pebbles, Juhu. The 48-year-old now plans to take his love a step further by introducing Pancham nights every month at Thyme.

The evening will see talented musicians paying tribute to the legend. “We’ll also have a Pancham quiz for the patrons,” he adds. Attend it, if you happen to be Pancham Pagal.

*A report card for artists?*
The Union Minister of culture and tourism Mahesh Sharma certainly managed to raise eyebrows with his proposal to introduce a rate card for artists and writers. Promising, Outstanding and Waiting are the grades on offer, which got trolled as the POW system.*Union Minister of culture and tourism Mahesh Sharma*

While there were those who hinted at how some moolah might get you bumped up from Waiting to Outstanding, a rather acclaimed photographer, chose to use some tact regarding this. Here’s what he wrote: “So, here’s the new India art lingo: A couple of well-heeled collectors walk into an Indian Art Gallery. ‘Please, we are looking to buy some P Grade art.’

The gallerist looked puzzled, ‘Why P Grade?’ The collectors respond, ‘Because we hope our P Grade investments will mature into O Grade! And please don’t waste our time showing us any of that horrible W Grade stuff.’ ‘Oh’, the gallerist responds, ‘Don’t worry! We would never think to show W Grade art here! Only P and O need apply!’” Well, isn’t this true of things, with or without a rate card?

*Mom knows best**Pic/Bipin Kokate*

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The 37-year-old woman who stays in Dubai and is a teacher by profession had come to Mumbai for vacation and was staying with her fiancee at apartment next to her brother and father. While lodging the complaint, the woman told police that her 24-year-old brother has sexually harassed her on different occasion from July 5 to 22, when her fiancee was out for work. The accused while harassing her kept saying that if she can get physically involved with her fiancee then why not with him. He also forced himself on her.

According to police, the woman tired with her brother's behavior revealed the incident to her father but he just let it go with a warning. When the accused repeated the offence, the woman complained about the same to her fiancee. When fiancee confronted the accused, he raised his hands on him and threatened him. Later the woman along with her father decided and went to police station and filed the complaint on Friday. Father while giving details about his son said that he is unemployed.

Senior Police inspector of Dongri police station Nitin Shamrao Bangale said, “The woman had come woman had come with her father to file the complaint. After filing the complaint, we immediately arrested the accused.”

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By the time we arrive at Pooja and Omkar Joshi’s apartment in Chandanwadi, Thane, the sun has already hit the half-way mark in the sky. The couple has just wrapped up the morning’s tiffin orders. But, the aroma of sheera lingers in the kitchen. A white board that hangs on the wall of the spacious room lists the number of orders for poha, upma and puran poli for the day, so we know exactly what we missed.*Omkar and Pooja Joshi prepare polis (dosa) at their Thane home. Pics/Sameer Markande*

"Pooja updates it daily because the team needs to know the quantity they’re supposed to prepare, and if there are any last-minute requests," says Shubhada Joshi, Omkar’s mother.

The board is a communicating tool for the seven-member team at Pooja Catering Service, spearheaded by the young couple. Like these two, the staff is hearing and speech impaired. Shubhada uses sign language to help us communicate with the couple.*Their breakfast box usually comprises sabudana khichdi*

As we take a seat in the living room that sees a flurry of activity every morning with Pooja filling the tiffins, marking the names of customers on each box, and Omkar dispatching them it’s evident that the duo is happy to take a breather.

"We normally relax in the afternoon, because our day starts at 5 am. Twice a week, I go to the nearby vegetable market at 4 am to buy the supplies," says Omkar, whose breakfast menu spans south Indian staples like idli and medu wada and the typically Maharashtrian poha and sheera.*Shubhada Joshi, Omkar’s mother, steps in when the couple needs to interact with customers*

Launched three years ago on the day of Diwali, the catering service has been dishing out Maharashtrian snacks like sabudana khichdi, kothimbir vadi (coriander fritters made of chickpea batter), poha, aluwadi (a traditional Maharashtrian recipe made with colocasia leaves) and more around Thane, right until Mulund. The two, both 36 years old, have been hearing and speech impaired since birth. They run the enterprise from home, which they share with their two children and Omkar’s parents. What started as a 15-customer-a-month service, now caters to more than 800 people.

The service began as both — a means to earn a sustainable livelihood and kill time constructively.

"I’ve studied till Class 3 only. My parents did try getting me admission into other schools, but I was never inclined towards academics, so the teachers suggested I get vocational training," says Omkar, who also provides motivating vision boards for corporate offices.

Pooja, his wife of 10 years, would teach basic computer application at Kamlini School for Deaf and Dumb before launching the catering service. "I would get a monthly salary of Rs 3,000 which was not enough. Moreover, it was a part time job so I would get bored sitting at home," he adds. She, however, admits to always having had a flair for cooking. "After our wedding, my mother-in-law taught me Maharashtrian specialties like zunka bhakri (chickpeas or besan paste cooked with onions, curry leaves, ginger-garlic paste, cumin and mustard seeds, best served with bajra rotis) and bharleli vangi (aubergines a packed with fresh coconut and tangy spices)."

It was on one regular afternoon, while the family was sitting for lunch, that their mother-in-law pitched the idea of starting a catering service. Coming from a business family, with no experience in hospitality, the prospect seemed exciting, but risky. "We didn’t know how it would be received," says Pooja. "We would prepare dishes in small quantities, and let our neighbours try it for feedback before we launched," she says.

The first and only time that the couple invested in promotion of the service was via pamphlets with the morning newspaper. "The response turned out to be overwhelming. It was not just customers who called us for orders, but also parents of children with hearing and speech impediments requesting us to employ them," recalls Omkar, who now handles a team of five. "Our staff was hired from a nearby educational institute. After two months of training, they were ready to roll," says Omkar, who initially handled all the deliveries himself. The couple provides breakfast to their customers and, by 11.30 am, all deliveries are completed. On occasion, they also handle party orders. "When I’m out, my wife and I communicate through video-calling or WhatsApp. In fact, Pooja was the one to suggest video-calling. She is far more tech-savvy than I," he smiles.

It’s technology that’s helped the couple manage the orders without outside help. A large chunk of catering requests are managed through WhatsApp. "For instance, the professors at Joshi Bedekar College in Thane order breakfast every morning. If there’s any change in the order, they ping Pooja or me," he says.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Everest-sunrise-s.jpg*The sunrise from behind the Everest. Pics/Kuntal Joisher*

mid-day had first exposed the couple in its June 29 edition. A police probe was ordered, the report of which is awaited.

While the intense physical endurance training required is fairly well known, the money involved in this extreme sport is not common knowledge outside of mountaineering circles.*The golden sunset on Everest*

“The cost could vary from $20,000 (Rs 13 lakh) to more than $100,000 (Rs 67 lakh),” says Alan Arnette, renowned climber and motivational speaker, who started climbing at the age of 38.

Most climbers take personal loans from banks, friends and family and some even mortgage property to achieve their dream of getting to the top. “The difference is in what kind of experience the climber is seeking and also the level of safety he or she wants,” Arnette says. Low-end agencies will provide you with the basic requirements, and one could be compromising on gears and safety. High-end companies provide everything, including experienced guides who are internationally certified, but come with a high price tag.

*‘Loans from banks, friends, family’*
Satyarup Siddhantha, the climber from West Bengal, who lives in Bengaluru and whose picture the Maharashtra constable couple morphed, quit his job last year in order to climb Everest. His company would not give him three months leave. In the last two years, he has spent nearly Rs 32 lakh on climbing. He says, “I took personal loans from banks, friends, family, credit cards and ready credit options at banks to fund my climbs.”

“The summit pictures were not just a photo-op for me. From being an asthmatic child to climbing Mount Everest, it has been a very personal battle. And, then Makalu Adventures goes and morphs my photograph and gives credit to the Rathods. It’s an insult to my struggle,” says Siddhantha.

Rafiq Shaikh, the police constable from Aurangabad, who reached the Everest summit on May 19, 2016, and made the Maharashtra police proud, has spent Rs 45 lakh in the last three years, pursuing his passion. He raised funds through personal loans from family and friends, a police welfare loan and a police society loan. Kuntal Joisher, who hails from a middle class Gujarati family, has, in the last two years, spent approximately Rs 37 lakh, through a combination of loans from family and savings, to climb the Everest.

Paula Leonard from the US says, “I am a nurse and I paid for the climb from my savings. This was my third and final attempt and I have already spent $100,000 [Rs 67 lakh].”

Arnette says, "Funding the climb is always harder than actually climbing the Everest. I self-financed my first three attempts (2002, 2003 and 2008) but was sponsored for the fourth in 2011, when I reached the summit." Arnette has self-financed 28 of 37 major expeditions since starting at age 38.

Not just the climbing cost, the cost to train is even higher. There is intense training required for 12 to 18 months, which costs around $8,000 [Rs 5,36,000].

While some climbers manage to bag sponsors, it is not easy considering the risks involved in climbing. It is extremely rare for corporate entities to come forward to sponsor a climb. Mountaineers joke that
climbing might ultimately not be as difficult as raising the funds.

*‘Rathods asked everyone for money’*
Climbers say the Rathods knew this and made every show of raising a huge amount of funds for the climb.

Police sources in Pune say that prior to the expedition, the Rathods approached all senior inspectors and the zonal DCP for monetary help for their Everest climb.

One of th Reported by Mid-Day 2 hours ago.

Gigi Hadid pushes her long hair back from her face after dinner out on Friday night (July 22) in New York City. The 21-year-old model was happy to pose with a fan outside of Bar Pitti before heading back home. PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Gigi Hadid Just a few days prior, Gigi‘s [...] Reported by Just Jared 23 hours ago.

The girl was taken to a local hospital with non life-threatening injuries. Reported by NJ.com 23 hours ago.

Patch Decatur-Avondale Estates, GA -- The girl was found wandering around a Memorial Drive shopping center on Friday afternoon. Reported by Patch 20 hours ago.

*A 14-year-old Dalit rape victim who was repeatedly sexually assaulted and was forced to drink a corrosive substance, died at a hospital here , prompting an anguished DCW chief to lash out at the Centre and Delhi police on the issue of womens safety.
*
"How many Nirbhayas does Delhi want? We all simply wait for next Nirbhaya to die," the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal said on Twitter, adding she "never felt so helpless."

"The girl was fed a corrosive substance which completely destroyed her internal organs and she died a very painful death," she said, adding that it was only after the Commission issued notice to the DCP (North), the accused who was roaming free was arrested.

She asked the Centre to set up a high-level ministerial committee on women safety under the leadership of Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

"With parents of 14-year-old victim. V poor n inconsolable. How many Nirbhayas does Delhi want? We all simply wait for next Nirbhaya to die.

"To add insult to injury, Home Ministry scrapped Women Safety Sp Task Force in Delhi set up wen Nirbhaya died stating its mandate finished!

"She is dead ! We the system is responsible. Never felt so helpless. Need to do something. Come on people ...(sic)," Maliwal said in a series of tweets.

Maliwal was alluding to the Centres recent decision to disband the Special Task Force on womens safety in Delhi. It was established in 2013 in the aftermath of the brutal Nirbhaya gangrape.

On Friday, the DCW has issued a notice to DCP (North) questioning the handling of the case of the Dalit minor who was allegedly kidnapped by the accused just before a hearing in her rape case, subjected to sexual assault several times and forced to drink corrosive substance.

In the notice, the Commission had directed DCP (North) to provide security to the girl and her family and asked why the police had not arrested the accused till date.

The Commission had also sought the details of action taken on the complaint of the victims parents regarding threat to their lives in an FIR filed on May 15 and asked the reasons for not registering offences under Section 3 of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Reported by Deccan Herald 8 hours ago.

Providing relief to post-graduate medical students, the Bombay High Court on Friday stated that students belonging to socially backward classes would be allowed to appear for their examination without any restrictions from the colleges.

*Mumbai: KEM asks students from socially backward classes to pay up tuition fee*

“For the past 2-3 months, authorities were creating problems for students saying if they don’t pay fees, they will be debarred from the examination. However, the high court order says nobody will be debarred from the university exams, just two days before the examination,” said Dr Sagar Mundada, president of Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD).

On July 18, mid-day highlighted the plight of the students who were sent notices by KEM Hospital and Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College to submit their tuition fees, failing which their result wouldn’t be declared. The court order clarified that the students wouldn’t be stopped from appearing in their PG examination just for non-payment of fees.

“It’s a big win for us. Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) agrees that as they provide Rs 50,000 as stipend, our annual incomes go to R5.5 lakh, but it has nothing to do with the central rules that excuse fees for students from socially backward classes,” said a student.

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*Also read: Mumbai cab union calls share taxi services by Uber and Ola Share 'illegal'**The last time, only taxis were part of the strike, but now the union has also asked autorickshaws to participate in its protest. Pic for Representation*

On June 21, only black and yellow taxis were part of the strike, with 65 per cent of them participating in it.

*Govt wary*
This strike call has made the state government wary as the union is asking both taxis and autorickshaws to stay off the roads, that too indefinitely. “Such a protest is illegal as the government is already taking steps in regularising the app-based taxi aggregators,” said an RTO official.

*Also read: Association of cabbies, automen seek inquiry against Ola, Uber*

Sources said state transport minister Diwakar Raote tried speaking to union leader Bala Sanap and asked him to withdraw the strike, but the JBTRS chief didn’t agree. “Our strike is confirmed and we will go ahead with it. I met the minister with our grievances, but till our demands are fulfilled, we will continue with the indefinite strike,” said Bala Sanap.

During the previous call made in June, Sanap had stated that he would give a one-month deadline to the state government to regularise Uber and Ola.

Sources said Sanap has met leaders of various taxi and autorickshaw unions to request them for support. Although some unions said their members will not participate in the strike, they refused to take any responsibility for them, saying drivers and permit owners have to take their own decisions.

“Our members will not participate in the strike, but there are chances that the drivers will fear violence and so, wouldn’t ply,” said AL Quadros, Mumbai Taximen’s Union, which is the largest taxi union in the city.

On the other hand, Shashank Rao, leader of autorickshaw union, has said they are not participating in the strike. “We are not participating in the strike. Our members will ply,” said Rao.

The strike has been called from Tuesday morning, which means that people heading for work and children for school will be the first ones to be affected. Even share taxis and autos are expected to staff off the roads during this protest.*36,000*
The number of black & yellow taxis in Mumbai

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*Also read: Cops stop Prakash Ambedkar from visiting Kopardi*

Fadnavis expressed his deepest condolences and assured strongest action against the culprit and strictest punishment through a fast-track court.*Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis*

A large number of people were present at the time in Kopardi, a CMO official said.

The CM interacted with them and assured in his short speech that government will leave no stone unturned to ensure justice.

The 15-year-old girl was brutally raped and killed by three men at Kopardi in Ahmednagar on July 13, when she was returning after meeting her grandfather.

She was allegedly accosted by three men, who gangraped her before strangling her.

*Also read: NCP man dozes off as colleague attacks Maharashtra over minor's gang rape*

The victim, a student of Std IX, had reportedly been mutilated, and local accounts suggest that she was found with her hair pulled out, and hands and teeth broken. She was found with both shoulders dislocated, police said.

The crime sparked protests across the state, with people taking to the streets demanding action against the accused, while the Congress demanded the resignation of the CM on moral grounds.

Police said all three of the accused were arrested by the local crime branch after the incident.

Fadnavis had informed the assembly last week that the accused have been booked under sections 376 (rape) and 302 (murder) of the IPC, and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

*Also read: Maharashtra govt to seek death penalty in Kopardi rape, says Devendra Fadnavis*

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Here, they were to learn about the history of Mumbai with help from some of rare maps from an enviable collection. Well, here’s visual evidence that these little explorers had a blast over the weekend.

*When actors become fans**Pic/Shadab Khan*

Cinemagoers at Matunga’s Aurora theatre were in for a pleasant surprise when actor Vidya Balan, husband Siddharth Roy Kapoor and her parents dropped by to catch the noon show of Rajinikanth’s Kabali yesterday.

*Eat what gives plants their colour*
If you imagined that the last you’d hear (and have to study) about chlorophyll would be back in college, think again. Ellipsis Bakery has introduced a set of intriguingly-titled desserts in a cup, including this one that caught our attention — Chlorophyll Yogurt. The yogurt, we were told, was inspired by using yogurt and adding 100% chlorophyll to it.

Not just a flavour enhancer, chlorophyll has healing properties that are lost when cooking vegetables, we learnt. The most prominent benefit of chlorophyll is the fact that it breaks down fatty lipids stored in our bodies and helps excrete them. So, this particular dessert with high-protein cream, yeast culture from milk curds and of course, chlorophyll. Now that’s what we call a cool option to help kiss the dessert guilt goodbye!

*Next stop, Pune*
Punekars have always had a taste for good food. You’ll find proof in their spicy bhakarwadi and buttery Shrewsbury biscuits. To tantalise their taste buds, Zorawar Kalra is all set to launch Farzi Cafe at Koregaon Park in the third week of August.*The interiors of the Lower Parel*

“Pune is a great city with a well-travelled clientele and a highly developed palate. Farzi Cafe’s menu has been tweaked for Pune, offering Modern Indian cuisine with a molecular twist.*Zorawar Kalra*

All this at an affordable price. I am looking forward to seeing how the diners react to our Inside Out Vada Pav and Bombay Bhel Version 2, which has a blast of -180 degree liquid nitrogen,” he told this diarist. Care for a long drive?

*Here we come, Rio!*
Ace shuttler Jwala Gutta posted this frame from the Rio Games’ send-off event for the Indian contingent.

Going by the smiles (and one pout, courtesy Jwala!) on the faces of PV Sindhu, Sania Mirza, Ashwini Ponappa, Sumeeth Reddy and Atri Manu, we’re hoping it’ll be a podium finish.

*Asiatic society (of garbage)?
*Our photographer captured this appalling sight where the steps and the road facing the Asiatic Society at Horniman Circle were reduced to a dumping ground. Breathe.*Pic/Bipin Kokate*

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/25jewellery-s.jpg

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http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/25beer-robbery-s.jpg*Anand Nadukar, Laxmikant Singh and Amol Salve have been arrested for the theft*

As per a police complaint filed by Omprakash Yadav (45), a resident of Mankhurd and liquor supplier, he brought a truckload of 1,500 beer boxes, each containing 12 bottles, on July 14 from Aurangabad to sell them to distributors in Mumbai.*The cases that were recovered*

*Stolen truck*
“I had to supply some boxes in Kurla. So, I parked my truck there and left for home. When I returned the next day, my truck was gone. Initially, I thought it had been towed away,” he said. When he finally realised that his truck had been stolen, he filed a complaint under section 379 (theft) of the IPC.

*Laying the trap*
The Kurla police caught a break on July 22 when they received a tip-off that the consignment had been taken to a farm in Sinnar, under the jurisdiction of the MIDC police station in Nashik.

A team rushed there and recovered 1,330 boxes from a farmland.

The police then found that a local liquor shop owner, Navnath, had agreed to buy these boxes at Rs 850 per case from three persons. He had, however, not made the payment.

*Police says*
Sadanand Rane, inspector of Kurla police station, said with the help of Navnath, the police laid a trap for the thieves. Navnath called the ringleader, Laxmikant Singh alias Bunty (32) to collect his payment. When the unsuspecting Singh arrived, he was arrested.

During his interrogation, he revealed that the remaining 170 boxes had been abandoned near Kolpewadi in Ahmednagar district. “A team was sent to the spot and we recovered all of the stolen consignment,” said Rane.

Singh then gave up the whereabouts of his accomplices — Amol Salve (30) and Anand Nadukar alias Chintya (31) — who were picked up from Nehru Nagar in Kurla East.

The trio was produced at the Kurla metropolitan magistrate court and remanded in police custody till July 25.*Repeat offender*
Police said Laxmikant Singh had been arrested by the Taloja police in a similar theft case. Shivaji Bade, assistant inspector, Kurla police, said, “We had registered a similar case of theft of a beer truck on December 31, 2015. We suspect that Singh had a hand in it as well.” Singh knew exactly which truck to target because he used to work as a driver with a local transporter and was aware of the routes that consignments were taken on. He said he knew where trucks are parked and the names of distributors.

*Stolen booty*

*Rs 850*
The amount for which each stolen beer case was being sold to a retailer

*1,500*
The total number of cases containing beer bottles that were stolen

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*Also read - Mumbai: PIL seeks transfer of probe in Road scam and Desilting scam**Nearly half the water supplied by the BMC to the city is released into the sea without proper treatment. File pic*

The civic body has ordered an inquiry to fix responsibility for any wrongdoing on senior officials and engineers in releasing payments of Rs 140 crore to the consultant of the ambitious Rs 12,000-crore Mumbai Sewerage Disposal Project-2 (MSDP-2).

The BMC had recently initiated a probe into the work done by the consultant — an international consortium led by Mott Macdonald — as none of its suggestions were found feasible to be implemented by the civic body. With a preliminary inquiry pointing fingers at dereliction of duties, the BMC decided to widen its probe — by looking at the rot within its house.

*Also read: Busy Vigilance Dept has no time to check desilting sites*

Ajoy Mehta, BMC commissioner, told mid-day, “I have asked officials to look into what went wrong and who are responsible for it.”

*Another big expose?*
MSDP-2 envisages the establishment of seven sewage treatment plants at Colaba, Worli, Bandra, Versova, Malad, Ghatkopar and Bhandup, and upgrading existing networks to cover the entire city by 2025.

Mott Macdonald was appointed in 2005 to prepare a design report and suggest new technologies to treat waste water. But, the civic body could implement none of its suggestions or designs. After the Comptroller and Auditor General questioned the release of the consultant’s fees, that too when the designs were faulty, the BMC terminated Mott Macdonald’s contract last year.

According to officials from the general administration department, Mehta has asked for a report on what grounds payments were released to the consultant when it couldn’t deliver on its work efficiently.

*Also read - Desilting scam rocks Mumbai: 80 BMC officials probed after enquiry*

On an average, the BMC supplies around 3,750 million litres of water per day (MLD) to city. Of the total supply, nearly 1,500 MLD is released into the sea without proper treatment. “The consultant was appointed to provide solutions to recycle waste water and use it for non-drinking purposes. But, nothing was done on that front. Either the consultant failed to give proper input or the civic authorities did not follow its suggestions. To zero in on the culprit, the commissioner has asked for a report on the issue,” the mid-rank official said.

“The administration should conduct a detailed probe and ensure that the fees paid to the consultant are recovered,” suggested a Sena corporator.*What the project entails*
>> MSDP-2 aims at improving sanitation, and minimising pollution and risk of contamination.

>> The project will also increase the quality and reliability of wastewater collection, treatment and disposal through affordable and sustainable technologies over a 25-year period. 

>> It covers sanitation programmes, sewer lines, manholes, pumping stations, outfalls, treatment plants and illegal connections.

*Netas up in arms*

*Manoj Kotak, BJP group leader*
If none of the suggestions were found to be practical, why were the consultant's fees released then? I have asked for a status report on how much payment has been made to the firm. It was the duty of civic officials monitoring the project to bring to notice of their superiors the consultant’s failure in giving valuable input. But, instead of citing lapses, the consultant's payments were released.

*Sandeep Deshpande, MNS group leader*
The saffron alliance has been ruling the civic body for over 15 years in a row, but it has failed to give basic civic amenities to Mumbaikars. In fact, it is during the saffron alliance's regime that scams on road repairs and desilting have surfaced. Once the inquiry is completed, there will be a new addition to the list of scams - irregularities in the sewage disposal project

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*Also read: Woman traffic cop gets no help from Cyber Police to catch man harassing her**Amir Mirza Qayyum Baig was arrested on Saturday*

The family of an 18-year-old girl had approached the cops after her former boyfriend physically abused and blackmailed her. And after almost a month of taking no action, cops arrested Navi Mumbai resident, Amir Mirza Qayyum Baig (24), on Saturday.

*Cop negligence*
According to the girl’s family, Amir and the BBA student became friends three years ago, but she ended their relationship when he turned abusive. In her statement, the girl said, “Amir used to give me burn injuries. He would slap and hit me anywhere, in front of my friends, outside college. I blocked him on all social media platforms but he kept coming to my college and harassing me. I was afraid to tell my parents as they would have stopped sending me to college.”

*Also read - Mumbai: Cops let actor's assailants leave with just a warning*

On July 1, Amir again went to college and assaulted the girl with his car’s jack. The girl and her parents went to Nerul police station to file a complaint. But the girl’s father alleged the cops did not take any action. He said, “The police refused to take action. They didn’t call Amir for questioning either.”

Amir then started harassing the girl from different mobile numbers, threatening to upload her pictures online and defame her. On July 7, Amir took interim bail and threatened her. He said, “No one can do anything to me. I will defame you in public and destroy you.”

The harassment went on for some more days, after which the girl’s father approached the cops and told them that if they did not take any action, he would resort to some extreme measures. The cops finally relented and arrested Amir to avoid a repeat of the Swapnil incident.

The girl said, “I went into depression. There was a nagging fear that he will hit or insult me in front of everyone. I even considered committing suicide.”

*Also read: Mumbai woman claims cop extorted her, showed her porn clip while registering her rape FIR*

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*Also read: Narsingh Yadav fails dope test, Rio Olympics participation doubtful**In the dope net: India’s Narsingh Yadav stands behind the net during a game of volleyball with other athletes at the Sports Authority of India campus in Kandivli recently*

The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) yesterday revealed that the Rio Olympics-bound Mumbai-based 74 kg grappler had failed a dope test conducted by them on July 5 at the Sports Authority of India's (SAI) regional centre in Sonepat. NADA chief Navin Agarwal said that both Narsingh's 'A' and 'B' samples had tested positive for a banned substance, which sources claim is methandienone, an anabolic steroid that can be orally consumed primarily to gain muscle size. The issue has put the 2010 Commonwealth Games gold-winner Narsingh's Rio Olympics participation in big jeopardy.*Narsingh Yadav's coach Jagmal Singh*

Jagmal, however, is confident it is a conspiracy. "The national wrestling lobby, which is heavily North Indian, cannot digest the fact that a Mumbai wrestler like Narsingh has emerged so successful. First, it was the Sushil Kumar controversy and now this," Jagmal. Yeh sab ek saazish hai (it's all a conspiracy), who has been training Narsingh (26) since he was a 10-year-old at the Sports Authority of India campus in Kandivli, told mid-day from Sonepat, Haryana yesterday.

India's two-time Olympic medal-winning wrestler Sushil had approached the court seeking a selection trial for the 74 Kg Olympic spot which Narsingh had earned with his bronze at the 2015 Wrestling World Championships in Las Vegas.

*A difficult year*
"Ever since Narsingh won the bronze at the Worlds in USA last September, things have been very difficult for us. He was made out to be a villain for depriving Sushil Kumar of an Olympics spot even though my boy had earned his place in Rio, while Sushil had skipped the Worlds since he was recovering from injury. That controversy died down after the court ruled in favour of Narsingh, but ever since, we have been made to feel like the bad guys. We have been here at the SAI's Sonepat Centre for the national camp since January, and throughout we have felt like we are being watched. Every move Narsingh made, was being watched. Har kadam phoonk-phoonk kay rakhna padta tha (we had to take every step very carefully). This drug, I don't even know what it's for, can be orally consumed and I'm sure someone, somewhere has mixed it in Narsingh's food, or food supplements or drinks. He is not a fool to take drugs less than a month before his most important assignment," said Jagmal.

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*Also read: Hero canine cop, who defused several bombs during 26/11 attacks dies**Caesar at BSPCA, where he is being treated. Pic/Datta Kumbhar*

Caesar was unwell few days ago but had recovered. However, a day after his friend Tiger’s death, he was admitted to BSPCA on Sunday at around 1.30 pm and was observed as being weak and depressed.*Caesar and his friends at Fizzah Shah’s farmhouse*

Lt. Colonel (Dr.) J.C. Khanna, secretary of BSPCA explained, “Ceasar is being treated for his high temperature. In dogs, 101 degree celsius is considered to be normal temperature. However, Ceasar has 105-degree temperature. He was given an injection and has been provided with ice packs all over his body to bring down the temperature.”

Tiger’s death has been tough for his and Caesar’s caretaker, animal activist Fizzah Shah as well.

Since 2015, Shah has been taking care of five police dogs — Goldie, Sultan, Tiger, Max and Caesar.

Goldie was sent to Shah’s Virar farmhouse by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)’s Bomb Detections and Disposal Squad (BDDS), while brothers Tiger and Sultan retired from the Goregaon unit, Max and Ceasar retired from the Ballard Pier Bomb Detection Squad.

The dogs enjoyed the farm and it’s large area but sadly, one after the other, they passed away, except Caesar. Goldie was the first one to leave her friends in December 2015, while Sultan passed away on June 18, Max on April 6 and

*Tiger on*
July 23. 12-year-old Tiger who helped the police detect bombs during the 26/11 attacks, suffered from lung infection since a year and passed away on Saturday.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/25Akshay-Hrithik-s.jpg*Akshay Kumar and Ileana D'Cruz in 'Rustom'*

A well-placed industry source says, "'Rustom' makers are mainly targeting the multiplex audience while the 'Mohenjo Daro' team is aiming for a wider release. Though the former has generated more curiosity, it will probably settle for 2,000-2,500 screens. Hrithik's film is likely to get 300-400 more screens."

'Rustom' is a romantic thriller, loosely based on the infamous 1959 incident when Naval commander KM Nanavati was tried for shooting his wife's paramour in a fit of rage when he caught them together. This is director Neeraj Pandey and Akshay's third collaboration after 'Special 26' (2013) and 'Baby' (2015), with production cost pegged at around Rs 45 crore. Akshay has been paired opposite Ileana D'Cruz.*Hrithik Roshan and Pooja Hegde in 'Mohenjo Daro'*

'Mohenjo Daro' is Hrithik's second film with his Jodhaa Akbar director, Ashutosh Gowariker; the epic adventure-romance is set in 2600 BC in that ancient city of the Indus Valley Civilisation era. This one is reportedly made on a budget of Rs 100 crore. Hrithik will romance newcomer Pooja Hedge. Trade analyst Girish Wankhede feels this isn't a regular clash between two big films toplined by big names.

"This is an extension of regular clashes of blockbusters fighting for screen space during festivals and holidays. The I-Day weekend offers a window for a blockbuster release, and both have great potential. It will be somewhat like the way screens were divided between 'Dilwale' and 'Bajirao Mastani' last December. The bigger, more popular film will fetch around 300 screens more than the other. That means one of them will get around 2,000 screens and the other, 2,300-2400. 'Rustom' looks more promising and appropriate to generate bigger revenue," he explains.

Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi believes both films have the scope to mint good money at the box office: "While the clout and exhibitor relations of Disney [studio backing 'Mohenjo Daro'] cannot be undermined, the merit of Rustom's promos will ensure that both films get adequate screen space."Clash courseGirish Johar of Zee Studios, which is co-producing 'Rustom' along with Kriarj Entertainment, says August 12 marks the beginning of a long weekend and can very well accommodate two films. "Exhibitors are a learned lot; they understand the audience's tastes and from there, stems the demand of a particular film. No one wants to lose money and especially, the opportunity of a long weekend. Exhibitors know which film is creating a buzz at the ground level and accordingly, allots screen space.

Hoarding of screens has been made illegal by the government and the same was proved in case of 'Dilwale' v/s 'Bajirao Mastani'. It is the exhibitors' prerogative to screen a film as per the audience's demand, keeping that particular time, region and space in mind. Both films will get good scope to showcase the strength of their content with only a two to five per cent edge over the other film," he says.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2014/nov/08rape-judgment-s.jpg*Representational picture*

According to the prosecution, Shravani Ganesh Dhavde, who was returning home on October 6, 2011, at 1.30 pm, was hit by a Pulsar motorcycle at Shivaji Park. She was later diagnosed with fractures. A lower court in June, 2015 convicted and sentenced the biker, Shailesh Pravin Kamble, to simple imprisonment for three months and slapped a fine of Rs 500 under sections 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the IPC.

Kamble then filed an appeal at a Sessions court.

The prosecutor Sanjana Sharma, told the court that based on the evidence, Kamble had not stopped after the mishap.

*Court observes*
The judge, AS Waghwase, observed, “Therefore, it is a fit case of hit-and-run. It was expected from the motorcyclist to pass on information to the authorities concerned, and to take steps to provide medical aid, but he failed to do so. The victim has suffered grievous injuries like fractures. The accused had fled after the accident and, therefore, charges under sections 279 and 338 of the IPC, and the Motor Vehicles Act stand established.”

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Gateway-of-India-s.jpg*At present, haphazardly placed barricades are all that stand between visitors and Gateway of India. Pic/Bipin Kokate*

After numerous exchanges of letters between the Mumbai Police, the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT), the BMC and the heritage committee over the issue, the municipal corporation has invited tenders to place 5 ft high, movable metal barricades around the Gateway, beginning at the entrance of the plaza. There will also be four police posts, complete with bag scanners, to frisk visitors entering and exiting the site. Currently, haphazardly placed barricades are all that stand between visitors and the Gateway.

*Year-end deadline*
A tender was invited about a fortnight ago, but since it did not receive any response, the civic body will re-invite tenders in the coming week. As per procedure, contractors will be shortlisted and the civic standing committee will take a final decision. Work orders may be given in about three months. The police are hoping to set up the barricades by year-end.

A civic official from the BMC’s heritage maintenance department said the barricades’ design was prepared by the municipal architect. “They have been designed keeping in view the aesthetics of the heritage structure. There will be a long, beautified stretch upto 75 m.”

The USP of the barricades: they can be disassembled and reassembled in a jiffy.

Pratap Dighavkar, additional commissioner of police (south), said he, too, had suggested that barricades should not mar the aesthetic appeal of the structure or block the view. “There was a meeting around six months ago on the matter. I haven’t heard from BMC officials since then.”

The only hiccup now is a clearance from the ministry of environment and forests as the Gateway falls under the Coastal Regulatory Zone. The BMC is confident of getting it soon.

*What’s the need?*
After the 26/11 attacks, the state government had ordered the securing of important public sites and installations in the city. The Mumbai Police then drew up a comprehensive action plan for Gateway, which included setting up CCTV cameras, bag scanners and door frame metal detectors.

But the plan got entangled in red tape since there are several agencies involved. The land on which the monument stands belongs to the MbPT, while its upkeep is the BMC’s job. Any change to the premises requires the consent of the heritage committee. The committee had once rejected the proposal, stating that it cannot allow barricading of a heritage structure. But after the police pressed on, an assent was given. The BMC chief had given his permission for the barricades almost a year ago. But between this back and forth, the Gateway remained exposed.*
*

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/25Paneer-Burger-Kebab-s.jpg*(From left) Paneer Burger Kebab; Paneer Ludhianvi Kebab. Pics/Sneha Kharabe*

Nutritionist Gaurav Sharma is all of 23 and loves the dead-lift workout. He also knows your weaknesses, as he feeds the answers to his KYC (know your customer) questionnaire on his Mac Air, ensuring that we have recent blood reports to tally our claims.*(Left) Chicken Sandwich and (Right) Spinach Chicken Vegetable with Nachni Roti. Pic/Prabhanjan Dhanu*

We meet Sharma, along with 19-year-old Rithik Pachori, who has made it for the meeting at the brand new Frunch.Us office in Malad, after juggling CA lectures at Mithibai College. Their aim is to change a customer's health at the cellular level by providing nutritional counselling at home, and delivering the required meals.*Rithik Pachori (left) and Gaurav Sharma, of frunch.us*

For a fix of four meals, you shell out a steep fee of Rs 950 a day. Each dish is a surprise — Indian, European, Oriental — and whipped up by a team of six trained chefs.

The Borivli-based friends got into business in November with just one client, and followed his progress for four months.

In March this year, a tasting for tele-actors on the sets of Box Cricket League for a television channel ended up with them becoming the show's health and food sponsors. They fed the three hundred actors, including Kishwar Merchant, Suyash Rai and Karan Wahi (who remains a customer). "Of their 93 fixed clients, 72 are actors from the show," says Pachori. Today, the duo run a team of 30, which includes 12 kitchen staff, 11 delivery boys, seven marketing executives and six nutritionists.

*How it works*
A meeting with the nutritionist is fixed after an initial phone call to gauge a client's lifestyle. "Each nutritionist in our team has a unique qualification to help aid weight loss, weight gain, for people who workout, and for those who lead sedentary lives," says Pachori. Their next venture is to launch a Frunch.Me, a regular food delivery service next month.

*Taste test*
Sharma links the KYC questionnaire to our account on the site (www.frunch.us) which can be used to feed in food intake data. This can also be tracked on their soon-to-be-launched app. Sharma delves into medical family history, sleep patterns, stress levels, temper, energy levels and food and drink habits. When asked about our temper, we tell him it's pretty short. "Anger should be vented out, if it stays inside, it gets toxic," he asserts.

Next day, the first delivery of breakfast, and lunch arrives at 11 am in neatly packed boxes. The first meal is a lightly toasted chicken sandwich with coleslaw tossed in curd. We don't miss the mayonnaise, and the brown bread is crispy and fresh. Packed with wholesome filling of shredded chicken, it is a filling start to the day.

Lunch, marked for 2 pm, consists of boneless chicken with chopped veggies (carrots and corn) in Indian palak gravy along with nachni roti. It's salt-less, our fellow taster exclaims; to curb our problem of water retention, we point out. We could do with a little masala, and the roti leaves us with an aching jaw.

At 5 pm, the second delivery of an evening snack of sautéed veggies with chicken and a dinner of grilled fish arrives. The peppery salad has chicken chunks marinated in mixed herbs, al dente veggies like broccoli, carrots, charcoal grilled bell peppers with a sweet basil and olive oil dip. Bye, bye vada pav.

The last meal of the day is the one that craves good food. Our dinner is a grilled basa in a green hariyali sauce. A quick re-heating, the preparation of five pieces is well-spiced, and fish flakes easily with fork. Diet doesn't mean 'die trying' anymore. It's a good initiative that doesn't leave you to figure what to eat next. Of course, all this comes at price.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/Shaziya-s.jpg*Shaziya with their daughter Minal; (left) Ashad Khan. Pic/Shadab Khan*

The Wadala police have registered a missing complaint and formed two teams to trace the father-daughter duo.

Khan had been working with Cipla for the last three months, before which he was with Glenmark. He married Shaziya (23) seven years ago and his daughter, Minal, is a Std I student at National Kannada Education Society. Ashad’s family (he has four brothers) has claimed he and Shaziya had been living separately for the past three months due to some dispute between the couple.

*The suicide note*
Azam Khan (37), Khan’s elder brother, said he saw him for the last time at his Wadala residence around 12.30 pm on July 21. “He was sitting at home with his daughter. He told me Minal wasn’t well and that he would be taking her to a hospital. He hadn’t sent Minal to school that day. After that, I left for work.”

According to sources, Khan texted Shaziya around 5 pm on Thursday, saying he had killed Minal and was going to commit suicide. Shaziya immediately approached Agripada police station, which alerted the Wadala police. At 9.34 pm, Khan sent a suicide note to around 300 contacts he had on his phone, which included his friends and relatives. “Before we could react, we started getting calls from relatives asking about Khan. The police immediately went to his house,” Azam said.

In his suicide note, Khan wrote that Shaziya had extramarital affairs with several people, including her relatives. He claimed that her parents had lied about her age at the time of marriage.

*On the trail*
Police started tracing his mobile number to find his location. At 6 pm, he was traced to Tiger Valley Point in Khandala, but after that, he switched off his phone. “At 9.30 pm, after he had sent the suicide note, he was traced to Vashi Old Bridge,” said Azam.

A team of over 10 Wadala policeman left for Vashi. “At 11.30 pm, we reached the spot and found his bike. The keys and his helmet were kept on it. The police called the fire brigade and ambulance for the search operation and, till 3 am on Friday, we kept looking, but couldn’t find him or Minal,” Azam said.

On Friday morning, the police scoured the footage at the Vashi toll naka, but couldn’t find any clue. “The CCTV camera footage showed a man passing the toll naka at 10.22 pm with a girl on his shoulders. But it was a blurred video and nothing could be ascertained. We have circulated pictures of Khan and Minal in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai for clues. We have also found that Khan used the services of an HDFC ATM near the Wadala railway station, after which he met his garage owner and paid him repair charges for his bike,” said a senior officer from the Wadala police station.

Khan’s maternal uncle, Musharraf Hussain, said, “We pray that he and Minal are fine. He adored his daughter and couldn’t have done something so extreme to her.”*Troubled marriage*
For the last three months, the couple had been staying separately. Four months prior, Shaziya had filed a written complaint with Agripada police against Khan, stating that he had a fake BCom certificate. A few days later, she filed another complaint that he sold medicines illegally in the market. On July 18, Shaziya took him to the police and alleged that he had sexually assaulted her. He told the police that they could arrest him if they could find any proof. On June 28, Shaziya filed a harassment complaint in court and demanded compensation. Reported by Mid-Day 8 hours ago.

Cult UK heroes take a look at the latest releases...

*Basement* have always stood outside the music industry.

Determined to do things on their own, without the aid of any manufactured hype, the UK group have allowed their music to speak for itself.

And it speaks volume. The band sell out every tour they play in the United States, while a recent UK jaunt included an epic stint at London Palladium.

New album 'Promise Everything' is a righteous return, perhaps the most succinct example of the group's genius yet.

Spending summer on the road as they hightail it around the country, Clash invited Basement to check out the latest releases...

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*HONNE & Izzy Bizu - 'Someone That Loves You'*I’m a fan. Although its not really the sort of thing I’d think of myself liking, I’m a sucker for catchy electro pop crowd pleasers and would find it hard to be offended by this head bopper. I look forward to it being played to death by every shop and after work drinking hole in London a la ‘Lean On’ by MO this summer. The video looks great and has just the right mix of ambiguity and cuteness. An all-round enjoyable experience. – Ronan

Not a bad song, just not something I would normally put on if I had the choice. Vocals are pretty strong and the video was well done. If you like slightly emotional pop music you can dance to, this is for you. - Alex

*Paul McCartney, Wings, Timo Maas, James Teej - '1985'*I’m not a fan of this, the vocal track doesn’t seem to fit with this remix and at times during the chorus sounds out of tune. By stripping the piano from the original it makes this remix seem incredibly uninteresting and bland. Sorry, not a fan. - Alex

*Lethal Bizzle – 'Wobble'*The video is softcore porn. I'm not gonna comment on how this world of music objectifies women, because that's probably too deep for this small review segment, but that's a shit thing. Song didn't do anything for me. Not aggressive enough and definitely not catchy enough. Will it do well? Probably. – Andrew

Another song about butts. Lethal Bizzle won’t be winning another MOBO for this. - Alex

*Gregory Porter - 'Consequence Of Love'*The only thing I knew about this guy was that he wore a cool hat. I'm annoyed I didn't check him out sooner. This track is timeless. It takes me back to day trips with my family, when there would be playing some sort of smooth jam on in the car. I could listen to this a lot. I'm gonna check out the album now. - Andrew

*Anna Marie – 'Alarm'*This is going to be the song soundtracking every end of festival montage this year. Montages featuring gurning post GCSE student covered in mud and private school girls clad in wellington boots, doing poppers whilst sat on some strangers shoulders. This the kind of song that makes me want bury me head in wet cement and let it dry. Its just a bad Rihanna B-side sung by the girl from Rudimental. - Duncan

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Basement's new album 'Promise Everything' is out now. Stay in touch with the band *online*.

**B*uy Clash Magazine* Reported by Clash 1 hour ago.

*Thiruvananthapuram*: At 86, Dakshayani shows no signs of ageing and looks absolutely fit as she gets all set to enter the Guinness World Records as the oldest living elephant.

The Travancore Devasom Board (TDB) - the owner of the elephant - has already written to the Guinness authorities staking claim to Dakshayani being the oldest living elephant in the world.

The TDB owns 1,250 temples in south Kerala districts, including the famed Sabarimala temple. They have 33 elephants which take part in the festivals of their temples.

Addressing reporters here on Monday TDB president Prayar Gopalakrishnan said that records available with them, including of the Kerala Forest Department, show that Dakshayani is the oldest.

"As a first step to enter the Guinness, we are honouring her on Wednesday, and we will be working towards this. On the day a special postal cover of Dakshayani from the Kerala Circle Postal Service would be issued," added the TDB president.

As per the TDB, the oldest living elephant, which was 85 years old, died in 2003 in Taiwan.

"Dakshayani and another elephant, are the only ones of the 10 that have been there with the TDB since its inception in 1949, which are alive now. She was gifted to the TDB by the erstwhile Travancore Royal family," said the TDB president.

He also said on the same day three mahouts who tended to Dakshayani and are now retired would be honoured, along with the two mahouts who take care of her presently.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/25-vasanth-paul-s.jpg

Vasanth Paul, who was returning home after watching Rajinikanth's 'Kabali', said that he took a detour at Alandur, to avoid poor roads. He then heard a faint voice calling out for help. Initially he thought it to be an animal, but then he realised that someone was calling out for help.

He posted on Facebook about his incident.

The incident took place in Alandur area of Chennai on Friday night where three men were trying to undress a woman in a desolated patch of land.

Vasanth spotted the guys and the girl who was screaming for help and without caring for his own safety or any repercussions, he intervened. The men then tried to strangle him but Vasanth bravely held on his own.

He sustained injuries in the ordeal. Luckily, an auto driver came just in time and together they were able to save the girl.

The auto driver and Vasanth thrashed the men but they still fled.

In his Facebook post, Vasanth concludes with a hard-hitting message. "Don't be afraid to face a situation, just because you're alone. If the cause is right, the world would join you right away."

The police are now investigating the matter but no case has been filed as of now. Reported by Mid-Day 34 minutes ago.

*Release date :* TBA 2018
*Synopsis :* A film based on the lovelorn French skunk, Pepe Le Pew, where he and the girl of his dreams, Penelope ... Reported by AceShowbiz 50 minutes ago.