The city - sliced, diced and served with a dash of sauce
Pic/Atul Kamble
Stool-life portrait
A vendor balances stools while walking past a construction site near Parsi colony in Dadar.
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A superhero story in Thane
Pawar (in a blue suit) with the team during the shoot of the film
When illustrator and writer Virat Pawar set out to write about superheroes, he did not imagine to be setting one in his neighbourhood of Thane. “I wanted to create content that is realistic and relatable to Indian readers,” Pawar told this diarist. Having founded VirArt Studios in 2022, Pawar spent the last year shooting a feature with three Indian superhero characters — Rushrunner, Kutrya and Fekku — around the neighbourhood. “The entire film was shot in locations around Thane, including my housing complex, using a team of student filmmakers and theatre actors on a minimal budget,” the director told this diarist. Any curious readers can catch a glimpse of the film on the studios’ YouTube channel today.
Rolling up in Bandra
(From left) A young skateboarder jumps over a board; Ansari guides a participant during a previous edition of the jam
If you come across tiny tots doing 360-degree flips or ollie downs at the Carter Road Skate Park tomorrow, do not be alarmed. They might probably be part of the Skate-A-Way anniversary jam being held by Formiga’s and Masroon Skateboarding Academy on May 5. “We planned to make it an annual event since our founding in 2021 where kids from Mumbai could participate and show off their skills,” said Sameer Ansari, founder and head coach of Formiga’s Academy. With a small community in the city, these events encourage and catch the attention of new skateboarders, he added. Incidentally, it also marks a return for these skaters after a short break. “We last met in 2022. In 2023, Bengaluru hosted a major competition, and we had to postpone the event,” he shared. Divided into sections for Under-7, Under-12 and Under-16, the competitions are friendly and fun, and open for all to try. “For children younger than seven years, it’s an opportunity to get on the board and have fun. Tricks will be performed mainly by kids from the Under-12 and Under 16 categories. The main competition is jumping over multiple skateboards,” he revealed. With summer at its peak, the games will start at 7 am and wrap up by 9 am. “The professionals will take the field in the evenings. We will conclude by distributing cool new skateboards, equipment and shoes to the winners,” Ansari added.
Fiery memories
Filmmaker Deepa Mehta will be part of the 15th Kashish International Film Festival that begins on May 15. She will be part of a conversation with actor-filmmaker Nandita Das about her upcoming documentary, I am Sirat. Incidentally, both filmmakers were part of the 1996 film, Fire, that marked a key moment in the LGBTQiA+ community’s presence on the screen. “When Fire was released, I remember the excitement we all felt that a lesbian-themed film with two prominent actresses was being released in India. I had come out only a few years back, and the community rallied around the release,” revealed festival director Sridhar Rangayan (below). Mehta’s latest work, I Am Sirat, is a pathbreaking collaboration. “She has handed over the reins to a transgender protagonist to tell her story,” Rangayan told this diarist.
Access to art for all
The artworks on display at the workstation of the hotel (right) Trishna Patnaik
After recently opening the space up for performing arts, New Vasantashram in Crawford Market is now ready with their first art exhibition, Faces by Trishna Patnaik. It is a collection of paintings on display at the 77-year-old hotel. “Why should art be restricted to galleries? To make my art more accessible to the public, I am constantly on the lookout for unconventional platforms. It’s why I decided to display my artworks in the heritage hotel this time,” Patnaik shared. The artworks aim to question the human tendency of giving faces to all things important and real. Those interested can drop by the venue between 10 am and 7 pm till May 15. Contact 9773200702 to RSVP.
A voice for a noise-free India
Illustration on the cover of Noise In Our Nation. Illustration Courtesy/Shreya Nitore
India is a noisy country — most of us have accepted this observation. But few are aware of the extent to which noise pollution impacts our daily activities across demographics,” shared (inset) Savitha Rao, founder of initiative India Positive Citizen. Her new book, Noise In Our Nation, delves into the emotional and psychological impact of noise pollution, and provides actionable solutions for individuals, communities and civic bodies. “You pass by a noisy place, and try to come to terms with it. But your body does not accept this easily. The stress builds up. Noise pollution can be a contributing factor to many diseases like diabetes and hypertension,” she added. The book comes with a kit to shield yourself from noise and includes stickers and ear plugs. “If you have contributed to the cause of reducing noise pollution, join our campaign Guardians of Silence,” she shared. Log on to noiseinournation.in to be a part of the community.
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