Tipsy tables
Put an end to your dry day blues at a five-star hotel that is offering buy-one-get-one deals on select alcoholic beverages till midnight. Also enjoy a flat 50 per cent off for items on buffet and set menus.
On April 29 (Open 24 hours)
At Hotel Sahara Star, opposite Domestic Airport, Vile Parle East.
Call 39895000

Chicken feast
Get 17 per cent off on the entire menu including chicken bhangra cocktail, pok pok chicken wings, and a new fruit cocktail at this Italian and fast food joint. Don’t forget to try your hand at the toys and games while you wait for your food.
On April 29, 11 am to 1 am
At D:OH all Day Dining, Viviana Mall, Thane West.
Call 61701415

A shortcut to Asia
This restaurant serving Chinese and Thai cuisine in Goregaon isn’t new to offering discounts during elections. After a good response for this idea in 2014, the eatery is now offering a 20 per cent discount on food for one person per table.
On April 29, 12 pm to 12.45 am
At The Tatu’s Nook, near Prabodhan Stadium, Goregaon West.
Call 28750930

Some vitamin sea
Seafood lovers enjoy three times the usual perks of being responsible citizens at this restaurant that offers 15 per cent off for voters until May 1. The offer is valid at both their outlets.
On April 29 to May 1, 11 am to 3.30 pm; 7 pm to 12 am
At Ferry Wharf, ONGC Colony, Bandra West; Evershine Nagar, Malad West.
Call 9920027272

Dine in numbers
The more, the merrier is the name of the game at this Asian restaurant known for its Chinese, Thai and Burmese fare. Get a discount of 20 to 25 per cent based on how many members on the table display their inked fingers.
On April 29 to May 1, 12 pm to 12 am
At Tao 9 - Asian Kitchen, shop number 4, Matru Chhaya, Link Road, Anand Nagar, Andheri West.
Call 49723921

A range of flavours
In the mood for some Continental, Italian or Mediterranean delights? Have a hearty, full meal for half the price at this restaurant in Borivali that is offering a flat 50 per cent off on all dishes and desserts.
On April 29 and 30, 12 pm to 1 am
At Bombay Eatery, 4th Floor, Thakkar Shopping Center, Borivali West.
Call 8928229314

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A habitual wife-beater has landed behind bars for trying to burn down his neighbour's house when the latter tried to rescue the woman during a fight. After the secretary of Shivswaraj Society in Pant Nagar, Ghatkopar filed a complaint against the accused Alok Verma, 35, the local cops arrested him.

According to the police, Verma used to often fight with his wife and beat her up while drunk. Speaking to mid-day, secretary Rajgopal Nadar said, "On April 26, Verma reached home inebriated and started fighting with his wife. He even threw the food outside the house and vandalised the utensils inside. Soon after, his son came to my house and begged me to save his mother."

Also read: Couple who are having a baby ask neighbours to cook, do housework for them

Nadar went to their house and tried to stop Verma. "When I was trying to talk to him, he suddenly pinned his wife to the floor and started punching her. I immediately pulled him up and shouted at him, asking him to leave or else I would call the cops," Nadar said.

According to the complainant, Verma felt insulted at being yelled at and in turn threatened Nadar with harm. However, Nadar took his words lightly as he was drunk. Around midnight, the accused returned with petrol and set the door to Nadar's home on fire.

When one of the residents smelled something burning, he went out to check and saw flames had engulfed Nadar's door and window curtains. However, the neighbours rushed to the house with water and managed to douse the fire.

"Initially, we were not aware of how this happened. But later when I checked the CCTV footage from the cameras outside my door, I saw who the culprit was. After that I approached the Pant Nagar police and filed a complaint against Verma," said Nadar.

When contacted, Rohini Kale, senior police inspector of Panth Nagar police station, said, "The accused has been arrested under various sections of the IPC. The matter is being investigated."

Also read: Ex-IAF wing commander's wife found dead at her house in Dwarka

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Busy Mumbaikars who cannot stop at the local vegetable vendor have found increasing comfort in stocking up their groceries from online portals offering attractive discounts and home delivery, a recent study has found.

The study, titled, Assessing the Impact of Online Grocery Shopping in Mumbai found that middle class citizens spent the highest amount of time shopping online due to time constraints.

The study found that people between the age group of 35-45, primarily married couples, are regular user of online grocery shopping portals. Representation pic/Getty Images

The survey, conducted among 117 respondents in Mumbai, found that people between the age group of 35-45 are regular user of online grocery shopping portals like Amazon Pantry, Grofers, Nature's Basket, Big Basket and others.

Married couples are more regular on the sites as well, due to their nature of their jobs. It also observed that websites combining offers or discounts on products along with home delivery services were the main attraction for customers.

Pick-up points to collect groceries ordered online, like this one by D-Mart in Bandra east, have also proved to be a hit. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

Dr Rupali Rajesh, associate professor at the Vivekanand Education Society Institute of Management Studies and Research, who published the paper, said accessibility and discounts offered are the main attractions for buyers.

"Mumbai is considered as one of the busiest cities where people have to commute for hours. It becomes really hectic for people to go for grocery shopping, which is why the demand for online grocery shopping is growing. I found out through my study that discounts and saving time were the two biggest parameters for deciding the mood of the buyers," Dr Rajesh said.

Dr Rupali Rajesh

"Our data shows that as many as 41.9 per cent of the surveyed people who regularly use online grocery portals are in the age group of 35-45 years. This is followed by the age group in 25-35, who have a daily usage rate of 31.6 per cent. While interviewing respondents, it was observed that 68 per cent of the users who fall into these two age categories were married. They have to handle office work along with domestic activities, which hardly laves them with enough time to go to the markets," added Dr Rajesh.

The study also revealed that citizens earning in the range of R1 lakh to 5 lakh annually did the highest amount of online grocery shopping, mainly due to discounts provided there. Most of these sites provide discounts on groceries, with several offering the highest discounts on weekends. It also pointed out that the possibility of replacing products, wide variety and availability also proved to be a factor for online shopping.

41.9% People in the age group of 35-45 who shop for groceries online

31.6% People in the age group of 25-35 who shop for groceries online

68% Married couples in the two age groups who shop online

Rs 1 lakh -Rs 5 lakh Income range of middle class online shoppers

(The survey was conducted among 117 participants)

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With Saturday evening marking the last day of campaigning, most candidates spent Sunday at their office, after a month of being on the field to woo voters. Most of them held meetings with party workers.

Speaking to mid-day, Shiv Sena-BJP candidate from Mumbai North West constituency, Gajanan Kirtikar said, "I am really happy with the support we have got during campaigning and it will work in my favour because the Shiv Sena-BJP has delivered on the promises that were made. The added advantage for Shiv Sena-BJP is that we have a very good force of party cadres on ground and their efforts will help us achieve success. I would also appeal to voters to come out in large numbers and cast their votes."

While many candidates interacted with party workers and people from the constituency, many also studied voting patterns to understand where they stand, instead of having a relaxing day at home. Shiv Sena workers have been assigned various tasks including interacting with voters in their localities and requesting them to come out and vote in large numbers.

Mumbai North West Congress-NCP candidate Sanjay Nirupam said, "There has been a good response to our campaigning and all I can say is that people should come out in large numbers and exercise their right of voting." Other candidates such as Rahul Shewale (Mumbai South Central), Eknath Gaikwad (Mumbai South Central) and Gopal Shetty (Mumbai North) spent the Sunday in their offices similarly.

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A missing platform stands between Mumbaikars and the restored tram the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had promised to set up for display at Bhatia Baug, by the first week of April. While the tram coach is nearly ready, the tender for construction of the platform, which will serve as its base, didn't receive an adequate response, and a second tender cannot be floated until after the Lok Sabha elections in the city.

The BMC floated a tender last month to appoint a contractor who will construct a 3 feet tall platform. The tram, as well as part of tracks, will be installed on top of it. The overall of cost of restoration of the tram and construction of the platform is estimated to be R28 lakh. "We received a response from a single bidder so we have to float another tender. However, since the model code of conduct is in place, we will have to wait for the elections to get over," said Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner of A ward. He added that they will float the tender next week and it will remain open for a period of eight days.

Also read: Elections 2019: 422 polling stations in Mumbai declared 'critical'

Based on the plan, the BMC is considering letting people enter the tram under certain conditions. Before the final setup, however, the BMC will need the approval of the heritage committee. Unlike most projects that are approved based on documents, for this project, the committee members will have to inspect the tram. On April 24, A ward officials wrote to the heritage committee asking them to inspect the tram and give their approval for the project. Dighavkar added that the tram will be brought to a godown in Cuffe Parade from Rabale sometime this week.

Over the past couple of months, the tram was restored in a workshop in Rabale using the parts of another tram that was functional in Kolkata between 1874 and 1907. Once the tram has been assembled at Bhatia Baug, the BMC is planning to set up lighting in the area to attract visitors. Civic officials are also planning to install LED screens inside the tram which will display information about the history of trams in Mumbai from the horse drawn ones till the electrical ones which were taken off the road around 50 years ago.

Also read: Elections 2019: Netas appeal to citizens to vote

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Soon, medical colleges might have to keep one expert from the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) to address cases of medical negligence.

MMC wrote to the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) earlier this month, asking them to implement this across the state. "We have written to DMER, asking them to introduce one council member on the expert panel investigating medical negligence cases in medical colleges. This would help in bringing more transparency and better judgment of orders," said Shivkumar Utture, president of MMC.

Dr TP Lahane, director, DMER confirmed receiving the request, "The proposal is extremely welcoming but before coming to a conclusion, we need to discuss it with the council members." So far, around 500 cases of medical negligence or issues regarding treatment are still pending with the council.

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Polling for the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha polls began on Monday in 71 Lok Sabha constituencies spread across nine states. Over 12.79 crore voters will decide the fate of 945 candidates today. Polling started on a peaceful note in 17 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra for the fourth and final phase of 2019 parliamentary elections, officials said on Monday.

Pic courtesy/Pradeep Dhiwar

As many as 3,11,92,823 voters, including 1418 transgenders, are eligible to exercise their franchise for which the Election Commission of India has set up a total 33,314 polling stations in these constituencies, deployed 68,018 balloting units, 39,977 control units and 43,309 VVPAT-EVMs.

Pic courtesy/Suresh KK

The 17 constituencies polling are: Mumbai North, Mumbai North-West, Mumbai North-East, Mumbai North-Central, Mumbai South-Central, Mumbai South, Nandurbar, Dhule, Dindori, Nashik, Palghar, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Thane, Maval, Shirur and Shirdi.

Pic courtesy/Sameer Markande

Pic courtesy/Sameer Markande

Pic courtesy/Sameer Markande

Voting will be conducted from 7 am to 6 pm under stringent security measures with over 40,000 personnel on guard only in Mumbai, officials said.

Pic courtesy/Bipin Kokate

Anil Ambani was spotted casting his vote in Mumbai

Pic courtesy/Sneha Kharabe

Mumbai: BJP candidate from Amethi, Smriti Irani and her husband Zubin Irani cast their vote at a polling booth in Versova. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/rPmk33TXlT

— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2019

Priya Dutt and husband Owen Roncon cast their vote in Mumbai

Pic courtesy/Sneha Kharabe

Director Kunal Kohli casted his vote in Mumbai

Pic courtesy/Sneha Kharabe

Tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi cast his vote in Bandra

Pic courtesy/Ranjeet Jadav

Film maker Vishal Bhardwaj casted his vote in Andheri West

Union Min&BJP leader Piyush Goyal after casting his vote at Walsingham School, Malabar Hill in Mumbai: This election is now a Tsunami election. North South,East&West, Modi wave has overtaken the country. PM Modi is the tallest leader today in the country. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/S6fXnrhLE1

— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2019

Pic courtesy/Ranjeet Jadav

Sanjay Nirupam with family cast his vote in Andheri West

The Election Commission has set up 1.40 lakh polling booths/stations and has made elaborate security arrangements. 

Pic courtesy/Yogen Shah

Urmila Matondkar present at the polling booth to cast her vote.

Pic courtesy/Sneha Kharabe

Actor Amir Khan cast his vote in Bandra

Pic curtesy/Yogen Shah

Actor Anupam Kher cast his vote 

Polling will be held in 17 seats in Maharashtra, 13 each in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, eight in West Bengal, six each in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, five in Bihar, three in Jharkhand and a part of the Anantnag constituency in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pic courtesy/Nimesh Dave

Gopal Shetty with family at the voting booth in Mumbai

Pic courtesy/Bipin Kokate

Milind Deora with family at the polling booth in Mumbai

Pic courtesy/Faizan Khan

Manoj Kotak cast his vote in Mumbai

In the first three phases, voting has been held in 302 Lok Sabha constituencies, and 168 more seats will go to polls in the last three phases. Election to 542 Lok Sabha seats is being conducted in seven phases between April 11 and May 19. Election in Vellore constituency in Tamil Nadu has been cancelled following excess use of money power. Results will be declared on May 23.

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As Mumbaikars set out to vote in the Phase 4 of Lok Sabha elections 2019 a glitch in the EVM machine led to delay in voting at a polling booth in Malad west.

Voting was yet to begin at booth number 162 of Malad West, Daulat school in Mumbai when this report was being filed. A technical glitch was detected in the EVM machine that led to the delay.

#LokSabhaElections2019 : Voting is yet to begin at booth number 162 of Malad West in Mumbai after a glitch in EVM was detected. #Maharashtra

— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2019

The machine was being replaced by the poll authorities.

Also read: Elections 2019 in Mumbai: Everything you need to know before you vote

A total of 422 polling stations have been declared critical which include 65 from the suburbs of Mumbai and 357 from the Island city. 

The instructions given by the Election Commission said that the booths that polled more than 75 per cent votes in the last elections or where the same candidate got 75 per cent votes have been marked as critical. Law and order situation has also been kept in mind. 

Meanwhile, veteran actress Shubha Khote, BJP MP Paresh Rawal and his wife Swaroop Sampat have already cast their vote.

In yet another constituency, voting got delayed at booth no 19 in Sion Koliwada in Pratikshanagar as the EVM machine was not working. The voting process got delayed by an hour by the time the glitch was fixed. 

However, a senior official who spoke to mid-day said, "No polling station has been found to be sensitive even after a detailed study, but even the critical ones will be monitored closely by us. The live webcasting will be continuously monitored by the EC-appointed observers."

(with inputs from Samiullah Khan)

Also read: Elections 2019 Phase 4 Live Updates: Anil Ambani, Rekha cast their vote

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Polling for the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha polls began on Monday in 71 Lok Sabha constituencies spread across nine states. Over 12.79 crore voters will decide the fate of 945 candidates today. Mumbai Police on Twitter shared a heartwarming post of senior citizens at the polling booths. 

Mumbai police on Twitter known for their quirky yet remarkable tweets, share an impactful message of senior citizens of Mumbai setting an example for the youth of the city with their active voting.

Leading by example, they vote till this age so that democracy lives longer and healthier! They have fulfilled their responsibility of creating a legacy, it is our responsibility to keep it alive. MRA Marg policemen assisting senior citizens to vote comfortably #LetsVoteMumbai pic.twitter.com/lDUkJyJSVm

— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) April 29, 2019

The Mumbai police is also seen helping the elderly voters at the polling booths by holding their hand and offering them assistance as they walk towards the booth.

Raising the bar for the youth, senior citizens across the city are turning out in large numbers at the polling booths to vote. It is our pleasure to help them in every little way we can. #YourChoiceMatters #LetsVoteMumbai #LokSabhaElections2019 #लà¥Â‹à¤Â•à¤¸à¤­à¤¾à¤¨à¤¿à¤µà¤¡à¤£à¥Â‚à¤Â•à¥¨à¥¦à¥§à¥¯ pic.twitter.com/jH2KAO0IcS

— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) April 29, 2019

As many as 40 polling booths in these constituencies, including 26 in suburban Mumbai, are being managed women. As many as 3.11 crore voters spread across the Mumbai metropolitan region and northern and western Maharashtra are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 323 candidates in the fray in these 17 seats.

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A voter turnout of 6.82 per cent was recorded in the first two hours in Maharashtra's 17 seats on Monday as polling for the fourth and last phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state got underway.

Voting begins for fourth phase of #LokSabhaElections2019 in 72 constituencies, across 9 states. pic.twitter.com/WrwCeb0s6X

— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2019

#Mumbai: Voters queue outside polling booth number 40 & 41 in South Mumbai parliamentary constituency. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/tRnHiTURvo

— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2019

Mumbai: Visuals from polling station number 212-222 at Vibgyor School in Mumbai North West constituency where preparation ahead of voting is underway. Voting for the fourth phase of #LokSabhaElections2019 will begin at 7 AM today. pic.twitter.com/CTA3M5Fnhf

— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2019

Polling began at 7 am and long queues were seen outside many booths. BJP MP Poonam Mahajan, industrialist Anil Ambani, Congress nominee Urmila Matondkar and actor Rekha were among the early voters in Mumbai. State education minister Vinod Tawde, BJP candidate from Mumhai-North East Manoj Kotak and Congress nominee from Mumbai-Central Eknath Gaikwad also exercised their franchise in the initial hours.

Mumbai: Preparations are underway at polling station 283 in Hill Road, Bandra West. Voting for the fourth phase of #LokSabhaElections2019 will begin at 7 AM today. pic.twitter.com/hdRkIs8a63

— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2019

Mumbai: Visuals of preparation from polling booth number 40 and 41 in Mumbai South constituency. Voting for the #LokSabhaElections2019 will begin at 7 AM today. pic.twitter.com/U78lVcawtj

— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2019

Mumbai: A woman being carried to cast her vote at polling booth number 181 in Mahim by her family member and polling staff. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/V7loyU0CWJ

— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2019

Mumbai: Anil Ambani casts his vote at voting centre number 216 at GD Somani School in Cuffe Parade. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/II9VZJvjmV

— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2019

#Mumbai: Actor Anupam Kher casts his votes at polling booth no.235-240 in Juhu. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/o7ZGITSzrF

— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2019

#Mumbai: Actors Bhagyashree and Sonali Bendre after casting their votes at a polling booth in Vile Parle. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/cJFwpTtgKA

— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2019

The voting figures till 9 am are as follows: Nandurbar-8.73 per cent, Dhule-6.31 per cent, Dindori -7.28 per cent, Nashik-6.69 per cent, Palghar-7.86 per cent, Bhiwandi-6.21 per cent, Kalyan-5 per cent, Thane-6.77 per cent, Mumbai-North- 7.85 per cent, Mumbai-North West 6.90 per cent, Mumbai-North East- 7 per cent, Mumbai-North Central 5.98 per cent, Mumbai-South Central-6.45 per cent, Mumbai- South 5.91 per cent, Maval-6.67 per cent, Shirur-7.07 per cent and Shirdi 7.28 per cent.

#Mumbai: NCP Chief Sharad Pawar after casting his vote at polling booth 31 in Tardeo. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/G8VNrNwESd

— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2019

As many as 40 polling booths in these constituencies, including 26 in suburban Mumbai, are being managed women. As many as 3.11 crore voters spread across the Mumbai metropolitan region and northern and western Maharashtra are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 323 candidates in the fray in these 17 seats.

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Edited by mid-day online desk with inputs from Agencies

An average 18.39 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the first four hours in Maharashtra's 17 seats on Monday as polling for the fourth and last phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state was underway. Polling began at 7 am and long queues were seen outside many booths, some of which were decorated with balloons and 'rangolis'.

Mumbaikars took to the social media platform and posted their voting experience on Twitter. As many as 3.11 crore voters spread across the Mumbai metropolitan region and northern and western Maharashtra are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 323 candidates in the fray in these 17 seats. Around 40 polling booths in these constituencies, including 26 in suburban Mumbai, are being managed by women.

#VoteKarMumbai
Citizens braving the hot weather and long queues to make their voices count at St Anthony school, Malvani church, Malad (w) pic.twitter.com/u88glP96iD

— Sushant shetty (@The_Outlaw_Poet) April 29, 2019

If you ain't voting then you ain't getting any right to rant about the government.

Use the opportunity to vote rather than enjoying the 'holiday".#VoteKarMumbai #VoteBecauseYouCan #VoteForChange pic.twitter.com/Tj3EkYhi3A

— SA (@Bts_sonia3) April 29, 2019

My first vote as a responsible citizen of India 🇮🇳 @narendramodi @PMOIndia @TanmayNPatel @siddhar98531723 @Republic_Bharat @ECISVEEP I appeal everyone to vote for better 🇮🇳 do your duty as a responsible citizen 🙏🏻 #2019Elections #VoteKarMumbai pic.twitter.com/L4B6rE3RNB

— Chowkidar shraddha shetty (@sssshetty499) April 29, 2019

#VoteKarMumbai Took 2.5 hrs to cast my vote due to EVM failure. Anyway guys use your wisdom before you cast your precious vote. pic.twitter.com/w4FLL8xb5J

— Sibu Varghese (@35ce5c7275f049b) April 29, 2019

#Keep phones at #home when you go to vote #LokSabhaElections2019 #VoteKarMumbai pic.twitter.com/uHKrcFr5Yy

— Richa Pinto (@richapintoTOI) April 28, 2019

I have Done my National Duty.Have You?#VoteKarMumbai #VoteForIndia pic.twitter.com/79i0T77cxh

— Shubham Anil Dhande (@ShubhamADhande) April 29, 2019

Monday done right ✔️✔️ #VoteKarMumbai #MumbaiVotesForNation pic.twitter.com/dAG7atOCCY

— Smita Diwan (@smitadiwan) April 29, 2019

Voting experience for the first time was quite good. All the officers and staff were doing great job and are cooperative with the people. #VoteKarMumbai #VoteIndia #VotingRound4 #UnitedByVote pic.twitter.com/1kosbophnn

— Bhanushali Disha (@dbhanushali01) April 29, 2019

Family trip to the polling booth is more important than a family trip over an extended weekend to a nearby tourist destination.Lonavala,Khandala etc etc will still be there next weekend,the polling booth won't.#LokSabhaElections2019 #VoteKarMumbai #Democracy #Elections2019 pic.twitter.com/uoss2FZsWI

— Rohit D (@rohitd1999) April 29, 2019

#VoteKarIndia #VoteKarMumbai #vote We did, did you? Pls go and vote, make a difference. pic.twitter.com/i1bd6qLF5W

— Prasanna R Coondapur (@prax3) April 29, 2019

Finished voting. Took us about 1.5 hours, but it's worth it if we get our voice heard and get to participate in this democracy. #Elections2019

Also, lots of first time voters! High time, but big ups! Today, I feel hopeful. Sweaty, but hopeful. #VoteKarMumbai pic.twitter.com/OSmCg2ZTtw

— Smriti Sant (@temporarysant) April 29, 2019

Ultra senior citizens with full of energy voted. feeling proud of them as my uncle & aunt!!#MumbaikarVoteKar #IndianElections2019 #Vote4Nation #VoteKarMumbai #VoteKar#DeshKaMahaTyohar@abpmajhatv @zeemarathi @zee24taasnews @ZeeTV @ECISVEEP @narendramodi @narendramodi_in pic.twitter.com/OdDkwToRXp

— Mangirish Herwadkar (@hmangirish) April 29, 2019

My First Vote to strengthen Democracy 👆
I Appeal you all to vote wisely 🙏#VoteForIndia #VoteKarMumbai #LokSabhaElection2019 #VoteBecauseYouCan pic.twitter.com/Pr2HESJiAj

— Prathamesh Thanekar (@One_two_ka_four) April 29, 2019

The voting figures till 11 am in other constituencies are as follows: Dhule- 18.26 per cent, Dindori - 21.06 per cent, Nashik- 17.22 per cent, Palghar- 21.46 per cent, Bhiwandi- 17.25 per cent, Thane-17.43 per cent, Mumbai-North- 19.46 per cent, Mumbai-North West 17.64 per cent, Mumbai-North East-18.39 per cent, Mumbai-North Central- 16.21 per cent, Mumbai-South Central-16.80 per cent, Mumbai- South 15.51 per cent, Maval- 18.23 per cent, Shirur- 18.65 per cent and Shirdi 20.55 per cent.

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A dog with pro-BJP stickers on its body was detained along with his master in north Maharashtra's Nandurbar town where polling for the Lok Sabha elections took place Monday.

Eknath Motiram Chaudhary (65), a resident of Navnathnagar area, was spotted with his dog near Andhare hospital Monday afternoon. The dog's body was found covered with stickers bearing the BJP's symbol and the message "Modi Lao, Desh Bachao" (Vote for Modi and save the country), a local police official said.

As the polling was underway, police had received a complaint about the dog and his master who were roaming around the town, he said.

A case was registered against Choudhary under section 171 (A) of the IPC for violation of election rules which prohibit campaigning on polling day. The police have asked the municipal corporation to take custody of the dog, the official added.

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According to provisional polling estimate release on Monday evening, the city scored about 54 percent, three percent more than its 2014 feet. The figures are expected to be revised after the final data crunching on Tuesday. In 2014, Mumbai had registered a turnout of 51.6 percent, which was an improvement from a low of 41.4 percent in the 2009 General elections.

Of the city's six segments of varied demography, South Mumbai couldn't match up with its previous mark while Mumbai North Central, Mumbai North, Mumbai North West, Mumbai North East, and Mumbai South Central performed better. Mumbai North, where actor Urmila Matondkar (Congress) fought against BJP's sitting MP Gopal Shetty, recorded the highest turnout (59.32 percent) in the city with a major spike of 6.25 percent.

Also Read: Elections 2019: No guidance at booths, claim furious citizens

A fierce contest in North Central Mumbai between MP Poonam Mahajan (BJP) and former MP Priya Dutt (Congress) saw a jump of 4.17 percent. Mumbai Congress president Milind Deora and Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant's South Mumbai polled at a percentage similar to that of 2014. However, former Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam, who was worried about the possibility of a higher turnout, shouldn't be much upset as his North West fight with Sena's sitting MP Gajanan Kirtikar raised the bar by a 4.14 percent.

BJP's eleventh-hour candidate from North East, Manoj Kotak, who replaced sitting MP Kirit Somaiyya, claimed a 4.61 percent increase in polling that would possibly benefit Kotak against NCP's sole candidate in the city and ex-MP Sanjay Dina Patil.

Mumbai South Central which had former MP Eknath Gaikwad pitted against incumbent Rahul Shewale crossed the 2014 figure by 2.26 percent. The average voter turnout in the city's six Lok Sabha elections was 41.40 percent (2009), 47.30 percent (2004), 45 percent (1999), 50.40 percent (1998), 45.10 percent (1996) and 41.60 percent (1991). 

Also Read: Elections 2019: Polling booth moved, names missing, faulty EVMs

Election 2019: Prominent personalities, other Mumbaikars come out to caste vote!

State does better

After the fourth phase of polling, the state's polling average was 60.68 percent, said Chief Electoral Officer Ashwani Kumar. According to CEO, today's average polling in the 17 constituencies, including Mumbai's six, was 57 percent — much less than that recorded in the first (63.46 percent), second (62.88 percent) and third phase (62.36 percent). Gadchiroli (71.98 percent) registered the highest voter turnout in the state while Kalyan that went to polls on Monday had the lowest turnout of 44.27 percent, said Kumar.

Monday marked the last phase of polling in Maharashtra which has 48 Lok Sabha constituencies, second highest after Uttar Pradesh. The outcome of the state will have a bearing on the formation of the government at the Centre, as both the BJP-Sena and Congress-NCP are banking heavily for the electoral gains here. In 2014, the BJP-Sena and their other allies had won a record 42 seats in the state while the Congress was reduced to a mere two seats and NCP managed just four.

Also Read: Elections 2019 in Mumbai: Physically challenged, elderly, get little help at polling stations

60.68
State's voting percentage across four phases

48
Total no. of constituencies across Maharashtra

Salman Khan, SRK, Ranveer Singh, Kangana, Bachchans step out for voting

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In times when Mumbaikars are criticised for not turning up to vote, many people in the North constituency could not vote because their names were missing from the electoral list. All of them have been voting in many elections, even from the same polling booths.

Gyanchand Somani, a 61-year-old Gorai resident, was frustrated after running around from one polling station to another, to find his and his wife's name in the voters' list. "This is not the first time I am voting. And my address has also not changed. How is it possible that my name is not in the list?" questioned Somani.

Bharat Desai's name was also missing

Bharat Desai, a 71-year-old resident of Eksar was also shocked to find that his name was not in the list. "I have been living on D N Mhatre Road for so many years and have always voted from St Rocks' school poll station," said Desai.

Nityanand Nair, who was born and brought up in LIC Colony in Borivali west had the same story to tell. "My entire family is missing from the list whereas we have been voting regularly," said Nair.

Disha Shah, a first time voter, also could not vote as her name was missing

A 22-year-old Babhai resident, Disha Shah, who was excited to vote for the first time was also disappointed. "My family members names were there, but mine was missing," she said.

Initially Mitali Sarvankar, a 21-year-old Kandivali resident was disappointed that her name was not in the list, but she managed to find it. "I found my name in Oxford Public School's list, thanks to the helpdesks set-up by different political parties," said Mitali who excitedly showed her inked finger.

Mitali Sarvankar found her name thanks to a helpdesk

Ganesh Mandals help

In areas such as Borivali and Kandivali, Ganesh Mandals, Senior Citizen's groups etc helped voters find their names in the lists and where they had to go to vote. "Though we are registered as Ganesh Mandals, we are all friends from this locality and hold several other activities. Setting up a helpdesk is part of our work," said Deepak Thorat, president of the Shree Siddhivinayak Navatarun Mitra Mandal.

Vijay Kate and his friends, all senior citizens also set up helpdesks. "So many people are frustrated with their names missing from voters' list. There have been instances when two family members' names are there and others are missing," said Kate.

Local restaurants pitch in

Several local restaurants had put up stalls to give out coupons of 10 per cent discount to voters. Many voters made it a point to stop by to pick them up.

Also Read: Elections 2019 in Mumbai: Voters, poll officials confused over ban on mobile phones

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Amid the busy polling booths across the city, was a special room at the Mumbadevi polling station called the Sakhi Matadan Kendra - a polling booth managed entirely by women. The room had four female election officers dressed in sarees and the centre was entirely guarded by female police officers too.

The Election Commission began this unique initiative of an all-female polling centre in every constituency to make the electoral process more women-friendly. The booths were also decorated with rangoli and other art while cold drinks were offered to all the voters at these booths.

A senior officer at the booth told mid-day that the balloon and flower decorations and an all-women staff was meant to "encourage more female voters to cast their votes. It also provided a sense of refreshment among the chaos and tension of elections," she said. The Sakhi Matadan Kendra took up one room among the four at the Mumbadevi polling station.

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The 'No Mobile Phones' diktat issued by the Election Commission for voters at polling centres had a rather ambiguous implementation. While some carried it along inside the polling booth, others were asked to keep it out. With directions about phones not being allowed in the 100 meters vicinity of polling stations, the Election Commission had not made any provisions for safekeeping of phones.

Also Read: Election 2019: Mumbai scrapes through in voting report card

The rule ended up confusing voters across the city. Many were unaware of the 'no phone' policy and were left waiting outside the polling centres. The EC had issued such orders after some voters were found clicking pictures while voting during the last elections.

Salman Khan, SRK, Ranveer Singh, Kangana, Bachchans step out for voting

While most polling stations had police officials preventing voters from carrying their phones inside, there was no security checking of the bags that some voters carried, "thus making it difficult to ascertain if they were carrying a phone or not," said officials. Some centres also saw the police asking voters to hand over their phones to people standing behind them in the queue.

Dhanraji Yadav, who was at the Manohar Joshi Mahavidyalaya in Dharavi along with her family, said that police officials at the gate asked them if they were carrying any phones. "I waited with all the phones while my family voted. But while I was waiting there, the same police officials allowed other people to carry them by switching them off," Yadav said. An official said that the directives had come from the Election Commission of India. "We couldn't be responsible for everyone's phones and asked them to not bring them."

Also Read: Elections 2019: Regular voters find their name missing at polling booths

100m
Distance around polling booth where phones were not allowed

Election 2019: Prominent personalities, other Mumbaikars come out to caste vote!

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Despite the Election Commission (EC) announcing several initiatives to help the physically challenged and senior citizens during the voting process, no such arrangements were visible at many of the polling centres on Monday. Contrary to claims made by EC, no volunteers were present to guide the physically challenged or senior citizens to their polling booths, leaving them to either find a way on their own or rely on their family members.

No one came to help

Bagubai Shirwale, 70, who has a hunched back, had to inch forward using her walking stick as she tried to find her polling booth. She only had the help of her brother, Trimbak Shirwale, 72, who, like her relies on a walking stick. "We come to vote every time without fail. But I have diabetes, due to which I am not able to walk properly. My sister has chronic backache and can't walk much either. No one came to help us; we had to find the way around ourselves," he said.

They had to walk nearly 1 km to reach the polling station. Even after they successfully reached their venue, SK Pantwalkar Madhyamik Vidyalaya in Kurla west, finding the booth took some time. After asking around, they were pointed in the right direction.

In the absence of a wheelchair at the St Judes High School in Malad West, local Antony Roasario, who is physically challenged, is forced to crawl over a gutter under the burning sun. Pics/Suresh Karkera

Despite the sweltering heat, Sayaji Mokashi, 50, a visually challenged man, walked to his polling station, the Mahatma Gandhi Vidya Mandir in Bandra east, along with his wife Prajakta who also has problems with her eyesight, and their seven-year-old son. Mokashis, residents of the government colony in Bandra east, recall walking to their booth back in 2014 as well.

"It is our responsibility to vote and we take it seriously. We don't mind the walk but it would help if EC could arrange for some transportation," said Sayaji. Sudha Shantaram Nadkar, 75, who requires a walking aid, is thankful that her polling station is just across the road from her building in Kurla. However, she too has to rely on her neighbours to help her reach her booth.

"I have been voting since I turned eligible and I don't miss any election. But I fell three years ago, which made it difficult for me to walk. There is no one to help us find the booth and no one came forward to help me walk in either," she said.

Where are the ramps?

EC had also promised to provide ramps at all polling stations, as well as dolis (chairs with poles). Many of the polling stations across the city neither had any ramps for wheelchairs nor dolis. The police personnel stationed at the Central Railway Social Welfare Centre in Kurla east said no volunteers had showed up at the venue and no dolis were sent either.

"We are allowing senior citizens to go in directly; they don't have to wait in line. But their family members are helping them," said a policeman. Similarly, at L S Raheja College, an elderly man with an amputated leg walked to his booth with the help of crutches and his relative. Another aged man at the same venue had been brought inside by his family on a wheelchair, but had to walk the rest of the way with the help of his walking stick, while leaning on his son for support.

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The 'glamourless' north east Parliamentary constituency saw a lot of drama on voting day since morning. Comprising six assembly constituencies, it saw 55.35 per cent voter turnout. In 2014 the constituency had registered a 51.70 per cent turnout. Of this Ghatkopar east topped the list with 60.30 per cent followed by Mulund at 60.10 per cent, Vikhroli at 59.03 per cent, Bhandup west at 57 per cent, Ghatkopar west at 53.81 per cent and Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar at 44.02 per cent.

'Polling centre goes missing'

The day started with voters at Bhandup east complaining of an entire polling centre gone missing and alleged that it had been shifted two km away without prior notice. Citizens said they realised it only after reaching the spot and did not know what to do.

Bhandup resident Chandra Sreenivasan alleged that it was a ploy to discourage voters. "I wanted to vote. I fought with the election officer on duty and said that such tricks would not put off voters if they intended to do that. We have been voting at the same BMC garden every time and this time when we got the election slip, it had the same address but when we reached the spot, there was nothing there. A few locals then told us that it had been shifted near the old Bhandup phatak which is about 2 km away from the location," she told mid-day.

"The old and ill will not travel 2 km to an unknown spot, but I did not give up. I took an auto and went all the way there and fired the election staff on duty. When I questioned them, they said that they had just received a message in the morning to report here," she added. Election officials, however, said that it was decided to shift the polling centre from the garden to a building and a notice had been put up in the garden, though Sreenivasan said there were no notices.

Candidate posters put up

The BJP's secretary Vivekanand Gupta said they had reported a complaint against the NCP candidate after they found a banner with his photograph within 100 metres of the polling booth in Bhandup. He requested the EC to direct police officials to remove it immediately.

Faulty EVMs

Several complaints of faulty Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) came to the fore during voting throughout the day, delaying the processes from 45 minutes to one hour. At some centres, there were issues with the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slip as it was not visible after voting and in some cases there was an error displayed. At booth 93 at Sharon English School in Mulund the voting had to stopped after the EVM developed a snag and an engineer had to be summoned to fix it. Voting restarted after 45 minutes.

Also Read: Elections 2019 in Mumbai: Voters, poll officials confused over ban on mobile phones

Candidate's switch disabled

An independent candidate, Anil Hebbar said his name was disabled on EVMs, and after his complaint the machines were replaced. "At booth 155/272 in Mulund, button no 14 next to my name was disabled. The officer in-charge discovered it before polling started and changed the ballot unit leading to a delay of 1 hr and 15 min," he said.

Voted, but not inked

A voter, Reena Verghese, alleged that she cast her vote in booth 243 at St Pius School in Mulund west, but her finger was not inked. She went again inside the booth to get the mark on her finger when she realised this.

Sr citizen's name missing

Kalawati Tambe, 86, missed out on voting as her name was missing from the electoral list. A resident of Kannamwar Nagar building 14, all her neighbours' names were on the list but her's did not figure. She said she came to vote though she was in her hometown for past few days. She complained that she had to climb onto the first floor, her legs were paining and she was very unhappy that she could not vote.

Jugaad chairs

At many places the election commission had put up jugaad chairs tied to sticks like a palkhi to carry senior citizens to upper floors in buildings where there were no lifts. "They showed videos of all those fancy automatic chairs, but they assembled such jugaad plastic chairs," Harkishan Rai, a senior citizen said. The rule of not allowing mobile phones was also leniently followed with cops telling voters that they could carry phones, but requested them to switch them off.

55.35pc

The voter turnout in North East

Also Read: Elections 2019 in Mumbai: Physically challenged, elderly, get little help at polling stations

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One of the major issues faced by the voters of the Mumbai North West constituency was that most of their names were missing from the voters' list, and they did not get much guidance at the polling booths. Those who did not find their names on the list, had to return without casting their votes, and they even complained that the officials posted at the polling stations could not address their queries.

The fight in the constituency is between sitting MP and Shiv Sena – BJP candidate Gajanan Kirtikar and Congress NCP candidate Sanjay Nirupam. Due to the scorching summer heat, most people preferred to vote in the early morning and evening hours. Long queues were spotted outside polling stations at Jogeshwari East, Goreagaon, Dindoshi, Andheri East and Versova.

The Pathak family whose names were missing from the list

Missing names

A family of three — senior citizen Parashar Pathak, his wife Anju Pathak and daughter Silky Pathak had landed at the Gyan Kendra School in Andheri West early to cast their votes, however they were shocked to find their names missing from the list. Speaking to mid-day, Silky said, "My mother had a doctor's appointment, so we decided to first cast our votes and then head to the clinic. But we were shocked to see that our names were missing. The officials at the polling station could not help us in any way, and after wasting two hours we left."

Shilpa Ajgaonkar from Goregaon East, who faced the same problem, said, "Though my husband's name was there on the voters' list, my name was missing. I had no option but to return after two hours without voting because even the polling officials could not help." Forty-six-year-old Genevieve Da Silva said that the election officials at the entrance of the St Anthony High School told her that her name was not there on the electoral roll. However, her husband, Clinton, could vote.

Goregaon East resident Shilpa Ajgaonkar's name was missing from the list

Senior citizens enthusiastic

Even though senior citizens of the North West constituency showed a lot of enthusiasm this time, many of them said that the facilities at the polling centres could have been better. A residents' association in Juhu had arranged for a pick-up and drop facility for senior citizens and even wheelchairs were available at polling stations.

Speaking to mid-day, Juhu resident Shankar Adnani, 82, said, "We are happy that adequate arrangements had been made for senior citizens at our centre and we did not face any difficulty in reaching the polling booth." However a youngster, who voted at the Gyan Kendra School polling station in Andheri West, said, "At the Gyan Kendra school, ramps for senior citizens were kept only at one place. Some of them, who had to vote at the adjacent building, were made to sit on chairs, which were then carried to the booth."

First-time voter Devangshi Haria from Four Bungalows

No ink applied

Meanwhile, first-time voter Muskan Gupta, who cast her vote at the Gyan Kendra School, said that an official at the booth forgot to mark her finger with ink. "I have cast my vote but the official in-charge might have forgotten to ink my finger. Even I was not aware of the exact process."

First-time voters
Four Bungalows resident and a first-time voter Devangshi Haria said, "I always wanted to vote and I am happy that I could do it this time. More youngsters should come out and vote because this is the process of nation building." Versova resident Mahesh Babaji Padyal, who is also a first-time voter, said, "I have been waiting to cast my first vote since over a year now and finally I could do it. I feel happy that my vote will play an important role in deciding the fate of the candidate, who will represent us in the Lok Sabha."

First-time voter Mahesh Babaji Padyal from Versova

Kurla resident Rita Vishwakarma was a happy mother on Monday since both her children — 19-year-old son Chandraprakash Vishwakarma and 22-year-old daughter Komal Vishwakarma — voted for the first time. As no one had explained them the voting process, the brother-sister duo said they figured it out themselves.

Muskan Gupta, whose finger was not inked

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Couple begins 36th anniversary by casting votes
Ranibai and Ramanlal Bakliwala

Ramanlal Bakliwala, an 81-year-old resident of Colaba arrived at the polling booth to cast his vote along with his 77-year-old wife Ranibai. It was a special day for them because it was their 36th anniversary which they started with a "noble" cause. "Every year, we first go to the temple to seek blessings but today, we came here to cast our votes as it is more important. We wanted to start the day with a noble cause. We missed the previous elections as we were out of Mumbai. This time we thought there is no better way to celebrate our anniversary than by first voting for the development of our nation," said Ramanlal holding Ranibai's hand.

'Found name only after searching for two hours'
Sanjay Jain

Like thousands of Mumbai residents, Sanjay Jain, a 48-year-old businessman, left home early with his family to cast his vote at Mumbai Central. But he had to run from pillar-to-post for hours as his name was missing from the voters' list. "When I reached the polling booth, I was told that my name is missing. Then I was told to go to the main office where after almost two hours of searching, I was told that by mistake they have put another similar name in my place. After almost three hours of waiting, I had to return home without casting my vote," he said.

Senior citizen encourages voting
Pervin Daruwalla

Like thousands of Mumbai residents, Sanjay Jain, a 48-year-old businessman, left home early with his family to cast his vote at Mumbai Central. But he had to run from pillar-to-post for hours as his name was missing from the voters' list. "When I reached the polling booth, I was told that my name is missing. All my family members cast their votes except me. Then I was told to go to the main office where after almost two hours of searching, I was told that by mistake they have put another similar name in my place. After almost three hours of waiting, I had to return home without casting my vote," he said.

Also Read: Elections 2019 in Mumbai: Physically challenged, elderly, get little help at polling stations

Lack of facilities
Anil Kejarival shows his mother's voting ID

Lalitadevi Deviprasad Kejarival, an 81-year-old resident of Pedder Road, fractured her leg few months back and was advised bed-rest. On Monday, she was determined to cast her vote. But the lack of basic facilities at the polling station meant she couldn't do so. "Her serial number was at booth No 2 which was on the first floor. She can't move so it was impossible for her to climb 22 steps. She requested she be allowed to cast her vote on the ground floor but the officials told her that it is not allowed. But don't rules say that for senior citizens there should be volunteers and other facilities? This is a very sad state of affairs," said her son, Anil Kejarival.

Also Read: Elections 2019 in Mumbai: Official inks both fingers of mid-day photographer

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Mumbai: Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut has said Indians were, in the past, enslaved by an 'Italian government', in a veiled jibe at the Congress party. The 32-year-old, while speaking to reporters after casting her vote at a polling station in Khar area in Mumbai on Monday, said, "This (polling day) is a very important day for us, it comes only once in five years. I feel India is gaining independence today in real sense. Earlier, Indians were slaves of British, Mughal and Italian governments. Please exercise your Swaraj (independence) and vote."

The 'Italian government' remark is an apparent reference to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who was born and raised in Italy. Gandhi was the president of the Congress party for nearly two decades before handing over responsibilities to her son Rahul Gandhi in December 2017. Kangana went on to say that the situation that prevailed in the country was the worst during Congress' government at the Centre.

"The political leaders used to chill in London and the country used to suffer from an array of issues like poverty, pollution, rapes etc. The situation in our country was worst when Congress was in power. Now that our time has come, we should vote in large numbers," she added.

Polling was held on Monday for 72 seats across nine states including five seats in Bihar, one in Jammu and Kashmir, three in Jharkhand, six each in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, 13 each in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, eight in West Bengal and 17 in Maharashtra. An overall voter turnout of 64.05 per cent was registered in the fourth phase of polling. Seven-phase elections will end on May 19, and results will be declared on May 23.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

A still from Some Stories Around Witches

In the tribal villages of Odisha, a teenage girl kills an elderly relative believing that she is a witch and the cause of her father’s death. Overnight, a village turns into a mob to kill three people — a man and two women — who were identified as witches by a witch doctor. Meanwhile, a family is threatened and ostracised, for it is believed they bring ill fate, after they cook meat.

Lipika Singh Darai

The audience is engaged with three real life incidents in the 53-minute documentary, Some Stories Around Witches. Directed by Bhubaneswar-based FTII alumnus Lipika Singh Darai and produced by the Public Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT), the film explores the politics of witch hunting and the humanitarian crisis surrounding it. It will be screened tomorrow as part of the 22nd edition of Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum’s monthly screening programme, Movies At The Museum.

“There is a mystery surrounding tradition and myths about witchcraft but we should also see it in the light of socio economics and politics to understand the complexity of the events. The cases are very sensitive and my priority was to make the camera’s presence insignificant,” says Darai, who will be present for a Q&A session post the screening, which marks its premiere in Mumbai.

At the event, also catch the screening of another PSBT production, There Is Something In The Air. Directed by Delhi-based filmmaker Iram Ghufran, the Hindi-Urdu documentary is a series of dream narratives, and accounts of spiritual possession as experienced by women ‘petitioners’ at the shrine of a Sufi saint in north India.

Key, Chair

As the morning sunlight casts a warm glow on a terrace in Andheri, Yash Soni hands us a small glass bottle with a cork stopper. It fits between our thumb and index finger. Glinting at us from within is a tiny guitar carved out of the nib of a pencil.

Mic and fist, Eiffel Tower

A ‘wow’ escapes our lips as we squint to check out the intricate details — there are strings, tuning pegs, a saddle and Soni’s name carved on the instrument’s body. “It took me four hours to make it,” says the 26-year-old artist, one of the few in the city creating microscopic art out of pencil lead. This weekend, he will present a live carving session at Maker Mela, an event that celebrates art, engineering and science with a DIY mindset, at KJ Somaiya’s Vidyavihar campus.

Watch, Guitar

Russian inspiration
With a professional background in event management, Mumbai-born Soni’s tryst with pencil art began two years back, when he came across the works of experimental Russian artist Salavat Fidai on Instagram. “He carved a heart within a heart on a pencil. I was fascinated. Since art had been a hobby (he has created graffiti and speed painting works), I decided to try this too. I bought a pencil, a five-rupee cutter, and tried to carve a heart in a car, while travelling to Thane, and I was able to do it,” recounts the self-taught artist, who watched Fidai’s art-making videos repeatedly to learn the finger movements. “Now, we correspond too. His advice to me: be gentle and use minimal movements with fingertips,” he says.

Yash Soni with spool-and-needle carved on a pencil tip. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Be patient
Till date, Soni has created over 50 pencil carvings, including a key, a stiletto, a champagne glass, a watch, a chair, the Eiffel Tower, a fist with a detachable mic, a windmill with rotating blades and even a needle and spool, carved entirely out of the wood and lead of the pencil. On his wishlist are a scooter, a neckpiece and Mukesh Ambani’s tower of blocks, Antilla.

Soni’s tool set comprises two scalpels and a needle

“Carving on pencil requires a lot of patience. Since I prefer to focus on the details, it takes about four to five hours to make a piece, though I can make a heart in 20 minutes,” reveals Soni. The artist uses three basic tools — two scalpels with surgical blades and a needle fitted into a pen-like holder. “I start by shaving the wood with the scalpel and then, use a needle to carve the finer shape and details,” he adds. When we ask if he works in a particular kind of light, he confesses, “Initially, I would use a USB LED lamp attached to my laptop as a source of light when I needed to carve at night. My parents were anxious about it affecting my eyesight. Now, I’ve become more careful but I can work from any spot,” he adds.

Pencil matters
Soni uses a range of pencils, from 2B to 8B leads with a shiny finish, graphite pencils featuring matte-finish leads and carpenter pencils with a flatter surface. “Indian pencils aren’t great in quality and often, the lead within the pencil is already broken. The biggest challenge is breakage. 8B leads are thicker which helps me carve more intricately,” says Soni, who preserves the pencils in glass bottles or in customised frames.

Last week, he conducted a workshop-cum-exhibition at IIT-Chennai. Now, he also customises his works and sells them, starting from `4,000. “Most people are dismissive of the art since it’s on a pencil. My aim is to give micro sculpting the credibility it deserves,” he signs off.

Bombay Chamber Orchestra concert

Did you know that world renowned classical composers like Mozart, Beethovan and modern day legends like George Gershwin and Nat King Cole were Freemasons?

Well, they were. Freemasonry is not the shadowy organisation it is made out to be in popular fiction. Freemasons are actually the world's oldest and largest non-religious, non-political and charitable organisation. It also has the honour of being the world’s largest fraternal society.

The first Grand Lodge in England is said to have been formed on June 24, 1717. This means that 2017 is the 300th or Tercentenary Anniversary.

The Freemasons are celebrating the completion of three hundred years of their formation, with a series of events in Mumbai, spread over the two days of January 27 and 28.

Many non-Freemasons, know very little of Freemasonry, and even if they do, consider it a secret society. Even lesser is known about the fact that Western Classical music has been deeply influenced by Freemasonry and many leading composers were Freemasons themselves.

Freemasons, together with the Bombay Chamber Orchestra have invited leading performers from India and abroad, and have put together a once- in-a-life time musical soiree. The event is scheduled to be held on Saturday, January 28 at 6:00pm, Sophia Bhabha Hall, Bhulabhai Desai Road, Mumbai.

ALSO READ: Not such a secret society, after all

Donor passes for the premium segments of Rs 5000 and Rs 1500 have already been sold out. The last few regular seats at Rs 1000 are still available. The funds raised by the event are earmarked towards the cause of dementia.

So you have got to rush and book those passes right now.

For programme details and online donor passes log on to:
http://freemasonryintheeast.dglbombay.org/concert/

WORKSHOP

Do yoga by the sea
Sat, feb 25 & sun, feb 26 Set your mat aside and dig your toes deep into the sand. Listen to the sound of the waves and breathe in the fresh air as you move through energy boosting yogasanas. Taught right on the shore by Shweta D’souza, this yoga class is structured to give you a full body and mind workout.
TIME: 7.30 am to 8.30 am
AT: Silver Beach (beach entrance from Godrej House), JVPD, Juhu.
CALL: 9820401592
COST: Rs 650 per class

PLAY

Witness a strange reunion
Sun, feb 26 Catch a play titled Class of 84, which tells the story of seven friends who belonged to a tight-knit college group from 1979-84. They come together because of the death of their eighth friend. Will the friends come to terms with this death, and, more importantly, themselves, through the course of the evening?
TIME: 8.30 pm onwards
AT: Prithvi Theatre, 20 Janki Kutir, Juhu.
LOG ON TO: bookmyshow.com
COST: Rs 500

ART

For the love of pets
Till today View the work of young artist Manish Bobade, whose love for animals finds expression in his series My Pet. Bobade has created his works in the semi-abstract genre, which showcase dogs, cows, goats and in some instances, birds.
TIME: 11 am to 7 pm
AT: Gallery Pradarshak, 100, Kalpana Building, Plot 338, 12th Road, Khar(W).
CALL: 26462681

Go artsy with humour
Today Attend a talk on art and a demonstration by Sanjeev Sonpimpare at the Bombay Pier Pop-Up. The artist is known for reshaping Mumbai street scenes, middle class protagonists, magazine covers, and advertorial images with a tinge of humour in his works.
TIME: 5 pm to 6 pm
AT: Radio Club, 26, PJ Ramchandani Marg, Apollo Bandar, Colaba.
Call: 22845025

SHOP

Drop in at a flea
Sun, feb 26 Attend the Big CSR Flea and shop for a cause. The curated flea market will comprise stalls put up by a number of NGOs, women entrepreneurs and start-ups. There will be an array of handmade products to choose from.
TIME: 11 am to 10 pm
AT: Urban Community Development Center, 104/B, 14th Road, Bandra (W).
CALL: 9833984214

Get ready for summer
Ongoing Kolkata-based designer Vedika M brings her latest Spring Summer 2017 collection to Mumbai. The collection, which comes in vivid hues, uses a combination of brush and block printing techniques. Pick from short and long dresses, skirts and jackets.
CALL: 9830020022
LOG ON TO: vedikam.com
COST: Rs 3,000 onwards

FOOD & DRINK

Celebrate Margaritas
Till tues, feb 28 Raise a toast to Margarita Day by celebrating it for a whole week. Paying tribute to the refreshing citrus beverage that is loved the world over, a special menu has been curated to honour iconic women from Mexico. Try drinks named after not just the famous Margarita Carrillo Arronte, but also Frida Kahlo, Ellen Ochoa, Salma Hayek, and more.
TIME: 12 pm to 1 am AT The Good Wife, ground floor, The Capital, Bandra Kurla Complex.
CALL: 40039433
COST: Rs 450 plus taxes for each drink

Take a bite of cheesecake
Ongoing Dig into a new cheesecake menu that includes unique flavours such as Sprinkle Birthday Cake, Banoffee, Ferrero Rocher (in pic), Gluten Free Smores, and the seasonal classic, Strawberry, which features organic Mahabaleshwar strawberries and homemade strawberry jam.
TIME: 7 pm to 1.15 am
AT: Bastian, B/2, New Kamal Building, opposite National College, Linking Road, Bandra (W).
CALL: 26420145
COST: Rs 500 (per slice), Rs 2,750 (full cake)

Try a festive menu
Ongoing Celebrate the Year of the Rooster with a new menu featuring dishes like Beggar Spring Chicken (in pic), Charcoal Grilled Spare Ribs, Wood Baked Spiced Oily Pomfret, and more.
TIME: 6 pm to 1 am
AT: Dashanzi, JW Marriott, Juhu.
CALL: 9769311654

DEAL WITH THE WEEKEND

Be an early bird
Till March 31 Arrive for dinner between 7 pm and 8 pm, and enjoy a 30 per cent off on a dinner buffet featuring soups, salads, starters, main course and desserts.
AT: The Earth Plate, Hotel Sahara Star, Vile Parle (E).
CALL: 39895000
COST: (after discount) Rs 1,610 plus taxes

Shop for a steal
Ongoing Get up to 70 per cent off on the entire collection of 80 designers. Shop from a wide variety of outfits along with clutches and jewellery.
TIME: 10.30 am to 9 pm
AT: Kashish Infioré, Hughes Road.
CALL: 23613111

Go sip happy
Sun, feb 26 Enjoy extra long Happy Hours this Sunday and indulge
in unlimited drinks
such as Apple & Malta Sangria, Watermelon & Mint Sangria, flavoured wines, and beer, all for `899 (inclusive of taxes). Dig into Crab Cakes and Pork Van Dogh.
TIME: 11 pm to 12.45 am
AT: Veranda, Hotel Executive Enclave, Pali Hill, Bandra (W).
CALL: 33126749

Search engine giant Google unveiled a special doodle on Holi. The doodle shows a group of children splashing the Google logo with many colours.

According to Google, "Today, the Google letters are taking on a fresh set of colors in honor of the Holi festival. Coinciding with the arrival of spring, the vibrant celebration looks a lot like the Doodle: people run around happily covering each other in a rainbow of powdery hues.

Amid the cloud of red, blue, yellow, green, and everything in between, festival-goers can often be found laughing, singing, and dancing in the streets. The joyous event, which takes place in India, Nepal, and other countries around the world, traditionally marks the triumph of good over evil. It also gives family and friends a chance to simply come together, enjoying a spirited “Festival of Colors” that undoubtedly lives up to its name."

About Holi
Holi is a Hindu spring festival in India and Nepal, also known as the "festival of colours" or the "festival of love", It signifies the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring, end of winter, and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships, and is also celebrated as a thanksgiving for a good harvest.

The first day is known as Holika Dahan (हà¥ÂŠà¤²à¤¿à¤Â•à¤¾ दहन) or Chhoti Holi and the second as Rangwali Holi, Dhuleti, Dhulandi or Dhulivandan.

MUSIC

Melodious tunes
Sun, mar 19 Get enthralled by the music of Rakesh Chaurasia, one of India’s most promising musicians and an accomplished flautist. He blends his flute with mixed instruments. He will be accompanied by Ojas Adhiya on the tabla.
TIME: 7.30 am
AT: Prithvi Theatre, Juhu. LOG ON TO bookmyshow.com
COST: Rs 300

Travelling musician
Tonight Catch Nicolette Gore, a singer, songwriter from Ahmedabad, performing original numbers at a gig tonight. An avid traveller, her songs are inspired from her numerous trips across the country.
TIME: 10.30 pm
AT: Tuning Fork, first floor, Hotel Unicontinental, Khar (W).
CALL: 9833358490
COST: Rs 550

ART

Beauty and nature
Ongoing Catch the latest works of artists Ishaque Ali Sayyed and Avinash Deshmukh, which feature nature, still life and spiritual elements, at an exhibition titled Funne–Hayyat.
TIME: 11 am to 8 pm
AT: Nehru Centre Art Gallery, Worli.
CALL: 9833833149

Recycled furniture
Till sun, mar 19 View a unique exhibition, Installation Furniture, which has 60 furniture pieces divided into three series, Emotional, Recycled and Art. The recycled series uses materials like old tyres, cloth, wood, trees, and chains.
TIME: 11 am to 8 pm
AT: The Art Hub, Atria Mall, Worli.
CALL: 9167221322

WORKSHOP

Yoga for peace
Sun, mar 19 Attend a workshop with Bijay J Anand and learn how to deal with the physical and emotional pain in your life. He will be using Kundalini Yoga mantras and kriyas to lead you on a better path.
TIME: 11 am to 12.30 pm
AT: Arts in Motion, 57, Rajdoot, Khar (W).
CALL: 65533333
COST: Rs 1,000

Droning on
Sat, mar 18 Learn to make drones and quadcopters. You will learn about each component and how they work together, and get to fly the drone you create.
TIME: 10 am to 1 pm
AT: Todi Mill Social, 242, Mathuradas Mill Compound, Lower Parel.
CALL: 65110361
COST: Rs 2,500

SHOP

Bridal stop
Till mar 31 Upgrade your wardrobe, especially your wedding collections, at Payal Singhal’s annual sale. On offer is a 50 per cent to 70 per cent discount on all outfits at the store.
TIME: 11 am to 7 pm
AT: Shop No.3, Raj Mahal Building, Altamount Road.
CALL: 65656121

PLAY

The Juhu life
Sun, mar 19 Take a peek into the lives of Balvinder aka Bubbles, brother Goldie Siddhu and sisters Pammi and Smiley, a dysfunctional family living on the 14th floor of a high-rise, Sea View Towers. Despite the location, there are problems in the building and within the family. These issues form the basis of the play, The Siddhus of Upper Juhu.
TIME: 7 pm
AT: TATA Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point.
COST: Rs 975

Diplomatic treaty
Sat, mar 18 Motley production, A Walk in the Woods, is about two diplomats who take a walk in the woods to achieve a breakthrough in negotiations between their countries. Rajit Kapur and Naseeruddin Shah play the lead roles.
TIME: 7.30 pm
AT: Bal Gandharva Rang Mandir, Bandra (W).
CALL: 9892585856
COST: Rs 200 onwards

FOOD & DRINK

British brunching
Sun, mar 19 Join this Sunday brunch and enjoy dishes such as Grilled Ham and Salami, Stuffed Omelettes, French Toast, Chicken Tikka, Pepperoni Pizza, Shepherd’s Pie, and Bread Butter Pudding. Sip on craft beer or apple cider.
TIME: 12 pm to 4 pm
AT: The British Brewing Company, High Street Phoenix, Lower Parel.
CALL: 65656121
COST: Rs 600 to Rs 1,200

EVENT

Jenga fun
Sat, mar 18 Unwind this weekend over UNO and Jenga contests. UNO will be knockout style while the Jenga games will be one
on one or team-based. Winners get free beers.
TIME: 3 pm to 8 pm AT Reise All Day Bar & Kitchen, Andheri (E).
CALL: 33836086
COST: Rs 300 to Rs 500

Deal with the weekend

Pocket friendly
Today Now, enjoy your favourite cocktails and other drinks at prices starting at just '70. Premium drinks are available for an additional '70.
TIME: 4 pm to 8 pm
AT: All Hoppipola outlets, except Todi Mills.
CALL: 8286089737 (Khar)

Jim Beam day
Sat, mar 18 Groove to the beats of DJ Nikhil while sipping on Jim Beam for just '150, this Saturday. There will be cocktails like Sunrise, Bourbon House, House Side Car and Big Booty available as well.
TIME: 8 pm onwards
AT: The House Gastropub, Bungalow 1, JP Road, Aram Nagar, Versova, Andheri (W).
CALL: 39652955

Happiest hours
Till mar 19 Drink unlimited beer (till your bladder bursts) for only R420 or unlimited Sangria for R899. You can also munch on Chicken Faffa and Caribbean Chicken Strips while you drink.
TIME: 5 pm to 8 pm
AT: Raasta Bombay, Rohan Plaza, 5th Road, SV Road, Khar (W).
CALL: 8655000811

A group of Assamese dancers perform Jhumur, the dance form associated with tea gardens

Asam, known for its picturesque river basins and tea gardens in and around the Brahmaputra Valley, is steeped in the arts with music occupying a special place. The sounds change with every region. There is Jhumur dance (associated with tea gardens), Bihu (the celebrated folk dance and music) and Kamrupi lokgeet (music from the Kamrup district) to name a few. Amid the melodies, there also lies a rich tradition of folk tales and folklore. “I used to listen to a lot of stories from my grandmother, both fictional as well as mythological,” recalls singer Joi Barua, who hails from Jorhat. The 39-year-old didn’t take the Bihu route to come under spotlight. He stuck to his Rock sound, but wrote songs based on those old stories.

Singer Joi Barua borrows from traditional folk tales of Assam and incorporates them in his music. Pic/Nimish Jain

Barua, who juggles between working in films (including regional projects) and making independent music, will present a set of stories in the form of music with his band, Joi, at the Living Traditions concert that celebrates the northeastern state.

“We are a Rock band in the World Music space. We try to retell folklore, talk about the history of traditions as well as contemporary history through our songs. I also like to weave music around traditions still in practice,” shares Barua, who composed two songs sketching the antiquity of bareback horse races in Jorhat. The event, more than 100 years old, doesn’t allow jockeys to have a saddle or a stirrup. One of the compositions is Riders Of The Mist. “It talks about the origins of the races and the horses (there are many horses who are brought to the race from across the Brahmaputra River). There is another song on the same subject, called Pitol Soku. In Assamese, Pitol means brass and soku means eyes. It means a jockey with copper eyes. The song has a stadium-like vibe to it,” he explains.

On the other hand, the song Tejimola is about a girl who was tortured and beaten to death by her stepmother. “This is a story written in the early part of the last century. She is buried in the garden and a flower blossoms out of her grave one day. The story celebrates the girl in different forms,” says Barua, who was inspired to make original and independent music after listening to the stalwarts, Khagen Mahanta and Dr Bhupen Hazarika in his early days.

“I have grown up within the tradition of listening to music about the land, the rivers and the culture. My band will be presenting the same kind of music in the contemporary fashion. These songs shaped our state as well as our musical selves,” he reasons.

Barua’s music pays tribute to his homeland and Mumbai — his current work sphere. He has sung tracks like Dusokute (Margarita With A Straw), Dil Dhadakne Do (Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara) and Kahani Aankhon Ke Pardon Pe (Udaan) and more.

On: Today and March 19, 6.30 pm
At: NCPA, Nariman Point.
Call: 66223754
Cost: Rs 200 onwards

DANCE

Celebrate Kathak
Sat, Mar 25 Watch dancers from Kadamb Performing Unit present Vivarta, a Kathak performance based on Ni-ra-tata-dhang, a composition that narrates the actual bols of the Kathak vocabulary and highlights its classical techniques. It has been choreographed by Kathak exponent Kumudini Lakhia.
TIME: 7 pm
AT: Tata Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point.
COST: Rs 200 onwards
CALL: 66223724

EVENT

Take a walk
Sun, Mar 26 Attend a two-hour walk where underprivileged children from the non-profit Angel Xpress Foundation will take you around the Bandstand neighbourhood and offer a glimpse into their lives. The kindness-themed walk has been organised by EverytingOnAPlate and Yash Rane as part of World Insta Meet.
TIME: 3.30 pm
MEETING POINT: Opposite Mannat, Bandra (W).
CALL: 9820246669

EXHIBITION

Trace different strokes
Till Mar 27 Check out a group show titled, Three Visions, showcasing mixed media sculptures by Vishal Rajas, along with paintings by Nilesh Nikam and Shivaji Mhaske. Nikam plays with textures and motifs while Mhaske's works offer a glimpse of ethereal landscapes of Maharashtra.
TIME: 11 am to 7 pm
AT: Jehangir Art Gallery, MG Road, Kala Ghoda.
CALL: 9967440683

MUSIC

Soothe your soul
Tonight Catch a performance by singer-songwriter Shanay Shah to add a soothing touch to your weekend. Apart from Western music, the versatile singer is also known for his renditions of Bollywood tracks and traditional Sufi songs.
TIME: 9.30 pm onwards
AT: Fat Man's Café & Grill, Tian Building, Gulmohar Road, JVPD, Juhu.
CALL: 26254446

Meet Jan Jaani
Sat, Mar 25 Swing to the tunes of singer-songwriter Jan Graveson, also known as Jan Jaani. Her set will be a blend of Alternative, Pop and Rock classics. Howard Pereira will accompany her on the guitar.
TIME: 8 pm onwards
AT: Thalassa, 21st Street, off Carter Road, Khar (W).
CALL: 9820004019

Find your FOMO fix
Sun, Mar 26 Attend the first edition of FOMO Fest and groove to diverse sounds by experimental outfit Bombay Black, singer-songwriter Monica Dogra (in pic) and Electro-Rock group Donn Bhat + Passenger Revelator. Meanwhile, Electronic artistes Zokhuma, Chhabb, DJ Beat2, Twisted Bass and Shivani Sawant will spin
Trance beats.
TIME: 12 pm onwards
AT: Razzberry Rhinoceros, Juhu Hotel.
CALL: 7400402604
ENTRY: Rs 500 (12 pm to 4 pm); Rs 1,000 (4 pm onwards)

WORKSHOP

Get a taste of Singapore
Today Learn to make Flat Rice Noodles with Fresh Herbs, Forest Mushroom Rice Spaghetti with Fried Shallot and Chinese-Style Pak Choy and Rice Vermicelli Soup at a Singaporean cuisine demo.
TIME: 5.30 pm
AT: Foodhall, Palladium, Lower Parel.
CALL: 30264581

FOOD & DRINK

Dine in the dark
Sat, Mar 25 If you're keen to do your bit for the planet, participate in Earth Hour celebrations, which also make for a great way to bond with your partner. Enjoy a candle-lit dinner and sip on glow-in-the-dark cocktails.
TIME: 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm
AT: Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel, Powai.
CALL: 66927491

COMEDY

Laugh away the stress
Tonight Stand-up comedians Amogh Ranadive, Sonali Thakkar and Abhishek Upmanyu will pull out new jokes from their bag at a special comedy gig. They are best known for their observational and anecdotal comedy.
TIME: 10 pm onwards
AT: Andheri Base, Whistling Woods Sharyans Audeus, Andheri (W)
CALL: 30916003
COST: Rs 200 onwards

WORK

Enter an open house
Today If you're a freelancer, head to the Open House at Todi Mill Social to avail of high-speed Wi-Fi, on-demand printing, office stationery and a 10 per cent discount on membership if you sign up on the spot. You can also participate in networking sessions planned by the team.
TIME: 9 am to 6 pm
AT: Mathuradas Mill Compound, Lower Parel.
CALL: 7045940448

Deal with the weekend

Cool off with hot stones
Ongoing Pamper yourself with spa therapies offered at 30 per cent discount. Opt for a 90-minute Hot Stones Therapy (Rs 4,500) done using volcanic basalt stones, or a 75-minute Rope Massage (Rs 3,500).
TIME: 11 am to 10 pm
AT: Caressaa Day Spa, Peninsula Grand Hotel, Andheri (E).
CALL: 28519191

Enjoy a girl's drunch out
Ongoing Catch up with your gal pals over a lunch, brunch or drunch and avail of 10 per cent discount on the entire bill. Enjoy eats like Rosemary Cottage Cheese Kebab and Salmon In Labb Sauce and sip on Orange Basil Mojito and Sunday Sangria.
TIME: 11 am to 3 pm
AT: Terttulia, Hotel Parkway, Ranade Road Extension, Dadar (W).
CALL: 24468833

Get high on beer
Till Sun, Mar 26 If you love beer, especially Bira, don't miss this offer. For every 330 ml bottle that you buy, you get a 500 ml can free.
TIME: 12.30 pm to 1 am
AT: Reise – All Day Bar & Kitchen, Tarun Bharat Society, Dr Karanjia Marg, near Cigarette Factory, Chakala, Andheri (E).
CALL: 33836086

Thunderbird. Pic/Illustrated by Tomislav Tomic © Bloomsbury Publishing 2017, taken from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

One for the muggle library

If you're a Potterhead, you'll love the updated version of Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them (Bloomsbury; '599) that comes on shelves 16 years after JK Rowling gave muggles the original edition. An A to Z guide of the magical creatures lurking in the wizarding world, this one includes six new beasts (total of 81 species), new illustrations (neat work by Tomislav Tomic) and a revised foreword by the book's fictional author and magizoologist Newt Scamander. The breezy 144-pager teleported us into the Potter universe as familiar images of Hungarian Horntail and Basilisk flashed before our eyes. We also discovered incredible new beasts, including Thunderbird or Hidebehind. Apart from Scamander's wry humour, evident in the footnotes, we were hooked by the foreword, where he clarifies wild assertions made by Rita Skeeter and hints at being the secret-keeper for Albus Dumbledore. That's some fine foreshadowing, JK.

Gluten-free goodness

We've never shied away from going for the bread basket when it's placed in front of us at a restaurant. But, for those who have embarked on a let's-eat-healthy mission, Kitchen Garden by Suzette has launched the country's first organic, multigrain, gluten free bread, which they say looks and tastes like 'normal' bread. We decided to call for a loaf this week, not knowing what to expect. Organic goodness or just fancy jargon? The bread came as a nicely packaged gigantic loaf. The texture was soft and fluffy. You might not fall in love with it at first go, but with each bite the taste grows on you. Packed with nutrients and fibre, it's got the flavour of buckwheat. We had it with peanut butter and it went well. If you're having a PB & J craving, this could be the healthier version to try.

RD Burman composed for more than 300 films in a career spanning 30 years

This weekend, a group of music enthusiasts is going to deconstruct the thin line between imitation and inspiration at a talk on Hindi film music. The works of RD Burman, Shankar-Jaikishan and OP Nayyar will be discussed at the event.

Shankar-Jaikishan ruled from 1949 to 1986

“Many tried to imitate a sound that worked well with listeners in that period. In fact, film producers would encourage music directors to do so. The music of Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Kalyanji-Anandji was close to the sound created by Shankar-Jaikishan and Burman,” says Ramesh KV, one of the speakers. “If you listen to the orchestration of a song, you will think it belongs to Burman, but it actually is by someone else,” he adds.

The full panel includes R Balaji, Shankar Iyer, Archisman Mozumder and Subramanian Iyer.

On: April 15, 7.30 pm
At: Pitaara – The Art Box, Yashwant Nagar, Goregaon (W).
Call: 9820393001
Entry: Rs 250

Go funky with Benny
Dance to the tunes of Benny Dayal and Funktuation this weekend. The band, formed in 2011, has the Bollywood singer on vocals, Joshua Satya on guitar, Carl Fernandez on bass, Alok Merwin on keys and David Joseph on drums. Dayal's popular songs include Badtameez Dil and Daru Desi. He is mostly known for his work with AR Rahman in both Hindi and Tamil.
TIME: 9 pm onwards
AT: Todi Mill Social, Lower Parel.
CALL: 65110361
ENTRY: Rs 500 (includes a beer)

Friday

Catch a tribute gig
Catch the band, The Big If, at a Pearl Jam tribute gig. Relive the early '90s classics like Alive and Jeremy. They also draw inspiration from Alter Bridge and Nirvana. The band comprises Sumeet Menon (vocals), Rohit Murugan (guitar), Kartik Gopalkrishnan (guitar), Aaron (bass) and Chirag Vachcha (drums).
TIME: 10 pm
AT: Tuning Fork, Hotel Unicontinental, 3rd Road, Khar (W).
CALL: 9833358490
ENTRY: Rs 500

Get your Bawa facts right
Ever wondered how the Parsis arrived in India? Do you know the story of Zarathushtra and his disciples? Learn more about the community at a three-day exhibition conceptualised by Cyrus Dastoor. There will be cultural activities, and stalls featuring Zoroastrian books, artefacts and cuisine.
TIME: 6.30 pm
AT: All Bless Baug, opposite Charni Road Station.
CALL: 65069313

The flavour of mint
On the occasion of the first anniversary of Mintageworld.com (an online museum of coins, stamps and currency notes), you can gift them a currency note from your collection, which is not in circulation, and it will be clicked for you professionally.
TIME: 11 am to 7 pm
AT: Stall 69, Numismatics Fair, World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade.
CALL: 8976001704

Saturday

Of marriage and bride
Catch the play, Beewion Ka Madarsa, which is about a character named Haneef Mohammed. He did not marry thinking all women are dishonest and they cheat on their husbands but then, life takes a turn. He decides to customise his bride.
TIME: 7 pm at NCPA, Nariman Point.
CALL: 39895050
ENTRY: Rs 300 onwards

Keep it stylish
Attend a fashion styling and design and trends workshop organised by Mod'Art. Popular designer Babita Malkani (in pic), who has been in the field for over a decade will helm the workshop.
TIME: 2.30 pm to 4.30pm
AT: Mod'Art International, Rama Gulab Apts, Subash Road, Vile Parle (E).
RSVP: 9619777841

Revel in poetry
Add a poetic touch to your weekend as award-winning poets including Adil Jussawalla, Jayanta Mahapatra, Keki Daruwalla, K Satchidanandan and Eunice de Souza read from their work alongside prominent Gujarati and Marathi poets. The two-day poetry festival has been organised by Paperwall Media & Publishing.
TIME: 10 am to 5.30 pm
AT: Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Chembur.
CALL: 49235008

Sunday

Flavours with a twist
Tuck into a new menu at a restaurant that celebrates the legacy of Irani cafés. The offerings include staples like Boil Egg Sandwich and Bhuna Chicken Sandwich, Bacon Vada Pav, Persian Soup, Crispy Corn Bhel, Khattu Meethu Pumpkin, and innovative desserts and cocktails.
TIME: 12 pm to 1.30 am
AT: SodaBottleOpenerWala, BKC.
CALL: 9892841456

Listen to the expert
Attend a talk by Amol Palekar as the veteran actor, director and producer discusses a new wave in Marathi cinema. He will explore a paradigm shift in the last decade.
TIME: 11 am
AT: Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum, Byculla.
CALL: 23731234

Soak in art by kids
Landscapes, portraits, still life, flora and fauna and social issues are only some of the many themes you will find at Yellow Canvas 2017, a group exhibition of artworks created by 71 students from across schools in Mumbai. The canvases have been created in various media like water colours, acrylic, mix media among others.
TIME: 11 am to 7 pm
AT: Cymroza Art Gallery, Breach Candy.
CALL: 23671983

Deal with the weekend

Sip and munch to glory
Ongoing Avail a flat 20 per cent discount on all food and beverages at a newly launched restaurant. The menu includes appetizers, juicy burgers and sandwiches. You can also dance to the beats of the in-house DJ.
TIME: 12 pm to 1 am
AT: Nerve, Hill Road, opposite Le Reve (Globus), Bandra (W).
CALL: 9930008049

Add to your collectibles
till april 23 Replenish your wardrobe at a thrift shop for a cause by Back Alley. There will be pre-loved products including crockery, home décor, gift items, western and ethnic wear up for grabs. The initiative is by Radhika Dhawan and Maya Bhogilal Goyel.
TIME: 11 am to 3 pm
AT: Ave 29, Kohinoor Mansion, 29 Hughes Road.
CALL: 23804981

Grab a meal between work
ongoing Taste the 'Working Lunch Menu' at a five-star by chef Shadab Qureshi. The planned luxury meal will feature the chef's delicacies from the North West Frontier.
TIME: 12 pm to 3 pm
AT: Jyran-Tandoor & Dining Lounge, Sofitel, BKC.
CALL: 8268152597
COST: Rs 1,500 (veg), Rs 1,700 (non veg)

Bhrigu Sahni at a concert at antiSOCIAL earlier this week. Pic/Satej Shinde

The use of guitar isn't limited to playing solos and rhythms using a plectrum (a small flexible piece of plastic). When a discussion emerges about the co-existence of genres within the guitar language, there is a lack of clarity between Flamenco, Western Classical and finger-style. One can pluck (guitar) strings with their fingers but finger-style is a technique that involves the usage of fingertips, nails and the palm. You need to hit the woodwork for percussions. The sound is a perfect balance of bass, treble and harmonies. These days, Mumbai is witnessing the rise of finger-style guitarists. While some learnt from watching videos of legends like Andy McKee and Tommy Emmanuel, others took a cue out of popular songs.

Manan Gupta

One-man band
"By playing finger-style, one can arrange a whole song by playing the bass line, melody, rhythm and harmony simultaneously without using any backing track," shares Manan Gupta. The 23-year-old started off as a pianist but the track Drifting (by McKee) brought him closer to guitar.

Gupta believes finger-style also helps a musician to be self-sufficient. "You are a one-man band; there is no need to rely on other musicians to co-ordinate rehearsal timings," chuckles Gupta, whose tune Dear Mother (released in 2013) is an online hit.

Local inspirations
Bhrigu Sahni, who has toured the Mumbai-Pune circuit, took to the genre after watching his father play Western Classical. "As a kid, I realised that this style had the ability to create a rich musical tapestry. It is challenging to sustain being just a finger-style player but that shouldn't deter one from following his heart," says Sahni, who is a Berklee graduate and has jammed with Karsh Kale and Angelique Kidjo.

Unlike others, he also pointed out a few names among Indians who inspired him. "I went to Rock and Jazz concerts when I was 15. I used to improvise after watching guitarists like Sanjay Joseph and Derek Julian," he adds. Sahni released his debut album, What is Now, last year in New York. "I shuffle between Brooklyn, Khadki (Pune) and Mumbai for gigs," he shares.

Varun Singh started his journey listening to Eric Clapton. He even played for Metal band Albatross for sometime, but the song More Than Words (Extreme) pushed him towards finger-style. He seconds Sahni highlighting guitarists from India who are fluent with it. "Mahesh Tinaikar (Indus Creed) and Floyd Fernandes are great examples. Clapton's Tears In Heaven is a finger-style song too," he shares. The 23-year-old recently released a video of a song called Midnight Express paying tribute to Nuno Bettencourt. "He is my hero."

Sanjay Sharma with his daughters Aayushi (left) and Shriya, both of whom enjoy skating. Pic/Satej Shinde

"When you get divorced, the people you used to hang out with disappear. Suddenly, you have no friends, and neither does your child," begins Hemant Amrute, 43, who has been raising his 12-year-old son as a single parent since 2010. Similarly, Goregaon resident Sanjay Sharma has had full custody of his daughters since 2013, when his older child was not yet five, and the younger two-and-a-half years old.

Hemant Amrute with his son Aryan before a parasailing trip in Goa last December

Taking on the role of both parents hasn't been easy for either of these single dads, but that hasn't stopped them from providing their little ones with an upbringing that isn't lacking.

Striking a work-life balance
Recently, actor Tusshar Kapoor and director Karan Johar made news when they became single fathers to children born via surrogacy. But while these men, who come from privileged backgrounds, presumably have help, this is not the case with most single dads who have to juggle work and kids.

A normal day in the life of the Sharma family is hectic. "Luckily for me, I run my own business, so I do all my work when the kids are at school. My job is to pick them up and later in the evening, drop them off for skating or swimming lessons. My older daughter has also been learning Kathak for two years, while my younger one takes singing lessons," shares 35-year-old Sharma, adding that his mother helps him out on the home front.

Amrute, meanwhile, is also a busy entrepreneur, but now feels confident enough to leave his son home by himself whenever required, as he's a little older. His challenge, however, lies in the kitchen. "I never learned to cook," laughs the Thane resident, adding, "We've had a string of cooks come and go, because both of us invariably end up not liking the food."

Not to mention that being a single parent still has stigma attached to it, which is multiplied when the single parent in question is the father. "In the beginning, people would say, 'Yeh nahin kar paayega (he won't be able to do it)'. Now, they've seen it for themselves," says Sharma. Echoing the sentiment, Amrute adds that once a couple gets divorced, people tend to look down on them, and your social circle shrinks to prevent the awkwardness.

Creating a lasting bond
Sharma's daughters and Amrute's son love being outdoors. Sharma takes his kids to the beach, park, as well as for kiddie events across the city. "We love going on holidays, too, even if they're to nearby places like Mahabaleshwar or Daman."

Amrute and his son Aryan spend weekends at their farmhouse in Yeoor Hills, and head to the cinema or the mall on other days. "We also spent Christmas in Goa last year, which was a lot of fun. A few years ago, I took him with me on a work trip to the US, and we visited a lot of places when I had some downtime," he shares.

Both men recently discovered and joined iSingleParent, a Facebook community that organises meet-ups and holidays for single mums and dads and their kids.

Amrute says that when not at school, his son would end up spending time playing with a smartphone. "We live in a standalone house, so there aren't any kids around for him to play with. But he loves technology, and scored full marks in Robotics. He also enjoys beatboxing and recently started trying out parkour. And now, thanks to the group, he looks forward to bonding with the other kids who come for the meet-ups," he says.

Friday

Laugh out loud
Kick-start your weekend with a stand-up special by Jeeveshu Ahluwalia. His jokes sway between the amusing life of chubby people, and his failed attempts at pleasing his over-optimistic mother.
Time: 8 pm at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Chowpatty, KM Munshi Road, Grant Road West
Log on to: bookmyshow.com
Entry: '540 onwards

Shop till you drop
Get ready for the festive season as 17 designers and brands showcase apparel made from khadi, silk using ikat, jamdani, shibori and other techniques. You can also find accessories and home décor items at this two-day event.
Time: 11 am to 7 pm
AT: Tranceforme Designs, Laxmi Mills Estate, off Dr E Moses Road, Mahalaxmi
Call: 24939916

Groove to live performances
Listen to Arunaja aka Ammu, a gospel-inspired vocalist from Kochi, who is currently on the TV show The Stage 2, singer/songwriter Vedant Joshi and Vikram Nathwani aka DJ Mark IV.
Time: 8.30 pm
AT: Luca, Todi Mills, Lower Parel
Call: 49714450

Saturday

Watch the story of Gandhi
How did Gandhi become the Mahatma? What impact did his days as a barrister in South Africa have on his philosophy of peace and non-violence? Gandhi — The Musical, about the journey of the Father of the Nation, has the answers.
Till: August 15, 7.30 pm
AT: Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, NCPA
Cost: '500 onwards
Call: 22824567

Craft your own rakhi
Instead of store-bought rakhis, how about giving your brother a sweet surprise this Rakshabandhan with a handmade creation? Take inspiration by exploring the colours, patterns and designs at this museum's permanent collection. Pay for the entry ticket, while the activity and all materials come free.
Time: 11 am to 2 pm
AT: Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marg, Byculla East
Call: 23731234

Start clicking
Sign your little ones up for The Secrets of Still Lives, an art-cum-photography workshop. It will begin with an interaction with artist Shahid Datawala (whose works are on display), followed by a photography exercise on capturing everyday objects in a surreal way.
Time: 11 am to 1 pm age group Eight to 11 years
AT: TARQ, Dhanraj Mahal, Apollo Bunder, Colaba
Call: 66150424
Cost: '1,000

Sunday

Go for Lalbaugcha tour
Explore the history, culture and secrets of Lalbaug including a hidden agiary, temple of the buffalo god, the oldest dargah in Mumbai and more at a walk by Khaki Tours.
Time: 8 am
Starting point: Gundecha Gardens Gate, Godrej Gas Compound, Lalbaug
Call: 8828100111
Entry: '644

Dine with your bestie
This Friendship Day, spend a laid-back Sunday with your best friend by sharing punch bowls and comfort food such as Chocolate Gluten-Free Pancake and Waffles and Rocky Road Waffle (in pic).
Time: 7 pm to 1.30 am
AT: One Street Over ground floor, 35th Street, off Linking Road,Khar West
Call: 26002224

Raft through Kundalika
Pack your bags for a river rafting trip on the river Kundalika in Kolad. The organisers have also added archery and Burma bridge to the agenda.
Time: 6.30 am (meet at Kala Nagar junction, Bandra East)
At: Kolad
Call: 9867952811
Cost: '2,350 (includes transportation and tea and snacks)

How do you improve on a 1998 game that is so good it is still played today? Not many games can make that claim but Starcraft can with legions of fans and stadium level competitions not bad for a 20-year-old game.

The original Starcraft is free and so anyone with a battle.net account can potentially download and play it, no fancy hardware required. The remastered version, however, costs $15 and it is worth every penny. The game's graphics and sound have had a major update, you can also play multiplayer online complete with leaderboards.

While the new game is friendly to first-time players the online multiplayer is brutal. Prepare to die in minutes. Unfortunately, there is no system in place to train players in the complexity of multiplayer battles in a game that people have been potentially been playing for 20 years.

For fans of Starcraft there is everything that you would ever want in the game. The original game mechanisms are untouched which means everything plays as it should.

Starcraft Remastered
Rating: 4/5
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Platform: PC, Mac
Price: $14.99 (Rs 960 approx)

Make heads turn by carrying a stylish umbrella that tells a story. In this engaging art revival workshop, you could learn to paint with a play of colours to create an illusion of varying textures that ensures that it isn't any run-of-the-mill print. Hosted by Blue Bulb, the workshop starts with an introduction to Gond painting, a folk art of the Gondi people of Madhya Pradesh. It then progresses into understanding freehand drawing and painting, directly using paints and pens. "One need not be an artist to be a part of this workshop. Once you've got the hang of it, you could even paint your t-shirt, canvas bags, shoes, stoles, wall art and furniture too," informs Ritika Jhunjhunwala, co-founder of Iteeha, organisers of the event.

Our society thrives on myths and fictitious stories and Gond art is an embellishment for those stories. The art form allows the artists to use more of their imagination than the somber rules. However, it has evolved considerably from its ritual storytelling days.

"The fine lines, dots and dashes of traditional Gond Pradhan motifs were introduced to the world by the late painter J. Swaminathan, who discovered a talented 17-year-old Jangarh Singh Shyam decorating the huts of Patangarh in Madhya Pradesh. The combination of vivid colours and distinctive forms, gives the traditional art a modern look and yet maintains its originality," says Jhunjhunwala for whom monsoon is the perfect time to unleash the creative side. "What you get is a full-size umbrella, all art supplies required and garma garam chai and kande pohe to enjoy the rains," she adds.

What: Umbrella Gond Painting Workshop
Where: Shivaji Park
When: August 27, 10.30 am - 1:30 pm
Fees: Rs 1,200 + plus taxes
Call: 7506122332

Ben is Back

U/A: Drama
Director: Peter Hedges
Cast: Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges, Courtney B. Vance, Kathryn Newton
Rating: 

A family drama that makes substance abuse look like the enemy of humanity it is, this Peter Hedges directed film dramatically shifts its moods from celebration to welcoming to fearful – all in the span of a few minutes.

When Ben(Lucas Hedges) shows up skulking around at his home driveway in a hooded wind-breaker the audience is unsure as to his antecedents. Then his mother Holly(Julia Roberts), his teenage sister Ivy(Kathryn Newton) and two half-siblings (Mia Fowler and Jakari Fraser) arrive home and we see the trepidation tinted welcome he receives. When his step-father Neal(Courtney B Vance) rushes home after receiving Ivy's urgent message, we understand there's further gravity to the situation.

Director Peter Hedges opens up his pages slowly allowing us to experience in some measure as to what the family is going through. Eventually it becomes imminently clear that Ben's return for Christmas from a rehab program he was recently inducted into, is unexpected and ill-advised.

Check out the trailer here:

While 'Ben is Back' is not exactly a dense suspense drama it draws up intensity from a construct that questions the integrity of it's lead character. Since it's a story about an addict and his struggle with addiction the question that haunts his family and himself is 'Will he use again?' He has sworn and swears again that he won't but he has lied before and given his track record should his family believe him? It's a tough ask. But then what about love, compassion and forgiveness? Can a mother really abandon her child to the vagaries of a habit that could eventually destroy him? The film deals with all these questions and more and the answers that it comes up with are neither easy nor universally applicable.

As Holly takes on the onus of keeping Ben in her sights, she uncovers secrets that test her mothering skills –throughout an increasingly harrowing day and night exposing her to an underbelly that she never opened her eyes to in the past.

There are times when the plotting seems contrived and questionable but by and large Peter Hedges does a good job plying a pathway that has hurdles at every turn. The dramatic tension though is not sharp enough and that's one of the reasons why you feel rather ambivalent about this tale. Performances are universally good though!

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Aquaman

U/A: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Director: James Wan
Cast: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Nicole Kidman
Rating: 

Aquaman - a largely underwater flight of fancy, amounts to a herculean attempt by custodian Warner Bros. to right its wonky DC cinematic universe and it's success is moderate at best. A large part of the credit should necessarily go to the charismatic Jason Momoa( ex Baybatch ) who got promoted to this leading role after showing face in 2016's Batman v. Superman : Dawn of Justice and Justice League.

This superhero saga is mostly origin story myth building through fantasy VFX, so don't expect real characters, adherence to the laws of physics or conversations beyond the monosyllabic. In this film, anything goes - even a ring(chasm) of fire in the midst of a deep blue sea and an ocean of wealth under the Saharan desert. Reality rarely pokes its ugly head into this gamey underwater universe that heralds the dawn of a new King Arthur(Momoa), a half-breed(Human-Atlantean mix) who is expected to prove his worth against the might of his firmly ensconced younger half-brother Orm(Patrick Wilson).

Aquaman's tall-tale is embellished in Royal shenanigans, incorporates themes of environment pollution and engineers a war between the water world and the land world under the pretext of righting the wrongs of a selfish civilization. The attempt here is to create an underwater 'Lord of the Rings' but without the majesty, profundity or significance of that telling.

Check out the trailer here:

Making an oblique nod to 'Splash,' the film opens with Queen Atlanna (Nicole Kidman), fleeing Atlantis, getting washed ashore at Amnesty Bay, Massachusetts, meeting solitary lighthouse keeper (Temuera Morrison), falling in love and subsequently birthing the said, Arthur and then going right back to Atlantis- the underwater city, in order to save the lives of her loved ones. Punctuating the drama is Orm's attempts to amalgamate the seven wondrous oceanic kingdoms and become undisputed Ocean master. Vulko (Willem Dafoe), Princess Mera(Amber Heard) and to a lesser extent King Nereus (Dolph Lundgren) put a spoke in his wheel, so-to-speak.

The film has some stunning imagery but most of the action feels random and incoherent. The narrative is overlong in its desire to include every embellishment possible. There are a few engaging moments but the in-between humdrum is pretty much taxing. Weighed down by its watery excesses, the narrative feels terribly labored and over-done. James Wan ( with his Horror oeuvre) was probably not the right man for this DC recreation. He makes this watery epic a kitschy showboat instead of lending it acuity and memorability. This is a story of excess but even so, it's hard to resist the charms of the lead actors, their outlandish costumes and some wondrous aqua sequences.

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Mary Poppins Returns

U/A: Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Director: Rob Marshall
Cast: Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Angela Lansbury, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer
Rating: 

Disney drums up age-old magic by picking up the threads of an unforgettable original which had the unassailable diva Julie Andrews mesmerize way back in 1964. This time around Emily Blunt essays the all-important role of the magical nanny whose job is to put things right in the Banks’ siblings Michael(Ben Whishaw) and Jane’s (Emily Mortimer)now adult world just as she did when they were kids – with Lin-Manuel Miranda doing a Dick Van Dyke in this Rob Marshall sequel.

The setting is 1930’s London, Michael is a widower with three lovely kids and his sister Jane is an activist who appears to have lost out on love. Burdened by debt and threatened by the bank, Michael can barely keep his head up when Mary Poppins flies into their lives and makes all the difference!

Check out the trailer here:

Director Rob Marshall manages to tie-in to the original with enchanting ease - spelling forth a magical 130 minutes of music and fantasy that keeps you reminiscing while laying out an entirely fresh scenario that’s just as trippy as the original. Marshall reteams with cinematographer Dion Beebe, to give the narrative an inveigling widescreen luster, with production designer John Myhre and costume designer Sandy Powell chipping in with their nostalgia imbuing contributions. The pre-war 1930s setting is superbly presented just as the bath-time routine, excursion in the park and journey into an all-too brittle adventure, rekindle the vivacity and colorfulness of yore. It’s a wondrous amalgamation of ideas from the past and present, merging together in synchronicity of technique and wonder that is entirely enthralling.

Also Read: Emily Blunt Got Scared With Mary Poppins Returns Offer

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The Second Act

U/A: Comedy, Romance
Director: Peter Segal
Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Leah Remini, Vanessa Hudgens
Rating: 

Jennifer Lopez probably fancies herself as a 'Working Girl' and that explains her producing and acting in a film that has shades of the Oscar winner mashed up with done to death romcom elements. The script credited to Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Justin Zackham transforms an uneducated, street-smart 40-year-old woman, Maya(Jennifer Lopez) into a winning corporate consultant – and to get there she jumps the truth about her background, gets a resume makeover and wins the confidence of the head honcho. The boss (Treat Williams) sets up two teams, one lead by Maya and the safer one led by his daughter, Zoe (Vanessa Hudgens). But no prizes for guessing who won that battle. The usual alienation from old friends is followed by a redemptive effort at truth-telling.

Peter Segal's Second Act tries to do too much. The impetus for Maya's cheat makeover comes from professional rejection - We meet Maya the day she loses out on a big promotion at Value Shop, because of her lack of an MBA and a dopey idiot gets it because he does. We see Maya reconciling with the daughter she gave up for adoption and then losing her again for a bit before they reconcile again. The same happens with her friends and colleagues from her former workplace. They are the ones who support and encourage her (to hilarious results sometimes). Corporate skulduggery notwithstanding there's also the romantic interest whom she failed to confide in. It's all too complicated rather than complex.

Check out the trailer here:

The few times the film manages to perk you up involves an impromptu dance with Maya leading her office nemesis (Freddie Stroma) onto the dance floor in an attempt to sideswipe his attempt to expose her. And another time you feel the passion is when she and her girlfriends (Remini, Lacreta, Dierdre Friel) do a "Push it REAL good" dancing sing along. The writing is not without its frivolous light-hearted banter but much of it is lost in the attempt to paint Maya in a gratifying light. This romcom is fairly bearable but not exactly likeable.

Also Read: Jennifer Lopez explains why she did Second Act

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One Less God

U/A: Drama, Thriller
Director: Lliam Worthington
Cast: Joseph Mahler Taylor, Sukhraj Deepak, Mihika Rao
Rating: 

As a film that hopes to capture the terror heralded by the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai, 'One Less God' is rather feeble, nondescript and ineffective. The scope is narrow and the budget too small to do justice to a disaster that is amongst the most unforgettable in recent history. This is drama written around a real-life crisis but at no point does it feel real. The 2008 Mumbai attacks included a series of terrorist strikes that felled 164 people across south Mumbai - carried out by 10 members of the Laskar-e-Taiba, an Islamic terrorist organisation based in Pakistan. But none of that drama or tragedy is captured here with any grit or enticement.

The Mumbai siege is presented in a slap-dash fashion that never really gets the audience involved. The focus is largely on the Taj Mahal hotel and what it's guests went through in the final hours before their falling victim to the terrorist onslaught. The film focuses its efforts on the men and women attempting to survive, while intermittently cutting across to the two men perpetrating the attack. The bits of humour that creep in at odd times appears to be in bad taste.

Check out the trailer here:

Everything here seems rather pretentious and ineffective. The general cross-national mix of characters, their touristy experiences and the aftermath of the siege may have some diverse moments but we never feel attached or interested enough to be affected. There are barely any validating moments here. The performances are bad, the direction is sloppy, there are continuity breaks that look ridiculous, the art direction and production values leave a lot to be desired. Even the attempt to go one-up on the much awaited Dev Patel, Armie Hammer, Nazanin Boniadi, Jason Isaacs starrer 'Hotel Mumbai'- (a film that covers the same territory), by releasing earlier, reeks of Opportunism.

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Glass

U/A: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Cast: Sarah Paulson, Bruce Willis, James McAvoy
Rating: 

Shyamalan’s earliest films (The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs) were brilliant, they intrigued, shocked and entertained all at the same time. The same cannot be said about the films that came later. The big budget ones especially were all jumbled up and schlocky. It felt as though the director never really achieved his vision. ‘Glass’ is a far better effort in terms of visual context but it fails on cohesion and lucidity – especially in the third act dominated by Shyamalan’s signature twists.

Glass, a sort of sequel to both Unbreakable and Split, spends its two hours plus without a strong story to tell. It is every bit as inconceivable and snaky a film as his worst but it still has a psychological depth that could have amounted to much more - if only the director had been a little more focussed. There’s so much he is wanting to say that it all gets lost in the confusion and incoherence brought on by a lack of emphasis.

Glass opens with Dunn(Willis) tracking down Split's villain, Kevin Wendell Crumb aka 'The Horde' (James McAvoy), a serial killer suffering from multiple personality disorder who has been preying on girls in the Philadelphia area. After some visceral action Dunn and Crumb are captured and taken to a secret wing of a psychiatric hospital also housing Mister Glass(Jackson) – to be studied by Dr. Ellie Staple (Sarah Paulson), a psychiatrist obsessed with decoding the phenomenon of men who believe themselves to possess the powers of comic book characters.

Check out the trailer here:

This is an indie film (in partnership with Blumhouse)with no big studio backing it so there are budget constraints which Shyamalan could have overcome by running a tighter ship. Shyamalan manages to get close to poignant and memorable but the third act(rather threadbare) pulls you off that track all the way through. The twists don’t make much sense and in fact renders the entire work rather directionless.

The build-up is pretty good even though the action is all visual, internalised and verbose but the third and final act fails to make something out of that. The director and DP Michael Gioulakis manage to compose some fascinating and striking visual mayhem but it doesn’t amount to anything powerful. If you followed ‘Unbreakable’ and ‘Split’ then there is a chance that you might cotton on to Shyamalan’s wavelength but for a large part of the audience this is going to be a film without a strong sense of purpose.

James McAvoy is simply the best thing about this movie. His enthusiasm and effort in playing out multiple personalities is extraordinary. Jackson wakes up from his stupor a little late and loses out on creating an impact while Willis looks on strategically- the thing he does best I guess. This is at best a baffling and inconsistent exercise in cinema!

Also Read: James McAvoy on Glass co-star Bruce Willis: He is most chilled dude

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Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi
U/A: Biography
Director: Krishna Jagarlamudi, Kangana Ranaut
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Danny Denzongpa, Ankita Lokhande
Rating:

As a film, this might seem a bit too ultra-patriotic/nationalistic for the fact that it's set in the mid 1800s, when the idea of India itself wasn't as concrete, let alone the concept of "Swarajya" (used here often), which was first popularly coined by Lokmanya Tilak, only born in 1856. The film itself though, right in its opening disclaimer, washes its hands of any pretense towards complete, uncontestable historical accuracy, which is only for the better. Helps you view it as a fabulous legend/fable first.

Be that as it may, the fact that the Indian Revolt/Rebellion of 1857, that began with the Sepoy mutiny, with Mangal Pandey firing the first shot, is widely considered the First War of Indian Independence, among Indians, can't be denied either. At the centre of this piece though, with absolutely no other players even in the periphery, understandably, is Rani Lakshmibai, born Manikarnika, a bibliophile 'brahmin' girl, raised by the Peshwa as a warrior, who eventually takes over as the Queen of Jhansi (currently in Uttar Pradesh). Yes, this is a big-budget, wholly star-driven, action-packed, period picture. Except the star is female, which is rare enough. Even if you consider Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmaavat (or Padmavati), where Deepika Padukone played the eponymous character all right, but the film focused on Ranveer Singh as the antagonist Alauddin Khilji far more. Speaking of which, this is the sort of passion project that Bhansali, as master of magnificence (Padmaavat, Bajirao Mastani, Ram-Leela), has excelled in to a point that subsequently similar works, by most other craftsmen, are likely to somewhat pale in contrast. And so while the inspirations here are obvious, it might be unfair to compare still. This holds just as true for any allusion to SS Rajamouli's astoundingly massive Baahubali, given that the screenwriter (Vijayendra Prasad) is the same.

For, the story here has to be enjoyed for its own worth. It relates to a legend that pretty much remains unsurpassed in Indian history—of a woman, who lost her husband, the king, and her little son, the heir, giving way to the British to take over her kingdom, with help of locals (as they almost always did), and a 'doctrine of lapse', which applied to heirless princely states.

Instead of wallowing in widowhood, as per tradition, the Queen got on the white horse-back, and led a full-frontal attack against the mighty British, all by herself, holding fort until the point that she could, and then creating alliances, organizing her brigade, to go at the Brits all over again. Her valour is a common, modern metaphor. You see a fearless woman, and inevitably go: "Aa gayi Jhansi ki Rani!"

Frankly, as a public figure from Bombay films, I can't imagine anybody as naturally earning that sobriquet as Kangana Ranaut. Dainty but fierce, Ranaut plays Rani Lakshmibai with the ferocity that suits her character best. She leads the charge not just as an actor, but also as director, the baton she took over midway through the making of this film. One can't help but conjecture if there are really two separate movies here, given that two directors were helming it at different times.

Well, there are two huge battle sequences in the picture. And one could argue that the second one, the climax, in its tone and shot-taking, looks considerably different from the first. But then, that could just be me as audience noticing, because consciously searching. Either way, there is nothing to hugely fault this film on technical competence, and indeed the scale at which it's been mounted.

Watch Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi Trailer

The sets are grand. Extras, both Brits and desis, fill up the screen. War scenes look reasonably authentic. Mortal combats appear real. Riding through the artillery lined-up on either end is Manikarnika with her sword, the ultimate symbol of female power, from around the time that feminism as a word had only but been coined (in the West). It is an aspect that's thankfully quite dialed -down here. You can see it. You don't need to be incessantly told.

We've all read about Rani Lakshmibai in middle-school history. But we remember her best from the Allahabadi poet Subhadra Kumari Chauhan's long poem with the famous descriptor, 'Bundele har bole ki muh, humne suni kahani thi. Khoob ladi mardani, who toh Jhansi wali Rani thi.' A genuine, soul-stirring tribute to her phenomenal heroism can at best hope to come close to Chauhan's immortal lines. Yes, this one does.

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The Wife
Director: Bjorn Runge
Cast: Glenn Close, Jonathan Pryce, Christian Slater
Rating: 

The two lead performances are what make The Wife so special. In this unsettling drama - an adaptation of the 2003 Meg Wolitzer novel by Jane Anderson - Glenn Close plays Joan, the wife of a Nobel Prize-winning writer Joseph Castleman (Jonathan Pryce).

Directed by Bjorn Runge, The Wife opens in 1992 when Joe and Joan Castleman, in their Connecticut home, are trying to fall asleep when they get a call from the Nobel academy, informing them of the prize. It's their moment of triumph after 40 years of struggle with the written word, in which Joan, supposedly, has played a largely complementary role. Of course, there are flashbacks that hint at her own phenomenal ability to write prose, stifled by a marriage that demands she subjugate her talents to a life of reflected glory in a period (late '50s and early '60s), where women writers were not given the importance they command today.

There's no great suspense or mystery powering this tale of a breakdown that spirals into tragedy at the crowning moment of an author's accomplishments. In fact, Runge doesn't appear to be as interested in developing the suspense as he is in showcasing the unravelling of a suppressed human mind.

Close literally steals the thunder with her role as the devoted wife of a celebrated novelist. She is the keeper of his deepest, darkest secret; a stunningly nuanced expressionism that is more than likely to take your breath away. The restraint and modulation she brings to the role are simply phenomenal. It's a performance that is deservedly walking away with a slew of awards.

Pryce is no mean performer either. His role may not garner much sympathy, but his act complements that of Close so well that you begin to believe in their togetherness.

The Wife is a little compact and contrived, given its novel origins. The attempt to complicate matters for the Castlemans by showcasing their troubled relationship with their budding novelist son, David, seems passé. Also, Joan's seething frustrations don't seem completely justified, even whilst considering the period they take wings in. While the movie is not a great piece of work, the lead artistes definitely are worthy contenders for the awards.

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Luka Chuppi
U/A: Romance, comedy
Dir: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Kriti Sanon, Kartik Aaryan, Pankaj Tripathi
Ratings: 

If you ever needed a better proof of the fact that most 'star-actors' (especially the new-age ones) are inevitably over-rated, given that the success of their characters, or indeed their films, depends so much on the script: Well, here is one.

This picture stars Kartik Aaryan, lately anointed the rising star among millennials, largely on the back of three super-hit rom-coms in a row - Pyaar Ka Punchnama (2011), its sequel (2015), and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (2018) - by the same director (Luv Ranjan).

Social media, and of course the usual entertainment portals, have been fired up ever since, capturing his newly captive mass-base. He walks into a picture of a similar genre, with hardly a story, let alone a screenplay, and you can watch the same actor, looking dumbfounded, fumbling all over the frickin' place - much like his film.
Which is about a girl, with a stock-expression (Kriti Sanon), taking stock of her young-adult life. She isn't quite ready to get married. But doesn't mind being with the guy she's just about met. She decides to live-in. For? 20-odd days, pretending to be married, in another town - sounds like a long vacation to me!

Either way, it's a logical step for a modern couple to take. Not for the characters in this movie, who live in seriously moronic times. Local news channels have gone berserk over, "Desh mein naya system aaya hai" - referring to an epidemic called live-in relationships! Goons, with the heroine's dad lording over them, are at every nook and corner, whacking/harassing couples over an inescapable pandemic. A top Khan Bollywood superstar has been boycotted/trolled nationwide for moving in with his girlfriend!

The hero-heroine in this pic play news reporters - continuously covering this earth-shattering story. Those behind the writing of this ultra-filmy picture were obviously born in PVR/Fun Republic. What happens next? Honestly, absolutely nothing. Or rather nothing that you may like to know, since the couple is still very much together, and their families seem okay with them being so forever. Eh?

This is supposed to be a comedy, exploring a perceived taboo, set in small-town India. Which, as a movie, is just the reverse from a decade and half ago, when Bollywood films just had to be set abroad, in order to do well - think Salaam Namaste (2005), also about a couple (Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta) living in, but in Melbourne!

Writer Javed Akhtar, astute cultural observer, ascribes this shift towards small towns as a fairly settled, secure, migrant Indian middle-class finding solace in its roots or where it came from. Given a massive string of commercial successes, emanating from stories from Meerut, Agra, Kota, Lucknow, Kanpur and the like, a formula is bound to set in.

This picture is placed in Mathura and Gwalior. An ensemble cast of rustic faces, dressed down, attempt some semi-rural humour, with odd, local mannerisms, and 'horny uncle' sex jokes. There is mention of caste and religion for the realism.

In walks Pankaj Tripathi, giving you a glimpse of how a performer can still rise above poor material - but only that much. Forget the audience, just wondering why/how they managed to chipkao this non-script on an actor, who's seriously in top form right now. Anyhoo, that's probably another story.

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Milan Talkies
U/A: Drama romance
Dir: Tigmanshu Dhulia
Cast: Ali Fazal, Shraddha Srinath
Ratings: 

This film is so inherently inconsistent, uneven in its storytelling that you feel like rooting for it still, simply because of the scattered set-pieces full of humour and insights/mannerisms of a small town, north India that you encounter once in a while.

It's almost like spotting diamond among the roughs - whether that be the local uncle breaking into nostalgic songs after a few pegs of whisky, or the street goon, wannabe Vidhayak (legislator) - both being the same - desperate to test his skills as a Hindi film star.

We're referring to Uttar Pradesh in particular, and Allahabad (now Prayagraaj) to be more specific - effectively a land of bakchods (blabber-mouths), with tonnes of tashan (exhibition of bravado) dictating mofussil male lives.

I know this isn't as true anymore, but another aspect that has geographically remained common to Indian towns is the cinema hall (or talkies) as the all-important landmark (there are usually two or three max in a district), where both the rich and the poor, predominantly young, but also the old, merge for their movie entertainment, and other accoutrements that naturally surround it.

Check out the trailer here:

Milan Talkies, that the film is named after, is one such adda/theatre in Allahabad where a young dude spends most of his time in the projection room, aspiring to become a Mumbai filmmaker when he isn't shooting low-budget films with neighbourhood talents himself. One assumed this would be some sort of a version of Giuseppe Tornatore's Italian classic Cinema Paradiso (1988) - ultimate tribute to the movies.

Hell, no. This is a full-on, wannabe-classic romantic story about that boy, and the girl with an authoritarian dad, and the fact that they can't get together - even as the film doesn't care to explain exactly why. And the two are happy to elope - not once, but several times in a row, and oh my god, 'will they, won't they,' just go on, and frickin' on.

The film is directed by Allahabad boy Tigmanshu Dhulia (Paan Singh Tomar, Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster), who whether he likes it or not is probably better known for the dialogue, "Jab tak Hindustan mein saneema hai, log c****iye bante rahenge," that he delivered as an actor in Anurag Kashyap's iconic Gangs Of Wasseypur (2012). Such is how crisp dialogues (like tag-lines in ads) work on us anyway.

Whether this film itself is part-autobiographical or not, Dhulia got noticed as a filmmaker with his debut Haasil (2003) - at the time a rare, robust insider's account of his home-town, and campus politics in a north Indian small-town. Over the years, that script (or the premise, if you may) has been milked so much to death, that it's turned into a tiring genre of its own.

Ali Fazal (similarly seen as a UP ruffian in the Amazon Prime series, Mirzapur) plays the protagonist here - a role that I'm told has been through several replacements (Imran Khan, Shahid Kapoor, etc) in the past. Although at some portions he sounds/behaves a lot like Dhulia himself, Fazal is competent to the core (no doubt). As is the female lead (Shraddha Srinath), making her Hindi film debut.

The film itself though does little to the genre, besides deliberately revisit some old-world Bollywood cliches. Maybe there's some subversion (that I'm unable to see). Maybe a full-blown, big-screen romance hinges much on the scale, for effective suspension of belief, which is sadly missing. Either way, one suspects, much of this movie pretty much remains in the filmmaker's imagination/head. Rest of it, quite honestly, gave me a bit of a headache.

Also Read: Sonu Nigam's soulful voice in Shart from Milan Talkies will tug at your heartstrings

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U/A: Drama romance
Dir: Ritesh Batra
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra
Ratings: 

Ritesh Batra's The Lunchbox, achieved international success six years ago, and despite two international projects (one with Robert Redford and Jane Fonda) along the way, Batra comes home again, to his comfort zone. He has on offer here, a rather chaste story of kinship, bordering on romance between two acutely lonely souls. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

While the construct here is similar to The Lunchbox, it doesn't garner a matched significance because of the inherent familiarity in the set-up. This time around he takes on an unlikely pairing of opposites — Sanya Malhotra as Miloni, a CA foundation-course topper from a typically repressed middle class gujarati home, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Rafiq, an impoverished photographer, overburdened with familial responsibilities.

Romance for Batra is not about heavy emotion and carnality. It is a process of revealing your innermost fears without putting them into words for someone you can share them with. Both Rafiq and Miloni experience loneliness in varying degrees, and for diverse reasons. Rafiq is impoverished, shares his one-room tenement in a slum colony with fellow photography peddlers.

Check out the trailer here:

In comparison, Miloni is well-heeled; on her way to being considered successful in life. They come from different social strata, and if they spent time thinking about it, they would never have entertained the fanciful notion of getting together. It's a random connection at best, which is made further intriguing by the lie it gets embroiled in. Repressed emotions find an outlet for Miloni in this covertly rebellious action. For Rafiq, they become an aspirational pursuit bordering on hope.

Batra focuses his viewfinder on the warmth that develops between the two characters. It is quite clear that they are drawn to each other based on their individual needs. The timely play of Bollywood songs heightens the possibility of romance for a bit. Peter Raeburn's sweetly compelling score lends nuance to some of the quietly definite moments in the film.

The narrative is an assemblage of beautiful events shot with breath-taking lucidity — by cinematographers Tim Gillis and Ben Kutchins. Mumbai beckons hauntingly as the two central characters make this seemingly fleeting tryst last a lot longer than what seems possible in real life. Photograph is the emblematic representation of that connection we seek in these disconnected times. It speaks to us, but not as much in words as in the moments that warm our hearts.

Also Read: Ritesh Batra's Photograph gets a thumbs up from critic

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How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
U/A: Animation, Action, Adventure
Director: Dean DeBlois
Cast: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Rating: 

The much-awaited Hiccup and Toothless' return to the big screen may not be as scintillating and effortless as the first two editions but it's certainly no slouch in terms of form and technique. The cutesy appeal of the ameliorating animation craft adds to the poignancy developed on the unlikely pairing of a rare Night Fury dragon with a brave young Viking. This CG animated feature that finds its inspiration in Cressida Cowell's children's books, is as vividly artistic as its predecessors and culminates in an emotionally resonant finale that apparently puts the cap on any further sequels in the offing.

The storyline finds Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), Chieftain of the tribe, having taken over the title from his late father, Stoick (Gerard Butler) - alongside the fearless Astrid (America Ferrera) and his newly found mother Vulcan (Cate Blanchett), engaged in the noble pursuit of freeing caged dragons and bringing them to the Isle of Berk. But the villainous Grimmel (F, Murray Abraham) is hell-bent on destroying their new-found tranquillity – so the tribe agree to leave in search of their Hidden kingdom, with Grimmel hot-on-their-heels, in pursuit. Amidst this hullabaloo, enters a new pure white lioness known as the Light Fury and she catches Toothless eye, and they engage in a hide-n-seek courtship that forces Hiccup to reassess his own abilities and his relationship with his favourite dragon.

Check out the trailer of How To Train Your Dragon:

Returning director-screenwriter Dean DeBlois, with able help from visual consultant Roger Deakins, presents an opulent harvest of computer-generated visuals – exquisite in details, bathed in a light and shadow so dramatic as to look almost heavenly. The eye-pleasing look of the Light Fury, the mating dance sequence between Toothless and his new love, the flickering flames, the resplendent panoramic and scenic views from the skies are all rendered with an unerring artfulness that is simply splendid to behold. Forget the ennui borne from a repetitive and familiar plotting. This one has the power to give flight to your imagination!

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Dumbo
U/A: Family, Fantasy
Cast: Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 

Disney's attempt to lend more darkness and quirks to this live-action remake of its 1941 animated classic about a baby elephant whose ears double as wings, Dumbo, pays off with loads of cuteness but the director Tim Burton's signature strangeness is missing. Burton's craft is more simplistic here - even though the film is a sort of circus fantasia with all the aspects of an imagination running wild.

The owner of a struggling circus, Max Medici(Danny De Vito) enlists a man(Colin Farrell) and his two children to care for a new born elephant that can fly. Of course, the contretemps are not merely about a flying elephant but also about those opportunistic times when diabolical people sought to make their fortunes off the sweat of lesser mortals.

Check out the trailer here:

With Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito on the same page here, one would have expected something more whimsical and intriguing but this production doesn't quite fit the bill. Burton's attempts to stuff up the visuals with a surrounding darkness doesn't set flight to the imagination. Ehren Kruger's screenplay is inconsistent and chaotic. Character development is uneven so even the leads don't come across as engaging. Burton's attempts to give vein to the freakish performer doesn't have much impact because the plotting is quite wayward. Even the presence of snake charmer Pramesh Singh (Roshan Seth) and the resident circus "mermaid," Miss Atlantis (Sharon Rooney), who strums a ukulele by the fireside and sings "Baby Mine," feels out of place in this extravaganza that lacks connect and soul!

Also Read: Disney's 'Dumbo' will take you to new heights

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