Mumbai Diary: Sunday Dossier

I Believe I Can Fly

A daredevil cyclist enjoys his time out in the open at Gateway Of India. Pic/Bipin Kokate

A song for your scars

The lockdown may have pulled the plug on concerts, but that's not stopping artistes from creating new music. National Award-winning singer Shashaa Tirupati has collaborated with city-based music producer Sid Paul for an upcoming song titled, Siyaahii. The video has been shot in Vancouver and Assam. "Sid has given the song a British pop feel, something we haven't heard in a while," she says. The romantic track, written and composed by Tirupati, is about emotional scars that take time to heal. "We're all a little damaged, and Siyaahii talks about fixing those scars through care, sacrifice, and affection." The video releases on September 15.

Rockstar grandpa

German Ambassador to India, Walter Lindner, has graduated from being a rockstar dad to a rockstar granddad. The 63-year-old musician-diplomat made a quick trip from Delhi to his home in Berlin to meet his daughter, who surprised him with the news. "Semi normality in Berlin was great after those very intense six months in India—evacuation of 5,000 stranded tourists, and keeping the Embassy colleagues in high spirits during the lockdown. But, I have a great team. Leaving Delhi for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic felt good. It was great to see my daughter and hear that I'll become grandfather by March. This is a picture I took with her when she told me that I would be a grandpa, with a stork—who brings babies to us," he tells this diarist.

Yes, David Frith literally ate his words!

Cricket writer David Frith with his book Pageant of Cricket, released in 1987. Pic/Getty Images

Cricket pundits are often inundated with requests on WhatsApp from lovers of the willow game to identify certain players in old photographs or comment on issues. The latest example comes in the form of a photograph in which David Frith, the then editor of Wisden Cricket Monthly, is literally eating his words in a press box after India won the 1983 World Cup.

Frith, once an influential journalist and author of several books, wrote before the third edition of the Prudential World Cup that India should withdraw from the tournament. He based his assessment on India's poor show in the previous two editions. Before the 1983 tournament kicked off, India had only beaten East Africa in World Cup games.

They beat the mighty West Indies first up at Manchester and went on to beat reputed sides like Australia, England and again West Indies in the final.

Enraged by Frith's comments, PR 'Peter' Mansingh, the well-read manager of Kapil Dev's glory-clinching team, wrote a letter to Frith urging him to, "be a good sport and swallow the lousy paragraph you wrote."

Frith was happy to oblige and Patrick Eagar, the illustrious photographer was there to record the words-eating event.

P.S. Copyright issues don't permit us to use the photograph.

An ode to LGBTQIA+ love

Ma Faiza and Sushant Divgikar

Today marks two years to the day India awoke to the freedom to love, when Article 377 of the Indian Penal Code was struck down by a five-bench judge of the Supreme Court. Although homosexuality is no longer criminalised by the law, there is a long way to go before social equality is realised for the LGBTQIA+ community. The MTV Beats Love Duet, a queer music album which goes beyond 'boy-girl' ka pyaar, takes a bold and brave step in that direction. Popular safe haven and party adda for the rainbow community, Kitty Su, has roped in names, big and small, from across the queer spectrum to make the album happen. You will hear the likes of Sushant Divgikar, Shubhangi, Rushik Thakkar and Prachi vocalising to music produced by Ma Faiza and Rtunjya. Speaking about the album, Divigikar said, "This album has allowed me to work with people I look up to, like Ma Faiza, and upcoming artistes I want to support. The songs capture the essence of queer love and advocates equality by
talking about love."

An American-desi e-engagement

TV presenter and content creator Gunjan Saini, aka Goofwoman, recently announced her "e-engagement" to American boyfriend, John, on social media. When this diarist reached out to Saini, she shared how the e-ceremony had been a surreal one, with both their families learning new things about their cultures. "John and I have been dating for the last three years, and unfortunately, due to the pandemic, we last met in January. He is currently in Utah, while I am in Agra. We thought why not just get engaged online," she said. The ceremony, says Saini, took place on August 31, at 7.30 am IST. "We wanted it to be a reflection of both our cultures. So, we combined elements of roka as well as a Western ceremony."

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