Malavika’s Column: Autographs, Lost and Found

Akhtar, who was called Jadoo at home, being precociously interested in reading and writing, was a consummate autograph collector.

The consummate story-teller that he is, Javed Akhtar makes the subject of a few lost and found autograph books as delightful as the recitation of one of his lyrical poems. Most of those growing up in pre-lib India will recognise how collecting the autographs of their mates, as well as their icons, had held generations of Indians in their thrall; Akhtar, who was called Jadoo at home, being precociously interested in reading and writing, was a consummate autograph collector. Between nine and 14, he had collected autographs of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Ashok and Kishore Kumar, Madhubala, Rahi Masoom Raza, Geeta Dutt, Sahir Ludhianvi and Kaifi Azmi (whose daughter Shabana he’d married years later), amongst many others.

Javed Akhtar (HT File)

Some of Javed Akhtar’s autograph books.

Alas, this rich haul got left behind and forgotten, once Javed came to Mumbai and joined the industry. But here’s where the story takes a turn. “A few years ago, an unknown man came to me with a page of my autograph book and said, ‘I can give you your autograph books and I have brought this page for you to believe me that I have the books, but you will have to pay me ₹25,000 for them’,” he narrates, his eyes flashing. As Akhtar tells it, he didn’t like the man or his demand. “If he had presented them to me, perhaps I might have even given him ₹50, 000 for reuniting me with my childhood. But I said no and forgot about it,” he says.

Prestigious Art Outing

‘Introspection’ by Michelle Poonawalla.

This week will see Michelle Poonawalla participate in the START Art Fair (2019) at London’s Saatchi Gallery, with her multimedia installation ‘Introspection’, which was first exhibited at the Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2018 and then at Alserkal Avenue, Dubai, during Art Week Dubai this March.

“She will also take part in a panel discussion with Rory Blain, director of Sedition, a platform that promotes limited edition art and a big name in the world of art, along with Rory Hyde, the curator of the Victoria and Albert Museum — a huge feat for any Indian artist. The event will take place on September 26,” says a spokesperson for the artist.

The panel discussion will be on ‘Art & Digital Technology: Practitioners at the Frontier; how are artists, curators, galleries and institutions adopting digital technology into their practices? What are the opportunities and challenges being created and where are we going’.

Bolly Wow

Saudamini Mattu, Iman Allana, Sandeep Khosla and Gauri Khan

Word comes in that young entrepreneur and founder of beauty label Bollyglow, Iman Allana, celebrated the first anniversary of her company with the launch party of her new office space in Mumbai yesterday. The company is said to be the “world’s first beauty and wellness brand inspired by Bollywood” and we are informed that the office will double up as a beauty studio. Allana, daughter of Dubai-based couple Irfan and Lubna Allana of the billion dollar Allana Group, roped in Gauri Khan to design the space, which is said to be “Instagram-friendly” and will cater to the millennial generation. Spotted at the launch event were fashion designers Sandeep Khosla and niece Saudamini Mattu; Rashmi Thackeray; and Sunita Kapoor amongst others.

Of Barsatis and Goats

Gilbert the Literary Goat

By our reckoning, his friend Veena Devaya’s congratulatory post on his recently published ‘The Anarchy’ making it to no. 1 in India and no. 4 on The Time’s bestseller list couldn’t be more apt.

“Congratulations! Gilbert has gone literate and reading The Anarchy!” said the Oz-based fashionista and aesthete to author William Dalrymple, who, on his Facebook timeline identifies himself with goats and pigeons and raises both at his Mehrauli farmhouse.

Devaya had met the author when he’d been a journalist and was researching and writing ‘City of Djinns’ while living in a barsati (a single room residence on the terrace of a bungalow, ideal for young, creative types) in Delhi’s Golf Links with wife Olivia, not too far from her own barsati.

His astonishing feat of producing bestselling and critically-acclaimed books in rapid succession regardless, we asked Devaya if the prolific writer had exhibited any signs of his “goat fetish” in the early days when she’d first met him.

“(It) came about after his renown; more money and living on a farmhouse in Mehrauli!” she said.

Incidentally, though owning a farm house with flocks of winged and hoofed friends might sound glam, it is the Delhi barsati that is infinitely more so. “Living in a barsati is one of the cheapest forms of residence in New Delhi (or was),” said Devaya, adding, “Unlike the West, where it is (considered) THE penthouse.”

The Dalrymples and Devaya had formed a colourful community along with the likes of the late author and filmmaker Pamela Rooks in this preference of residential accommodation.

“Nope, no place to raise goats in barsatis,” laughed Devaya. So she’d sent this virtual one to her celebrated old friend – to get his goat we presume.