Malavika’s Mumbaistan: Rooting For Miss Mudgal

We were among the first to report that the publishing world was eagerly awaiting the launch of noted classical music singer Shubha Mudgal’s first book, a collection

We were among the first to report that the publishing world was eagerly awaiting the launch of noted classical music singer Shubha Mudgal’s first book, a collection of short stories titled, ‘Looking for Miss Sargam: Stories of Music and Misadventure’ (Speaking Tiger) a few weeks ago. Well, we are delighted to say that not only have we finished the book, but we read it all in one sitting, cover-to-cover as it were. And the verdict? Not only does it live up to expectation, but surpasses it. With a wicked sense of humour, an impressive power of observation and a natural story-teller’s flair, Mudgal, one the country’s most renowned exponents of Khayal, Thumri and Dadra, effortlessly lays bare the behind-the-scenes machinations and the under-the-radar foibles and flaws of some of the music world’s most famous personalities. From pompous ustads, to wily media executives, to self-serving Sufi singers and unscrupulous DJs, Mudgal impales them all with her pen, affording readers with an inside track on the universe of classical music and its denizens, with often brutal honesty, but also with a warmth and sense of mischief which never comes across as malicious. The only other author-singer to have captured the same subject as brilliantly was the late Sheila Dhar, wife of the late PN Dhar, an advisor to Indira Gandhi, whose offerings Raga’n Josh, Tales of Innocents and Musicians and Bureaucrats offered the same depth of knowledge and light touch. Incidentally, Mudgal’s title is a joke on the reader. The mythical Miss Sargam makes many appearances throughout the book, always enigmatic and alluring. But you have to read the seven stories to get to know why!

Shubha Mudgal

Chef’s To the Rescue

Dharshan Munidasa

With Sri Lanka’s tourism industry still reeling from the devastation caused by the Easter bombings in April, the country has been forced to take measures such as scrapping the visa fee in order to attract inbound visitors. Now, word comes in that Sri Lankan culinary giants are doing their bit to help the country too. This week, the half-Japanese half-Sri Lankan chef Dharshan Munidasa, chef patron of Colombo’s famous Ministry of Crab (which incidentally has received a lukewarm response in Mumbai, despite all the hype), chef Rishi Naleendra, Sri Lanka’s first chef to win a Michelin star for his restaurant Cheek By Jowl in Singapore and Peter Kuruvita, the famous half-Australian and half-Sri Lankan chef known for his TV appearances, will come together for a ‘6 hand 6 course’ charity dinner, set to take place at Colombo’s Shangri La hotel, which had been the site of one of the bombings.

Rishi Naleendra

“We are working with Sri Lanka Unites and are raising funds in aid of the children who lost their parents in the Easter Sunday attacks. Proceeds go towards 50 children’s savings accounts created by SL Unites,” shared the beatific Munidasa, about the initiative.

WTSWTM
What They Say
“Vicky was actually recovering from dengue and drinking hot water with lemon. My mother, 5 minutes before this video, was sitting with us.”
-Karan Johar busting the “drug party” allegations

What They Mean
“Mere pas Maa hain.”

Here’s Watching You

Gerson da Cunha (HT Photo)

Next week, Mumbai’s theatre lovers are in for a treat when one of the winners of Theatre Group’s Sultan Padamsee Playwriting Awards ‘Watching You’ will be presented as a reading, starring some of the biggest names in the business: Gerson da Cunha, Sabira Merchant and Cyrus Broacha amongst others. The play, written by the UK-based Indo-Austrian Bettina Gracias, who has had 11 plays produced by the BBC, the highlight of the project is that it is being directed by noted ad film director Ayesha (Pooh) Sayani, niece of the late Alyque Padamsee and daughter of actor and radio personality, the late Hamid Sayani, elder brother of Ameen Sayani, whose debut directorial effort it is. “Except for directing plays in school and college, I have been directing advertising films,” said Sayani, when we spoke yesterday. “It was Alyque who kept encouraging me to get back to theatre. It is what our family is known for. So, when Literature Live which is presenting the show, suggested that we do a play reading, I jumped at the opportunity,” she said. And what can audiences expect we, asked Sayani (once aptly described by an admirer as “theatre aristocracy”).

“Hopefully, a rollicking good time,” came her prompt response. So next week, a swathe of some of theatre’s best and brightest will be found at the NCPA’s Godrej theatre for the reading of ‘Watching You’.

As they say, be there or be square.