Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

Pic/Shadab Khan

Is it me you are looking for?

Vicky Kaushal and his fans pose among mannequins outside a director's studio in Khar on Thursday. Pic/Shadab Khan

Naezy is singing a new tune

There's reason why Naezy has a spring in his step these days. It was in 2015 that the hip-hop musician had his breakthrough year, with the smash-hit track, Mere gully mein. After that, he went under the radar for a while.

That changed with the release of Gully Boy last year. Naezy was back in the game. And now, he has just released his debut album, Maghreb, which deals with not just his life on the streets, but also the themes of love and camaraderie. The album was launched at a listening session at a BKC co-working space earlier this week. And guess what? Naezy also offered a teaser, of a brand new venture he is partner in.

Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

It's an F&B project called Badmaash Biryani that he will launch in about a month. The tag line is a cheeky, "Time pe aayega." Revealing more about his new business, Naezy told this diarist, "We are going to serve many different kinds of biryani, each with a name related to my brand, and Bombay slang. The different varieties include South Indian versions with both chicken and mutton. It is going to be affordable, though the taste will be exceptional." Sounds good, but as for that last claim, we will give the dish a shot before confirmation.

Taking a stand

The anti-CAA and NRC protests aren't confined to the youth, or even to the streets for that matter. A post by Ruben Mascarenhas, national joint secretary, AAP, on what he spotted outside Mahim's St Michael's Church, seems to have gone viral.

The message on the board reads, 'JNU Jesus Necessitates Unity'. While several others took to sharing the same image, Twitteratti pointed out that this isn't the first time this parish has made a political comment with it. It did so in a similar tongue-in-cheek manner during the implementation of GST and in support of Aarey's forests, too.

Desi tourists prefer hostels

Do you pick a hotel when you travel or a traveller's hostel? According to a survey by a booking aggregator, Indian travellers are increasingly looking for hostels while on holiday. As many as 56 per cent as opposed to the 33 per cent worldwide like to include a hostel as a stay option while travelling.

Some of the most frequently searched hostel locations around the world include Barcelona, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Prague and London. Another interesting statistic revealed that Mumbai is among the most searched-for cities, when it comes to hostels in India.

When Ustad jammed with the boys

The inauguration of the second Citi-CSMVS Museum on Wheels (MoW) bus took place on Wednesday evening. The vehicle is titled In Tune: The Journey from Sound to Music, with a focus on Indian classical music and Ustad Zakir Hussain inaugurated it.

Dharavi Reloaded, a group of young musicians from Dharavi improvised percussion with Ustad Zakir Hussain The maestro played a set with them on a membranophone (in pic) smaller than his usual one, the tabla. He also loved the MoW bus, and started playing the tabla showcased in the exhibit as well as the interactive digital one, developed by Bangalore's Indian Music Experience.

Look who got hitched!

One of the cutest chefs in town just got taken. Chef Boo Kim, known for the scrumptious fare he whips up at Dirty Buns and Bastian, got hitched yesterday to Mumbai-based bassist Naina Kundu, who has played with Gino Banks and American jazz keyboard player Scott Kinsey.

The relatively low-key [at least on social media since Kundu doesn't seem to be on Instagram] affair had the chef upload a story with his blushing bride, him in a blue blazer and her in a delicate white dress. Here's wishing the newly-weds a happily ever after.

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