Just eat it

Creativity is finding support from unexpected quarters restaurants. Sunday MiD DAY profiles restaurateurs who are giving a platform to artists who need to showcase their talent

Creativity is finding support from unexpected quarters restaurants. Sunday MiD DAY profiles restaurateurs who are giving a platform to artists who need to showcase their talent

WHEN the word artist is uttered, most would picture a bunch of unwashed guys who take their art too seriously, dissing corporates, while smoking and patting each other's back for work the public has not seen or heard. And where would they do this? At a shabbily lit 'joint' with smelly glasses, horrible food and crabby music. Right? Think again. The hippest restaurateurs are giving artistes from various arts a platform to showcase their talent and connect with like-minded people. As recently as two weeks ago, Kabir Ali opened Cactus Cafu00e9 in Lokhandwala to support independent artistes.

Kabir Ali, thrid from left, owner of Cactus Cafe with members of Hindustan Vigilante, an independent fimmakers movement, and Kabir's sister Niki seated to his left pic/Suresh K K

Kabir's enthusiasm is evident when you walk in and he immediately sits you down and gives you the 411 on his new cafu00e9 all while hopping around in his green keds and gesturing wildly.

Kabir is an independent filmmaker who has received grants from City TV and CHUM to make short films. He also acts, edits and produces independent films. His idea behind Cactus Cafu00e9 was, "To have place that unites independent artistes and helps them be discovered and connect with other artistes." He says Cactus Cafu00e9 is not about being better than another coffee shop. "The demographic is more Indian. There are places that do not cater to the demographic of writers, musicians."

He, along with a group of independent filmmakers who call themselves Hindustan Vigilante Tina Mukerji, Arjun Mukerji and Richard Mehta. plan to form a film club and screen movies at the cafu00e9. After the screening a constructive discussion about the movie would take place.

Kabir wants people who are just interested in the film and not "how hot that girl was looking," he says disapprovingly. He also plans a webpage that would have an advisory board of sorts, which would recommend films.

Richard believes that the group came together through divine intervention. About the cafu00e9 he says, "There are so many cafes that are passu00e9." He hopes that through the cafu00e9 those in the field of independent filmmaking can get in touch with each other, "Let them come to us with their scripts and we will forward them to filmmakers." He says that even people in the film industry wish to break out and do independent work, but can't seem to because of the current situation. To which Kabir adds, "I don't care about recession. This is not a place that will shut down in a few months."

(Colockwise from top left) Matan Schabracq outside Zenzi PIC/RANE ASHISH; Riyaz Amlani pic/ Atul Kamble; Band Shor Bazaar performing on WindSong Wednesdays at Il Terrazzo; artistes performing at Zenzi

They are giving space not only to filmmakers but other artistes too. Kabir says that they already have a cartoonist and a storyboard artist on board. And if you are good, he will even put up your work on the walls of the cafu00e9 or clear a space and let you set up your band.

Don't fret if you are not the artistic type, the place is open to all those who love entertainment. Their coffee has a rich flavour, the fish fingers are soft and delicious and the chicken wings are greasy to perfection. The cafu00e9 serves organically grown food and are huge on the green revolution.

The name Cactus Cafu00e9 also derives inspiration from nature. Kabir says, "There is a relationship between the purpose and the name. The cactus grows in the desert isolated and yet it still survives. It gives out oxygen that helps us breathe. This place lets you breathe and be your creative self. And it also has a nice ring to it. Like, 'Bro! Where are you going?' 'I'm off to Cactus Cafu00e9'."

For details contact: 40165329

Matan Schabracq of Zenzi

If you are lost in Bandra and call up a friend for directions, they will invariably say, "Take a left/right from Zenzi." The restaurant cum bar has become more than a landmark to find directions. It is also a landmark for artistic work. Co-owner Matan Schabracq clears the air, though. "Let's get one thing straight," he says, "Zenzi is a restaurant and bar not a gallery. We are trying to create a platform for artistes."

Accordingly they give space to artistes across art forms and genres. So, you can find installation art, sculptures, paintings, photos, poets reading their work and DJs spinning electro minimal music. While choosing an artist or a performer, Matan prefers raw talent to an established name. His logic is, "Why would you go to a place to see the same thing?" Most of the stuff up at Zenzi is what Matan says he himself would like to see.

Having artists as relatives also helped him develop an artistic sensibility. "It is something you grow up with and get from home," Matan believes that since they are not bound by any profits, their cause is purer.

But a significant number of artists who began at Zenzi have gone on to make it big. "Shaa'ir + Func first performed here. Of course Randolph was already big with Pentagram. Harun Robert who started off at Zenzi now hosts a show on Pogo." (In the show, Robert makes craft articles.)u00a0

Matan says that art should not to be put up only in stuffy galleries where art students or the elite club visit, but should be accessible to everyone. There is another reason artistes find space at Zenzi, "In a city like Mumbai we have hectic jobs, art provides an escape. Be it poetry, literature or art."

For details contact: 66430670

Aditya Kilachand

Aditya Kilachand of Tetsuma

If you have had it with the usual fair of Chinese or Italian cuisine, Tetsuma in Colaba offers you a great choice in Japanese food. Sushi anyone? Aditya Kilachand, co-owner of Tetsuma says, "It's the only stand-alone new age Japanese cuisine restro-bar in South Bombay."u00a0

The entire bar section of the restaurant doubles up on Thursday night as Palette Night, a venue for artists to show their work. There are no restrictions as to what art form the artiste belongs to. The bar at Tetsuma has seen jewellery designers, poets, musicians and artists showcase their works. The artist can also invite 50 of their friends and family for wine and snacks, all on the house!

On the purpose of Palette Night, Aditya says, "Palette Nights promote the arts and different kinds of cultural activities. It is a good stepping stone for upcoming artistes."

He says this is also an attempt to expand their clientele. "Over the weekend I have regulars coming to the bar. But on Thursdays we hope to attract an eclectic mix of people. We are trying to project art, socialising and networking."

For details contact: 22876578

Riyaz Amlani of Mocha and Il Terrazzo
After a hard day's work or a long day of presentations at college, most have skipped across to Mocha for a hooka, coffee and panini. The place with its divans and antique looking interiors has more to offer, though. It offers a great space for like-mined creative individuals to come together, bounce off ideas and further their craft. Says Riyaz Amlani, owner of Mocha, "Mocha tends to be a community place. People go there to be with someone. There are two communities we target geographic community (South Bombay, Bandra, Juhu) and another is a community of like-mined people."

Accordingly, artists can put up their works for a month and opportunities are given to performance artistes as well. "There is also a strong customer connect. We share a common passion for a few things," says Riyaz.

A major part of this endeavour is the film club. Riyaz says, "Short film filmmakers do not have a huge budget. A short film ranges from one to 30 minutes and our conventional values do not allow such short films to be screened in big cinemas. These filmmakers spend a year making their films, yet there is no real space (for them to screen it)." So the members of the film club choose to invite a particular filmmaker to screen their movie and then a discussion takes place. The man responsible for the film club has gone on to make unconventional Bollywood cinema. The Mocha film club was started six years ago by Anurag Kashyap.

WindSong Wednesdays at Il Terrazzo, Juhu, is another attempt by Riyaz to bring to the forefront great artistes.
As the name suggests, singers or bands perform their original works on Wednesdays. You do not have to be famous; as long as you have talent, you have a Wednesday at Il Terrazzo. Il Terrazzo has seen performances by Model Yana Gupta, Shibani Kashyap and Anushka Manchanda. Riyaz says, "WindSong Wednesdays promote original talent. Musicians perform original songs for people who are willing to listen to not so mainstream music."

For details contact: 26184040