What’s a party without a bit of Bollywood dancing? Last week saw the city’s heavyweights attend the 180th anniversary of the US Consulate General in Mumbai, hosted by US Consul General Edgard Kagan and Namaste America president Atul Nishar, which was witness to much joy and a shaking of leg on the Consulate grounds in BKC. It was to mark US President Martin Van Buren sending the first American Consul, Philemon S. Parker, to what was then Bombay 180 years ago. The highlight of the evening was of course the energetic performance by Bollywood’s favourite choreographer Shiamak Davar and members of his Victory Arts Foundation, which gives a platform to the differently-abled and underprivileged. The participation of Davar’s former student, actor Ishaan Khatter, was the cherry on the cake. Co-hosted by Nayan Patel and Niraj Bajaj, seen at the event were Minal Bajaj, Cynthia Gire (wife of Consul General Edgard Kagan, who’d served as a high-level officer in the White House during Obama’s tenure), Rajyalakshmi and Dr Vijay Papa Rao Meka, Nafisa and Habil Khorakiwala, Nadir Godrej, Piloo Tata, Urvi Piramal and Kalpana Singhania, amongst others.

Shashi Bansal and Mrs Davar

But the lady who stole the show is said to have been Davar’s elegant mother who, at a sprightly 97, could put many a younger person to shame with her energy and vitality. Here she is in this picture with another evergreen mum, Shashi Bansal, the St Xavier’s College and TIFR alumnus, who happens to be Nisha JamVwal’s mother, whose frequent presence at the city’s high-profile social events is a welcome development.

True Lies

Wow. This attractive singer-actress-painter sure is feisty. Time and again her social media posts feature her thoughts on the burning issues of the day, not flinching from naming big names, and often expressing views that run against the grain of what is considered the politically-correct consensus, regardless of the consequences. But recently, when she alleged that a big-ticket politician from a powerful regional clan was involved in the mysterious ‘disappearance’ of a high-profile bizman and went on to reveal that she’d picked the information up from none other than what she alleged was his girlfriend (he’s a ‘happily’ married man for all practical purposes), she sure set the cat among the pigeons. What’s more, she followed this up with a candid photograph of the alleged GF (who she referred to as her ‘friend’) in a following post and to spark this bonfire of vanities, tagged both the politician and the GF for good measure! If we hear what the response to this ‘outing’ from the two paramours has been (the politico is known for his irascibility and hot temper), we’ll let you know. Till then, her friends (and well-wishers) are holding their breath…

Overheard

‘I’ve never bought a Karl Lagerfeld product. I don’t even know what he was famous for apart from the fact that he was a fashion designer. I certainly didn’t know him personally. But since I am a vacuous urban Indian, I am expected to post or like posts mourning his passing away? And oh for the beer drinkers who are sad coz they think he invented Lager, relax, he didn’t patent it.’

–Sports entrepreneur Harish Thawani’s comment on the current social media RIP syndrome.

Well-deserved Celebration

Apurva Menaka and Sid Pil then

Who cannot rejoice at the celebration of true love? This week saw noted film writer, the Goa-based Apurva Menaka nee Asrani (he recently took on his mother’s name in tribute to her) share his exuberance over the 12th year anniversary of his relationship with his partner, the music curator and sitarist Sid Pil. “Twelve years ago today, we held hands and decided to travel some distance together. We promised that there would be no promises of a lifetime together. And yet, here we are, 12 years later, co-travellers on this spectacular journey called life,” said the editor of such award-winning films as Satya and Shahid, and the writer of the haunting Aligarh. “Over the years, we learned that respect was more important than giddy-headed love; that companionship was more important than passionate yearnings; that freedom was more important than ‘owning’ the other; and that a friendship was more valuable than any marriage could be.”

Apurva Menaka and Sid Pil now.

The two had met on a friend’s Orkut wall (how new-age can one get?) and have been together, through thick and thin, something that the talented writer commented on with gentle humour: “When we look at our pictures, we have in 12 years been fat, thin, muscular, ordinary, sick, healthy, lost hair, gained beards...but when we look at each other in person, none of the changes are visible. We just see the same spirits that aligned in the Summer of 2007, in spite of the law and society telling us that we shouldn’t.” Of course, this anniversary was made much more special by the fact that it was the couple’s first since the abolition of Section 377 which had criminalised homosexuality. “Happy 12th Anniversary Sid Pil 💗. This will be our first as non-criminals and legit members of civil society. What a great anniversary present,” he posted poignantly, driving home the fact that behind such a path-breaking legislation, there are human hearts and souls who can finally live with the freedom and dignity that most others take for granted.

First Published: Feb 21, 2019 00:39 IST