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Bollywood baby birthday bashes
Have you ever been to a 1st birthday party? In Bombay, particularly when there is a link to the film industry, these seem to be very much ADULT parties!
My 1st introduction to what I’ll call the “1st birthday phenomenon” was years ago at the Spastic Society (now known as ADAPT – Able Disabled All People Together) in Bandra Reclamation.
The father was the director of the film Leela and it was his pride and joy’s birthday! Was the little guy to be seen? Well… he did make a sleepy appearance for a short while but then retired. Which was perfectly fine because this was very much an adult bash – brilliant fun full of all sorts of interesting characters.
Fast forward more than a decade later and I popped into another 1st birthday celebration in Bandra during my ‘bonus time.‘ Bereft of my partner who was busy with a film shoot in Goa, I landed up by my lonesome wondering what to expect.
Cake cut, signal for “adult” time!
The princess of the evening did an admirable job of smiling, chortling, being oohed and aahed at, tossed giggling into the air. In the earlier part of the evening there were puppets, games and other activities for the little ones. However after the cake, the mood clearly shifted from being a “general” admission party to time “parental guidance” at a minimum… it was clearly time for the adults to pick up the pace and strut their stuff.
Shots made the rounds along with the snacks, casting agents rubbed shoulders with actors, much merry industry networking took place. Now… lest I sound cynical, the parents of the enchanting birthday belle are truly lovely people and fully appreciated the irony that their gal wouldn’t remember her 1st birthday at all.
The adults clearly enjoyed the babes bash! And I’ll admit, I was no exception…
With Irrfan Khan, one of the many adult celebrants!
No these weren’t wild nights of debauchery however both were parties as much (or more) for the full-grown celebrants rather than the tiny tots.
Have you been to any “adult” baby birthday’s lately – Bollywood linked or otherwise? Or is this phenomenon unique to Bombay?
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Feasting in Matunga – Experience Udipi Indulgence
So… what did I do with my “Bonus time in Bombay“? Lots of things! For starters, finally made it to Ram Nayak – a favourite udipi joint to stuff myself silly on yummy South Indian vegetarian fare.
For literally years I’ve wanted to go back – a treat usually reserved for foreign guests who want a ‘real taste’ of food here. I shared this desire with more than one friend and finally last weekend a bunch of us decided “Yes let’s!” More miraculously – actually followed through on our enthusiasm – full credit to our ring leader not I!
Why is this place so memorable? (more…)
Improbable Efficiency – The Lunchbox Love Story (take 2!)
I’m just so darn proud “The Lunchbox” did well in the festival circuit and opened this week in India (with global domination around the corner!). And while “The Lunchbox” was passed over for the Indian Oscar entry, delighted it is finally reaching audiences. Congratulations to Ritesh’s deft writing & directing and the entire cast & crew that made it happen.
So here goes a repeat of my earlier post published 21 May 2013 – with ‘extra bonus’ movie trailer and image!
Photo: The Lunchbox FaceBook page
Improbable Efficiency – A Dabba Love Story (more…)
Bonus time in Bombay – Jakarta I’ll be back again soon!
Today I was supposed to be in transit to Jakarta… but I’m instead waking up in Bombay. What happened? Did I miss my flight? Was there some major life tragedy that derailed everything? Nope! Just a simple delay in the launch date for the project which means more time home rather than away. (more…)
“Can you drop the Indian accent?” – Accents and voice overs
Recently, I did a voice over in Jakarta for an ad pitch. They were looking for a middle-aged woman with a North American accent who could speak with warmth, like a mother to her growing child. Now…
Where the deed was done!
- I’m indeed a ‘native’ English speaker
- I’m certainly from North America (yes the Canadian prairies count!)
- I’m quite happily in my 40s so the right ‘age’ (more or less)
However… I don’t exactly have what you would call a typical ‘Canadian’ accent any more. Truth be told after a decade plus in India, it has more than just a tinge of an Indian lilt.
So given just how Indianized my accent has become, it was no surprise that my friend who arranged the voice recording begged me “Can you please drop your Indian accent?”
Apparently I succeeded in reclaiming my ‘home and native land’ accent. We were able to ‘nail’ the recording in only 5 takes – including options for the client to consider.
Now I’m not a professional at doing voice recordings, so it was an amusing experience however it did prompt me to think about how our accents adapt to our environment. (more…)
Home remedies – sick chick soup!
I lost the battle! A nasty cold was ready to pounce even before I left Monday for Bangkok. A couple plane rides, killer air conditioning and sleep deprived day or two later, I returned home well and truly sick. Naturally as I’m a generous sort – my partner also is blessed with sniffles and cough.
With only three sleeps to go before our big Canada trip, we knew we needed to up our ‘home remedy’ game. So in addition to the tried and true (list below), I also made a couple of soups. By Sunday, it was full-on comfort food craving time. Rummaged around the fridge and found carrots and ginger – and voila! A savoury Sunday soup for a ‘sick chick’! (more…)
Coffee Conundrum – Wants vs Needs
Swapping stories over a leisurely lunch with a delightful young German writer and actress, our coffee conversation took an interesting turn. We originally met at the wrap-up party for a film (see Dabba) that our partners worked on. Between the cocktails and canapés, found kindred spirits. We both have adopted India as our home and made deliberate choices in our lives which may be considered a bit unconventional.
Aah! Coffee! (Photo: Carissa Hickling)
Sipping our cappuccinos, she shared that once she stopped expecting to ‘plan’ as she would in Europe or confuse what she ‘wanted’ with what she ‘needed’, discovered that all her real ‘needs’ are fulfilled – often in unexpected and wonderful ways.
Monsoon soup – What to make when the rain won’t stop!
While I do enjoy the monsoon, it does put a bit of a damper on getting out and about. Even prowling around the market for fresh veggies seems an effort. So when the mood to cook hit and rains didn’t abate, decided to make a soup with whatever was handy in the kitchen.
Must say, the results were so yummy, just had to share! (more…)
The Business of Socializing
Social gatherings bring business + pleasure?
While much is written about the business of business cards, culturally appropriate ways of exchanging in a formal business context, the lines between professional and personal interactions often blur in Bombay. Perhaps it is because Bombay is the capital of both film and finance in India – a beacon to hopefuls with dreams of fame and fortune – be it in Bollywood or banks.
Improbable Efficiency – A Dabba Love Story
Dabba or tiffin (Photo: Carissa Hickling)
I recently saw a new film “The Lunchbox” or “Dabba” by Ritesh Batra starring Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur. It was a private preview screening for cast, crew, family and friends before the official world premier in Cannes this weekend. My interest was a chance to see my partner on-screen – playing the role of Irrfan’s boss. Irrfan’s character Saajan Fernandez is a taciturn claims officer in a public insurance company, about to retire after 35 years of service. Nimrat plays Ila, a young middle class housewife and mother.
The premise of the story is that Saajan and Ila’s husband’s lunch dabbas are mistakenly switched when delivered by Mumbai’s dabba wallas. Saajan, a widower, has a neighbourhood restaurant send him lunch in office. Whereas Ila carefully prepares her husband’s lunch, hoping to re-capture his drifting regard through the quality and inventiveness of her culinary creations. She is amazed one day when the dabba is returned home with the food so relished that the container was uncharacteristically licked clean!
Everyday Asia 