When Life Is A Tragedy...

When Life Is A Tragedy...

REVIEW OF THE WEEK Play: The Dream Of A Ridiculous Man Directed by: Munish Sharma Duration: 100 minutes Cast: Munish Sharma Language: English
    Unless you’re a theatre fanatic, lengthy monologues, especially those which tend to move along a philosophical trajectory can be sleepinducing and simply speaking, boring to the average mind. You might get that feeling once The Dream Of A Ridiculous Man starts off. But the superlative performance and certain engaging segments save the day.
    The play has been compiled using the works of four different philosophers — Fyodor Dostoevsky, Albert Camus, Friedrich Nietzsche, Arthur Schopenhauer and Oscar Wilde. The protagonist (the ridiculous man) is trying to resurrect his lost identity, by confronting the truth that is usually dictated by logic and reasoning.
    The Dream Of A Ridiculous Man has been divided into two acts. While the protagonist poses questions (which he eventually answers himself) on life, existence, hope etc, there are several amusing anecdotes and stories you hear in the process, especially in the first half, which is what makes it more enjoyable than the second. The character’s obsession with being the centre of attention leads to a hilarious narrative. And the story from Greek mythology about Sisyphus, a king who was punished for chronic deceitfulness, by being compelled to roll an immense boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down (he has to repeat this action forever!) is another one of the little gems the play comes up with.
    The second half is somber, intended to be thought-provoking, as it chronicles his experiences where he believes that there is nothing worth living in this world and so is determined to commit suicide. Amidst this, through a dream, he enters another planet where the people are happy, blissful and sinless, reminding you of Robin Cook’s famous novel Abduction (where five people are abducted into a secret underwater world, whose inhabitants are happy and don’t know what suffering is, until the abducted people ‘corrupt’ their world too). Eventually, he wakes up a changed man.
    Director-actor Munish Sharma infuses life in this monologue, as his character, the underdog, is humorous as well as tragic at the same time, making for a brilliant combination. Definitely worth a watch.
Blame It On Yashraj (English), Sophia Hall, Breach Candy, Feb 17, 6:30 pm; Directed by Bharat Dabholkar; What happens in a mixed Punjabi/ Bengali family when their only darling daughter falls in love and decides to marry a Muslim guy? This play is a comical portrayal of a family caught up in the whirlwind of their daughter’s wedding, which gets bigger and bigger by the day as D-day arrives. Starring: Ananth Mahadevan, Jayati Bhatia, Anchal Sabharwal, Punit Tejwani and others.
Bairi Raji To Duniya Raji (Gujarati), Zaverben Sabhagruha, Ghatkopar, Feb 17, 9pm; Directed by Imtiaz Patel. Keeping your wife happy at home is the theme of this play which contains a triple doze of comedy, suspense and thrill. Starring: Hemant Jha, Chhaya Vora, Shruti Gholap and others.
Hello Pakistani, Hun Gujarati (Gujarati), Tejpal Hall, Gowalia Tank, Feb 17, 7:45 pm; Directed by Vipul Mehta. Simran is a brave woman whose life’s mantra is ‘life is an adventure’. This Punjabi girl is to be engaged to Ankush, a Gujarati software engineer. Prior to their enagagement both families embark on a pilgrimage to the Kutch region. A bomb blast takes places in which Ankush is feared dead. But shockingly he turns up in Pakistan. Will fate bring the two lovers back together? Starring: Krishna Gokani, Amita Rajda, Parth Desai, Haresh Panchal and others.
Prem No Password (Gujarati), Prabodhan Thackeray Auditorium, Borivali (W), Feb 17, 9 pm; Directed by Nimesh Diliprai Desai; Life is a journey of love, live life kingsize. Make the most of it with a gripping story. Life indeed is beautiful. Starring: Amee Trivedi, Bakul Thakker, Nimesh Diliprai, Sharukh Sadri and others.
Juth Bolo Jalsa Karo (Gujarati), Bhaidas Auditorium, Vile Parle (W), Feb 17, 4 pm; Directed by Jaideep Shah; Jignesh Raitatha has lost a lot in life by speaking the truth. So now he only believes in telling lies. He has become such an expert in telling lies that it has now become an integral part of his life. But what happens when the lies go out of control? Chaos, of course! Starring: Shachi Joshi, Samir Rajada, Titikshah Pandya and others.
Bhamashah (Hindi), Rangsharda, Bandra, Feb 17, 7:45 pm; Directed by Manoj Shah; The word ‘Bhamasha’ reminds us about a remarkable charater in Indian history who was a philanthropist, warrior, intelligent and a Jain shravak. But little is known about his contribution and sacrifices for our country. Starring: Dayashhankar Pandey, Dharmendra Gohil, Ahlam Khan, Aishwarya Mehta and others.
Santu Rangilee (Gujarati), Zaverben, Ghatkopar, Feb 17, 3 pm; Directed by Dinkar Jani; A Gujarati adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s famous play Pygmalion, the story concerns a low class flower girl takes speech lessons from a language expert a phoneticst, so that she can alleviate herself in the society. The play is a comedy of manners. Starring: Sujata Mehta, Darshan Jariwala, Sameer Khakhkhar and others.
Bade Luchhe Lagte Ho (Gujarati), Chavan, Sachivalaya, Feb 17, 7:45 pm; Directed by Jaideep Shah; It is difficult to handle one oversmart (luchho) person but how do you handle a family full of oversmart (luchha) people? Starring: Rupa Divetia and others.
Maro Piyu Gayo Rangoon (Gujarati), Prabodhan Thackeray, Borivali, Feb 21, 9 pm; Directed by Sunil Shanbag; This musical adaptation of William Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well is set in Saurashtra, Mumbai and Rangoon of the early 1900s. The play is a heady mix of live music, dance and drama. Starring: Meenal Patel, Utkarsh Majumdar, Archan Trivedi, Manasi Parekh-Gohil, Chirag Vora and others.
The Bureaucrat (English), St. Andrews, Bandra (W), Feb 17, 7:30 pm; Directed by Rahul Da Cunha; A senior bureaucrat, Raghuvir Gupta, is called upon by the Home Minister, to solve a national crisis — to prevent Dishoom, a young MTV VJ, from starting a massive protest, called Kapre Utaro Middle Classes, against the government. Why? Because the young VJ is the bureaucrat’s son! Starring: Bugs Bhargava Krishna, Neil Bhoopalam, Shivani Tanksale, Jaswinder Singh and others.
Pritam Pyare Pappuji (Hindi), Prabodhan Thackeray Auditorium, Borivali (W), Feb 19, 9 pm; Directed by Vipul Mehta; Pritam Pyare Pappuji is an uncommon love story of a common man. Pappuji is an estate agent with a flair for winning over anyone with his talks. Money is everything to him. To earn money he can deceive anybody. One day Pappuji meets Dimple. And suddenly his happy world turns upside down. Starring: Rakesh Bedi, Moulli Ganguly, Mazhar Sayed and others.
    — Event supported by Times Card.

Munish Sharma in The Dream Of A Ridiculous Man

Blame It On Yashraj

Pritam Pyare Pappuji

REVIEWS on restaurants

Neel, Mahalaxmi: Simply amazing fares, though found cost little over, but food taste, quantity and quality compensate it —great place. My favourite dishes and drinks include the Raan, Kakori Kabab, Palak and Akrot. — Ranachitra. Food: 4, Service: 3.5, Decor: 3.5 

    Laxmi Next, Powai: For me luxury does not always mean expensive places sometimes it means getting the best treatment in simple places like in this restaurant. Simple yet effortlessly likable I would say. Food here is Indian veg and of course they are tasty. Perfect family dining restaurant in this part of the city. — Ridhirathi. Food: 4, Service: 4, Decor: 3.5 

    Hakkasan, Bandra (W): It is not only a good Chinese cuisine restaurant but also a great place for planning an evening party. With music and exciting lighting facility this place surely becomes a good place to have a great time with friends. In food, Fried Shell Crab, Dumplings and Mock Chicken are delectable. — Priya_rana. Food: 3.5, Service: 3, Decor: 3 

    Guru Da Dhaba, Andheri (W): Economical meal and superb taste. Guru Da Dhaba has a special spices in the meal. They serve delicious delicacies... Certainly not to miss place. — Pandeyakansha. Food: 4, Service: 3, Decor: 3 

    Naturally Sweet, Church Road: Unconventional and sugar free desserts heaven, it is a place that helps to keep a check on my sugar level yet have some good sweet things. Roasted Cashew Roll, Oatmeal cookies, Pishori Pista Cake and all Indian mithais are made with lovely designs and their taste is the best thing about them. — Preetyganguly. Food: 4, Service: 3.5, Decor: 4 

    Rude Lounge, Juhu: The best part about Mumbai City is the pubs and lounges across the city. They can make any drab day so much fun and happening. So when I came across Rude Lounge on a website and the amazing discounts they had to offer, I quickly booked a table there. It was Thursday that day and we just loved the 1+1 beer offer. The music and the beer ensured we had a really good time. Food and service was efficient at all times. So if you are in for some rude time, visit this place. — Jayrathore50. Food: 3.5, Service: 4, Decor: 4

Delicious Spreads @ Citrus, The Leela, Andheri (E)

Delicious Spreads @ Citrus, The Leela, Andheri (E)

What: Citrus at The Leela Mumbai, Andheri (E) is a three-time winner of ‘Best 24-hour Dining’ at the Times Food Awards. When: Every Sunday, 12:30 to 4 pm Features: Citrus — the all-day casual dining restaurant offers some of the yummiest and best spreads at lunch, dinner and the Sunday Brunch. Under the streams of natural light, an ambience of relaxed sophistication and style, Citrus invites you to indulge in sumptuous food from an over 180-dish extensive buffet and eight interactive live stations. From made-to-order pizzas, pastas, carving stations, a salad bar, live grill, a shawarma station, a Thai and South Indian station to a variety of breads and cheese, it’s all there. Those with a sweet tooth can satisfy their cravings at the delightful dessert counter. With tastes and flavours from various continents wafting around, there’s something awesome for everyone at this Sunday Brunch. Call: 022-66911324

Scrumptious Meals @ Golden Chariot Outlets

Scrumptious Meals @ Golden Chariot Outlets Looking for a place where you can unwind? Golden Chariot offers dishes like Butterfly Prawns, Dum ka Murg, Subzi Sheek Kalimirch and more. Except Mondays, every night is a Ghazal Nights and candle light dinner on Mondays and Thursdays. Special Offer: Enjoy 25% off on your purchase of Indian spirits between 6:30 pm and 8 pm. Price: Rs 700 for a meal for two. Where: Mira Bhayander Road- 022 28106066/ 350. Kandivali Grovell Mall-022 28461414. Kandivali V-Mall)- 022 28547259/ 022 65614164. Goregaon – Hub Mall- 022 67988777/ 790.

Scrumptious Meals @ Golden Chariot Outlets

Scrumptious Meals @ Golden Chariot Outlets Looking for a place where you can unwind? Golden Chariot offers dishes like Butterfly Prawns, Dum ka Murg, Subzi Sheek Kalimirch and more. Except Mondays, every night is a Ghazal Nights and candle light dinner on Mondays and Thursdays. Special Offer: Enjoy 25% off on your purchase of Indian spirits between 6:30 pm and 8 pm. Price: Rs 700 for a meal for two. Where: Mira Bhayander Road- 022 28106066/ 350. Kandivali Grovell Mall-022 28461414. Kandivali V-Mall)- 022 28547259/ 022 65614164. Goregaon – Hub Mall- 022 67988777/ 790.

Scrumptious Meals @ Golden Chariot Outlets

Scrumptious Meals @ Golden Chariot Outlets Looking for a place where you can unwind? Golden Chariot offers dishes like Butterfly Prawns, Dum ka Murg, Subzi Sheek Kalimirch and more. Except Mondays, every night is a Ghazal Nights and candle light dinner on Mondays and Thursdays. Special Offer: Enjoy 25% off on your purchase of Indian spirits between 6:30 pm and 8 pm. Price: Rs 700 for a meal for two. Where: Mira Bhayander Road- 022 28106066/ 350. Kandivali Grovell Mall-022 28461414. Kandivali V-Mall)- 022 28547259/ 022 65614164. Goregaon – Hub Mall- 022 67988777/ 790.

Scrumptious Meals @ Golden Chariot Outlets

Scrumptious Meals @ Golden Chariot Outlets Looking for a place where you can unwind? Golden Chariot offers dishes like Butterfly Prawns, Dum ka Murg, Subzi Sheek Kalimirch and more. Except Mondays, every night is a Ghazal Nights and candle light dinner on Mondays and Thursdays. Special Offer: Enjoy 25% off on your purchase of Indian spirits between 6:30 pm and 8 pm. Price: Rs 700 for a meal for two. Where: Mira Bhayander Road- 022 28106066/ 350. Kandivali Grovell Mall-022 28461414. Kandivali V-Mall)- 022 28547259/ 022 65614164. Goregaon – Hub Mall- 022 67988777/ 790.

Fast Food @ Hotel Shiv Sagar, Kurla (W)

Fast Food @ Hotel Shiv Sagar, Kurla (W) Shiv Sagar is known for its Pav Bhaji and South Indian dishes. The menu also offers Chinese, Punjabi, Italian and Mexican cuisines apart from mocktails and juices. The restaurant has a capacity of seating 150 customers and the ambience is designed to give you an exceptional dining experience. Special Attraction: Free home delivery. Pure vegetarian Jain food also prepared. Where: Shiv Sagar, Level 1, Atrium 6, Phoenix Market City, Kurla (W). Call: 022 61801601/ 02.

Gastronomic Delights @ Zaffran, Lower Parel

Gastronomic Delights @ Zaffran, Lower Parel The trendiest Indian restaurant in the city has opened the doors of its flagship restaurant in Lower Parel. With its repertoire of classic Indian dishes, fantastic desserts and unique cocktails, guests can indulge in gastronomic delights like their Vegetable Galouti Kababs or their Signature Butter Chicken. Timings: 11 am to 1 am. Where: Mathuradas Mill Compound, Opp. Blue Frog, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel. Call: 022 33789524/ 022 33789525.

Buffets & More @ Svenska Hotel

Buffets & More @ Svenska Hotel Enjoy daily multi-cuisine lunch and dinner buffets at Svenska Design Hotel with a lavish spread of Indian, Oriental and Continental delights. Special menu every Sunday with free spa treats. Price: Rs 499 onwards. Add unlimited drinks at Rs 599. Festivals: Punjabi Food Fiesta at Soul, alfresco Indian restaurant and bar; Sizzler Festival at Miro Mediterranean restaurant. Daily live deejay nights with tapas and happy hours. Where: Svenska Design Hotel, SAB TV Road, Off Link Road, Andheri (W). Call: 44310000/ 9167707019.

Happy Hours @ Bottle Bar by Spices & Flavours, Fort

Happy Hours @ Bottle Bar by Spices & Flavours, Fort Bottle Bar serves delicious Indian, Italian and Continental signature desi dishes. Special attraction: Happy Hours 4 pm to 10 pm (buy 1 get 1 free on domestic and imported spirits) daily. Executive buffet cost Rs 229/ head (Mon - Sat ). The banquet hall accommodates 150 people. Where: Bottle Bar, Spices & Flavours (S&F), Rajabahadur Mansion, Opp. Bombay Stock Exchange, Fort. Call: 22100 100/ 200/ 300. E-mail: contact@spicesnflavours.com

Restaurant Review OTTO INFINITO

Mediteranean
    Now, why did I think that this newcomer Otto Infinito’s name was inspired by the Ottoman Turkish empire? (Could it be because I am obsessed by Turkey?) While it does have a smattering of Turkish dishes, the name refers to “8 to the power of infinity” (it opens at 8am folks). Over a period of time I ate four meals here. But to check out the Turkish dishes, who better than Turks who are not only passionate about their country but want all of us to be, too. The globe-trotting dashing Emin Cakmak, (Chairman of the Turkish Indian Tourism Council) and the lovely Victoria, his wife and partner of Hello Tourism accompany me. Symbolising the exotic, vibrant charm of Turkey is it’s Consul General Ceylan Ozen who works round the clock mesmerising all of us with the charms of Turkey, and her dapper businessman husband Ender Erisen, plays the man that every successful woman needs in her life. 

Emin Cakmak, Ceylan Ozen and Ender Erisen at Otto Infinito 

 

FOOD Lets get it straight, the Turkish dishes “are not Turkish” as my Turkish guests pronounce “but tasty”. This is true of the Turkish kababs served with Harissa mayonnaise, while the Mezze dips (hummus, moutabel, labneh) are well-made. Their signature crisp Square Pizza topped with robustly spiced harissa chicken was good. On another day it was not topped with enough pepperoni. I also had a quick lunch of a dryish Multigrain Sandwich with Chicken; a well-made Spaghetti with Porcini and the above-average Maghrebi Mezze Platter. At breakfast, the baked egg Berber omlette was worth trying too. It’s the aldente spaghetti aglio olio and the ravioli plump with chorizo that comes out tops, while the chocolate dessert’s marriage with passionfruit just about passes muster. 

DÉCOR This unpretentious, large (over 6,000 sq ft) bare space has alfresco dining, too. At night, the restaurant is suffused in a dim fluorescent light and appears more like an airport lounge. Floor to ceiling glass walls letting in the daylight, make lunch a much better option. 
 
MINUS POINTS Very noisy at lunch time. Cold and stale bread, over-creamy Mushroom ravioli, swamped with sauce Moroccan chicken, dense truffle soufflé are all avoidable. The biggest disappointment at dinner was the overcooked rock salt fish. While the tuna carpaccio was great one day, it was stodgy the next. Ditto for the Hazelnut cheesecake and Limoncello sorbet. 

MY POINT Moderate pricing is its strongest point. The takeaway counter with its well-priced salads and baked products a sure boon for office goers. It is a open throughout the day, noteworthy but low-wattage addition to Mumbai’s eating out scene — an “if you happen to be” as opposed to a “you have to try” restaurant. 
 
GO TASTE IT Since I will be in Paris (on work) when this mega-exciting taste festival wows Mumbai, I took time off to go on a pre-taste of it. We ate at four of the 20 restaurants, who will be showcasing their signature, tasting and iconic dishes. Started off at the progressive American ‘Ellipses’ went on to the Thai ‘Koh’, Olive and Tasting Room too. The exciting news is that come Feb 22, more than 20 highly acclaimed, stellar Indian and international chefs (Alain Fabrègues, Jehangir Mehta, Margot Janse and Vivek Singh to name a few) will be cooking.
    Live chef demos, a farmers’ market premium food and drink features and exhibitors including wineries, coffee shops, patisseries, breweries among other exciting options too. Making all this possible are the dynamic team of Babso Kanwar, Rachna Sharma and Karen Anand.
    “Taste festivals are all about gourmet food featuring the latest, greatest and most exciting restaurants... We think the city is ready for something as big and glamorous as ‘Taste of Mumbai’, says the multi-talented Karen. We agree. This ticketed festival, seems like the perfect recipe for a yummy weekend.
    P.S: A pity that I won’t be here to do a fun cookout at the Fischer and Paykel taste theatre and social kitchen with the diva of Italian food, best-selling author and ownerchef Ritu Dalmia.