TWO EVENTS: LAUNCH OF MY BOOK, “JOY, AWE AND TEARS”, IN MUMBAI ON 4^TH FEBRUARY AND THE “IN CONVERSATION”, ON 27^th FEBRUARY AT THE NCPA, ON MY FORTY YEARS OF ARTISTS’ MANAGEMENT

Thank you – and thank you again! – Mumbai!  For your warmth, hospitality, generosity and immensely positive energy.  Thank you, artists from the dance community in my beautiful hometown, who embraced me – and my book, “Joy, Awe and Tears” – not once, but twice, in the course of my stay.  You were there for me, in spite of your busy schedules – how exhilarating is the dance scene in India! – showing a sincere and keen interest in all that I recounted of my forty years of artists’ management.  My conversation with the noted contemporary dancer, Uttara Asha Coorlawala, covered a gamut of issues: my very personal experiences in managing Indian artists in Europe, from the giants to young and upcoming musicians and dancers, the joy, awe and tears (as the title of my recent book so aptly suggests); the situation of the Indian classical performing arts – it’s scope, audiences and organisers’ reactions – on the ground in Europe and, finally, an overview of the challenges of an impresario (for Indian artists), a fascinating but all too rare and under-represented profession in both India and the west.

Thank you, Uttara Asha Coorlawala, Gauri Sharma Tripathi and Tarini Tripathi; Smt. Padma Tripathi and Smt. Darshana Jhaveri for the beautifully organised book launch.  Thank you too, Swapnokalpa Dasgupta, Head of Dance, NCPA, for following this up with the “In Conversation”, at the NCPA.  And, finally, my gratitude to all the artists and friends present at the events.  I come away, uplifted and deeply moved by all the positive and beautiful vibes that you have showered on me.  Your warmth and appreciation have touched me to the core.

My book, “Joy, Awe and Tears” is available at www.parsiana.com in India (link: JOY, AWE AND TEARS – My Association with Sargam (parsiana.com) and, in person, in the Parsiana bookshop in Fort, Mumbai.  On amazon in the UK (link: https://amzn.to/3gDNeF0) & Continental Europe (link: https://amzn.to/3LF8Xuw ).  At www.fezana.org (Link: https://fezana.org/product/joy-awe-and-tears-my-association-with-sargam-by-shireen-isal/ ) in Canada and USA.   It is also available directly from me, the author, in the UK and Europe (shireen@associationsargam.com).

Photos: of – and taken by – the above-mentioned organisers and attendees at both the book launch and NCPA talk.

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Ashdeen is textile designer Ashdeen Lilaowala’s first store in Mumbai, its racks filled with hand-embroidered clothing inspired by the traditional Parsi Gara.

Talib Chitalwala

After setting up a successful flagship store in New Delhi, textile designer and “Bombay boy” Ashdeen Lilaowala has brought his exquisite Parsi Gara saris to his hometown. “It was only a matter of time before I opened my store in Mumbai,” he says, acknowledging the Parsi community’s historic ties with the city.

Designer Ali Baldiwala of Baldiwala Edge, transformed the Colaba boutique, which previously housed Rajesh Pratap Singh’s luxury menswear, in a whirlwind 45 days. “I’ve always wanted to recreate a Parsi home,” he says. Bathed in a dusty rose, it’s elegant and feminine without being cloying—an exercise in restraint. The store is subtly divided by furniture and sheer curtains, creating a natural flow that guides visitors from one display to the next.

Talib Chitalwala

Intricately embroidered, jewel-toned saris and lehngas glimmer from under clothing racks that were upcycled from the previous store and refurbished with a fresh coat of taupe paint, gentle tent-like curves and floral embellishments in brass—a finishing touch that’s a nod to Lilaowala’s botanical designs.

Talib Chitalwala

Each flourish is carefully considered: hand-painted niches by artist Kanak Nanda, inspired by chinoiserie motifs that complement Lilaowala’s own designs, and custom window laminates with Art Deco and Art Nouveau influences by graphic designer Ruchita Madhok. Vestiges of the building’s old bones remain in the form of iron ceiling beams and patterned wooden flooring. “I wanted to have a blend of traditional and modern elements,” says Lilaowala, who also added several pieces of his own ancestral furniture, including the reception table, display cabinets, and a pair of armchairs. Art Deco–themed chandeliers and brass-framed windows add glamour and balance out the vintage elements with a contemporary touch. “It reflects our brand ethos which is to take the Parsi Gara textile tradition and innovate with it while keeping its essence intact,” notes the designer.

https://www.architecturaldigest.in/story/this-new-colaba-boutique-is-as-exquisite-as-the-parsi-gara-saris-on-display/

KEKEE MANZIL
HOUSE OF ART
Picturing Modern India; The Untold Story Behind an Artistic Revolution
Kekoo Gandhy, cast adrift From his studies at Cambridge by the war, was sitting on Juhu beach in 1941 wondering what to do with his life. He saw a man in a car stuck in the sand and decided to help. Thus began a journey that transformed not only his own life but the artistic heritage of the city of Bombay. Kekee Manzil: House or Art is a feature documentary that interweaves personal testimony with rare historical and 8mm Family archive to tell the story of how a modern art movement was born alongside the new nation of India. Accompanied by a haunting soundtrack specially composed by Talvin Singh.
Producer                   :   Behroze Gandhy

Director / Editor         :   Dilesh Karya

Executive Producer     :   Michael Poole

Music                        :   Tolvin Singh

Came and celebrate the UK Premier of our new documentary -as part of the South Asian Film Festival

Sunday, 8th May 2022

Regent Street Cinema, 307 Regent Street, London, W1B 2HW

020 7911 5050           https://www.regentstreebcinema.com
7 pm             :  Screening starts (90mins)

8.30 prn Q&A

Drinks and chat at bar after

Dilesh Karya: 07891 072529 Behroze Gandhy: 07976 266196