Review: Kyani Bakery, Mumbai

Kyani & Co. located on J.S.S Road, Mumbai is one of the well-known bakeries in the city. There are always expectations from a place which has been serving delicious baked items for the last 107 years!

The place has a very silent atmosphere. It feels that you are in different era altogether. The ambience will impress people. You can spot people writing along with sipping Kyani’s famous Irani tea. The tea is refreshing and offers a completely different taste from the home-made tea. The customer feels at ease but not at home because of the waiters who keep an eye on them and wants them leave as soon as possible. Sometimes, they even behave rudely to the customers by not responding properly. Probably, they have inherited this habit from the owner who would be caught staring at you if you sit for 5 minutes and don’t order anything.

But, all the waiters do their jobs well. They clean the tables and replace water after 15 minutes. Some enthusiastic waiters even try to strike a conversation with you.

Despite being a bakery, it offers a wide variety of snacks and baked items.

The USP of the place is fresh cream cakes, Plum cakes and Cream puffs. You can visit the bakery any time of the day; you won’t be disappointed as the freshness of these two items is guaranteed. Bread pudding which is offered by all the bakeries in the city is also served here but, the taste might not impress your taste buds. Kyani offers a great range of eggs and non-veg snacks in the form of boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, omelettes and bhurjees. The Mutton Keema bhurjee is a hit with the crowd. Sometimes due to popular demand the supply of Mutton gets finished. Try avoiding Chocolate Mousse during summers as it tastes sour and weird. It could be as they don’t have a proper place to store it.

People might feel that since it is a bakery, snacks won’t be as delicious as the baked items. This myth will be broken when you order Kebabs and Nuggets. The spices are in right proportion and it leaves you craving for more.

Whenever you enter a bakery you can smell the aroma of the bread and that amazing smell makes your mouth water. Kyani, in this scenario disappoints big time.

The prices are relatively low when compared to eating hubs in the malls. A snack break for two people should not exceed more than Rs. 150.

If you are foodie, this is a must-visit for you. The food and atmosphere won’t disappoint you but the behaviour could. If you are interested in writing, try visiting the place during monsoons the amazing weather and ambience would bring out a poet in you.

Ratings- 3/5

Column: Merwan Bakery

Mawa cakes if baked properly can taste even better than creamy birthday cakes. In Mumbai, for the last three years I have been searching for the perfect Mawa cake despite eating many renowned bakeries in the city I didn’t find one.

Then on a friend’s recommendation I visited B Merwan bakery. By the looks of the bakery I thought eating here would be a huge mistake. I reluctantly ordered a plate of Mawa cake. When took my first bite I realized that I have found the perfect Mawa cake which is lighter than air.

It came to my mind that despite serving such amazing food this bakery is the least talked about. What could be the reason that Merwan is not a ‘happening’ bakery? I decided that I’ll find it out.

After finishing my feast, I looked around and I realized that I was the only woman sitting among twenty men. There was absolutely no one from my age group. There was no sign of any college student. Mostly people working as labourers or clerks were seated in the bakery.

There is no cleanliness in the bakery. There was only one waiter who was serving everyone he didn’t even wipe the table when a customer left or arrived. By looking at the floors one could feel that the floors haven’t been wiped or washed for years. The place didn’t look hygienic and was dark & dingy even when the sun was shining brightly outside.

The location could be another reason. Merwan is situated near Grant Road station. And according to women, it is not a safe area to be in.Being a college student myself, I would prefer visiting a safe place and where my friends and I can have fun without being stared by twenty different men.

It is a shame that Merwan isn’t counted as a place where friends can hang out. The waiters serve you with a smile and the baked items are delicious. It is time that the city gives credit to one of the oldest bakeries of Mumbai because it truly deserves it!

‘There is job security in this illegal work'

 (Profile)

Gopal Sunar, 23 has been living in Navi Mumbai for the last 12 years now. For an eighth class pass he has tried his hand in various occupations including selling cutlery on the roadside and driving an auto rickshaw. Circumstances didn’t allow him to get a permanent job. But, now Gopal is working for over a year for a small pirated CD/DVD company in Vashi. The owner of the company, Pappu has given him a stall in a market near Sector-29, Vashi.

His work starts at five o’clock in the evening and he gets free by midnight. The company for which he works for doesn’t face any competition especially in Vashi as they have captured the entire area. The one aspect of his work that he likes the most is even if he is unable to make any sales for the day he takes away a fixed salary of Rs. 4000.

He feels that it is an easy work for him since he doesn’t face any difficult challenges in his work life. ‘I don’t have to be scared. If someone from higher authority comes and questions me that why I am selling pirated CDs. I don’t have to explain myself. I just have to call my boss and he takes care of everything’

Customers have never been rude to him. Instead, they come and give him a list of movies they want and Gopal is happy to help them. He remembers once a rude customer tried to take the DVDs without paying for it.  According to Gopal, the customer did that because he was a Maharashtrian and Gopal wasn’t. His argument was if they are allowing him to stay in their city then he should give away free CDs to the residents.

‘I was hurt because this is home for me’, said a visibly upset Gopal. But, the shopkeepers are very helpful and supportive. He never has had any problems with them. Sometimes, when he gets a call from his boss about the raids by the police he packs up the entire stall and keeps it safely in the nearby shops.

Nowadays he doesn’t have to worry about any raids. ‘My owners give money to the police officers every month. I have no reason to worry.’

He is aware of the fact that selling pirated CD/DVDs is a crime. He said, ‘Madam, there is job security in this illegal work. If one day, I get arrested and go to jail my owner will ensure my safety. I know, this is not the right job but if I have money I will want to start this business on my own.’

The very next moment, Gopal contradicts himself by saying, ‘The police will never support me. I am aware of this. Since, I don’t have any back up in the city I will be thrown in jail. I don’t even belong to Maharashtra. I can’t live in tension and fear.’

Though he is happy with his work, he is saddened by the thought of not being in a job which pays well despite being in the city for so many years. He knows that he is paid well for his small job but he is aware that this money will never fulfil his family’s desire which lives in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.

‘People in my village aren’t happy with my job. They say that I am a sunar and I should live a life of dignity rather than working on the street. But, they don’t understand my motive.’

His motive is to open a goldsmith shop in his village for his father and brothers. ‘My villagers won’t understand this but my family supports me in all my endeavours. They have faith in me,’ he said with a broad smile.

(Gopal Sunar with his stall and a potential customer)

He is optimistic that one day he will find the suitable job for himself. And when he has earned enough money he would go and live peacefully in his village. Till then, he is content with his present job.

Review: How I met your mother- Season 6

Season six of American sitcom, ‘How I met your mother’ garnered great reviews from critics and the audiences.

The season started with Robin (Cobie Smulders) nursing her break up with Don. This season the fiercely independent, always engrossed in her professional life Robin was sidelined by the producers. The viewers got to know her character better since the season focussed on her personal life. Yet, the strong-willed Robin was missed.

Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor), the protagonist of the show had an eventful year. He got the contract to design a new building for GNB and his love life was finally heading somewhere after he met the married charming lady Zoey (Jennifer Morrison).

Lily (Alyson Hannigan) and Marshall (Jason Segel) are trying to get pregnant. But, their world falls apart when Marshall’s father dies of a heart attack.

Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) finally meets his father. Barney meets Nora and ends up having a date on Valentine’s Day.

Every actor has given brilliant performance whether it is Cobie Smulders break down at the subway, Barney’s difficulty in accepting the identity of his father or Lily’s disappointment on unable to conceive despite trying so hard.

The show stealer of this season was Jason Segel. Jason gave a memorable performance as a son who couldn’t listen to his father’s last words. When he cries onscreen you end up feeling upset.

Although, the search for Ted’s true love for the last five seasons has been an interesting journey, it is annoying for the viewers to see every relationship of his ending bitterly.

The next season is highly awaited as it would be Barney’s wedding (the unexpected has happened on the show). The bride is not revealed and as Ted said that he met the mother of his children at a wedding it is possible that we might meet her in the next season.

Cast Thy Light On Mumbai

Amravati is a small town in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. Definitely not listed in the tourist spots of the state but the security system it provides is more than required for a tourist destination. Akola junction is closest station to Amravati. For a Mumbaikar, the station can be branded ‘deserted’ but what draws attention is a luggage scanner. A constant terror struck Mumbai does not have that! You can spot quite a number of khaki uniforms on the street, constantly patrolling, frisking and fulfilling their watchdog duty. 

On the contrary, Mumbai has thirteen year olds riding bikes and escaping most of the time without being caught, unless, it’s the beginning or the end of the month when our respected protectors of the society have case quotas to be handled.

In Amravati, you’re under constant surveillance. No matter what, someone’s watching you and your actions. We’re definitely not referring to departmental stores, malls or big bookstores here. We’re talking about small medical shops, ‘kirana’ stores, phew! The vigilance system developed in such a small town is commendable. Walking out on the streets at any hour of the night is safer because of the protection that the town assures you. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that theft has to be a mastermind’s craft in Amravati.

In Mumbai, we’re such a big metropolis, we’re the economic capital, we have huge numbers of people coming in everyday but how secure are we? How much do we protect our people? And for once, I think every citizen of this nation should ask himself, is there truly any value of life left in this land?

CWG winners guilty for using steroids

(News Report)

The doping controversy has shattered India’s confidence in their sports heroes. Ashwini Akkunji and Priyanka Pawar have been tested positive for the banned methandieone, an anabolic steroid. Their ‘B’ samples were tested at the National Dope Testing Laboratory and results confirm the presence of the banned steroid.

M.L Dogra, Director, Athletics Federation of India (AFI) confirmed the results. The athletes will now have to appear before a National Anti- Doping Agency (NADA) disciplinary panel.

Ashwini’s case is even more saddening. She has not only picked up a second gold in 400m hurdles in China but, she was part of the gold winning 4x400m team in the Commonwealth Games (CWG).

Ashwini has joined her gold medal-winning relay team-mates Mandeep Kaur and Sini Jose, whose 'B' samples have also tested positive for anabolic steroids. With this, the number of positive cases has gone up to eight.

Indian tennis star Sania Mirza expressed her disappointment over this issue as out of eight positive cases, seven are women. She also added that if they are proven guilty strict action should be taken against them. ‘Being a sportsperson myself, I think any of these athletes should not be accused of doing anything wrong until proven. But if they are proven guilty, of course they should be punished,’ she said to Hindustan Times.

On the other hand, Ashwini Akkunji is pleading innocence. Speaking to Hindustan Times she said, ‘I am innocent and have never failed a dope test before this. We only took the food supplements recommended by our coach and only after consuming the supplements, we have been tested positive.’

In these surprising turn of events, the sports ministry sacked Ukrainian coach Yuri Ogrodnik who was the trainer to six of the eight athletes who failed the dope test. He was responsible of the women’s 400m, 400m hurdles and 4x400 m hurdles since 1999.

Yuri Ogrodnik told the media that he is not involved in this issue and is ready to face any enquiry that comes his way. He also feels that someone is deliberately involving him in this controversy to tarnish his reputation.

Photo credit: www.andhrabreakingnews.com

Movie Review: I AM

Cast: Juhi Chawla, Nandita Das, Manisha Koirala, Sanjay Suri, Rahul Bose, Purab Kohli, Radhika Apte, Shernaz Patel, Arjun Mathur, Anurag Kashyap, Abhimanyu Singh

Director: Onir

Onir’s I AM has four small stories and in each of these stories the protagonist is in search of its identity. Afia, played by Nandita Das is a divorced woman who feels that she doesn’t have to depend on a man to have a baby and instead decides to use services of a sperm donor (Purab Kohli). Megha, played by Juhi Chawla who was forced to leave her hometown due to communal violence, returns to Srinagar to sell her house only to realize that Muslims who were left behind are still suffering and are struggling to live a life of dignity. Abhimanyu, played by Sanjay Suri is a victim of child abuse by his stepfather (Anurag Kashyap) and is still recovering from this incident. Omar (Rahul Bose), who is exploited in his own country and the only reason being that he is a homosexual.

The performances in the film are absolutely brilliant and they leave an everlasting impression on the viewer’s mind and heart. The casting director has picked up a perfect cast. The awkward talk in the hospital waiting room between Nandita Das and Purab Kohli has come out beautifully. Just watching Manisha Koirala and Juhi Chawla act together after so long makes you realize that there is no one from the young generation who can match the grace and the brilliant acting of the two most elegant ladies of the Indian Cinema. Rahul Bose has proved again that with his acting skills he can perform any character with ease. Abhimanyu Singh as a cruel cop leaves a lasting impression on the audiences.

The four stories are sensibly written and the sensitive issues are handled with maturity. Onir’s direction is amazing. He has given the treatment the theme of the stories demand. Despite the four stories not being connected, the individuality of each of the story is maintained. Onir’s films have always been different. He always tried to show a different perception to a particular problem. I AM is one of those films.

I AM is now available on DVDs and VCDs.

Ratings- 3/5