Over coffee at Wellington Mews, my friend Sanu Seth from New York confessed, “Mumbai gives me anxiety. The pace is too racy. I don’t know if I could ever live here.” And yet, here we are — navigating it with alacrity and affection. Especially now, when the city slips into what we like to call ‘Decembering’ — a spirited blur of sundowners, brunches, shows, edits, fairs, awards, panels, inaugurations, theatre, premiers, cinema, and, inevitably Christmas parties. Mumbai doesn’t slow down; it simply teaches you to find your own rhythm in the city that never sleeps — and we thrive in that pulse.
Christmas, Mumbai-Style
Sherwin Nazareth’s Christmas Sunday brunch befittingly titled Jingle and Mingle — at the heady heights of Imperial Towers was a relaxed, companionable afternoon: warm conversations, an unhurried table with turkey and cranberry sauces, and the unspoken joy of festive beginnings. The Christmas pudding and grazing table had guests in conversation all around it! Imperial Towers — two tall curtain wall skyscrapers with glass pyramid like roofs lit beautifully at night in South Mumbai — has become like a landmark of Mumbai photos as much as the Sealink! The décor at Sherwin’s is a warm interplay of seasonal accents and timeless interiors, seemed to mirror the mood: celebratory, but not frantic.
I arrived at 3:30 pm, bracing myself to be apologetic, only to discover I was far from the last. That’s Mumbai for you. Time here is elastic. A 12 pm invitation comfortably accommodates my 3:30 arrival. The city doesn’t judge; it celebrates — much like the warm host of the afternoon and his fiancée, Latika. There was laughter, clinking glasses, and that effortless ease that announces the beginning of the festive season in the city.
Friends kept popping in until I left at around five thirty at which time the party was still in full swing over sangrias and pina coladas! We were discussing travel plans while enjoying the view from Sherwin’s home. All Mumbai folk are over the moon about the newish coastal road and gloated about the sea link that changed Mumbai life for most of us. Some ‘mummy’s’ laughed about childhood Christmas memories to anticipations of Santa sightings for little ones. Over cheese platters and the no nippy breeze wafting off the expansive deck, we felt this city always finds a way to slow down in these Sunday brunch moments. December has much more of this in store!
A Literary Voyage
This week, I returned to the cadence of a book reading for my first publisher, Khalid Ansari, founder of Mid-Day. The book reading I was invited to do alongside theatre stalwarts Sabira Merchant and Dolly Thakore was extra special because I’ve always loved and admired Sabira for her grace and theatrical renditions.
This time, the unveiling was for yet another compelling new coffee table book Turkey, Greece & Croatia. This too is a pictorial travel narrative stitched with special moments of Zeyna and Khalid’s recent cruise, the history of some of the places they visited and a personal insight for friends about to visit but also those that will vicariously travel through Khalid’s tales of his momentous voyage .
Mumbai’s theatre community carries its own legacy — one carved through decades of Shakespeare, Shin’ichi Suzuki, Stanislavski, and the spirited reinvention that our city uniquely fosters. Sabira Merchant is part of this tapestry, and to share a stage with her was an honour not measured in applause but in the quiet exchange of words and presence. Throughout Khalid’s sea side garden, friends — familiar and new — applauded. “You held your own,” many said. Others, with a sparkle in their eye, claimed I read the best. Such moments remind you that confidence often arrives at the wings of a tiger mom who pushed me to Trinity college for elocution and drama.
I accept compliments with a pinch of salt, yet it was delightful to be in such talented creative company — to feel that years of television and public speaking and anchoring shows has welcomed me into its fold. In a city that is at once sprawling and intimately connected, these intersections — between literature, performance, and friendship — bring out the best in me.
Light in a Troubled World
Our week also carried some painful emotions. In the wake of one of Australia’s deadliest attacks in decades — when two anti Semitic gunmen opened fire at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, allegedly motivated by extremist Islamic ideology — the festival of lights acquired a deeper, more solemn resonance. The attack, marked by ISIS flags found in the assailants’ vehicle, was a stark reminder of how vulnerable even the most joyous traditions can be to global fractures.
As I attended the Hanukkah celebration at incoming Consul General Yaniv Revach’s home, the evening felt heavier, yet with optimism and hope. The gentle flicker of candles, the measured warmth of shared presence transformed the gathering into something more than customary observance. The Rabbi Israel Kozlovsky, speaking with quiet gravity, reminded us that light is not only a symbol of festivity but an assertion against forces that seek to extinguish joy. In that moment, as i was invited by the Honorable consul Yaniv to be part of the lighting of the Hanukkah candles- it felt like an act of collective resilience — a reminder that illumination can arise even amid shadow.
The festive table was the culinary pièce de résistance of the week. Created from start to finish by Yanivs family the traditional dishes were delightful. On large salvers were the traditional Hanukkah sufganiyot — which are doughnuts filled with jam — latkes, which are crisply fried potato pancakes, which was served with applesauce alongside brisket, Ruhela h, babka, blintzes bimuelos fritters and cheese dishes.
Young Fashion, New Energy
There is a particular excitement within me when I’m watching emerging talent unfurl on a catwalk— unpolished, unrestrained and with experimental possibilities. The Elle Graduates award at Istituto Marangoni in Worli was a celebration of whimsy and creative instinct. The evening had on display work of young designers stepping out of academia and into a demanding booming Indian fashion world that expects Pizzaz, originality, conviction and curiosity.
Istituto Marangoni the Italian fashion and design school’s lineage dates back to 1935, and has an established Mumbai campus which is also a nexus of craftsmanship and international perspective. The institution’s focus on blending Made in Italy traditions with India’s cultural dynamism has made it a vibrant incubator for new voices in fashion especially coming out of Mumbai. Across all its global campuses, it boasts a strong employability rate, reflecting the real-world readiness of its graduates.
The Elle Graduate Award spotlit students whose work was experimental and also grounded — daring silhouettes, cascading tulle frills and tulle skirts, rope details on long Grecian gowns, Chinese brocade whimsical floral fitted structured jackets with long trailing tulle skirts, unexpected textures, and a confidence that comes from wanting to say something distinctly personal through design. The runway, set to the energetic backdrop of music by four talented singers from the new band Outstationstubs, carried a pulse that felt very Mumbai: electric, eclectic, and alive. There is an unmistakable quirkiness in raw ideas and brave execution — a sense that the future of fashion is not derivative but also innate and coming out of experiences and feelings.
What made the entire show richer for me, was the context of the institute’s broader ecosystem: its students have recently won prestigious international competitions, including Cartier’s ‘Through the Lens’ contest, where they imagined luxury for tomorrow’s discerning market — Gen Z and beyond. That spirit of innovation, of challenging convention while respecting our indigenous Indian craft, our own Make In India agendas, and a newness in the whimsy of experiment was palpable on stage that night.
Where the Week Truly Landed
And yet, in contrast to soirées and runways, the most endearing emotional moments of my week were about education and kids- something much quieter.
In Sunder Nagri, Colaba, tucked behind Camy and hidden among a labyrinth of lanes crammed with parked scooters, I was invited to inaugurate our very own Shaila Trust Balwadi school. A narrow lane led us to a steep stairwell that opened into a tiny classroom — fifty even tinier children gazing up at us with wide, curious eyes. The space was modest; the spirits were grand.
Trustee Bilkis Merchant, social workers Vibha Vig and Neeta Anand had transformed the morning into an lovable celebration, handing out goodies to delighted children and serving nimbu pani they had brought from home for a warm and from the heart tea party. Meeting so many little children all at once clamouring for attention pulling my skirt — three and four years old — at such a formative, vulnerable age was a revelation. I don’t have children, so the experience felt particularly poignant. The unguarded joy in their smiles, the unselfconscious laughter spilling out of that tiny room, some tears of one or two wanting their mummas around them- reminded me why early education matters so profoundly.
The Balwadi is part of the work of Shaila Trust, co-founded by Padam Chaddha and Bilkis Merchant, which has been dedicated to making a real difference in the lives of young learners. What struck me most was the way the community gathered — mothers sharing stories, teachers exchanging encouragement, and children responding with unabashed delight. I was delighted to stand alongside these caregivers, to speak with them about the importance of early education, and to see how, even in the simplest of spaces, a foundation for life is being quietly laid. My own sharing to them was about how mother was unrelenting about education, art, music and theatre to broaden my horizons. While other kids played in compounds my mother packed me off to do elocution, typing, ballet and Art. I shared some of my own early chagrin at all this with them and how- in contrast- I feel indebted at this time of my life .
There are spectacles and there are celebrations of note — grand parties and curated runways — but this, in its meaningful way, felt like a true beginning. Som profound milestones happen not under bright lights, but in the wife eyed luminosity of curious faces and open hearts.
And as we move closer into Christmas and the festive season — with Christmas carols around some joyous corners and Santa sightings — Mumbai marches on relentless, through celebrations, mistletoe, marzipan and the nostalgic spirit of this season which is my favorite in the year.
Watch this space for some more Christmas Magic!
