Ekta Raheja's celebration at Kala Ghoda

Ekta Raheja hosted FK Jewels’ foray into SoBo! Untouched by usual hierarchies, rankings and shifting equations that define social circuits, I find she hosts without cognisance of pecking orders and Bollywood fixation. Guests feel seen, not glossed over for hierarchies dictated by pecking orders— a quality that remains disarmingly rare in a city that has ever changing ‘A’ lists and ‘B’ lists.

Her evening for the new jewellery store, tucked into the bylanes of Kala Ghoda’s heritage district, drew a full house. There was a certain ease to the gathering — familiar faces, beloved movie actors like Rekha, Bobby Deol, Manisha Koirala, Zayed Khan and a gentle hum of meetings, greetings, hugs and pictures that accompany a fresh address in an old neighbourhood. The space itself fits the neighbourhood — intimate, tucked away, and quietly confident.

Ekta looked super glamorous, as did Esha Deol in a fluid white ensemble. The other show stealers apart from the sparkling jewels beautifully displayed amidst handcrafted swan tableaux were Actor Rekha and the effortlessly gorgeous Sush aka Sushmita Sen, Madhoo. Manisha Koirala kept it real with her specks and simple white ensemble, looking ravishing with zero effort. Each presence added texture to the evening, and many traipsed all the way from the suburbs sportingly .

Kala Ghoda knows how to absorb a new address without losing its old-world rhythm.

Banaras Weaves Magic

My favourite morning this week was far removed from the usual! — and perhaps that is why it was most memorable.

At Sagarika Rai’s intimate boutique, Warp & Weft, a very select group of eight power women achievers gathered for a women of Substance’ coffee morning shoot that felt more like a private salon than a formal event. Sagarika, who wears her Banarasi saris with graceful consistency, orchestrated a charming morning where all of us donned her ensemble for a photo shoot.

To me wearing the jewel coloured fuscia Benarasi ghaghara with a nehru collar blouse designed by me , was about donning myself in centuries of artistry, and in that moment, becoming a part of its story.

I’ve been wearing craft for years but never as fashion alone—I have worm and surrounded myself with indigenous craft as an act of preservation. Every Banarasi, every Kalamkari, every indigenous weave is a living archive, and I consider myself both its admirer and its custodian. My work has always been about ensuring that our artisans are not just remembered, but revered.

The setting for the morning celebrating Banarasi weaves was Sagarika Rai’s compact boutique, with its curved stairwell doubling as a runway of sorts. There is something about intimate mornings that dissolves formality — conversations are more easy, laughter carries, and the clothes begin to feel lived in rather than displayed. The women chose from her handpicked weaves; I, predictably, chose the sparkling fuchsia ghagra that had more movement than restraint.

Between takes, there were avocado canapés, enchiladas, cocktail samosas, bruschetta, iced teas and cold coffee. It’s a wonder we managed to stay camera-ready. Though, in truth, mornings like these are less about watching diets and more about indulgence.

Both Sagarika and I share this love of indigenous weaves. In a world rushing toward the new and machine made, people of our craft passion find purpose in holding on to the timeless. Being a crusader for Indian craft has meant more than advocacy—it has meant standing up for the hands behind the heritage. Indian craft is high art , and some of is have made it our life’s work to keep this timeless heritage visible & relevant

Bhumi Pednekar, Unfiltered

The Standard Chartered–Times of India ‘Art Of India’ cocktail at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya lawns had a well-curated audience, a heritage setting, and a panel discussion that could easily have drifted into polite predictability. But with actor Bhumi Pednekar, it can never prosaic nor predictable.

Bhumi Pednekar is not one for careful positioning. She speaks directly, without softening edges, and without the usual industry filters. And that is what makes her so engaging. There is a refreshing absence of performance in her candour and what she says even on stage is off the cuff.

In conversation with Alka Pande, Bhoomi spoke about choosing roles with intent — not just for performance, but for context. There was clarity in how she approached her work, and a certain refusal to dilute that for convenience. It is a stance that is straight up and mindful and she comes across as a woman with am mind not about to compromise her desire to do movies with a conscience.

The audience was rapt by her which, at such evenings, is not always guaranteed. I especially enjoyed meeting her after the hiatus — a brief exchange but special as always.

Nayntara Thakker brings Manish Malhotra, Over Coffee

Nayntara Thakker — Tara to friends — has an easy warmth and laughter that makes her afternoons feel easier than orchestrated. There is always a mix of fashion, conversation and an unforced warmth that resists over-curation.

This week she hosted an intimate gathering for Manish Malhotra at the Imperial Club, which had been turned into a soft, boudoir-like setting for his signature pieces — bejewelled ghagras displayed in beautiful bedroom settings, layered skirts, and gowns on mannequins along the entry to the show.

I didn’t stay long. Long enough, however, for a quick photo with Tara and Manish and to observe the familiar rhythm — women browsing, trying, discussing, deciding.

Retail, at this level, is as much social theatre, bonding, connecting, catching up as it is commerce and definitely better than gossip at Kitty parties!

Shaila Foundation, and the Long View

The Shaila Foundation’s afternoon gathering was about celebrating the pillars of the foundation and continuity.

For over three decades, the organisation has worked across underprivileged communities in Mumbai, while maintaining a strong sense of collective participation among its members. Their celebrations — across festivals and occasions — carry that same spirit of inclusion. There is no visible urgency to impress — only a steady commitment to remain.

This particular afternoon focused on honouring long-time supporters. Padam Chaddha, Punam Bijlani, Bilkish Merchant and many other loyal members who have spent hours working for underprivileged members of society. Many of the awarded were also part of the journey from the early years — and led the felicitation.

There was music, there was dancing, and there was a sense of shared ownership that newer organisations often struggle to build. A kind of ease that longitude and time creates.

Longevity, after all, cannot be staged.

A week of warmth, in a city that continues to gather, host and celebrate — even as the rest of the world seems intent on competing for oil and the Strait of Hormuz. Mumbai, as always, gets on with it. Unfazed, unhurried, and resolute in its own worlds.

(Write to Nisha JamVwal at Indiaphenix@gmail.com)