• Culture & Travel

The Word. Comes to Mumbai

A special lunch celebrated with the city’s finest.
  • ByTeam The Word.

Actors Rasika Dugal, Shikha Talsania, and Lillete Dubey at a special lunch hosted by The Word. in Mumbai.

It was a sunny April afternoon, when Mumbai’s most creative sparks gathered in a colonial-era bungalow in Colaba, Mumbai, for a special lunch. A jazz singer crooned above the lively chatter, and the flashbulbs set off like brilliant dominoes capturing the brilliant gathering… The Word. had arrived in Mumbai.

The occasion? To celebrate good cheer and that certain, French ‘je ne sais quoi’ that makes for the ideal picnic party. Upon entering Neuma in Colaba, friends of The Word. were welcomed with a picture-perfect spot, reminiscent of the outdoors…rugs and ottomans under a scarlet-hued chair and a large umbrella. And on the terrace is where the real fun began… Chequered table tops laden with delectable treats, and in a corner, a live portraitist capturing the many moods of guests with watercolour on paper.

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Content Creator Anshula Kapoor with author Tahira Kashyap.
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(From left) Content creator Simone Khambatta, Tiara Dhody, entrepreneur Queenie Singh, author Tahira Kashyap, The Word. Editor-in-Chief Nandini Bhalla, actor Lillete Dubey, celebrity dermatologist Dr Jaishree Sharad, and Christian Louboutin Brand Head for India Maneka Thadani.
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Actor Malavika Mohanan.

This special afternoon also marked the India-launch of French aperitif brand, Lillet, that was founded in 1872 and has been a favourite since, with artist Taylor Swift being the recent-most celebrity to declare the spirit her favourite (the French Blonde cocktail, that is, made with the refreshing Lillet Blanc).

Celebrating this launch in India, friends of The Word. From India’s hallowed silver screen and OTT platforms, actors at the afternoon included Tiscca Chopra, Malavika Mohanan, Rasika Dugal, Kubbra Sat, Shikha Talsania, Aparshakti Khurana, Sonnalli Seygall, Sumukhi Suresh, Lillette Dubey, Anjali Sivaraman, Suchitra Pillai, and Rohan Gurbaxani. The sun certainly shone brighter that day…

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Actor Tisca Chopra.
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(From left) Restaurateur Ashesh L Sajnani, Nandini Bhalla, actor Sonnalli Seygall, and The Word.
Content Director Radhika Bhalla.
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Actor Aparshakti Khurana.
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Actor Kubbra Sait.
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Actors Rishabh Sawhney and Rohan Gurbaxani
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Actor Suchitra Pillai.

And amongst the community of creators, the roster was a lesson in ingenuity. Mavens like Malini Agarwal of Miss Malini, Sherry Shroff, Ruhee Dosani, and Malvika Sitlani were spotted with Anshula Kapoor, stylist Divyak D’Souza, Nikhil Kandhari, Glorious Luna, Vivek Dhadha, and Ankita Chawla of Hustle Rani. 

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(From left) Content creators Natasha Patel, Scherezade Shroff Talwar, Marketing Consultant Tamira,
and Simone Khambatta.
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(From left) Content creators Reshma Bombaywala, Vivek Dhadha, and Malini Agarwal.
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(From left) Content creator Ruhanee Dosani, RJ Karishma, Nandini Bhalla, actor Sumukhi Suresh, and actor Anjali Sivaraman.
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Stylist Divyak D'Souza.
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(From left) Content creator Rahil Sayed, Suunny Pandey, Glorious Luna, and The Word.
Managing Editor Meghna Sharma.
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(From left) Content creator Nikhil Kandhari, Namrat Klair, and Malvika Sitlani.
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(From left) Anshula Kapoor, Nandini Bhalla, and content creator Ankita Chawla.

As ice-cool goblets of cocktails clinked, the OGs of Mumbai society were there to celebrate with The Word., too, from filmmaker Mozez Singh to celebrity stylist Anaita Adajania, and entrepreneur Queenie Singh with her daughter Tiara Dhody. And the world of gastronomy was there for a taste of the party, from Michelin-starred chef Suvir Saran to restauranteurs Gauri Devidayal and Ashesh L Sajnani.

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Filmmaker Mozez Singh.
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(From left) Luxury influencer Anandita De, chef Suvir Saran, Nandini Bhalla, and Rohan Gurbaxani.
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Author Meghna Pant and entrepreneur Gauri Devidayal.
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Chairperson of Vu Televisions, Devita Saraf.

Designers and stylist and tastemakers of the biggest fashion Maisons were in tow, as were Mumbai’s finest media personnel. Editors and journalists included Namrata Zakaria, Shweta Shiware, and Praachi Raniwala.

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(From left) Senior journalist Namrata Zakaria, Nandini Bhalla, and celebrity stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania.
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(From left) Jewellery designer Roma Narsinghania, yoga expert Aparna Madlani, and journalist Praachi Raniwala.
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(From left) Stylist Isha Bhansali and jewellery designer Nitya Arora.
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Content creator Isha Sutaria and celebrity stylist Saanchi Gilani Bachooali.
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Brows artist Suman Jalaf and producer Parveen Dusanj-Bedi.
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(From left) Maneka Thadani, celebrity stylist Esha L Amin, and Communications Manager for
Christian Louboutin Sudiksha Joshi.
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Communications Director for Hermès, Rohima Sequeira.
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Stylist Vinita Makhija and Head of Marketing of Amorepacific Group, Mini Sood Banerjee.

As the afternoon sun rose in the sky, and the sound of laughter filled the air, there was only one last thing to do…to soak in this painting of joy, as friends of The Word. got together in high spirits.