Sonali's Society: Timeless beauty Sanjana Sanghi on Zeenat Aman

Timeless beauty Sanjana Sanghi on Zeenat AmanDil Bechara beauty Sanjana Sanghi puts Zeenat Aman in the spotlight this week and for all the right reasons ldquoShe is truly an enduring icon and not just for her striking beauty Zeenat Aman ji redefined what beauty and confidence mean for a modern woman and she did it back in the 1970s when the industry was largely defined by traditional portrayals of women As a media student in college wersquove literally written papers on how she changed the female gaze in Indian cinemaSanjana SanghiThat unapologetic individuality and a bold cosmopolitan energy that audiences had rarely seen before mdash her breakthrough performance in Hare Rama Hare Krishna became an instant cultural phenomenon What really makes her timeless is that her beauty personality and confidence are inseparable and I think that is such an inspiration for the modern Indian womanrdquoLaughter is the best medicineRussell Peters is heading back to Mumbai on March 22 after an interminable intermission mdash and honestly wersquore all due for the dose His Relax World Tour kicks off its sevencity India run in Delhi this SundayRussell PetersChatting with me during his last visit the comedy giant no fat shaming intended was firm on not ldquotoning it downrdquo Hersquos been at this since 1989 and refuses to ldquoturn into a civilianrdquo by selffiltering and sacrificing his superpower To Russell losing that edge is like Superman giving up his cape to be human ldquoYou realise pretty quickly that it sucksrdquo he saysFor Mumbai audiences this isnrsquot just another comedy show Itrsquos a chance to witness a master at work mdash wielding wit as effortlessly as ever and reminding us why humour unfiltered and unapologetic remains a superpower we all needTiny table big legacyThursday brought terrific tidings for two Mumbai eateries with the announcement of Asiarsquos 50 Best Restaurants 51100 for 2026 Paparsquos in Bandra replaces chef Prateek Sadhursquos Naar at No 66 while Gauri Devidayal and Jay Yousuf rsquos The Table comes in at No 73Sameer Seth Hussain Shahzad and Yash BhanageNow while The Table remains one of our fast favourites it is Paparsquos poignant story that truly deserves attention Named after the late chef Floyd Cardoz mdash affectionately addressed as Papa ji mdash this tiny 12seater is a hidden gem helmed by chef Hussain Shahzad Founders Sameer Seth and Yash Bhanage continue Cardozrsquos legacy here with Sameer noting he often feels Floydrsquos guiding hand at workldquoHersquoll be sitting with a single malt somewhere cheering us on for thisrdquo says Sameer understandably elated at the new honour ldquoMoments like this underscore that our work stands for something The validation and recognition are incredible for the whole team and we are truly gratefulrdquoHaving earned a top accolade from Time magazine in 2025 Paparsquos continues to rack up recognition cementing its place as one of Mumbairsquos culinary treasures Fully booked through April already this tiny treasure proves that Cardozrsquos legacy mdash and Mumbairsquos appetite for it mdash are very much alivePaparsquos can preachSince opening its doors in February 2024 this small suburban space has been a magnet for big names Pop star Dua Lipa and actor Callum Turner are among those who have dined here in addition to Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli and IndoCanadian singerrapper AP DhillonSeventy splendid oversOne could scarcely have scripted a more felicitous coincidence mdash celebrating seventy splendid overs of Shashi Tharoor while the ICC Menrsquos T20 World Cup final provided the background commentary And so it was on Sunday night that legal eagle Rohit Kochhar and wife Sonali hosted a party to bring in the birthday of our favourite former export to the United Nations at their sprawling Chhatarpur mansionShashi TharoorThe capitalrsquos most conspicuous citizens stepped out for cocktails and dinner with Tharoor ambassadors from at least three EU countries including Lithuanian diplomat Diana Mickeviien MP Priyanka Chaturvedi and a handful of fellow politicians Kathak queen Shovana Narayan economist Prem Shankar Jha OG influencer Bina Ramani and journo Barkha Dutt Not surprisingly fellow lovers of language attended too mdash William Dalrymple and Chetan Bhagat amongst themChampagne was poured the cake mdash a perfect Moeumlt magnum replica mdash was cut and a giant screen carried the cricket live And while Indiarsquos World Cup triumph was a handsome birthday bonus the nightrsquos real headline was Tharoorrsquos mother being there to see him into his seventies A blessing indeed