<h2>In the spotlight</h2>
<p>Attendees observe a model during the graduating fashion show of Premlila Vithaldas Polytechnic at The Leela Hotel in Andheri East</p>
<h2>Roberta&rsquo;s soul in heaven</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/feb/Roberta-Flack_e.jpg" alt="(From left) Late singer Roberta Flack, Sharon Prabhakar and Gary Lawyer. File pic, Pic courtesy/Instagram" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>(From left) Late singer Roberta Flack, Sharon Prabhakar and Gary Lawyer. File pic, Pic courtesy/Instagram</em></strong></p>
<p>Rhythm and Blues and pop music lost an iconic voice with the passing of singer Roberta Flack on Monday. The Grammy Award-winner best known for her hits, Killing Me Softly With His Song and The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, passed away at the age of 88. Trained as a classical pianist, Flack went on to be discovered on the jazz stage before veering into R&amp;B and soul pop. Her voice and intonation left a mark on listeners around the world, including Sharon Prabhakar. &ldquo;It was her unique style that made an impression. She sang with such pathos and depth,&rdquo; the vocalist shared. For veteran artiste Gary Lawyer, Flack&rsquo;s soft-spoken, soul-style was a signature of African American music. &ldquo;She had a beautiful voice that carried. It is also unique to vocalists who emerge from the community, as well as through the genre of church music. Soul is ingrained in their delivery and their voice. She could interpret anything with depth,&rdquo; he recalled.</p>
<h2>Pok&eacute;mon fun in Mumbai</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/feb/Pokemon-car_e.jpg" alt="Toys from Pok&eacute;mon mela held last year" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Toys from Pok&eacute;mon mela held last year</em></strong></p>
<p>Pok&eacute;mon fans are in for a big treat as Pok&eacute;mon Carnival and Run gears up for its city sojourn tomorrow. Featuring interactive booths, mini games and performances, the three-day carnival organised by The Pok&eacute;mon Company and You Too Can Run will mark its Mumbai debut this year. &ldquo;We want people to discover the joy of staying active and what better way to do that than spending fun time with Pok&eacute;mon,&rdquo; P Venkatraman, CEO of You Too Can Run, shared with us.</p>
<h2>Let&rsquo;s clear the air with some jokes</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/feb/Laugh-permin_e.jpg" alt="Stand-up comics gather on stage during the Delhi edition of the show held in March last year. pic courtesy/asar" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Stand-up comics gather on stage during the Delhi edition of the show held in March last year. Pic courtesy/Asar</em></strong></p>
<p>If you, like this diarist, find yourself grappling with deteriorating air quality in our city, this stand-up show might give you a few laughs on how to cope with the crisis. Asar Social Impact Advisors in collaboration with Deadant, a digital platform for stand-up comedy are conducting the first Mumbai edition of Laughs Per Minute: Breathless edition this Friday. Hosted by city-based stand-up comedian Daniel Fernandes, the show will have 20 comics on board to crack jokes on the city&rsquo;s air condition within 60 seconds. &ldquo;If you look at Mumbai, the entire city is dug up, and there is demolition, construction and waste everywhere. We wanted to highlight the air quality discourse through pop-culture so that it reaches people across age groups,&rdquo; Brikesh Singh, chief of communications, Asar, shared with this diarist.</p>
<h2>The big 25 in 2025</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/feb/Akvarious_e.jpg" alt="Actors during a rehearsal for the upcoming performances. PIc courtesy/akvarious" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Actors during a rehearsal for the upcoming performances. PIc courtesy/akvarious</em></strong></p>
<p>For theatremaker Akarsh Khurana (below), it is a treat to witness his production, Akvarious, celebrate its 25th anniversary this year. &ldquo;The actual date of our founding is on December 13, but we are planning a series of microfests approaching the big day,&rdquo; the director shared. The first of these opens on the weekend of March 1 with two workshops by veteran actor and writer Akash Khurana, as well as fellow actor Shaun Williams at NCPA.</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/feb/Akarsh-Khurana_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>&ldquo;In addition to these, we also have performances of The Verdict and It&rsquo;s a Wonderful Life. We will also be teaming up with Bhasha Centre for a rehearsed reading of The Interview, followed by a panel discussion with some of the original cast members,&rdquo; Khurana shared. Post the Mumbai celebration, the team will travel to Delhi, Pune, Jaipur and Bengaluru before returning to Mumbai. &ldquo;In March, we will return to Mumbai to open our new play, Adhir Bhat&rsquo;s Smile Please,&rdquo; he revealed.</p>
<h2>Chess for all</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/feb/Chess-tournament_e.jpg" alt="A moment from the tournament. Pic courtesy/Abhyudaya Ram" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>A moment from the tournament. Pic courtesy/Abhyudaya Ram</em></strong></p>
<p>Last Sunday, Chessbase India hosted the second edition of Mind Champions Challenge 2025 supported by the Lions Club of Bombay Uptown where 35 visually impaired players came together for a thrilling tournament at Phoenix Marketcity in Kurla. &ldquo;We were given special Braille chess sets by All India Chess Federation for the Blind, and each game was timed for 40 to 45 minutes. Since the players couldn&rsquo;t see the time on their clocks, the arbiter (referee) and the volunteers would prompt the time to all the players at regular intervals,&rdquo; Dr Vidhi Karelia (inset), event head at ChessBase India shared with us.</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2025/feb/Vidhi-Karelia_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>As fierce as the battle on the chessboard was, the event also had an endearing moment when the organisers met a visually impaired couple who had travelled all the way from Pune to attend the event. The couple was awarded by the organisation for their spirit and talent. &ldquo;Aniket and Sayli taught each other chess and since then have been attending chess events. Both of them manage their passion for the game along with personal duties. We were inspired by their camaraderie and love,&rdquo; she told us.</p><p>
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