<h2>In with a bang</h2>
<p>A rising wave makes a splash, drenching visitors gathered to witness the high tide over the weekend at Marine Drive.</p>
<h2>A new place to call home</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/jun/Painting-workshop_e.jpg" alt="A moment from a painting workshop at the community space" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>A moment from a painting workshop at the community space</em></strong></p>
<p>Tweet Foundation, a Delhi-based community centre established in 2015 to support the trans rights movement, is ensuring everyone in the city has a place to call home this monsoon. The community has opened its doors to Garima Greh in Goregaon, a home where trans men and women can live a dignified life for free. &ldquo;Many trans individuals escape their toxic households and find themselves in unpleasant predicaments. We aim to give them a safe space and train them in soft skills like communication to make them employable in corporate offices,&rdquo; a community member explained over a call. The space is equipped to accommodate 20 trans individuals in a batch. Those interested, can reach out to @tweet_foundation.</p>
<h2>City&rsquo;s wishes for the Dalai Lama</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/jun/Dalai-Lama-bday_e.jpg" alt="Members of Friends of Tibet at a previous celebration in Mumbai " width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Members of Friends of Tibet at a previous celebration in Mumbai</em></strong>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Followers of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama will celebrate the spiritual leader&rsquo;s birthday in the city. On July 6, Friends of Tibet will head to Shishu-van School in Matunga to distribute free saplings to ring in the celebrations. &ldquo;We wanted the celebrations to be in tune with His Holiness&rsquo; teachings of peace and love towards all beings,&rdquo; shared Rohit Singh, an organising member. Reminiscing the last audience that the community had with the Dalai Lama in Mumbai during a 2018 visit, he revealed, &ldquo;We enquire about his well- being every time we meet. With a reassuring smile, His Holiness asks us not to worry and gives us his blessings. These are memories we will cherish forever.&rdquo;</p>
<h2>Post-poll punchlines</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/jun/Rangeela_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>Rajasthan-based comedian Shyam Rangeela (below) will need no introduction at his upcoming show in Mumbai. The 29-year-old made news in the build-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections when he decided to contest against the PM in Varanasi. It was rejected due to an incomplete affidavit and other procedural deficiencies. Set to perform a candid show titled Main Hoon Shyam Rangeela, he shared, &ldquo;During my time in Varanasi, I had to shed my usual humourous personality for a more formal one when I appeared in public. it&rsquo;s time to bring the jokes back,&rdquo; he told us. While Rangeela has performed the set for audiences before, he reveals that the upcoming performance will draw inspiration from the hectic pre-election saga.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Things got pretty challenging leading up to the elections. When I would come back to my hotel room, I&rsquo;d laugh about the absurdity of it all. The two weeks I spent in Varanasi were challenging, but they offered me a perspective that helped me hone my comic skills,&rdquo; he recalled. As for what the future holds for Rangeela, he shared, &ldquo;I have always had a deep interest in politics and the state of the world. I began with mimicry and slowly moved to jokes with political undertones. My style of comedy will remain the same. As for stepping into politics, I will let time decide.&rdquo;</p>
<h2>A happy toy story in Kandivali</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/jun/Toy-store-a_e.jpg" alt="Mitalee Gandhi at the toy bank " width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Mitalee Gandhi at the toy bank</em></strong>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Fed up of the constant clutter arising from impulsive toy purchases for her two-year-old child, Kandivali&rsquo;s Mitalee Gandhi has launched a toy bank called Rent A Joy in the suburb. &ldquo;The idea is to offer a set of four toys every week. At the end of the week, these toys can be swapped for a new set. This keeps the child interested and curbs unnecessary purchases,&rdquo; she explained. The store also offers educational learning aids, books, and sensory play tools. &ldquo;Educators are increasingly turning to sensory play. It helps a child develop gross motor skills at the right age. Children&rsquo;s needs are evolving rapidly, and we must keep up with them,&rdquo; she added.</p>
<h2>Another win for India cinema</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/jun/Nidhi-Saxena_e.jpg" alt="Nidhi Saxena (right) and Bhadra Basu during the filming of the movie " width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Nidhi Saxena (right) and Bhadra Basu during the filming of the movie</em></strong>&nbsp;</p>
<p>After fellow alumnus Payal Kapadia&rsquo;s unforgettable win in Cannes, it&rsquo;s now city-based filmmaker Nidhi Saxena&rsquo;s turn to bring accolades to her alma mater, FTII Pune. Saxena&rsquo;s film, Sad Letters of an Imaginary Woman, has bagged the coveted Asian Cinema Fund in the post-production category, making her the first woman to achieve the feat. The 81-minute-long film, shot in Ahmedabad, follows a melancholic woman who writes anguished letters and phone calls to her childhood self, amidst the decay of her ancestral home, &ldquo;I was absolutely delighted when the news came in. This marks the fruition of more than 10 years of effort,&rdquo; she told us, further revealing that veteran director Kamal Swaroop deserves equal credit for the achievement. &ldquo;I started shooting the film even before the screenplay was finalised. While many warned me against it, Swaroop came in as a mentor and encouraged me to take the plunge,&rdquo; she revealed. The film will premiere at the Busan International Film Festival in October.</p>

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