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For the first
time Mumbaites can have a shot at water skiing, para sailing, windsurfing,
canoeing, kayaking and rowing. They can also take cruises and go
jet boat and speed boat riding. The Maharashtra Tourism Development
Corporation that took over the responsibility of restoring the beaches
and making them tourist friendly, have leased out the Southern end
of Girgaum’s Chowpatty beach to Drishti Adventure Sports Private
Ltd. Fort for ten years. MTDC will receive a monthly rent of Rs
3,83,000 for the first year and after that there will be a ten per
cent hike in the rent. An adventure water sports complex, H2O the
brainchild of Rajiv Somani and Jatti Verma of Drishti and Prakash
Khubchandani of Popcorn Entertainment who have collaborated with
Drishti on the project, has come up on the sands that were not so
long ago the dumping ground for garbage and a haven for malishwallahs.
Sunil Shetty who’s been roped in by Popcorn to market the concept
and whose Mischief Dining Bar will dish out delicacies for the revelers,
was an excited man when he toured the complex with the fourth estate
who had been invited for a special preview before the complex opened
to the public following the Governor’s nod. “The idea
of water sports has not been popularised in Mumbai like the way
it has in Kerala and Goa. But from October to January, the peak
tourist season, this will be one of the city’s biggest attractions,”
asserts the star who’s a sports buff.
Rajiv Somani
of Drishti is as confident of this fad catching on because, as he
points out, these simple pleasures don’t make too much of a
dent on the pocket. “At Rs 25 a joy ride on a speed boat is
easily affordable. You can also take a fisherman’s cruise or
a moonlight cruise, a bay cruise or a sunset cruise at prices ranging
from Rs.35 - Rs.60 on weekends and public holidays and Rs.25 to
Rs 50 on normal working days. People who want to hire out jet boats
will have to dole out Rs 6,000 while para sailing can be enjoyed
at Rs. 750 an hour. “The rates are very affordable and the
complex is equipped with showers, toilets, lockers, changing rooms,
children’s play area, a cafeteria and beach volleyball,”
Somani informs. A special jetty is being imported from the US for
efficient management of equipment, high speed jet boats and jetskiis,
cat cruisers and para sailing boats.
 The
management has formulated some very stringent rules. Anybody entering
the sea has to use the services of a lifeguard. There will be 30
lifeguards in the water who have been trained by the fisherfolk.
The lifeguards and management personnel are expected to be in constant
touch through the walkie talkies. The team is headed by an ex naval
diver, PN Pandey. For Sunil Shetty films are a passion today. Hotels
were a family business. Boutiques a side business. And sports a
childhood obsession. “Though a Mangalorean by birth, Mumbai
has made me what I am today and this is my chance to give something
back to the city of dreams,” smiles the star.
Besides water
sports Popcorn Entertainment has its fingers in many pies. It intends
to train new cricketing talent for Tests and plans to put up a Mumbai
Festival to spot such talent. Stage shows and feature films are
next in line. Popcorn, Drishti and Shetty together plan to give
Mumbaiites a chance to let their hair down and enjoy.
—MSM
Desai
The
Nayak and his nayika
 Naresh
and Neeta Goyal of Jet Airways had a bash at the Olive, a popular
joint for the jet-setters in Mumbai, recently. The reason for the
get-together was to felicitate this year’s National Award winners,
Anil Kapoor, Javed Akhtar and Anu Malik. The Kapoor khandaan were
there in full strength with brothers Boney, Anil and Sanjay putting
up a smiling front with their respective wives. Javed and Shabana
were the toast of the town. Javed with his ready wit was a big hit
with not just the filmi crowd but the socialists and business tycoons
who had packed into the hot spot that evening. Shatrughan Sinha
made a rare appearance.
Rishi and Neetu
Kapoor were cooly elegant while Anu Malik was at his boisterous
best. It was a night to remember and not just for the winning trio.
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