Heena Khandelwal

Heena Khandelwal is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express, Mumbai. She covers a wide range of subjects from relationship and gender to theatre and food. To get in touch, write to heena.khandelwal@expressindia.com

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More From Heena Khandelwal

The cafe, which opened its doors in 2009, emerged partly from the personal desire of Farhad Bomanjee

Around Town: How a US-returned Parsi techie’s craving for good coffee gave Mumbai its Kala Ghoda Cafe, now a hub for artists, writers, and tourists

October 25, 2025 14:21 IST

Kala Ghoda Cafe was opened in 2009 as part of a personal desire of Farhad Bomanjee, a mechanical engineer who had worked across the US and Europe before returning to Mumbai to join his family business.

Sun, Oct 26, 2025

‘Kuch khaas hai hum sabhi mein,’ was his very essence: Ad world remembers legend Piyush Pandey

October 25, 2025 11:26 IST

From Rahul da Cunha, the man behind the Amul campaign, to Hephzibah Pathak, executive chairperson, Ogilvy India, to veteran ad professional K V Sridhar, fondly known as ‘Pops’, prominent figures in the advertising industry recall their association with Piyush Pandey, who passed away on Friday.

Sat, Oct 25, 2025

Prasoon Joshi remembers Piyush Pandey: ‘He was proud of who he was and wore it like a medal. He never pretended’

October 25, 2025 10:30 IST

Legendary adman Piyush Pandey breathed his last on Friday. Lyricist Prasoon Joshi reminisced about the warmth Pandey brought into every interaction, his way of twisting words, playing with phrases, and making people laugh when they least expected.

Sat, Oct 25, 2025

Piyush Pandey, ad legend who wrote ‘Mile Sur Mera Tumhara’, passes away; PM pays tribute

October 24, 2025 13:29 IST

Advertising legend Piyush Pandey’s iconic campaigns for Cadbury Dairy Milk, Fevicol and Vodafone have become a part of India’s pop culture.

Fri, Oct 24, 2025

Rajesh J Narvekar, Commissioner, FDA Maharashtra

Maharashtra needs 1,100 food safety officers but has only 130 on field, 194 in training; impossible to inspect every eatery: FDA Commissioner

October 19, 2025 18:04 IST

Rajesh J Narvekar says Maharashtra FDA has been training street vendors and women’s self-help groups for the last few years.

Sun, Oct 19, 2025

Thane’s popular sweet shop, Prashant Corner, has now expanded its footprint to Panvel, Khargar, Navi Mumbai, Bhiwandi, Kalyan and Dombivali.

Around Town: How a Class 7 dropout established Thane’s mithai empire Prashant Corner, now selling ‘Suvarna Mithai’ at Rs 50,000 a kiloSubscriber Only

October 18, 2025 11:26 IST

Inspired by Balasaheb’s ideology, Prashant Sakpal started a tapri, sold milk door to door before establishing Prashant Corner, now a mithai empire in Thane. Their most expensive mithai is ‘Suvarna Mithai’ topped with 24-carat gold leaves.

Mon, Oct 20, 2025

A scene from Dadar market in the evening on a weekday.

‘Sales affected as every possible space has been taken over by hawkers. People prefer malls because of better facilities,’ Dadar shopkeepers lament Diwali sales

October 17, 2025 21:41 IST

A firecracker seller, said business is muted. “Sales are very slow this year. People are mostly buying small firecrackers like chakris and phuljhadis for children,” he said on condition of anonymity.

Sat, Oct 18, 2025

Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, mumbai,

Why a 16th-century Caravaggio artwork on display at the Bhau Daji Lad Museum is a landmark moment for Mumbai and the controversy around it

October 15, 2025 16:27 IST

Italian Baroque artist Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s original painting ‘Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy’ was unveiled at Mumbai’s Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum

Wed, Oct 15, 2025

How gourmet catering has revolutionised Diwali, New Year and other house partiesSubscriber Only

October 12, 2025 05:30 IST

Home chefs and boutique caterers are integrating food with culture and offering experiential dining at home, making gourmet catering it has become a marker of modern hospitality

Sun, Oct 12, 2025

American Express Bakery, also known as AEB

Around Town: Inside Byculla’s historic 117-year-old American Express Bakery that served Mumbai daily through 1992 riots and pandemic

October 11, 2025 11:05 IST

Today, American Express Bakery, also known as AEB, produces over 60 items, with bread still its star. The loaves head to homes as well as restaurants and clubs across Mumbai, including the Yacht Club and Hotel Sea Palace.

Sat, Oct 11, 2025

Navi Mumbai International Airport inaugurated, but flights won’t take off until December. Here’s why

October 08, 2025 16:29 IST

Major airlines like Air India, IndiGo, and Akasa Air will begin operations at the Navi Mumbai International Airport.

Thu, Oct 09, 2025

To be inaugurated by PM today: Navi Mumbai airport built to withstand most extreme weather events, say officials

October 06, 2025 23:01 IST

‘Will have pre-booked parking, plenty of self-baggage drops, food delivery directly to boarding gate’

Wed, Oct 08, 2025

Navi Mumbai International Airport preparation in Navi Mumbai. (Express Photo by Narendra Vaskar)

10 things you must know about Navi Mumbai International Airport, set for inauguration on Wednesday

October 06, 2025 20:09 IST

Bending functionality with art, London-based Zaha Hadid Architects has reimagined India’s national flower in steel and glass to create a 'floating lotus' terminal at Navi Mumbai International Airport.

Mon, Oct 06, 2025

Around Town: Inside Jhama Sweets, the refugee stall that became favourite of Salman Khan, Abhishek Bachchan and Shilpa Shetty

October 04, 2025 10:56 IST

77-year-old Jhama Sweets now has 11 branches across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region

Sat, Oct 04, 2025

Around Town: How a 10th pass Sindhi compounder built Bandra’s famous and celebrity-approved Elco Pani Puri CentreSubscriber Only

September 27, 2025 11:31 IST

Bandra’s Elco is loved by SRK, Ambanis, Preity Zinta, and more.

Sun, Sep 28, 2025

In the Green of Health: How matcha is becoming India’s new wellness obsessionSubscriber Only

September 21, 2025 07:15 IST

Matcha comes from the same plant as green tea, Camellia sinensis, but what sets it apart is its cultivation and processing

Sun, Sep 21, 2025

One of the city’s oldest Udupi eateries, Ramashraya is a cult favourite

Around Town: Why generations of Mumbaikars queue up at Ramashraya, now 86 years old and among world’s 100 legendary restaurantsSubscriber Only

September 20, 2025 11:44 IST

Ramashraya, one of the city’s oldest Udupi eateries sells over 2,500 plates of idlis and dosas each on weekends. Among the celebrities who visited the eatery include the Kapoor family, Hema Malini, Vidya Balan and Vicky Kaushal.

Sun, Sep 21, 2025

Around Town: Started in 1896 in Karachi, rebuilt after Partition — here’s how a Sindhi family made Punjabi Chandu Halwai a South Mumbai iconSubscriber Only

September 13, 2025 11:49 IST

Today, Punjabi Chandu Halwai offers over 300 varieties of sweets at its stores in Mumbai and is sought out for its Karachi Halwa as well as Bombay Ice Halwa, among others.

Sun, Sep 14, 2025

At 32, doctors gave Arjun Sen 100 days. Thirty years and 20+ surgeries later, he shares the ‘unquit’ theory that inspired Shoojit Sircar, Abhishek Bachchan’s I Want To TalkSubscriber Only

September 12, 2025 19:28 IST

'Each of us is an ‘unquitter. Even when life feels like it’s ending, we find a way through. Now my superpower is asking for help,' says Arjun Sen.

Sat, Sep 13, 2025

Known for its mix of Mexican, Italian and Indian dishes, the vegetarian restaurant built a loyal following with its sizzling brownies, sizzlers and cheesy nachos.

‘End of an era’: After 45 years, Mumbai’s New Yorker to shut doors; owner cites family matter, hints at delivery comebackSubscriber Only

September 10, 2025 14:41 IST

“But we pray this is not the end,” the restaurant owner said, adding that a delivery model is in the pipeline to continue serving the iconic dishes of New Yorker.

Wed, Sep 10, 2025

Syed Safar Ali Husaini with his son S. Mohsen outside Lucky Restaurant. Express photos by Akash Patil

Around Town: Bandra’s 87-year-old Lucky Restaurant where SRK got a film offer and whose biryani is Salman Khan’s favouriteSubscriber Only

September 06, 2025 10:32 IST

Syed Ali Akbar once took a different route to work and chanced upon the spot where he would later start Lucky Restaurant. Today, its patrons include Bollywood stars who vouch for its legendary mutton biryani and timeless charm

Sun, Sep 07, 2025

The big protein flex: India’s diet is getting a makeover, but are we doing it right?Subscriber Only

September 06, 2025 08:27 IST

Milk, ice cream, kulfi, idli batter, bread, chips and cookies – everything comes with a pinch of protein. Growing awareness about nutritional science and a push by FMCG firms has led to a flood of protein-enriched products. But are we eating the right protein?

Fri, Sep 12, 2025

As Bastian Bandra gives way to ‘Ammakai’, a South Indian speciality restaurant, Ranjit Bindra shares company’s big expansion plansSubscriber Only

September 03, 2025 17:39 IST

The group — which launched the 10,000 square feet rooftop restaurant and bar Bastian - At The Top in Dadar in 2023 — is also expanding to Juhu with Bastian Beach Club.

Thu, Sep 04, 2025

‘How will devotees come? Roads are blocked’: Maratha quota protest hits Ganesh Mandal darshans in South MumbaiSubscriber Only

September 01, 2025 16:04 IST

Large gatherings over the last few days brought traffic to a standstill in certain pockets of Mumbai, including Mazagaon, as the Eastern Freeway was shut.

Mon, Sep 01, 2025

Around Town: Five generations, countless laddoos, the story of 100-year-old Manoranjan Ladu Depot in MumbaiSubscriber Only

August 30, 2025 11:43 IST

Manoranjan Ladu Depot was started in the 1920s by Balkhandi Lal Mishra, who left his hometown of Kanpur for then-Bombay in search of a better livelihood.

Mon, Sep 01, 2025