RITZ September 2013 issue

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SEPTEMBER 2013 SOUTH INDIA'S PREMIER UBER LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE `40 VOL 10 ISSUE 2 THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS A roundup of the Delhi Couture Week and LFW SPELL OUT S.P.U.N.K Sriya Reddy shows us every bit of the candour and energy we love her for! ON OUR RADAR Shooting aficionados and passionate gun collectors PLus The boldest fashion trends, the coolest products and a generous slice of the uber lifestyle

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I look around and see a lot of beautiful women looking like clones of each other at events, sticking to the usual routine of wearing a pretty dress, flaunting a poker-straight blowout, girly makeup and carrying a box clutch. Just how boring is this look? If you ask me, very! Time for some experimentation, much? Take international designers for example. While we’ve fallen hook, line and sinker for the known names, such as Oscar de la Renta, Saint Laurent, Dolce and Gabbana and Valentino, there are several other designers like Roksanda Ilincic, Mary Katrantzou, Christopher Kane and Erdem who surprise fashion lovers every season. A little effort at experimentation in the style department is sure to yield gorgeous results. At RITZ, we’ve renewed our interest in fashion by presenting you with interesting choices. On the one hand we feature newbie designers who are upping the ante with their bold creativity, and on the other, you have the big guns bettering their best with every passing seas

Transcript of RITZ September 2013 issue

SEPTEMBER 2013

SOUTH INDIA'S PREMIER UBER LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

`40

VOL 10 ISSUE 2

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDSA roundup of the Delhi Couture

Week and LFW

SPELL OUT S.P.U.N.KSriya Reddy shows us every bit

of the candour and energy we

love her for!

ON OUR RADARShooting aficionados and

passionate gun collectors

PLusThe boldest

fashion trends, the

coolest products

and a generous

slice of the uber

lifestyle

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

I look around and see a lot of beautiful women looking like clones of each other at events, sticking to the usual routine of wearing

a pretty dress, flaunting a poker-straight blowout, girly makeup and carrying a box clutch. Just how boring is this look? If you

ask me, very! Time for some experimentation, much? Take international designers for example. While we’ve fallen hook, line and

sinker for the known names, such as Oscar de la Renta, Saint Laurent, Dolce and Gabbana and Valentino, there are several other

designers like Roksanda Ilincic, Mary Katrantzou, Christopher Kane and Erdem who surprise fashion lovers every season. A little

effort at experimentation in the style department is sure to yield gorgeous results.

At RITZ, we’ve renewed our interest in fashion by presenting you with interesting choices. On the one hand we feature newbie

designers who are upping the ante with their bold creativity, and on the other, you have the big guns bettering their best with every

passing season. And if our effort helps men and women across South India look their best, it’ll all be worthwhile.

4 SEPTEMBER 2013

INSIDE

of

presents

9 years of style & success

BUZZIN’We’re buzzin’ about the high life this month

12

GLAM BRIGADEA highlight of people and events that caught our attention

27

SNAPPEDOf special occasions captured for memory

28

PORTFOLIOCheck out some of the hautest bridal couture this

season while we catch up with some interesting work

by fashion heavyweights from Sabyasachi to Anamika

Khanna, Ritu Beri, and Manish Arora. We also show you

how to go bold with some intrepid punk plaids.

40

PORT

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PERSONALITYSriya Reddy on cinema, life away from the camera and

her obsession with fitness

56

62UBER LIVINGSome people just need to take that shot! Collecting

and caring for your own set of rifles and firearms is not

something everyone can afford. But there’s certainly a

rush when handling one as we find out.

66TAKE OFFYou don’t really have to head to the Gold Coast to

catch that wave! Grab that board and head to the

South Indian coastline!

VIEWPOINTArt entrepreneur Sharan Apparao explores the

interaction between the visual and text in art while

Sujaya Chandran finds that retail therapy can in fact be

cause for therapy itself.

70

6 SEPTEMBER 2013

INSIDE...

EDITOR & PUBLISHER ARUNA R KRISHNAN EDITORIAL CO-ORDINATORS SHRUTHI SUDHAKARAN & ROHIT PANIKKERCONTRIBUTING WRITERS ASMITA AGGARWAL, KIRTHI JAYAKUMAR, MARCUS.A.CLAY, MINAL KHONA,

RICHA TILOKANI, ROHIT PANIKKER, SIDDHARTH KUMAR, VINITA NAYAR, VIRA SHAH GUEST COLUMNISTS SHARAN APPARAO, VIDYA SINGH DESIGN PURPLE MANGO CREATIVE SOLUTIONS MARKETING MANAGER PRAVEEN KUMAR M EXECUTIVE-CLIENT SERVICE SWATHI RAMAKRISHNAN

SENIOR MEDIA EXECUTIVE – FILM PROMOTIONS SANJAY.G FEATURES PHOTOGRAPHER ARUL RAJ EVENT PHOTOGRAPHER, CHENNAI M.GURUNATH PRABHU

All correspondence should be addressed to:

RITZ, 7th Floor, Sigma Wing, Raheja Towers, 177, Anna Salai, Chennai 600002. Contact: 42113871 / 2

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Edited and Published by Aruna R Krishnan from 7th Floor, Sigma Wing, Raheja Towers, 177 Anna Salai, Chennai 600002.All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. RITZ is not responsible for unsolicited material. RITZ assumes no responsibility for the veracity and authenticity of the advertisements published herein. Readers are requested to make appropriate enquiries before incurring any expenses or acting on medical recommendations or otherwise in

relation to any advertisement or article published herein. Also views in articles published herein are those of the respective authors only. RITZ does not necessarily subscribe to these views.

To advertise in RITZ, call Praveen Kumar on 9841973090 / 044 42113871

INDULGEWe take an intense look at the works of Jean Sasson

and Susan Abulhawa. As fodder for more entertainment,

we catch up with Live Banned.

78

MAINCOURSEVidya Singh and a group of friends enjoy a lazy Sunday

lunch at The Focaccia at The Hyatt Regency.

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THE RITZ READERDeepak Suresh on his idea of luxury

86

OVER A CUPPAWe get up close with actor Forest Whitaker on his new

film The Butler as Jason Sudeikis and Jennifer Aniston get

together, talking about their latest release We’re The Millers.

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8 SEPTEMBER 2013

FOOD

‘Big Sundays’ at ITC Grand Chola

now give you an even more

enticing chance to relax. Head to

Ottimo – the Cucina Italiana that

offers gourmet antipasti, pastas

and pizzas. At Pan Asian, you can

indulge in an assortment of crisp

salads, cold appetizers, lighter-

than-air dim sums and fresh sushi.

The Madras Pavilion restaurant

features Indian and international

gourmet desserts.

The ITC Grand Chola is at

63, Mount Road, Guindy,

Chennai.

Indulge in the soulful flavours of

southern Italy at the antipasti &

dessert buffet at Focaccia, The

Hyatt Regency, all through the

week from Monday until Friday.

The menu ranges from bacon to

fagioli salad to tenderloin carpaccio

and you can top it off with a buffet

of all things sweet at their exquisite

dessert bar. Also be sure to check

out the Trattoria-styled brunch for

the entire family, offering unlimited

antipasti and desserts. With pasta

and pizzas ahoy, have a fantastic

time as you lounge at the poolside

with your family before you indulge

in the colossal Italian feast. With

unlimited juices and mocktails:

` 1299 + taxes; with unlimited spirits

and cocktails: ` 1599 + taxes.

The Hyatt Regency is at

365, Anna Salai, Teynampet,

Chennai.

12 SEPTEMBER 2013

BUZZIN’

SHOPPING

Tom Ford presents his best in striking

frames as he flaunts his new collection,

which includes 22 new sunglass frames

and 14 optical frames for women and

men. Sophisticated and sexy, these

new, clean, linear shapes make a

powerful statement of personal style.

Minimalist and modern, the Tom Ford

collection defines luxury at its best.

Crafted from exquisite materials and

featuring superb fabrications, the range

is lightweight, comfortable and just what

the doctor ordered!

Availability: Available at all leading

optical and multi-branded stores across

the country

Price: on request

If you’re looking for suave and slick, then Tom Ford’s new collection is your best pick.

Funky, clear bags are great for an outing on a rainy day. Take a look…

Be a monsoon diva!

Make a style statement

even when the skies

are rumbling. Lucite

bags are perfect for

the monsoon, and at

any time of the day

or evening. Time to

ditch the leather totes

for these see-through

beauties, indeed.

Available on

www.shop.inonit.in

14 SEPTEMBER 2013

BUZZIN’

SHOPPING Sanskrriti brings to you an exciting

range of gifting options for this festive

season. Be it Ayudha Pooja, Navratri,

Diwali or any other celebration, make

each occasion extra special with exciting

gifts from Sanskrriti. Choose from a wide

range of hampers, gift baskets, potlis and

trays laden with fruits, dry fruits, cookies,

chocolates, biscuits or any other goodie

that you may desire to gift.

All the gifts are designed and attractively

packed in bright neon colours, which are

so hot this festive season. So get ready to

celebrate the special occasion called life

with Sanskrriti.

Drop in at:

Old No 14, New No 15,

Sulaiman Zackaria Avenue,

Casa Major Road,

3rd Lane, Egmore, Chennai.

Call the store at +91 44 64992496

16 SEPTEMBER 2013

BUZZIN’

THIS MONTH WE LOVE

Quirky and Eclectic

We went gaga over Quirk

Box’s collections at the LFW

2013. On a boring evening

for a dose of eccentric fun,

slip on this printed number

from Quirk Box and pair

with coral pumps.

18 SEPTEMBER 2013

BUZZIN’

THIS MONTH WE LOVE

Shilpa Reddy makes a stunning statement at LFW

Designer and former model Shilpa Reddy’s LFW collection inspired by Thai

warrior-queen Suriyothai has been receiving accolades all around. The designer

who in the past, had famously graced the Kingfisher calendar, has put together

a strong statement with her current line. Cheering her at LFW were superstar

Nagarjuna and actress-producer Lakshmi Manchu.

22 SEPTEMBER 2013

BUZZIN’

NEW PRODUCTS

Mechanical perfection, unique style and elegance is what Rolex is all about. Of all the

collections, the Daytona is arguably the most sacred watch to Rolex collectors.

First introduced in 1963, the Rolex Daytona range was made famous by

actor and motor racing enthusiast Paul Newman.

The 50th anniversary of the iconic watch has been

marked this year with the launch of a first

‘prestigious edition’ of the Cosmograph

Daytona that replaces the usual steel case

for one made entirely of platinum. Rolex

created an instant collector’s piece

featuring a case made entirely of 950

platinum, with a chestnut brown

Cerachrom bezel that matches the

sub-dials in the beautiful ice blue

dial and white gold borders.

The 50th Anniversary Rolex

Cosmograph Daytona

Reference 116506 features

the Rolex caliber 4130

and will have a retail price

of $75,000 (` 48 lakh

approximately) when it

hits stores later this year.

Needless to say, the

Cosmograph Daytona

is on every Rolex

aficionado’s wishlist.

An iconic benchmark for those who are passionate about luxury and prestige, Rolex continues to dazzle...

WEARING YOUR STYLE

24 SEPTEMBER 2013

BUZZIN’

The Bentley Luxury Handbag Collection

The world’s leading luxury carmaker has now introduced a limited

edition luxury handbag which transfers the functional luxury of the

car into an accessory that women can cherish. Each limited edition

Bentley luxury handbag will feature a metal plaque, commemorating

its individual number. This plaque can be personalised to the

handbag owner and their car.

The collection features two distinct models that create a strong link

with some of the key features of the cars. The Barnato is named

after the first British woman to break the sound barrier; she was

also the daughter of the founding chairman of the company. The

Continental is named after one of Bentley’s famed model lines,

used on successive generations of Grand Tourers since 1952. The

Bentley Handbag collection is available from October 2013. This

limited edition collection comprises 160 bags globally, 80 of each

style, in four colourways. This palette of options will be expanded in

2014 to include new models.

Gemfields to offer collaborative jewellery on Couturelab

Gemfields has collaborated with a selection of international jewellers

to create one-off designer jewellery. For the 12-piece collection, the

designers used Gemfields’ Zambian emeralds and amethysts, and

Mozambican rubies to create one-of-a-kind pieces exclusively for

the environmentally and socially responsible mining company.

Prices for the Gemfields collection at couturelab start from $4,050

(` 2.6 lakh) for a brooch by Askill.

Available at www.couturelab.com

26 SEPTEMBER 2013

BUZZIN’

Suhasini Manirathnam

Under the maestro’s tutelage

The launch of AR Rahman’s KM College of Music and

Technology in Chennai featured an interesting blend of

musicians and famous personalities. While Mukesh and

Nita Ambani inaugurated the institute, the guests at the

event were held spellbound by the magical strains Sufi

music, including Rahman’s own composition Khwaja

Mere Khwaja, performed by students of his music

conservatory.

Shakthishree Gopalan Adam

AR Reihana

Gilles and Aramian

Rajiv Menon with his wife

Mukesh and Nita Ambani, AR Rahman and Saira

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The 9th anniversary edition of RITZ, South India’s Premier Uber Lifestyle Magazine

was celebrated with much fanfare on the 14th of August, 2013 at Greenways Hall,

Hotel Park Sheraton. The dynamic Col David Devasahayam and his charming wife

Dr. Renuka David of the hugely successful Radiant Group of Companies presented

and spearheaded the 9th anniversary celebrations of the magazine. Speaking at the

event, Col David was very appreciative of the success of RITZ. US Consul General

Jennifer McIntyre presided over the elegant occasion and unveiled the cover of the 9th

anniversary edition, featuring real estate tycoon Varun Manian.

Senior BJP politician, lawyer and highly respected activist Dr. Subramanian Swamy

congratulated the magazine on its spectacular success and commended the quality

and journalistic standards of RITZ. Actress Gautami, designers Rehane and Vivek

Karunakaran, Grammy Award-winning singer Tanvi Shah and entrepreneur Omar Sait,

who have all graced some of the most memorable covers of RITZ in the past, were all

praise for RITZ. Gautami charmed and wowed the audience with her trademark candour.

A very special work of art by legendary artist and art director Thota Tharrani, inspired

by Beethoven’s 9th symphony, to commemorate 9 years of RITZ was also unveiled

on the occasion. The event saw an eclectic mix of socialites, politicians, bureaucrats,

industrialists, diplomats and film stars from around the country. Bollywood actresses

Evelyn Sharma (of Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewaani fame) and Sonal Chauhan (of Jannat

fame) graced the event. Tamil stars like Vijay Sethupathy and Mirchi Shiva were also

present at the do. The gorgeous Greenways Hall at Park Sheraton was indeed a fitting

venue for such an elegant evening.

The team at reputed event management company Aura was at the helm of affairs and

ensured everything was perfect.

of

presents

9 years of style & success

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Darshana Vijay Yesudas launched a new line

of clothing under her label DVY at the Studio

Saks House of Fashion in Chennai recently.

The collection titled Bespoke features classic

and contemporary ensembles, tailored for

the festive season. The launch of the line

saw many celebs and P3P’s in attendance,

including Darshana’s husband and playback

singer Vijay Yesudas along with her close

friend Aishwarya Dhanush.

Couture galore at Studio Saks

Arti Bagdy’s Jewel Collezione proved to

be a big hit once again. The very luxe and

glamorous exhibition showcased stunning

jewellery by an ensemble of fine jewelers

and jewellery designers from across the

country. On display were exquisite pieces

crafted in Victorian, contemporary, Mughal,

Nizam, Chettinad and styles, set in gold

and platinum.

A hit Collezione

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Now you can shop affordable luxury

brands like Love Moschino, Versace

jeans, 7 for all Mankind, True Religion, Ted

Baker and others right here in Chennai.

The Collective retails these brands and

many more at its flagship store located in

the chic Buva House on Khader Nawaz

Khan Road in Nungambakkam.

The Chennai launch last month saw the

likes of director Selvaraghavan, actor

Jeeva, music director Harris Jayaraj,

designer Sidney Sladen, actress Vimala

Raman, Kiran Reddy of Sathyam

Cinemas, cinematographer Ravi K

Chandran and others.

The Collective comes to Chennai

38 SEPTEMBER 2013

SNAPPED

Driving enthusiasts were in for a treat at

the Audi Sportscar Experience (ASE) event

in Chennai recently. More than 120 people

experienced exhilaration driving models the

TT, S4 and R8 models of the reputed German

luxury carmaker. ASE is a unique initiative

in India which enables patrons to drive high

performance cars of Audi.

Audi Sportscar Experience

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Ritu Beri drew on all of her Punjabi flair for DCW 2013, showcasing a collection that

bridged Victorian-era gowns with over-the-top Punjabi exuberance. The designer used

an array of crystal embellishments and gota work, pairing them with jackets and ballroom

gowns in a manner that can only be described as a Victorian crossover, Punjabi style.

The fourth installment of the Delhi

Couture Week (DCW) held recently at

the capital showcased a melting pot of

designs that were on the cutting-edge

of experimental couture while remaining

deeply rooted in the traditional. We

take a look at some of these stellar

collections, heralded by the likes of

Ananmika Khanna, Manish Malhotra,

Ritu Beri and Manish Arora. Here’s

a roundup of the various designers

whose work dovetailed both the spark

of experimentation as well as an identity

that is distinctly Indian.

Siddharth Kumar does a roundup of the most impressive designs on display at the Delhi Couture Week and the recently concluded Lakme Fashion Week and comes away awestruck.

A Melting Pot Of

Designs

40 SEPTEMBER 2013

PORTFOLIO

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Anamika Khanna exhibited one of her strongest and most awe-inspiring collections to

date at the Delhi Couture Week. The ace designer’s flora and fauna inspired collection had

fashion folk raving about her contemporary Western take on Indian couture. The collection

included sarees, jodhpurs and lehengas adorned with zardozi, lace and crotchet work.

42 SEPTEMBER 2013

PORTFOLIO

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This was Manish Arora’s debut attempt at bridal wear, and naturally aimed at

the unconventional bride! We loved the way he has used bright-coloured digital

prints on pure fabrics, finishing each design with painstaking craftsmanship.

Take a look.

44 SEPTEMBER 2013

PORTFOLIO

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The opening night at this year’s edition of LFW was a glitzy affair, with the fashion

badshah of Bollywood, Manish Malhotra kicking off the proceedings by showcasing a

spectacular festive/pre-bridal collection titled Reflections. Using contrasting mirror images

for the ramp, Manish’s collection looked to be influenced by the colours and textures of

Rajasthan and the Kutch region and proved to be a fitting opener to this year’s LFW.

LFW proved worthy of every bit of the hype it generated, as several designers presented some of their strongest fashion statements on the ramp.

46 SEPTEMBER 2013

PORTFOLIO

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The grand finale of LFW 2013 was heralded by Sabsayachi Mukherjee, with his Absolute

Royal collection. A stunning Indian wear line, the outfits in this collection included waistcoats,

sherwanis, jackets and kurtas for the men while the women’s line included heavy dupattas,

glares and heavy jewellery. The likes of Nargis Fakhri, Kalki Koechlin, Sameera Reddy,

Shraddha Kapoor and Jugal Hansraj were also present at the grand finale.

48 SEPTEMBER 2013

PORTFOLIO

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Vira Shah shows you how a bold twist on the classic Tartan makes a world of difference

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HAUTE STUFF

Tartan is the latest trend, making its way back from the 90’s with the

help of some colour changes, added leather and studding giving it

a rebellious feel. For the uninitiated, the Tartan print features multiple

horizontal and vertical bands going criss-cross in myriad colour codes.

The classic print has now been given an unexpected twist making it

bold yet sophisticated, while drawing inspiration from the brash and

intrepid punk movement. Coming in everything from flirty skirts with

zippers to playful checked tights to designer collaborated accessories,

experiment fearlessly by adding a dose of punk to your style.

Black and yellow

checked laptop bag

by Fastrack

Buckled tartan pumps

by Christian LouboutinSuede with gold hotfix

by Jimmy ChooStudded pumps

by AldoStudded platform pumps

by Metro

Steve Madden women

black studup leather

sandals

Check dress

by Pepe Jeans

F6 Sheer Calamity shirt

Pink Confederate

by Superdry

Check wrap blouse

by Mango

Checked skinny

trousers with zipper

detailing by ZaraChecked sweater

by Miu Miu

Corvus ring

by Manish Arora

for Amrapali

Gold-triple hoop

earrings

by Accessorize

MCQ available

at Kitsch

Patterned biker jacket

by Diesel

Zippers plaid miniskirt

by Mango

Set of 4 gold

toned bracelets

by Accessorize

Silver metallic spiky

hair elastic by Ayesha

accessories

Studded and fringe

sling bag by Steve

Madden

Dior 2013 Lady Dior

pouch tartan

Plaid Jane Punk

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Started in May 2011, Aharin literally means

a collection of beautiful things. The brand is

strongly influenced by Indian traditions, and

the collections use hand-drawn bold motifs

sketched by Prasansha herself, which are

then worked upon by a class of antique

embroideries, traditional silhouettes and a

strong play of hand-dyed colours. “I design

because I feel for it” says Prasansha, who

graduated from NIFT with the recognition

of Most Creative Design Collection and the

Persis Khambata Award in 2007. “I love

what I do and I can relate myself to it,”

she stresses on what inspires her creative

streaks and designs.

While Prasansha uses hand-drawn motifs,

Ashish embraces an aesthetic approach

to every detail in design. His interests lie in

focusing on the bold Indian look, antique

costumes, and the traditional drapes &

dresses of the royalty of yore. Shop this

Asmita Aggarwal finds that designer duo Prasansha Saha and Ashish Tagra of Aharin continue to be inspired by Indian motifs and history...

Inspired by India

What woman doesn’t like to flaunt beautiful

cocktail rings? Senco Gold has a stunning

range that is now available at the luxury

brand’s stores in India. We noticed that

the stones used in the rings are arresting

and vivid, while the designs are all about

contemporary glamour. One look at the

rings we have featured here and you’ll know

what we are talking about.

Price: ` 20,000 onwards

Availability: Delhi, Mumbai, Eastern India

Senco Gold promises an evening of glam and glimmer with their alluring range of cocktail rings…

Mystical glamour

designer duo at various designer outlets

and exclusively at their web shop at

www.aharin.com/shopnow.

Price range: ` 24,000 onwards.

52 SEPTEMBER 2013

HAUTE STUFF

Whether you’re heading out to a

ball or a big night out, designer

Payal Sen’s collection ‘The Princess

Diaries’ – an exquisite Fall 2013

capsule promises more than

just style. The uniqueness of the

collection lies in the cut and the

design as each piece speaks for

itself.

What started as a hobby shaped

into a successful business model

for the designer. Payal went on to

study at Richmond University and

pursued her MBA at Amity. Her

innate creativity propelled her to

combine her business acumen with

her passion, which happens to be

clothing. She believes that fashion is

a fantasy and her clothes reflect the

exact same spirit.

Designer Payal Sen combines talent and knowledge with her new exquisite fall collection 2013. Asmita Aggarwal finds out more...

Sparkles and Shine

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An array of fabrics like velvet, raw silk, silk

tulle and satins used in this collection take

one back to the bygone era. Generously

embellished and encrusted with Swarovski

elements, Tahitian and fresh water pearls,

Japanese beads and Renaissance

influenced flowers, beads and silk

threads, the fusion of Indian drapes and

silhouettes with 18th century French

decadence has only helped enhance this

couture collection. Drenched in colours

like Rococo Red, Pink Flambé, Sapphire,

Viridian, Spinach, Bordeaux, Amethyst and

a dash of French Vanilla – the brides are

but spoilt for choice!

With its extravagance inspired by Marie Antoinette, the eccentric and much-hated queen of France, we find out more about Rajdeep Ranawat’s bridal couture collection and why the French have inspired it...

Rajdeep Ranawat’s Bridal Couture

collection for 2013 is indeed one to

reckon with. It is deeply inspired by Marie

Antoinette, the controversial queen of

France, and the wife of King Louis XVI,

who became a symbol for the wanton

extravagance of 18th century monarchy.

The couture collection is meticulously

handcrafted with motifs from 18th century

Austria and France. The collection is

a fresh mix of exotic flowers such as

peonies, roses, hydrangeas, orchids and

chrysanthemums along with paisley motifs

to create an Asia-inspired ornate feel.

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HAUTE STUFF

Sunil Mehra impresses with his new range

of menswear specifically designed for

the working business class. Available in

shades like white, beige, ivory, tan, lemon,

and powder pink, the product lines in

the collection are tailored, relaxed, rare,

luxury shirts and suits along with relaxed

and tailored trousers. It is very important

for a man to take note of the tiny details,

Sunil Mehra defines flamboyance with his new collection of corporate wear, making it a one-stop-shop for men’s designer wear.

especially when he is in a corporate setting

where there is no space for mistakes. From

tiepins and cufflinks to socks, you can find

it all here.

Known for quality and authenticity, Sunil

Mehra is a label to be reckoned with. With

a gamut of options for men, the brand

appeals with its signature style.

Available at:

Sunil Mehra flagship store,

New Delhi.

For the Young & ���������

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At RITZ we’ve always loved shooting with Sriya Reddy and featuring her on the cover. The timing of this feature is quite exciting. The dusky former VJ and actress is all set to make a comeback into the world of films after a long sabbatical. Marriage and motherhood may have mellowed her but they have not tamed her irrepressible spirit and today, the talented actress is looking forward to a new

innings. In conversation with Vinita Nayar

Spell Out S.P.U.N.K

Photography: Sunder Ramu

Make up and Hair: Rachel.B.Singh of Stylesmith

Styling by: TN.09.9696

Location courtesy: Hyatt Regency

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Dress, neck piece, clutch & shoes: Sriya’s own

Rings: Studio Tara

58 SEPTEMBER 2013

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Fans of dusky, sexy Sriya Reddy will

be glad to know that her sabbatical

from acting is coming to a close.

After her marriage to producer

Vikram Krishna in 2008, the talented actor

hasn’t been seen on screen. Dressed

in a fitted green T-shirt and tracks, Sriya

looks healthy and toned. She greets me

with a smile saying she was trying to fit

in a workout before I came. (More on her

obsession with exercise later!)

The last few years, since 2008, have been

quite a change for Sriya. She is the proud

mother of a pretty little daughter now. She

smiles and says, “My daughter is hardly

two. Once I got married, my husband

decided I shouldn’t act. I’ve been a good

wife and a good daughter in law,” she says

with an elfin smile. “I come from a film family

– so there’s so much drama in the family!

Plus my husband is a producer, my brother-

in-law is an actor and my father-in-law is

a producer.” She turns thoughtful. “The

question is – what do I really want to do?

When I was acting, I had got a good name

and worked with extremely good producers

and directors. I was known as a good actor.

So, if I come back, I have to come back to

a good film, definitely not just for the sake

of it. So I am still in search of that. Right

now, mentally I am extremely ready to act.

I was very content being married, having a

child, doing things I couldn’t do earlier like

travelling.” She adds resolutely, “Yes, the

future is acting. It’s been a long break and

my mind tells me my future is there.”

Actor over Producer

Sriya has produced a couple of films with

hubby Vikram. Nevertheless, she firmly

says, “I would prefer acting – seriously.

Producing is not my cup of tea at all. It is

a different ballgame. It’s a lot of hard work

and I don’t know if I want to be in those

shoes.” She reiterates, “I prefer acting; I am

bloody good at that.”

Sriya is animated and full of life. She

speaks her mind, not pausing to think

about whether her replies are politically

correct or not. And this forthrightness is

such a refreshing change in a time when

most celebrities dish out bland replies

to questions, always trying to sort out

minefields in their mind and keeping the PR

angle on top. Talking about her marriage,

we see her candour once again. Even

though when she got married, she was

an independent woman at the pinnacle

of her career, she is not afraid of telling us

what makes her happiest in her marriage

(something many feminists would bristle

at!): “I think being secure. When I got

married, a lot of young girls were very

shocked – they said ‘You are quite young;

are you sure?’” She muses, “This security is

a different kind of security. And happiness

too – at the end of the day you are happy if

you have the right man. My hubby is like a

friend to me. I have nice in-laws; I consider

them my friends and talk to them a couple

of times a day.” During the interview, her

sister-in-law pops in with an adorable

Labrador puppy that she has just picked

up. We coo over the furry golden bundle

and Sriya’s cute pug comes out. Sriya grins

and says, “We are a family of dog lovers as

you can see.”

Family Calling

Talking about her decision to get married

Sriya says, “I’m quite a sensible girl. I did what

I had to at the right time. I knew I had talent –

I was the first VJ (at SS Music) – and I did that

extremely well. I became very popular. After

that, acting happened. I’m glad I did those

good movies. Even today people come up

to me and say, ‘Wow, you were so fantastic’.

There is no difference between my life earlier

and now except that my husband pampers

me more!” She grins mischievously and says,

“Earlier my parents would tell me what to do.

Now my husband does that. But at least I can

tell him to shut up!”

Amalia, Sriya’s cute daughter, has just

woken up from her sleep and is carried

into the room. Sriya’s eyes light up at the

sight of her sleepy daughter. The little one

is already in play school and Sriya has

just attended a parent-teacher meeting;

she makes a face and grins. “Can you

imagine? Parent-teacher meetings for

Dress: Sriya’s own

Accessories: Studio Tara

Shoes: Aldo

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Dress: Sriya’s own

Earrings and bracelet: Studio Tara

Shoes: Aldo

60 SEPTEMBER 2013

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such young kids!” So, we wonder,

has motherhood changed the spirited

lass? A wide grin…”It’s changed me

to be a little more responsible and a

little more serious.” Then she delivers

her punch line: “But I think I’m still the

same.” So what does she love about

motherhood? Pat comes the reply:

“I can dress her up!” And she adds

with a laugh, “But I take it a little too

forward. She has to have the right

socks, shoes, t-shirts. My husband

thinks I am a crazy cat.” When her

husband travels, which according to

Sriya he does a lot of, he asks her

what kind of clothes he should get

for the little one. Sriya is very clear –

no cartoons, ‘no funny faces on her

clothes’. She wants to dress her child

like Suri Cruise; to which her hubby

apparently points out that he is not

Tom Cruise!

The bubbly actor has also donned a

new role – of businesswoman – helping

out in the family’s granite business.

With refreshing frankness she says, “I’m

getting into a side of business which is

alien to me. It requires a different kind

of intelligence and hopefully, I will be

able to learn.” She has been travelling

extensively on work especially to New

York, where they have an office. She’s

been clocking at least six trips a year to

the Big Apple.

Fitness Matters

A self-confessed fitness freak, Sriya

admits she is ‘obsessed with working

out’ and says, “Right now I eat and

breathe fitness.” The previous night, she

tells me, she had eaten Maggi noodles,

and discovered that they packed in

a whopping 400 calories. So what

does she do? She works out close to

midnight to burn off the extra calories!

She ruefully says that she couldn’t sleep

all night.

“Before I sleep, the last thing I think

about is not my daughter but about

what my next workout will be,” she

fesses up. Her bedroom’s walk-in

closet is cluttered with papers stuck

inside with her current weight and

measurements and target weight and

measurements. Another room is a

jumble of schedules; these schedules

for the next – hold your breath – three

months have been stuck on the walls!

She continues fervently, “I wear a

heart rate monitor. I have an app to

count all the calories I consume. It is

very calculative.” And what she loves

most about working out is the results

of all that hard work. She says with

a gleam in her eyes, “It is amazing

when you see your stomach getting

stronger and harder; you feel you

have achieved something.”

Sriya was a sprinter in school and even

today, strapping on her running shoes

and heading out for a jog gives her a

high. “Walking, to me, is all crap. I hear

people talk about how they walk

45 minutes or one hour every day,” she

says. “Running is my passion. Once or

twice a week, I do a 10-kilometre run.

I also do a lot of circuit training. I find

the gym boring. I try and do different

things to shock my body.” She shows

me an app on her phone where over

a month you increase the number of

squats performed daily; “My target is

250 squats a day,” says the fitness

aficionado. “I work out every single

day,” she emphasizes. Her only break is

on Sundays. She laughs and says that

her in-laws think she is insane, thanks

to her obsession with fitness.

Net result, the young lady is most

definitely NOT a foodie. Surprisingly,

she never eats out. Even if she goes

out to a restaurant with her hubby or

pals, she has some grilled chicken or

something healthy at home and only

then ventures out. She laughs and

says that she and her husband have

stopped going out to restaurants;

hubby obviously doesn’t fancy eating

alone with Sriya just watching! So, is

there any food she likes? “Just lots and

lots of chocolates,” she says impishly.

“Anything that has chocolate…”

FASH FORWARDDefine fashion according to you

Fashion is so much! I do follow what’s in

trend but I have a style of my own and I try

to put it together. Basically, for me fashion is

everything. I love dolling myself up, looking

in the mirror and posing endlessly.

Name three people who have influenced

the way you style, dress and carry

yourself.

My mother, my grandmother and Maharani

Gayathri Devi.

An attire you wouldn’t be caught dead in?

Anything which is too blingy.

Your favourite accessory

Right now, I am into headgears. I like using a

strand of pearls or pearls and diamonds as a

headband.

Any fashion faux pas that you’ve

committed?

Oh God, yes, a terrible one! Even today,

my friends make fun of me. Once I was

in Hyderabad. I had this beautiful gown

made by Rehane; it was mother of pearl

and I had got it made for a film premiere in

Canada. However, there was this party at

the Falaknuma Palace and I had this dress

with me. It was a beautiful dress with a

plunging neckline but it was not suitable for

this party. I covered up with a stole from one

of my friends. I looked like an overdressed

Christmas tree! It was a disaster.

Your favourite designer?

Plenty. Two I will name – Alexander

McQueen and Monique Lhuillier.

Any favourite clothes?

Season by season! I go from fall, winter,

spring, summer…anything which is in vogue

and makes me look good.

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Shooting is quite a craze among the affluent. Some take to guns for competition, and there are those who go the

extra mile to nurture it as a passion. Marcus A Clay looks at the uber lifestyle through the barrel.

Credits: shutterstock.com

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The sepia-tinted image of a nawab

standing triumphantly beside a freshly

killed animal, a double-barrelled gun slung

across his shoulder, is a scene so distant

that it’s hard to imagine the era when

‘shikaar’ was a popular pastime. Yet, in

modern India, guns remain an integral part

of the uber lifestyle. While firearms are a

must-have for the rich and powerful, a few

have a love for weapons and the sport of

shooting that it has taken them to great

lengths, even around the world, to keep

the passion alive.

Meet Mohan Sundar Pandian, who has

a private collection of modern and old

guns, and is the first in Tamil Nadu to

register a collection of guns as antique.

Pandian, a property lawyer and native of

Ramanathapuram district, is from a family

that has always been dealing with guns.

He not only continued the tradition but

took it to much greater heights. “My father

was a hunter and owned a muzzle-loading

gun. Those days, if one wanted to own a

breach-loading gun, one would have to

be very rich,” Pandian begins. His father

sold the gun after he had a life-changing

experience. “One day, he killed a crow

and found that it was carrying food to

fledglings in its nest,” recalls Pandian, “The

incident affected him deeply and he gave

up hunting.”

Pandian’s love for guns, which was

triggered when he was just 12 years old,

never involved hunting. He says his first gun

was an air rifle that he got when he was in

high school. “When I moved to Chennai,

at the age of 24, I bought a 12-bore single

barrel breach-loader,” he says.

He then joined the Chennai Rifle Club,

learnt shooting and later became a member

of the National Rifle Association of India in

New Delhi. Today, he is a gun expert, so to

say, and can handle all types of weapons,

service, dismantle, overhaul and shoot with

them. However, he says he has no interest

in competition. “I have never participated in

any competitions. My character is such that

if you see me jogging and try to overtake

me, I will stop and let you go by. I don’t

believe in competition.”

Despite his passion for weapons, the

country’s strict gun control laws left him

with just one logical route to nurture his

passion – become a gun dealer. And, that’s

what he did. Today he owns more than 100

guns, many of which are antiques. Although

the antique firearms could be sold for high

prices abroad, he says he acquired them to

ensure that they remained in India. “Once

an antique weapon is registered with the

Archaeology Department, one does not

require a licence to possess it,” clarifies

Pandian, “But antiques cannot be exported

and can only be transferred to a museum or

a collector.”

A witness to history

Among the guns in his collection, many

are of historic importance. A long-barrelled

Enfield Rifle used in the 1857 uprising,

where sepoys had to bite the cartridge

layered with pig fat and pour the gun

powder into the barrel; a rifle from the

Roman period; guns from the world wars;

and several guns owned by maharajas are

among his prized collection.

Ask him how he acquired the guns, and

he says, “A double-barrel gun that was

once owned by the Pudukottai maharaja

was given to me by an Anglo-Indian, a

famous hunter who used to accompany

the maharaja on hunts. He gave me a

double-barrel gun and a rifle. Then, there

is the gun that must have been owned by

an Englishman, which I bought. This one is

Know the Law

While only a few own guns, most

don’t know that anyone above

21 years of age can keep up to three

weapons; neither do they know the

procedure to apply for a licence.

Says Pandian, “The Arms Act is so

fine and extremely simple for those

who know how to read it.” In cities,

the Commissioner of Police is the

licensing authority and in towns, the

Collector is the one to approach.

“Although the licensing authority

has full discretionary powers, a

license can be denied only on solid

grounds, which have to be given

in writing. If denied a licence, the

applicant can challenge the order,”

he further clarifies.

special because it is a rifle-cum-gun – on

one side it is a rifle and the other is a gun.

It was used to hunt small animals and birds

as well as big animals like elephants, lions

and tigers. I also bought one gun from the

Hyderabad Nizam’s palace.”

He also recalls how luck favoured him in

acquiring a few guns. “About 15 years

ago, when my relatives were selling their

old house and had demolished a part of it,

they found a secret chamber in the wall,

which could be approached only from the

top. The chamber contained a package

of guns and they were afraid to take it

out or even inform police about it, so they

telephoned me. I went over and took out

the package; it contained a double-barrel

gun, a muzzle-loading gun and a revolver.

The guns must have been over 100 years

Credits: Shailesh Vummidi

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old,” he says. The house initially belonged

to one of his ancestors, who was part of

Subash Chandra Bose’s Indian National

Army; the guns must have belonged to him.

“I wrote a letter to the authorities, and after

all the legal formalities, I took the guns into

my possession,” he says.

Over the years, he has managed to lay his

hands on almost every type of gun, and

has even bought his dream gun. “It was

always my dream to possess a Holland &

Holland. It’s one of the oldest brands in the

world, and one of the most expensive –

while the cheapest would cost about

20 lakh rupees, good ones cost a few

crores. I was lucky to get one at a much

cheaper price,” he says.

Liberal gun culture

Shailesh Vummidi, Partner, Vummidi

Bangaru Chetty Jewellers, has given wings

to his passion by travelling to countries

where the gun culture is liberal and firearms

are easily accessible. “Since it is not easy

for one to own a gun, get licences, or

acquire quality weapons and ammunition in

India, it is a challenge to nurture a passion

for weapons or shooting,” he says. So

when Shailesh travels abroad, he uses the

opportunity to indulge his favourite hobby.

“I shoot more when I travel to some of

the Southeast Asian countries, where you

can just walk into a club and you have a

selection of weapons and any number

of rounds.” That not only gave him the

opportunity to pull the triggers of some

world-class weapons, but also many that

one would not come across in India. “I have

handled the M16, AK47 and even a light

machine gun, which would be impossible

here in India,” he says.

Shailesh personally owns a Spanish

revolver, but ask him to name a favourite

among the many he has handled, and he

says, “It has to be the M16. It is an assault

rifle used by the US Army; it’s very easy to

use and the recoil is minimum, making it

highly accurate.”

Among the other types of weapons that

he loves to handle are the Glock and

the Beretta handguns. And if there’s

one word from a man who loves the

sport of shooting, Prabhu Laksshman,

Director of PSNA College of Engineering

and Technology, says it has to be one of

caution: “Shoot for fun, shoot for sport, or

even for the thrill, but never to kill.”

Ancient Beauties

Since the first firearms were invented, they

have gone through several changes. Here

are a few of the guns that made a mark in

the history of firearms:

Puckle Gun: James Puckle’s invention

was a tripod-mounted, single-barrelled

flintlock gun fitted with a multi-shot

revolving cylinder. It fired nine shots per

minute at a time. James Puckle’s 1718

patent for the gun was one of the first

to provide a description of its working, a

condition required by the Patent Office of

the United Kingdom during the reign of

Queen Anne.

The Colt Revolver: Invented by

Samuel Colt, it was named after its

revolving cylinder that contained five or six

bullets with an innovative cocking device.

It was patented in the U.S. in 1836.

Rifles: The breech-loading rifle was

invented by Captain Patrick Ferguson

of Scotland. The Winchester Rifle was

invented by John Moses Browning, a

prolific gun designer who also invented

the pump shotgun, and the Colt 45

automatic. Best known for his automatic

pistols, he was the first to invent the slide,

which encloses the barrel of a pistol and

the firing mechanism.

Gatling Gun: Doctor Richard Gatling

patented his design of the Gatling Gun,

a six-barrelled weapon capable of firing,

what was then considered phenomenal,

200 rounds per minute.

Thompson Submachine Gun: When the Thompson or the Tommy

Gun was invented by General John T

Thompson, it was the first handheld

machine gun. Thompson was driven

with the thought of creating a handheld

machine gun that would help end the First

World War. However, the first shipment

of prototype guns destined for Europe

arrived in New York city on November 11,

1918, the day the War ended.

Gun Safety

If you take these cardinal rules

of gun safety seriously, you will

never find yourself explaining

how you accidentally shot

yourself in the foot.

1. Treat every gun as if it is

loaded.

2. Never point the gun at

anything you aren’t prepared

to shoot.

3. Place your finger on the

trigger only when prepared

to fire.

4. Know what you are shooting

at and what’s behind it.

5. Protect your eyes and ears.

6. Teach gun safety to everyone

in your home.

7. Store ammunition separately

from the guns. Storing guns

and ammo separately ensures

no one has access to a

loaded gun who shouldn’t.

8. Use a gun safe for storage.

64 SEPTEMBER 2013

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While it may not always be that easy to just pack up and hit some of the pristine beaches abroad, surfing enthusiasts are finding equally interesting stretches right here in South India to grab that board and ride out into the waves, as Rohit Panikker finds out.

Out For A 'Board' Meeting

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For the longest time, the concept of surfing

to your average Indian was something

that we viewed only on TV; like some sort

of western import. Although it took this

extremely popular watersport years to get

as popular here in India, that has finally

changed, especially with the beaches

of South India playing host to a horde

of ardent surfers in the last few years,

particularly, the last three.

Most surfers hit the vast coastline

of South India that runs over 7000

kilometres, usually with the aim of finding

stretches of silent, unexplored beaches

where they may ride the waves. These

vast unexplored coastlines across Tamil

Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka

and Goa have become popular for those

who just want to surf and get away from

the hype of it all as well as the sheer

enormity of the crowds that throng the

beaches in a more ‘established’ surfing

vacation spot like Bali or the Gold Coast.

“Closer to November is swell time

and that’s when you will see the more

seasoned surfers around,” explains Nigel

Noronha, an ardent surfer for the last four

years. He was among the first group of

surfing enthusiasts who would go around

exploring stretches that were previously

unknown or probably not visited because

nobody really looks out for the waves

except a surfer. “But now, the idea of

surfing tourism has caught on rapidly,

what with surfing schools operating out of

beachside villages or resorts,” adds Nigel.

It’s true. The popularity of this watersport

is evident from an endorsement by

cricketer Jonty Rhodes, who often hits

India’s beaches with his surfboard, and

was declared the official ambassador for

the sport in the country.

Rammohan Paranjpae, who is India’s only

professional surf photographer and one

of the founding members of the Surfing

Federation of India, was one of the early

students of Jack Hebner, or the Surfing

Swamy, as he was known better. “Surfing

was introduced to a bunch of us by the

Surfing Swamy in early 2000,” he explains.

“His efforts led to the first ever surfing

school in India that was established here in

2004.” The Swamy started the first unofficial

surfing school in Mangalore, something

which has since caught on in many other

spots frequented by surfers now, including

the narrow coastline in and near Chennai,

Puducherry and the southern tip of Kerala,

namely Kovalam and Varkala beaches.

Getaway with the surfboard

“People from the cities steal away to

these beaches, curious about surfing, and

wanting to learn how to catch a wave,”

explains Rammohan. He says that this

newly generated interest in surfing has

definitely helped make surfing schools

popular. “This kind of curiosity and

enthusiasm is what will take surfing to the

next level in this country. I think it’s just a

matter of time before we see India become

a much bigger part of the surfing map,”

Rammohan adds.

If you’re a surfer looking for that stretch of

beach and some impressive waves to drift

on, or even if you’re a beginner looking to

learn the nuances of this watersport, your

options are many. But if you are a beginner,

always make sure that you surf with an

instructor or when a lifeguard is present.

Also, there are a set of rules and etiquette

while surfing; the most important rule being

that you never hog the waves and you let

each person tackle their own wave.

“People from the cities steal away to

these beaches, curious about surfing, and

wanting to learn how to catch a wave”

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Kerala

Although Kerala was always a popular beach

holiday destination, it was not frequented by

too many surfers except for a few tourists

who would head to the beach with their

own boards. Now, after having played host

to a massive surfing festival earlier this year,

Kovalam beach, near Trivandrum, has been

generating a lot of interest, both locally and

from all over as a fast rising surfing spot.

Hit this beach before it gets too crowded.

Further up the map is Varkala beach, which

is yet another interesting spot to check out

the currents. For a tutor, look up the Soul

and Surf school.

Karnataka

Gokarna: Although known better as

a haven for hippies, Gokarna sure does

have a certain charm about it, and a glow

along the coastline as dusk edges closer.

Gokarna is a must-visit for more reasons

than one, the waves and the sand included.

If you need some help getting your hands

on a board or want some tips, there’s a

surf school on this corner too! Look for

Cocopelli Surf School.

Mangalore: Known as the official hub

of surfers and veteran surfing aficionados,

Mangalore is the spot where the first time a

group of surfers got together with the idea

of furthering the interest in the watersport

and to increase participation in India. If you

are ever looking at exploring surfing as a

serious undertaking, then Mangalore is the

place to hit!

Goa

Of course, the first mention of surfing or

even anything remotely having to do with

watersports and we immediately imagine

the wide Goan beaches and the surfboards

slicing through the waves. Goa is one very

obvious choice for surfers, but if surfing is

just one among the many beach activities

planned, then Goa isn’t too bad an option.

Although you might have to reconsider if

you’re thinking of a ‘my board and I’ kind

of time.

Puducherry

Puducherry is one of the most popular

destinations for surfers from all over India. In

fact, the credit for popularising the watersport

in the area goes to brothers Juan and Samai

Reboul, who run the Kallialay Surf School, a

popular hub for surfers and students alike.

The brothers specialise in handling beginners

and can usually have you up and on a board

confidently in about 10 days!

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Sharan Apparao explores the interaction between the visual and text, and believes that it offers an incisive semantic portrait of our times.

Words and

Image in Art

Credits: Banoo Batliboi

70 SEPTEMBER 2013

VIEW POINT

Credits: Reddappa Naidu

“Word and image” have become

something of a hot topic in contemporary

art history, largely because of what are

often seen as invasions of the visual arts

by literary theory. The relation between

words and images is an extraordinarily

ancient problem in the study of the arts

and in theories of rhetoric, communication,

and human subjectivity. In the arts, the

comparison of poetry and painting,

literature and visual art has been a

consistent theme since antiquity in both

Eastern and Western aesthetics.

Contemporary culture has made the

interplay of word and image even more

volatile, intricate, and pervasive. What is

it about the construction of the human

mind that makes the interplay of words

and images seem, despite innumerable

historical and regional variations, to be

something like a cultural universal?

Alternating between fact and fiction,

the public and the private, the universal

and the particular, the text sometimes

offers an incisive semantic portrait of

our times. The images can be read as

all things simultaneously, and yet resist

any one reading when viewers see more

possibilities unfold.Credits: KCS Paniker

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The younger artists of the next generation

like R.M. Palaniappan, C. Douglas,

and Muralidharan are joined by

A. Balasubramaiam, N. Ramachandran,

George K., Bhavna Sonavane, Rajesh Patil,

Bangalore Srinivasa Reddy, and Sunil Shree

Prasanna, in still more different aspects of

the written word as a layer to their paintings

and sculptures.

Prasanna, for example, works in a space

where he explores the communication

with the blind with a series of white

on white works that make complete

sense to the sight impaired while

almost being missed by others. It is this

communication that sometimes words

bring, that is revered and respected by

those who open their minds to look and

listen to what lies in the pictorial space

that artists create. It is but a narrative, a

chronicle of a time, a personal line that

art brings us... and for us as followers

of art and viewers of these personal

thoughts, it is the form that we are left

to enjoy.

typographic characteristics of the work,

as well as from the sense of the words.

Books by contemporary artists are

noteworthy for their many different forms

and perhaps because of this they have an

equally large number of precursors and

influences. Artists have been associated

with the written word since illuminated

manuscripts were developed in the

medieval times. Artists’ letters, gleanings

and drawings have often been known

to give a glimpse into the innermost

sanctums of an artist’s thinking.

In India, the religious manuscripts gave into

legitimate platforms to extend the non-secular

elements to secular explorations as in the

work of K.C.S. Paniker’s ‘words and symbols’

series where he worked with mathematics

and the joy of the script against his earlier

impressionistic garden series. Redappa

Naidu, also an iconic figure in the Madras

Movement, used the script dramatically

creating a beautiful gauze-like shadow in his

now iconic series of the Mahabharata that he

created in the seventies.

Some of the most well known

international artists using the written

word in their work or including an

aspect of it are Cy Twombly, Robert

Rauchenberg, Jasper Johns, Ed Rusha,

Bruce Nauman, Joseph Beuys and later,

Jean Michel Basquiat, Ugo Rondinone

and Jenny Holzer to name a few. Love,

the famous sculpture spelt out in letters

by Larry Rivers became one of the most

iconic works in this genre especially at

the time of the pop art movement. Artists

were sometimes inspired by literature,

at other times by the need to emphasize

the play of words and further in artists’

notebooks to pen their mindscapes as

another expression.

Artists’ books that maintain the traditional

structure of a book are often known as

book art or book-works, while those

that reference the shape of a book are

known as book objects. Other types of

work produced by artists in book format

include concrete poetry, where meaning

is derived from the spatial, pictorial and

Credits: Srinivasa Reddy N

72 SEPTEMBER 2013

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Sujaya Chandran wonders if one would need therapy after an overdose on retail therapy.

Standing in a bustling mall surrounded by level

upon level of boutiques and stores is something

that is not second nature to me. Shopping is

not an activity I enjoy. In fact, I would more refer

to it as a chore. Whenever there is an event or

function which I need to attend, I pull out my

little red book of excuses that I could possibly

use to avoid having to dress up. Let’s face it, I

am not a girly girl. I don’t own a dress or even

a skirt and am most comfortable in my jeans.

Dressing up for me, involves wearing a smart

top and applying a little make-up, which for me

is a huge effort. So when friends excitedly call

me up for a day of shopping, I cannot think of

anything I’d enjoy less.

I know that this may seem very difficult to

understand for a lot of people, as those

of us who loathe shopping trips are few

and far between. But it really is a process

which makes me very uncomfortable. How

could this be, you may wonder? Well, for

instance, standing around while people try

on clothes and asking you for your opinion

on each item is difficult. I understand how

husbands must feel when their wives take

them shopping and ask if they look fat, or

pretty or nice in different items! Sometimes

you have to choose your words carefully

as to not offend your friends. For instance,

you cannot tell someone that the beautiful

satin green sheath dress she has

lovingly picked up, makes her look like a

watermelon. In a situation where I don’t

want to comment, I’ll step out at that

moment for an “unexpected” phone call

which I cannot avoid.

Obviously, it’s not possible to go through

life avoiding shopping completely. But that’s

why I enlist the help of my good friend, the

internet. I can happily sit back and purchase

everything I need or want without leaving

the comfort of my own home. My goods

are delivered to me and Bob’s your uncle! I’ve

actually been trying to convince my friends

to come over to the “dark side” and shop, by

extolling it’s advantages such as being able to

shop from stores out of the country, a wider

range of goods and most importantly ... never

having to set foot in a hot, sticky mall filled to

capacity where parking is a pain and you end

up buying things you don’t really need.

I think more stores need to get online to cater

to a wider audience and make goods more

available. Think of the pollution you’d be cutting

down on if you didn’t have to leave your house

to indulge in your retail therapy!

Happy Shopping!

SEPTEMBER 2013 73

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Jason Sudeikis and Jennifer Aniston rib each other talking about their latest film We’re The Millers, a hilarious comedy in which they play a drug dealer and a stripper (respectively, of course) as Rohit Panikker finds out...

Family MattersFilm Name: WE’RE THE MILLERS | Copyright: (C) 2013 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC.

Photo Credit: Michael Tackett

Caption: (L-r) EMMA ROBERTS as Casey Mathis, JENNIFER ANISTON as Rose O’Reilly, WILL POULTER as Kenny Rossmore and

JASON SUDEIKIS as David Clark in New Line Cinema’s action comedy “WE’RE THE MILLERS,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

Film Name: WE’RE THE MILLERS

Copyright: (C) 2013 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC.

Photo Credit: Dave Allocca

74 SEPTEMBER 2013

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They say you can’t really choose family.

But that’s not how the Millers work. In

We’re The Millers, the hilarious new

comedy from Warner Bros, Jason Sudeikis

(The Campaign) and Jennifer Aniston

(Horrible Bosses, Friends) team up for

the first time, where Sudeikis plays David

Clark, a small-time drug dealer and

Aniston, a cynical stripper called Rose.

The premise is hilarious by itself – owing

to an unfortunate attempt to play good

Samaritan, David lands himself in a

situation where he has to recruit Rose, a

wannabe teenage customer (Will Poulter)

and a teenage tattooed and pierced

runaway (Emma Roberts) to pose as

a fake family going on vacation to and

from Mexico in an attempt to smuggle

a “smidge” of marijuana. Besides being

chased by Mexican goons, the four face

a series of events and people that will

ultimately bring them together, sticking

up like a real family would for each other.

The two lead actors of the film recount the

experience of making the film and revisit

some hilarious moments from this season’s

biggest laugh riot!

The timing between Jennifer and you is

amazing in this film. Can you talk about

how you formed that relationship on-

camera and whether there was a lot of

improvisation?

JASON SUDEIKIS: Well, to answer

your first question, we’ve worked together

in the past, but then Jen’s made Ben Stiller,

Owen Wilson, Adam Sandler, Jim Carrey

and every major comedy star for the last

ten years look good. So, I just stood there

and looked pretty, let her do it, which I think

was a refreshing change of pace for her.

As actors, you frequently have to bond

with strangers or people you don’t

know very well to create an illusion. So,

could you relate to this storyline where

these people have to come together for

a purpose and really pretend like they

like each other?

JENNIFER ANISTON: Yeah. Well,

that’s what was fun about it, the attitude we

have towards each other at the beginning.

I mean, my character can’t stand him. And

she doesn’t know the kids.

JASON SUDEIKIS: She doesn’t

give me the time of day at the beginning of

the movie. That’s where we begin.

Does that happen to you when you

go on a movie set and you have to

suddenly become a family?

JENNIFER ANISTON: I think we

actually do become a family. You spend

three or four months of your life every day,

all day, sometimes way too long (laughs),

and you just have each other.

JASON SUDEIKIS: It’s the reality

show model. You put people in the same

town in the middle of North Carolina for

four months, give them a job. But we’re

not working in a T-shirt factory, we’re

making a movie. And then you end up

loving each other and liking each other and

hating each other and getting annoyed

with each other and everything that the

movie goes through. So it’s not so much

like the process of making a movie and

faking it. As an actor, it’s probably being

used to having done other movies and

having to get across the familial aspect or

thing that occurs when you hang out with

people so long.

QUESTION: What was your favorite

scene to shoot?

JASON SUDEIKIS: Striptease,

right, Jen? But I would say the tent scene.

I enjoyed our father and son scene that

came right after the Pictionary.

JENNIFER ANISTON: Oh, yeah.

The striptease was the best! There were so

many fun scenes, but Nick (Offerman) and

Kathryn (Hahn) in that tent for me was fun.

QUESTION: Jennifer, you look amazing

in the movie. Can you give us a few tips

on how you got into that kind of shape?

Did you have any secrets?

JENNIFER ANISTON: No secrets.

A few tips? There was an amazing

choreographer, a wonderful trainer and

a beautiful cinematographer, and all

that good stuff. But I did work out a lot.

No food. There was a lot of celery, a lot

of salads, a lot of celery sticks, a lot of

cucumbers. Ice chips. They did let me eat

ice chips. Water was good. No. (laughs)

I mean, I ate normally, just

no carbs.

Jennifer, how did you get into the

head and body of a stripper? And also,

she’s a pretty angry stripper. Did you

discover something that you put into it

about stripper rage?

JENNIFER ANISTON: Well, they

had to drag me out of that strip club every

night! (laughs) I think she’s a sad stripper

who has built up this sort of tough exterior

from being disappointed many times

throughout her life and making some bad

choices. Bad men choices, decisions.

I thought of her maybe as a classically

trained dancer who then didn’t quite make

it. But the rage. I don’t know, I think rage

is sadness turned outward. What is it? But

how did I get into it? I pretended and acted.

I saw it as just very hardened. Not so much

rageful.

What about the physicality?

JENNIFER ANISTON: Well,

I worked with this amazing choreographer

and started learning some pretty crazy

moves. And it just became easy. It was

really fun, actually. So I have a stripper pole

in my house now. (laughs)

Normally when you’re doing a film, you

only have to prepare for one role, but you

had to play two and they’re very opposite

roles. How did you balance that out?

JASON SUDEIKIS: Gosh, yeah,

I would say, for me, the big distinction for

me between Denver David and David Miller

was how many buttons I had buttoned on

my shirt. That was how I made a distinction.

When I was playing button up, that means

there was somebody of authority around,

or just some way we had to pretend to be

the part. Even going through the airport.

Anybody with a uniform. That would be two

buttons, then one button would be when

I was chilled out and relaxed and more

angry. So that was the distinction.

If you can see chest hair, (laughs) I’m angry.

And if you can’t, then I’m annoyed. And

those are my two moves.

JENNIFER ANISTON: It was just

those horrible capri pants and that awful

eyelet blue shirt and the popped collar. That

was it. And those little Keds sneakers. It

was pretty easy to go into Rose Miller just

with the wardrobe. They always say it starts

with your shoes. And it’s true.

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OF TRUE STORIES AND REAL PEOPLE

It is said that even though history is

written by the victors – be it in a

battle, a political struggle or even in

a difference of ideological, the most

honest and accounts of the times come

from the oppressed. And in The Butler, a

historical race drama, director Lee Daniels

(Precious) attempts to tell the story from the

point of view of a butler at the White House,

serving across different American Presidents.

Loosely based on the life of Eugene Allen, a

real-life butler, the film stars Forest Whitaker

(Repo Men, Vantage Point) as Cecil Gaines,

an African-American who eyewitnesses

notable events of the 20th century during his

34-year tenure serving at the White House.

In The Butler, actor Forest Whitaker plays a house help for a series of American Presidents, thus experiencing history from behind the scenes, as Rohit Panikker finds out...

76 SEPTEMBER 2013

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and First Ladies. What positive effect

do you think that has in the bigger

picture?

We have all these individuals, like Colin

Powell and Condoleezza Rice, who were

in powerful positions preceding President

Obama. I don’t think Obama would be

president without the movement of those

others and people understanding, and

accepting, that there were African Americans

in positions of power. These individuals

shifted the public opinion, even if it was

just subconsciously. I believe Obama was

destined to take his position and I’m really

happy he did.

But destiny has its movement and things

build up to a moment until, as Malcolm

Gladwell would say, a tipping point occurs.

In this sense, I think the character of

Cecil is a good example of an individual

contributing towards shifting larger opinions

on race. In the film, Kennedy’s tie and

Johnson’s clip are the two gifts Cecil gets

and keeps. Both of those Presidents

shifted policy for civil rights in the country,

with Kennedy starting first before being

assassinated. Johnson was sometimes

called a racist and was vilified for his

position on Vietnam, but he also did things

that were monumental for human rights in

the US and getting laws passed through.

Cecil gets upset when his son says

Sidney Poitier is just a black man

acting like a white man wants him to.

How do you interpret that?

Cecil gets angered because in his mind,

Sidney Poitier is an activist and a trailblazer.

Movies like A Patch Of Blue and Brother

John were impossible for black men to

be in before he came along. The roads

he paved are still being walked today;

the work and access he created were

unprecedented. When Cecil’s son argues

that this man should be disrespected, Cecil

wants to be cordial as a father, but it’s too

much for him to bear.

That said, what Lee does with the film that’s

really great is that he explores “Uncle Tom-

ism.” My character’s son, Louis, looks at

me in some ways as an Uncle Tom. In fact,

he’s sometimes embarrassed of me. Martin

Luther King tells him my position in the White

House is in fact very important. People

like Bill “Bojangles” Robinson and Louis

Armstrong were considered for a period

of time as Uncle Toms. But before them,

African American people didn’t perform

in certain venues or go into certain rooms

because they weren’t allowed. They were

activists and treading roads that weren’t

tread on before for others to be able to walk

through. If you go through a jungle and

you’re using a machete to get past the vines

in front of you, know that the person who

chopped the vines down before you paved a

road for you to move forward.

Tell us about working with all these

other actors who were portraying US

Presidents in the film.

It was fantastic because I was sort of the

common link. That’s the thing about workers

in the White House – it’s their house in a

way. When I spoke with some of the real life

butlers who had been employed there, they

would say that they were there for years and

would see presidents come and go, yet they

would stay working behind the scenes.

While filming, it would be a new experience

with each new actor playing a president.

John Cusack plays a sort of mad Nixon.

I was thrilled to work with him, as he’s a

great actor. The scene where he’s in the

middle of Watergate, playing the tapes

over and over, was exciting to do. James

Marsden brought relaxation and comfort to

the Kennedy role. I loved working with him.

His character is very linked to mine.

I’d worked with Robin Williams before.

I enjoyed his stillness and simplicity in the

role of Eisenhower. It was very delicate. He

did a beautiful job of portraying pain and

contemplation.

This is Oprah’s return to acting. What

about this film in particular do you

think convinced her to come back?

She had a relationship with Lee of course

from producing Precious and trusted

him as a filmmaker. She and I have had

a long relationship and had wanted to

work together for a while. I think mainly

though, what the story is telling historically

and showing America through those eyes

was important to her. I also think she was

interested in exploring family and love. One

thing that our characters have as husband

and wife throughout the film was a deep

bond of love through all the strains, through

her character’s alcoholism, and all else.

I think as an artist she must have been

intrigued by this character because it’s

powerful and complex, and she does an

amazing job. I’m really happy I got to do the

film with her – I can’t imagine having done it

with anyone else.

Now, for Whitaker, who is no stranger to

historical dramas, having won an Academy

award, a BAFTA and a Golden Globe for

his portrayal of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin

in 2006, the character of Cecil Gaines,

as he explains, “ is a good example of an

individual contributing towards shifting larger

opinions on race.” The film explores a large

cross-section of the last half-century of

race relations and civil rights in the United

States … a historic progression that led

to the election of an African American

President. With a predilection for the drama,

the actor gets talking on the inner workings

of the cast and characters of the film that

reportedly made even President Obama tear

up, and the experience of working with a

powerhouse like Oprah.

This film simultaneously covers a large

span of American history and tells a

father-son story, as played by you and

David Oyelowo. Tell us a little about

that dynamic.

I think what Lee Daniels did with this film is

pretty powerful because he dealt with the

civil rights movement through the characters

of me (Cecil) and my son (Louis). My son’s

an activist first in college, and then working

with Martin Luther King and eventually

Malcolm X. It’s a broad scope of individuals

in that particular movement. At the same

time, you see me in the White House during

those periods where decisions were being

made behind the scenes with Presidents

Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Reagan, and so

forth. They were shaping the face of civil and

human rights in the country – and, in effect,

the world.

It’s also a father-son story. My character

represents the old school and the old

guard. He is changing opinions by his

mere presence in the White House, by his

behaviour and his acceptance. In a sense,

I humanize the black community because

the Presidents and staff have to deal with

me on a human level. Then you have my

son addressing those same issues in the

streets with the civil rights movement,

through things like marches and sit-ins.

The conflict is between us and our different

generations. All I want is my son to be safe

and have a good life; that’s what I think

I’m doing in discouraging his activism. The

growth for me is to realise that I deserve

certain rights too, and it’s through my son

that I come to understand that.

As White House butler, Cecil develops

personal relationships with Presidents

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– and no, this is no spoiler because a

perusal of the respective blurbs will tell

you this much – is that a Palestinian baby

is kidnapped/abducted/stolen and taken

by an Israeli family. The antagonism, the

hatred and the sense of disregard for all

things Arab and Palestinian is passed on

to the stolen child.

And that makes you think. Profoundly.

What is it about conflict, really, that

keeps it alive? Is it that we as a people

are inherently termagant fighters that

we simply cannot consider anything in

our path to trounce what we assume is

Jean Sasson and Susan Abulhawa present two different viewpoints to the Israel and Palestine conflict. Yet the very thing that sets their books apart is the similarity in their plots, says Kirthi Jayakumar.

Of Emotionally Charged Narratives

For anyone who thinks that the birth

of Israel has everything solely to

do with the Holocaust, a reading

of Jean Sasson’s Ester’s Child and

Susan Abulhawa’s Mornings in Jenin is in

order. Stories that chronicle a very, very

prudent truth – both, of how babies can

teach us important lessons, and of how

it is not who we are told that we are that

matters, but it is who we truly are,

deep down.

That said, the premise of both books are

similar: although the plots are larger and

variant. The core premise of both books

78 SEPTEMBER 2013

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wrong? Is it about making a point, a point

that what the right hand gives should be

kept from the knowledge of the left hand?

Or is it, that we have an inherent sense

of disregard for questioning that which

is wrong overtly – while we covertly do

exactly what we want?

In both of the books, there is one

simmering undercurrent: that a conflict is

ultimately one between brothers. Some,

related by blood. Some, not related by

blood – but bound by the greater ethos

of the religion of humanity. Whether it is

in Jean’s fluid style of narration with an

authentic charm that starts from the thick

of the Holocaust and ends in the cusp

of the worst eras of the Israel-Palestine

conflict, or in the incredibly emotionally

charged and beautifully woven fabric of

Palestinian society by Susan Abulhawa

that chronicles the story through the eyes

of a Palestinian girl, the point they make is

simply beautiful, and makes you want to

question yourself.

What Jean’s book does for you is to

narrate a tale in as straightforward a

manner as one could tangibly expect, with

the tenor of a gifted story teller. Susan’s

book, on the contrary, has episodic

snatches from here and there, with almost

a documentary-movie feel that etches the

core facts of a difficult reality in your mind,

with a beautiful storyline.

Whether Mornings in Jenin or Ester’s

Child, there is one common element that

you take home from both: the beauty in

the human face of literature that they have

both carved with ease. Showing you the

quintessence of humanity, projecting that

it doesn’t matter what you grow to be –

you are human, deep down.

SEPTEMBER 2013 79

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guitar and Raveesh Trikey on bass, Live

Banned derives inspiration from not taking

themselves, or life too seriously. According

to the vocalist, “Live Banned is a live act

and the music is nothing like you’ve heard

before. We are shameless, we are mad, we

are stylish and we entertain. We are always

live and very, very loud. The ENT doctors

love us. We are very nice people off stage

and you are welcome to hang out with us!”

Perhaps that should explain the irreverence

with which they take to the stage, aiming to

do nothing but just entertain.

And it’s not only on stage. Live Banned has

also built a reputation for themselves with

their hilarious online videos and promos

before their shows like the one they made

before their Blue Frog gig or their Soda

Studio promo before their Counterculture

gig (“It is happening this Friday, after the

dry day..ah nice,” invites Amrit in a hilarious

Malayali accented impression).

Now, even after two years since they

started, the band has not yet released an

album, as is the norm. Amrit says, “We’re

not sure if we would release a full-fledged

audio album at all. The reason being, we

are a very visual band and not just aural.

The original tracks would make more sense

with a video or at a live show. The songs

were written to suit this idea, although it

wasn’t a conscious effort initially. There will

be a release but with a lot of visual content

in the form of a DVD or even bigger. Some

grand things are being planned and will be

announced by the end of this year.”

Meanwhile, Amrit has gone on to release

his solo project, and with a viral track called

Sappa Matter Da. On the Live Banned

front, they released a single called The

Auto Tune, a song which Amrit explains, “is

about not-so friendly, greedy, crazy, rude

and mindless auto drivers in India. It’s a

song the people of Chennai and Bengaluru

would relate to the most and brings out

the anguish of auto passengers in India.

After a decade of autorickshaw travel, there

couldn’t have been a better subject than

this to write about.”

So, what’s next on the cards for the band?

“We are working some new compositions

and focusing more on them to strike a

balance between originals and the mash-

ups. We will start shooting for our next

music video ‘Death Dance’ sometime

this month, which will be shot mainly in

Chennai, Bengaluru and Mumbai and can

be expected by the end of this year,” shares

the vocalist.

“Parody is one of the things we do and

it’s very evident. But our music and

concept go beyond that,” explains Amrit

about what they do. “We mash up songs,

twist them around, shake them a bit and

present them in the most unexpected

way.” Watch their performance for a taste

of how Live Banned can mash up a series

of popular favourites, be it from your

regular Tamil ‘kuthu’ songs or a David

Guetta number. But the vocalist explains

that even though parody is an essential

ingredient in their act, their original

compositions often tend to take on more

serious issues, but yet again, nothing

better than a load of sarcasm and satire to

drive home a message. “Our originals are

satirical and talk about issues that appeal

to everyone, irrespective of the location,

class and demographics,” adds Amrit.

Rohit Panikker catches up with Live Banned, an entertaining stage act from Bengaluru and picks apart their music, which is a unique blend of genres.

Live Banned is not your typical breed

of live band. As funny as it sounds,

sometimes it’s almost impossible to do

justice to a live act with mere words on a

page. The problem usually arises when

the act itself is so entertaining, you can

write nothing but about how you felt rather

than a prissy ‘review’ on how the music

and the ‘ambience’ was! Take a look at

the Facebook page of this five-piece act

that’s garnered so much attention in less

than two years of their inception, and you

would get a fairly good idea of what you

can expect from them on stage; “Live

Banned is a concept. Live Banned is about

entertainment. The band’s originals and

medleys are popular for their humour that

is sometimes intelligent and at other times

atrocious. The performances are bold,

flamboyant and energetic, influenced by

South Indian music, Bollywood, Disco,

Pop, Rock and Metal. The band satirises,

restructures and twists popular music

across genres and languages that appeals

to everyone, from the man on the street to

an audience from the corporate world.”

Comprising Amrit Rao on vocals,

Dheerendra Doss on drums, Dhruv Kumar

on guitar, Siddhart Kamath on keyboard/

Liv

e A

ct,

Cla

ss A

ct

80 SEPTEMBER 2013

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Vidya Singh checks out Focaccia at The Hyatt Regency with a group of friends for lunch and great conversation.

Photography by A.V.Abhay Kumar

From left to right: Ranvir Shah, Sharan Apparao, Vidya Singh and Benoit Olivier.

82 SEPTEMBER 2013

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We lunch today at The Focaccia, the Italian

connection at The Hyatt Regency Hotel,

a trattoria-styled restaurant, that will be

showcasing to us food that comes from

Southern Italy, Campania, Puglia, Calabria

and of course Sicily, all areas that stretch

from the ocean to the hills. These names

themselves sound so exotic that we eagerly

await what Chef Massimiliano Pauletto,

will be presenting to us today. Chef

Massimiliano himself comes from this very

same region, and uses the best ingredients

to create very authentic Italian dishes native

to these areas.

The food is certainly simple and very fresh

with individualistic flavours. The ambience

is invigorating and we are all eager to settle

down to enjoy the lunch amid some great

conversation. Sharan Apparao, Benoit

Olivier, Ranvir Shah and I look around and

find that we are very comfortable in this

casual, trattoria style space, which has

been laid out with comfort in mind. The

rustic floor, quaint wooden chandeliers

and other Italian touches all add to the

experience. At lunchtime there is a buffet

of the Antipasti selection, while the main

courses can be chosen from the menu.

Sharan Apparao is a leading art gallerist

and curator, who travels the world,

experiencing contemporary art in its varied

forms. “Live to Eat and Enjoy” is her way of

life, being an extremely creative cook and

entertainer herself. Ranvir Shah is a culture

catalyst, who enjoys the world of business

during the day and the worlds of different

forms of art in the after-hours. He strives

to create islands of beauty even if they are

temporary! Benoit Olivier, director of Alliance

Francaise Chennai, has been the dynamic

driving force behind the organisation during

his few years in our city. As you can see, my

dining companions are all extremely well-

travelled and have an intrinsic appreciation

of fine food.

Having begun his career in Milan,

Chef Massimiliano Pauletto has been

creating food for over a decade and has

a nouveau approach to Italian cuisine,

always aiming to make it lighter, healthier

and possibly funkier! He has worked in

Paris, London and even in Southeast

Asia, but his food is inspired from his

childhood memories of Italy and hence

the simple, holistic approach. With

hobbies that range from yoga to deep sea

diving, he brings élan to Focaccia.

The food at Focaccia prides itself on being

authentic, uncomplicated and fresh. And I

am already starting to get great feedback

from all three friends. We start by tucking

into the delicious focaccia bread that is

a signature dish of the restaurant and

the tangy sundried tomato dip. We then

wander over to the Antipasti selection. For

the vegetarians there is the very soft and

well-made eggplant, a part of every Italian

selection. There is also a classic Tomato

Mozzerella salad with basil, which gets

an instant thumbs-up from Benoit. An

unusual dish of baked onion with cheese

catches my fancy and before long, I ask for

a second helping of the dish! The delicious

zucchini warm salad is crisp and fresh. The

84 SEPTEMBER 2013

MAIN COURSE

tomato mushroom bruschetta has always

been my favourite choice of starters and

I tend to order it at any Italian restaurant

I go to. To my joy, Focaccia’s bruschetta

turns out to be certifiably good. There

is even a tossed salad on offer with

vegetables, lots of salad leaves and a

choice of dressings to go with it.

Benoit being an avid meat lover livens up

the afternoon with his intelligent take on the

food. He notes that the style of cooking of

a lot of the dishes at Focaccia is authentic,

from old recipes around Italy. To our

surprise Chef Massimiliano endorses his

observation saying that several of them were

indeed family recipes! The Beef Carpaccio

Tenderloin is tender and perfectly sliced; the

Liver Paté with olives is absolutely perfect as

is the sliced cured parma ham salad. Benoit

tries grilled prawns, calamari and other

seafood and pronounces them all excellent.

There is a large round cheese platter on

the table that everyone took bits out of to

accompany the antipasti spread, as well as a

wonderful choice of breads.

After all the antipasti, we take a mini

break before indulging in the next

course. The pasta is simply delicious

– Chef has made the classic Aglio Olio

with organic spaghetti and olive oil,

tossed with garlic and chilli and flavoured

with parsley. What a deliciously flavourful

dish! Benoit’s pasta has a rustic tomato-

based sauce with basil, tossed with

slow-braised lamb. He again pronounces

it very authentic.

The pizza is sent to us next. With a thin

crust, layered with a yummy tomato sauce

and plenty of roasted vegetables, the pizza

is simply outstanding and the four of us

relish every slice.

We finally reach the best part of the

afternoon, the desserts! The berry

pannacota is gentle on the palate and

tastes great, but the highlight is most

definitely the Tiramisu. Ubiquitous it may

be, but the Tiramisu at Focaccia is just

outstanding. Chef Massimiliano has got

it just right. Benoit says that the strong

taste of the coffee indicates that it is

again, definitely an old recipe. It is just

right, not too sweet and I love the coffee

flavour with the hint of the slightly grainy

texture of the cake crumble that’s in it.

Chef Massimiliano says that he had not

used any cream in it and had used only

brown sugar. I begin to contemplate

another portion, but better sense prevails

when my guests, Sharan, Ranvir and

Benoit all ask for coffee. Soon enough,

there are espressos and Macchiatos

brought to the table to round off the

wonderful meal.

Foccacia is the perfect place for a lazy

afternoon lunch if you have the time or

even a quick business meal if you don’t!

We had a wonderful time with discussions

on events coming up that all three of

my guests – Ranvir with his Prakriti

Foundation, Sharan and her Apparao

Gallery and of course Benoit with the

Alliance Francaise – are involved with over

the next couple of weeks.

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To each his own. I don’t believe any one

item of luxury is a waste of money but that

said, I believe that too much of anything is

not good.

6. How would you define ‘the good life’?

Breaking bread with family and friends over

numerous bottles of wine.

7. What is the most exquisite ice cream

flavour you’ve had?

Frais de Bois at Berthillon, Paris.

8. An ingredient you think is expensive,

luxurious and exotic.

Single origin dark chocolate.

9. A restaurant you love dining at?

Indian Accent, New Delhi.

10. Tell us about Amadora Ice Creams

and why it’s unique.

Amadora Gourmet Ice Cream is an Indian

brand that focuses on creating ice creams

using the finest local ingredients available.

There is quite a bit of science in what we

do but the main differentiators are the

quality of the local ingredients and the

absolute freshness. Our ice creams are

made every 4 days, as opposed to most

big brands that offer imported ice cream

made 2-3 months ago.

11. So, how would you define

indulgence, the Amadora way?

There is no other brand in the whole of India

that makes ice creams of this quality. Plus

our varied product range of 125 flavours of

ice creams and sorbets, ice cream cakes,

ice cream pies and handmade choco bars,

is absolutely unique.

1. What does luxury mean to you?

Treating yourself to something that gives

you momentary pleasure.

2. What is the one luxury you cannot be

without?

That would most definitely be food and

wine. In fact, I would say that my biggest

indulgence is drinking expensive wine.

3. What is the one holiday destination

you would love to revisit anytime?

San Sebastian, Spain

4. What luxury bands are you a fan of?

I love shoes. And many of the best shoes

are Italian. I am all for attention to detail and

appreciate the thought and effort that go

into fine, handcrafted luxury goods.

5. What item of luxury do you think is a

colossal waste of money?

If you’re looking to treat yourself to some sinful ice cream that is also dewy-fresh, Deepak Suresh of Amadora Ice Creams is the one to talk to. This engineer-turned-gourmet ice cream chef is all about experimenting with a variety of flavours and ingredients. Aptly enough, his idea of luxury is most associated with gastronomic ecstasy.

86 SEPTEMBER 2013

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