FACE Magazine Nov'21 - Special Anniversary Issue by Anjeli Melwaney

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FOUNDER’S NOTE “IF EVERYONE IS MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER, THEN SUCCESS TAKES CARE OF ITSELF.” HENRY FORD

At the very onset of our two year anniversary, my heart goes on to congratulate and thank our team FACE for completing and making this marvelous journey feel like yesterday. It has been so amazing to have you guys here through every thick and thin, marrying our beliefs and getting inspired by our readers to deliver more. Stemming from the desire to bring to fore something unusual, even while we learn, it has been our

constant endeavour to reinvent ourselves and make every progressive issue better than the last. I feel grateful for the amazing team that supported me at every step and for the most wonderful and warm people I met along the way. It wasn’t a piece of cake at all, I have to admit. But the drive I felt on day one and the feeling of contentment I feel today, is and will continue to be unfazed. Cheers our hunger to strive for more!

As they say... Look how far you’ve come...and then keep going! I would like to thank our readers and the entire online community for all the love. We are what we are, because of you and with your support, would continue to grow from strength to strength and bring out the best in every possible way. It continues to be an honour and a privilege. Many more to go...

HARSHIT HUNDET FOUNDER

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CONTENTS Cover Stories

12 Manish Malhotra FA SHI O N

16 Asha Bhosle ART

20 Sadhguru C U LT U R E

30 Pooja Hegde W W W. FACEM AG A ZINE . IN

E N T E R TA I N M E N T

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CONTENTS Meet t he faces 38 Simonetta Lein 42 Christopher Benninger 48 Ritu Phogat 54 Vicky Ratnani 58 Jimmy Mistry 62 Ojas Rajani 66 John Otto 68 Harpreet Suri 72 Prabhakar Kolte 76 India Folk Craft 86 InDesign Elements

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FOUNDER

EDITOR

CO-FOUNDER

Harshit Hundet Founder

Sukhmani Sadana Lead Editor

Kanchan Shrivastava Co-founder

EDITORIAL

DESIGN

CONTRIBUTORS

Managing Editor Neha Sachar Mittal

Visual Designer Anjeli Melwaney

Fashion Editor Anisha Malik

Creative Director Mustafa Kundawala

Manish Malhotra Photographer: @prasadnaaik Artist Pr by: @nadiiaamalik

Art Editor Madhuri Bhaduri

Design Agency InDesign Elements

Culture Editor Naina Kumar

COVER STORIES

Lifestyle Editor Sushneet Kaur

Fashion Manish Malhotra

Health & Fitness Editor Rebecca Pinto

Art Asha Bhosle

Deputy Faslion Editor Khusbhoo Rajoriya

Culture Sadhguru

Brand Strategist Anika

Entertainment Pooja Hegde

Proof Reader Priyanshu Jha

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Content Creator Akriti Rastogi

Pooja Hegde Artist PR: @treeshulmediasolutions @mandvisharma16 and @lilkub

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ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

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SUKHMANI SADANA

EDITOR’S NOTE This is a special issue and a special month for us. We want to take a moment to thank you for being with us on our journey of growth and success. Our magazine is 2 years old today and it would have not been possible without our readers, you all who have shown such immense love to us each month, on each release.

Here’s to many more anniversaries. We count you as our Face Family.

HAPPY READING!

Sukhmani Sadana

EDITOR

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On our second anniversary, we so wanted to do a double bumper and give twice the experience to our readers. And what better way than this that here we are, bringing to you, our special anniversary edition featuring not one, or two but 4 covers, each artist a veteran in their field, making our country proud at a global level for decades to count now.

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COVER STORY

MANISH MALHOTRA I N T E R V I E W E D B Y N E H A S A C H A R M I T TA L

MANISH MALHOTRA IS NOT JUST A NAME… IT’S A MINDSET, A SENSIBILITY AND AN UNSHAKABLE 16-YEAR-OLD LUXURY FASHION BRAND!

NEHA SACHAR MITTAL, MANAGING EDITOR AT FACE, CHATTED WITH THE MAN BEHIND THE BRAND ABOUT HIS RECENT BUSINESS DECISIONS AND ABOUT THE VIEW FROM THE VANTAGE POINT OF INTERSECTION BETWEEN FASHION AND FILM.

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COSTUMES ARE AN I N T EG R A L PA R T O F VISUAL S TORY TELLING.

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– MANISH MALHOTRA

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1. We have to begin by Congratulating you on your latest partnership with RBL, that’s acquired 40% minority stake in Brand Manish Malhotra. This strategic partnership may just be India’s definitive answer to global couture. What prompted you to head in this direction? I wanted to make my brand truly global, diversified, charter a new growth dimension for Indian luxury while creating personnel opportunities. Collaboration was necessary to do the needful. With Reliance, I felt complete alignment with the vision for the brand. I’ve been a great admirer of the organization and the family’s thought process and way of working. They are passionate about art, culture and cover a wide spectrum. This made it a natural decision for me to partner with them.

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2. You started off with a career in modelling… then what made you foray into designing?

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My journey into fashion designing was a natural progression of my love for sketching and painting since childhood mixed with my immense love for films. Cinema has always fueled my passion. I did not go to design school, but I did watch a movie almost every single day. So, when it was time to focus on a career, I decided to bring my two passions together. 3. You had been designing and styling for the Indian film industry for years before Rangeela happened. But that’s where everyone sat up and took notice, Actress Urmila Matondkar almost underwent

It was in the 90s when the movie released. The movie was a careerchanging experience. I remember meeting Urmila and Ram Gopal Varma after they had contacted me to discuss the film. I knew we had to make her look as per her character and have fun with her style. The modern and minimal yet impactful costume styling on Urmila - be it the chiffon saree in “Hai Rama,” the tangerine skater dress in “Tanha Tanha,” pleated skirts, and boyfriend shorts in “Rangeela Re” or the Chaplinesque look in “Kya Kare Kya Na Kare.” Her casual style - from co-ords, skater dresses, leotards with scarves to oversized shirts, high-waist jeans with figure-hugging tees, and wool berets- was and remains one of the main talking points of this film. It was the film I got my first award for. The whole experience will always remain close to my heart even 31 years later. 4. We are led to believe that you are a “thinking costume designer”, you actually read the film script before designing for it? Is it true? What’s your process of designing or styling a film/actor like? How is it different from designing for people off camera? Yes. I really, from the very beginning, felt that it’s very important for the character to look the part. You must understand that if the character looks the part, it also becomes easier for the audience to relate to them on screen. I used to read

“MERYL STREEP I WOULD LOVE TO S T YLE

the script first to understand the role and the personality of the character. If the actress is playing a shy girl, the natural decision of a girl like that will be to choose a subdued colour palette for the wardrobe. If the role is that of a bold character, her choice of clothes will also reflect that. Costumes are an integral part of visual storytelling. When such films became hits, automatically, the significance of the look also got its due credit, which didn’t happen in films till the late 80s. 5. Often it is believed that “fashion” is vain, but Manish Malhotra as a designer and couture label – has given back to society on numerous occasions, by way of fundraisers, supporting charities as well as reviving dying Indian crafts. How do you manage to strike this balance? I have had the privilege of dressing some of the most beautiful and influential people in the world but at the same time we mustn’t forget to contribute to the society as well. That is something that I have grown up seeing in my family so striking the balance comes naturally for me. Mijwan Welfare Soceity is an NGO most close to my heart where I work along with Mrs Shabana Azmi and Namrata Goel. The foundation emphasises on the empowerment of women where we focus on honing their skills. Today we have so many women that churn out some of the most NOVEMBER 2021

beautiful and intricate chickankari embroidery which is the signature of brand - Manish Malhotra. 6. The list of awards and accolades presented to you is endless, but which one is most special to your heart and why? The award that’ll always be dear to me is of my first Filmfare as they introduced the ‘best costume design’ award in 1996 to acknowledge styling and designing work in the film ‘Rangeela’ released in 1995. 7. Is there an international celebrity you would want, be your muse - that you would like to see in a Manish Malhotra creation? I would love to style Meryl Streep. 8. The pandemic affected the luxury market quite adversely, how has the road to recovery been? What does the future look like for brand Manish Malhotra? The pandemic affected the whole world, not only the luxury market. The road to recovery has been challenging at times but it’s been steady and that’s good. We all have now accepted the new normal and things have relatively improved and we are now in the busiest season of the year. There’s so much going on in my life this year - from bridal couture, tech entrance, venture collaborations to direction. I am working on multiple ‘nexts’ simultaneously.

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a metamorphosis. We want our readers to know everything that happened then, and your entire experience of doing Rangeela?

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Asha Bhosle INTERVIEWED BY MADHURI BHADURI 1. What was the most inspiring part of your journey as an artist? I suppose my interaction with several talented musicians, singers, composers and lyricists has been the most inspiring part of my journey as a singer and as an artist. Each time I interacted with my talented colleagues, I took away a part of them and added their teachings into my repertoire. I sincerely believe that man is never a master and remains a student all his life and even today I learn from talented individuals. I suppose this learning has been the most inspirational part of my journey. As I attained fame in my field, I received several awards and accolades, which further inspired me to better myself, but my fame also opened doors to an international audience and it was wonderful to collaborate with international artists and create works of art for eternity. International travel exposed me to foreign lands and visiting art galleries became a part of my travels. Watching the works of great artists further inspired me to excel in my field of work. So, I guess drawing inspiration from both teachings and experiences of others has been my inspiration. 2. How have you been able to use social media during these unprecedented times? Are you finding that you use it, even more, to stay connected to fans and other musicians?

The 2020 Pandemic was an eyeopener for the entire world and especially for those connected with the entertainment industry because entertainment was not a priority subject on anyone's mind when survival was at stake. As you are aware, everything came to a standstill. Overnight, I became redundant. I had no job and the future seemed uncertain and bleak. So, I got busy with normal household work, looking after my family and making the most of life. I saw my 19-year-old grandchildren communicating with their friends all over the world through video calls, etc. and that inspired me to start an online music talent contest. The response was phenomenal. I suppose everybody (especially artists) were feeling low during the pandemic and were looking for an outlet to vent their feelings and their art. So, the internet became a great tool during the pandemic to actually interact with both my fans and budding artists. The internet has made it possible for everyone to showcase their talents and I feel it's a great invention. 3. How do you think art and entertainment are correlated with each other? The entertainment world is art on celluloid. Artists find inspiration from what they see and also from what they read or hear. So, visual and audio both inspire artists to create their own inspiration of what they have read, seen or heard. A beautiful poem inspires

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She started her career at the young age of 9. Her life choices were always unusual. She calls herself a “rebel” and today is the proud holder of the Guinness World Record for the most recorded songs by an artist. F A C E Magazine’s Art Editor, Madhuri Bhaduri had the honour to chat with the voice that needs absolutely no introduction – legendary singer Asha Bhosle…

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a songwriter to build a tune around the words or vice versa. I remember reading the book on Umrao Jaan before rendering songs for the movie. Perhaps, reading her story inspired me to perform those songs in a different manner. Her pain temporarily became my pain and I could infuse her life & emotions into those songs. This is just an example of how artists get inspired. Therefore, I feel that art and entertainment are two faces of the same coin.

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4. As a legend who's seen it all, what are some distinct differences that you see between the work produced by artists of your era vs. what we see today? I believe that earlier works of art came from the heart. I am referring to music over here. During the composition of a song, the lyricist, songwriter, singer, movie director and musicians would interact with each other constantly and I believe their exchange of ideas helped in creating music that had soul in them. Today, there's barely any interaction. Earlier, if we had a duet, the co-singer and I would sing together. This would inspire us to try new ideas etc. and help us in bettering each song. Nowadays, I don't even know who will be my cosinger. I go into the recording studio alone, do my part and leave. It's quite mechanical. Of course, the technology today is far better and the sound is awesome but where are the great compositions? Where are the inspiring lyrics? Music is programmed and created through samples. Where are the musicians who could infuse emotions through their respective instruments? So, I feel we have sacrificed our 18

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– Asha Bhosle

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If music does not move you, it is not going to move others

emotions to technology. Songs today are technically perfect but lack the heart and soul of yesteryears. 5. So what next? What are your upcoming projects?

6. What is one message that you would like to give to your fans? Music is divine. Create from your heart. If music doesn't move you, it's not going to move others. Be your own fan & critic. Above all, enjoy life to its fullest. Do not delve into the past, enjoy the day and let life take its natural course. NOVEMBER 2021

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I have just recorded some songs with Adnan Sami, which I enjoyed a lot. Adnan is an oldworld stylist composer and I hope the audiences appreciate our endeavours. I have also just completed some work for an e-learning music portal. Besides the above, now that concerts have once again been given the green light, I am looking forward to performing on stage. I have concerts coming up in Dubai, UK, Mumbai, South Africa, etc.

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NAMASKARAM ”

The most beautiful moments in life are moments when you are expressing your joy, not when you are seeking it. – Sadhguru Founder, Isha Foundation INTERVIEWED BY NAINA KUMAR

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INTERVIEWER: NAINA KUMAR

When the world is waist-deep in chaos, uncertainty, and ignorance, it is our privilege to have the Indian Yogi, author, and a world-renown ed mystic Sadhguru answering and shining light onto the n eed of today.

There is so much to learn and unlearn to be able to see the world and on eself as it is devoid of stigmas, taboos, and misinterpretations. Let’s hear from the visionary himself and fathom a n ew perspective.

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A man with a vision to educate and share his piece of wisdom with his fellow beings, be it in regards to spirituality, environment, and lifestyle He has created platforms and chann els to bring in the n eeded change and betterment. He has been awarded Padma Vibhushan , on e of India’s highest civilian awards from the Government of India for his contributions to social welfare.

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1. Namaskaram. I would humbly request you to shed some light on how you were venerated as Sadhguru. Sadhguru: The word ‘Sadh’ means ‘within’, ‘Guru’ means ‘dispeller of darkness.' ‘Sadhguru’ is not a title. ‘Sadhguru’ essentially means an uneducated Guru, in the sense that he does not come from a scripture or tradition, but from within. I do not know any scriptures, teachings or traditions. I just know this piece of life from its origin to its ultimate. In the Yogic culture, we have always seen that the way the human system is made is the way the whole cosmos is made. In terms of complexity, it may be different, but in terms of the fundamental design, it is the same. So if you know this piece of life, by inference you know everything that is worth knowing. 2. There is a lot of talk around spirituality. But still many are unable to conceive its true meaning. Why is the topic still so misinterpreted? Sadhguru: Unfortunately, today, spirituality is the most misunderstood and misrepresented aspect of life. The way it is being presented worldwide, some of it is utterly ridiculous, a lot of it is crooked, much more of it is well-meaning but stupid. Some time ago in the US, someone took me to a spiritual expo where they were 24

selling spiritual bath soap, spiritual toothpaste, and what not! This is like an Indian village shandy where they sell you a root that makes you invisible. People are desperately trying to make simple situations of life mystical. Any number of things have become spiritual except the human being – that’s the whole problem. Spirituality is not about right and wrong or about God and heaven. Spirituality is about exploring the ultimate limits of who you are. Once you come here as a human being, all that is possible in this human being, every dimension that exists as you must be experienced, isn’t it? If you go without experiencing yourself, that’s a wasted life. Spirituality won’t happen because you read about it. When perception raises beyond the physical, when a person can go beyond his five senses, a true spiritual process begins. 3. There is always a debate around seeking the guidance of a spiritual Guru. How inevitable is the role of a spiritual guru? Can someone passively seek guidance like Eklavya did from Dronacharya? Sadhguru: If you want to go to a place where you have not been before in your life, you naturally seek a guide. A Guru becomes relevant to you only when you have an aspiration to constantly FACE M AGA ZINE

The rest either turned back or got lost. So, you can always do it yourself, but you don't know how long it will take. If you had a million years, it would be wonderful. But the human lifespan is so brief, it’s better to go with a roadmap. If you're the adventurous kind, it's perfectly okay, but you must just hope that you're Vasco da Gama or Columbus! So it is just a simple sense which makes you seek a guide. When the guide is about the inner dimension, we call him Guru because – “Gu” means darkness, “Ru” means dispeller. One who dispels the darkness is a Guru. 4. What does Isha Foundation stand for? What is the mission of this organization? Sadhguru: We decided to form the Isha Foundation in 1992. In the last few decades, we have really pushed this organization as an instrument for individual transformation because a larger transformation in the world can only happen through individual transformation. NOVEMBER 2021

There was a time when in a society, a few people were spiritual and the rest just went to them for blessings and sustained their lives. Today, with the tools of science and technology, we have brought ourselves to a self-threatening situation where everyone in society needs to turn spiritual. Unless some sense of oneness touches people, especially the leadership on the planet, then self-destruction is a live threat. A nonreligious, scientific spiritual process is the need of the hour. It is the need of the century, the need of the millennium, the need of eternity. Fortunately, we have tools to communicate with the whole world, which no one ever had before in the history of humanity. People say that we have touched nearly 2 billion people through our videos, and this will multiply in the next few years. Right now, at Isha, we are offering “One Drop Spirituality” – a simple process that anybody can teach to anyone without any risk. The goal is that every human being, irrespective of their caste, creed, religion, gender, or whatever else, must have at least one drop of spiritual process in them. Do not underestimate a drop. A drop is an ocean by itself. 5. How did Inner Engineering come to its existence? What does it truly aim at achieving? Sadhguru: One afternoon, I had a little time to spare between two business meetings and I rode up Chamundi Hill on the outskirts of Mysore. I went to a huge rock which was my usual place and sat there with my eyes open. Suddenly, I did not know which was me and which was not me. What was me was just everywhere. The very rock I was sitting on, the air that I breathed, the atmosphere around – everything had just become

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enhance your life when you want to touch dimensions within you which you yourself have not been able to touch. When people hear the word “Guru,” they may have a lot of resistance, essentially because of a certain kind of mindset today, and also because of misuse of the word. I would say a Guru is like a roadmap. If you want to travel uncharted terrain, do you want to go without a roadmap? You can. Maybe you will anyway get there. But there are also chances that to reach a destination right next to you, you may go around the world and come, or you may never get there. In the past, any number of expeditions took off from Europe in search of India, but only one Vasco da Gama reached India.

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6. What is your take on logical thinking? Are we bounding ourselves by practicing it to its extreme? Sadhguru: Logic and intellect are like scalpel. You can use a sharp intellect to cut things open and look inward. By cutting itself, you will not know. It is by looking that you will know. And your intellect and logic can only cut, it cannot look. Your intellect can be used only to slice things open. It is not an instrument of seeing. To see, you need intelligence, and intelligence is not logical. Right

One way to look at this body is, it is a complex chemical factory. There is a certain intelligence that is managing and conducting this whole dance of chemistry. Do you believe that you could someday logically conduct this whole chemical dance? You cannot manage a single cell in your body that way. So you understand the distinction and the limitation in which the logical intellect functions, and how the

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Yoga is not a teaching or philosophy. It is a technology for inn er evolution , to hasten human evolution to its ultimate possibility.

intelligence of life functions. What you call as intelligence and what you refer to as creator are not different. The creator is just pure intelligence. Intelligence beyond logic is what you are referring to as God. If you operate just within the limitations of your intellectual logic, within the limitations and the framework of your intellect, then you will never know that which we refer to as the creator. You will just do the circus of life. Life is a circus when your intellect and your body alone are involved. Life is a dance when intelligence begins to play its role. NOVEMBER 2021

7. I am always fascinated by your thoughts on the human food habits of today. Are we really eating to live or living to eat? Sadhguru: It is unfortunate that still there are so many people, including children, dying of malnourishment. India has the highest malnourished population in the world. But more people on this planet die because they don’t know when to stop eating. The problem is of compulsiveness. Food is good for us. But if you don’t know when to stop eating then it becomes a serious problem. Fundamentally we are living an unconscious life, a compulsive life. All the wonderful things that come our way become serious problems simply because we do them compulsively. When it comes to food, ask the body what kind of food it is really happy with. Try different foods and see how your body feels after eating the food. If your body feels very agile, energetic and nice, that means the body is happy. If the body feels lethargic and needs to be pumped up with caffeine or nicotine to stay awake, the body is not happy, isn’t it? It takes a certain mindfulness and attention to learn to listen to your body. Once you have that, you know what to eat and what not to eat. We are just looking at what is suitable for the system – we try to eat foods which would make you comfortable in the body. Whether you want to do your business properly or study properly or do any activity properly, it is extremely important that your body is at ease. So, the kind of food with which your body would be most at ease and would not struggle to get nourishment out of, that is the kind of food we should eat.

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I have no teachings or philosophy. Yoga is not a teaching or philosophy. It is a technology for inner evolution, to hasten human evolution to its ultimate possibility. Anyone who is willing to make use of it can make use of it. As there is science and technology for creating external comfort and convenience, there is a whole science and technology to create inner wellbeing. We are offering this as Inner Engineering, our basic flagship program. It is a way of engineering your interiority with scientific steps. You can change the fundamental chemistry of who you are, and create a chemistry of blissfulness.

now, there are many ways to look at this body.

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me. Every cell in my body was bursting with a new indescribable level of ecstasy. After this experience, initially, if I just looked at people, I would burst into tears because here I am bursting with blissfulness, but they are walking around miserably. Everything that I have, they also have within themselves but they are going about with a miserable face. So I started looking for ways to somehow rub off my experience on people. Because Yoga happened to me and became a part of my life from an early age, I thought I could use Yoga as a means to share this experience.

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8. I recently wrote an article on Balancing Feminine and Masculine energy. I would really love for you to talk about the grieving situation of humans losing their true meaning to mere gender associations. Sadhguru: Masculine and feminine are not about being physically male and female. The feminine can be as alive in a man as it is in a woman. These are two qualities. Only when these two qualities happen in balance, can a human being live a life of fulfillment. To use an analogy, if you call the root the masculine, the flower and the fruit are feminine. The very purpose of the root is to bring the flower and the fruit. If that does not happen, the root will go to waste. Survival by itself does not take care of everything. After survival is taken care of, the subtler aspects of life have to happen to you. Generally, Shiva is the symbolism of ultimate masculinity, but you will see in the Ardhanarishvara form of Shiva, one half of him is a fully developed woman. This is basically trying to manifest that the masculine and the feminine are equally divided within yourself. If the inner masculine and feminine meet, you are in a perpetual state of ecstasy. If you try to do it on the outside, it never lasts, and all the troubles that come with that are an ongoing drama! If one knows how to nurture oneself, both will be fully active and alive in every human being. If we let these two parts of us reverberate, as intensely as the other, each one of us can be a one-hundred percent man and one-hundred percent woman within ourselves. The whole science of Yoga is based on this, that you should not miss either the masculine or the feminine in

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you, because having just one of them will be a lopsided life. 9. I heard you speak about how humans need to shift their focus from religion to responsibility. Please elaborate on this for our readers. Sadhguru: Right now, the biggest problem on the planet is this: if small things go wrong in your life, you think someone else is responsible for your misery. If big things go wrong, you think God is responsible. You yourself do not seem to be responsible for anything. In the coming decade, we want to change this approach, so that the world moves from Religion to Responsibility. Religion means responsibility is up there in heaven for everything that goes wrong in your life. The responsibility of who you are, what you are, what you are not, must move to you. It is time we take this responsibility – then we can do the best we can do. To attend to the issues in the world, one fundamental is that you are not an issue. We want to see that the world moves inward – not up, not out, in. ‘In’ is the only way out. Our goal is to see that the tools for transformation are not in the hands of organizations, gurus or some kind of authority, but in the hands of people. Every human being must have some tools for their self-transformation. It must become a part of our life. As our mothers taught us to brush our teeth, spirituality must happen as an essential part of Being Human. 10. What is your take on today’s parenting practices? The pressure on a child towards one definite goal sounds very shallow when the world has so much to experience and experiment with. Sadhguru: Most parents do not FACE M AGA ZINE

cultivate the genius of their children. They are trying to drive their children in a particular direction. Do not drive. You cannot get rose flowers from a plant that is not a rose plant. It will come out with a different kind of flower. You should not expect rose flowers out of everything just because you like rose flowers. You have a new and fresh life in your home. We do not know what will come out of it. This is why I tell people that to bear and raise a child, you must have either enormous courage or enormous wisdom. Because a new life is not a small thing. If you see it as a phenomenon which blossomed in your body, came out and is growing – out of two cells, life is happening in front of you, taking shape – if you watch it with utter wonder and create the right kind of atmosphere, your child will grow into something beautiful. But they may not be the rose flower that you expected. They need not become what you expect because your expectations are coming from the graveyard of the past. Children belong to the future. 11. Pandemic changed our notions around mortality. Why is death only dealt with despair? Sadhguru: Only if a dimension beyond the physical becomes a living reality within a person, will one become free from fear of death. The physical is constantly under threat because it is always within limited boundaries. There is always a fear of losing anything which is demarcated. The physical body is a piece of the planet that you gathered. What you gather, you can claim it is yours, but you can never ever say, “it is me.” This is a loan we have taken from the planet. When the time to payback comes, if you made good use of the loan,

12. Your latest book ‘Karma: A Yogi’s Guide to Crafting Your Destiny’ talks about navigating our way towards a destiny with a better understanding of Karma. Please tell us more. Sadhguru: The word karma has been misunderstood and misinterpreted in many different

ways. Karma means action. Action means we are talking about your action. Every moment of our lives, there are four types of actions that are always on, both in wakefulness and in sleep. Physical action, mental action, emotional action and energy action are constantly happening every moment of our life. Now, the imprints that these actions leave within us accumulate over a period of time and form a tendency of their own. Or in other words, we are building an unconscious software within ourselves. As we build this unconscious software, our functions become more and more formalized and mechanical, and our responses become more and more conditioned. Because this is happening from within us and most people are NOVEMBER 2021

not conscious about how this is happening, it makes you feel like another force from somewhere else is acting upon you. When you say “my life is my karma,” what you are saying is that “my life is my making.” This is the most dynamic way to exist. India is the only culture where it has been clearly expressed that your life is not being made by some other force elsewhere, your life is being crafted every moment by you; it is your making. Only thing is, you are making it unconsciously. What you are doing unconsciously, if you do the same thing consciously, then you will become the maker of your own destiny.

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you pay back joyfully. Otherwise, terror happens. Either we get this now through our intelligence, or we will get it from the maggots one day. This is the choice. I am not wishing it upon you, but no matter how healthy, strong or young you are right now, tomorrow morning you may be dead, it is possible. If you strive to transcend your experience beyond the physical limitations of life, then fear will evaporate.

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INTERVIEWED BY N E H A S A C H A R M I T TA L

With half a dozen film with larger-than-life her belt… Pooja Hegd flavour of the month!

In a short career spa very impressive filmo fans across Tamil, Te film industries. She a her foundation ‘All A which she has been to so many people acros

FACE’s Managing Ed Mittal caught up with about her journey so

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ms, opposite actors e personas, under de is surely the !

my income for the charity. I just feel like there is great power in that. As a foundation, we have done a lot of work, during Covid, for education and covering medical bills, etc.

n she can boast of a ography along with elugu and Hindu also recently started About Love’, through ouching the lives of ss the country.

Well I mean thank you, I think it’s important to get carried away with the nature of the project sometimes. I think it’s very important to understand what kind of film you are in. If the film is an out-and-out slapstick comedy you have to act that way. There’s a certain way of acting in a slapstick film and there’s a certain way of acting in a very realistic cinema/ project. I think you have to kind of understand what film you are doing, what genre it is, what the audience is and act according to that. I have always worked with directors who have never compromised on the quality and as an actor, I am most critical about my work. If I feel I need another take I always request the director and 9 out of 10 times the director has always said yes to me. Sometimes I have bought into what the director is saying with respect to why the take is okay. It all depends on the director. I think it’s very important to not get intimidated and be really honest with your work and that’s what propels you ahead and makes sure that you stand your own.

ditor, Neha Sachar h the actor to talk far and beyond.

1. Let’s begin with “All About Love”, tell us about your foundation and its inception? With All About Love, I think I always wanted to give back. As a kid I watched Ellen DeGeneres do it and Oprah Winfrey do it. I always looked at the shows and felt “Wow, it must be so nice to be able to make somebody that happy”. I think that kind of stayed with me which is why I started All About Love. The name came about because love is the strongest emotion out there and any act done out of love can really go a long way. I think I am going to encourage people to give back. We all think we will give back when we make a lot of money but when do you make enough money? Even if you are donating Rs. 100/- or any amount, that can really change someone’s life somewhere. I feel that inculcating this culture of giving back is very important. Let’s say, I am donating a certain percentage of

3. You have made your mark in both Bollywood as well as regional cinema…is it tough sailing in both the boats or is it empowering to be able to choose? NOVEMBER 2021

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2. Since your debut you have worked with some really big stars and yet held your own… how do you do that? Isn’t it very easy to get carried away by the nature of the project or the director or the actor and compromise on the quality of your role?

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I don’t think it’s an either-or situation for this. is it tough? Well, it’s a challenge because balancing schedules, jumping from one character to another character even if it is the same genre and the same kind of character, a city girl in Hyderabad would react very differently to situations as compared to a city girl in Bombay. I think to be able to understand the cultures that I am coming from, the place that I am working at while portraying the girl a little more honestly is a challenge. Of course, it helps when you are a workaholic and you get less sleep; you are okay with it because the work keeps you excited. So yes, it’s a challenge that I personally love. It’s something that I accept. But also it has definitely been empowering because I feel like having done so well in the South and Telugu cinema has given me the power to be able to pick the work that I want to do. I owe a lot to the industry for that. They have given me love and respect and contributed to my career in such a drastic way. 4. The film ‘Beast’ is where it all began… do you feel a sense of homecoming? Tamil cinema is where it began. My first film ever was in Tamil and I am really really excited to go back to it. I kind of waited for something really good in Tamil and which is why I never did anything for a long time. It’s a fantastic film to be a part of because it’s a really fun cast and crew and I am very very excited about that project. 5. From doing period films like Mohenjo Daro, Radhe Shyam, Acharya to playing a standup comedian in Most Eligible Bachelor, what’s your process to choose and prepare for a role? I think my process of choosing the role is what excites me. I really

COVER STORY

go by my gut feeling. With Most Eligible Bachelor that’s what it was, I was really excited about playing a stand-up comedian because it was so new and fresh for me. The girl’s character was so well chalked out; she had so many layers and that was something that really got me excited about the project. When it comes to Radhe Shyam, I hadn’t really done such a love story before, it was a really mature love story. The story was beautiful which is why I wanted to be part of it and the girl again had a great role. With Acharya, it was the character of a village girl, which is so drastically different from the other roles that I have played which is why I was like, “Let’s do it, let’s be a part of this, people will see a new Pooja”. I think that is something that keeps me going; it’s what makes me juggle all these films and still be excited about it because my work is different and that’s something that I look forward to while selecting my scripts. Period films and I go hand in hand, I feel lucky for that. Most actresses go their entire career without one, and I have done so many so it’s great because you can really put yourself in an era. It’s a chance that not many people get and I am really blessed to be able to do that. The process, yes, there has been one for every film. For Most Eligible Bachelor, I kind of spoke to many stand-up comedians, when I spoke to them I learnt about how they hold the mic how they use it. I learnt about punch lines and building up to a joke. That was my process to that and as far as Radhe Shyam goes, I’ll talk about it when the film releases or closer to that. 6. You would soon be seen Opposite Ranveer in Rohit Shetty’s ‘Cirkus’. How was the experience of working on this film? Cirkus has been an absolute blast FACE M AGA ZINE

because you have two dynamic duos with Rohit Sir and Ranveer. It felt like we were all having a gettogether and in the middle, we used to shoot the film because it was so much fun, I think somewhere that fun is definitely going to translate on-screen. It’s just been like a holiday. 7. We recently saw your picture on social media with the legend Amitabh Bachchan…. Is something big in the pipeline? Do spill the beans? Well, it has been my dream to work with him. He is a legend and as a kid, I have grown up watching all his films and then when you become an actor the first thing you want to do is be able to share screen space with him. I can’t talk about what it is, but I have to say that, I was just over the moon about being able to shoot with him. I am very excited about it. 8. We are very excited about “Bhaijaan” … Have you started shooting for it? How is it working with the ultimate ‘Bhaijaan’?

9. These days social media has become such an important part of an actor’s life. How do you decide what you want to put out there for your millions of fans and how do you deal with trolls? I think social media has definitely become very important. I am trying to stay as honest as possible. What I am is what I am going to put out there. There’s already so much negativity out there so I think my Instagram is NOVEMBER 2021

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Well, I haven’t started shooting, I am very excited about Bhaijaan. I am looking forward to starting the film. It’s going to be one epic fun film and more about the film when I start shooting for it.

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M Y I N S TA G R A M

AS POSSIBLE BE

TO INFLUENCE P

WHENEVER I DO

E C AU S E I F E E L L I K E I H AV E T H E P OW E R

P E O P L E . A N D I WA N T T O E N S U R E T H AT

O , I I N F L U E N C E T H E M I N A P O S I T I V E WAY.

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always going to be as positive as possible. I feel like I have the power to influence people and I want to ensure whenever I do influence them, it’s in a positive way. I just put out fun, happy stuff and things that inspire me. As far as dealing with trolls, I have realised beyond a point you can never make them happy. Somebody has taken out a few

seconds of your life to troll you, you must really be important to them, important enough for them to spend energy from their precious life to troll you. I just take it with a pinch of salt and laugh it off. Sometimes I don’t even bother reading what the trolls have to say.

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ALL ABOUT LOVE

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SECOND ANNIVERSARY

Special Issue 36

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FACE MAGAZINE Meet t he faces

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SIMONETTA LEIN She is a lifestyle social media entrepreneur, named fashion icon, TV host, writer and Millennial activist ranked as one of the top five fashion influencers in the world! FACE’s Managing Editor Neha Sachar Mittal, spoke to the multitalented Simonetta Lein, and discovered that despite the many feathers in her fedora, she likes to call herself “The Wishmaker”. Read on to find out more…

1. We have to begin by talking about “The Wishwall Foundation”, “The Simonetta Lein Show” and of course how did the term “The Wishmaker” come about? The very first time someone called me The Wishmaker was when Councilman Mark Squilla supported my commitment to rename a street after a young woman was killed in a hit and run accident in Philadelphia. I was new to the street and new to the US. I was not a US citizen back then but an immigrant who wanted to make a difference. We were talking about my ideas and how to go about it and I did not want to stop at just renaming a street after her, I wanted to come up with a strategy to catch the killer. It worked out, I was able to have Kimball Street officially renamed “Theresa Pozzi’s way” and the killer was caught. At that point, people started to call me The Wishmaker. 38

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2. Making dreams come true is not a small feat…Do you feel the weight of this title? Yes, I do, especially nowadays when everything becomes more difficult because of restrictions and regulations. Somehow we humans are resilient so I never stopped helping all that I can and making wishes come true. 3. From modelling, to being an influencer, entrepreneur, activist and then a tv host… how has the journey been? Were these career extensions a natural progression?

WRITER MODEL ACTIVIST INFLUENCER ENTREPRENEUR

Yes, one thing came after the other yet was very connected to the previous. 4. You are also a writer… where do you draw your inspiration to write? Which out of the many things you do, comes to you naturally? I wrote a novel published by Mondadori, one of the biggest publishing houses in the world. It is called “Everything is possible”. I also write for magazines such as Forbes, INC and I have learned a lot writing for years on The Huffington Post, Vanity Fair, Entrepreneur Mag. I got a basic understanding of branding and storytelling while learning much more about myself as an entrepreneur. I studied Ancient Greek, Latin and philosophy in high school and that gave me an incredible basis for writing.

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5. Being acknowledged by Forbes among the top 5 fashion influencers in the world is huge and must have felt great? Did it push you to aim even higher? Yes, it did, everything I do has so much work behind it so there is never an “I made it” feeling that lasts more than 5 minutes. I will never stop. NOVEMBER 2021

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BE KIND AND RESPECTFUL AND REMEMBER TO ALWAYS CONDUCT YOURSELF WITH GRACE, SURROUND YOURSELF WITH LIKEMINDED INDIVIDUALS AND A TALENTED TEAM. – SIMONETTA LEIN

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6. Being a social media personality has its fair share of bouquets and brickbats… how do you/did you deal with trolling if at all? Up to now, I had very random and minimal episodes, I was very lucky. I always said that “your vibe attracts your tribe”. When the haters come, I cut them out immediately. If you are unkind I do not have time to entertain you. I have learned to cut out the buzz killers pretty fast. 7. Last we checked you had 5.2 million followers…so much love and adulation must be unreal… but with so many people constantly watching, does it make taking every single decision that much tougher? Absolutely! Especially after The Simonetta Lein Show has been named one of the top shows on Earth and number one short form show there is so much pressure in booking the right guests for my audience. So many are tuned in every week for the weekly release, and I love when they go crazy about a guest. I have been meeting among the most famous people in the world and the majority are very kind and hard-working people. You do not achieve success without putting the work

Be willing to put in the work, be very specific about your overall brand image, make sure that what transpires out there is what you truly want. There is nothing worse than showing someone you are not, authenticity is a must.

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8. Any tips for all those budding influencers or women who aspire to be like you? What’s your formula to success?

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Christopher Charles Benninger

rofessor Christopher Benninger (b.1942) is one of India’s highly decorated Architects, having won the Indian Institute of Architects’ Annual Award for Excellence six times, more than any other architect. His wellknown, award-winning projects are the Mahindra United World College of India; The Samundra Institute of Maritime Studies near near Mumbai; The “Suzlon One Earth” World Headquarters in Pune, India; The National Ceremonial Plaza and the Supreme Court at Thimphu, Bhutan; The Indian Institute of Management in Kolkata; the Bajaj Mumbai; The “Suzlon One Earth” World Headquarters in Pune, India; The National Ceremonial Plaza and the Supreme Court at Thimphu, Bhutan; The Indian Institute of Management in Kolkata; the Bajaj Institute of Technology, Wardha; buildings for the COEP, Pune; the IIT, Hyderabad; the TIFR, Mumbai; the Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies, Pune; the

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Centre for Development Studies and Activities, Pune; and his own studio and residence “India House” in Pune. Benninger studied UrbanPlanning at MIT, and Architecture at Harvard, where he later also taught. He settled in India in 1971, founding the School of Planning at CEPT University in Ahmedabad, where he presently serves as a

of Management of the CEPT University, Ahmedabad. Benninger’s urban planning projects include Development Plans for Thane and Kalyan carried out under the MMRDA; seven provincial capitals of Sri Lanka; the new town of Denchi in Bhutan; the Capital Plan of Bhutan, and three Bhutanese border towns with India; Asian Development Bank Advisor for the Terengganu Regional Development Plan of Malaysia; World Bank Advisor for the National Rural Development Programme in Indonesia; World Bank Advisor to the Department of Town and Country Planning of Madhya Pradesh preparing a 28 town plan programme for the state; Consultant to the United Nations Center for Human Settlements (HABITAT) to write the Theme Paper for the for the Seventh Session of the United Nations Commission on Human Settlements; Advisor to the Asian Development Bank to write

Life is a movable feast and a continuum of discovery and celebration of the human condition and spirit. Member of the Board. He is one of the nine recipients of the Great Master Architect Award. He is a Fellow of the Indian Institute of Architects and Institute of Town Planners, India. He founded the Centre for Development Studies and Activities in Pune in 1976, and has been a Senate Member of the SPPU, and University BUTR Member (now Executive Council). He is on the Board FACE M AGA ZINE

of the Committee formed by the Central Government to analyze the potentials and strategies to develop the Eastern Seaboard of Mumbai [Mumbai Port Trust Lands Redevelopment Committee], including all of the docklands, or about ten percent of the island city of Mumbai; and Member of the Ministry of Defence (GOI) committee to create the National War Museum at Princess Park on the Central Vista, New Delhi (2017).

the Government of Maharashtra and the Government of India preparing the Ratnagiri Integrated Rural Development Programme. More recently Professor Benninger was the Chairperson of the Committee to select the design for implementing the National War Memorial that has been created in the Central Vista (2019) in New Delhi; is a Statutory Member of the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority; Member NOVEMBER 2021

His firm CCBA Designs, with 40 architects, is designing the Azim Premji University in Bengaluru; the Bajaj Institute of Technology at Wardha; the Indian Institute of Technology at Hyderabad, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai; The Global Brain Research Center in Shanghai, China; new Foundation Studios and Lecture Hall for CEPT University; various buildings for the College of Engineering, Pune, and 23 Metro stations for the

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their Policy Paper for the Board of Directors, directing the Bank to enter urban infrastructure lending (previously the ADB only funded agricultural and rural development); UNFAO Advisor to the Government of Nepal designing their District Planning Methodology; UNICEF Advisor to the Government of India to preparing the Social Inputs for Area Development Programme, a decadal programme covering the fifty poorest districts in India; and UNICEF Advisor to

Professor Benninger is on the Board of Editors of CITIES Journal (U.K.), and a Member of the Editorial Board of the new E-Journal Ekistics: the New Urbanism, (Australia). Professor Benninger has authored more than a hundred articles published in journals and magazines in many countries. Amongst his publications, his book ‘Letters to A Young Architect’ won the Best Architecture Book of the Year Award 2012, and appeared on the Top Ten Best-Selling Non-fiction Books in India for 18 weeks. It was the first Indian book on architecture to be published by Kindle in America. This book was translated and published in Gujarati [in Gandhinagar], Bangla [in Dhaka] and Chinese [in Shanghai]. His book, ‘Christopher Benninger: Architecture for Modern India’ has been published by Skira of Milan, Italy and by Rizzoli, in New York City.

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STYLE IS A CHOSEN TRAP FOR BAD DESIGNERS TO PLAY IN C H R I S T O P H E R CHARLES BENNINGER

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Pune Metro3 line built by Siemens [Germany} and Tata Projects. His city and regional planning work range from India, Bhutan, Malaysia, Indonesia, America, Africa and Sri Lanka. Benninger’s expansive campus plans reveal Indian “Place Making,” reflecting the great Temple Complexes of South India and their impact on Chinese, Central Asian, and Persian architecture. His narrative presents a language that lies between American

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idealism embedded in wooded Arcadian landscapes, and sacred notions enshrined within Indian temple courtyard complexes, generating a unique approach to architecture and place-making. Benninger has been honored to give the Randolph Hertz Annual Lecture in Los Angeles, the Jhabvala Lecture at the Indian International Centre in New Delhi, the Key Note Address at the Centennial Celebration of the J. J. School of Architecture, and at many conferences in Spain, Bhutan, Thailand, Germany, The Netherlands, America, Sweden, China, Thailand, India, and Sri Lanka where he was invited this year (2021) to be the Key Note Speaker at the Sri Lanka Annual Convention of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects. Christopher Benninger has won Six times National awards from the IIA, more than any other architect, apart from numerous national and international awards for his major projects.

Style is a chosen trap for bad designers to play in, who don’t work analytically to solve real human problems! Many architects develop a “style” as a kind of branding technique, distracting clients from the real contextual and functional issues needing resolution. My style is actually a procedure of analyzing each design problem in its own right; all of my projects thus look different! 2. What’s a recent development in architecture that you find interesting? Born in Europe and imported by foreign situated architects into India, is something I call “LIPSTICK ARCHITECTURE.” Lipstick architecture is very refined like Revlon’s latest eye mascara and bright purple shiny lipstick. It is a very elegant façade manipulation,

with some tricky play of spaces. But these are visual stunts and not analytical solutions to real problems. This all started with the opening up of India to Western facade materials (made in China) that evolved from the northern climates. Shinny ACP metallic sheets were the fashion for one season, while reflective glass became fashionable for the next. Fake wood then appeared on facades and so on! Even plants were grown on corporate walls, which uses more energy than a blank wall, increasing the carbon footprint while appearing green! Lipstick architecture has become a very refined art now in Europe where irreverent bathhouses, spas and exclusive resorts grab the stage, spreading inane thinking globally! I think relevance comes from South Asian architects who weave their skills into solving real human needs like health care, education, housing and community public domains. The most important

projects are urban interventions that open up access to people who are bereft of public open space. 3. There is a continuous theme that runs through your work, which is the idea of developing an appropriate language for modern architecture. Could you touch on this issue of identifying the importance of making architecture, belonging to its culture and its place? Each of my projects has its own innate character, born out of their geographical and human settlements contexts. This is also tempered by the users’ “functional brief,’’ guiding the designer resolve very real, technical problems. There is something called the “Culture of Construction’’ that emerges in each project. This means that design is contextually tempered by the local materials, available skills pool and contextual

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1. Describe Your Design Style as an Architect:

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Supreme Court of Bhutan

technology. If you see my Supreme Court of Bhutan it reads “context” in its materials, in its craftsmanship and its traditional technology, while my Forbes Marshal Industrial Pavilion, in Pune, reads another local dialect where there are materials like steel, aluminum and glass. It reflects the metalworking skills of a global machinery-producing place. It employs the high-tech skills and mechanical technology put together by professional construction managers. The Supreme Court of Bhutan speaks a Bhutanese visual language directly speaking to the people 46

of Bhutan. My industrial pavilion speaks the language of a hightech cosmopolitan community. 4. How relevant is art in your projects and modern architecture as a whole? Art is intrinsic to “space-making” and the choreography which designs the movement through sequences of spaces! Art is not a collectors’ item to be hung on a wall. It speaks a truth to the viewer and must be integral to the meaning of things going on in that place. At CEPT University in Ahmedabad, I have created ceiling murals that illustrate FACE M AGA ZINE

various principles of architecture, like Le Corbusier’s Le Modular and my Principles of Intelligent Urbanism. They are a part and parcel of my “culture of construction” and my “fabric of build.” Yes, I am weaving fabrics of places, spaces, forms and experiences and my artwork is an integral binding feature of that holism. 5. Who is your current favorite artist? My favorite artist at this very moment is Bhupen Khakhar who I met and befriended in 1968-

6. How do you see the art world evolving in India?

learning and research spaces for thousands of students.

Unfortunately, the art world is evolving, including in India, into a mere warehouse for lifeless investments, not a storehouse of great wisdom and wonderful memories! Instead of creating a culture, we are making a clutter of showpieces to stick on our walls, unrelated to our real lives.

8. Can you talk about your future projects and plans?

7. What’s next? Life is a movable feast and a continuum of discovery and celebration of the human condition and spirit. Right now, I am working with the best scientists in India and China seeking truth! We, as a team, are re-planning the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research campus and adding new high-tech laboratories and residences there in Mumbai, while in Shanghai I’m working with a large community of scientists seeking cures to brain ailments, like Alzheimer’s Disease. Our team is also working with the IIT, Hyderabad, the Bajaj Institute of Technology, Wardha, the Azim Premji University and the CEPT University in Ahmedabad to create new, appropriate

I am now working on several new books simultaneously focused on urban survival issues, and on our history of architecture in India. Writing is a great passion for me. I am also doing pro bono work assisting governments re-shaping our cities, like membership in a small Expert’s Committee to assess the urban strategies and plans for the Mumbai Port Trust Lands that makeup ten percent of the Island City. Urbanism is the most important future challenge for architects, and our design of twenty-three Metro stations in Pune along a long infrastructure corridor is a major positive intervention in the city. Likewise, I chaired the committee that conceptualized and selected the implemented plan for the new National War Memorial recently completed in the Central Vista in New Delhi. These are all urban projects creating public domains, accessibility and important memory points for people.

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69 and from whom I purchased one of my great paintings in 1972, called Krishna Hotel, which I am auctioning today at Sotheby’s in London. True art is not something for collectors and investors, but is part of one’s passage in life, creating memory points and gifting valuable axioms about the human nature. I and Ramprasad have been buying art throughout our association and we have gifted art and been gifted wonderful works of art. Thus, our house is not the gallery of a collection, but a “menagerie of important memories,” and yes lessons. There is a large Thangka in our Living Room painted by a traditional Bhutanese artist who lived in the forest above our home in Thimphu and he spent a year working in it. There are paintings from Valencia, Spain we bought when I was invited by the Government of Spain to lecture there. There is a painting of three classic Chinese Fish gifted to us by our wonderful patron in Shanghai. So, ours is not an art collection, but rather a kind of travelogue of wonderful memories. Each artifact is my favorite of an important moment in our lives.

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THIS C O M M O N W E A LT H WRESTLING GOLD MEDALIST COMES FR O M A FA MED WRESTLING F A M I LY. S H E I S WELL KNOWN TO H AV E T H E BEST WRESTLING PEDIGREE AMONG WOMEN MIXED MARTIAL ART FIGHTERS AT T H E O N E C H A M P I O N S H I P. I N FA C T, H ER F A M I LY ’ S S T O R Y WA S S O I N S PI R I N G T H AT S U P E R S TA R AMIR KHAN DECIDED TO ADAPT IT INTO A BIOGR APHICAL SPORTS DRAMA FILM – DANGAL Face’s Managing Editor, Neha Sachar Mittal caught up with “The Indian Tigress”- Ritu Phogat to talk about wrestling, her family and more...

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Ritu Phogat 1. You started your coaching under your father… We imagine it can get tricky there… Parents have a tendency to ‘protect’ and coaches have a tendency to ‘push’… What was it like having your father as a coach? When it comes to wrestling my father was the most disciplined and strict coach I ever had. He ensured to make our life difficult in training and made us work super hard. But that is why we are and what we have become. His training has made us disciplined, hardworking and focused. He taught us some very valuable lessons about life. 2. You come from a family of wrestlers… Does competition begin at home for you? W W W. FACEM AG A ZINE . IN

No competition is on the mat, at home me and my sisters are like family as well as friends. When we are on the mat, we have to act and play like a wrestler who wants to perform and who wants to win. Luckily none of us have played in the same weight category thus, we never competed against each other in competition. NOVEMBER 2021

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dangal

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OF COURSE I LOVED D A N G A L , I T W A S M Y F A M I LY, O U R S T O R Y, A N D T H E M O V I E WA S V ERY CLO S E TO M E . – R I T U P H O G AT

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I think I am still in the midst of my career and I still have a long way to go. I think it’s important to stay focused on my next goal and once I achieve it, maybe that’s the recognition that I feel will be cherishing. Even though the world is changing but traditionally wrestling as a sport is associated with men… what were the challenges you faced being a woman in this sport? I think now our women wrestlers are doing phenomenally well, I remember there was a social stigma when my sisters were growing up, but for me, it wasn’t that much of a problem, as they had already made India proud

internationally. So for me, it was not that difficult. Tell us about your tryst with Bollywood…did you like Dangal? How did you feel when it became such a big hit? Of course I loved Dangal, it was my family, our story, and the movie was very close to me. I was thrilled to know that the whole country loved the movie and most importantly our story. Many people I meet internationally also watched and loved Dangal. So it’s a fantastic feeling of course. It’s a little sad but we as a nation need the help of Indian cinema to get our sportsmen the recognition they deserve… how do you feel about it? I feel times are changing, and other sports apart from cricket are getting popular day by day.

It is also up to our fans and people of India to support other athletes as they are equally talented and equally working hard to win laurels for our nation. India is a huge nation with diverse cultures thus sports definitely needs a justified push. You are a fitness enthusiast… What’s your fitness regime like? In the film Dangal, your character had to give up eating Golguppas. Have you made any such sacrifices in real life too? Is it tough living a regimented life? Yes of course, as an athlete we have to make a lot of sacrifices on diet and your favourite food. I love Indian sweets, but I can’t have them regularly as I have to also keep a check on my weight. So it’s very tough, all your wants and desires need to be suppressed to achieve something bigger.

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You have had an illustrious career so far… Which recognition is most special to you and why?

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CHEF VICKY RATNANI

FACE’s Lifestyle Editor Sushneet Kaur caught up with this Foodie at heart to know more.

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Chef Vicky Ratnani’s accolades are almost as exciting as the dishes he makes. His travel escapades are what culinary dreams are made of. He is constantly on the move to satiate his hunger for all things new. Regarded as one of India’s best chefs, Vicky was the Personal Chef to Mr. Nelson Mandela on his voyage from Durban to Cape Town while Mr. Mandela was promoting his charity enterprise. He was given a royal commission aboard Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2), he also became a member of the Queen Mary 2 opening team (QM2). Ratnani took over Aurus after moving to Mumbai and later went on to launch Nido, an all-day cafe in Mumbai.

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1. How and When did you discover your love for Cooking, please share the story of your journey extraordinaire. I always loved eating before I learned how to cook. I think it was something which I wanted to do in my life, I didn’t want to do what my dad was doing. I got advised by my best friend’s mother who said, “why don’t you join hotel management and pursue a career there?”. I was

3. How and when did you come up with the Idea of Opening ‘Speak Burgers’ in Mumbai? In this dynamic world of restaurants what’s your vision for ‘Speak Burgers’ ?

2. What’s the Greatest Fear you’ve had to overcome to get to where you are today?

Yes, I circum-navigated the world 7 times, worked with 37 different nationalities, and spent 5 years in Italy. So once upon a time I spoke the language I learnt highly extensively regional Italian cooking. I love Mediterranean food, I love Italian food. I love cooking all kinds of European food because I have worked with chefs from Austria, Germany, French and some British chefs as well. So I have a fair knowledge of world cuisine, global cuisine. I am bias towards Indian food because I am still a tourist in my own country. I am rediscovering

The greatest fear that I had to overcome to get where I am today is the fear of not failing, you know I don’t really care if I have failed. I think you have to know the dark side to know what the bright side is. So I think I had no fear of failing. I am always hungry to learn more, hungry to explore more, be the student of the year, every day. So I think that’s what I think I am still learning. NOVEMBER 2021

Well I mean I love burgers, I have always made the most amazing burgers. So that’s why I said why don’t I create something starting out of a cloud kitchen but make it an all India franchise and really scale up the brand. I think one can get very creative with burgers. Everybody loves burgers, you can start from a complete Plain Jane burger to the most gourmet burger. I think burgers have their own way of communicating with people. The brand is really good. It’s a beautiful kitchen based out of bandra, the offerings are really good - homemade bread, homemade kettle chips and ketchup. Everything is quite artisanal but it’s really really pocket-friendly. 4. Around the world 7 times has to have enriched your knowledge bank with experiences and lots of inspiration…are you biased towards any particular cuisine? Does any particular dish bring out your best work?

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still unsure of it till I actually got into college, there I discovered things that would completely turn me on and freak me out and that was where all my love of cooking professionally started. I started reading books and started watching a lot of my family members more closely as they are all great cooks, like my grand mom and all her sisters. I got a chance to really work in the environment and study and learn from family and friends. I

had friends whose mothers used to cook well and that’s how I actually started, then I decided to go abroad as I was more inclined towards the western cuisine. I trained at the Oberoi and the Leela then I left for the ships, that’s when the whole journey started where I started working as a breakfast cook and moved up to be the first Indian execute chef in the history of Cunard lines. I was also the chef of the biggest ocean liner in the world, once upon a time, the Queen Mary 2 (Q2) where I had 148 chefs who used to work for me and I used to look after 10 different kitchens. I moved and reach the top, I circum-navigated the world almost 7 times, worked for 37 different nationalities. I was actually a trainer and a teacher for Cunard line as well, so I am quite an educationist as well as a certified trainer. I moved back to India and started some of the coolest restaurants like Auras, Nido, lots of television happened, launched Burger king in India with Everstone. Now I do the menus for INOX, I have my own company, I consult, I did over a 1000 episodes on TV, I produced my own shows like Vicky the gastronaut which I shot in Peru, Thailand and Australia. So yeah that’s it so far!

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I AM ALWAYS HUNGRY TO LEARN MORE, HUNGRY TO EXPLORE MORE CHEF VICKY RATNANI

Indian food through my travels and working along with Indian ingredients and for the Indian customers. I have been in India for 11 years now and my style of cooking is very very global but by DNA, Dil Hai Hindustani!! So I do like a very urban desi kind of progressive food here in India. I love Asian- Japanese, Korean food and I love Indian food. How Important according to you is the presentation of the plate, does it change how the customer perceives the food? 56

I think presentation is definitely important. Presentation varies from place to place, I think presentation is an interpretation of the entire dish, the season and sometimes even how much it costs you. So the presentation of the plate may change, it has to be effective, it has to be achievable, it has to exactly give a fantastic reflection of what the chef is thinking and the entire seasons, textures, colours on the plate. That’s what I feel the presentation is, the in-depths of how the customer perceives it. The way the food looks tells a lot about the FACE M AGA ZINE

person who’s prepared it and the kind of place its been served, very important! And lastly, our readers want to know… How does a chef and foodie like you stay in shape? I love working out, I love treks, I love walking and I can walk for miles, I love to work out as well. You know, I love eating but I am conscious of what I eat. And I will say this you know, the chef never eats, he only tastes.

EVERYBODY LOVES BURGERS!

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For regular updates on some gourmelicious burgers, follow Chef Vicky Ratnani on Instagram @speakburgers

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Jimmy Mistr

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immy Mistry is an Indian entrepreneur, designer, realestate developer, hotelier, and philanthropist, successfully operating seven businesses under the Della Group. The business maverick, hotelier, developer and adventure enthusiast is widely known for his design and architectural marvels. Jimmy through his human-centric and immersive design approach has worked for numerous business families and stalwarts of corporate India for 25 Years. His creativity has translated from Corporate Head-Quarters to luxury second homes, creating residential landmark structures inspired by Persian Architecture or Spain’s renowned Antoni Gaudi, Tv & Radio Studios to re-designing the prestigious M/y Kalizma yacht once owned by Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. After 2 Decades and 1500 employees, Jimmy still believes Leaders are Lonely at the top which brought him to set up his latest Social Enterprise – Della Leaders Club [DLC]. From Business to Lifestyle, DLC is the World’s 1st Platform that caters to Entrepreneurs, Professional and Young Leaders’ day-today needs, today in 15 Chapter cities with expansion plans to 120 in 5 years. Through shared knowledge, Forums, 54 Social Impact causes, curated events and first-degree connections to eminent men & women globally, DLC aims to transform a leader from a Life of Success to a Life of Significance. With 26 Committees (13 Business, 13 Lifestyle) it’s NOVEMBER 2021

the first time, a global business club has verticals exclusively for designers, architects, visual artists, consultants, media professionals and others from the design space to be able to interact and associate with leaders & entrepreneurs from across the globe. Jimmy and his team have managed to bring in over 2500 incredible honorary committee members such as the design giant, Thomas Heatherwick who designed ‘The Vessel’ in New York, Olympic Cauldron Flame for Danny Boyle and now the Chair for DLC Global Design Committee. The other Hon. Committee Members include James Law (Hong Kong), Daniel Hopwood (London), Bill Bensley (Bangkok), Paul Bishop (Dubai), Sussanne Khan (Mumbai) and many more. Other Committee members from Fashion & Visual Arts include UN Ambassador Indrani Pal Chaudhuri (New York), Karan Johar, Artist Emmanuele Dascanio (Italy), Falguni & Shane Peacock to name a few. While his design-thinking approach might be at the core of a tech platform that has gained momentum across geographies globally launch after launch, but what actually keeps Jimmy going is the ability to cause social impact at such a large scale by bringing the world’s best thinking brains to contribute their knowledge and domain expertise for the betterment of humanity.

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The social entrepreneur

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designer hotelier entrepreneur philanthropist real-estate developer

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HERE IS A POP QUIZ… What’s common between Bollywood Celebrities – Madhuri Dixit, Sridevi, Urmila Matondkar, Aishwariya Rai Bachhan, Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha and Deepika Padukone… No, it’s not love for Indian Cinema but infact love for Ojas Rajani!

OJAS R A JANI FACE’s Managing Editor Neha Sachar Mittal caught up with celebrity Makeup artist and hairstylist, Ojas Rajani for a no holds barred Tête-à-Tête.

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1. You have worked with some of the biggest names in the industry… you have an illustrious career spanning over two decades…what do you think sets you apart from the other makeup and hair styling professionals?

the desert. I’m proud & humbled to have created more than forty looks in this film which made me win all the prominent awards such as IIfa, Stardust, Filmfare, Screen, Vogue etc. And helped me create history!

My creative approach of being a makeup artist & hairstylist & creative stylist where I set the look from head to toe. 2. Actresses are also human beings, so we are sure their skin or hair also needs rescuing sometimes… Can you share one such incident when this happened and “Ojas Rajani” worked her magic to salvage it?

3. Rajnikant and Aishwarya Rai starrer, Robot ,we believe was a very special film for you … you even won the award for the most creative Makeup artist of the year for it! Please share your creative process while conceptualizing the look for the film? I think the film robot was the most special film for me, as I was given full freedom to create & conceptualize looks that really rocked the world where Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was in a never seen before avatar, the total bronzed sex goddess look to the Brazilian queen, to the queen of NOVEMBER 2021

4. You are also touted as one of the best Bridal make up artists out there… how different is makeup and hairstyling for people off screen? I think bridal makeup is truly inspired by Bollywood makeup. I think I was the Indian makeup artist to bring a fresh perspective on bridal make up with my films like Devdas, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, and most of all Jodha Akbar. My first bridal makeup was during the making of Devdas when the trailers hit the theatres & brides to be wanted that magical look. The Ojasrajani brand set the standards for the dewy skin finish with soft elegant makeup which is now the ruling trend in Bollywood as well as the Ojasrajani Signature Bridal look, even after 14 years the same look was recreated for Deepika in Padmavat, so makeup has truly evolved to perfection.

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Skin pampering is the most important aspect & at times long hours take a toll on your hair & skin Where ur face gets puffy or hair turns dry & frizzy, but me being a perfectionist at my skill have never had any incident since I always prepare the skin & hair with my magic potion & have always shared my secret only with my stars, which is why they opt only to work with me in our business. We have to plan ahead, so there are no last-minute surprises.

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If you accept yourself first, the universe will accept you. But if you are not confident of yourself, you’ll be pulled down. That’s the law of the universe so love yourself first, and I’m sure the rest will fall in place. Thankfully it’s no more a social taboo. 7. You have also dabbled in acting… What do you prefer, being Infront of the camera or behind? 5. Your personal life and choices have always been in focus… where, all you have ever done, has been, to be true to who you are…was it tough being you… atleast initially? My personal life, Touch wood! Has always been an inspiration to others. I am a proud example of the perfect child, have made my parents proud whatever my gender preference maybe. , From the start of my career- 25 years ago, I have always been a workaholic. I have set an example by being the only makeup artist who is a CREATIVE makeup artist, hair stylist and fashion stylist. I conceptualize looks from head to toe, be it for films, or fashion campaigns or advertisements. I’m proud to have worked with actresses across decades from Urmila Matondkar to Madhuri Dixit to Sridevi to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, to Deepika, to Sonal, to Anushka, to Tara Sutaria, to Sara Ali khan and Janvi Kapoor... My approach towards my work was always appreciated, and so I got more respect than I could ever imagine. I think it’s how you focus & carry yourself. 6. We are led to believe that the world at large has become more accepting of people with different sexual preferences…? What are your thoughts on this?

I had the most beautiful experience as a leading actress in such a grand film, but my passion behind the camera gives me far more satisfaction. Today I also run a Hair & Makeup Academy, where I have trained more than fifteen thousand students. 8. For our readers, can you please list 3 absolute no -nos when it comes to make-up? Three absolute no-no’s for makeup are… please do not make the face too chalky or pasty as you end up looking like a circus clown. Secondly, avoid using very long fluttery eyelashes as you may end up looking like a vampire. Thirdly, pleaseee.... Remember, less is more! Minimal & wellblended makeup, truly makes you look like a Cinderella, or else you end up looking like a Cruella (Cinderella’s step-sister). 9. We cannot let you go without asking you for a few trends in hair and make-up to watch out for in 2021-22? Trends in 2021- 22 are definitely going to be like a fairy tale romance, very soft hair in cascading waves, soft bouncy waves or lots of layering. Hair colours are back in ash tones or soft caramel and toffee browns. Hair highlights are back with a bang. Makeup is totally going FACE M AGA ZINE

Celebrit

Make U Artist

to be creamy & dewey... NOT POWDERY!... Flushed rosy & peachy cheeks & soft blended eyeshadow in creamy hues. Eyeliner is a total no! Instead just lots of volumizing mascara & soft sensuous lips will be in vogue.

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Minimal & well-blended makeup, truly makes you look like Cinderella!

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– Ojas Rajani

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John Otto John Otto studied jazz drumming at the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and played in local avant-garde bands before joining a band formed by Fred Durst and Sam Rivers. What started as a small band from Jacksonville, Florida quickly became one of the most popular alternative metal bands in the world called Limp Bizkid, selling over 45 million records worldwide. FACE magazine caught up with this founding member of the super popular american rap rock band Limp Bizkit.

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I started playing drums when I was 10 or 11 yrs old. My older brother Mike is a drummer. I grew up watching him play. I studied the piano for a few years, but the drums always appealed to me. Once I started playing the drums I knew I had found my passion. 2. Describe your favorite and least favorite part about being a musician? My favorite part about being a musician is exploring my creativity and making music people will enjoy. When I play my goals are to touch people and make them feel good. My least favorite thing about being a musician is dealing with the challenges that come with traveling. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed seeing the world and I love being with our fans, but traveling from place to place and being away from my family is tough. Sometimes I feel like a professional waiter. I wait to get on the plane. I wait for soundcheck. I wait to play. Then I wait to leave, fall asleep and repeat in the next city. Total dad joke, but it’s true! 3. As you love to play video games, which are your favorite games to play and does your daughter Ava also play with you ever? My favorite games to play are Destiny, Call of Duty, Battlefield, Grand Theft Auto and Madden. Ava and I play Scribblenauts Showdown together. Sometimes when I’m playing Destiny I’ll let her cruise around for a bit for fun. The main games she plays are Mario Cart, Roblox and Minecraft with her buddies.

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4. How did you come up with the idea to open up your own online music school for drummers? I’ve been interested in teaching and mentoring up and coming artists for many years. I thought I’d probably wait until my band retired from touring to start teaching. During the quarantine, I was impressed with the creative ways people were sharing their passions with others online. Being home allowed me the time to envision how I could share my knowledge with the next generation of drummers. 5. How do you share your quality time with your daughter Ava, and do you have a special father-daughter regime that you follow? Ava’s busy with homeschool and building her career as an artist. She’s always on the go for dance, acting or modeling. When we hang out we like to relax and watch movies or game. I’ve been teaching her to skateboard which is awesome because I was into skateboarding growing up. She loves music so we also spend time listening to music and talking about the artists we like. Every week we plan something fun to do without my wife. It’s our time to connect and check in with each other. Ava’s only 11 years old, but she’s an old soul with a lot of interests that are similar to mine. It’s cool to have that bonding time together. 6. What would be the one piece of advice which you would give to your younger self? If I could give my younger self some advice I’d remind myself to always be grateful for the blessings in my life and never take anything for granted.

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1. How did you discover your love for drums?

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1 . W H AT I N S P I R E D YO U TO BECOME A MOM BLOGGER? I’ve always had all the qualities of being a blogger and influencer, for my choices always had an influence on people around me. They loved what I wore or the pictures of places I’d go to. But it never occurred to me then that I should explore that further. While I was still doing my 9 to 5 corporate job, I wanted to spend time with my kids and I was failing miserably to do that because of my job commitments, so I decided to take a sabbatical to spend time with my kids and family. It was then it came down crashing to me on what I was missing out on in life. I was living my best life careerwise, but as a parent, I wasn’t. So I decided to quit and that is when Momwearsprada’s journey actually commenced. 2 . HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME “ M O M W E A R S P R A DA” ? Like my mother, I am innately stylish. I grew up imbibing the values of self-love and investing in oneself – something I am passing on to my children. I love luxury, I always have, so, when I noticed a poster of The Devil Wears Prada at a café, it gave me the cue for my name. 3. TELL US ABOUT BECOMING #COVIDMOMBLOGGER AND HOW YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA TURNED INTO A B I G S U P P O R T G R O U P. There has been so much going on – from oxygen unavailability to black marketing of essentials and medicines. I realised how grateful I am for the life I have, but also that I just couldn’t do anything. So, I converted my handle MomsWearPrada into a COVID

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support group. At the peak of summer, I organised a seven-day fun workshop for over 800 kids. I did a workshop for frontline warriors, and sent out letters and goodies to their children with notes about how their parents are doing such a great job. Then there was this dance party with DJ Sumit Sethi to uplift spirits with so much gloom around us. I dispatched immunity-boosting pre-mixes to several children, and sent out 100 specialised masks to influential moms so they, in turn, could spread awareness. We also planned and curated art therapy, yoga and mindfulness boot camps for kids. I celebrated my birthday with a virtual party to spread joy. There was music, an art workshop, dance and happiness – all things joyful. I couldn’t have asked for better support than my e-fam, and then give it all back in return. 4 . HOW HAS THE INFLUENCER SCENE C H A N G E D / E V O LV E D S I N C E YO U S TA R T E D ? When I started...I had no one to even tell me what it was all about. I just started a page iwith my child being born and just sharing my journey. There was nothing formal about my page. It was innocent and earnest. I did not know where to start or what to do.Now, you see that it is all professionally done, it's a recognised profession, it employs lots of people, it supports lots of people starting out and it even pays! I have started mentoring a lot of these young girls. I have a whole community of women who I am mentoring. I also plan on travelling all over the country to smaller Tier B, C and D cities to meet these young influencers and train them how to be an influencer. FACE M AGA ZINE

5 . W H AT A D V I C E D O YO U H AV E F O R O U R MOMMY READERS W H O WA N T T O S TA R T BLOGGING? “Whatever your dreams are, however silly or grand, just follow them. Always, always, take the chance. If you want to do something, just do it. You never know: the tide could turn around for you, and, if it doesn’t, experiences and life lessons would be your takeaway. They are precious, too. So just do it! 6 . D O YO U H AV E T H E RECIPE FOR “PERFECT MOTHERHOOD”? A: I am not perfect; none of us are. I am a mother of two beautiful children, and sometimes I do feel guilty when I am working and am not able to give my kids enough attention. I have also been asked the silliest of questions by people; Aren’t you a little too ambitious? Why don’t you take a break from work and focus your entire attention on your family life? Why is that- just because I am a mother? Let me tell you one thing- you are never too old, or too young to be ambitious. There’s nothing wrong with being ambitious. I don’t believe in having regrets, which is why I give my work my 100%. Don’t let anyone or any situation tell you who you are or should be. Fight for your dreams- and surround yourself with the right people, because the people around us are our greatest influencers in our journey to success. Recognize opportunities and make the most of them, do not settle on your dreams. Rather, learn to be irreplaceable, bold, and fearless. To conclude, I would like to say one last thing - don’t take yourself too seriously, life is too short. Have fun with what you do and enjoy the ride.

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Learn to be IRREPLACEABLE BOLD & FEARLESS

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PRABHAKAR KOLTE

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In the early 80s, his work took a new direction as Kolte began experimenting with installation and performative art pieces. In one piece, he covered a car with newspaper; in another, he painted a volunteer black and entitled him “A Man Without Shadow”. Such off-the-canvas experiments allowed him a free space to play with abstract ideas of colour and form outside the shadow of Klee`s influence.

The strong ground colour remains, but this time both it and the forms overlaid onto it retain a crispness in line and colour: the “weathering” inherited from Klee has dropped out in favour of more finished - and thus more abstracted - fields of colour. According to him, his works reflect a state of vision that does not symbolize anything but itself. It is neither representative, interpretative, expressive nor illustrative. The subject is not important, it is the experience of abstract delight and ecstatic revelation his paintings evoke that is important.

On returning to the canvas, he sought to “immediately cover up any identifiable image, making sure that my forms would function as pure colour in space.” His most recent works show a glossier, more finished approach to his early themes in paintings.

He has held several solo exhibitions and participated in major international art exhibitions. His works are in the collection of the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, and in private and public collections in India and overseas.

Education & Early life

Prabhakar Kolte is an Indian Modern & Contemporary artist born in 1946, Nerur Par (Maharashtra), Kolte received his diploma from Sir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai in 1968. Klee`s influence was felt by many of Kolte`s classmates studying at the J.J. School of Art in the late 1960s. He later joined Sir J. J. School of Art in 1972 and taught for 22 years till he retired in 1994. His

early canvases are characterized by a single, dominant colour in the background, on which lighter and more complex forms, both geometric and organic, are placed. Kolte freely acknowledges his early debt to Klee, stating in an interview that “In those days people used to call me the Indian Paul Klee. It didn’t really bother me because I was busy searching for myself.”

Work Life

As one of the pioneers of Indian Abstract Expressionism, Kolte has been successfully carrying forward his unique abstract language for over five decades with timely innovations, experiments and changes within the same, in order to make the paintings fresh and alive. He has participated in many important group exhibitions both nationally and internationally. He is the

recipient of ‘Durga Bhagwat Award’’ for his Book ‘’From Art to Art’ - a compilation of various articles on art, in 2010. He has been writing about international and national artists for the Mauj publication (Marathi magazine). He also got a Scholarship as a Researcher by Govt. of India in 1982-84 along with British Council’s Visitorship to England in 1986.

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Art Journey

His early works are characterized by a single, dominant colour in the background, on which lighter and more complex geometric or organic forms are juxtaposed.

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IT IS THE EXPERIENCE OF ABSTRACT DELIGHT & ECSTATIC REVELATION HIS PAINTINGS EVOKE...

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Recognizing & Revitalizing The Craft Industry of INDIA Article by Naina Kumar

ndia is a country known for its rich culture and heritage. Ancient India was a common ground for trade and travel. The fertile lands and climate of the country enabled the best craftsmanship and abundance of resources helped in the boom of varied art forms. Even today the country’s economy vastly thrives on agriculture, tourism, and mineral-rich lands; it is safe to say that it is supported majorly by the rural Indian community and tribes as they are the true preservers of nature and the country’s terrain. They are the backbone of true Indian culture and beliefs. These tribes and communities also majorly contribute to the rich Indian arts and handicrafts. Each craft of India is a reflection of the age-old traditions and the lifestyle practices of the country. The crafts themselves are documentation of skills passed onto us from various reigns which prevailed and are reminiscence of empires who traveled and thrived from other parts of the world 76

like Asia and the Middle West. The handicrafts traveled with the empires and found a new meaning and adaptation in the local terrain of the country. Unfortunately with passing time and the urge of a fast paced life, superficial lifestyle, and globalization created a great void in the art and crafts industry where the artists, clusters, and rural community were left on to thrive in the outdated system. The lack of development, modern platforms, and awareness resulted in the loss of connection between the artist, his art, and the consumer. The need was to bring back the sync and connect these true art forms of the country to the mass. In recent times, the Government of India, NGOs and entrepreneurs came to the rescue and supported local businesses and crafts. One such initiative by entrepreneur Yosha Gupta, Founder, Me Meraki, aims to build a platform that helps connect and bridge the gap between the craft and the mass. FACE M AGA ZINE

Featuring:

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MeMeraki is the proud Winners of ‘Sankalp Global Impact Innovation Award’21’ for providing livelihoods to the local artists and craft clusters. It was also Nominated at ‘She the People Digital Women Awards’20’.

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The power of the digital creator economy has truly enabled equitability for the first time and we believe it is time for that equitability and democratized access through technology to work for traditional arts and artisans too. The pandemic exacerbated marginalization for artisans but on the consumer side, the pandemic also showed how essential creativity is to our wellbeing and our very survival and that’s how this business model for masterclasses with traditional artisans was born.

Mission MeMeraki

The mission is to enable and create new sustainable livelihoods and revenue streams for artisans, using technology. In India alone, informal estimates put the number of artisans at close to a 200million (official estimates are 6 -8 million). MeMeraki is on a mission to digitize the more than 3000 arts and crafts in India giving anyone in the world access to these arts and master artists directly, thereby also preserving and creating dialogue about culture and heritage.

They truly believe that a Culturetech platform like ours can truly enable artisans to be digital creators and not just survive but thrive in the new creator economy - there should be no reason why they should not have a voice in the new digital world of today- it is an idea whose time has come, technology really should democratize access for them.

Experiencing the art of slow living and engaging in skill development are amazing ways to channel healing energies and rejuvenate while having fun!

For those looking to channelise their creative side, use art as therapy, connect with their roots or support the artisan community, MeMeraki’s craft articles/products, workshops, masterclasses and craft kits are available at their website www.memeraki.com. NOVEMBER 2021

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Introduction

Me Meraki, creates and curates online art & craft masterclasses with traditional master artists and artisans, enabling them to be digital creators for the first time, creating an ecosystem of artisanal content & commerce (with authentic art kits, etc). Their work is at the intersection of edtech and the traditional creative and culture industry, they are creating the first ever culturaltech platform. Launched in April ‘20 pivoted during the pandemic. They started with hand-painted products by traditional artisans and now conduct visually rich pre-recorded masterclasses along with live workshops.

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Pratima Bharti

Madhubani

Pratima Bharti

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Madhubani painting (Mithila painting) was traditionally created by the women of various communities in the Mithila region, Bihar, India. The paintings were traditionally done on freshly plastered mud walls and floors of huts, but now they are also done on cloth, handmade paper and canvas. Ardhna Reeshwar

Craft Cluster Associations

Gond Art (Venkat) Phad Art (Kalyan) Assamese Scroll (Mridu) Cheriyal Scroll (Sai) Kangra Art (Mukesh) Thangka (Krishna) Madhubani (Pratima) Pattachitra (Apindra) Warli (Ani) Pichwai (Jayesh) Kerala Mural (Adarsh) Bengal Pattachitra (Manoranjan) Miniature Art (Rajendra) Pithora (Paresh) Chittara (Ishwar) Bhil (Subhash) Mata niPachedi (Dilip) Kalamkari (Chandrakant) Tanjore (Sanjay) Saura (Akshay) Aipan (Minakshi) Ganjifa (Pradnya) Kavad (Satyanarayan) Chitrakathi(Chetan) Sanjhi (Ashutosh) Lippan Kaam (Nalemitha) Terracotta (Dinesh) Paper Mache (Priti) Mandana (Vidya)

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Tikuli (Upasana) Manjusha (Anjana) Sujani (Sharda) Bani Thani (Mohan) Kantha (Sakina) Applique (Kartik) Clamp Dyeing (Jabbar) Sikki Weaving(Nazada) Usta Kala (Javed) Kashmir Art (Riyaz) Kishangarh Art (Mohan) Block Printing – Sanganer (Brij) TholuBommalata (Kanday) Phulkari (Rekha) Palm Leaf Engraving/ Talapatra (Apindra) Soof. (Daya Ben) Bandhini Kashidakari Handmade paper Kashmir Paper Mache (Riyaz) Rogan (Rizwan) Bikaner Art (Mahaveer Swami) Sohrai (Rukmani Devi) Paitkar (Harekrishna) Chikankari (Juhi) Making traditional colours (Priti) Blue Pottery (Sanjay)

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Following is the list of all the heritage arts, crafts and artists we are working with:

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Pichhwai Pichhwai are large devotional Hindu painted pictures, normally on cloth, which portray Krishna. The purpose of Pichhwais, other than artistic appeal, is to narrate tales of Krishna. The word Pichhwai stands for hanging at the back (Sanskrit word “Pichh” means back and “wais” means hanging). Pichwai Artwork

Pichwai Colours

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Mud Mirror Work also known as Lipan Kaam is a traditional mural craft of Kutch, Gujarat, India. Lippan or mud-washing using materials locally available in the region like mixture of clay and camel dung keeps the interiors of the houses cool.

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Terracotta

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Terracotta is an ancient art form, perhaps one of the first expressions of creativity of human mind. In fact, the use of the five elements: air, water, earth, fire, and ether in Terracotta art form lend it both an air of mystery and auspiciousness as per Hindu beliefs.

Shrinath-ji Terracotta Art

Terracotta Raw Art Work 84

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IDEA’S BREWING...

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Our designs connect the strategic foundation of the brands along with strong creative solutions to make user experience memorable. It is synonymous to finding the calm in chaos.

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All creative agencies today are pushing themselves and their clients towards bolder ideas to grab the attention of their consumers, but amongst this bubble we’ve discovered a design house that stands tall to take creative calls and make an immense difference. InDesign Elements (IDE), a spirited and enthusiastic team envisions to reverse the current modusoperandi of design by offering its clients and partners ingenious design solutions. NOVEMBER 2021

IDE is a creative design house, An inspired vision of Ashwin Nichani, Sagar Ganjoo & Mustafa Kundawala, who have experiences from working with the moguls of business and design industry. At IDE they cater to various facets of Brand & Strategy, UI/UX, Product Design and Space Design. In an interesting conversation with the trio, they bring along dynamic ideas to transform fundamentals in the business of design.

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Mustafa Kundwala Creative Director, IDE

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The Luxury Gourmet Amalgamation

Harshita Gupta and Saakshi Gupta, two sisters at heart, both travel enthusiasts and curious beings about the global culture are the core of Vedic Nuts—a brand conceptualized to mark your special moments with delectable tokens of love. With transparency, loyalty, premium customer service and exquisite treats unlike any other, the qualities of the premium dry fruits brand speaks only quality and authenticity. It's, however, Vedic Nuts' driving force that truly sets it apart: they handpick and sift the best of pure, preservative-free nuts from around the world, then enrich them with their love for creating exceptional, personalised giving experiences. Furthermore, their packaging lends a premium touch to the entire giving assortment, leaving clients wanting more. Whether it's for the holidays, wedding favours, baby showers, premium corporate gifts, or just a special occasion to celebrate with your loved ones, their carefully crafted assortments make for really unique and exquisite presenting experiences that may also be personalised. After all, when it comes to personalised gifts, there is no such thing as a "one size fits all" solution; it necessitates attention, love, and time. Here are some of our favourite gift ideas for you to consider as you plan your next set of presents. Their Silver Gourmet He Collection is like seeing a symphony of the finest nuts wrapped in the magnificence of 24 carats Pure Edible Silver. This Premium Collection includes limited-edition almonds, cashews, dates, and elaichi that will make your festivities sparkle. They also offer their Golden Gourmet Collection, which is genuinely a "Midas Touch" collection. Assorted with the highest quality nuts, they come adorned in 24-karat pure edible gold and are sure to elevate your senses. Wellknown Polyester Private Limited, Royal Vivo, The Futuristic Group, Damodar Industrial Estate, Aqua Gold, and Namo Silver are just a few of the well-known brands that Vedic Nuts has served. Get the perfect present for connoisseurs or even as an indulgence, entirely personalised and yours, to satisfy your love for gourmet food in the most exquisite way! Book your appointment now on 9833362078.

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