AGL DECEMBER 2012

Volume : II Issue : X December : 2012

Vishal Dreaming Krishna Reddy

Big...

COVER STORY

+

CELEB TRAVEL Norway:

The Land of

the Midnight Sun By: Kajal Aggarwal

fashion

interview

Suhani The

StoryTeller RELATIONSHIP

SIBLINGS...BEST BUDDIES!

F1 Time Machine | Banjara Hills | Road No 12 | Hyderabaad | 040 2342 0075

LETTERS agl

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Send us your views, opinions and suggestions to: Email: admin@aglmagazine.com Tel: 040 - 23420077 Mail: 8-2-696/1/K/B, Banjara Hills, Road #12, Hyderabad, 500 034, India (Please mention your full name and address) 8 aglmagazine.com

F1 Time Machine | Banjara Hills | Road No 12 | Hyderabaad | 040 2342 0075

chairmAn’s Letter Greetings to one and all!

Hope you enjoyed the new look and feel of the magazine that we brought you last month. This month we have gone a step ahead to give you more content and an even better read!

While Actor Vishal Krishna Reddy makes an interesting Cover Story, Director Sukumar shares his priceless experiences.

Shreyas Media in AGL Living talks about the most important facet of movie promotions and Suhani Pittie talks at length about the reigning Fashion Trends.

Heart throb Arjun Rampal shares his diet secrets while the beautiful Kajal Aggarwal shares her Travel experience. Farhad Shahnawaz burns the Hot Seat with his impromptu answers and will leave you blushing!

Déjà Vu will once again startle you as you get an insight of a world that is still a hush hush; while the Relationship section is all about Siblings and will take you on a nostalgic trip!

In today’s fast changing world Love and Relationship has become short lived. Affairs, flings and breakups have unfortunately taken an upper hand. We give you tips on how to do a Loyalty Test on your partner and help keep your relationship forever cherishable and evergreen!

We have a new section for you this month...

Art & Culture. This section will take you on an artistic ride and help discover your creative side.

With Christmas around the corner, our Kitchenette section shares special delicacies that would have you all experimenting as you sing Jingle Bells!

Finally here’s wishing you all a Merry Christmas and hope the coming year brings a world full of happiness and success!

12 aglmagazine.com

Anith Reddy

Chairman chairman@aglmagazine.com

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Maadhavi President & Managing Editor Ajuli tulsyan Senior Features Writer Ipshita Features Writer Sumit Kumar Head Branding &Communications Sadaf Ambareen Head Sales & Marketing Danish Zubairy Editorial Contributors Swarnalata Janardana Deeksha Marur Taher Hussain Manoj Tyagi Marketing Team Roshni Ahuja Juhi Karamchandani Vinyatha Vemulapalli

Art Director Vikas. K Graphic Designer K.Sridhar Photographer Venkat Reddy Head Circulation S.S.Sudesh Circulation Executives Md.Ameer Uddin G.V Ramana Reddy Courtesy Mrs. P.Padma - Health& Fitness Kajal Aggarwal-Travel W Design Studio-Interiors Ashton Pierra Chetna Parekh (Astrology) Mont Blanc Hublot Chopard Azature

For Advertisements advertise@aglmagazine.com Ph-040-2342 0077/72 RNI - APENG/2009/30578.

Edited, Printed, Published and owned by Anith Raj Laxman Reddy Printed at Pragati Offset Pvt.Ltd. Registered office and city press: 17, Red Hills, Hyderabad 500 004 AP, Published on behalf of ALR Media Pvt.Ltd,8-2-686/B/12, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad - 500 034.

Copyright © 2008 ALR Media Pvt. Ltd. Avant Garde Life is a registered trademark owned by ALR Media Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. Avant Garde Life is published monthly by ALR Media Pvt. Ltd, 8-2-696/1/K, Road No. 12, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad – 500 034, Andhra Pradesh, India, Ph: 040 23376296, 040 2342 0075, Fax: 040 66759191. For subscription assistance contact: ALR Media Pvt. Ltd, 8-2-696/1/K, Road No. 12, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad – 500 034, Andhra Pradesh, India, Ph: 040 23376296, 040 2342 0075, Fax: 040 66759191. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited. Printed at Pragati Offset Pvt.Ltd. Registered office and city press: 17, Red Hills, Hyderabad 500 004 AP, Phone : 04023380000, Fax : +91-40-23390230. Url: www.pragati.com, Email: info@pragati.com. Avant Garde Life does not take any responsibility for returning unsolicited publication material. All disputes are subjected to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts and forums in Hyderabad only.

Opinions expressed in the articles are the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors or publishers. While the editors do their utmost to verify information published they do not accept responsibility for its absolute accuracy.

www.aglmagazine.com

Chairman Anith Reddy

Contents VOLUME II ISSUE X ·DECEMBER - 2012

MUST READS 56

deja vu Sexual Orientation

64

KITCHENETTE

74

COVER STORY

RECIPES FROM TAJ VIVANTA

70

health & fitness Arjun Rampal: Diet Secret Shared

98

relationship Siblings…Best buddies!

86

HOT SEAT

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS 52

spotlight An Interesting Journey!

Nishan Silva, GM, Radisson Blu Plaza

92

Director’s take In Conversation with Sukumar

96

AGL LIVING shreyas media

EXCLUSIVE features 40

AGL LUXURY jewelly for nales SHADES OF LUXURY Hublot’s limited edition

46

HOT WHEELS HENNESSEY VR1200 BENTLEY V8

106

Fashion Interview Suhani - The Story Teller

14 aglmagazine.com

58

TRAVEL

Norway: By: Kajal Aggarwal

Oct 2012

EventEVENT

3 Musketeers

Uzma

Jawahar & Sunil

TonI & guy comes to town The who’s who of the city came together to be a part of the TonI & Guy store launch at Banjara Hills

Pranati

Akriti Avinash 16 aglmagazine.com

Rajveer

Sabrina

Senjuti Steffi

Sweta

Goutam Parinita

Shreya

EVENT

Amrapali

Event

Chandhana

Aishwarya

Lavanya

exhibition Society Exhibition held at Novotel saw ladies coming in large numbers. The Wedding collection too won appreciation from one and all...

Nikki

Swetha & Varsha

Deepali

Nausheen

White Magic!

18 aglmagazine.com

Sonali

Lavanya

Disha

EVENT

Event

ushering in christmas!

The Cake Mixing event at Westin Hyderabad Mindspace had socialites coming in large numbers. Children too were invited for the event. While Moms mixed the cake, the l’le ones decorated the cup cakes...

Manisha Kapoor

Being Chef for the day!

Sudha

Festive mood!

Jayshree, Aanchal, Aaliya & Satpreet

Shalini Badruka

Rachna Mehta

aglmagazine.com 19

Event

Hina

Ruchika Jain

Nisha

Ritu & Prerna

theme event

YLC Members had a Arabian theme event. Women were seen in a variety of colourful outfits...

Priya

Shoba

Ishita

Pooja Sharma

20 aglmagazine.com

Kashish

Mohita

Sharon

Event

Play Time Nasr School organized a fun filled cultural evening at Satya Sai Nilayam, Sri Nagar Colony

Shadan

Anjali

Preeti & Deeksha

Mayura

Riya

Shahmeen

Simram Anam

Ankita aglmagazine.com 21

Event

Poonam

Reema

Rachana

Neha Gupta Neha Gandhi

diwali bash

Members of Mommy ‘n’ Me got together at the Square Hotel, Begumpet for a Diwali get-together

Saritha

Sharadha

Shikka

Shreya

Anitha 22 aglmagazine.com

Gul

Priyanka

Nikhita

Event

Aleena

Anjali , Naveet

True Halloween Spirit!

Halloween theme The Halloween theme at Kismet had all the party goers experimenting and looking as scary as ever!

Ankita

Keertana

Manju

Sara

Yash

Sahazia

Eena

Scary!

Pragna aglmagazine.com 23

Event

Dr Subha

Ritu , Samya Alam Khan

Mourya

Sashi Nahata

Vasuki

interactive session

Neelu Bagga

Suhani Pittie 24 aglmagazine.com

Menaka

Shilpa

Shakuntala

Shikka

Purple Magic!

FLO & YFLO members gathered to attend the interactive session with Vasuki Sunakavalli, Ms Universe India 2011

Gurleen Bagga

Event

Neera Kumar,Avnish,Snehita & Sonali

Ramya & Rajmouli

Special screening The special screening of Jab Tak Hai Jaan

by Bisket once again saw P3Ps in full attendance.

Alekya & Rishita

Aparna

Mohit & Ravneet

Neha Agarwal

Payal & Rashleen Bajaj

Swathi Deekshit

Swetha & Vishnu

Sushma & Sumitha Reddy

Sangeeta & Bisket

aglmagazine.com 25

Event

ms hyderabad grand finale The Grand Finale of Ms Hyderabad 2012 was held at HICC in the presence of the who’s who of the city...

Amala

Fara & Srinivas

Shilpa Reddy

Anushka

Nikhita Narayan 26 aglmagazine.com

Sandeep

Dhaarmika

Archana

Madhu

Sruti

Barghavi Pillai

Event

Aleza & Adam

Suzanne & Maitreyi

Marc Robinson

Ushoshi Sengupta

Shravan

Urvi Rao

Ritu Varma

Ganesh Nallari

Ann Lotha

Chitra Lekha

Renu Sukheja

Jyoti

Smriti

Vitika

Hemani aglmagazine.com 27

Event

Bhavana Harika

Nandita , Aarti

fashion yatra

Priyanka , Rekha

Sonal

Kamini Saraf’s Fashion Yatra saw socialites come in huge numbers.

The complete Festive Shopping Experience along with Social Causes gave Fashion a whole new spin of Fashion with a Cause...

Sushmita

Sakshi

Kamini Saraf

Tanu 28 aglmagazine.com

Lakshmi

Suhani

Divya

Manisha

Archie

preeti

Ritika

Arpita

Event

Sakshi

Vidhya

Shbra

Varsha

Sweeta

seamless couture

Sruti Malpani

Red Carpet launched its Couture Section with Celebrity designers at the Red Carpet showroom, Banjara Hills

Archie

Neeta Lulla

Richa

Reeta Sanghi

Karen Bhatiya

Archana Agarwal aglmagazine.com 29

Event

Bhavana

Gazal

Pooja

Neeta

Shikha & Sonia

gorgeous girls club B&C, Begumpet had all the pretty ladies sharing moments of fun and laughter at an event organized by the Gorgeous Girls Club...

Preeti 30 aglmagazine.com

Preeti

Deepika

Rajmeet

Divya

Rheya

Event

Arunima & Aaliya

Prathima & Sharon

cake mixing Radisson Blu Plaza hosted a cake mixing ceremony to add fun and festivity to their Sunday Brunch Nishan Silva

Sheetal

Aditya

Lona Logan

Ishita

Gurleen Bagga , Manjula

Rashmi

Sweta

Tarmeen aglmagazine.com 31

Event

Kritika

Neha

Nidhi

Junal

Disc nite!

The Disc Nite at The Park had people coming in large numbers. It was a nite of competitions and was filled with moments of fun and excitement...

Sushila Bokadia

Reena

Priya 32 aglmagazine.com

Purvi

Sheetal

Neelam

Suman

Varsha

Event

Asnia, Syed Eradh Uddin, Huma R Kidwai and Syed Ghouse Uddin Juhi

book launch

Huma R Kidwai launched her book, “The Hussaini Alam House� at Lamakan in Banjara Hills. The book is a work of fiction and takes a nostalgic trip into the lives of the families that have spent priceless moments in the Hussaini Alam House...

Dr. Jairath

All smiles!

Elahe

Pondering...

Professor Sachidanand Mohanty

Suraiya Kidwai

Faraz

Bhavika aglmagazine.com 33

Event

hair fare

Nagarjuna launched b:blunt Salon opposite KBR Park, Banjara Hills.The event also saw celebrity hair stylist and actor/ director Farhan Akhtar’s wife, Adhuna in attendance...

Swati & Aashritha

Ashu Babani

Poonam Kour 34 aglmagazine.com

Priyanka

Harsha

Deepika Reddy

Harsha Brent Barber

Radhika Reddy

Divya

Ravi

Event

Harshita

Alka

Suma Latha

Rekha Reddy

charter day Ikebana International celebrated the Charter Day and the 60th year of IndoJapan diplomatic ties

Bhavana

Tarab

Anisha Tondan

Usha

Reva Chowdhary

Sunitha Reddy aglmagazine.com 35

36 aglmagazine.com

F1 Time Machine | Banjara Hills | Road No 12 | Hyderabaad | 040 2342 0075

aglmagazine.com 37

/AGL/11.12/ POLITICS & NEWS

Politics & news Mumbai Bids Adieu Hyderabad To Host To Bal Thackeray

Bioasia 2013 Hyderabad will play host to the 10th edition of BioAsia 2013, the annual biotechnology and life sciences conference, from January 28-30 next year.

Mumbai came to a standstill and mourned the loss of the Hindu fundamentalist politician and the founder of the right-wing Shiv Sena party, Bal Thackeray.

A stream of eminent personalities from politics, films and corporate world gathered at the historic Shivaji Park in Mumbai to attend the last rites of the Shiv Sena supremo.

Eminent personalities like Sharad Pawar, LK Advani, megastar Amitabh Bachchan, actors Nana Patekar and Sanjay Dutt, actor-

38 aglmagazine.com

director Mahesh Manjrekar, industrialist Anil Ambani and many others arrived at the sprawling ground in Dadar.

Also present were BJP president Nitin Gadkari, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, BJP leaders Maneka Gandhi and Shahnawaz Hussain, senior Congress leader Dr DY Patil and Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Eknath Khadse. Union Minister Praful Patel, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitely, VHP leader Pravin Togadia, Congress leader Rajiv Shukla and Maharashtra PWD Minister Chhagan Bhujbal.

The cortege of the Sena patriarch reached Shivaji Park ground after over six hours long journey in the presence of lakhs of people. Shivaji Park was jam packed as people came in huge numbers to pay their last homage.

It sure was moment of great loss!

This edition will rotate around the theme of Biologics and Biosimilars and discussions will be focused on drug discovery, monoclonal antibodies, regenerative medicine, intellectual property rights and financial eco-system.

Additionally a parallel event focusing on agricultural biotechnology and food technology with the support of International Crops Research Institute for the Semi Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) will also be held.

BioAsia 2013 will be hosted by the government of AP with the support of the Federation of Asian Biotech Associations (FABA) and Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council.

According to a statement by the organizers, interested individuals, institutions, academia and companies can log on to www.2013.bioasia.in to register themselves for participating in the event. “Over the last decade BioAsia has successfully established itself as a platform that has added significant momentum to the growth of biotechnology arena,� said Shakthi Nagappan, CEO, BioAsia.

/AGL/11.12/ POLITICS & NEWS

Class Focus on increasing India’s World City share in tourism: Chiranjeevi Media To Come Up India’s share in international tourism is very low and the focus is on striving hard to increase it to at least one percent, Tourism Minister K. Chiranjeevi said after taking charge of the ministry.

The actor-turned-politician said India has a vast tourism potential with its variety of flora, fauna and monuments which is yet to be exploited to its maximum.

Referring to the three-fold increase in the 12th Plan outlay for tourism, Chiranjeevi said this will go to a great extent in providing jobs for 2.5 crore people in the country.

“The present share of India in international tourism is very low and we should strive hard to increase it up to at least one

percent,” he told recently in a Press Meet.

India’s share of inbound tourism in international market is 0.65 percent.

The minister said that with his 30 years of experience in cinema, he will seek the cooperation of cine-stars in the promotion of “Incredible India”.

He also said that he would discuss bottlenecks and constraints in the development of tourism infrastructure with various other ministries.

Chiranjeevi floated his Praja Rajyam Party and won 18 seats in 2009 Andhra Pradesh assembly elections. He merged his party with Congress last year and was elected to the Rajya Sabha in April this year.

Andhra High Court Lifts Life Ban On Azharuddin while playing cricket.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court lifted the life ban on Mohammed Azharuddin from playing cricket; 12 years after the BCCI had imposed the ban.

A bench of justices gave relief to former Indian skipper-turned-politician Azharuddin, allowing his appeal challenging the order of a local court, which had upheld the decision of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The bench lifted the ban and agreed with Azharuddin’s counsel K Ramakant Reddy’s argument that there was no evidence against the former cricketer that he succumbed to any pressure

In Hyderabad

The court also observed that the BCCI had proceeded against 49-year-old Azharuddin unilaterally and said the order of the trial court is unsustainable.

The ban was imposed in 2000 by BCCI as per the suggestion of a threemember committee comprising its erstwhile president A C Muthaiah and two vice-presidents Kamal Morarka and K M Ram Prasad in the wake of allegations of match-fixing against Azharuddin.

In a career spanning about 15 years, Azharuddin, known for his stylish batting, had played 334 ODIs and 99 test matches.

Azharuddin later made a foray into politics and won from Moradabad Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh on a Congress ticket.

Azharuddin was a relieved man after the life ban imposed on him for alleged involvement in match-fixing was set aside by the high court but said he will not take legal action against the BCCI.

A world-class Media City will come up in Hyderabad to promote animation and gaming, Andhra Pradesh’s Minister for Information Technology Ponnala Lakshmaiah announced recently.

The state government has allotted 30 acres of land for the project, which is expected to provide an entertainment technology-based eco-system.

“Gaming and animation is a key sector which is coming up and to utilize the opportunity, the chief minister has given a go-ahead for a world-class Media City in Hyderabad,” Lakshmaiah said while addressing eIndia 2012, billed as India’s largest information and communication technology event.

The minister pointed out that Hyderabad is the largest film producing centre in the country. Last year out of 289 films made in India, 180 were produced in Hyderabad, he said.

The Media City initiative is aimed at tapping the huge animation and gaming market, both domestic and international.

The IT minister had last month said that the proposed Media City at Raidurg near Hitec City would be on the lines of international media cities in Manchester, Montreal, and Dubai.

The global market size for animation and gaming is expected to be $80 billion and $40 billion respectively during the current year. The market for animation and gaming development (combined) in India is estimated at $1 billion. aglmagazine.com 39

LUXURY LIST

Jewellery for Nails What would you spend a quarter million dollars on…

Cars…Gadgets…Jewellery? Ridiculously rich people can spend it on nail lacquer. Not really! You can call it jewelry for nails.

Jewelry couturier Azature -- the self-described “Black Diamond King” -- is now producing a one-of-a-kind bottle of diamond-infused nail polish. Containing 267 carats of black diamonds, this luxe lacquer will set buyers back a quarter of a million dollars.

The polish beats Model’s Own $130,000 Gold Rush Couture shade for the coveted title of “most expensive nail polish in the world.” Whereas the gold version merely came in a diamond-encrusted bottle, Azature’s version contains 267-carats in the polish itself.

40 aglmagazine.com

LUXURY LIST

SHADES

LUXURY OF

If you want to add another enviable accessory to your couture collection then you should be eyeing the world’s most expensive pair of shades produced by Swiss luxury brand Chopard by De Rigo Vision made of 60 grams of 24 carat gold and decorated with 51 full-cut 4 carat River diamonds, sporting Chopard’s famous ‘C’ logo engraved on arms of the glasses.

What makes this pair of shades unique apart from the bling factor is a special technique of setting the diamonds in a carpeted pattern making it an innovative design.

The Choppard Jewel shades showcased at the Dubai’s Paris Gallery is supposed to have been sold for a staggering $400,000.

aglmagazine.com 41

LUXURY LIST

This Christmas freeze the moments in time by gifting her 681 diamonds-studded, 18k red gold Big Bang Gold White Full Pavé-Set watch, which is Hublot’s limited Christmas edition for 2012.

This ultra-feminine watch comes with a 38 mm diameter studded dial with leather straps available in colors gold-black, white and gold-cappuccino.

Priced at USD 40,000 approx. this immortal piece of luxury could be the perfect gift you are looking for your special someone!

By Taher Hussain

GET IN TOUCH

Let us know what you’d like to see in next issue...

42 aglmagazine.com

>>facebook facebook/aglmagazine

>>twitter twitter/aglmagazine

/AGL/12.12/

techno savvy

GADGETS

By Taher Hussain

The MWE Emperor 200 is the futuristic workstation anyone could possibly dream of. One can also call it a gamer’s paradise. This swanky scorpion-shaped workstation outsmarts every other workstation with its smart ergonomic design and exclusive features such as touch screen control center, air filtering system, light therapy, electric powered leather seat, up to 3 x 27” LED screens and a breathtaking sound. Each

LED-backlit LCD screen is a full 24” display, with HD resolution, and they all connect up to your computer via a set of three HDMI cables. Not to forget the built-in LED lighting both above and below the seating area, and a THX surround sound system.

What more, this innovative wonder is hand-built to customer specifications but it will take you six painfully long months after placing the order before you take your Emperor’s throne!

Techie Throne

Price: Rs 25, 00, 000 approximately

Priceless Click

Price: Rs 22, 14,000

44 aglmagazine.com

When they say good things come with a price…it definitely is true! Hasselblad H4D-60 is supposed to be the most expensive camera in the world and perhaps the best ever. Owning a Hasselblad among cameras is like owning a Porsche among cars.

With a 60 megapixel medium format sensor, new True Focus technology, Phocus

2.0 imaging software plus Hasselblad’s Absolute Position Lock processor; you get photographs you’d die for! Not just that, once you buy a Hasselblad you get to become a member of the elite Hasselblad Owners Club opening new vistas of unimaginable opportunities thereafter! Now, that sure would be joining the elite league!

/AGL/11.12/ GADGETS

Audio Perfect Steering clear of ordinary ‘headphones’; wealthy and worthy audiophiles will love to grab a pair of these full-size open electrostatic ear speakers by Stax.

What sets these apart is the Japanese engineering and frequency response of 5 - 42,000Hz, making them probably the best pair of earphones in town and giving you what you’d call a phenomenal audio experience you’ve ever had before!

Price: Rs 3, 00, 000

Luxury Connection!

Introducing Versace Unique Luxury touch phone developed by Versace in collaboration with ModeLabs and powered by LG technology. This unique luxury phone has been hand assembled in France, made in pure hightech ceramic or handmade lacquers delicately framed with an 18k yellow gold finish or 316L grade stainless steel

inlay on the upfront while the back is adorned by the finest handcrafted leather, embossed with the Medusa head. Specifications wise it has everything you’d look for in a latest mobile phone - excellent 3G network, full-powered 5mp flash camera, high quality Dolby Mobile surround sound, client email and media player.

Price: Rs. 4, 25,000 approximately

Grand Cinema

If you savor the ultimate 3D movie theatre experience within the walls of your home theatre then the C3X Lumis 3D-Solo projector is more than worthy of its swaggering price tag. A rare combination of cutting edge technology, state-of-the-art software, high

quality components and a sophisticated design makes it cut above the rest of the consumer projectors in the market. Its smooth film-like quality, high quality optics, perfect alignment, incredibly sharp images and excellent brightness makes it a worthy buy!

Price: Rs. 2, 70, 000

aglmagazine.com 45

/AGL/12.12/ HOT WHEELS

The Fastest Cadillac Ever!

Hennessey VR1200

46 aglmagazine.com

/AGL/12.12/ HOT WHEELS

Lethal, ballistic and truly sensational is the Hennessey VR1200 Twin Turbo. Labeled the fastest Cadillac ever, it can accelerate from 0-62mph in just 2.9 seconds! This is truly the car that you may have dreamt about driving in your swanky black suit and your Chopard shades ala James Bond style speeding away to ecstasy at 242 mph.

This machine boasts of an astounding 1,226 horsepower and 1,109 pound feet of torque thanks to a fully built 7.0 liter motor that has been paired with a set of turbo chargers to really bury you in the back of your seat during the peak of the power band. The pistons are forged

from aluminum, the connecting rods and crankshaft are forged from steel, also lumped in are high-flow cylinder heads, upgraded fuel injectors and a fuel delivery system, dual waste gates, twin ball bearing turbos with adjustable boost control (800bhp, 1000bhp and 1226bhp), and an air-to-water intercooler.

And if you are lucky enough to be able to afford this badass car you’ve got to hurry up because only 12 of these cars will ever be built.

Approximately – Rs. 1, 62, 25,000

aglmagazine.com 47

/AGL/12.12/ HOT WHEELS

The Fuel Efficient Luxury!

Bentley V8

2013 Bentley Continental GT V8 version races past the original Continental GT to be more fuel efficient.

Bentley’s new turbocharged V8 unleashed to achieve a clearly defined objective: reduce fuel consumption, minimize CO2 emissions by 40 percent compared with the company’s familiar 537-hp W12. That, and still deliver everything a Bentley is supposed to deliver with the best part being that it still is the least expensive of all the Bentleys.

“With the new 4.0 liter V8 engine we are widening the appeal of the latest generation of Continentals, introducing a completely new driving experience. The new engine will have all the exhilarating power, drama

and performance you would expect from a V8 engine sporting the famous Bentley wings, effortlessly delivered with our characteristic ‘wave of torque’. This is complemented by innovative powertrain technology that delivers exceptional fuel efficiency and emissions,” said Wolfgang Dürheimer, Chairman and Chief Executive, Bentley Motors.

The only catch here is that the top speed of Bentley V8 compared to the other Continentals is as minimal as 187 mph, but who cares when you can reach 60 mph in a matter of only 4.2 seconds.

Price: Rs 1.65 to 2.60 crore approximately

By Taher Hussain

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/AGL/12.12/ HOT WHEELS

EVERY SURFACE YOU TOUCH, EVERY CONTROL YOU USE, IS DEVELOPED TO BOND DRIVER WITH MACHINE. Traditional crafts of wood, leather and knurled metal are expressed in a crisp and modern design language to capture the sporting, youthful spirit of the V8. The symmetrical fascia was inspired by the Bentley winged ‘B’, and features a ‘flying buttress’ centre stack and open illuminated stowage. The shorter centre console creates extra space in the rear, emphasising the sporting feel of the cockpit. aglmagazine.com 49

GET IN TOUCH

Let us know what you’d like to see in next issue...

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A record-breaking piece of motorcycle history - X132 Hellcat Combat is officially the world’s fastest Big Block American Twin ever made.

Weighing 490lbs this phenomenal machine can accelerate to a top speed of 200 mph. The motorcycle features a 132 cubic inch, 4.4L V-Twin that pumps out 160 lb-ft of torque and 160 horsepower.

It’s a bike with a purpose, built with a philosophy ‘skeletal minimalism’ engineering in mind, using the best parts available - A world class bike with a land speed record set by James Hoegh, the rider who took the X132 to the landspeed

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record at Bonneville.

“A landspeed record is the culmination of countless hours of work, preparation, sweat and expense. There it’s very gratifying and emotional, even, when it pays off. It means our Confederate team is among the finest, the bike world class, and my skills adequate, though not complete. It validates that we belong at Bonneville, and that we are not only in the race, but at the cutting edge of performance”, said Hoegh after the feat.

At Rs.39, 60,000 this motorcycle is surely a steal because only 36 lucky bikers in the world can ever lay their hands on this!

/AGL/12.12/ HOT WHEELS

The World’s Fastest Big BlockX132 V-Twin Hellcat Ever! Combat

By Taher Hussain

aglmagazine.com 51

/AGL/12.12/ SPOTLIGHT

An Interesting Journey!

As told to: Ajuli Tulsyan Tell us about yourself…your journey so far My native city is Colombo, Sri Lanka.

I have an extensive background in the hospitality industry, spanning 20 years.

Prior to joining Radisson Blu Plaza in Hyderabad I have held management positions with the Hilton Hotel in India, Sri Lanka, China, Philippines, Malaysia, Maldives and Switzerland.

On the educational front I have accomplished a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Leicester, UK and Diploma in Hotel Operations Management from Lucerne, Switzerland.

I am an exceptional trainer and mentor with skills to motivate peak individual performance from team members while driving sustained growth.

My avid interest in ‘Food & Beverage Concepts & Trends’ has taken me a long way and with my excellent team in Hyderabad, I aspire to establish a stronger presence for our brand in this region.

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Nishan Silva General Manager, Radisson Blu Plaza

/AGL/12.12/ SPOTLIGHT

Has it always been the Hospitality Industry? What is it that prompted you to venture into this industry?

Hospitality Industry is all about people. It’s not just about widgets or spreadsheets; it’s about making people happy. As well as being a people-oriented industry, hospitality is creative too, one can experiment with food, drink, or an experience, there is always a scope to dream and be innovative.

Moreover there is such an enormous scope within the hospitality industry that one can expand his horizons instead of getting in one niche.

Last but not the least, this industry is all about passion, focus, creativity and happy people.

Of course I inhibit all such qualities and more (winks!)

At Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Hyderabad Banjara Hills, we believe in creating a vibrant, contemporary and engaging hospitality because it is all about happiness.

How do you find the Hyderabad market vis-à-vis other cities in terms of food palette, preferences and acceptance?

I truly believe that culinary history of this city, like its culture, is unmatched by any other state in India.

The cuisine draws its flavor from two rich legacies - the Deccan cuisine of Nizams and the Andhra delicacies which are more locally driven.

At our hotel, to name a few, one must try Hyderabadi Nihari with taftan, Kacche Gosht Ki Biryani with mirchi ka salan prepared by our extremely talented chefs.

Additionally I find Hyderabadis are very open to experimenting new cuisines and offerings. The success of our Sunday Brunch is one example proving the same.

How competitive is the Indian Hospitality Industry with respect

to the global market?

A lot has changed in the past few decades. Hospitality in India is now at par with global standards and trends. Luxury hospitality brands are all striving for excellence and are all aiming to be the top player in the industry. Competition might not reflect on the rate but it is about delivery to service.

While this is an emerging trend, we as a hotel have adopted many strategies that are aimed towards delighting our customers who expect world class hospitality. Our service concepts are unparallel compared to others in our segment. We guarantee 100% Guest Satisfaction which no other hotel does.

Our tailor made offerings and key service concepts like Yes I can Service philosophy, Late Checkout till 6:00 pm, Complimentary WIFi, 3 hour Express Laundry, One Touch Service, Grab & Run and Super Breakfast are unique to our brand.

Similarly our guest programs like “Club Carlson” are highly rewarding and add great value to the guest.

The Indian Hospitality Industry, I would say, has seen a new era of excellence altogether.

Your personal favourite cuisine and restaurant in Hyderabad…

Being a part of this city, of course it is Hyderabadi cuisine; I am very fond of Biryani especially done by our young and talented Executive Chef Swaminandan & his team of chefs.

Your take on the Hospitality industry…

Hyderabad has grown to be a favorite hub for investors and has emerged as a new destination for IT, BPO and related industries.

“Targeting the MICE business is priority at the moment as we are very well designed to host small to medium size groups and meetings, our distinctive advantage of being a new hotel at such aglmagazine.com 53

/AGL/12.12/ spot light

Be Real, Be Appreciative, Be Interested and Be Nice What part of your job is your personal favorite and why?

When we achieve success in a project and celebrate our dream getting real with the team of 200 individuals who make it happen! Recently, we received two significant awards from our parent company Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group “Rising Star Hotel of 2012 “and “ Human Resource Leader of 2012”; that was a moment of immense pride.

What are some of the most common issues that you have to tackle in your day-to-day duties?

First and foremost our important strength is the “People”, we believe in making our hotel a “Destination Work”, where the internal talent is nurtured on a continuous frame. Keeping up with our team’s expectations and nurturing their career along with motivating them is what me and my leadership team focusses on.

Secondly, today’s guest is well travelled, we realize that through innovation and delivering concepts which are internationally available will work well in Hyderabad. Hence it is all about continually delighting the guests.

As a brand, we truly believe in Carlson Credo which says, “Whatever you do, do with Integrity.

Wherever you go, go as a Leader.

Whomever you serve, serve with Caring.

Whenever you dream, dream with your All. And never, ever give up”.

a top location is absolutely the key to success”.

Guest Satisfaction is the most crucial thing to handle as people are very well travelled.

It is about delighting the guests’ experience by exceeding their expectations. Our 12 unique service concepts will give a fantastic competitive edge in the market. I believe innovation is the only way to stay ahead of competition When not working…where can we find you? Your favourite pastime…

Watching cricket and playing whenever opportunity permits, is my first love.

I was a member of my school cricket team which represented Sri Lanka in England and Bangladesh Tour. I also played cricket for Sinhalese Sports Club in Sri Lanka in the premier league. My favorite dailies include watching, Two & a half Men and Dexter. I am a big fitness freak, eating healthy and at regular intervals is my fitness mantra. I follow my cardio schedule every morning. I also promote healthy lifestyle among my teammates.

What would be your advice to young professionals aspiring to become GMs? As mentioned earlier Hospitality is all about People! Creating unbelievable moments, memorable experiences and happy feelings!

It’s not a piece of cake – a lot of hard work and effort goes into establishing credibility. Focus and prioritization is a must.

Passion and patience go hand in hand. The key to success is the X factor and empathy embedded in the individual.

There is no place for weak hearted people, one must always keep an open mind and learn at every step along the way.

What is the key to success in your industry?

It is the 4 B’s:

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What makes RBP different from the others?

We are a brand new hotel with one of the youngest team of Hyderabad with an average age of an employee being 27 years.

The most important strength of this hotel is the “PEOPLE”.

We have the top location in the city at Banjara Hills which is the most posh, upmarket residential and commercial area of Hyderabad. The hotel is put off the main road giving it an advantage of being at the city center yet a tranquil ambience away from the hustle bustle of the city. Secondly the hotel rooms with 44 sq m room size, 24 hrs complimentary Wi-Fi and a 6 pm late check-out service is the most unparalleled value a guest gets when he stays at our hotel.

Our Service philosophy of Yes I Can! and our commitment to 100 % Guest Satisfaction cannot be compared with any of our competition hotels.

The general opinion about people working in the hospitality industry is that there is no life other than work…how true is this?

Hospitality industry contains some of the most vibrant, lively and passionate people one will ever meet , at the same time working hours can be long and tiring .Hence maintaining equilibrium becomes very crucial for our wellbeing.

The Human Resources practice at our hotel encourages concepts like flexible working hours, employee engagement programs, paternity leaves and more.

I as an individual believe in offering a flat hierarchic management structure enabling open, healthy communication and a fun filled environment.

Your take on Hyderabad and Hyderabadis…..How easy or difficult was it settling down in this city?

I consider this city to be very safe and sound. After four years of hustle bustle in Delhi, last few months of my stay in Hyderabad seem to be very calm and serene.

I go out a lot with my family and I must say that the warmth of this city and people out here is incomparable.

Not to mention, working with a dynamic team of 200 multicultural individuals, great ownership and such a wonderful brand is an ecstatic and motivating feeling.

I am here to stay for few more years to come! (He smiles).

/AGL/12.12/ dejavu

Sexual Orientation By: Deeksha Marur

According to news and facts, it was not until June 2009 that being homosexual was legal in India. And even despite the section 377 of the Indian penal code being passed, being gay, lesbian, transgender or even bisexual is still a great taboo in our country.

Having said that, in this issue we throw some light on the reality of problems faced by members of the LGBT groups…

One of the biggest problems with our country, which everyone claims is so welcoming and warm, is

acceptance. Look around and you’ll see what we’re talking about. Or wait for a homosexual to walk by and notice everyone else’s reaction around you… you’ll be surprised to see how many people will look away in disgust or try to avoid them. Just because someone likes a person of the same sex, doesn’t mean he/she isn’t normal... it only means they have a sexual preference of their own & that isn’t a reason for them to be picked on.

There are a number of concerns that Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT’s) all over the country face…

Health and housing: It is said that they often find it difficult to get proper and adequate health care, affordable housing or other social services that they need. When it comes to housing, finding a place to stay where the neighbours aren’t homophobic or at least not so blatant about it can be rather challenging.

Needless to say that persons’ sexuality has an impact on their health... The real problem isn’t with LGBT individuals, but with the attitude and behaviour of the society around them.

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Judgement: The human race is a rather judgemental one. Having said that, when it comes to someone being homosexual, their judgement grows and they start acting weird around.

/AGL/12.12/ dejavu

Social discrimination: This has been the biggest problem faced by LGBT’s. Despite the existence of a legal document of decriminalizing homosexuals, the society doesn’t let them live in peace.

There is some kind of discrimination or the other that they face even today after 3 years of the penal code being passed.

Miscellaneous problems: Gays and lesbians have a higher rate of mental health disorder.

It is sad, they have higher rates of obesity, smoking and unsafe alcohol and drug use, and are more likely to self-harm.

These conditions develop in response to different scenarios including: • • • • • •

Being rejected by the family when they come out of the closet.

Being bullied or taunted by schoolmates on a daily basis Homophobic jokes and/or harassment at workplace Being threatened or bashed while walking on the street Hiding part of yourself in social situations for fear of being rejected Feeling guilt and shame about your sexuality in the face of negative mes sages being delivered by the society around you.

These are just a few problems faced by homosexuals. While they fight for their right to existing without harassment, being laughed at, teased, taunted or discriminated.... The real problem lies with the closed mind set of our judgmental society.

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/AGL/12.12/ CELEB TRAVEL

Norway: The Land of the Midnight Sun

By: Kajal Aggarwal

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/AGL/12.12/ CELEB TRAVEL

Recently I was shooting back to back for my movies lined up in Telugu and Tamil, I got the opportunity to travel across Europe and visit exotic, isolated locations that tourists would generally skip and opt for more popular destinations.

While shooting for Maattrraan, one of the places I visited was Norway – the land of the Midnight Sun! Norway is truly a nature lover’s dream come true.

I was there for almost 5-6 days travelling all over Norway. To make our shoot more exciting we were travelling in a trailer and literally living like Nomads.

It was an experience I will never forget. We used to shoot at one location pack up our trailers and move to another. I have never shot like that before and every stop we made was another delight.

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/AGL/12.12/ CELEB TRAVEL

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/AGL/12.12/ CELEB TRAVEL

Norway has so many geographical delights that there is something for everyone. The mountainous regions abound with broad plateaus and magnificent peaks. The fjords that were formed when the glaciers receded are truly one of nature’s wonders. Vast forested areas are found in Eastern Norway and in Trøndelag, long beaches stretch along the southern and northern coasts.

Norway is a country of infinite rivers and massive waterfalls which is one of the reasons for making Norway an international tourist destination.

There are about twenty two odd national parks that provide nature lovers the occasion to truly experience untouched nature. For the lovers of animal wildlife, there are of course different types of wildlife safaris, including moose safaris, whale, beaver, musk ox and eagle safaris. Norway is also very popular for bird watching as the number of birds here are countless and varied.

Since I was in Norway for a shoot I couldn’t really indulge in the Safaris but from what I did get to see while travelling around Norway, is something I would love to indulge in once I return to Norway for a vacation.

Norway’s glaciers stretch out their white caps across mountain tops, especially towards the west and northern areas of the country. Galdhøpiggen, is Norway’s highest mountain and the

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/AGL/12.12/ CELEB TRAVEL

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/AGL/12.12/ CELEB TRAVEL

view from there is spectacular. The Vøringsfossen and Geirangerfjord Waterfall and Nigardsbreen Glacier are places you must visit when in Norway. There are plenty of skiing slopes for those who would love to explore their adventurous side, and me and my crew did just that and it was an experience that I just can’t put down in mere words.

You must go there to experience what I experienced!

For me the highlight of my entire trip to Norway was my visit to the Strawberry Farm. I love strawberries and the farm was a feast for my eyes and my taste buds. If not for anything else I would go back just to visit the Strawberry Farms. We stopped there for a good two hours and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I felt like a kid on her first visit to Disneyland!

The food in Norway was really different and we experimented a lot with small cafes and farms. I love trying new cuisines and I personally believe that the food of a particular place speaks volumes about its culture. There wasn’t much to shop at Norway, but I did pick up a few souvenirs from the Strawberry Farms for my friends and family.

Those contemplating on a nice, peaceful vacation and especially those who love nature, Norway is definitely a must visit! aglmagazine.com 63

KITCHENETTE

Christmas Special Vivanta by Taj-Begumpet brings 2 special dishes for AGL to ring in Christmas in a special way....

CORN FRED CHICKEN CUTS, POUNDED HERB OIL RUBBED

METHOD

To Make Sauce Prepare the chicken jus by roasting the chicken bones till golden brown, then add the bones in a large vessel and pour water, bouquet Garni and mire Poix allow it to simmer for 2 hrs strain and keep the stock aside.

In a pan melt the butter and add flour to make a wet mixture. Add this mixture to the hot stock and mix it till it gets thickened Finish the sauce with crushed black pepper, salt, butter and any herb and keep it in a warm place To make Accompaniments Wash and Season the potato with salt and pepper, wrap it with a foil and bake in the oven on a bed of salt for 20-25 minutes at 175 C. Sauté the fancy cut vegetables with the seasonings and herbs and keep it in a warm place.

To make the chicken

INGREDIENTS

Marinate the chicken breast with French mustard, Worcester sauce, Black pepper powder, crushed garlic and salt, rest for 20 minutes

For Chicken Marination o o o o o o o

Chicken Breast 2 nos (120 g of each) French Mustard paste 10 ml Worcester Sauce 10 ml Chopped Thyme 3 sprigs Crushed Garlic 5 cloves Crushed Black Pepper 2 gms Salt 1 gm

For Sauce – ( Chicken Jus) o o o o o o o

Chicken Bones

Mire Poix (Onion, Celery & Carrots) Bouquet Garni (Bay leaves, thyme & Peppercorns) Water

5 lts Yellow Butter 50 gms White Flour 50 gms Salt & pepper powder

3 gms

For Accompaniments - I o Fancy Cut English Vegetables o Crushed Black Pepper o Salt

For Accompaniments – II o o o o o

Potato Fresh Cream Melted Butter Crushed Black Pepper Salt

75 gms 3 gms 3 gms

1 nos Medium Sized 10 ml 2 gms 1 gm

Sear the chicken breasts on hot plate and cook it in the oven for 7 - 8 minutes at 195 C On a large plate assemble all to make a complete meal

500 gms 250gms 20 gms

Use fresh herbs to garnish the plate

KITCHENETTE TORTELLINI DI FORMAGI (SPINACH AND RICOTTA TORTELLINI IN CREAMY CHEESE SAUCE)

INGREDIENTS

FOR PASTA DOUGH o Flour o Olive oil o Salt

FOR PASTA DOUGH o o o o o

Spinach(blanched and chopped) Yellow butter Chopped garlic Salt

White pepper powder

SAUCE o o o o o o o o

100g 5ml a pinch

Yellow butter Garlic Cream Grated parmesan Salt White pepper powder Nutmeg powder Chopped parsley

100g 20g 10g To Taste 2g 10g 10g 10ml 20g To taste To taste 3g 2 sprigs

METHOD

Mix all the ingredients of pasta dough and make hard dough For stuffing, heat butter, add chopped garlic and sautĂŠ for 20-25 sec, then add the blanched, chopped spinach followed by salt, white pepper and ricotta cheese Spread the pasta sheets using a paste sheeter to 1.5mm thick square sheets of 2X2 inches.Put half spoon of stuffing mixture and fold it into tortellini shape Now for sauce, take butter in a sauce pan, add chopped garlic, cream and boil it and then add parmesan cheese.

Add a spoon of water to make the sauce creamy, now add salt, nutmeg, chop parsley and white pepper

Rajeev Janveja

Vasu Reddy

When sauce is ready, add the blanched tortellini, boil for 2 minutes and serve hot

Christmas Dessert With Christmas around the corner here are two yummy yet easy to make desserts from Smita Dugar of Master Chef (India) repute…Enjoy!!

EASY CHOCO COOKIES: Ingredients: 2 dozen 200 gms ½ cup

200 gms Vanilla Cookies 200 gms Dark Chocolate Color sprinklers/ stars, etc ½ tsp Clove powder 1 cup

Method of Preparation: Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Dip the right top side of the cookies into the chocolate and put on top side of the cookie into the chocolate and put on a plate chocolate side up. Sprinkle with the decorative stars, etc. Put in fridge for 10 minutes for chocolate to set.

Easy & fun to go, great to eat & gift.

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SPICY APPLE PUDDING: Ingredients:

Plain Vanilla Sponge

Whipped Cream Cinnamon, Nutmeg Apple Juice

Method of Preparation: Peel, core and dice the apple. Mix the sugar and spice and leave to macerate for ½ hour. Break the sponge into 1” to ½” pieces and soak the cake with apple juice. Take a glass bowl and put 1/3 of the cream in the bottom. Follow with ½ of the cake. Now spread ½ the Apple mixture on top. Again spread 1/3 of the cream followed by a layer of cake and then an apple layer. Top with the remaining cream. Decorate with the Pomegranate. Chill in the fridge for 2-3 hour & serve.

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/AGL/12.12/ HEALTH & FITNESS

Monologue

of a Refrigerator By: Mrs. P Padma, Chief Dietician, Star Hospital

Since the time of my invention, I have been like a boon for mankind in preserving freshness and storing of food. But like any other invention, I too can be used or mis-used by people. I can make out the eating habits of people based on what they store inside me.

The food and nutrients found inside me can have a far greater effect on your health than the prescription pills sitting in your cupboard. In essence I am the local pharmacy right in your own home.

Take stock of what’s inside me once a month!

Healthy eating would be a lot easier if someone would clean me regularly, get rid of the junk, and stock my shelves with nutritious choices. If high-fat, high-salt, low-fiber foods aren’t in sight, they are more likely to be out of mind―and out of mouth.

Desserts and other indulgent food should be stowed in my crisper, so that they’re out of sight. Most of the time, healthy food like fruits and vegetables are the ones that perish the quickest and, therefore, should be kept on the refrigerator shelf where you can easily see them and eat them.

Divide me into different sections of “choose more often” and “choose less often.” This could be by shelf or within the shelf, always keeping healthier food up front and less-healthy food towards the back.

Substitute lower-fat food for higher-fat ones. For example include skim or 1% milk for whole milk; soft margarine spreads for butter; and lean meat, chicken and fish for ribs. Ground meat and other fattier meats…

Make healthy eating fun for the family by color-coding food with stars or heart stickers - use green for healthy-heart, and red for less healthy.

Make healthy food appealing. Keep an indulgent topping or accompaniment next to a healthy food to make it more appetizing.

Next time you want a snack, you’ll be more likely to eat something healthy if the mixed nuts are next to the low-fat yogurt, or the chocolate syrup is beside the skim milk, ready to be mixed together.

Prepare food as “ready to eat” meals when you come home from grocery shopping. Cut up vegetables and fruits and store them in containers, so they’ll be ready for the next meal or when you come looking for a ready-to-eat snack.

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Here’s my suggestion on what to stock in different shelves.

My top shelf is your kitchen’s primary fuel station. Place washed, dried, and cut-up raw vegetables and fruits in airtight containers on the top shelf. This way, they’re the first things you see, and they’re ready to eat. Add a few hard-boiled eggs for a quick peel-and-eat protein boost.

Consume all food here within two or three days, and replenish.

Store my second shelf with yogurt and cottage cheese which provides healthy dose of calcium and protein. You can also store calcium-containing almonds and omega3-rich walnuts to have small handful servings at a time.

I am very particular about my liquid assets. So, replace sodas, punches, and energy drinks -- even the sugar-free ones -- with pitchers of water. For flavor, toss in slices of citrus, or cucumber and mint. All-natural orange, grapefruit, cranberry, and pomegranate juices are nutritious choices, but drink in moderation: Fill half a glass with juice, and bring it to the top with plain or sparkling water.

Keep organic low-fat or skim milk on hand as a filling high-calcium drink or for cereal and oatmeal.

In my bottom shelves you can store ready- to- prepare dinner. Keep antioxidant-packed fresh herbs in full view, and you’ll be inspired to cook with them. In the back, pack stashes of cooked brown rice, quinoa, or wheat pasta to eat in the next day or two so you’ll have a fiber-rich meal.

Do the same with extra soup or sauce. Store in singleserving packets if you struggle with portion control.

Marinate any fish or meat here for the night’s dinner.

Freeze foods in portion sizes to make healthy eating easier.

With everyone leading busy lives, it can be difficult to keep me full of healthy items. However, there are some things you can do to help keep me “heart-healthy”.

Try shopping at the same place so you can become accustomed to their floor plan. If you know where things are, you will be in and out of the store more quickly.

And never shop when you are hungry, you will be more tempted to buy higher fat, calorie-laden foods.

Keep a list of items that you need so that when you go to the grocery store you know exactly what to buy and where to find it.

Buy pre-cut fruits and vegetables and store those at the front of the refrigerator.

Pre-cut items make great finger foods and snacks for kids as well.

Keep frozen items on hand for busy nights.

Shuffling the food around can make a huge difference in what we consume every day. “Studies have shown that we reach for what’s convenient and what’s visible”

My crisper is your personal green market. For the most nutrient-rich dishes and salads, stock an array of dark leafy greens: spinach, kale, romaine, arugula, and red lettuce. Keep carrots, green beans, bell peppers, and cruciferous veggies handy here, too. Aim for a variety -- in the fall, go for pears, citrus, persimmons, pomegranates, and apples.

My door can serve as a Condiment Central. Place nutritious condiments at eye level. Miso paste whips up into a quick soup, while salsa makes a flavorful dip. Store fruit preserves, marinades, sauces, and other condiments used for meals -- or those you’d like to avoid overdoing (ketchup, mayonnaise) -- on lower shelves.

My freezer will help you in long term sustenance. Stock up and store fresh veggies and fruit on the top shelf so a vitamin-rich meal or smoothie is always at your fingertips.

When inspiration hits to cook up soup, sauce, pasta, or rice, make extra, and store them in meal-sized containers.

On a separate shelf, store lean cuts of omega-3-rich fish such as salmon, as well as chicken, pork, or beef.

Hope I have helped you in choosing better refrigerator fare by minimizing empty-calorie foods, stocking up on great-tasting, more healthful alternatives for food you love and creating a fridge that’s almost free of saturated fats and trans fats! aglmagazine.com 69

/AGL/12.12/ HEALTH & FITNESS

Arjun Rampal: Diet Secret Shared Arjun Rampal, a name that makes many girls swoon and sigh! Yes, the handsome hunk has earned name and fame not only on the screen but also in the hearts of many.

This month we give you a snapshot of the actor’s diet. Guys take a cue if you are dying to get ‘that’ build and gals, read on to discover the secret to your heart throb’s sexy physique…

By Ajuli Tulsyan

Note: Arjun never starves himself to keep fit and his meals are very calorie specific.

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With inputs from Chef - Balaji

/AGL/12.12/ HEALTH & FITNESS

Arjun Rampal’s Sample menu

Lunch ▪

A large bowl of spinach chopped, boiled and tossed with olive oil, garlic and a pinch of salt.

▪

Tandoori chicken

▪

Two phulkas

Dinner •

The bowl of spinach is mandatory for lunch as well as dinner. Dinners are generally light and is usually a clear soup and a salad.

All time favorites: Home cooked food and Indian favorites like Dal Makhani, Sarson Ka Saag and Makki Di Roti.

What does HP in HP sauce stand for?

The sauce was invented by Frederick Gibson Garton.

The sauce widely used by all steak houses does not have a culinary sling to its name. In fact the name HP stands for house of parliament and the manufacturer named it so when he came to know of its popularity there.

Favorite cuisine: Japanese and Chinese

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/AGL/12.12/ HEALTH & FITNESS

Q:

A:

I’ve been dating my current boyfriend for about 8 months, and we do love each other very much.

However, I believe we both want very different things from our relationship, and we fight on a regular basis. We fight about everything from spending time with friends to how we feel we are being treated and so forth.

relationship, it may be time to move on to talking about how you want your relationship to change.

Conflict isn't always negative, but it's important to find healthy ways to address it. Here are some ideas:

We have a lot of trouble identifying with each other and being considerate of each other’s needs. Should I move on and accept that we are incompatible, or should we try a new approach?

• Be specific about what you want, and be willing to compromise.

• Express your feelings, and take time to listen to the other person's. If you let frustration fester for a long time, things usually get ugly.

• Stick to one topic at a time - it's not fair or realistic to bombard your partner with a whole laundry list of complaints.

You're not the only one struggling to sort through whether it makes sense to stay in a relationship. It's often a big step to acknowledge to others that you're having relationship troubles, so it's brave of you to write in. Hopefully, some reflection and conversation with your partner can help you decide what to do.

• Avoid accusations. Instead, focus on certain actions and how they made you feel Including an outside person (like a common friend) might help you reconcile some of your differences or offer a neutral perspective. It's really hard to change behavior patterns in general, and probably impossible for you to change your boyfriend's behavior if he's not motivated to change himself. If you aren't both interested, it may be time to move on.

Have you talked with your boyfriend about the situation? It'd be helpful to know whether you're on the same page about whether you want to keep the relationship going, whether you see that there are problems, and whether you're both willing to try to make changes in your behavior to work things out.

If you're both dedicated to making changes, you might start by practicing your listening skills.

Take turns listening to each other describe what's important to you in a relationship and your partner and what you value about the relationship you have.

Rather than focusing on your own feelings, take time to probe and understand what the other person thinks and feels. If you practice this skill when the topic's upbeat, it may help you be more empathetic and considerate when the going gets tough.

If you can figure out what you both want from your

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Q: A:

My husband has had little or no interest in sex for years. I've tried lingerie, backrubs, and romantic dinners, but nothing works. Help!

Every couple goes through periods when one or both partners are too busy or not in the mood. But the sustained lack of interest you mention signals that something is wrong. Some physical conditions can lower libido in men, as can some medications. If you think illness may be a factor, urge your husband to have a complete physical check-up.

/AGL/12.12/ HEALTH & FITNESS

Stress can also diminish sexual desire, as can a deepseated fear of intimacy. An affair can take a spouse's attention away from his partner, too. However, the most common reason men and women avoid lovemaking is unexpressed anger at their partner. Could your husband be upset about something in your marriage? Does he

sure how you feel and what you want. Even though your other friends tell you he likes you, he has said he wants to be your friend. That is the information you need to pay attention to. It may not be what you want to hear, and you may feel some embarrassment or awkwardness, much as the way he may be feeling, but at least you know.

It's most likely not realistic to get the friendship "back" to how it was before because you've told him you want more.

However, you could work to re-establish a friendship with him, and that is potentially realistic, if you choose to take this road.

As for a guarantee that you won't be rejected again, forget it. The more you are in the world, the more you will get both yes's and no's. Rejection - similar to love, anger, tension, or attraction - is another aspect of relationships and of life. By rejecting your request to be more than friends, your friend rejected the relationship you suggested. If he has also decided that he does not want to be friends, or if it's too hard for him or for you to manage a friendship together, then it may be time to consider moving on.

expect things from you that he doesn't feel he's getting?

Any hostile or negative feelings he has must be recognized and dealt with before you can find pleasure in lovemaking again. Have a serious talk about the issue, but if you can't communicate, I strongly suggest you see a therapist together!

Q:

I'm very attracted to one of my close friends. He used to like me and I used to like him. The other day, I told him I still liked him and that it'd be cool if we took our friendship further. But he just said he liked me as a friend. However, many of my friends have been telling me that he likes me more than a friend and that we'd be good together. After telling him how I feel, I think that he doesn't even want to be friends now, plus he is really awkward. How can I get our friendship back and break the awkwardness? How can I make sure I don't get rejected again by someone else?

A:

Sometimes the line between "friend" and "more than a friend" can get fuzzy. It sounds as though that is what you've been experiencing with this particular friend.

Relationships are dynamic - meaning; they change and evolve over time. How they change depends on the individuals in the relationship.

Q: A:

When is a good time to start talking to my child about sex?

Understanding sexuality is a lifelong process. Parents give children messages about sex and sexuality from the time they are born. Experts at Planned Parenthood suggest that by age six, children should be taught "the basics" the names of body parts; that love should make people feel good, safe, and wanted; and that their bodies belong to themselves. Elementary school children should have a basic awareness of gender roles, health care, human reproduction, and sexual identity, and they should be comfortable with their own sexual thoughts and fantasies.

Children aged 13 onwards should be aware that sex is a natural, pleasurable part of life. They should be familiar with birth control methods and sexually transmitted infections, the changes that will be happening to their bodies and emotions during puberty, and the dangers of sexual abuse. Older teens should have a broader understanding of human sexuality and how it relates to sexual behaviors, social pressures, relationships, parenting, and the potentially harmful consequences of sexual relationships.

For example, your assumption is that when you say "like," you mean "like" in a romantic or physical sense, rather than a platonic sense. You mention your attraction to your friend. Have you always been attracted to him, or is this a recent development? You say that he used to like you and you used to like him - what happened at that point?

And, how did you establish that you liked each other? Did he tell you he liked you? Did you tell him you liked him?

Or, did you figure out that you liked each other by way of another source, such as other friends? The only way to know for sure how he feels is to hear it from him.

Kudos to you for expressing your desire to be more than friends! You took a risk in telling your friend, and that's important because it is the only way he can know for aglmagazine.com 73

COVER STORY

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Vishal Dreaming Krishna Reddy

Big...

By: Ajuli Tulsyan

After I caught up with the actor I knew exactly what made the girls swoon and go weak on their knees! Yes, a toughie on the screen, Vishal is actually a softie at heart and a wonderful human being. He is exactly what every girl hopes to find in the man of her dreams…Tall Dark and Handsome; the perfect Mills & Boon hero!

A tête-à-tête with the Rising Star threw light on his world of movies…passion…dreams and more. Excerpts…

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Dreaming

Big...

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COVER STORY Walking down the memory lane, how did movies happen? Did you always want to be an actor? Was the decision mainly because ‘Movies run in your family’?

The main influence was actually RGV. I had watched a movie of RGV’s and walked out of the theatre spell bound. Right there I told my friends… ‘This is exactly what I wish to do…become a Director like RGV’. I took on the job of an Assistant Director and during one of the shoots; Arjun saw me and told me that I have the perfect face of an actor, why don’t I consider acting in movies.

He went a step ahead and influenced my Dad as well.

Presto! I became an actor and there has been no looking back since then.

If not an actor what would have been your career choice and why?

I would have been handling my Dad’s Stone Business as the MD of the company What is Vishal as a person? Is the toughie on screen the same off screen?

I always tell everyone that I have a split personality (giggles!)…Yes, I am a toughie on screen but off screen I am totally different. Infact I usually prefer being on my own, an extrovert at times. While again many a time I enjoy partying, clubbing, meeting friends, etc.

What has been your best movie (personal favourite) so far and why?

Avan Ivan is my all time favourite. This gave me the ground to be recognized as an actor.

In the movie Avan Ivan you had Arya as your co-star.

How was it acting with him?

Arya is a very close friend. To a large extent my role in Avan Ivan is because of him. Having a friend who knows you through and through on the sets, is added fun and a blessing too! It was great acting with him.

Your role in Avan Ivan won you the nomination in the Norway Tamil Film Festival, how was the experience?

Getting nominated is definitely a moment of pride. But honestly, my reward is the compliment from my Director and appreciation from my audience. If am able to get these, I consider myself a true winner!

Samar is soon to be released, a sneak peek into your role in the movie…

First time I am playing a role in a thriller in commercial format. So it is an experiment for me and I am sure it will prove to be a success. Rest is for you all to watch and enjoy!

Do you plan to get more involved in Telugu films, any in the pipeline?

I am planning to debut as a Telugu actor in the upcoming Telugu movie Sukra by SashiKanth which is scheduled for release in Summer.

Do you intend venturing into Bollywood or do you wish to remain in your comfort zone?

I go by my gut feeling. I hear the script and if my gut feel tells me it spells success I take it on. In the same way if a good Bollywood movie comes along and my gut aglmagazine.com 77

instigates me to take it on, I shall!

If not facing the camera where can we find you? Your passion, pastime, interests, hobbies…etc My best moments are in my home theatre room. One can usually find me there or can find me partying with my friends. My passion is to direct films and my hobby is watching movies. I am a complete movie buff. Apart from this I love traveling. My favourite trip was the one I took to the Himalayas. After I complete each movie I take off on my own to a holiday destination for moments of peace and solitude.

Criticism is a permanent part of the industry…How do you handle criticism?

Dad once told me, ‘Patience and maturity helps face criticism’. I follow this golden rule and take criticism as someone else’s point of view and always take it in a positive way.

Your favourite female co-star Trisha….!

Who is your idol and also who is your best critic?

My Dad is my idol…my inspiration. I have learnt a lot from him. My sister is my biggest critic and tells things on my face point blank. I really appreciate it as it helps me improve.

How do you maintain your physique?

My Physical Trainer should get credit here. Well, I workout and maintain a strict diet. I also balance it with sports and play cricket or shuttle. Just gymming gets boring at times!

You must be having a lot of female fans, any interesting compliment that you’d like to share…

Hmmmmm…..the best compliment was when a fan said – ‘Please don’t get married’!!

The worst pick-up line that you have ever heard…

A fan once said during my shoot, ‘I loving you’…this has been the worst I have heard so far!

What is Vishal’s best quality?

Self confidence and patience Your future plans. Do you plan to go the traditional way – from Actor to Producer, or is there something else in store?

I guess so…Production is always in the pipeline and I would eventually want to become a successful Director.

Your message to the readers of AGL Thanks for all the support that you have all given me and stood by me from the beginning till date. Thanks for accepting me and my best wishes to all of you! Stay good… stay well!

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COVER STORY

rapid quirk Favourite brand Armani Favourite perfume 212 Favourite Car Hummer You drive…

Fortuna You have hots for…

Dusky women Favourite Actor and Actress Rajinikanth…Ileana Favourite Director Christopher Nolan Favourite Movie All time favourite…

Godfather Your latest handset Blackberry Bold Dream date…

Drew Barrymore Favourite holiday destination New York Favourite restaurant in Hyderabad Syn 3 things you cannot live without Sushi…shooting… watching movies Your hangout in Hyderabad N Grill

Favourite Sports person MS Dhoni

/AGL/12.12/ INTERIORS

a paradigm

shift in interior

designing

Gone are the days, when living or working places were a mere conglomeration of brick and cement. Over years, as every aspect of our life has been changing, there has been a breathtaking change in the architectural industry. With new architects and interior designers making a foray into the industry there has been a fresh breathe of innovative and cross cultural ideas that have not only changed the architectural perception but has also given new shapes and colours to our living spaces. Not only is there a change in the professional’s perspective but also a new wave among individuals who look at their living or working spaces in a different way.

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Now is the trend to explore and experiment with thoughts and give them the shape of reality. With a mantra, “Imagination is the beginning of creation,�

W Design studio, is the latest happening Design studio on the block.

Knitting creativity with modern outlook, W proves to be the best catalyst in the changing trend of architecture. With offices in London, New York and India, W merges cross cultural ideas and innovates for the best creation. It is widely seen these days that clients prefer one stop shop

solution providers for any service. W understands client expectations and thus, has spread its wings not only towards architectural services but also into retail and branding. According to the marketing mantra, the success of any service or product is achieved when it foresees the future expectation or desire of the consumer.

W, with its wonderful team of experienced professionals is all set to grow to be the backbone of architecture design in India and contribute to its fullest.

W Designstudio Pvt. Ltd. Plot No: 1254/A, Road No: 63, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad -500 033.

Contact: Gokul Krishna, CEO, W Designstudio Pvt. Ltd. +91 - 7799811311

aglmagazine.com 83

BANNER

B. M Studios

PRODUCTION

Bhathula Rathanpandu, Deewakar

DIRECTOR

Karthikeya Gopalakrishna

MUSIC

Chinni Charan

STAR CAST

Navdeep, Ritu Barmecha, Sri Hari

What to Watch Out For ?

Humour in its best form‌!

Vasool Raja is a pucca mass entertainer.

Sri Hari will be seen in the role of a police officer. Brahmanandam has a key role.

The movie revolves around the growing importance of money in our lives and showcases this changing trend in the most commercial way.Yes, it’s all about money honey!

BANNER

Sravya Balaji Movies

PRODUCTION

B Rama Krishna, S.N Reddy

DIRECTOR

C H Sudhir Raju

MUSIC

Sri Vasanth

STAR CAST

Aksha, Mangam Srinivas Sree, Ahuti Prasad, Chitam Srinu, Prudhvi

What to Watch Out For ?

Rye Ryee as the name suggests, is a fun filled journey of love, starring Aksha and Srinivas as the lead pair. Comedy would be the highlight and the movie aims to prove that small films too can make big box office returns...All the best!

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/AGL/12.12/ HOT SEAT

Farhad Shahnawaz

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Passion: Working out and being fit… focusing on my work, acting and modelling Favourite holiday destination: Los Angeles Turn on: Beautiful women Turn off: Talkative women who brag about the brands...

Favourite Watering Hole: WTF Mumbai (Wednesday Thursday Friday) Cuisine: Anything vegetarian

without: Food…gym…movies Favourite watch: Porche Design How much do you believe in male grooming cosmetic: I don’t think men should use cosmetic...

Favourite designer: Manish Malhotra Favourite Director: Imtiyaz Ali Inspiration: Hritik Roshan

maybe the way I walk!

Favourite actor & actress: Kareena, Hritik and of course Mr Bachchan Dream role: Keanu Reeves in Matrix 1 thing which not many know about you: I am a very friendly & down to earth person; people usually mis-judge me & assume I have attitude issues…

Your woman should be: She should be of my calibre… hot, sexy, pretty… yet bubbly, friendly and down to earth!

You have hots for: A lot of them can’t stick Favourite Hangout: around to one…I keep If given chance: Chai Coffee Mumbai changing with time*laughs* I’ll remove corruption from the root in every sector...

Favourite car: Favourite pastime: Bucarti Voran Watching movies…I’m a total First thing in the movie buff :) morning: Dream Date: Thank Allah for giving me A lot of them… Katrina, Obsession: another day!

Kareena, Anjelina…

To maintain a perfect the list goes on (giggles) physique Last thing before you sleep: Have my protein shake....lol!!

Worst pick up line: Sex appeal: Hi jaan kaise ho (by a gay)!!! My personality itself …or Favourite perfume: Bleu de Chanel 3 things can’t live

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/AGL/12.12/ CINEMA GOSSIP

Change is The spice of life!

Bipasha Basu loves experimenting with her looks and doesn’t hesitate trying different stuff! The latest we see is Bips in global blonde hair with platinum highlights, the hairdo she got done at celebrity hairstylist Hakim Aalim’s salon.

Bips, by any chance are you copying Priyanka Chopra, or is it just one of your innovative experiments…

Whatever be the reason…you look great!

So, keep experimenting and giving us fresh looks!

The Bong babe is ecstatic about it and is feeling different…

Tweets Bipasha, “Reinvention is the key to feeling fresh and new forever! Change of hair style plays a big difference to the way you look and feel.”

John Abraham aiming for Size Zero….

We all know that John Abraham is a fitness freak and a sucker for action. But our birdie brought us more buzz…It seems on the sets of Race 2 John Abraham gave it his best and pushed himself to the extreme limit both in terms of training and diet.

And extreme is totally extreme…yes, our macho man has been on a liquid diet completely for one week, to achieve a ‘beefy and lean’ look.

John, by any chance has Kareena inspired you?

As for the action lover…apparently, a hand-to-hand combat scene which had around 540 air-kicks was shot with trainers being flown down from Vietnam. And unfortunately, John ended up injuring himself.

The best part… John enjoyed the adrenalin rush and didn’t mind the injury and continued with the shoot till the wee hours in the morning.

That’s our action hero, but ain’t John pushing too hard?

Wonder what the actual reason is… any guesses???

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Director turns Photographer!

Anything can happen in Bollywood…and looks like Mahesh Bhatt is on a photographing spree these days. Our Birdie has been keeping a close watch on him and has spotted him getting highly passionate over his cell phone camera.

At the launch of Raaz 3’s DVD, while Emraan Hashmi was busy responding to media queries and Vikram Bhatt was all ears, Mahesh Bhatt was seen happily taking a picture of the two on his mobile. Wait, it doesn’t end here; the veteran filmmaker was also seen getting a shot of Salman Khan at a book launch soiree.

Well well, the Director is either smitten by photography or maybe he has bought a new phone with a heavyduty fancy camera, which he is happily flaunting. Or could be he is planning to quit staying behind the camera and opting to be with the camera for a change!

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Heartbeat heartbeat… where art thou!

The heartthrob of Telugu cinema, Mahesh Babu goes missing... Hang on! Before your thoughts go wild, here’s the reason - Mahesh is out of action because he and director Sukumar are completely under cover shooting for their forthcoming film! Nothing hanky panky here, it’s all professional!

“Good Friends” Kerala Massage Magic

It is of common belief that Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum should be watched only for Nayantara. She is sizzling on the screen and is looking as hot as ever.

When asked about the secret behind the sensational look, she revealed that she has been spending four days in Kerala every month for a treatment with herbal oils. So its herbal oil massages which is the key to the sexy glow…!

Ladies are you listening…If Nayantara, can bury her tired looks with regular Kerala massages so can all of us!

Well, well, we wonder if it’s just the massage. But then we can just wonder, right??

After being “Friends” with the likes of Bipasha, Shriya and Trisha the heartthrob Rana has a new addition in the so called friend’s list and it is none other than Sameera Reddy.

It’s good to be ‘friends’ in the industry, after all it’s a perfect PR exercise and ofcourse no debating…we know that you are just “Good Friends”…!

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In Conversation WITH

Sukumar He’s a livewire and at the same time a bomb ticking away with humour. He redefined the meaning of love amongst youngsters with his first film Aarya, his story about un-requited love became a rage amongst the audience. With each of his films, he has tried to show different aspects and angles of love, he is none other than Director Sukumar. And he has had the privilege of working with actors like Allu Arjun, Ram and Naga Chaitanya.

He may be just four films old but has most of the top actors dying to work with him.

In conversation with Swarnalatha Janardana, Sukumar talks about films and more. Excerpts from an interview...

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Tell us something about yourself and how did Tollywood happen?

Before entering films, I used to work as a maths lecturer at Aditya Educational Institution in Kakinada.

Since childhood, I was passionate towards cinema, which is what drove me to Hyderabad. One day I left my job and came here, met Nagendra Babu (Chiranjeevi’s brother) and then through chain contacts, I landed up working with editor Mohan gaaru. I worked as a script associate and assistant director for films like Manasu ichi choodu, Hanuman Junction, Dil etc before making my directorial debut. While working with Mohangaaru, I met V V Vinayak’s brother Vijay, and that’s how I got a chance to assist Vinayak garu in Dil. While making Dil, I met producer Dil Raju and narrated the story of Aarya. He liked the story and

that’s how in 2004 my directorial debut with Aarya happened.

So far, all your films seem to be based on love and its various shades…Taking that into consideration, the moment a love story is being released, do people immediately associate you with it and say it has to be Sukumar’s?

It’s nothing like that. The taste and preferences of the producer and audience plays a key role. Thus, whenever I make films, my focus is to connect with the audience with my stories and at the same time make films that can be easily marketed. For instance, Aarya, was a love story that I thought would easily connect with the audience. Aarya 2 was a love story too but a sequel. It wasn’t just about love among two

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cute college-going students but the aspects of competition and jealousy between students too was an integral part of the movie and was well show cased.

So how do you select your subject and what is the inspiration behind your cinema?

There is nothing fixed. With me sometimes it is the character, sometimes the subject or plot of the story or sometimes even a scene that acts as an inspiration. In other words, for me inspiration can come from any direction and is never preplanned.

You have been in the industry for a decade now.

Has there been any change in you?

I am still the passionate director that I was when I first stepped into this industry. I believe that once you lose that hunger or passion you would be nowhere. Right now I am just exploring my passion for cinema. There is a lot more to do and much more to explore. To be frank, I haven’t yet done what I like to do in cinema. So there is a long journey ahead of me.

Your movies other than being based on love, has a common thread that holds it together‌ that is music... especially Devi Sri Prasad. What’s your take on him?

I have not worked with any other music director.

Devi knows my mind. I feel he is one musician in the industry who is immensely talented and is constantly striving to improve and improvise. He sets his own standards and is his best critic. I just

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tell him my story or concept and it is he, who takes care of the music from A to Z. His energy level is infectious and not only spreads in his work but also spreads around the people working with him.

Right from Aarya, your movies have always had item numbers that have become a rage not only in the

Telugu industry but has also entered Bollywood...

While making Aarya during the travel scene, we wanted fillers that could entertain and be gripping as well. So we decided to have an energetic song.

That’s how Aa Ante Amalapuram happened and it went on to become a rage. We realized that a good item song can genuinely contribute to the success of a film. Ultimately, cinema is a form of business.

How has it been working with each of the stars in your films?

Allu Arjun and Ram both are immensely energetic.

Allu Arjun has worked really hard in both Aarya and Aarya2. He goes into minute details and gets into the character. When it comes to his dance, he is the most amazing dancer we have in the industry.

Coming to Ram, he is always excited and ready to experiment. He is a spontaneous actor, who never

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gets tired. He can work till 12 in the night and yet be fresh and super ready for a 3 am shoot.

Coming to Chaitanya, he has evolved as an actor and must say that he perfectly suited the character of Balu. He has amazing memory and is a super star in the make.

Any tough or difficult moment and the biggest moment of your life...

I think the toughest decision of my life was to leave my highly paying job and step into cinema which paid me merely Rs 1400 initially. The thought, “why leave a comfortable job and struggle,” haunted me but cinema was my passion. My determination and my father’s support made me stand in this industry.

The proudest moment in my life was the instant when I got the much awaited ‘yes’ from Dil Raju gaaru and Allu Arjun for Arya. Prior to that I had to go through many rejections from many others and hence this acceptance was one of the biggest moments of my life.

What are your upcoming projects?

Right now I am shooting for a film with Mahesh Babu which will soon hit the screens.

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It’s all About

Movies have become a part and parcel of our lives.

The cinema that we see is the transformation of the efforts put in by many technicians and professionals. Without which, no film, short or feature, would be able to proceed. While the audience might expect most of the releases to do well at the box office, gone are the days, when the content of the film mattered the most. Having said that, in the current competitive scenario, promotions of any film have become quite important and which is why this edition we bring you a close encounter with the unsung heroes of the Telugu cinema wing.

What are we talking about? Well, the promoters of course. Whether it is the grand audio of the film Rebel, classy ads of Bus Stop or the stills of Pawan Kalyan’s Cameraman Gangatho Rambabu... you name the film and you’ll see the handy work of Shreyas Media. Sreenivas Kumar popularly known as SKN and G Srinivasa Rao popularly known as Srinu or Sri started Shreyas Media. AGL had a discussion with the duo to get a complete picture of how Promoters play a vital role to make or break a movie. Excerpts…

By: Swarnalata Janardana

the Right Promotion

Tell us something about yourselves SKN: I always wanted cinema to be my destination. I have always admired Chiranjeevi garu and wanted to be with him.

My aim was to be with Chiranjeevi, in whatever form. With this dream, I used to handle fan sites of Chiranjeevi. During this phase I met Allu Sirish and we met at the Indra 175 days function. Since then Sirish and the mega family has largely supported me and encouraged me and designed my career in the industry. Sirish advised me to get trained in journalism and then in PR handling and now Shreyas media is set. The journey has been very smooth and exciting.

Sri: Since my college days I have had this fascination for event management. Basically I did my MBA in marketing and did my project with Maa TV. After that I took up a job with TV9 and for some reason I didn’t like the work and left right after the first day of work. That day I decided to start my own promotions handing company and started 25 Frames. I have always believed that promotion is an art and is very important for a film’s success.

How did you both meet and start this venture? An insight into Shreyas Media...

We met through common friends in the industry. SKN was more into PR handling and Srinivas into marketing. When we interacted we realized that we shared similar interests and passions, thus decided to start a joint venture and Shreyas Media was born. We as a company provide advertising and promotional services to the corporate and film industry. Shreyas Media is a one-stop solution for all marketing, advertising and promotional needs.

Why name the organization Shreyas Media?

We are big fans of actress Shriya and our admiration led us to

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name the group Shreyas. In fact, even Shriya knows it and was pretty surprised to see the huge collection of videos we had of her. Also as per numerology the name Shreyas is powerful and signifies illuminating or sparkling.

The first break and initial hiccups When it comes to movies, our first break was with Pawan Kalyan’s Jalsa. We were co-branders... We didn’t have many hiccups because we could easily convey our concept of promotion and managed to get the budget for the film. Allu Aravind understood our creativity and gave us the chance. After that there has been no looking back.

Promotions a decade back and now A decade ago there was nothing as specific as promotions; the general PRO used to handle the press meets and organize interviews. I think only after we entered this field that things have changed. We redefined the meaning and importance of promotions, brought in the concept of a structured plan for promotions, distributed the plan and commercials properly between the various sub sections of promotion.

Why the sudden change in the importance of promotions: Gone are the days, when cinema was the only source of mainstream entertainment. Now cinema faces a tough competition from television that airs around 42 films and 56 serials a day. To make cinema survive this competition and to ensure that films are watched is when promotion plans come into picture. The days when films used to run for 100 days are passé. Now any film runs for just 4 weeks and the success is all in the collections that happen in the very first week. To achieve the desired collections, it has become mandatory for every film to reach the remotest place.

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What makes your duo unique?

Our promotion is concept based; we are completely transparent in what we do and how we function. Our planning is never vague; we have a multi tasking team and use the latest technologies. When we handle a project, no info, news or detail goes to the media without our knowledge or approval and mostly, this is our world and we eat and breathe cinema.

So what exactly are your guiding pillars for any promotion plan?

1.

The genre of the film 2.

Title of the film 3.

Content of the film 4.

Budget: We believe that if 30-40% of the budget is spent in promotions, then the movie can surely achieve a houseful opening.

So what do you mean by 360 degrees of promotion plan: For any movie, whatever is the concept, the promotion plan generally comprises a structure that starts 2 weeks before the release and goes on 2 weeks post release. The pre-release work starts with the promos of the audio launch, planning of audio launch, publicity and spread of word through various media… After audio launch, making the audio success and attracting audience to the movie with innovative trailers, ads, hoardings, etc depending upon the budget, release and post release work includes, TV trailers, interviews, press meets etc.

When a film comes to you for a promotional plan, are you able to predict the success of the film?

Yes, most of the times we do. See, good publicity can make an average film a hit and a hit film a super hit. Also, majority of the times we watch the movie before the release and are able to judge the outcome. So, we plan our promotions in advance because we have a fair idea of the outcome.

Your whole creativity depends on the producer’s budgets which are quite volatile. How is it handling projects with low budgets?

Initially the producers used to have stringent budgets but over the years they have understood the importance of promotions and now they give us reasonably good budgets. Plus, we show our clients a well designed and structured plan divided into various sub sections. For example we would clearly tell the means of promotion like print, visual, websites etc., and the commercials relatively.

Telugu cinema is known for big budget films, in such scenario, does spending money on promotions add to the cost of the film?

Not really. With effective promotions, the reach of the cinema is increased. When the reach increases, the opening collections are huge leading to box office success. Due to piracy there has

been an increase in the number of prints released, the number of screens and the number of places released. Our structured system of promotions supports this concept. Thus, an effective promotion plan has become indispensable to reach to a wider audience. Thus the money spent on promotion is an investment and not an expense.

Telugu cinema follows a very dynamic movie release trend.

Does this have an impact on your promotions?

Definitely yes...Our job is like an emergency cyclone cell; have to be alert always! We generally plan the promotions depending upon the pre determined release date. But in case of a sudden change, we should and are capable of handling it.

How much do the actors, other than producers involve themselves in the promotion plans?

Sri: The heroines barely give support but the heroes are quite active in the promotion initiatives. Though all heroes are cooperative, the best of the lot is Allu Arjun. During Vedam, we shared a concept note with Allu Arjun (who plays the role of cable raju) wherein he had to get onto the poles, fit wires and give cable connection in a house in a slum area. No hero would have said yes but Allu Arjun immediately agreed. He encourages any good idea and gives his full fledged support always.

In this career spanning 98 films, the memorable moment and professionally challenging movie?

The release and success of our home production Ee Rojullo was an achievement because it was a small film with a new director, new star cast etc. As a company, it’s Jalsa and Vedam. For us every movie is a challenge. We work for every project as if it is our very first project. Big films or small films both have the same importance, but must say promoting a small film and making it successful gives a beautiful kick.

One person in the industry whom you look upto and someone who has always guided you?

Allu Aravind and Sirish. Sirish has been a great friend and has always guided me.

Any incident where you both had a difference of opinion?

Never! We understand each other’s minds and at the same time give each other the professional space. We handle our divisions individually and discuss everything. We work in unison and maintain complete transparency.

Your upcoming projects: Nayak, Yavadu, Seetamma Vakitlo Sirimalle chettu, Mirchi, Ongole Gittha and many more... We also have our home production Romance.

This duo not only shares the same name but also has the same mind. They are creative, clear and committed. With a wonderful team and creativity at its peak, Shreyas Media is undoubtedly responsible for the roaring success of many a film. Looking at the vigour of SKN and Sri, it’s safe to say that they will rise to become a multi-faceted organization serving different sectors of the industry. Kudos to the duo and hoping you scale bigger heights and achieve greater success! aglmagazine.com 97

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Siblings…

Best buddies!

How does anyone define the love between two siblings? Be it a sister and a brother, two sisters or even two brothers. How does one describe that special bond in words? How does one define the relationship they share? How do you word something so deep such as the love for a sibling…? I’m not sure but it’s definitely worth a try.

They say if you have a sibling, then you’re a lucky child. Initially even though, you may hate the fact that you have to share your room with your sibling… Or hate the fact that you have to share a closet, attention from the family, share the music system and vehicle etc.; you soon grow from being enemies to being the best of friends. You soon realize that sharing stuff is actually fun and worthwhile compared to the priceless companionship that you get in return.

By: Deeksha Marur

Sister – Sister Relationship

It first starts off with a little bit of love and liking, a bit of sharing and a lot of hating. Let it be the Power-puff Girls or Malaika Arora Khan and Amrita Rao, the sister-sister relationship sometimes starts off late but tends to grow into something indescribable over time. From being each other’s enemies, tattle-telling about each other, fighting, shouting and wishing how the other should have been a boy or even the younger one… sisters share a relationship of hate and love for the first half of your lives.

Then, with time, it transcends into something so beautiful where they become each other’s protectors, confidants, inseparable teenage gossipers, shopaholics, shoulders-to-cry-on and best friends. To put it in simple words, like Marlin Monroe said, “Sisters make the best friends in the world.” Rightly said, because 98 aglmagazine.com

once you are done with that teenage phase of hating and tattletelling, you find a partner in crime in your sister. You go partying together, you dance, you talk, you drink, you laugh, you play pranks, you talk about your feelings, life, school boys… et al, you yell at each other for using your stuff without asking first, and then you make up.

Sisters might be a bunch of teenage girls giggling, gossiping, keeping secrets from parents, or even at times fighting, but if someone ever hurts either, the other’s protective instincts come into play. They become the brother and protect their little baby sister. The only way to sum up what a sister-sister relationship is by quoting author Barbara Alpert. She says, “She is your mirror shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, sees who you at your worst and best, and loves you

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anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defending attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink. But yes, some days, she’s the reason you wish you were an only child.”

Brother-sister relationship:

Not everyone is lucky to have a relationship that a brother and sister have. Just like sisters, even a brother-sister duo start off being enemies. First it starts with disliking each other. Then as they grow up, the brother automatically becomes the protector and friend to his sister. Take a look around, and you will find not just any brother-sister pair like that but even when it comes to stars, celebs, and even politicians. Speaking of which, when we look at dynamic brother-sister duos in Hyderabad, we can see the duo of YS Jagan and Sharmila.

Sharmila’s act of going on the padh yatra for her beloved brother proves how much she believes in her brother’s views. In all of her speeches to the media, she always talks about her die-hard support towards her brother.

And Maya Angelou’s quote on siblings, perfectly defines such a relationship. She says, “I don’t believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. It makes them siblings, gives them mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at.”

A brother sister relationship unlike a sister-sister relationship is a much more complex one. Why complex?

Because it is easier for girls to open up to girls rather than boys… so when it comes to a brother-sister relationship, the sister, especially if younger, will sometimes find it hard to open up to her brother. But when she does, their relationship gets stronger and better. They will do whatever they can to protect each other. They may hate each other, not want to party with each other, even curse the day the other was born in a fight but if a third person interferes or does something to hurt either, the brother/sister will be there to look out for the other. It’s like someone once said, the more you fight, the stronger you’re relationship grows. Same is the case in a brother-sister relationship.

It’s like the Vietnamese proverb, “Brothers and sisters are as close as hands and feet.”

Brother-brother Relationship

As we look around, some of us might find it not so easy to understand the working of a brother-brother relationship… especially for some of them who have sister-sister relations. Israel Zangwill, a British writer and humorist said, “It takes two men to make a brother”…

Was he right or what? Because we bet, that’s how any brother-brother duo would explain their relationship as well. They are partners in crime who are thicker than thieves. They love and hate each other as they hate and love the other which their strong bond is built on. They are each other’s coaches in the game of life and they’ve got each other’s backs. They grow from being a bratty troublesome twosome to being midnight drinking buddies, even philanthropists… they may not tell on each other but they’re ever ready to bail each other out of an awkward situation. An anonymous quote about the brother-brother relationship says it all. “A brother is a friend who was once a bother” and that’s how their relationship builds.

Famous siblings: Sister-Sister: National: Kareena – Karishma Kapoor, Kajol and Tanisha, International: Mary Kate- Ashley Olsen Brother-Sister: Nationals: Saif Ali Khan – Soha Ali Khan, International: The Carpenters band – Karen and Alan, Michael and Janet Jackson Brother-Brother: National: Mukesh and Anil Ambani, Dino Morea and Nico, Salman Khan & Arbaaz Khan International: The Bee Gees: Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibbs

Harshvardhan Rane on his sister Rohini: “As a kid, Rohini would ask me to play pretend... we played ‘ghar ghar’ but I hated the idea so I used to tell her to set up a house in a tent and I would pretend to be a retard from the neighbourhood. I’d bug her asking, ‘Aunty, what is this and aunty what is that…!!!...’ I’d break everything she’d set up and run away. I’d come back again as an inquisitive and curious kid, and destroy pretty much whatever she set up and then run to play with my real friends. She was a funny little kid.”

Deeksha Seth on her sister Shagun: “Before boarding school, my sister and I weren’t particularly close. We used to argue a lot, fight for that last piece of dairy milk in the fridge...spoil each other’s home work etc. However, boarding school was a big turning point in our lives. When I joined, my sister had already been there for a year...she supported me through my initial days of adjustment; and was my pillar of strength. I still remember the day when she passed out of school…I hugged her and cried my eyes out, not because my sister was leaving but because my best friend was!”

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Love or something like it By: Swarnalata Janardana

Evolution is the soul for life. Since origin, life has been changing everyday and every moment. Right from our lifestyle, environment, culture, tradition etc., everything has changed. Over the years our values, morals and beliefs have been greatly influenced by the modern trends.

being slowly taken over by live-in relationships where the couple are free to part ways in case they aren’t compatible. If this is the scenario in the marriage part, many youngsters seem to be fascinated with this whole feeling of falling in LOVE...

The one great change that is observed in our day-to-day lives is in our relationships. Among all the relations, the most affected and volatile relationship seems to be the relationship between a male and a female.

But seeing the increase in the number of broken relationships, it makes us realize that there is great confusion between love, attraction and infatuation. This confusion and the trend of shifting relationship status has led to a feeling of insecurity in the minds of couples and they are left wondering about their partner’s loyalty. Many a times the feeling of insecurity may prove to be right and sometimes it may be futile. In other words, the feeling of being cheated by your partner may be wrong, but this insecurity can break a genuine relationship. Thus, when such feelings occur it becomes essential to identify the truth. But before drawing a final conclusion or assumption, first get your facts right and have complete surety of your accusation.

I remember my grandfather telling me that he had not seen my grandmother before their wedding. In fact, it was on the D Day when my grandfather and grandmother saw each other for the first time. My grandparents had a wonderful married life of 40 years.

Long term relations seem to be a rare scenario in today’s materialistic world. People don’t want commitments, maybe that’s the reason the traditional marriage system is

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Having said that, this edition we bring you certain tips that may help you check whether your partner is cheating on you...

Many a times, couples find it unbelievable to talk or even think that their partner may cheat on them. But in reality it’s high time that we accept it. As goes the age old adage, “If you believe in God, you should also believe in ghosts.” Similarly, if one believes in the existence of love one should also believe in the existence of betrayal. Though these signs may not always prove real, but these signs should stir something in you to find the reasons behind this change. Avoiding these signals may lead to a severe heart break or mistrust or distance among couples.

However, one important thing to remember is for a partner to cheat means that there is something lacking in the relationship. In such conditions, it is the mutual responsibility of the couple to find the reason and honestly and genuinely address the same.

Many experts and councillors say that major reasons in a broken relationship is because of lack of understanding between the couple and their ‘take it for granted’ attitude towards each other which leads to being drifted towards an external affair.

Therefore, to have a long term happy relationship with your partner all you need is unconditional love, understanding, importance and affection towards your partner which keeps him/her loyal and loving towards you as well prevents the unnecessary agony of betrayal!

1. Your partner seems to be disconnected with you. In other words, your partner seems to stay aloof or is constantly craving for privacy. In addition, your partner is seen frequently lost in his/her thoughts. Beware this is a danger sign! Your partner seems to be talking in terms of “I” and “Me” instead of “We.” 2.

He/she seems to be less interested in you. In other words, you observe marked indifference or disinterest in your issues, problems, joys etc from your partner. Your problems or concerns seem to be of no value or is no big deal and is conveniently shrugged off. Due to this attitude change your partner appears emotionally un-supportive as well. Though your partner is around, this indifferent attitude of his/her makes you feel lonely.

3. Your partner seems to get annoyed or argumentative on petty matters. When a partner seems to get into an illegal affair, to hide his/her guilt and to justify the affair; he/ she tends to find faults with you and may hold you responsible for the bitterness creeping in the relation. In this process there is all possibility of your partner accusing you of cheating instead.

4. Your partner seems to avoid you or is not readily within reach when you need him/her. Your partner seems to spend more time without you. When you question the non availability, lots of excuses make wave.

5.

There is sudden increase in talking, texting over phone in private. This is one tell-tale sign that spells trouble.

6. Your partner seems to be hiding things from you.

Getting annoyed all of a sudden when you use his/her phone.

Your partner seems to have become extremely private and secretive about his/her phone, mails, social networking sites etc. When asked about this change, your partner brushes off the discussion.

7. Your partner seems to adorn a sudden new look and tends to take extra care while dressing especially when you are not around. Sudden focus to look good, fit and sudden craving for shopping of new stuff but avoiding wearing them or using them when you are around; is a sign that should send warnings. aglmagazine.com 101

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Christmas Wardrobe It’s that time of the year, when the bells are ringing, the halls are being decked with boughs of Holly and you… well, you are still stuck deciding what to wear for the Christmas Ball and even that dinner on New Years’ Eve. Well, do not fret because we give you a round of what’s hot on the charts for this year’s ending…

By: Deeksha Marur

Truly Ears…

Keep it simple, chic and elegant yet bold like this Jen Kao hoops. Braid your hair to one side or tie it up in a bun, the earrings on any dress will make you stand out.

Check that!

Flaunt it if you’ve got it When in doubt, always stick to black. Do yourselves a favor, ladies, cut the chase if you aren’t able to find a perfect dress for that ball.

Get yourselves this gorgeous Badgley Mischka outfit from their Resort 2013 collection.

It’s simple and screams out sexy with that extra oomph factor thanks to the plunging neckline. Team it with a pair of tie-up heels like in the picture, and you are sure to be a head turner!

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This season, checkered print shoes are “it”. We mean it. From Marc Jacobs to Balmain, everyone’s got their own renditions of the checkered prints hitting the fashion market. Do it like Marc Jacobs, a flat pointy black and white checkered print shoe and team it with a contrasting outfit so the attention is directed to the feet.

Clutch it Ah!! Don’t we just love when great things come in small packages? Truly, we do.

We are suckers for gorgeous things, especially when it comes to this bright green Chanel box clutch.

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Layer Player

Gentlemen, if you aren’t the types who would wear a three piece suit but still need to wear something formal for that party you’re heading to, then layering is probably something you’d want to do.

For example, steal the Gucci look straight off the runway… Opt for formal trousers or pants and team it with a leather jacket.

This one for size?

If your momma didn’t tell you that you should judge a man by his shoes, well now’s the time to learn it. Find a man who knows his brand and style, and you’ve hit the jackpot. These Fendi shoes teamed with light blue jeans, a white tee layered with a nice Gucci leather jacket, is surely going to get the ladies drooling all over you. aglmagazine.com 103

PointyHeels fortheSoul

When it comes to women and footwear… especially heels, it’s like wearing mysterious confidence boosters that unreal yet at the same time, absolutely real!

It’s exactly like what Paulo Noutini sang in his song, “New Shoes”. {The lyrics go… “Hey, I got some new shoes today and suddenly everything’s alright…”} For those who haven’t heard the song but have bought a new pair of heels and felt a sudden rush of adrenaline and confidence oozing from you… then you know what we’re talking about.

Cutting the chase, we come straight to the point. Pun intended of course, because this month we are talking about pointy heels

Classic and simple:

Everybody loves the simple and classy styled heels. For a classy look, choose classic colored pointy heels, black for example will go perfectly well with a pair of skinny jeans and pastel blouse. Or for a formal look opt for a well-fitted top and use a jacket to layer it. The overall look is simplicity at its best and chic at the same time.

Animal print, embellishments or otherwise:

Try and get your hands at Michael Kors ‘Elgin Pointed-toe Calf-hair Pumps… they look slick and gorgeous and are sure to do more than just boost your confidence!

When it comes to animal print, try Oscar De la Renta’s suede and snakeskin strappy heels. The trick with animal print is to keep it minimal. So if you have a sexy LBD (l’le black dress!) you could totally carry off the animal print.

Suede and textured:

Wear it like Victoria Beckham did in circa 2009.

A hot pair of padlock textured red pointy heels is what the singer wore. When it comes to suede heels, take it a level up and semi-formal, pair Yves Saint Laurent’s Opyum suede pointed pumped with a semi-formal jersey dress in black. If you prefer jeans, pick a pair of dark blue skinny ones and team it with a white semiformal top and a thin brown belt.

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Neon glow:

When it comes to Neon colored pointy heels, you could be either perfectly right or horribly wrong while trying to pair it with your outfit.

Throw up a flirty burnt orange cocktail dress and pair it with a pair of neon pink pointy heels. You’re not only working the quirk factor but are also using color blocking in our outfit.

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Get the glitzy look for Christmas!

With Christmas around the corner, here are a few Beauty Tips for the skin and hair to add the necessary glow on your face and sheen to your hair…

Try a creamy facial cleanser Cleansers strip away moisture as part of the job of removing makeup, and dry winter air tends to magnify the problem. Gel cleansers can be very drying, but creamy ones like Dove deep moisture creamy facial cleanser and Neutrogena deep clean cream cleanser should help.

Mask the problem Use a moisturizing facial mask to replenish moisture lost throughout the day.

Look for a humidifier If your skin feels dry and tight even when you’re indoors, there may not be enough moisture in the air for you. Scan the sale pages for a portable humidifier. Make a note to yourself to clean the filter regularly (if they get yucky they breed bacteria).

Turn down the heater It’s a beauty catch 22, but overheating a cold home will worsen dry skin problems, so experiment with different settings on your heater to find the right temperature for both you and your skin.

Any device that heats your environment will also steal your moisture Even electric blankets…If dry skin is driving you crazy, throw another comforter on the bed, and see how you feel after you’ve left the electric blanket unplugged for a couple nights.

Moisturize in the shower Moisturize throughout the day, but try using body lotion even before you’ve left the shower, right after rinsing soap or body wash. It will help lock in some extra moisture. Rinse off and pat dry.

Hair Style Director, ALY

Watch the shower temperature Hot showers feel great in winter, but they wreak havoc on dry skin. Try a lukewarm shower instead, and pat your skin dry with a towel. Apply moisturizer (again) as soon as you step out of the shower.

Use alcohol responsibly Avoid skin products and hairstyling products high in alcohol.

When alcohol evaporates it feels cool and refreshing, but it also strips away moisture, so look for alcohol-free products when the air is already dry.

Don’t blow it If you’re already dealing with dry, brittle hair, resist the urge to reach for the hair dryer. It’ll only make things worse. Dry and style your hair with a towel, and if you still use a dryer, time yourself and try to use it a little less.

Moisturize more Moisturize throughout the day and don’t forget to drink extra water when it’s cold and windy. Your hands, feet, knees and elbows may need a little more help, too. I like rich products containing Shea butter, petrolatum, mineral oil, tea tree oil, linoleic acid or glycerin. For intense relief, moisturize hands and feet at night, and then slip on gloves or socks to lock in moisture.

Pucker up Chapped lips can be a big problem in winter. The air dries out lips, which makes one tend to lick them, which makes them chap even more! Use a lip balm with atleast SPF 15 and preferably one with antiseptic agents to aid in healing.

Some lip balm products are made with tea tree oil, which helps heal painful cracks.

Personal tip Use lip balms with phenol, beeswax, aloe, vitamin E and essential oils…to get the perfect lips.

Courtesy: Ashton Pierra Banjara Hills aglmagazine.com 105

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Suhani

StoryTeller The

Juggling work and family for a woman may not be rocket science but she’s got her own set of hardships to deal with.

But that’s just woman in general. When it comes to contemporary jewellery designer Suhani Pittie, she says her biggest competitor is no one else but herself, and when it comes to being a wife, she’s her husband’s best buddy. Read on as the designer talks about her work, family, Hyderabad, what inspires her and more.

Excerpts from an interview with Deeksha Marur…

You’ve come a long way in terms of “Suhani Pittie” as a brand, is there anything in the past that you’d want to change if you had a chance or want to improve…or are you exactly where you thought you would be 5-10 years ago...? The only thing that I’d probably want to change would be - I wish I had paid attention to the drawing classes in school and not bunked lessons. I have a very hard time drawing especially 3d.

Ironically, considering I do need to do about 70 designs in a day. I use knead-able erasers as method of communication! Let’s not even go 5 years back... even 6 months back, I didn’t think we would be where we are. But, I genuinely feel we have achieved nothing yet. We’ve really a long way to go! We are only on the 1st step. There are tonnes to learn and tonnes to do. If you rewind 10 years and ask me where I would want to be 10 years later... I would

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probably say an archaeologist... a historian or a dancer. Never thought I’d be drawing…for a living!

Tell us about your last collection and if you’re already working on a new one. What part of designing the collection do you enjoy? The last collection was probably the one that came most easily to me. It was called Child of Eden and was a depiction of purity, love as well as childhood memories. So there were impressions of peacocks, bidri work depicting starry nights, filigree representing grandma’s treasure box etc.

When it comes to the latest collection, we just launched a whole range of Festive jewellery and gifts!

I’m especially excited about the gifts. We have wooden diyas with brass linings; laser etched silver biscuits, religious/traditional gifts in cutwork lattice patterns, interesting

barware, lifestyle gifts etc... It’s a whole plethora of new things! I enjoy working on the gifts section a lot because there is no limitation to size.

It’s very exciting! Our gifting range is very strong and does very well!

And new collections are made every week. So I’m constantly at it!

Your collections like Grunge Begum, Child of Eden, Urban Folk and like are mainly contemporary designs, where do you draw the inspiration for each collection from? Also tell us about the medium you use in your designs. I draw my inspirations from emotions, movements and expressions. It all begins with the first impression which starts off vivid then becomes intense and then gets slowly ingrained into the unconscious. I like to collect these feelings, memories, connections and observations. Raw, colourful, sensuous, ancients customs…

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merging and blending with new forces – these are things that inspire me. When it comes to the mediums I use, it’s anything ranging from silver to copper, brass, steel, wood, acrylic, resin and wire. My designs reflect my love for metal, my mood and my surroundings like the old city, the Charminar, the 200 year old ancestral haveli, the dancers on the streets, the women with their ringing anklets, the bangle maker, the local kumhaar (potter).....the by-lanes etc. Even old photographs, tall buildings, brass, steel!

History books, loads and loads of history books...I’m completely enchanted by the past.

Each of my collections brings with it a mood, a feeling, an emotion. This time for example was about the free spirit. It was about the naivety of the heart and pure love. Earlier, it was a stronger mood — about cultures, strength, and it had within it a depiction of Shiva, Islam, tribes and temples. Another collection was inspired by a jatra dancer who I saw in Begum Bazaar. Another time it was the history of the Nizam. I do not follow trends. I follow my heart… my thoughts... maybe that’s why the collections come out so varied!

My work is an unexpected combination of contradictory elements: Fiercely individual and fiercely honest. I weave all of this with how we think today. Hence the mood becomes modern but the DNA is old.

My designs need to be wearable and special. Each piece should be a dialogue.

It should reflect a mood. It should tell a story. I derive my thoughts and mood from my surroundings and that is always very evident in my work. Every piece needs to tell a story. A narrative…it needs to have a DNA. It needs to have a cultural reference. It needs to originate in history and transcend into today. An unexpected contradiction! The jewellery needs to be unapologetically individualistic When it comes to Hyderabad and the fashion scene here, would it be safe to say that we are well on our way to reaching a level where it could be the next fashion centre? Especially with designer labels

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like Shantanu & Nikhil, Tarun Tahiliani, Rocky S opening up their stores here? I am sure they have studied the market before plunging into these new ventures in the city. As far as Hyderabad being the next fashion centre… I sincerely and maybe selfishly hope it doesn’t happen. I think the beauty of Hyderabad and the way we dress is the fact that we still stick to our heritage - the sherwanis, the shararas, the gota, the tehzeeb in the language etc. I’d be devastated if they are overcome by trends.

But it’s super to have these ace designers here. It’s definitely an exciting time!

What are some of the things you like and dislike about Hyderabad when it comes to fashion?Like I said before, I love the fact that we at some level even if it’s in a small way adopt heritage in our dressing. We are not totally an ‘over the top trend conscious’ city.

I love this about Hyderabad. I think it’s what gives us individuality. What I dislike... who am I to dislike anything or anybody?

Would you see Hyderabad as fashion central in the coming years?No and yes. No if it’s only about new trends. Yes, if we can applaud what we already have and take it to the next level.

How was it like growing up with your sister and designer, Anamika Khanna?

As designers how are you two different or similar to each other?The age difference between Anamika and me is 10 years, so she was practically my mom and would scold me for everything!! But, she was also the one who pampered me the most. I was in class two when she got married. So I haven’t really spent my ‘understandable’ childhood time with her! But now we are extremely close.

Though we never discuss work; our works complement each other. It’s probably the aesthetics that I was surrounded with when she started work, but our style of thinking is similar. Though she is a champion at what she does and I’m just a beginner but I know she adores what I do and that to me is a giant compliment because she has very high standards for herself and me! In fact when I had started work and nobody knew we were sisters, everyone used to say, “Oh, your jewellery would work so beautifully with Anamika Khanna’s clothes!” I used to just laugh in my head.

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world where change is constant and likes and dislikes of people probably change faster?Thankfully by Gods grace and our own hard work...we have managed to establish ourselves and our designs in this ever changing market. People who love what we do...have loved it forever and I know if we keep doing good work. They will continue to do so. With time our business has expanded manifold which clearly shows that once they have their favourites, people continue to love them so! The only difficulty I feel is the challenge to outdo myself every morning…

To be better than yesterday...I am my only competitor!

Tell us about Suhani Pittie, the designer versus Suhani Pittie, the wife and daughterin-law. How different are they as people, in terms of values etc…?Suhani Pittie, the designer is all adult; grown up, serious at work while Suhani Pittie, the person... is quite a comic. I’m called the CEO amongst our friends...chief entertainment officer!!

I’m nearly never seriously sitting and doing nothing. I’m always dancing, making parodies or cracking idiotic jokes.

The wife: I think I’m Stu’s best buddy. Maybe you could ask him!

The daughter-in-law: Hahaha! You must ask mom...I’m curious too!!!

When it comes to catering to the fashion market, how different is the Indian or local market’s demands to that of the international one? Everybody in India or globally loves the cultural element in our work. The fact that it can be traced to a thought, a culture, a tribe etc. this is unanimous. The difference being, we can don all the weighty stuff and wear it for hours. It’s a privilege! For the International market, we make everything lighter. That’s it! I think Indians expect more in terms of finish and quality. We are such genetically born connoisseurs of jewellery... The love is in our blood!

Is there any particular actor or actress, national or international, that you would want to design a special piece for?

Ah that would be Kiera Knightly. She has a strong fierce masculine metal collar! She is a stunner! aglmagazine.com 111

AGL SNAP SHOT

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Arjun Khanna

Tarun Tahiliani

AGL SNAP SHOT

Rochelle Rao

Tapsee Pannu

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PARTY

Mytri & Abhisek

HAPPY B’DAY!

Swati & Namrata

Firoz

Ashish Goud celebrated his birthday at Novotel amidst friends and family.

Guests were seen enjoying in full gusto!

Salman , Ashish Goud

Natasha

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Anisha

Simran

Vardini

Srilekha

Chandana

PARTY

Kishor Kumar Reddy & Tanuja

Saritha & Rupa

Birthday surprise!

Santosh Kumar Reddy

Gayatri Reddy(sister of the hon’ble CM)’s birthday was celebrated at Hotel Marigold and had family and friends joining in for the celebration. The party was a surprise thrown in by her sister-in-law Tanuja Reddy...

Looking pretty!

Gayatri Reddy

Jyoshna

Shruti

Smiling Moment!

Sarojini

Sumanth Reddy

Tarunya

Pradeep Reddy aglmagazine.com 115

PARTY

diwali celebration Sandeep and Nisha Pitti threw a Diwali Party at their residence and had all their friends and family coming in to join in the celebration!

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PARTY

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PARTY

time to celebrate!

Nirmala Agarwal and Shail threw in a birthday bash at The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace...

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PARTY

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Dinaz & Gusti

Tharak & Alekya

Anurag Sharma

PARTY TO REMEMBER!

Anjana Sanghi celebrated her birthday in a grand way. The party had been thrown by Swathi Sanghi, Shreedevi and Amit Sanghi. Guests couldn’t stop praising the food, decor and theme...

Manoj

Latha Reddy

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Pavan Reddy

Vijay Anand Reddy

Swathi Sanghi & Shreedevi Nekkanti

ART & CULTURE

Classical Moments of Art & Culture!

AnandaPriya Foundation for Arts and Learning, a CSR initiative of RBC Worldwide, aims to be a meeting ground - a home for talented artistes who deserve encouragement and support. The Foundation is steered by UVL Ananda and PriyaGazdar, both performing classical dancers and singers.

With the involvement of the artistic community, and patrons of fine arts, AnandaPriya strives to bring forth promising talent, especially in the fields of Indian classical music, dance and contemporary painting.

The Foundation also intends to publish crisp, illustrated books in English for school-going children as an attempt to revive the reading habit, and hone their language skills.

AnandaPriya’s inaugural event was a scintillating vocal recital by talented Carnatic vocalist SathirajuVenumadhav, held at Saptaparni.

It was followed by a dance recital by Madhavimala, a renowned Kuchipudi exponent with inter-

national exposure. It was held at Sunshine Hospitals’ Auditorium, Seunderabad.

AnandaPriya has also organized various painting exhibitions. The exhibition of contemporary paintings by Ramakanth T. in November 2011, titled ‘The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner and other works,’ was a big hit. While Multiversal2’ a group painting exhibition by 33 artistes of national and international repute too gathered art lovers in large numbers.

Another presentation worth a mention was the brilliant VilasiniNatyam recital by Dr. YashodaThakore.

As part of its Anniversary Celebrations, AnandaPriya brought forth, two of India’s best known artistes – PriyadarshiniGovind, a Bharatanatyam exponent and Kumar Mardur, a Hindustani classical vocalist of the Kiranagharana. The programs were hosted in Indira Priyadarshini Auditorium, Public Gardens, Hyderabad and had the audience totally captivated.

creates magic!

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THEATRE & MUSIC Deciphering the varied genres of music is quite a tough task but all said and done musical evenings are always welcomed with open arms in the city.

Recently the band Sky Fire Burns from Hyderabad mesmerized the audience by spinning in captivating numbers.

The band spread magic with their outstanding performance on many bystanders and people who came to shop at Inorbit Mall.

Sky Fire Burns is a four-member band and it made its debut this year initially with two members Aniruddh and Anantha. Later Madhav and Sunny joined them and completed the live line-up.Vocalist Aniruddh Purohit and Anantha Krishna outshine on acoustic guitar; while Madhav Bhatt on the bass and Sunny Daniel on drums add to the magic. The band has attracted a huge fan base in the city with its combination of varied genres and custom sound.

Comedy takes a reign in Theatre

The Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival 2012 is a theatre event that takes place every year... And this time, it went on from November 2nd to 11th. The festival saw workshops and plays put up for city theatre enthusiasts who flocked to the various venues.

The theme this year was comedy/humor as opposed to last year’s theme - women oriented productions only. It saw an array of scripts that ranged from English, Hindi and other languages. The festival was well received by the audience. aglmagazine.com 123

ARIES

(March 21- April 21) The card drawn is the “The Chariot”. This says that you must take an expert’s advice before investing in financial matters.

This month is very favourable regarding property matters. You will also need to develop more social contacts. On the work front; focus more on team work and concentrate more on the current project rather than getting bored of it quickly.

(Lucky Colour – Grey; Lucky Number- 7 and 9)

TAURUS (April 21- May 21)

The card drawn for Taurus is the “Nine of Swords”. This shows you are in a confused state of mind. You are going to be very money conscious this month. If you are in estate business you will do very well. This month your health requires attention, go for medical checkup, do not postpone or neglect health related issues. Consider all the options available before making any major work related decision.

(Lucky Colour – Black; Lucky Numbers- 5 and 9)

GEMINI

(May 22- June 21) The card drawn for Gemini this month is “The Star”. This reveals that a positive period is starting for you. Plan your repair and renovation work which you have been postponing. You will be busy with activities such as banking, investing, savings and filing returns. Plan and organize yourself to avoid deadlines.

(Lucky Colour- Aqua Blue; Lucky Numbers – 6 and 8)

CANCER (June 22- July 23)

The card for this month is “Nine of Cups”. This is the card of contentment. You have to be positive in your approach to get the desired results. You are emotional by nature so stay away from selfish friends. Your business will grow and new responsibilities will keep you busy. For any project work, you must work from your mind and not from your heart.

(Lucky Colour- Blue; Lucky Numbers – 4 and 8)

LEO

(July 24- Aug 23) The card drawn for this month is the “Eight of Pentacles”. This reveals a good period to make money. New plans for expansion will be delayed, plan out all the details before taking up new work. Be careful with your paper work. You are a person to impose your authority so it is better to consider others opinions as well.

(Lucky Colour – Yellow; Lucky Numbers – 3 and 5)

VIRGO

(Aug 24- Sep 23) The card drawn for this month is the “Queen of Pentacles”. This shows you will achieve success both personally and professionally. Socially you will be in demand. With your talents and abilities you will draw people towards you. It is advisable to keep a check on your expenses and avoid unnecessary expenditure.

(Lucky Colour- Red; Lucky Number- 3 and 5)

HOROSCOPE FOR DECEMBER 2012

LIBRA

(SEP 24- OCT 23) The card drawn for Librans this month is “The Knight of Swords”. This reveals that lot of positive changes are taking place in your life. It is time you express your love in the most romantic way possible, flowers, chocolates, candlelight dinners, gifts and exotic holidays. Your communication power is very powerful so utilize it to the fullest. Health wise minor ailments will crop up.

(Lucky Colour – White; Lucky Numbers – 1 and 3)

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)

The card drawn for this month for Scorpions is “Justice”. This reveals a period of transformation. Your efforts in the right direction will give you desired results. Between 8th to 10th December you will find a solution to your problems. Think positive and you will be given the honor and money. Just control your outbursts, instead of regretting later.

(Lucky Colour – Violet; Lucky Number – 1 and 10)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 22)

The card drawn for this month is “Page of Wands”. This reveals you are confident, resourceful, energetic and creative but do not be over impulsive and restless. Focus your positive energy towards finishing the task or project in hand rather than putting your energy in other different directions. Try and find time to relax and meet your friends.

(Lucky Colour- Orange; Lucky Numbers 1 and 3)

CAPRICORN (Dec 23 – Jan 20)

The card drawn for Capricorns this month is “King of Pentacles”. This shows you have a steady practical approach towards life. You will find success if you are in banking or HR department. You will work very hard and organize yourself well but do not become a workaholic. Take time out for yourself and pamper yourself, head towards the nearest spa. Try to be more social rather than being alone.

(Lucky Colour – Black; Lucky Numbers – 4 and 7)

AQUARIUS (Jan 21- Feb 19)

The card drawn for Aquarius this month is “Queen of Wands”; this reveals you are capable, strong and dignified. You have a tendency to boss around so be a little mild in your approach. Try and delegate duties to your subordinates rather than slogging yourself. Sort out matters with your family which is bothering you and them.

(Lucky Colour – Green; Lucky Numbers – 1 and 5)

PISCES

(Feb 20- March 20) The card drawn is the “Six of Wands”. This reveals success and achievement. Your efforts will be praised by near and dear ones. You will be successful in passing your exams and tests. Make use of your business contacts for monetary gain. Take care of your gadgets and valuables while travelling.

(Lucky Colour-Beige; Lucky Number -4 and 7)

Chetna Parekh is a renowned Tarot Card Reader and Reiki Healer (Contact: 09391161312; Email: Chetna.healings @gmail.com)

FASHION POLICE The trouble here is you lack fashion sense but not the power of dressing up. Accepted – you have made an ardent effort to dress up and be labelled a fashionista. But you’d look good within the walls of a slumber party. Walking around could require therapy! The effort taken to get matching accessories is appreciated but the choice of attire will leave one and all shocked and speechless!

There is a level of cowardice lower than that of the conformist: The fashionable non conformist. The dress underneath would have been a better choice rather than topping it with a red top. Disaster is yet a smaller word for you my lady. Frankly am out of words. The only thing I would suggest is get a grip, grab confidence. Your attire spells complete lack of confidence!

Alright you have never killed a man, but you have read many obituaries with great pleasure. The only thing I can say right now is I ran out of sick days, so I called in dead seeing this picture of yours...Green pants with a jacket sounds cool BUT red bag? Too much of an effort to attract attention! Too short to handle the limelight girl! Avoid the leather jacket its soo outta fashion honey!!

I never forget to appreciate well dressed women, but in your case I’ll be glad to make an exception.

Wonder what you were thinking. The only thing missing is a cat ear hair band and a wand...!!

You could be labelled as a mistress or otherwise a complete attention seeking fancy dress vampire girl yet trying to look cute!

Any Guy could die for you. But he couldn’t and wouldn’t live for you!

Tip – Read between the lines! What were you thinking before stepping out?

Blue skirt that looks like shells...The attention goes straight down...to your legs which aren’t really visible...! Black top – you kept it casual and then the extra effort to make it stand out with the additional top...Wow looks like you had all the time to dress up and give so much time to unnecessary additions!

F1 Time Machine | Banjara Hills | Road No 12 | Hyderabaad | 040 2342 0075

PRINCESS & PRINCE

So many pretty faces and quite a few handsome hunks in town....

We finally selected Ann Lotha as AGL Princess and Sridhar as AGL Prince for December 2012

Ann Lotha

Sridhar