M MAGAZINE ISSUE_OCT11

ISSUE

VOL

OCTOBER 2011 `100

1

6

ABHAY DEOL

MOODS

& MOVES The sensitive goes chic

+ Gifts: 50 reasons to smile Fashion: 7 ways to jazz up your style Feature: The Mercedes milieu Formula One: In top gear for moolah

October 2011 > contributors > mail call > from the editor

[contents]

090 Bend it like a Benz An exclusive drive through Germany and Austria, to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Mercedes Benz 054

> Style Observer 020 Breathe now: on relaxed tailoring and its key elements; Plaid and simple: the how to, why, and more on plaids; Let your bag brag: briefcases, carry alls, messenger bags and more; Don’t laugh at scarf: scarves and your neckpieces

080

100

> REGULARS 030 034 038 040 041

M Girl: Diva Dhawan Quick take: Diya Mirza & Aditya Bal India 2020: Anurag Kashyap What she says: Style files First bite: Chutney, Bar + Tandoor, New Delhi 042 Food: Chicken, cheese, chocolate with vodka 052 Flick show: Revolution movies 130 Last laugh: On beauty

> Features 054 Sound check : Hit me baby (just one time): One-album wonders 060 Suicide bombers are not mentally ill...

Exclusive interview with Jason Burke, author of The 9/11 Wars 080 In top gear for moolah: Delhi rolls out the red carpet for the speed demons 100 50 great gifts: Designer shoes, ties, cufflinks and more... there is enough to salivate for this festive season 112 Ultra time: Watches to die for: from the exquisite to out-of-this-world time pieces

On the cover

Abhay Deol Photographs by Tanvi Madkaiker Interview by Nivedita Jayaram Pawar Styling by Carlton Desouza and Sania Momin Make-up: Swapnil Pathare Hair: Walter @ b;blunt Location courtsey: The Comedy Store, Palladium Mall, Mumbai.

Tel : (022) 43485000; www.Thecomedystore.In

[fashion]

[features]

photograph : Deepak Malik

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Contributors 3

1. Nitin Patel // freelance photographer [M girl; page 030]

1

7

5

2. Dhiraj Kumar // executive chef, Jolly Rogers, New Delhi [Chicken, cheese, chocolate with vodka; page 042]

3. Sanjiv Nair // freelance writer [Film icks; page 052]

4

4. Bijoy Venugopal // digital media professional, journalist and blogger [Hit me baby (just one time); Last Laugh; page 054 / 130]

2 6

5. Tanvi Madkaiker // fashion photographer [Cover story: Abhay Deol; page 064]

6. Alam Srinivas // senior journalist [Gods in the machine; page 086]

7. Ishan Raghava // car enthusiast [Bend it like a Benz; page 090]

Mail Call I was really impressed with your fashion feature this time. The looks were very elegant, fun and, most importantly, wearable, which makes one take note of the trends all the more seriously. However with an exception of the all print suit. It is indeed daring to walk in that. Probably for some the unusual is the usual as one needs a lot of conďŹ dence to carry that off. But I think fashion is all about pushing the limits and breaking the shackles. It should add some spice to have one such attire in your otherwise mundane wardrobe. The feature was all the more interesting as importance was given to individual elements like watches, perfumes, leather jacket, etc. But could have made the excellent feature even better was brief descriptions on what body structure, hairstyle, colour of the shoes, etc, should go along with the print suits. It would have given a reserved dresser like me more courage to dabble with the unconventional. Nonethelss, thanks M for reengineering our style.

Umesh Savarkar, Pune

SEPTEMBER 2011 `100

ISSUE

VOL

6 9

AGENTS of change

It was surprising to see Anna Hazare on your cover. It was unexpected.

Anna has been covered extensively by media and it wasn’t easy for me to imagine what new you could have featured in your issue.

But I was pleasantly surprised to read about the range of issues like terrorism, climate change, etc, you addressed, which are as alarming as corruption. Also, to know about other revolutionaries like Anna from across the globe, was very educating. I believe M is slowly and steadily creating a niche for itself. Your content is not only about luxurious living but many other things that affect our lifestyle and I think that is very prudent. It reects on the magazine in a very rich and intellectual light.

For me, it proves to be a one-stop-shop for fashion, lifestyle, pictorials, travel, places to hang out and now current affairs as well. It certainly gives you an edge.

Sourabh Bhattacharya, New Delhi

TOMORROW WAS YESTERDAY

Corruption / Terrorism / Xenophobia / Climate change / Gender discrimination

+

Fashion: Re-engineer your style Cars: Ripping it on a Formula One track Travel: Adventures on an Arabian moonscape

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by Alam Srinivas

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It is strange that whenever I dined at a really nice restaurant, I never walked up to the chef and appreciated his culinary skills. But after reading your ‘no small fry’ feature, I will make sure that now I do that.

They are always behind closed doors doing their best to make our dining experience memorable and rarely do they get noticed. And it was refreshing to read about these restaurants from around the world that are better known because of their chefs. They are all so unique in their own way. For a foodie like me, it would be a dream come true to savour their dishes. India itself has the most vibrant culinary culture in the world. From Kashmiri yakhni to Mangalorean chicken stew, each dish is seeped in history and local culture. I sincerely hope that M does a feature on lesser known dishes from far-ung corners of India. It will have many takers, including me.

Rohit Sharma, Mumbai

Photographs: Deepak Malik

by Chef Rene Redzepi &RSHQKDJHQ

hat wonders one can do with a derelict warehouse is something we can all learn from Chef Rene Redzepi, the culinary artist who rules the roost at what was recently voted as the ‘World’s Best Restaurant’ by the Restaurant magazine. The 40-cover Noma in Copenhagen now receives more than 100,000 booking requests a month for its innovative eight-course menu.

That’s a clear 2,000 per cent jump since last year’s survey by the same magazine, in which Noma was ranked third. The accolade has silenced Redzepi critics who ridiculed his Scandinavian creations as ‘stinky whale food’.

Till recently, French was the haute cuisine in Denmark and everyone greeted the Redzepi venture in Copenhagen with

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scepticism because he junked the foie gras and the ratatouille.

In came the musk ox from Greenland, seaweed from Iceland, sea urchins from Norway, birch sap from Denmark and shrimps from the North Sea and whatnot.

And anyone who sank his teeth into the shrimps wrapped in sea lettuce and bathed in rhubarb juice, the langoustine served with oyster emulsion, or the white asparagus, romaine roots and pine shoots served with poached egg yolk, was immediately transported to culinary heaven.

Redzepiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food even inspired a Copenhagen University professor to develop a new Nordic diet to help reduce obesity. His ďŹ rst English-language cookbook is out this month and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only another feather in this two Michelin-star chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hat.

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harity begins at home as do many other thingsâ&#x20AC;Ś Cooking, for example.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what happened with Chef Seiji Yamamoto, who started cooking with the aspiration of impressing his mother. Whether he succeeded or not in that mission is something we do not know, but people worldwide swoon over Yamamotoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creations. In December 2003, Yamamoto opened his own restaurant, Nihonryori RyuGin, in Tokyo. In 2008, Michelin awarded it two stars and the 2010 addition

060 | SEPTEMBER 11

of San Pellegrinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 50 Best Restaurants ranks it at number 48.

The menu is traditional kaiseki with elements of molecular gastronomy. Watching the chef in action may give you many Tarantino-esque moments. He is said to have chopped the head off a live ďŹ sh and run a piano wire down its back, which made the ďŹ sh go limp. The technique seemed to prevent from rigour mortis from setting in, thus changing the texture of the ďŹ&#x201A;esh.

061 | SEPTEMBER 11

THE HUB

10 Haunting heartbreakers Back in the foggy ruins of time, an English Romantic poet waxed lyrical that our sweetest songs tell of our saddest thoughts. Well said, Shelley. A perfectly aimed heartbreaker can crack the toughest carapace and, if you deem yourself harder than nails, seek out your Achilles Heel. Here are 10 that tear me up. Feel free to disagree! by Bijoy Venugopal

10. Wild World

Cat Stevens

Unless your ďŹ rst listen was of the Mr Big version, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d know that the mind behind the charmingly naĂŻve Wild World was Steven Demetre Georgiou, better known as Cat Stevens, who had a dalliance with model and actress Patti Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Arbanville. After they split, Stevens, ever the raconteur, was compelled to spin his heartbreak into a ditty. Wild World is thought to be a wrenching farewell to his estranged love, laced somewhere with a sardonic sprig.

Decades later, Stevens (now answering to Yusuf Islam following a leap of faith) denied this, averring that the song was more about his â&#x20AC;&#x153;losing touch with home and realityâ&#x20AC;?. But then, who can forget that insistent strumming intro, his racked voice and the infectious trail-off to the chorus? The song appeared on Stevensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; third and most popular studio album Tea for the Tillerman (A&M / Island, 1970). By the time he issued his fourth, most of the pain had evidently been soothed, for that album contained

the madrigal-inspired Lady Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Arbanville, in which he metaphorically interred his love.

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9. Georgia on my Mind Ray Charles

While songs of estrangement are cathartic, songs of reconciliation redeem.

Listening to Ray Charlesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; soulful Georgia on My Mind, you can be forgiven for imagining that he wrote it. In fact, the song was three decades old when the blues stalwart covered it for The Genius Hits the Road (ABC Records, 1960).

Written in 1930 by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell, Georgiaâ&#x20AC;Ś is the ofďŹ cial song of the American state of the same name. The original had a ďŹ rst verse that was later excised. Covered by Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Glenn Miller among a host of heavies, it was Charles, born in Georgia, who recorded

Photographs: Shutterstock

054 | SEPTEMBER 11

mail call#53.indd 1

Your â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;10 Haunting Heartbreakersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; reminded me of my school and

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055 | SEPTEMBER 11

college days as it was a real blast from the past. For anyone who had grown up in the metropolitan India in the 80s and 90s, would be able to connect to most of the songs listed on your list, if not all. I started the dating business quite young and was always brooding over the various heartbreaks I went through. Just the list of the songs brought back to me what a fool for love I was. But it is a phase we all have been through and I guess thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why these songs, and similar ones nowadays, are such raging hits. It is true that sweetest songs do tell the saddest thoughts. I would literally lock myself in the room and listen to these songs while crying my heart out. The other day, I had a good laugh with my wife discussing those days while reading your article over some coffee. What a trip down the memory lane. Thanks M. Mukesh Gupta, New Delhi We want more mail, please. Bouquets, brickbats, an article/interview youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to see featured, a burning topic or two youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to comment on: Direct it all to feedback@imagesfashion.com

9/28/2011 5:44:26 PM

editor-In-Chief amitabh taneja executive Editor bobby john varkey associate %ditor ashish pratap singh advisory r s roy, anjali sondhi sr. associate editor / bureau head nivedita jayaram pawar (mumbai) sr. feature writer ritika kumar sr. fashion stylist carlton desouza (mumbai) sommy eric soubam (delhi) fashion stylists sania momin (mumbai) creatives art director azad mohan layout designer kaustubh fuloriya sr. photographer vipin kardam Asst. photographer deepak malik photo coordinator kamal kumar publisher s p taneja business development vice president harjot singh luthra assoc. vice president - circulation anil nagar general manager - advertising bindu pillai (mumbai) assoc. vice presidents & regional heads waseem ahmad (mumbai), piyali roy (kolkata) sr. manager - advertising tushar verma (delhi) sr. manager - circulation rp singh (mumbai) managers - advertising nayan shetty (mumbai), anirban sarkar (kolkata) deputy managers - circulation ranjeet yadav (delhi); operations rajesh kumar (delhi) executive - advertising sneha sinha (bangalore) production general manager manish kadam manager manoj soni services general manager - logistics rajeev mehandru general manager - customer relations hemant wadhawan subscriptions rajesh kumar sr. executive - logistics shambhu nath images consumer media pvt ltd delhi: s-21, okhla industrial area phase II, new delhi - 110 020 t: +91-11-40525000, f: +91-11-40525001, email: info@imagesgroup.in mumbai: 1st ďŹ&#x201A;oor, bharat tin works compound, off marol military road, opp. borosil glass works, andheri (e), mumbai - 400 059 t: +91-22-42567000, 29200043/46, f: +91-22-42567022 email: waseemahmad@imagesgroup.in bangalore: no. 523, 7th cross, 10th main, (jeevanbhima nagar main road), h.a.l. 3rd stage, bangalore - 560075; t: +91-080-41255172 41750595/96, f: +91-080-41255182 email: bangalore@imagesgroup.in kolkata: 30-b anil roy road, ground ďŹ&#x201A;oor, kolkata - 700 029 t: + 91- 33-40080480, email: piyalioberoi@imagesgroup.in All material printed in this publication is the sole property of Images Consumer Media Pvt. Ltd. All printed matter contained in the magazine is based on information from those featured in it. The views, ideas, comments and opinions expressed are solely of those featured and the Editor and Publisher do not necessarily subscribe to the same.

Printed & Published by SP Taneja on behalf of Images Consumer Media Pvt Ltd; printed at International Print-O-Pac Limited, C/4-11 Phase II, Hosiery Complex, Noida 201301, and published by SP Taneja from S-21, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase II, New Delhi 110020. Editor: Amitabh Taneja In relation to any advertisements appearing in this publication, readers are recommended to make appropriate enquiries before entering into any commitments. Images Consumer Media Pvt. Ltd. does not vouch for any claims made by the advertisers of products and services.

The Printer, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the publication shall not be held for any consequences in the event of such claims not being honoured by the advertisers.

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For subscription related queries, email: subscription@imagesfashion.com. Visit us at www.m-magazine.in.

/from the editor Mid-’70s saw a parallel breed of cinema that used the medium to bring stark reality of the society’s underbelly to the fore. But somewhere along the line, it lost its charm. It became a choice as easy as either making a commercially successful but mentally challenged film or giving the audiences thoughtful cinema but at the risk of empty coffers. This alternative cinema yearned for a flag-bearer for three decades till Abhay Deol came along, whose quiet demeanour, soft-speaking style and boyish charm carved a niche for him where other actors dared not tread. He seamlessly brought money to thoughtful cinema and watched himself ascend the ranks. The more we thought about it, the clearer it became that Abhay fit perfectly for all that our magazine stands for. He is suave with a tinge of unpredictability. He speaks like a man sure of where he is headed. His style has an air of carelessness but still oozes charm. He is maturity when thoughtful and naughtiness when chuckling. But most importantly, he lets himself be with an easiness that doesn’t have a sense of pretense. And that’s exactly what we think of our readers. Sexy by being themselves.

Excitement and anticipation is hanging thick for sports aficionados as India joins the selective band of countries that host a Formula-one race. In the last week of this month all eyes will turn to the newly constructed F1 track in Greater Noida as the Gods of speed will descend upon Delhi. We bring to you an in-depth coverage on the history of the sport and the big bucks that revolve around it. Rest assured, it will make you sit up and watch the race in a new light.

As a promise to our readers, we have included oodles of fashion. In the recently concluded Van Heusen Men’s Fashion Week 2011, designers dabbled with the conventional in harmony with the trendy. But what remained as the constant were a handful of trends that will surely define the fashion tones for the coming year.

In a tell-all, we showcase these trends and how easily they can be incorporated by our readers.

This month too we bring a potpourri of where to eat, what to wear, how to mix a drink and much more.

In short, there is a certain chutzpah our readers look forward to. Like always, we don’t disappoint.

Enjoy the issue.

amitabh Taneja Photographs by Tanvi Madkaiker SUIT AND SHIRT BOTH BY HUGO BOSS // TIE BY TED BAKER FROM THE COLLECTIVE // SHOES BY ALDO

The Style Compiled by Ritika Kumar

| informed. in STYLE |

SO HOT RIGHT NOW

BREATHE EASY ired of squeezing yourself into a crotch-hugging, T thigh-squishing cut? You can breathe easy now as designers all over the world are increasingly venturing into relaxed tailoring.

Now, if you ask us, we’d say it has always been with us. Remember the baggy jeans, jumpers, loose layering and drop-crotches you used to wear not too long ago.

Relaxed tailoring, however, is a little different. It isn’t exactly streetwear and neither is it a typical formal suit. What distinguishes it from it’s original loose style is, in fact, the tailoring.

The fine cuts and lines are more about adding a soft touch, a flare to the menswear. The key elements here are seamless shoulders, loose or pleated pants and loose-cut jackets.

CORNELIANI

BURBERRY

TARUN TAHILIANI

Observer

FASHIONWISE NEWS OCTOBER 2011

The key is to relax Seamless shoulders

Do away with the stitch where the shoulder teams up with the sleeve as it gives a very casual look to your trenchcoats

Pleated pants

So you thought pleats were out and depended on slim pants. But guess what? Forward pleats and reverse pleats are recapturing their space in your wardrobe

Loose pants

Do not get this one wrong. Pick up a pair that is loose around the thigh and crotch but which is also ďŹ tted around the waist

Loose cut jackets

The perfect example to this would be a double breasted jacket with a block cut through the torso with seamless shoulders

COSTUME NATIONAL

RAF SIMONS

ABHISHEK GUPTA

DOLCE& GABBANA

021 | OCTOBER 11

The T he Style Style Observer O

IN FOCUS

PLAID AND SIMPLE

I

t is ironic that the pattern, when it debuted two decades ago, was described as just grunge-wear and anti-fashion because it was either synonymous with Scottish kilts or lumberjacks. But as the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest fashion weeks concluded, the one pattern that stared right back at us was the plaid. Whether it was Milan, Paris, London or New York, designers the world over twisted it and made it chic for this fallwinter. You could wear an all plaid suit and outdo your boring solid suit, looking dapper and demanding. The pattern suffers an old timer stigma so better go with a closely ďŹ tted tailoring while choosing a plaid suit.

Or be stylishly casual by wearing individual components like a plaid blazer with jeans.

ARJUN KHANNA

022 | OCTOBER 11

CANALI

TROY COSTA

OCTOBER 2011

Wear it right If you arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t comfortable with the all-plaid look, go for some elements in your whole look SANCHITA

A bright patterned scarf can prep up your otherwise boring solid suits SANCHITA

PAUL SMITH

In the mood to relax but that too in a chic way? Try these three-fourths next time you hit the beach ADIDAS

A simple plaid zipper paired with denims and loafers can make you stand out even at a casual do JACK & JONES

A plaid shirt, when worn with your favourite t-shirt inside, plays up the grunge look well

ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA

023 | OCTOBER 11

The Style Observer

OCTOBER 2011

IN FOCUS

LET YOUR BAG BRAG

ny man with taste in fashion knows that bags are not only a necessity but a key style accessory. If you still are carrying old school combination lock briefcase, this space is for you.

A

The most aceeptable briefcase has gone for a 360 degree make over so you better do away with that one you’re carrying. The whole idea is to make them look not as bulky and slick. For the extra edge, go for colours like navy blue or charcoal.

The messenger’s laid-back style will always have a classic casual flair but when in leather, the same casual meets sophistication and is best used as a laptop bag.

For the traveller in you, holdalls are the best thing to have happened; more so because they come in both business and informal types. It’s easy to plan for an official trip or small excursion if they are around.

It’s not a given but men do like to shop at times and tote is what you should carry then. It looks like a shopping bag but many designers have tried to make it more masculine always ne and rugged. Besides it is alwa a

Reporter bags add that zing while they are slung on your shoulders. They are available in funky colours and patterns. You could go for checks or stripes as the geometrical patterns grab attention.

DIESEL

ARJUN KHANNA

024 | OCTOBER 11

fun to once in a while get in touch with your feminine side, isn’t it?

TOD

CANALI CAN AN A NAL ALI ALI

ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA

TUMI

TIMBERLAND

The Style Observer

OCTOBER 2011

IN FOCUS

DON’T LAUGH AT SCARF

D

ressy or casual, scarves always bring a texture to your attire, which you just cannot ignore. The flamboyance of a silk scarf with a dapper suit boasts of your fine taste and an eye for detail. And it’s just not about the suits. When teamed up with the most informal wear, jeans and a white shirt, a plaid scarf inflates your style noticably higher, giving you that liitle edge.

However, the sexiest of the combinations would be to add a little flair to the machismo of a leather jacket .The idea is to be both playful and elegant when you dress up for any ocassion.

PAUL SMITH

Hold your neck high Classic drape

For a more formal look, drape the thin scarf around your neck and tuck it into your jacket or coat, covering the chest area and left exposed from the neckline.

MANOVIRAJ KHOSLA

European casual

For a more casual but a cold day go for this style. Fold the scarf in half, place them through the loop and the leave the knot loose under your chin.

Parisian knot

Take the scarf in both hands and fold it over lengthwise; drape it around your neck; insert the loose ends through the loop hanging in front of you and pull them through.

ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA

Loose once around wrap

This style is more about using scarves as an accessory than necessity. Like having a scarf with you just-in-case situation. Pair it up with adventure sports jackets for a rakish look.

Bundle up

RAJESH PRATAP SINGH

026 | OCTOBER 11

DIESEL

Wrap the thick muffler or a square scarf and tuck it in your cardigan/sweater for those nail-biting, chilly winters.

The Style Observer

OCTOBER 2011

THE BUCK’S STORY

B

uck is a fine fine English premiership premiership, which recently launched its first chapter in Delhi at the Intercontinental Eros, Nehru Place. The Delhi boutique has started with its ready-to-use leather merchandise, focusing on personal routines, travel and study appointments, with upcoming Luxury, Safari & Recreation collections. Been associated with classic luxury products in fine leather, metal and fabric since long, the brand offers its limited creations to true connoisseurs of classic luxury through select retail presence and personalised bespoke services.

Production at Buck’s still follows old-school manuals and hand-craft arts, with vintage styling, pedigreed sobriety and understated elegance.

Fashion in frames JJ Valaya’s Indian ready-to-wear apparel collection for the Fall Winter 2011 is a mix of tradition with trend, which introduces the designer as a fine art photographer. This inspired his collection by the pallette of the still images like the black/white, sepia, hand-stained and natural. The jackets make more than a seldom appearance this season as a Valaya classic. Valaya is also offering sherwanis, Nehru jackets, shirts and his signature breeches. The collection emphasises on fluidity, which is in perfect harmony with the tailored.

028 | OCTOBER 11

URBAN EVOLUTION

I

t has been sported by superstars like Madonna, Brad Pitt, the King of Morocco, Samuel L. Jackson, amongst others. After acquiring a strong position in the world market, eyewear brand IC Berlin is setting its foot in India.

The brand is all about urban evolution, which is bold, quirky and yet minimalistic. It incorporates a gamut of eyewear. Interestingly, each case of the eyewear holds the number of the brand’s designer, Ralph Anderlto, ensuring a personal bond. So if you got ideas for the next collection he is just a call away.

Girl

030 | OCTOBER 11

INTERVIEW

FRINGED TOP BY GOD MADE ME FUNKY // SHORTS AND BOOTS FROM A SELECTION

032 | OCTOBER 11

INTERVIEW

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the biggest turn-on in a man?

Great sense of humour and how comfortable he is in his own skin 033 | OCTOBER 11

Dia Mirza On love, life, break-ups and her debut as a producer in Love, Breakup and Zindagi

by Ritika Kumar

Photographer: Joy Datta Make-up: Divya Chablani Hair: Shobha Kewal

WHAT DOES LOVE MEAN TO YOU? For me, love is an all-inclusive word. It is one word that makes the world go around. I think it forms the crux of our life. What’s beautiful about love is that it has so many varied forms: love between parents, children, partners, friends, siblings, families, colleagues, lovers... This is what we have tried to reflect in this film through the journey of nine characters connected to each other. Each of them have their own interpretation of love.

YOU ARE SO LOVED UP... WE JUST HEARD YOU GOT MARRIED RECENTLY. IS IT TRUE? No. To set the record straight, it is not at all true.

I have found the right guy (Dia Mirza is dating director Sahil Sangha) and I would love to get married. But we haven’t decided the date yet.

LET’S TALK ABOUT BREAK-UPS... HOW DO YOU HANDLE THEM? Break-ups form a really important part of discovering what love really is... I think they help you figure out what you want in a partner.

It is emotionally sapping. Those phases in your life are never easy. Come on, it is never nice to know that the relationship you nurtured has come to an end. It is horrible.

034 | OCTOBER 11

BY THE WAY, HAVE YOU EVER ENDED A RELATIONSHIP ON A MAIL OR AN SMS? I remember reading this joke, ‘she broke up with me on a post it’ (laughs)... But no. Breakups are ruthless anyway. Why add to the misery by making it so cold?

YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO USE TECHNOLOGY FOR BREAK-UPS, BUT SINCE YOU ARE A PANASONIC ECO IDEAS BRAND AMBASSADOR, WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE GADGET? One piece of technology that I really can’t do without in Mumbai, given the city’s weather, is the air-conditioner. Sometimes I wonder how difficult, rather different, life would have been without an AC. I know you thought I would have listed a Blackberry or an iPhone as my favourite gadget. Think about it: you can do without a BlackBerry, but you just cannot do without an AC.

YOU ALSO TURNED PRODUCER FOR THE FILM WITH CO-STAR ZAYED KHAN AND SAHIL... SO ARE YOU GOOD WITH BALANCE SHEETS? That is the only area I stay away from. But I have realised it is something you need to be conscious of all the time. For any form of

creativity, there is a bandwidth. But you need to be aware of how much you can stretch within the constraints of limited resources. It is not enough to picture an out-of-this-world set. You need to imagine everything within what you have. Everything in a film, before,during, after the shooting and even otherwise, works around numbers. How well you are able to bring in the best of the aesthetics within those numbers is what determines your success.

WAS IT DIFFICULT DONNING TWO HATS ON THE SETS? It was fun because if you approach anything with a certain amount of preparedness, it becomes a joyride even if it is challenging. The actor in me was excited, happy and well-prepared because I have been living with the script for a long time (Dia’s beau Sangha has written the film).

I didn’t just know my own lines but everybody else’s too. And I think our workshop with Barry John really helped us a lot because it helped the entire cast bond with each other and it comes out beautifully in the film. The producer in me was ecstatic because we had a great team to work with who delivered their best and were passionate about the project. And I think we did a good job at being producers... we really kept them happy.

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ADITYA BAL The desi chef-cum-anchor on his food-based travel show Chakh Le India on NDTV Good Times

by Nivedita Jayaram Pawar

WHEN DID YOUR LOVE AFFAIR WITH FOOD START?

WHAT WOULD YOU RUSTLE UP FOR A ROMANTIC DATE?

BEING A TRAVEL HOST, WHICH PLACE SURPRISED YOU WITH ITS FOOD?

It started when I was very young. My grandmother was an amazing cook and baker.

So childhood was full of great food. I started cooking five years ago in Mumbai out of a mix of boredom and frustration while going through long delays in work in films.

Maybe some asparagus, lobster or fish with some greens for main course and some chocolate dipped strawberries for afterwards.

I am not so much an expert at travel, as I am a travelling cook. My entire approach is that of a cook, which is to do with everthing culinary. Different spice combinations, unique and effective cooking techniques and local produce that are particular to that region all serve to enhance my knowledge of a region’s cuisine. Like I said, there is always something that surprises you about the food of a region, be it the use of spices, treatment of meats, preparations of vegetables – the myriad variations in different cuisines of diverse regions of India are infinite and keep me constantly surprised. The way vegetables are used in Rajasthan are strikingly different from the way they are used in Kashmir or in Kerala.

There is still so much to see.

HAVE YOUR EVER TRIED TO IMPRESS A DATE WITH YOUR CULINARY SKILLS? No, never done that...

HOW DID YOU LAND THE JOB TO HOST CHAKH LE? I auditioned for it in New Delhi and was chosen a few months later. I cooked and presented some Pomfret in fresh reachardo paste for the demo and teamed it up with a mango salsa. I needed to demonstrate my cooking skills and I managed to do that and present it decently as well.

WHEN WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU COOKED ANYTHING FOR A SPECIAL SOMEONE? Around five years ago, I cooked some steak in an old school style brown sauce for my girlfriend.

I borrowed the recipe from a friend over the phone and we cooked it together. I think it turned out pretty decent for a first attempt. I remember feeling very satisfied at how useful and productive the art of cooking was. That’s when I started developing an interest in cookery.

036| OCTOBER 11

WHAT IS THE WEIRDEST FOOD YOU HAVE EVER PUT IN YOUR MOUTH? Fried ants and grasshoppers in Thailand and Sea slugs in Pondicherry. It didn’t feel very good in the beginning, but after you manage to quickly swallow them, you realise that some insects are edible. The sea slugs were like overcooked mussels, rubbery and not very tasty, I must add.

WHAT’S YOUR COMFORT FOOD? Meat curry and rice.

WHAT DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE IN YOUR FRIDGE?

YOUR BEST FOODIE BUDDY

Feta cheese, salami, bacon, olives, oils, garlic, chilies, etc.

My girlfriend…she’s a good cook and has a refined palette too. It’s perfect!

WHAT CONSTITUTES A GREAT MIDNIGHT SNACK? Cold pizza, cold fried rice... any left-overs.

WHO WOULD BE YOUR THREE FANTASY DINNER GUESTS? Marco Pierre White, Jamie Oliver and Thomas Keller.

035 | OCTOBER 11

TEN YEARS TO TOMORROW A special series of essays

Anurag Kashyap Anurag Kashyap is at the vanguard of the different cinema movement. Donning numerous hats as a producer-director-writer-actor and an opinionated individual, Kashyap has directed movies such as Black Friday, Dev.D, Gulaal and the recent That Girl In Yellow Boots, besides backing worthwhile films like Aamir and Udaan.

I

believe that by 2020, Indian films will be at par with world cinema, or it will at least be the most talked about in the world. I owe this confidence to the fact that by then a whole new bunch of young filmmakers, who are fed on world cinema, will take over from all of us. They do not owe anything to Bollywood. There will be more independent minds. I will be an old dinosaur by then.

The new filmmakers will be telling me how conventional I would have become: That’s what happens with people; every rebel becomes a conformist eventually.

As far as budgets are concerned, I see it touching the extremes: we will continue to have films that are mounted on a huge, massive scale, and, at the same time, we will have films that are made on small budgets.

It will shrink even more for independent cinema because the format is becoming digital.

The satellite screening format promises to be a game changer in the industry: all you need is one print that screens the film from one source to all the screens. As a result, the budgets will reduce further. Very soon a time will come when you won’t need to shoot on film: You can use an SLR camera and just In the next decade, for cinema to thrive, there project it. I see it happening in as less as two has to be a co-existence between multiplex and years’ time. commercial cinema. Earlier, other cinemas didn’t exist; there was only mainstream cinema. In the future, once streaming broadband The fight was not to eradicate the other kind; reaches our villages, people will stop going it is always to co-exist. Co-existence is healthy. to cinema halls. Instead, they will watch it in Having only one kind of cinema is extremely their homes. I see a mushrooming of smaller unhealthy. If every film was an Udaan or parlours where you can watch whichever film Shaitan, people would get depressed. Once in you want. In five years, every village in India a while, I would like to just not think but watch will have streaming broadband; and it won’t be a film that makes me laugh and entertain. I expensive. The avenues are already opening cannot make a film like Yellow Boots if there up today. When you go to buy a phone today, aren’t any lighter films around. Eventually, the the first thing you ask is if you can watch films money made by films like Dabangg or Ready on it. That’s when content will become king. is what feeds the theatres and keeps them If you have the content, or can create it, you running. This allows them to give space once will rule the market. Directors will be the stars in a while for films such as Udaan and Shaitan. of tomorrow.

The Bollywood formula film is an original Indian concept – they have to keep that alive, and better it. In the ’60s and ’70s, they used to make good masala films. The recent Dabangg is a good masala movie. The problem is that everybody is trying to copy; they don’t care about content. There is no story, no characters.

A film cannot be made with just four action scenes and three songs. You will get an opening no doubt, but the audience will stop trusting you if you keep repeating it. You have to give them something to take back every time they come to see your films.

038 | OCTOBER 11

By 2020, even cinema will change. Films will be shot in very intimate ways. Once the screens get smaller, frames will get smaller. On a small mobile phone frame, you cannot have big shots because characters will not be seen.

The camera will start going closer and closer.

The fewer big shots you have in a film, the less money you will spend.

There will be internet sites that will show films and they will contract actors and directors.

Directors will provide content for one site, there will be sometimes exclusivity, sometimes

not. UTV has already got into new media, other production houses will start moving into new media. People who are seeing where the future is headed have already started to move in. I am providing content for most of them. I want to become more genre specific in future: I want to make more genre films and explore characters. For instance, That Girl In Yellow Boots is a thriller and I love thrillers. Regardless of genres, if I make good films they will become popular; if I don’t make good films they will not become popular.

Ten years down the line, I want to have a lot of time to read and watch films and travel. I would probably make one film in a year-anda-half. I want to create my own film festival. I am a film buff before I am filmmaker. So I would like to practice my film buffgiri more than make a film.”

(As told to Krutika Behrawala, Bollywood News Service)

OCTOBER 2011 100

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& MOVES The sensitive goes chic

+ Gifts: 50 reasons to smile Fashion: 7 ways to jazz up your style Feature: The Mercedes milieu Formula One: In top gear for moolah

A very dear friend has fractured her arm and is bed-ridden. I think wine is a good gift to carry when I meet her.

But can’t decide which one. Help!

Awww, aren’t you a sweetheart! I am sure you know that it all depends on what she likes. And since you are a close friend, you sure would know something about her taste. Personally, I would caution you against carrying any alcohol for her as surely the doctor must have prescribed some medicines (painkillers, my guess). It’s not a very good idea to mix alcohol with pills. How about carrying some music instead? I have recommendation for you here: A good friend and a glass of wine / Someone to say it’s gonna be alright / A good friend and a glass of wine / A little pick me up to get me through the night / We talk trash n’ we laugh and cry / That kind of therapy money can’t buy /Every now and then, every now and then / Every girl needs a good friend and a glass of wine (LeAnn Rimes)

What

Photograph: Shutterstock

SHE SAYS

by A(u)nti Adams

‘Plain question and plain answer make the shortest road out of most perplexities,’ he said.

Unfortunately, She is everything but plain.

040 | OCTOBER 11

I have read up a lot on wines. And the more I read, the more confused I get.

Simplify red, white and sparkling wines for me, please.

Ok, so you have been studying wines and want me to provide with additional inputs beyond what the many websites and innumerable books can give you. Dude, you seriously need a reality check. Why are you reading wines, when you should be tasting them?

Anyway, since you asked, answer I must.

Beyond the red, white and sparkling, you also have rosé, dessert and fortified wines.

White wines are usually made from white grapes (that’s not literally white), but can also be made from black grapes as grape juice is usually colourless. It’s the pigmentation in grape skin, which is kept intact during the fermentation process, which is the source of colour in red wines. A simple rule for pairing red or white wine with food is the knowledge that reds contain tannin,

which when combined with fish dishes lends a kind of metallic taste. This can be rather unpleasant. The acidity in whites, on the other hand, can help cut through the oil-rich dishes.

A standard rules is white wine with white meat and red wine with red meat (this, however, may not work always so don’t swear by it).

Sparkling wines contain carbon dioxide bubbles. And yeah, the bubbly makes any celebration a little more ‘sparkling’. Rosé wines are pinkish in colour. Since the grape skin content is kept minimal during its fermentation, it is low in tannin. The wine is usually dry. Dessert wines are sweet, and, as the name suggests, they go well with or as desserts. Fortified wines have other spirits added to them.

What is the legal limit of alcohol in blood beyond which I can be prosecuted in India?

Either you are miffed that a cop pulled you up for drunk driving when you were only one down, or plain daft. Case 1, in India, permissible limit of alcohol level is below 30

Can your drink define how masculine you are?

I was going to answer this straight up. Then I wondered if you are man enough to handle the answer and decided to call it a day. mg per 100 ml of blood. A standard drink contains 10 grams of alcohol. An approximation would be 330 ml bottle of beer, 100 ml glass of wine or 30 ml straight liquor. Of course, different people react differently to alcohol: There are many for whom the limit would be 0. So be safe and Do Not Drink And Drive. Oh yeah, there was a Case 2 as well. I see no reason to waste any print space here.

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

TO RELIVE THOSE

THE HUB REGULARS

by Ritika Kumar

No matter how many high-end restaurants you dine at, the feeling of having maa ke haath ka khana in your own comfortable space is something precious. Remember how you would boast about your mum’s achaars and chutneys amongst your friends?

Facts

Well that feeling is sure irreplaceable but a lunch at the Chutney, Bar +Tandoor at The Metropolitan Hotel made us think a little. The restaurant, which has an assortment of more than 200 chutneys made of fresh, seasonal fruits, vegetables and herbs, tinkled our hearts and made us take a walk down the memory lane.

Chutney,

Bar + Tandoor, The Metropolitan Hotel, Bangla Sahib Road, New Delhi Tel: (011) 42500200 Price: Dinner for a couple `2000-`2500 (without liquor)

THE FOOD With chutneys as its USP, the restaurant invites you to a panIndian cuisine. Our three course meal started by finger licking Punjabi Tandoor platter of Seekh-eShahi (minced lamb and fenugreek blended with special herbs and

spices), Rasooli Tikka (chicken lightly marinated in cheese and cream and served with crispy salad) and Rajasthani Pathar Ke Kebab (sliced baby lamb, marinated and stone cooked), which were recommended by the chef, accompanied by tomato, mango and mint chutneys.

“The idea behind the chutneys on the table is to offer you a delightfully tangy palate experience, with every meal,” says executive chef, Tarun Kapoor.

Similarly, for the main course, where we ordered Dum Biryani, the chef offered us gooseberry, apple and chilli chutneys. Teaming up the Hyderabadi Dum Biriyani with apple chutney, which has an appetising effect, surely helped us finish the huge quantity down to the last morsel. From the west he brings to you the special Rajasthani dishes like Khada Palak Makai (Freshly chopped Palak with garlic and corns) and Paneer Lavang Latta (Paneer stuffed with mint chutney).

The restaurant also has some

interesting desserts for your sweet tooth. What caught our attention was Lucknowi Angoori Pan (Kesar Petha wrapped in betel leaves), Shahi Tukda, which is again highly recommended by the chef, and Mithai Ki Chaat (An assortment of Boondi, Kaju Katli, Rabdi, mint leaves and cinnamon).

THE DÉCOR The renovated Chutney, Bar + Tandoor, located on the ground floor of the hotel, continues to be a modern fine dining eatery, but with accents of the vibrant Delhi street culture. The striking gilded interiors define it as a restaurant of style and elegance where one can have an unmatched dining experience.

A colourful archetypical rickshaw at the grand main entrance gives it a local touch, while ethnic fabric in vibrant colours is used to adorn the walls. The ambiance of Chutney, Bar + Tandoor exudes an intimate atmosphere and a relaxed charm.

WHAT WE SAY The Indian cuisine can surely be heavy for a lunch when one yearns to doze off in the comfort of a cozy bed. You should try the place for its chutneys, with interesting starters. Also, its unique range of Indian desserts is a pull. Healthy metabolism? Try the royal threecourse menu.

041 | OCTOBER 11

ZLWK

by Dhiraj Kumar, executive chef, Jolly Rogers, Gurgaon

Photographs by Vipin Kardam Styling by Azad Mohan

042 | OCTOBER 11

FISH-N-CHIPS WITH BRITISH SCOTCH Ingredients Fish ďŹ llets Egg Dijon mustard Salt Lemon Bread crumbs White pepper Tartar sauce French fries

180 gm One 5 gm 5 gm One 35 gm 5 gm 15 gm 70 gm

Method Q

Q Q

Q

Q

Make a batter by mixing flour, egg, mustard, salt, pepper and lemon juice Lace the fish fillets in the batter Dust in bread crumbs and fry with French fries at the same time in deep fat fryer Serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce Serve fish-n-chips with British Scotch

PARMESAN CHEESE DUMPLINGS WITH ORANGE VODKA Ingredients Grated parmesan cheese Fresh cream Oregano

50 gm 10 gm 5 gm

Method Q Q Q

Q

Q

044 | OCTOBER 11

Mix all the ingredients Divide mixture in ten pieces Flatten the mixture and make cheese balls Cover the cheese balls with spring rolls sheet Fry it in a pan and serve it hot with orange pulp vodka

FOOD

CHICKEN FAFA WITH GIN-BASED COCKTAIL Ingredients Butter Onion (chopped) Garlic (minced) Coconut milk Water Skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (cut into 1 inch pieces) Shredded coconut

1 tsp 1/4 cup 2 cloves 1 cup 2 cups

1 pound 1/3 cup

Method Q

Q

Q

Q

Q

Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat Stir in the onion and garlic, and cook for two minutes Mix coconut milk, water and chicken and bring to a boil Reduce heat to low, cover and let it simmer 20 minutes till chicken juices run clear Stir skillet and cook just until heated through. Sprinkle with coconut and serve

Gin-based cocktail Q

Q

Gin: 30 ml; Cherry brandy: 10 ml; Sweet Vermouth: 10 ml; Triple sec:10 ml; Cranberry juice: 90 ml; Grenadine: 05 ml; Seasonal fruit chunks Pour every thing with crushed ice

045 | OCTOBER 11

BARBEQUE CHICKEN SAUSAGES WITH BEER Ingredients Chicken sausages Six Salt 2 gm Crushed black pepper to taste Corn 5 gm BBQ sauce 15 gm

Method Q Q

Q Q

Blanch chicken sausages Season them with salt, crushed black pepper and corn Cook on griller for five minutes Serve with BBQ sauce and beer

TANGY CHICKEN CHAAT Chicken breast Coriander Green chilli chopped Chat masala Onion chopped Lemon Salt White pepper powder Garlic Mustard oil

FOOD

Ingredients Two 20 gm Three 15 gm 14 gm One 5 gm 10 gm 10 gm 5 gm

Method Q

Q

Q

Q

Season the chicken breast with salt, white pepper, garlic, lemon and mustard oil Cook chicken breasts on griller, bring them down to room temperature Slice the chicken and toss it in remaining ingredients Serve chilled with lemon

047 | OCTOBER 11

CHICKEN SHAWARMA SANDWICH Ingredients Chicken leg shredded Curd Garlic Oregano Vinegar Onion Salt White pepper Red pepper Yellow pepper Green capsicum Iceberg lettuce Olive oil Lemon Pita bread

For the sauce 150 gm 10 gm 10 gm 2 gm 5 gm 15 gm 3 gm 5 gm 10 gm 10 gm 10 gm 15 gm 10 gm One One

Tahini paste Garlic Lemon Salt

10 gm 3 gm One 3 gm

Method Q

Q

Q

Q

Q

Marinate the chicken with curd, oregano, garlic, salt, white pepper, vinegar and cook for five minutes in oven at 400 degree f Cut chicken in strips and vegetables in jullian SautĂŠ all the vegetables and chicken strips in olive oil for two minutes Wrap chicken shawarma in pita bread along with lettuce Serve hot with tahini sauce

Ingredients Cottage cheese Salt White pepper Spinach Onion Garlic Jalapeño chillies Butter Fresh cream

160 gm 5 gm 10 gm 30 gm 15 gm 15 gm Three 10 gm 15 gm

Method Q

Q

Q

Q

Blanch and chop the spinach leaves Sauté in butter with onion and garlic Season the cottage cheese slices and fill with spinach Add grilled cottage cheese

For sauce Q

Q Q

Chop the jalapeño chillies and sauté in butter, add little seasoning and fresh cream Cook for two minutes Pour the sauce over the cottage cheese and serve hot with little lettuce

Beach Bum Q

Light rum: 30 ml; Dark rum: 15 ml; Crème de banana: 10 ml; Coconut crème: 15 ml; Sugar syrup: 5 ml; Pineapple juice: 45 ml.

Mix all ingredients in a shaker and serve with ice in a pilsner glass

049 | OCTOBER 11

COCK COCKTAILS CO C OCK KTA TAIL ILS LS

STUFFED COTTAGE CHEESE AND JALAPEÑO SAUCE WITH BEACH BUM

CHILLED FRUIT CONDE Ingredients Full cream milk Short-grain or pudding rice (cooked) Lemon zest Sugar Fresh or drained canned pineapple pieces Kiwi fruit Butter Mango

600 ml 60 gm One strip 2 teaspoons 360 gm 360 gm 10 gm 20 gm

Method Q

Q Q

Q

Q

SautĂŠ rice in butter, add milk and cook for 15 minutes Add sugar stir for two minutes Dice half of the fruits and lemon ring mix with rice Remove from the fire and keep aside to cool Keep inside the fridge for three hours.

Serve chilled with sliced fruit on top

DEATH BY CHOCOLATE Butter 5 tbsp Dark chocolate (this is one standard chocolate bar) 3.5 oz Extra large eggs Two Extra large egg yolk One Sugar 3 tbsp Flour 3 tbsp Cocoa powder 2 tsp Pinch of salt Powdered sugar as needed Chocolate chips 15 gm

Method Q

Melt the butter and chocolate together over a double-boiler, or microwave for a short time. Stir to combine. Whisk together the eggs

Q

Q

COCKTAILS C CO OCK CKTA TAILS ILS IL

Ingredients

and sugar until the mixture is light yellow in color, and the sugar is dissolved. It will take about three minutes Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and whisk until combined. Sift in the flour, cocoa, and salt. Fold in with a spatula until combined. Spoon into 4 buttered 5-oz ramekins, and tap on the table to settle any air bubbles. Refrigerate for 30 minutes Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place ramekins in a baking dish and add water until it is halfway up the sides. Bake for 15 minutes.

Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm. The cakes can be turn out, or served in the ramekins

051 | OCTOBER 11

by Sanjiv Nair

Tau Ming Chong (The Warlords) (2007) (China) (Director: Peter Chan, Cast: Jet Li, Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Jinglei Xu)

T

he Taiping Rebellion in China in the late 19th century divided and devastated a country like few others.

It was a battle between the crumbling monarchy of the Qing dynasty and the revolutionary, quasi anarchic, fascist regime of Hong Xiuquan – the man who claimed to be the brother of Jesus Christ.

20 million lives were wiped out within a span of 14 years. Set in these bloody times, Tau Ming Chong is a gory ballad of three blood brothers; their glorious allegiance and its desecration which shaped the outcome of the revolution and of Chinese history itself.

Dr. Zhivago

(Britain) (1965)

El Mercenario (The Mercenary) (Italy) (1968)

(Director: David Lean, Cast: Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Geraldine Chaplin, Rod Steiger, Alec Guinness, Tom Courtenay)

Director: Sergio Corbucci; Cast: Franco Nero, Jack Palance, Tony Musante and Giovanna Ralli

T

he period between 1912 and 1923 were the most tumultuous years in Russian history. Against the backdrop of chaos, political conceit and revolutionary zealotry unwinds David Lean’s romantic epic – one of the greatest movies of all time, Dr. Zhivago. Yuri Zhivago, his wife Tonya and his mistress, the dark and sensual Lara, become pawns on a much larger chess board of a country in conflict. Contrasting philosophies and the quintessential question of ‘whether the end justifies the means’ are moral inquiries that appear often yet never seem contrived, pretentious or forced.

I

n the 1960s, in the wake of the prevalent fascist regime of Mussolini, a new sub-genre of the spaghetti western had begun to emerge in Italy.

The themes were now more political, with the Mexican badlands as the purported locations and the overarching event tying the characters together being the Mexican Revolution. Influenced by the banditries of the revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, the films began to be known as Zapata Westerns.

Director Peter Chan’s vision is that of a master of the genre marrying intricate fight compositions with unrivalled graphic proficiency. The action here however, compliments rather than subverts the brilliant drama, which lies at the core of this extraordinary film. Jet Li bites off nearly a third of the movie’s budget for his salary but makes up for it with the performance of a lifetime and a fight sequence from hell. Andy Lau as usual is fantastic and Takeshi Kaneshiro complements the chemistry of the more powerful protagonists perfectly.

The film features a brilliantly stretched out screenplay and scintillating cinematography. David Lean’s genius is even more evident in a film that is a stitch of momentous events rather than a linear saga with a beginning and an end. Omar Sharif plays his heart out as the warm Dr. Zhivago. Geraldine Chaplin and Alec Guinness are in classic form.

But it’s the brilliant Tom Courtenay as Pasha and his wife, the heartbreakingly beautiful Lara, played by Julie Christie, that truly set the screen alight.

El Mercenario is the story of Mexican revolutionary Paco and his bizarre alliance with mercenary Sergei Kowalski and his gattling gun. Along with Paco’s men they free villagers from the oppression of their imperial and tyrannical rulers while Curly, their dark nemesis, plots revenge. As is typical of a Sergio Corbucci (who shot to fame with his violent western Django) film, the body count stacks up easily in triple digits.

Franco Nero is a blast as the anti-hero protagonist and Jack Palance and Tony Musante as Curly and Paco are inimitable to say the least. Giovanna Ralli oozes sex appeal; prepare to be thunderstruck while watching her wield a double barrel.

M Factor: That Jinglei Xu is one crazy cat,

M Factor: Julie Christie is smoking hot in

M Factor: L’ Arena, Ennio Morricone’s score

wild, ravishing and somewhat unconventionally beautiful. She deserves at least an entire evening’s worth of conversation with your mates.

this film. Soooo hot that even Sophia Loren, the woman with a name as sexy as her body and prime contender for the role, stood no chance.

for the shootout is one of Tarantino’s favorite tracks. He even uses it in Kill Bill in the scene in which she recollects training with Pei Mei.

052 | OCTOBER 11

THE HUB

José Rizal

(Philippines) (1998)

(Ireland) (2002)

Bloody Sunday

Alatriste

(Director: Marilou Diaz-Abaya; Cast: Cesar Montano, Joel Torre, Jaime Fabregas and Gloria Diaz)

(Director: Paul Greengrass; Cast: James Nesbitt, Allan Gildea and Gerard Crossan)

(Director: Agustin Diaz Yanes; Cast: Viggo Mortensen and Elena Anaya)

T

he Philippine Revolution of 1896 was an armed military conflict that led to the secession of the Philippines from the Spanish Empire. The conflict was an armed movement with repercussions felt in the outcome of the Spanish-American war. In spite of eradicating the country of its Spanish oppressors, the Filipinos were soon battling their American allies for control over the nation. But the spark that ignited the fire were passionate words and patriotic ideas of polymath and the foremost Filipino patriot, José Rizal. The eponymously titled film recounts the life of Rizal through a series of non-linear flashbacks, which are intertwined with his preparation for the farcical trial that awaits him.

D

(2006) (Spain)

T

Mike De Leon, the visionary director of Kispamata, was replaced very early by Marilou Diaz-Abaya, whose ‘Moral’, ‘Karnal’ and ‘Brutal’ trilogy were considered trailblazers of Filipino cinema.

The more questionable replacement was that of Aga Mulach by Cesar Montano for the film’s lead role. But all doubts were laid to rest when he gave the performance of his lifetime.

iscrimination against the Catholic Irish minorities in the allocation of public housing and voting rights had triggered a non-violent campaign for change in Ireland in the 1960s. Over the next decade, the clashes grew increasingly hostile with several standoffs between the IRA and the British Army. On 30th January, 1972, at a peaceful protest march by the Northern Ireland Civil Right Association in Derry, 13 men were shot down by the British Army. The documentary style of filmmaking, which typifies Paul Greengrass’s films, is used to frightening effect in his documentation of the events.

Events in Bloody Sunday are shown from the perspective of Ivan Cooper, MP of Northern Ireland and central organiser of the march, played impeccably by James Nesbitt. Greengrass quite intelligently sidesteps the path of stereotyping the characters into typical black-and-white counterparts. Instead, he focuses on the belligerence of the incident and makes dogmatism stand out as the true evil.

The film features a single track: U2’s live rendition of ‘Sunday, Bloody Sunday’, which plays over the closing credits and is also commemorative of the same incident.

he Dutch Revolt of 1568 was an opposition of the ardent militant religious policies of the Roman Catholics by the Protestant Provinces in the Low Countries (currently in parts of Netherlands, Belgium and France). The revolution gradually assumed the form of oppression against the Spanish crown.

The revolt set forth a domino effect and marked the beginning of the Thirty-Year War and culminated in the formation of the independent Dutch Republic.

M Factor: The film was a runaway box

M Factor: Greengrass uses the same style in

Based on Arturo Pérez-Reverte’s bestselling novels, the movie employs Viggo Mortensen in the role of the brazen and virtuous Captain Diego Alatriste. A soldier in the service of King Felipe IV, the movie traces his adventures as he transforms into a mercenary, a choice driven by personal compulsions. Like random brush strokes on canvas, the film serves as a montage of some of Alatriste’s finest moments: his bravado and on the rare occasion,his wicked streak of machiavellism. Viggo Mortensen is magnificent and so are Unax Ugalde and Ariadna Gil. This is one of the most expensive films ever made in Spain. The sets, costumes and locations are awe inspiring in this magnum opus.

office success and went on to win more than 40 awards.

the two Bourne films he directs. Witness the birth of the handheld camera genius.

M Factor: Two words –Elena Anaya.

053 | OCTOBER 11

1. Nothing Compares 2 U Sinead O’Connor Sinead O’Connor, an Irish singer named after the wife of her country’s former president Eamon de Valera, was nearly bald when she sang this song. She made the Vatican very angry by ripping up a photo of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live. She had a nice voice but couldn’t sing to save her skirt. End of story. ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’, written by Prince, was the only song that she ever performed to adulation.

And what adulation! It charted on top in 15 countries and still receives airplay. The music video, mostly a long close-up of her very expressive face, makes for magnetic viewing.

Hit Factor: Everyone loves the part where her lovely eyes

well up with spontaneous tears

Sound Check

Hit me baby

(just one time)

Technically, a one-hit wonder is a single song by an artist that entered the Top 40 on any chart that matters. We’ve heard the songs but barely remember the singers. Now let’s twist those shackles a bit, yeah? Crank your memory back. Here are my beloved 15, picked at random. by Bijoy Venugopal

2. One of Us Joan Osborne One expected the openly bisexual Joan Osborne to get God’s goat when she speculated that He, with the capital H, might be one of us. In all sagacity, perhaps God was amused enough to let her wallow in her extended fifteen minutes, for her album Relish (Blue Gorilla Records, 1995) climbed to the US and UK Top Ten on the strength of ‘One of Us’. The music video, featuring Osborne wandering about a Coney Island fairground, still enjoys airplay. Relish was her first album and none of her subsequent five (including the last, Little Wild One, in 2008) made a dent.

Hit factor: What if God was one of us? / Just a slob like one of us? / Just a stranger on the bus/ trying to make his way home

3. Runaway Train Soul Asylum In 1994, ‘Runaway Train’ by Soul Asylum won a Grammy for Best Rock Song and climbed to five on the Billboard Hot 100. It was, in fact, the music video, 054 | OCTOBER 11

riff, the song was equally loved and parodied. Its enormous success very nearly took The Knack apart.

Hit factor: Very explosive signature riff coupled with the

name Sharona

5. Torn Natalie Imbruglia Australian model and actress Natalie Imbruglia had appeared in the television series Neighbours and remained just another unrecognised pretty face until she burst on the scene with ‘Torn’, originally performed by American alternative band Ednaswap in 1995. The airplay that Imbruglia’s version received ripped a hole in the roof. It sold 4 million copies worldwide and she was nominated for a Best New Artist Grammy. Subsequent albums sank.

Hit Factor: The video, with its fixed camera angle, is eminently watchable. So is Ms Imbruglia

cleverly positioned for global markets, which set off the cash registers. Juxtaposed amid the stricken singing voice and the gripping chorus were haunting images of young people lost on the streets, along with their real names and the date they went missing.

The visuals were tailored for British, Australian and American television. In each country many of the children shown were reunited with their families after the video was aired. Today, few remember ‘Misery’ from the band’s next album the following year.

Hit factor: Runaway train, never going back/ Wrong

way on a one-way track/ Seems like I should be getting somewhere/ Somehow I’m neither here nor there

4. My Sharona The Knack The Knack – Doug Fieger, Berton Averre, Prescott Niles and Bruce Gary – were a Los Angeles quartet that made waves in 1979 when their debut single ‘My Sharona’ sold Gold in 13 days from the day of release. Fieger wrote it for Sharona Alperin, whom he ended up dating and who later became a California real estate hot-shot. With an instantly recognisable

6. I’m Too Sexy for My Shirt Right Said Fred Muscular, bare-chested and hairless English duo makes catwalk home video. Tosses in hot chicks by the bushel to divert attention from mediocre singing talent. Primps up video with cool-sounding name stolen from 1962 pop hit. Say hello to Right Said Fred. To be fair to brothers Richard and Fred Fairbrass (and Rob Manzoli, who left in 1997), they had charting hits in ‘Don’t Talk Just Kiss’ and ‘Deeply Dippy’ from their debut album Up, which sold Platinum in the UK and remained in the Top 40 for almost a year. The song also made the artist the first since the Beatles to top the US charts with a debut single.

The midway guitar riff – played by the only male with hair to appear in the video – quotes Jimi Hendrix’s “Third Stone from the Sun.” Gay, you say?

Close. Richard is flagrantly bisexual.

Hit factor: Music video featuring plenty of skimpily clad hotties and bare-chested males, offering wide-spectrum titillating appeal 055 | OCTOBER 11

7. Macarena Los Del Rio

successful songwriter and producer behind such artists as Pink, Gwen Stefani, Christina Aguilera and even James Blunt.

That Spanish Latin dance duo Los Del Rio’s greatest hits comprised at least six remixes of their 1992 staple ‘Macarena’ says enough about the track’s stupendous stickiness and the explosive influence it commanded over dance floors worldwide. So much that in 2002, VH1 ranked Macarena the “#1 Greatest One-Hit Wonder of all Time.” Antonio Romero Monge and Rafael Ruíz, accomplished flamenco singers since the 1960s, performed ‘Macarena’, originally called ‘Magdalena’ and inspired by a Venezuelan dancer, about a woman in Seville who protests her boyfriend’s being drafted to serve in the army by hooking up with two men. Subsequent versions embellished the protagonist with more sauciness and promiscuousness. The song also engendered the Macarena dance, which has been performed even at the White House.

Hit Factor: How far can you stretch that ‘hey’?

Hit factor: The song’s infectious rumba beat has inspired many remixes and, though no one can get the lyrics, it has been widely plagiarised

9. Who let the Dogs Out Baha Men Ranked the third most annoying song in a Rolling Stone poll in 2007, and seconded by Spinner magazine on its list of 20, the Baha Men’s ‘Who Let The Dogs Out’ is actually a remake of a Caribbean song titled ‘Doggie’, co-written by soca artist Anslem Douglas and composer/producer Ossie Gurley. Rapper Chuck Smooth heard the song while vacationing in Antigua in 1998 and performed it even before the Bahaman group made it notorious.

Hit factor: The song’s playing in your head even before you think about it, especially if you don’t want to think about it!

10. Video Killed the Radio Star The Buggles Call it bitter irony or ingenious product launch, on August 1, 1981, ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ by British New Wave group, The Buggles, became the first ever music video to be aired on MTV in the USA. Inspired by J G Ballard’s The Sound Sweep – a short story in which a mute boy vacuums up stray music in a world where music is dead, and chances upon an opera singer hiding in a sewer – the song looks back wistfully at the eclipse of radio. It has since been covered by The Presidents of the United States of America and Robbie Williams, among others.

Hit factor: ‘Video killed the radio star’ video killed the radio star/ In my mind and in my car/ We can’t rewind we’ve gone too far

8. What’s Up? 4 Non Blondes It seems California quartet, 4 Non Blondes, banded together just to produce one signature hit that had the title appear nowhere in the lyrics. Vocalist Linda Perry resembled Steven Tyler’s long-lost soul sister, with a mouth to match. The song, with noticeably clever lyrics (and outrageously bad singing), didn’t enjoy much success in the US but sold heavily in Latin America and Europe. The group broke up before completing their next album. Perry went solo, then into hiatus, overcame drug addiction, came out lesbian, and eventually charted a career as a very 056 | OCTOBER 11

JUKEBOX

both places to Eric Clapton’s Tears in Heaven, it did for country music what no one since Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton had achieved since 1983 – it sold Platinum. Widely parodied, it is listed among the worst songs ever.

Hit factor: Duh!

14. Ice Ice Baby Vanilla Ice 11. Eye of the Tiger Survivor Pubs without imagination still condemn you to endure a tepid afternoon pint over the thump of ‘Eye of the Tiger’. For me, though, it was the film version of Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel Persepolis that placed it in context. The song was commissioned by none other than Sly Stallone for the soundtrack of Rocky III. The story goes that Stallone wanted to use ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ but couldn’t acquire the rights from Queen. He settled for ‘Survivor’. Rocky III became the movie of 1982, and ‘Eye of the Tiger’ the year’s top hit.

Hit Factor: Stallone threw the punches / The bars took care of the airplay

12. Achy Breaky Heart Billy Ray Cyrus Today’s teenyboppers may remember Billy Ray Cyrus by his daughter Miley. Back in 1992, the two-chord country hit ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ performed by the senior Cyrus became a crossover sensation when it was nominated for Song of the Year and Record of the Year at the 35th Grammy Awards. Though it lost

Despite what Eminem said about ‘Ice Ice Baby’ – that listening to it made him want to stop rapping – it was the first hip hop single to crown the Billboard charts before the world had learned to say ‘Yo!’. Rapper Vanilla Ice, Robert Van Winkle to his schoolteachers, was 16 when he wrote the track about a drive-by shooting in Florida. What most people remember, however, is that Winkle nicked the bass line of the Freddy Mercury-David Bowie track ‘Under Pressure’.

Eventually, he did pay up, though by then ‘Ice Ice Baby’ had become a textbook entry for how not to rap. White rap, discounting the Beastie Boys, would remain under the floorboards until Slim Shady stood up in 1999.

Hit Factor: Signature groove – the stolen bass line

15. Black Velvet Alannah Myles Allanah Myles might have remained a Canadian nobody had it not been for ‘Black Velvet’. In 1989, her debut album Allanah Myles burst on the US charts and shinnied up to No 5, selling platinum; in Canada it sold tenfold and was certified gold in the UK. The song also won Myles, then 30, a Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance. Sultry, powerful and oozing oomph, Myles seemed like a talent set to dominate but burned out in years to come.

Hit Factor: Elvis. “Black velvet and that little boy’s smile/ Black velvet with that slow southern style”

13. The Final Countdown Europe Despite VH1’s inclusion of ‘Final Countdown’ among the worst metal songs, it was every late 1980s cover band’s definitive centrepiece. Written by the Swedish hair band Europe (the recognisable keyboard riff was composed by lead singer Joey Tempest), the song appeared on their third studio album. One urban legend goes that the song was about the doomed takeoff of Space Shuttle Challenger though the band has never acknowledged this as fact. Bollywood composers Ram-Laxman mooched the riff for 1989’s Maine Pyar Kiya.

Hit Factor: Keyboard riff, obviously; everything else is

forgettable 057 | OCTOBER 11

alan jagop a R k e

by Viv

058 05 0 58 5 8|O OCT OC OCTOBER CT C TO OB OBE BE B ER 1 11 1

I

Indian news television can hardly hold a candle to its Pakistani counterpart, especially when it comes to entertainment value. Last month, Marvi Sirmed, an unbelievably brave columnist of liberal disposition squared up against Zaid Hamid, a red Turkish cap wearing full-time venom spewer and selfstyled security analyst on a talk show about the validity of the two-nation theory in present-day Pakistan. It was a predictable exchange of fire.

Hamid called the sari-bindi wearing Sirmed and her secular friends RAW agents. She in turn hinted he was an ISI retainer, and a purveyor of bigoted falsehoods. But what really got Hamid’s goat was his caricature in sections of liberal press as a “lal topiwala baloongra” (red-hatted kitten). The comparison was grossly unjust, baseless and downright derogatory. I mean, seriously spare a thought for felis catus. If you see a cat lounging with serene majesty, albeit on a full stomach, I bet you’d want to swap places.

asinus, it provoked a national tional outrage. outrrage.

The outspoken, Chennai-born, -born, former form mer England captain could now ow find itt difficult to get a visa to visit the lan land nd of his forebears. It was an innocuous n innocuo ous ous comment, and a statement of fact. t Geoffrey Boycott in the late 1990s as matter of routine would point out that India had too many camels in the field. Only a month or so ago, Mike Atherton, another former England captain, and now the chief cricket correspondent of the London Times created a donkey-themed kerfuffle. Expressing his disapproval of Alastair Cook’s appointment as England’s One-Day internationals skipper, he called the opener a “donkey” and a “plodder” in the shorter version of the game. Coming from Atherton, it was a bit rich.

Although a competent Test opener (average 38), not amongst the greats, Atherton’s ODI career was a rather unremarkable one. But it didn’t prevent him from captaining his side. The team that he led at the 1996 World Cup would count as the most uninspiring in the history English ODI cricket.

Our ability as humans to mindlessly hurl animal themed abuses, and be extremely affronted when at the receiving end, is perhaps a sign of colossal ignorance and insensitivity towards our fellow inhabitants of the planet.

Showing the touch of a batsman who currently can do little wrong, Cook was quick to retort that, “It takes one to know one.” The spat reached a quick end unlike the Hussain controversy that refuses to die, thanks to the India Internet trolls.

Primates are invoked when we are in the mood for racist desecration; dogs and pigs represent the lowest of the low creatures for Hindus and Muslims respectively and therefore feature most in profanities.

Football too has had it’s asinine moments. The most famous one came during the 2006 African Cup of Nations semi-final between Egypt and Senegal. In the last 15 minutes of a game locked 1-1, Egypt coach Hassan Shehata decided to substitute the striker Mido. Mido at that time was the most notable Egyptian export to EPL and had only recently joined Tottenham Hotspurs.

Although he remained a starlet and

Donkeys, for some reason, get the harshest treatment. When former England cricket captain Nasser Hussain compared the agility of some Indian fielders to that of equus

EGYPTIAN STRIKER MIDO, IN THE ’06 AFRICAN CUP SEMIFINAL, CALLED HIS

COACH A DONKEY

WHEN REPLACED. HIS SUBSTITUTE

SCORED A GOAL

WITH HIS VERY FIRST TOUCH, AND

EGYPT WENT ON TO WIN

the best accolade that came his way was that of being an urchin’s Didier Drogba, Mido refused to obey his coach’s instructions. A touch line spat ensued between the two with Mido repeatedly calling his coach a donkey, among other things. Even the support staff were busy separating the two. Mido’s replacement Amr Zaki scored with his very first touch, winning the game for Egypt. Shehata laughed his gut out, and Mido’s career never really recovered.

In literature, the poor old donkey has fared better. Perhaps there was a reason why in George Orwell’s allegory The Animal Farm, the most sagacious, phlegmatic and wisest creature was Benjamin the Donkey.

And the wise Benjamin, better read than the ruling pigs, famously said, “Donkeys live a long time. None of you has ever seen a dead donkey.” Take that Nasser Hussain.

059 | OCTOBER 11

Photograph: Ken Tannenbaum / Shutterstock.com

Suicide bombers are not mentally ill, poverty stricken or brainwashed The South Asia correspondent of The Guardian and The Observer, Jason Burke has a first-hand experience of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deadliest conflict zones. Based in New Delhi now, Burke has reported from Afghanistan under the Taliban between 1998 and 2002, Iraq, before, during and after the war of 2003, Algeria, Combodia, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe, among others. Widely regarded a specialist in conflict, terrorism and Islamic militancy, Burke saw the September 9, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York unfold from his office in The Observer. Burke talks to Bobby John Varkey about his just-released third book, The 9/11 Wars.

060 | OCTOBER 11

You watched 9/11 from your office of The Observer. What are the horrific images of that day which will always stay with you?

The people jumping rather than burn to death.

9/11 was not wholly unexpected?

That there was going to be an attack of some kind was fairly clear.

There had been a whole series of previous strikes on American interests. The World Trade Center itself had been attacked in 1993 by Islamic militants.

Jason, ten years since 9/11, much of the world as we perceived it to be has changed. A cruel case of paradise lost, you would say?

Not really. It’s difficult to describe the late 1990s as a paradise after all. The whole decade was one of great instability. For America certainly, the last decade has seen a significant change, and not for the better. From a huge budget surplus, the USA now has a huge deficit. There are serious issues elsewhere too. But it is easy to underestimate the continuing strength and influence of America. Also, 9/11 was the result of ongoing trends and evolutions, which have a very long history. So I’m not sure that 9/11 changed the world. The world was changing anyway.

And would have changed over any decade.

What, in your opinion, are the contours of the conflicts all over the world, which, the common man thinks is driven by a group of people, and led by a personality?

No major political or religious movement in the world history has ever been purely the work of one person or group. Take Nazism. Was it just Hitler and his close associates? Or were there deeper elements at work? Long term trends in Germany, for example. The influence of the first world war. Or Chinese Communism? Was it all about Mao? Of course not. So radical Islamic militancy is not just about Osama bin Laden or his close group but about a wide range of factors – social, cultural, political, historical and religious – in the Islamic world and, of course, in the Islamic world’s relationship with the West. Islamic militancy in India, for example, has nothing to do with bin Laden. There has been radical activism of one sort or another for many years – even against the British – so this is always much bigger and broader than simply the work of one man. Indian authorities tried repeatedly to suggest that violence in Kashmir was in part the work of bin Laden. Clearly, that is a ridiculous idea.

You spent the last ten years reporting from the front line...

Afghanistan, Iraq... You call this book a result of ‘seeing things for yourself’.

I’ve been lucky enough to be a witness to many of the major episodes over the last few years. As one of the critics said, few historians are present on the battlefields during the wars they write about. But this is not a journalistic memoir. I’m drawing on a huge range of sources – other newspaper articles, books, memoirs, secret documents, the testimonies of other people present or involved in events. I’m trying to be very thorough. But my being there gives the book an immediacy and an accuracy – I hope – that otherwise wouldn’t be there.

Jason, you’ve been on the front line for most of the last ten years, reporting on riots in France, bin Laden’s killing, suicide bombers in Iraq. And now you are in India. Is reporting from this part of the world an equally satisfying experience, professionally? How would you rate this assignment?

What’s strange in reporting India is that it gets much less attention than it should in the rest of the world. Inside India there is this huge new pride and confidence and sense of being a world power. But outside India everyone is much more interested in, say, China or the Middle East. Maybe that will change. It’s certainly frustrating for a reporter based here.

The 9/11 Wars

by Jason Burke

Do you think we have learnt anything in these ten years, not in terms of countering terrorism, but in understanding people, cultures, simmering anguishes, etc?

Well, countering terrorism is about understanding people, cultures, simmering anguishes the better to fight them. The critical change in strategy in 2005 or 2006, which allowed much greater effectiveness in terms of counter-terrorist measures in

Penguin India Pages: 704 Price: `599

061 | OCTOBER 11

THE HUB

the West and in Iraq – though not in Afghanistan because it was too late there and because of other factors such as the role of Pakistan – was based in the idea that you have to have a real grip of the local factors that drive militants and communities into extremism if you are going to fight them. A pure military solution never works. All terrorism is in part political. There is no evidence at all that suicide bombers are mentally ill or poverty stricken or indeed brainwashed. Most know exactly what they are doing but believe that it is right. To fight them you need to understand why they think it is right. Then you don’t just remove one terrorist and see the space he leaves filled by a dozen more.

Is India, and therefore this part of the world, on the threshold of a churn?

I don’t think so. Continuing steady change, with some steps back and some forward, is most probable. Pakistan is something of a wild card though.

volunteers who come from privileged backgrounds fit in? They are hardly have-nots, they are fighting for the east but come from the west, and many were formerly secular? I just don’t think the big ideas and narratives are helpful in explaining what we are looking at.

The war on terror, you say in the book, is going to be a long haul experience. Both sides have achieved nothing but avoid defeat.

Well, it’s difficult to speak of victories when you look at the human and financial cost to the West and the cost in terms of lost prestige and diplomatic capital. But then al-Qaeda hasn’t one either. Islamic militants have not succeeded in overturning a single government and they are on the run pretty much everywhere. Bin Laden and most of his associates are dead.

And their call to arms has largely fallen on deaf ears. Only a tiny minority of the world’s Muslims have heeded their message.

You say these are isolated and area- region-specific. Did 9/11 trigger a chain-reaction all over the world, and were we wrong to attribute everything to Islamic militancy? Was it a costly mistake?

I don’t say they are isolated. I say you have to look at them in isolation to understand the whole. The mistake was to misunderstand the nature of Islamic militancy and the threat it posed. It was seen as the work of one group which was linked to states or a network of states. That was an old paradigm from the cold war. The strategy designed to counter Islamic militancy was thus the wrong one. Regime change, torture and military expeditions are not going to make a very contemporary movement which is chaotic, networked, unpredictable, dynamic go away. It’s like trying to eliminate a swarm of wasps with a hammer.

You argue that the conflicts in the world are not between the seculars vs the faithfuls, nor between east vs west, nor between the haves and have nots. What then are these about?

What I’m saying is that on the ground such big ideas don’t make sense. They are too simple. Take Iraq. At one point I was told by an American officer that there were six different fights in his area of command alone: Shia vs Sunni Muslim, Kurd vs Arab, Militant vs Iraqi government forces, Militants vs the US, militants vs each other, Iraqi forces vs other militia.

The same could be said of Afghanistan. And how do Western

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The world is correcting and looking at Al Qaeda as a far more diverse organisation with a variety of local manifestations rather than as a global organisation with tentacles everywhere, led by a single figure. Is it then also more dangerous?

In the sense that it is more difficult to eliminate, yes it is more of a problem. But the organisational capacity that allowed

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he idea for the September 11 attacks originally came from Khaled Sheikh Mohammed, an experienced and capable Kuwait-born Pakistani militant who travelled to seek out bin Laden shortly after the latter’s arrival in Afghanistan.Building on schemes he had tried to implement in the Far East, Mohammed’s ambitious plans for hijacking dozens of aircraft to strike American targets was initially rejected by bin Laden, but then dusted off, revised and finally accepted after a series of heated meetings of al-Qaeda’s senior leadership in the spring of 1999.

The volunteers for the plan could be found simply by scouring the various training camps, either those offering basic training for foreigners arriving to fight with the Taliban or those where more advanced candidates were being trained by al-Qaeda instructors in techniques of urban terrorism. Though most in the camps were there simply to gain combat skills for battles elsewhere in the Islamic world, senior al-Qaeda leaders had little difficulty in finding suitable candidates for a spectacular martyrdom mission. Many recruits were found in one particular camp – al-Farooq near Kandahar – where around 100 volunteers were undergoing basic and advanced training.

Investigators later said that al-Farooq was where al-Qaeda sent its top operatives to be prepared for their missions, but for David Hicks, an Australian convert who spent time in the camp in 2001, it was where ‘all the oddbods’ who did not already belong to any particular group ended up and thus was full of more cosmopolitan, Westernized militants of diverse origins. The proof, he said, was the ease with which he found fellow English-speakers. It was in al-Farooq that a team of volunteers who would be able to evade

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operations like 9/11 is no longer there. So the threat of a major attack of that nature is much smaller.

“Terrorism is not about massive organisations. It’s not about psychopaths. It is also not about starving people or revolution. It’s about pairs or small groups of people egging each other on. It’s a social activity like anything else.” You also delink poverty and terrorism. How would characterise the Maoist movement in India?

Very often terrorism is to do with marginality and a sense of injustice. Plus some ideology and organisations. The local communities in the Maoist-dominated areas in India provide the former. The urban educated party officials provide the

detection in America was assembled and trained.58 One of them, a highly committed Egyptian called Mohammed Atta, was designated the operational commander of the attack in the USA. The video that Ali al-Bahlul was so proud of was the ‘will’ of another team member, his former housemate Ziad Samir Jarrah.

The summer of 2001 passed in final preparations as the hijacking teams arrived in America. By the end of August Atta signalled that the attacks were planned for the second week of September. In his compound in Kandahar bin Laden warned his entourage to prepare to move as an operation was imminent and ordered the evacuation of alQaeda’s training camps.

One preparatory strike by al-Qaeda, repeatedly postponed, was finally carried out with only forty-eight hours left before the operation in America was due to be launched.

On September 9, two Tunisians killed both themselves and Ahmed Shah Massood, the main military leader of the Afghan opposition, with a bomb hidden in a TV camera during an interview at the veteran guerrilla leader’s headquarters in the northern town of Taloqan.60 The delay had largely been due to the target’s busy schedule.

On the day of the assassination of Massood, bin Laden and a handful of trusted and well-armed followers left Kandahar in a convoy of four ordinary cars and headed north to Kabul. On the 11th, they left the Afghan capital early and headed east, towards the Pakistani border, and by three o’clock were high in the hills of Logar province, not far from the villages where bin Laden had fought the Soviets over a decade before. Ali al-Bahlul, now appointed

The years between 2004 and 2006 were the worst years for the world – the Madrid bombings (2004), blasts in London (2005), riots in Paris (2005), the failed trans-Atlantic bomb plot (2006), and the world thought things are falling apart. Yet, you say it was not a fight between Islam and the rest of the world. the riots in Paris, which I reported on, had nothing to do with Islam. And the trans-Atlantic bomb plot failed. So that’s already good news! The point about those really dark years in the middle of the decade is not so much what happened but what didn’t happen. What didn’t happen was mass radicalisation and mobilisation of Muslim communities anywhere in the world. Everywhere bombs went off – and the vast majority of the violence was in Muslim countries – local communities turned against the militants. That was the case from Morocco to Indonesia. One after another when the bombs hit local streets, local communities said “we don’t support extremism or terrorism.” In the decade as a whole, I calculate that around 250,000 have been killed by the various 9/11 Wars. I’d say at least three quarters of them are Muslim themselves. So how can it have been a battle between islam and the rest of the world? Most of the Muslims were killed by other Muslims.

And most of the non-Muslims died fighting alongside Muslims.

bin Laden’s personal media technician, was driving a beige Toyota minibus that he had converted into a mobile media centre, fitting it with a satellite receiver, a monitor, a Toshiba computer, a VCR and a video camera. By late afternoon, the van was parked with the other vehicles in the convoy in a remote complex of run-down houses and cement buildings in one of the less-well- known training camps.

Before leaving Kabul, bin Laden had told al-Bahlul that ‘it is very important to see the news today’ and had asked if he could get US networks on the satellite receiver. In the hills of Logar, however, the mountainous terrain blocked the signal. Instead al-Bahlul tuned a short-wave radio to the BBC Arabic Service. The presenter finished a report and then broke off scheduled programming. A plane, he said, had just crashed into the World Trade Center in New York. Bin Laden’s entourage erupted into cheers, some prostrating themselves on the ground. It was 8:48 a.m.

New York time, 17.18 in Afghanistan. Bin Laden held up a hand to quiet them. Half an hour later came the news, broadcast immediately this time, that another plane had hit the second of the twin towers. Again bin Laden calmed those around, this time holding up three fingers. The men wept and prayed. Almost exactly an hour later came news of a third strike, this time on the Pentagon. Bin Laden held up four fingers. The final attack never came. A fourth plane, aiming for Washington’s Capitol Hill, had crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after a desperate attempt by passengers to wrest back control. The final death toll from the attacks would be just under 3,000. By nightfall, bin Laden and his followers and al-Bahlul’s media van were gone.

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THE HUB

You claim in the book that Saddam Hussein destroyed weapons of mass destruction in stages between 1991-1999, but “in a fatal miscalculation continued to obfuscate out of fear of being seen as vulnerable by his regional enemies”. Was he, then a victim or the perpetrator?

It’s pretty difficult to see Saddam as a victim. He was a man who seized and kept power through extreme violence, who killed hundreds of thousands of Shia in 1991, who ordered the deaths of tens of thousands of Kurds in the 1980s, whose security services raped, killed or tortured thousands more every year, who lived in luxury while many of his people starved. But did he still have weapons of mass destruction in 2003? No he didn’t. Nonetheless I personally find it difficult to see him as a victim.

latter. The other main factor in India is the incredible weakness of the state. The police and security establishment more generally are still using a policing model developed by the British. It didn’t work then and it certainly won’t work now.

Photographs by Tanvi Madkaiker Interview by Nivedita Jayaram Pawar Styled by Carlton Desouza and Sania Momin Make-up: Swapnil Pathare Hair: Walter @ b;blunt Location Courtsey: The Comedy Store, Palladium Mall, Mumbai. Tel : (022) 43485000 www.Thecomedystore.In

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irector Anurag Kashyap calls him an early Johnny Depp and goes on to say, “Look at all the strange little movies that have come in the last few years.

The only common link is Abhay. He’s resisted the pressure of the market and done what he wanted to do, unlike actors who do what they think they ought to do.”

With his nine films in a span of five years, Abhay has breathed new life into small budget, independent films that had no takers.

After plying his trade in some little-seen but highly acclaimed films (Manorama Six Feet Under, Ek Chalis Ki Last Local ) it’s now time for the emerging Deol to ascend Bollywood’s pecking order at warp speed. The timing couldn’t have been better. There’s a paradigm shift occurring in Bollywood that is reshaping the modern perception of what it means to be a leading man. It’s the year of the sensitive man and Abhay has helped sensitive go chic. And yes, the dimples help!

But it’s not been a cakewalk for this actor who began his career with box-office duds like Socha Na Tha and Ahista Ahista.

Written off, Abhay officially entered leadingman territory with Dev D. Though Abhay always had the acting chops required for career longevity, with Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (ZNMD) he showcased a sensitivity and intelligence rare in young performers.

All said and done, Abhay is not the quintessential Deol – oozing a raw masculinity. It’s exactly these qualities (read boyish good looks and effortless charm) that landed him the title of one of the hottest males in India. With ZNMD Abhay has not only achieved a substantial degree of popularity, but also a lion’s share of swoons from adoring female fans. Abhay has earned the respect of rabid genre fans; courtesy his choice of films. Here’s hoping the awards will follow soon.

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Abhay, you are in the big league now after Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Happy?

I was always in the big league, what are you saying? (laughs). I was just playing on the little league so I could get ahead. I am just kidding. Obviously it feels good. I am hoping that this would now translate into producers showing more confidence in the subjects I am attached to and distributors giving it better distribution. I would also hope that now there would be no set ideas as to what constitutes a hit film. I am hoping that Shanghai, my next release with Kalki and Emraan Hashmi, generates good curiosity in the market and would get a larger distribution and bigger marketing. Then I will be happy. Then I will feel like I am in the big league. Not with just more commercial offers. Of course, the money is better now and the platforms are bigger. But if they are the same formula films, I am going to turn them down.

You are known for the choices you have made so far. Why are you following the flock now? Are you done with the whole small budget, independent cinema?

Oh no, not at all. I am not done with anything yet.

In fact I feel like I am just getting started. I have always wanted to do mainstream stuff. But it’s just that though the stuff that came my way, especially earlier on in my career, was formula films, with upcoming producers and directors. Basically, it were people who didn’t have much backing. So I ended up looking like a B-grade Bollywood hero. Now if I have to do the Bollywood stuff I‘d rather do it with the YashRaj films or a Karan Johar. When they come in with their experience and clout you get projected in a big way. But if that’s not coming my way then I might as well do something completely off the beaten path. Then at least people will come and appreciate that. No one’s going to appreciate an attempt to be a Karan Johar or a Yash Chopra. No

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Are you ready to be a regular hero now? Ready to beat the daylights out of the villain?

If you are referring to ZNMD, yes on the surface, maybe.

But there were no villains in the film, apart from the demons of the characters you see. How many Bollywood films make that?

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Rapid Fire • On a day off I am watching Discovery Channel on TV

• What puts you off Lies

• Sexiest woman alive My girlfriend!

• Money Can buy me everything except money

• Currently reading Tehelka

• Favourite past time Travelling

• Listening to Las Vegas

• Recurring dream As a kid I used to fly a lot in my dreams. I haven’t for a long time. So I am hoping to fly again

• Any OCDs? Oh yes. I have to make sure plugs, electricity, gas switches are turned off. I check it a dozen times before I leave home

• Scared of Cockroaches

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one’s going to buy into a ‘wanna be’ movie. That was not out there for me. At the same time people with interesting scripts like Ek Chalis Ki Last Local, Manorama Six Feet Under, Honeymoon Travels Private Ltd., Oye Lucky, Lucky Oye!, etc, came to me and I accepted them. You didn’t need big producers to back you for those films.

That’s what you thought. But look at the way they were marketed.

I know they were very poorly marketed and distributed. I thought Ek challis... had a far greater mass potential than it eventually had. People who did like Manorama Six Feet Under didn’t even know when it released and ended up seeing it on DVD or TV. If it was marketed well these people would have come and seen it on screen. I find things like these frustrating about small films. Perceptions of your film will show when you market it. And that’s unfair because the director and actors have given their 100 per cent. What if we were thinking that while making the movie? We are not allowed that luxury and it shouldn’t be. Why are you in this business to begin with then? You do more harm than good in that case.

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That’s when I realised a big good producer comes in handy. Fair enough, I didn’t get the privilege of that.

But I believed that people will start to notice at least when the films come on DVD. And maybe when I have five-six films under my wing, I will have a certain degree of curiosity and a measure of success.

People may turn around and say at least he stuck to his guns. His conviction is strong enough. And that’s exactly what happened. Ironically, that’s when the bigger houses were willing to take their chances with me.

You always swam against the tide. Was it because you didn’t see yourself doing things your tayaji (Dharmendra) or cousins (Sunny and Bobby) did?

I wasn’t the conventional hero. I never kidded myself that I was. I wasn’t even dying to do the conventional stuff. I knew in the beginning that such comparisons would be inevitable. But I was hoping that a few films down the line people would realise that I am not just fighting the image that my family has, but the image that Bollywood heroes have. It’s a bigger picture. It took them seven films to stop asking me, “Aap toh Deol hain, Par aap Deol jaisi filme nahin karte hain.” After six films I was like ‘I am six films old.

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Don’t you get it? It’s not about my family, it’s about the industry. And don’t keep saying my family is the only one that does a certain genre of movies. Every big star is typecast based on films that he/she is known to do. It’s not just my family.’ Maybe because we have stuck to formula for so many decades that change is hard to accept. And if something has worked for so many years why would people want to do anything different?

to survive in this industry with my individuality remaining intact.

Basically, you wanted to be the protagonist and not the ‘hero.’

Yeah. A hero is a hero not because he looks a certain way, beats up a lot of people and gets the girl. He’s the hero because he overcomes a lot of conflicts.

So are people chasing you now?

Is that’s why you didn’t have the launch film that said – ‘Iss mein action hai, romance hai, comedy hai, drama hai...’

You see, movie-makers are desperate to put everything in one film to make people believe that the newcomer can be put in any genre and he would do well. That completely ruins the person. I don’t think you can have all this in one film and still act convincingly. You can’t be a weak person and suddenly be heroic. Maybe you can be a person who is weak of character and eventually toward the end of the film develop some character.

I set out to make an individual space for myself. I knew that first it would be about carving a niche for myself outside of my family’s image. Once I did that, I was hoping that people would realise I was trying

Well I have no reason to complain. I am happy.

What was the phase like after most of your films flopped and nobody wanted to work with you?

Surely it was hard. Unfortunately Socha Na tha put me in this romantic, comedy space and after that, all I got were offers to play a romantic, comic boy next door. I felt insecure about my future. I am not the cocky types who think they will make it, come what may. I believe in preparing for the worst. The worst had happened and that was the biggest blessing. I had attempted something and I had failed. Since it couldn’t get any lower than where I was, it gave me strength. Of course, it only got more and more difficult and I had further flops after that. Things had 073 | OCTOBER 11

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COVER STORY

got to me to a point that I was seriously considering quitting. I wasn’t being strong mentally as I kept waiting for a certain body of work which would become my strength. And just when I was ready to give it all up, I got Dev D and Oye Lucky Lucky Oye.

for a year and still be happy. I actually managed that.

It’s important for me to keep doing projects I believe in. The day I start to sell myself for fame, money and big projects just for the sake of it, is the day I will start to lose all respect for myself and the public.

Post ZNMD there has been a change in perception of you

What are your film sensibilities? What kind of films blow you away?

From the industry perspective people are now more open to giving me the main lead and putting money in projects that I take on. Though there was never a dearth of recognition from the moviegoers. Earlier they liked my work and appreciated it. Now it’s a bit of a frenzy.

What’s your work-life balance?

If I do 2-3 projects in a row, I need to step back and get away from it all. Maybe do nothing. But I can’t be stuck in this process of shooting day in and out. It takes its toll on me as for me it’s tough. I love it, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that I need to take a break.

Inspiration is hard to come by because spontaneity gets completely drained. Acting is easy when you take from life. When you are only working, life is not really happening. So I took a year’s break after Dev D and went off to New York. I enrolled myself in an art school doing a bit of sketching and welding. I had time on my hands and did a lot of things as simple as buying music cds for the whole day, listening to them and going for concerts late in the evening. And let life happen. I saw some great films, discovered some great music, met people from all walks of life and understood what they do for a living. I didn’t complete the course. I didn’t know I could do nothing

I like dark comedies like Dr Strangelove and American Beauty. I grew on Star Wars and Indiana Jones. In my teens, it was films like Brazil and Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. Then there was discovering Irani films. I was a big fan of Kusturica and Life is a Miracle. Quirky and dark comedies peak my interest.

Your sense of style has gone through a sea change from Socha Na tha to ZNMD For me it’s just what I am comfortable in. I am a jeans and t-shirt guy. Once in a while I’d throw in a shirt or a waist coat and a hat. I don’t even know what’s the latest fashion. I think it’s time to go shopping again as I haven’t shopped for a year now and most of my stuff in the cupboard may be dated.

How was it growing up in the big Deol family?

We are a joint family. It was a big house, chaotic with lots of kids. I was very close to my tayaji and grew up calling my parents, Ajit Uncle and Usha Aunty.

But it never felt strange to me. My tayaji would be shooting and all of us would go along to the location.

It was an excuse to get the family out and travel.

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on in life. Both my tayaji and brothers travelled and they would get films from abroad. That’s how I got exposed to other foreign films. But we were pretty much kept away from life in the film world. We were conditioned to be normal kids. We weren’t forced to get into films. In fact they used to tell me, “If you want to be an actor, that’s good. But perhaps if you want to be an engineer or a doctor, that’s also fine. There was a subtle hint but no arm twisting.

More ink has been spilled over your love life recently than you’d probably care to admit. What’s happening there?

Well, I feel loved. (Laughs).

You don’t believe in marriages, though For me marriage is a cultural thing, not a natural thing. Nature doesn’t expect you to sign on a piece of paper to be partners and to have children. It’s fair enough that you believe that. But it should be allowed to live in with body without being married. For me that’s not a taboo. Love is not something you can sign on a piece of paper. Love is something that happens.

You have to work at it. The faster changing world we live in keep people apart.

You really have to be in love to be together. I think when there is no compulsion of marriage and a last name you are more likely to stay together. So I will settle down with someone. I won’t predict who it is. I don’t think I’ll ever have children as I believe the world we live in is not the place I could bring children into.

It’s overpopulated.

So what’s the kind of women you’d fall for?

Free spirited. Humble if possible.

And romantic?

I think I am romantic but I don’t put romantic in a box.

I have had my phases. For one girlfriend in college I would get a flower almost everyday. Believe it or not.

But today I wouldn’t do that.

So you are looking for someone who’s not craving for flowers Yeah, someone who is as nomadic as I am.

Conventionally speaking there is nothing romantic about me. I don’t want to get married or have children. I don’t believe that everything lasts for ever. I do believe that we get attracted to all sorts of people and not just one person and that’s fine. Flirting is OK.

You are a marriage disaster Exactly! I am completely unromantic. Nothing is forever. The point is to carry it on till whenever it works for you. Eventually you and me will die and the relationship will also die. When I say I don’t want to have children, doesn’t mean I don’t want to adopt. It’s mainly got to do with environment. If I say attraction is ok, it doesn’t mean that I want to act upon it. It just means that I accept us to be human beings who have the emotional capacity for so much more. Lot of women can’t deal with it. They want this set security blanket and boundaries. I don’t believe in boundaries.

For me, that’s romantic.

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After their success in London, The Comedy Store is now in Mumbai’s Palladium Mall. Complete with a full bar, diner and cafe, watch out for rib-tickling performances by their comedians every week between Thursday and Sunday

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FEATURES 081 | OCTOBER 11

Photograph: Jaggat / Shutterstock.com

The sound of speed

by Ashish Pratap Singh

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very man who is ever driven a mechanical beast has yearned to be a racer. Few get to own machines that gallop ahead of ‘competition’ in red-light grand prixes. Fewer still land a job where they are paid to do so. But the best of the rare earn a chance to race a Formula-one car. To be in this league squarely means being the best at racing, to be Gods of mettle and having a shot at immortality. Formula-one, for the last 60 years, has stood for pinnacle of unison of man and machine and how both push each other to the outer limits of endurance. More importantly, the race stands for opulence, for glamour. It represents larger-than-life world of fast cars, faster lifestyles and fastest money. Everyone wants in but few are let in. And this thunderbolt of an event is making a beeline for India.

Come last week of October, all eyes will turn towards the

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Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida. Rumours to the effect that it will prove to be the fastest circuit in the season are already doing the rounds. The circuit is being built at an astronomical cost of Rs 1000 crores. It will initially seat 110,000 people with a bandwidth to almost double this capacity. According to official reports, the track is being developed to prove to be one of the most challenging ones to the drivers with the circuit rising fourteen metres within the first few corners. It has plenty of straight stretches to allow the drivers to put their metal stallions through the gruel; and the result... the thunder of the engines will be audible from more than ten kilometers away. For that one weekend, probably cricket will be on the back-burner.

Thousands will throng the venue to see their titans of speed in flesh, countless more will tune into this event from the world over. No matter how high you set your bar

FEATURES

of expectations, the event and the excitement that it’s gathering will far outreach it.

It all started back in 1950 when Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) organised the first ever official World Championship for Drivers using the Formula One rules.

Formula implies to this very set of rules that all teams and their drivers must adhere to. The season saw Alfa Romeo winning every race like a raging bull. For the next few years the other Italian teams of Ferrari and Maserati also dominated the races. 1958 season also saw a woman driving in Formula-one for the first time with Maria Teresa de Filippis racing a private Maserati at the Belgian Grand Prix.

The first Formula One World Championship was won by Italian Giuseppe Farina in his Alfa Romeo during 1950, barely defeating his Argentine teammate Juan Manuel Fangio.

Facts of steel

In a street course race like the Monaco GP, the down force provides enough suction to lift manhole covers. Before the race all of the manhole covers on the streets have to be welded down to prevent this from happening Silverstone circuit in Britain is supposedly the fastest circuit in the world with an average speed of 182 kmph The slowest corner in F1 is on the Monaco Circuit.

Fairmont hairpin bend is taken at just 46 kmph The quickest stretch is also on the Monaco Circuit.

The stretch of the tunnel is taken usually at an average speed of 260 kmph The highest straight line speed recorded during a Grand Prix was 369.9 kmph, set by Antonio Pizzonia during the 2004 Italian GP 083 | OCTOBER 11

Burn some rubber

Numbers are assigned to all F1 drivers. The previous season’s champion is given number 1, and his team-mate is designated number 2. Number 13 is not designated to any driver.

When an F1 driver puts brakes on his car he experiences huge retardation or deceleration. It could be compared to a regular car driving through a brick wall at the speed of 300 kmph An F1 car can accelerate from 0 to 160 kph and decelerate back to 0 in just four seconds Most racing cars have their tyres filled with nitrogen. The reason being nitrogen has a more consistent pressure compared to normal air Pit stop crews take only 3 seconds to refuel and change tyres In a GP each tyre loses about 0.5 kg in weight due to wear The use of automatic gearbox is prohibited for use in Formula-one cars Last driver fatality was in 1994 when Ayrton Senna died in the San Marino GP

However Fangio won the title during 1951, 1954, 1955, 1956 & 1957 (His record of five World Championship titles stood for 45 years until German driver Michael Schumacher took his sixth title during 2003).

in 2014, set to be paying above this average rate. It really is a big gamble. While some tracks make millions in TV rights, trackside advertising, hospitality and sponsorship, there are circuits like Albert Park that lost $32MN in 2007.

However, the money spinner cult status that Formula-one enjoys today is because of FIA supremo, Bernie Ecclestone, who pioneered the sale of television rights for the races in ‘70s. Today, Ecclestone manages the financial, administrative and logistical aspects of each race that is held. A Deloitte report stated that Formula-one boasts of the highest revenue generating sporting events in the world. This year’s Formula Money report estimates that Formula-one’s entire earnings will double by 2016 and reach $3.3BN with more than $220MN earnings per race. Such an increase for the sport’s income would mark a rise of around 105 per cent from the $1.58BN in 2010. With soaring revenue, it’s natural that costs involved will catapult too. Last year brought in an estimated total of $568MN, with India, debuting at the end of this season, and Russia, making its first appearance

Let’s also talk about the moolah that the drivers rake in. For an entire season a Formula-one driver gets an estimated $25-30MN. This does not include revenues from advertising.

Fernando Alonso was touted to have earned nearly $40MN last year from Ferrari. Advertising and race earnings more than double such a figure. Michael Schumacher was reported to have demanded (and got!) $50MN as a salary from Ferrari in 2004.

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With such high stakes ruling the roost and making or breaking fortunes for all involved, it is natural to have larger than life expectations from the race car, which almost always exceeds on what is expected of it. Probably where Formula-one differs the most from any other form of racing is that the entire car and all its components must be made

Still don’t think the man and the machine are worth the top dollor paid for them? Then here is some more food for thought. The race car speeds are largely determined by the downforce they generate, which effectively makes the car stick to the tarmac. Downforce is regulated by the wings at the front and at the back of the car and and by ground effect created by low pressure air under the flat bottom of the car. Carbon-fibre disc brakes are used for optimal braking.

These enhanced brakes generate a downforce of 2.5G (two and a half times the gravitational pull) force on the driver when driving through a corner where speeds drop at the rate of 200-0km/h in under three seconds. To put things in perspective, a driver’s head tilts while taking corners is because it feels like it has been hit by a 20kg sandbag. A racer’s heart-rate can be anything from 160-200 beats per minutes during the course of a race, which lasts usually more than two hours. This equals running at a speed of 12 on a treadmill for more than two hours nonstop. This is ensured by the unusually high levels of adrenaline produced in their bodies to counter the concentration and exertion levels. Additionally, these drivers lose two-three litres of body water per race. This is an over-the-top figure because sports studies shown that a person losing just 4 per cent of their body weight suddenly can lose up to 40 per cent of their psycho-physical capacity. And boy, do they need their splitsecond decision making skills! The sensitivity of a top-line Formula-one driver is so finely developed that he can feel a change as tiny as 0.5 per cent in front-rear aerodynamic balance. He can sense a difference in the car’s behaviour if its front ride height is altered by as little as one millimeter.

Throughout the race, a driver aims to keep his engine RPM within a band of 2000rpm (where maximum power is produced). He can judge his pace so exactly that, on a clear track, he can repeatedly achieve consecutive lap-times within a range of 0.2 second.

Photograph: AHMAD FAIZAL YAHYA / Shutterstock.com

by the constructors. They cannot buy, say, the chassis for the car from a bulk producer of car chassis. What has a multiplier effect on this cost is that, as per FIA regulations, each car constructed can only be raced for one season. Come next year and a brand new indigenously built car must take its place on the track. However, the bulk of the cost behind a new F1 car is not in building it but in designing and maintaining it. Quite naturally, the biggest chunk of the budget is kept aside for the engine. Typically, an F1 engine would cost approximately $200,000 to make a single engine and around 20-22 are made. Brake discs and their linings also must be replaced very frequently. The entire car with all its components can cost up to $7MN. Other cost variables for the team for the entire season include operating costs for testing the cars, team and driver salaries, operating cost of the cars at the races, wind tunnel operating costs, travel and accommodation, etc. The chassis is made of carbonfibre composites, which make the car extremely light but very strong nonetheless. The entire car, including the fuel, the driver and the engine, weighs only 640kg, which is the

Lastly, what everyone waits for with baited breath. The race weekend. The host city is transformed into a Mecca for race enthusiasts and aficionados. The teams and their entourages are a complete town in itself and their logistics require some serious planning. So humungous is the logistical effort for the teams to get all the equipment to the host city and then to the circuit that FIA has its own logistics partner—DHL. Each team competing in a Formulaone season travels around 160,000 kms between races and test sessions and at each venue can take up as many as 100 hotel rooms. Cars must be hired to transport equipment and people between the hotel and the team’s facility at the circuit. For all the European races, which form a major chunk of the season, all the equipment, the people and their motorhomes are driven from one venue to another. For races outside of Europe, special planes are chartered by the teams to fit all equipment and occupy every available nook-and-cranny.

Everything about Formula-one is larger than life... the cars, the pin-up boys, the teams. It stands for the unquenchable human quest for bigger, better, faster. It raises the bar on the equipoise of man and machine becoming an extension of one another. And this shooting star in a galaxy far far away will be visible for a weekend in India. Rest assured, connoisseurs of opulence will make it a point to not miss this rare sighting.

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minimum weight set by the regulations.

Gods in the

machine

by Alam Srinivas

I

n 2008, Jenson Button, who drove a Honda in the Formula-one car racing circuit, had a harrowing year. He got just three points in the entire 18-race season, was never on the podium (among the first three) with his best being number 6 in Spain, and finished 18th out of a total of 22 drivers. Well, he also had to opt out of four races during the year. The next year, he switched to the Brawn Mercedes team, won six out of the first seven races in 2009, and also the championship. It was a remarkable turnaround. Nothing had possibly changed for Button, except for the car he drove.

In the next two years, 2010 and 2011 (the season is still on), he joined a new team, McLaren-Mercedes (not to be confused with Brawn Mercedes), did well, but was never in the race to win the championship. Similarly, Lewis Hamilton, a rookie driver, entered F1 in 2007, drove the McLaren-Mercedes, and came second, a point behind the leader. The next year, he became the youngest champion, piping his Ferrari rival by a point. Since then, he has never been among the top three.

Such examples are numerous. For example, look at the sheer domination of the Ferrari in the last eleven years (2001-11). Its drivers have won the FI five times, and came second thrice.

Over the last three years, with tremendous improvements in its car designs, RBR-Renault has emerged as one of the most difficult teams to beat. The point one is making is simple: it seems that unlike other sports, the machine (car) is more important than the man (driver) in Formula 1.

Pop this question to an F1 driver and his first instinct is to deny it squarely. “The driver is still important, but in different ways,” says Jerome D’Ambrosio, who is one of the two main drivers for a two-year-old team, Marussia Virgin Racing.

Adds his senior team mate, Timo Glock, “It’s the driver who makes it happen on the track; he makes a good car win.” Probe a bit further and Timo states the Button example and agrees that the car could be a more critical factor.

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If a Sebastian Vettel (RBR-Renault) is over 100 points ahead of his nearest rival in the 2011 season, with six more races to go, no one but a fanatic fan is going to watch the remaining ones. There is no way, or a miniscule chance, that Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) can beat him now. It can happen only if Vettel, who has won eight of 13 races this year, does not get any points, and Alonso wins at least five of the remaining races. Now, that’s an improbability, if not an impossibility.

For the reserve drivers, who have to go behind the wheels in case the main ones are unavailable for some reason or the other, the situation is worse. They just hang around team meetings, especially on race weekends, to imbibe whatever knowledge they can about the car and overall strategy. They somehow prepare themselves mentally and physically in case they are called in to participate in a certain race in a hurry. They only absorb, don’t contribute much.

So, the FIA has changed several rules in the past few years in a bid to make F1 more exciting. A major factor responsible for a car’s performance is tires. Better tires, with lower wear and tear, help a car to go faster without spending too much time on changing them during a race. Earlier, each team could use its own tires and, hence, spend more to develop better quality ones. Now, all cars have to use the same brand, and can change them once during a race. This brings all teams at a level-playing field.

The FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile), which governs the rules and regulations of the most of the motor sport worldwide, is worried about the growing supremacy of certain cars. If a Ferrari, McLaren-Mercedes, or RBR-Renault is going to win every season, it makes F1 boring. If a certain car, because of its superior design in a specific season, ends up as a winner without any competition, it weans away the 550 million TV viewers, as well as potential ticket buyers.

To enable cars to overtake more often during a race, new design innovations have been allowed. According to a mid-season (2011) analysis by Mercedes, the changes were responsible for almost 30 per cent of the passes (excluding those on the first lap or due to accidents). In many races, at Valencia and Istanbul, the new rules accounted for 51 per cent and 41 per cent of the total passes, respectively.

However, many drivers, like Timo, don’t like the new rules.

The buck stops here

Steering wheel: $38,000 It has 23 dials and buttons and controls 120 functions

Wheels: $40,000 A tyre lasts 100-120 km

Engine: $200,000 It lasts about two hours of racing

Fuel tank: $8,000 Takes one second to fill 12 litres of fuel

Gearbox: $990,000 Capable of gear changes in 1/100th of a second

Material costs: $3,260,000 80,000 components make an F1 car Photograph: renkshot / Shutterstock.com

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The main role of the driver today, it seems, is to give critical and crucial feedback to the engineering and design teams.

This ensures that the technical glitches are removed and blunders are corrected, both before and during a season.

“We have to tell them how the car behaves on the actual track, which can help develop and improve it. For example, if the car slides from the rear due to too soft or swift power, only the driver can tell what’s going wrong,” explains Jerome.

Death race?

by Alam Srinivas

F

ormula-one, or F1, is a funny sporting event. Most team owners lose huge sums every year. Almost every host city, country or private firm invests large amounts to set up the race track, stadium and the requisite infrastructural paraphernalia without any hope of recovering it directly for several years. Drivers have to find sponsors, who will pay for them to participate in a team.

Many sponsors have not got the foggiest idea about how these huge expenses are enhancing brand values, or if they are leading to more global sales.

According to John Booth, Team Principal, Marussia Virgin Racing team, an owner spends between $75 and $225MN every year. Formula Money, an annual publication on F1 economics, contends the average was $170MN per team in 2010. Apart from top 5-6 teams, others either cannot hope to make profit, or have a long-term plan to do so. “We have a five-year horizon to break even, and our business strategies are designed for it,” says Booth.

In difficult times, even the best teams incur huge losses. In 2010, Renault (as opposed to RBR-Renault) was among the top five teams, but lost over $50MN. Sponsorship money, which comprises almost two-thirds of the revenues for any team, can be fickle and unpredictable as Renault found out.

According to an article in Guardian, the allegations that the team had rigged the Singapore race in 2009, led to an exodus of sponsors the next year and revenues fell nearly 50 per cent to around $12oMN. Altogether, the combined sponsorship income for all the teams in 2011 has risen by almost 10 per cent to $831 mn.

However, this increase has to be seen in perspective; the figure is just 2 per cent higher than that for 2009. In addition, one has to consider the $40 mn deal between Lotus and 088 | OCTOBER 11

Renault In December 2010, which envisaged that the sponsor could buy a 50 per cent stake in the team at a later date. It was more of a combined sponsorship-ownership agreement.

What is true for the teams (and their profits) is also the case with the sponsors. The top five in the latter category account for most of the brand exposure (in terms of advertising value) during the season. A study done by Formula Money during the Australian race this year found that out of 132 brands, over 50 per cent of the estimated advertising value equivalent a measurement for exposure accrued to the top five. All of them were attached to the teams that are present on the podium.

It may, therefore, not be wrong to assume that companies associate themselves with F1 for some sort of a prestige, a premium image, and just to have some recall value among the 550 million global viewers. Many of the brands that spend huge monies on F1 don’t even have a presence in the countries that hold the races. So, marketing experts feel that such decisions are also influenced by the owners’ ego. For example, does it make sense for Vijay Mallya’s Kingfisher, a largely Indian brand with manufacturing presence in a few nations, to seek a global audience?

Given these new dynamics, many team owners and sponsors are predicting a slow death for F1 unless the sport changes radically in many ways. The number of changes in team owners, and the backing out of traditional advertisers are two indicators of waning interest in F1. One of the critical areas to tackle is to reduce the cost of owning a team, which will directly reduce sponsors’ exposure. The FIA has taken several steps to achieve this objective, which will also bring all the teams at a similar level and, hence, increase competition and make the races more interesting.

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Dollar dreams

by Alam Srinivas

A

s is case with geopolitics, economics and demographics, the same is with most sports, especially F1. The axis of power is slowly, but surely, shifting towards Asia. In 2011, six of the 19 races will be held in Asia, apart from one each in Australia and Abu Dhabi. The new viewers, mostly in the below 35 years category, are in India and China, both of which are F1 hosts.

By extension, the new young and urban consumers, and hundreds of millions of them, are in Asia.

As the middle class power shifts to the east, F1 has no option but to look in this direction. It is in this context that one should analyse the fact that New Delhi (actually Noida) was included as the F1 venue for this season; China has been on the circuit since 2004. As viewers plateau in Europe, where most of the team are headquartered, and as the lucrative US market eludes it (it will \have an F1 next year), the FIA has to find new markets to keep those engines revved up.

However, the dynamics and economics of being a host are mind-boggling. It costs $300-400 mn (the higher figure in the case of India, and lower for the US) to build the track and the stadium. The annual fee for the rights to hold the race is $30MN. Not to forget the expenditure on maintenance of the track, and staff to handle the huge logistics during race weekends. It is difficult for a private owner, like Jaypee Group, which will host the Noida race, to recover its investments within 10-15 years.

In most countries, especially in new circuits, either the local or central government subsidises the construction or recurring costs. For example, in Texas (US), which plans to hold a race in 2012, there is a debate whether the state should extend an annual financial support of $25 mn for ten years out of the taxpayers’ fund. The administration

help is also required to keep the track busy for as many as 200 days, apart from three days of F1, to recover investment costs. Most host countries also decide to waive off taxes (like entertainment tax) on sports-related activities.

Can Jaypee make money given the fact that it is getting little help from either the state or central government? In fact, the Centre has refused to waive off its taxes, including the refundable Customs duties that have be paid on the cars and other equipment during the interim period that they are in India and local entertainment tax. The Gaur family, which owns the group, is eyeing a couple of avenues to make money over the next few years.

One, as Noida becomes an F1 centre, the price of real estate in the area is likely to go up. Jaypee is developing several residential and commercial complexes in Noida and will benefit from this trend. The Gaurs also hope to hold more racing events at their stadium to earn extra revenues from ticket sales. Add to that the in-stadia advertising and TV rights for the additional events. At an average of `2,500 per ticket, the F1 itself will earn over $6 mn a year.

The economic road ahead is full of bumps, unlike the smooth F1 track, for Jaypee Group. Even the FIA recognises these problems. Thus, it tries to impress upon the indirect benefits that accrue to the host because of the F1 race. In the case of Texas, the state may earn additional tourism-related revenues of $300MN during any race weekend. Other analysis prove that during the F1 contract period (typically 10 years), the host’s local economy benefits by five times the original investment.

More power to Mayawati, the Uttar Pradesh’s chief minister, and the FIA. And much less to the Gaurs.

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Benz

BEND IT LIKE A

Ishan Raghava goes on a dream drive around Germany on some of

Mercedes Benzâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perennial red-carpet favourites to celebrate the marqueeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 125th anniversary. At the tail-end of the trip, our greedy car expert pushed these ultimate machines up to the Austrian Alps for a heady cocktail of brute power and sensuous styling

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A

mazement is the emotion of choice when one looks back today and casts a glance at the automotive world, its history and the stupendous progress it has made. It’s been 125 years since the invention of the automobile and, my God!, we have really progressed in the past five quarters of a century.

And in this illustrious past, Mercedes-Benz cannot be denied the pivotal role it has played in shaping passenger vehicle development and how it evolved with constant achievements and innovations. So when the kind fellows at Mercedes India called up and asked if I would like to join their 125th birthday celebrations of the automobile, I jumped at the opportunity faster than a Mastiff pouncing at a bone.

Apart from being innovators, Mercedes also holds the unique distinction of being one of the most coveted brands ever, and have retained their brand values of innovation, luxury and safety. Therefore, like many my age, I’ve longed to see, feel and drive exuberance on wheels. Upon entering the museum and having finished with the introductions and pleasantries it was time for a tour of the section housing the concept cars of the past century. Amongst many cars that are on display, there are two cars that have, for the longest time, held my fascination captive. The first is the radical and revolutionary C111 concept car that Mercedes first introduced in 1969. It was initially expected to be a successor to the groundbreaking 300SL, especially since it also featured a sleek sports car shape and gull-wing doors. Probably what it is best remembered for is setting the record for the fastest diesel powered car in ‘78 at a speed of 322kmph.

aspects of the car. Some of the most popular modern systems like fuel injection, ABS and airbags have all been invented by Mercedes and are a testament to their spirit of innovation.

It was a tour spanning a century of innovation, research and groundbreaking results, which lasted a few hours. My most cherished recollection is when I saw my dream car in the flesh for the first time; the incomparable 300SL Gull-wing. No words can describe what I went through when I was standing less than a foot away from it. I took as many mental snapshots as I could to reminisce that moment for eternity.

But like all things good, this too had to an end. After ogling at the cars and enlightening discussions about the past and future of motoring, it was time to go back to the hotel and prepare for the next day’s drive to the breeder of all fast Mercedes steeds, the AMG factory... and it promised to be an epic drive!

The second car that I couldn’t stop gazing at was the F200 Concept, which Mercedes unveiled in the ‘96 Paris Motor Show. Radical in its design, it had butterfly doors (that were later used on the SLR) and a panoramic sunroof (later used on the Maybach), it also boasted of a new type of steering and input system where there was no steering wheel or pedals as these functions were controlled by three joysticks!

After the blast from the past, it was time to move on to the official guided tour of the museum where one can see the story and history of Mercedes. The tour starts with the advent of motor cars, where a dummy horse stands as the first exhibit in the museum, signifying the predecessor of individual transportation and the founding scale of an automobile’s might, one horsepower! Throughout the tour, it became all the more evident that Mercedes has fiercely protected its position in the top wrung of the automotive industry pyramid. This is evident because of the group’s strong focus on innovation, technology development in all 091 | OCTOBER 11

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Wheels W heels o off ttime ime

SLS AMG Engine 6.2-litre Petrol V8 Power 563bhp Torque 480lb ft Weight 1,620 Kgs Performance (0-100kmph) 3.8secs Price (ex-showroom Delhi) `2 .08 Crores

Perfect P erfect aassembly ssembly

A

visit to a mecca of automobiles is always a memorable occasion for me, especially when the factory produces a small number of very specialised vehicles. The vehicles in question are the über-fast AMG models of the Mercedes-Benz’s range (What’s AMG, you ask?

Well, that will have to wait for another story).

Every AMG Mercedes vehicle one sees has been produced in this very factory under the watchful eyes of its experienced staff.

And the attention to detail is evident when we visit the engine assembly shop where every AMG engine is lovingly hand-assembled by a single 092 | OCTOBER 11

engineer to the exact specifications of AMG and, thus, every engine has a personally signed plaque by the engineer who assembled it. Some engines are also put to the grind for testing, one can see that here firsthand, just to reassure the engineers on how much stress these babies can endure.

I also got a peekaboo into AMG’s programme where owners can customise their Mercedes any way they like. There was a 1955 300SL which was being fitted with a new 4-litre AMG engine mated to an automatic gearbox. Blasphemy to some, but then the customer is always right.

The T he g great reat g gull ull

A

s a thumb rule, I don’t consider myself a lucky person. But for once, I got the better of my luck, instead of the other way around. We were doing the critical task of picking out chits to pair drivers with cars to go to the AMG factory in Affalterbach. It was one lucky day for me because I bagged the mother (or should I say daddy) of all Mercedes... the SLS AMG!

The SLS AMG is something you can’t look away from even if you have a revulsion towards cars. It’s got a mean look and an aggressive air that takes over you completely. And those gullwing doors!

I view them as sinful because I’m partial to its grandfather, the 300SL, which was the originator of these. But for most people the doors are the biggest head-turner in the car. This car is just as sexy looking on the inside, with the interiors every bit plush as the price tag it has, even when getting into the low-slung car with a very wide side sill is not an activity that the healthier ones amongst us will enjoy, if you get the drift.

Out on the road, through disciplined German traffic, the SLS eases out and one becomes relaxed at the wheel. When the cityscape gradually disappears in the side mirror, it’s time to stretch the car’s limits. The fantastic 6.2-litre V8 engine is everything you have ever dreamt of... and more! It simply revels in being revved to its limits, providing brutal, neck-snapping acceleration that needs to be experienced to be believed. Adding to the whole over-the-top supercar experience is the soundtrack provided by the big V8, which, one has to agree, sounds heavenly on the upswing, enchanting when one lifts his foot off the pedal. accompanied by an assortment of pops, bangs and crackles from the exhaust.

Sure there are a few, insignificant issues with the car like despite the considerable size of the beast, there is not much interior space, And the exterior width of the thing takes some getting used to.

And although, the gullwing doors look awesome, attempting a quick exit from the car, can result in a head bump that really hurts.

But this is just nitpicking because the SLS is a car one would kill to drive. The sound, the brutal acceleration and the feedback from both the steering and the seat of the pants make it completely worth the experience and the money. And if this is what AMG’s first attempt at developing a thoroughbred is, I can’t wait to get my hands on the successive versions. I bet, they will be an absolute blast to drive.

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But the objet d’art is an experience of a lifetime.

The feeling of sitting in a true-blue supercar with your bum literally inches from the road is an adrenaline shot in the arm for a wannabe racing driver like me. The view of the tarmac from the low-slung cockpit adds to the rush. What doesn’t help though is the huge width of the car, which makes me extra careful when driving it out of the narrow parking. The gnawing thought in the back of my head about the price tag of the car is not helping my shaking hands.

CLS 63 AMG Engine 5.5-litre Twin-Turbocharged Petrol V8 Power 518bhp Torque 516lb ft Weight 1,870 Kgs Performance (0-100kmph) 4.4secs Price (ex-showroom Delhi) `1.20 Crores (estimated)

Coupe C oupe d dee g grace race

I

should confess upfront that I belong to the school of thought that believes that the new CLS is not a patch on the last-gen CLS, which was a style icon in more ways than one. It single handedly kickstarted a completely new segment of cars, namely the four-door coupes. It’s ungodly, since a coupe is meant to have only two doors. But who can argue with sales numbers? The car became a hit not just because of its performance but also for its snob value amongst the who’s-who of the society.

The curves and the lines of the new generation CLS (it’s entered the Indian market recently) 094 | OCTOBER 11

seem bulky, forced and staid in comparison to the lithe lines of the old car. It seems that in trying to integrate the new design face of the brand, the car has been robbed of its original beauty and uniqueness.

Thankfully, I got to drive the new CLS63 AMG version that is equipped with AMG’s latest 5.5-litre V8 twin-turbo engine; enough to belt out power and torque outputs of 518bhp and 516lb ft respectively. It shoots out like an arrow from a bow at 0-100kmph in a mere 4.4 seconds.

For whatever reasons if you find those numbers wanting (we wonder why), you could opt for the AMG performance which gives it, hold your breath!, a mind numbing 550bhp!

Since I couldn’t get my hands on the car for long, I was unable to put the car through the grind, much as I wanted to. From whatever I gathered, I could tell that the car sounds nice, like all its cousins from the AMG factory, but due to turbo technology it just doesn’t sound as raw and unbridled as the naturally aspirated or supercharged cars on the AMG portfolio.

Secondly, the CLS which is currently the most advanced technology laden model of Mercedes, is so technologically buzzing, with too much happening in the cabin, that the driver seems more of an accessory to control the gizmos rather than the master. Don’t get me wrong; the car moves with the grace of any other AMG and also has all the comfort, technology and gadgets one comes to expect from the brand. But it just doesn’t seem to involve the driver as much as a Mercedes AMG car should.

But let not this make you form an opinion about the car because I got very limited driving time. I will wait for the car to be launched here to do a comprehensive drive of the same and form a conclusive opinion. Watch this space!

“The future is turbocharged engines” Interaction with Friedrich Eichler, Director, Powertain, AMG Eichler, AMG really burst on to the performance scene in the past decade with the supercharged 5.5-V8 and then went on to the superb 6.3 naturally aspirated V8 and has now progressed to the new 5.5-V8 twin-turbo engines.

Why this shift in designs and where is it headed from here?

Supercharged engines were great in their time but at peak output the supercharger absorbed only a third of the engine’s output just to drive itself and that was simply not acceptable. We also had a great experience with NA engines with regards to the outputs and especially the sound they produced but in the end with tightening emission and efficiency norms they are becoming harder and harder to justify. The future according to us is Turbocharged engines as they allow us to produce the power outputs we desire and at the same time being relatively efficient compared to the other options. We are also looking at technologies like electric activation of turbos to eliminate lag and other options to improve the turbo experience.

What we’re also looking at for the future is downsizing, and producing smaller sized turbocharged engines as that gives us more of an advantage with regard to improved efficiency and faster response times.

But with Turbocharged engines comes an issue of the cars not sounding exciting enough. How do you intend to tackle that, considering AMG cars have always been renowned for their soundtrack?

That is a challenge that we realised early on. To tackle that issue we established a sound studio more than a year back to develop soundtracks/ exhaust systems for turbo engines that met the AMG benchmark. Our goal is to make the car sound emotionally exciting.

Any chances of a diesel powered AMG car in the near future?

We’ve tried one diesel AMG version in the past (last-gen C-class) but the results were not satisfying. Thus, no diesel cars as of now since they’re uneconomical to produce and don’t possess the sporty feel of an AMG. Any chances of niche cars like the SLS Black Edition?

It’s a distant possibility. It should be an exciting product since we are even considering going the turbocharged way to power it. So it could be a completely different level of performance that we could achieve with that car.

095 | OCTOBER 11

Track T rack & ffield ield cchampion hampion

A

fter the super slick and crazy fast cars, it was my turn to warm up to the SUVs in Mercedes’ portfolio and was promptly handed over the GL, maybe as a punishment for having too much fun driving the AMG beasts. Just a few minutes of driving the normal GL and I reached the conclusion that I personally preferred the AMG powered cars to the more mundane stuff.

Here I was, driving the biggest car of the Mercedes-Benz range, all alone on the beautiful German and Austrian highways, thinking it must be a crime to be this lucky.

But the feeling was shortlived as contrary to our perception of little or no traffic on these picturesque interstates, many holiday-makers were on the roads driving to and from somewhere. That meant many instances of slowly crawling with the traffic or of just standing still and getting bored sitting in the car. But one thing that was remarkable and a takeaway was that no one, not a single car, honked or were trying to jump the line they were in. One marvels on such civic sense and can’t help but do the same.

After a few minutes of playing with the stereo and assortments fitted in the car, I got bored and started focusing my attention on the Distronic Radar Control that the car was equipped with. For the ones not familiar with the technology, the briefest explanation is that a Distronic Cruise Control system is equipped with two radars mounted at the front of the car that constantly monitor traffic in front to automatically maintain a predefined distance at speeds ranging from 0-200km/h. In simple terms, the system

automatically and constantly scans the traffic ahead to speed up or slow down the vehicle as required, including coming to a dead stop and then moving off on its own when the traffic starts crawling again. How cool is that?

It worked like an absolute charm in the thick traffic, allowing me to relax at the wheel and, after an anxious first few stops, it just became second nature to let the car do its own thing.

Convenient and spooky at the same time for a car control freak like me!

But the real stealer for the GL is its acclaimed off-road ability, which I personally experienced the following day of our arrival in Austria. Next morning we drove 100 km inwards into Austria to a dedicated set of tracks for both on and off-road activities. The venue was nothing short of hell for cars but it was amazing how a car this big, this heavy and theoretically incapable of doing extreme maneuvers did what it was put through without as much as a groan. It made the otherwise axle breaking activities look like a drive on the Autobahn with cruise-control on. And this is some serious off-roading we’re talking about, taking steep climbs on loose surfaces, steep side slope exercises and even a downhill descent where the Downhill Speed control system (DRS) got to show off controlling the brakes, throttle and speed on its own and leaving the driver to just hold on to the steering, some phenomenal demonstration of what today’s cars are capable of. It ended with an instructor of the course taking insanely steep 40-degree climb in the car and then coming down steeper slopes, while looking at the co-passenger with a smug smile across his face. Man! You can trust this car.

GL 350 CDI

DISTRONIC CRUISE

CONTROL AUTOMATICALLY AND CONSTANTLY SCANS THE TRAFFIC AHEAD TO SPEED UP OR SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE AS REQUIRED, INCLUDING

COMING TO A DEAD STOP AND THEN MOVING ON ITS OWN WHEN TRAFFIC BEGINS TO CRAWL

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FEATURES

Engine 3.0-litre Twin-Turbo Diesel V6 Power 221bhp Torque 399lb ft Weight 2,545 Kgs Performance (0-100kmph) 9.5secs Price (ex-showroom Delhi) `72.37 Lakhs

G 55 AMG Engine 5.5-litre Supercharged Petrol V8 Power 500bhp Torque 516lb ft Weight 2,550 Kg Performance (0-100kmph) 5.5 sec Price (ex-showroom Delhi) `1.10 crores

T

o say that I saved the best for the last would not be a false claim, since I am talking about the G 55 AMG. It really is the sort of car which you either love to bits (like I do) or look at and wonder, who in their right mind would buy something that looks just like a carthore stright from the Tata stables but costs more than 20-times as much?

It’s a machine that I have, for some reason, always had a massive soft spot for. The butch stance, the old 70’s boxy looks and the nononsense air about it give it this mystical aura that I fell for hook, line and sinker the first time I lay my eyes on it. One can’t put a finger on what he or she likes about the G-wagen. Maybe it’s the fact that it was and still is a very manly car or that it stuck to its decades old styling of being developed by nothing more than a geometric ruler and a pencil.

For me it boiled down to two factors. Firstly, the bad-ass engine the G 55 is fitted with, which is basically a sports car engine, displacing 5.5-litres and supercharged to boot and one which puts out 500bhp! What is most heartening is that Mercedes engineers thought of the absurdity of having this brute engine in a car that basically has the aerodynamic properties of a brick, so it can go like a rocket on the acceleration front (0-100kmph in just 5.5 seconds). But it can only go fast to a limit because ultimately you can’t turn a brick into a sports car. The other reason for my being besotted with this car is the old-school gangster feel one gets from driving it. Here is a man driving his brawny, supercharged and angry sounding SUV through the countryside and at the same time he’s perched high above, towering over other vehicle, getting high on testosterone.

On our last day in Austria we were on the onroad track for our driving exercises, I chose to do them all in the G 55, not in ignorance of its on-track abilities, or rather the lack of it. I was very curious how the brick will fire in conditions it wasn’t designed for. Just to get extra giggles, we sprinkled water on the wet skid pad track that had a no-grip surface. Needless to say, it was next to impossible to stop this juggernaut from spinning a full 180 and face the direction it came from. In fact, after a few runs of doing this (I was later informed I was the best driver at it) and a quick few runs across the small race track, my friend, the German Mercedes engineer accompanying us, asked me, “How do you like the track runs and the handling of the course by ze Gardenhouse?” I couldn’t help but burst out laughing at the German’s description of one of my favourite automobiles as the Gardenhouse.

How apt but a li’l offending at the same time.

And therein lies the crux of the G’s appeal for me. Its imperfection makes it so perfect! Just how people like things more when they have their own quirks and eccentricities, this is a car with a personality of its own. They say that you should not meet your heroes in person. But here I did... a car which has beeen a winner and a hero to me(it’s been sold virtually unchanged for the past 32 years) and, needless to say, I came back with more love and admiration for it than ever before.

What would I not give to own one of these beauties in black with the privacy glass option to complete the thug look…..hope someone at Mercedes is listening. Even if it involves selling the soul to Lucifer himself, I consider it to be a viable option.

FEATURES

The T he G sspot pot

Solaire golf set by Callaway Price: `59,990 For information: Visit www.callawaygolf.com

50

RealFlex footwear by Reebok Price: `4999 Available at: All Reebok stores

BEST

Gifts

100 | OCTOBER 11

F O R

M EN

A must-have list for all your friends Compiled by Nivedita Jayaram Pawar

Silver and blue cufďŹ&#x201A;inks by Salvatore Ferragamo Price: On Request Available at: Hotel Grand Hyatt, Santacruz West, Off Western Express Highway, Mumbai; Tel: (022) 30621018

Limited edition collection by Zipp0 Price: Between `2365 and `6690 Available at: Select retail outlets

CufďŹ&#x201A;inks from Nazraana, Rio Tinto Diamonds Price: `29,000 Available at: Leading jewellers across the country

Sunglasses by Cartier Price: On Request Available at: Cartier Boutique Delhi, DLF Emporio, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi; Tel: (011) 46788888

Platinum jewellery Price: `1 lakh onwards for bracelets; `60,000 onwards for rings Available at: ORRA, F-2, Connaught Place, New Delhi; DITI

Trolly bag by Hidesign Price: `11,895 Available at: All Hidesign outlets

Jewellery-Shoppers Stop, MGF Metropolitan Saket, District Centre Saket, New Delhi

101 | OCTOBER 11

Carlo Collodi writing instrument by Mont Blanc Price: On request Available at: All Mont Blanc stores

Sneakers by Puma Price: `2500 Available at: All Puma stores

Pants with attached braces

by Tommy HilďŹ ger Price: `4999 Available at: All Tommy HilďŹ ger stores

Belt by Canali Price: On request Available at: Palladium Mall, G-17, Highstreet

Striped scarf by Pepe Jeans Price: `899 Available at: Pepe outlets across the country.

Phoenix, 462, Senapati Bapat Marg,Lower Parel, Mumbai; Tel: (022) 40098685

102 | OCTOBER 11

Rio collection by Titan Eye+ Price: `2000-`3500 Available at: All Titan Eye stores

Jacket by GAS Price: `s9,600 Available at: All GAS outlets

Kito shoes by Alberto Toressi Price: `2495 Available at: Leading shoe stores

Letter opener by Home Collective Price: `1050 Available at: Home Collective 29A, AR Rangnekar Road, Opp. Anokhi Showroom, Chowpatty, Mumbai

103 | OCTOBER 11

104 | OCTOBER 11

Western Express Highway, Mumbai; Tel: (022) 30621018

Messenger bag by Salvatore Ferragamo Price: On Request Available at: Hotel Grand Hyatt, Santacruz West, Off

Sports jacket by Tommy Hilfiger Price: `4999 Available at: All Tommy Hilfiger stores

Water-proof hiking boots by Woodland Price: `8000 Available at: All Woodland stores

Printed wallet by Paul Smith Price: On request Available at: Dlf Emporio Mall, Shop No. 431-432212, First

Senapati Bapat Marg,Lower Parel, Mumbai; Tel:022 40098685

Grey shoes by Canali Price: On request Available at: Palladium Mall, G-17, Highstreet Phoenix, 462,

Floor Vasant Kunj, New Delhi; Tel: (011) 46040734

Framingham Pinot for red meat, mushrooms, smoked salmon, tandoori salmon and grilled scallops Price: `2550 Available at: All leading hotels, restaurants and select retail outlets

I pad book by Hitplay Price: `6299 Available at: Leading book stores across the country

Shot glasses by Wasted Fish Price: `625 for a set of four Available at: www.wastedďŹ sh.com or call +919833406311

105 | OCTOBER 11

Printed carry-all by Paul Smith Price: On request Available at: Dlf Emporio Mall, Shop No. 431-432212, First Floor Vasant Kunj, New Delhi; Tel: (011) 46040734

Black patent leather shoes

by Paul Smith Price: On request Available at: Dlf Emporio Mall, Shop

106 | OCTOBER 11 1

Hat by Pepe Jeans Price: `1199 Available at: Pepe outlets across the country

24.Harmony速 700 Advanced Universal Remote by Logitech Price: `7595 Available at: Across India

Glenmorangie 25 Years Old Price: On request Available at: All leading wine stores and Mumbai and Delhi Duty free

No. 431-432212, First Floor Vasant Kunj, New Delhi; Tel: (011) 46040734

Mumbai and Delhi Duty free

Dom Perignon Vintage 2002 champagne Price: On request Available at: All leading wine stores and

The Super TV by VU Price: `1,49,990

Sued boots by Salvatore Ferragamo Price: On Request Available at: Hotel Grand Hyatt, Santacruz West, Off Western Express Highway, Mumbai; Tel: (022) 30621018

Sunglasses by Dsquared2 Price: `19,100 Available at: Vama Kemps Corner, DGT Opticians, Bandra, Mumbai; Bonton Opticians / Dayal Optical / Delta Lens PVT.ltd / Drishtri, Delhi; International Trade Link, Pune

107 | OCTOBER OC 11

Purple sued shoes by Salvatore Ferragamo Price: On Request Available at: Hotel Grand Hyatt, Santacruz West, Off Western Express Highway, Mumbai; Tel: (022) 30621018

Vest by Tommy Hilfiger Price: `5499 Available at: All Tommy Hilfiger stores Harmo Porsche Sisha Price: On request Available at: Porsche Design store, DLF Emporio, New Delhi

Designer chairs by Bounce Price: `45,000 Available at: Visit www.the-bounce.com 108 | OCTOBER 11

Flip-off helmets by Steelbird Price: `2999 Available at: All leading helmet stores

Mumbai and Delhi Duty free

Cognac by Richard Hennessy Price: On request Available at: All leading wine stores and

Boots by Jack & Jones Price: `3495 Available at: All Jack & Jones outlets

Laptop bags and sleeves by Fossil Price: `2750 for sleeves; Rs3995 for bags Available at: Select Lifestyle and Shoppers Stop stores across the country

Checked canvas belt by Pepe Jeans Price: `899 Available at: Pepe outlets across the country

Scull cufďŹ&#x201A;inks by Paul Smith Price: On Request Available at: Dlf Emporio Mall, Shop No. 431-432212, First Floor Vasant Kunj, New Delhi; Tel: (011) 46040734

Airplane keyring with light by Home Collective Price: `655 Available at: Home Collective 29A, AR Rangnekar Road,

Wallet by Hidesign Price: `1445 Available at: All Hidesign outlets

Opp. Anokhi Showroom, Chowpatty, Mumbai

110 | OCTOBER 11

Hooded sweatshirt by 7 for all mankind Price: On request Available at: G-10, Select Citywalk Mall, A-3, District Center, Saket New Delhi; Tel: (011) 46565234

Bow-ties by Paul Smith Price: On request Available at: Dlf Emporio Mall, Shop No. 431-432212, First Floor Vasant Kunj, New Delhi. Tel: (011) 46040734

Lumber truck pen holder by Home Collective Price: `2620 Available at: Home Collective 29A, AR Rangnekar

Extension Part II, New Delhi

Karat by Delsey Price: From `13,600 Available at: E-24, 1st ďŹ&#x201A;oor, South

Road, Opp. Anokhi Showroom,Chowpatty, Mumbai

111 | OCTOBER 11

PRESENTS

Time

WATCH THIS SPACE 112 | OCTOBER 11

PIAGET

Emperador Coussin Tourbillon Automatic Ultra-Thin At 10.4 mm, the Emperador Coussin, an 18-carat white gold watch, is touted as the world’s thinnest self-winding tourbillon watch

Features: Piaget 1270P ultra-thin mechanical self-winding tourbillon movement; off-centred hour indication at 4 o’clock; 35 jewels; 21,600 vibrations per hour; off-centred tourbillon carriage at 1 o’clock; 0.2 gm tourbillon carriage with three titanium bridges; 2.8 mm tourbillon carriage; pink gold micro-rotor, off-centred at 10 o’clock; powerreserve of approximately 40 hours, displayed on the case-back; circular Côtes de Genève (back), sunburst satinbrushed guilloché mainplate (face); sunburst, bevelled and hand-drawn bridges (face); circular satin-brushed wheels; sunburst satin-brushed barrel cover; blued screws; gold guilloché oscillating weight engraved with Piaget coat-ofarms, polished “P” on the tourbillon carriage, hand-bevelled carriage arms 18-carat pink gold folding clasp; brown alligator leather strap.

Price: `1,07,86,425

CARTIER

CHOPARD

Rotonde de Cartier skeleton Flying Tourbillon

L.U.C Engine One Tourbillon Only Watch

Don’t miss these classic skeleton watches: transparency is an integral element of Cartier tradition and has become a feature of today’s fine watch making collections. The movements of these watches are skeletonised and open-worked to give them a dazzling look

The L.U.C is inspired by the automobile world in more ways than one: Streamlined like car wings, its slightly curved lugs are screwed onto the case, the numerals and the hour-markers are engraved and yellowtinted beneath the glare-resistant sapphire crystal while the hand-sewn black alligator leather strap is enhanced by four reinforced inserts evoking the seats of classic racing cars

Features: 18 carat white gold case; 45 mm diameter; circular-grained crown in 18 carat white gold, set with a sapphire cabochon; sapphire case back; water-resistant to up to 30 metres (100 feet, 3 bar); Calibre 9455 MC skeleton flying tourbillon; Cartier manufacture movement, mechanical with manual winding; skeletonised bridges in the form of Roman numerals, flying tourbillon, Geneva Seal; 19 jewels; 165 components; 21,600 vibrations per hour; 50-hour power reserve; black alligator skin strap with double adjustable folding clasp in 18 carat white gold.

Price: `50,00,000

Features: Polished DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) titanium case; water-resistant to up to 50 meters; DLC titanium crown with L.U.C logo; engraved glare-proofed sapphire crystal in front; glare-proofed sapphire crystal rystal on back; handwound tourbillon movement; 29 jewels; ls; 28,800 vibrations per hour; 60-hour power reserve; Chronometer hronometer certified (COSC); Arabic numerals engraved d and yellow tinted under the sapphire crystal; black dauphine uphine fusée-type hour and minute hands; black small seconds econds hand; black power reserve hand with red tip; central hour and minute hand;; small seconds at 6 o’clock; power-reserve eserve display at 12 o’clock; hand-sewn sewn black alligator leatherr strap lined with brown alligator leather featuring aturing gadrooned ned motif.

Price: ce: `45,00,000

113 | OCTOBER 11

JAEGERJJAEGER LECOU LECOULTRE

Grande R Reverso Ultra Tribute to 1931 Thin Trib JLC hhas crea created two versions of the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin Tribute Rev to 1931: in i steel and pink gold, featuring a black or white dial with dagger-shaped hands and dag baton-type baton-typ hour-markers directly inspired by the original Reverso

Features: Mechanical Featur manually-wound manua movement, Jaegermovem LeCoultre Calibre 822, LeCoult crafted, assembled and crafted decorated by hand; 21,600 decora vibrations per hour; 21 vibrat jewels; 134 parts; 45jewe hour power reserve; guilloché silvered dial guill with stamped numerals hour-markers; in the and ho limited-edition models: limitedwith white hourblack w markers or silvered with golden numerals and hour-markers: case in hour-m steel or 18-carat pink gold; water-resistant to up to 3 water-r strap in black alligator bar: stra with pin buckle. leather w

Price: `8 `8,03,678

ZENITH

El Primero Stratos Flyback Striking 10th Here is a watch that follows in the tradition of military chronographs.

A faithful heir to the Rainbow Flyback model developed for the French Air Force in 1997, the Stratos is equipped with the world’s most accurate automatic chronograph movement – the El Primero – as well as the Striking 10th and Flyback functions.

Features: El Primero 4057B, automatic; 13¼ calibre; 326 parts; 31 jewels; over 50-hour power reserve; 36,000 vibrations per hour; stainless steel case, dial and hands; 45.5 mm diameter; sapphire glass crystal with anti-reflection treatment on both sides; transparent sapphire glass caseback; water-resistant to up to 100 meters; silver sunray dial with three-coloured counters; Black alligator-leather strap, stainless steel triple folding buckle.

Price: `5,42,000 114 | OCTOBER 11

BULGARI

Diagono Calibro 303

A line born over 20 years ago, the Diagono is inspired by the Ancient Greek word agòn, meaning “competition”. The name of the model evokes the Discobolus (or Disc Thrower statue) of Myron that inspired its styling

Features: BVL Calibre 303 mechanical self-winding movement with date display, integrated chronograph with column wheel and vertical coupling-clutch (on an FP1185 base calibre); Côtes de Genève, circular-grained and sunburst satin-brushed decoration; 21,600 (3 Hz) vibrations per hour; 40-hour power reserve; 37 jewels; steel case 42 mm in diameter and 11.90 mm thick; steel or pink gold bezel and transparent sapphire crystal caseback; satin-brushed steel back; water-resistant to up to 100 meters; double-level dial with vertical and sunburst satin-brushed finish, protected by a scratch-resistant glare-proofed sapphire crystal; handapplied facetted hour-markers on the dial and inner bezel ring, facetted hands with Superluminova C1 treatment ®; alligator leather strap or steel bracelet, fitted with a tripleblade folding clasp with safety fastening.

Price: `5,65,400

RAYMOND WEIL Maestro 35th Anniversary Edition

Celebrating its ruby anniversary, the maestro, a mechanical watch with automatic winding, is equipped with the moon phase function and two counters indicating the day and month

DIOR

Chiffre Rouge M01

This limited-edition of 200 pieces looks distinctively different: the asymmetrical architecture of its case groups all its controls together on the widened right-hand side. The ultra graphic design of this 39 mm inverse calibre comes with a guilloché on the crown, scar on the bracelet, an asymmetrically designed case and oscillating weight.

Features: Stainless steel, matt black ceramic bezel case; Features: Mechanical, RW4600; 38-hour power reserve; 26 rubies; water-resistant to up to 5 ATM; date indicator with central hand; 7 days counter at 5 o’clock; 12 month counter at 7 o’clock; Moon phase indicator at 12 o’clock; round, 18ct yellow gold case; 18ct yellow gold bezel; 18ct yellow gold crown, fluted with RW monogram; sapphire crystal with dual-sided anti-glare treatment; silver dial, central zone in Clou de Paris; sapphire crystal caseback; full-skin, saddle stitched brown alligator strap with 18ct yellow gold ardillon buckle.

black sapphire crystal caseback with limited edition numbers; crown with a red lacquered circle and guilloche pattern; black lacquered dial; stainless steel brushed with unfolding buckle bracelet; black perforated calfskin strap steel brushed ardillon buckle engraved with “Dior Homme”; automatic, “Dior Inverse” caliber, white gold functional oscillating weight on the dial, silvered sun-brushed, red bevel, black micro relief figure and graduation, red bevel; 42hour power reserve; 28 jewels;87 components; 28,800 vibrations per hour; Functions: Hours-MinutesSeconds; waterresistant to up to 50 metres.

Price: `4,42,000

Price: `4,78,710

PANERAI

Luminor Composite Marina 1950 3 Days Automatic The case and bridge protecting the winding crown of the Marina 1950 are made of Panerai Composite, a synthetic ceramic created by an electro-chemical process that transforms aluminium. Used for the first time in haute horlogerie, it is much lighter than cereamic but at the same time much harder and more resistant than steel.

Features: Automatic mechanical movement, Panerai P.9000 calibre, executed entirely by Panerai; 7.9 mm thick; 28 jewels; 28,800 vibrations per hour; 3-day power reserve; 197 components; 44 mm diameter; brown Panerai Composite bezel, integrated into the case; see-through burnished sapphire crystal back; water-resistant to 300 metres; comes with a second interchangeable strap and a steel screwdriver.

Price: `4,29,000 115 | OCTOBER 11

TAG HEUER

RADO

Features: TAG Heuer Calibre 6 – Small second at 6 o’clock;

Features: 11½ ETA 2824-2

LINK Calibre 6 Automatic

silver dial with vertical streak effect; hand-applied curved, faceted and gold-plated (3N18K) indexes; faceted, polished and gold-plated (3N18K) minute and hour hands with luminescent markers; small second sub-counter with circular effect at 6 o’clock; Calibre 6” and “Swiss Made” written on the dial at 6 o’clock; flange with luminescent markers; hand-applied gold plated TAG Heuer logo; polished & fine-brushed stainless steel case; polished solid gold “cushion-shaped” fixed bezel with arabic numbers; screw-in polished gold-plated (3N18K) crown; curved scratch resistant sapphire crystal with double-sided anti-reflective treatment on the glass to ensure readability; sapphire case back; waterresistant to up to 100 meters; solid steel folding clasp with safety pushbuttons; fine brushed stainless steel and gold plated bracelet with polished edges.

Price: `2,08,000

D-Star Automatic automatic movement; 25 jewels; 3 hands, date at 3 o‘clock; 38-hour power reserve; Ceramos® case, steel middle part pressed on steel back with sapphire crystal steel crown; waterresistant to up to 100 meters; special engraving on case back; black matt dial; 12-hour markers in green luminous silver applied flange with black minute track and 12 steel colour flying indexes with green luminous steel colour applied Rado logo, moving anchor symbol; three row solid steel bracelet, satin brushed and polished titanium 3-fold buckle.

Price: `1, 20,500

MONT BLANC

Sport Chronograph Automatic Features: 41.5 mm stainless steel sports watch with silvercoloured dial, automatic movement with chronograph function, date display with magnifying glass, brown alligator-skin strap with triple-folding clasp.

Price:

Men and their favourite watches • Manmohan Singh: Longines • Sachin Tendulkar: Audemar Piguet • Barack Obama: A 6500 Jorg Gray steel chronograph with a black dial and blue leather strap • Bill Clinton: Timex Ironman • Vladimir Putin: Patek Philippe and Blancpain • Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi: Platinum Vacheron Constantin • Rahul Gandhi: Doesn’t wear watches at all!

On request

A. LANGE & SÖHNE

Lange Zeitwerk Striking Time

Inspired by Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, the Lange Zeitwerk is the first Lange wristwatch with an acoustic signature: with its chiming mechanism, it strikes the quarter-hours with highpitched tones and the full hours at a lower pitch.

Features: Lange manufacture calibre L043.2; 528 components; 78 jewels; 3 screwed gold chatons; Lever escapement; 18,000 semi-oscillations per hour; 36-hour power reserve when fully wound; sapphire crystal glass caseback; white gold/platinum (limited to 100 watches) case; solid silver, black / Solid silver, rhodié dial; Rhodiumed gold hands; Hand-stitched black crocodile strap.

Price: On request 116 | OCTOBER 11

VACHERON CONSTANTIN Quai de l’Ile

Contrary to simple calendars that are programmed for 31-day months and which require date corrections almost every two months, the mechanical programming of the Quai de l’lle’s annual calendar enables it to handle months of both 30 and 31 days. This means it requires adjustment just once a year in factor-in February. Combined with certain dial elements, there could be up to 700 potential variations within the complete collection.

Features: Calibre 2460 QRA; annual calendar with retrograde date display, months and a high-precision moon-phase indication requiring correction just once every 122 years; 40-hour power reserve; 28,800 vibrations per hour; mechanical self-winding movement is equipped with an oscillating weight mounted on ceramic ball bearings; Crafted in ruthenium-plated 22K gold; screw-down back fitted with a sapphire crystal pane; Available in three versions in the standard collection (pink gold, white gold or two-tone pink and white gold); delivered with two straps: one in black or brown alligator leather, and the other in black or brown rubber, secured by an 18K pink or white gold folding clasp.

Price:

On request

NOW this is a watch that is worth much more than what it

ONE of the attractions at this year’s Salon International de

costs. After their Eyjafjallajoukull-DNA watch – made with lava from the infamous Icelandic volcano – Swiss watchmakers Romaine Jerome launched two more “controversial” pieces some time back: Titanic-DNA: watches made of steel from the wreck of the Titanic; and Moon Dust-DNA: as the name suggests, it incorporates actual moon dust into the body of the watches. In the former, genuine steel from the wreck from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean has been combined with steel from the shipyard in Belfast where Titanic was built, Each timepiece is accompanied with a guarantee of origin from Harland & Wolff, the shipbuilders of the ship. For the Moon Dust collection, RJ took steel from the Apollo XI spacecraft and each piece comes with a guarantee of origin and a certificate from the Association of Space Explorers.

la Haute Horlogerie, the biggest watch fairs in the world, were watches with world time, dual time and GMT functions.

• Vacheron Constantin’s Patrimony Traditionelle World Time: You can switch between time zones with a simple twist of the crown. It also incorporates half and quarter time zones (perhaps an industry first).

• Cartier Ballon Bleu: It has a central home indicator and the main hours and minutes hands are adjusted using a push button. Once you are in a foreign country, all you have to do is click the button till the watch shows the time zone you want.

• Montblanc Star World Time: Operated with a single crown, it has a long list of city names around the dial that can be moved around.

ARMIN STROM

Blue Chip Chronograph Skeleton

In November 2009, Armin Strom AG presented its first in-house production movement, the ARM09, with double going barrel and a power reserve of one week. Less than two years later, it has introduced its second own-production movement: Like ARM09, the AMW11 (Armin Manual Winding 11) is also a manual winding calibre, but with a power reserve of some 120 hours.

Features: Mechanical movement with automatic winding, chronograph function, fully hand-skeletonised and handengraved; 24 jewels; 46-hour power reserve; 18 carat rose gold case with guilloché working on sides; sapphire crystal and case back with anti-reflective treatment; 46.50 mm diameter; water-resistant to up to 50 meters; rose gold hands; genuine alligator leather strap with 18ct rose gold ardillon buckle.

Price: On request 117 | OCTOBER 11

7

ways to jazz it up!

When standing among the bigwigs of fashion world, you certainly feel like a fly on the wall. Here is an account of the trends picked up by this fly from the Van Heusen Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fashion Week while eyeing the men on the ramp and envying the women by their side.

4EXT by Ritika Kumar Photographs BY Vipin Kardam, Deepak Malik

118 | OCTOBER 11

FEDORA HATS

Hat couture H

ABHISHEK GUPTA

ARJUN KHANNA

ASHISH N SONI

SANCHITA

FASHION

INDIAN menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashion has always tried to effortlessly blend the Indian with whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happening in the west. And in this season the designers seemed to have taken refuge in the fedora hat, which was used as dominating, standalone accessory to add that european elegance. The flamboyance of a fedora is something which always attracts the eye and it sure did when designers used it with anything to everything. From overcoats, bandhgalas and blazers to linen, leather pants kurtas and waistcoats. Nothing was spared.

BANDHGALAS

ASHISH N SONI

ARJUN KHANNA

IT is so Indian and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a rage. Call it the need of the marriage season or sheer love for this Indian attire, almost every designer played with it at the fashion week. And it was a treat to watch the experiments done with cuts and lines of the outfit. Zubair Kirmani showcased Nehru-collar achkans deeply influenced by fine detailing reminiscent of the royalty and regality. Tarun Tahiliani, who debuted, at the fashion week showed then in the form of fitted short coat, sherwani and long kurta with the checks pattern. Ashish N Soni tranformed the bandgalas into chic Europen style when models walked on the ramp teaming it with slim fit trousers and low crotch pants.

Krishna Mehtaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beautiful emroidered and patterned bandgalas in shades of gold and orange is something we loved.

KRISHNA MEHTA

Neck laced

ZUBAIR KIRMANI

ZIPS

Zip it right FASHION

ROHIT & ABHISHEK

MANOVIRAJ KHOSLA

THIS is one accessory that showed a butch atttitude on the ramp. Designers used zips as fine-detailing to jackets, waistcoats, trousers and kurtas. Manoviraj Khosla used them on sleeves to lift the otherwise toned down tie-and-dye beige/black short kurta. Arjun Khannaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rogue collection showcased them extensively on trousers, jacket-pockets, zippers, bandgalas with classic yet edgy sartorial sensibility. Rohit and Abhishek also used the embellishment interestingly with their inspiration drawn from royal warriors. Their masculine silhouettes had a twist on urban tailoring where the jackets were dramatically stylised with high essence of accessories like the zips.

ABRAHAM & THAKORE

ARJUN KHANNA

BOOTS

The iindispensables Th di bl IT seems you can wear them with almost anything. It doesn’t matter if you team them up with leather pants, chequered trousers, jeans, Jodhpuri pants, kurtas or even dinner jackets, the fashion gurus of the world (at least the Indian part of it) have predicted that they would look good with just about anything. Designer Arjun Khanna, whose collection paid a homage to men in action, bespoke of a raw rugged attitude and used boots extensively. Designer Krishna Mehta clubbed embroidered bandhgalas with boots and said she tried to push the envelope to create the edgy blend of casual and dressy. “We cannot do things the same way, this cannot be our tradition,” she added.

122 | OCTOBER 11

ARJUN KHANNA

ROHIT & ABHISHEK

KRISHNA MEHTA

RAJESH PRATAP SINGH

123 | OCTOBER 11

THE GEEK LOOK

Dudd iis studd D SEEMS you can wear them with Marvel comics’ bosses might have used it to differentiate between the dud and the stud but the tables have turned now. The wisdom behind those thick rimmed glasses seems to have caught the designers’ fancy as most of them used spectacles as their prime accessory.

“Everyone is bored of that clean look. Besides, even these glasses worn with panache add so much to a man,” says designer Anjana Bhargava of the Anky brand. According to Designer Troy Costa, whose models walked down the ramp wearing greasy, combed side parted hair, thinks this is the new breed of men who are “uber-sexual”. “They are intelligent, well kept and high on fashion,” he said.

ROHIT GANDHI RAHUL KHANNA

124 | OCTOBER 11

TROY COSTA

ANKY

SANCHITA

FASHION

COWL NECK

Fall in line LAST time we checked, the cowl neck was in for women. But guess what? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now in for men too. Varun Bahl blended his bohemianyet-in control fashion sense and good friend-designer Karan Joharâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flambouyance to showcase this daring embellishment.

Please be warned that not many can pull it off but if you have a well sculpted body then cowl neck is for you. Also, we recommend that you go ahead and experiment with your wardrobe if you are really bored of your regular rounds and Vs. Jackets by Anky, the mother-daughter designer duo of Ankita and Anjana Bhargav, also had some interesting cowl designs.

KARAN JOHAR+VARUN BAHL

ANKY

125 | OCTOBER 11

PANTS

Short story Sh WHETHER you like it or not but the length of your pants is getting shorter. The trend has been adopted by the designers worldwide and the Indian fashion brigade have also decided to stick to it. We were a little skeptical about short length pants worn formally as they have a beachy feel and look fabulous as casuals.

But designer Manoviraj Khosla said he would recommend short pants that are also pleated for a more formal look. Troy Costa and Ashish N Soni showed formal wear with ankle length pants, which looked extremely chic and fashionable.

ROHIT GANDHI RAHUL KHANNA

126 | OCTOBER 11

FASHION

MANOVIRAJ KHOSLA

SHANTANU & NIKHIL

TARUN TAHILIANI

T- SHIRT BY DIESEL // JACKET BY GAS // TROUSER BY TIMBERLAND

Photographs by Tanvi Madkaiker

128 | OCTOBER 11

STOCKISTS

STOCKISTS >> ALDO Ground floor Atria Mall Worli, Mumbai Tel: (022) 24813560/61 ANKY BY ANJANA AND ANKITA BHARGAV Tel: 09810007302 ARJUN KHANNA The Boutique: Arjun Khanna 5/8, Grand Building 2nd floor, Arthur Buder Road Opp Cafe Basilico Colaba, Mumbai Tel: 09820922710 ASHISH N SONI 326, Second Floor DLF Emporio Nelson Mandela Marg Vasant Kunj, New Delhi Tel: (011)46060955 >> BOSS HUGO BOSS G-3,entry level Shopping Plaza Grand Hyatt Santacruz(E), Mumbai Tel: (022) 26655560 >> CANALI Taj Shopping Arcade Taj Mahal Palace & Tower Apollo Bunder, Mumbai Tel: (022) 22871631 223, DLF Emporio Nelson Mandela Marg, Vasant Kunj New Delhi Tel: (011) 46040731 >> DIESEL Western Wind Bilding Opposite Maneckji Cooper School, Juhu Tara Road Juhu, Mumbai Tel: (022) 26618282

>> ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA The Taj Mahal Tower Apollo Bunder, Mumbai Tel: (022) 22844000 DLF Emporio Nelson Mandela Marg, Vasant Kunj New Delhi Tel: (011) 46060999 ETRO G-7, Palladium Phoenix Mall Lower Parel, Mumbai Tel: (022) 43412294 >> GAS 24, Linking Road Santacruz (W) Mumbai Tel : (022) 66717513 >> JACK & JONES Shop No G-22, Oberoi Mall Ground Floor, Western Express Highway, Goregaon [E] Mumbai Tel: (022) 40211646 JJ VALAYA 222, The Gallery on MG Mehrauli Gurgaon Road New Delhi Tel: (011) 41020738/39 >> KRISHNA MEHTA 35, Suleman Chambers Colaba, Mumbai Tel no: (022) 22041011 >> MANOVIRAJ KHOSL 27, Dickenson Road Bangalore, Karnataka Tel: (080) 25510287 >> PAUL SMITH Shop No. 212, DLF Emporio Nelson Mandela Marg Vasant Kunj, New Delhi Tel: (011) 46040734

>> RAJESH PRATAP SINGH No.9, Main Market Lodhi Colony, New Delhi Tel: (011) 246338788 ROHIT & ABHISHEK Tel: 9829449988/9214449988 Kamra.r@gmail.com >> SANCHITA 555, 7th main, HIG layout RMV2 Stage, New Bel Road Bangalore Tel: (080) 23413192 >> TARUN TAHILIANI Shop 357 Emporio Mall Vasant Kunj, New Delhi THE COLLECTIVE Shop No1, Second Floor The Palladium mall High Street Phoenix Lower Parel, Mumbai Tel: (022)43438888 TIMBERLAND Ambiance Mall Vasant Kunj New Dlehi Tel: (011) 40870061 TOD’S Shop no. 4, Galleria Hilton Tower Nariman Point Mumbai Tel: (022) 30277099 TROT COSTA Tel:09820071069 >> VARUN BHAL B-41, Sector 2, Noida Tel: 09512043103/68/69/70 >> ZUBAIR KIRMANI E-82,1st Foor, Sector-6 Noida (UP) Tel: 9891327892, 91120 4232153

129 | OCTOBER 11

LAST LAUGH

On beauty

by Bijoy Venugopal

Y

ear after year it’s the same old routine.

You pop your corn, turn on the idiot box (often because it’s the only thing that still turns on at your touch) and sit down to watch your significant other watch Miss Universe. Year after year it’s the same old show – apparently it’s been that way for 60 years. Little has changed.

Actually, a lot has changed.

Television technology. Microwave ovens. Even the quality and flavour of popcorn.

And oh, I almost forgot, women. The women of the pageant have gotten taller and significantly less curvy. Which doesn’t make them beautiful except technically, maybe, as clotheshorses.

Legendary hotties like Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe (dear departed who still weaken my knees) wouldn’t have cleared the preliminaries.

There is something deplorably template-like about the contestants these days.

Acculturated by reality TV and Facebook, they do everything alike – walk, smile, pout, wave. I’m sure if we were allowed to investigate, we’d discover countless other similarities too intimate to reveal in the pages of a decent magazine. And, besides the faintest hint of a too-often-overheard, ironedover accent, there is no longer a distinctive multicultural flavour to the competition.

the word until 2009) disposition stand in line begging to be ogled. It’s all reasonably enjoyable up to the point where the popcorn runs out and the divas open their mouths. And before the platitudes from all latitudes begin, I’m itching to switch to Masterchef.

I don’t mind the pageantry and the strutting and I certainly approve of the swimsuit-out-of-water bit. What I do mind are the ladies’ deeply insincere responses to the judges’ flaky, poseuresque questions.

We know the drill – these young desperados are in line for huge modelling contracts and a lifetime’s supply of beauty-enhancing toxins, among other fabulous incentives. They are under oath to not marry or date for a year. I hope they are not made to pee on squares of glass from time to time to ascertain their chastity. All of this, if I am to believe what I see and hear, is a painstakingly orchestrated stunt to make them appear more desirable. When done with this charade, if they still have the juice, they are free

to go on all-expenses-paid jaunts to fallen-off-themap African republics infected with war, rape and poverty – if they don’t hail from there in the first place – and ponder the gloomy roots of hip-hop. And then the winner has three options: a) Return to a doomed modelling career and bit roles in B-movies; b) Marry a rich jerk and engender dysfunctional kids; c) Generally waste away.

Why the heck does a Miss Somebody have to be bone-jarring perfect? Why does the tiara-deserving contestant have to be an uberexpressive spokesperson for the world’s violated women, starving poor and orphaned children?

Why can’t she be like others... oomphy, idiotic, and therefore lovable?

Because normal is boring? Heck, you might as well doff the crown to Fido Dido.

‘Women of substance’ ought to define regular, klutzy underachievers with mild to moderate alcohol dependency issues. There’s great beauty in fallibility.

There’s an admirable quality in wanting to eschew dizzy fame and, say, bake a cake.

Look at Nigella Lawson (I can never stop).

Just the mere sight of this Domestic Goddess’ fingers kneading apple crumble leaves me with a throb in my solar plexus for weeks. I’m not insinuating that I prefer cooks to looks. For, by the same measure, Padma Lakshmi has the opposite effect.

These women, including those from Commonwealth nations habitually steeped in Crown-worship, talk American. You can hear it in the way their zees sizzle and pop against their porcelain-capped teeth. And in the way they drop the ‘u’ in ‘colour’ and not quite in ‘glamour’. And in how they always say ‘oh’ but never ‘zero’, except while describing dress size.

Something else has changed. It’s not only the wife or the girlfriend who watches Miss Universe any more.

Now that we’re name-dropping, let’s take it to a logical conclusion.

For those who came in late, here’s a little fact: India’s first Miss World (okay, she didn’t win over the universe, so what?) was Reita Faria. She was crowned in 1966 when most of us hadn’t been conceived even notionally, and when our parents were probably smoking pot and dreaming of being hippies. A medical student with a shining brain inside her pretty head, she completed the one-year mandatory modelling contract and returned to complete her studies, qualify as a doctor and then go and live with her husband and kids in Dublin.

As Michael Jackson crooned, you are not alone. I, too, am guilty of watching the televised proceedings to select the luckiest woman in the universe. But discreetly, from the sliest corner of my eye. That, too, while pretending to be otherwise occupied (another sling at Angry Birds three-stardom).

Pity they don’t make them like that anymore.

It’s a legit, wife-approved way to watch young women of hot, ambitious and bodacious (hated 130 | OCTOBER 11

Photograph: Cienpies Design/ shutterstock.com

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