WEEKLY MAGAZINE, DECEMBER 1, 2013 Free with your copy of Hindustan Times
Katrina Kaif and Shah Rukh Khan are the top two celebrity endorsers, covering 50 brands between them
4
BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS
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NOTES ON TV ACTORS WHO ACT IN FILMS TOO SUSHANT SINGH RAJPUT: Manav (Pavitra a Rishta) was super earnest, but we didn’t think it would make him such a Bollywood stud! We like him, but both his film roles, Ishaan (Kai Po Che) and Raghu (Shuddh Desi Romance omance), were still trying too hard to please. BUT BY GOD! WHAT A BODY! MANISH PAUL: Perfect pun timing, razor-sharp wit and... but the best host on Indian television was a dud in Mickey Virus (yet another movie made about saddi Dilli. Yawn.) Hopefully, a flop is all it takes to get ’em back on TV? We miss you, Manish! AYUSHMANN KHURRANA: He was kinda adorable as a roadie, charming as a TV host and struck platinum with Vicky Donor. It’s true,
Bahu Thi) be such an amazing actor? But he left us spellbound in Udaan. PS: Our Kyunki... prejudices come solely from the life and experiences of the original Mihir, Amar Upadhyay.
men who sing can conquer the world (even if it's only Punjabi songs). PRACHI DESAI: Proper TV serial woman with mangalsutra and shiny saris turned sort of hot (Rock ck On!) turned nobody cares (I, Me Aur Main).
RAJIV KHANDELWAL: He was so good on TV (Kahiin Toh oh Hoga) and fantastic in films (Aamir, Shaitaan...). It’s a pity we don’t see more of him.
RAM KAPOOR: He’s larger than life, still sexy, a bit like the Vidya Balan of TV. Although, Ram, it’s time to say goodbye to Bade Acche Lagte Hain. And like an old married couple, we’re okay with you being fat but we do miss the way you looked at the wedding (Monsoon Wedding)!
MONA SINGH: She was an excellent ugly duckling (as Jassi) and an effervescent host (Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa among others). It’s been years since 3 Idiots, we’d love to see Mona in a funny film!
RONIT ROY: How can anyone who played Mihir (on the multigenerational Kyunki... Saas Bhi Kabhi
On The Brunch Radar
by Saudamini Jain
LOVE IT
If digital taste ever becomes a real thing The world’s first 24-hour music video. Pharrel Williams’s Happy will make you really happy on 24hoursofhappy.com That Zach Braff aff photobombed somebody’s wedding picture Exploring xploring Middle EEarth online Thatt CNR Rao enjo enjoys cooking Thai, Hawaiian, Chinese and Italian food
That “lack toast and tolerant” is a popular search result for lactose intolerance Stephen McClarence, ence, the English E journalist who was surprised rised at the la lack of cows in the Delhi metro (is the cow w the ne new snake-charmer?) armer If condoms are ever made off fish skin Rape jokes Promotional emails in the middle of the night (we’re looking at you, Flipkart)
SHOVE IT
Said the Men in White Coats
5
1. His record: He became the fastest batsman to reach 5,000 ODI runs last week. He matched cricket great Vivian Richards in the number of innings it took to reach the landmark (114 knocks).
Cover: MONICA GUPTA Cover images: GETTY IMAGE, RAAJESSH KASHYAP
by Aasheesh Sharma
REASONS WE LIKE THE 5,000-CLUB BOY VIRAT KOHLI 2. He is the man with the dragon tattoo: According to reports, Kohli says the dragon tattoo brings him luck during matches. 3. His rating: The 25-year-old is the numero uno ODI batsman in the world according to International Cricket Council ratings. 4. His attitude: He breathes fire on the field and used to spout expletives when he reached a half century or hit a ton. But the aggression is
EDITORIAL: Poonam Saxena (Editor), Aasheesh Sharma, Rachel Lopez, Tavishi Paitandy Rastogi, Mignonne Dsouza, Veenu Singh, Parul Khanna, Yashica Dutt, Amrah Ashraf, Saudamini Jain, Shreya Sethuraman
DECEMBER 1, 2013
channelised into runs and he has developed a penchant for finishing matches like his skipper MS Dhoni. 5. His looks: His devil-maycare attitude, spiked hair and roguish looks have found their ways into television commercials featuring Anushka Sharma, where he does the salsa with the leggy actress, and gets cosy with Genelia D’Souza for an accessories brand that promises hands-free fun.
DESIGN: Ashutosh Sapru (National Editor, Design), Monica Gupta, Swati Chakrabarti, Payal Dighe Karkhanis, Rakesh Kumar, Ajay Aggarwal
Download Central is absent this week Sanjoy Narayan will be back with some great music soon.
Stuf St ufff Yo uf Youu Sa Said id L Las astt Su as Sund nday nd ay
mad me xtremly APPy It made rea reading your article on the va various mobile APPs. It is APP APPsolutely helpful!! APPrecia EYical NEYic iRON @iRO ate it :) – @iRO
I’ve been us ing these apps – Drin kW Wooplr, Ove ater, rv Expenses an iew d just thinking was how they m about ake our life simpler . BOOM com And es your cover story (Wha ‘Appening? t’s )! – @tv_w wal ali
include Could you estions in e qu es th of e som t would u ator enda: ‘Wha Personal Ag ligator (rabbit if allig to t al name ur pe d)?’ OR ‘Do ever talk a cat bi if sounds mor ‘How would u react ! plants?’ OR der ur bed?’ thanks l crawled un Taanya (a high-schoo – student)
@SaudaminiJain amazing interview with @tweetfromRaghu (The Rudest Man on TV) I just read it... It is one of the best and honest interviews I have read on hivangi sshiva ssh rokss @lyfrok – @lyf him.
Sh Indians arereya Ji, do job on the ing a great Your cover app front. ‘Appening? story (What’s ) will defin itely motivat I started w e more. orking on an app at the ag see your e of 50. I covers younarticle g boys. – Manchan nda [Astute, ob ha servation, Mr Manchan da!]
Last week when I didnt see @RajivMakhni’s column in @HTBrunch I was worried..thought the worlds ending.. Thank god he’s not stopped writing! Suri arSur @Savar – @Sav
The Book Club
by Yashica Dutt
These monsters are better than men THE BOOK: Local Monsters by Samit Basu THE GIST: Four monsters (read: superheroes) are brought together to build an army to fight evil. ONE-LINE REVIEW: The book grips you instantly and is unputdownable, partly in the hope of seeing the first character, Latex Latha, live up to her name. READ IT IF YOU LIKED: X-Men or any superhero comic/graphic novel. BUT CAUTION: There is a dubious twist after which the story rushes to finish itself. ar” THE BEST LINE: “Everyone hates Delhi in the first year”
Rules of The Game
by Mignonne Dsouza
GOO GOO GAGA...
When you give birth to a child, you anticipate that there’ll be a lot of learning involved – dealing with poopy diapers, rocking a child to sleep... But the one time I never expected to be perplexed was mommy abbreviations, which are a dime a dozen on bulletin boards online. Just FYI,
ar or DD: De ghter au D Darling
FTM: First-Time Mom
SAHM: Stay At-Home Mom CIO Cry CIO: It Out
EBM: sed Expres illk M k t s a e Br
LO: Littl t e On
e
o DS: Dear or Darling Son
For the record, I’m an FTM who’s not an SAHM, and I don’t let the LO CIO – as yet.
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Photos: THINKSTOCK, SHUTTERSTOCK OCK
by Prachi Raturi, Shreya Sethuraman and Saudamini Jain
Idiot Box
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WELLNESS
MIND BODY SOUL SHIKHA SHARMA
THE BIG CHILL As winter sets in, get ready to stay warm and healthy
A
S TEMPERATURES begin to drop, a host of troubles like sinusitis, coughs, colds and body aches will begin to make their presence felt. But you can fight them all; just incorporate these ayurveda approved wonderfoods into your diet.
and add them to your breakfast cereal.
ASHWAGANDHA: This is an
excellent herb to ward off chills. TO USE: Add one tsp of powder to water once a day and drink.
GARLIC: Consume this
herb more in winter. TO USE: Garlic can be added to soups or vegetables.
CINNAMON: Dal-
chini boosts immunity and regulates blood sugar. A HELPING HAND Powder cinnamon and WALNUTS: Winters TO USE: Powder a are the best time to eat half-inch stick and add drink it in boiled water to boost your immunity walnuts, as they are to two cups of water. very heaty. Boil till it reduces to TO USE: Presoak them, remove half. Drink this tea with half a the skin and eat one a day. tsp of honey or by itself.
HONEY: It fights colds and
coughs and boosts immunity. TO USE: Add honey to a decoction of cinnamon or ginger.
SPROUTED METHI SEEDS:
This warms the body naturally. It is best to sprout them and add to salads or soups. TO USE: Around two tsp of methi seeds a day.
FLAXSEEDS:
These also raise the body temperature naturally. TO USE: Roast one tsp of flaxseeds lightly
CHYAWANPRASH: Winter is
the best time to have chyawanprash. It is an immunity booster and promotes good health. TO USE: Consume as recommended on the pack.
THE HEAT IS ON
This is also the best time for massages. Have an ayurvedic expert pick the right oil for you. Remember that the oil should stay on the body, an immediate DON’T OVERDO IT bath is not recomEating many walnuts can mended. cause mouth blisters, so have just one per day
ask@drshikha.com Photos: THINKSTOCK
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8
HIGH NOTES
T
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EN YEARS ago, an indie musician would collect ‘chanda’ from his friends, beg an uncle for his farmhouse or an aunt for her loft, borrow speakers from the local shaadiwala band and even bribe the cops with a ‘pachaas ka crisp’ to play a gig for not more than 50 in the audience. And if they dared belt out a couple of original tracks, they’d be assured of an empty loft the next time. And after all this, they wouldn’t even make enough money to cover the cost of the diesel for the generators. That was then. The scene, what musicians and fans call the independent music industry, is growing up. Shows are getting bigger, more venues in more cities are giving performers rockstar-like treatment, fanbases are widening and money is pouring in from sponsors. Things are looking up. “Last year, more than 10,000 people attended Bacardi NH7 Weekender and the Sunburn Festival saw over 1,00,000 people,” says EDM artist Sahej Bakshi of Dualist Enquiry. “The underground days are over.” So what’s new? We rounded up 11 artists (no mean feat, by the way!) for a conversation about fame, art, sound and musicmaking:
Everyone keeps talking about the scene. What is this scene?
Sanaya Ardeshir: Someone started
calling it the scene and we just hung on to it. The scene, as of today, is bigger than ‘marginal’ and smaller than an industry. It means space for independent musicians to create something. But don’t get me wrong, it is not just a space for musicians. It is everything that facilitates independent music. Sahej Bakshi: That’s right. Fans, show promoters, gig venues, sponsors, artist managers and writers make up the scene. Sky Rabbit: It is the antithesis of the Bollywood music industry. Scribe: Today, the scene is the best anyone has seen. There’s a pool of talent and with many festivals and events, there are a lot of opportunities.
And yet, the general public has a narrow notion of indie music. What stereotypes are you still battling? Ankur Tewari: Well, that we smoke a lot of pot. But for a lot of us, that’s true. And that we party a
Scene And Heard Indie music is growing up. But are indie musicians? Well, yes, somewhat...
text by Amrah Ashraf; photo by Aparna Jayakumar
Guy in pink tee: Jivraj Singh, The girl: Sanaya Ardeshir, Boy in blue jeans: Srinivas Sunderrajan, Guy in pink shirt: Nischay Parekh, Dude in green pants: Ankur Tewari, Bloke next to Tewari: Harsh Karangale, Black tee happy guy: Vishwesh K, Black tee bored guy: Siddharth Shah, Firang: Dylan Varner-Hartley, Guy saluting: Virendra G. Kaith, Behind him: Prashant Shah, Dude on phone: Akshay Rajpurohit and Sahej Bakshi
THE BANDS Scririribe Sc be - A Aks ksha ks hayy Ra ha Rajp jpur jp uroh ur ohititit,, Pr oh Pras asha as hant ha nt S Sha hah, ha h, Vish Vi shwe sh wesh we sh K K,, Vi Vire rend re ndra nd ra G K Kai aith ai th,, Sr th Srin iniv in ivas iv as S Sun unde un derr de rraj rr ajan aj an Skyy Ra Sk Rabb bbitit - S bb Sid iddh id dhar dh arth ar th S Sha hah, ha h, H Har arsh ar sh K Kar aran ar anga an gale ga le Nisc Ni scha sc hayy Pa ha Pare rekh re kh aand nd tthe he B Ban andd - N an Nis isch is chay ch ay P Par arek ar ekh, ek h, JJiv ivra iv rajj ‘J ra ‘Jiv iver iv er’’ Si er Sing ngh, ng h, D Dyl ylan yl an V Var arne ar nerne r-Ha rHart Ha rtle rt leyy le lot. But again, that’s true. And that we are good-for-nothing lazy blokes who can only make music. That’s partially true. Bakshi: People think that we get all the pretty girls. Lies! They also think that we party every day. We don’t! We play shows, get paid, party a bit and go home. Ardeshir: People think we live on our mum’s couch! Nischay Parekh: We are not necessarily long-haired, unclean, beer-chugging weirdos with an attitude problem. We are wellgroomed boys with decent manners. And our mummies approve of our choices and even watch our shows.
its rewards. Bakshi: The fact that some of us
Indie music is definitely not underground anymore…
Tewari: I’ve been a full-time musi-
are full-time musicians is possible because more people are paying a lot more to watch us perform. But I believe that you shouldn’t change your sound just to become more commercial. Sky Rabbit: If by mainstream you mean Bollywood, everything is wrong with that. Tewari: I don’t agree. AR Rahman and Amit Trivedi have scored some great compositions for movies. And if you stick to your sound and can still make some money off it, why not?
Indian indie music is no longer borrowed from anyone. We are unique
Everyone: And that sucks!
Why is that such a bad thing? Surely going mainstream has DECEMBER 1, 2013
So, can you be a full-time indie artist and still live the good life? cian for the past seven months and I am still alive. A couple of kilos lighter but still around, making music and having fun. Bakshi: The first few years are not
easy. But be patient. Scribe: All of us in Scribe have day jobs.
Who is a successful indie artist?
Ardeshir: The day a band or an art-
ist is recognised internationally, he’s made it. Tewari: Any artist whose songs make a difference. A friend told me that he made his baby to one of my tracks. That’s making a difference!
Even today, the indie scene is a mish-mash of many genres – pop, electronic, rock. Is there such a thing as Indian indie?
Ardeshir: It’s interesting that you
ask this. Some people like to call our voice South Asian. I don’t think we’re there yet. Sky Rabbit: Our music is no longer borrowed from anyone. No one wants to remind anyone of another band when they play. amrah.ashraf@hindustantimes.com
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10
COVER STORY
When you’re a star, the offers just keep pouring in. Here’s a surprising look at how some of the biggest names in sports, film and showbiz cash in on their fame with product endorsements by Himani Chandna Gurtoo and Anita Sharan
OOD ACTORS are dangerous. They can, with seemingly minimum effort, make you laugh, weep, burst into a song or simmer with outrage all on cue. And when they pop up on your TV screen or in your magazine to sell you a product, that’s when another act begins. You’re taken in by the “just-between-us” intimacy and the belief that a bit of their stardust is within reach – if you’d just open your wallet. In India, Bollywood stars, closely followed by sports stars, peddle everything from 5 fairness-cream sachets to 25 crore luxury apartments. Their dazzling smiles and stamps of approval fuel India’s 2,000-crore celebrity endorsement market.
Older, more established names command much higher prices than fresh faces – perhaps because their appeal spans many more generations (and many more consumer demographics). The pantheon of Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni are paid, on average, roughly three times more than the 10 stars immediately below them. But it seems there will be changes to the top tier in the coming years. Tendulkar, who made his first ad appearance in 1989, when he was just 16 years old, to promote Johnson & Johnson’s Band-Aids, is ready for a new innings. Many advertising gurus believe that superstars such as Amitabh Bachchan may not go on for many more years. But many believe these stars may just change their positioning to suit their new avatars better. Experts see Tendulkar and Bachchan as an attractive proposition for mature category brands such as banking and financial services.
Meanwhile, we’re hardly short of young faces and bright sparks to promote products to a younger, more brand-savvy India. Cricketer Virat Kohli has already set new benchmarks when he recently inked a 10-crore-per-annum deal with sports goods giant Adidas. “After Yuvraj’s entry into the mature league of cricketers, only Kohli has that roguish charm in Team India,” points out Navonil Chatterjee, vice president at the ad agency JWT, which handled a previous Nike campaign with Kohli. Though Tendulkar continues to be with Adidas, the company is using younger cricketers too. The recently retired cricketer has been up-
graded from youth icon to ‘Happiness Ambassador’ by Coca Cola. Though they’ll never admit it on record, most brand managers believe that putting younger faces to their products allows their promotional messaging to be naughty; something that just won’t work with an older face, no matter how sparkly his velvet jacket. Ranbir Kapoor is seen as the boyish rogue who can sell anything – a fizzy beverage, a car, a cellular service. Nirupam Sahay, president of Philips Lighting, says they were already seen as a “solid, dependable, reliable” brand. “We wanted to shift that focus slightly to ‘dynamic, contemporary and reliable.’” Enter Ranbir Kapoor, dancing to Saara Zamaana, making LED lights cool. But youth, for all its merits, carries the element of risk. There’s no way of telling where one star will be 12 months from now. Remember the glut of ads featuring Anushka Sharma just after she got famous? She broke into the top 10 list of celeb ambassadors, but features nowhere this year.
What makes local and multinational business reach out to Bollywood to boost sales? Top marketers list several reasons. “Corporates want all possible efforts to promote their brands and grab the customer’s mindshare,” says Tadato Kimura, Sony India’s marketing head. The product benefits from positive association, the famous face influences recall value, and a star’s own traits (Bipasha’s fitness, Karisma’s classy domesticity) often parlay nicely into the product’s. When Frooti decided to come up with a ‘big bang’ campaign, they chose Shah Rukh Khan. The company claims that it “took the brand to places where it’s never been before and widened its consumer appeal.” Think about it: if you had to choose between 11 brands of cooling herbal oil, wouldn’t you trust the one endorsed by a septuagenarian superstar? Photos: GETTY IMAGES, HT ARCHIVES
* Source: AdEx India, a division of TAM Media Research ** Earnings according to industry insiders All figures for the period between January and June 2013 DECEMBER 1, 2013
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KATRINA KAIF
Rates per endorsement:
1.5-7 crore
No. of brands endorsed: 20 Rates per endorsement: AAMIR KHAN 4 crore No. of brands endorsed: 13 Rates per endorsement: SHAH RUKH KHAN 15 crore No. of brands endorsed: 32 Rates per endorsement: KAREENA KAPOOR
5-10 crore
SALMAN KHAN
No. of brands endorsed: 13
No. of brands endorsed: 31 Rates per endorsement:
3-5 crore
SAIF ALI KHAN
No. of brands endorsed: 21 Rates per endorsement:
65-75 lakh
VIRAT KOHLI
No. of brands endorsed: 15 Rates per endorsement:
3.5-10 crore
M S DHONI
No. of brands endorsed: 21
Rates per endorsement:
8-10 crore
AMITABH BACHCHAN
No. of brands endorsed: 17 Rates per endorsement:
1-4 crore
KAJOL
No. of brands endorsed: 9 Rates per endorsement:
2 crore
Source: TAM AdEx; Rates charged per endorsement based on industry estimates. This analysis is based on the advertisement volume during commercial time i.e. duration in seconds and does not include any promotional appearances or activities
Earnings per deal: 8 crore USP: Energetic and dynamic image with a strong heritage Products: Strong on tech devices
Earnings per deal: 80 lakh USP: International look Products: Personal care and readymade garments
Earnings per deal: 60 lakh USP: Bubbly, strong Punjabi accent Products: Fun snacks, drinks
These top 10 product categories contributed to 41% share of celebrity endorsement during Jan-June 2013
Earnings per deal: 50 lakh USP: Fresh, looks like a student Products: Skincare, cosmetics, soft drinks
Earnings per deal: 80 lakh-1 crore USP: Shy but macho appeal Products: Ice cream, clothes
DECEMBER 1, 2013
12
COVER STORY
USP: Popular with the men (and women). She looks both Indian and international, and is sexy as well. Endorsement graph: Going up! Ranks number one in terms of airtime on TV. Is she still rock steady? Her fee went up from 4 crore to 8 crore in the last one year. When did she become so big? After featuring in prominent roles in films like Raajneeti, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Ek Tha Tiger, she has established herself as a commercially successful actress.
USP: Super successful, charismatic, a consistent leader. Endorsement graph: Going up! Endorses the maximum number of brands with a decent mix of luxury, super premium and mass labels. Is he still rock steady? Very. The brands associated with him are very loyal. When did he become so big? Khan’s endorsement graph has matched his career’s. Both have stayed consistent, from his earlier unconventional, negative roles in Darr and Baazigar to his romantic image in blockbuster films like Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge and Dil To Pagal Hai. He’s the consummate charmer, and a relatable superstar as well.
USP: Muscular body, stylish, straightforward, has that slightly rude attitude. Endorsement graph: Going up! From number five, Salman has moved to third position as the vol-
ume of TV ads featuring him go up. Is he still rock steady? Health issues and pending court cases do hold back some companies from signing long-term contracts. When did he become so big? After building his body and going shirtless! After the release of Dabangg, Wanted and Ek Tha Tiger, Khan’s arrogant attitude and style became attractive to brands that wanted to sell everyman products with an edge.
USP: Selective and a perfectionist. Endorsement graph: Going up! From nowhere, Aamir has moved to the fourth position, because the volume of TV ads featuring him is going up despite the fact that he is the most expensive celebrity. Is he still rock steady? Very much so. When did he become so big? With landmark movies like Lagaan, Rang De Basanti, Taare Zameen Par and 3 Idiots, his brand fees and popularity went up phenomenally.
USP: Attitude, looks and pedigree. Endorsement graph: Going down! From number two, Kareena has moved to the fifth position in terms of ad airtime on TV. Is she still rock steady? She is, but there is much more competition now from other actresses. When did she become so big? After her successes in challenging roles like Chameli and Omkara and then the whole Size Zero episode.
Kitchen and home products generally attract celebrity couples. Recently Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan were reportedly paid a whopping 30 crore for their new advertisement for pressure cookers. Apparently, they beat SaifKareena and Akshay-Twinkle to bag this deal. “Celebrity endorsements cut through the clutter and can give the brand some values that are either missing or need to be accentuated,” says Chandru Kalro, COO of TTK Prestige. “In Abhishek and Aishwarya, we found the ideal values that reflected and complemented the Prestige brand and were a perfect way to bring alive the line.”
DECEMBER 1, 2013
USP: His nawaabi background attracts sophisticated brands. Endorsement graph: Going down! His TV ad volume has come down to rank six this year against rank four last year. Is he still rock steady? It depends on the number of hit movies he will have in the future. When did he become so big? He rose to prominence with his performance in Dil Chahta Hai, and later with films like Race, Parineeta, Being Cyrus and Omkara. Khan is self-deprecating and funny, but still sauve enough to sell paint and chips.
USP: Young, successful, aggressive. Endorsement graph: Going up! He recently inked a 10-crore per annum deal with Adidas, which crossed the benchmarks set by Sachin and Dhoni. Is he still rock steady? Currently he leads the pack of sports celebs. When did he become so big? When he acquired his spikes, tattoos and swagger. Add to this his aggressive, consistent performance on the field. Being the skipper of the victorious Indian team at the 2008 Under-19 Cricket World Cup bought him instant fame.
USP: Successful skipper, mature and intelligent persona. Endorsement graph: Going up! His share of ads on TV is increas-
ing as the number of brands in his kitty goes up. Is he still rock steady? He dominated the cricket celebrity scene before Kohli. Dhoni is still a good choice for mature brands. When did he become so big? After his successful captaincy. He won matches across different formats, especially the World Cup.
USP: Mature, trustworthy, successful, iconic. Endorsement graph: Going down! This is owing to his declining health and the availability of young faces. Is he still rock steady? His health is a concern; youth-conscious brands may not go to him anymore. When did he become so big? Bachchan’s always been a favourite. He took things up a notch after he received appreciation for his roles in Paa, Black and Sarkar among others. His appeal stems from the fact that he comes across as honest and humble, as seen in the interactions with contestants on Kaun Banega Crorepati. USP: Proven track record, successful homemaker. Endorsement graph: Flat. Is she still rock steady? She represents a sophisticated, mature club of ‘mothers’. She is perfect for home appliances, kiddie products, health and anti-ageing brands. When did she become so big? Despite being a critically acclaimed actress, Kajol is super selective. The ad world knows that audiences will notice her presence in ads.
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Between September last year to this year, many brands including Dabur (Odonil), Kellogg’s, Oral-B, HUL (Vim) and Bournvita have signed celebrity mothers like Karisma Kapoor, Kajol, Madhuri Dixit, Juhi Chawla and Sakshi Tanwar. “Gone are the days when just a model could help brands stand out from the massive clutter. They need a celebrity or at least a well-known face to differentiate their products,” says Prahlad Kakkar, a brand expert. “A woman with a family can easily relate to these mature, celebrity mother faces, which can boost the recall value of the brand and influence purchase decisions.” Endorsement fees for mommies can range from 50 lakh to 2 crore. They impress homemakers instantly; are trustworthy, mature and have responsible face value; also their recall value is very high.
This is the share percentage of celebrity endorsement according to profession * Source: AdEx India, a division of TAM Media Research ** Earnings according to industry estimates *** TAM AdEx All figures for the period between January and June 2013
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DECEMBER 1, 2013
16
indulge
ARE YOU GAME, BOY? I The Xbox One or the PS4 – which gaming console is the one for you?
augmented reality and your online device. There’s no way a company will sell a standalone gaming machine anymore (as Nintendo realised with its Wii U); both machines are designed to be the centre of your entertainment universe. Aren’t the previous generation of consoles a better buy, given they’re priced much lower? Good to see you’re WAS TEMPTED to start this week’s column with some thinking on your feet. Previous generation consoles are powmelodramatic superlatives on how the battle between erful machines that will continue to fall in price. If you don’t the two biggest launches of the year has started, how own one, look for excellent bundled deals, usually announced sales have been phenomenal and how this will spill over about three months after a new generation console is out. to the next few months till one console will be declared the Will the Xbox One and the PS4 be the first true 4K new king. I’ll refrain from doing that as I’m more fascinated source players for your new 4K TV? In a world moving to with the questions thrown up instead. Almost no category in Ultra HD (four times your normal full HD), shouldn’t the next technology has seen more sudden success and unprecedented generation of consoles deliver too? Currently, out of the box, failure than this finger-mashing device world. they DO NOT! Yet both companies have made cryptic claims And the launch of the next generation of consoles underthat in the future with firmware updates as well as add-ons, lines that legacy. It’s fascinating because no product launch they will. I don’t see any way for these consoles to survive in has ever been more laden with confusion, befuddlement over the future without 4K output and can’t wait to see the first features, as well as frustrating cloak-and-dagger games being true 4K game! played out by both companies. For each, the success of their Are these the last gaming consoles on the planet? I’d console is of paramount importance as each represents a go out on a limb and say yes. At least in the current form and definition of what we perceive to be Rajiv Makhni a gaming console. In the future, we’ll play games of a much superior quality than what these consoles can deliver – we just won’t need a console to play them. Our phones and TVs may have it all built-in, and you won’t need games on a disc. What about Nintendo? In the current scenario and with what Nintendo’s portfolio looks like – it’s safe to say that it’s Game huge source of revenue and a failure would Over for them! be catastrophic. It’s almost as if a macabre Which one is better: Xbox inside game is being played within the gamOne or PS4? Which should I ing console wars. From within this turbubuy? The big question and one lent and perplexing arena, let’s try and get that has people scratchanswers to the biggest questions. ing their heads. EarSales have started well, but will they lier, it was easy to desustain? A million consoles sold on day cide as most gamers one for both, ‘sold out’ signs everywhere EASY ON THE EYE were invested in one aland growing demand. A good start for both and The PlayStation 4 is ready and would upgrade from the same company this will continue, as Christmas demand as well sleeker, leaner and to protect the library of games they already spent as launches in the UK and Europe have begun. better looking in terms a fortune on. Those rules don’t apply anymore Rushed job and poor quality machines? Many of size and form factor as both consoles are notoriously poor at legacy have seen their PS4 bricked and unusable with a gaming. This is a fresh start; one that shuns the boring old to ‘Blue Light of Death’ striking. Many reported that the Xbox bring in the absolute new. One is dead on arrival with a ‘Robot Vomiting’ sound followed In terms of size and form factor, the PS4 is sleeker, leaner by a ‘Green Screen of Death’. Poor quality machines released and better looking, but that should be the last reason to buy a to catch holiday sales? Not really. This is almost a tradition gaming system. Price isn’t much of a criterion either as the with every console launch. Teething issues immediately crop PS4 may be $100 less, but needs accessories that cost almost up in the first lot of machines. Things stabilise pretty quickly. as much to get the console up and about to its fullest. Both Why should I buy a console when smartphones and tabconsoles offer almost equal hardware specs as well. Even the lets give an excellent gaming experience at a cheaper biggest rule of console choosing seems to have been left in the price? Good question. While ‘app gaming’ is an dust: the games themselves! The opening portfolio for both is excellent platform, it pales in comparison to fairly mundane, the number of exclusive choices aren’t many what these consoles can deliver. From mindand there doesn’t seem to be any one killer game in the future boggling graphics and intense gameplay to onthat will tilt the scale much. Then who wins? line jousts and jaw-dropping augmented reality, The decisive winner will be the one that delivers on the there are many features that can’t be matched digital hub promise – a machine that brings in all forms of on a tablet. media and entertainment and makes the experience that But these consoles are seriously exmuch more automated, jaw-dropping, customised and intelpensive. Yes, they are. But on a featureligent. Isn’t it amazing that for the first time ever, the last to-feature comparison, they are actually Gaming King of the Hill may well be decided not on gaming a bargain. This is your gaming console, prowess – but the capabilities of the machine over and above Blu-ray player, media streamer, musicgaming? True Technological Poetic Justice! playing machine, your TV-watching-exRajiv Makhni is managing editor, Technology, NDTV, and the anchor of Gadget perience-enhancing machine, your voice Guru, Cell Guru and Newsnet 3 and gesture command units, your first brush with true
techilicious
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LAST OF ITS KIND?
The Xbox One may well be one of the last gaming consoles you’ll get to see
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DECEMBER 1, 2013
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indulge
SEX, LIES AND LACK OF VIDEOTAPE
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It’s all very well to outrage about the Tehelka case; but let’s also try and ensure that such cases don’t recur
Seema Goswami
spectator NARROW MINDED The only men who were willing to come on TV and defend Tejpal had grown up in an age of entitlement
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VER THE last fortnight, the media have been ‘lacerating’ themselves over the sexual assault allegations levelled against Tehelka editor, Tarun Tejpal, by a (now former) staffer of the magazine. The account of the aggrieved journalist makes for sorry reading, but what was even more disturbing was the attempt by Tehelka to try and pass this off as an ‘internal matter’. When journalists dared ask questions of Tehelka managing editor, Shoma Chaudhury, she shot back angrily: “Are you the aggrieved party?” (Presumably, Shoma, or to call her by what we now discover is her real name, Suparna, was an ‘aggrieved party’ in the Asaram case, or else why would she chose to cover it?) Well, you know what, Ms Chaudhury? We are all aggrieved parties in this. Not just every woman who has ever had to fend off unwanted sexual advances in the workplace; but every young girl in school and college today, who one day hopes to step into the workforce. Not to mention, every unborn child who deserves to enter into a world in which women are not preyed upon sexually – and then victim-shamed when they summon the courage to speak up. But how do we create that world? Outraging on Twitter, fulminating on TV and in columns such as this one, is a good way of venting when our rage, frustration and despair threaten to overwhelm us. But it doesn’t really change things in the real world. And nor does the constitution of sexual harassment committees in accordance with the Vishakha guidelines. So, what will? I have spent the last week or so trying to come up with some answers. This is what I have so far: 1) Start work on the next generation. Much as it saddens me to say this, most of the men in my generation and the one above are beyond redeeming. It was telling that the only people who were willing to come on TV and defend Tejpal were men of a certain age
DECEMBER 1, 2013
who had grown up in an age of entitlement. In their world, junior staffers should be flattered when men in power show sexual interest in them; and shut up and put up with sexual harassment, or even sexual assault. A mentality like that is hard to change. So, while we shouldn’t let them get away with victim shaming, let’s not nourish any illusions that their Neanderthal thinking will change. Instead, let’s try and get the young men of today and tomorrow to see women as something other than sexual objects. In this endeavour, the mothers – and indeed, fathers – of young boys have the biggest role to play. Teach your son that a woman’s right to her bodily integrity is inviolable. Make him understand that no means no. Upbraid him when he makes sexist comments. Respect his girlfriend/wife rather than undermine her. Teach him by example. Don’t refer to women in short dresses as ‘sluts’. Don’t act as if a girl who has premarital sex is a ‘whore’. Don’t sneer at women who frequent nightclubs as ‘easy’ or ‘fast’. 2) But while the role of parents is crucial, schools, colleges and other educational institutions can also play a vital role. Alongside classes on sex education, we also need to teach lessons about sexual behaviour. We need to tell young girls and boys what constitutes sexual harassment or even sexual assault. Young girls need to be taught that it is okay to speak out against any man who violates their body. Young boys need to be taught that consent is crucial when it comes to sex. I know it seems self-evident but it is frightening how many men grow up believing that a woman’s ‘no’ means ‘not yet’ and that if they persist it will change into a ‘yes’. It bears repeating. No means no. 3) A policy of zero tolerance. I remember going on a TV programme on rapper Honey Singh and being asked if I was just picking on him because he was a ‘soft target’. There are no ‘soft targets’ when it comes to sexual violence against women. The man who pinches your bum in the bus, the guy who makes a sexual comment on the street, the singer who raps about violence against women, the boss who acts as if sexual favours are his God-given right, the man who molests or rapes a woman. All of them need to be punished with the full force of the law. 4) No sexualisation of the workplace. And this applies to both men and women. Just as we take it for granted that it is not okay for men to watch pornography at the office, or indeed, decorate their desks with pin-ups of naked women, it is also not okay for women to sexualise the workplace by dressing like wannabe porn stars. There is a time and a place to wear a miniskirt or a camisole top. Your office is not that place. And while I am all for the right of women to dress as they please, we also need to understand that showing butt cracks or acres of cleavage sexualises our workplace just as much as dirty jokes do. We wouldn’t stand for it if our male colleagues dressed like that. The same standards should apply to us. For a truly equal, sexual harassment-free workplace, men and women need to work together. And that work needs to start now.
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WHY A BURGER CAN NEVER MATCH A DOSA
Can a south Indian restaurant be run like a world-class fast food chain? Or is the cultural gulf too vast?
D
O THE styles of Indian restaurants and global fast food chains differ so substantially that it is hard for idli-dosa operations to be run on the same lines as McDonald’s or KFC? It is a question to which there is no clear answer. Let’s take Sagar, probably the most famous of the idlidosa chains. When Jayaram Banan opened the first Sagar in Delhi’s Defence Colony in 1986, there were other chains serving south Indian snacks (Woodlands and Dasaprakash were the best known) but nobody had persuaded north Indians to make the dosa a staple. Sagar was a runaway success. The original restaurant has now expanded over many floors and seats over 200 guests at one time. But Banan also opened Sagar branches all over north India and
Vir Sanghvi
rude food promoted a (slightly) premium brand called Sagar Ratna. Today there are over 60 Sagars and Sagar Ratnas in north India as well as another 35 or so franchise operations. And yet, all is not well in the world of Sagar. According to The Economic Times (14 November), Jayaram Banan and his family are battling the investors to whom they sold a controlling interest (around 75 per cent) in the Sagar Ratna company (which owns the Sagar and Sagar Ratna brands) two-and-a-half-years ago. Though Jayaram is still chairman, executive control of the company vests effectively with the majority owners, India Equity Partners. The battle has reached the stage where the Banans are even willing to buy back the 75 per cent from the PE fund for roughly as much as they were paid for it, though they say (in a letter to IEP, quoted by The Economic Times) that “the business has been receding on many counts including quality, customer satisfaction, franchise satisfaction, profitability and growth.” Anyone who frequents Sagar – and most of us in north
DECEMBER 1, 2013
India have been to a branch of Sagar at least once in our lives – will ask himself or herself the obvious question. How can things have gone so wrong? How can a restaurant brand that was once a byword for good food, one that was admired for its success (it has won more than one HT City award in its time) have reached the stage where there are doubts about its profitability and concerns (on the part of the founder’s family) about the quality of its food? Mystified by these developments, I phoned Jayaram. He said he was still chairman of the company and therefore would say nothing bad about it. “Sagar is my creation. I have put my life into it,” he said, getting so overwrought that I began to worry where the conversation was headed. His son Roshan, however, confirmed that he had indeed written the letter to IEP quoted in The Economic Times, confirmed that he stood by its contents and said that his family was prepared to buy back the Sagar shares because “it is an emotional thing for my father that goes beyond business. Sagar is his life’s work.” I don’t want to get into the specifics about the battle between the Banans and IEP about which I know very little beyond what the ET article says. But my concern is this: can private equity take over a successful Indian food chain, put in its own management and run it well? Or is this nearly impossible to do? I think that the first thing we need to remember is that Indian food is not like American fast food. A chimpanzee in a cap can be the chef at many American fast food outlets. Everything is pre-packaged or frozen, the fries, the sauces, the patties, the buns, the desserts etc, so the outlet is really chef-less. No skill is required to cook the food. In the case of chain restaurants with tablecloths, waiter service etc, the chef requires some skill but once again, this is minimal. The formula has been perfected over so many years that anyone who follows the manual will get the hang of turning out the food in a couple of days. In the case of Indian restaurants, however, it is never that simple. At the Defence Colony Sagar, for instance, the cooks arrive at 4.30 in the morning and do a pooja. Then they start grinding the masalas for the day by hand. All masalas and chutneys are freshly ground. (If they run out, the kitchen stops making the dish. If they are left over, they are never kept till the next day.) Next, they put the
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FROM WOMB TO THE TOMB
who is now worth hundreds of crores (his other businesses include the Swagath chain, two hotels, a bakery chain, a company that makes packaged snacks, airline catering etc.), he can be astonishingly humble with customers. On the other hand, there is a point of view which says that with the right systems, south Indian fast food can be turned into a quick service chain operation. India Equity Partners was founded by Sid Khanna, one of the most respected figures on the management scene. (His impressive CV includes a stint at Accenture and his contacts encompass the big names of Indian business.) Because IEP is in litigation with the Banans, nobody at the company was willing to be quoted by name. But the company’s view is that it has professionalised Sagar’s operations, opened a Dosa Academy, multiplied the number of outlets and taken the chain to a new level. IEP does not dispute that there are profitability issues but says that these are inevitable because the company is in a growth phase and investment costs are high. It maintains that food standards are as good as they have ever been and says that it has professionalised the management of what was essentially a family-run mom-and-pop operation. Further, its executives allege that it is impossible to run restaurants in Delhi if your opponents can use the police and municipal authorities against you. I got the impression that IEP is in this for the long haul, intends to open Sagar branches all over the world, and will not sell their shares back to the Banans. But Jayaram is a resourceful man who rarely gives up. His record is impressive. He ran away from home when he was a small boy, found a job as a dishwasher in a canteen in Bombay and has gone on to become one of the most influential figures on the Indian food scene. His style is street-smart rather than corporate. And as the battle between the two sides continues, it is only a matter of time before the sambar hits the fan.
Indian food isn’t like American fast food, where everything is pre-packaged or frozen
DECEMBER 1, 2013
STREET-SMART ALWAYS
Even now, Jayaram Banan, founder, Sagar Ratna, starts his day by visiting every one of his restaurants in Delhi/NCR
Photo: IMAGES BAZAAR
sambar on the stove. And then they start worrying about the vegetables, etc. By 7am every morning, they are ready with the breakfast service. What this means, in effect, is that the cost-savings available to Western fast food chains cannot be availed of in India. There are no huge packs full of chutney that is made in bulk in some central commissary. There are no frozen idlis. You simply cannot cut staff numbers in the kitchen. Then, there’s the food itself. Many American fast food items do not have to be consumed at once. But though we have learnt to live with takeaway dosas at home, everybody who goes to Sagar expects his dosa to be freshly made and delivered to the table direct from the griddle. A cold idli will be sent back. So not only must you hire cooks who can turn out perfect dosas by the minute, you must also have enough waiters to ensure that orders are picked up and delivered instantly. Once again, there is no room for cost cutting or economies of scale. Hire inexperienced cooks and the quality of the dosas will fall. If there are not enough waiters, the dosas will get cold and soggy by the time they reach the table and customers will not come back. Then, there’s the human element. Very few people who go to work at a KFC or McDonald’s outlet expect to work there for the rest of their lives. All HR polices are designed with this in mind. At Indian operations like Jayaram’s, in contrast, employees intend to work for a lifetime. So, they need to be treated differently. Most of Jayaram’s managers are people he promoted internally. For instance, Jayesh Shetty, manager of Swagath in Defence Colony, joined Jayaram at Sagar over 20 years ago as a cleaner. He was promoted to waiter, to captain and eventually to manager of Jayaram’s most profitable restaurant. This style of operation is either family-like or feudal and unprofessional depending on your perspective. But it is a model that can only work in an owner-driven company, not in an operation run by Western private equity. And finally, there’s the question of passion. There is no great passion involved in producing a Big Mac and large French fries. But restaurants such as Jayaram’s are about passion. Even now, he starts his day by visiting every single one of his restaurants in Delhi/NCR. Often he stands outside the Defence Colony Sagar, welcoming people and assigning tables. I’ve seen him go ballistic with kitchen staff if a dosa is not right. If a customer complains to him, Jayaram will bow low and personally make amends. For a man
Photo: RAJ K RAJ
At Sagar Ratna, the style of operation is family-like and employees intend to work for a lifetime, unlike at KFC or McDonald’s
HAND IT TO THEM
At the Defence Colony Sagar outlet, the cooks arrive at 4.30am and grind the masalas for the day by hand
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BRUNCH DATE
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“Deepika had no starry tantrums”
Anju Modi is all smiles over her Bollywood debut: costume designer for Ram-Leela by Veenu Singh
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HE HAS been designing clothes and experimenting with textiles for the last 20 years, creating colours in Venkatagiris and new bandhini patterns. So when filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali went looking for a costume designer familiar with Gujarati costumes for his Gujarat-based film Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, he picked Anju Modi. Deepika Padukone’s elaborate lehengas are now one of Ram-Leela’s talking points. So we decided to catch up with the shy designer on a sunny afternoon over an Italian lunch of thin-crust pizza, risotto and more at La Piazza at the Hyatt Regency, Delhi.
We’ve heard Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a harsh taskmaster. Was he really?
Firstly, I must admit that I’m a big fan of Sanjay’s films. I love their grandeur and larger-than-life images. So when I got this call, I was very excited. After our meeting, Sanjay handed the entire script to me as he wanted me to understand Deepika’s character, Leela, before I started. Sanjay is a perfectionist and has an eye for detail. He’ll keep improving on things till he is completely satisfied. In a way, I’m also like that. He definitely knows how to get the best out of someone. And he is lavish with his praise.
Tell us about how you put the costumes together.
Since Sanjay wanted the look to be alive and vibrant, I looked at giving old techniques a contemporary twist, which is also my signature. Leela is a modern-day Gujarati, a firebrand non-conformist with a rebellious streak. So her clothes had to stand out. Her lehengas were more like ghaghras, with
Deepika’s lehengas in Ram-Leela had three layers of fabric, but in a lean skirt-like silhouette DECEMBER 1, 2013
three layers of fabric, but in a leaner skirt-like silhouette. I utilised the old technique of the 80-panel lehenga that makes you look sexier and slimmer by adding volume to the ghera. The one shown in the posters has a ghera of 50 metres and for many major scenes, like the climax, I used antique lehengas sourced from the interiors of Bhuj. Some of the bandhini dupattas, folded into a thin strap and artfully tucked into the ghaghra, were antique. The sitara and tarkashi embroidery is typical of Gujarat. I have mixed antique pieces with new fabrics, a challenge in itself, and sourced fabrics from all over the country – khadi from Andhra Pradesh, bandhini and mashru silk from Gujarat and fine gauge cotton from down South.
the sets in triplicate. I went with the pink and black but we realised that both weren’t making sense. So, I flew back to Delhi that same day, called my karigars at night and worked the whole night to get the white costume ready. I took the morning flight to Mumbai with the white costume, and my fingers crossed! Fortunately, the moment Priyanka saw it, she screamed and said that she loved it.
Priyanka and Deepika are two women with the best bodies. I was lucky to work with them
Priyanka, on the other hand, has just one costume. Why?
The brief I got about the song was that Priyanka has just stepped out of the bath and is rubbing her hair with a towel. She is actually commenting on the plight of Ram and Leela and there is a Sufi feel to it. So it was decided to make a blouse and dhoti-lungi with mirrorwork. Sanjay initially asked for a pink set and then for a black one in cotton khadi. But I was always keen on white. Then suddenly I got a call that the shooting of the song has been advanced. Sanjay needed
What was it like to work with two big actresses?
I must say that I have been very lucky to design for both Deepika and Priyanka – two women with the best bodies in Bollywood. And I’m completely impressed by their discipline and commitment. They have no tantrums, no starry nakhras and were always there on time. Both of them realise the importance of costume to get the look right and made no fuss about anything at all.
Are more film offers coming in?
Yes, I have already got busy designing costumes for Traces of Sandalwood, a low-budget Spanish film being shot in India starring Nandita Das. veenus@hindustantimes.com
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COMING HOME
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The Men On The Hill
Fresh air, peace and quiet... no wonder Landour in Mussoorie is heaven’s own address for so many people by Prachi Raturi Misra
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INTER IS here, and the hillsides of Mussoorie, in the foothills of the Himalayas, are ablaze with wild flowers. Tall trees cover steep slopes, shedding brilliant autumn leaves. The town, about 35km from Uttarakhand’s Dehradun, is at an altitude of about 6,170 feet, and its busy Mall Road may remind you of Delhi’s Karol Bagh.
But only a few kilometres out, you’ll discover a quieter world. The air is crystal clear and the silence is like a soothing balm to jangled city nerves. This precious silence, the still (and still unspoiled) beauty is why so many people from so many corners of the country have visited, fallen in love with the area and decided to move in
Around The World And Back Again: STEPHEN ALTER
permanently. Landour, just outside of Mussoorie, is several hundred feet higher, and more than a few degrees colder. Its peaceful roads, shaded by old deodar and oak trees, are well away from the tourist buzz. There’s a church built in 1840, the sweet whiff of pancakes and waffles floating from the nearby Char Dukaan, the sound of cheerful “hellos” from foreigners who come to study Hindi and other Indian languages at the 100-yearold Landour Language School, and stunning views of snow-capped peaks against blue skies. For some jaded folk, at least, heaven seems to have a new address.
Photos: LUDRA MANI BELWAL
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born in Mussoorie and studied in Woodstock, and although he became director of the writing program at the American University in Cairo and taught creative writing at MIT, he returned to Mussoorie. “The thought of settling elsewhere crossed my mind but never for long enough. Mussoorie felt like home.” Sure, the Internet is erratic, gas cylinders and water supply remain problems. But Alter’s life includes morning jogs, a few hours of reading and several hours where he pretends to be working. “I love to while away my time. I am thinking of getting a card printed that says awara faltu,” he chuckles.
There’s no place like Mussoorie to find interesting characters
DECEMBER 1, 2013
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Far From Mumbai’s Madding Crowd: SANJAY NARANG
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t is quite a walk,” he warns me over the phone. But author Stephen Alter’s home in Landour is worth every step. It’s a British-era bungalow built in 1840. A lawn leads one to the eight-bedroom home which features wood floors, sepia-tinted family pictures and beautiful furniture. Alter has set most of his 15 fiction and non-fiction books (including his recent espionage thriller, The Rataban Betrayal) in Mussoorie and Landour. “There is no place like Mussoorie to find interesting characters,” Alter says, sipping tea as his wife Ameeta prepares clay for a pottery session. Alter would know. He was
Mussoorie’s evergreen author Ruskin Bond who stays in Landour, says Mussoorie inspires him and his many stories. Be it the fog that rolls down the hills or tales of haunted houses, the essence of the town is woven into his myriad tales. Actor Victor Banerjee has been living in Mussoorie (in a beautiful cottage, Parsonage), for several years now, and says he makes sure he spends Durga Puja in Mussoorie rather than Kolkata. Entrepreneur Gaurav Kapoor who studied in Mussoorie and visits the family home in Landour quite often, says the town’s tranquillity brings out the creative best in him. “I have actually taken back an autumn leaf to show my design team the exact shade of red,” says the founder of the home decor brand Nakalchee Bandar.
I breathe good air and eat pesticidefree food. I’m happy
hen your life is the envy of the world, only you know the price you’re paying. Mumbai entrepreneur Sanjay Narang was paying a hefty price for his. He’d spent his boyhood at Woodstock and his youth at Cornell University. He’d put in time heading Ambassador Sky Chef, the air catering division of his family’s hotel business. He’d even joined the Taj before establishing the Mars group, which had several restaurant brands to its name.“I had the typical life a young person wants; it was all pretty heady,” he recalls. Until he found himself in his Mercedes one day, noticing his ever-smiling driver. “Here was this man, living in a city and looking so happy. And here I was, juggling important calls, all stressed out,” says Narang. A school reunion in 2005, then, was only an excuse to sell some of the brands he’d created, get a team to handle the rest, and reconsider Mussoorie as home. “I’d made enough money for me to never work and yet to live well,” smiles Narang. “Here, things I’d taken for granted as a child felt special.” Today, Narang lives in a beautiful cottage where he spends eight months of the year. A nondescript gate leads to stairs lined with seasonal flowers. Inside is a modern
home, awash in natural light. He spends his time overseeing a hotel, some cottages and a café that he owns in Mussoorie. Most times though, he just likes to let the city life ebb out of him. “I measure my satisfaction from the days I am happy. And most days here are happy,” says Narang. “I breathe fresh air, eat pesticide- free food. I look forward to getting old here.”
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All Of Us, All Together: BILL AITKEN
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rowing up in a village in Scotland, all that travel and spirituality author Bill Aitken wanted to be was a shepherd. “Today when I look at the quiet hills, the fog rolling by, the sun bathing the trees, I smile and think of how close I am to living that dream,” he says. Aitken’s love for India was kindled as a student of comparative religion at the University of Leeds. He hitchhiked here in 1959, spent a year teaching in Calcutta and 12 more in ashrams in Kausani and Mirtola. In 1972, now a naturalised citizen and the companion of Prithwi Bir Kaur, the dowager Maharani of the erstwhile Sikh princely state of Jind, he moved to her Mussoorie cottage, Oakless. Built in 1908 and standing a few yards from the famous Wynberg Allen School, the cosy cottage is full of antique chairs, wall-sized
paintings, a piano that needs tuning, a bear mascot umbrella stand, deer hunting trophies and black-and-white pictures of the late Maharani. Aitken would previously divide his time between Delhi and Mussoorie, but moved in permanently after the Maharani passed away. “I don’t like travelling much now. It’s only Mussoorie and this home that I find peace in now,” he says looking out of the window. “This place has a cosmopolitan feel to it. There are Tibetans, foreigners, Garhwalis, and people from various places. It’s just the kind of place that meets my spiritual outlook.” The other thing he finds very satisfying is the peace and quiet. “I absolutely love the monsoons because that is one time not many people knock on the door and one can sit quietly and write,” explains Aitken.
I love the monsoons, not many people knock on the door
SUMMER VISITORS SACHIN TENDULKAR: The cricketer often stays with a close friend in Mussoorie. The buzz is that he is building a cottage in Landour which should be ready by December. DEVINA ANAND: Dev Anand’s daughter has a cottage in Landour where she often stays for months on a stretch. VISHAL BHARDWAJ: The film director and his singer wife Rekha Bhardwaj
DECEMBER 1, 2013
visit his cottage several times a year. He says the place lets him be anonymous. “No one knows me here. It’s wonderful. I go for a quiet morning walk every day.” They read, they sing late into the night, savour the simple food cooked by a local cook. PRANNOY ROY: The newsman is often seen jogging around the Chukkar road near Char Dukaan in summer. (And these are just a few names!)
VARIETY
twitter.com/HTBrunch Anil Srivatsa, CEO and founder of Q Radio
Q For Queer
The country’s first radio station for the LGBT community, Q Radio, launched two months ago. Will it make a difference? by Shreya Sethuraman
A
NIL SRIVATSA, former CEO of the IPL team Kings XI Punjab, has been passionate about radio for a long time. So in September this year, he launched Q Radio, India’s first station especially for the LGBT community, where people from the community talk to RJs about the problems they face on a day-to-day basis. There is a special section called In Conversation With, where men and women who have ‘come out’ talk about why they took that decision and how it has affected their lives. Bangalore-based Srivatsa tells us more about Q Radio. Excerpts from the interview:
What made you start Q Radio?
I don’t believe there are any media channels dedicated to the community on a full-time basis in India yet. We hardly acknowledge the LGBT crowd. We are in denial of
their existence. Q Radio is the first to do this with radio.
Do you think it was a risk to launch the channel?
If you mean business risk, then yes! Like all businesses, this too has the element of risk. But for the community, I don’t think this was a risk. When you do something socially purposeful for a community, you win loyalty and it extends to those who support the effort, which translates into financial viability.
Was it tough to convince LGBT people to host shows?
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Initially, it was hard to get the right team. Now we’re seeing an outpouring
of support from the community.
Most shows are in English...
The shows are bilingual, mostly in English, and now Hindi as well. The intent is to appeal to a set of people, influential people, who can identify with this line of communication.
How will a radio station help?
EVERYBODY HERTZ
Radio can be a powerful medium to raise awareness
It all depends on how this community wants to use the channel. We want this to be driven by the community
and its supporters. We provide a single platform for LGBT groups, to bridge the gap between them and their immediate friends and family. It can also help them gain unconditional acceptance, and assimilate into the mainstream.
Many critics say you are compartmentalising the LGBT community...
Everyone has a right to their opinion; I do not fault them for theirs. What I hope for is to provide a common ground for these exchanges so it can develop into a dialogue, into better understanding. shreya.sethuraman@hindustantimes.com Follow @iconohclast on Twitter
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