WEEKLY MAGAZINE, JANUARY 1, 2012 Free with your copy of Hindustan Times
Who and what will rock around the clock this year
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R 25, 2011 , DECEMBE Times WEEKLY MAGAZINE copy of Hindustan Free with your
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PHOTO: THINKSTOCK
I N
T H I S
INDULGE
Power Through
Why let an ancient Mayan prediction of the world’s end stop you from living to your fullest? Shun all your worries and take off with us. Know the movies, trends and automobiles to look forward to. And live free. Suppose this really was the world’s last year?
EAT
Actress Genelia into D’Souza gets mood the Xmas
Great food without being restricted to a single cuisine is the future LIVE
The World Is Fat
The truth is that we all struggle with our weight, one time or another PLAY
The Absolute Best Gadgetry Of 2011
If last year was a roadmap, then here’s how 2012 will shape up LISTEN
facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunch
The Black Keys have progressively tweaked and evolved their nearpurist, blues sound. I am totally sold
Ankita Menon I had recently purchased the Brunch Quarterly magazine in where Vidya Balan was on the cover and I must say U got me hooked and Booked! Loved your magazine and the articles you covered especially Rhythm and Hues where you showed how classical dance inspires fashion. Akashdeep Singh Truly enjoyed reading Rajiv Makhni’s article today.. I’d really love to see Mr Gates back.. and the Andro BB... Awesome writing!! Tanya Sharma U get such new and innovative questions to ask celebrities that we can know about them properly and ur medical tips help to keep ourself fit !
Calling All Tweeple twitter.com/HTBrunch @kmat91 @RajivMakhni Fabulous column sir. Couldn’t stop laughing. @rockky20Seema is always on true side she is really cheerful person!! i read abt her perspective over Mumbai and Delhi. @sahiravik Your article on Genelia D’Souza and her Christmas-joy is really nice. But why wasn’t there any personal agenda?
Attack, Release, Reload
2012: TAKE OFF
WELLNESS
What’s Trending Now
A Twist In Training
What’s up for the 12 months to come? What will we wear? Which books will keep us at home? So many questions. And the answers are right here
A dash of innovation can make your workouts more exciting in this brand new year. Find one, now!
If This Was Your Last Year On Earth
2012: TAKE OFF
What would you do? Kiss a celebrity? Blow up all your savings or quit your job? Check what some celebs will do
Pop Goes The Celeb Wardrobe! The year 2011 saw some of the most bizarre wardrobe disasters. While Yana Gupta gained the reputation of going pantyless, style icon Sonam Kapoor too had an oops moment! Here’s a look at the year’s worst faux pas.
@daredevilakshay My Sunday feels so incomplete without a copy of HT Brunch ! @justakash_s gr8 reading ‘Tech life in 2012’
Write to brunchletters@hindustantimes.com For marketing and ad-related queries, contact suresh.tripathi@hindustantimes.com
hindustantimes.com/brunch What’s Trending Now? Check out the full story online!
E E X C L U S IV
@swaris16 @seemagoswami’s article showed indians not only show but also prove they’re truly secular :-)
People To Watch Out For
The experts give their nominations for people we ought to keep our eyes peeled for this year
BRUNCH ON THE WEB
FEED BACK
More The Merrier
We’re Logged On Rohini Murthy Wish you guys had published an article about hits and misses of Bollywood films....or the most overated and underated films of 2011.
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I S S U E
The holiday spirit has taken over Brunch! Which is why we are in the mood to give more, more and then more. If you can’t get enough of your favourite stories inside, read the full versions of movies to watch and our wellness story on our website. Plus, read our list of what we want to see in 2012 and what we’ve had enough of!
Have you seen our Brunch Quarterly photoshoot with Vidya Balan yet? Log on for this and an all-access pass to your favourite stories from this and previous Brunch Quarterly issues.
THE DRAGON BAND-Z
Noticed the dragon band running through the entire magazine? According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2012 is the Year of the Dragon and it represents power, success and happiness. So this is our way of sending you our wishes directly. Have a wonderful year ahead!
EDITORIAL: Poonam Saxena (Editor), Kushalrani Gulab (Deputy Editor); Tavishi Paitandy Rastogi, Mignonne Dsouza, Veenu Singh, Parul Khanna Tewari, Pranav Dixit, Yashica Dutt, Amrah Ashraf
SEEMA GOSWAMI’S frank admission that Calcutta doesn’t fill her mind with ‘rose-tinted nostalgia’ in Happy Festive Days (Spectator, December 25) came as a bit of an unpleasant surprise. Anyone who has spent some time in the City of Joy will vouch that Calcutta does something to a person, it becomes a part of their psyche for life. It forges a bond that is impossible to break and the reasons for this could be many. But perhaps topping the list would be the gourmet’s delight that this place was/is (where does one begin? In the good old days, Golden Spoon’s mutton patties and chicken rolls were famous, as were Peter Cat’s chello kebabs or the famed Kookie Jar which had tarts to die for or good old Tangra with its mouth-watering Chinese spread, not to forget the authentic Bangla food at Bhojohari manna, Sholo anna – served in myriad places). Folks like me who are non-Bengalis and deeply touched by Calcutta, often spend a lot of time trying to find its elusive ambience in other parts of the country. And each time we go back, the ties only get stronger; it seems as if the umbilical cord with this city can never get severed. Well, all one can say is: to each his own! — VINEETA PRASAD, Noida
One more to list
I HAVE been savouring the series of Jonathan Gil Harris’ articles on European travellers who came to India (The Tales of The First Firangis, November 13-December 11). And I particularly enjoyed the article on Hiriart-Hunarmand and recently read the piece on Tavernier. Another European traveller who came to India (Bengal) was Hensman Antony of Portuguese origin, although not during the Shakespearean era. Contrary to the popular perception of the proseletysing European, Antony travelled around Bengal, married a Brahmin widow and even practiced the Hindu religion of the late 17th and early 18th centuries (please Google for accurate information). — SANJOY MITRA, Kolkata
DESIGN: Ashutosh Sapru (National Editor Design), Swati Chakrabarti, Rakesh Kumar, Ashish Singh, Saket Misra, Suhas Kale, Shailendra Mirgal
HINDUSTAN TIMES WEEKLY MAGAZINE JANUARY 1, 2012
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Indelible mark
Cover design: Malay Karmakar
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MIND BODY SOUL
A twist in the training
A dash of innovation makes workouts more exciting in this brand new year by Namita Jain
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HE WORLD is talking about getting fit. And people tell themselves, ‘It’s time I got into shape’ and do just that. Convenient locations of health centres, good amenities and qualified fitness professionals – these are all reasons to commit to exercise. So what are the fitness trends for 2012? They include traditional fitness forms, performed with a twist.
SPINNING
A good spinning class gives your heart and lungs an intense workout while also building strength in the legs. Spinning is now viewed as an exercise beyond pedalling with the availability of innovative bikes such as leaning bikes (where you can tilt from side to side), which increase the workout challenge.
DANCE-AEROBICS
Aerobic and dance moves are combined to make a fun workout. The Latin-inspired zumba, bhangra, shimmy and fusion dance workouts are the top fitness trends for 2012. Another workout called Aerojump (trendy in Hollywood) is also gaining popularity. This high-intensity workout involves skipping / jumping ropes to workout songs.
BOOT CAMP / BOXERCISE
This workout derived from the physical training of the army involves squat thrusts, sit-ups, sprinting and other intense exercises. In TRX Suspension Training, you use
SHIKHA SHARMA
Rules of good health
G
ood health is wealth. As we move into the new year, here’s a refresh on the rules of good health.
straps; the exercise performed uses your own body weight. Boxercise is an enjoyable way of using the benefits of boxing without the contact. The new trend is Piloxing which combines some features of pilates with boxing.
YOGA / PILATES
Yoga improves suppleness, strength and destresses the mind. New trends have reincarnated yoga, such as Hot Yoga, yogalates, yogaaerobics, candlelit yoga. Pilates concentrates primarily on developing a strong core (stomach and back muscles). New trends combine pilates with functional training. (Functional training is defined as using strength exercises to improve balance and coordination.) Pilates exercises are being performed using stability balls, BOSU balls and wobble boards. This improves the core, balance and stability.
AQUA-AEROBICS
The resistance of water makes this workout effective. Floats, paddles and other equipment are added to increase resistance. New trends include aqua-pilates, aqua-stretch, aqua-strength and aqua-aerobics.
EXERCISE TIPS
Find a workout that suits your personality and fitness level so you stay consistent. ■ Plan your workouts and monitor progress. ■ Eat a diet that boosts your energy levels. ■ Vary the intensity and types of workouts you do, to avoid reaching a plateau. ■ Mind-body exercises like yoga and pilates are great ways to unwind. ■
Namita Jain is a lifestyle and weight management specialist, and clinical fitness specialist with the Bombay Hospital, Mumbai. She has authored five fitness books and DVDs including her bestseller, The 4 Week Countdown Diet
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RULE 1: Every morning, say one positive thing about yourself to yourself. This sets the tone for the day, and a day begun well is most likely to go well. Positive messages to yourself help you improve your self-esteem. For example, a positive reaffirmation can be, “I am a kind person, so today I am going to be kind no matter what.” RULE 2: Begin the day with two glasses of plain water and try and replace at least 50 per cent of your favourite caffeinated beverages with green tea. By switching to green tea, you get mega doses of antioxidants which are good for the heart and skin. Green tea is also easy on the stomach and the absence of caffeine keeps you calm. Also fulfill your hydration requirements by consuming soups and vegetable juices. RULE 3: Eat a meal of sprouts every second day. They are a powerhouse of good health, good for losing weight, protecting the liver and enhancing the glow on your face. Sprouts can be made of alfalfa seeds, mung, lobhia and black channa. RULE 4: Sleep well for at least six to eight hours a night. Sleep is like medicine for the mind and body. Sleep deprivation results in premature ageing, irritability and a short temper. RULE 5: The total elimination of fast foods, ready to eat foods and packet foods may not be possible. But resolve to limit your consumption of these foods to just three meals a week. Such moderation will be helpful in the long run. RULE 6: Replace 50 per cent of your flour-based food with whole grain-based food (such as dalia, unpolished rice, poha or dal with chilka). You get more minerals, protection against cancer and greater weight loss. RULE 7: Drink alcohol in moderation, and gradually shift from potent liquor to fine wines. The maximum permissible level for health is two glasses of wine a day. RULE 8: Exercise to destress and to tone your body. You should exercise not only for weight loss, but also to develop strong knees. RULE 9: Laughter remains the best medicine. RULE 10: Say your prayers and express your gratitude every day. Prayers can heal and correct every hurdle in life. ask@drshikha.com PHOTOS: THINKSTOCK, MCT
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What’s trending now
Today is the start of a whole new year. It all looks fresh, shiny and new. So what’s up for the 12 months to come? What will we wear? How will we look? What movies must we keep tabs on, and which books will keep us at home? Is the music going to make us run for our earplugs or inspire us to get super sound systems? Where will we go to this year? Which car should we buy? What shall we drink? So many questions... And the answers are right here
Fashion
Namrata Joshipura
Hair
Mynah by Reynu
Go bold, it’s beautiful
Natural is the way to look by Apeni George WOMEN
by Pankaj Ahuja
A NOT TOO STRUCTURED AND STYLED LOOK: Don’t have every
AFFORDABLE FASHION VIA COLLABORATIONS: With lines by
Versace for H&M, Mary Katrantzou for Topshop and Sabyasachi and Rohit Gandhi-Rahul Khanna for Wills Lifestyle, designer retail is stylish yet price sensitive. GRAPHIC PRINTS: Prints will return to bold graphics, from techno-tribal to op-art geometrics and dramatic florals, whimsical bird and animal prints. ACCESSORISE: Quirky cat-eye sunglasses, oversized clutches and gravity defying platform heels! INDIVIDUALITY: You can wear the designer dress of the season, but it’s equally cool to dress in your mum’s chiffon sari from the ’50s.
by Namrata Joshipura PRINTS: Whether big, small, floral, tribal or wacky and colourful, mix and match everything. COLOUR: Think coral, tangerine and sunset orange, WALK TALL Platforms by Ferragamo
Makeup
by Apeni George DARING MOUTH: Use a striking
colour on your lips. This style is best carried off by someone who does not have too big a mouth. CLEAN LOOK: This requires the correct foundation, not a cakey look but a thin film, along with a little gloss and blush. The effect should be of a no-makeup look, but with
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Ankur and Priyanka Modi
the bold, bright and happy colour for the year. Pristine whites and ivory will also be big trend. SHINE ON: You cannot escape metallic shine, hi-voltage gloss, controlled bling and sequins and spangles in all shapes and sizes. FOOTWEAR: Pointed toes, strappy heels and embellished/spiky/animal prints are in. Platforms too. Rounded toes are out. DRESSES: Fluid, soft and feminine. Go sheer, knee length or get into a body-hugging maxi dress. (Pankaj Ahuja is one half of the designer duo, Pankaj & Nidhi; Namrata Joshipura is a designer)
wave in place. Rather, go in for unstructured waves and aim for a clean, free, fluid look. LOOSE CURLS: Both natural curls and a beehive backcomb are in, but keep the look unstructured. CENTRE PARTINGS: They’re back in a big way. HAIRCUTS: The layered look is passé. Opt for a one-length free-flowing look, a la Kareena Kapoor. SHORT HAIR: No one look will dominate.
MEN
THE STRAIGHT, LONG HAIR LOOK AND MESSY LOOK ARE DEAD: Go
for the classic look, where the base is a BOLD COLOURS: little shorter, and the Go bright, says top fuller. Style your designer Pankaj FEEL FREE hair with a side partAhuja. Try electric Kareena’s hair is cool ing and slick it down green, aquamawith a serum or gel. rine blue, luscious Or try the undercut and topfruity peaches, heavy style with a quiff (a piece of oranges and hair brushed upward and watermelon red PHOTO: MCT backward from the forehead), like Yuvraj and Ranbir have. LONGER HAIR: Keep MORE EXPERIMENTATION: With it mid-length, touchmore brands in the market, you can ing the neck, texexperiment with a variety of prodtured and layered. ucts. As you walk past the stores, CURLY HAIR: Use curl keep trying products till you figure lock-in products, and out what works for you. You’re not aim for a look a la supposed to show the makeup you Hrithik Roshan wear, but it should make you attrac(right). tive and confident. Also, if you use (Apeni George the right products in the right way, is Indian creative it will not harm your face.
Clean is the word for the year some shine coming through. To highlight your eyes, add mascara and eyeliner. THICKER EYEBROWS: The trend now is for healthy looking eyebrows – they should look natural but groomed. CREAM-BASED PRODUCTS: Use them on your lips, cheeks and eyes – but not in a sweaty environment.
HINDUSTAN TIMES WEEKLY MAGAZINE JANUARY 1, 2012
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director, RUSK)
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Movies
Khan hardly wait by Komal Nahta
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T’S TIME to bid 2011 goodbye. While the year has been good for the industry in terms of numbers, expectations for the new year are huge. That’s because there are a number of films due for release which are looking exciting. TALAASH: Anything Aamir Khan touches turns to gold. His Midas touch even made an irreverent film like Delhi Belly or an art film like Dhobi Ghat success stories. Of course, Talaash is neither irreverent cinema nor is it close to art cinema which makes the excitement level go several notches higher. Reema Kagti, who had directed Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd., is making this film written by her jointly with Zoya Akhtar. EK THA TIGER: Salman Khan is on such a high that his films command the best openings these days. And in an age where the first weekend of a film matters the most for its ultimate verdict, any Salman starrer would be red hot from the distributors’ and audience’s points of view. Add the fact that the film is being produced by Yash and Aditya Chopra and that it would release on Eid 2012 and you can almost hear the cash registers ringing loudly. The extraordinary title value (likening Salman to a tiger), Katrina as his leading lady and the directorial reins in the hands of a sensitive filmmaker like Kabir Khan (New York, Kabul Express) are bonus points about Ek Tha Tiger, which can’t be overlooked. YASH CHOPRA’S UNTITLED FILM:
From the man who understands love stories like no one else, the film should come as a perfect Diwali bonanza. Doesn’t matter if it is without a name,
AKSHAY HOPES TO
BRING OUT THE ‘HOUSEFUL’ BOARDS AGAIN WITH HOUSEFULL 2 10
Agneepath - th e remake SMOOTH RIDE TO THE TOP The Chikni Chameli number from Agneepath has already made waves
SUCCESS IS SWEET? Ranbir will be hoping for a hit with Barfii, which co-stars Priyanka and model Ileana D’cruz
doesn’t matter if the shooting still hasn’t started, doesn’t matter if nobody knows what the film is about, the very fact that Yash Chopra would be directing Shah Rukh yet again is enough to prompt cinema buffs to mark their diaries. Katrina will be seen with Shah Rukh for the first time in this love story which co-stars Anushka Sharma. DABANGG 2: Abhinav Kashyap may have turned down the offer to make the sequel, but that doesn’t take away much from the second part – because the first part was adored by the masses. With the sequel, Arbaaz will try his hand at direction but you can be sure Salman will be at hand to guide him. After all, Dabangg is too precious a brand to be wasted, so the entire Khan khandaan will put their best foot forward to deliver a wonderful Christmas gift. Considering that the sequel has still not gone on the floors, one would have had reservations about its release in 2012, but this is born out of the fact that Salman requested Aamir Khan and Aditya Chopra to move Dhoom:3 ahead and leave Christmas week for the Dabangg sequel, a request both heeded. BOL BACHCHAN: Rohit Shetty may be unhappy because he didn’t get the title Bol Bachan, but he will ensure he makes his audience happy. After all, he has his reputation of delivering super-hits (Singham, Golmaal 3) to live up to. Rohit and Ajay Devgn have proven to be a deadly boxoffice combination (Golmaal: Fun Unlimited, Golmaal
Ek Tha Tiger - Sa lman
Talaash – for an other hit
KJo’s new cam pus
film
Returns, All The Best, Golmaal 3, Singham) and that’s also a reason to expect Bol Bachchan to work wonders at the ticket windows. You can safely assume that Rohit would have only enhanced Amol Palekar’s Golmaal, of which BB is a remake. AGNEEPATH: Before its release, a film’s trailers and music are the most useful tools for people to decide whether they would see the film. And on both these counts, Karan Johar’s Agneepath scores.
HINDUSTAN TIMES WEEKLY MAGAZINE JANUARY 1, 2012
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The first trailer created such an impression on the minds of the public that a great initial was assured. Then came the super-hit Chikni Chameli song picturised on Katrina, which had the guys drooling. The second trailer only served to make the public actually salivate for the remake of Amitabh Bachchan’s film of the same title. STUDENT OF THE YEAR: It may introduce three newcomers but this campus tale is bound to become hot by the time it hits screens next year, and that’s because it is being directed by Karan Johar. Remember his last campus film, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, which was also his debut directorial venture? RACE 2: The Race sequel, directed by Abbas-Mustan, will be a film to watch out for and not just because Race was such an intriguing thriller. The sequel will star John Abraham, besides Anil Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan from the first part. BARFII: Ranbir Kapoor has been a darling of the public ever since Saawariya was released. But after his sterling performance in Rockstar, he is in a different league altogether. Barfii is an unusual title but one hopes the film would have the staple ingredients of a blockbuster. Anurag Basu directs the film which co-stars Priyanka Chopra and model Ileana D’cruz. ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAI 2: This is one sequel for which the paying public is waiting with bated breath. HOUSEFULL 2: Another eagerly awaited sequel is Sajid Khan’s Housefull 2. JODI BREAKERS: To quote someone who has seen the rushes, it has “the potential to become the Tanu Weds Manu of 2012”. It stars Bipasha Basu as Madhavan’s leading lady. KYAA SUPER KOOL HAIN HUM: This sequel to Kyaa Kool Hai Hum (which released in 2005) may be coming very late but that won’t take away from the fact that it was among the earliest sex comedies. The sequel will see Tusshar and Ritesh Deshmukh tickling the audience’s funny bone.
(Komal Nahta is editor, Film Information and koimoi.com)
Cars and bikes
Big goes small by Hormazd Sorabjee
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011 WAS A monumental year for new cars, and we saw significant launches in almost every segment. However, two new segments seem to be the focus this year. The first is the small SUV segment, pioneered by 2010’s Premier Rio. While it may not have been much of a success, it has caused other manufacturers to realise the potential of small, efficient hatchbacks with the butch styling and added ride height of SUVs. The other is the small MPV, which favours practicality over style. MPVs are also shrinking to their bare minimum size – while retaining the versatility their larger counterparts offer. There are of course many ‘conventional’ hatchbacks and saloons coming next year too. AUDI Q3 : Audi’s Q3 takes all the quality, technology and prestige from the company’s bigger cars and distils them into a petite package. It will be the smallest and most affordable Audi in India and will be priced competitively. CHEVROLET SAIL: The Sail saloon and hatchback will replace the Aveo and U-VA. The engines will be a 1.4-litre petrol and Fiat’s popular 1.3-litre Multijet diesel.
Chevrolet CN-100 Minivan
What this seven-seater lacks in flair it makes up with versatility. The trump card is the price – which could be lower than R6 lakh. FORD ECOSPORT: The baby SUV is based on the Fiesta’s platform, and will share its powertrains too – although a 1.2-litre petrol may be offered to reap sub-fourmetre excise benefits. MARUTI ERTIGA : The Ertiga is Maruti’s first serious attempt at an upmarket MPV. Despite being smaller than an Innova, it will offer seven seats, and have an expected price of R6-9 lakh. The Ertiga will get the SX4’s 1.3-litre multijet diesel, and a new 1.4-litre petrol motor. NEW MARUTI SWIFT DZIRE: This will be shorter than its predecessor to duck under the four-metre mark. Excise benefits mean it should be around R30,000 cheaper than the outgoing model. RENAULT DUSTER: This will come with a 1.6-litre petrol engine and the Fluence’s 1.5-litre diesel in 85bhp and 110bhp states of tune. Expect prices between R7- 11 lakh. (Hormazd Sorabjee is editor, Autocar India)
Renault Duster
The bike market too has seen a significant spike in new models. Buyers are going premium, and a few lakh rupees is a small price to pay for the high-octane thrills of a powerful bike. 2012 KAWASAKI NINJA 650R:
The Kawasaki Ninja 650R gets its first round of updates. Changes include a revised fairing and restyled instrument console. The 649cc parallel-twin engine and suspension get minor tweaks of their own. TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE: The Triumph Bonneville’s design harks back to the original 1959 model. Expect strong performance from its 865cc and 67bhp parallel-twin engine. DUCATI MONSTER 795:
Ducati’s Asia-specific Monster 795 comes with an 803cc, 87bhp engine. The best bit is the price – R7 lakh – which will make this the most affordable Ducati on sale in India.
Kawasaki Ninja 650R
CHEVROLET CN-100 MINIVAN:
Travel
by Frederick Divecha
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NDIANS ARE increasingly leaning toward niche travel with adventure tourism being the most popular concept. Travellers are seeking activities like mountaineering, rock climbing, trekking, skiing (above), skating, mountain biking and safaris. This has resulted in the popularity of destinations like Bintan (Indonesia) for adventure sports and South Africa for jungle safaris. LUXURY TRAVEL: Indians are spending more on holidays at private islands, luxury yachts, exclusive hotels, chalets and palaces. Castles, palaces
PHOTO: MCT
Action stations and villa stays in Ireland, Switzerland and Greece are likely to gain popularity in the next year. SINGLE DESTINATION TRIPS: Rather than combining multiple destinations in one holiday, travellers are willing to plan a holiday exploring a single destination like the Fiji Islands, Scandinavia and the Caribbean, which offer unique experiences. EXPERIENTIAL TOURISM: It is a rapidly emerging trend. Indians are looking forward to understand and be a part of the culture and heritage of the destination they seek to explore.
SPORTS TOURISM: It is also gaining in popularity e.g. FIFA World Cup, Formula 1, cricket matches, etc. EC0-TOURISM: Young Indian travellers are leaning towards identifying an exciting, eco-friendly way to see the world without compromising on comfort and style. Eco-tourism, which entails responsible travel to natural areas that conserve the environment and improves the wellbeing of local people is amongst the top five future travel trends as per the Kuoni India Holiday Report. DOMESTIC OPTIONS: Luxury travellers in India are opting for royal holidays in the palaces of Jaipur and Udaipur. Spa and wellness retreats are also becoming popular with travellers. For more active holidays, people are opting for jungle safaris (left) in breathtaking lodges at Panna, Bandhavgarh, Pench and Kanha, as well as scuba diving and white water river rafting trips. Finally, frequent travellers are seeking a glimpse of true Indian culture via village homestays. (Frederick Divecha is head, tour operating, b2c, Kuoni India)
HINDUSTAN TIMES WEEKLY MAGAZINE JANUARY 1, 2012
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Drink
Time for wine and spirits by Magandeep Singh
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HE THING with predictions is that they are about as useful as a spare wheel for a man deserted on an island: eventually he will find use for it, but in the immediate future, the applicability may appear non-existent. The three big things that I am about to foretell are, then, similarly stunted. Some of you may regard with scepticism what I have to share but please allow for the caveat that futuretelling is fickle business. JUMP IN INDIAN WINE CONSUMPTION: No single
year has passed since the inception of Indian wines when so much was gained on the qualitative front. Brands such as Reveillo pushed the quality envelope further by finding selections in Macau casinos and top international hotel chains. Fratelli has been the best thing to have happened to Indian wines in the last decade. York is another house worthy of mention. And of course, stalwarts Grover’s and Sula continue to do a consistently good job. A SPURT TO SPIRITS: Brown spirits have been making their presence felt for some time now. Trends point at the growth of whisky, rum, cognac or other brandies, and among the whites, gin is the one thing that will be truly a la mode. ARTISANAL TONIC WATER: We stand to see artisan, hand-made, traditional recipe-based tonic waters enter the market. A COCKTAIL REVIVAL: The one thing that is bound to benefit from the influx of foreign spirits is the possible burgeoning of a cocktail culture. With the growing number of cocktail competitions, the knowledge base too stands to grow and mature.
(Magandeep Singh is a sommelier and columnist) PHOTO: MCT
NEW BIKES FOR 2012
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Music
Books
Whole worlds in words S
O WHAT if you haven’t read all the books you bought last year. Today kicks off a whole new year of book-buying. Take a (very small) peek at what’s in store.
FICTION
The Trylle trilogy and the Watersong series by Amanda Hocking: Amanda
Hocking is one of the highest-selling ebook writers in the world. Now her books are available in the traditional format.
READING FILM Lord Meghnad Desai takes a look at the movie classic, Pakeezah
BIOGRAPHY
Worth Fighting For by Lisa Niemi Swayze: Lisa Niemi and Patrick
Swayze met as teenagers at his mother’s dance studio. It didn't take long for them to fall in love. Now, Lisa will share what it was like to care for her husband as he battled Stage IV pancreatic cancer. Rajnikanth by Naman Ramachandran: A new biography of Indian cinema’s superstar.
INDIA
The Butterfly Generation: A Personal Journey into the Passions and Follies of
sticks started taking on men who abused their wives. Soon they were fighting all evil.
INSPIRATIONAL
by Emmanuelle de Decker
Aphorisms.
FEEL 2011 had a lot of emphasis on electronic music which worked really well with the crowd but people are now looking for a different flavour. Musical sensibilities are changing fast and music lovers are willing to experiment with different genres. LEARN LATIN: While it is indisputable that commercial music always does well, I feel 2012 will see an emphasis on Latin and African music in clubs. Reggae for example was never too popular with the crowds but now people have started to enjoy it a lot. It’s a really good sign that people are willing to expand their horizons. JAM SESSIONS: Recently in Delhi I came across an interesting phenomenon where pubs and live gig venues organise jams and musicians improvise on stage and produce new sounds. I feel jams are going to be big in 2012 because they is more interactive with the audience. They also give artists the opportunity to step outside their comfort zone. Eclectic tastes in music always create interesting sounds. Even at Blue Frog, we do live jams on some nights but I feel dedicated live jam pads are going to crop up pretty soon. MONEY, MONEY, MONEY: One major change I’m hoping for in 2012 is financial support for musicians from the government and music labels. There are so many talented musicians in this country but most of them cannot pursue it because making music doesn’t pay. In France, the government finances arts. Music should be promoted in schools and colleges. Also major music labels should take off their Bollywood blinders and support independent musicians. I bet anything that if that starts happening, Indian musicians will rock the scene.
A Little Book of Life by Ruskin Bond:
Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World by His Holiness the Dalai Lama:
Reflections on values that could become the basis of a universalism beyond specific relations.
BUSINESS
The New Digital Age: Reshaping the Future of People, Nations and Business by Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen: The
Sins of the Father by Jeffrey Archer: The next book in the
series Sins of the Father.
first look at the intersection of technology, geopolitics and world events.
Jaal: The Web by Sangeeta Bahadur: The first in the
Kaal trilogy, set in a world reminiscent of India in the immediate post Vedic era.
The Wave Rider by Ajit Balakrishnan: The
When Loss is Gain by Pavan K Varma: The first novel by
founder of Rediff.com describes the transition of the world from the Industrial Age to the Information Age.
the author of The Great Indian Middle Class.
The Aryavarta Chronicles: Govinda by Krishna Udaysankar: The first of a trilogy, the
story of Govinda Shauri, before he became the god of legend. The Extras by Kiran Nagarkar: In the sequel to Ravan and Eddie, the boys have grown up.
STORY TIME Books by new talent Rajesh Parameshwaram and Katherine Boo India’s Technicolour Youth by Palash Krishna Mehrotra: A portrait of a gen-
I Am an Executioner: Love Stories by Rajesh Parameshwaram: Short stories
eration that remembers the old, socialist India but exults in the new liberalised India.
Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo: In a Mumbai slum
What has worked in India and what hasn’t since liberalisation.
by a new writer.
called Annawadi, Abdul the teenaged garbage sorter is falsely accused in a shocking tragedy. Sethji by Shobhaa De: A novel about the nexus between politics, big business and Bollywood. The Tranquebar Book of Erotic Stories: Edited
by Sheba Karim.
India Grows at Night by Gurcharan Das:
Portraits from Ayodhya by Scharada Dubey: Almost two decades after
the demolition of the Babri Masjid, Scharada Dubey studies the Ram Janmabhoomi site and visits the residents, ordinary and prominent, of a town that has known no peace.
The Pink Sari Revolution by Amana Fontanella-Khan: In Uttar Pradesh in
2006, a group of poor women wearing pink saris and carrying pink
IN 1842, POORLY EQUIPPED
AFGHANS ROUTED THE WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL MILITARY NATION 12
HISTORY
Ashoka by Charles Allen: Ashoka Maurya was forgotten for 2,000 years. How he was resurrected.
The Return of a King by William Dalrymple: In 1842, the Afghan peo-
ple rose against the British and an army of what was then the most powerful military nation in the world was utterly routed by poorly equipped tribesmen.
WELLNESS
Wow@Sixty by Namita Jain: Is it possible to be sexy at sixty? Yes, says the fitness expert. Exercise (title undecided) by Rujuta Diwekar: The author of Don’t Lose
Your Mind, Lose Your Weight demystifies workouts.
FILM
Pakeezah by Meghnad Desai, Amar Akbar Anthony by Sidharth Bhatia and Chashm-e-Badoor by Harneet Singh:
The authors give their own takes on these famous movies.
HINDUSTAN TIMES WEEKLY MAGAZINE JANUARY 1, 2012
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It’s all going to be new
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(Emmanuelle de Decker is head of live programming, Blue Frog)
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WINE
MASALA MIX Hemant Oberoi’s Varq packs them out every night in Delhi
Vir Sanghvi
SMALL STEPS Vineet Bhatia’s Ziya (left) at the Bombay Oberoi is slowly finding its feet
SOUTHERN SPICE Now mainstream restaurants will serve non-vegetarian south Indian food in a fun ambience. It’s already happening in Delhi with the Zambar chain (above)
rude food
over its Bombay siblings.) What’s interesting is that with a few exceptions you can now get better Chinese food outside the hotels than you can inside them.
Our changing tastes in food and ambience are showing up in restaurants all over the country
H
ERE’S WHAT’S becoming an almost annual roundup of current food trends and of what to expect in the coming year. I understand that some of this may seem repetitive but remember that trends take several years to unfold and that they don’t begin and end with the calendar.
SOUTH INDIAN FOOD
The obvious growth area. In the first wave, south Indian food conquered the country with idli-dosa places. The second wave was the rise of seafood places with vaguely if not entirely authentic (i.e. Trishna) coastal reference points. My guess is that we will now go beyond the ethnic (Gajalee, Mahesh Lunch Home etc) kind of place and have mainstream restaurants that serve non-vegetarian south Indian food in a fun ambience. It’s already happening in Delhi with the Zambar chain and as more Zambars open in Pune, Bombay and elsewhere, they will probably be joined by others.
MODERN INDIAN PHOTOS: THINKSTOCK
RAW POWER Japanese food in India means sushi-sashimi
The Age Of Variety
Already established as a successful trend despite some false starts (the first menu at Veda etc), this is certain to gather steam. Vineet Bhatia’s Ziya at the Bombay Oberoi is slowly finding its feet, Hemant Oberoi’s Varq packs them out every night in Delhi and once Foodistan goes on the air in late January I suspect that such chefs as Manish Mehrotra will emerge as the most widely recognised superstars of 14
CONTINENTAL/EUROPEAN
VARIETY ON A PLATTER Delhi’s restaurant phenomenon of the moment is still Setz (above) which serves food from multiple kitchens
Indian cuisine. (Till then, Manish’s Indian Accent flourishes in Delhi anyway). But the single best modern Indian meal I had in 2011 was not at any of the better known places but at Amaranta at the Oberoi in Gurgaon. The food was brilliant and the flavours were authentic. This is the best Indian restaurant the Oberois have ever run.
VEGETARIAN
Chefs are slowly coming to terms with the fact that the people with the money tend to be those who don’t eat meat. This is especially true of Bombay, Calcutta and the south. But while some restaurants such as Calcutta and Bombay’s Souk are specifically targeted at vegetarians, there is still a need for purely vegetarian restaurants because many vegetarians feel uncomfortable eating at places where meat is served. The ITC chain is launching an all-vegetarian brand of restaurants called Royal Vega and I suspect the trend will catch on.
AUTHENTIC CHINESE
The big restaurant trend of the last few years has been the growth of restaurants that serve real Chinese food. The Hyatt’s massively influential China Kitchen took authentic flavours to a new audience and there have been many other breakthroughs: Royal China in Delhi and now the branches of Hakkasan and Yauatcha in Bombay. I was sitting with Nelson Wang the other day and though he is the man who invented Chicken Manchurian, Nelson feels that audience tastes are changing and that stand-alone restaurateurs cannot ignore the new wave of authentic Chinese restaurants with expat chefs. (For the record, Nelson rates the Delhi Royal China
HINDUSTAN TIMES WEEKLY MAGAZINE JANUARY 1, 2012
For years, we thought the category was dying but it has received a fillip recently with the success of such places as Le Cirque in Delhi. I was there last week and despite the absurdly overdone pricing, the restaurant was packed and people were waiting for tables. (I counted 106 covers.) What was most interesting for me was that many of the guests had travelled a long way to get to south Delhi. If Le Cirque can successfully interest the west Delhi rich in authentic French/Italian food, then clearly there is a nouveau market that the other chains have missed. Outside of Delhi, the Taj is about to launch an Italian Riviera cuisine place in Bombay and ITC will open a classy Italian in Madras. Meanwhile, Bangalore continues to enjoy quality European cuisine. So the trend spreads across the country.
TRENDY CAFES
The two most difficult reservations in Bombay and Delhi are both stand-alone café-type restaurants with a relaxed ambience but serious food. In Delhi, you have to beg for a table at lunch at Café Diva and in Bombay, The Table is the hottest restaurant in town. Both offer the same kind of experience: sophistication without a five star hotel touch and an eclectic menu of food that is up to international standards. This is probably the future, far away from five star coffee shops which are beginning to seem dated nowadays.
JAPANESE
Okay, the verdict is in. For years restaurateurs have been astonished by the Indian fascination with Japanese food; something nobody had predicted. But we now know that this is misleading. Indians don’t really like Japanese food. A tiny minority of rich people wants a Nobu-type experience (hence Wasabi or Megu) but for most diners, the interest is restricted to sushi – which they love. The parallel is with Italian food. Just because people love pizza it does not follow that they have any interest in real Italian cuisine. So it is with Japanese. Just as Italian food in India means pizzapasta, Japanese food in India means sushi-sashimi. The lesson from all this is that you don’t need to open a Japanese restaurant to satisfy this demand. You can just open a sushi counter at any casual restaurant.
Yes I know. We’ve been talking about the wine boom for decades but we don’t seem to be any nearer the experience of China which has now emerged as one of the world’s greatest wine markets. One of the problems is that various state governments impose absurd laws and duties which are then exploited by corrupt excise officials. It is almost impossible to make money selling wine in India if you are an honest merchant. Even so, you have to be blind not to notice that a wine revolution is in progress. Last week I wandered into my grocer’s in Defence Colony (Godrej Nature’s Basket) and was astonished to find that they were conducting a wine-tasting (with Riedel glasses, no less) to huge public interest. You can now buy reasonably priced wine at many non-traditional outlets, people take bottles of wine to parties and most people keep wine at home. None of this was true five years ago. Part of the reason why the revolution has still not taken off to the extent many predicted is because most Indian wine is not very good. (Please note: I have not used the word crap.) But this may be changing. The other day, I tried white wine from the Fratelli vineyard (a collaboration between Italians and Indians in Maharashtra) and was astonished to find that it did not have that characteristic second-rate taste of most Indian wines. So it is possible to make good wine in Maharashtra despite some of the rubbish I have tasted. If Fratelli can keep this up and if others can match up to those standards then the revolution may move into its second phase.
THE SLOW DEATH OF PUNJABI RESTAURANT CUISINE
We don’t necessarily recognise this but the entire restaurant sector in India was created by Punjabis (from Kwality to Gaylord to Pandara Road to Churchgate Street to Connaught Place to the Oberois) who were content to serve the kind of food they would never eat at home but put on their menu. Even the kebab-tandoori explosion was created by Punjabis (Moti Mahal) and survives because of Bukhara. But I suspect that people are tiring of the old Punjabi restaurant formula. The stand-alone restaurants find it difficult to survive in these days of high rents and a new sector has opened up with mall dining. Nor are people that interested in the old style of Punjabi restaurant food. Rahul Akerkar who runs the massively influential Indigo in Bombay has turned his formerly European Tote restaurant at the racecourse into an Indian place called Neel. What’s significant is that Rahul’s reference point is Lucknow, not the Punjab. The restaurant is doing very well and the people of Bombay who have no real experience of Awadhi cuisine are loving it. This suggests to me that north Indian restaurant food will slowly shift away from the Kwality-Copper Chimney kind of cuisine to genuine Lucknow and Awadhi food. So far, only ITC was doing this with its Dum Pukht chain but I think the trend will catch on.
MULTI-CUISINE
In the old days, everything was multi-cuisine. Then all restaurants became specialty places serving say, Chinese or Indian or Western. The difference was that the food at the multi-cuisine restaurants was never very good while the specialty restaurants invested in good chefs and served authentic food. That’s changing. Delhi’s restaurant phenomenon of the moment is still Setz which serves food from multiple kitchens (Thai, Chinese, Japanese, European, Lebanese, north Indian, coastal Indian etc). The reason it works is because each kitchen is run by a specialist. So Setz has the best Thai food in Delhi, the best brasserie-bistro style European food and the best desserts. Spectra at the Gurgaon Leela tries the same thing as does 361 at the Gurgaon Oberoi. Neither restaurant manages food of the calibre of Setz but both flourish anyway. My prediction is that this is the wave of the future: people want great food and great ambience without being restricted to a single cuisine. We live in an age of variety and demand it every time we go out.
HINDUSTAN TIMES WEEKLY MAGAZINE
JANUARY 1, 2012
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REAL TASTES Royal China in Delhi has been a breakthrough in serving authentic Chinese food
RAHUL AKERKAR
HAS TURNED HIS FORMERLY EUROPEAN RESTAURANT AT THE RACECOURSE, TOTE, INTO AN INDIAN PLACE NEEL
NEW STANDARDS I tried white wine from the Fratelli vineyard and was astonished to find that it did not have that characteristic second-rate taste of most Indian wines
indulge live The World Is Fat eat |
| play | listen TRUE CONFESSIONS There is a certain searing honesty in Kalli Purie’s account of her journey to her fattest self and the struggle to find the skinny girl inside her
The truth is that we all struggle with our weight, one time or another
spectator
Seema Goswami
PHOTOS: THINKSTOCK
STUFF IT! Growing up in a Punjabi household meant that my day began with paranthas soaked in ghee, and evening snacks were pakoras or samosas
H
OW DO you react when someone you meet after a long time tells you, “Wow, you’ve lost a lot of weight!” Do you gobble up the compliment as if it were a piece of cake and respond with a graceful “Thank you”? Or do you stick on a fake smile as you wonder silently about just how fat you were to begin with? I have to confess that I find myself squarely in the second category. The moment someone asks, “You’ve lost some weight, haven’t you?” I find myself cringing inwardly about just how overweight I must have looked before. And it doesn’t help that the scales have told me that morning that I am exactly the same weight I was a month ago. The compliments are probably down to clever tailoring or the brilliant use of black as a camouflaging agent rather than any real loss of weight. Ah, weight! It’s been the bane of my existence for too long now. Which is rather ironic considering that I was a wiry child, a thin teenager and a slim young adult – all of it managed without the slightest bit of effort. Growing up in a Punjabi household meant that my day began with paranthas soaked in ghee, the packed school lunch was whitebread sandwiches slathered with butter and jam, evening snacks were pakoras or samosas, and dinner meant copious quantities of rice and curry, with potato chips to provide texture. The motto of our home kitchen was: when in doubt, deep-fry. And yet, despite a diet that seemed to consist entirely of trans-fats – and no exercise whatsoever – I never put on even a scintilla of weight. And then, suddenly, it all changed. I turned 30 and it was as if the switch to my metabolism was turned off as well. Now, every parantha found its way to the extra tyre rapidly building up around my waist, every samosa settled down comfortably on my hips, even as the white butter and cream went straight to my
thickening upper arms. Ever since then, it’s been a slippery slope down the road to porkiness. And it’s not as if I haven’t tried every trick in the book to get back the slim, lissom self of my twenties. I’ve pounded the treadmill, rocked the cross-trainer, signed up for Pilates, tried my hand at yoga, hired a personal trainer. I’ve joined slimming centres, gone to personal dieticians, tried every fad diet in the world in the world and then some. Sure, the weight goes off – though, with every passing year, it takes longer and longer to melt away. And then, once I get off the diet or slack off on the exercise, it comes creeping back on until I’m right back where I started. Given how the diet industry is flourishing and getting bigger every day (ironic or what?) I’m guessing that this is probably how it is for every woman – and most men – who are on the wrong side of 35. We go on a diet, we lose weight, we lose our minds, we go off the diets, we put on weight... and thus the vicious cycle goes on and on. Sounds familiar? I bet it does. We’ve all been there, done that, and have the stretch marks to prove it. Kalli Purie, however, has done one better. She has written what she calls a ‘weight-loss memoir’ to chronicle her path to skinniness. In her new book, Confessions Of A Serial Dieter, she recounts the 43 diets and workouts that took her from 100 kilos to 60. I have to confess that I’m not really one for diet books. I invariably end up resenting the po-faced advice that dieticians keep dishing out in their best holier-than-thou manner. Especially since it’s so clear that not one of them has had a decent meal in years – or even has the slightest interest in good food. Not to mention the fact that they’ve never been fat themselves – and so couldn’t possibly know what it feels like. Kalli is nothing like that. She is very much a regular woman – a wife, a mother, a professional – who loves her dark chocolate and her rajmachawal. She has struggled over the years to control her appetites just like you and me. She’s failed sometimes. And sometimes she has succeeded. And she feels no shame in sharing both these narratives with her readers. There is a certain searing honesty in Kalli’s account of her journey to her fattest self and the struggle to find the skinny girl inside her. It takes courage to admit to your own vulnerability – and how heavy you really were. But Kalli has done just that, allowing us to accompany her on what is as much an emotional journey as it is a weight-loss plan. She comfort eats; she binges; she purges; she works out like a maniac; she fall off the exercise wagon. She is full of self-loathing one moment; and on an endorphin high the next. Yes we’ve all been there; but some of us have come through on to the other side. And for that alone, the story is worth telling. Try chewing on it instead the next time you find yourself reaching for the jar of cookies. seema_ht@rediffmail.com. Follow Seema on Twitter at twitter.com/seemagoswami
KALLI IS VERY MUCH A REGULAR WOMAN – A WIFE, A MOTHER, A PROFESSIONAL – WHO LOVES HER DARK CHOCOLATE AND HER RAJMA-CHAWAL
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PHOTO: THINKSTOCK
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The Absolute Best Gadgetry of
2011
techilicious
Rajiv Makhni
Going by 2011’s bare roadmap, 2012 looks magically promising. So, how exactly will this evolution take shape?
A
S WE wake up to this sparkling New Year – most of us will have already dreamt of resolutions and aspirations for the coming year. You may not know it now – almost all of these pursuits will be tech-related. Whether it’s a quest to be fitter, to be more organised, to work harder, sit back and relax, party till you drop, make more friends, lose weight or gain some – gadgets, gizmos and devices will play a huge role in fulfiling all of this. 2011 has shown us the bare roadmap – 2012 will be magical. Here’s the best of 2011 and how these will evolve in 2012. Bold - Current status – in 2011 Italic - Hopefully will evolve to – in 2012
RAZER BLADE
Intel and Razer’s very sharp and radical gaming laptop, this is an all powerful beast with incredible features and hardware. It’s thin, it’s fast and it’s very versatile. All we need is for this to come to India this year at Razor thin prices. Alternative – Acer Iconia
SONY TX 55
Slim, light, good looking and incorporates most things from the famous NEX line into a point and shoot. A battery that doesn’t die on you in the middle of a shoot and a menu system that doesn’t needs a rocket science degree to decipher. Alternative – Olympus EPL 2
SAMSUNG GALAXY S2
Got an early start in 2011, powerful as a jet engine, sleek as a razor blade and a screen that made your eyes pop. Still the Android phone to beat after almost a year. The 2012 S3 needs Samsung to think out of the plasticky box, a one piece aluminium body and design elements that make your toenails curl. Alternative – Motorola Razr
IPHONE 4S
If ever there was an incremental device that can make the world go haywire and sell like a fire sale – then the might and magic of the iPhone 4S will forever be the case study. The 2012 iPhone 5 should have a totally different form factor, a price in India that doesn’t make you weep and at least one jaw dropper new hardware feature. Alternative – iPhone 4
ASUS ULTRABOOK
MacBook Air-like thin tablet-like features, full scale keyboard, great price point. 2012 should have the instant onalways on feature perfected, a body that makes you whistle and a price of $599. Alternative – Every company has one ultrabook coming
NEXUS PRIME
Google’s showcase device, the only one yet with Ice Cream Sandwich from the start, beautiful screen, nice curves in all the right places. If Samsung won’t do it, then Google should force them to get out more colours, more metal and a faster India release plan. Alternative – HTC Sensation XE
LOGITECH HARMONY 900
Combines 15 remotes, touchscreen and hard buttons, idiot proofs web-based programming, can control IR and RF devices and is based on a hypnotic activity based system. This year’s Harmony range should reduce price and bring automatic macros back – the rest is already perfect. Alternative – Harmony One
SEAGATE GOFLEX SATELLITE MOBILE
Any device, including iPads and Android phones, can wirelessly access any content on it; with half a terabyte capacity, it runs 5 hours on battery, you can have 3 different devices streaming movies from it all at the same time. Apps on each OS that actually work plus bump up the storage to 1.5TB. Alternative – Western Digital Cloud Drive
99 bucks, no ads ever and works at blazing speeds. This is the e-reader of the year, not the Kindle 4. This year should see a price drop to $49 and then eventually move to free with a yearly commitment to buy books. Alternative – Sony Reader
ASUS TRANSFORMER PRIME
HP TOUCHPAD
Great design, fantastic OS – dropped even before it could open its eyes. Should be on the list of worst gadgets but its fire sale proved that low pricing can also be a powerful feature. Maybe HP can bring it back permanently as a $199 tablet – guaranteed number 1 position. Alternative – None, you can’t have an alternative to the TouchPad soap opera.
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NOOK SIMPLE TOUCH
Tegra 3 that blows your socks off, a design that screams awesome and a performance that shows off what Android can really do. Asus needs to get the word out better, really get cracking on PR as most people don’t know that an iPad killer already exists. Alternative – Samsung 10.1 Tab
AMAZON KINDLE FIRE
Finally, an iPad hurter if not killer. The ecosystem around it and the price are the real stand-out features. A better screen, 3G, cameras and a nicer looking shell are all up for 2012.
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indulge Alternative – 21:9 HD Projectors
Alternative – Nook Tablet
SIFTEO CUBES
Small cubes with screens that are aware of each other and their positions, games that are simple yet mind-numbingly addictive – finally gaming has an intelligent alternative. They need to make them into a self-contained unit and not need a USB dongle and computer. Alternative – None
BROTHERS WALL OF SOUND
The terminator of all docks, the dissemination of puny sound – this is the biggest, loudest, heaviest and most powerful dock in the world. Maybe a smaller version plus a better production capacity could be on the wish list for this year. Alternative – B&W Zeppelin Air
NIKE+TOM TOM WATCH
SONOS 5
This is a game changing audio device that you can build up around your house just like Lego bricks. Add as you like, when you like. A self-contained unit that can do wonders. They need a two-unit stereo alternative to this beautifully thought out device. Alternative – Logitech SqueezeBox Touch
SENNHEISER RS 220
Digital inputs, sounds as good as a wired headset, the best way to watch a movie or listen to music at night without a divorce proceeding taking place. A price drop would be nice, as would a bump up on the styling. Alternative – Sennheiser RS 180
LG 65 INCH LED
So many contenders to this throne – the LG takes it with its monster display. Lightweight 3D glasses that need no battery, certified flickerfree and a gorgeous picture. Maybe an 85 incher at the same price for this year? I can dream, can’t I? Alternative – Samsung 55 inch 9000 series
SONY TABLET P
In a world of humdrum slate design Tablets, this one is like a breath of fresh air. Fold it away and you can still put in your pocket, one of the biggest Tablets in the market. Sony needs to up the ante on hardware and come up with more compelling reasons to buy their Tablet other than design. Alternative – Samsung Galaxy 7 inch Wifi
PHILIPS 21:9
Ninety per cent of all HD movies are now released in 21:9 format. That means we all get those annoying black bars on the top and bottom of our movies. Not with this 57’’ beauty. How I wish the 21:9 becomes the new standard for all HD TVs this year. Samsung, LG, Panasonic?
It’s the new gold standard for fitness, a personal device attached to your body that plays big brother and tells you exactly how fit you are, how much you’ve moved and where you’ve been through GPS. Better connectivity, better reporting, meal logging and more robust apps. Alternative – Fitbit, Jawbone UP
PARROT ASTEROID
This is your in-car entertainment from the future. No CD, all digital, 3G enabled, net streaming radio, plays songs off your mobile or USB, voice controlled. Bigger screen, better quality audio, Wifi enabled. Alternative – Coming soon
SAMSUNG 950 MONITOR
Yes, desktops weren’t the flavour of the year but this monitor may just make you still want one. Super hot design, zero power state, outstanding visuals and performance. A laptop and a mobile based on the same design would be a killer. Alternative – LG 3D Monitor
NOKIA LUMIA 800
‘I want it now’ design, shows off the true power of Win Phone, thrilling to see the ingenuity and money-muscle power of Nokoft. Needs a camera in the front, needs many more choices, and needs a sub `10,000 option. Alternative –Samsung Omnia W
IPAD 2
Still the Pad to beat, beautifully constructed, incredible versatility and iOS 5 finally makes it wire free. With a high-res 10 inch retina display, killer camera – the iPad 3 will set the bar high again. Alternative – Ubislate/Aakash 2 (Just kidding, it’s still clunky)
ORBOTIX SPHERO
A sphere that you control with your phone, virtual and augmented reality games plus mindless fun and a wow factor that can make all your friends envious. This is the toy from 2020. Needs a better price and more availability. Alternative – AR Drone Parrot Rajiv Makhni is managing editor, Technology, NDTV and the anchor of Gadget Guru, Cell Guru and Newsnet 3. Follow Rajiv on Twitter at twitter.com/RajivMakhni
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Attack, Release, Reload
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Releasing seven albums in less than nine years without once compromising on quality, The Black Keys have progressively tweaked and evolved their near-purist, blues sound. I am totally sold
DON’T remember waiting for any album as eagerly as I have been for The Black Keys’ new album, El Camino. In October, I heard a track from it, Lonely Boys, and ever since I have wanted to lay my hands on the blues duo’s seventh full-length album. Seven albums in less than nine years is a staggering achievement by any standard but not only have guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney been relentless with their releases, each of which is followed by hectic touring, but on each of their albums, they have tweaked and evolved the minimalist, near-purist blues sound that has become their hallmark. The El Camino was a Chevrolet car that was launched by General Motors more than 50 years back. It was one of the first cars of its kind – a coupe that also doubled as a utility vehicle (Ford’s Ranchero was another). I have no idea why the two-member band decided to call their latest album El Camino but they did just that and put a photograph of a car on the cover. Except that the car on the cover of the album is not the El Camino but a staid minivan, the Chrysler Town & Country. Strange are the ways of musicians. There’s nothing strange about the way they sound on their newest album, though. Their hard-edged blues still has its rough and tough feel. The 11 songs are short, totalling just over 38 minutes and the writing – both music and lyrics – characteristically lean. Danger Mouse, the musician’s musician, one half of Gnarls Barkley (the other is Cee Lo Green), and a producer extraordinaire, is back as producer on El Camino (he’d produced the The Black Keys’ 2008 album, Attack & Release, and one track on their last year’s album, Brothers) adding some sheen, backing vocals, handclaps and tambourines, some keyboards and so on, yet The Black Keys sound like they ought to – spare, straight-from-the-heart and solid. As I mentioned, The Black Keys like to take their sound and add little tweaks to it every time they do a new album. On their 2010 album, Brothers, they infused a bit of old-school soul into their music. That is still there on El Camino but the sound seems fuller (courtesy, possibly, Danger Mouse) and the songs being shorter – most of them barely exceed three minutes – it’s a bit like listening to a carefully assembled bunch of singles, all of them upbeat and highly party worthy. What more could you ask for in December-January? The Black Keys have often been compared to the White Stripes, Jack and Meg White’s former rock band. Jack and Meg also were a duo and their music too was minimalist – Jack on guitar; Meg on drums. The two put out six studio albums; their music was influenced by the blues (Jack’s searing guitar and penchant for analogue equipment and vintage sounds gave their sound an edgy quality); and their albums always sounded great loud, just as The Black Keys’ albums do. Yet, it would be unfair to club The Black Keys with The White Stripes. The latter had dollops of garage rock and punk in their sound, while if you listen carefully to any of The Black Keys’ albums, they sound different. There’s the blues, of course, but large influences of R&B, soul and even hip-hop. I’d call The Black Keys a bluesier band
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MUSICIAN’S MUSICIAN Producer Danger Mouse gave El Camino (right) its fuller sound, after he’d produced Attack & Release in 2008 (above) PHOTO: CREATIVE COMMONS
Sanjoy Narayan
download central
|play|
A DISCERNING CLUB The Black Keys’ albums – Brothers (above) and Rubber Factory (left) – created many fans
than The White Stripes were. The best part of The Black Keys (besides their ability to release so many albums in so little time without compromising on quality) is that they’ve been able to create a burgeoning band of discerning fans. They began in 2002 by wowing the critics first with their debut, The Big Come Up. The critics raved; and soon fans joined the throng and the band became big. In 2003, they released Thickfreakness, which was followed by Rubber Factory, Magic Potion, Attack & Release and then, last year, Brothers. The last one may have catapulted them into mainstream fame but on each successive album, the duo has kept their basic minimalist, not quite purist blues music constant but also experimented by either adding soul, or rock and roll or even a hint of rap. If you haven’t guessed it yet, this is a band that I’m totally sold on. To give feedback, stream or download the music mentioned in this column, go to http://blogs.hindustantimes.com/download-central, follow argus48 on Twitter or visit our website: www.hindustantimes.com/brunch
HINDUSTAN TIMES WEEKLY MAGAZINE JANUARY 1, 2012
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People to watch out for We asked the experts to give us their nominations for people we ought to keep our eyes peeled for this year. Here goes...
four actors who will burn the screen
MAYANK SHEKHAR film critic, Hindustan Times, selects two powerhouses of talent, fresh from their fab performances in 2011: Ranbir Kapoor and Vidya Balan
Imran Khan
“Imran is most definitely a bonafide star, but he has not had the opportunity to show off his acting chops. People have tapped into his ‘chocolate boy’ image, but his upcoming movie with Vishal Bharadwaj (Matru ki Bijlee ka Mandola) represents his best shot to show us what he’s got, as most actors bloom under Vishal.” IMRAN: “I prefer to speak about things after they happen, as the future is so uncertain. But this is the first time I am working with a seasoned and successful director, and so it’s very exciting as there’s so much for me to pick up. Vishal’s (Bharadwaj) film is quite a landmark for me!”
Aditi Rao Hydari
PHOTO: NATASHA HEMRAJANI
“I've been tracking her for a while, ever since I saw her in Delhi 6, Yeh Salli Zindagi and Rockstar. The song Genda Phool featured her, and she played the journalist in Rockstar. I think she’s mesmerising and shows lots of promise. She’s also oozed such confidence in her roles so far that I’m excited about what she will do in a lead role opposite Ali Zafar in the movie London, Paris, NY.” ADITI: “It’s very humbling when people from the industry tell you that they have been tracking your career and following your body of work.”
Ranbir Kapoor
“Pretty much the first quarter, if not an entire first half of 2012, would go towards feting film actors for their exemplary work in the previous year. In that sense, I suspect, the next year may well belong to Ranbir Kapoor, for his stellar performance in Rockstar. “It’s unlikely to go unnoticed in the several fake/real award shows. The trophies, no doubt, will be well deserved, for two reasons: One, for a while, we’ve been waiting for a young, talented (under 30) leading man who can universally capture the audiences’ imagination (the top Khans are on the wrong side of their 40s now). “Two, as an actor, Ranbir picks a range of subjects and roles, and means well for films. It’s not merely about narcissistic stardom alone: those days, we hope, are behind us. Kapoor has Barfee lined up with director Anurag Basu next year, which could be a movie to watch out for.”
Vidya Balan
“Likewise Vidya will knock back quite a few cups and trophies at film awards' shows in 2012 for her stunning interpretation of ‘softporn queen’ Silk in The Dirty Picture, besides nominations for a fine portrayal of sister Sabrina in No One Killed Jessica based on the Jessica Lal murder case. Both the films were by far the finest movies in 2011 with a female central character, something that’s already rare in Bollywood. Besides, Balan has another girl-power pic Kahani, allegedly inspired by Kill Bill, coming up next year.” VIDYA: “Wow, that's wonderful! A big thank you to him. I’m flattered and humbled by this faith.”
– Mignonne Dsouza
“I THINK ADITI SHOWS LOTS OF PROMISE. SHE ALSO OOZED SUCH CONFIDENCE IN HER ROLES IN DELHI 6 & ROCKSTAR THAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT WHAT SHE WILL DO NEXT”
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PHOTO: RAJ K RAJ
RAJEEV MASAND film critic, CNN IBN, chooses the supercool Imran Khan and the elusive Aditi Rao Hydari
other names we think will rock the new year ● film actors shah rukh khan ● hrithik roshan ● aamir khan ● amitabh bahchan ● priyanka chopra ● tv actors ram kapoor ● barun sobti ● sakshi tanwar ● sanaya irani ● singers dhanush ● sonu nigam ● music composer amit trivedi ● film directors milan luthria ● neeraj pandey ● raj kumar gupta ● imtiaz ali
the fashion designer who will make the cut SUNIL SETHI president, Fashion Design Council Of India, nominates designers Joyjit, Divyam Mehta and Urmi Ghosh. But he singles out Aneeth Arora for her work in textiles
Aneeth Arora
She’s just four seasons old in the business, and 28-year-old Aneeth is already retailing from stores in 20 countries. A torchbearer of Indian textiles, what Delhi-based Aneeth does beautifully is present them in a truly international (not just western) way. Don’t be surprised if you haven’t heard her name. Aneeth is one of
those few designers who lets her work speak for itself. After passing out of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), she went on to study textile designing and that is what works for her. “I don’t follow trends. My aim is to revive Indian textiles.That is the way forward. I work with techniques like ikat, tie-n-dye and chikankari every season and put my collection around them. I derive
inspiration from anywhere, even the streets. I saw this man on the street wearing different coloured buttons and I thought that was a great idea,” says she. Her strength lies in her silhouettes and draping. “I make versatile clothes. A scarf can be a dupatta, a bandhgala can be a jacket. You just have to be a bit imaginative.” Ask her how she feels to be the chosen one, and she says that this is maybe the second or third interview she has given!
– Parul Khanna
the sportsman who will hit the bullseye HERE’S OUR JURY: Former cricketer Javagal Srinath; sports journalist Pradeep Magazine and former hockey captain Pargat Singh mention quite a few sportspersons to look out for, but they agree that 2012 will probably belong to the shooters. Especially Ronjan Sodhi
The other names
Everyone has Olympic medal hopes from star sportspersons like shooter Abhinav Bindra (above left) and badminton player Saina Nehwal (above right), says Javagal Srinath
Boxer Vikas Krishan (above left) is yet another Olympic hope, says Pargat Singh. Pradeep Magazine thinks fast bowler Umesh Yadav (above right) is one of the most promising new cricketers
Ronjan Sodhi
Ace shooter Ronjan Sodhi says he’s absolutely honoured to be the chosen one: “It really feels great to be selected by a panel of such esteemed judges. It also puts a huge responsibility on my shoulders and I really look forward to proving myself.” Ronjan does double trap shooting and is currently ranked world number two. Double trap shooting is a competitive form of clay pigeon shooting in which two clay pigeons are simultaneously thrown into the air from clay machines positioned inside a room/pit in the ground. Each shooter has to burst both the pigeons with his double-barrel. Born in Punjab, Ronjan studied at Modern School in Delhi and took to shooting when he was
in class 11. “The very thought of using a real gun really excited me and I also realised that shooting is a 90 per cent mental sport where your mind rules over everything else. And unlike other sports where you are allowed to show your emotions, in shooting you are expected to control your emotions all the time,” says the 32-year-old whose younger brother is also in the same profession. For someone who decided to pursue shooting seriously as a career only after 2004, Ronjan has come a long way.
SEN : ARIJIT PHOTO
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“The sport involves a lot of patience, practice and concentration. There are times when we are practicing at the shooting range for nearly seven to eight hours or even longer depending upon how consistent I am. One also has to pay equal attention to physical fitness,” says Sodhi who recently created history by being the only Indian to defend his world title in the World Cup finals in the UAE this year. – Veenu Singh
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singers who will hit the high notes SALIM MERCHANT OF MUSIC DUO SALIM-SULAIMAN picks versatile singers Benny Dayal and Shweta Pandit
Shweta Pandit
Benny Dayal
“Another voice that I feel will define 2012 is that of Shweta Pandit. The tone of her voice is very unique and that is what I love about her. Her understanding of music makes her a very versatile singer. She sang for the legendary Ilayaraja in Anjali at the age of five, so you know she’s good. Just the fact that her voice is not too exposed works in her favour.” A child prodigy, Shweta Pandit got her first major break in Aditya Chopra’s Mohabbatein with five leading songs. She was only 12 years old that time. Her recent popular songs are Charha De Rang from Yamla Pagla Deewna, Madhubala from Mere Brother Ki Dulhan and Thug Le from Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl.
“I feel that Benny of Pocket Mein Rocket Hai (Rocket Singh – Salesman of the Year) and Tarkeebein (Band Baaja Baraat) fame is definitely the voice to watch out for in 2012. He is one of the most versatile singers in the industry and his voice is very ‘now.’” Twenty seven-year-old Benny Dayal had sung for A R Rahman in many south Indian films, when Rahman gave him a break in Bollywood with Pappu Can’t Dance Saala.
Shadaab Faridi
SAJID KHAN OF MUSIC DUO SAJID WAJID selects 12-year-old newbie Muskaan and television reality show discovery, Shadaab Faridi
“I have seen him perform on stage and he has a lot of potential. He has sung one song for me and I feel his hardworking nature combined with powerful voice will make him the voice to watch out for.” A Sufi singer from the Saharanpur gharana, Shadaab made his mark in TV show Music Ka Maha Muqabala. – Amrah Ashraf
Muskaan
“She is all of 12 but the potential I see in her is hard to ignore. She has a deep husky voice which is much preferred these days. She is currently training in music and also learning the piano. What amazes me is her understanding of music at this young age.” Muskaan has not sung in Bollywood yet but music duo Sajid Wajid are planning to sign her for one of their upcoming projects.
PHOTO: PRASAD GORI
the television host with the most
NIRET ALVA TV producer picks Samir Kochhar, who anchors the desi Survivor
Samir Kochhar
“Samir is not your everyday host. He picks and chooses his roles and masters them. He was super in Extraa Innings and now with Survivor, he will 24
be a force to reckon with. His hard work, energy and amiability as a host are wonderful. Definitely my pick for 2012. But I would also like to see Hussain Kuwajerwala back on TV. And I think Ayushman Khu-
rana is very spontaneous.” Delhi boy Samir was always clear about what he wanted to be. “My interest in soccer and cricket and the performing arts was there even in school,” says the St Columba’s alumnus. Radio voice-overs, live shows, news broadcasts on Jain TV, and even a controversial show Dangerous on Zoom, followed, till Samir’s big ticket Extraa Innings happened in 2008 on Set Max. “It was like a dream come true. It was a brilliant mix of Bollywood and cricket, the two religions of India.” But hosting random shows wasn’t Samir’s thing. Instead, he concentrated on his acting career and did films like Zehar and Jannat. It was however, the raw challenge of Survivor, the new reality show which will soon start on Star Plus, that got him back on TV. Known for his calm,
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Runners-up: Hussain (left), Ayushman
composed style of working, he seemed to be a perfect fit to host a nerve wracking show like Survivor. “His is a stylish persona and that was a great contrast to the rugged feel of the show,” says Niret Alva. For Samir though, it was the starkness of the show that stunned him. “It is too real. And it scares you. I almost became a part psychiatrist for most contestants,” he laughs. Though a little nervous, he is happy that his work is being appreciated. “I hope this is just the beginning.” – Tavishi Paitandy Rastogi
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If the world should end in 2012…
PURAB
SUSHMA
THE ONE THING YOU WOULD BUY (AND DAMN THE EXPENSE)?
I would buy a lot of food and water and feed as many people as I can. Everyone has the right to live with dignity.
THE ONE PERSON YOU WOULD KISS?
Long list since one kiss won’t do! Sting, John Meyer, Anthony Bourdain and possibly Hrithik.
THE ONE THING YOU WOULD DO THAT YOU WERE TOO FRIGHTENED TO DO BEFORE?
I would go deep sea diving in a submersible in the difficult Austral/Indian waters. I want to see the most exquisite and unique creatures that live at the greatest depths.
THE ONE THING YOU WOULD SAY TO AN ACTOR/ DIRECTOR / PRODUCER?
You don’t get to take it with you when you go. So be nice, otherwise stuff it where the sun don’t shine!
YOU’D QUIT YOUR JOB AND DO…?
I would travel to every corner of the earth and revel in all the diversity and beauty of this planet.
YOU’D TAKE REVENGE ON THE MORAL POLICE BY DOING…?
SOHA MINISSHA SONU
REDDY KOHLI
Quality food. In terms of nutrients and especially taste.
RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN as soon as it is privatised and they allow 100% FDI in governmentowned real estate!
A new car – the Range Rover Evoque.
SCARLETT JOHANSSON
Someday, direct a feature film.
FARMING
No comment.
Teach FILMMAKING in Parliament.
Give them a 10-day package tour to Khajuraho followed by a three-hour stint in the Bigg Boss House!
Buy them a revised morals book.
My wife. I would want to spend my last year on earth with her.
Cliff diving.
Bungee jumping from Mount Everest.
I would hug my boss and my colleagues and not care about the kind of experiences we’ve had, good or bad. I believe one should finish things off on a beautiful note.
If he has been good to me, I would thank him for everything. But if he hasn’t been good to me, I’d ask him to be good to the one who replaces me.
I would be a bartender in Bora Bora.
By making everyone super drunk so that the next day they are passed out and don’t realise what’s happening.
I would throw a party at the ancient Egyptian sites. It would be a neverending party with music, poetry, free expression and camaraderie.
On top of a hill overlooking a sunny beach, feeling the cool breeze with some of the finest musicians in the world to bid life goodbye.
YOU’D BREAK YOUR DIET IN WHAT FASHION?
I would eat all my favourite fried food every day and replace water with cola.
A gooey chocolate cake with ice cream.
At Ramlila Grounds with kids from all religions offering me cola with frozen yoghurt and cereal bars.
I would take to junk food which I have been avoiding.
WHAT’S YOUR PLAN FOR A GREAT ESCAPE FROM EARTH INTO OUTER SPACE?
I’d steal Richard Branson’s Virgin Intergalactic craft and steer it towards the sun to get some traction and propel me into outer space.
Rob a politician, build my own space programme, develop a technique to freeze myself and travel to Kepler-22b which has earth-like conditions.
Travelling on our grand national airline carrier since flying it is a surreal experience and akin to finding water on Mars.
There is no other place as beautiful as earth and I would rather perish on this planet than go anywhere else.
PHOTOS: THINKSTOCK, MCT
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I’d like to direct a movie someday. That is what I’ll get down to doing after I quit.
Exactly what they tell me not to do. In fact I’ll do a very raunchy photoshoot and send it to them.
HOW WOULD YOU PLAN AN END-OF-THEWORLD PARTY?
Within smoke clouds formed by an amazing blend of nuclear fission with Indian fusion music.
SOOD
A fantastic holiday for my family in Europe.
BRAD PITT and Justin Timberlake.
Take what I have to offer into consideration.
Walking down the street with my underwear on the outside, and stopping to kiss all my girlfriends.
LAMBA
ALI KHAN
I would throw a party in LAS VEGAS for people I know, so as to end the year on a good note. I would eat all the junk food in the world, especially cheese, parathas and butter.
Climb into a satellite and vanish into space. — Compiled by Pooja Biraia
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