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WEEKLY MAGAZINE, JANUARY 26, 2014 Free with your copy of Hindustan Times
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BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS
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To read Brunch stories (and more) online, log on to hindustantimes.com/brunch. To discuss the stories (or give feedback), follow @HTBrunch on Twitter. For everything cool on the Internet, like Hindustan Times Brunch on Facebook. And for videos, check out our channel (youtube.com/HindustanTimesBrunch).
Brunch Opinion
by Rachel Lopez
INDIA, INDIA, EVERYWHERE You know those people who disdainfully say “Indians, they’re everywhere!” Show them today’s copy of Brunch. Let them have a good look at how their brethren – in every corner of the world – have taken India to greater heights. Show them that it’s important to be proud of
where you come from, but it’s also important to know where you’re headed. We’ve found amazing Indians in nations as far apart as The Netherlands and Thailand, and they’re all proud of their roots. We always knew that being brown was awesome – now the world is starting to realise it too.
Idiot Box
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Sandese Aate Hain every hour. As much as our army men love the movie, they’re also tired of the song. Play the title track of Lakshya, instead
Movies (Sherlock BBC Sherlock Holmes ’09 & ’11)
Elementary
A deductive crime expert from 221B Baker Sreet in Victorian England
An antisocial doc who can diagnose disease but can’t deal with society
Guy Ritchie’s idea of crime solving with lots of action and romance
A rich Brit import in present-day Manhattan, just making do
He can spot every dead giveaway within the trappings of gentility
Deductive Holmes is the diagnostic House, a doctor played by Hugh Laurie
Robert Downey Jr in a messy, glampunk Victorian London
Looks
Boxes, plays the violin, not terribly fond of niceties, bit of a pain, really
Doctor’s coat, motorcycle, piano playing, untreatable leg pain, cane
Shiny waistcoats, bowler hats (no deerstalker!), fisticuffs
Drug use
Cocaine and morphine (both legal at the time)
Pops the painkiller Vicodin, once even injected it in
Non-existent, really
Dr John Watson
Friend, assistant, flatmate, narrator, onetime Army surgeon. No, not a lover!
Not a roomie but a fellow doctor, the oncologist James Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard)
Jude Law, so dashing, he makes any bromance theory believable
Irene Adler
The only woman to capture his imagination
Only in one forgettable episode
Rachel McAdams, wasted as a pretty sidekick
An S&M specialist with comebacks that sting like her whip
Professor Moriarty
The Napoleon of Crime and Holmes’s nemesis
A crazed gunman who shoots him in one episode
Appears in the climax of the first, is proper villain in the sequel
A delicious madman who you just might see again
It’s the original. So it’s elementary, no?
is Even the Jude Law They British50% Laurie 20% 100% 10% Queen is Brit don’t born approves even try
Sherlock by Saudamini Jain
On The Brunch Radar
‘Yo Kejriwal So Honest’ jokes That Brad Pitt had turned down the role of Mr Epps (a cruel slave-owner) in 12 Years A Slave fearing it might upset his kids n Obama’s views on pot (he smoked it as a kid and thinks it’s no more dangerous than alcohol) n My newfound minority status n The Do What You Love mantra (but apparently it’s a dangerous thing that devalues work)
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shove it
love it
House MD
What it’s about
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s books
Britishness
Elementary, another Holmes show starts tomorrow on AXN. Get your Baker Street adaptations right
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by Amrah Ashraf
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A short course in Sherlock Holmes
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TUNE IN, OFFICER
Ask a fauji what he loves the most and chances are it’ll be rum cola or radio. So when Jai Hind to sign off Soldiers referred Radiowalla.in decided to start to ‘Hamare Fauji Fauji Radio, it got my fauji every show. Bhai Log’. Find friends super They’re another term! excited. Here patriotic enough are five things without it they don’t want to hear: by Rachel Lopez
A brilliant consulting detective in modern London, who loves tech Benedict Cumberbatch, cheekbones and all, in modernday London Black coats, deerstalker Just tea, please Mrs Hudson Ever-morehuman former Army doctor in Iraq and only friend (Martin Freeman)
Jonny Lee Miller as an ‘out of drug rehab’ in NYC brownstone All-American locales, clothes and cases. A stubble! Hey! That was in the past John becomes Joan! Lucy Liu is the sobriety partner in designer suits
n If you’re still interested in the whole Ranbir-Deepika thing n Babulal Gaur and other endorsers of “fully-clothed women” n Fake sex studies (“Do richer women have better sex?”) n “I’m bad with names.” No, you’re just stupid and rude n The unavailability of shake-shake fries
Cover design: SWATI CHAKRABARTI
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And finally, no Pakistan bashing please. Let’s keep politics out of it
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PS: I asked a young serving officer what he wanted to hear and he said, “Real life love stories” *Awww* And a song dedication show so he can tell his girlfriend how much he loves her *Mush rush*
by Saudamini Jain
Books for people who don’t read
So you don’t really read, never understood what the fuss is all about. Give it a shot, we say. Start with one of these and join the #BrunchBookChallenge
If you have the attention span of a chicken, start with short stories. We recommend Lavanya Sankaran’s The Red Carpet. These stories set in Bangalore are like gossiping with a favourite aunt. n If you love the women of Mad Men, pick Rona Jaffe’s 1958 novel The Best of Everything. The lives of working women (at a publishing house) in New York in the ’50s. It’s got men and martinis, love and contraceptions. In fact, Don Draper was shown reading this in season one. n If you’re into self-help/ are a woman/ or want to decode women:
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HOW TO READ 24 BOOKS (OR MORE) IN ONE YEAR
How To Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran is hilarious, makes a point and is a bible for modern women. n If you like old films from the ’50s, read A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth. It will take you forever to finish, but the story of a girl, her three suitors and her mother set in post independent India is so Bollywood! n If you’re really into adventure sports and thrillers,The Dice Man by Luke Rhinehart (George Cockcroft) – about a psychiatrist who starts making all his life’s decisions based on the rolling of a dice. It will mess with your head and give you a rush like no other.
THE BRUNCH BOOK CHALLENGE The Brunch Book Challenge is to get you to read at least 24 books in 2014. Read anything you like – just keep us posted. Tweet your progress to @HTBrunch with the hashtag #BrunchBookChallenge
STUFF YOU SAID LAST L SUNDAY Excellent suggestions on how explore Delhi for free @cyclingsultan Dear Vir, Today's 's column, y's Brunch gives a In today Lessons From A great idea about the beauty and history of Memoir, you wrote A SUN "...nobody cares places in Delhi.. DAY FO A grea cept R t DISCO FREE! @AjayGrover29 what we write ex Now VER I should perhaps..." t like to tell you tha you are a highly r. esteemed write BS Bhatnagar
EE.. aro in eigh und the worl . t dolla d rs s o u expens nds @bino ive...! ydass
Psst, send us an email, find us on Facebook or tweet to @HTBrunch
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
JANUARY 26, 2014
Chalein Hum, the song they play on loop on the Army school bus every morning. Spare them! Spare us!
The Book Club
Margaery Tyrell from Game of Thrones Is the best character reveal of them all!
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Said The Men In White Coats School
DESIGN: Ashutosh Sapru (National Editor, Design), Monica Gupta, Swati Chakrabarti, Payal Dighe Karkhanis, Rakesh Kumar, Ajay Aggarwal
Drop us a line at: brunchletters@ hindustantimes.com or to 18-20 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi - 110 001
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WELLNESS
MIND BODY SOUL SHIKHA SHARMA
For any worries related to unplanned pregnancy:
PART 1
Write to us at consumercare@piramal.com or call us at 1800-22-0502 (toll free) or sms ICAN to 56070 Website: www.i-canhelp.in
1. Dear Doctor, after my engagement 6 months back, I have consumed almost 3-4 emergency contraceptive pills till date. I am worried now. Will it cause any problem in my future pregnancy? I really don't know any other method to avoid pregnancy. Emergency contraceptive pills have to be taken only in an emergency case like condom failure etc. Though these pills are generally safe and are not known to cause any hurdle in future and wanted pregnancies, you must understand that they should not be consumed frequently as it may cause menstrual cycle imbalance. Try to restrict its usage only for emergency cases. I would suggest you consult a gynaecologist along with your fiancé and get knowledge on various types of regular contraceptive options that you could use after your marriage. 2. Dear Doctor, my wife thinks that eating heat producing foods like pickles and dry-fruits can avoid a pregnancy. I have tried telling her that it is a myth. She does not like to use pills and nor does she like condoms. What other method do we have to avoid pregnancy for the time being?
FOODS THAT FIGHT STRESS Eat right to prevent the onset of nervous disorders
producing foods have no effect in avoiding pregnancy. You need to counsel your wife on using regular contraception. Consult a gynaecologist and get all her doubts cleared regarding using pills. Some other methods that you can follow are using spermicidal gels and vaginal pessaries or using an intrauterine device such as copper T.
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TRESS IS commonplace in big cities. The manifestations of stress include tightness in the head, neck and the shoulder, accompanied by heaviness and sleeplessness. To prevent the onset of stress and nervous disorders, it is important to eat right and get a balance of nutrients. One of the biggest reasons that could contribute to a feeling of stress is food that is deficient in nutrients, which are so vital for our nerves.
GO FOR PLAN B
3 . D e a r D o c t o r, I h a d unsecured relation with my partner on the 16th day of my cycle. Then I thought it will not be any problem, but my friends pointed out that pregnancy is possible during any time of the cycle. So I took an ECP on the 2nd day. Will it be effective? What are the chances of pregnancy?
Vitamins that are important for nerves are clubbed in the B-Complex group. During a stress reaction, the body uses B vitamins very quickly. These vitamins are also depleted when we consume too much sugar. ■ Some of the B vitamins include Thiamine and Pyridoxine, which are important for optimal nerve function. Two good sources for B vitamins are whole grains such as wheat bran and oats. ■ Folic acid deficiency leads to depression and anxiety. It can even cause defects in unborn children. To augment folic acid, include broccoli and spinach in
You are lucky to have friends who care for you and they were right, unprotected sex always carries with it a risk of unwanted p r e g n a n c y. E m e r g e n c y contraceptive pills are effective in avoiding unwanted pregnancy when taken within 72 hours, hence you may relax. Please bear in mind to use regular contraception like condoms each time when you plan to have intercourse to avoid unwanted pregnancy as well as reduce the risk of sexually transmitted diseases.
your diet. ■ The role of B12, a vitamin found in eggs and dairy products, is to prevent nerve damage and help maintain the fatty cover of the nerves. Also, Biotin, found in brewer’s yeast and nuts, aids proper utilisation of B-complex vitamins in the body. ■ Vitamin B5 is important for the development and maintenance of the nervous system. During stressful periods, the adrenal gland is stimulated and releases stimulating hormones. In this process, Vitamin B5 is used up. Whole grains, legumes and avocado are rich in vitamins. ■ Choline, found in abundant quantities in milk, eggs and legumes, is another vitamin required by the brain cells for memory storage. ■ Vitamin C is required as an antioxidant for clearing up toxic free radicals. Citrus fruits are good sources of the vitamin.
ADD VERVE TO YOUR NERVES
Some of the foods which are healthy for the nerves include:
Oats with organic milk This combination is calming and sleep-inducing. It can also relax the nerves if you are suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome. ■ Almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds and dates Nuts and seeds are rich in natural oils, which are important for the nerve-covering sheath. Dates are a natural source of B vitamins, iron and several other minerals. ■ Fruits: Orange, guava, papaya and pomegranate are rich in vitamin C that helps destroy nerve-damaging free radicals. ■ Dairy products are a source of Vitamin B12. For maximum impact, these products should be organic and hormone-free. ■ Coconut water is rich in minerals that provide the pH balance essential for the nerves. ■ Chamomile tea is a great relaxant for frazzled nerves. ■
Like you rightly said, heat
DON’T WRECK YOUR NERVES
Foods which stress out the nerves include:
More than two cups of strong coffee every day ■ More than three cups of strong tea every day ■ Sugar ■ Refined flour ■ Caffeine-rich fizzy drinks and energy drinks ■
ask@drshikha.com
Photos: THINKSTOCK
Queries answered by Dr Nirmala Rao MBBS, MD, DPM; a well known psychiatrist who heads Mumbai based Aavishkar - a multifaceted team of expert doctors and health professionals. Aavishkar has a comprehensive approach to mental and physical health, with an emphasis scan this QR code to visit website on counselling and psychotherapy.
MORE ON THE WEB For more columns by Dr Shikha Sharma and other wellness stories, log on to hindustantimes.com/brunch JANUARY 26, 2014
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COVER STORY
Race Engineer Artt Curator Hair Stylist Filmmaker
WE ARE THE
Filmmaker er Sommelier Musician Art Curator Jazz Singer Sing Comedienne Social W Worker ke Rapper and TV Star Social W Worker Fa Musician
WORLD WO Chef
Y
OU’VE HEARD of Indian-born immigrants and NRIs holding top jobs in business, medicine, science, technology, writing, even politics. They’ve all made the headlines. But there are other stories of India shining abroad. Of those who’ve followed avenues less explored by the diaspora. Who’ve fought parental disapproval despite wider opportunities. Who didn’t let their roots or skin colour hold them back. Most of our global Indians have little in common with the other; a few even believe their success transcends their race. But all have, in the words of musician Rudresh Mahanthappa, “blazed some trails and made it easier for those coming behind us”. Here are their stories…
Art Cur
Manny Malhotra, 33
Ice Hockey Player, USA
M
alhotra picked up a hockey stick at age seven and seems to have inherited his Punjabi father’s love for scoops and French-Canadian mother’s passion for gliding on ice. The biggest non-Caucasian face of US ice hockey and the only player of Indian origin in the National Hockey League (NHL) that is played in the United States and Canada, he’s a Tiger Woods-like icon for many. He recently made a spectacular comeback to the rink for Carolina Hurricanes after a serious eye injury kept him out for a couple of years.
You’ve broken new ground…
Not really. Growing up in the Toronto area that was really multicultural, I was just another ice hockey player. In sport, it does not matter who has broken the colour barrier, but who is good.
still there and my family has settled in Vancouver, so that is what we perceive as home. I wish my father had taught me a little bit more Hindi or Punjabi. Basically, I’ve picked up just this line: ‘Mainu Punjabi bolni nai oundi’ (I don’t know how to speak Punjabi).
What’s the best thing about being brown in the NHL?
The connection it creates with the South Asian community. To be able to inspire those kids to take up the game. I guess, one lesson I’d like to give to these kids is: ‘Just look at me and where I have reached today.’ I dared to believe in myself and so should they. – Aasheesh Sharma
You’ve played across the US, and Canada. Where does your heart lie?
brunchletters@hindustantimes.com
I spent my growing up years in Toronto, my siblings are
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Sunita Viswanath, 45
Women’s Rights Activist, USA
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hennai-born New Yorker Viswanath co-founded the non-profit Women for Afghan Women (WAW) in 2001 which runs shelters and programmes for violence-affected Afghan women. She’s also one who finds no meal complete without green chillies or hot sauce and enjoys Bollywood’s brand of whimsy.
Feminism is...
Having the same opportunities, the same rights, whether we are born male or female.
How has WAW changed you?
I’m a witness daily to women and girls who’ve suffered unspeakable abuse and torture, but who assert their rights, heal, and often advocate for the human rights of others. This gives me the faith, hope and optimism to live in this world and raise my children.
What connects you to India?
I feel as if my heart is literally flying when I hear MS Subbulakshmi singing the Suprabhatam or Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan singing Allah Mohammad Chaar Yaar.
JANUARY 26, 2014
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– Shreya Sethuraman
ndian fashion has failed to make any impact globally. But Odisha’s Bibhu Mohapatra’s lavish handcrafted designs rock international ramps and red carpets. Working in New York, his clothes have been worn by fashion’s who’s who: from Angelina Jolie to US First Lady and global fashion
twitter.com/HTBrunch
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er Sommelier Chef
Race Engineer Art Curator
Comedienne Designer Indian-born and Indian-origin people are tor Shoe and TV Star Filmmaker Sommelier making their mark across the globe. Now, Product Designer Worker for Blogger the first time, the coolestSocial among them Facialist ashion Musician share their stories in our very special issueChef Hair Stylist
t Curator
by Team Brunch
Comedienne and TV Star
Celebritty Hairstylist
Rapper
Comedienne and TV Star
Shoe Designer
Race Engineer
Tina Sugandh, 36
Singer, Musician, Performer, Actor, USA
M
umbai-born Tina Sugandh is one of the world’s few female tabla maestros and the next big thing in world music. She’s given ex-Beatle Ringo tabla lessons and collaborated with him on an album in 2009. She’s starred (with her husband, Tarz) in a reality show called Newlyweds, and has recorded 60 songs. Sugandh started performing at age five with her musical family in New Jersey. It’s given her an identity that’s global and Indian.
You still visit India often. Is it easy to return? I make a point of staying connected to my roots. I visit at least
Although I started playing drums and guitar first, tabla is my first love! I played it because it made my mom’s eyes sparkle. But the more I played, the more I fell in love with it. It’s damn intricate! Each of your fingers is doing something individually, which is rare for any instrument. I started playing at age eight. I admit, I’ve loved proving everyone wrong. At performances with my family when I was younger, I’d sit at the tabla to tune it and everyone would think “Oh, that’s so cute. She’s tuning the tabla for her daddy”. Then I’d bust out some intricate beat and their jaws would drop. I definitely loved showing people that it’s not just a man’s instrument!
twice a year. I see changes in India and India sees changes in me.
Where do you think Indian fashion stands globally?
It has vast and untapped potential. So many relevant designers are coming out of India and their work needs to be presented to an international audience.
Does being brown help or hurt in fashion?
I am a global designer with a brand that has a scope beyond geographical boundary. My work speaks for my brand, not my skin colour. - Yashica Dutt
Bibhu Mohapatra, 41
Fashion designer, USA
Indian-born, US-raised. Any confusion?
Growing up, performing in seven languages has taught me a ton about the music, culture, as well as Bollywood movies, which I’m addicted to! Then there’s Indian food that I dig. I love anything multi-colour with sequins and glitter. (Though, I’m not sure if that’s “Bollywood” or just growing up in New Jersey!)
Any Bollywood favourites? My favourite movie is Namak Halaal because
I must have watched it eight billion times as a child. I love Jab se tere naina from Saawariya and dancing to Agal bagal from Phata Poster Nikhla Hero with my new baby boy. Right now my favourite actor is Shahid Kapoor as I am a sucker for a great dancer, and he’s absolutely adorable too! – Shreya Sethuraman
Satyendra Pakhalé, 47
Industrial Designer, The Netherlands
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T-Bombay boy Pakhalé is a top-notch industrial designer, reinventing electronics, home appliances, furniture, transportation and décor. One of his works, the Bell Metal horse chair, took eight years to make. A winner of the Red Dot award, his pieces are represented by Gabrielle Ammann Gallery, Germany and several museums worldwide.
Your design philosophy?
To not have a philosophy, but to be free. To cultivate the mind is the highest objective. We believe in creating human design that has warmth. Constant curiosity about Photo: NICO TUCCI, IT
JANUARY 26, 2014
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life is our drive to create.
What do you miss about India?
I never feel I am away as I often travel back and forth. Everything connects me to India. I just live abroad. But when was the last time I was myself ? Every day. – Amrah Ashraf
Photo: SIMON BRUEHLMANN
icon Michelle Obama. Mohapatra moved to the US to study Economics, but he realised his interest lay in design and switched schools. Even if he hasn’t designed a sari yet, his designs bear a clear stamp of the crafts and colours of Odisha. They are astutely reinterpreted so their impact resonates globally.
Tell us about your love affair with the tabla and music.
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COVER STORY
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Aruna Seth, 30 Shoe Designer, UK
How did Pippa Middleton end up wearing your design at the royal wedding? Was she a long-time fan? We knew Pippa owned a few pairs of our shoes but we had no idea she’d wear them to one of the biggest occasions of the century! I was so happy I screamed with delight at the TV. It was a great moment and really helped the brand get noticed internationally.
You use a lot of bling on your shoes, is there an Indian connection?
I do take a great deal of inspiration from Indian culture. I’m particularly drawn to the bling on saris. I love the jewellery. Being drawn to all these colours and sparkle certainly has an influence on the shoes. Though they are available online but I am planning to get them to India soon.
Photo: GETTYIMAGES
What are your earliest memories of coming to India? And has much changed for you over the years?
India is becoming incredibly dynamic and fashion forward. The girls are amazing at looking glamorous and wearing colours. I love coming to India for inspiration. The jewels and colours are great inspiration for the shoes! I’ve been coming to India since a young age. We have tons of family there so there are always weddings to attend. We also have a family home on the outskirts of New Delhi. – Yashica Dutt
JANUARY 26, 2014
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Apurva Shah
Visual Storyteller, USA
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ou gotta love this guy. He spent 12 years at Pixar, using visual effects wizardry and graphics to turn Finding Nemo, Ratatouille, Toy Story 3 and Cars 2 into classics. Then he gave it up to set-up Whamix and make comics interactive on the iPad. A Mumbai boy at heart, Shah did his engineering from KJ Somaiya College, but credits his love for computers with all-nighters spent at an institute run by web pioneer Vijay Mukhi. Shah is also chief visual officer at the 3-D animation and visual effects studio, Prana.
From Pixar to Whamix to Prana Studios. What a ride!
I joined Prana for personal and professional reasons. Indian film directors are interested in new technologies and effects, and urban audiences are demanding content that breaks away from the “ghisa-pita”. It’s hectic now. I travel between San Francisco, Mumbai and LA. But my mom lives in Mumbai. It’s great to spend time with her as well.
Rajat Parr, 40
Sommelier, USA
R
ajat Parr grew up in Kolkata, spending more time playing cricket, football and squash than studying. But hanging around his cousins’ Delhi restaurants (the Moets chain) kindled his love for food. He trained as a chef but at 20, he tasted wine for the first time and a whole new world opened up. Parr jumped right in. He took wine
What was growing up in Mumbai like?
Bombay/Mumbai was a wonderful city to grow up in. It’s very multi-cultural and always reinventing itself. It was less crowded and quite a bit safer. When we were kids, our parents didn’t have to be so nervous letting us go out with friends for movies or dandiya.
The best thing about being an Indian in America...
Learning not to get trapped in stereotypes. In the US, you can focus on your work and excel as [there are] not many distractions and obstacles. Many people in India also have a single-minded dedication to their work. However, I think they need super human strength. I have great respect for them! – Shreya Sethuraman
classes, worked his way up from busboy to sommelier in San Francisco. He’s been wine director for celebrated restaurants, published award-winning books on wine, and has now turned winemaker in Santa Barbara.
One thing every wine should have...
Balance. All aspects of the wine (acid, fruit, tannins and alcohol) must be in harmony. This balance comes from the vineyard, so it’s important to pay attention to the vine itself. It’s good not to have a preconceived notion based on what’s on the label.
Do you visit India often?
I visit my parents once a year. My family is the only thing that connects me to India.
What’s the best thing about being brown...
Most people keep guessing where I’m from. Some say Italian, Greek, Middle Eastern etc. But I am proud to be from India. – Veenu Singh
Photo: DEBORAH COLEMAN / PIXAR
P
ippa Middleton’s derriere caught the world’s attention at the British royal wedding in 2011. But something else kept the Internet fires burning too: Her dainty silver Lynn Swarovski but-
terfly sandals (see inset). The pair was designed by Aruna Seth, an Indian-origin British shoe designer, who has since been called the next Tamara Mellon (of Jimmy Choo) by UK’s The Telegraph. Seth’s eponymous label is known for shoes with snug comfort and graceful elegance, and she’s determined to convert flats-loving girls into stiletto-flexing experts. Seth’s father, Geoff, invented the famous line of Ascot trainers but she says she didn’t venture into the market until she was certain that she could make wearing heels almost as easy as Ascots. The label is now all the rage.
COVER STORY
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Gauri Nanda, 34 Product Designer, USA
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f you’re Indian-American and female at MIT, you’re going to stand out. But Gauri Nanda, who studied there from 2003 to 2005 stood out for a different reason: she wore high heels to class. “I was raised to believe that I could do whatever I wanted,” explains Nanda from New York. It explains why, when the Michigan-born designer found people were interested in a concept alarm clock she had created for a class project, she decided to market it herself. Nanda Home now sells various versions of Clocky, a wheel-mounted alarm that runs away when it rings, forcing a sleepy user to get out of bed to turn it off. She’s also helped launch Toymail, Wi-Fienabled toys that let kids and loved ones from abroad keep in touch.
Indian origin?
Exposure to a diverse cultur culture.
What drives you when designing products?
Ia approach a problem that’s emotional in a wa way, and always want to create playful wa and fun pr products that are different from what you see dif in the mar market. - Mignonne Dsouza
Is it harder to be an Indian American or a woman when you are an entrepreneur?
It’s harder to be a woman. I was lucky that my family put their money into Nanda Home, and I was able to keep everything pretty low in terms of funding.
The best thing about being of
Imran Amed, 38
Fashion Media Entrepreneur, UK
I
mran Amed was always interested in fashion; not the designs or the designers but the business of it all. So in 2006, he set up a blog devoted to exactly that. Today, BoF (Business of Fashion), is a byword for fashionistas, with a reader base of “one and a half million fashion nerds”. Last year, the Calgary-born blogger received investor funding to turn BoF into a website offering fashion news and analysis. He hired an office and team, and now gives it his “full-time focus”. That’s quite a journey for this son of Indian parents (who came to Canada via east Africa).
How do you turn a blog into a successful business?
There’s a long journey ahead of us. But if I were to name factors that gave investors confidence it would be that BoF has an emotional connect with its community.
Has your cultural identity been a problem in the fashion world?
I have never felt that anyone has dismissed me. But the fashion industry has a distinct culture, and I’m respectful of it. I didn’t start this to make money. I’m fortunate it’s all turned out well. - Mignonne Dsouza
JANUARY 26, 2014
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COVER STORY
Ashok Kondabolu, 29
Vaishaly Patel, 41
Rap Artist, Dancer, Content Creator, USA
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ou know him as the ‘hype’ man from off-kilter hip-hop group Das Racist. You also know him as stand-up comic Hari Kondabolu’s younger brother. You definitely know him from Chillin’ Island, those quirky webisodes. Kondabolu’s folks migrated to New York from Andhra Pradesh in the ’70s; he grew up in Queens, dropped out of college out of
Facialist, UK
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aishaly Patel came to London when she was just three and dreamed of a career in beauty. But her brothers wanted her to do something more stable, like business or law. So she pursued degrees in finance and business – studying beauty on the side. Today, the Plan B has made her an A-list favourite. Gwyneth Paltrow, Rachel Weisz, Meg Ryan, Elle Macpherson and Anushka Sharma are fans of her £250 facials. There’s a 90-day wait list at her London clinic. Her skincare range, Vaishaly, is popular too.
boredom, and did odd jobs like “listing 15,000 mobile phones individually on Craigslist for some Punjabi dealer”. These days, Kondabolu is working on The Untitled Kondabolu Brothers Project with Hari. His parents still don’t quite understand what he does. His mom think it’s some “weird stuff ” and his dad thinks he “sings and dances”.
Das Racist is over. What are you really up to these days?
Nothing actually! I’ve always wanted to make weird television, radio shows and do weird art, interview strange, interesting people. And I am doing just that. I really needed the freedom to not wake up before 10am and I am doing just that.
You specialise in craniosacral work. What does that mean?
You can have a really good massage and feel extremely relaxed but your mind is still at work. You even think when you’re sleeping. My philosophy goes to the root of all body and skin problems – the mind. By switching our minds off we let go of the stress we hold in our body and face. Craniosacral work takes the facial to another level – it’s the first time any client will have actually switched off so deeply. So when you wake up, you look younger, lines
What connects you to India?
Well obviously that I have Indian parents, that I eat awesome Andhra curry quite frequently, and that I am always perceived as an ‘Indian guy’.
Are you a fan of Bollywood?
Hey, I am a south Indian boy so ask me about Tollywood and I’ll tell you everything. Oh wait, I think I watched Mohabbatein 13 years ago, but I can’t be certain. – Amrah Ashraf
disappear and skin looks radiant. It rebalances your body and it’s an amazing feeling even for those who find it hard to switch off.
You go by your first name only. Any reason? Because there are millions of Patels, but only one Vaishaly!
You were born in Zambia. Any connections to India?
My aunt lives there. My friend Sonia Garware is also an excuse to come to India.
What’s the best thing about being brown?
We age well! We don’t really burn, so skin is less prone to damage, lines and wrinkles. – Veenu Singh
Harry Josh, 41
Celebrity Hairstylist, Canada/USA
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anada-born Josh had parents who wanted him to be a doctor, lawyer or engineer. The hairstylist’s Punjab-born dad changed his last name, Singh to Josh (Hindi for spirited) to get better jobs in Canada. But Josh cared more for the world of grooming and at 19, packed up for New York. He worked his way up, doing haircuts and hand-painting highlights onto the tresses of his model friends in his tiny apartment. One of them, Gisele Bündchen, caught fashion’s attention with her gorgeous looks (and locks that looked naturally sun-kissed) and Josh’s career took off. And yes,
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he’s still best friends with Gisele.
You’ve worked with them all. Any favourites?
Gisele has the best hair on the planet. I’ve been lucky to work with Gwyneth Paltrow, Katy Perry, Miranda Kerr, Josh Hartnett, Cameron Diaz, Christy Turlington, Miley Cyrus and Lea Michele. I’m obsessed with Priyanka Chopra and Aishwarya Rai. I’d love to meet them one day.
Does skin colour matter in the fashion world?
In this business, it was incredibly difficult because traditionally ethnic people weren’t considered “tastemakers”. I’m very connected to my family. And I’m so proud to be brown. – Veenu Singh
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A
Veena Sud, 46
ll his life, Hong Kong-born Vivek Mahbubani’s only ambition was to take up a job that would allow him to wake up after 9am. He trained as a web designer and developer, but enjoyed watching stand-up comedy so much, he vowed to try it at least once. The rest, as they say, is a funny story. In 2007, Mahbubani participated in a stand-up contest and won the Chinese category. In 2008, he won the English round. That’s how it started. Mahbubani probably hasn’t had to wake up early without reason ever since.
TV Show Creator, Canada/USA
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f you’ve been hooked to crime show The Killing, you couldn’t have missed Veena Sud in the credits. The Canadian-born, half-Indian, half-Filipino, TV writer-director-producer is more than a bunch of hyphenated epithets. She hung around Ohio brothels at age 15, researching a screenplay. She’s borrowed from real life and real talk for detective shows like Cold Case. And she’s turned slow procedural investigative work into an addictive Emmynominated whodunit with The Killing. Like she needed another hyphen!
Was growing up easy with your mixed heritage?
My Indian dad and Filipina mom met in New Jersey in
the 1960s. I was born in Toronto but grew up in southern Ohio. My schoolmates thought I was Native American. But my dad made sure we grew up understanding our heritage and visiting India. Our Indian community organisation screened Gandhi when it came out. I just drank it in! I saw it many, many times – I was that hungry for images of Indians in mainstream American culture. I think I memorised every line.
What’s your act about?
Life. I love observing the world and trying to bend reality so I can see it from a new perspective and retell a story or situation based on an angle most people would ignore. For example, it’s common for people to joke about Indians bobbing our heads when we speak. But I take it one step further, suggesting that if that was the case, everyone would bob their heads at different frequencies, which means you would have a country full of people speaking at
What part of your Indian heritage do you hold dear today?
Every single part. It is who I am.
Entertainment and TV are seen as a less prestigious career option here. Any advice for those who dream of making it in television?
Do what you love, that’s the only way to live. And your parents will appreciate it when they see ‘executive producer’ above your name and all their friends see it too. Follow your dreams always.
different pitches –the higher the frequency of bobbing, the higher the pitch!
Any fond performances?
I was asked to perform for terminally-ill patients and their families. One patient was too sick to attend, so he sent me a microphone sculpture using beads and requested a photo of me with it. It reminded me what I was doing was more powerful than telling jokes. It was giving people laughter and happiness.
Would you want to perform here?
I did a short guest spot at The Comedy Store in Mumbai. I would love to return again soon. – Tavishi Paitandy Rastogi
Vivek Mahbubani, 31
– Rachel Lopez
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Stand-Up Comic, Hong Kong
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COVER STORY
Waris Ahluwalia, 39
Jewellery Designer and Actor, USA
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hluwalia, that dapper turbanned man-about-town who’s popped up in Gap ads, Wes Anderson’s films, best-dressed lists and ultra-hip NYC parties, is not your average Sikh. The Amritsarborn designer of exquisite handcrafted jewellery has shown up in indie films with Tilda Swinton and written for The Paris Review. He’s also offered advice on Style. com (How to be civil backstage after I’ve hated the runway show? Should I make a sex tape?). And yet, he’s no washed-out celeb. He’s a teetotaller, has hiplength hair under that turban, and takes buddies to his mother’s once a week to get his fill of Indian home cooking in NY. Jewellery chose him, says Ahluwalia, who once made himself two 40-diamond rings while at Maxfields in Los Angeles, which caught the attention of the sales staff. He was the target of racism (and an outpouring of support) when he modelled for Gap. Clearly, publicity chose him too.
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From leaving Amritsar at age 5 to New York society today. That’s a huge leap...
My memory is fuzzy but it is a strong part of me. I took my first steps at the Golden Temple. In America, we moved to an area that had no Indian families. So my culture came from home and visits to family. My parents instilled in me strong values that still guide my life. We spoke Punjabi, ate homecooked food every day. One of my favourite meals is daal and rice.
Tell us about your jewellery.
I have no training in it, but I trust my instincts. The universe speaks to us all; we just have to listen. I spent six years searching the world for the best craftsmen to preserve handcraftsmanship not as museum relics but as a way of life. We make objects of beauty for a clientele that appreciates something special.
Your connection to India.
Apart from my body and soul, my turban. Always from Amritsar. – Parul Khanna
twitter.com/HTBrunch
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Sameer Bhattacharya, 29
Musician, USA
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Photo: GETTYIMAGES
rowing up in Texas, Sameer Bhattacharya was, in his own words, a “science nerd”, a child of parents born in Delhi and Varanasi just trying to fit in. “I didn’t really find my place until I picked up a guitar, and then I was the kid that played the guitar,” he says. Bhattacharya now puts his energy into music as the lead guitarist of the Texan hard rock band Flyleaf. He often does the backing vocals for Flyleaf ’s alternative metal/ hard rock/ heavy metal/ nu metal/ alternative rock/ post-hardcore/ Christian music.
You’re “that brown guy from Flyleaf.”
The best part about being ‘that brown guy in Flyleaf ’ is that I’m the only one! That and listening to people pronounce my last name.
Is there anything typically Indian about you?
I drink entirely too much tea and am over-analytical to a fault. I assume everyone to be as hospitable as my family was [when I was] growing up, so I have to be extra conscious when invading someone else’s space. I’ve realised that kind of hospitality is an Eastern cultural thing. Also, I’m late to everything. We call is BST (Bhattacharya Standard Time). – Shreya Sethuraman
Nisha Pahuja, 46 Filmmaker, Canada
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isha Pahuja’s best known film The World Before Her (2012) juxtaposes India’s conservative right and the liberal capitalist through two camps for women. The former, Durga Vahini, is a never-filmed-before militant Hindu fundamentalist camp for girls; the latter a month-long beauty camp for Miss India contestants. The film appeared on a number of top 10 film lists for 2012 and won several awards. She also directed Bollywood Bound (2003) about Indo-Canadians who travel to India to make it big in Bollywood, and Diamond Road (2007), a series on the global diamond trade. Born in Delhi and raised in Canada, she spends her time between Mumbai and Toronto.
The World Before Her shows two kinds of women. Could you relate to either of them?
I related to both kinds of women in the film. In many ways their struggles are my struggles as a young NRI in a conservative family in the West, not really belonging in either
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world and carving a space that allowed me to be what I was.
How did you find out about Durga Vahini and manage to get access?
One of the women featured in my film, Prachi, told me about the group. The minute she did, I knew I had to get access. It took nearly two years and involved me getting to know many people in the movement. The thing that people most respond to in the film is how non-judgemental it is of either world. I think the reason I got access to the Durga Vahini is that people knew I was not going to sensationalise the issues. We’d built a relationship of mutual respect and humanity despite our political beliefs. – Saudamini Jain
MORE ON THE WEB There are several more stories of Global Indians to inspire you at hindustantimes. com/brunch
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indulge CES 2014: Honour roll PART- II
A selection of not just good but mind-blowing products from the Consumer Electronics Show 2014
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ES 2014, the mega technology event in sin city is now wrapped up. It was a tough event for many reasons! Much of the country was frozen so almost all flights to Las Vegas were diverted or delayed for hours (It took me 36 hours of flying time to get there). The event itself had a chaotic layout and had way too many companies showcasing almost the same products and thought. There was very little innovation and way too many humdrum ready-for-retail products (this happens every three years when all the concepts and prototypes mature into fairly boring ready-to-sell devices). All of it makes this, the best of CES, a tough list to get into. A company had to have an earth-shattering innovative product to qualify. Just good, or nice or even amazing wasn’t enough to make the cut. Here then, with a drum roll, is the honour list.
3-D FOOD PRINTER: CHEFJET PRO
This was love at first sight and even more lust at first bite. A 3-D printer that prints colourful, awesomely delicious sugar, chocolate and candy in practically any design. The the only real limit is your imagination. And as my imagination concerning food is very wild, this was a place I spent a lot of time. I want one at home, one at work and one in my car, now!
COMES WITH CHIPS
ChefJet lets you print chocolate and eat it too
THE TOUGHEST GUY ON THE FLOOR: PANASONIC TOUGHPAD
Walk into a company booth for a hands-on with a new device and you are usually told to be careful, not drop it and not get wet hands on it. This was different. I was requested, cajoled
Rajiv Makhni
techilicious
MORE ON THE WEB For previous columns by Rajiv Makhni, log on to hindustantimes. com/brunch. Follow Rajiv on Twitter at twitter.com/ RajivMakhni The views expressed by the columnist are personal
GO ON, JUMP and begged to drop this tablet by flinging it And the Panaup towards the roof, then standing on it with sonic Toughpad all my weight after it had crash-landed, and will not break then taking an entire bottle of water and pouring it into all its ports and openings and sides. I truly enjoyed banging this one up. Pity the tablet has no war scars to show. It is truly built to take abuse of every kind.
PANORAMIC IMAGES FROM 36 CAMERAS AT ONCE: PANONO
Blowing the whole idea of what a panoramic image can be like to bits, this tough ball has 36 cameras built-in, each capable of shooting in HDR mode. Throw the ball into the air and at its highest point, it’ll automatically take a picture from each of its 36 cameras then stitch them together for a 108-MP panoramic shot that is virtually impossible to describe. Try beating that with your cameraphone.
UP IN THE AIR
Panono’s ball camera has 36 cameras and can capture a 360 degree panoramic shot
A DRONE THAT CAN CLIMB WALLS: PARROT MINIDRONE
Parrot’s original big-sized drone was always on everyone’s list of things to buy. But its price and size made it a formidable
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twitter.com/HTBrunch toy to own. Here comes a IS THAT A SPIDER? better-sized alternative in No, it’s the MiniDrone that every which way: the Mincan climb walls iDrone. The cool part is that this one can also climb walls and fly along your roof, so crashing it is almost impossible.
AUGMENTED, VIRTUAL AND SURREAL REALITY: OCULUS CRYSTAL COVE
Here’s a company that has a goldmine of a product but just doesn’t want to ship. Its latest prototype is now streets ahead of anything else. Strap it on and the headset puts you into a world of staggering augmented reality. Anything you see on the screen reacts and changes to your head movement and even your body movements. This takes gaming and movie watching to levels people hadn’t even asked for.
PERFECTING AN iPHONE: MOPHIE AND TYPO
If you were to list the top three most aggravating things about FOR YOUR FINGERS the iPhone, they would usually be the Typo brings the ease lack of external storage, battery life and of typing on the the typos on its touchscreen keyboard. Blackberry to the Well, it looks like perfecting that device iPhone is on every accessory company’s to-do list. Mophie comes up with a case that protects your phone, has a built-in battery pack and up to 32GB of storage you can use right away. And Typo is a slide-in keyboard for that army of people who just don’t want to switch to an iPhone because it doesn’t have a Blackberry-level physical keyboard. Now, it seems, you can almost have it all.
SWISS ARMY KNIFE: ZTE PROJECTOR HOTSPOT
It’s easier to list the things this device doesn’t do, but then that would make no sense. This CAN DO IT ALL is a super-small (smaller This projector not than the palm of your only fits in your hand hand) Android-based pro- but can charge your jector with a four-inch capac- phone as well itive touchscreen. It projects a 120-inch 1080P 100-lumen picture onto any surface, can also be used as 4G LTE hotspot for up to eight devices. Plus, with its 5000mAh battery, it can be used as a portable smartphone charger too. Phew!
PURE LUST ON WHEELS: AUDI QUATTRO CONCEPT
There’s no point talking about the technology built into this car, that it has laser headlights or that it has an incredible array of connectivity and intelligence built within. Who cares? This is a car that is purely a lust-and-desire visual phenomenon. I saw people standing at the Audi booth mesmerised and frozen, till they were asked to move along and make space for others. I know the feeling; I was one of them. With that I’m closing the curtains on CES 2014, a year that will go down as more practical than jaw dropping. This also means that next year will be the start of DRIVES YOU WILD a new cycle of jaw-dropping prototypes People stood mesmerised in front and concepts. All I have to do now is figof this stunning Audi ure out how to get there without a jawdropping flying time of 36 hours! Quattro Concept Car Rajiv Makhni is managing editor, Technology, NDTV, and the anchor of Gadget Guru, Cell Guru and Newsnet 3
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indulge
Hot on CHilli
The West stole the chilli from South America and never knew what to do with it. Asia, on the other hand, built a whole cuisine around it
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Photos: THINKSTOCK
EW INDIANS are particularly fascinated by chillies. Our attitude to them is largely matter of fact. We know they are hot but we recognise that the heat is not the only point of the chilli. Sometimes we use chillies for garnish; sometimes we use them to colour gravies (as in rogan josh, for instance); sometimes they become important constituents of pickles; often they are cooked like sabzis (as in Simla mirch); and chilli powder serves many different purposes in our cuisines.
Vir Sanghvi
rude food BURN UNIT
In 1912, a pharmacist called Wilbur Scoville created a test that measured how many drops of sugar water were required to mute the heat of a chilli
So it is in the rest of Asia. The Thais like their chillies. But no Thai dish is judged merely on the basis of its heat. The point of Thai cuisine is the interplay of fresh and dried herbs. The chillies only add a layer of flavour on top of the herbs and spices or they are sprinkled like tiny atom bombs on aromatic and fragrant salads. That Asia should not be terribly fascinated by chillies makes sense. They are not really Asian in origin. They were discovered in South America, where they had been cultivated for centuries, by Christopher Columbus and his men. Given that Columbus was not the world’s brightest guy and believed that America was really India, it is no surprise that when his men saw the chilli they immediately linked it to the hottest plant they knew – the pepper vine which was, of course, cultivated in India – and began to call all chillies, peppers. The confusion persists today largely because even when it became clear to Columbus and his merry band of clods that a big fat chilli and a peppercorn could not possibly be the same thing, they started calling them “chilli peppers” (chilli was the Mexican name of the plant), thus muddling the issue Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK
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even further. But the chilli is a completely different plant from the pepper and botanists classify it as a fruit and not a vegetable. Chillies can look beautiful (in Italian cuisine, the flavour is sometimes less important than the colours of the big chillies that are often used) and don’t have to be hot. What we call the Simla mirch is not particularly hot and even the chilli that Italians associate with heat (the pepperoncini) would be regarded by most Indians as being more or less neutral. But chillies contain a secret weapon and it is called capsaicin. Capsaicin has the ability to cling to the pain receptors on your tongue and produce a burning sensation. One theory is that nature gave capsaicin to the chilli to deter predators but to allow friendly creatures to enjoy it. (Birds cannot detect capsaicin and can easily eat the hottest chilli without feeling a thing.) By that reckoning, human beings are clearly predators because capsaicin can burn the hell out of our tongues. But it can also – and perhaps this was nature’s little joke – cause the body to release endorphins, giving rise to a kind of chilli high, one reason some people crave hot flavours. Though Columbus and his gang of looters and colonists took all versions of the chilli back to Western Europe, it had little impact on the local cuisine. (Except perhaps in Italy.) But then it travelled to Eastern Europe, where one breed, the paprika, came to typify Hungarian cuisine. And then to Africa, where Portuguese colonists used crossbreeding to create the now world-famous peri-peri chilli. (They brought it to Goa as well, which is why you probably know the name). But it was only when the chilli reached Asia that it found its true adopted home. You can’t think of Indian food without the chilli. It became an integral part of East Asian cuisines and only the Japanese seem to have turned it away. In China, the more interesting local cuisines (Sichuan and Hunan, for instance) make abundant use of chillies.
IT’S ALL IN THE LOOKS
Chillies can look beautiful and don’t have to be hot. What we call the Simla mirch is not particularly hot
hindustantimes.com/brunch
Photo: RONJOY GOGOI
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TOO HOT TO HANDLE
India is now a major player in this chilli craziness because of the bhut jolokia, the chilli that is the pride of the North East It is funny, then, that given how the chilli travelled from the Americas to Europe and then to Asia, it should now be one of Asia’s most successful exports to the West (re-exports, that should be). From the Sixties onwards, English curry-houses run mainly by Bengalis from the Sylhet district of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) created rubbish curries with made-up names that reflected the chilli-content. A shahi korma was the basic curry with dahi or cream; a vindaloo was the basic curry with more chilli; and a Madras curry was the basic curry with a hell of a lot more chilli. No self-respecting Indian would eat this crap but Brits began to treat hot curries as a proof of virility. If a lager lout could eat a really hot curry then he became a real stud. (Not sure how, frankly. His mouth would have been on fire so how could he possibly have done anything stud-like after dinner?) Now, it is America that is in the grip of chilli-mania. According to a fine article by Lauren Collins in The New Yorker’s food issue last year, hot sauce is among America’s fastest-growing industries. There is an American hot sauce tradition (Tabasco is the most famous) but Asian sauces are growing in popularity. Sriracha, a South-East Asian hot sauce (it is a kind of sauce not a brand name and you get different variants in Thailand, Vietnam and other neighbouring countries) is so popular that some years ago there was a three-month national shortage because Americans bought the stuff faster than anybody could make it. And India is now a major player in this chilli craziness because of the bhut jolokia, the chilli that is the pride of the North East. To understand why the bhut jolokia appeals, you need to understand the American crypto-scientific approach to the chilli. In 1912, a pharmacist called Wilbur Scoville created a test that measured how many drops of sugar water were required to mute the heat of a chilli. They now use liquid chromatography to do the same thing in a more high-tech fashion but the Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) is still the basic test of the hotness of a chilli. The Italian pepperoncini is about 300 SHU but to get the kind of heat that Indians could recognise as a proper chilli flavour you need something like 40,000 SHU. (Our red chillis can go upto 1,00,000 SHU without our even noticing.)
BREAKING RECORDS
A chilli that is 2,50,000 SHU is hot by most Indian standards. In 2000, according to The New Yorker, an Indian scientist, RKR Singh from Assam, tested the local bhut jolokia’s heat and came to the conclusion that it was hotter than the red savina, the chilli which held the Guinness World Record for world’s hottest chilli. The red savina had a 5,70,000 SHU rating but the bhut jolokia seemed to be much higher. An American professor of horticulture was sceptical of the numbers claimed by the Indian scientists but procured some bhut jolokia seeds and planted them. When his American-grown chillis were on the branches, he submitted them to Guinness and got the new world record. His American bhut jolokia rated at 10,01,300 SHU or significantly more than the red savina’s 5,70,000 SHU. So it was official. India had the world’s hottest chilli. Even if some American guy took our seeds and planted them. Except that in the world of comparative chilli-heat, no record stays unbroken for long. In February 2011, Guinness announced that a chilli grown by an Englishman in Lincolnshire had beaten the bhut jolokia. (Obviously, the Brit had developed a taste for Sylhet-style Madras curry.) Two weeks later, another Brit (yes, it is all those curry houses) claimed a new record with a chilli grown in the North of England called the Naga viper. This rated 13,82,118 SHU versus the bhut jolokia’s 10,01,300 SHU. Since then, the record has been regularly revised upwards. In 2011, the Trinidad scorpion butch T came in at 14,63,700 SHU. In 2012, it was claimed that something called the Trinidad Moruga scorpion (scorpion butch’s cousin, perhaps) had exceeded two million SHUs. And so it goes. Now people are regularly breeding chilli plants only to beat the world record – unlike the bhut jolokia, which occurs naturally and is used in the local cuisine. So you’ve got to ask yourself: what is a chilli for? To win competitions? Or to flavour food? I think I know the answer. And it tells us about the difference between Asia and the West. The West stole the chilli from South America and never knew what to do with it. On the other hand, Asia built a whole cuisine around it. And now while we enjoy the chilli flavour in our food, the West wastes its time on stupid competitions featuring chillis that most people will never eat.
Now people are breeding chilli plants only to beat the world record – unlike the bhut jolokia, which occurs naturally
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In 2011, the Trinidad scorpion butch T came in at 14,63,700 SHU on the chilli-heat meter
Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK
IT’S DIFFERENT
Chilli powder (above) serves many different purposes in our cuisines. Tabasco (left), is an American hot sauce
MORE ON THE WEB For more columns by Vir Sanghvi, log on to hindustantimes. com/brunch The views expressed by the columnist are personal
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indulge
Photos: GETTY IMAGES
A Very French AFFAir
As President Hollande is caught between two lovers, do the French people care? Not a bit!
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OU’VE GOT to love the French. Their President, Monsieur ‘Normale’ Hollande, is photographed trysting with French actress, Julie Gayet, a stone’s throw from the Élysée Palace, where he lives with long-time partner, Valerie Trierweiler. He exits the apartment, disguised (or so he thinks, poor sod) by a motorcycle helmet, climbs on the back of the motorbike driven by his bodyguard (who had, earlier in the morning, delivered croissants to the amorous pair) and goes back home to Valerie and his many duties as President of the Republic. The photographs duly appear in a French magazine called Closer, and the entire world is agog at the sight of a head of state behaving like a love-struck adolescent. Not so
Seema Goswami
LET IT PASS!
‘Friends’ of the President Hollande’s (below left) longtime partner, Valerie Trierweiler (right), let it be known that she is ready to forgive and forget
spectator the French. They simply shrug and say the French equivalent of ‘A man’s got to do what a man’s got to do; and what does his private life have anything to do with his public role?’ As for the President himself: not for him, denials of a love affair or anything quite so puerile, thank you. He just puts out a statement condemning the magazine for having intruded into his privacy, to which – like any other French citizen – he is entitled. Meanwhile, the First Lady (or First Girlfriend, as some cruelly label her) checks into a hospital and lets it be known that doctors have advised her a ‘cure de repos’ (rest cure) to recover from the shock of learning about her partner’s affair (which she likens to being struck by a TGV, or high-speed train). But ‘friends’ of hers let it be known that she is ready to forgive and forget so long as she gets to stay on in her role of First Lady. You’d think by now, the French would have their juices flowing. Mais non. A survey conducted soon after shows an overwhelming majority of 74 per cent reiterating that President’s Hollande’s domestic life and love affairs are entirely his own business, and the media should steer clear of reporting on it. And sure enough, when Hollande arrives to address his annual press conference at the Élysée Palace, in a room heaving with French and international media, there are just a couple of questions about his tangled love life. Hollande responds that this is neither the time nor the place, and that he will clear up any doubts about who France’s First Lady is before he embarks on a state visit to the US in February. And then he begins droning on about his economic vision for France. A few days later, Valerie checks out of hospital and moves into La Lanterne, the Presidential week-
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LADY LOVE?
French President Hollande was photographed trysting with French actress Julie Gayet (right), a stone’s throw from the Élysée Palace
end residence in the park of Versailles, to recuperate in quiet while Hollande decides whether he will stay with her or move on with Julie. Can you imagine events unfolding quite like this in any other country? How do you think it would work for President Barack Obama if he were to be pictured sneaking out from a secret tryst with, say, Scarlett Johansson? He would either be doing the full Clinton in a televised press conference (“I did not have sex with that woman”) or he would be writing his resignation after a few left jabs executed by Michelle (she of the perfectly-toned musculature). And all of America would be up in arms at the moral turpitude of their President. (God alone knows how President Kennedy and his harem of women in the White House would have fared in today’s multimedia age; fortunately for him, his Presidency was played out in front of a more deferential world.) Or let’s say that David Cameron was rumbled having a bit of nookie with a famous model like Kate Moss. The British tabloid press would go into full meltdown mode. There would be editorials asking for Cameron to go, given that he had betrayed the family values the Conservative Party stood for. He would be expected to make a statement clarifying whether he and Samantha were still a couple and intended to remain so. Kate would be door-stepped at her residence. Her friends and family would be harassed for a quote on the affair. Columnists would write endlessly about the fairy-tale union of David and Samantha and how it had come to such a messy end. There would be none of that Gallic shrugging and saying that this was a private matter between two people (okay, three) and that it was no one else’s business. That a politician’s private life was nobody else’s concern so long as it did not impinge on the performance of his public duties. As you can probably tell, I am a fan of the French approach. And so far at least, back home in India, we have taken our cue from the French rather than the Americans or the Brits. We have allowed our leaders their privacy when it comes to their love lives, unless of course, it explodes into the public space as it did with ND Tiwari’s paternity case. But so long as our leaders have behaved with discretion, we have been content to look the other way and let them get on with it. And if you ask me, that’s the best way to go. A person’s private life is just that: private. We can judge them by their public conduct but as François Hollande put it so elegantly, “Private affairs must be dealt with in private. With respect for the dignity of all involved.” Vive La France! Vive La Vie Privée!
MORE ON THE WEB For more SPECTATOR columns by Seema Goswami, log on to hindustantimes.com/brunch. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/seemagoswami. Write to her at seema_ ht@rediffmail.com The views expressed by the columnist are personal
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PERSONAL AGENDA
Actress
Mandira Bedi
BIRTHDAY SUN SIGN April 15
twitter.com/HTBrunch
Aries
PLACE OF BIRTH HOMETOWN
Kolkata
I am a pan-Indian citizen. A Punjabi, born in Kolkata, lived in Delhi for a few years and then was brought up in aamchi Mumbai
LOW FIRST BREAK HIGH POINT OF YOUR LIFE POINT OF YOUR LIFE SCHOOL/COLLEGE Oh, there are so
When I was offered the lead role in the daily soap Shanti (1994)
many. But I think playing the lead role in Shanti changed my life
They are a part of life. I just choose to not dwell on them
The Cathedral & John Connon High School, Mumbai. I did my graduation and post-graduation from St Xavier’s College and Sophia Polytechnic respectively
CURRENTLY I AM... Taking a breather and spending time with my two-year-old son. I deserve it, considering I just finished Season 1 of 24 and also launched my line of saris
If you weren’t an actress, you would have been... A black sari or a little black dress, what works Probably a copywriter in an advertising for you? agency. A little black dress. And a colourful sari! From playing Shanti to Nikki in 24, what has your The craziest thing you have done. journey been like? Holding a snake around my It’s been brilliant. When I neck at the Singapore Zoo. played Shanti, people saw I flew to the country for a SEXIEST ACTOR IN me as just Shanti. When I few hours just so I could be BOLLYWOOD. anchored cricket shows, I part of the activity. was seen at as just a host. A dessert that describes you. But as Nikita Rai, the apChocolate. preciation is very gratifying. Your fitness fundas. I am getting a lot of acting Don’t eat chocolate. I circuit offers again. train three times a week and What’s better, acting or hosting? run 10 km once a week. I enjoy both. Anchoring or Your favourite co-star for a doing anything live is thrillromantic film. ing. But acting and playing I’ve only done one romantic different characters is also film, Dilwale Dulhania Le amazing. Jayenge, and I didn’t get Did you always want to design saris? my man there. So, I would like to give it I have worn saris a lot over the years, another shot. Are you listening, SRK? so designing them was like a natural Your favourite family destination. progression. I do believe that saris and I Singapore for a fun family holiday. South have a special bond. Africa also has so much to offer. How has motherhood changed you? What turns you on? It’s done the impossible: it’s made me Stimulating conversation. more patient. What makes your day? The best thing about marriage. Happy, positive energy from people who That I always have someone who matter. looks out for me. I am blessed What ruins it? to have Raj in my life. Tardiness. The best thing about working with The last line of your autobiography would Anil Kapoor. read... His energy, his passion and “I lived my life well. And to the love for what he does. the fullest.” His sincerity towards his job is — Interviewed by absolutely inspiring. Veenu Singh
my movies
Aamir Khan
A film you have seen more than five times.
your childhood.
Guide, Gol Maal, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron
Superman
The most overrated film.
2012
The first movie you saw on the big screen.
The most paisa vasool film.
Probably Sholay
3 Idiots
A movie that was a part of JANUARY 26, 2014
Photo: GETTY IMAGES
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