WEEKLY MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 28, 2012 Free with your copy of Hindustan Times
WEEKLY MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 28, 2012 Free with your copy of Hindustan Times
How to party with success in the season of excess robe ❖ Add sparkle to your ward ase the ❖ Diyas and tealights to ch gloom away from every room ❖ Dial H for Halwai for ❖ Sharp, cutting-edge ideas your kitchen
❖
indulge
VIR SANGHVI
Get a fat check
SANJOY NARAYAN Grindcore tales
RAJIV MAKHNI The iPad Mini
SEEMA GOSWAMI
A new coming of age
B R E A K FA S T O F C H A M P I O N S
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Things You Should Have Heard About by Shreya Sethuraman
Brunch Opinion
W
e love Diwali. We love the smell of it, the sound of it, the sparkle of it. Just two weeks away, we love the idea of it. Starting tomorrow, we’re going nuts shopping for Diwali gifts (Why can’t we just gift a handful of kaju?), dust the undersides of all the tables (nobody even knows tables have an underside!) and mark card party dates on the planner (the key to winning is cheating). So, here’s help for you. Here’s wishing you a very shubh pre-Diwali. The chaos is where all the fun is!
LETTER OF THE WEEK!
The most-wanted haunted
KUDOS TO you guys for coming up with The Ghostseekers! The cover was hilarious with its one-liners, and the haunted mansion story was a great mash-up of the typical elements in a horror movie. My friends keep asking me what’s so special about Supernatural. Now I can just hand them a copy of Brunch! Thanks for such a great issue! — RAEESA POTNIS, via email Raeesa wins a Flipkart voucher worth `2,500. Congrats!
A haunting, fascinating Sunday dawn THE TALE of the fort of Bhangarh (Curse of the Tantrik, October 21) gave me goosebumps. Stories of haunted houses and spirits have always been weirdly interesting, and Brunch did an awesome job printing all the horror soirees. — JASMINE SEKHON, via email
The best letter gets a Flipkart voucher worth R2,500!! The shopping voucher will reach the winner within seven to 10 working days. In case of any delays, please contact chirag.sharma@hindustantimes.com
■ Diwali. Yes, we can smell it. And yes, it’s okay to indulge! ■ Coffee lovers get another hotspot to caffeine-it-up. ■ Tiny surprises. Like that packet of Fatafat. Or that generous piece of bitter chocolate pastry. ■ Muskaanein jhoothi hain. Who else but Javed Akhtar could have written words so haunting. We love Talaash already. ■ Saina Nehwal’s Denmark win gives us a reason to celebrate!
LOVE IT
THERE IS LIGHT
by Saudamini Jain
Romance will never be the same, without you. RIP Yash Chopra... ■ The hippest airline bids adieu ■ Celebrity bodyguards telling you not to get in the way. In your office! ■ The Indian version of High School Musical. Or was it Riverdale High? ■ Life expectancy inversely proportionate to TV viewing. (We’re mentally throwing TV sets at this study.)
■
Brunch Soirees
A HEALTHY DOSE OF HORROR STORIES
Photos: THINKSTOCK
"It was a dark and cold night, I was reading about the legend of the witch on 75th street when the light went off...” and so the #BrunchSoirees began last Monday. We were trying to weave a horror story with our favourite tweeple, and the results were hilarious! A big thanks to @priyank13904358 @devika_gulati @orphean_warbler @ariioso @Ever_So_Mystic @VenuSpeak @rouble92 and @flowerfullpower! You killed our Monday morning blues
A Guide To F1 For Today
GET THE FORMULA by Manit Moorjani FIRST
Cover Design: MALAY KARMAKAR
Before you plug into the Formula One Indian Grand Prix today, learn the ropes: ■ The Buddh International Circuit has a single lap length of 5.125km. With 60 gruelling
laps in the race, this amounts to a total of 307.249 km. That’s about the same as the distance from Delhi to Jaipur. ■ If you drive really fast, Delhi to Jaipur can take as little as four hours. In last year’s innaugural GP here, winner Sebastian Vettel completed this distance in about 90 minutes. ■ The track has 16 turns. Turns
EDITORIAL: Poonam Saxena (Editor), Aasheesh Sharma, Tavishi Paitandy Rastogi, Rachel Lopez, Mignonne Dsouza, Veenu Singh, Parul Khanna Tewari, Yashica Dutt, Amrah Ashraf, Saudamini Jain, Shreya Sethuraman, Manit Moorjani
OCTOBER 28, 2012
Rules Of The Game...
TEEN PATTI by Samar Khurshid
SHOVE IT
4
Everybody gets three cards and they throw in the minimum stake at the start of the game. Then all players bet to figure who has the best hand. Or you can pay nothing and fold. The betting continues till all except one player have folded (he wins the pot). Or when someone asks for a ‘show’ and that’s when cards are compared. The winner is decided on the possible combinations from the strongest to the weakest ■ Three of a kind ■ Pure sequence (sequence of the same suit) ■ Sequence (Three cards in a row) ■ Colour (Three of the same suit) ■ High card (Ace is highest) Pair
Now Playing
SOMETHING SANTANA? A rock god is in Delhi! And being the insufferable-know-it-alls that we are, we couldn’t help but predict what he’s going to play. Brush up! ■ Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen
■ Maria Maria
■ Europa (Earth’s Cry Heaven’s Smile) ■ Smooth
■ Soul Sacrifice
■ Dance Into The Night
■ Oye Como Va (Tito Puente cover) ■ Put Your Lights On
■ Just Feel Better ■ Evil Ways
by Manit Moorjani
10-11-12 have the most sudden bends. This is where drivers overtake like crazy! ■ The longest stretch without a turn is a little over a kilometre long, from turn 3 to 4 (One of the longest in F1). Expect lightning speeds. Last year, Jaime Alguersuari drove at 324.2 km/hr here! ■ The competition at the top is
DESIGN: Ashutosh Sapru (National Editor, Design), Monica Gupta, Swati Chakrabarti, Rakesh Kumar, Ashish Singh, Ashwin Patil
between drivers Vettel and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso. ■ Also watch out for Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg and Paul Di Resta.
Drop us a line at:
brunchletters@hindustantimes.com or to 18-20 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi 110001
6
THE DIWALI GUIDE
Dress U p Your Diw ali
Three d how to esigners te ll from t wear it and you what to his fes what t wear, o t by Rac i v s e t a seaso y away hel Lo pez n
SOUNIA GOHIL This Diwali, it’s not about going heavy. No long dupattas or yards of fabric. The big trend is to go minimalistic, but style your ensemble with lots of accessories. Keep it light with these picks: The maxi dress: Pick one that is long and simple but has Indian embellishments. You could team it with a churidar and dupatta or just wear it as a dress. The statement accessory: Don’t layer it on. Pair your kandoora [full-length kurta] or sari with a brooch. It’s more eye-catching. The new Anarkali: Choose a lighter style and wear it as a dress. And ditch the dark purples. Neons, pastels and nudes all work just as well and can be festive too. Neons and black, particularly, make a very chic statement. DRESS TO IMPRESS
Sounia Gohil’s ensembles blend East and West
Nikasha’s simple kurtas make a chic statement
ANITA DONGRE Enough embellishment, bling and over decoration. There’s a better way to make a statement this season. The light Anarkali: The new twist on the garment is a reduced ghera, less volume and a simpler style. Short, petite women tend to get swamped in all those layers of fabric. So the new look is more streamlined, with a silhouette that makes you look less like a tent. Get one that concentrates on the upper body – a good shape from the bust to the waist, leaving volume for the lower half – most Indian women have beautiful shoulders. And forget heavy borders – discreet trims add length and look better. The good thing about the Anarkali is that is always makes you look dressed up – it’s like wearing a sari. The A-line Jacket: Coordinate a long well-tailored A-line jacket with a kurta and flared pants. These add length and blend Indian wear with western chic. Again, don’t overdo the embroidery. Go for an interesting fabric instead. DON’T FLARE UP
Anita Dongre’s Anarkalis are low on fuss and high on style – they’re fitted to make the most of your bust
OCTOBER 28, 2012
URBAN FABRIC
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NIKASHA TAWADEY
IF YOU WANT TO PUMP IT UP
If you’re going to a formal event such as a wedding or a puja – don’t play around. Keep it classic with a simple sari or lehenga. But if it’s a mehendi or sangeet or a fun party, Indian wear that has been given a funky modern twist works so much better, and more Indian women are getting comfortable with it too. Here are three ideas to try: The waistcoat: It’s possible to work androgynous chic even with ethnic wear. Indian waistcoats for women hark back to the Punjab of the late 18th and early 19th century, so don’t be afraid of them. Team your kurta with a well-fitted sleeveless waistcoat, or just wear dhoti pants with a short kurti and a waistcoat. The fitted sleeveless jacket also goes well with a Patiala salwar suit and crosses the boundaries between Indian and western dressing. The wide-leg sharara: Because it’s just so comfortable. Again this is unique to our fashion heritage – they are from the 16th-century Mughal period. Wear it with a short kurta or low-back kurti, and to make things more modern, team it not with a threemetre dupatta, but a short scarf or stole. The pleated pant: Forget the salwar and go with bottoms in soft silk. Team them with a fitted brocade jacket. Or if you like a little more drama, pleated pants, with a sari blouse and a dupatta draped like a sari pallu Gujarati or Kerala style. But if it has to be an Anarkali… Choose a design that ends mid-thigh – so as to become an empire-line dress, not a fullon kurta. It makes for a younger look. FOR GUYS Make sure you look good enough for your sherwani. Remember that kurtas are still the mainstay of an Indian look. Here’s what to keep in mind: Keep it simple: Avoid embroidery all over your kurta. Choose colour and tailoring over embellishment. Try simple white Aligarh kurtas instead of heavy zardosi and use pops of colour to brighten up the white – like a crushed silk scarf in orange or fuchsia. This is the time of the year when a bright colour is not sissy.
Don’t want to be draped in six yards this Diwali? Try the Anarkali instead. It not only gives you a festive look but does well over bodies that have something or nothing to hide. The modern Anarkali is lighter so you’ll look slimmer still. Red Anarkali suit in georgette richly embellished with resham embroidery, sequins and gold silver zari tari patchwork From Panash, available at Fashionandyou.com
Go glam in this Anarkali in neon yellow gauze with a Banarsi georgette lining. The yoke and the border are embellished with pearls and Swarovski crystals. Available at Vinayak Couture, Greater Kailash-1, Delhi
FOR GUYS Guys need to remember to coordinate an entire look, not just throw on a kurta. And if they put on a kurta, they need to do it right. The bandi: This is a great investment for any young man. A bandi is a short open vest with a Chinese collar. It’s so versatile. You can wear it with your churidar, with jeans and a Tshirt, or with a linen shirt and drawstring pants for a day event. It’s less restrictive and stuffy than a whole bandgala and if you want to dress it up, tuck a silk pocket square in a contrasting colour into the breast pocket. The linen and silk kurta: Fully embroidered kurtas are out, unless you’re the groom and it’s done tastefully. Otherwise, stick to a solid colour and let the material be luxurious, not ostentatious, with embroidery or handiwork on it.
Photo Courtesy: MYNTRA.COM
Photo Courtesy: MYNTRA.COM
Get into the festive spirit in this bright red georgette Anarkali with a gold print and coordinated dupatta. Available at Biba
Compiled by Veenu Singh veenus@hindustantimes.com rachel.lopez@hindustantimes.com
OCTOBER 28, 2012
THE DIWALI GUIDE
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Anatomy Of A Diwali Party A survival kit for feisty party animals – even as they live it up during the festival of lights by Yashica Dutt
G
ET DRESSED, drive through insane traffic, arrive at party, have a great time (hopefully), drink a lot, go home, crash. And get ready for the next one. Partying gains a completely new meaning during the festive season. Diwali dos are like parties on steroids: overdressed, marigoldchoked. But there are many different kinds of parties. So here’s a list of the various kinds you could get invited to this season and how to survive them...
THE CARD PARTY
The Holy Sweet Mother of all Diwali parties. Someone will eventually bring out a wad of cards along with a fatter wad of cash and make you bet your bottom rupee in the name of tradition. If it is an authentic card party and you’re a party pooper (as in, you’re that irritating person who doesn’t play cards), then image guru Dilip Cherian has a tip for you: “Reach exactly two hours later than the time on the invite. By then, dinner would have been served. Grab your plate, slink into a corner, stuff your face and get out. If someone does see you, you will be pulled to a table and forced to play.” But you don’t always have to leave, as entrepreneur VN Dalmia suggests, “I usually don’t play but I attend these parties to network and
Photo: IMAGES BAZAAR
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socialise. So I watch the game from the sides and hang out with others who aren’t playing. The trick is to hang out with more of your kind.” The dress code? Pull out the blingiest outfit you have in your closet and top it with all the gold in your name. Men can try the same with chunky watches and chains. Narresh, one half of the designer duo Shivan-Narresh, says, “It’s all about showing how many Cartiers you can pair with your Louboutins and Birkins. There are card tables of different levels, starting from R1,000 for a chaal to a couple of lakhs. Where you sit determines where you stand on the social ladder.” Of course, the parties where a chaal begins at a lakh are only by invitation! Author Ira Trivedi happens to have attended some of these. “It’s dramatic to see people pull out their Rolexes, car keys or vacation tickets as bets on the table. Suitcases filled with cash are a given.” Trivedi recommends knowing the basic rules of the game. Traditionally teen patti (see box on the Breakfast of Champions page) should be played if you want to have any fun. “I never knew how to play cards, but started playing since last year and it’s not been so bad. Especially when there’s money
People often place their Rolex watches or even car keys as bets on the table
OCTOBER 28, 2012
involved. With my beginners’ luck, I won a cool R15,000 last year.” Survivor’s Tip: Carry loose cash – that is, an amount that you wouldn’t mind losing. Else, develop a thick skin or very deep pockets.
THE GREAT CHAAT PARTY
Though it originated in the Capital, we’ve heard Mumbai is catching up fast. If you’re wondering what happens there, then it’s just a bunch of people chatting over chaat! Says designer Anand Bhushan, “These parties are usually hosted on the Sunday before
THE PATAKA PARTY Typically hosted by a club (The Rotary Club/Gymkhana), this is one of our favourite parties. You can sit at your table (without pressure to play cards) with friends, eat, drink and watch the fireworks. However, if the same scenario takes place in a farmhouse, then you are in for the usual air-kissing routine. Says industrialist VN Dalmia, “It’s like a wedding without being one. There’s an outdoor setting, the place is beautifully decorated and everyone is in the race to be the Fat Cat.” Survivor’s Tip: Be the Fat Cat.
Diwali with chaatwallas serving 15-20 types of chaat. Having a bar isn’t the norm, since it’s usually a family gathering, but vodka golgappas aren’t uncommon.” Survivor's Tip: With kids around, wear clothes that can survive a chutney-slinging match.
THE BOLLYWOOD PARTY
Since Diwali is ripe season for Bollywood stars to promote their endorsements, you might be invited to a party where a star makes a fiveminute appearance. “It often looks like a movie set, with most people dressed like extras from Mughal-eAzam. The star arrives close to midnight for five minutes, and everyone either takes a picture or gets one taken. Post which, every one chats about how much work the star got done to their faces and bodies,” says Dilip Cherian. Survivor’s Tip: Pretend not to care about the star, until they arrive that is!
THE EXPAT PARTY
Thrown mostly to ‘introduce’ foreign nationals to this glittery Indian holiday that is not Halloween, this party can often be quite hilarious. “Men in kurtas and women draped in saris look funny if they don’t carry themselves well. Also, be prepared to fend off absurd questions like ‘When does Diwali start in the morning?’” says Cherian. Survivor’s tip: Watch the ‘Diwali’ episode of the TV show, The Office. Because it’s awesome! yashica.dutt@hindustantimes.com Photos: THINKSTOCK
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THE DIWALI GUIDE
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IT’S A BED OF ROSES
Light Up Every Corner
Do over your home this Diwali. With tips from interiors experts, it can be as simple as experimenting with the lighting
Photo: M ZHAZO
Florist Jasleen Kochhar, founder of Bougainvilla Design, likes to take a break from the ‘marigold’ design scheme of the season, preferring white, gold and rose. “Using mogra for your puja room is a good idea, it has such a divine fragrance,” she says. If you don’t have the patience to oil your diyas, Kochhar suggests using more pillared or textured candles as a quick fix inside the house. She opts for red, orange and purple coloured versions. “Throw some big cushions around the sitting area for a cosy look,” she adds. Don’t fret if you don’t have ornate bowls for your flowers and floating candles. Even a fruit bowl will do! “Delhi’s Blind School is a great place to buy diyas. Okhla and Chhatarpur are your flower haunts,” she says.
CANDLES ALL THE WAY Interior designer Bubble Batra’s house is filled with ornate woodwork, which is her forte. However, she says, she likes to keep it simple during Diwali, relying mostly on tea lights. The quick-fix tips from Batra include rearranging furniture and placing Ganesha idols across your house. “Instead of brass idols, go for porcelain idols for an abstract touch. You could also use silk carpets as wall hangings for a period look,” she says.
BRING OUT THE PEARLY WHITES Mumbai architect Shilpa Daga recommends new theme-based decor every year. This year, she’s going with a simple pearl theme. “String the pearls into any number of chains, but ensure that the chains don’t overpower the space you have,” she says. “A Diwali must-have is the toran [wall hanging for the door]. Also, a fun way to get your loved ones together is to host diya painting parties. This way, people feel that they’ve done something for their homes,” says Daga.
OCTOBER 28, 2012
shreya.sethuraman@hindustantimes. com
Photo: ANSHUMAN POYREKAR
Photo: RAJ K RAJ
by Shreya Sethuraman
THE DIWALI GUIDE
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While all coffee machines make coffee in a similar manner – pass hot water through ground coffee beans and get their flavour while doing so – there are some that can make an espresso or a cappuccino that tastes as good as a barista. They are available in varieties like percolators, drip and espresso.
Peeling veggies is a breeze with a peeler while a zester can help you remove the zest from lemons and oranges. A good grater comes in handy to grate cheese and even some hard spices such as nutmeg.
AN ELECTRIC WHISK
These work well to gauge both dry foods (spices, etc) as well as liquids (soups, oil). While tablespoons are abbreviated to tbsp, teaspoons are shortened to T or tsp.
A FOOD PROCESSOR
A square pan with straight lines, this comes in handy for grilling vegetables and meats. Plus, the dainty grill marks make the food look delectable.
Compared to the traditional kadhai, a wok is not just more convenient, it is also a smarter option as it heats food faster. Don’t go for the huge woks you see in hotels. A 9 to 10-inch diameter wok is ideal for households. Choose one with wooden or stainless steel handles. Apart from deep frying and stir frying, a wok is also ideal for making stock and soups.
MEASURING SPOONS
You can call it the all-rounder of the kitchen. A mixer and grinder facilitates blending, grinding (both dry and wet), chopping, pureeing, whisking and the kneading of dough.
A CAST IRON SKILLET
A WOK
ALSO GOOD TO HAVE
First-aid kit: It’s a useful thing to have, to deal with a small cut or a kitchen burn. ■ A calibrated thermometer: Ideally, heat the food to 73 degrees and hold it there for 20 seconds to keep it bacteria free. This will help avoid food-related ailments. ■ Sanitiser: Not only should you keep your hands but also your kitchen free of germs. ■
If you like baking, you can’t do without this. The gizmo is ideal to whisk eggs and prepare cupcakes and mixing batter.
If you love cooking, this is something you really can’t do without. Nothing can be as irritating as not having good knives to work with in the kitchen. And nothing can be better than a nice knife block, choc-a-bloc with sharp, gleaming knives. Talking about sharpness, you will be surprised to know that more fingers are cut due to blunt knives than sharp knives. Even if you are not a professional cook, you should still have at least two to three varieties of knives in your kitchen.
The chef’s knife: An all-purpose knife with a 9 to 10-inch blade, useful for chopping vegetables and everything else.
The fish knife: A long knife with a thin flexible blade. This is really helpful for deboning a fish or even clearing the insides.
The paring knife: Want to lend a dash of creativity to the way you present your salads? This knife helps carve out small grooves in a carrot or radish to make them look interesting.
AN OTG
The oven toaster grill (OTG) is considered ideal for slow cooking. The food is baked or grilled to just the right quality. A bigger OTG enhances better air circulation, leading to much better, faster cooking.
The cleaver: Also known as a butcher’s knife, this is a heavy knife with a big blade that helps cut bones or big joints of meat. It is also useful for smashing garlic, ginger and spring onions. Kitchen scissors: They come in handy to chop veggies such as spring onions or to cut other vegetables.
Kunal Kapoor is executive sous chef at Leela Kempinski, Gurgaon
Photos: THINKSTOCK
OCTOBER 28, 2012
Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK
Photo: PHILIPS
A COFFEE MACHINE
ZESTER, PEELER, GRATER
OF KITCHEN KNIVES
Photo: WESTINGHOUSE
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THE DIWALI GUIDE
A Sweet Spin
Want tradition with a twist? Fusion mithais offer the best of both worlds. Gulab jamun cheesecake anybody? by Veenu Singh
A
CHEESECAKE with gulab jamun, a blend of phirni and chocolate and a rangoli cake filled with gulkand. These exotic-sounding concoctions aren’t the stuff of fantasy – they’re what sweetmakers are now devising to please bored palates. People like indulging their sweet tooth during the festive season, but in the past few years, there’s much more than ordinary mithai out there. Chocolate has become the new
‘mithai’ for a lot of us (except that a lot of locally made chocolate is pretty ghastly). But there’s a new dessert trend now: ‘fusion mithai’, in which the best of traditional mithai is teamed with exciting new global flavours. “The idea behind creating these fusion sweets is to offer something that is healthy, tasty and sweet so that people can indulge themselves without guilt,” says Rashma Sud, owner of Dessert Carte, a Delhi bak-
PHIRNI IN CHOCOLATE
ery. A patti (you can’t get more traditional than that!) filled with apricot, anyone? “Traditional sweets are going in a new direction. Chefs are mixing them with Western ingredients. It makes for a nice change. But traditional desserts and their unique flavours will never lose their lustre,” says chef Vishal Atreya, executive sous chef with The Imperial, New Delhi. Bon appetit! veenus@hindustantimes.com
DRY FRUIT & APRICOT PATTI
If the idea is to provide a new twist to something that is traditional and yet simple to make, phirni fits the bill perfectly. But instead of serving it straight, use chocolate flowers to give the sweet dish a contemporary touch. Another interesting variation is to make chocolate balls and fill them with shrikhand (not difficult to prepare). They make great sweet munchies for when guests visit. Available at The Imperial, New Delhi
GULAB JAMUN CHEESECAKE
This nouvelle twist to a traditional snack involves preparing a baked mix of soft dried apricot, mixed dry fruit, wholewheat flour, rolled oats, orange zest and orange juice to add that tang. To keep the patti healthy and light, brown sugar, olive oil and oats are used in the mix. It can make a great accompaniment to tea or coffee or you can serve it as dessert. Want to add a special touch? Drizzle 30gm of melted white chocolate over the cooked mixture and allow it to set before slicing. Available at Dessert Carte, 148, East of Kailash, Delhi
Bakery aficionados in the West swear by the cheesecake for its softness and flavour. Closer home, there are few things as satisfying as a nice juicy hot gulab jamun, particularly on a cold winter day. What if you want the best of both worlds? Well, you cook a plain
cheesecake sans flavour (recipe below). That’s when the gulab jamun will impart its own distinct flavour – and sweetness – to the cake. And yet it won’t be as sweet as a gulab jamun. Available at the Leela Kempinski, Gurgaon
THE RECIPE
firm base. Refrigerate for 15 mins. Soak the gelatin in 20ml water. Stir the mascarpone cheese in a bowl till it is creamy. Add cardamom, saunf powder and kewra water. Add melted gelatin to the creamed cheese, mix well and fold in the whipped cream. Place a layer of gulab jamuns on the crumb base. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the tin. Refrigerate for 2 hours, then keep at room temp for 10 mins. Slice and serve immediately.
INGREDIENTS: 150gm mascarpone cheese; 250gm whipped sweetened cream; 5gm gelatin; 20-25 gulab jamuns; 100gm cookie crumbs; 30gm unsalted butter; 1tsp cardamom powder, 1tsp saunf powder, a few drops kewra water. METHOD: Melt butter, add cookie crumbs to it. Line base of cake tin with crumb mixture. Spread evenly and press hard to form a
OCTOBER 28, 2012
RANGOLI FRUIT CAKE Want to have the flavour of a fruit cake and also indulge in your paan fetish? This rangoli fruit cake is filled with dry fruit and a dash of gulkand to add some sweetness. It also contains cinnamon and cardamom to give it a spicy twist and keep it from tasting too sweet. Considering it’s Diwali, you can stick a pretty diya on top of the cake instead of a candle. The best part about the cake is the colourful rangoli-like design on top which can make for an attractive centrepiece too. (And yes, this rangoli is totally edible!) The cake is available at Radisson Blu MBD, Noida
KALAKAND AND FLORENTINE ALMOND CAKE Here, kalakand, that classic Indian mithai, is blended with almond florentine (almonds in caramelised sugar). It is then infused with butterscotch and raspberry sauce to create a dessert that is at once familiar and exotic. A small word of warning though: this delectable dessert is not for those watching their weight. But frankly, it’s Diwali, so throw your diet out of the window! Available at the Hilton Mayur Vihar
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Halwai On Call
Old Delhi has a tradition of halwais visiting clients’ homes on special occasions by Manit Moorjani
A
BOUT TEN days before any Indian festival, Old Delhi sweetmaker Ram Sharan halwai’s phone begins buzzing with orders. Some orders are for 40-50 kilos, although that’s on the lower side considering his clientele that includes the traditional elite of the city. A third generation halwai from the Jiwa Ram family of Cheera Khana Maliwara, Ram Sharan is carrying forward an old Indian legacy: something that only a few halwais (most of them in Chandni Chowk) can boast of. He visits the residences of his clients and prepares mithai for the family in their homes. “Many families call us over for special occasions and festivals. For some, it’s a matter of shauk, for others, it’s because of the purity that this tradition ensures. They offer mithai to the deity and many use it for a fast. This tradition is in our roots and over the past few years, new families have also been calling us,” he says.
AN AUTHENTIC LEGACY
One of the families Ram Sharan caters to are the Parakhs, originally from Chandni Chowk. His family has been cooking for them for three generations. “We get traditional Chandni Chowk mithais like pista, kaju, khajoor and other dry fruit barfis, made for us,” says homemaker Neera Parakh, 54, born and brought up in Chandni Chowk, whose family has followed the customised sweets tradition for five generations. “Some,
A DATE WITH TASTE
Ram Sharan with a box of khajoor lauz Photo: M ZHAZO
OCTOBER 28, 2012
NUTS OVER TRADITION IT’S A NO-NO Sweetmakers who customise mithai for their clients don’t make sweets made of khoya, chenna or besan. HOT FAVOURITES The traditional favourites of Old Delhi – badam lauz, pista lauz, walnut lauz and other dry fruit lauz varieties – are the most popular among their clients. THE FULL MUNCHY Often, halwais also make traditional biscuits and namkeens for the families. GOOD OLD LADOO...Some halwais specialise in pinni ke ladoo.
like the walnut lauz, are not even available in the market; we get them made in the house on festive occasions. Besides purity, we also get the same traditional taste.” Established business families in Delhi have been following this tradition for generations, says TV host Mayur Sharma, one half of the popular duo Rocky and Mayur from Highway on My Plate. “Mahipat halwai, for instance, has been making pinni ke ladoos for the Deshbandhu Gupta family for years.”
RIDING A REVIVAL
Although Ram Sharan does sell individual boxes, his store in the middle of the bustling Chandni Chowk market has no display window or seating. One can see people cooking, slicing, and packaging sweets. “A large batch takes 24 hours to complete,” says Sharan. “Many people don’t have the time for such a luxury. But still, these mithais have their followers, and through word of mouth, more people have begun to get it done. After all, most of us do want to hold on to our traditions.” manit.moorjani@ hindustantimes.com
indulge Vir Sanghvi
GIVE GREASE A CHANCE
FAT CHECK The health establishment is in disarray when it comes to fat. While I’m aware of the health aspects, I think it is silly to try and eliminate fat from our food
F
rude food
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AT IS a foodie issue. For some decades now, there has been a divergence of opinion between the medical establishment and people who love good food. Most foodies have no real problems with fat. In fact, I would go so far as to argue that if you don’t like butter, the taste of a good olive oil, the little specks of marbled fat on a steak, the delicious fatty taste of top quality bacon (assuming, of course, that you eat meat, pork, beef etc.) or the rich fatty flavour of homemade ice cream, you are probably not a foodie at all. The medical establishment, on the other hand, takes a view that is not only complex but also changes every few years or so. For decades we were told that fat would make us tubby. Cut out the fat content of our meals (“make your salads without oil….”), and we would all become slim. Anecdotal evidence suggests that this is too simplistic a view. And besides, research over the last decade suggested that it was starch (white bread, white rice, etc.) not fat that made you fat. That discovery led to the popularity of highprotein diets where you were allowed to eat butter, bacon etc. as long as you steered clear of pizza, pasta etc. Medicine now concedes (grudgingly) that yes, anybody who embarks on a high protein diet will lose weight no matter how many calories are consumed. But doctors argue, accurately enough, that too much fat can clog the arteries and contribute to putting pressure on the heart. Except that it is not as simple as that, either. Some decades ago, doctors came to the conclusion that some fats were really bad for you while some were okay. The science is a little boring
(monounsaturated, poly-unsaturated, blah, blah, blah) so I’ll spare you all those details. But what the doctors said, in essence, was that animal fat was bad while vegetable fat was good. So we stopped cooking in ghee. We put away the butter. And we switched to vegetable-oil based substitutes like Dalda and margarine. Then, medicine had a change of heart. Actually, said the doctors, stuff like Dalda was worse for your heart than ghee. (They took care to wait for many decades and thousands of heart attacks to come to this conclusion.) The real problem was trans fats or hydrogenated fats. Again, I’ll spare you the science (all about adding extra hydrogen atoms to molecules or something as boring) but basically what they said was that if ‘good fats’ (i.e. vegetable fats) were converted in any way (from liquid to solid as in Dalda) then they became Very Bad Fats. So, a new orthodoxy developed. Trans fats were bad. Animal fat was still not very good. But olive oil was the best. The empirical evidence for this was something called the French Paradox which used statistics to show that the French who ate lots of red meat had low rates of heart disease because they drank red wine and cooked in olive oil. Both red wine and olive oil contained substances that went through the arteries removing plaque and therefore acted as nature’s own heartattack preventers. There were two problems with the French Paradox. The first was that the lowest rates of heart disease occurred in those parts of France where they cooked in butter or lard, not olive oil. And secondly, rates of heart disease are going up in France even as olive oil becomes more popular. At present, the health establishment is in disarray when it comes to fat. About all we can agree on is that trans fats are bad. Vegetable oils in their natural state are probably okay (but beware of excessive health claims made by every expensive imported oil) And there’s nothing wrong with butter, ghee or a little animal fat but don’t eat too much of it. All this makes foodies feel much, much better. We may or may not always realise it but most great food cultures are based on a foundation of fat. When Auguste Escoffier, the French chef who codified old-style haute cuisine, was asked what the three great secrets of French cuisine were, he said “butter, butter and butter”. And the French use a lot of other animal fat too: they like to cook their potatoes in goose fat, they use lard for baking and their great delicacy, foie gras, is nearly all poultry fat. In the
The lean meat keema comes from the top of the thigh of the goat, but good chefs will not use the fat from that part
MEDITERRANEAN FLAVOUR
A good olive oil is worth using for the taste alone no matter how many calories it has
OCTOBER 28, 2012
Eat fat in moderation and once it is in your mouth, savour the feeling of melting kebabs (above)
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hindustantimes.com/brunch
MEATING POINT
The Leela group’s chef Purshotham (left) has, on occasion, used Australian Wagyu to make Keralastyle beef fry. The resultant mixture of fat and spice is irresistible MADE IN FOODIE HEAVEN
The little specks of marbled fat on a steak (above) are what give it taste. Fat imparts flavour to food Mediterranean, the cuisine is based on olive oil. The Chinese like to pretend that their cuisine is healthy and fat free but they love their pork fat. Which brings us to India. When we think of rich and complex vegetarian cuisines, we like to imagine that they have no room for animal fat. In fact, the basis of many Indian vegetarian haute cuisines is animal fat: ghee. Indians don’t like to think of milk as an animal product but that is what it really is (even if no animals are harmed in its production). Because all cuisines need a dose of animal fat now and then to make their dishes work, most Indian vegetarian styles of cooking respected milk fat for the richness it brought to dishes. In the North-East they don’t have much time for milk, so they use pig fat for the richness; this is why so many of their dishes have large chunks of pork, and a good momo is one where the animal fat in the stuffing has melted and coated the meat. In the North, there is a divergence between Hindu and Muslim styles of cooking. Hindus rely on dairy fat while Muslims like goat fat. None of them feels any embarrassment about the quantities of fat they use. Tell a traditional Hindu chef to go easy on the ghee and he will act as though you have destroyed the basis of his cuisine. Muslim chefs are more upfront. Talk to a traditional Qureshi chef and, because he comes from a butchery tradition, he will hold forth at length about the kinds of goat fat that go into his dishes. Most recipes will specify which part of the animal the fat comes from. The most famous recipe is the one for the kakori kebab. The lean meat keema comes from the top of the thigh of the goat but good chefs will not use the fat from that part of the animal. Instead they will take the fat from around the kidney and add it to the lean meat. Though the Qureshis are reluctant to part with their recipes, animal fat is often the secret ingredient in many of their dishes. Other chefs have taken those techniques and used them but not always with the same finesse. For instance, while judging Foodistan I was served a biryani with the unmistakable taste of goat which was odd because the dish had no meat – or so we were told. It turned out that the chef had put in a little kidney fat (from a goat) in the finishing to give the biryani a richness. At dhabas in parts of India where beef is legal, some cooks will put a little beef fat into the gravy at the final stages (even if the curry is made from chicken or goat) just A MATTER OF TASTE
There is simply no substitute for butter – and ice cream (right) tastes best when the fat content is high Photos: THINKSTOCK
FAT NO BAR
If you’re a foodie, there’s no way you won’t like the delicious, fatty taste of top quality bacon (assuming you eat meat, pork, beef etc) to give the dish a meaty heft. On the other hand, Hyderabadi cuisine is much less dependent on fat. While shooting for the second season of Custom Made last week in Hyderabad, I had the honour of enjoying a meal cooked by the great Mehboob Alam Khan. The kebabs at his house were divine but he made sure to point out that unlike the rival Lucknow tradition, Hyderabadi cuisine relied on the flavours of meat and spices without requiring chefs to add extra animal fat to everything. My own view on fat is that while I’m aware of the health aspects, I think it is silly to try and eliminate it from food. Ice cream tastes best when the fat content is high. Pork is not much of a meat without the fat. There is simply no substitute for butter. A good olive oil is worth using for the taste alone no matter how many calories it has. And fat used correctly can be divine. The single best Kerala-style beef fry I have ever eaten was made by Purushotham, the Leela group’s legendary South Indian chef who despite being an Andhraite has mastered Mrs Leela Nair’s Malayali recipes. All of Purushotham’s beef fries (like the rest of his food) are fantastic but on this occasion, he made the dish with Australian Wagyu. As the meat cooked, the fat melted and gently coated the masala with delicious richness. The mixture of fat and spice was simply irresistible. So here’s my advice: don’t worry too much about the doctors; they change their minds every week. Eat fat in moderation and once it is in your mouth, enjoy the silky richness of good butter, a delicious olive oil, or a melting kakori kebab. OCTOBER 28, 2012
THE GOOD LIFE
The French like to cook their potatoes in goose fat and their great delicacy, foie gras (above), is nearly all poultry fat
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THE IPAD MINI CONUNDRUM An open letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook: Is the iPad Mini technology really what Apple is all about?
MAN ON THE MOVE
Apple CEO Timothy Cook knows firsthand the level of expectation people have from Apple
Dear Tim,
WHY MINI?
A smaller iPad is just a business decision
Rajiv Makhni
You’ve got big shoes and big coffers to fill. But, Tim. This iPad Mini thing. I hope you’ve really though this out. I mean it’s a great idea and all business wise – but isn't this against the whole ethos of what Apple as a company stands for as also Steve Jobs’ vision? Steve did say that you guys would never get into the smaller 7-inch market for tablets as then he would also have to get all of us to file our fingers down to small pointy ends. He also did add that “7-inch tablets are tweeners: too big to compete with a Smartphone and too small to compete with the iPad.” I know, it’s smart that you didn’t go for a 7-inch and went for 7.85 inches and can now say that you haven’t gone against Steve’s wishes, but come on. Nobody’s really going to fall for that one. The iPad Mini is a business decision and it’s pretty obvious that you needed one bad! First off, you’re trying to take on the might of the Kindle Fire, the Nook and the Google Nexus 7 tablet. Those really sold like wildfire and took away significant numbers from you. But an iPad Mini that takes those on means that those super fat margins that Apple operates on will be gone forever. After all even Amazon has agreed that they don’t make any money selling Kindle Fire hardware. Then there’s this beautiful focus you have with your product line. If I want a phone – it’s the iPhone and if I want a tablet – it’s the iPad. With the iPad Mini you’ve just made that fabulously distinctive product line get completely murky. Customers are going to be mightily confused now and an unfocussed Apple is the last thing this world needs. It also means cannibalisation from your own products. And anything that has cannibalisation and Apple in the same sentence is never a good thing. Add to this, the fact that to compete in this 7-inch area, you’ve got to be very well priced. Which means compromise on the product. The iPad Mini isn’t really a category changer, it’s not an innovators’ dream and it’s nowhere near the next big thing. It’s a lower specced, smaller tablet with no whiz-bang features. Apple is the technology leader, the jaw-dropper, the company that can go where no company has gone before. And the iPad Mini technology really isn't what Apple is all about, is it? Tim, dude. I feel your pain. I really do. The pressure to perform is immense and to fill Steve Jobs’ shoes has got to be the hardest job ever. Business compulsions and the need to keep those Apple numbers still looking good forces you to do things you would never even think of otherwise. This will be the first time ever in Apple where the head rules the heart and business has over ruled true tech passion. Don’t worry too much about it, though. The iPad Mini will sell in great numbers, make your shareholders happy, make you look good and also help keep those million shares you have to grow into a bigger nest. With a heavy heart, I bid you goodbye and promise to write to you on the next big Apple launch. Love
techilicious
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Hope things are good with you and your biking and hiking are going well. I am sure you are well rested after all the excitement and hard work you and your team put in to launch the iPad Mini. In fact, as I write this letter to you, I’m really hoping that – THAT is what you released. You see, I’m writing to you about six hours before your ‘We’ve got a little more to show you’ event. Yes, I know – that is bizarre, but it’s best if we don’t go down that route. It’s all to do with very stringent ‘going to print deadlines’ and a tough-as-nails editor who just won’t listen (and don’t get me started on how I have to literally go down on my knees and beg for a two-page column and get it once in six months!). So, like I said, I am really hoping you released an iPad Mini (or whatever you finally called it) or I’m going to look like a bit of a prat! Timothy, I know life is hard right now – but you’ve really been hanging tough. After the serious bungle of calling the third iPad just an iPad (but that retina display really helped you pull that off), the disappointment of the iPhone 5 not having that one jawdropping Applish feature (but look at the sales of that phone) and the total disaster of your mapping technology (at least it got people to drive and walk on top off water) – you’re still forging ahead. I also know this whole Samsung patent war must be driving you batty with all these ups and downs. One day the court gives you $1.05 billion, and on another they ask you to publicly apologise to them. Wish they would just make up their minds if Samsung is or isn’t copying your products. Timmy, my man – I can well imagine what you feel when you sit at your office at 1, Infinite Loop (love that name) and make such critical decisions. After all, you head the world’s most valuable company that has more cash reserves than the US government (talk about pressure). One single mistake could wipe out that amazing Apple Fans club that is literally the backbone of all that you do. You’ve seen Apple shares zoom to $705 and then crash to $600 and you know firsthand the level of expectation people have from Apple. The world expects you to be on your toes, to come out with game-changing new devices every few days, to reinvent each category every time and to do a Steve Jobs every second of the day. Even though your compensation was valued at $378 million (which makes you the highest paid CEO in the world) – I don’t envy you, at all, Timmy.
The iPad Mini is really nowhere near the next big thing
OCTOBER 28, 2012
Rajiv Makhni is managing editor, Technology, NDTV, and the anchor of Gadget Guru, CellGuru and Newsnet 3. Follow Rajiv on Twitter at twitter.com /RajivMakhni
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I’ve heard lots of heavy metal, including Japanese bands that cause nosebleeds! But grindcore is something else
I
SANDPAPER SYMPHONY
The guitar riffs on Phantom Limb (above) are gratingly abrasive
GRIND YOUR CORE
The soon-to-released album, Book Burner, seems startlingly violent
FAMILIAR TERRITORY
Their lyrics set Pig Destroyer (below) apart from the rest of the grindcore genre
A
Sanjoy Narayan
download central
DRILL YOUR BRAIN, DRILL YOUR SOUL
THE JUKEBOX
’M WRITING this with my headphones jammed on my ears and the volume cranked up high. It is an ill-advised thing to do. Because I’m listening to a band called Pig Destroyer. They’re from Washington DC and they play a genre of music that is known as grindcore. Grindcore is loud. LOUD. It is probably the heaviest, most distorted and abrasive kind of music that I have ever heard. I’ve heard various types of heavy metal – doom, death and thrash metal, Japanese bands that routinely blow out the audience’s eardrums and cause nosebleeds and heart attacks, and others of their ilk from the US and Europe. But nothing comes close to what I’m getting fed into my ears via my headphones right now. The album that I’m listening to is called Phantom Limb. It was released in 2007 and on its 15 (mostly mercifully short) songs, vocalist J R Hayes shrieks, growls and emits sounds that I have not ever heard a human being produce. The guitar riffs by Hayes’ bandmate Scott Hull are again of the most gratingly abrasive kind that I’ve encountered in years of indiscriminate listening to music of all kinds. But somehow, I find Phantom Limb a big relief. Frankly, I never thought I’d be listening to a genre such as grindcore. In fact, I did because of the circumstances. I’d been wandering around on the NPR (America’s National Public Radio) website and found a first listen stream of Pig Destroyer’s latest album, Book Burner, which had not yet been released and, intrigued by the startling violence of their music, I went ahead to Relapse Records, their label, and bought a download of 2007’s Phantom Limb. But the real reason why I opted for Pig Destroyer on the headphones was an ongoing weekend disturbance at home. My two girls – one about to be 18 and the other eight – were duelling
Photo: COURTESY FACEBOOK
merican soul singer Cody ChesnuTT’s (yes, two capital Ts, don’t ask me why!) mainstream recognition came when the hip-hop group, The Roots, picked up one of his songs and adapted it. I heard Cody live on a recent broadcast of the Seattle FM station KEXP and that triggered me to try his 10-year-old album, The Headphone Masterpiece. ChesnuTT infuses jazz, gospel and Afrobeat into his soul offerings and his lyrics have a contemporary feel. I’m waiting to get his new album, Landing On A Hundred, which will be out soon.
with each other (it’s a routine thing that I’m slowly getting used to) over what they wanted to listen to on the stereo. The younger one insisted (and got) to play Best Coast’s The Only Place and then Kishi Bashi’s 151a, both albums that this household has heard a zillion times and more. The older one wanted Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails and some My Morning Jacket. By then the younger one, a headstrong Taurean, was obsessively keen on Green Day’s American Idiot. The older one indulgently gave in but the CD could not be found. The album wasn’t ripped on any of my iPods either. Domestic tension ensued. I retreated, headphone in tow and settled for Pig Destroyer. One way – not a foolproof one, though -- of recognising a grindcore band is by its name. Pig Destroyer’s frontman Hayes has been in bands with names such as Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Japanese Torture Comedy Hour and another one with a two-word name (one begins with A and the other with C; look it up) that I cannot mention in a family magazine such as this without risking the ire of, well, everyone. Shrieks, growls, guitars that sear and cut like electric powered saws and an overall sense of anarchy is what grindcore can come across as and Pig Destroyer is no different. Yet, there is something to Pig Destroyer’s music and I realised it only after a couple of spins of Phantom Limb. It is in the lyrics. Traditionally, grindcore songs have dealt with gore and killing and morbid violence. But it really doesn’t matter because I am not sure anyone outside the band knows what a grindcore ensemble is singing about. Indeed, after listening to the way a grindcore vocalist sings a single song, it is difficult to imagine that his vocal chords can function normally ever after that. But Pig Destroyer’s songs have something about them that stands apart. And probably that’s the reason their albums have managed to edge into the mainstream. As I said, I bought Phantom Limb from Relapse’s website, and the download comes with lyrics. On Deathtripper, Hayes sings (or rather screams unintelligibly unless you’re reading the words): ‘I hold your hand in mine/The rest of you is scattered/ All over/ Your rib cage is open/ Like a great white’s jaws/ Your legs/ Look so sexy out of context/ Out of context. On Lesser Animal, he growls: Got no use/ For psychiatry/ I can talk to the voices in my head for free/ Mood swings like an axe/ Into those around me/ My tongue is a double agent.’ Let’s say I was making a playlist for a commute or a workout or just like that, grindcore will probably not be a genre that I’ll reach for instinctively. But, as I recently discovered after an interlude with Pig Destroyer, it can be a great escape route – your mind pounded by shrieks, shredded sandpaper-like guitar riffs and lyrics that are more gory than gore. By the time I’d finished listening to Phantom Limb (it is around 38 minutes and the new one, Book Burner, is even shorter), the siblings had settled their dispute over what to play and were engrossed in rewatching the The Chronicles of Narnia. What a relief! To give feedback, stream or download the music mentioned in this column, go to http://blogs.hindustantimes.com/download-central, follow argus48 on Twitter
OCTOBER 28, 2012
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THE TRIUMPH OF THE OLDER WOMAN
Photo: GETTY IMAGES
Seema Goswami
It’s the season when 30 and 40-pluses are crawling out of the woodwork – and not a moment too soon
Photos: REUTERS
Sridevi came back to the movies after a 15-year hiatus and made us feel like she was never away
A
spectator
A COMEBACK?
S SOMEONE who grew up seeing Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit light up the large screen with their 1,000-watt smiles, I must admit to taking a particular pride in their recent return to the limelight. While Madhuri made a slight misstep with the massively illjudged Aaja Nachle (which wasn’t as much comeback vehicle as a car crash waiting to happen) she has recovered lost ground with her megaglamorous judging stint on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. Certainly, more people tuned in to see her work that old magic on the dance floor rather than watch the actual contestants. And then, there’s Sridevi. What can you say about a woman who looks better today, at the cusp of 50, than she did during her 20s and 30s? (Except that she should patent her diet and exercise regime and flog it to make an absolute fortune.) An actress who can come back to the movies after a 15-year hiatus and make us feel like she was never away? A star who doesn’t need a huge production house to bolster her chances, but has the confidence to take on a small, simple movie, knowing that she can make it sparkle and shine with her own charisma? There’s really not much to say, apart from ‘Welcome back’ and ‘What took you so long?’ But who knows, perhaps both Sridevi and Madhuri have judged the zeitgeist well. And that, in India at least, this is the exact right moment for the older woman to make her claim for a spot in the sun. In the West, of course, women stars of a certain age have been flourishing for a while now. In Hollywood, Meryl Streep still rules, churning out hit after hit (Mamma Mia!, It’s Complicated, Julie & Julia, The Iron Lady), and manages to exude a mature sex appeal even though she is now a venerable 63. This year, she won the Oscar for best actress for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher – and among the rivals who lost out to her were Glenn Close, 64, nominated for playing a cross-dressing waiter in Albert Nobbs, and Viola Davis, 46, nominated for her portrayal of an African-American maid in The Help. On American television, the most popular female comic star today is the 42-year-old Tina Fey, who created 30 Rock, based on her experiences as a part of Saturday Night Live, and plays the central character of Liz Lemon. The biggest global hit to come out of US network television in recent times is the series, Modern Family. And of its female stars, Julie Bowen (who won the Emmy this year for her role
Sakshi Tanwar, who is arguably the best-known female Indian TV star, is now just one year short of 40 OCTOBER 28, 2012
THE AGE OF TRIUMPH
In the West, Meryl Streep (centre) still rules, the most popular female comic star today is the 42-year-old Tina Fey (right) and Dame Maggie Smith, now 77, won best supporting actress in a drama series
of harried mom-of-three Claire Dunphy) is 42, while the Colombian bombshell, Sofia Vergara, who plays her stepmother (and is gloriously pregnant in the latest season) turned 40 this year. In fact, if you took a good look across the auditorium where the Emmy awards were being held, it was hard to spot an A-list actress who was under 30. The heavily-pregnant Claire Danes who went up to receive her award for lead actress in a drama series for Homeland is 33; Christina Hendricks, who was nominated for Mad Men but lost out, is 36; while the award for the best supporting actress in a drama series went to Downton Abbey’s Dame Maggie Smith, now a majestic 77. The biggest loser of the day was the 26-year-old Lena Dunham, whose comedy show, Girls, didn’t win a single gong – though she was memorably pictured naked on a toilet eating cake, in a comedy skit preceding the show. On Indian television, too, the older woman seems to be coming into her own. Sakshi Tanwar, who is arguably the best-known female TV star after her lead roles in Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii and Bade Achhe Lagte Hain (now that Smriti Irani has abandoned acting for politics), is now just one year short of 40. The anchor of choice for reality shows, Mini Mathur, is 36. And on news TV as well, the biggest female stars are all well over 30: Sagarika Ghose of CNN-IBN is 47; Barkha Dutt of NDTV is 40; Nidhi Razdan, also of NDTV (clearly a very woman-friendly organisation), is 35. Yes, the day of the teeny-bopper seems to be well and truly past. This is turning out to be the era of the mature woman. A woman who has lived a little; a woman who has the wisdom of the years behind her; a woman who just gets better with age. A woman like Sridevi and Madhuri, who may be past the first flush of youth, but can still hold her own against the teenage sensations of today. And if you ask me, it’s not a moment too soon. seema_ht@rediffmail.com. Follow Seema on Twitter at twitter.com/seemagoswami
THE DIWALI GUIDE
twitter.com/HTBrunch
PEPPY HEAVYWEIGHT The Quanto is the first sub-4-metre utility vehicle in the country that offers seven seats. But the two jump seats at the back are mostly unusable. It has the smallest engine in the world with a twin turbocharger, which means the car feels peppier despite its obvious bulkiness. In the price bracket of R5.99-7.57 lakh, it is Mahindra’s cheapest offering till date.
Hot Wheels Five cars you could consider buying this Diwali by Sumant Banerjee
MORE CAR PER RUPEE From the Nano to the Hyundai Eon, the Alto has thwarted competition for close to 12 years. In its relaunched avatar, critics will bemoan the lack of originality in the new design and cosmetic improvements in the engine, but at a price of R2.44-3.56 lakh, the vehicle is still great value for money. It may help fulfil the dream of owning a car for many Indians. PROMOTION
Prices are ex-showroom Delhi
THE REFINED BEAST M&M’s first offering from Ssangyong Motors, the Korean company it acquired in 2010, the Rexton highlights the shape of things to come. Priced at R17.75-19.75 lakh, the Rexton is not as futuristic as a Santa Fe or as rugged as a Pajero. But it is good value for money.
RIDING ON CLASS The cheapest three-pointed star, the Mercedes B-class lays the foundation for an even more affordable A-class next year. It has decent space, good ride quality and the Merc badge at a price of R21.49-24.87 lakh. But it lacks a diesel variant at present.
THE SMOOTH RIDER FROM CHINA The first Chinese car to enter India, albeit through the backdoor, the Sail U-VA bites into the premium hatchback segment. It has spacious interiors but the petrol engine is sluggish. Still, at R4.2-6.5 lakh, it will be a challenge for GM to shed its habit of pricing its cars out of the market.
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PERSONAL AGENDA
hindustantimes.com/brunch
Actress
Kajal Aggarwal BIRTHDAY
HOMETOWN PLACE OF BIRTH SCHOOL/COLLEGE
June 19 (Gemini) Mumbai
HIGH POINT OF YOUR LIFE
Mumbai
St Anne’s High School, Jai Hind College, KC College
LOW POINT OF YOUR LIFE
Thankfully haven’t seen it yet. Although, I Acting in Magadheera have low moments due to over-exertion If you had an option, which film would you have picked as your debut? I couldn’t have asked for a better debut than Singham, one of the biggest all-time grossers. Sexiest actors in Bollywood? Salman [Khan] and Hrithik [Roshan]. What is the best thing about Bollywood/Tollywood? The fact that the Hindi and south industries share their pool of talent. That makes it
one big Indian film industry. One director you want to work with? Mani Ratnam. One classic that you would have loved to be a part of? Mughal-e-Azam. The last line of your autobiography would read… “And this is my story.” A dessert that describes you. Warm chocolate mudcake and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. What do you prefer – a little black dress or a black saree? Both actually. Depends on the occasion and the company. What is your fondest memory? Eating ice cream in the rain at Marine Drive. Your last meal would be? Dessert. An item number you would do? I find item numbers very catchy and would love to do something soon. One song that describes your current
my movies
THE MOST OVERRATED FILM
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
THE FILM YOU HAVE SEEN MORE THAN FIVE TIMES
Scent of a Woman, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset
THE MOST PAISA VASOOL FILM
Hera Pheri
OCTOBER 28, 2012
FIRST BREAK
CURRENTLY
Lakshmi Kalyanam DOING (Telugu) Special Chabbis
BOLLYWOOD’S MOST ROMANTIC PAIR?
Raj Kapoor and Nargis, Shah Rukh and Kajol
state of mind. Moves Like Jagger. One gadget you love to flaunt? I am not a gadget person. Your favourite mobile applications? Zomato and Between. Your dream destination? The Caribbean islands. Who is your 3am friend? My sister Lajja Sanghavi and my best friend Nisha Aggarwal. What’s on your bedside table? A bottle of water, the book I’m reading, foot moisturiser, TV and AC remote controls. The last time you had a bad hair day? Yesterday. What makes your day? Sweet morning SMSes from the people I love. What spoils it? Delays. You destress with? Music, conversations, massage. — Interviewed by Veenu Singh
THE FIRST MOVIES YOU SAW ON THE BIG SCREEN
A MOVIE THAT WAS A PART OF YOUR CHILDHOOD
Rangeela, Yeh Congo Dillagi