WATCH OUT
THINGS TO BE EXCITED ABOUT IN 2021
RAJKUMMAR RAO
No Filter
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INDIA
PHOTOGRAPHED BY THE HOUSE OF PIXELS
NEW TRENDS FOR THE NEW YEAR
Contents WATCH OUT
NEW TRENDS FOR THE NEW YEAR
INDIA
THINGS TO BE EXCITED ABOUT IN 2021
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RAJKUMMAR RAO
No Filter
NO FILTER In the zone: Rajkummar Rao is set to make 2021 spectacular. By Arun Janardhan COAT BY ANUJ MADAAN. BLAZER BY Z ZEGNA. SHIRT BY DSQUARED2 AVAILABLE AT THE COLLECTIVE
SUIT, SHIRT; BOTH BY AMIT AGGARWAL. SUNGLASSES BY L.G.R AVAILABLE AT VIJAY OPTICIANS 4 —
JANUARY 2021
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14 Editor’s letter 16 Contributors 131 Where To Buy 134 Humour
Contents Let’s Dance Pg. 32
Global pop queer artist Aish Divine breaks down his music routine for us.
Screen Time Pg. 18
Five actors-creators with Indian roots making a mark in international cinema.
Bold Move
The Final Fight Against Covid-19 Pg. 120
Conspiracy theories about the corona vaccine and how Bill Gates is at the centre of it.
Done And Dusted Pg. 30
Pg. 110
Edgy accessories to pair with your daily fits.
Could the smartphone become redundant in the future? Tech guru Rajiv Makhni weighs in.
Stride On Pg. 42
Baby It’s Cold Outside Pg. 48
Get your game on with the best-looking sneakers.
Pg.
54 30 New Trends To Look Forward To In 2021 2020 may have been a pause, but we list down things that will make this year exciting.
Crowd-pleasers that will help you with your skin’s protecting, hydrating and nourishing needs.
GQ Taste Pg. 38
The DIY burger, the coffee and the dessert you need to try this month.
Elements Of Surprise Pg. 80
Hublot hops on to the integrated bracelet bandwagon with its renewed Big Bang series.
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IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES
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Contents Sun Chaser Pg. 118
The Royal Enfield Meteor and its unmistakably classic appeal.
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Up-AndComer
Pg. 116 Audi Q2 is the luxury all-rounder you’ve been waiting for.
Fighting Fit Pg. 24
Our special edit to help you prep on the tech front to meet your fitness goals.
Colour Theory
Rewind, Unwind Pg. 70
Rahul Bose’s mask-free stay at a Maldivian resort. Pg.
82 A Star Is Born: Brendan Fernandes’ Very Big Year Our spotlight’s on the GoanCanadian artist who works at the intersection of dance and the visual arts. 8 —
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JUMPER BY PAUL SMITH
The Big Win Pg. 36
Those little upticks in your progress chart are as important as the major achievements.
Zip It Pg. 42
The season’s best fashion flex: Jackets that will see you through winter in style.
Perfect Wingman
Pg. 90 The Longines Spirit Chronograph is a tribute to the greatest icons of aviation.
Open Season Pg. 104
The top ten exciting car launches worth looking forward to in 2021.
New Guard
A Twist In The Tale
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On our radar: Newest menswear brands that are not afraid to experiment.
Inside the mind of filmmaker M Night Shyamalan.
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93 Comfort Zone The right style moves: Update your #WFHFits with the trendiest loungewear.
Great Expectations Pg. 34
The latest in home decor, design and architecture.
IMAGE: EDDIE BLAGBROUGH
Pg. 41 Go big or go home: The burst of hues you must include in your wardrobe.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ART DIRECTOR Mihir
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Editor’s Letter
here are many reasons to be buoyant about 2021, from the vaccine to a nascent economic recovery. Also lifting the collective sentiment is India’s hypnotic cricketing performance against Australia, with the Boxing Day Test win arguably the greatest in recent memory. The classic format of the game may not have the razzle-dazzle of T20, but it does highlight and reward eternal human qualities that never go out of style: resilience, intelligence, patience, craftsmanship and tenacity. Stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane’s ability to lead from the front with preternatural composure, on the back of a hapless batting implosion against the pink ball in the previous game, and then inspire his teammates to play out their skins and take India to victory, was a triumph of the human spirit. It was an achievement that transcended sport, with life lessons for us all. The resurgence of the five-day game is one of the great stories of our times. To better understand the nuances and romance of Test cricket, one could do worse than read historian Ramchandra Guha’s magisterial new book, The Commonwealth Of Cricket. It is a love letter to this most magic of games, imbued with subtlety, nuance and grace. So it came as no surprise that at the height of the drama during the Boxing Day Test, Guha wryly tweeted: “T20, anyone?” The good news is there’s a schedule packed with Test cricket for India this year, including a finger-licking nine matches against the old nemesis England, played both at home and on the swinging tracks of the British Isles. If India does well in these series, we will be considered the best in the world. I have met Ajinkya Rahane just once, when he showed up at glitzy GQ’s Best Dressed party in 2016. He was confident but soft-spoken, poised but bereft of any swagger. He was out of his comfort zone, but unflapped by the drama of the red carpet or the flashbulbs going off around him. Even amid this pulsating ocean of activity, he stood out – for his serenity.
@chekurriengq
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JANUARY 2021
Ajinkya Rahane at GQʼs Best Dressed event
0 3 NEW TRENDS TO LOOK
FORWARD TO IN E D I T E D B Y S H I K H A S E T H I
2021
PHOTO: MAX HERMANS/THOMPSON PHOTO IMAGERY (CHE), MANISH MANSINH (AJINKYA)
T
Straight Drive
Contributors
The first place you’d visit once it’s safe
Vaishnav Praveen Vivek Menezes “MY SONS ARE DEAD SET ON RETURNING TO LAKSHADWEEP, BUT I’VE HAD KHONOMA (NAGALAND) DREAMS ALL THROUGH LOCKDOWN.”
WHO: Writer and photographer, based on the banks of the Mandovi river where it meets the Arabian Sea. Twitter @vmingoa WHAT: “A Star Is Born: Brendan Fernandes’ Very Big Year”, page 82 GOAN TRAIT: “They tend to be fearlessly open-minded, which makes them highly adaptable anywhere in the world.”
16 —
Shikha Sethi
“THE PHILIPPINES, ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS, MAYA’S CREST IN KASAULI, MOZAMBIQUE, TANZANIA. THE LIST IS LONG!” WHO: GQ’s Deputy Editor who is passionate about art and yoga, and loves her Bandra neighbourhood. Instagram @pinkmelon WHAT: “30 New Trends To Look Forward To In 2021”, page 54 MY 2021 WISH LIST: “Succession S3, yoga in the park with Phoebe Baskett, seeing art in person, the new on-site museum at Humayun’s Tomb. Lastly, The Nutmeg’s Curse by Amitav Ghosh.”
JANUARY 2021
“PARIS WILL BE MY FIRST DESTINATION.”
WHO: Investment banker turned photographer; cofounder at The House Of Pixels. Twitter @vaishnavpravee1 and Instagram @vaishnavpraveen WHAT: “No Filter”, page 72 COVER STAR: “Rajkummar is one of the best actors this industry has seen. The ease with which he moulds himself into a character is the reason he is liked by all.”
Selman Fazil
“MALAPPURAM IN KERALA, WHERE MY PARENTS LIVE, PURELY TO ENJOY THE AUTHENTIC MALABAR CUISINE I CAN’T STOP RAVING ABOUT.” WHO: GQ’s Junior Fashion Stylist who’s a passionate collector of black leather boots and Pat McGrath make-up. Instagram @selman_fazil WHAT: “Comfort Zone”, page 93 MY BOLDEST LOOK: “A pair of extremely high heels and a gigantic trench coat draped as a skirt using a couple of belts and a belt bag to the 2019 GQ Best Dressed party.”
Arun Janardhan
“NEW ZEALAND, FOR ITS EXPANSE, BEAUTY, OPEN SPACES AND BUNGEE JUMPING. IT DEALT WITH THE PANDEMIC ADMIRABLY, HAS MORE SHEEP THAN HUMANS AND WAS THE SETTING FOR THE LOTR FILMS!” WHO: Writer based in Mumbai, who can rewatch English action films from any scene, any number of times while channel-surfing. Twitter @iArun WHAT: “No Filter”, page 72 RAJKUMMAR RAO: “He’s so pleasing to watch, stands out in every film, is completely relatable, and someone who almost always gets your sympathy.”
NOTES FROM THE DIASPOR A
SCREEN
E M TI Hollywood continues to get m ore woke, real and diverse, and 2021 may just be the year when brown faces on-screen become commonplace. Mee t five young creator-actors fro m the Indian diaspora who are key to the world of the play – not just in their central craft, but also in their mission to te ll universal stories rooted in th e South Asian experience
E N I T T R W
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B Y
I D H N I
A P T G U
RAHUL KOHLI ACTOR, LONDON
THE VIRAL FACTOR: Late last year, Rahul Kohli and his
pornstache unlocked a new level of fame after they appeared in Mike Flanagan’s superhit horror series The Haunting Of Bly Manor on Netflix. “I had no idea the ’stache was going to get the amount of attention it did. The thing that inspired it was just the time period really. I looked at pictures of my father and uncles in the 1980s, rocking the big moustache, the Tom Selleck look.” Of course, it helped that he delivered a sharp performance as Owen Sharma, the big-hearted resident chef with a penchant for bad puns and dad jokes.
IMAGE: EIKE SCHROTER
THE BREAKTHROUGH: Genre fans have known Kohli as
a rising figure in the sci-fi and horror space for years now. Ever since he broke through with the megapopular series iZombie, he’s acquired something of a cult following that hangs on to his every word, quip, beef and recommendation on Twitter and IG. “Prior to that, I was just auditioning in London for commercials, with some success, and guest roles on soap operas,” he recalls. After being cast in iZombie, he remembers “that feeling of validation, the confidence that I’m in the right vocation.”
ORIGIN STORY: Kohli grew up in London, a third-gen British-
Indian – his grandparents left India decades ago, and his parents grew up in Kenya and Thailand. “At age 11, the Star Wars trilogy came out on VHS and I pretty much watched it in one go.” That decided it. “I wanted to be a part of this universe, I just didn’t know how. Initially, I thought maybe I could get into VFX as I was heavily into art and computers. Over time, I found myself moving closer to the camera, then it was directing, and eventually at 18 I dropped out of a film course to become an actor. It’s always been Star Wars, that is the single biggest influence in my life.” COMING SOON: While on the sets of Bly Manor, showrunner
Mike Flanagan (otherwise known as the New Master of Horror) cast Kohli in his next film project, Midnight Mass. He’s thrilled: Flanagan is “just one of the most talented, generous people”, with whom he has geeked out over everything, from Star Wars to The Mandalorian to the newest video games. In general, says Kohli, “I just want to be a part of great stories, and play characters that are well-rounded and interesting and aren’t really race specific. My mere presence in a show is representation enough, we then don’t need to lean into these lazy stereotypes to justify that character’s presence in the story.”
JANUARY 2021
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SUJATA DAY ACTOR, WRITER AND DIRECTOR, LA
ALPHABET SOUP: In fourth grade, Sujata Day won
a spelling bee contest at school. She went to the regionals and lost because she misspelled “radish” – but was hooked to the sport. “I started watching it
on ESPN and I noticed that almost every single year, it turned out to be an Indian American kid winning.” This would go on to be the premise for a sketch “Where Are They Now: Spelling Bee Winners”, which she developed into a script at the Sundance Screenwriting Lab for her debut project as a film-maker and producer, 2020’s Definition Please. ROLE MODELS: “If you Google the winners of
past spelling bees, you’ll find they have triple PhDs, or are working on the cure for cancer, or I’m sure they’re working on the Covid vaccine right now,” says Day. “The comedy in my sketch was that the last spelling bee winner would grow up to be a loser.” Day might herself fit the model minority mould – to the extent that growing up in Pennsylvania, she was preternaturally good at math and science, while also acing her bharatanatyam recitals and learning to be fluent in Bengali. She even completed a degree in engineering before hustling her way to LA via a consulting gig with Accenture. But her film, also starring Ritesh Rajan and Anna Khaja, wants to interrogate that pressure to overachieve and what it does to your mental health. “Hopefully, it starts a discussion – in the Indian American community we don’t talk about mental illness the way we should.” THE WILD WEB: What you may already know
Day from is Issa Rae’s HBO series Insecure – which she’s been attached with ever since it was a fledgling guerrilla project living on YouTube as Awkward Black Girl. “I met Issa on Twitter after she put out a call for a mixed-race girl to play the part. I told her I wasn’t mixed-race but I got it. I figured I wouldn’t even get paid, but it just blew up.” Apart from the glory and the annual yacht parties, Day finds it comforting to know they are in each other’s corner. “It’s been a special journey from its humble beginnings to being an Emmynominated show!” influenced by everyone from Satyajit Ray to the Duplass brothers, Mira Nair to Gurinder Chadha. For the type of creative she wants to be, she looks to her peers: Like Michaela Coel, Donald Glover, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and a growing league of multi-hyphenates “that are speaking in their authentic voice.” While Definition Please does the rounds of film festivals and she looks for international distributors, Day is also activating her second feature film and an absurdist comedy series that she wrote last year. Eventually though, “I want to be able to shepherd the next generation of writers of South Asian descent.”
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IMAGE: GREGGYWAWA PHOTOGRAPHY
LONG FORM: In her storytelling, Day is
NOTES FROM THE DIASPOR A
METHOD MAN: Thereʼs arguably no better time
than the present to be a character actor, but Sacha Dhawan has been acing the game for decades. Last year, Dhawan was seen in two standout roles – as the Master in Doctor Who and Orlov, the lion-hearted confidant to Queen Catherine in Tony McNamara’s satirical series The Great (and is shooting for its second season now). Right before, heʼd played a pivotal part in Marvelʼs Iron Fist, for which he’d built up the muscles. “It was brilliant because it was a period drama, but it was flipping history on its head slightly, so it meant that they were looking for actors of colour like me.” ORIGIN STORY: Growing up in Stockport,
Dhawan remembers his family (who emigrated from Punjab) as being artistically inclined. While his dad “was the biggest Elvis fan ever”, he practised his Michael Jackson impressions and took tap dancing lessons, which led to his first film project at 12. His range of influences stretches from Amitabh Bachchan to Irrfan Khan – “watching Bollywood made me feel it was possible for me to be an actor too.” Soon, Alan Bennett’s The History Boys came along: A project that would transition from stage to screen with a world tour in between, and would be his breakout moment in 2006. Eventually, Dhawan would meet Mark Gatiss when he signed up for the role of Waris Hussein (the first Doctor Who director) for the biopic, An Adventure In Space And Time – leading to a long and fruitful professional partnership. MIND THE GAP: In 2017, Dhawan signed up for
Lynsey Miller’s The Boy With The Topknot – with slight trepidation. “I don’t speak fluent Punjabi and I had to deliver a Punjabi monologue. I was confronting the Indian part of my identity for the first time. And it was about me understanding how privileged I am as an actor of my position to help open doors for other artists.” CALLING THE SHOTS: Dhawan has lately been
IMAGE: MICHAEL SHELFORD
SACHA DHAWAN ACTOR, LONDON
reckoning with what it means to be British Indian, versus simply passing on his parents’ story as his own. He’s been reading books like Nikesh Shukla’s The Good Immigrant – he also collaborated with the author last summer on a lockdown drama in which he stars as a standup comedian. Eventually, Dhawan wants to turn producer. He wants to “stand at the beginning of an idea, to tell stories that are culturally specific but donʼt necessarily need to be defined by race.”
JANUARY 2021
— 21
SUNITA MANI ACTOR AND DANCER, NEW YORK
WATCH OUT: You may or may not remember
Sunita Mani from that bizarre music video for DJ Snake and Lil Jon’s “Turn Down For What” from 2013. But her role in Evil Eye, the Blumhouse horror flick on Netflix, is no blinkand-miss performance. “Playing Pallavi was intriguing and meaningful on an intuitive level,” she says. “But I didn’t realise that the same personal significance – and the sheer fact – that I was surrounded by so many Indian faces on set would be so publicly reciprocated. Also, someone told me they liked Pallavi’s clothes.” WORDLY WISE: “I’m always drawn to the
role or story first,” says Mani, who’s also been a part of some interesting, left-ofcentre projects, like the sci-fi comedy series DreamCorp LLC, the Sundance-hit apocalypsecomedy film Save Yourselves!, and the Netflix series GLOW. “Good writers know how to make life jump out at you on the page. Big or small. I guess I’m drawn to the unexpected. I enjoy trying to make characters fit within the seams of their skin, like they would be bursting out with millions of emotions and behaviours otherwise, but they have to be contained within this little framework they call a body, a line, a story.” ORIGIN STORY: Growing up in Tennessee
in a Tamil household, Mani says she wasn’t exposed to art and culture, but was gradually consumed by it. Films like Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Drop Dead Gorgeous, Saturday Night Live and Christopher Guest films have all left an impression on her. “I feel like the meta-format of comedy and film-making still resonates with me.” Her love for nonsense and surreal also manifests in the “highly curated ridiculousness” of her dance troupe Cocoon Central Dance Team. “Cocoon was formed out of an apartment in New York City. We were roommates who danced to keep ourselves happy through the harsh realities of postcollege adulthood.” her own idea for a TV show. “Iʼm excited for more leading parts, but weʼll see what happens. I feel like Iʼve been on some incredible, genre-bending, comedy-dramedy style projects and Iʼm into the mix of all those things. And then, who doesn't want to play a role like Jodie Comerʼs Villanelle in Killing Eve?”
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IMAGE: ERIC HOBBS
FUTURE TENSE: Mani is now developing
NOTES FROM THE DIASPOR A
and Silicon Valley. Last year, he shared the screen with Steve Carrell in Space Force. Next, you’ll see him in the much-anticipated Marvel series WandaVision, expected this month. “I’m a part of the town that Wanda has taken over as she mourns the loss of Vision,” he says. “The show is going through time periods in a weird way. You’re alternating between her reality and then what actually is your reality.” ORIGIN STORY: Ali, whose roots are in
Hyderabad, grew up in Arizona a little obsessed with basketball. “I got good, but then I never grew. That was the universe telling me this was not for me.” His second thing was comedy, which he perfected during his university years in Chicago – a city he thinks is heavily overlooked in the LA vs NYC binary when it comes to the stand-up circuit. After a few years of being on the road and the stage, he dropped out of college and moved to LA. There, his world opened up, moving beyond stand-up into improv, sketch comedy and comedic acting. DIVERSITY HIRE: Ali’s done hundreds of
ASIF ALI ACTOR AND COMEDIAN, LA
IMAGE: AMJAD ALI
NO JOKE: If someone told Asif Ali today that
his account in Hollywood is suspended, that he could no longer work there, he wouldn’t be mad. “I’ve done so much that I’m so proud of already,” he laughs. Since 2016, when the Lostparody series Wrecked became an unexpected hit, Ali has consistently been a part of prestige projects like The Mandalorian, BoJack Horseman
pilots – including one with Tina Fey that was exceptional but didn’t finally work out. His lessons? “The accent itself is not the problem,” he says, of the POC characters he’s auditioned for, often running the loop of “cab driver” and “terrorist”. “It’s a problem when it’s slapped on to cover for bad writing.” Ali’s way of countering it, or coping with it, was to write sketch comedy segments for Goatface – “Brown SNL” as they liked to call it – along with Hasan Minhaj, Aristotle Athiras and Fahim Anwar. Now, thankfully, “that stuff doesn’t fly anymore. Things are changing, but very slowly. Still, I’ve been a little part of this new wave of South Asian people doing roles that aren’t pigeonholed in these boxes.” COMING SOON: During the lockdown, Ali
worked on an animated sci-fi show called Devil May Care. In it, he plays a guy who wakes up in hell but has no clue why, and ascends to the role of the devil’s social media manager. Soon, he’ll begin shooting for his first film, Olivia Wilde’s indie project Don’t Worry Darling. Next up, Ali wants to run his own TV show, a comedy project where it’s jokes first: “Kind of like The Office, the stuff that we grew up on, and that is easy to watch on repeat.”
JANUARY 2021
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TECH TONIC
NG TI GH FI UNDER ARMOUR SPORTSMASK There’s a reason UA’s Sportsmask sold out in a day after it launched last year – it’s so much more than a protection tool. Designed specifically for athletes, it’s sleek, functional, water-resistant and offers SPF 50+ sun protection. It has three layers: A spacer fabric to keep material off the mouth and nose, an open-cell foam layer to let air pass but block sweat, and UA ISO-Chill to keep skin cool. If you’re outdoorsy, you can’t venture out without one of these in a pandemic. `4,000 approx 24 —
JANUARY 2021
MI WATCH REVOLVE A powerful, affordable smartwatch packed with features (auto brightness and the always-on display mode are a boon), the Mi Watch Revolve runs on some powerful proprietary software that can effortlessly monitor your heart rate, sleep quality, stress levels and oxygen. It also comes with ten “professional sports modes” – running, hiking, spinning, swimming and more – that will provide you data specific to your routine. It’s no slob in the looks department either, with a 46mm dial, a stunning AMOLED display, and ten watch faces and five strap options. Plus, a gigantic battery that can last you two weeks straight. Up to you to match it for stamina. `9,999
WORDS: NIDHI GUPTA
’re u o t y lved a th eso t w r No wly it (ye st in ne get f inve two or to ain), et or de f ag adg e ma and a g t ar ent eet tha vem lp m mo n he als ca ur go yo
TECH TONIC
FITBIT ARIA AIR
SAMSUNG GALAXY FIT2
This bluetooth-powered smart scale doesn’t just display your weight, but also syncs with the Fitbit app where you can view BMI and track trends over time. Using the app, you can do things like set a healthy weight goal, log your food and view calories in and out. The truly serious can also spring for the Fitbit Premium membership – with which the Aria Air is compatible – for access to personalised programs and guided plans. Apart from learning how to paleo properly, you can even tap into a community of fitness enthusiasts that may be the final key in actually sticking to a plan. `4,999
TANGRAM FACTORY SMARTROPE ROOKIE
BEATS POWERBEATS PRO There are bluetooth earphones galore in the shop today, but we haven’t seen a pair that’s better suited for physical activity than Dr Dre’s totally wireless in-ears. Its adjustable ear hooks make sure it doesn’t budge from place no matter how hard you are pounding the pavement. It’s also sweat and water-resistant. The battery can be juiced up for over an hour in five minutes and the sound is flawless. Plus – possibly our favourite feature – you can use them independently, with full volume and track controls on each earbud. `21,500
So who else has noticed how skipping has slyly become cool again? The Rookie smart jump rope makes this little classic feel suitably futuristic, with an adjustable rope length, ability to store and analyse upto 1,000 data points. Still more jazzy is the SmartRope Chrome. Its 23 embedded LED displays fitness data mid-air as you work out – the kind of thing you want if your workout is destined for the ‘gram. It also comes with a free app called Smart Gym, to track jump count, calories burned, work out times and interval training. If this is too extra for you, you can always opt for the Rookie Pure, an all black minimalist beauty. Starting at `3,000 approx
If you’d like to keep your timeteller and fitness tracker separate, the Samsung Galaxy Fit2 is a great option for the latter. Light, slim and goodlooking, this fitness band can access Samsung Health library’s large collection of features, track everything from pace to heart rate, sleep to stress. It’ll even prompt you periodically to wash your hands. But the winning features are the 50m water-resistance and Water Lock, making it ideal for swimmers.
`3,999
Runners know just how important a roller can be in alleviating muscle stress after a long jog. This smart roller remains unbeatable for it offers three vibrating settings that can help increase blood circulation and improve flexibility more effectively than any regular foam roller would. A must-have if you’re serious about the 10K. `16,500 26 —
JANUARY 2021
WORDS: NIDHI GUPTA
HYPERICE VYPER 2.0
THE POWER OF POLITICS
DABBOO RATNANI
S P E C I A L F E AT U R E
“If you can’t be the king, be the kingmaker!” This line echoes in our heads as we sit down for a candid conversation with the nawab and kingmaker himself, Saif Ali Khan, as he takes GQ through the world of his upcoming Amazon Original series, Tandav A charismatic leader of a prominent political party in the capital city of the world’s largest democracy set to inherit the chair of Prime Minister. An incumbent Prime Minister who isn’t keen on retiring yet. Party members who also have their eyes on the prize. And an idealistic campus activist eager to overthrow those in power and sway the youth’s votes. All come together to set the stage for what promises to be the biggest series to hit Indian streaming services yet. Tandav is directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, produced by Zafar and Himanshu Kishan Mehra’s Offside Entertainment and has a stellar cast that sets the benchmark for an ensemble. As we approach the series’ premiere date of January 15, we ask lead actor Saif Ali Khan – who is no stranger to the world of digital streaming – about this gripping series, his return to the digital screen and more. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT RETURNING TO THE DIGITAL SCREEN? I’m very excited about Tandav. As an actor, I don’t differentiate between
platforms. It’s great to have a piece of work release during a time like this when entertainment on television is an important factor to maintaining mental equilibrium and happiness. The fact that cinema halls can shut down and entertainment on this kind of platform becomes the only kind that’s available was something completely unforeseen. It’s interesting that there is that option for us as actors.
WHY TANDAV? WHAT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF YOUR ROLE? Politics is an interesting world because it’s got people with varied ideals who are driven by different things. And when you put them under pressure, their positive and negative qualities come to the fore. That makes for compelling watching. India is a political nation. We understand the average Indian is interested in and likes to discuss politics. So we thought it would be a good idea to make a show on it. The most challenging aspect of my role was the fact that it was quite a speech-heavy one. As a public figure, I had to learn a number of speeches. Normally, in my experience, you have a couple of big days, when you’ve got heavy dialogues to learn, and then you’ve got easy days. With Tandav, I had a big day every day for about four or five days. But it was a challenge I happily accepted and it was actually very satisfying to deliver. DID YOU ENJOY YOUR TIME ON SET? We had a lovely time filming. There were some civilised dinners in Pataudi, where Ali would get some of the cast to sing for us. And we’d have all sorts of lovely conversations late into the night. We also played cricket together at Pataudi. Ali enjoys playing cricket! He’s really noisy about it and hates losing. But, the important thing is, when you play cricket like this, the light man and the gaffer stop being just the light man and gaffer, you know? You connect to them personally and respect them differently. You see them as a really good left-handed opening batsman or a really good spinner. And it’s a very nice thing to do for a film crew...to play together. The second best thing to do is to drink together, but that is not as reliable! WHAT WAS IT LIKE WORKING WITH DIMPLE KAPADIA? I’ve worked with Dimple-ji previously. She’s a lovely actor whom I respect. She has played my mother in Cocktail and a twisted love interest of mine in Being Cyrus. In Tandav, we share more of an antagonistic relationship. To me, she represents an era of films that was larger than life. I’ve known her since I was a kid. So, it’s always a pleasure.
UP STREAM
A
As new episodes of his critically acclaimed series Servant get set to drop, film-maker M Night Shyamalan talks to Arun Janardhan about his second innings in Hollywood and telling dystopian stories in dystopian times 28 —
NOVEMBER 2020
IN THE TALE
IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES (M NIGHT SHYAMALAN)
S
ome of the jokes that appeared on the internet earlier last year, M Night Shyamalan remembers, were about how he wrote the year 2020. What has been going around in the world since February because of its dystopian nature, global impact and the isolation it forced upon people, seemed similar to the kind of supernatural stories he writes for films. The director of The Sixth Sense, Signs and Glass, had never thought about how much humans need to be with each other in all his “isolation movies. The fragility of human response to it [the pandemic] – we can ignore it, say it’s fake or it’s the end of the world. But the struggle to deal with a lack of control we have in the face of mother nature is inspiring, just to see how fragile we are.” Fear and fragility are constant features in Servant, the Apple TV+ series that returns with a second season on January 15, in which Shyamalan is an executive producer and director of some episodes. It is, in many ways, a Shyamalan genre: about a nanny hired to manage a baby that does not exist. But the show also breaks a pattern for the independent-minded filmmaker, whose two-decade old bumpy career takes a turn towards episodic web content and reaches out for a second chance. The “parents” in the show, Dorothy and Sean Turner, live in a gothic, palatial house that’s also a character – dark, pristine and intimidating. Food plays a metaphor to what’s happening to the family, since Sean (Toby Kebbell) is a chef. In scenes of controlled violence, an eel gets slammed on the kitchen counter before being cooked, heads of fish are chopped off, meat sizzles on the pan as bottles and bottles of wine are consumed. Shyamalan’s trademark big twists come at a slow pace, in steady close-ups, in an atmospheric and unsettling setting. Shyamalan’s daughter had pointed him to a 1974 movie she saw in film school, Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s Ali: Fear Eats The Soul, which used colours and textures in a way that inspired him. Dorothy (Lauren Ambrose) is, therefore, “dressed with big prints that match her mania and convey her struggle with something internally. Bold patterns on the wall reflect conflict and swirling emotions in a household, which is [otherwise] formal. Everything else in the production design is exploding, like their lives,” Shyamalan explains. “He [show creator Tony Basgallop] opened our world to life, death and creation, of when you make a dish, all tactile and violent as it is. Never leaving the house was the thing I imposed on the show. That minimalism and play-like quality is important for me to make the show singular,” says Shyamalan, whose next film Old is scheduled for later this year. For the Philadelphia resident, whose ambitions as a film-maker while growing up were triggered by the big-screen experience, the uncertainty of screening on
A still from the Apple TV+ series, Servant
an OTT platform is new. He wanted to tell the story of Servant over 40 episodes, and with a third season recently sanctioned, Shyamalan just needs one more to complete his wish. But that decision does not lie with him. “You want to have a healthy amount of risk – we as artists have to be comfortable with great risks but there is sometimes a crippling amount involved,” he says over a call. “To begin a show is scary because [the questions are] will we ever get to finish it? Will I figure out the end? Will the audience stay with us?... To have some security now that we will get 30 of the 40 episodes told can take a lot off my shoulders.” He sees Servant as a series of half-hour thrillers and finds excitement in its short, sharp storytelling. “More people now have seen season one as we are about to air season two than when we aired season one. It’s a new relationship between the audience and the storyteller.” Shyamalan was catapulted to the limelight with the 1999 film The Sixth Sense, considered by many to be a perfect screenplay. He followed that with an unusual superhero film, Unbreakable, but a subsequent string of movies brought his career careening down. The Village, Lady In The Water, The Happening and After Earth are among the films that had people questioning his ability to recreate the magic of his early career. But, in what is being considered a resurrection, he put in his own money to make The Visit (2015) followed by Split, both of which earned substantial box office returns. “My films take two years, between writing and editing I am alone essentially for most of that time,” says Shyamalan. “The partners I have [in Servant], film-makers, writers, editors, new composers and different actors, have opened me up to things that I normally wouldn’t be able to do. It’s been a great moment of renewal and reinvigoration for me. “I would say every single artist is reinventing themselves,” he adds. “When you start to think of yourself as fixed, it’s a difficult mindset to break from. If I could talk to my 30-year-old self making Unbreakable, to say, hey, don’t try to win it right now. Be happy that you felt great about this new form of storytelling and in time, that resonance will come to play out.” JANUARY 2021
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E N O D A
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he air was stale, the smell of sweat everywhere. Multiple people jostled for space in the tiny room. The man looked up and a pico projector the size of a small matchbox flashed its image on to the kitchen counter to give him a quick update about two new important messages. He dismissed one with a wave of his hand and dictated a quick reply to the second one. Unsure of what to do next, the man moved forward, only to be greeted by a second pico projector shining a bright image on to the surface of a door. A holographic image greeted him and asked if he wanted to be connected to his assistant on a holovideo-call. Giving a voice command to set it for later in the afternoon, the man touched a screen on the microwave and asked for his lunch to be ready and also an update on the stock market. The microwave whirred into action while its screen served up data on the current performance of his portfolio. 30 —
JANUARY 2021
They’ve been predicting its fall from grace for years now, but it’s hard to believe the smartphone could go away seeing just how central it is to our lives. Here’s why the death of the smartphone is not greatly exaggerated W R I T T E N B Y R A J I V M A K H N I
SMARTER THINGS
IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK
A mirror on the other side of the room caught his image and flashed a quick update on his heart rate, blood pressure and other vitals, while reminding him that he needed to hydrate as his skin looked particularly dry. The man spoke into the small band around his wrist and a small green light flashed, acknowledging that a new case of sparkling water had been ordered. While the above sounds like an interesting opening chapter of a sci-fi novel, it’s actually all real. The man was me, the room was a filled-to-the-brim demo area at the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas. The technology was a showcase of all the tech and gadgets that we would be using in the future. Clearly, the future had arrived. Two things stand out though. One, this was in January 2018 – presumably, all this tech has been refined and become even better. Two, it was an incredible showcase of the future and all the gadgets that would become mainstream – and there wasn’t a single smartphone there. The death of the smartphone is one of the most popular tropes in tech reporting. It’s the most popular piece of tech in the history of the world. In fact, it’s also the only one that has a phobia named after it (nomophobia – the fear of not having a phone). It has been called the god device. At last count, it had replaced over 100 stand-alone gadgets. Point and shoot cameras, GPS devices, fax machines, pager, answering machines, payphones, scanners, camcorders, alarm clock, portable music players, calculators, voice recorders – it’s a long list. The incredible miniaturisation of technology led to the smartphone becoming a Swiss army knife of all things tech. The System-on-a-Chip (SoC) was able to cram so much efficiency and flexibility into a small slab of silicon that we started using the smartphone for several functions at once. But this very versatility will also be the smartphone’s undoing. Multi-capability products always suffer from one major problem – they may do it all but they don’t do it all very well. Till now, we’ve been seduced by the incredible functionality of the smartphone and have learnt to live with its shortcomings. Small screen (even at seven inches, it’s still very small for easy human interaction), poor battery life (it’s silly to be satisfied with something that is a lifeline device and yet needs to be charged every night), astonishing fragility (the screen breaking and liquids destroying the innards are still very common) and terrible interoperability (it’s a sad joke that we still have phones OSs that don’t talk to each other). We’ve lowered our standards and live with all of these to make sure that the magic of multiusage mediocrity is still delivered to us by our smartphone. But bigger and better things are about to make sure that we don’t have to. MICRO PROJECTORS Pico and micro projectors are the next big thing. Imagine a home or office with about 20 of them installed in every place you need. Extremely tiny and economical projectors capable of using any surface and automatically giving us a screen when and where we need it. Interactive screens as big as 150 inches or as small as ten inches. Why would you need your little smartphone to check the news or your social media or a quick YouTube video when something much better is beaming its way into your life?
SCREEN EVERYWHERE Everything will now come with a screen on it – even speakers, refrigerators, cars and furniture. Plus, these devices now have the capability to recognise you and display information customised for you. You can conjure up a customised screen anywhere to check up quickly on something. Exactly what you blindly used to do on your phone every few minutes. VOICE ASSISTANTS They went from novelty speakers to a force to be reckoned with in just two years. Now, they are everywhere and in everything. When your geyser, air conditioner, gaming machine, air purifier, bulb, door, security camera, headphones, smart screen and a dozen other things around you all respond to your voice command in the language of your choice without a go-between, your phone usage completely plummets. INTERNET OF EVERYTHING It’s no longer about the Internet of Things because it’s now in everything. Your car, TV, microwave, refrigerator, washing machine, coffee maker, and even your thermos are all internet-enabled and can make smart decisions based on your preferences, and a controller like your phone just isn’t needed. SMARTWATCHES The Dick Tracy relic is finally getting its due. Simpler, more efficient, always there by default, safer and more secure on your wrist, the smartwatch can make calls now, packs a smorgasbord of sensors that give medical grade health data, is the perfect fitness companion, can control all smart devices, and some can now even pull off a month of battery life on one charge. The smartwatch is already starting to become the control centre the phone once was. Watch the smartwatch expand its tech prowess in the next two years. AR/VR The much touted, less understood next big thing. When augmented and virtual reality come together, they are truly magical. The problem is the devices that deliver them are clunky and uncomfortable. Not anymore. With AR Glasses (finally overcoming the nerd and privacy dilemma) and AR contact lenses (these already exist, just need to fix the ridiculous battery life) around the corner, almost anything that you want will be in front of your eyes in mind-bending virtual reality. BRAIN COMPUTER INTERFACE No longer in the realm of fantasy, the interface fusion between man and machine that can read your commands, your thoughts and your needs, is already in place. Elon Musk’s Neuralink and a dozen other organisations and individuals are all on the threshold of unveiling these for the everyday consumer. Why pick up a phone when you can search the internet, read emails, make calls directly in your mind? The smartphone won’t just disappear at once. It will be a phased out vanishing act. But vanish it will. Just like the rotary phone, the pager and the fax machine – we will one day look back and marvel as to how we all were so addicted to such rudimentary and crude technology like the smartphone. JANUARY 2021
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Acquaint yourself with the musical stylings of queer brown pop musician Aish Divine, who is infusing his beats with a big dose of diversity and being the change he wants to see
WORDS: NIDHI GUPTA
LET’S 32 —
NOVEMBER JANUARY 2021 2020
INDIE GENUS
T
hese aren’t boom times for sex. Two years ago, a leading American journal ran an article investigating why today’s youth were having less sex than ever. The writer identified the decline of “couplehood” as a major reason for some worrying statistics. Aish Divine, reading this shortly after getting engaged to his now husband, was paying attention. “Apart from the scientific advances and the pressures of having children, there’s the idea that a domestic state doesn’t exist,” says the queer pop artist of Indian origin over a Zoom call from New York. “Not only that, gender has also gone out the window. My engagement was a reckoning in a way, with the assumption that monogamy is part of marriage, among other things.” He found recourse in Esther Perel’s podcast Where Do We Begin, and release in his latest album The Sex Issue. His sophomore outing after 2018’s noteworthy Mother, The Sex Issue is 15 songs of boisterous beats and world-melding sounds that “serves sex realness with sadness, laughter, euphoria and vogue.” It is also “part autobiographical and part observational about the generation we are part of. I’m musing on my sense of identity beyond just a person who exists.” Aish Divine, as he exists, is a Bhopal-born, NYbased artist who has lived across three continents. His main purpose is to represent those like him, because there aren’t many like him that are prominent in the callous world of Western pop music. “Maybe MIA, maybe Zayn Malik,” he reflects, himself part of a league of LGBTQ+ musicians that stretches from Hayley Kiyoko to Kehlani, Troye Sivan to Leo Kalyan. “Yes it’s growing, but swing a cat around and how many of us will you find?” He has studied vocals and composition at Berklee, knows how to play the sitar, and is trained in both Western classical and Hindustani classical music. But, he’s here making pop music (and involved in every aspect of it – from writing to production to visuals) because in pop he finds an easy conduit for communicating big ideas coded into big dancey, happy beats. “Pop is relatable,” he shrugs. “A part of good art, as Nina Simone says, is to reflect our times. And her work was very real. I wanted to make something real yet poppy.” Like the music video for “Common Questions”, which he released last summer to some fanfare. “It’s a satirical track about the world of online dating,” he says, and the video is electric with a league of queer artists taking over the streets. Or “Pulchritude Of Loss”, a track about the ebbs and flows of love and sex in a longterm relationship. Its surrealist music video features armchairs, boring wallpaper and a couple trapped in a simulation, in more ways than one. Or even “BBC”, a song about “a popular track on sites of the raunchier kind”, whose visuals feature Aish Divine and a host of characters playing news anchors.
“Going into it,” he says, “my vision was to work with non-male video direction and production houses. Because it is a very male dominated industry – and diversity is a choice. It takes a little extra time to find the right people, where there is representation but that time is worth it. All talent [in the creative visuals] for The Sex Issue was either trans, non-binary or people of colour.” If the visuals underline Aish Divine’s evolving thoughts on his sexuality, the sound of The Sex Issue streamlines his South Asian heritage. Co-produced with Beau Sorenson (who has in the past worked with indie band Death Cab For Cutie), the songs here incorporate tribal Indian forms like Pandavani Geet (in “Unfurler”), riff off qawwali beats (“BBC”) and even feature a Persian santoor (“Objectify Me”). “I have a very conflicted relationship with India,” he says. A survivor of the Bhopal gas tragedy, Aish Divine also faced several years of bullying in a public school in Delhi. He remembers first dates at Nehru Park “under the darkness of the evening and 377” just as brightly as his visits to his mother’s ancestral village in central India, where he discovered Teejan Bai. In the US, living across cities like Oakland and San Francisco, he acquired his taste for hip-hop and indie pop rock. “And I’m getting my jazz influences from my own listening. Sadness and sorrow in jazz is not that of a victim, but of a spirit that yearns and burns with hope and to be resilient and liberate itself.” Now in New York, and living in the neighbourhood where David Bowie breathed his last, Aish Divine is retracing the steps of “the patron saint of pushing boundaries”. Just before the pandemic struck, he’d begun to take dance classes at Martha Graham and joined acting school at NYU. “I could perform the music I’d learnt exactly as it existed, but what’s the point of performing something if you’re not evolving it,” he says. “As an artist my job is to build upon what’s been given to my generation.” Part of this evolution is also reimagining what his live set would look like, once that’s possible again. Prepandemic, he wanted it to look like Lizzo’s – vibrant, glittery and all-encompassing. But now, he’s considering a gospel choir. As the pieces of that idea fall into place, he’s also begun work on another album. “I don’t yet have a theme but have a feeling that it will be about the future of the ‘identity’ conversation,” he says. “The way we talk about identity today is very divisive. Yes, it’s true that there is lack of representation, but there is also a lot of virtue signalling and anger. I think we could use less of cancel culture and more of empathy. I think we need to get through this to get to that world where it’s less about, ‘Oh look at me, a brown queer person’, and more about, ‘Wow, this music is very different.’ One where things are more about the idea than the person behind them.” NOVEMBER 2020 JANUARY 2021
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GREAT Rooshad Shroff’s new gallery
DESIGN DISTRICT
Located in Mumbai’s heritage centre, Horniman Circle, designer Rooshad Shroff’s new gallery and office has the perfect view of the magnificent Asiatic Library. It is also flanked by two iconic boutiques – Hermès and Louboutin (also designed by Shroff). While Shroff has kept alive the architecture of the past with high ceilings and arched doorways, the pale grey walls and open layout bring a very modern aesthetic. This also allows the flexibility needed to showcase new collaborations. To give the space a more homey vibe, Shroff has brought in his personal art collection, lending a complete experience to the RooshadSHROFF furniture, lighting and other products. 34 —
JANUARY 2021
Stay future forward and embrace the new with a little bit of the old to spark creativity
EYE-CATCHING
Considering we’ve spent only most of last year at home, you’re probably already bored of the way your space looks. Here’s your chance to experiment with elements that are different from the standard colours and shapes. Now, we’re not talking about changing all your furniture, but just bringing in accents like a coffee table or a side table. And that’s where the latest collection from Ochre at Home comes in with its dose of playfulness. Geometric patterns and vibrant colours never looked better, and make the perfect accompaniment to your seating arrangements.
INFORMAL SPACES
Durable products made out of sustainable materials are all the rage today (and for good reason), and will continue to be part of any new trends in the future. Addressing this growing need, and staying true to its philosophy of Rethink, Rediscover, Renew, is The Rug Republic’s latest collection, Upcycled Charm. Made out of recycled denim, silk, cotton, and even leather, there’s not only rugs but pouffes and cushion covers included. So, why only wear washed-out denim when you can bring that cool but casual look to your home too?
WORDS: JANICE FERNANDES. IMAGE: © RAVI ASRANI (FIELDS CLUB)
UNFAMILIAR PATHS
GREEN OFFERINGS
As Marie Kondo would ask, does your home office spark joy? If your answer isn’t entirely in the affirmative, then it’s time to improve your workday by creating a space that fits all your requirements. As #WFH carries on (for most of us), one essential element is a touch of nature. Pick something small for your desk, or try to set up a green corner. On our radar right now is Elite Earth for its range of concrete pots and vases. Trust us, these ecofriendly products will bring some much-needed respite.
Fields Club, designed by Studio Lotus in Bengaluru
Multi-award winning architecture firm Studio Lotus has grown from strength to strength ever since it was established in 2002. Grounded in the principles of conscious design, the five principal architects and their team focus on celebrating local resources, cultural influences, an inclusive process and a keen attention to detail. Their latest project, Krushi Bhavan, a government complex in Odisha, is a lesson in designing an administrative centre that houses government offices as well as community engagement facilities. Their notable work transcends categories including, but not limited to, institutional, residential and hospitality. Two of their future projects we’re looking forward to: The Visitor Centre and Knowledge Centre within the Mehrangarh Fort precinct, and an Interpretation Centre at the Qutb Shahi necropolis gardens – both contracts won in competition, might we add.
JANUARY 2021
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E H T
G I B Why every inch counts WRITTEN BY PRAKASH AMRITRAJ
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JANUARY 2021
IMAGE: MATT SAYLES (PRAKASH), ALAMY (AL PACINO)
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WHAT’ S YOU R CODE
ife’s this game of inches. So is football. Because, in either game, life or football, the margin for error is so small – I mean one-half a step too late, or too early, and you don’t quite make it... The inches we need are everywhere around us… On this team, we fight for that inch… We tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch, because we know when we add up all those inches that’s gonna make the f*****g difference between winning and losing!” These are legendary actor Al Pacino’s words as the fictitious Hall of Fame coach Tony D’Amato in the brilliant Oliver Stone film, Any Given Sunday. Over the years, this movie, and this speech, has meant a lot to me. I’ve seen it at least a 100 times – often before big matches during my tennis career. As I’ve grown older, it still holds meaning, but less with regards to sport and more with regards to life. We are all determined to make 2021 so much better than 2020. So, to start off on the best foot possible, I’d like to focus on a concept that lies at the heart of this speech, one of the most inspiring sports speeches in recent memory. (In fact, I highly recommend finding it on YouTube, or Googling “peace with inches speech” for the written version.) In it, Coach Tony D builds on the idea that American football is a game of inches. A few inches to the right or to the left can be the difference between winning and losing the game. But, in the extreme case of American football, it can also be the difference between living and dying. He goes on to affirm that the same goes for life. And with whatever experience I’ve had in my 37 years on this planet, I wholeheartedly agree. There are many lessons we can take away from these powerful words. But I want us all to focus on the fact that it’s the little things, the inches, that make up the big results at the end of the day. Sometimes we’re all too focused on how daunting a task may be. For example, if one’s goal is to lose 20 pounds, I’ve often heard, “Oh that’s so much, I don’t even know how to get started.” But if that same person were to focus on losing 2.5lbs in a week, it wouldn’t seem like such a difficult task. If you’re able to just maintain that one week focus eight times, in the blink of two months, you’ve lost a whopping 20lbs. It’s the same for progress in any field. If you’re a golfer and you’re trying to cut ten strokes from your score, that seems daunting. But if you were to focus on dropping one stroke, that doesn’t seem like much. A singular focus on small tasks that are part of a larger plan, that is in turn part of a larger goal (inches vs feet), is how all of the greats scale mountains. It’s the focus on the steps, rather than the summit, that makes the climb possible. Life is the same. It can seem extremely daunting and challenging, especially as we get older. Problems
Al Pacino’s character makes a rousing speech in Any Given Sunday
become bigger, with more obstacles to overcome. “I wish I could just be a kid again,” is something I often hear. But guess what, when we were kids, we just focused on the task at hand. We didn’t get in our own way. And that’s the subconscious goal we’ll be achieving by focusing on the inches and not the feet. We get out of our own way. When you read about the lives of famous athletes or entertainers, they’re often described as “overnight successes”. But it’s the small inches gained over the years that make way for that moment. When Rafael Nadal won the French Open at 19, or Michael B Jordan became a worldwide sensation, winning hearts for his performance in Creed, it didn’t happen overnight. Little upticks in the progress chart. Smaller roles for an actor, then slightly bigger ones, and then one day that big breakout. For an athlete: Wins and losses, followed by more wins and slightly less losses, and so on. If it weren’t for all those other relatively minor milestones along the way, the actor wouldn’t have had the experience to take advantage of that particular moment. But all the outside world sees is the big breakthrough. So remember: If you haven’t had that great big success just yet, give yourself credit for the little wins you put together on a regular basis. Those two extra workouts you squeezed in. That extra credit you did on an assignment. The time you made space to see that friend who needs you. That piece of cake you chose not to eat at that party. These achievements are your inches. We all know the mind is our single greatest muscle. We must train it to be stronger than the others. Belief is a part of that. Confidence and a steadfast belief in one’s ability to overcome and achieve is what sets apart the ones who create the future they desire from the ones who accept a future that’s created for them. Recognise and allow achievements to constantly appear in each and every facet of your life, and watch your belief and confidence in yourself reach unprecedented bounds. Coach Tony D lets all of his players know he’s going to ride and die with them. He says: “If I’m gonna have any living left, it’s because I’m willing to live and die for that inch.” I’m here to tell you I’m going to do the same thing, as we all rise together in this new year. Finally, let me leave you with the same words Coach D leaves his players with: “So… what are you gonna do?!” JANUARY 2021
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THE GRILLS
SLOW BARBEQUE | DELHI In a delicious contradiction to the quick and easy fare which we’ve become accustomed to, this slow barbecue, delivery-only kitchen has a line-up that’s definitely worth the wait. Having spent years researching, roasting and repeating recipes till he had a playbook he could take to the bank, Chef Mousim Sidana’s grills are marinated overnight (and longer) and cooked over several hours in myriad experimental ways – from coal to bamboo bark. A meat lover can choose from a range of farm-fed, handcrafted grills like smoked slow-roasted chicken, Berber Culture lamb chops, Carolina Gold baby back ribs, sticky pork belly or Sichuan Glazed fish. These would be remiss without the sides and sauces: think Aged Cheddar Scones, Spicy Jodhpuri New Potatoes and Truffle Hot Sauce. There’s an open-air barbecue brunchery in the works for next year, but until then, it’ll come to you – just make sure you order well in advance. 88262 85095
F O OD . DR
. T R AV K IN
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THE SUGAR RUSH
INDULGENCE DESSERTS | MUMBAI During the pandemic, Aly Hajiani decided to resurrect his grandmother’s recipes from over two decades ago. Coming from a family of patissiers, the artisanal desserts have craftsmanship behind them, and a range that far supersedes the average home bakery. You’ll find brownies, handmade chocolates, cookie slabs and cheesecake in a range of renditions, making for both a post-dinner treat as well as a great gift. Currently delivered only between South Mumbai and Bandra, but it’ll soon expand to cover more of the city. @eatindulgence
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JANUARY 2021
THE ZERO-ABV COCKTAIL
SVAMI NON ALCOHOLIC DRINKS Best known for its flavoured tonics and ginger ales, Svami’s newest edits are a take on the Zero ABV beverages. Part of the vanguard for alcohol-free “alcohol-style” drinks in India, the ready-to-drink beverages come in three variants: Non-alcoholic Rum & Cola, Gin & Tonic and Pink Gin & Tonic. Wonder if they just taste like cola or tonic? The botanicals and formulas involved create a closely simulated alcohol experience – with none of the effects. Choose these for when you need to make that morning meeting, sans the hangover. @svamidrinks
THE SPECIALTY ROAST
KILTA COFFEE CO. A tiny, 12-seater cafe called Kilta Cafe in Manali was a town secret for several years, with owner and master roaster Robert Clark Floyd producing phenomenal blends made with locally sourced beans. When father-son duo Kartik and Rakesh Talwar discovered it, they partnered together to package the cult roasts and take them wider – and so, Kilta Coffee Co. was born. The brand does a series of in-house blends – French roasts, espresso-specific and limited eds that change every month – sourced from farmers from across the country. Look to this if you’re after a new range of darks, mediums and lights to keep you cosy this winter – we hear the Vienna edit (a medium-dark mix) is especially robust. @kiltacoffeeco
WORDS: SAUMYAA VOHRA
Taste
S P E C I A L F E AT U R E
IN THE SPIRIT OF CELEBRATION Adding a celebratory touch to Christmas and New Year festivities, Jack Daniel’s’ latest consumer activation saw several lucky winners from across major cities in India walk home with the exclusive ‘Jack Tree Of Cheer’ While 2020 was a challenging year for all of us, ushering in a new year is the perfect time to embrace positivity and hope. And, to spread some much-needed festive cheer and lift spirits, for Christmas and New Year celebrations, Jack Daniel’s launched a unique consumer activation across major Indian cities.
Inspired by a long-standing Christmas tradition involving the original Jack Daniel’s Barrel Tree – which sees 140 white oak barrels being used to build a 26-foot-tall Christmas tree in Lynchburg, Tennessee – the brand launched an India-centric activation to reinforce the idea of Christmas celebrations. A six-foot-tall ‘Jack Tree Of Cheer’
was installed at over 100 stores across Delhi, Gurugram, Ludhiana, Mumbai, Goa, Pune, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, with the public being offered a chance to win a miniaturised version of it by simply scanning a QR code and uploading an image with the ‘Jack Tree Of Cheer’ at the store and registering their details. The contest was further amplified on social media, with participants playing a game of ‘eye spy’ and spotting the ‘Jack Tree of Cheer’ on the brand’s Instagram page. Several lucky winners walked away with special Christmas trees made using Jack Daniel’s Old No 7 bottles as part of this unique festive activation. What’s more? Jack Daniel’s also surprised a number of Indian influencers by sending them the ‘Jack Tree of Cheer’ as a token of celebration. What made this consumer activation particularly special was the fact that it tied seamlessly into Jack Daniel’s’ latest global campaign, ‘Make It Count’, which encourages people to really live life to the fullest – something we have come to appreciate all the more over the course of 2020. Not only did the ‘Jack Tree of Cheer’ spread much-needed festive cheer and joy after an especially bleak year but it also reminded us of the importance of celebrating life and making each moment count. For more information, follow @jackdanielsindia on Instagram
RANVEER SINGH PHOTOGRAPHED BY THE HOUSE OF PIXELS 150
12TH MOTY ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
INDIA OUR ANNUAL
MEN OF THE YEAR AWARDS TOGETHER WE STAND
STARRING
RANVEER MOST STYLISH
12TH MOTY ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
INDIA
MEN OF THE YEAR AWARDS TOGETHER WE STAND
STARRING
RANVEER MOST STYLISH
MEN OF THE YEAR AWARDS TOGETHER WE STAND
RANVEER MOST STYLISH
LOUIS VUITTON
GOGGLES BY DIOR MEN, PRICE ON REQUEST
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
GUCCI
Hype
Theory BAG BY PAUL SMITH, PRICE ON REQUEST
Let fantasy take over with this season’s expressive, bold and colourful fits. Nothing speaks optimism like a head-to-toe look drenched in a riot of hues: like this Alexander McQueen suit, or, for a more balanced style, the Louis Vuitton in tropical blues. Our pick? Giorgio Armani’s millennial shades of red paired with blue with an easy-going attitude. Because, what’s fashion without a little bit of fun? BOOTS BY FENDI, PRICE ON REQUEST
GIORGIO ARMANI
WORDS: RAHUL VIJAY. COORDINATION: SELMAN FAZIL. IMAGE: STUDIO DES FLEURS (HERMÈS)
SCARF BY HERMÈS, PRICE ON REQUEST
BOMBER BY POLO RALPH LAUREN AVAILABLE AT THE COLLECTIVE, `46,000
BOMBER BY CANALI, PRICE ON REQUEST
Thanks to Paul Mescal, varsity jackets are making a comeback. We suggest you pair it with Chelsea boots and tailored pants for the ultimate grownup Ralph Lauren look
ZIP LINE-UP
A jacket is not only a hero winter silhouette but also a wise addition to your wardrobe. From rich suede to the varsity ones, here’s how to start the year with the right sartorial choices
BOMBER BY REEBOK, `30,000
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JANUARY 2021
BOMBER BY PAUL SMITH, `30,000
JACKET BY FRED PERRY, `15,000
IT BOMBER BY TED BAKER, `39,000
JACKET BY BOTTEGA VENETA, PRICE ON REQUEST
JACKET BY UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON, `9,000
WORDS: SELMAN FAZIL
JACKET BY UNIQLO, `3,000
BOMBER BY NUMERO UNO, `3,700
JANUARY 2021
— 43
SNEAKERS BY ASICS, `8,000
If your new year resolution like us is to hit the gym, then make sure you do it with these rainbow-hued, in-your-face statement sneakers from Asics
SNEAKERS BY VERSACE, `88,600
From retro dad sneakers to the chunky fashion forward ones, or the classic comfortable trainers in bright hues, we present to you the hottest kicks to cop at the moment
SNEAKERS BY PUMA, `10,000
SNEAKERS BY SKECHERS, `6,500
SNEAKERS BY DIOR MEN, PRICE ON REQUEST
LINE-UP
SNEAKERS BY NIKE, `18,700
SNEAKERS BY GUCCI, PRICE ON REQUEST
SNEAKERS BY LOUIS VUITTON, `98,500
WORDS: SELMAN FAZIL
Bringing back nostalgia, Louis Vuitton's trainers prove that fashion and philanthropy can go hand in hand. Part of the sales from the purchase of these shoes will be donated to RED, a charity that fights against AIDS
SNEAKERS BY CANALI, PRICE ON REQUEST
SNEAKERS BY CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN, `72,500
IN THE KNOW
NO GREY AREA
After working on it for almost two and a half years, Chennai-based Arnav Malhotra founded No Grey Area last September. Born into a fashion family, Malhotra was also instrumental in rebranding Evoluzione, a multi-designer store run by his mother Tina Malhotra, even with no formal education in fashion. The idea behind No Grey Area was to create a brand that serves as a tool for self-expression, to bridge the gap between the saturated Indianwear market and the rise of athleisure and streetwear culture in the country, with an emphasis on personal style. The brand plays with bold, eye-catching hybrid prints on T-shirts, bomber jackets, and even kurtas. Fabrics and trims are sourced from across the world lending an extra edge. If you are looking to invest in everyday basics that are fashion forward, we suggest you bookmark this brand.
Hype From #WFHFits to clothes that will ensure you make heads turn, these are the hottest menswear brands to take your style game to the next level
SMR DAYS
2020 was a year filled with uncertainties but one thing was clear: loungewear and relaxed dressing would be the new direction in fashion. In October, Gautam Rajani, Adam Shapiro and Dan May, industry veterans who hail from diverse backgrounds, founded SMR Days, a menswear brand that embodies the positive, effortless spirit of laid-back days. They had one simple mission: to provide a season-less and mindful wardrobe solution meant both for travel and staying at home. This ecoconscious, handcrafted brand uses natural fabrics and materials such as cottons, silks, mother of pearl and coconut. Our pick? The updated kurta-pyjama set, and the basketball shorts and shirts in bandhani print.
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JANUARY 2021
To challenge the gender norms and binary standards set by society, Isha Ahluwalia launched this Goa-based unisex label – Moral Science – in late 2019. The brand releases limited collections with only one-of-a-kind pieces that have sustainability at its core, like eco-friendly packaging and finding innovative ways of incorporating natural fabrics. Inspired by utilitarian silhouettes and workwear essentials, Ahluwalia’s designs are anything but minimalistic, catering to a hybebeast generation. Take, for instance, a safari suit made of unusual fabric combinations such as corduroy and suiting fabrics, or even a Star Trek inspired spacesuit that can be worn in multiple ways.
WORDS: RAHUL VIJAY
MORAL SCIENCE
THE WINTER EDIT
BABY, IT’S
COLD OUTSIDE
Vicuna scarves and cashmere coats may protect you from harsh, frosty winds, but your skin needs a different kind of saving. We’ve rounded up the season essentials that’ll make sure there isn’t the slightest chink in your winter armour
LANEIGE
HYDRATION TO-GO! (TRAVEL SET)
LʼOCCITANE
A fail-safe, compact travel set for anytime you decide to jet off to the hills – or anywhere equally chilly. This five-piece kit includes a Cream Cleanser, Water Bank Hydro Essence, Moisture Cream, Sleeping Mask and Lip Sleeping Mask, taking the curation out of your skincare regimen. `1,850
AQUA ULTRA THIRST QUENCHING GEL
Contrary to grooming folklore, not all dry skin responds well to a luxurious cream. Some need hydration sans the heavy oil input, and a good moisturising gel is the answer to that. We’re partial to this Provence-origin aqua gel for its water-based formula, which is effective when it comes to both locking in moisture and giving your skin a brightness boost. `2,800
FOREST ESSENTIALS HYDRATING FACIAL & ORANGE PEEL
SHISEIDO MEN SKIN EMPOWERING CREAM
Falling in the fixing-the-damage category is this deep-impact hydration cream, known for its effective tackling of both dryness and ageing. A firming and smoothing formula, look to this for its collagen-boosting Beach Bud extract and skin-strengthening Carnosine DP. We like that it works brilliantly both as a day cream and an overnight one. `5,700 48 —
JANUARY 2021
A great dry skin facial moisturiser in general, this Ayurvedic blend is especially handy in the crisp winter months because of its deep moisturising powers. Apart from the titular, sandalwood and orange peel, the basil, ashwagandha and barley protein tone and soften. A worthy alternative to a regular face cream. `1,725
WORDS: SAUMYAA VOHRA. COORDINATION: MEGHA MEHTA
MOISTURISER SANDALWOOD
CHIVAS X GQ MEN OF THE YEAR AWARDS
Milind Soman
Bhumi Pednekar Mandira Bedi Ali Fazal
Jitendra Kumar Chetan Bhagat
Nikhil Kamath
Arjun Mathur Chivas XV
Saiyami Kher
Sonu Sood
Hansal Mehta
THE WINTER EDIT
CLINIQUE
SPF 50 UVA/UVB MINERAL SUNSCREEN FLUID FOR FACE (30ML)
While slicking your daily sunscreen onto your face is definitely better than nothing, it’s not as effective as a facespecific sunscreen. One more suited to the rigours of literally facing the sun. A light, fluid-consistency SPF is a good bet for most skin types – we like this one because it’s oil-free, fragrancefree and great for sensitive skin. `2,700
KIEHL’S
ULTRA FACIAL CREAM
VITAMIN E GEL MOISTURE CREAM
Just because your skin gets dry come winter doesn’t mean dry is its default state – you may still break out under a particularly heavy cream. This gel-based moisturiser solves that because its oil-free formula with community trade organic aloe vera has a soothing, hydrating effect that doesn’t pump your skin full of grease as a side effect. `1,095
THE MAN COMPANY SUNSCREEN LOTION FOR MEN SPF 40+
Winter sun can be surreptitiously strong, and treating a season of overcast days like a get-out-of-sunscreen-free card is a mistake. A good sunscreen that hydrates dry skin is a bathroom cabinet must – especially for brunch or morning runs. The sea buckthorn oil in this one combats dryness and ageing, while its Allantoin protects against UV damage, making it an all-rounder. `699
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JANUARY 2021
CLARINSMEN SUPER MOISTURE BALM
Some products on this list prepare you for the harsh cold – but a select few remedy you from the damage it’s already done. The Super Moisture Balm is the latter, with its Hydra-Resist Phyto Complex (made with organic houseleek and leaf of life extract) that tested powerful enough to repair the skin of divers in Arctic conditions, so you do the math. `2,800
WORDS: SAUMYAA VOHRA. COORDINATION: MEGHA MEHTA
THE BODY SHOP
Few brands have the razor-focused skincare game that Kiehl’s does, and its trusted, paraben-free Ultra Facial Cream is a solid example of that. It features Glacial Glycoprotein and Squalene – ingredients that sound right out of Dexter’s Laboratory, but are no-nonsense hydrating agents sourced from sea glaciers and olives. A cold climate staple. `2,550
GQ PROMOTION
THE ART OF TASTEFUL LIVING
Fusing luxury and grandeur with form and function to design interior spaces that exude a timeless aesthetic, Mumbai-based award-winning architecture and interior design firm, The BNK Group, is redefining what constitutes exceptional residential and hospitality design in India Good design is about pleasing aesthetics, but great design is about being aware of the past and taking into account the present, but with your sights set firmly on the future. And no company understands this better than The BNK Group, one of India’s marquee architecture and interior design firms. Founded in 2005, the Mumbai-based firm is renowned for its focus on luxury design in the hospitality and lifestyle sectors. Helmed by Behzad Kharas, a true visionary who serves as Chairman and Managing Director, The BNK Group harnesses commitment, creativity, and perspective through the 3 H’s of honesty, humility, and humanity—values especially close to Behzad's heart. Known for his unique approach to design, Kharas has strived to provide impactful design solutions to his clients that emphasize quality over quantity while offering an elevated standard of living. Under his able guidance, The BNK Group has transformed into a space where creative professionals are pushed to challenge conventional notions of design. What started as a two-member team has, today, expanded to include 40 in-house designers, project managers, and site supervisors, with 150 additional dedicated professionals executing specific tasks across the
SKY VILLA, NASHIK
In what was perhaps the most challenging project to design for The BNK Group, the top three storeys of a building had to be converted into a family home, complete with a theatre, spa, gym, home office, and bar for a client. An existing rigid design meant that the rooms had to be constructed keeping the column locations in mind. With beige and grey as the main colour scheme for the space, the carefully strategic use of a brown mirror helped camouflage the columns whilst helping create extra storage units. The client also expressed a desire to have a spacious living room, and so, a huge slab was demolished to give the house a lavish, open feel.
company. Currently, The BNK Group offers consultancy and construction services across three principle business verticals—Design, which includes architecture and interior consultancy; Design and Build, covering solutions from design to delivery; and Build, which overlooks execution for outsourced projects. Since 2005, the firm has executed over 300 projects in the residential and hospitality sectors across India and has delighted clients with its ‘form follows function’ approach to design. Now, with a revamped Board of Directors including Hitisha Mehta (Director, Design), Vikram Godbole (Director, Contracts), Jueta Hemdev (Director, Brand Communications and PR), and Pratik Hemdev (Director, Luxury Business Development), and overseen and driven by Behzad, The BNK Group is surging forth towards a brighter future, armed with renewed energy and efficiency. The BNK Group, P.N.B. House, 4th Floor, Sir P.M. Road, Fort, Mumbai 400001. For more information, visit thebnkgroup.com, call 022 66100313 or follow @TheBNKGroup on Facebook and @thebnkgroup on Instagram
THE WINTER EDIT
INNISFREE
MY REAL SQUEEZE SHEET MASK - ACAI BERRY
Think of the hydrating sheet mask as a wheatgrass shot for your skin – a quick burst of effectiveness that does its best work in measured doses. This South Korean brand is a recognised mask vet, and this particular Cold Brew Squeeze is luxuriously creamy and rife with vitamin-packed acai that leave your skin a lot softer than it was 20 minutes ago. `100
BEARDO
BEARD SOFTENER FOR MEN
COFFEE FACE WASH
Translating “wake up and smell the coffee” into the language of skincare, this coffee, cucumber and lemon laced face wash is very invigorating for your skin. Whatever your regimen, a good face wash makes all the difference because you start with a clean foundation. Might as well make it a nourishing one, too. `349
NIVEA CREME
ALL SEASON MULTI PURPOSE CREAM
You might recognise this trademark navy tin from your grandfather’s bureau, and the age-old recipe for this all-purpose cream is still as stand-up as it was when it was first launched in 1928. Its deep moisturising formula and versatility are both testament to the fact that it is – and has stayed – a classic for a reason. `175
BOMBAY SHAVING COMPANY SHEA BUTTER MOISTURISING FACE & BODY WASH
Sure, creams and moisturisers will up your chances of a great winter defence, but it all starts with a shower. While many body washes can actually sap you of your inherent moisture in trying to strip off the dirt, a hydrating one – like this, with its shea butter and coconut oil – sets you up for success from the word go. `345
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JANUARY 2021
WORDS: SAUMYAA VOHRA. COORDINATION: MEGHA MEHTA. IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK (MARBLE)
MAN ARDEN
Caring for your beard might seem more in the hair care domain, but making sure your beard is hydrated – as is the skin under it – is still crucial for a cold weather routine. This is a non-greasy formula with myriad moisturising oils (including sweet almond and argan oil – practically wintertime magic), and a great way to make sure your face mane doesn’t run dry. `450
A BH A N A RAIN LA M BA H ASS OC I ATE S A BH IM A N Y U DA L A L A RC H IT EC TS A BIN D ES IG N STUDI O A BM A RCH IT EC TS AB RA H A M J OH N A R CH IT EC TS A BU JA N I SA N D EEP KH OS L A A D IL A H M A D A LVA A RCH IT EC TS A N AGRA M A RC H ITEC TS A NN KUR K HOS L A D E SI GN STUDI O A RC H ITE CT H A F EEZ CO N TRAC TOR A RC H ITE CT URE BR IO A RC H ITEC TU RE D IS C IPL I NE ASH IES H S H A H A RC H I TEC T AYUS H KAS LIWA L D ES I GN BA N D UKS M IT HST UD IO C A L M ST UDI O C ASA PA RA DOX C AS E D ES IG N C LAY A RC HIT EC TURE & I N TER IO RS CO LL E CT IVE PROJ EC T CO RM AC LY NC H DOMINIC DUBE INGE RIECK ARCHITECTURE ST UD IO ( D D I R) D E M URO DAS D E S IG N BY DA RS H IN I S H AH D ES IG N CON S ULTA N TS E C RU EL S IE N A NJ I
THE 1 0 0 M O ST I N F LU E N T I A L A R C H I T E CTS AND INTERIOR DESIGNERS IN INDIA 2020 N E TERWA LA A N D A IB A RA IN T ERIO R A RC H IT EC TS N OTE- D NOZ ER WA D IA ASSO C I ATES N UD ES _ O POL I S O RPROJ EC T PAVIT RA RA JA RA M D ES IG N P IN A K IN D ES IG N P RA BH A KA R B BH AGWAT PR IS M RA J IV SA IN I + ASS OC I AT ES RAV I VA ZIRA NI RE D A RC H IT EC TS
R EFL EC TI ON S R IT U N AN DA DE S IG N R MA A RC HI TE C TS R OM I K HOS L A D ES I GN STUD IO R OOS HAD S HROF F S . P. A DES I GN SA BYASAC HI M UK H ERJ EE SA M I RA RATHO D DE S IGN AT ELI ER SA N JAY PURI A RC HI TEC TS S E RI E AR C HI TE C TS SEZA S H AL IN I M IS H RA S H ROF FL EÓN S I M O NE D UB AS H PA N DOL E S I TE PRAC TI C E
PARTNERS
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
FAQ UI H AND ASSO CI ATES F REDDY B I RDY GAUR I KHAN DESI G NS I NI C HAT TERJI & ASS OC IATES I QR UP DESI G N I RAM SULTAN DESI G N ST UDI O I SLA MARI A ‘LO ULOU’ VA N DA MME JAI DANA NI K2 I N DI A KHOSL A ASSO CI ATES KUNAL MAN I AR & ASS O CI ATES LAB LI JO.RENY.ARCHI TEC TS MALI K A RCHI TE CTURE MANC I NI EN TERPRI S ES MARI E-AN NE OUDEJANS MATHARO O ASSO CI ATES MATHEW AND G HOS H ARCHI TECTS MATRA ARC HI TEC TS AN D RURB AN PLAN NERS MI CD ASS O CI ATES MO RPHO G ENES I S
SJK ARC HI TEC TS SP+ A SPAS M DESI G N STA PATI STUDI O A RCHOHM STUDI O HB A STUDI O HI NG E STUDI O I I STUDI O LOTUS STUDI O MUMB AI STUDI O O RG ANO N STUDI O P OME GRAN ATE SUSSAN NE K HAN TALATI & PAN THA KY ASSO CI ATED TANYA SI NG H STUDI O TARUN TAHIL I ANI UNTI TLED DES I GN CO NS ULTANTS VA I SHALI KAMDA R ASSO CI ATES VASTUS HI LPA CO NS ULTAN TS V IKAS DI LAWARI A RCHI TECTS V IK RAM GOYA L V IR.MUEL LER A RCHI TECTS ZZ ARCHI TECTS
0 3 NEW TRENDS
FORWARD TO IN E D I T E D B Y S H I K H A S E T H I
54
2021
PHOTO: ERRIKOS ANDREOU (ROAD TRIP)
TO LOOK
0
LANDOUR
7
HOURS' DRIVE
DELHI
1 NO.
HITTING THE ROAD
A massive spike in cabin fever has sired a surge in travel, but jonesing for a getaway isn’t always enough to risk flying. A road trip is a happy compromise. Driving in your own car to a socially distanced resort or hotel a few hours away eliminates most of the exposure that comes with air travel. Lesser known destinations closer to the metros are also getting more tourist traffic for this reason – think Pushkar or Landour from Delhi, Kabini from Bengaluru, Shillim from Mumbai and Raichak from Kolkata. There’s really no better time to get to know your neighbourhood. —SAUMYAA VOHRA
55
NO.
BREAKING GOOD
IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES (SPORT CLIMBING, VACCINE, CRICKET FEVER)
Breakdance – or breaking – joins skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing as a debutant Olympic sport in Tokyo 2021. Part of the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires in 2018, breaking could become a medal event in Paris 2024 as the International Olympic Committee tries to stay in step with the modern world by making the multi-sport extravaganza more urban, gender balanced and youthful. The sports that are likely to be collateral damage are squash, chess, snooker, baseball and softball – all of which will have to wait longer to get in – and the reduced number of medal categories in weightlifting and boxing. Criticism of the move is obvious: If breaking can be a part of the Olympic movement, why not cha-cha-cha? —ARUN JANARDHAN
56
CRICKET FEVER
3
NO.
MUCH-ANTICIPATED JAB
Never before have so many waited so eagerly to get poked. A few potential heroes can save the world from a pandemic that’s devastated economies and public health systems by developing vaccinations in record time. Under various stages of approval and evolution, developers of these vaccines include, among others, Pfizer, Moderna, University of Oxford-AstraZeneca (to be distributed by the Serum Institute), Bharat Biotech and Russia’s Sputnik V. Even if one can only be cautiously optimistic about their effectiveness and robustly sceptical about their perils, the vaccine will liberate people everywhere, literally, and “normalise” everything that was till February 2020 taken for granted, including travel, going to the cinema and shaking hands. —ARUN JANARDHAN
5 NO.
Indian cricket fans are going to be spoilt for choice this year. While most will be transfixed by the razzledazzle of the T20 World Cup, to be played at home, connoisseurs of the game will be licking their lips at the prospect of a whopping nine Test matches against England. The series kicks off on February 9 in India and lasts an entire month. The action then moves to the bucolic grounds of Britain in August, where a five-Test series will be played, an epic battle between two powerful teams led by Kohli and Root, duking it out for the coveted Pataudi Trophy. —CHE KURRIEN
4 NO.
SERIES KICKS OFF
9
FEB
2021
FAMILY GUY
The Mach-E may not look anything like the Ford Mustang that adorned your bedroom wall, but it is one power-packed, familyfriendly pony. The first ever electric car to bear the Mustang name, Ford’s latest offering, due to arrive in India this year, defies every notion of what a muscle car should be: loud and full of bombast. Instead, it brings a bit of muscle-car glamour to a suburban dad-mobile, thanks to its name. With a claimed range just a few kilometres shy of 500, the Mach-E – a nod to the power-crazed Mach 1 Mustang of the 1970s – can pack anywhere up to 332bhp in standard form. Which means the kids get to be dropped off at school in a silent but ridiculously quick ‘Stang. —PARTH CHARAN
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6 Till the pandemic struck, the pointy end of the plane made international carriers most of their profit. With deep uncertainty around the future of business travel, the aviation industry has been forced to fundamentally rethink their strategies. As a result, the days of the super jumbo jet seem to be numbered, making way for smaller, more fuel-efficient aircraft, like the Airbus A320neo family and the A350 for long-haul flights. Expect airlines to increasingly pivot towards leisure travellers, who can expect an enhanced experience for a reasonable increase in price. Japan Air’s new low-cost carrier ZIPAIR has introduced a lie-flat seat on its Tokyo-Seoul route, whose fare includes just the basic seat, and nothing else. Seating assignments, carry-on bags and meals will all need to be selected and paid for separately. Welcome to the future of flying. —CHE KURRIEN
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LET THE GAMES BEGIN
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Sony is yet to announce a release date for the new Playstation 5 in India, but that hasn’t stopped console loyalists from reserving a spot for it on their TV cabinets. The PS5 ushers in the next phase in gaming. Not only is it the largest console in gaming history, it packs the sort of hardware that allows for a higher refresh rate – making games smoother – significantly higher loading speeds and a more streamlined interface. In fact, it’s such an advanced slice of the future, it’ll take a couple of years for the gaming industry to be able to make it break a sweat.
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With a standard disc-based version and a cheaper digital version, the PS5 is the most pixel-heavy form of escapism in the modern age. Top tip: You’ll want to invest in a 4K television before you consider buying the PS5. —PARTH CHARAN
FANTASY ISLAND
If there’s one place where you can forget the pandemic ever happened, it’s Dubai. True to form, the Emirate is raring to go with an action-packed calendar, starting with the Dubai Shopping Festival in January and the Dubai Food Festival in February, which will see the launch of new restaurants such as Brasserie Boulud, Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud’s first restaurant in the region. Art Dubai kicks off in March, though we’d recommend a visit to Alserkal Avenue or the Jameel Arts Centre at any time of the year. Pencil in a trip to the Theatre of Digital Art, which offers 1,000sqm of large HD screen projection all over the walls and ceiling for a truly immersive art experience. Monet’s lilies and Van Gogh’s swirling cypresses were never so captivating. After a breather for Ramadan, expect a string of high profile openings, including the Shaun-Killa designed Museum of the Future and the Dubai Eye. The more adventurous should take a 90-minute drive to Hatta, near the majestic Hajar mountains, where you can spend the night under the stars at the Hatta Sedr Trailers, the region’s first-ever trailer hotel. Sometimes all it takes is a short three-hour flight to take a break from reality. —SHIKHA SETHI
IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK (ZIPAIR), GETTY IMAGES (FOOTBALL)
REINVENTING FLYING
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FOOTFALL FOR FOOTBALL
The postponed European Championships – 24 teams playing across 12 cities – will be held from June 11 to July 11 this year. But, amid doubts of whether the event will go ahead at all, or will have reduced numbers of cities and competitors, the challenge for the governing body, UEFA, is how to hold a major football championship with fans. International club football resumed in the middle of last year in empty stadiums, but as vaccines become more accessible and fatigue replaces pandemic paranoia, football fans are straining at the leash to squeeze into a playing arena. Besides, this could be the last Euro for Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, an opportunity for Kylian Mbappé to seal another major title for France, and for England to prove that the World Cup semi-final in 2018 was not a fluke. —ARUN JANARDHAN
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
JUNE 11 TO JULY 11
2021
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EATING OUT IN A SOCIALLY DISTANT ERA Many diners are still wary of stepping out, which means delivery will remain a favoured go-to. Crosskitchen pop-ups, which started towards the fall – like Mumbai chef Amninder Sandhu’s Dinner Box (a curated menu launched for Delhi), or Masque & Friends (a collab between chefs Prateek Sadhu, Alex Sanchez, Shahzad Hussain and Gresham Fernandes) – will keep going strong. For diners returning to eating out, new restaurants will tailor their vibes to a post-pandemic world, working with “community isolation” in mind. Some existing restaurants like Social have created new outlets with cordoned-off booths to ensure social distancing. There are also some exciting new launches to look forward to, like the open-air dinner service at Tamil Table in Assagao, Goa, or the Latin Asian Tori in Mumbai. —SAUMYAA VOHRA 60
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GETTING FIT REMOTELY
As gyms closed and stepping out became perilous early last year, many took to exercising vigorously at home – partly driven by boredom. The trend continues, with more remote health and fitness options opening up. Recently launched home gym brand, The Cube, has combined an entire equipment set with an online community, nutritional plans and the works – in an aesthetic box. Bengalurubased digital fitness start-up Tread raised a million dollars within three months of its inception in July, while platforms such as Healthify, Cure.fit and Fitbee strengthened their online expertise. Nutrition, as a tool to build immunity against the deadly virus, cashed in with companies like Fast&Up, Oziva and dieticians weighing in. The year 2020 ensured that you’re no longer stretching at home only to reach for the remote. —ARUN JANARDHAN
IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK (SMARTER HOMES)
SMARTER HOMES
THE CLIMATARIAN DIET
12 NO.
Simply put, it’s a diet focussed on reducing your carbon footprint by making choices that favour consciously made food and beverages. As people become more aware of what they’re putting into their body, the parallel impact of how that produce impacts the earth has come to light. Climatarism has a sharp focus on going local, zero-waste and organic foods that are land-efficient as well. Backstory and production process count for more than ever before, and how consciously brands make their F&B products matters. The specialty coffee space is already two steps ahead, with several well-known brands qualifying as “fourth wave” brands – Araku Coffee, Halli Berri, Black Baza Coffee, Seven Beans Coffee Company and Maverick & Farmer, among others. And, in case you needed more convincing: Various food and snack brands like Paul & Mike chocolates, The Butternut Co. nut butter, Raw Essentials and Conscious Foods are proof that sustainable food tastes fantastic, making this a double win. —SAUMYAA VOHRA
If you thought automated homes are a thing of the future, think again. The IoT wave is very real and very affordable, with the world’s biggest brands introducing a league of smart products that can be controlled by voice or an AI assistant. From smart plugs to electric toothbrushes, smart bulbs to security cameras, lamps to vacuum cleaners – there’s either an affordable appliance (from brands like Realme and Xiaomi) already in the market, or it’s coming soon. A sign of where things are headed is the spotlight on the smart home speaker last year – which would hold pride of place in this ecosystem as the central hub connecting all these functions. The tech is out there; you may want to up your password game to keep the hackers at bay. —NIDHI GUPTA
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WFH (WORK FROM HOLIDAY) AND SPARTAN TRAVEL
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ART ATTACK
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2020 provided an unexpected fillip to the arts ecosystem as new online platforms sprung up, such as In Touch, a collective of legacy Indian and Dubai-based art galleries, including Experimenter, Chatterjee & Lal, Gallery Chemould, GALLERYSKE and Gallery Isabelle van den Eynde that hosts curated digital exhibitions every couple of months. The Art Platform India employs a similar format with 14 other galleries on board, including Apparao Galleries, Akar Prakar and Emami Art. There’s been a spurt of newer collectors, who’ve used the lockdown to make “fiscally prudent” investments in art, thanks to the rise in disposable income (in the absence of spending on foreign holidays or dining out, for example), and the desire to upgrade one’s home, says FAQ Art Co-founder Keshav Mahendru.The new year will likely see a hybrid of physical and virtual models. Art Basel will be back as an on-ground extravaganza (HK, May 21-23; Basel, June 17; Miami Beach, December 2-5), but complemented by Online Viewing Rooms. If the situation continues to improve, expect physical editions of the Venice Architecture Biennale (opens on May 22), the Kochi Biennale (opens on November 1; the Student’s Biennale will launch in February online), and the Chennai Photo Biennale (opens December). The Himeji-based Glenbarra Art Museum will cap off the year with an exhibition of abstract artist Nasreen Mohamedi’s works that will travel to her hometown of Baroda (October), before moving to Goa (December), Delhi (Jan-Feb 2022) and Mumbai (March 2022). —SHIKHA SETHI 62
Holidays come in more hues in the new normal, and two of the primary colours are long working getaways and digital-detox vacations. The “work from holiday” – relocating to a nicer setting for a month or three – has become increasingly popular, with many companies working remotely. As WFH policies continue into the year, people will choose to work out of a picturesque Airbnb or rental home until a return to reality is imminent. For those who can only swing a week away at best, the tenor of travel changes to cut out (virtual) connections altogether. It involves a full-fledged digital disconnect and rendering you unreachable. Properties like The Machan in Lonavala (pictured), with its isolated, forest-view treehouses, or The Oberoi Vanyavilas, are perfect for this sort of idyllic, quiet retreat. —SAUMYAA VOHRA
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DRESS DOWN TO DRESS UP
It’s official: the only #BigFitOfTheDay that you need is, well, big fits. Invest in extra widelegged trousers, drawstring tracksuits, cotton tunics and flowy kaftans. Take a cue from Jacquemus Spring/Summer 2021 where the models paraded in button-down shirts, oversized chambray pants worn with slippers, proving that you can look both louche and polished. After all those years of adhering to the rules of traditional workwear, it’s time to breathe a little. Admit it, you’ve always wanted to show up to a work meeting in a stylish onesie. Well, now, you can. —RAHUL VIHAY
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IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES (FLEXITARIANISM)
FLEXITARIANISM IS THE NEW VEGANISM
Simply getting through the pandemic was energy-sapping enough that people (finally) took some pressure off themselves, easing up on trying to function at 100 per cent capacity. Part of that reflected in diets and eating habits, like flexitarianism – or, colloquially, “soft veganism”. A midway point between the hard lines of a vegan diet and a meat-eating one, flexitarianism encourages sticking to a plant-based diet while eating meat in moderation. Methods vary, but approaches like Meatless Mondays (which can grow to more days during the week), going vegan for a month to acclimatise (like The Veganuary Pledge) can help to ease you in. Products like Wakao Foods (jackfruit meat), Blue Tribe Foods (plant-based chicken nuggets), Goodmylk (plant-based milks and curds) and WhiteCub (vegan ice cream) can also help transition out some dairy and meat staples. —SAUMYAA VOHRA
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18 NO.
THE NEW WAVE
With runway shows and fashion weeks being cancelled across the globe, the pandemic forced designers to get creative with their presentations – and they didn’t disappoint. JW Anderson at Loewe conceived of a beautifully presented “show in a box” for his Spring 2021 collection, shipping guests a box comprising paper block lookbooks with accompanying swatches, the show’s soundtrack and a cardboard pop-up of an imaginary set. Guests of Alessandro Michele at Gucci were given backstage access to a live-streamed fashion show. At Dior Men, Kim Jones streamed the brand’s first ever virtual show – his Pre-Fall 21 collection – on Twitch. Then, just last month, Georgian designer Demna Gvasalia at Balenciaga went one step further and launched its own video game set in 2031, called Afterworld: The Age Of Tomorrow, to showcase its Fall 2021 collection. Designers are likely to embrace tech to surprise and delight audiences, but there is a feeling among insiders that despite all the novelty and innovation, video fashion presentations can’t replicate the magic and buzz of live shows. Fingers crossed, that by the end of 2021, we’ll be back to experiencing fashion shows the way we’re supposed to. —RAHUL VIJAY
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19 THE COMING OF AGE OF COMIC BOOKS
Ambitious new books keep pushing comic books into the realms of serious literature and journalism. Nick Drnaso’s Sabrina was nominated for the Booker, Jake Halpern and Michael Sloan’s Welcome To The New World won the Pulitzer, and Matthew Dooley’s Flake won the Wodehouse Prize. This year, there’s a lot to look forward to from India, including the republication of Orijit Sen’s landmark River Of Stories – the first-ever Indian graphic novel, out of print for 25 years – as well as Comixense, a comicsbased quarterly magazine for young people spearheaded by Sen, set to launch in April. There is also a graphic journalism project in the works from Amruta Patil. This February will see the launch of Amitav Ghosh’s Jungle-nama, with gorgeous illustrations by the artist Salman Toor. A verse adaptation of a folk tale from the Sundarbans, Junglenama will also be published as a graphic novel later in the year. —VIVEK MENEZES
IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK (CLEAR SKIES)
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THE RISE OF THE BOTTLED COCKTAIL
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CHICAGO SAN FRANCISCO HYDERABAD
BENGALURU
The cocktail-in-a-bottle has been a global trend for a few years, with brands like Buveur, Crafthouse, Courage+Stone doing premixed martinis, margaritas and negronis. In India, however, it began in earnest at the end of 2020 with the Bombay Canteen x Stranger & Sons collab: the Perry Road Peru – guava and gin, just add tonic. Grover Zampa Vineyards launched the country’s first ever bottled mulled wine, the One Tree Hill Mulled Wine Kadha, with a mix of spices used in a traditional kadha as well as the more classic star anise, orange peel and cloves. India also just got its first spiked seltzer, Bro Seltzer. The stage has been set, so you can host and mix at home with the confidence of a veteran bartender. —SAUMYAA VOHRA
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CLEAR SKIES
The pandemic, which brought the aviation industry to its knees, hasn’t deterred Air India from its ambitious plans. The beleaguered national carrier, which has been up for sale since 2018 and has found no takers (though the Tata Group made a bid for it in December), recently announced its newest route – Hyderabad to Chicago, home to the second largest Indian-origin population in America. The Windy City is the first in North America to be connected to Hyderabad on a direct hop, starting January 9 on a bi-weekly basis. If that wasn’t enough, the Maharaja will also make a splash in San Francisco’s Bay area, with a direct bi-weekly flight from Bengaluru, starting January 11. Taking advantage of the Air Bubble agreement signed between the two countries, this new route will involve 17.5 hours of fuel-burn, making it the airline’s longest route and one of the top five longest routes in the world. With the launch of this flight, AI has skipped ahead of the competition. United and American Airlines have both been planning a Bengaluru-SF and Bengaluru-Seattle flight respectively. After all, India’s Garden City is the second most lucrative market to recruit techies after Delhi in the subcontinent. So, get ready to engage in a geeky chat with the brilliant IT nerd sat next to you. —MIHIR SHAH 65
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QUOD HOMME
22
EKA
LEAP FORWARD
AKAARO
Menswear in India has never been more exciting or more experimental. Recently, three established womenswear brands – QUOD HOMME, Eka and Akaaro – jumped into the fray. “When I started doing womenswear, a lot of men asked if I could make the same for them which prompted me to start my own menswear line. Since the aesthetic of my brand leans towards gender-neutral silhouettes and androgyny, it was easier for me to do this,” says Ikshit Pande of QUOD HOMME. An extension of its existing womenswear aesthetic, expect upcycled wardrobe staples in organic fabrics from Eka, engineered jacquard bomber jackets from Akaaro and modern streetwear in suiting fabrics from QUOD HOMME. —RAHUL VIJAY
STEP OUT (SAFELY)
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ZERO ABV DRINKS
Drinking without drinking has taken its time to come to India, but the zeroalcohol era has finally dawned upon us. As people take to healthier diets and routines, alcohol starts to seem out of place in the equation, save for a special occasion. Enter the zero ABV drink – which brings the sensory experience of drinking with it, sans the hangover. The last year saw alcohol-free beers like 0.0 Budweiser and Kingfisher Radler come to the fore, and global brands like Patritti and Carl Jung doing non-alcoholic wine. Home-grown brands like Svami are increasing the range of options for non-beer drinkers with specialty variants like Non-Alcoholic Rum and Coke and G&Ts, using some interesting botanicals. Go on, teetotal without the crippling fear of social rejection. —SAUMYAA VOHRA
IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES (FIELD OF STREAMS)
2021 will be a big year for luxury hotels. Raffles introduces its first property in Udaipur, a 101-key resort set on a private island in the middle of Udai Sagar Lake, and Raffles Bahrain, luxury villas in Manama, is also slated for 2021. The Oberoi Marrakech finally opened late last year too, while the Taj opened doors to its latest – the sprawling Taj Chia Kutir Resort & Spa, Darjeeling. The much-awaited launch of Aman New York happens this spring, featuring a three-storey Aman Spa, the brand’s new flagship wellness centre, as well as the very first urban Aman Residences worldwide. It’s a year of ribboncuttings for Nobu Hotels, which launch in Atlanta, São Paulo and Toronto this year. Whether you’re staying in India or heading out, there’s no dearth of fabulous new places to stay at. —SAUMYAA VOHRA
FIELD OF STREAMS
It’s been a long time coming, but the events of 2020 have cemented the place of e-sports in our daily roster of entertainment. With the biggest brands investing serious money in regional, national and global level competitions for the world’s most popular video games – be it console games like CS:GO and World Of War, or mobile games like Ludo, Poker or even PUBG – it’s never been more lucrative to become an e-sports athlete. The ongoing PUBG Mobile Global Championship, for example, has a mammoth prize pool of $2 million. What’s more, platforms like Twitch have elevated gaming’s cool quotient by adding live concerts and other forms of entertainment to the mix (and by the likes of T-Pain, 21 Savage, Logic, no less). Which is all to say: E-sports is now a legit spectator sport. Welcome to the arcade. —NIDHI GUPTA
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AGENT OF CHANGE
PRESTIGIOUS
LVMH
AWARD WINNER
London-based menswear designer Priya Ahluwalia is on a roll: In 2020, she was one of eight winners of the prestigious LVMH Award, a star of GucciFest with her debut feature Joy, as well as of London Fashion Week, where she presented her widely acclaimed collection Liberation. She also self-published Jalebi, a visually stunning book that documents the Punjabi diaspora in West London. Ahluwalia champions sustainability by transforming vintage and deadstock material through a unique design process that involves beading and dyeing – a nod to her Nigerian-Indian roots – making her a vital creative voice in a world of conscious consumerism. 2021 is here, and we can’t wait to see what the Ahluwalia juggernaut has in store. —RAHUL VIJAY 67
WATCH WORLD
Let’s be honest – none of us could’ve stayed sane through a shelter-at-home mandated 2020 without our OTT platforms beaming in entertainment from the farthest corners of the world. 2021, hopefully, brings with it a return to theatres, but also a host of new content to consume on our private screens. Apart from new episodes of Indian hits like Made In Heaven, Mirzapur and Delhi Crime, keep an eye out for international series like the Himesh Patel-starrer Station Eleven, Showtime’s Ripley led by Andrew “Hot Priest” Scott, Amazon’s much-hyped and very expensive Lord Of The Rings series – all of which are likely to be hot topics of discussion for varying reasons. Going to the theatre may feel a bit daunting for a while, but we may take the risk when Tom Cruise is feeling the need for speed in Top Gun: Maverick, or there’s a rare sighting of Aamir Khan, in Laal Singh Chaddha, or to see just how perfectly Ranveer Singh plays Kapil Dev in ’83. Don’t forget the masks or the popcorn. —NIDHI GUPTA
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A MARVEL-OUS YEAR AHEAD
27 NO.
29 NO.
2020 was a red-letter year for many local booze brands. While a couple of whisky and vodka launches like Amrut’s Triparva and Smoke Vodka dotted the landscape, a slew of Indian-made beers and gins really got our attention. Beer and ale brands like Maka Di (Goa), Geist (Bengaluru), Briggs Brewery (Bengaluru) and Brewolf Craft Beer (Mumbai) were born (or began retailing their beer-on-tap), amidst the lockdown. Gin won the day, though, with the launch of the Himalyan-origin Terai, craft hemp Gin Gin and small-batch Goan gins like Tickle, Pumori and Jin JiJi. More cool brands continue to develop, making 2021 a year of local discovery for any spirit savant worth their salt. —SAUMYAA VOHRA 68
PHOTO: BIKRAMJIT BOSE (JIM)
THE HOME-GROWN SPIRIT
What’s a year without some superhero action on the screen? Marvel is raring to make up for its absence in 2020 by doubling down on releases this year. Phase 4 kicks off a tad belatedly this month with WandaVision, the Disney+ series that takes you into Scarlet Witch’s life and times after Vision’s no longer around. The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, Loki, Hawkeye, and an animated series called What If..? will follow, all arriving on the streaming platform through the year. Meanwhile, the Scarlett Johansson-led Black Widow will arrive in theatres a year after it was set to release; Eternals will then hopefully take its place in theatres in February; followed by Shang-Chi And The Legend Of Ten Rings (with a predominantly Asian cast). And with new movies in the works for Thor, Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel, Black Panther and even a Fantastic Four reboot – it’s going to be a long run. —NIDHI GUPTA
GLOW UP
#Makeuphasnogender. Social media influencers such as Abhinav Mathur and Ankush Bahuguna are ushering in a new dawn in men’s beauty with quick videos on easy fixes to dark circles, blemishes and correcting uneven eyebrows with the help of beauty products. While international brands like Gucci and Tom Ford (we love their under-eye concealer) are yet to bring their men’s makeup ranges to Indian shores, San Francisco-based Benefit Cosmetics is doing brisk business with its eyebrow range for men (including tweezers, eyebrow pens, brushes and setting gels). The continued dominance of Zoom calls also means that we’ll care more about how we look on a screen than what we’re wearing. —SELMAN FAZIL
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Rahul Bose’s visit to the Maldives and its ethereal waters is a reminder of what’s beautiful in the world during these grim times
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t was a cool, bracing evening. Tables had been placed on the beach. Paper lanterns swayed gently over linened shoulders. The seafood was fresh, the conversation stimulating. Rillwan, our waiter, interrupted with a murmur of apology. He took a bottle of sparkling water and placed it in front of the candle on the table, remembering from the previous night that I dislike the light from a naked flame. There are many obvious charms to the Maldives – some of the best diving in the world, the clarity of the sea, the quality
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IMAGE: SONEVA FUSHI (AERIAL VIEW, FOOD), COURTESY RAHUL BOSE (RAHUL BOSE, POOL)
of its cuisine, the aesthetics of its resorts. But it is the hidden lures of the place that make me return there time after time. First up, let’s be clear: Unless you are sailing around the archipelago with your boat as your home, your Maldivian experience rests solely on the resort you are in. The dive centre, the food, the service, your villa – all of it relies on your resort. There is no “nonresort” Maldivian essence. (Unless you choose to shack up in a flat in Male, which would make you a very curious species indeed.) But, above all else, it is the Maldivian ocean that stays with you long after you’ve left. Nine shades of blue (a friend who is an artist named them for me one morning), water so clear I looked into the deceptively dangerous mouth of a manta ray and swear I saw its tonsils. An ocean that always seems to be the right temperature: Cool at noon, perfect at sunset and warm as you refresh yourself with a late night swim to wash away the excesses of the evening. And, its people. Depending where you source your history, this is a centuries-old culture with a gentleness, civility and conservatism unique in itself. The Maldivians are unfailingly courteous, serene of spirit with the unhurried pace that characterises islanders everywhere. The hospitality culture of each resort definitely contributes to the staff’s deportment, but you sense the essence of the Maldivian character much like you sense the essence of the Goan character no matter where you stay in the state. Still, in these times, the question that never leaves you is: Will your holiday be just superficially enjoyable with the dark monster of the pandemic threatening to overturn everything like the “undertow” in John Irving’s A Prayer For Owen Meany, or will it live and breathe with the ease and carelessness that a week in an idyllic island resort (I stayed at Soneva Fushi) should suffuse? The short, happy answer is – a bit of the former, but delightfully still, most of the latter. I tested, like all tourists to the Maldives have to, a couple of days before my departure. As soon as
The delightful cuisine at Soneva Fushi (Opposite) Rahul Bose after a diving session in the clear Maldivian waters
you reach the resort, the management politely and with great warmth request you to take another test after which you are asked to spend that day and night quarantining in your villa and enjoy its delights – swimming pool, sunset deck, online streaming on the television, room service – but are welcome to swim in the sea that every villa leads down to. On day three of my five-day trip, I was required to be tested again so that there are no problems with Indian immigration. And finally, I chose to test as soon as I reached home in Mumbai along with the mandatory home quarantine. So that’s four tests in nine days. But the great thing is that since everybody on the resort island is tested, masks are unnecessary and it turns into exactly the kind of holiday you spent in prepandemic times. Without a doubt, that was the most precious element of the trip. We have lived in dread, uncertainty, gloom, worry and a continuing unquiet depression these last nine months and have forgotten what it means to hug people unthinkingly, share food during a meal, have an animated conversation on a long car journey without inhibition. The spectre of the pandemic runs like a continuous malevolent river under our quotidian existence, a remorseless evil, like all successful evils, silent and difficult to pin down. To spend five days and nights without that fear was like breathing free. Running free. Laughing free. How little we treasured these pleasures. How much we yearn for them every day. Diving, dining, just cycling around the island, birdsong, wind and sunlight on your face. Can these pleasures ever be taken for granted again? Yes, they can and they will. When, only time and the world’s coordinated efforts to beat the virus will tell. But till then, thank you, Maldives, its people and the resort for letting me breathe. As I exhaled deep, true gratitude, Rillwan came back and asked what we would like for dessert. I answered: Thank you, but I don’t want anything more.
NO Rajkummar Rao delivered two superlative back-to-back performances last year – as a diffident school PE teacher in Hansal Mehta’s Chhalaang and an endearing small-town lover in Ludo, reminding us that few actors can do what he does. Arun Janardhan spoke to the versatile actor who stars in this month’s much anticipated Netflix release The White Tiger, about his craft and what’s next for him
FILTER P H O T O G R A P HE D B Y THE HOUSE OF PI X EL S
S T Y L E D B Y A NISH A JA IN
SUIT, SHIRT; BOTH BY AMIT AGGARWAL. COAT BY ANUJ MADAAN 73
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W When he walked, rather danced, on to the sets of the Netflix film Ludo for the first time, Rajkummar Rao carried a boom box playing music from Mithun Chakraborty’s films. His character Aaloo, a restaurateur, is a fan of the actor, to such an extent that when Aaloo reels off the menu to customers, he does so in rapid speed, thrusting and twisting his pelvis in a mock dance reminiscent of the Disco Dancer star. When Rao’s mother passed away while he was shooting in Chhattisgarh for the 2017 film Newton, the actor had to leave the set to attend to her last rites. Even as the producers contemplated a break in shoot schedule, Rao was back on the job two days later, leaving the crew in awe. While shooting a sequence in the 2013 release Shahid, where his character is tortured in a police station, Rao took off all his clothes because he felt wearing trousers would mess up the scene. He wanted to be left alone for some time, didn’t say anything when the crew came back into the room, and just nodded to indicate he was ready. As the cameras rolled, he started crying. Even after director Hansal Mehta called “cut” and the scene was done, Rao kept crying for three hours. Anecdotes, news reports and conversations about Rao reveal stories of professionalism, discipline, a dedication to his craft and an absence of self-obsession. “He has no airs about wanting to look good,” says Raj Nidimoru, who co-wrote and co-produced the 2018 film Stree. Amit Masurkar, who directed Newton, India’s entry to the Academy Awards that year, says, “A lot of actors prefer [to be shot at] certain angles, they have notions about themselves… You can put him in any clothes, with no make-up, and he will do what it takes.” It’s only been a decade since Rao made his debut in Dibakar Banerjee’s LSD: Love, Sex Aur Dhokha, but it’s been a layered career, filled with nuanced
performances and a professionalism that is repeatedly recounted. He has played a range of characters, adapting to them with a skill and discipline that his directors find admirable. Whether it was losing weight for Trapped (2016) or gaining it for Bose: Dead/Alive (2017), accruing an accent for Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017), or curling his hair for Newton, the 36-year-old with a National Award (for Shahid) is not someone who just shows up for the shoot having memorised his lines. “I don’t live in a bubble,” Rao says over a Zoom call. “I have to recreate realities on-screen. If I don’t know [regular] people, how do I portray them? I talk to everyone – doctors, someone giving me a boarding pass, autorickshaw drivers… It’s important to know everybody’s journey.” Dressed in a fitted, sleeveless hoodie, his arms bulging in true Bollywood leading man style, Rao’s prep for his next role made it to the newspapers because it’s the kind of stuff publicists and daily rags love – an actor “hitting the gym” to bulk up. His topless pictures holding dumb-bells dominate online searches for his name currently, but bring him the kind of attention he does not crave. The added muscle, he quickly clarifies, is for Badhaai Do. Unlike the way he delivers dialogues on-screen, he speaks slowly, clearly, correctly – Rao has seldom said or done anything controversial. Only people who know him well and he trusts are privy to his lighter side. The most difficult aspect of being an actor, Rao says, is the “hoopla around the kind of person you are when you are not on-screen. I don’t want to get ready for my airport look. I am an actor for myself, because I love it, not for any other reason. I didn’t come to the city for fame, I didn’t want people to scream out my name on the streets...” Attention, he accepts, is a by-product of his profession. If his face is going to be plastered on billboards, he can’t resent being stopped for a selfie. Rao always wanted to be an actor, from the time he can remember, growing up in Gurugram, because he believed in the stories and characters he saw on-screen. The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) opened up a new horizon as he became familiar with world cinema, with the works of Daniel Day-Lewis and Philip Seymour Hoffman. 75
“I DON’T WANT TO GET READY FOR MY AIRPORT LOOK... I’M AN ACTOR FOR MYSELF, BECAUSE I LOVE IT... I DIDN’T COME TO MUMBAI FOR FAME, I DIDN’T WANT PEOPLE TO SCREAM OUT MY NAME ON THE STREETS...” “Now, if a character demands you bulk up, that does not mean I am into bodybuilding or in a sports competition. I am just being as sincere to my character as I can be,” says Rao, who spent a part of the lockdown last year attending online acting and screenwriting workshops, and watching content such as the miniseries I Know This Much Is True and Don’t Fuck With Cats: Hunting An Internet Killer. Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, who directed him in Bareilly Ki Barfi, remembers how Rao was unconvinced about his performance in a scene because he felt the colour of his T-shirt was somehow holding him back. “He was not feeling wacky enough at that time to emote that scene,” she says. “His character, from being submissive, transforms into [being] more hero-like by the interval. He does that diligently. For me, the transformation was not becoming a hero with bulk; it was a transformation of inner psyche that shows outside.”
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ao first came to Mumbai, the city of celluloid dreams, in the early 2000s to audition for the TV dance show Boogie Woogie. He used the opportunity to also wait outside Mannat for a glimpse of Shah Rukh Khan or near Amitabh Bachchan’s home in Juhu. It was perhaps for the better that the dance show didn’t work out. He got noticed in his first film itself, LSD in 2010, before Shahid allowed him a career-defining performance. In subsequent movies like Kai Po Che, Citylights and Trapped, among others, he made a mark, whether in an ensemble cast or as the only character in the story. Dramatic roles soon evolved to different shades, like comedy, which he is currently revelling in. One of his forthcoming projects is a remake of Chupke Chupke, where he reprises the character of Pyaremohan played originally by Dharmendra.
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“If you’re doing something to make someone laugh, that’s tricky,” Rao says, referring to Ludo. “You have to enjoy what you are doing. The monologue in the film where Aaloo says he was a Bachchan fan but became a Mithun fan for her… That was an emotional scene for me but I saw people laughing.” Conversations with people familiar with his work often veer towards his passion for his craft. FTII classmates remember how he would attend parties and disappear early, so he could get up in the morning to exercise. Till recently, Rao neither drank nor smoked, yet, he does that with conviction on-screen, like staggering a wee bit in a drunken scene from his next release, The White Tiger. “I know a lot of people who drink and I have observed them, I have attended parties,” he says. “I like observing people, how their body reacts when they are drunk. Observation helps with those scenes.” “He’s not really aiming for effect,” adds Masurkar. “When someone does that, the simplicity tends to surprise you. For example, he came up with a twitch in his eye [for Newton]. I was OK with it, as long as he could control it. He would remember that in every take. He has amazing physical memory and body intelligence.” “His fundamentals are super strong,” says Nidimoru. “If I ask him to metre it differently, he knows how to deliver. If you can get improvisations, that’s a bonus. I get all of that from him. You can put him in any role and he’ll rise to it.” Rao says one has to understand performances, know one’s own truth. “There are films I know I was horrible [in],” he says. “If someone tells me I was good, I know in my heart that it was pure shit. Then you give your heart and soul, like for Shahid and Trapped, and you feel satisfied. If it does not work, it’s not your fault.” He won’t reveal his weaknesses as an actor, saying he’s working on them. Often, he has struggled with accents, like putting on a British-Asian one for Omerta (2017), or an American one for The White Tiger, which drops on January 22 on Netflix. “It’s tough [learning a
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foreign accent]. I thought it would be easy… Since I’ve done various Indian accents.” He wants to work internationally, and is hoping TWT will allow him that opportunity. Masurkar believes Rao has an action film in him, given his reasonable martial arts skills. He already has a head start to contemporaries like Jaideep Ahlawat (Paatal Lok) and Pratik Gandhi (Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story), and the lockdown reminded him how much he missed being on a movie set. He got some quality time with girlfriend Patralekha, furry housemate Gaga and spent “six months writing six pages” of a story he is excited about, but is now trying to outsource. 78
At the beginning of his career, he changed his screen name a few times, starting with Yadav, then dropping the last name totally, then adding Rao. But now, perhaps, he feels more settled in his career, the kind of roles he attracts, the niche he has carved for himself. The “front bencher”, as Iyer Tiwari calls him, believes he’s one of the fortunate ones from the many who come to Mumbai chasing the same dream. “To live that dream and do what I love most in this life, I feel overwhelmed. It’s wonderful to go beyond your text [in a film], explore and search for something that’s not there.”
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H E AV Y M E T T L E
Hublot’s Big Bang ditches rubber straps in favour of an integrated bracelet – a sign of changing times
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WORDS: PARTH CHARAN
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ntegrated bracelets are clearly in vogue, with pretty much every card carrying member of the Swiss luxury watch club keeping one loaded in the chamber, ready for deployment, should the need arise. Not exactly a novelty in our times then, we’ll all agree. But when Hublot joins the bandwagon with the very uber-athletic Big Bang series, ditching the rubber strap after 15 years, it’s time to sit up and take notice. Ever since its launch in 2005, the Big Bang series has played a pivotal role in establishing Hublot as a maker of robust and flamboyant watches that could be spotted from a mile away. And that makes the watches perfectly suited to being accompanied by some more metal. In a way, the Big Bang could have very easily been an all-metal watch, given how well the new three-link design of the bracelets complement the overall design. But it was its juxtaposition of a sporty rubber strap against a large, ornate watch that made it such a curious item. Which is why Hublot has released the latest addition to the Big Bang Integral collection in three different materials – a comparatively pedestrian titanium version in grey, a King Gold version and one in all-black ceramic. The absence of a stainless steel version is noteworthy, proving that Hublot, as usual, wants to keep things highly exclusive. It’s also proof that the brand isn’t afraid to defy convention every now and then, even while conforming to the stylistic norms of our times, by producing such a collection. If you think the bracelet is the only thing that’s different about the new watches, look again, and you’ll find that the case has also been redesigned. The Arabic numerals have been replaced with bold and luminescent indices, and the pushers on the case now resemble the ones on the original model from 2005. Its in-house manufactured UNICO movement comes with a column-wheel chronograph function (a notched rotating wheel placed inside the movement that allows the chronograph hands to return to their original position), a flyback function and a three-day power reserve. Each of the three editions, despite having the same shaped bracelet and chamfered case, have very different personalities. The King Gold version will quite likely find many takers, not just in the Middle East but in India as well, despite its `52.7 lakh price tag (plus taxes). It’s opulent but not ostentatious, thanks to the heavy use of copper along with the platinum. This results in a red tinge that helps it appear understated when compared to its yellow gold counterparts. The titanium version is the least expensive one (`15.42 lakh, plus taxes), and heroically allows the openwork movement display to take centre stage. The ceramic version is the lightest and toughest one of the lot, lending itself to athletic pursuits a lot better than its metallic counterparts. Hublot has ensured that the bridges of the openwork dials on the
Ever since its launch in 2005, the Big Bang series has played a pivotal role in establishing Hublot as a maker of robust and flamboyant watches that could be spotted from a mile away titanium and ceramic versions match the colour of the case. It should also be noted that while the black ceramic version isn’t the most expensive one (`17 lakh, plus taxes), it is the only one whose production is limited to 500 units, making it the one to look out for at future auctions. At 42mm, the Big Bang Integral watches aren’t the biggest integrated pieces out there – an attribute which only broadens their appeal. However, with a thickness of 13.4mm, they certainly aren’t shrinking violets. They sit on the wrist as almost all Hublots do – loud and full of bombast. The collection manages to mix intricacy with ruggedness, sophistication with strength, and that ultimately is what sets it apart, not its choice of materials. Even though there are many iterations of the Big Bang that we’re yet to see, the collection does, for the moment, feel complete.
The borders of the indices match the colour of the case JANUARY 2021
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Brendan Fernandesʼ VERY BiG YEAR
Mog Asundi is an essential Konkani catchphrase, which literally means “let there be love”. While most often shared to bid farewell, it’s also an illuminating encapsulation of the profoundly peaceable and inclusive world view of Goa. The late laureate Bakibab Borkar poetically described it as “the universality of the spirit of the Goan artist”, whose “genius branches off in all directions, even when he is flung in distant climes. No aesthetic influence, no matter from which corner of the world it might come, is unacceptable to him as long as it is prone to blend with his basic texture.” The great littérateur died in 1984, when Brendan Fernandes was just five years old and still living in Nairobi as the youngest member of the fifth generation of his family in the diaspora in Kenya. But there’s no doubt Borkar would have delighted in just how true his words have proven across the oceans and eras, and writ
IMAGE: NATHAN KEAY
Few artists on the global scene are as multi-talented and inventive as the Goan-Canadian Brendan Fernandes. The 40-year-old rising star, who works at the intersection of dance and the visual arts, had a spectacular 2019, including a headline slot at the prestigious Whitney Biennale. Last year, he debuted a witty online work that riffs on our current Zoom-dominated reality. Vivek Menezes tells you why this creative powerhouse should be firmly on your radar
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anew in his fellow Goan’s stunning, kaleidoscopic career that is largely unrivalled in the history of South Asian art. This is the story of the greatest artist of Indian origin that you’ve never heard of, and the golden year that catapulted him to global acclaim. We must begin in early 2019, back when blithely meeting, greeting and rubbing shoulders was still the way of life. At that time, in an uncanny preview of our pandemic predicament, the distance between Chicago and Goa compelled me to converse with Fernandes – we had never met – only via video chat. It was always very early for him, and generally past my bedtime, but we had an unprecedented project to plot: his debut in his ancestral homeland (there had only been one brief visit to India before) as part of Mundo Goa, my curated section of the 2019 Serendipity Arts Festival. I had been following Fernandes closely after he first showed up on the radar in the landmark 2009 Yale School of Art exhibition Shifting Shapes – Unstable Signs, alongside Gauri Gill, Shilpa Gupta and Ram Rahman, who were already some of my favourites. The acutely perceptive New York Times critic Holland Cotter singled out Fernandes, Riyas Komu and Abir Karmakar, saying he was “grateful for the introduction.” I was too, and have watched delightedly ever since, as the Goan-Canadian artist shot ever-upwards. 84
When Fernandes and I connected online for the first time in the springtime of 2019, the conversations blurred excitedly far beyond any predictable time limits. We pored over cultural history and the up-to-date, and an infinite variety of details about the physical setting of Panjim as well as its socio-political landscape. He probed about food, fashion, architecture, religion, caste, language, colour palettes and taste palates. Then, like a laser, in an extraordinary feat of imagination that I still don’t entirely fathom, he zeroed in on Mog Asundi. We decided to call his project Let There Be Love, and Fernandes began bookending it with disparate ideas that he intended to dovetail: performance, protest, teamwork, shared spaces and safe spaces, generosity and identity. Exhilarating, but also bewildering. I couldn’t precisely figure out what any of this was doing together, or what it would finally look like. In due course, I was to learn this kind of dizzying shape-shifting is de rigueur for Fernandes, his personal brand. Museums and
Fernandes has a stunning, kaleidoscopic career that is largely unrivalled in the history oF south asian art
IMAGE: COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND MONIQUE MELOCHE GALLERY, CHICAGO (LOST BODIES, AS ONE)
From Lost Bodies, 2016, for the Textile Museum of Canada
A still from As One (2015); posters that were a part of Fernandes’ Mog Asundi work at the Serendipity Arts Festival (SAF) in Goa, 2019
galleries hedge desperately, by describing his work as an intersection of dance (he is trained in ballet, though no longer dances himself due to injury) and the visual arts, but there are so many other facets besides. He also makes films, videos, posters, pins, sculptures and installations. He designs fabrics and T-shirts (including an amazing one for Mog Asundi) and also organises parties. This is a serious scholar on the art faculty at Northwestern University, and also an irrepressible dandy, perennially rated amongst Chicago’s bestdressed, and also an important activist with a mature voice on everything from labour rights to LGBTQI+ issues.
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ernandes and I kept talking and emailing, and Mog Asundi started to become real. There were five beautifully designed posters, which evoked the instantly recognisable oyster shell windows of Goa, with each one in a separate pastel colour and bearing our essential catchphrase in a different script: Devanagari, Malayalam, Kannada, Urdu and Roman. This highlighted that Konkani is the only language in the world written every day in five different scripts, but also underlined the basic truth that we are all one. We had T-shirts made with the same motifs, as well as gorgeous sets of ceramic tiles. The posters were plastered all over the city, and also – along with the T-shirts and tiles – given away in sets at the end of scripted dance interventions in the most iconic festival venues along the Mandovi riverfront: the 500-year-old
Palacio Idalcao, the 19th century Goa Medical College heritage precinct, and the children’s park right by the water. Here, Fernandes trained a troupe of 16 young dancers to break into a set of silent movements that appeared to have the aspect of a spontaneous protest, then became a process of expanding, contracting, coming together and moving in unison, which ended with smiles, handshakes, embraces and gifts for everyone watching. I can describe it now, but when this played out in December 2019, it was unclear how things might go. The performances were scheduled in fraught times – our minds were occupied by images of violence against students in Delhi – and even in Goa, the atmosphere was charged with tension. But the young dancers showed us how to share space and make place for each other, with acceptance and accommodation. It was deeply moving and there were many tears. The first time the crowd dissolved into hugs and high-fives, I looked across to Fernandes to tell him that I finally got what he’d been talking about, and saw his own eyes wet with emotion. 85
Fernandes Found himselF most at home in art classes, and went on to study ballet, eventually melding the two into his own expressive language, which includes diFFerent aspects oF his identity: race, gender, activism, Fetish and Fashion 86
IMAGE: COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND MONIQUE MELOCHE GALLERY, CHICAGO. PHOTO: NICHOLAS KNIGHT. ©INFGM / ARS (CONTRACT AND RELEASE), COURTESY OF THE ARTIST, THE GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM, NEW YORK, AND MONIQUE MELOCHE GALLERY, CHICAGO. PHOTO: SCOTT RUDD EVENTS (GUGGENHEIM)
(Top and bottom) From Contract And Release (2019) at the Noguchi Museum
Let There Be Love was the culmination of an incredible year for Fernandes, where he broke decisively into international stardom. Back to back, throughout 2019, he reeled off solo exhibitions in the Guggenheim and Noguchi Museums in New York, the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington DC and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. Best of all, for five months from May to September, his work drew non-stop crowds and raves at the Whitney Biennial, the premier showcase for American arts. Goa was just the cherry on his cake. How did the little boy from Nairobi rise, and rise again to international prominence in the art world? It began with his family’s growing unease with the changing political scenario of 1980s Kenya. Like so many other Indians in a similar situation – the Mississippi Masala generation of displaced East African Asians – the Fernandes clan pulled up stakes and relocated to the suburbs of Toronto. Fernandes found himself most at home in the art classes in his new schools, and then went on to study ballet, eventually melding the two into his own expressive language, which has steadily expanded to include, and prominently showcase, many different aspects of his identity: race, gender, activism, fetish, fashion. In 2019, that intricate mix was most often expressed through dance installations, which consistently struck a powerful nerve. As the critic Helen Georgas pointed out, “the suffering behind the beauty is the artist’s point. Fernandes renders visible the invisible. His work investigates the role of the (queer, non-white) body in contemporary art and forces viewers to pay remarkable, almost voyeuristic, attention to the body. We are so close –
Ballet Kink at the Young Collectors party at the Guggenheim, New York, 2019
every ripple and contraction apparent – that the body is laid bare as a site of power, vulnerability and fetishisation.” I was grateful to have the opportunity to see this for myself in September 2019, when I stopped by in New York City on the way to drop my oldest son off at college and visited one of the last days of the Whitney Biennial. It was a defining and celebratory moment for us – after decades of visiting the great city museums, here was an opportunity to see something by “one of us” – and so we made a small party of Goans, including Dr Helga do Rosario Gomes and Dr Joaquim Gomes, who are among the world’s leading experts on climate change in ocean biology and on the faculty at Columbia University. We wandered through the magnificent Renzo Piano-designed galleries, pausing specifically to take in Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Mark Rothko and Andy Warhol, and then trooped off to see amcho Brendan’s work. Fernandes’ Master And Form unfolded in the most striking room in the building, with a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the iconic High Line elevated urban park. In the middle of the room was what looked like a climbing frame, and there were also some dangling ropes
and wooden hobby-horses. At an unseen cue, a posse of dancers lined their way in and started to stretch and wind themselves in and around the objects. If this sounds boring, you should know that it was not. Our party was riveted. Time seemed to slow down, then stop entirely (the performance wound up taking 40 minutes). At one point, I had to remind myself to start breathing again.
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merica’s critical establishment found itself in much the same situation. The Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Jerry Saltz described his experience vividly: “I thought Brendan Fernandes’ minimalistic black jungle gym with dancers moving about it would be just generic modern dance until two of the dancers locked eyes with me and I was caught in some sort of parasexualized movement enacted on various S&M-like devices.” The New York Times rhapsodised about “the genre-bending and boundary-pushing method” of “the impresario of ballet kink” that “fits a cultural moment”. Its review covered an entire page of the newspaper. 87
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much personal value on my hybridity. I don’t think of myself as static or as one thing, but as many. A many that is complex and complicated and ever changing. My cultural identities are one thing, but I also have subcultural identities, like ballet and punk rock, that have also influenced who I am and how I think socially and politically. As an artist, I travel and live in many places and so my cultural compass has developed from that experience.”
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hose traits are serving him well through the pandemic, which Fernandes is negotiating with considerable aplomb from isolation in Chicago. He has completed an online residency at the University of California at Berkeley, and recently debuted The Left Space, a smashing online dance performance/installation at the Art Gallery of Ontario, which extremely cleverly utilises, riffs off, critiques and celebrates the Zoom calls that we are all being forced to endure, and played out live on November 6, 2020 – just after the recent US presidential elections. Although it was 6.30am IST, I tuned in to watch. There were six blurry figures “on the call” and then dancers in their individual squares came into focus against a shifting graphic backdrop. They moved wordlessly, but in sync with the electronic soundtrack: slow, menacing, intrusive, then looser and more abandoned. There was purposeful fragmentation, and missing participants who reappeared. It captured all the terror, tedium and connected tensions of our current moment like no other artwork I’ve ever seen. I felt certain I was witnessing the first masterpiece of the Covid-19 era. November 7, 2020 was a complicated day for America, because the media called the presidential elections in favour of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, and it looked like the end of four years of Donald Trump. Fernandes joined crowds of people who poured out on the streets in spontaneous joy. His carefully choreographed AGO project had been meant to provoke the question, “If we’ve left something behind, what is it that we are heading for instead?” And now it seemed like there was part of an answer on hand, the glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. “After such a long time, I felt real joy,” said Fernandes a few days later. We were video chatting again – inevitably on Zoom. It was getting very cold in Chicago – he was wearing a dapper woollen beanie that made him look like a
IMAGE: ARUNA D'SOUZA (SERENDIPITY ARTS FESTIVAL)
“It was very emotional for me to attend the Whitney Biennial,” says Tamara Fernandes, one of the artist’s two older sisters. She told me, “Because I’m not part of that world I don’t always find it easy to understand the depth and extent of his accomplishments. But that’s when I knew he had really made it big, and I know that he’s done so with a lot of hard work, persistence, and the support of really good friends. But you know, even if he didn’t shine on the biggest of stages, he would still be a success in my eyes.” Of all the people I have spoken to about Fernandes, it was his wonderfully loyal and protective sisters who gave me the best insights about his rollercoaster ride into the art world. When I asked about their Goan heritage, which has manifold easygoing aspects, but can be straitjacketed about religion and sexuality, his other sister, Lisa-Marie said, “I definitely knew about the Church’s beliefs while growing up, but they didn’t matter to me. My concern was the cruelty of the world, and how it would treat Brendan... What mattered to me was his ability to freely live his life.” Just a little while after Fernandes returned home from Goa, the pandemic erupted across the world to overturn all our lives. A few months ago, I emailed to catch up, and the artist responded in a thoughtful mood, “Most of my work is based on the idea of social solidarity and people gathering together to affect change in the world. Today, gathering as we used to is no longer a safe possibility. I am going to have to rethink the way my work is put together. These are precarious times.” Some time later, he wrote to me more pensively. “If there is anything that’s made my life and career possible, it is the drive to keep going and to continue to grow… Drive and determination are necessary to overcome the fears and uncertainties of beginning an arts career. But resilience is also important, and the ability to not give up in the face of rejections or failures.” Those were the long American summer months of the Black Lives Matter movement, which convulsed cities around the world with explosive protests following the public murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police. Amid the racial polarisation, Fernandes – with characteristically fluid grace – unexpectedly emerged in the Black Futures project, curated by Jenna Wortham and Kimberly Drew to be “an archive of contemporary Black life by Black people and for Black people.” Here too, Fernandes is in the unique category of one: not just the only Indian, but the only person who isn’t actually Black. When I asked him how to account for this, Brendan told me, “I am at a place where I put
stylish lumberjack – and it was the last day of his classes at Northwestern, where he was scheduled to teach Drawing Practices to five undergraduates in a socially distanced classroom. By now, the initial euphoria of the American elections had faded, as it became clear that Trump would try to remain in office. Worse still, Covid-19 had ravaged back across the country, and Chicago was heading into strict lockdown once more. Fernandes told me, “I’m feeling a lot of dread again. There’s a lot of fear that it’s going to be a long, hard winter with the isolation and cold. For a moment it felt like we were really going to live again, but a different reality has set in.”
The artist was missing his family. November 7 had been even more emotionally wrought because it was the day his mother retired from her job at the local magazine The Month Ahead that she had started decades earlier. Fernandes said, “She’s the classic immigrant mom, who just kept working hard, and never giving up. It’s definitely where my sisters and I get our work ethic from. That evening, when Kamala Harris spoke about her own mother, it hit me hard. She looks just like my sisters. 2020 has been an awful year, but that moment was full of promise about what’s just ahead. The world has changed, and we’ll be doing things we’ve never done before. Honestly, I’m excited about what the future holds for us.”
Fernandes described his time at SAF Goa 2019 as a homecoming
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A I R PAT R O L
Renowned aviator Howard Hughes
Longines’ latest pilot’s watch is a nod to the greatest icons of aviation
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WORDS: PARTH CHARAN
The bezel gets a dual polished finish while the rest of the case is brushed
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ongines’ tryst with aviation is a celebrated one, but what most people don’t know is that some of the most iconic aviators of the 20th century – Howard Hughes, Amelia Earhart, Elinor Smith, among others – all recorded their flights using timekeeping devices manufactured by Longines. Given that they were constantly pushing the boundaries of aviation, chronographs made for essential and potentially life-saving equipment. It’s to commemorate this grand bit of history that Longines has launched its new Spirit collection. The new 2020 Longines Spirit Chronograph is a bulky watch, with a 42mm stainless steel case that’s about 15mm thick. What chiefly works in its favour, however, is that despite being an homage to the spirit of aviation, it’s not so absolute a tool watch that it can’t be worn in other, less challenging scenarios. It’s available with a blue, black or silver dial, has brushed lugs and chamfered edges, so it works well as an everyday watch. As a pilot’s watch, the Spirit Chronograph doesn’t tread any new ground. Everything from the typography to the placement of the three registers feels familiar, the concentric pattern around them breaking the visual monotony nicely. It’s a busy looking dial, busy enough to have you almost miss the date window squeezed in between the 4 and 5 Arabic numerals. This also means that there are plenty of details that are easy to miss upon first glance. Like the red-tipped hands of the 30-minute and 12-hour totaliser registers, placed at 3 o’clock and 6 o’clock respectively. Longines has equipped the Spirit Chrono with its L688.4 automatic chronograph movement, which features a column wheel and a silicon hairspring. The five applied stars on the dial, sitting right under the word “chronometer” are proof of COSC certification – a seal of quality assigned by a Swiss body to the most accurate of chronographs. The Longines Spirit Chronograph may not be the most memorable pilot’s watch of the decade, but it is one of the finest.
ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST
` 200 DECEMBER 2020 THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HOMES IN THE WORLD
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ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST
` 200 DECEMBER 2020 THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HOMES IN THE WORLD
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IMAGE: EDDIE PULKITBLAGBROUGH. TOMAR & PRASHANT MODEL:KANDARI. RAJVATANHAIR SINGH/ & MAKE-UP: SUPA MODEL NEELESH MANAGEMENT MEHROTRA
JUMPER BY PAUL SMITH
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N O E Z M F O RT As last year’s events paved a new way for loungewear, we photographed a bunch of stylish men unwinding in their homes in the best of “runway to couch” fashion R E M O T E L Y
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From the looks of it, 2021 is the bridge to the automotive future we all want
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E D I T E D B Y PA R T H C H A R A N
he switchover to electric mobility might seem glacial, but a steady influx of bigticket e-vehicles along with a diverse and potent range of fuel-powered vehicles makes this the best time to buy cars. Or to simply bask in their glorious existence. Packing features that are on the bleeding edge of both technology and physics, the cars arriving in 2021 are here to fatten up your fantasy garage.
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Mercedes-Benz S-Class The arrival of a new S-Class is always a seismic moment, given the sheer array of genrebusting features that Merc’s luxury flagship comes with. The upcoming one, due for launch in the second half of this year, is peak Mercedes-Benz – in that, is set to be the next benchmark in connectivity and safety. To begin with, the cockpit is dominated by a massive 12.8-inch OLED touchscreen that’s equipped with Merc’s second-generation MBUX system. The system is now 50 per cent faster, more intuitive and accepts voice commands in 27 languages. The new S-Class also comes with Level 3 autonomous driving tech, which means it can automatically brake, steer and accelerate (should it pass the government’s regulatory laws). What will most certainly make it to the country, apart from the additional seat backmounted airbag, is the car’s new “pre-safe impulse ride” system. It lifts the window side of the car in the event of a crash, channelling the impact to the bottom of the car and securing the passenger in doing so. To be served in long-wheelbase forms only, the S-Class will undoubtedly be the smartest car on our roads.
IMAGE: MERCEDES-BENZ AG (MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS), AUDI AG (AUDI E-TRON), © CITROËN COMMUNICATION / DR (CITROËN C5 AIRCROSS)
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SHOWSTOPPERS
Audi e-Tron The foundation stone for Audi’s path to electrification, the e-Tron makes its longawaited debut this year, officially kicking off the race for electric luxury cars. With two electric motors powering each axle, this neon-glazed slice of science fiction is the sort of all-purpose SUV that mixes gut-crushing acceleration with Audi’s pedigreed road-holding prowess and everyday utility. With over 17,641 units sold internationally, the e-Tron has already established itself as a Tesla-rivalling force, and will go a long way in furthering the cause of electric mobility in the country. To be brought in as a completely built unit (CBU), expect the e-Tron to come in limited numbers, with Audi capitalising on new government regulations allowing the import of 2,500 units sans homologation. Here’s to ushering in an era of silent performance.
CITROËN C5 Aircross Citroën’s arrival might be delayed, but the C5 Aircross is well worth the wait. With its comfort-oriented set-up and quirky French design, the Aircross is, quite rightly, the brand’s flagship SUV and, therefore, its first offering to the Indian market. As such, it comes with flagship-worthy levels of space and refinement. A full-sized SUV, the Aircross will come with a 2.0-litre, turbo-diesel motor mated to an 8-speed gearbox. Likely to be priced around the `30-lakh mark, the completely knocked-down version we’ll get isn’t necessarily the most powerful or off-road capable car in its segment, but it does ooze style and character in a way its competition simply does not. JANUARY 2021
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JAGUAR I-PACE Riding in hot on the coat-tails of the Mercedes-Benz EQC is the 2019 World Car Of The Year, the Jaguar I-Pace. Jaguar’s very own all-electric offering, much like the e-Tron and the EQC, is a wholesome, all-purpose luxury crossover. The I-Pace may be unusual looking to some, but its design is peak 2020, with big, 20-inch wheels and muscular wheel arches of sports cars, and the overall silhouette of a crossover. What also works in the I-Pace’s favour is the fact that unlike a lot of electric cars of its ilk, there’s an old-school warmth to its interiors. It’s not a screen-heavy affair and, as such, doesn’t alienate the driver and the passengers. Its electric motors produce an equally sports-car-like 394bhp along with nearly 700Nm of torque, which can put most sports cars to shame. And what’s a Jag without any performance credentials?
BMW .ƙ The BMW M4 with its oversized vertical grille may be a dog’s breakfast when it comes to design, but that doesn’t change the fact that underneath that polarising exterior lies a ferocious and highly pedigreed performance car; arguably one of the finest to roll out of BMW’s M division. This is because the new M4 is looking to break every lap record set by its predecessors, with over 473bhp pouring out of its twin-turbo inline-six engine. It’s got a rear-biased, all-wheel drive system that can be set to rear-wheel-drive only for some old-fashioned, tail-out buffoonery. Pack an extra set of tyres.
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SHOWSTOPPERS
Kia Sorento With the success of the Sonet, all eyes are on Kia Motors, as the brand readies itself for its next offering. Kia is thinking big this time, bigger than the Seltos. The Sorento is a mid-size SUV, which is likely to serve as the brand’s first hybrid offering in India. Of course, it’ll also come with a diesel option, but it’s the hybrid that’ll differentiate it from its immediate competition. Though Kia has been silent about its future plans, it stands to reason that something is in the pipeline, and it’s likely to be Kia’s most premium offering yet.
Ford Ranger Raptor Looks like 2021 is the year Indian off-road enthusiasts will be treated to a bona fide American pick-up truck bearing a “Ford” badge. The Ford Ranger Raptor, which will be brought in in limited numbers using the homologation-free route, may not be the V8-powered juggernaut that is the F-150 Raptor, but it’s the closest thing we’re getting to a glide-anywhere super truck that will barely take notice of India’s damaged road network. Based on the Fortuner, the Ranger Raptor has tuned the 2.0-litre, turbo-petrol engine to put out 213bhp and 500Nm of torque. It also gets a four-wheel drive, terrain management system along with special off-road racing suspension allowing you to power through pretty much any quagmire or crater. The perfect vehicle for Indian roads.
7PMWP 4ƛƕ
Skoda Octavia Still flying the posh-sedan flag in the face of crossover domination, the Skoda Octavia just gets better with every iteration. The new Octavia, whose launch has been pushed to the second quarter of 2021, dispenses with its famous diesel powertrain, retaining only its petrol engines (now including a 2.0-litre TSI option) along with the trademark visual flair that’s made the Octavia so popular over the decades. The interiors have also been contemporised, with a “Virtual Cockpit” system, a 10inch touchscreen infotainment system and nine airbags. Long live the luxury sedan.
With its genteel, unfailingly sensible and safety-oriented underpinnings, the Volvo S60 is everything you’d want or need from an everyday car. The 2021 version is sharper looking, with sufficiently updated interiors packing large, tactile touchscreens, an astonishingly smooth powertrain and the sort of ergonomic splendour that comes naturally to all things Swedish. As always, the S60 prioritises comfort over outright speed, but its 2.0-litre, turbopetrol motor pushes out 190bhp and can be quite brisk. In an age where increasingly fussy looking cars are breaking cover, while disrupting all unwritten rules of automotive aesthetic, the S60 is a back-tobasics sedan with handsome proportions, a quiet, supple ride and comfortable seats – all you need at the end of a long day.
SHOWSTOPPERS
Volkswagen Taigun The VW Taigun – known the world over as the T-Cross – will soon be available in India, strengthening the brand’s portfolio, while adding to the country’s already formidable range of crossovers. Expected to launch in the first quarter of 2021, the Taigun will be the first heavily localised VW SUV in India, based on the carmarker’s MQB-A0-IN platform. Likely to get two engine options – 1.0-litre and 1.5-litre turbo petrol, the latter making 147bhp – the Taigun is expected to bring in some exciting performance to an otherwise dull segment. Along with the safety and refinement that’s standard to all VWs.
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Striking prints, maximalist patterns and logo mania – go big or go home with these standout accessories
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BAG BY GUCCI (OPPOSITE) SHOES BY PRADA 111
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MEET CUTE
Hot hatch performance meets SUV practicality. There’s much to love about Audi’s latest Q ship
U P COMER There’s something very inviting about the new Audi Q2. Not because of the four rings on the grille, although, I’m sure that has a role to play. It’s because something about its proportions and the knowledge that it houses a punchy 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine stirs something in the enthusiast. It’s also got to do with how curiously unfamiliar the Audi Q2 appears. It breaks away from the visual tradition established by its bigger siblings, opting for a form that’s more innocuous and fiesty at the same time. A bit like a Jack Russell Terrier. The Q2 is officially Audi’s new entry-level offering. It’s part hatchback, part SUV and in profile it appears smaller than you’d expect it to be. Great if you value compact dimensions and the performance benefits it brings, but a bit of a downer if you want your first Audi for on-road
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intimidation value. If you belong to the latter group, there’s not much the Q2 or I can do for you. But if you, like me, enjoy an invigorating and comfortable drive, read on. Step inside and you discover the sort of spatial ingenuity that Audi has deployed. Up front, the cockpit feels a lot roomier than the Q2’s exterior would suggest. Once you get over the noticeable and lamentable absence of powered seats and a touchscreen, you begin to appreciate the small design flourishes, like the rotary vents and the overall quality of the dashboard. The seating position can be calibrated to be low enough to really enjoy the hot hatch aspects of the Q2, and yet, benefit from the excellent visibility offered up front. There’s wireless charging, mood lighting and USB-C ports that make it satisfyingly ergonomic, but it’s really the way the Q2 shrink
WORDS: PARTH CHARAN. IMAGE: AUDI AG
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Among other things, the Q2 is equipped with Audi’s best-in-class virtual cockpit display
hassle-free driving experience, especially in the city where its nimble attributes shine particularly bright. There’s a certain formula that makes for a wholesome car in the Indian context, and Audi has mastered it. The Q2, with a front-biased AWD system, is intuitive enough to absorb bumps, agile enough to tackle corners and eager enough to chew through turbo lag quickly. To truly appreciate the car that the Q2 is, one has to briefly suspend all the conventional notions of value for money and strip the car down to its essence, along with what it means to own one in the city. An MQB platform-based, driver-oriented Audi which rides as well as its much more plush siblings, is thoroughly engaging and a breeze to drive in heavy city traffic. In a world devoid of appearances, that’s pretty much all you need from a car. The fact that that’s not the world we live in might, to a certain extent, hamper the sales of the Q2. None of that can take away from the fact that given the option between this or a bulkier SUV featuring all the segment-specific bells and whistles, I’d pick the Audi Q2 any day.
Audi Q2 ENGINE 2.0-LITRE, FOUR-CYLINDER, TURBO-PETROL
POWER 187BHP TORQUE 320NM
PRICE `34.99 LAKH `48.89 LAKH
wraps around you that chiefly endears you to it. Because, let’s face it: it’s not the `34.99 lakh (ex-showroom) price tag (despite being the least expensive Audi in the market). The 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo petrol unit in the Q2 makes a fairly potent 188bhp. It’s one of the most capable four-pot motors in the world, one that continues to serve as a staple across brands part of the VW Group. In the Q2, however, it benefits from a fairly low kerb weight of 1,430kg. It feels no more heavy than your average hatchback (thanks to the MQB platform), entering corners with childlike eagerness, while keeping the suspension supple enough for Indian roads. Torque is spread out nice and evenly, and the S-Tronic dual-clutch gearbox keeps things seamless with the usual Audi aplomb. It really does make for a very
Audi’s 7-speed, “S-Tronic” dual-clutch gearbox is one of the smoothest units out there
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SUN
Is the latest and, thus far, the only cruiser in Royal Enfield’s stables a suitable replacement for the iconic Thunderbird?
The arrival of the 650cc, twin-cylinder Interceptor and its clip-on sporting counterpart, the Continental GT 650, marked a major turning point for Royal Enfield. Up until 2018, Royal Enfield remained a well-preserved vestige of mid-century British motorcycling. Overseas, it remained a charming and esoteric delight, defiantly analogue in an age of faux-retro motorcycles. Back in India though, its sheen appeared to be wearing off, thanks to consistent quality-control issues, despite having an enormous and enthusiastic, country-wide customer base. The twins, however, catapulted the brand into a different league. Royal Enfield proved that it could produce smooth, iron-clad motorcycles dripping with character and potential for speed. This stands to reason that their next offering couldn’t afford to be anything less. Which makes
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The topend Meteor Supernova in full view
the Royal Enfield Meteor a tricky follow-up act given that the bar has been raised. In order for the new Meteor to be considered an improvement over the outgoing and hugely popular Thunderbird, it has to add a layer of refinement and smoothness to the engine and the overall quality of the bike, while retaining the trademark “thump” that’s come to define the brand. So, just how different is the new Meteor from the Thunderbird? Almost completely. The Meteor features an all-new 349cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine, now bequeathed with a long-awaited balancer shaft to quell out any excessive vibrations. It also gets a new double-downtube cradle frame chassis, with a conventional twin fork suspension up front, and twin shocks with six-way adjustable preload at the back. RE has thrown in some more tech in the form of a funky new instrument cluster that’s accompanied by a coloured TFT screen display that gives you turn-by-turn navigation prompts, which prove very handy in the city. The feature can be accessed by pairing the Royal Enfield app on your smartphone to the bike. Given that the “Thunderbird” moniker can’t be used overseas, Royal Enfield decided to resurrect the old “Super Meteor” name from the 1950s (dropping the “Super”) and slap it onto a bike that’s clearly the next step in the Thunderbird’s evolution. The Meteor for its part doesn’t try too hard to distance itself from its predecessor. It makes roughly the same amount of power at 20.2bhp and 27Nm of torque. Out of its three variants – the Fireball, Stellar and the Supernova – it’s the third one that’s properly kitted out for long distance tours, with a large windscreen and a backrest accompanying a more classic looking metal badge on the fuel tank. Plenty of bright colour schemes do their bit to enhance the “neo” in this neo-retro package, but on the whole, the Meteor is unmistakably classic in its appeal. Royal Enfield has also included the Meteor in its “Make Your Own” service, allowing you to customise your bike through
myriad options ranging from different foot pegs, paint schemes, wind-screen size and custom exhausts. Swing a leg over and it’s clear that the riding position has been calibrated to suit the inner-city rider as much as it has the highway one. As a result it’s a hybrid of both – not too laid-back, not too upright. The suspension has been stiffened to make the Meteor easier to flick around the bends. Despite this, the ride feels supple enough in the city. Right off the bat, the engine appears noticeably smoother. It still reverberates with the 350’s characteristic “thump” but it’s clearly a different sort of animal. There’s also a new oil-aided cooling mechanism in place, even though the engine remains air-cooled; so in the longer run, it should help immensely with reliability. This is still a motorcycle that likes to take it easy, but RE has managed to find a balance between meeting the needs of loyalists demanding that the bike retain its original flavour, and a new generation of buyers demanding greater reliability and refinement. Revving all the way up to 6,000rpm, the engine feels robust and eager enough for the city, buzzing with good bottom-end torque that finds its stride, mid-range. For the highway? The math doesn’t add up. At a starting price of `1.76 lakh (exshowroom), the Meteor is not an inexpensive proposition. But for roughly a lakh more, you get the far more capable 650 twin. Sure, `1 lakh isn’t an inconsiderable amount by any measure, but what you’re getting is, arguably, twice the motorcycle and worth the extra dough. However, until the brand launches a cruiser that’s powered by that gloriously smooth parallel-twin, this is the only cruiser in sight. For the money, the Meteor is a striking looking machine with tangible qualitative improvements. And, despite having some competition in the form of new entrants in the neo-retro space, the Meteor remains, through its configuration alone, peerless.
Royal Enfield Meteor 350 ENGINE 349CC, SINGLECYLINDER, AIR-COOLED POWER 20.2BHP TORQUE 27NM PRICE `1.76 LAKH - `1.90 LAKH (EX-SHOWROOM)
RE has equipped the Meteor with grippy CEAT Zoom Plus tubeless tyres
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IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES
THE FINAL FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19
Bill Gates wants to immunise the world against the most deadly pandemic in a century. But given the rising tide of corona conspiracy theories – with some of the most outlandish directed at the Microsoft billionaire himself – the battle for people’s minds is becoming just as important as developing a vaccine. Here’s how the anti-vax lobby is quietly gaining a foothold in the Middle East – and the risks it poses W R I T T E N B Y L A U R A M A C K E N Z I E A N D B E N F L A N A G A N
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For Ali Khalifa, it’s like having the “mark of the beast”. The 41-year-old Algerian is not warning against worship of the antichrist, fretting over biblical sea monsters, or debating the meaning of the number 666. He suggests that the modern-day sign of the devil may be both very real, and far unlike any described in the Book of Revelation. These days, it’s administered via needle by doctors and aid workers – the foot soldiers, as some believe, of an evil global elite. And one man stands out in this shadowy, sinister group, the existence of which is entirely unsubstantiated: Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates. Khalifa is one of a global band of anti-vaccine advocates, whose voices have grown louder, yet arguably no more rational, in the wake of the corona pandemic. Like many campaigners in the West, where the movement is far more prominent, Khalifa is “100 per cent against vaccines” – despite their role, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), in saving as many as 3 million lives a year. Khalifa also believes that the coronavirus cannot be spread from person to person, and thinks Gates wants to use a Covid-19 vaccine programme as a vehicle for implanting tiny tracking devices in people in order to gain control over them. The “mark of the beast” might actually be a microchip. Of course, such views are at odds with accepted wisdom that vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent diseases, and that Covid-19 is transmitted through saliva or discharges from the noses of infected people. The microchip claim has been widely debunked and, along with other disinformation campaigns, dismissed by Gates as “stupid”. 122
But Khalifa – who, along with a Saudi friend, makes videos on such topics for the 1,50,000 subscribers to their Arabic YouTube channel “Reality Today” – rejects the idea that he is a conspiracy theorist. “We don’t have any evidence that vaccines really protect us from infectious diseases,” he claims, dismissing as “untrue” figures that show a drastic reduction in the number of people contracting or dying from infectious diseases following the introduction of vaccines. Rather, he argues that we should be focusing on food and nutrition, and believes that the microorganisms causing diseases are only harmful if we allow them to be. Again, this view goes against the consensus of the global health community that deadly diseases will return if we stop vaccination. Khalifa, however, believes that pharmaceutical companies are lying about the results of research in order to sell vaccines and make money. “Laboratories and ‘Big Pharma’ dictate everything about medicine and vaccines,” he adds. That Khalifa holds views more commonly associated with the “anti-vax” movement in the US are, perhaps, all the more surprising given that he is a microbiologist by profession, and works as an infectious diseases and microorganisms researcher for a big pharmaceutical company in Switzerland. (He did not name which one, but says he has become disillusioned with his work and wants to leave.) Khalifa goes by a different first name professionally, which he declined to specify, but supplied WIRED with documents to certify his credentials. He is far from being a lone voice in the Arab world when it comes to vaccine opposition. Although there is no organised anti-vaccine movement of the likes seen in the
US, it doesn’t take much searching to find discussions on the topic on social media, with Covid-19 and talk of potential vaccines seemingly reigniting interest in the area. Accounts with thousands of followers promote the idea that vaccines are unsafe or ineffective – sometimes in conjunction with the promotion of alternative medicine or certain eating, exercise or lifestyle regimes. While some accounts seem to use individuals’ real names and photos, others operate under names such as “the_realheal” and “vaccines.truth”, likely reflecting both the controversial nature of the topic and the fact that dissent is not welcomed in parts of the region. Khalifa says he is in a number of WhatsApp groups with others from the Middle East and North Africa who are also, as he puts it, “on this new road of truth.”
IT’S a very different road to the one taken by Bill Gates. His philanthropic organisation has for years supported vaccination programmes, and in June renewed its commitment to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, with $1.6 billion in funding to deliver treatments to 300 million children in the world’s poorest countries. On top of that came a smaller but also significant pledge: $100 million (half of which is new money) to help ensure that once a Covid-19 vaccine is developed, those most in need are not overlooked. But one man’s philanthropy is another’s villainy. Gates has been the subject of some wild and entirely unsubstantiated anti-vax conspiracy theories, which have gathered momentum since the coronavirus pandemic took hold.
IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES
Multiple social media posts have claimed that a research institute funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation owns the patent on the coronavirus, while others have said Gates specifically told us about the coronavirus in 2015. (He did give a warning about global pandemics in a TED talk of that year, but only in general terms.) Such claims come against a backdrop of wider conspiracy theories: a global elite aims to depopulate the world, 5G technology has helped spread corona, or the virus was engineered as a bioweapon in a Chinese lab. Perhaps most outlandish were the reports falsely stating that Gates is behind a plot to use vaccines to implant microchips in people. Despite there being no evidence to back such claims, a poll found that 28 per cent of Americans, including 44 percent of Republican voters, wrongly believed the rumours. While such anti-vax misinformation has not held up any government donations at this stage, Gates said it could have repercussions in terms of hitting “true herd immunity” after a vaccine arrives. “If you don’t get a broad uptake [in vaccine adoption], then it would have a dramatic effect,” he said in June. “So the misinformation could hold us back at some point.” Gates believes that true global cooperation is required to beat Covid-19. “As long as the virus remains in any part of the world, it has the potential to reappear in others,” the Microsoft cofounder tells WIRED Middle East. “Researchers are making good progress on drugs and vaccines to fight Covid-19. But responding to this epidemic requires more than breakthrough science. We also need breakthrough cooperation, on a global scale.” He also praised regional countries’ efforts to ensure fair distribution of a vaccine. “Gulf countries’ contributions to efforts such as the Access to Covid-19
Tools (ACT) Accelerator will help ensure everyone can access Covid-19 drugs and vaccines, no matter where they live or their ability to pay,” Gates tells WIRED. “Global, equitable access is crucial if we hope to contain this outbreak.”
DESPITE the lack of evidence for the wildest Covid conspiracies, the spread of disinformation around vaccinations has a long history – and has cost lives. Controversy has plagued jabs containing the measles antigen, largely stemming from a now infamous 1998 paper published in the Lancet medical journal that hypothesised a link between measles vaccines and autism. The paper was later withdrawn by the Lancet amid a scandal over unreported conflicts of interest and flaws in its conclusions, while the WHO states on its measles, mumps and rubella
(MMR) vaccines information sheet that “the overall evidence clearly indicates no association of MMR vaccine with… developmental disorders including autism.” But despite this, fears that the vaccine causes autism persist. Hassan Damluji, the Gates Foundation’s deputy director for global policy and advocacy in the Middle East, Pakistan, Japan and Korea, acknowledges that such sentiments pose a challenge to the foundation’s work. “There are now more measles cases – in Italy, France, the UK, in America – because people are refusing vaccines for their children. So it is a real reason to be concerned. We just have to do a really good job of communicating, and that’s not easy,” he says. Damluji says the mainstream media is generally balanced in its coverage of vaccination issues – but that disinformation is being spread widely on social media. “Conspiracy theories are rife at the moment, with regards to what caused the coronavirus, whether
The anti-vax movement is vocal in the West, but remains largely hidden in the Gulf
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the vaccine is going to be a help, or some kind of plot. That is obviously a source of concern, because we need people to protect themselves against the disease, and if they don’t believe in that, then that’s going to make it harder to get economies back on track, and to stop people dying,” he says. “The proof of the pudding will be – when people have the opportunity to protect their elderly parents, themselves, and their children – will they take up that opportunity, or will they say ‘no, we actually think this whole thing is a plot’.” Damluji is sanguine about public attitudes toward vaccination in the Middle East, where – notably in the Gulf – regional governments 124
have pledged big money toward immunisation programmes. “In the Middle East region, people vaccinate their kids. Vaccination rates are very high in the countries that are not affected by conflicts, or a failure of the government system. There is nothing in the region that says that people just don’t like vaccines – and so that’s really powerful,” he says. The government of Saudi Arabia early in 2020 pledged $150 million to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance to support its response to the Covid-19 pandemic, while the UAE has a longstanding relationship with Gavi and the Gates Foundation, with Sheikh
Mohammed bin Zayed, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, having in 2017 jointly announced the launch of the Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE) in partnership with the foundation. Such moves by Gulf states, says Damluji, reinforce the reality that vaccine programmes are not “part of some conspiracy theory” – but a vital necessity. “What they do, in addition to putting money in, is to show that this is a really global thing. It’s not a Christian versus Jew versus Muslim thing, or a believer versus non-believer thing. Every government in the world is coming forward and saying ‘we need this for our children’, and that is powerful,” he says.
“When we do finally get a vaccine, there will be the question of whether you want to get true herd immunity – that is, so many people who don’t transmit the disease, that it can’t spread in a population. Depending on how effective the vaccine is, you’ll probably want to get over 80 per cent coverage.” “If you don’t get a broad uptake, then it would have a dramatic effect… So the misinformation could hold us back at some point, but I wouldn’t say that that’s hurting us at this stage.”
IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES
“It’s almost hard to deny this stuff, because it’s so stupid or strange, that to even repeat it almost seems to give it credibility.” “The polls [about people believing conspiracy about vaccination programmes being designed to secretly ‘microchip’ people] are a little bit concerning.”
“The Gulf’s role… is important not just because of their money, but also because of their voice, people trusting these countries. So [people] say: ‘It’s not just an American plot if the Muslim Middle Eastern countries are also doing it’.”
SOME Middle East governments may have thrown their weight behind high-profile vaccination programmes, but that doesn’t mean all citizens are supportive of such schemes. In fact, anti-vax sentiment is widespread in the region – but, perhaps due to real and perceived suppression of dissenting views, it’s a great deal quieter when compared to that found in the US or Europe. Contrary to Damluji’s assertion that there’s no evidence of an anti-vax lobby in the Middle East, a YouGov survey conducted for WIRED found that many people in the region share the movement’s sentiments. The poll, conducted in June, questioned 3,000 people across Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt about their attitudes toward Covid-19 and vaccination more broadly. The results suggest that when a coronavirus vaccine finally arrives, the battle for people’s minds will remain. Gates estimates that more than 80 per cent vaccination coverage would be required to ensure “true herd immunity”, and points out that many people may not be able to take the coronavirus vaccination due to, perhaps, factors like pregnancy or pre-existing medical conditions. That means that should even a small proportion of medically-ready people refuse to be vaccinated, it would make that 80 per cent target hard to hit. The YouGov/WIRED poll found a general reluctance among people in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt to be vaccinated straight away, with only 34 per cent of respondents saying that they were 125
happy with this. Almost half said they would wait, due to concerns over a vaccine being rushed or not tested well. A small proportion – five per cent – said they would flatly refuse the vaccine for both themselves and any dependents. Wariness about vaccination programmes also veers into the realm of conspiracy, at least according to some respondents to the survey. Three in ten said they thought vaccination programmes are designed to control or monitor populations, while a third believe the virus was intentionally created to make a profit.
WHILE there is evidence of anti-vax sentiment in the Middle East, within that a wide range of views exists – and not everyone posting about the alleged risks of vaccines are 100 per cent against them. Fatima Issa from Jordan, who runs the website novax.org and associated social media accounts, says she is not opposed to vaccines as her site’s name would imply (she says she chose it because “shorter is better”), but objects to both compulsory vaccination schemes and the “absence of informed consent before vaccination in all Arab countries.” Issa – whose social accounts have a combined following of more than 70,000 – describes vaccines as “unavoidably unsafe”, and points out that many countries have compensation schemes for vaccine-related injuries. She is demanding that Arab legislators establish similar programmes, and encourages visitors to her website to report any negative effects they have experienced, in what she calls the Arabian Vaccines Adverse Event Reporting System. The WHO’s global advisory committee on vaccine safety has acknowledged that “occasional severe vaccine-associated reactions will continue to be identified” as 126
countries extend vaccine use and strengthen safety surveillance, and said it considers vaccine injury compensation programmes to be “a measure to maintain confidence in immunisation.” When asked about the Gates microchip theory, Issa said it sounded “like science fiction,” but like Khalifa – the microbiologist who completely shuns the idea of vaccines – she dismisses the idea that her views are based on conspiracy theories or misinformation. “The increase in [vaccine rejection] comes mainly from parents with horrible experience with vaccines,” she says. Khalifa, who says he was not always against vaccines, believes his own daughter experienced difficulty in speaking as a result of receiving the combined MMR jab – something that appears to have been at least a contributing factor in the development of his views (though he’s keen to specify that he is not only against the MMR vaccine). Elsewhere, a regional Twitter storm erupted in May after the Lebanese singer Carole Samaha posted a series of controversial tweets about vaccines that began by expressing opposition to a coronavirus vaccine, and went on to claim that a high percentage of autism diagnoses are caused by vaccines filled with mercury (presumably a reference to the mercury-based preservative thimerosal, which is used in some multi-dose vaccines to prevent the growth of germs). The posts led many on social media to decry Samaha for spreading misinformation – a charge that also got levied at Jemman Ammary, founder of the Jordan-based NGO Autism MENA Foundation, after her organisation retweeted two of the posts, prompting Samaha to publicly thank the NGO for its support. Ammary, who says she faced a “vicious” backlash afterward, with some who saw the retweets reporting her to the Jordanian Ministry of Health, is adamant
that neither she nor Samaha (who did not respond to a direct request for comment) are anti-vaxxers. “I am not against vaccines,” she says. “I just think our kids have the right to access the right vaccines that are good for them, that they really need.” Ammary adds, however, that parents have the right to doubt everything because of the extent to which medical research is funded by pharmaceutical companies. The topic is close to home for Ammary, who believes her 13-yearold son’s autism was caused by the MMR jab, which he received at around the age of 20 months. “I lost him 22 days after he took his MMR,” she says, stressing that no prior testing or extensive documentation both during her pregnancy and after had revealed any issues. She points to the fact that her son’s fraternal twin, who was never immunised due to being born with an open heart at birth, doesn’t have autism. “So see why I feel like this?” she says. According to the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in the US, however, the MMR vaccine is administered at a time many children are diagnosed with autism – and thus, the fact that many parents link the two is to be expected. The centre also highlights that it is far more common for both twins to be diagnosed with autism when they are identical rather than fraternal, something it says is one of the best indicators that a particular disease or syndrome is genetic. In fact, it says multiple studies “support the fact that autism occurs during development of the nervous system early in the womb.” But what about the thimerosal that Samaha alluded to? According to the WHO, it isn’t used in the MMR vaccine because it would kill the immunising component. And while it’s used in others, such as the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis combination vaccine, figures from the US show that autism rates continued to increase
even after thimerosal was removed from almost all childhood jabs. Ammary believes, however, that autism diagnosis numbers have been “played with” in certain places and stresses that she is not alone in her views, but part of a wider movement, including a closed Facebook group that counts some doctors as members. “If anyone wants to add [someone to the group, they go] through so much to make sure he is really [who he says he is and shares the same views as others in the group]. Because we are under attack from all over,” Ammary adds. Khalifa says the WhatsApp groups he’s in are also difficult to join because they don’t want anyone publishing something about them out of context. (They used to be open, he explains, but the people that joined who were against their ideas used “banal arguments and insults.”)
DR. Hossam Al-Tatari, pediatrics infectious diseases consultant at the Heart Medical Center in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, believes social media has played a major role in the spread of anti-vaccine sentiment in the Middle East in recent years, with people being affected by “propaganda that originated mainly in the United States and started with a big campaign against the measles vaccine.” Though the political climate in much of the region means there is an absence of organised anti-vax elements, the consultant says there are “cults of parents and families who share their sources together over WhatsApp groups, over social media, with regard to antivaccination,” as well as influencers espousing anti-vaccine views who have no medical background but are thought of “like gods” by their followers. Such groups and communities can serve as echo chambers, with information going
unchallenged and only serving to confirm members’ existing biases, says Jad Melki, associate professor of journalism and media studies at the Lebanese American University. Melki says the factors driving support for anti-vax views in the Middle East and North Africa differ from country to country, and could in some places be partly attributed to the belief held by some that vaccination is not compatible with religion. More generally, however, he attributes it largely to uncritical consumption of social media – in other words, “sharing information without really double-checking or factchecking or being critical.” Though Melki sees media illiteracy as a global phenomenon, he believes it has been exacerbated in parts of the Arab world where conflict has affected education and literacy rates. Meanwhile, the lack of affordable healthcare in some countries, coupled with government inaction, has resulted in “a lot of quacks in this part of the world [who] try to sell you herbs that cure cancer,” among other things, says Melki. The professor believes his own uncle died after being convinced by such a person to take a certain fruit rather than his blood pressure medication. While some of those posting about the alleged dangers or inefficacy of vaccines say they are simply promoting “choice”, a term that sounds relatively innocuous, Al-Tatari suggests that the spread of such content is having a harmful effect. “The United Arab Emirates used to have one of the highest rates for vaccination in the world… Until in 2015 we were hit with the fact that the UAE had 826 cases of measles,” he says. The doctor and his colleagues then noticed that the uptake of the MMR vaccine had dropped significantly. “We started to wake up to the fact that we had people who were refusing vaccines,” says Al-Tatari, who in 2018 conducted a survey, along with colleagues, of
nearly 400 parents in the UAE and found that ten per cent did not agree that vaccines were effective in preventing certain diseases. The UAE government responded to the 2015 measles toll with a near mandatory measles immunisation programme for children aged between one and 18 years old, and by 2019 the number of cases had dropped to just a handful – something that Al-Tatari says is the “biggest proof” to people locally and regionally that vaccines do work. Now, as the coronavirus pandemic affects uptake of immunisations, with people confined to their homes, the doctor is trying to observe how views surrounding vaccines will also be affected. It seems clear that some of the new or rehashed fears about vaccine safety that have been circulating online in the wake of the coronavirus are being listened to by at least some parents; Al-Tatari says some have expressed concern that drug companies are trying to benefit from the pandemic by competing to expedite a vaccine (something he agrees with), while others have repeated the Gates-microchip claim to him (something he definitely doesn’t). Despite this, Al-Tatari is hopeful that Covid-19 will actually help to restore trust in vaccines, and says he has had a huge number of parents phoning up to ask about a possible coronavirus vaccine – even those who had refused to take vaccines in the past. “Most of the people who are anti-vaccine haven’t seen these diseases. They think that measles is something simple, they think influenza is simple, they think [chickenpox] is no big deal,” says Al-Tatari. “But now [there is] Covid-19, with people dying on a daily basis in almost every single country and the numbers going up and up. Once a vaccine is there, I think people are going to get the trust in vaccines again.” 127
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Where To Buy The products featured editorially have been ordered from the following stores. Prices and availability were checked at the time of going to press A Alexander McQueen alexandermcqueen.com Amit Aggarwal Delhi, 88606 78622 Anuj Madaan Couture Delhi, 98114 29246 Asics Mumbai, High Street Phoenix, 022-4004 2820; Delhi, Select Citywalk, 011-4076 9068; Bengaluru, Phoenix Marketcity, 080-6726 6288 Audi Mumbai, 022-6616 8000; Delhi, 011-4600 7300; Bengaluru, 080-4517 0000 B Beardo beardo.in Berluti Delhi, DLF Emporio, 78761 23123 BMW Mumbai, 022-6666 4800; Delhi, 011-4309 0000; Bengaluru, 99713 14315 Bode bodenewyork.com Bombay Shaving Company bombayshavingcompany.com Bottega Veneta Mumbai, Palladium, 022-6615 2291; Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4609 8262 C Canali Mumbai, Palladium, 022-4009 8685; Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4604 0731; Bengaluru, UB City, 080-4173 8997 Christian Louboutin Mumbai, 022-4347 1787; Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4101 7111 Citroën citroen.in ClarinsMen nykaa.com Clinique clinique.in D Dior Men Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4600 5900 Dries Van Noten driesvannoten.be Dsquared2 Available at The Collective
IMAGE: RUKSAR SYED
E Eka Delhi, 93103 66662 Elite Earth eliteearth.in F Fendi Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4604 0777 Ford Motors Mumbai, 96190 48377; Delhi, 72890 58314; Bengaluru, 81509 81509
Forest Essentials forestessentialsindia.com Fred Perry Available at The Collective G Giorgio Armani Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4102 7122 Givenchy Available at Vijay Opticians Good Earth Mumbai, 81041 07142; Delhi, 011-2464 7175; Bengaluru, 080-4092 1029 Gucci Mumbai, 022-6747 7060; Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4647 1111 Guerlain nykaa.com H Harago haragoman.com Hermès Mumbai, 022-2271 7400; Delhi, 011-2688 5501 Hublot Mumbai, 022-2651 5757; Delhi, 011-4676 7777; Bengaluru, Zimson Watches, 080-4091 3800 I Infinite Luxury Delhi, 011-4698 0000 Innisfree nykaa.com J Jaguar Mumbai, Modi Motors, 98004 98004; Delhi, AMP Motors, 011-4691 1111; Bengaluru, 080-4309 9999 K Kanika Goyal Label Delhi, 011-6555 7775 Kia Motors Mumbai, Kia Autobahn, 90292 92929; Delhi, Frontier Kia, 98739 43152; Bengaluru, Advaith Kia, 96110 06006 Kiehl’s kiehls.in L Laneige nykaa.com L.G.R Available at Vijay Opticians L’Occitane in.loccitane.com Longines Mumbai, 022-6743 9853; Delhi, 011-4359 2848; Bengaluru, 080-4098 2109 Louis Vuitton Mumbai, 022-6664 4134; Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4669 0000; Bengaluru, UB City, 080-4246 0000
M Man Arden nykaa.com Mercedes-Benz Mumbai, MB Auto Hangar, 022-6612 3800; Delhi, T&T Motors, 011-4005 8300; Bengaluru, Akshaya Motors, 91085 35297 Moral Science moralscience.in N Nike Mumbai, 022-2646 1696; Delhi, 011-4150 2012; Bengaluru, 080-6726 6080 Nivea nykaa.com No Grey Area nogreyarea.com Numero Uno Delhi, 011-4256 4700 O Ochre at Home ochreathome.com P Paul Smith Mumbai, Palladium, 022-4006 5089; Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4604 0734; Bengaluru, UB City, 080-4173 8882 Polo Ralph Lauren Available at The Collective Prada prada.com Puma Mumbai, 022-6671 0973; Delhi, 011-4056 6907; Bengaluru, 080-4092 5357
Shiseido nykaa.com Skechers Mumbai, High Street Phoenix, 022-4005 7596; Delhi, 011-4206 8416; Bengaluru, 080-4114 6357 Skoda Mumbai, 98701 11111; Delhi, 011-4931 1111; Bengaluru, 080-4100 0032 SMR Days smrdays.com SouthSide Chennai, 044-4308 4380/81/82 Suket Dhir Delhi, 84476 56660 T Ted Baker Delhi, 011-2688 6070 The Body Shop thebodyshop.in The Collective Mumbai, Palladium, 022-4023 4414; Delhi, 011-4087 0544; Bengaluru, UB City, 080-4120 7331 The Man Company themancompany.com
The Rug Republic therugrepublic.in U Uniqlo Delhi, Ambience Mall, 011-4087 0760 United Colors of Benetton Mumbai, 022-6166 9656; Delhi, Select Citywalk, 011-4057 5085; Bengaluru, 080-4112 2368 V Versace Available at Infinite Luxury Vijay Opticians Mumbai, 022-2635 5844 Volkswagen Mumbai, 91671 09317; Delhi, 011-4534 0002; Bengaluru, 96866 01249 Volvo Mumbai, 98202 22221; Delhi, 88000 10188; Bengaluru, 96060 80080 Z Z Zegna Mumbai, Palladium, 022-4347 1263; Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4606 0999
ROBE, SHIRT; BOTH BY SARAH & SANDEEP
R Reebok Mumbai, 022-2202 4250; Delhi, Pacific Mall, 011-4515 1335; Bengaluru, 080-5886 7780 Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna Delhi, 011-4663 2636 Royal Enfield Mumbai, 022-2643 9011; Delhi, 84599 94890; Bengaluru, 080-4091 0003 S Sabyasachi Mumbai, 022-2204 4774; Delhi, 011-2664 4352; Bengaluru, 080-4112 1088 Sahil Aneja Delhi, 011-4942 3786 Sarah & Sandeep Mumbai, 022-2651 1738 Shivan & Narresh Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4940 5843
JANUARY 2020 JANUARY 2021
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LUXURY AND FASHION IN STANDOUT STYLE
Matters Of The Art
For its inaugural auction, Cymmon’s Auctioneers is presenting this striking work of legendary artist FN Souza as its cover lot. The first Indian painter to use acrylic paint as early as the 1960s, Souza was renowned for his penchant for thick strokes of colour, evident in his signature landscape paintings. Seemingly inspired by a violent force, his landscapes are portrayed in green, brown and black, with striking buildings and bold trees inhabiting the same frame effortlessly.
Shades Of Cool
A new year calls for new resolutions. In 2021, resolve to up your style game. Consider accessorising your everyday looks with this pair of sunglasses from Scott Eyewear. Essentially a navigator that got a cool makeover, these shades feature a sharp top bar that seamlessly combines metal and acetate to lend them a modern, edgy vibe. Available in three versatile colours, take your pick basis your preference and outfit. `2,990. Available at major department stores and opticians across the country
Here Comes The Sun
The Sunshine Collection from Bovet 1822 comprises seven limited-edition Brainstorm Chapter Two wristwatches with magnificent yellow dials that boast fully hand-engraved movements. The beauty of the Récital 26 Brainstorm® Chapter Two Sunshine lies in its bright yellow dome-shaped dial hand-coated with a green Super-LumiNova® that turns a vibrant green come dusk. Other noteworthy features include a patented double-face flying tourbillon, a three-dimensional moon phase and an intuitive Universal Time function.
Bid online at www.cymmons.com
For more information, visit regalialuxuryretail.com/bovet-watches-india
A Bingeable Delight A Room With A View
Blending privacy with functionality, Fenesta’s latest Switch Glass range of window solutions affords you the flexibility of controlling the transparency of your glass windows with the click of a remote button, thus doing away with the hassles of blinds and curtains. When the power is switched off, liquid crystals scatter and turn the glass opaque; when switched back on, the Piezoelectric effect kicks in, getting the crystals to realign and turn the glass clear. `1,000 per sq ft onwards. For more information, visit fenesta.com 132 —
JANUARY 2021
Leading streaming service app Lionsgate Play brings the internationally acclaimed, Emmynominated limited series Normal People to your screens this new year in a bid to get you to #PlayMoreBrowseLess. A heartwarming romantic drama based on Sally Rooney’s best-selling novel of the same name, the show is set in small-town Ireland and follows couple Marianne and Connell, who go through the motions as they navigate the intricacies and complexities of young love and relationships. Download Lionsgate Play on App Store, Play Store and Fire TV Stick
A Celebration of Love
Sail Away
Give your wardrobe a fun refresh with Nautica’s Navtech range of polo T-shirts. Combining inventive fabrics with nautical elements, the polos from the latest collection are the perfect blend of style and performance. With innovation at the heart of the brand, the latest line also boasts an Active Stretch feature, which offers versatility, flexibility and a comfortable fit. What’s more, Navtech’s polo T-shirts flaunt moisture wicking capabilities to ensure that your skin stays cool and dry through the day.
To pay tribute to couples who have displayed the values of strength, resilience, patience, perseverance and optimism through what was an incredibly challenging year, Platinum Guild of India - International has unveiled a collection of exquisitely crafted platinum love bands. Each set of these two-toned love bands represents and celebrates the unique journey of the couple adorning it, with a design narrative showcasing intricate geometric patterns, delicate markings and clean lines, accentuated with hints of precious stones.
Price on request. For more information, visit platinumdaysoflove.com
Design That Inspires
Bold. Daring. Loud. Quirky. Unconventional. And deceptively playful. These are the hallmarks of Kish Dusharla’s larger-than-life design practice, Skaid Designs. With a keen eye for detail that takes into consideration his very select clientele’s every fanciful desire, the Hyderabad-based iconoclast constantly challenges conventional notions of design by tying in symbolism and subliminal messaging with his wild creativity and vivid imagination in each of his projects.
Available at exclusive Nautica brand stores and on Myntra and Flipkart
For more information, visit skaids.com, email info@skaids.com or follow @skaiddesigns and @kishdusharla on Instagram
The Perfect Frame
Ace Your Fitness Game
This new year, make health a priority by investing in a smartwatch from Garmin. From monitoring your heart and respiratory rates and blood oxygen saturation to analysing your sleep and stress patterns, Garmin’s Instinct Solar is just what you need to help you stay on top of your fitness game. Regardless of whether you’re running a marathon or going surfing, biking or mountain climbing, rest assured, the Instinct Solar will help you #DoWhatYouLoveLonger. `42,090 (Instinct Solar), `47,490 (Instinct Solar – Camo Edition). For more information, follow @garminindia on Instagram
Luxury eyewear brand Ray-Ban’s latest collection of funky frames is a celebration of the brand’s latest campaign, You’re On, which encourages people to be their authentic selves. Hailing from this range are the I-shaped Octagons, which embody the joyful spirit of the 1960s and 1970s with their oversized geometry; the 1990s-inspired Frank frames, which feature the original colours and vintage gold Ray-Ban logo; and the State Street Wayfarers, which flaunt a cool squared shape and contemporary aesthetic.
`8,890 onwards. Available at leading optical stores and on india.ray-ban.com JANUARY 2021
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HUMOUR
New Uses for Forgotten Office Items
TEXT: KATHRYN KVAS. ILLUSTRATION: VIGNESH SESHADRI
With mostly everyone working from home, many office items have gone unused for months. But never fear! Here are some useful ways to repurpose these relics from your nine-to-five days
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