Ritz june 2017 by RITZ MAGAZINE

SOUTH INDIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PREMIER UBER LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

june 2017 VOL 13 ISSUE 11

`100

Presents

Box office

sweetheart K eerth y Sur esh on her spectacular success, conservative values and more, like never before! Check out haute jewellery choices from

Exciting interviews, restaurant reviews, fashion trends, beauty news and lots more!

Ritz My view

am very happy to present to you this stunning June 2017 edition of RITZ, South India's largest lifestyle magazine - the perfect blend indeed of success, achievement, fashion and the luxe lifestyle. Our teams across all the South Indian states have worked hard collectively to put this beautiful edition together. With the best of brands, personalities and perspectives, RITZ Media Group is a formidable force in South India today. Having started as a one-city magazine from Chennai, we have grown to expand into every South Indian state, acquired new magazines like Southscope in the process and are an unstoppable phenomenon in the south. The blockbuster success of RITZ has given rise to our latest big venture, our online fashion retail platform that1too.com. We are glad that as a group we are making giant strides in presenting the best aspects of South India to a global audience online. Our success has created history and we thank you for your support in making this happen. Do keep showing us the love! Happy reading!

RITZ April 2017

RITZ Inside

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RITZ June 2017

Personality In this super exclusive, Keerthi Suresh the current box office sweet heart of Tamil cinema, talks to us about her career, conservative values, and more

Meet Tovino Thomas, the handsome Greek God of Mollywood who is known for his versatile acting skills

Bengaluru’s dynamic duo Arun and Priya Chittilappilly of Wonderla Holidays Ltd. get candid on their professional as well as personal lives.

Spotlight Ann Sheetal opens up about her first movie, her beauty regime and her next venture with Dulquer Salmaan

Take a peek inside Mimi Parthasarathy’s 103-year old heritage bungalow that has only become more splendid with age

Fashion entrepreneurs Monisha Gidwani and mum Vimal Shivdasani of brand Vimonisha fame have truly altered the very path of fashion in Chennai. We find out more

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Fashion We interview up and coming Chennai designer Deepika Pillai, and give you an exclusive preview of the latest collections from Prisma, Jhillmill and That1too through our beautiful photo shoots

TRENDING NOW Well-knowns Belgalureans talk about taking their style quotient up a notch with the latest trends in accessories

Celebrate Father’s Day with a twist this time by raising toast to moms who have single handedly raised their children

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Some of the loveliest mothers in Chennai spend quality time with their kids as photographed in our pages

We hop across Hyderabadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hip n happening breweries and showcase the ones vying for the top spot

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Culinary Voyages Minnie Menon takes you on a gastronomic trail at A2 at The Park Chennai.

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Corridors of Power The Additional Chief SecretaryHighways & Minor Ports, Tamil Nadu, Dr. Rajeev Ranjan gets candid with successful lawyer and prolific columnist Sanjay Pinto.

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Point Blank Sanjay Pinto shares his views on how caring for animals or respecting religious beliefs should have nothing to do with politics

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RSVP A round of the most talked about events across South India

BEAUTY The best in serums, foundations and miracle creams for when you sleep! Find them all on our pages

For advertising and marketing queries across South India, please contact M Praveen Kumar, Vice President - Marketing +91 98419 73090 Edited and Published by Aruna R Krishnan from 7th Floor, Sigma Wing, Raheja Towers, 177 Anna Salai, Chennai 600002. Printed by B Ashok Kumar of Rathna offset Printers at 40, Peters Road, Royapettah, Chennai - 600 014 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. RITZ is not responsible for unsolicited material. RITZ assumes no responsibility for the veracity and authenticity of the advertisements published herein. Readers are requested to make appropriate enquiries before incurring any expenses or acting on medical recommendations or otherwise in relation to any advertisement or article published herein. Also views in articles published herein are those of the respective authors only. RITZ does not necessarily subscribe to these views.

All correspondence should be addressed to: RITZ, 7th Floor, Sigma Wing, Raheja Towers, 177, Anna Salai, Chennai 600 002. Contact: 4211 3871 / 2. Email: admin@ritzmagazine.in

RITZ June 2017

Ritz BEAUTY

New Found(ation) Love

Diorskin Forever Foundation, ` 4,000

You want to look fresh faced and are skeptical about foundation that might make your skin smothered and patchy, then fret not. With the right acumen, the right high-coverage foundation and some miraculous strokes you can look like a diva. Although the ancient Greeks and Romans were among the first to use foundation, albeit in a crude form, it caught up after Max Factor introduced pancake makeup in 1914. Over a 100 years later, today we’re spoilt for choice, what with the thousands of foundation formulations around. Make way for some of these foundations to create the right canvas before you begin the magic of makeup. Just make sure you let it match and enhance your skin tone to make that everlasting impression. By Namita Gupta

Revlon Nearly Naked Makeup in Fresh Beige, ` 750

Diorskin Forever Primer, ` 3,350

Makeup artist and founder DA studio, Dipthi Aashok reveals secrets on how you can use this wonder discovery that can make any woman look beautiful. 1. For that flawless finish always choose a foundation that matches your skin tone. Apply a little foundation on the side of the face onto the neck and blend it for that perfect match.

L’Oréal Paris Mat Magique Foundation, ` 595

2. Some foundations tend to oxidise in which case chose a tone a shade lighter to your skin. 3. Start applying foundation from the middle of the face and thin out as you go toward the hair line.

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Cushion Compact SPF 35, ` 4750

5. Make sure you prime the face for that flawless finish.

Maybelline New York Fit Me! ShineFree Foundation Stick ` 550

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4. Apply a thin layer first and if need be go in for a second layer. Layering gives a natural finish and also helps the foundation last longer.

6. Always chose a foundation that suits your skin type. Water based ones suits most skin types. You can also use the ones with SPF.

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF 15, ` 4300

Ritz BEAUTY

P E IN E G

Dior Hydra Jelly Sleep Mask, ` 3,800

BEAUTY

Ponds Deep Action Night Cream ` 999 Dr Mikky Singh, consultant dermatologist and cosmetologist, Bodycraft Clinic Skin & Cosmetology shares how you can decide which night creams work best for you. The two most important steps to a good skin is nourishment and moisturising and sun protection. This can go a long way in giving you a radiant and healthy skin for long. Most people use a good sunscreen but forget to nourish the skin and moisturise it every night. That is where a good night cream comes into play. Night is the best time to apply a good cream as you’re going to sleep in peace and won’t be stepping out in the pollution. Good absorption of the cream and a rested skin are a stellar combination for radiant skin. Here’s how you can pick and choose your night cream based on these factors… 1. Age: If you’re in your 20s and 30s, a good moisturiser which is non comedogenic (one that doesn’t block your pores or cause acne) is a good bet. After you hit 40 it’s a good idea to have a cream with hyaluronic acid and may be retinol that is a perfect anti-ageing combination. 2. Skin type: If you have oily skin, then the use of a serum as opposed to a cream at night is recommended. If your skin is dry, you can use a night cream for dry skin as it will keep it nourished. 3. If you want a little detan, use Vitamin C serum which is very good. 4. If you have acne prone skin or active acne may be a cream or gel clindamycin or adafferin will help control the acne, but these need to be taken on prescription of your dermatologist. But make sure that you have cleansed your face thoroughly before you apply any cream.

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Get healthy, hydrant, softer, smoother, firmer, renewed and rejuvenated skin when you wake up every morning. Let the night do its magic on you as you give your skin that extra nourishment with these night beauties. While sleep can help restore your skin, there’s no doubt that a good skincare routine adds to that extra nourishment. Load up on some collagen while you get some shuteye and see how these miracle creams work on your skin cell maintenance and renewal. A good night cream not only nourishes your skin but also treats spots and wrinkles among other skin problems. Use them regularly and go on an anti-ageing spree.

Epique’s Intensive Luminescence Cream depigmentation formula reduces dark spots & uneven skin tone, ` 3800

Bobbi Brown Hydrate Night Eye Cream, ` 3400 Avon Anew Reversalist night cream ` 1700

Avon Anew Retroactive Night Cream, ` 1500

Capture Totale DreamSkin 1 minute mask, ` 4,500

ESTÉE LAUDER Densifique Serum New Advanced Night Repair Synchronised Recovery Complex, ` 5200

Ritz BEAUTY Serums- Liss Control + by L’Oreal Professionnel, ` 525

Avon Anew Essential Super Serum, ` 2000

S uss your

sk in

Cleopatra Balance Oily Skin Serum, Eazelly.com, ` 1500

Serums are having a beauty moment like never before. Say goodbye to dull and insipid skin and listless hair, reduce fine lines, brighten and even tone your skin, make it firm, get rid of dark spots or get an instant plump with these skincare potions. Their lightweight texture, be it natural and organic or scientifically researched formulations keep your skin hydrated, sans all the greasiness. Serums also work wonders on your hair. Here are some of the choicest serums infused with all the goodness around. Take your pick! By Namita Gupta

Dior Capture Totale La Serum Multi Perfection, ` 10,650

Geetaa Paul, Sculpt, a beauty, slimming and wellness clinic shares some beauty tips for face, body and hair... For your face: • Keep your skin clean and hydrated at all times and use sun block at all times. • Always remove makeup with a good makeup remover, use a mild face wash to cleanse your skin, never rub, only pat dry. • Use a skin serum before you retire to bed for your skin to relax and rejuvenate. Vita Cura from repachage is a great serum for all skin types. For your body: • Regular body massages help improve blood

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Organic Harvest Blush Shine & Glow Serum, ` 1795

Jeunesse from Kerastase, ` 6000

circulation • Follow them up with body scrubs to remove dead skin and use a good serum like L’Occitane – Almond Velvet Body Serum all over your body. For your hair: • Using hot oil on scalp to massage stimulates your blood circulation Wash your hair as often as required to ensure clean and healthy scalp. Conditioning your hair after every wash is highly recommended. Apply a good hair serum after conditioning. This will help you detangle your hair, keep them soft and shiny besides also protecting it. Kerastase makes some great hair serums.

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Ritz TRENDING NOW

Accessories B E N G A L URU

Acing the arena

Nothing can make you look more modish than a stunning piece of accessory. Beads, baubles, bracelets, trinkets, hoops, chokers, stilettos, totes, clutches, peep toes, dainty anklets...the list goes on. Comfortable shoes are having a moment, and leading the way are trendy sneakers that can be paired with anything and for any occasion. Even sarees, if you please. No wardrobe is complete without a chic white shirt or a classic LBD that can be dressed up or down and what can make you look like a million bucks with these timeless classics? Yes, you nailed it! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the right accessories. Some of the top notch fashionistas, stylish entrepreneurs and bloggers from Bengaluru share their formula for looking chic and staying comfortable. Text By: Namita Gupta

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CHINU KALA, RUBANS ACCESSORIES Chinu Kala won the Debutant Retailer of the Year award 2016 at the Star Retailer Awards for her brand Rubans Accessories. Her enviable runway fashion accessories come at extremely affordable prices. Her story: Coming from a modelling background where she was involved with clothes and accessories, on the ramp, she noticed that even the best of garments and shows would look incomplete without an accessory. “That’s when I started my research which took me to various parts of the world. I also visited many fashion weeks to understand what people look for in accessories. This experience directed me to start my own brand.” What’s trending: “I keep a keen eye on both International and Indian trends. Earrings have always been an evergreen trend. What’s in vogue right now are the statement earrings that are bigger than ever before. Bonbon Beads to large– and- in-charge hoops. Also oxidised jewellery can create a beautiful look with anything you team it up with. They look equally stunning in sarees as they do with denims. And even silver fancy nose studs and pins look sensational and can be paired with both ethnic and western wear. I work with accessory designers across the world, and also have an in-house design team which works on a large range of unique and innovative product collections,” shares Chinu. Her style statement: Always in her fashionable best, Chinu adds, “Accessories that outshine the bling and embrace a style that is unique and exclusive work for me. The aesthetics of my work are inspired from experiences around the world therefore I work towards giving everyone back home everything that’s in vogue from across the world.”

June 2017 RITZ

Ritz TRENDING NOW

NILU YULEENA THAPA, FASHION BLOGGER, Bighairloudmouth.com Her story: A full time blogger at BIG hair LOUD mouth, Nilu started blogging in 2012 as a personal journal documenting her daily life which slowly evolved to become a fashion and lifestyle blog. Today she’s one of the top fashion bloggers in the country. “I was a huge fan of the Swarovski Nirvana Ring when I was in college. When I first saw it, it was instant love; in fact I loved it so much that I had the ad image printed out and I had stuck it in my office console where I used to work after college. Since the ring was quite expensive, I never mustered the courage then to really go for it plus it is now no longer in production. Later after I became a blogger, when the Swarovski team got to know of my obsession with the ring, they arranged for me to have it and even had my size shipped to me. I treasure my Nirvana ring dearly and I wear it very often,” reveals Nilu.

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What’s trending: Nilu states, “Sunglasses and minimal stacking accessories are in style. While we were crushing on statement accessories some years back, I see that lately the trend has moved to minimal jewellery pieces which are stacked to look very pretty.” Her style statement: Some of Nilu’s personal favourites include, “Outhouse jewellery as it resonates with my personality. I’ve collected a few pieces from them. I love how unique they are as well as how beautifully they are crafted. I don’t usually wear a lot of accessories at one time and stick to one statement piece every time. I always have a ring on me that I feel best complements the outfits I’m sporting.”

Ritz TRENDING NOW SARAYU HEGDE, OWNER AND CURATOR, THE BOMBAY ATTIC Her story: “I have always been fascinated by the craft of creating a garment, I love the power of clothing and how it speaks of an individual’s personality without having to say a word. Having lived over a decade in the fashion capital of India and my love for travelling, I realised we were always looking up to the West for inspiration in fashion, whereas we had incredible talent in our own country. A beautiful space with all things fashionable has always been my dream. I moved to Bengaluru four years ago and gave wings to my dream with The Bombay Attic store, a space for emerging designers of our country.” What’s trending: “Belts of all shapes and sizes. I’m big on Obi & Corset belts right now as they are the perfect accessory to accentuate those curves. Also embellished bags and shoes, sneakers, sliders, loafers or heels are all jazzed up with metallic beads, appliqués and sequins. This season we see a blend of both sides of the style spectrum minimalism and maximalism,” says Sarayu. Her style statement: Sarayu likes to pick up her stock from The Bombay Attic and she scurries through her mom’s wardrobe for vintage bags and heirloom jewellery. “My everyday style is minimal, comfort and functional like a pair of flats, an oversized tote, a classic watch, oversized shades and one piece of statement jewellery. I always invest in classics as they never go out of style - a classic time keeper, nude pumps, gold kolhapuris, heirloom jewellery, vintage bags and hats are a must have. This may sound like a cliché, but the best accessory on a woman is most definitely her confidence and smile.

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Ritz TRENDING NOW

SHAHID HAQ, EMPIRE GROUP OF HOTELS AND MOTORMIND AUTOMOTIVE DESIGNS Shahid Haq, Joint Managing Director, Empire Group of Hotels and founder, CEO and design chief, Motormind Automotive Designs, is the designer and creator of the Indian-made sportscar Hyperion, in production and to be sold by invitation. He also has a great sense of style. His story: He juggles between his food and automobile business with panache and still manages to stay well groomed and classy at all times. “I have a fetish for designer sunglasses, watches and shoes. I also love designer laptop and tablet bags, cases and men’s wallets and branded office stationery. I also like to flaunt designer travel bags from Louis Vuitton and trendy TUMI trolley bags,” shares Shahid. What’s trending: Shahid states, “I love the YEEZY Boost 350 shoes that are designed by Kanye West for Adidas. I’m privileged to have one of these limited edition shoes. The classic white shirt with folded sleeves and pair of denims will always stay in fashion.” His style statement: “My attire is mostly casual or semi-formal. As I juggle between two businesses, comfort along with style is very important as there are times when I have to get my hands dirty and run back to office for a meeting. I like to keep it simple yet classy. My mantra: Whatever you wear, don’t forget to wear a smile. I love

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shopping in Dubai as I travel there quite often. Some of my favourite brands are Armani jeans, Gucci, Zara and Diesel. I wear a Rolex watch when I’m at work or on formal occasions, Cartier for a premium semi formal look and Seven Friday when I’m out on a weekend super car drive. My sunglasses are from Prada and Mont Blanc; I pick up Ray Ban for their classic aviators. I love the rugged look of jackets. For smart casual and semi formal shoes, ALDO always have some nice ones on their shelves. I like Canali and Massimo Dutti shoes and Porsche design when it comes to pens, laptop bags, travel bags and suitcases. Being an automotive enthusiast, I love their design sense for these products and the TUMI Ducati collection. Also those bright red bags, featuring three red travel cases made with Tumi’s multi-layer ABS polycarbonate material, nylon front panels, and aluminium handle are what I love. Any automotive enthusiast would love it. Cars are also my favourite accessories. As an automotive enthusiast who is passionate about design, for me the best accessory is the cars I drive! Every car I drive is personalised, be it a hatch back, a sedan, sports or a supercar,” reveals Shahid.

Ritz TRENDING NOW

VEENA ASHIYA, DESIGNER, MONROW SHOES ‘Shoes that look good feel good’ – believes Veena Ashiya of Monrow Shoes, a women’s footwear brand. Her story: Former Versace and Tommy Hilfiger employee and NIFT alumnus, she came up with the idea for Monrow from her dilemma of struggling to find fashionable yet comfortable shoes for herself and found her calling in designing shoes that fit like a glove on Indian feet. “I used to work in NYC for Versace and realised that I had a ‘love-hate relationship with heels”…loved the looks but hated the discomfort. When I moved back to India, I saw that most women had the same issues, so I decided to solve the problem by intensely researching on the shape of Indian feet and how heels can be designed to make them comfortable,” shares Veena. What’s trending: Talking of the latest trends, she says, “Besides trendy bags and jewellery, shoes are the biggest trend when it comes to accessories. The hot athleisure trend has now caught on to shoes as well. Fashionable high and low top sneakers and platform-heeled sneakers look great and are comfortable too. The trend caught on well in India as it is easy to adopt and what better than a trend you can wear the whole day? I’m a very keen collector of shoes and accessories. I think they are like magic wand and can transform any outfit. My shoes are always from Monrow, in styles that I wear for a day of running around in the office or a party. I’m fortunate to have inherited some super vintage Rajput jewellery from my mother that I pair with western dresses to complete the look.” Her style statement: “Most people match shoes to the outfit, but I first start with the shoes. I have different shoes for different moods and occasions. I have classy nude heels for my office days that go with anything and sexy LBD versions of heels for parties. For the inner Khalisee, I have thigh-high gladiators as I feel sometimes you need to unleash the inner goddess,” winks Veena with a smile. She adds, “In my 20s, I developed very interesting ways to look at shoes. They are like our relationships; some are exciting and not necessarily for emotional comfort, while some are like BFFs, always there to hold your feet, comfortable but what I was looking for was a combination of excitement and support and I decided to build it myself when I couldn’t find the right one.”

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Ritz TRENDING NOW

SHALINI CHOPRA, FASHION BLOGGER, StylishByNature.com Her story: “I always loved wearing stylish outfits since my childhood. I think I inherited that from my parents. I was posting my outfits on various online portals for the past few years and was getting requests to start blogging. Initially, I ignored the requests due to time crunch. However, eventually I gave it a serious thought and started pursuing my passion for fashion with my blog and now I have a big following,” says Shalini. What’s trending: She feels, “Chokers, pom-poms and criss cross accessories are back in a big way. I pick up mine from online stores and flea markets. I also pick up from branded stores.” Her style statement: “I’m more of a dainty and delicate jewellery person. However, I go for chunky and bold jewellery sometimes, depending on the look I wear. My dress sense blends a mix of street style, vintage, designer couture and affordable fashion,” adds Shalini.

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Ritz PERSONALITY Wardrobe: Sionnah, Chennai Jewellery: NAC jewellers

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c h e nn a i

Presents

O ffic x o B

Sweetheart As a fashion student, Keerthy Suresh interned for the photo shoots of South India’s largest lifestyle magazine, RITZ. Today, the very same magazine is proud to feature Tamil cinema’s box office sweetheart on the cover. What an incredible transformation indeed! As Tamil cinema’s hottest young heroine, Keerthy prefers to stay exclusive and selective. Not one to make fast, fair weather friends, attend too many events whose cause she doesn’t believe in or change her belief system just to suit a role, the mesmerizingly beautiful Keerthy Suresh talks to us about her conservative values and stupendous success in an ever-changing industry that is fraught with changes and challenges. Photography: G Venket Ram Styling: Shilpa Vummiti

June 2017 RITZ

Ritz PERSONALITY

aws dropped when she mouthed the words, “I love you, but I am not in love with you” on screen. With the right mix of that irresistible movie star aura, delicate beauty, spunk and chutzpah, 24-year-old Keerthy Suresh has had dizzying success in her acting career so far and is looking forward to a string of high-flying, big-budget films with most of the reigning superstars of Tamil cinema. Having lost oodles of weight, Keerthy Suresh looks fetching in her skinny blue jeans and a cute white tee that says, ‘All I want is a Million Dollars!’ “One of these days, I want ‘Million’ changed to ‘Billion’,” she exclaims laughing, as she alights from her swanky white Volvo sedan. As the youngest daughter of famous yesteryear actress Menaka and successful film producer Suresh, a career in filmdom was no accident for Keerthy. She always knew she wanted to be a star. “Even as little kids, my sister and I had kinda worked it out between ourselves that I would be in front of the camera and she would be behind it. A doctor’s child wants to be a doctor; a bureaucrat’s child wants to be a bureaucrat. So we reasoned that since our parents were from the film industry, why shouldn’t we aspire to be part of the same field?” Agreed, but has the influence and goodwill that her parents wield helped her land plum roles? “No, that’s not true. Let me explain. I enrolled for a fashion design program

Jewellery courtesy of

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Cape top by Payal Khandwala Brocade Pants by Sonam Dubal Available at Amethyst Footwear by charles & keith

“I have never auditioned for any r o l e , e v e r . I a lway s tell the director that once I am on b oa r d, I w i l l g l a d ly do a look test but I cannot audition for t h e r o l e . ”

Ritz PERSONALITY

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Saree : SRI KUMARAN STORES Jewellery : NAC jewellers

Ritz PERSONALITY Wardrobe: Dolly J from Tifara, Chennai Jewellery: NAC jewellers

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in Chennai because I figured that in case I didn’t become a star, a degree in fashion would help me stay connected to the film industry, although in a different capacity. When I was still studying, I got a call from Priyadarshan sir who is a close friend of my dad’s, to act in the Malayalam film Geethanjali. Only because it was Priyan sir’s film, my parents agreed and I got my first role. But after that I have accepted and declined roles on my own terms. In fact, my mom helped me out a little till Thodari, my film in Tamil with Dhanush, but after that I have made decisions on my own, pretty much.” She interrupts her train of thought to offer us juice, a super hydrating concoction of coconut water and palm fruit, and continues, “My first film in Tamil, Idhu Enna Mayam, didn’t fare as well as expected, after which I did have people telling me to accept some of the roles that were coming my way. I remained steadfast and kept refusing those roles.” Along came Rajinimurugan and changed the game for Keerthy. “We faced a lot of problems during Rajinimurugan. The film didn’t release on time, it got delayed. But despite all of it, the team kept telling me not to accept any new roles until the film’s release. So except for Thodari which I accepted since I liked the character offered to me, I declined all other films. We were all very confident the movie was going to be a big success, and our conviction paid off. Rajinimurugan was a blockbuster!” Keerthy elaborates further, “I am someone who is super choosy. I have in fact said more No’s than I have said a Yes in my career so far. But around that time there were a couple of people who told me, ‘See your first film didn’t do well. Your second film Rajinimurugan has also not yet released due to various issues. Despite these factors, you are getting roles and people want to sign you on. Why don’t you accept these films?’ Often heroines are blamed and slotted as unlucky for reasons beyond

“I come from a c o n s e r vat i v e fa m i ly. I d o n ’ t wa n t t o d o r o l e s where I am required to wear revealing c l o t h e s. T o d ay, f i l m makers don’t come to me with offers for such roles” their control. I started hearing such comments about myself. Regardless, I stood firm. Today, when I see that those films haven’t performed well, my decisions stand vindicated. I gained even more confidence that my choices were not wrong. I am a Libran, I can’t say I am a great decision maker (laughs) but by God’s grace, my decisions turned out right. I am not someone who calls up people asking for roles. I don’t do auditions. I have had situations where people have called me for auditions. I refused. I said, ‘If I am in your film, then I will do a look test, but I will not audition. Auditioning is not wrong. I could have gone and auditioned, pitched myself for the roles, but I guess it’s just not who I am.” At this point Keerthy’s beloved grandmother walks in to say hello. “Remember my film Remo? My Granny Cool has acted in it,” Keerthy says affectionately. “My grandmother used to be a teacher. She got along famously with the

cast and crew, and everyone made sure she was comfortable. In fact, people looked forward to having her on the sets as she is so full of beans!” Talk veers back to Keerthy and we ask her about her landmark film Bairavaa with inimitable Tamil Superstar Ilayathapalathy Vijay. “I have been always Vijay sir’s fan. In fact I remember once he had to come shoot in Kerala, and my home was very close to the hotel he was staying in. So we used to camp out on our balcony to catch a glimpse of him. Once, he was waving at all the fans who had gathered to see him and we thought he was waving directly at us! We were thrilled, ecstatic! That is how big a fan of Vijay sir’s I have always been. So when I got the offer to act with him, I was overjoyed. Now imagine my happiness when I went on the sets and Vijay sir asked me, “I saw your song from Rajinimurugan. Did you come up with those expressions yourself?” She radiates bliss and continues, “Vijay sir as you know, doesn’t speak much. June 2017 RITZ

Ritz PERSONALITY

“I am a girl who likes to laugh out loud when I hear a good joke. I am not going to change all that just because of memes on s o c i a l m e d i a” But he treats everyone with respect and that is one of the many qualities I admire greatly in him.” Among other films, Keerthy is currently shooting Thaana Serndha Koottam with Suriya directed by Vignesh Shivan. “My mom has acted with Sivakumar sir. So I remember seeing Suriya sir’s film one day and telling my mom, ‘See, you acted with Sivakumar sir. One day I will definitely act with his son.’ I am indeed thankful that it has come true. Jagdish my manager had just come on board and I got the role in TSK.” Up next for Keerthy in Tamil is her film with the versatile and charismatic Tamil Superstar Chiyaan Vikram. “I am looking forward to Saamy 2. As you know Saamy was a mega blockbuster. It is super exciting to be part of the sequel to such an iconic film, close to a decade and a half after it was released.” Speaking of sequels, Sandakozhi 2 with Vishal is on the cards for Keerthy, and it is another film that she is looking forward to. “It is again such a popular film and I want to play my role to perfection.”

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Keerthy is also acting with Power Star Pawan Kalyan in Telugu. “I was pleasantly surprised to know he had seen Bairavaa and liked my performance too. I am extremely happy to work with him in this film.” The hot topic now seems to be her role as acclaimed yesteryear actress Savitri in the film Mahanati. Speculations are rife in the media that she is gaining weight for this role. We ask her if this is true, as weight-gain experiments can sometimes go horribly wrong, with stars struggling to lose weight post the film, but losing out instead on plum roles. “No I have lost weight and would like to in fact, lose a bit more. I am definitely not gaining weight for the role - we are using prosthetic makeup instead.” Having always been seen in mass films and roles that require her to wear a salwar suit or saree, would she like to experiment with her appearance? May be glam it up a little? “I am all for playing fashionable, trendy characters. But why does that have to mean wearing a certain kind of clothes? I come

from a traditional, conservative family and I cannot wear revealing clothes. My mom always used to tell me, ‘See, we can all sit around as a family and watch my films. I want you to play roles and be part of films that you can watch years later with your kids without cringing. So I have been clear about not doing roles that require me to wear such clothes.” She continues, “Take for example this photo shoot for RITZ. I love the clothes, they are so wearable and fashionable. Suppose I had to wear a crop top and a short skirt, I would have not been okay with it. That’s just who I am.” What about actors being criticised for their fashion sense or their weight? Keerthy herself has been at the receiving end of the spectrum many times. The star smiles in acknowledgment, “Yes, I did see a report on a site that criticised my weight. I didn’t get angry or react negatively. I took it in my stride and said to myself, “Why not lose some weight?’ I am have never been someone who works out regularly. But this time, I gave myself a month, hit the gym, worked on my diet plan and went about it in a practical fashion. The result is that I feel fantastic about my weight loss. I am definitely not going back to my former weight!” Keerthy has also been trolled on social media for her expressions. “Yes, but that is not something I can help. See they take a video, freeze a frame and make memes. What do I do about it? My expressions are a part of who I am as an actress and as a person. For instance, I am a girl who likes to laugh out loud when I hear a good joke. I am not going to change

Wardrobe courtesy of

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all that just because of memes on social media.” Speaking of the future, we are curious to know what industry Keerthy would prefer to work in. “I am now getting films from different languages. Yes, I have done more Tamil films than other languages, but when I am getting great offers from Telugu why not do it? As for Malayalam, the industry as such may be quite small when compared to Tamil or Telugu, the reach it has is

“Now I have done Bairavaa, with Vijay sir. Have you seen any such scenes or clothes? I have come to a point where people don’t approach me for such roles. When I start talking to the director about my clothes etc. they tell me, ‘You don’t have to explain yourself. We’ve come to you because we already know what your preferences are.’” As we conclude our hour-long chat, Keerthy recalls her stunning acceptance speech at the Audi RITZ

“Before I became a n a c t r e s s I wa s w o r k i n g f o r RIT Z f o r their photo shoots. Now I am getting an Awa r d f r o m t h e s a m e magazine!”

huge. Everywhere I go, people seem to be so fond of Malayalam films. They ask me, ‘Why aren’t you doing Malayalam films anymore?’ It is only due to time constraints that I haven’t been able to do Malayalam films. However, I am not in a zone where I have relegated myself to any one language. I am a South Indian actress and I am fine with all languages. Granted, but being half-Malayali and half-Tamil, does she feel more Tamilian than Malayali? ‘No, I am as much a Malayali as a Tamilian. I love both cultures. Since I have been in Chennai for so long, I relate more to the city, that’s all.” As her stardom rises, Keerthy is bound to do more mass films. So would she refuse a role with a big star just because the role was too glam?

Icon Awards where she reveled to the audience that she was part of the RITZ team once. “Before I became an actress I was working for a magazine for their photo shoots. Now I am getting an Award from the same magazine,” she said at the event with humility and deep respect for her roots. Her speech was received with deafening applause and cheers from the gathering and the video clip was played and replayed by the online media virally. Keerthy comes down to the foyer of her apartment building and right across to our car to bid goodbye. As we drive away, one cannot help but remark on what a rare and remarkable human being she is - courteous, polite, focused, talented, humble and forthright. That she looks like a billion dollars is definitely the icing on the cake!

When are you acting with Ultimate Star Ajith? “I would love to, but I don’t know! When the right time comes, it will fall into place” Favourite actors in the south? “My most favourite would be Thalaivar. Rajni sir” Who among the current crop of actresses do you like? “I admire Nayantara for the phenomenal star she is. Anushka’s personality is mind-blowing. I also like Parvathy, Nithya Menen, Aishwarya Rajesh and others.” What about marriage? “In the past I have said I would prefer a love marriage as my parents had one. But I am not even thinking of marriage right now.” What do you think are the qualities of the ideal girlfriend? “A girl who gives her guy a lot of space and doesn’t nag him on the hour, every hour! I feel the ideal girlfriend should trust her man. Just giving a man a lot of space requires a big heart, doesn’t it?” What do you think people find most attractive about you? “I have been told I have a great smile. Most people compliment me for my smile.” We’ve met your grandmother and she’s acted with you. So what does she like about your acting skills? “My gran always tells me, ‘Nalla azhara di,’ meaning I cry really well! (laughs). She is more excited about watching my crying scenes than any other scenes!” What have you learnt from your mom’s career? My mom became an actress at 16. She had a much tougher time, she was a novice with no background in films. By the time she got married at 24, she was at the peak of her career. She has done close to 200 films across different languages. She has always taught me 2 tenets: Be punctual and treat everyone equally.”

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Taking On The Reigns kochi

It has definitely not been all sunshine and smooth sailing for this young star. With no roots in the industry, his journey has had to brace its fair share of rough weather. But through it all, the burning fire within him has been his strong passion for cinema! His versatile acting skills have always won him much critical acclaim. Now, with back to back hits, this handsome ‘Greek God of Mollywood’ stands poised to take on his reigns! RITZ is in conversation with the hot Macho man, Tovino Thomas! Interview: Riya Sonny Datson Photography: Shafi Shakkeer Location: Prime Décor Styling and Art: Akhil Anandan & Savad Make Up: Subi Ganesh Costume Courtesy: North Republic, Lulu Fashion Store Accessories Courtesy: Lulu Fashion Store, Aldo, Vision Opticals Footwear: Aldo, Lulu Mall, Lulu Fashion Store Image Retouching: Jineesh Boss Wardrobe Courtesy of

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Ritz PERSONALITY When looking back, how do you think your journey as an actor has taken shape? Like any new actor in the industry, it was a step by step climb for me too. For a start, I just wanted a role in good cinema, after which I started looking for a break – a chance to perform. Then came the yearning for a lead role, a search for a director and team who were willing to trust me with the responsibility. The journey was indeed a tough one especially because it was a tremendous struggle and a lone one at that. But I am happy that through it all, I have survived and reached where I am today. I know hits are not permanent and thankfully, I always try to focus on critical acclaim and performance-oriented roles. More than the profits in production, I always hope and pray that there are no losses, because at the end of the day, people cast you in the lead because they trust you. I am indebted to people who have had the faith in me and have stood by me and most importantly, I owe it to the audience who have accepted me.

life changing events for me. The first was when I was a 12-year-old. I was facing some health issues and was admitted at CMC Vellore for a period of 4 months and it felt like a period of self-introspection. I had been an introvert since childhood and that was the time when I felt I needed to change, I was determined to push myself out of my shell. Amazingly, once I got back to school, everyone felt I had indeed changed. It was literally a character transformation. I soon became the assistant school leader, a sports champion and the school leader consecutively for the next three years. I won subtitles at the Mr. Thrissur competition and later became Mr. University while at college. The next life changing event was when I got hired right after college. I was stuck in a cubicle all by myself again and I had enough time to think about my future. I knew I had to at least try following my dream. I decided to give it a shot and once I got a role in a film, I gathered courage to resign and follow my passion. Unfortunately, that role didn’t work out and I was really hurt and disappointed then but looking back now, I feel it was a blessing in disguise.

would come under the scanner. But I still enjoy doing all the things that I used to do. My friends still treat me the same way except that, now they have the added excitement to watch the first day first show of my new releases. I still go cycling, hang around with my friends, visit their homes and grab a snack from their kitchen. There are changes in terms of privacy but I always knew it was a part of the game! Recently there have been controversies about the way you reacted to your fans… I enjoy my fan following and there have been times when fans have hugged me and even kissed me. I understand that it is an expression of their love. But the scenario changes when people start to hurt you physically or make you feel uncomfortable physically. Then I am bound to react. This is not the first time it has happened, I have faced similar situations even before I became an actor and I have reacted in the same way.

Do you get to spend time with your family amidst your busy schedules? Without a background in cinema, it I admit that there has to be a lot of can be tough to survive in the film extra effort. But whenever possible, industry. What prompted you to take I try to take them to my shooting the leap? I have always had a love for cinema. How does it feel to be called the ‘Greek location or try to spend as much time as possible with them when I am not When we were kids, not a single God of Mollywood’ or ‘The Most doing films. They also understand my weekend passed when we didn’t watch Desirable Man’? movies. I used to love visiting shooting It definitely feels good and I am happy pressures and know that I will make it up to them. The fact is cinema will not locations, to watch stars perform and when someone compliments me wait for anyone and you have to make thoroughly enjoyed reading about but I am aware of my strengths and yourself available when it is ready. I am cinema. Even after I got hired, during weaknesses and so I don’t give it too a person who respects my work and my my break, I used to always google and much thought. team and I don’t like to be the reason research the theory behind cinema! I for any delays. I am not comfortable was inspired by real life stories of stars How has life changed with the with the idea of people waiting for me. like Mark Wahlberg, Sylvester Stallone celebrity status? and Arnold Schwarzenegger who As far as my friends and family are Are you a party person? proved that you could succeed through considered, I am no celebrity. The Not at all! In fact, my idea of relaxation sheer hard work and dedication. I knew Tovino I know has never changed. I would be to laze around, eating yummy at the bottom of my heart that cinema think it is the way you are perceived home-cooked food, reading a good book was my passion and that I couldn’t that changes. I have always felt that and sipping good coffee on a rainy day. survive doing a job that I didn’t enjoy. people around me have changed. For example, now, I don’t think I have the More than heavy duty parties, I enjoy solitude and taking a break at home. How did you prepare yourself to freedom to crack the same joke in the follow your passion? same manner that I did when I first You have had the opportunity to I should say, there were two main started out. I would be criticised and

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“I don’t like to be the reason f o r a n y d e l ay s . I a m n o t c o m f o r ta b l e w i t h t h e i d e a o f people waiting for me ”

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“ Th e r e h ave b e e n times when fans h ave h u g g e d m e a n d even kissed me. I u n d e r s ta n d t h at i t is an expression of their love . But the scenario changes w h e n p e o p l e s ta r t t o h u r t y o u p h y s i c a l ly o r m a k e yo u f e e l u n c o m f o r ta b l e ”

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Some of the roles you have portrayed are very intense. How do you prepare for your roles? The first and most important thing is to understand what and who the director wants you to portray. It is based on his research that I prepare for my roles. My biggest learning would also be from observation – of the people around me, their reactions to various situations. Whenever I take up a role, I try to empathise with the character. Unless I am able to justify his actions, I can’t successfully portray him. Be it a villain or a hero, to me, I am the character. There have been times when I have cried uncontrollably after a scene or have felt haunted by a character even after the shoot ended but I feel that’s what adds to the perfection of the act. Many congratulations on your latest hit, Godha! Tell us more about it. Thank you! Godha has been in the planning since 2013 but I was roped into the project in 2015. It has been a dream project for the entire crew right from the tea vendor to our director. It was a difficult movie but we are very happy with the output and I am glad the audiences are enjoying the experience. As far as my character is concerned, I was not expected to have 6 pack abs or the physique of a supermodel. The character required me to be naturally healthy with a strong build and a broad torso and I worked out extensively for that look. I had to learn Gata Gusti and Minnal George from Fort Kochi was my Guru. It was

an amazing experience and I am happy with the results. I believe that there has to be a perfection in whatever role we portray for cinema will stay forever even after we are gone. Upcoming Projects… I just finished shooting for a Malayalam movie titled ‘Tarangam’ by Arun Dominic, it is a Dhanush production and also his first Mollywood venture. The movie, which is a dark comedy is a new concept, but it has turned out well. Let’s hope the audience enjoy the experience. There is also another project with Ashique Abu. There are a couple of other exciting ventures in the pipeline but I can’t comment about the same right now. We hear that there is a Tamil movie in the making, how does it feel to be working in Kollywood? Its ‘adipoli’ (awesome), in terms of the experience. I wouldn’t want to comment about my Kollywood project

R apid Fire

portray different characters and sport different physical looks in every project. Is it intentional? Yes, definitely it has been intentional. I don’t think I have portrayed a similar character twice so far. Even if I have enacted two police officers, the characters and the physical traits would have been totally different. Thankfully, in terms of physical looks, a small change like a long beard or a clean shave gives me a different image each time, so that has been an added advantage for me as an actor.

• Challenge: Is creating hits and being a part of good movies • Inspiration: Is all around • Dream role: Would be to portray a role that would be a dream for others • Interests: Experiential travel and adventure sports • Favourite Food: Any dish that has Chicken as an ingredient • Favourite Movie: Into the Wild • Favourite Holiday: Rishikesh • Style Statement: Dressing to the occasion and being comfortable

right now but in terms of working with a new industry, it’s great. I always try to create a comfort zone where I go. It’s not possible to do movies with friends all the time so I always try to make new friends wherever I go. Your learnings from cinema... My biggest learning has been how to act! Though, through the years, I have learnt and grown a lot as an actor, I still feel I am just a student of cinema and I have a long way to go! June 2017 RITZ

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D eco d in g A r u n ' s lo o k : Canali blue work blazer, Ermenegildo Zegna shirt, G Star raw denim, Louis Vuitton shoes and Paul Smith belt.

D eco d in g Pr iya' s lo o k : Long peacock blue dress from Ahilya and Salvatore Ferragamo Stilettos

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b e ng a l u r u

The wonder boy and his dream woman Meet this Bengaluru-based dynamic duo who are partners in their personal and professional lives. Text by: Namita Gupta. Photographs by: Faheem Hussain June 2017 RITZ

Ritz PERSONALITY

e is taking millions on a roller-coaster ride and giving them an adrenaline rush like no one else can. Well, literally! We go behind the scenes of all the action and get the wonder boy Arun K. Chittilappilly, Managing Director and Founder, Wonderla Holidays Ltd. and his wife Priya Joseph Chittilappilly, Director, Wonderla Holidays Ltd. to spill the beans on their successful entrepreneurial journey, their trade secrets, love life and their future plans. It all began when Arun was trying to fix broken toys with his screw driver as a tiny tot, but he usually ended up damaging them more. Soon his fascination for machines and engineering grew and over time this problem solving mindset gave him the ability to look deeper into problems and find solutions and eventually went on to complete his Masters in Industrial Engineering from Swinburne University (IRIS), Melbourne, Australia. Little did the older son of Sheela and Kochouseph Chittilappilly know then that he would be handling humungous responsibilities that included engineering and design, marketing, communications and finance of a 280 crore company. Learning the ropes His undying love for his long-time girlfriend, led him to unleash his business acumen and join his father’s venture. His first challenge was to expand the park, improve its design, and bring new rides and technology, to keep up with the demand. “Industrial engineering, in its simplest form is identifying problems and

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solving or optimising those problems. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to become an entrepreneur like my dad after my Masters in Industrial Engineering from Australia. I saw his venture growing rapidly, despite the industry-unfriendly nature of Kerala. I was to get married to my long time girlfriend Priya and thought it was a smart thing to work for my dad’s new baby, an amusement park project he had recently opened in Kochi and put my entrepreneurial skills to work. My other option would have been to work in Australia’s auto majors Holden or Ford, for some research projects, which also seemed exciting at the time,” he says nostalgically. But Arun chose the former. He indelibly learnt the nuances of the amusement park business from the best – his father, Kochouseph Chittilappilly who founded V-Guard Industries, a reputed electronic equipment manufacturing company. He set up his own venture on a much larger scale, in Bengaluru, in the name of Wonderla after learning the ropes of the business in Kochi. Now he has amusement parks not only in Bengaluru and Kochi, but in Hyderabad as well. He has been a key architect of Wonderla Amusement parks and has been actively involved in strategising and conceptualising the parks and resorts. Arun now has plans to build more large-format amusement parks in the metros of India, starting with Chennai in 2019. He has plans to make Wonderla a national chain of high quality amusement parks present in all major cities. Love makes the world go round Arun and Priya exude an arresting presence every time they walk into a room. “I met Priya in Bengaluru through common friends, when we were doing our graduation. She was from a very different background: her dad was working in shipping. She was educated abroad, was well travelled, and very open as a person. I was from a business family in

Kochi and had just moved to Bengaluru to study. We were like chalk and cheese.” He confesses blushing, “I guess opposites attract and we started dating.” Exuding a calm serenity, his demure and pretty wife Priya, executive director of Wonderla, chips in adding, “Our friendship progressed over six months into a relationship. Although we came from very different backgrounds, we connected on various fronts and were very happy in each other’s company. My mother took seriously ill back then and Arun was there for me as my rock. He is not someone who is overtly romantic, but at that time driving me to college and the hospital during my mom’s illness and just always being around was so much more valuable and precious. In time, after my three year degree as a speech and language pathologist, I moved to Australia for my Master’s and Arun, (although he wanted to go to the US to study) also came to Australia for his Master’s a year later for his four year engineering degree. Both of us were in Australia over a two-year period, but were together in Melbourne only for a year. I moved to Hong Kong for a year to stay with my parents and work there after my Master’s in Public Health. Arun continued his studies in Australia and post that we got married in India. We seemed to have worked out our relationship through college and distance over time which convinced us we should be together. Within a month of getting married I decided to work with Arun in Veegaland, Kochi with the intention that we were going to move to Bengaluru in two years to start and set up

D eco din g A r u n ' s lo o k : Vivek Karunakaran jacket, Ermenegildo Zegna shirt, G Star raw denim, Louis Vuitton shoes and Paul Smith belt.

D eco din g Pr iya' s lo o k : Kate Spade Fuschia dress with Jimmy Choo peep toes.

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Aurn and Priya on a holiday in Machu Picchu and Copenhagen (below)

Wonderla in Bengaluru. We even designed the logo together. My role is to focus on HR and F&B. However, we have always been trained to take on multiple roles and responsibilities over the years by Arunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dad. So I even help with the interiors of the park and resort, landscaping, housekeeping etc.â&#x20AC;?

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A roller-coaster ride Although most amusement parks follow the same tenets, what was the secret behind the success of this man, we ask and Arun recalls, â&#x20AC;&#x153;My role in the business has evolved over time. I started as a director of technology, looking into new projects that the park needed. When the amusement park in Kochi was built, it was designed with a very small capacity, but the response we got was tremendous. Our first task was to make sure we expanded wisely and made sure our guests could be accommodated. Later, I became deeply involved in designing a brand

project in Hyderabad and felt that an IPO could be a good way to do it. We tried to go the private equity way but since we already had a listed company in the group we new larger amusement park project were confident of going through the long and laborious IPO process. It in Bengaluru with an extensive use of solar energy and water treatment so happened that it was a really bad time for IPOs and the markets were and conservation system. We knew not kind to IPOs. We had issues that Bengaluru had less water, so with SEBI for getting clearance for every square foot of our park here the fund raise. Interest from invesis designed with the intention of conserving resources and this would tors was low. We still decided to go make Wonderla hugely profitable in ahead, and finally it turned out to be one of the best IPOs of all time. We the future. I was spearheading the got heavily oversubscribed, and this marketing and communications for Wonderla simply because there was was even before Mr Narendra Modi no one else to do it. Right from the won the election. This gave a huge design of the logo to every statement boost to our company and our employees who were also given shares that went out in the last 13 years, I was involved in some way or the oth- during the IPO. We have done quite well after the IPO. Our valuation er. I enjoyed working in marketing and I still do. Then when the park in has tripled, as have our revenues. Bengaluru wasn’t doing well initial- But there are challenges due to our ly, my role was to see how we could growth. We are now trying to reorganise ourselves to our new vision: make it even more cost effective. I to become a national chain of high started looking at finance in detail. quality amusement parks and are in This helped me understand how to the process of executing our vision,” control the costs of running a park. Now I look at new ride technology, states Arun. new projects in other cities, talent Man of many passions hiring and nurturing, cost control, Apart from being passionate about finance, settling in our leadership team etc. Our family’s three verticals theme parks, Arun’s other interests include music, cars, reading, fitare V-Guard industries, an electriness, traveling, adventure sports cal goods manufacturing that my brother Mithun takes care of, V-Star and swimming. The man who has apparel that my mom looks after and a fleet of luxury cars in his basemy dad has launched a new construc- ment says, “I went to Japan, Bali, tion business. I look after Wonderla South America, Peru and Machu theme parks and I love the fact that Picchu with Nat Geo recently and also watched Coldplay perform live we make people happy.” in Copenhagen. Priya and I live in Bengaluru and the rest of my famHigh stakes ily lives in Kochi. We are in touch In 2014, under Arun’s leadership, constantly and since my parents love the company raised close to 200 spending time with their grandcrore through an IPO and has now children, we make efforts to meet at scaled great heights. “We wanted least once a month, and take a family to raise the money for our new vacation at least once a year with them.” Talking about maintaining the work-life balance, Priya who likes to read, cook, bake and go for spiritual workshops shares, “Working in a business family means there is very little work-life balance as all

conversations with family and for us, especially because we work together, revolve around work. In fact, so much so even our nine year old son asks and is encouraged to participate in these discussions. Also, both Arun and I are travel junkies. We travel a lot together and separately as well for work and pleasure and we take trips with our son too. We invariably land up in some amusement park, entertainment arena, or related business across the world discussing and thinking about various opportunities and learnings from our travels to implement in our business. My parents and I have had the opportunity to travel the world and live in cities like London, Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai. My father’s job took us all over. Some of my favourite holiday destinations include Antarctica, Tasmania, China and Peru. Luckily, we are in the fun business and we have so much opportunity to unleash our creative streak. We work hard and party hard. Change is constant, and we believe in living our lives to the fullest as we both understand that we have just one life to live. At work, we both have very clear and different responsibilities so we rarely get involved in each other’s space. We have based our entire relationship on a partnership, of open communication and dialogue, friendship, mutual respect, trust and love. We fully imbibe the mantra of choosing to “agree to disagree” on various issues, but try to resolve most issues before the day ends.” She quips, adding, “I am very conscious that at work Arun is my boss, and at home I am.”

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A haven of heritage b e ng a l u r u

A look inside Mimi Partha Sarathyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 103-year old heritage bungalow that is a sight to behold and has only improved with age. Text by: Namita Gupta. Photographs by: Faheem Hussain.

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ou might struggle to find another colour as you enter the well guarded gates of this 103-year old palatial home in Malleshwaram, Bengaluru. Green is the only hue you will find in different variations at Mimi Partha Sarathy’s sprawling abode spread over an area of 30,000 sq ft. The house is lined with over 100 species of indigenous trees and plants including Krishna ficus, Jacaranda, Tabebuia, wild almond, kanaka champa, kadamba, Ashoka, silk cotton, fiddle wood, banyan, banana, bilva, neem, honge, mango, avocado, grapefruit, naringi, grapefruit, guava, coconut, jamun, sapota and tamarind trees.

A walk-through

Mimi has just returned from the Mount Everest base camp and is all set to host a 5k Walkathon in Malleshwaram and Sadashivnagar to raise funds for Ashwini Charitable Trust to sponsor students for KYM 500 hour yoga teacher training where her friend and actor Sangeeta Bijlani, Dr Sita Bhateja, Mimi’s dance guru Padmini Ravi besides many MLAs, DGPs, industrialists, sports personalities and others will be participating. With a spring in her step, the sprightly danseuse, an accomplished yogini and founder of Sinhasi Consultants, an investment planning and advisory firm, Mimi walks us around the well preserved abode as she explains, “My mother Vedavalli Parthasarathy fondly known as Vedu was brought up in Chennai when all houses had rambling large compounds with lots of trees and plants. Her great grandfather was the founder of Hindu High School and her grandfather was director of Imperial Bank now known as SBI. Her father was a barrister and this was our family summer house, where they would come to stay during the hot Chennai summers. My mom is a collector of sarees, jewellery, artefacts and antique furniture. She has a great aesthetic sense and has preserved

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all the heirlooms and antiques with a lot of passion and care. My dad’s family lived in Bengaluru, in another large house with a lavish garden of several acres on Sankey Tank that still exists. Both my grandfathers late MA Krishnamachari (my mom’s dad), a well-known barrister, and late MA Sreenivasan (my dad’s dad) who was minister in the Princely State of Mysore and was also Dewan of Gwalior, were great nature lovers. My father, late MA Parthasarathy was Chairman of World Wildlife Fund - India, and Chairman of the Education Commission, International Union for Conservation and Nature in Switzerland. So, big gardens and beautiful trees and plants are aspects I was always surrounded by all my life.”

Stunning spaces

There are two entrance gates to the house - one that leads to the Shri Krishna Wellness, Yoga and Cultural Center of which Mimi is the founder and managing trustee with the office of Sinhasi Consultants Pvt Ltd, a SEBI-Registered financial planning, advisory and distribution

firm offering financial services for high net worth individuals adjacent to it and the other to her spacious home. The Sinhasi office space that is contemporary and functional where Mimi (double master in finance and marketing and diploma in accounting from Geneva, Switzerland) works

environmentalist, writer and painter, businessman and industrialist, was also advisor to the government and part of the United Nations. I travelled all over the world with him from a young age and attended conferences on sustainable conservation and environmental issues. My mother finds her passion in Indian culture, music, dance, design and our rich Indian heritage and that’s where I drew my inspiration to be a Bharatnatyam dancer and yogi. I set up Sri Krishna Wellness Yoga and Cultural Centre to promote the rich heritage of Indian art and culture. Swamini Svatmabodhanda Saraswati, disciple of Swami Dayanand Saraswati is my Shastra Guru. We are associated with Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandira from Chennai and are starting 500 hour Yoga Teacher Training Certification Program which will be conducted here. Preserving our rich heritage and tradition is a duty, commitment and was actually a cowshed in the olden passion and this space allows me the days. Some of her clients include freedom and ambience to do so with Kiran Mazumdar Shaw of Biocon, complete honesty and earnestness. Waheeda Rehman, Ajoy Chawla, SVP I host daily yoga, pranayama and of Titan, Dr Sunita Maheshwari of meditation sessions, classical dance Teleradiology Solutions, Sunil Alagh, classes, music, concerts and talks former MD, Britannia Industries, here,” states Mimi pointing to the Shailesh Chaturvedi, MD &CEO, large open courtyard with a Ganesha Tommy Hilfiger India, Sameer Nair, statue seated in the centre surrounded CEO, Balaji Telefilms and many by greens. Trichur Brothers, Pushpa other such prominent personalities. Anand and others have performed here Mimi says, “Kiran Mazumdar Shaw with an audience of over 300 people is my mentor and guide and I work with lanterns hanging on the trees and closely with her on many issues. She diyas all around. inaugurated this space with Sunil Alagh ten years back. I’ve designed Green cover this office space myself.” The other I smell petrichor, an earthy scent side that can be accessed after crossing that spreads after the rain falls on dry many trees, creepers and plants still soil, combined with the lingering retains an old world charm. smell of jasmine, as I step inside “I’ve travelled across the world – Mimi’s heritage bungalow that is Namibia, Kenya, Bhutan, Europe, covered with a canopy of creepers at Australia, Canada, US, UK, Alaska, the entrance. The walls are adorned Asia and so much more. I want to with traditional Tanjore and Mysore climb many more mountains, go paintings and other artworks deep sea diving and learn how to fly that remind one of a bygone era. a plane. Whenever I travel abroad, “Although we have maintained the I pick up seeds for my mother. style of the old school of architecture My father, late MA Parthasarathy, that was used to build the house, we a film maker, conservationist and have renovated it in many places for

the upkeep and maintenance. The entire flooring has been changed to wooden. In those days, one of my mother’s uncles designed the place, but my yoga hall is newly designed with mirrors on one side of the wall and glass on the other side that overlooks the greenery, albeit in a traditional manner with pillars and tiled roof by architect Deepa Shetty. The house is full of precious antiques all over the living rooms, dining area and the six bedrooms. These have come from our Chennai home and are at least 100 years old, including the rosewood furniture, Victorian marble artefacts, bronze statues and more. This kind of workmanship in Italian marble and rosewood is difficult to find these days. My mother also has an exquisite and enviable collection of heritage sarees and antique jewellery. Right now it’s only my mum and me who live in this house and maintaining the property is quite a task. My daughter Hamsini is completing her Masters in Conservation Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia and we plan to set up a rescue and rehabilitation centre for captive elephants in India and an environmental conservancy trust for preserving the Indian Elephant, wildlife and precious forests of India,” shares Mimi as we browse through her beautiful abode that has managed to sustain a certain sense of elegance and tranquility over the years. On our way out we feast some more on the green cover from the cherry, mulberry, flame of the forest, temple tree or plumeria, jackfruit, gulmohar, black bamboo, coffee, cassia spectabulus, oleander, silver oak and the fragrant flowering plants jasmine, wild roses, heliconias, ixoras, plumbago, cosmos, marigold, bird of paradise, portalaka and others. Some of the creepers like jaaji and malli, malathi, begonia grascilis, petrea volubilis, begonia venusta, Singapore malli, antigonon, homscoldia, bottle brush, powder puff and lantana are indeed a sight for sore eyes. June 2017 RITZ

Ritz SPOTLIGHT R e be l Br i de Ann is wearing a Black raw silk jacket paired with golden sheer top and a bold multicoloured chevron skirt

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kochi

it’s not all about

Glam!

Tall, ravishing and graceful, her maiden date with cinema instantly shot her to stardom! The Mollywood horror thriller, ‘Ezra’, with Prithviraj Sukumaran, Priya Anand and Sudev Nair was a dream debut and literally, a stepping stone for this young starlet who had just passed out of Barry John acting studio, Mumbai. While doing an exclusive fashion shoot with Ritz, Ann Sheetal opens up about her first movie, her beauty regime and her next venture with Dulquer Salmaan.

Interview: Riya Sonny Datson Photography: Shafi Shakkeer Styling: Femi Kalista Venue: Fragrant Nature, Mattancherry Make Up: Subi Ganesh Hair Styling: Grace Salon and Spa Footwear: Aldo, Lulu Mall Wardrobe Courtesy of

June 2017 RITZ

Ritz SPOTLIGHT How did you decide to pursue a career in acting? From a young age, I was always intrigued by movies and wanted to know more about it; but never did I ever imagine that I would face the camera one day! Though I started to get offers while I was in college, my parents insisted that I finish my graduation. I also felt that I needed to learn about the craft before taking it up professionally and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s when I decided to join Barry John. I got the offer while I was just finishing my course and I was more than thrilled to be a part of such a great team! How was your first experience? I was very scared! Though I had taken acting classes, things seemed different when it actually came to work. At the acting studio, we are comfortable within our own peer group. But while on the sets, I was with a team who were already experts in the field. So I had my own inhibitions but they made me feel very comfortable and I must say, once I started, I really enjoyed the experience! As the very first role you were portraying, did you have any inhibitions about taking up the character of a young girl who was getting pregnant out of wedlock? Honestly, I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t give it too much thought.We were always told at the acting school that we must always think of the character as a part of the story. So to me, she was just a character that I had to portray. I felt blessed to get such a good opportunity and to work with such a wonderful team. My only concern was to play it to perfection. There were rumours of spooky events happening on the sets of Ezra. Were they true? Yes, it was during the shoot at the old bungalow at the Fort Kochi location. During the very first day, we had many glitches while trying to shoot the scene when the ghost jumps up. So, the next day we got a priest to come and pray on the sets.While the prayer was happening,

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F l am boyant Formals Ann looks gorgeous in the long flaired Meroon skirt and the self cape top

June 2017 RITZ

Ritz SPOTLIGHT lights were flickering and the generator stopped working. I didn’t feel scared but yes, it seemed pretty unusual. You have won much critical acclaim for your character in the movie. Was it difficult to play the role? Yes, the hardest part was to get under the skin of the character and understand her actions especially since the story was from a much earlier time period - for starters, I had to think as to why the girl was in love with the Jewish boy and why she got pregnant out of wedlock.The emotional scenes where she confronts her parents were also a bit overwhelming as I had to react to the strong emotions portrayed by my parents.The scene was just explained to us with very little instructions on how to portray it. So we had the freedom to think and explore our own style of acting. The role required you to be very unglamorous. Were you comfortable with the look? I must admit that it was a shock initially but then when I understood the character, I knew that look was exactly what was required of me.You cannot expect a poor peasant girl from a bygone era to be well groomed. I am glad I took up the role for now I know I can take up different shades. One thing you learnt from Ezra. That looks don’t matter! You don’t need to be a glam doll to make an impact. The most memorable compliment you received after Ezra… As I walked out after the first screening of the movie, one of the boys from the audience came upto me and said, ‘Your performance really moved me to tears,’ and I was floored! We hear that you are working with Salam Bukari in his directorial debut with Dulquer Salmaan. Yes I am very excited about the project as it’s a wonderful crew and cast.We haven’t started shoot yet so I won’t be able to comment about it right now. But yes, I am really looking forward to doing this project.

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Has the celebrity tag changed your lifestyle? Not really. I still continue to hang around with friends and enjoy doing the things I used to do earlier. What are your interests outside of movies? I am very passionate about sketching, dancing, traveling and photography. My mom says I started to sketch even before I started writing the alphabet. If I were not into movies, I would have definitely been behind the easel or the camera. Favourite holiday destination? Israel - It was not just spiritual but a beautiful cultural experience! Favourite movie? ‘Yeh jawaani hai deewaani’ is my favourite movie. Love everything about this peppy movie! Any idols? Not really. I look for different characteristics in people which I try to imbibe.There are many people from whom I draw inspiration. What’s your secret beauty regime? Nothing very elaborate, actually. I eat only what I require and work out a lot. I make it a point to drink lots of water and have lots of fresh veggies and fruits. Favourite dish? My mum’s fish curry! What is your style mantra? Anything that is comfortable, casual and chic! What is the one fashion accessory that you just can’t do without? Earrings! Have a weakness for them - so much so that I have my own collection. \ Favourite designer? Sabyasachi Dream role? Right now I want to push myself beyond my limits and explore my potential to do different roles.

Ch illing O u t Ann sports a breezy cool look in the orange n navy asymmetrical long top paired with a palazzo

June 2017 RITZ

Ritz SPOTLIGHT

A Knack for Accessories Jhillmill from the renowned house of Sri Kumaran Stores brings to you a range of beautiful jewellery in traditional and modern styles with a range of embellishments, impressive motifs and most of all, pocket-friendly prices.

Antique peacock motif necklace in the aaram style with earrings

Stone-encrusted bangles

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Antique bangle with screw model

Necklace with stone work Simple yet elegant choker

Antique choker with antique jhumkas

June 2017 RITZ

Ritz SPOTLIGHT Impressive necklace with zircon and ruby stones with a set of earrings

Antique-style necklace with rubies

Antique-style gold plated jhumkas with kemp stones

Antique necklace set

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SPOTLIGHT

CHE N N AI

Fashionably Yours Being right at the epicentre of style in Chennai creating a formidable vortex, fashion entrepreneurs Monisha Gidwani and mum Vimal Shivdasani of brand Vimonisha fame have truly altered or rather carved the very path of fashion in Chennai as we know today. RITZ caught up with the enterprising Monisha Gidwani on her journey over the last 17 years and her personal sense of style in this chirpy tête-à-tête with Preeti GT.

rand Vimonisha as we know today in Chennai is synonymous with a collection of designers of pret wear, Indian and western couture, precious and costume jewellery, accessories and everything else that women fancy to be in vogue. The brand now boasts of a mega exhibition event every three months that line up a staggering number of 65 designers handpicked from across the length and breadth of the country. The two day event held at one of Chennai’s upmarket 5-star hotels is an eclectic mix of not only variety clothing for daily and occasion wear, but also statement jewellery, linen, tasteful home decor and more that are usually sold out in a matter of hours. Trendsetting entrepreneur Monisha Gidwani spills the beans, “This is the Chennai we know of today - fashion forward folk who appreciate owning unique designer pieces. Our modest beginnings date back 25 years when my dynamic mum started Vimonisha Gallery as a single label exhibition centre. With no malls then, the exhibition became the prime place for women alike to splurge on fashion they love. Once I completed my education I saw potential to expand this further and roped in five designers at a time.” Convincing designers from Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur and the likes about Chennai was the biggest challenge. “I had to painstakingly make my case not only about

my marketing skills but also the untapped market that their business was missing out on. The first event thus arrived and with some press, word-of-mouth marketing, social circles and more, it was a runaway success and had the very same hesitant designers queue-up to reserve their place for the next such event!” The rest is history and today Monisha works at any given time with an astonishing 1000-2000 designers. “The brand is an extension of our personalities. Hence we handpick designers to showcase their collection at our events with a line that we are comfortable wearing in terms of design sensibilities, price and aesthetics.” In many instances I have worked with designers on what would best sell in Chennai - no fabrics like velvet, dresses with sleeve options, darker rather than pastel shades, sizes and much more that we understand are the deal-breakers for local shoppers.” Vimonisha is also now a brand beyond exhibitions. Monisha has curated the company as a brand consultant handholding designers, social media and is an influential voice for those seeking to establish themselves in the South of India. “Such a dynamic works well as designers should be left to do what they do best - create fashion, and the rest is what I can do for them. The number of designers too have increased manifold in the last decade or so with exponential growth in Chennai. The brand has grown with this demand - the need for Chennai shoppers to have ready access to fashion that is usually available only in fashion prime cities.” The drift suggests that there are takers for all kinds of occasion wear keeping in sync with the national trends. “For instance, Kurtis were the fashion zeitgeist of the 90’s which then progressed to beautiful sarees and now since most of these are available

Ritz

online, current buyers at Vimonisha are those pursuing exclusive designer wear (Indian, Western and Fusion wear) for grand occasions, as also custom fit and make that come with a direct interaction with the designers who are available at the exhibition. Such unique pieces are interspersed with limited edition daily trendy wear combined with fashion jewellery alongside delicate jewellery in precious stones.” Unlike the many other pop-ups in the city, since Vimonisha is a direct extension of the designer brand itself, avid shoppers are comfortable spending at the event hefty prices on real jewellery as they trust the authenticity and quality of brand Vimonisha. “This trust and goodwill is our biggest asset that we have accumulated and continue to do so for the last 25 years and is only too humbling,” shares Monisha, who works closely for the bottom line of designers too by providing them a launchpad to excel. How has the landscape evolved with Chennaiites’ fashion choices, we quiz enthusiastically? “Refined and poised just like any other metro,” Monisha says, “Clothes have moved from sarees to Kurtis to adventurous fusion and beautiful gowns for special occasions. Shoppers are also well versed to consume not only heavy jewellery sets but also some timeless and elegant pieces of cocktail rings, brooches, chandelier earrings and the likes, which are all available at Vimonisha at direct designer prices sans any mark-ups.” Next in store for this trendsetting company is equally revolutionary. “We are in the middle of curating an epic wedding summit in coordination with a wedding planning company. A one stop shop for prospective brides and families to meet with not only clothing and jewellery designers but also interact with specialists in the field of mehendi, entertainment options, cosmetologists and dentists, caterers, ideas for return gifts, stage, venue decor and design and more. While this is being chalked out, simultaneous plans are underway to provide more specialised expertise to designers who are looking to expand their market in Chennai,” concludes Monisha beaming with pride. Monisha’s quick fashion takes: Your personal fashion mantra: Simple and elegant. Understand your age and figure and don’t be a fashion victim! Your all-time favourite designer: Manish Arora and Varun Bahl for their designs that are versatile, trendy and very much wearable. Their silhouettes perfectly compliment the Indian women. What next for the Indian designer: Any designer who is able to constantly innovate and create unique pieces to keep the buyers engaged for a repeat purchase across lines and seasons will certainly rise above the rest. We could learn a lot from designers from the West who seem to have a clear strategy and work seasons ahead to create designs where shoppers would like to own one each time rather than simple owning that one piece wonder! June 2017 RITZ

Ritz SPOTLIGHT

hyderabad

The Beauty of Beer and Breweries Beer. That innocuous four letter word usually conjures up images of a cold, pale golden brew being consumed on a hot summer’s day with friends with much mirth all around or a prominently positioned six pack on the table during a football game with buddies. Aside from being the world’s oldest documented alcoholic beverage, and third most popular drink (after water and tea), beer holds a special place in our hearts. It is a social phenomenon - an unpretentious drink that’s easygoing and speaks to everyone the world over. A drink brewed by monks and commoners, by big behemoths and small microbrewers, beer does not discriminate. 74 RITZ June 2017

The mention of beer in India until most recently also conjured up images of a green bottle with a bird on it (perhaps a prophesy that one day the owner of the company would take flight). This changed about eight years ago when the first micro brewing licenses were handed out to enthusiasts in Bengaluru, thereby ushering in the age of the microbrewery. From Biere Club to India, beer enthusiasts were finally given a taste of the locally brewed rich Weisens, crisp Pilsners, bitter Darks and innovative IPA’s. With microbreweries mushrooming all over Bengaluru, the day of the beer had truly arrived. Beer was no longer a drink to be consumed at Permit Rooms over a plate of spicy chicken 65. It had become a hip drink that friends could consume at high end, yet accessible places after work, and even places where many a first date happened. The erstwhile unified state of Andhra Pradesh was consistently ranked as the highest consumer of beer in the country. It thus came as a surprise to many of us, that the microbreweries weren’t allowed to operate here for the longest time. All that changed a couple of years when Hyderabad was given its first license to open a microbrewery. Today, Hyderabad has as over half a dozen breweries vying for the top spot with many more waiting to open up. Celebrating this, we went around the city to put together some of the nicest breweries around to help you make your decision easier... Text: Anahita Ahuja

Z ero 4 0 B rewing Owned by: Anoor Paripati and Aditya Rao Brewed by: Julie Bagget. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the Master Brewer who is from the USA and has over 2 decades of experience in brewing. Most selling beer: The Belgium Wheat sells the most followed by our Go Swami Helles which is a basmati based beer. Hyderabad follows the trend of the rest of the country and wheat beers are the largest sellers. Specialise in: Craft Beer USP: Zero40 Brewing takes pride in using a lot of local ingredients â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from using local fragrant basmati rice for our Go Swami and numerous other spices and oats. Hops and water used: We use a bunch of different hops. We get our hops from Germany and USA amonst others. Mittelfruh is from Germany and Sentennial is from the USA. Matures in: Ales take approximately 2 weeks and lagers take anywhere from 3 to 4 weeks. Price of a glass/pitcher: ` 295/ ` 875 Address: Zero40 Brewing, 271-A, Road Number 10, Jubilee Hills, Opp. Diamond House, Hyderabad June 2017 RITZ

Ritz SPOTLIGHT

Heart C up C offee Owned by: Heart Cup Cafe and Restaurants Pvt Ltd Brewed by: We have partnered with Froid to brew our beer. They are exclusively partnered with us and have a very experienced team, headed by Brew master Martin Bernard who hails from Quebec. Most selling beer: Our Belgian Witbier is the most moving item on the brewery front, but we were surprised how people accepted the dark beer, Lourde Noir which is our Stout. Specialise in: As cliche this may sound, all our beers are our specialties Hops and water used: We use hops from all around the world, but mostly from New Zealand, France, Germany, USA and Japan. For Belgium beer and German beer we use very soft water with not much mineral and for the UK or American beer we create a water profile with a huge concentration of mineral to fallow the style of beer. Brew a fresh batch: We sell very well so we have to brew 4 times a week. Indians’ favourite beer: The Witbier and the Pilsner. Price of a glass/pitcher: ` 189/ ` 819 Address: Heart Cup Coffee, Jubilee Hills, Plot 1179, Road 45, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad.

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OVER THE MOON Owned by: Sanjeev Mehta and Sanjay Batla Brewed by: The man and brains behind our brewery is Nikolai, a renowned brewer for 10 years from Europe. He’s been in and around Europe creating and developing brews for years now. Matures in: It takes about 3 weeks’ time to mature a good handcrafted beer. Most selling beer: People here like wheat beer the most. Another major chunk of audience also loves the stout and also the ale. Apple cider and fruit cider is something that Hyderabad didn’t react very well too or didn’t enjoy is what I feel. Specialise in: We specialise in experience as we are a complete package. USP: We believe we serve the finest and most preferred brew in town. It’s not arrogance but certainty because we have put in a lot of efforts with one of the best brewers in the world and researched extensively to get the brew we currently have right now. Price of a glass/pitcher: ` 225/ ` 1000 Address: Over The Moon, 8th floor, Daspalla Hotel, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. June 2017 RITZ

Ritz SPOTLIGHT

Hylife B rewing C ompany Place: Hylife Brewing Company Owned by: Kedar Selagamsetty Brewed by: Brew master Franz-E from Germany who has 40 years of experience. Most selling beer: Wheat and Stout beers Specialise in: Seasonal fruit beers, wheat, lager, pilsner and stout beers USP: We are extremely proud to say that we were the first to bring the entire brewery concept into the city. The whole process was not easy but it has all been worth it. The scale of the project and the detail that has gone into bringing it alive is something India probably hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen before. Hops and water used: We import all the hops from Germany and we use RO (reverse Osmosis) water Indiansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; favourite beer: Lager beers Price of a Jug/barrel: ` 300/ ` 1500 Address: Hylife Brewing Company, 800 Jubilee, Road Number 36, Hyderabad.

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T h e Hoppery at O live Owned by: Olive Group of restaurants Brewed by: We’ve strategically tied up with Master Brewer Aditya Challa and Abhinav Maranganty of Bolly Beers. Most selling beer: It’s too early to say, but we may be the first Microbrewery to have a non wheat beer as the top seller - the Hyderabrew with Nannari roots sold out faster than expected. Matures in: Varies from beer to beer, but about 3 weeks on average. We don’t compromise on the maturing time Hence the daily stock rationing! Hops and water used: We use RO water. Our Hops are from the UK and the Pacific Northwest. Specialise in: Forget the fact that we have the best view in town! Forget the fact that we have the most scrumptious food! Forget the fact that we have great music! We have the best brews! Hence our caption - No BS. Only Brews! USP: At The Hoppery we are obsessed with the quality of beer produced. We do not cut corners on the quality of hops used. We do not cut corners on the beer brewing cycle. Price of a glass/litre: ` 239/ ` 699 Address: The Hoppery at Olive, Inside Durgam Cheruvu Park, Road Number 46, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. June 2017 RITZ

Ritz TRENDING NOW

MothersĘź CHE N N AI

Day Out To celebrate Mother's Day, RITZ and Phoenix Market City organised a super fun and exclusive photo shoot with 5 beautiful mothers from Chennai and got them to give us a glimpse of their beautiful relationship with their precious children. Warning: A warm fuzzy feeling and lots of awww... moments ahead! Photography: Sudarshan Balaji Styling: Joy Crizildaa

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Bhakti Joshi, wife of Bharat Joshi, British Deputy High Commissioner, Chennai. She is photographed here with her two lovely daughters Bhavia and Bhavni "Being a mum is simply the best job in the world. It's demanding but I love it. And while I miss not having babies around the house, that's more than made up by having 2 lovely, caring new friends." Venue: Crest Apartments, Phoenix Market City Chennai Wardrobe: Bhakti wears Ritu Kumar from Phoenix Market City Chennai. Her daughters wear outfits from Ritu Kumar and Vero Moda respectively, both from Phoenix Market City Chennai. Hair & Make-up: Page 3 Luxury Salon & Makeover Studio,Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Chennai.

June 2017 RITZ

Ritz TRENDING NOW

Gitanjali Selvaraghavan, film maker and wife of acclaimed director Selvaraghavan. Seen here with her son Omkaar. "Omkaar comes across as a quiet kid when you first meet him, but once he warms up to you he's the chattiest child you can ever meet - full of laughter, love and light. He's my "lovely, handsome baby" much to his great distress because he now believes he's a "big boy". However, as I've told both my children, even if they become as big as Amma and Appa they will still be my babies and I will still make them sit on my lap, cuddle them and squish them... Just like how my parents squish me even today after 30 years! A child can never be "grown up" enough to stop being our little bundle of joy." Venue: Phoenix Market City Wardrobe: Gitanjali wears a top from Zara, while her jeans are her own. Her shoes are from Steve Madden, Phoenix Market City Chennai Omkaar wears Tommy Hilfiger, available at Phoenix Market City Chennai Hair & Make-up: Page 3 Luxury Salon & Makeover Studio,Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Chennai.

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Ishani Vellodi Reddy, Health Coach; with her son Vishnu Ishani Reddy lives in Chennai with her husband and two children: Vishnu, her eleven month old best friend, and Sofie, her dog who made the move with her from New York to Chennai. After spending time working in investment banking and private equity, Ishani now has a health coaching practice, where she loves helping people live their most confident, healthiest, happiest lives. She loves doing all things food, travel, and fitness related and, of course, doing it all with family. "Not a day goes by where I don't tell my little man what a privilege it is to be his mom. In Vishnu I have found a best friend who occasionally drives me up the walls, but then always knows exactly what to do to put a giant smile on my face! We literally do everything together - from laying in bed eating chocolate, to traveling, to even working out (he really does come to the gym with me!). As Vishnu experiences new things every day, it's incredible to be right there with him experiencing things I may have seen a million times before, but realising that nothing was quite as amazing until he came along. Venue: Design Hotel, Phoenix Market City Chennai Wardrobe: Ishani Reddy looks lovely in a Guess dress from Phoenix Market City Chennai Her son Vishnu wears Zara and Tommy Hilfiger from Phoenix Market City Chennai Makeup: Self (Ishani Vellodi Reddy) Hair-do: Page 3 Luxury Salon & Makeover Studio,Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Chennai. June 2017 RITZ

Ritz TRENDING NOW

Dr Maria Zeena Johnson, Pro Chancellor, Sathyabama University with her daughters Maria Bernadette and Maria Catherine. "I am proud to say that I am blessed with two lovely, beautiful daughters. I would describe my special bond with my children as layers of love and happiness. They always give me the feeling that I am never alone. There are so many times in a day when you are stressed with work and feel down. But in the eyes, heart, and mind of my daughters I am always their Super Mom.You know, my daughters have gone to the extent that even if I trip over and fall, they say, "Mom, don't worry get up, we know your next step is going to be stronger (I really forget the pain my knees feel after that fall)! Both my daughters are in their teenage now. We start the day with fights, compromising the whole day; lots of kisses when they go to bed; what ever they say, at the end God brought us together and we will be the best mother and daughters we could ever be. Venue: Crest Apartments, Phoenix Market City Chennai Wardrobe: Dr Maria Zeena Johnson wears Kalaniketthan, available at Phoenix Market City Chennai Her daughters wear outfits from Ritu Kumar in Phoenix Market City Chennai Hair & Make-up: Page 3 Luxury Salon & Makeover Studio, Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Chennai.

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Ritz TRENDING NOW Suraksha Acharya is the founding principal of Midori Architects, Chennai -an award winning firm, specialising in sustainable design. She is a cognitive member of the green architecture industry in India, championing the need to build better and more environment friendly structures. www. midoriarchitects.com. She is featured here with her mother Rekha Bhatla. "Last summer, I became a mom for the first time which has been both scary and exciting. There are a lot of unknowns, and while I want to do my best for my baby girl, it’s just not easy to know exactly what to do even if I prepare as much as possible. I was eager for information, especially from parents who have “been there, done that” on how to cope with child care, breastfeeding, body image, marriage, job and being a good-enough mother. I started my firm, Midori Architects, in 2015, before I realised I was pregnant. Like many working moms who pursue the ultimate goal of "having it all" — a fulfilling home life, a rewarding professional career, energy to keep up with the demands of both, while still finding time for myself, I struggle daily with establishing the work-life balance. From all of the advice I’ve gotten, the best was from my very own truest friend, my mother (Rekha Bhatla) --“Nobody’s perfect. We all want to be the ‘perfect parent’ and raise ‘perfect children’ but that is not possible. We make mistakes and we learn from them. There is no such thing as a perfect parent, even if you think someone is a better parent than you. Kids won’t expect you to be perfect, but they will expect love. The most important asset you have as a mother is your intuition.” These words resonate with me, as I face difficulties with parenting my 1-year-old on a daily basis. Through my own personal journey, I’ve come to realise that motherhood is demanding but also fun! You hear the stories of stress, no sleep and of the big powerful love, but rarely do new parents tell you about all the giggles. I’ve become a much lighter and happier person after having my baby girl, Liya. And though there are plenty of challenges, there’s also lots more laughter in my life! Venue: Design Hotel, Phoenix Market City Chennai Wardrobe: Suraksha Acharya is in an outfit from Forever New while her mother's wardrobe is from Soch at Phoenix Market City Chennai Hair & Make-up: Page 3 Luxury Salon & Makeover Studio,Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Chennai.

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Ritz TRENDING NOW

HYDERA B AD

My Mummy

Strongest! MOTHER'S DAY Every third Sunday of June is usually celebrated as Father’s Day – and why not? Dads are not only a blessing but also a very important part of a child’s upbringing – hence we need to appreciate and celebrate them. Father’s Day is a perfect time to honour fathers and celebrate the role they play in their kids’ lives. But not every child out there has had that. There are some who probably aren’t blessed enough – or maybe blessed more than usual. Having your dad around in your growing up years is needed, and for those who haven’t – there were mothers who stepped into the shoes of fathers to compensate for the kids. Mothers who have woken up early to pack tiffins, then worked long hours, come back home to cook meals and finish homework – basically, mothers who have fought the world and circumstances like soldiers to bring their kids up. Today, celebrating the spirit of Father’s Day, we went into the homes of some single moms to understand them and their journeys better. Here are some overwhelming stories of supermoms who have raised their children singlehandedly and perfectly played the dual part of the father and the mother. These heart-warming stories are beliefs that a mother can indeed be a father as well and fill in the vacuum in their child’s life flawlessly! Text: Anahita Ahuja

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Mum: Geeta Zaveri, Entreprenuer (mother of Vaishali and Sitanshu Bhate) The journey so far... I would be lying if I said it has been an easy job. The process of bringing up children into responsible individuals drains you financially, mentally and physically. But then, with God’s grace I’ve made it through. Where did you draw your strength from? My belief in God and my parents. Would you have done anything differently if you could rewind time? Maybe! I got married at a very young age – so, if I could rewind time and do things differently, I would want to focus on my education and myself as a person. Explore my interests more. Also enjoy life more. A moment when you felt like it was all worth it... To step up into a father’s role and provide the kids with a home, the best education, and help setup their careers has all been worth it. Most importantly, to have made them into independent individuals that they are today. Child: Vaishali Bhate, Financial Analyst Do you think you could have been as strong as your mum? Honestly, I would need a lot more support than she’s ever had. But I would also like to believe that she raised a strong daughter. What is that one thing you admire about her? Her strength in the face of such adversity – it is one of her qualities I aim to have. What kind of a relationship do you guys share? It’s only getting better as we get older. We have had our differences growing up but every single time I’ve struggled with work, friends, or family, she has always given me the best advice.

“ T he m ost i m p or ta nt thi ng i n the wor l d i s f a mi l y a nd l ove .” – Vaishali

Your super mom has probably given you many reasons to be proud and happy... Oh, yes! She has made us the people we are – independent and strong enough to take on the world. Also proud because of how she’s lived her life and not only balanced being a mother and father, but also her career. Any particular moment when you felt that this was the only way you would have it? Actually on most of the days. June 2017 RITZ

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Mum: Deepa Chander, Costume Designer in films, Interior Designer and Psychic energy reader (mother of Aninditaa and Drishika Chander) The journey so far... The question of a mother and father only arises when you have a choice. I would never refer to this role as tough or easy as the only thing I saw was the helplessness of my children and the limitations I had in giving them what they needed. The first thing I set about doing was teaching my children that laughter is a good thing and there is nothing to be afraid of. So I started to turn everything into a joke to help the three of us cope. How did you push through the bad days? One of my mottos in life is, “This too shall pass.” And it always did and does. Where did you draw your strength from? Somehow I never looked at it as strength. All I saw were my two innocent kids who looked at me with such trusting eyes and I knew I just had to keep them safe come what may. If that is what is called strength, then it came from my children. According to you, how much have you succeeded as a parent? I see my two beautiful daughters and I am very proud of the fact that despite all they have seen through their young innocent eyes, they still are amazingly gentle, kind, fun-loving, responsible independent women. I will always be a parent and so the journey continues…! Child: Aninditaa Chander, LLM, High Court Lawyer. Do you think you could have been as strong as your mum? My mum is one of the strongest people I know. She stood strong and positive even in trying times without ever complaining and losing faith in people or life. She sets the bar high in this category.

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“ H er love g i ve s me the s t re ng th by w hi c h I d a re to d re a m. S he i s s t ren g th, my we a kne ss, my ha p p i ne ss, my l i f e l i ne . S he i s my Wor l d !” – Aninditaa

If you were in her place, would you have brought yourself up any differently? The values and principles my mum taught us is what made my sister and I who we are today. I wouldn’t do anything differently. What is that one thing you admire about her? Her pure heart! She is one person who always reaches out to anyone in need; putting that person before herself. She is a wonderful human being.

Mum: Deepa Chander, Costume Designer in films, Interior Designer and Event Manager (mother of Aninditaa and Drishika Chander) The journey so far... The question of a mother and father only arises when you have a choice. I would never refer to this role as tough or easy as the only thing I saw was the helplessness of my children and limitations I had in giving them what they needed. The first thing I set about doing was teaching my children that laughter is a good thing and there is nothing to be afraid of. So I started to turn everything into a joke to help the three of us cope. How did you push through the bad days? One of my motto’s in life is, “this too shall pass.” And it always did and does. Where did you draw your strength from? Somehow I never looked at it as strength. All I saw were my two innocent kids who looked at me with such trusting eyes and I knew I just had to keep them safe come what may. If that is what is called strength, then it came from my children. According to you, how much have you succeeded as a parent? I see my two beautiful daughters and I am very proud of the fact that despite all they have seen through their young innocent eyes, they still are amazingly gentle, kind, fun loving, responsible independent women. I will always be a parent and so the journey continues…! Child: Aninditaa Chander, LLM, High Court Lawyer. Do you think you could have been as strong as your mum? My Mum is one of the strongest people I know. She stood strong and positive even in trying times without ever complaining and

“ H e r l ove g i ve s me t h e stre ng th by w hi c h I d a re to d re a m. S he i s stre ng th, my we a kne ss, my h a p p i ne ss, my l i f e l i ne . S h e i s my Wor l d !” – Aninditaa

losing faith in people or life. She sets the bar high in this category. If you were in her place, would you have brought yourself up any differently? The values and principles my Mum taught us is what made my sister and I who we are today. I wouldn’t do anything differently. What is that one thing you admire about her? Her pure heart! She is one person who always reaches out to anyone in need; putting that person before herself. She is a wonderful human being. June 2017 RITZ

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Mum: Samta Arora, Fashion Designer (mother of Nakul Dhir) The journey so far... Nakul was just four and a half, when in an unfortunate accident my husband Rahul got completely paralysed, leaving me with the sole responsibility of our son. Playing a dual role was not easy – especially because I had enough to deal with – emotionally and financially. How did you push through the bad days? There have been plenty of bad days where everything has seemed to just crumble down, but as they say necessity is the mother of invention. The needs that my son has in these formative years, continue to force me to reinvent myself into avatars I couldn’t even believe I am capable of. I want to be his hero. Life doesn’t pause for anyone, so the show must go on. According to you, how much have you succeeded as a parent? I would like to believe that I am doing my job fairly well. The spark in his eyes and his smile motivated me to excel. He wants to live his life to the fullest and I want to make sure that he does. At the end of the day, he is the driving force. Any particular moment when you felt like it was all worth it... There are a lot of them. The bond that we share is priceless; especially when my son senses that I am upset and comes to cheer me up. It makes me feel proud of the boy I am raising. Child: Nakul Dhir, 5th grade student If you were in her place, would you have brought yourself up any differently? I think she’s doing the best she can, except for the fact that she can’t cook. What is that one thing you admire about her? The way she is with me, like a friend, we go out to movies, she makes sure I do everything I enjoy – from taking me swimming to out to play. What kind of a relationship do you guys share? That of Tom and Jerry

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“ I wa nt to b e my son’s he ro. L i f e d oe sn’t pa use f or a nyone , so the show m ust g o on.” - Samta

accept the situation and move on. Half your battle is won by accepting the situation and the rest becomes smoother and enjoyable. Mum: Taruna Singh, Fashion consultant and Yoga instructor (mother of Disha and Sonam Singh) The journey so far... It is extremely challenging to strike the right balance of being a mother and a father, but the key to win over this situation is to

How did you push through the bad days? I hear the subconscious voice telling me, “this too shall pass.” So each day is a new day and no day is the same. So far so good. Where did you draw your strength from? I drew great strength from my parents looking at their positive outlook in all

situations. It strengthened me from within and beyond all this is the supreme power protecting me and my family giving me that strength. According to you, how much have you succeeded as a parent? My children are good human beings. They are independent, humble, with a strong sense of empathy imbibed in them. This makes me happy. Child: Sonam Singh, Party Planner Do you think you could have been as strong as your mum? Honestly, no. Her willingness to fight keeping her children in mind has been remarkable. If you were in her place, would you have brought yourself up any differently? If I was in her place, I don’t think I would have the courage to do half the things she did. What is that one thing you admire about her? Her honest compassion towards us. She has been the most honest and the most amazing mother. She has always been so supportive of every decision we take, and never let us compromise on our dreams. Also, all her life she has only asked us to respect everyone regardless whatever has happened, and to be honest human beings. What kind of a relationship do you guys share? Have you watched Gilmore Girls? She is my Lorelai Gilmore. She is my best friend, my confidant and my partner in crime. Of course because she is my mother by the end of the day, if I take a decision I am not proud of, I am terrified of her.

“ S he d e a l t w ith e nd l e ss ta ntr um s a nd d ra m a f ro m us w i th a smi l e . Not onc e d i d she hold a g r ud g e , a b a ndon us, or m a ke us f e e l like we we re n’t g ood e noug h.” – Sonam June 2017 RITZ

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harder something is, the more fruitful it is – and that is exactly the case of a being a single parent. Where did you draw your strength from? The only person I turned to was God – he guided me through it all. Apart from that, every time I would look at the faces of my little pig-tailed girls, and the innocence in their eyes, I had no choice but to be strong. According to you, how much have you succeeded as a parent? Both my girls have turned out to be lovely ladies, who make me immensely proud. They are sensitive, honest and hard-working human beings who look at life in a positive way, and live with high spirits! Child: Anandita Ahuja, Accessory Designer and Fashion Stylist Do you think you could have been as strong as your mum? Actually no. Maybe bringing up one child would have still been possible but with the two of us, especially because we were a handful, I don’t think I would have managed. If you were in her place, would you have brought yourself up any differently? I highly doubt it. She gave up everything to just be our mother and I doubt being able to be that selfless. She made every problem look smaller than what it was and made sure we found pleasure, happiness and joy in the small things of life.

Mum: Bani Singh, Interior Designer and Lawyer (mother of Anahita and Anandita Ahuja) The journey so far... The road so far has been extremely challenging but that much more delightful. When I see my girls all grownup, it seems like it’s all flown away in a jiffy. In life, the

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“ I wa nt my c hi l d to t u r n out j ust l i ke m e , b ut I d oub t b ei ng ha l f of w hat M o m ha s b e e n to us” – Anandita

What kind of a relationship do you guys share? The three of us not only look like sisters but also act like we are. On a serious note, life has come a full circle and my sister and I, mother her now. She recently got married and moved to another city and we couldn’t have been happier. The distance has brought us closer, continuing our lifelong story of friendship, laughter and respect. Your super mom has probably given you many reasons to be proud... She has always taught us how to make the most of everything and to be grateful. Her selflessness is the most beautiful characteristic about her as she has only encouraged us to see the good in people no matter what.

Ritz FASHION

T h e d i s t i l l e d e s s e n c e o f

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Athleisure as a trend is one we wholeheartedly jumped onboard. Who says no to sweatpants being the fashion statement of the season? Nothing beats the comfort loungewear and here at RITZ we are constantly looking for the perfect loungewear to give us the insouciant elegance that only the perfect leggings or track pants can give. Cue Prisma. With an amazing range of capris, jeggings, track pants and their legendary leggings... Staying in or going out is now all about changing shoes! Here's our edit of Prisma's hottest leisure wear.

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Take a basic legging out for a spin. Just add a dramatic coat or an oversized shirt

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Ritz FASHION Wardrobe by Always on the move, a striking polo and bermuda shorts to take on a summer day

Acessories & Jewellery courtesy: That1Too.com Hair&Make-up:Page 3 Luxury Salon & Makeover Studio,Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Chennai. Location: Radisson Blu, Egmore, Chennai.

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Nothing says comfort like an easy pair of track pants or capris to wear in bed June 2017 RITZ

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Lounge to Gym, a perfect transition piece Acessories & Jewellery courtesy: That1Too.com Hair&Make-up:Page 3 Luxury Salon & Makeover Studio,Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Chennai. Location: Radisson Blu, Egmore, Chennai.

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Dress up or down in these draped Jeggings Hair&Make-up:Page 3 Luxury Salon & Makeover Studio,Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Chennai. Location: Radisson Blu, Egmore, Chennai.

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Ritz FASHION Wardrobe by Yoga or gym, there's an outfit for that at Prisma

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Hair&Make-up:Page 3 Luxury Salon & Makeover Studio,Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Chennai. Location: Radisson Blu, Egmore, Chennai.

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Hair&Make-up:Page 3 Luxury Salon & Makeover Studio,Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Chennai. Location: Radisson Blu, Egmore, Chennai.

Flexibility & Comfort. These leggings get it done

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Ritz CORRIDORS OF POWER

THE MULTI – TASKER WHO MEANS BUSINESS BY SANJAY PINTO

(Pic: Dr. Rajeev Ranjan, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary – Highways & Minor Ports, Tamil Nadu)

hich corporate goliath wouldn’t covet a management graduate from the best B school in the country, with incredible multitasking skills, a penchant for finance, a passion for problem solving and enviable intellectual prowess? But when your roots are so deeply embedded in public service, making a difference to society takes precedence over a fat pay packet. So this school topper from Bihar, post

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a BSc Honours degree in Physics and MBA at IIM- Ahmedabad, jettisoned a cushy corporate life for the Civil Services. “Hailing from a family of government officers, the expectation was that I should follow suit.” And he did, by marching into the IAS in 1985 in his maiden attempt. The common thread that runs through Dr. Rajeev Ranjan’s 32 year stint is his tryst with Finance. The Additional Chief Secretary – Highways & Minor Ports, Tamil Nadu, has served in the Finance

department as Deputy Secretary, Joint Secretary and Additional Secretary, not to forget his roles in Commerce, Industry & Revenue. To satiate his in-service academic hunger for domain specialisation, Ranjan did a Masters at the London School of Economics and later earned a doctorate in the hottest niche area today – Intellectual Property Rights. Did I mention multi-tasking? The day I interviewed him on the telephone for this column, Dr. Ranjan was giving finishing touches to an important presentation through video conferencing. The audience was to be headed by the Prime Minister. Not once did he seem in a hurry to wrap up the tete-a-tete, having obviously mastered the art of masking preoccupation! It was hardly surprising that as Collector of Trichy in the mid nineties, which was the largest district in Tamil Nadu (now 4 separate districts) Ranjan managed to turn it around into “one of the best districts in development parameters”. Life does come full circle and one of his many additional responsibilities is as the designated Monitoring Officer of the district for development work. “I’m like a mentor to the system.” The turnaround officer was able to revive Tamil Nadu Steels, an ailing company. “In the early nineties, steel was a controlled item and our Arakkonam unit was the only factory to produce the metal in the region.” After a stint as Joint Secretary in the Home and Finance departments, Ranjan went on a year long sabbatical to the London School of Economics. On his return, an assignment as Member Secretary of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) beckoned. What followed was a marathon 7 year deputation with the government of India. Between 2000 and 2005, Ranjan was instrumental in “changing India’s intellectual property landscape.” At the helm as Director in the Ministry of Industry & Commerce, he was involved in bringing about the new legislation on patents with amendments to the patents law in 2002 and 2005. There were obligations under the trade related aspects on intellectual property rights (TRIPS). “I was in the thick of what marked a watershed in IPR.” What used to take 5 to 6 years for examination of patents was drastically whittled down to a month. Ranjan recalls with justifiable pride, the setting up of the Traditional Knowledge

Photograph : Gurunath Prabhu

Data Library (TKDL) and his address at a gathering of Supreme Court judges at the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal. After his promotion to the Joint Secretary grade, Ranjan was at the forefront of the setting up of the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council (NMCC) involving captains of industry. The National manufacturing Initiative led to a Global Innovations Summit and the Visionary Leadership of Manufacturing Programme (VLMP) a joint initiative with IIT Kanpur, Madras and IIM, with a Japanese tie-up. Through the National Manufacturing Policy, Ranjan played a stellar role in shining a bright light on “competitiveness”, arguably, for the first time. Back to the Tamil Nadu cadre, Ranjan’s number crunching continued. As the Secretary of Commercial Taxes and Registration, 2008-09 saw GST in its nascent stage. Soon enough, he landed another plum posting in sync with his experience. Under his watch as Secretary – Industries, Tamil Nadu, he claims, registered a growth rate of “more than 20%” and investments, especially from Japan and Korea came in. The Tamilnadu Electricity Board

(TNEB) was going through a challenging phase in 2011-12 when Ranjan was posted as the Chairman. There was a 4000 MW shortage and it was time for a tariff revision. This is where his adroitness and experience in finance came in handy and he devised a Financial Restructuring Plan (FRP), a revised version of which later came in the form of the Central government’s UDAY scheme, which he had first officially signed on behalf of the State. To exacerbate matters, cyclone Thane had caused widespread devastation. The Board’s massive restoration work in record time earned a mention from the Chief Minister in the assembly. The next predictable stop over in his administrative avatar was as Secretary – Revenue. For the last 4 years, Ranjan has been spearheading the Highways & Minor Ports department, with additional charge of the Energy and Industries departments in between for a few months. The Outer Ring Road 1& 2 and the East Coast Road have been completed with necessary improvements. The Sagar Mala project also came under his sway, as did additional charge of the last Finance Commission. “These may be seen as footnotes but were like full time assignments.”

Unassuming to the core, Ranjan’s family background may make one wonder if public service is in his genes. With simplicity imbibed from his home maker mother Krishna Roy, he was influenced by his father P.N.Roy, a public sector employee. Reluctant to flaunt his family connections, it took some coaxing for him to reveal that one of his brothers – Sanjeev Ranjan is the Chief Secretary of Tripura, his brother in law is the DGP of Bihar and his father in law B.P.Singh was the Union Home Secretary, Executive Director of the World Bank and the Governor of Sikkim. Married to a home maker Preeti, the Ranjans have two talented sons. Aditya who graduated in Engineering from PSG, earned a full scholarship at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has recently got admission at Stanford Business School. The younger son Akhil is finishing a degree in Computer Science at VIT and has deferred admission at Carnegie Mellon University. Walking, swimming and running marathons keep Ranjan fit and glowing like a new bridegroom, making it hard to believe that he is entering the wrong side of fifty! “I’ve done my quota of marathons”, he chuckles. But his runaway success in administration goes on.

(Sanjay Pinto is a Lawyer at the Madras High Court, Columnist, Author, TV Political Commentator, Public Speaking Mentor & Former Resident Editor – NDTV 24x7) June 2017 RITZ

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Ritz POINT BLANK

‘BEEFING’ UP OUR SOFTER SIDE BY SANJAY PINTO

ever underestimate the power of simple words or small gestures when they are backed by genuine conviction. That thought hit me recently while returning home after dinner. I witnessed an act of kindness right outside my apartment building. Good Samaritans feeding stray animals do not qualify as a rare sight. But it was the manner in which this family, travelling in two SUVs, went about their task and what a young girl said, that brought a lump to my throat. The animal lovers had bought a few loaves of bread and a bag of tomatoes and were feeding about three hungry cows and patting them as if they were their own new born babies. The cows were spotted rummaging for food in the garbage bin opposite a grocery shop. In a burst of spontaneity, the young girl told me: “We were just returning from a restaurant after eating paneer and ice

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cream and it broke our hearts to see these cows that give us milk everyday, eating from a garbage bin.” Those words touched a chord in my heart and still ring in my ears. My twin children too joined in and fed the cows. An elder member of the family B.Suresh, confided that he has been feeding abandoned animals, particularly cattle, for close to twenty years. Their brand of caring needed no selfies to post on facebook. It needed no lathis to beat suspected beef sellers. Or eaters. It needed no video cameras to record their loyalty to a ‘cause’. It needed no slogans, no jingoism, no private army, no newspaper headlines, no tv breaking news flashes. And I thought to myself, aren’t these India’s real ‘Gau Rakshaks’? They save these abandoned or neglected animals from hunger and starvation. Any moderate, right thinking person may even be inspired to join them.

Caring for animals or respecting religious beliefs should have nothing to do with politics. Nothing to do with vote banks. Nothing to do with ideology. It’s more about basic human decency. And sensitivity. And harmonious co-existence. Examples, like charity, may as well begin at home. As a born Catholic, I am a non-vegetarian. My wife Vidya, a brahmin, is a strict vegetarian. We remain the way we were. Truth be told, well before I got married, I had drastically cut down on red meat for health reasons. I stopped eating beef, post marriage. I have been sensitive to my wife’s belief even when we go out for a meal. The cow is her sacred animal and I will always respect that. Now despite being a vegetarian, my wife cooks chicken and fish. I still remember a note she had sent along with my lunch twelve years ago. “I cannot taste it or gauge if the chicken is soft or if the salt or masala

C a r i n g f o r a n i m a l s o r r e s p e c t i n g religious beliefs should have nothing to do with p o l i t i c s . Nothing to do with vote banks. Nothing to do with i d e o l o g y. It's more about basic human decency. And s e n siti v it y is right. But it comes with a lot of love.” Can you ever beat that recipe for the purest form of secularism? No threats, no emotional blackmail, no subtle pressure, no false pretences, no posturing, no appeasement. Just love. Dale Carnegie in his bestselling book ‘How To Win Friends & Influence People’ had formulated a golden rule: “If you want to gather honey, don’t kick over the beehive”. I wish our leaders care to read his book. You cannot dictate what people should eat or not eat. What you can do is to appeal to their softer side. There is always leeway for give and take, provided you stop imposing and start a dialogue. Consensus is the key. Confrontation is always a lock. And a ban is never a solution. I do not consider myself to be religious, but I am God fearing. Would you believe that although I had visited Napapattinam several times on work, I had not visited the Holy Shrine at Velankanni. When I eventually did a few years ago, it was on my wife’s suggestion. And guess what, my mother in law Usha decided to accompany us. Now she is quite religious and is a veteran Kailash Manasarovar yatri, even with a metal rod in her leg, after a fracture. We

visited the Shrine and prayed to Mother Mary. My mother in law spent a lot of time before the altar. I was perplexed and soon forgot about it. On my birthday, she presented me with a beautiful picture of the altar of Mother Mary which she had painstakingly painted herself with water colours. To those who raise questions in hush tones about marrying “out of the religion”, that hand written note with my lunch was an answer. To those who view ‘worship’ within strict religious dogmas, that birthday present was an answer. And to those who think that only coercion and violence can save a sacred animal, the sight of that Chennai family feeding cows is an answer. Do you know that the care taker of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s favourite cow Nandini is a Muslim? Or that one of the most prominent Goshalas in Jodhpur is run entirely by Muslims? Or that a Hindu dominated village in Gujarat’s Mehsana district had restored a 700 year old Dargah damaged by an earthquake? Left to themselves, without indoctrination, the average citizen out there has a soft, caring side. There is that inherent secular

streak in every Indian. After all, the ultimate goal of every religion is service to humanity. As Robert Ingersoll quipped: “the hands that help are holier than the lips that pray.”

(Sanjay Pinto is a Lawyer at the Madras High Court, Columnist, TV Political Commentator, Author, Public Speaker & Former Resident Editor – NDTV 24x7) June 2017 RITZ

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Ritz food CHE N N AI

Culinary Voyages

with Minnie Menon

t was no April Fool’s joke that A2 the Restobar at The Park Chennai rooftop was launched on April 1, with great panache. Priya Paul the Chairperson of the Park Hotels flew down for the event. After all A2 is her brainchild. Gunjan Gupta, a leading Delhi based product designer was entrusted with the interiors and worked closely with Priya from inception to completion. I recall rushing back from Mumbai to attend the launch. “Expect the unexpected “is my mantra for The

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Park. A2’s industrial look with metallic tubes and distressed wood certainly had many Chennaiites gobsmacked that night. It looks onto Aqua, the poolside lounging and dining area on the rooftop. I learnt that A2 is an interpretation of Aqua as an indoor space. Gunjan has certainly worked to her brief. She has very cleverly integrated Indian and classical elements with modern accessories in the furniture and décor. A2 is certainly an indoor perception of Aqua, quirky, informal and with oodles

of chutzpah. The Park is Chennai‘s first boutique hotel and recently completed its 15th birthday so the mood was buoyant when I visited for dinner. The Executive Chef Ashutosh Nerleker and the Sous Chef Rahul Shrivastava have in a short span of time imbibed The Park philosophy of thinking originally and thinking fusion. Sure-fire ways of winning a foodie’s heart! The General Manager Rajesh Radhakrishnan has been an excellent mentor with his

immense culinary experience. He joined The Park 14 years ago as a young Chef and got initiated into the Park food culture. He soon became the Executive Chef of the hotel and Area Director in charge of food production. So they make a formidable trio. A2 was launched as a restobar with sushi, sashimi as the focal points along with other interesting tapas. “Our sous Chef Rahul comes with a four year stint at Oberoi Delhi,” said Ashutosh. There was genuine pride reflected in his tone as he referred to his young colleague’s impeccable culinary pedigree. “The sushi loyalists who visited us at the launch phase continue to do so. Once a Sushi loyalist always a sushi loyalist,“ added a smiling Rahul, the specialist

in this segment. “Thanks to A2 a number of Japanese and Korean business groups stay with The Park on a long term basis now. While these businessmen enjoy our international menu, they need their comfort food,“ confirmed Rajesh. In our city there is a notion that the cuisine from cherry blossom country has limited fare for vegetarians. But I can assure readers that the eggplant and asparagus sushis with caramelised onions as a topping are well worth turning herbivorous for the night. During the last year the menu has evolved from its Japanese centric avatar. The Park is now underplaying the sushi, sashimi and maki roll offerings and has given the restobar a more world cuisine focus. “We have many more options in tapas and a chef’s special bento box. A

Minnie Menon

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Photography : Gurunath Prabhu

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complete meal with 2 veg and 2 non-veg options priced competitively,” said Ashutosh. I possibly hold the record for visiting A2 the maximum number of times and have tried practically every dish on the menu. The teriyaki chicken and tempura prawns make me forget the perils of a widening waistline and I waded into them with gusto again. The additions like the spicy Rendang curry (Malaysian lamb) with steamed rice, pastas, ramen and yes some English pub specials like shepherd’s pie have given an added thrust to the menu, giving it a global feel. With the onset of summer, I noticed some specials like the Burrata salad with oranges and pears. They were truly refreshing and cooled me down instantly. The Chocolate bomb dessert which is sinfully addictive now has worthy competition: the evergreen baked Alaska and a deconstructed Tiramisu, making it extremely taxing to choose between them. Chef Ashutosh had an interesting anecdote about ‘the blooming onion’ he served me - a dish he learnt during his stint in Bermuda. The name reminded me of Audrey Hepburn’s scandalous language in My Fair Lady. Her mentor

Rex Harrison was not happy! The onion is cut in a specific way as the photograph indicates and deep fried. I prised out a couple of segments, the taste was certainly worthy of its name. ”Our food philosophy has been fairly simple. We are flexible, we enjoy customer feedback. If a guest wants to have his lamb chops with French mustard and not our sauces, he gets his wish so long as it does not affect the integrity of the dish,” confirmed the affable Rajesh Radhakrishnan.

While A2 started off as a dining goto-place, it is slowly gaining popularity at lunch time with ladies and in-house guests, the cuisine and the comfort level of this restobar being a big draw. As our dinner came to an end, the subtle variations in the music charged up the atmosphere. My thoughts drifted to the age old saying that music is a great unifier. As I glanced at the guests in the 40-seater restobar I drew a parallel. The new menu at A2 brings a very similar vibe with its global focus. June 2017 RITZ

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c h e nn a i

A Designer to Watch Out For! With her porcelain skin and beautiful features, Deepika could easily play muse to designers. But the lovely lady turned a fashion designer herself a year ago, with her eponymous brand, Deepika Pillai. A big fan of juxtaposition, she blends Indian fashion ideologies with western silhouettes in a bid to change the perspective of Indian traditional attires. Having showcased at the Madras Couture Fashion Week and the Madurai Fashion Week, Deepika ensures her range is always relatable and wearable. In this candid first person account, Deepika talks to RITZ about her latest line, her USP, inspirations and what ails Indian fashion. Hair&Makeup: Susan from Oryza St Marys Location courtesy: Amethyst Wardrobe Courtesy: Amethyst

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The Beginning "If you look at all the great names in global fashion each one of them has a sensibility all his or her own. They didn’t look at what existed and tweak it. They threw it out of their mental wardrobe and invented anew. Design when it is pathbreaking, isn’t about giving people what they want. It is creating what you want and waiting for people to begin to covet it. That is the difference between an artist and a fabricator. Artists don’t cater to a market; they create an audience for their wares. I began quite recently, a little more than a year ago. My journey began as a reflection of thought. To get creative and form an eponymous brand - that's where it all started. The motivation came from family and friends to carve a niche for myself, to make my label known to the world. Inspiration came from the many Indian designers who've crossed international barriers and made a name for themselves. I admire designers like Donatella Versace, John Galliano, Coco Chanel, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana and others. Closer home, I admire the work of designers like JJ Valaya, Ritu Kumar, Tarun Tahiliani, Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla and others. D e e p i k a ' s USP My USP has been about mixing quirky trends in wearable formats that are priced comfortably yet competitively. I make ramp ready styles that can be worn by voluptuous women, not just model sizes. I use colours that go with the Indian skin tone like different tones of beige, soft pinks, browns, earthy tones and whites, of course. I enjoy dabbling with taffeta, tweed, peau de soie and panne in addition to cashmere, chiffons, silks and the most versatile cottons. H e r M u s e a n d I n s p i r at i o n My ideal muse would be Bollywood star Sunny Leone. As controversial as that sounds, I think the ravishing actress has the right mix of good looks, killer attitude, a body to die for and the confidence to glam up any design and make it look like a million bucks on her. She has the voluptuousness of the Indian woman and my brand caters to the same body type. Size zero has never appealed to me and I have never tailored to suit such body types although we've dressed up fashion week models and the like. The potential I see all around me in India inspires me and keeps me going. Even before we go global, why not tap the huge market potential in India? Why can’t we produce the indigenous Zaras and the Mangos? Look at Couture. Why are Canali and Zegna selling the Nehru jacket or Hermès and Cavalli, the sari? Because they see that Indian wear means big bucks. Look at Indian editions of international publications; they are full of international brands. We need to position

ourselves similarly across the globe. If you tell people something is in vogue long enough and loud enough, they will begin to buy it as the Gospel Truth. If you look at content in all the premier design publications it is growing less and less Indian. International brands. Western silhouettes. How on earth can indigenous talent bloom if we are constantly telling the consumer that Indian isn’t as stylish as its western counterpart? This is how abominations like ball gowns at Indian weddings have come about. Way f o rwa r d I've styled a couple of A-list celebrities who have worn my brand. I am interested in working with more of them in films. We also plan to expand into and dabble in men's wear. Irrespective of our growth, label Deepika Pillai will remain exclusive yet affordable. I also plan to make my collections available online on e-commerce platforms very soon.

Deepika or Priyanka - who is the better dresser? Deepika, undoubtedly Who looked the best in Cannes - Aishwarya, Sonam or Deepika? Ash is a winner every year. This year especially, she absolutely killed it! Ever been to a party and joked about badly dressed people? Tell us about it. Yes, we have laughed at faux pas but again to each their own. People need to be more aware of current styles and not risk it by experimenting too much with what doesn't suit them. Most comfortable designing? Indian wear, especially the sari. I've styled it in innumerable ways unrecognisable to its roots! Best dressed women? Aruna R Krishnan from the RITZ family herself. I've been a huge fan of hers way before we got to be friends. She can carry off big brand names with such aplomb and ease - she's almost like an ambassador of international fashion as she is drenched in designer brands almost always. Friends of Aruna's would relate to this quite easily. I've admired her style statement innumerable times. She styles herself impeccably well to compliment and flaunt that figure we all die for! Nayantara is one south star who kills it both on and off screen. She's been through a radical makeover and is a style icon of the south films with the looks and attitude to carry off any thing she experiments with. Naturally, she is one of the best dressed stars. On a pan-India level, Sunny Leone is fit, fierce and has risen from the ashes of criticism - a reflection of label Deepika Pillai June 2017 RITZ

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Summer

B loom

Summer is the time to bring out the pastels, soft breezy dresses, off shoulder tops and softly draped clothing. Here's our ode to delectable summer clothing in a range of impeccable cuts & colours

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The devil is in the detail. Intricate humming bird embroiderery and colourful buttons along with a stunning pattern at the back, these dresses define summer with their retro flair and soothing shades. On the left, a striking blue cold shoulder dress to be paired with laid back kicks

Pink Swing Retro Dress ` 2260 Blue Swing Retro Dress ` 2260 Eye bracelet ` 350 Pineapple Express Earring ` 799 Assorted Rings - starting at ` 200

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Ritz FASHION Peach Tiered Maxi Dress ` 3170 Blue Tiered Maxi Dress ` 3170

Models: Tanitha Pereira and Kripali Samdariya

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Take the cold shoulder trend to new levels with these fluttery tops. Get on the ruffle trend with our smart ruffle sleeved shirts. On the left, breezy maxi dresses wtih intricate patch embroiderey

Black Sleeveless Top ` 749 White Sleeveless Top ` 749 Brooches - starting at ` 300 White Cotton Shorts ` 1099 Midnight Blue Take it easy Ruffle sleeve shirt ` 2000 Sunglasses by Pataaka ` 1800

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Blue striped cold shoulder shirt dress ` 1050 Red Cold Shoulder Tie Knot Patchwork Dress ` 1250 Paio Jules Heeled Sandals ` 3000 White up Chic Wedge Sneakers ` 2500

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Every kind of pastel! Our most popular top of the season is the Lip embroidered mint green shirt that cheers up any kind of day! Wear with shorts or skinny denim to make a statement. Also shown, our batwing sleeve tops for a dramatic flair. On the left, own the day or evening with our delicate tie up and shirt dresses

Mint Green Take it easy Ruffle Sleeve Shirt ` 2050 Primrose Take it easy Ruffle Sleeve Shirt ` 2050 Lilac Pearl Batwing Off shoulder ` 1420

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B E N G A L URU

Scorching the runway

espite the drizzle and light showers, the India Luxury Style Week drew a large turnout of guests. The five day event that kickstarted on May 24 saw Khiladi Akshay Kumar as the face of the fashion week in his effortlessly stylish sense of dressing and that chiseled-to-perfection physique, walk the ramp as the face of ILFW for designer Ramesh Dembla, the curator and managing director of ILFW in front of a packed house of Indiranagar Club members and other guests. Akshay made his entry on the ramp with a short run and then later continued the catwalk amidst all the hoots and cheer. He also showcased some of his trademark

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nunchuck skills on the runway. Akshay said that his dad was in the army and now he’s doing his bit for the Indian army with the website bharatkeveer.gov. in. The website has already collected 7.5 crores with contributions from across the country for the army. Showcasing the hottest looks in menswear, the rest of the days saw exclusive men’s fashion designers Rohit Verma, H immat Singh, Rohit Kamra, Nivedita Saboo, Ken Ferns and others, inspired by vibrant colours and eclectic pieces,in artistically choreographed ramp shows. Top cop BNS Reddy presented a bouquet and a Ganesha statue as a momentum to the Bollywood actor.

B E N G A L URU

Raising a toast to Israel

ity’s jet setters were requested to block their dates many days in advance for the gala celebrations of the 69th Independence Day of Israel on May 11. Sanjiv Shanmugam, Krittika Kapur, Nelly Mc Allister, Bernard D Silva, Andrea Christ, Jennifer Daubeny and other dignitaries were spotted in their formal best, raising a toast to the spirit of the Israelies. This swish affair at Shangri-La Hotel, Bengaluru marked the completion of 25 years of diplomatic relationship between India and Israel. The evening that was hosted by Consul General Ms Yael Hashavit, Consulate General of Israel in Bengaluru, who is leaving no stones unturned to strengthen the ties between India and Israel, began with cake cutting by Yael Hashavit and Ziv Shalvi, Deputy Chief of Mission. Flutes of champagne were clinked as the audiences were clearly in a mood of celebration. Minister for Energy, DK Shivkumar was also present at this soiree to soak in the revelry of independence, friendship, strength, unique and growing partnership based on friendship and mutual confidence between the two nations. In the midst of all the applause, Consul General Yael Hashavit proclaimed that the impressive launch of ISRO with 104 satellites had three Israelis as part of its team. Hashavit looked back on the wonderful year it was with many beautiful projects by the two powerful nations. “Our event - Open a door to Israel exhibition brought Israel to the limelight. Our minister of Science and Space visited Bengaluru to strengthen the ties with ISRO. The real spirit of Bengaluru is its IT hub, technology and innovation and there are thousands of Indian and Israeli IT experts coming back and forth to share their knowledge and take forward Bengaluru and the startup nation-Israel, besides joint seminars about innovation and Silicon Valley of Indian creativity, changing experts and ideas on IT, joint research in local academies etc.” Shalom! June 2017 RITZ

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Text: Namita Gupta

HYDERA B AD

Star-studded launch

t was a star-studded night as international fashion giant H&M opened its first store at the Inorbit Mall in Cyberabad. Actors Rana Daggubati and Tamannaah Bhatia were spotted at the launch of Hyderabad’s first store. They shopped alongside the city’s swish set of fashionistas and creative catalysts, as DJ Gurbax played popular tunes fresh off the charts and kept everyone entertained. Rana who was sporting an H&M printed tee said, “H&M has been my go-to ever for a long time now and I’m so excited to be here for the big launch! There’s plenty of dressing inspiration to create your personal style.” Dressed in an H&M printed blazer and shorts Tamannaah echoed “I like the exciting fashion choices and inspiring collections. Having H&M in Hyderabad is a girl’s dream come true!” Other stars at the launch included actors Allu Sirish, Pragya Jaiswal, Lavanya Tripathi, Pranitha Subhash and Adah Sharma along with sportsperson Jwala Gutta, musical star Rewanth, designer Archana Rao, Shilpa Reddy and Deepti Reddy.

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KOCHI

Mrs. Global sets new trends in fashion in God’s Own country Photography: Binu Avarachan

he ‘Mrs. Global, God’s Own country’ fashion fiesta organised by Espanio Events at the CIAL Convention centre was a smash hit that witnessed some of the top fashion icons in Kochi. The show conceived as a fashion platform for married women had 25 participants from around the world participating in the grand finale. After a week of intense grooming by fashion choreographer Dalu Krishnadas at the Le Maritime Hotel, the beautiful ladies were ready to set the ramp on fire! “It took us more than a year to plan and execute this concept,” said the event organisers, Zulfi, Anwar A T and renowned actor, Edavela Babu. The women were judged on various criteria like personality, beauty, talent and much more. 15 subtitles were awarded to the contestants such as ‘Best Eyes’ title won by Dr. Smitha Pramod, ‘Best Hair’ by Beyana Mathew and ‘Best Skin’ by Swathi Akhil to name a few. The final panel of judges included popular names like Beena Kannan, CEO of Seematti Silks, actress and model Parvathy Omanakuttan, Mollywood Star Shwetha Menon, yesteryear actress and designer Cuckoo Parameswaran and fashion designer Shravan Ramaswamy. The Mrs. Global crown was won by Vijayalakshmi Ratheessan, the first runner up was Lija Varghese and second runner up, Anitha Dileep.

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