COVER
The Festive Issue
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Team Sukiran Singh, Editor Simarjot Wadhwa, Junior Editor Disha Shah, Creative Executive
Contributers Sasha Jairam, Photographer Arijay Prasad, Photographer Ruchir Vashishtha, Photographer Ashish Chawla, Photographer Sommy eric, Stylist Neha Verma, Stylist Abhishek Chatterjee, Stylist Tarsha Khurana, MUA Hardeep Arora, MUA Shivika Tiwari, MUA Shivani Yadav, Writer Sakshi Sethi, Illustrator
Interns Shreya Jindani Ankur Bhoria
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CONTENTS
14 The Godess
INDEX
38 Shikha Talsania
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Cover Story
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The Golden Dreams
Ananya Birla
72 Soul of the Wanderer
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High by the Beach
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88 Surleen Kaur
102 A/W 18/19
Editor’s note
Festivities have a special place in the hearts of Indians. Even being a speckle of our uncontrollable population, as an individual, the joys of the festivities let us forget the negativities of our over-embellished society, even if for a short moment. Most connected to religious conducts, the festivals tend to bring the oneness of the society. They also represent the Indian Heritage and help the common folk keep connected to their roots. This issue, the October 2018 Issue, we have explored the ideas of major festivals and festivities of India, and have tried to portray them though our creative outlet. Enjoy.
Sukiran Singh Editor, M.IND Mag
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We asked our
Contributors
What do they think of the festivals, being Modern Indians? Arijay Prasad, Photographer Festivals are about reconnecting. With family, with roots, with the communities that I am and have been a part of and, most of all, with myself. Festivals remind me that we are creatures of faith and that faith does not mean religion but an acknowledgement of love and of our humanity. Festivals are a celebration of that, to me.
Mariette Valsan, Model, Actress Festivals in India are full of joy, lights, colours and music. We just need an excuse to celebrate. And I think that is the best part of any Festival, that even in today's busy world, it is the one thing that brings family and friends together to share joy and love. I feel it is a way of families and friends expressing their love for each other, and the joy that they get, from having each other in their lives.
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Ashish Chawla, Photographer Festival means family, friends, food, fun, vacation, light, colour, joy, religion, spiritual , connect, history mythology, moral, society and humanity to me. It's the best time to celebrate humanity while forgetting the differences and negativity around. Arshiya Ahuja, Model I like festivals... it’s a way of bringing everyone together and celebrate. Everyone is so busy in their day to day lives , we are living very fast paced lives. Festivals is an excuse to sit back, relax take the day off and celebrate with your loved ones. I love festivals, I like to do a small puja and eat with the family. I don’t like the extravagant way we do it in India. Holi Diwali , ganpati anything we celebrate we make it too big and messy and pollute the environment. That’s the only aspect I don’t like. Basically for me festivals is about reunion and being nice to one another Sasha Jairam, Photographer Since I was a child, we have never really worshipped idols just for the festivals! In my house there was no such excitement for festivals apart from going vegetarian for the day and worshipping idols have stopped as related to environmental consciousness since over 10 years now. Festivals do come with laughter and get togethers with close friends and families which I await for every year :) 7
Shivika Tiwari, Makeup Artist Festivals give me the much needed break from the city. I look forward to meeting my cousins in our old house and revisiting all the games we used to play as kids, enjoying home cooked sweets and the late night terrace talks. Decorating the house, doing all the rituals is always extra fun when the entire family comes together
Sommy Eric, Stylist India is a multicultural country. People from different religion and caste and background live in a organized chaos so for me Festival in modern India is about celebrating the old tradition with a perspective of modern approach where all the Indians come together as one and share the true essence of the festival Sakshi Sethi, Illustrator As a modern independent woman who is an artist, I have the opportunity to design and mold my work across different environments. In age of shifting cultures it lets me expressive of my perceptions in a very visual manner that is very relatable.This being a bilateral effect also helps me feel the pain, happiness of the people and cultures around me. Also, it fills me with hope and positivity for new beginnings uplifting my faith in the unity of our people.
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Hardeep, Makeup Artist Festivals are occasions of excitement and family bonding. According to our traditional society , festivals play an important role and are looked forward to as a means of havin fun , traditional food and family get togethers as well as meeting up with friends. Planning for them starts well in advance as they hold a special place in Indian culture.
Ruchir Vashishtha, Photographer Festival for me is having a family time, as we all living in a high paced life, the festival gives us a chance to spend time together.
Tarsha Khorana, MUAH artist Being away from my family is difficult and festivals I guess have always meant togetherness for me. I never quite understood what and why we were celebrating but it gave us an excuse to be all under the same roof.
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Neha Verma, Stylist Festivals in India no more have their religious significance it's more of a time to just have fun and make merry ; but negatively it's become more of an opportunity for brands to piggyback on every festivals and make the public hungry to buy & buy. Now more than ever you can actually tell if a festival is coming up thanks to the relentless advertising which can be unnerving Snigdha Ghosh Sen, Hairstylist Festival is a medium to bring life to a state of happiness, excitement and enthusiasm. As today's women, I keep my stress aside and make sure that my focus is to make life simpler and keep the Spirit of Festivals alive. Like every other modern age women, my sense of Singaar Raas is awakened, and makes me dress up ethnic for the festivities. Shivani Yadav As an agnostic, I find festivals to be an ecstatic way of people getting together. Just a gathering of your closest friends and family members, following the rituals, listening to stories and creating blissful memories.
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Illustration by Sakshi Sethi Insta @aplosarte_
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Festivals
A Common Man’s Delight by Simarjot Wadhwa
Ah! the festival season has arrived. Following a monotonous routine of doing one’s daily job , festivities do colour the dull rhythm of life. In India, festivals do enchant everyone; may be in different forms. For some, festivals are for family reunions, socializations, strengthening friendly bonds or solace from pensive to jocund mood. But for some like me , festivals bring holiday/holidays. Ha! what an ebullient idea. New Year arrives and the first thing to glance at the calendar, is the list of holidays. Those long weekends, those paresseux moments; just chill and let yourself be! Perhaps, not true for many but indeed for some! But Indian festivals do enthral and enthuse everyone with their vibrancy, allure, spectacle of colours , percussion , dance, rhythm and so on. The emotions play high and mirth infuses and induces the Indian heart which palpitates to live and
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and relive each moment. In fact, India breathes through its festivals and weaves an intricate pattern through its festivities. Somewhere, each Indian feels associated with their exuberance. Each household, irrespective of religion and region, sinks into the ocean of celebration. The moments become indelible to be mesmerized and cherished forever. Colourful and traditional attires, sweets, lights, diyas elate and exhilarate everyone. In fact, for a common man, festivals churn out happiness and incite him to feel exulted to live life leaving behind the mundane routine. For a common Indian, festivals are a medium of adorning and adoring himself. His subsistence never allows him to be luxuriant, so the vivacity can’t be bought. He gathers bits of his mirth and assembles them to live that moment to the fullest. This is the time he wants to forget his woes and worries and keeps away from drudgery. The liberty from the shackles of toil, the retreat from do’s and don’ts, the idea of complacency from exertion; all brighten him to engross into their buoyancy. A poor man looks forward to the festivals to supplement his meagre income that ignites the ray of better future. The hope propels him and he knows his articles would grace women folk and their homes. His handicrafts, bangles and other embellishments would fascinate them. This would fetch him money and in turn the sparkle in his children’s eyes would illuminate his own heart. The economic division is also obvious and one cannot be oblivion to the persisting gap in the society. Where affluent boast of their superiority and link these festivals to the oomph factor, the less privileged may find themselves on the wild goose chase. But, sometimes these festivals do help in building up dreams; the dreams that lit up the darkness in their lives. Rituals, customs, traditions do glorify the festivals but at times, they can hinder the gaiety. The chanting of mantras, lighting of candles, décor with flowers, the cheerfulness around – all make festivals a source of vitality, vigour and energy. Indian culture if sans festivities, would lose its shimmer. ***
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The Goddess A r sh ia Ahuj a , Vict o r Hug o (Purple
Ft .
Though ts) P ho t og r a ph y an d R e t o u c h i n g b y S ukir an Sing h St y l ing b y Abhishek C hat terjee H M U b y Tarsha Khorana P rod uc t io n b y Disha Shah
Aarshia : Shirt by Geeta Handa / Skirt by Chola / Jacket by Geeta Handa
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Aarshia : Sequined Dress.by Aom Couture / Ruffled Dress by Geeta Handa / Stickibgs by Geeta Handa Victor: Long Jacket by Payal Jain
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Aarshia : Dress and Corset by Geeta Handa Victor : Jacket by Tommy Hilfiger / Stockings by Geeta Handa
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Aarshia : Top - Bralette - Shirt by Geeta Handa / Jacket by Chola Victor : Jacket by Adidas Original / Torn denims by Jack & Jones
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Aarshia : Jacket by Aanam / Shirt by Chola / Stockigs by Geeta Handa / Belt by Geeta Handa Victor : Stockings by Geeta Handa
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CELEBRATING TRADITION IN MODERN INDIA by Shivani Yadav
Think of all the festivals that you celebrate every year and ask yourself this question, ‘what is the story behind this day’. It’s no breaking news when I say that all the festivals that you thought of have a deep and important meaning behind them with a proper step-by-step procedure, but in our fast-paced lifestyle and increasingly globalizing country, these festivals are starting to seem more as an opportunity for family get-togethers than anything else. Even the style of these family gatherings has changed. Let’s take the common example of gifts. As recent as 4 decades ago, mithai, namkeen and traditional clothing were considered a staple and today, all of that has been exchanged with chocolates, cookies and décor items. Technically speaking, it’s not exactly a bad change considering that these eatables have a longer shelf life. Not to mention, it is far easier to make use of a showpiece than wear something that may or may not be of your taste. But then again, none of these things actually represent the core of the festival that we are celebrating in the first place! And this is just one case. You will find multitude of such examples without even trying that hard. But of course I’m not the only one to notice that fact. In fact, the current generation is very keen on capturing the “true Indian-ness” without bringing the old orthodox standards back. But obviously, that is an even broader topic which demands us all to to fully commit ourselves with finding a balance between bring-
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bringing back the good and leaving the bad behind. When I first decided to write about this topic, I asked my parents, grandparents and their friends to tell me what they thought about the way festivals are being celebrated now-a-days, and literally all of them said that people today don’t even know what they are celebrating. The focus has shifted entirely to just having fun along with some rituals sprinkled over to give it all a traditional air. The actual reason for all that fun has kind of been overlooked. And I don’t think I disagree with them because the evidence can be found in me, my friends and many other acquaintances. So after much thinking, I came to a simple yet hopeful conclusion. The way I see this entire situation is that there are 3 things that could make your experience even better - knowing what we are actually celebrating, understanding the significance of the rituals and having a genuine celebration of it all with close friends and family. That way, the memories that you’ll create would end up having a lot more meaning. And the amazing thing about all of this is that none of these things are impossible. Literally each and every one of us can preserve the true essence of our culture if we became just a little bit curious about our roots and land, and I don’t know about you but I find that to be a very powerful thought. ***
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Gajanana COVER STORY
C EL EBR AT I NG G ANPAT I
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F T. MARIETTE VALSAN P HOTOGRAPHED BY SA SHA JAIRAM RE TOU CHED BY S U K I R A N S I NG H STYLING BY D I S H A S H A H & S U K I R A N S I NG H M AK EU P BY S H I V IK A T I WA R I HAIR BY S N I G D H A
Top by Babita Malkani, Jacket by Saaj by Ankita Skirt by Juhi Shah, Headband by Joe and Pooh Earrings by Psqaure
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Jumpsuit by Babita malkani Skirt by XOXO Apurva Headband by Joe and Pooh Earrings by Psquare
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Top by Gunu sahni Jacket by Juhi Shah Skirt by XOXO Apurva Headband by Joe and Pooh
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Tracksuit by Gunu Sahni Headband by Joe and Pooh Earrings by Psqaure Chappals by Nidhi Bhandhari
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Top by Gunu sahni Jacket by Juhi Shah Skirt by XOXO Apurva Headband by Joe and Pooh
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37 Courtesy : Pixabay
Shikha Talsania Modern Indian Actress
Photographed by ARIJAY
PRASAD Artwork by SAKSHI SETHI Styling by NEHA VERMA MUA by HARDEEP ARORA Production by DISHA SHAH Styling Intern SHREYA JINDANI 38 M.IND MAG October 2018 Mindmag.media
Top by Fancy Pants Neckpiece by Eterno
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Jacket and Skirt by AND Earings by Eterno
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Dress by Fancy Pants Earings by DYU Belt by Stylist own Shoes by PAIO
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Top and pants by Fancy Pants Neckpiece by Eterno Shoes by PAIO
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Dress by Fancy Pants Earings by DYU Belt by Stylist own Shoes by PAIO
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Top and pants by Fancy Pants Jacket by Fancy Pants Shoes by PAIO
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Interview by Disha Shah
Your first role as an actor? Sleeping beauty- school play From doing theatre to managing celebrities to doing production and now acting how has your journey so far ? I’ve learnt a lot and have had a lot of fun in the process. It’s been exciting and enriching. Coming from an Acting Lineage was it easy to be in the industry? Not really. You think you know the trials and tribulations of working in the industry but you only fully understand it when you’re living it. I had no launch , I auditioned(still do) to get to where I am today. Which is your favourite character from all the work you have done ? And why? All of them. Each one of them has a special place in my heart. I’ve lived and loved each of my characters, so to pick would be unfair. What has been your biggest Career Challenge so far? Everyday- the resilience you need to have to keep going. What is that one message you would give to your fans? Love ya! Best the best you What sort of acting roles that you want to seek in future? ALL of them. How do you maintain a good work/life balance? By being aware of what is important in my universe. Who inspires you to live healthy and be your best? Me- I see what it does to my body and soul. It’s inspires me to keep going :) Did you ever feel pressure to look in a certain way? Sure, but the ‘certain way’ is decided by me and I usually do a satisfying job of living up to it. ***
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Illustration by Sakshi Sethi Insta @aplosarte_
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The Golden
Dreams
MO D EL S: A N D R E Z A ( R I B A R I D), JH ARNA D AS (RUNWAY L IFES T YLE ) , ADITYA S HAR MA , R I C G U I T E , AD ARSH BOD H PH OTOG RA P H E R : R U C H I R VASH ISH TH A STYL I ST: SO MMY E R I C MAKE U P A N D H A I R : C H I R A G AND D E E PA(MAKEUP MAFIA)
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Left : Jewellery by Ornamas Right: On Jharna- Overcoat by h&m, jewellery by Ornamas
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Left : Jewellery by Ornamas Right: Jewellery by Ornamas
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On Adarsh jewelry by Ornamas
On Aditya over coat by Zara jewelry by Ornamas On Ric trousers by two.two, jewelry by neck piece by Aldo, handcuffs by accessories belt by Ornamas
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On ric trousers by two.two, Jewellery by neck piece by Aldo, handcuffs by accessories belt by ornamas
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On aditya over coat by Zara Jewellery by Ornamas
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On andreza jewelry by ornamas , overcoat by forever21
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Illustration by Sakshi Sethi Insta @aplosarte_
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Ananya Birla Interview by Disha Shah
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MODERN INDIAN ACTOR
What inspired you to be a part of music industry? My life would not be complete without music. It’s been my passion for as long as I can remember, and this amazing companion for me throughout all the best and worst times in my life. I’ve always said that I would be doing it even if I was still performing in the little venues and open-mic nights around London where I started out. Whether I am playing to 20 people or 2000, It gives me the same amazing feeling of contentment. I think the most special thing about music is how it allows you to connect with people and share an experience with them, regardless of who they are or where they are from. There is no better feeling in the world than when someone tells me that they have related to the lyrics or emotion in a song and it helped them though something. Today, getting to work with awesome labels like Universal in India and Island Records in the UK has helped me to reach a bigger audience than I would ever have been able to on my own and also enabled me to connect and work with some awesome producers all over the world. What genre of music do you consider your work to be? Who are your major influencers? My sound is in the pop space and has continued to evolve since my first single.. In my upcoming music, I’ve had a lot of fun incorporating more varied styles. Last time I was in London, I felt a little homesick so we started to mess around with some Indian percussion, it sounded so cool and we ended up using the tabla in the acoustic version of my last track Circles. It’s very important to me to stay true to my Indian roots and I want to incorporate that more and more into my music. My inspiration comes from so many places. When I was a child it was my mother who encouraged me to take up the Santoor, then it was bands like Nirvana who inspired me to start learning the guitar as a teenager. More than anything, I am influenced by the places I go and the people I meet on my journey. I want to write music that is authentic and emotionally driven so that it resonates with people. I think audiences appreciate when music comes from the heart. Who are some of your favourite composers, musicians and bands from the past and present? Growing up I really connected with the raw emotion of artists like Kurt Cobain, Adele, Ed Sheeran and Eminem. They are all very different but connected because they are such strong performers and their lyrics are full of meaning and emotion. I have also always been in awe of A.R Rahman, he is an unparalleled talent as a composer and producer. It is amazing how he combines Western and
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and Indian styles. Right now, I really love Sia’s powerful voice, I can also never get enough of Drake. There is so much cool music coming out of India too. Parekh and Singh have an amazingly unique sound and are making a statement on the global platform. What advice would you have for someone who considers you as a role model and wishes to follow your footsteps? I would encourage them to experiment and do what feels right for them, rather than just following the most obvious path. Bollywood has ruled the music scene in India for a long time, and whilst it is great it sometimes feels like other genres have been neglected and artists and musicians were pressured to fit in to a box to be successful. The relationship that all audiences have toward music in general, but specifically toward Western-influenced music is evolving very positively. I think now is the best time to be an artist in India. Especially with the internet and social media anything is possible. What’s your motto or the advice you live by? Try your best and leave the rest to God. It reminds me that sometimes you need to accept that you can’t control everything and there are forces larger than you at play. You can’t do any more than try your best and hope that things work out. Often, they do, but if they don’t maybe it’s because they weren’t meant to and there is something bigger and better waiting for you around the corner. You write all of your own music; where do you draw inspiration from when you write songs and what’s your favourite part about the process All my writing is based on my own experiences or stories I hear which resonate with me. I try to touch on the things we all go through, love, heartbreak, isolation, friendship. I rely on the cathartic power of writing music to express myself. It is a habit that began when I was a kid. Music has always allowed me to communicate and articulate myself. Now it is this fantastic tool that helps me to get a better understanding of myself and who I am. It’s a form of self-care for me. If you could blink your eyes and be in a favourite place right now, where would that place be? Rishikesh. It is one of the most magical places in the world. With the rushing Ganges, surrounded by these peaceful forests and hills. You can see why the Beatles were so drawn to it.
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I try to go once a year. It is the best place for me to clear my head and reflect on all the things going on in my life. Is there a particular song or musical passage that never fails to move you? Avicii’s ‘Wake Me Up’ never fails to make me feel something, and in light of his recent tragic passing it’s become even more meaningful. I think young people have really connected to it because it’s a super upbeat melody but the lyrics portray something more dark. I think it epitomises that contrast between possibilities and anxieties which all young people face in some way. What are your future plans? What are you working on? I just got back from LA where I was finishing up my next single which is due to release in November. Then I will be putting out an EP early next year. If you could go open up for any artist on tour right now who would it be? I would have to say Beyonce. Obviously she’s an icon, and her shows are epicthe costumes, the sets, the dance moves... Performers like her only come around once in a generation. Plus her fans are so passionate and fun, they take her music and make it their own so I think they would be really fun to perform for.
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Soul of the Wanderer
f t.
Ca r la Acia r
Photogra p hy and s ty l i ng by
Ashish Chawla
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Shirt Dress & Long Jacket by Divya Sheth Choker by Amrapali Jewels.
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MODERN INDIAN ACTOR
Surleen Kaur Interview and Photographed by Sukiran Singh
Q. Tell us about your background. I’m basically from Amritsar, Punjab . I belong to a Sikh family . I lived in Amritsar for about 21 years of my life . Since childhood, I loved attention ,haha.. I would tell my family to sit and watch my dance performances. I loved to entertain people . I was getting passionate about stage with each passing day . I took part in every competition be it singing , dancing , debate and won many awards as a child which gave me a boost and I used to think now what next.... I just knew somewhere that I’m a performer but didn’t have the direction . In 2008, i joined my college and some auditions were going on in college for a play . I remember my guru Suprabha Arya m’am wanted me to give the audition.. It was the first audition of my life . I was nervous and very bad at reading . The director gave me the script and asked me to read ... I couln’t read the script and he started shouting, I couldn’t understand why he was shouting. As a Punjabi girl I had my own ego . I kept the script there and was about to leave but Arya m’am believed in me and she didnt let me leave . She told me to take my time and read the script. That day I didn’t give the audition . Next day when the director was finalising the cast I gave the audition and I got through . I was one of the leads . I got my direction as a performer and then there was never looking back. After that I did several plays , won two national awards . I moved to Bombay in 2012 directly after winning the nationals at Nagpur. I thought I was a trained actress and I should try my luck in Bombay but life is not that easy as it appears . I gave several auditions, got in contact with a few people but never got through a single audition . Things were not turning out as I had thought . I told my father about it and was quite sad . He asked me to come back but I decided not to and study further and I did my MATERS IN THEATRE from Mumbai university and continued working there . So far i’ve done two TV shows AADAT SE MAJBOOR for SAB TV and COMEDY HIGH SCHOOL WITH RAM KAPOOR for DISCOVERY now on NETFLIX , both the shows were for TEAM PRODUCTIONS . Have done two web series , one Punjabi called SLEEPLESS NIGHTS and the other is for VIKRAM BHATT PRODUTION and VIU APP called MEMORIES . I have also done commercial stage plays like SELFIE bY PARITOSH PAINTER and GOLMAAL by VINDU DARA SINGH . Q. You’ve been doing theatre from a very young age and have won many national level awards. What does theatre art mean to you? Theatre means meditation to me . It polishes me as an actor every single time I perform .
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Q. How is live acting different that being in front of the camera? Live acting and camera are completely two different worlds. Its just like texting someone and talking to someone in person. You can always think and edit your conversations . Same with cameras if you don’t like the shot, retakes can be done but while talking to someone in person , words spoken can’t be omitted .Similarly in theatre, you just have to be that character for 2 hours and no retakes . I feel it’s a difficult and very technical art form which cannot emerge overnight and needs a lot of confidence and practice . Q. You’ve done a web series with Director Vikram Bhatt recently. Did you have to prepare for the role before they started shooting? Yes definitely ! I feel for every character both mental and physical preparation is needed. Half the job is done when you start resembling the character and to look like that character you have to feel and observe the character very carefully . For this role my director asked me watch some hollywood series . And I also had to cut my hair short . I guess everything was worth doing it . Q. How was it to work on TV shows? My experience with both the TV shows was very good as both were comedy shows and the team I worked with ,was simply amazing . They made me feel like I was at home and it was so easy . One more reason I loved it is that the money is good in TV ... hahaha, kidding ! Q. How long did it take before you got the first prominent role? Almost 5 years , I won’t say prominent but yeah a good role .. I’m still waiting for that prominent role . Q. Do you think that auditions work? To some extent they do . It’s very difficult but i’ve done all my work through auditions only . But you definitely need to have some good contacts in this industry. And I think you make your contacts with time and keep doing ‘chota chota kaam’ . Q. Do you like contemporary Indian Cinema, and would you like to work in it? If I say I don’t want to work in contemporary Indian cinema, I”ll be a fool ! Q. Being a serious actor, hailing from theatre roots, what do you have to say about the commercial headless content that many Movie and Television makers create in India? no comments ! Q. If given an opportunity would you take the commercial content, and why? A: Yes, i will ! Because you need money to survive and commercial content makes you famous also . So if you are famous and have the money you can create good content and good contemporary cinema on your own and people will come to watch as well.
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Q. What does it mean to be a Modern Indian, according to you? And do you consider yourself the one? I think everyone has his own interpretation of the term MODERN ... For some, it is using the latest tecnology , for some wearing short clothes , for some gaining knowledge about the world and talking about Indian and world politics . For me when a person is ready to listen to others, imbibe the good things for his growth , have the guts to stand for himself or herself and most importantly moulds himself according to the time and era ,is a real MODERN INDIAN . I shall try to be one .I am still on the path . Q. Any message for newbies trying their luck in Entertainment, in Mumbai? This field is not easy and I have seen a lot of breakdowns . I would just say if you really want it, patience and hardwork is the key . ***
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High by the Beach
Joa n n e D a Cu nh a Photog r a phed by S u k ir a n S ing h f t,
MUA and Photog r a phy A s s i s t a n c e by
M eh a k S ing h a l
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AW 18/19 Tren Rise of the Silver Surfer
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AW 18/19 Tren Animal Kingdom
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AW 18/19 Tren Big is the new Black
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AW 18/19 Tren Stripeland
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AW 18/19 Tren Print on Scarves
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