TGS Life 26/03/2016

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PUNE, MARCH 26, 2016

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2 TGS LIFE

MARCH 26, 2016 PUNE

ENTERTAINMENT

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

S

uccess means everything to Vivian Fernandes, aka DIVINE. Born in the slums of Mumbai, he had an absolutely simple, humble and honest upbringing which included a lot of hard-work and struggle. Yet, this never stopped him from earning a name for himself and the respect that followed when other rappers from the city and people in the music industry took note of his work. A 50-cent T-shirt and a few albums of the singer was what introduced him to the world of hip-hop and rapping. Of course, there has been no looking back since.

Just as his second single Jungli Sher makes a debut on Apple music worldwide, the talented young artiste speaks about his love for rapping, how he got this break and his future plans.

It was after he saw one of his friends wear a 50-cent T-shirt that he got attracted to the genre of music and started researching on the hip-hop culture. Not having the funds to study sound engineering, he began concentrating on becoming a rapper. He studied innumerable videos of international rappers to learn how they rhymed, what voice modulation was and how they fit in so many words and got the tunes right to make a song.

“Rapping is just like story-telling. It’s about expressing your feelings in the story and drawing a picture for the listener. The better you get with the words, the prettier the story gets,” Vivian tells us. There was a time when he wasn’t particularly fluent with English, but it was only

Sukhan is a celebration of rich literary works that have been buried in old Urdu literature and its culture

Music that tells stories With only a few releases to his name, Vivian Fernandes has become one of the most promising rappers internationally. Follow him as he shows the world the power of hip-hop music

through sheer dedication that he has got to where he is today. Although he initially rapped in English, he moved to Hindi to make his music more relevant to a larger audience. He got his first break with Sony Music after someone from the company saw him perform Mere Gully Mein at blueFROG. Vivian adds, “For me, my life is an inspiration.

There are so many things that have happened to me over the years that I could tell those stories and produce good music for life. I want to change the way this culture is seen around the country.”

He has written, composed and performed the songs on his latest album. Directed by Vandana Kataria, the video has been shot on an iPhone

6S over four days, across 43 different locations in Mumbai.

Known as the ‘Voice of the Streets’, he has been narrating tales of the people that he’s grown up observing as a child, as well as paying homage to the characteristics of the city. His 2013 album Yeh Mera Bombay went viral and made heads turn. Not only did the song receive a lot of exposure on radio stations across the country, but also on international platforms such at Beats1 and the BBC Asian Network. Next was his 2015 summer-smash Mere Gully Mein which did extremely well too. It was termed the best video of 2015 by Rolling Stone Magazine. He was tagged as the best new artist 2015, by iTunes

and Apple Music in India and as one of the top six artists to watch-out for in 2016 by the BBC Asian Network.

With Vivian, every song has a premise and every word has a deep-rooted meaning and Jungli Sher is exactly that. While he is open to doing Bollywood, he wants his music to encourage the global urban culture. “There are offers from Bollywood and I would love to walk down that path soon but I don’t want to do anything mainstream. I will accept an offer only when I get something out of the box or something that allows me to be myself and represent my music the way I believe in it,” he tells us. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

For the love of language

TGS NEWS SERVICE @TGSWeekly

H

aving been a part of the theatre scene for a decade now, Om Bhutkar is not new to the stage. However, when he decided to stage Sukhan for the very first time, he was most definitely nervous. Putting together all that his years in the industry have taught him, Om decided to take his new found love for Urdu literature and turn it into a performance. Not only did he want to leave the audience spell bound through this performance but he also hoped to get more people introduced to the language and its beauty.

Full of compositions, rich in Urdu literature, Hindustani Classical and Sufi music, it includes everything from Dastangoi, which is a form of Urdu story-telling, Ghazals, Nazms, Urdu prose and Qawwalis. A lot of the selected text includes works by Mirza Ghalib, Hafiz Jalandhari, Nida Fazli, Saahir Ludhianvi, Ameer Khusro,

Joan Eliya, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Meer Taqi Meer, Mujtaba Hussain, Dagh Dehlavi, Muhommad Iqbal and many more.

“Urdu literature is so vast that choosing from it had indeed become a difficult task. The bigger challenge was however the translation part. We have done our best to ensure that the meaning isn’t lost in the process,” he assures us. It has taken the team about one to two years to get everything together and be prepared to take stage.

The team includes Jaydeep Vaidya, Nachiket Devasthali, Abhijeet Dhere, Swapnil Kulkarni, Devendra Bhome, Shantanu Ghule, Mandar Bagade, Ketan Pawar, Mukta Joshi, Divya Chaphadkar, Sanika Goregaokar, Adhish Paigude, Mahesh Talape, Shubham Jite, and Rucha Shrikhande.

While there have been several performances that, in their own way, have tried to highlight Urdu literature and various poems and texts of the language, this will be a little different.

The audience will, throughout the three-hour performance, be encouraged to play their part and participate by either singing along or answering questions put forth by the artists. This will not only allow the audience to find a connect but will keep them engrossed throughout.

“Since the language could get heavy for someone who does not know a lot about it we have changed quite a few words. Even though we have tried our best to simplify it, some words have

been kept the same, because they make a better impact in their original form,” says Om. The audience is sure to take back with them a new found respect for the language, music and most of the art forms that will be showcased. “We want to paint a picture of pain through our music. This doesn’t mean that is it a sad performance it is just that, one will be able to feel the pain much more closely through the lyrics, sound and style of singing. We hope to bring back personal memories too,” he adds.

Shows were initially never on his mind and he had started reading about the language only because he was curious.

Somewhere along the way he felt the need to give back to the culture, a tradition that that influenced and taught him so much.

When they performed at the Vinod Doshi Memorial Theatre Festival Pune, last month, the response was overwhelming. This time, the performance is intended to reach a wider and more diverse audience. The first performance on Saturday will only be an hour and a half long, while the one on Sunday is the full show.

When: March 26, 6:30pm to 8 pm; March 27, 6 pm to 9 pm Where: Gyaan Adab, Kalyani Nagar (Sat) & Gandhi Bhavan, Dhanukar Colony, Kothrud (Sun) tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

3 In a country, that listens only to Bollywood or Hindi music, Marathi rock bands take the responsibility to turn up the volume

Rock on,

Marathi ishtyle

TGS LIFE

MARCH 26, 2016 PUNE

ENTERTAINMENT

By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab

W

ho says Marathi language is not meant for head banging? These bands have formed a new breed altogether, and are taking baby steps to popularise the genre of Marathi Rock.

Gone are the days when rock music only catered to the young generation, but with bands singing in native languages mixed with western music and classical instruments, it has now got a much wider audience. Bands like Moksh, Adbhut Bhairav and Asmi have broken the barriers of language and have experimented with various styles of rock music, like rock and roll, progressive, hard rock and metal. We give you an insight to these bands whose passion for music, creativity and stage presence have driven the Puneites to roll.

ASMI Asmi is not just another Marathi band. They create music that is original and also try to bridge the gap between the Marathi traditional and the modern day music. The band comprising of Subodh Sathe on vocals, Parimal Waranashiwar on keyboards, Gaurav Tanksale on guitar, and Rinku Nikhare on bass want to bring about a massive change in the way the audience listens to music. The band, highly inspired by the movie Rock On, were firm to create a band that stands out from the rest. “That movie touched me

MOKSH Nothing binds the diverse cultures of our nation like music does, believes the band. Their aim is to blend music with notes from all the religious scriptures where one cannot differentiate between religions and races. This five piece band comprises of Jimmy Alexander on guitar, Sagar Joshi on bass, Pushkar Kulkarni on Keyboards, Pradeep Pawar on Drums and Rigved Karambelkar on vocals. “We realised the need to promote Marathi music amongst the younger generation. There are rock bands in many other regional languages, so why not Marathi.

We decided to name the band Moksh as we wanted the audience to experience a temporary feeling of liberation through our music,” says Sagar Joshi, bassist.

They are also known for blending the classical raagas into metal genre. Their main idea was to

so much that it inspired me to do something different. I started hunting for like minded musicians and who believed in creating original music,” says Subodh.

The band has already recorded its official

cut down 40 minute bandish into 5 minute format to grab the attention of the youth. They fused metal with these raagas and shlokas to make it more electrifying and heavy.

“Raagas are generally calm sort of music that will calm your soul.

But there are some bandish like Raag Malhar, that are aggressive in nature. They can be fused with heavy music to audiences a head banging experience,” he explains.

To make the audiences aware of the genre, the band conducted its first show at Hanging Garden, Mumbai. And the feedback of the audience assured them that this was something that’s needed to be taken to the next level. “At first, the audiences were confused, as they we listening to something like this for the first time. But people were enjoying this, and were also trying to concentrate on the lyrics. It was an exhilarating experience,” he adds.

music video, which is available on their website and other sites like YouTube. “Our music is appreciated by people who follow Marathi rock but we want to reach out to new audiences, create more awareness for our music, which is difficult.

The band also aims at channelising the youth of rural areas of Maharashtra with their music and songs that focuses on social issues and can relate to every common man, like women empowerment, education etc.

“Villages are culturally strong, but their literacy rate is low. So we thought of highlighting the issues through our songs. We also want to reach out to the nonMarathi audience,” adds Sagar.

This band also has composed a rock based love-song ‘Kuni Achanak’ in the recent Marathi film ‘Vadhdivasachya Hardik Shubhechcha’.

The band is currently busy working on their album Swarajya, that will be based on the life of Shivaji Maharaj. “People always talk about Shivaji’s achievements, and how he captured the forts, but our album is about how he felt as a normal human being,” he says.

But we will continue our efforts,” he adds.

They have covered genres like rock, jazz and blues. Their songs mainly focus on current affairs, social issues, and love. The band is currently busy composing new songs for their upcoming tour.

ADBHUT BHAIRAV Adbhut Bhairav is an eclectic and versatile rock band that is dedicated to writing, recording and performing all original music in Marathi. With influences ranging from Led Zeppelin to Stevie Ray Vaughn to Nirvana, the band is sure to soon create waves amongst the masses. This two piece band comprises of Bhushan Marathe on vocals and percussions, and Anoop Kumar on Guitar and banjo. Both the musicians already a part of an English rock band ‘Beach Dog’ decided to form a band that would cater to Marathi music loving audience. “We began as an acoustic duo. We started writing songs, and these quirky funk workouts

became a part of the rapidly expanding songbook. This is how we decided to go ahead with it,” says Bhushan. They first released their songs on YouTube, and got an overwhelming response.

After that the band went on to create eight other songs about the daily struggles of a common man.

“Our songs are simple, and don’t come with a message. They are our thoughts, and what we feel about life. They have various influences and experience that both of us carry,” he adds.

They have started recording their debut album with five tracks completed, and will hit the shelves soon. “After the launch, we plan to go on a Maharashtra tour to promote our music,” he says.

TGS LIFE

MARCH 26, 2016 PUNE

ENTERTAINMENT

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

A

n ardent lover of folk songs, music composer and programmer, Tanishk Bagchi is the man behind famous hits like Bano Tera Swagger and the most recent Bol Na from Kapoor & Sons. Describing the song he says, that the melody connects the family and applies to all kinds of romantic relationships. He has done exactly what he was asked to but with more of him in the song and he is glad that it is well-appreciated. Hoping to bring folk music to the front as much as possible, he makes it a point to add a little bit of the folk culture as well as music from where he belongs, by drawing influences from Baul music, to most of his songs.

While speaking with TGS, he talks about why he likes to learn every aspect of music making, his future projects and whom he would like to work with.

He was only nine years old when he visited his father Nanda Kumar on the job and had decided to never follow the same path. The

‘I don’t like depending on anyone to

4

produce my songs’

Lyricist of the recent hit song Bol Na, takes immense pride in producing and penning down songs that connect with almost anyone work involved too many hardships and not enough money, he had observed. But for some reason he was hooked on. He started off by learning the technical aspect of making songs and learned to sing from his mother, who was his first music teacher. “I don’t like depending on anyone to produce my songs. Plus, the technology fascinates me and the music satisfies me,” says the 32-yearold. As a child, he always wanted to be a pilot but could never sit in one place for long and so studying to become one was not possible.

A few years down the line, he hopes to work with A R Rahman and some international artists like Pitbull and Akon.

We asked him about the competition and he says, “I don’t compete. Music is away from the war zone. Instead, we need to encourage and push each other to do better.”

RAHUL RAUT

When

Fickle, dedicated and spiritual is how he would describe himself best. Success to him means to keep going and to use failures as stepping stones to the next big thing.

While live shows are something that he will most definitely venture into in the future, currently he is comfortable being behind the scenes. He is still preparing himself for his first performance which he wants to ensure makes not only a good, but a lasting impression. His future plans also includes contributing to music in a big way by doing different kinds of songs and being involved in various projects, but all with a little bit of Tanishk in them. He is currently working on two other films, Housefull 3 and Half Girlfriend, slated to release later this year. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

Rocky Handsome

came to town ‘Handsome is what handsome does,’ John Abraham told his fans when he came to the city to promote his upcoming film Rocky Handsome

By Heena Grover Menon @HeenaGM

T

he actor was in the city to promote his film and the frenzy he created among the fans, who had thronged the venue hours before his arrival, was a site in itself. This new action thriller has the dapper John Abraham all beefed up as he prepares to knock some goons down with his newly-acquired martial art moves.

The actor underwent rigourous training for the role and strongly vouches that this kind of action has never been screened in any Bollywood action flick before.

The crew, including John along with director Nishikant Kamat and singer Ankit Tewari who has also composed the music of the film, were there to talk to the media and fans. They shared some fun stories about the making of the film. When asked what made them name the film Rocky Handsome, both John and Nishikant exchanged a look and then the director revealed that during one of the trials, John had worn this particular suit in which he was looking extremely dapper and when he saw John, he told him that he was looking very handsome and the word just got stuck in Nishikant’s mind and he said

why don’t we name the film Johnny Handsome. “We both thought later that a Hollywood film by the same name already exists and having Johnny in the title would make it very apparent, so the next word that came to my mind was Rocky which kind of rhymed well with Johnny and that’s how we finalized on the name,” laughs Nishikant, who has directed the actor earlier in his last action flick Force and also plays the lead villain in this one.

John, who is also co-producing the film, is kicked about the project. He shares the screen with child actor Diya Chalwad with whom he also shares a very special bond in the film and the story revolves around the two.

While the trailor looks quite impressive for its action quotient, we asked the actor about its emotional connect and experience working with Diya. “I have worked with kids in the past but Diya is an exceptional girl, very professional and hardworking. She is also a gymnast and every time she would come to the set, she would show me the new moves that she has learned. Although I play a serious role, there’s a special bond that the two of us share in the story and it’s after her sudden disappearance from the scene that the emotional journey of the film begins. I am sure everyone will like the story,” says John.

While everyone agrees he is good looking, the actor says that it’s not just the looks but the kind of human one wants to be that makes him handsome. John has also lent his voice to one of the songs in the film for the first time, a glimpse of which everyone saw when he hummed a few lines along with Ankit. heena.grover@goldensparrow.com

5

TGS LIFE

Globetrotters of a different kind

MARCH 26, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

When travelling became more important than anything else, they quit their well-paying and high-profile jobs to bask in adventures and travel roads less explored

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

G

etting snowed in while on a road trip to Scotland is an experience that Vidula Tade will never forget. It was one of those spontaneous plans and so she could not even check into a hotel. Spending those innumerable hours in the car was the kind of adventure she hopes to get from all of her travels. For Ritika Athwani, the trips she takes is her quality time with her younger sister, Vinisha. Since her sister is still studying, they plan in advance and take off almost every time she has vacations or can take a break from her studies. Shishir Nikam, on the other hand, cherishes the bonds with the locals and fellow travellers made while on trips more than anything else. This is one of the reasons why he looks forward to travelling.

LEAVING THE COMFORT OF THEIR CORPORATE JOBS The nine-to-five jobs gave them a certain sense of stability and independence financially and quitting them was certainly not the easiest thing they did. “Letting go of the heavy pay cheque that my job offered was extremely difficult but I was bored of the routine that the corporate job offered and had got addicted to travelling which I had started a few months before I quit,” says Shishir. He now owns a travel agency by the name of Black Swan Journeys which he has been running for about six years. For him, the comics of Calvin and Hobbes turned into the biggest inspiration to travel and see the world.

Like Shishir, Vidula too quit her job as a

Vidula Tade in Versailles France

Ritika Athwani in Humpi

Shishir Nikam capturing his travels

team leader at an IT firm to start her own travel company, Buffyfish. She believes that travelling teaches one to trust as it is necessary when you travel with unknown people. Ritika, who was an in-house PR professional at Olive Bistro, left her job to freelance so that she would have the freedom to travel whenever she wished to and for as long as she liked. Her expeditions have made her love her country and culture even more. She has learned so much more about the place the

“Letting go of the heavy pay cheque that my job offered was extremely difficult but I was bored of the routine” — SHISHIR NIKAM

she belongs to simply by spending some time travelling. For all of them, their biggest concern was not getting enough days off during their regular jobs which pushed them to quit.

NEW PLACES, EXPERIENCES AND MEMORIES Ritika has covered a huge portion of India through her travels. Sikkim, Pondicherry, Hampi, Ooty and Sunderbans are among many other places that have already been checked off her list. “Travelling has always been my thing.

It gave me a shot at freedom and allowed me to be the chilled out person I always wanted to be.

I could now be happy with my profession and pursue my passion too,” she tells us. Her next trip is to the Maldives in April.

Vidula, who has travelled to 23 countries till date, loved Scotland the most. She has been to Iceland, most of Europe, including France, Spain, Austria, Hungary, Poland. She has also been to New Zealand, Ethopia, Sri Lanka, Nepal and is currently travelling through Argentina. It was her uncle who introduced her to trekking and travelling at a very young age and she couldn’t thank him enough for it.

Initially, for most part of his travels Shishir journeyed across South India. North

Karnataka, Hampi, Hanegudi and other villages in this district were the places that he visited. Then he decided to back-pack across South-East Asia and has been to Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and Laos. His next trip is to Georgia, in order to explore it first hand and then offer tours through his start-up as well.

“Every time I travel to a new place my focus lies on the locals there. Each one of them has been leading an exceptional life that is so different from mine so being inspired and learning something new from them is a given,” Shishir tells us. The interactions with the locals are memories that he knows he will never forget.

BEING RISK READY The one thing that all three of them believe is extremely important, while deciding to quit your job to travel or even while travelling itself, is to be ready to take risks. No matter how much you plan what lies ahead is never known and this is when one needs to be the most prepared to welcome anything. “While the sense of freedom from the run of the mill life is great, one must be so passionate about travelling that they never look back and regret their decision. Being ready to accept risks is a part and parcel of the passion,” says Vidula.

While all three of them could not be happier about their decision to quit the corporate world and experience new things all of them think that whoever plans to follow down the same road must remember a few things. It is imperative to have enough money saved to not only take care of any problem that might arise on your travels but also to sustain you for a while after you return and find your next job. In addition, one must just take the plunge and never over-analyse their decision to quit. Last but not the least, it is always advisable to turn your hobby into your profession so that you love what you do and do not feel that you are giving up a lot to travel. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

TGS LIFE

Don’t wait to commit this chocolate sin

MARCH 26, 2016 PUNE

India’s first mega chocolate experience store opens its doors to those with an intense sweet tooth

PIC BY RAHUL RAUT

INDULGE

By Heena Grover Menon @HeenaGM

S

tep inside this swanky and colourful store and it will instantly remind you of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Located in a quaint corner off Dhole Patil Road, Brugge La Chocolaterie is born out of Shabbir Kanorewala’s sweet desire to offer a space where adults could become children again and children could indulge in all things chocolate. Spread across 3,500 sq ft, this is the city’s first three-level mega chocolate store.

Given that there’s a large population of well-travelled people in the city, who have tried and tasted the best of chocolates around the world, Shabbir thought of bringing home an exclusive chocolate experience that no one had ever thought of or seen before. The first step was to find a new location, a bigger space and then turning it into every chocoholic’s dream come true. Shabbir says, “This store is my labour of love. It is bringing to life my passion for chocolate, which took me around the world in search of the perfect recipe, blend and ingredients. I felt that India should have an outlet that matches up to the best boutiques in Europe – specifically, Belgium – and I have tried to live up to those high standards.”

If you plan to visit, make sure you have plenty of time on hand as the tour of the store unfolds surprises at every level. The concourse level houses the kids’ zone with a dedicated play area where children can find their favourite soft toys and chocolate goodies. This is also where they can spend hours enjoying a session of drawing, colouring or simply playing with their friends.

Adjacent to this is the flavours-of-the-world section, where famous brands from across the world vie for shelf space. At the far end, is a signature flower bouquet section where customised chocolate bouquets are created as per your need.

Level two is the gourmet section where signature chocolates

like praline, nougat, ganache, and bars of exotic flavours will make you drool. This level also has occasion-based gifting options, be it birthdays, weddings, baby showers, or any other celebration. There’s also a consultancy corner where customers can come for tasting prior to a wedding or a big occasion and pick from the different kinds of chocolates available, and get the correct advice on what chocolate will suit the occasion, the quantity required and the packaging options as well. The piece de resistance, however, is the cafe on level three. Done up in vibrant colours, this is a cozy den where people can indulge in

their favourite cuisine from around the world, with a delightful twist. There is also an exquisite hot and cold chocolate bar, where customers can get their chocolate mixed to perfection and according to their taste.

Brugge La Chocolaterie has been recognised by the Belgian High Commission for the fine quality of its chocolates and the role it plays in popularising Belgian chocolate. In fact, Shabbir plans to open 50 more stores across India in the next five years in metros and mini metros. heena.grover@goldensparrow.com

Their love for Barney Stinson fuelled the dream of setting up a classy hangout and that’s just how Bro Code Café was born

VISHAL KALE

Walk into a legendary cafe

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

N

estled in a quiet, yet busy, street of Viman Nagar, the Bro Code Café has been getting a lot of attention since the past week. Opening its doors last Friday, the café is celebrating the most abundant and important relationship of all – friendship.

While the interiors are simple and resonate with the idea of a homely feel, a huge wall at the café is enough to represent the ideas it wants you to consider while you’re there. This is one space that’s sure to bring on a smile.

After all, how could you not smile at rule no 89 – A bro will always say yes in support of a bro, no matter what – or rule no 184 – Bros do not keep a personal diar.

Shiv Trivedi, who runs a Metal Head Entertainment event management company that organises nightlife entertainment events,

got together with his friends to start the café about a year ago. Aditya Agashe came on board only about a month ago. “Funds were hard to come by at first. Every small thing was added to the budget and things began to go haywire.

Once we got Aditya on as an investor, it was

all sorted and we couldn’t be more proud of the outcome,” Shiv explains as he talks about how difficult it was for them to set up the place.

Offering Chinese, Italian and Continental cuisines, the café is where you want to head to watch a sports match, sitcom, film and even

cartoons, which they will begin screening soon. The theme and décor at Bro Code Café sets it in a league of its own. The beginning of the week is dedicated to sitcom nights while Friday is set aside for cartoons. On Saturdays, you will witness live acoustic music shows and Sundays are movie nights.

“The idea is to make it the most iconic cafe in the city. We hope that some years down the line when people describe Pune to someone who hasn’t been here, our café should be a part of the conversation and we should be on every tourist’s ‘to do’ list as well,” says Shiv excited about what the future holds for the café.

Agreeing with him, Aditya adds, “We wanted to build a café for the masses and we have done just that. It’s a place for all age groups.

Even if it is just for a few hours, we would love for all our guests to be stress-free when they’re at the café.” Right from researching and getting everything in place to scouting for the right people to be part of the staff, the project has taken a long time. But, by the sound and look of it, we certainly feel that it was worth the wait.

Where: Gulmohar Galaxy, Rajiv Nagar, Viman Nagar salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

VISHAL KALE

TGS LIFE

MARCH 26, 2016 PUNE

INDULGE

WINE AND DINE IN STYLE

By Heena Grover Menon @HeenaGM

E

very year, when summer sets in, this motley group of women get together for their annual ritual of making wine at home. Something, they say, has made them connect with each other on a very different and positive level. So when Rupa Rajkhowa called TGS for a fun afternoon of grape stomping along with great food and banter, we were more than excited to accept the invitation.

It all started in the summer of 1997, when Subhada Dalvi dropped in at a friend’s party and was served a homemade wine which she couldn’t resist. She asked her friend for the recipe, tried making it herself and succeeded too. That was the first time she invited over some of her friends home all of whom were quite excited as this was something that they had never done before. “I always encourage activities where people can learn new things

Bored of going to the same old kitty parties? Meet these high-spirited ladies who have found a unique way to get together and make merry and share their knowledge so everyone can gain from it. So, when I got to learn about making the wine, I called a bunch of my friends and passed it on to them. Ever since, we have created this fun community of like-minded women who do things that interest us,” says Subhada, who is also a trained yoga teacher.

Joining the bandwagon then were many women from her neighbourhood who would come to learn yoga from Subhada and end up becoming a member of her wine-making

group as well as indulge in numerous other fun activities. One of them is Kranti Shitole, a social worker who works towards women empowerment. “I started learning yoga from ‘Guru ji’ (as she fondly calls Subhada) about four years ago and it was during one of the sessions that I got to know that they also make homemade wines. Being a women from a typical middle-class family with set values and traditions, it’s not very enterprising for a woman to freely drink or talk about alcohol, but this was something very close knit and meant to be fun, so I joined them and now it has become a kind of ritual every year,” shares Kranti.

The women gather at Subhada’s house but, for a change, this time the session was held at Rupa’s home in Viman Nagar. Rupa loves to cook and feed her family and friends.

Cracking jokes and sharing laughs during the session, Rupa said that these are not just a one-off fun sessions but act more like a

YOUR CHOW AROUND TOWN Welcome the Easter This Easter, happiness comes in big brunches at Four Points by Sheraton. The hotel will host a special brunch featuring a live counter and a range of starters and soups.

Guests can indulge in some mouth-watering starters including tobanjun fish, paneer angara, murg Banjara tikka and follow it with salads like Marbled Easter Egg Bunnies and much more.

When: March 27, 12.30 pm onwards Where: The Eatery, Four Points by Sheraton, Nagar Road

Go cricket crazy This T20 season, sit back and enjoy nail-biting experience on a 120 inch screen along with finger-licking grubs with your friends. Indulge in shareable portions such as the Ultimate Dipper where vegetarians can select from the Paneer Bites, Fried Paneer Quesadillas Bites, Texas

Cheese Poppers and Southwestern Rolls while the nonvegetarians can choose from the Wings Over Buffalo, Boneless Buffalo Wings, Crispy Crispers and Big Mouth Burger Bites and much more.

When: Ongoing, 4 pm to 8 pm Where: Chili’s American Grill & Bar, UG 49, Phoenix Market City, Viman Nagar

Ek cutting beer The Beer Cafe has always been about love for beer and conversations over beer and Cutting Beer is a step ahead to explore this love. It is a smaller serving of the quintessential beer mug, a quick grab if you’re in a hurry or need a mid-day refuel without getting drunk. One can pick from the collection of draught beers available in cutting style.

When: Ongoing Where: All The Beer Cafe outlets

MAKE WINE AT HOME Ingredients Grapes 1.5kg Yeast 40gm Water 6 ltr Sugar 3kg Wheat 200gm Egg whites of three eggs Method: Crush the grapes in a clean bucket and add half of the sugar, yeast, wheat and egg whites and mix it all well.

Make sure the bucket you are using is absolutely clean and has a lid.

Keep this blend aside in a dry and cool place away from the sun for about 21 days.

After 21 days, strain the mixture using a clean muslin and your wine is ready. If stored properly, your wine can last up to five years.

Just keep doubling the quantity of ingredients if you want to increase the quantity of your wine. healing session, where you meet and greet old and new friends. “I love meeting new people and this group has given me an opportunity to know so many interesting people who have something unique to share. We don’t gossip or try to gauge what is happening in each other’s personal lives. We just get together to learn something interesting along with good food and great conversations,” adds Rupa.

This time, the group had a few newcomers, including Nupur Joshi, who is a known mixologist and wine enthusiast. It was her first home session with the women and she says that it was a wonderful experience and hopes that the association goes a long way. heena.grover@goldensparrow.com

IF THE CROWN FITS…

TGS LIFE

MARCH 26, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

From posing before giant mirrors and wearing tiaras, to pretending to own the room while flaunting intricate gowns, winning pageants has been on their mind since they were still tripping in mum’s stilettos

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

decided to use this to her advantage but had to rehearse a lot to ensure that she was the best. Since she chose not to train under anyone she found a way to make sure that she was on the right track. “While international pageants were my inspiration, it was also my learning turf. I have learned how to walk, talk and everything else by watching videos.

In order to ensure that I was on the right track, I would record myself and be my own critic,” says the 20 year old.

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or most people, winning a crown is a dream come true, for Apeksha Porwal believes that she has a lot more to achieve and that this is just the beginning.

This, despite winning five titles already. Shibra Tupke, who already has three titles to her name, was only waiting to turn 18 so she could begin taking part in even more pageants. As a child, glamour was something that Ankita Lande was always interested in. Although she wanted to become a fashion designer she is currently pursuing medicine and is fulfilling her glamour dreams through pageants that she participated in. Like the others, Vaishnavi Patwardhan and Aishwarya Dhavale have also each won titles and believe that their journey to winning more pageants is only in its initial phase.

Only after months of training and mentoring do the girls gain the confidence to walk the ramp, win pageants and chase their dreams. TGS talks to the winners to find out what it takes to be part of pageants.

It’s a learning experience

Walking the ramp Pageant schedules are fun but extremely exhausting as well.

You meet new people and live through new experiences.

The preparations include getting the right outfit together, perfecting the walk, preparing for the talent round, and staying up to date with current affairs for the question answer round.

“It is your job to present the best version of yourself at these events”

Vaishnavi Patwardhan

Ankita Lande

Archaeologist or Jewellery Designer. She bagged the Most Elegant Bride at the Indian Bridal Contest held in Pune, was the second runner-up at the Face of India contest, 2015, after which she represented India in Korea and was also one of the top six finalists at Miss Diva 2015.

Apeksha, just like so many others, is a — VAISHNAVI PATWARDHAN perfect example of the kind of effort that it takes to win a crown. Soon after co-founding the start-up Janta Meals, she decided to take A third year student at Fergusson College, Vaishnavi part in a pageant. Preparing for Femina Miss had absolutely no idea how much work went India Delhi was no cake walk. She would work into taking part in a pageant. It was full time in the morning and prepare for only when she actually got down to the pageant in the evening. Her day training that she figured out that started with working out in the there were so many things gym, four times a week with that she had to take care a focus on muscle training. of – from her hair, skin, Other preparations included body, confidence, how just spending time with she presented herself herself, understanding and so much more. h e r shortcomings, During her training working on the period at The Tiara in best way to Pune under Coach Ritika present herself, Ramtiri, she would spend understanding her about eight to nine hours assets and building working on different aspects. on them, preparing At the same institute, Aishwarya introductions and prepping for too groomed herself into a winning the question and answer rounds. role. “It was more of a fun journey A little different from all of them, than actual training. They taught Shibra has the fortune of having genes us how we always needed to be up that keep her in the best of shape. Being to date, well-groomed, punctual an ice-hockey player has also kept her and presentable. Now that I am fit and healthy. What she did have to not training anymore I kind of work on was ensuring that her skin miss it,” she says. She is currently was healthy, her hair was perfect and specialising in Geogrpahy for the talent round which involved Shibra Tupke and is aspiring to become and dancing. A Kathak dancer, she

It is very easy to dream of being a pageant winner or becoming a model, the journey towards the goal, however, is anything but easy. Along the way to the finish line, every single day is challenging. The process requires a lot of dedication and patience while demanding the best every single minute. Most participants are rather comfortable when in front of the camera, so photo shoots for the pageants turn into an easy effort. “The biggest challenge for me was being my own critique. In an extremely competitive environment, it is important to face your shortcomings, deal with them and become better each day,” says Apeksha. I think being your biggest critique is an underrated challenge and learning to do that has been one of my major takeaways, she quickly adds. Apeksha has won the MTV Teen Diva contest in 2009 and then represented India at Miss Teen India International in Chicago. She was also the winner of Femina Miss India Delhi 2015, a finalist of Femina Miss India 2015, winner at Miss India Worldwide India 2015 and first-runner up of Miss India Worldwide 2015.

Vaishnavi says, “It is your job to present the best version of yourself at these events. It is a learning experience, a test as well as a challenge all at the same time.

You will probably discover things about yourself that you never knew you were capable of.” Vaishnavi was the first runner-up at Miss Earth India, 2015, was one of the top 20 finalists at Miss Diva Universe, and is currently preparing for Miss India after securing a place in the Top 20. The feeling of being in a pageant is overwhelming but, on the other hand, you feel responsible since you are in a situation where others have expectations from you, adds Ankita. For her, the challenging part was not knowing anything about the industry even as she attempted to understand it all by herself.

At these events one is judged on almost every Aishwarya Dhavale single aspect

TGS LIFE

City’s only pageant coach Be it Amrita Thapar, Pooja Chopra, Sandip Soparkar, or Gladrags Mega model Ankita Mohapatra, all of them have one person that they would most definitely want to thank for their wins – pageant coach Ritika Ramtri. She was never interested in competing in pageants but was most definitely intrigued by the way the business worked. Working in the training industry for more than a decade she decided to start her own pageant coaching institute The Tiara to dive into the pageant world and was one of the first in the country to do so. “All the girls have a lot of talent and energy that simply needs to be channelised and that’s where I step in. A large part of my job involves breaking fixed ideas that these girls come to me with about the way they look and I help them become more confident, which is a great experience in itself,” she says.

Her institute recently reached a milestone as they now have 100 Tiara institute girls who have won titles. While there are several international competitions that the girls have taken part in, having a Tiara girl bag the Miss Universe title is Ritika’s dream. She is glad that the number of girls interested in pageants is increasing and that they are all inspiring each other to take part and give their best. “While the physical transition is easy, it is the mental block that is the toughest to get over,” she adds.

and judges notice and mark you from the very first day. The young girl has won the title of Miss Pune 2014, Miss Pune Best Smile and Miss Perfect 10 for her style. She also got the Miss Photogenic in the Mr and Miss Personality contest held in the city, Miss Sparkling Smile at Mr and Miss University, top four in Pune Fresh Face, finalist at the Shravan Queen and a Sanman Puraskar at the Pune Festival in 2015.

This, of course, is just the beginning of her journey to fulfil her dreams.

Life after winning pageants Winning a title brings with it a certain amount of appreciation and praise from peers and family members.

Sometimes even other people recognise you and, although this is just a little bit of stardom and fame, it is enough to keep the girls dedicated and push them to achieve more than they had even dreamed of. Aishwarya shares, “After

MARCH 26, 2016 PUNE

Apeksha Porwal

the pageants, my life changed for the better and I couldn’t be happier. I have evolved as a person. I have not only learned innumerable things about myself but also learned how to use my strengths and weaknesses to my benefit.” Shibra, who was most recently the first runner up at Miss Global India 2016, feels that she has just begun chasing her dreams and that there is a long way for her to go. Previously, she won the Times Fresh Face in 2015 and bagged the Shravan Queen title in the same year. Recollecting her experience from her most recent pageant she tells us how challenging the 10 rounds were and that each round demanded so much. Right from working on her own dress, which was made completely out of newspaper, to the talent round, it has been a crazy journey but one that she will treasure for life. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

TGS LIFE

MARCH 26, 2016 PUNE

THRILL OF DRIVING

Get ready to pay more for vehicles Revised motor vehicle taxes to bump up on-road prices. Imports hardest hit

A

fter the introduction of the infrastructure cess and a luxury tax on high-end cars in the 2016 Union Budget, the Maharashtra Budget 2016 has further increased the tax on twowheelers, three-wheelers and cars. Maharashtra finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, said, “Instead of levying tax on the basis of whether the vehicle is registered as a personal vehicle or company or office vehicle, we now propose to levy Motor Vehicle Tax on the basis of the cubic capacity of the vehicles.”

The revised motor vehicle tax structure in Maharashtra will indicate a rate on the basis of engine capacity. A 99cc (or below) vehicle will have an 8% tax rate, 100-299cc vehicles will have a 9% tax rate and 300cc and above will attract a 10% tax rate.

However, if the purchase is made under the name of company or undertaking, or is of an imported vehicle, the tax rate will be double, based on the engine capacity. The current tax rate on private vehicles is 7% and 21% on company or under office registration. Imported vehicles over 300cc engine capacity (which is most imported vehicles, whether cars or bikes) will now be taxed at 20% regardless of individual or corporate ownership.

This spells trouble for vehicle brands that import from Thailand (India and Thailand have a free trade agreement) at a lower duty structure. Ducati India, for instance, is able to be competitive with their range of motorcycles despite being CBU imports (Completely Built Units) thanks to this duty structure. While exshowroom prices will not be affected by the state government’s decision, consumers will end up paying a lot more for their imported cars and bikes on-road. The situation is a lot better for CKD (Completely Knocked Down) vehicles, which are imported as parts and assembled in India. Above 300cc, they will be taxed at 10%, up from 7%, so vehicles from Mercedes, BMW and Kawasaki that are assembled in India will see a small bump in price, but not as much as fully imported vehicles.

The changes will be effective from April 2016, and dealers are reporting last-minute rushes to take advantage of the existing (lower) tax structure. The extremely long weekend and interim bank holidays aren’t helping matters.

Maharashtra finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar estimates an additional revenue of Rs 363 crore from the revised motor vehicle tax for the 2016-17 fiscal year.

Ducati opens in Pune Swank 4500sqft facility provides sales and service in one location

D

ucati motorcycles are now officially available in Pune with the opening of their first city showroom at 1, Boat Club road. The 4500 sqft facility has much of the India range on display, as well as an attached service facility. The dealership is run by the Bavaria Motors group, who also maintain a BMW dealership in Pune.

Vishal Agarwal, Managing Director, Bavaria Motors said “We are delighted to partner with Ducati and bring the iconic brand to a region so passionate about motorcycles. Even before we

started operations we have been overwhelmed with inquiries. With our experience in successfully working with premium clients in the luxury automobile sector, we will provide an unparalleled level of customer experience and service to the growing community of Ducatisti in Pune.”

Previously, prospective Ducati customers had to buy their bikes from Mumbai, which was the closest dealership in the region. With the opening of a local sales and service location, ownership and maintenance of Ducatis is set to get much easier for Punekars. There are already several Ducati customers in Pune, so the Pune dealer kicks off with an existing customer base.

Prices of the Ducati range of motorcycles start at Rs 6,83,000 ex-showroom and are available for test rides.

Mercedes-Benz C 250 D launched

Popular sedan comes with a 9-speed transmission and a host of safety features

M

ercedes-Benz will now locally produce the newly-launched C 250 D in India to meet the rising demand for its C-class vehicles. The C 250 D runs on a 2143cc inline 4-cylinder diesel engine, mated to a 9G-TRONIC transmission. The engine generates 204 hp and 500Nm of torque, propelling it to a top speed of 247kmph. The sprint to 100 kmph is completed in just 6.6 sec.

The Mercedes C 250 D offers a range of standard equipment such as ambience

lighting, 17” alloy wheels, LED headlamps, Active Park Assist, and Garmin Map Pilot with a 7” multimedia screen.

Expectedly, the C 250 D offers several safety features including ABS, Brake Assist System (BAS), Electronic Stability Program (ESP), ASR and Hill Start Assistas standard.

Mercedes also includes”Attention Assist”, which detects signs of drowsiness in the driver and her steering behaviour and emits a warning, and the PRE-SAFE system, which adjusts seat belt tension in the event of an impending crash. The Mercedes Benz C 250 D comes in three colours-: Solar(amber), Polar(ice blue) and Neutral(white). The Mercedes-Benz C 250 D is priced at Rs.44.36 lakhs (ex-showroom Pune).

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

I

t’s all about endurance, quality and the thrill of building something from scratch, for the 25-odd automotive engineering students of Maharashtra Institute of Technology, Pune.

The sound of the engine, accelerator, even the screech of the brakes, are like music to their ears.

Balancing between clearing their engineering exams and planning off-road vehicles for the BAJA competitions arranged by the Society of Automotive Engineers, these youngsters, at one event after another, show their calibre, dexterity and innovation at every step. A half an hour conversation with a few of the team members in the workshop at their college premises, lets us in on their preparation for the upcoming BAJA SAE Rochester World Challenge 2016, what they are worried about the most, and how have they raised funds to fulfil their dream.

From coming up with a design to actually driving the vehicle, from raising funds to purchasing various parts, assembling them and even managing the marketing and branding of their team, the Piranha’s do everything. The vehicles, more commonly known as off-road vehicles, are used in hilly terrains, muddy lands, and generally on any rocky surfaces. We asked them about the inspiration behind their designs and the transmission head of the team, Vardhaman Chowgule, tells us, “It’s all about optimizing without compromising. When we participate in competitions especially international one’s we get a lot of inspiration from the work we see and learn a lot too.”

Every year, the team comes up with a new design, each better and more splendid than the previous one. In January, this year, the team participated in the SAE BAJA India held in Pithampur, Indore, and finished third out among 400 teams. In February, they took part in the BAJA Student India, Buddh International circuit, held in Noida and, although they did not have a podium finish, their overall performance was commendable. Learning from these races, they have prepared to take part in the BAJA World Challenge in June for which they have also managed to raise over 2.5 lakh rupees. “The cost

Designing for a

tough terrain Piranha Racing, the MIT College BAJA team, will be one of the few teams to represent India at the BAJA SAE Rochester World Challenge, this year and we could not be more proud

MARCH 26, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES TEJAS GAIKWAD

Welding a auto part for the off-road vehicle (left); the finished vehicle (above)

of taking part in the international competitions is extremely high. Not only is the shipping of the vehicle itself about five to six lakh but to meet the international standards even the materials we use are imported from outside, increasing our cost even more,” says Maitheli Nikam, vice-captain of the team and their space frame design veteran.

She also added that meeting the finances is a huge challenge apart from the many technical glitches that keep cropping up during the testing phase.

The team also has sponsors every year who help them out with small sums of money.

While all of this might sound and in fact is quite a lot of intellectual and serious work, actually

Beauty with a purpose Gitanjali Sood was recently crowned Mrs Global India 2016. A powerhouse of a woman, she is indeed a combination of beauty and brains

By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab

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TGS LIFE

city based corporate professional working with a leading insurance company recently won the much coveted title of Mrs Global India 2016. Selected amongst the contestants from all over the country, Gitanjali Sood considers this as an opportunity to positively impact communities and spread the message of women empowerment.

“The journey has been dreamlike. Since childhood, I wanted to become a doctor. I never thought I would go for modelling but I love it right now,” she says.

She believes she has the intelligence, poise and willingness to learn and therefore she deserved to win the crown. The pageant will not only provide her an opportunity in the world of glamour and glitz but also serve as an ambassador to several charitable organisations. “My aim is to enrich perceptions of beauty and enhance a new strength, energy and spirit for the advancement of women,” she adds. Gitanjali also wants to empower married women and encourage them to set an example for young girls to pursue their dreams even after marriage. “I want to set an example for all aspiring women and show them that life doesn’t

end after marriage,” she says. It was during her college days that she was inclined towards modelling. She participated in a number of fashion shows and represented many brands too. She took it up as a hobby that turned into a profession later. “Right now, I am juggling between two professions but, in the long run, I will pursue modelling seriously and give it all my time,” she says. The pageant has opened up a lot of avenues for her and she is happy to represent Pune as the city has immense talent and opportunities. She was not just judged for her beauty but also for her intelligence. “The judges were also looking at how I am as a person. This crown has brought a lot of responsibilities and I am ready for it,” Gitanjali adds. She groomed herself for the competition with a thorough disciplined routine and Yoga ensuring that both, body and mind remained fit. “I am trained in Kathak so dance is an exercise for me. I hate going to the gym, so yoga and dance makes me feel peaceful and keeps me going,” she says.

She is also a sub title holder of Mrs Dazzling Diva 2016 at Queen of Substance contest. Being a member of World Peace Organisation, Gitanjali is busy with a lot of social projects. She also has many ad-shoots in the pipeline. zainab.kantawala@goldensparrow.com

spending some time at the workshop with these youngsters will tell you just how much fun they are. Speakers in their workshop blare music while they work, random dance break outs and pulling each others’ leg are a common affair. Even in the toughest situation they all have a smile on their face because they all love what they do, irrespective of the extra hours and efforts that they put in. “While everyone has a role to play depending on what they are good at, whenever there is a problem each and every time members sets their head to it. When varied thought processes are set to a single problem, the solution is achieved faster and is innovative too.

Our team has a great tuning and this is our USP,” says Shubham Agnihotri, one of the other team members and also their driver. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

TGS LIFE

MARCH 26, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

BUZZING WITH CREATIVITY

From art, dance, films and literature, these four talented women have gone beyond the basic to carve a niche in their respective fields

my characters have the power to save someone from frustration and boredom, or sometimes help save someone’s life is an achievement in itself,” she shares.

The past year has been quite eventful and exciting for Manjiri as she was one of the festival directors from Asia to have been invited by the Goethe Institute to attend the Leipzig Book Fair in Germany. Last September, she was invited by the International Agatha Christie Festival, Torquay, UK, to read from one of her books and to speak about her influence on her work. A lot of women have inspired Manjiri throughout her life, specially her mother Shobha Prabhu and sisters Leena, Purnima and Sonia. “However, in recent times, a lady who has really inspired me with her lifestyle, knowledge, understanding of people and zest for life is Sudha Murty, a social worker, writer. Totally grounded, not only has she shown me what can be achieved if you believe in yourself, but she has also exemplified how to progress in life after you have done so.”

By Heena Grover Menon @HeenaGM

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hether it’s fighting against all odds or leaving their comfort zones to tread towards the unknown, these women of substance have done it all. Sharing their interesting tales of achieving success, these women also show us that if you make up your mind, nothing can stop you from going ahead and achieving what you desire.

MANJIRI PRABHU, NOVELIST Acclaimed novelist and founder of Pune International Literary Festival (PILF), Manjiri Prabhu knew at an early age, that she wanted to become a writer but she also had an immense inclination towards the visual medium so becoming a television producer and a short-filmmaker was an obvious progression. Manjiri’s passion for art and literature as well as the urge to strengthen the bond between creative artists and art lovers through a unique platform pushed her to start PILF. From a writer’s perspective, organising such a huge event was quite a task, but her organisational skills as a filmmaker helped her make the event a big success.

For any creative person, there’s a huge amount of responsibility that they have to bear as their work touches the minds and lives of thousands of people. Manjiri’s novels definitely provide entertainment and are stress-busters but they have also touched some lives in other ways. “I receive

mails from different parts of the world, especially for my books The Cosmic Clues and The Astral Alibi telling me how much they love them. One young girl wrote a lovely poem about my novels, something I will treasure for life. Then, I particularly remember this lady from Lucknow. She was so in love with the books that she would call me on my birthday every year and tell me that she waited the entire year only to wish me and tell me how the novels had changed her life. It was a very humbling experience. The fact that my words, my stories and

“The fact that my words, my stories and my characters have the power to save someone from frustration and boredom, or sometimes help save someone’s life is an achievement in itself” — MANJIRI PRABHU

PIC BY RAHUL RAUT

ROHENA GERA, FILMMAKER She was recently in news for her documentary film What’s Love Got To Do With It, which is the first Indian documentary film to have been picked up

by Netflix. A Pune girl, Rohena Gera graduated in creative writing from Stanford University. Her tryst with films began when, during her graduation, she interned with Paramount Pictures development office in New York. After working as an intern on the sets of the film Sidestreets, Rohena moved back to India and started writing for television and films.

Rohena has always believed that cinema and television are in many ways instrumental in shaping the society. She decided to write for screen as she realised that film is where several of her interests converge writing, social responsibility, and collaborative creation.

Through a story you can make people feel and if people feel for a character, or a situation, you can move them to think. On what inspired her to make What’s Love... she says, “Everyone has different theories on what it takes to make a perfect marriage. I found it very interesting that in the urban arranged marriage context people who have freedom, often choose a marriage where love is secondary. I was fascinated by the idea that people wanted to build a marriage on something more measurable and less ephemeral than love. Looking at the increasing divorce rates I thought, may be the guys who opt for arranged marriage are onto something,” she laughs.

Having been married and divorced, Rohena strongly believes that one must trust his/her own instincts and judgement in all aspects of life. She is currently working on a small-budget fiction feature film.

PIC BY RAHUL RAUT

TGS LIFE

MARCH 26, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

KETAKI PIMPALKHARE, ARTIST AND RESTAURATEUR Coming from a family of artists and creative people, drawing was Ketaki Pimpalkhare’s favourite activity as a child.

After completing her graduation in commercial art, she was still confused about her career. She tried everything from photography, writing, advertising, theatre and modelling to event management, but nothing satisfied her. Ketaki’s husband used to be a sailor and would be away for months. That gave me her a lot of time alone and she started painting. “We started the restaurant soon after we got married and I looked

after it while he was gone. I used to paint as a getaway from feeling lonely. Over the years, I have experimented extensively with various medium and styles. I believe that creativity has no boundaries and any medium can be a tool to express what you want to say. My art has always been a direct representation of my response to a feeling or emotion that I am going through and can be described as my own ‘dear diary’,” she says.

Ketaki has travelled across nations exhibiting her work of art. Sharing interesting insights from her experiences she

says, “In 2008, I had a show in Salzburg and my gallery owner asked me how my art has helped me grow spiritually. I had never really made the connection between art and spirituality.

For me, spirituality was limited to religion or holy ‘gurus’. It was then that I realised that art in the West is a way of finding that inner consciousness, a way of letting the soul free.” She is working on a series of oil paintings on canvas inspired by nature and all its bounty. Mysterious and life giving yet destructive and unpredictable is the underlying theme.

SHIRAZ IRANI, DANCER In the winter of 2006 Shiraz Irani first noticed her oblique muscles contracting in a way which appeared as if she was moving her hips. A commerce student, she used to teach Bollywood dancing and practice hip-hop but could never imagine herself dance like a woman since her body was used to doing hard core hip-hop moves.

Once during a competition, I realised my hips could move in an unusual way. My dance teacher noticed that and encouraged me to participate in the popular dance show, Boogie Woogie along with my friend. That was when I first knew I wanted to be a belly dancer but since I didn’t have a teacher to train me, I sought help from online sources. I spent hours reading about belly dancing and would write my own dance vocabulary,” Shiraz recalls.

But taking part in the reality show India’s Got Talent Season 4 in 2012 changed everything.

Her struggle began much earlier in 2010 when she started auditioning for reality shows. Each time she would make it till the pre-telecast round, she would be eliminated. “All this would drain my energy, both mentally and physically. I was really broken but I continued practicing and auditioning and finally made it to the finals in that show. I even managed to break the so-called — SHIRAZ IRANI norm that fat people can’t dance.” Her talent was even applauded by Shah Rukh Khan who called her the most beautiful dancer ever. Currently, Shiraz is researching Belly dance and the connection of the seven chakras of a human body along with another research on yoga and its connection with belly dance. heena.grover@goldensparrow.com

“ I wanted to be a belly dancer but since I didn’t have a teacher to train me, I sought help from online sources. I spent hours reading about belly dancing and would write my own dance vocabulary”

SP

TGS LIFE

MARCH 26, 2016 PUNE

SHOPPING

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YOUR FORMAL MUST-HAVES

Your first impression is very often your last impression. Take your style and elegance a notch higher by buying these formal accessories and apparels today

White and Black Pocket-Square It’s simple and yet when added to a formal attrie adds a lot of class. Being black and white you could pair it with almost anything Where: Shoppers Stop, Wakdewadi Price: Rs 429

Mandarin collar Waist-Coat Match it with a shirt, a pair of formal trousers and polished leather shoes for a sophisticated and smart look.

Where: Van Heusen, all outlets Price: Rs 2,999

Silver Cubic Cufflings

Sky Blue Formal Shirt A must-have, this light sky blue shirt helps break the white-black monotony. It adds a little colour to your attire and at the same time ensures that it isn’t too bright to overpower you.

Where: Claire’s, Phoenix Marketcity, Nagar Road Price: Rs 999

Add elegance to your attire with these metallic cuff-links. They will go well with almost any tie and pocket-square combination.

Where: Jaihind, all outlets Price: Rs 699

Black Oxfords Not only will these go with almost anything you wear but will also compliment a suit, blazer or any look well.

Where: Fashion Point, Kolsa Gali, M.G. Road Price: Rs 1,200

White Formal Shirt A must have no matter what, a white formal shirt can not only be used in the classic white and black combination but goes along with almost any colour blazer Where: Arrow, Vadgaon Sheri Price: Rs 1,299

Black Comfort Trousers Pants most definitely ought to be comfortable. The soft fabric and wellstitched design makes this pair of trousers an essential component in your wardrobe.

Where: Zara, all outlets Price: Rs 2,290

Black Motiff Tie Floral Blue Sling More suited to wear along with a blazer on top, this dark grey waistcoat adds a neat and refined finish to your attire Where: Jaihind, all outlets Price: Rs 1,375

You are bound to look smart and confident wearing this black tie with motiffs and a slight sheen. It has absolutely all the qualities to give your everyday shirt a new defined look.

Where: Jaihind, all outlets Price: Rs 799

Classic Black Belt Easily avaialble in multiple shops across the city, this black leather belt will go along just right with every formal look.

Where: Hong Kong Lane, FC Road Price: Rs 450

Exercising helps me connect with myself City-based Latin dancer Nupur Gandhekar has vowed to make fitness her priority. Listen in as she reveals her fitness mantra and diet tips

By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab

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MY FITNESS MANTRA Following a diet and exercise helps, but it’s also important to be happy. One should stick to whatever they like. I dance all day long, because it makes me happy. For me, I like to keep trying new things. I try to workout at least four times a week. Even when I work out at the gym, I like to derive elements from this program and use it. I really believe that strong is the new sexy. Women, especially, should start worrying about more than just weight loss. I think it is very important that they do not ignore strength training. Honestly, you can lift weights and still remain feminine. If that does not appeal to you, make your body your gym and start body weight training. At the end of the day, as long as you can see progress, it is always motivating to work out. And, progress comes when you are regular at anything.

DAILY LOG My fitness management is very simple. My day starts at 7 am with a cup of tea, followed by a yoga session. I have my breakfast at 10 that includes a protein shake. At 11 I am headed to the dance class. By 4 pm I go to Fitnautics gym.

Whatever I have been able to achieve in terms of fitness, the credit goes to Fitnautics. I love to mix up my workout because I get bored really easily. I alternate between heavy weight training, body weight training, functional exercise, yoga and kickboxing. Since my dance partner, Sagar and I have a background in dance and fitness, we wanted to figure out a routine that is dynamic and of course, interesting. Fitnautics is a combination of dance, resistance training, functional exercises and body weight training. It gives me the overall workout that I need for my dancing. The workouts too easy as they perfectly fit into my busy schedule. Staying fit and strong are one of my top priorities, and I enjoy exercising.

Time to bring those harems and dhotis out

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each hair, summer fabrics, sun-kissed skin, it’s the season to reinvent your style.

It’s about edgy, bright, fun fashion, and everything else that will instantly update your look. Mumbai based designer, Fatma Shaikh helps us explore some iconic looks that inspire tons of style, and helps you get that flirty feminine look.

• Harem, dhoti, slouchy is in this season.

No matter what you call them, loose-fitting pants are the pair to have for the warm months ahead. You can team it with a contrast colour vest • White is your best friend in summer. It is the most versatile colour to wear. You can pair

it with almost every colour and pattern in your closet for a clean, modern look.

• Keep it loose this season. The less fabric you have actually touching your body, the cooler you will be. Believe it or not, a loose and Fatima Shaikh flowing maxi dress will keep you cooler than a pair of shorts and a skintight tank.

• Wear cotton instead of polyester. Not all summer dresses are created equal. Choose

MARCH 26, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

Many people have complimented me for the curves and toned body I have today but I have strived hard for them. I don’t think it’s difficult to manage your work and workout because, as a dancer, I conduct classes for five hours, but I still prefer to work out at least for an hour, which, I think, is very important.

DIET My breakfast includes a glass of protein shake and eggs after yoga. I try to keep my diet as healthy as possible. I avoid any kind of fried foods. Lunch includes simple home-made food that comprises of vegetables, dal, and roti. Since I am not very fond of non-vegetarian food, I only have it once or twice a week. I have orange juice between lunch and breakfast w i t h a snack. Dinner is usually a small portion. I don’t like going to bed on an empty stomach, so it includes soups, salads or fruits. My cheat day is a Sunday or it depends on my plan for the weekend. zainab.kantawala @goldensparrow.com

TEJAS GAIKWAD

alsa is a form of dance that exudes class, grace and sensuality. Nupur Gandhekar, the city’s most well-known salsa dancer, considers it as one of the most elite style of dancing. Coming from a journalism background, she found her true calling in dance only after she interviewed a few professional Latin dancers. She was so mesmerised by their poise and grace that she decided to switch her profession. All this needed a well-toned body and elegance so she joined a gym and yoga class. She now works out daily, fol lows a

diet and is a pro at kickboxing and other martial arts. “All this is like a stress buster for me.

Exercising helps me connect with myself and freshens up my mind,” says Nupur.

TGS LIFE

breathable fabrics like cotton over synthetic ones like polyester, and you’ll sweat a lot less.

And when you do sweat, your clothes won’t cling to your curves.

• Accessories your summer outfits with big and bold accessories.

Chunky wooden beads, STYLE oversized clutches in juicy citrus shades and armfuls of GURU bangles all look stunning with summer clothes, so pile them on.

• A pair of white trousers is a great wardrobe basic or the summer. They look great with women’s t shirts, camisoles and tunic tops.

(As told to Heena Grover Menon)

NAME: NUPUR GANDHEKAR Age: 26 Weight: 53 kg Height: 5.4

EXPERT SPEAK Swapnil Vale Fitness 365 Gym.

Overall you have a perfect weight and height ratio. Its always good to be exercising even if your busy with dance classes because it doesn’t actually work on all the parts of your body. So giving time for your own self is a good option.

About your diet, you should cut down the morning tea and shift to a glass of milk or oats in the morning as it is bad to workout on an empty stomach. You also need to have lots of water as you sweat a lot. Home food is always the best option. More of veggies, salads, dal (protein) would help you stay fit and in shape. Go easy on rotis and rice, rather you can have small meals every two hour and not eat heavy at once.

Also having early dinner will also give you a good start to the next day.

Expert rating: 8/10