TGS Life 16/04/2016

The stage is their

second home PUNE, APRIL 16, 2016 | www.thegoldensparrow.com

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Romantic comedies are not his thing

TGS LIFE

APRIL 16, 2016 PUNE

BUZZ

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

H

e auditioned for the first season of Sense 8 but did not get selected. Yet, there was something that the casting team liked about Sid Makkar and called him to audition for season 2. This time, of course, he bagged a role. Under the spotlight for his roles in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Turning 30, Save Your Legs and television shows like Dariba Diaries, Lajwanti and Ghar Ki Lakshmi Betiyaan, he got quite a bit of recognition that too without a godfather in the industry. With looks to die for and great talent, he is definitely someone to watch out for.

His very first time in front of the camera was in an American independent film called Off Shore which he got because of one of his English plays.

What he did not realise then was that it was just the start to numerous memorable projects, which would set his career graph high. Having been a part of both Bollywood and Hollywood he tells us that there is a lot that both industries can learn from each other. “While working in Hollywood, everything is so organised and structured that one has to only be worried about acting and nothing

Change in my attitude post Kapoor & Sons

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ith the success of Kapoor & Sons, Sidharth Malhotra says his attitude towards his work has undergone a change and he is more comfortable as an actor. “To be fair to my other directors, I brought a certain amount of experience in this movie but this is a side that people have not seen before. There is a change in my attitude towards work.

It’s like I have tasted blood,” he said.

Sidharth credits director Shakun Batra for bringing the best out of him in the ensemble family drama, also starring Fawad Khan, Alia Bhatt, Ratna Pathak Shah, Rishi Kapoor and Rajat Kapoor.

“In the first few films, everything was very new and there was a lot more questioning in my performances. But this role was closest to what I am in real life. Shakun did not want me to portray something, he said I want you to draw from you for this part.

This is by far the maximum fun I had on a film set.”

It is an interesting journey for Sidharth, who stumbled into the film industry after dabbling

with modelling and assistance direction. “I became an actor due to various accidents. I am happy that they happened because I was very lost as a child and did not know what I was good at. I used to feel that I will not be able to do anything in life.

But now I feel I am in the correct profession where I need to know a little bit of everything.”

The actor does not have much time to relish the success of his latest movie as he is back in action with two back-to-back movies — an untitled action drama and Baar Baar Dekho with Katrina Kaif. He, however, denies that the action film is a sequel to Bang Bang!. “I am doing an action film, which is untitled. It is not Bang Bang 2 or related to that story. I have grown up on action movies and as an actor I like to beat up bad guys on the screen. The boy in me gets very excited.”

Jennifer to star in Mothers day

else. Bollywood, on the other hand, has begun creating content and the pre-production process is brilliant,” he says. The content in Bollywood is becoming better by the day and something that we could be proud of, but there is still a long way to go, he quickly adds.

Having a humble upbringing, he flirted with the idea of being a pilot and a tennis player, but the acting bug just kept getting nagging and he eventually decided to walk down that path. Ask Sid what kind of films he would like to do and he says, “Romantic comedies are not my thing.

I am definitely looking at some interesting projects but I’d rather do action or drama. I would absolutely love to do a sci-fi film.” While he couldn’t talk much about his role in Sense 8, he promises us that is a different and interesting one. He is currently only accepting projects that are exciting and has a few more lined up. There is a contemporary detective series for the television space, a few more films and a web-series too, which he is excited about because of its young and different audience. His dream would be to star in the Matrix movie as well as work with stars like Irrfan Khan, Aamir Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Judi Dench and Christian Bale. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab

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ennifer Aniston is back with yet another rom-com Mother’s Day, reteaming with her Horrible Bosses 2 co-star Jason Sudeikis. The film also starring Julia Roberts and Kate Hudson follows several mothers whose lives interweave as Mother’s Day approaches.

Jennifer plays a single mother of two, whose husband gets married to a younger woman. “I play Sandy who is very sensitive and emotional. After her husband gets remarried she’s kind of worried and trying to overcome the challenge of sharing her children. It’s tough to do so in a very short time, to adjust and rise above it,” she says.

This star studded ensemble comedy from director Garry Marshall is a celebration of mothers everywhere. The film invites us all to enjoy the laughter, tears and love as three generations come together in the week leading up to Mother’s Day. Jennifer is excited to share the screen space with one of her closest friend Julia.

“I love her and I have known her forever.

So it was really fun to actually be able to work together. But I have to admit, I was a little nervous. She’s so super awesome,” she adds.

For her mothers day means family time. She makes sure to spend time with her mother on this day and prepare a special cuisine for her. “Me and mom usually do brunch. Actually I always prepare some kind of crafty item for her and we cook together. It’s fun to do something together,” says Jennifer.

At 47, this forever young actress looks stunning in every shot. Her secret mantra is following a strict fitness regime and eating healthy. “I am healthy, but I don’t deprive myself. I wake at 5 am for yoga or pilates. I work out for 45 minutes,” she says.

TGS LIFE

APRIL 16, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab

Get set for a classical soiree

Young musicians come together to pay a tribute to legends Pt Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan

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he month of April marks the birth anniversaries of the two most legendary Indian classical artists of this century – sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar and sarod maestro Dr Ustaad Ali Akbar Khan. Under the tutelage of Ustaad Allauddin Khan of the Maihar Gharana both maestros played an important role in bringing Hindustani music to the mainstream. Jugalbandi, a very popular term in classical music today, too owes its existence to the artists.

To celebrate their contribution, city-based organisation Waarsaa has organised ‘A Musical Tribute’ this weekend. The concert will feature a jugalbandi by young sarod maestro Anupam Joshi and sitar maestro Aranya Kumar from Karnataka.

Both belong to the same gharana and having learned from the same gurus.

The two artists share a perfect synergy.

Accompanying them will be internationally-acclaimed Kolkatabased tabla maestro Sandip Ghosh.

“Waarsa is a platform and a revelation.

It’s that defining turn in the life of an artist that completes the cycle of art by giving him a stage and an audience,” says Mohanish Jaju, founder of the organisation. The event will also include a kathak performance by

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performance was sure not easy as they faced the challenge of incorporating the steps with the story line, discussing it with the composer, giving different light treatment for every abhinaya and setting up various moods for each rasa.

“The body language has to change with each part, as each rasa has its own aura and mood. So it was difficult to portray them all with perfection,” says Amruta.

Amruta Gogate and Asmita Thakur, accompanied by Hindustani classical vocalist Gandhar Deshpande.

ASMITA THAKUR AND AMRUTA GOGATE: KATHAK The artists are senior disciples of renowned Kathak danseuse Shambhavi Dandekar. After undergoing Kathak training for the last 15 years, they have had an opportunity to perform at reputed festivals held across the country. They have been working as independent performers and choreographers for over a decade now.

After spending over two decades in the IT industry, Sonali Gogate turns to writing with her first detective-romance novel, The Ripple Effect, set in the backdrop of an IT company

By Heena Grover Menon @HeenaGM

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ailing from a family of writers, Sonali Gogate had been toying with the idea of writing for some time. She also ran a blog for a while and finally started thinking about writing a story related to the different facets of a character’s personality.

HOW THE IDEA WAS BORN The basic concept evolved when Sonali hit upon the idea of a detective investigating a matter.

For the investigation to be serious enough, the author thought it would be ideal to make it a probe into a death. But, at the same time, she wanted it to be the story of the detective. From there, having a lead pair that investigates a murder and gets to know each other seemed like an obvious choice. “I started writing while I was working full time in the IT industry, so finding time to write was a big challenge. Also, writing the investigation and the romance together was a challenge. Developing the characters took me a

As a tribute to Ravi Shankar, they have come up with a unique production – Rasanubhaav – that is based on the nine rasa. Its presentation starts with a Ganesh Vandana followed by a vibrant and intense portrayal of different sentiments such as anger, humour, pathos, valour and disgust through different mythological stories.

“We have incorporated mythological stories like how Ram had to abandon Sita because of societal pressure in Karun Rasa, the terror of Lord Shiva in Bhayanak Rasa and the anger of Parshuram in Raudra Rasa,” explains Amruta. Planning a theme-based

ANUPAM JOSHI: SAROD Anupam Joshi started his musical journey with the tabla when he was seven years old. As time passed, Anupam showed an inclination towards sarod after listening to maestro Ustad Ali Akbar Khan’s recital.

Today, almost after a decade-and-ahalf of learning the intricacies of the instrument, he is all set to pay tribute to the man who has been his inspiration.

“It’s only recently that the sarod is finding fame among the audience but 12 years ago when I started learning it, it was a very rare instrument to hear.

I am happy that younger generation of musicians and organisers have not forgotten these legends,” he says.

Anupam will be performing six raagas that Ustad Ali Akbar Khan was

famous for along with sitarist Aranya Kumar. “It will be a jugalbandi and a musical conversation between both of us,” he adds.

GANDHAR DESHPANDE: VOCALS For Gandhar Deshpande, son and disciple of the renowned classical vocalist Ram Deshpande, music was a natural choice. He started taking primary lessons in classical vocal music from his mother Archana Deshpande who is also a renowned musician. “I have music in my genes. My parents gave me the freedom to choose the profession that interested me the most, and music was where I belonged,” he says. After having performed at over 50 concerts, he is now gearing up for this event. “I will sing Yaman Raag which is also known as a night raga. It is very romantic and has a distinctive quality of spreading peace, and tranquility,” he informs.

When: April 17, 6 pm onwards Where: Shakuntala Shetty Auditorium, Erandwane zainab.kantawala @goldensparrow.com

From real to reel while but the overall process was quite fun and satisfactory,” says Sonali.

THE PLOT A woman working with a well-known software company meets a mysterious death.

Neil Bhargav, a suave and renowned private detective from Delhi, and Ishani Sohoni a young, beautiful and intelligent private detective from Mumbai meet in Pune to solve the case jointly.

Earlier, after a rushed investigation, the case has been closed by the local police as an accident and somebody has worked behind the scenes to have it reopened. “A reader from the IT world will be able to relate to the backdrop really well and others will get a glimpse into this world. People, who like mysteries and people who like romance, will have fun reading the book. The perception about the woman who has died is that she was a perfectionist, she was too honest and blunt, too demanding and unforgiving. While I don’t see myself to be like that many people at work had that perception. Also, the dead woman was into adventure sports, she liked going to Himalayas.

That is totally like me,” says Sonali.

DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM REAL CHARACTERS Being part of the IT industry made things

me to create my characters in the novel. Although there are only a couple of characters exactly as real people I know, most of the characters are built by taking personality traits of different people to make a completely imaginary new person. Traits such as how someone talks, carries himself, the way people dress, were some of the things I used to draw my characters,” she explains.

easier for Sonali as conceptualising the setup, situations, and emotions was not difficult to visualise. While the backdrop of The Ripple Effect is very close to what she has seen, with many of the situations being depicted like they happen in the real world, there are also many scenarios that are completely imaginary. “Many people inspired

AUTHORS WHO INSPIRE While Sonali likes investigative mysteries more than thrillers, she has always been deeply influenced by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie and Earl Stanley Gardner. While her love for mysteries came from reading works of these writers, she points that her own work is not really ‘inspired’. After The Ripple Effect, Sonali plans to pen another novel with the backdrop of an IT company. This one too, will have some mystery and investigation but that will be a sub plot. Beyond that, Sonali has a few ideas but nothing very concrete. However, she says that she would definitely continue to write more fiction stories. “The most important thing I have learned about writing a novel is how difficult it is actually to write a novel. I have a new respect for all authors, even those whom I earlier thought were poor writers.” heena.grover@goldensparrow.com

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TGS LIFE

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

APRIL 16, 2016 PUNE

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FEATURES

WHAT WERE YOU DOING

WHEN YOU WERE 13?

This May, seven children from the city are heading to Spain to indulge their enthusiasm for robotics at the first LEGO League – Open European Championships 2016 could do four tasks at one go. What struck us most about the team apart from how much they were capable of doing at such a young age was how they encouraged each other. When one received a compliment from their coach it was most definitely backed by fist-pumps and hi-five’s from the rest of the team. Their coach and mentor Chris Bastianpillai and Prakalpa from Robominds are the pillars of support that these kids have along with their parents, who not only back them up but also travel with them for their

competitions.

“A practical, hands-on approach to learning is what we try to give these kids at Robominds. Currently, the idea behind a product comes from out of India and then Indians work on it.

We need to start generating ideas too and be the front-runners of change,” says Chris, who moved to Pune from Sri Lanka and started Robominds in 2013. Working in the field for quite a few years gave the couple an idea of what was lacking and this is the gap they try to fill through their work.

TEJAS GAIKAWAD

or those of us born in the 90s Karishma Ka Karishma and the English drama series Small Wonder were shows that we absolutely loved. The antics of the human robot not only intrigued us but often made us wonder what we would do if only we knew how to build one for ourselves. Living this very dream, are seven children from Pune. Team HorcruXes, all aged between 13 and 16. With the hope of being topclass engineers when they grow up, it has been three years that the young, talented minds have been sketching, designing, building and even programming robots to do extremely complicated tasks. The competition is gruesome and the fact that the robots are completely autonomus, not controlled by remote-controls and cannot be touched after they are launched, calls for attention to even the most minute detail.

13-year-old Avani Malaviya is the programmer of the robot and the only girl on the team. She is also in-charge of fault-finding and managing the entire team, which of course means keeping all the boys in check. Ask her why she became a part of the team and she says, “Robotics touches all aspects of engineering. I hope to become an engineer in the future so this is the perfect way for me to build a strong base and get going to achieve what I want.”

The topic at the championship this year is ‘Trash Trek’ and the team has to devise a robot that accurately manages a solution to the problem of trash. They also have to come up with a project report on solutions to deal with the problem effectively. The project is being managed by 15-yearolds Siddharth Thiagarajan, Harsh Savergaokar, and Deep Lalwani.

“While we were doing our research to come up with a solution to the problem of garbage accumulation, we realised that people did not know what the problem was to begin with,” Siddharth tells us. Harsh adds, “Educating school children since they are the future and creating an awareness that a problem like this exists is part of the solution that we feel will work, if implemented correctly.”

Two other members, Kanish Thiagarajan,13, and Piyush Kolhatkar,14, are the level-headed and patient ones among the group members. Keeping calm during crisis is their forte so they are in-charge of the launch of the robot, the hardware and fault-finding too. “I knew pretty early on that I wanted to grow up and become an engineer. It’s all about strategy and planning when it comes to competitions like this.

Plus, the entire process is so much fun,” says Kanish with a big smile.

Aditya Potnis, 16, who is the eldest of them, is primarily responsible for the hardware and designing the robot. After three weeks of relentless back and forth, constructing and deconstructing three designs, he was able to build a robot model that

For the children to go to Spain, they have started crowdfunding to raise funds for the trip. They have a page on the crowdfunding page Milaap, which details out what it is that they do and why they need the funds. “While the children are very smart and are good enough for the international round, financial support and backing is a must. We hope that the word spreads and that we are able to manage at least partially raise funds,” tells us Prakalpa.

As a part of the project that the team has to submit at the competition they have also filed an online petition

and have about 150 signatures so far.

The idea is to get as many people on board as possible in order to make their solution to the problem stronger. For most of these children, becoming an engineer is their goal in life and since robotics is fun, this is an interesting way to get as close to the dream as possible. Not only do they get to learn a lot of things in the bargain but they also get to be a part of the change.

Be a part of the crowdfunding: ht t p s: //m i l a ap.or g /c a mp a i g n s / horcruxes_for_flloec salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

TGS LIFE

APRIL 16, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

Meet the next gen wine maker

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

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he met Rajiv Samant of Sula Vineyards about 10 years ago and shared with him her family’s philosophy of selling a product for non-wine drinkers and he was very interested in the concept. Th is marked the beginning of a great collaboration, one that has a bright future, she tells us. Polina Bosca entered the family business after earning a degree in Agriculture and a specialisation in Viticulture and Oenology. A member of the company’s board, she is in-charge of the agribusiness division and her responsibilities include managing over 700 acres of vineyards in Southern Piedmont and some DOC areas such as Barolo, Barbaresco, Muscat and Chardonnay. She also co-ordinates with the R&D department and supervises all new ventures around the world that use local grapes. When she isn’t busy at work, she loves spending time taking care of her children.

“Our father always insisted that we have some experience outside the company. While I knew I was interested in agriculture, I had not planned on entering the family business. Everything just happened to fall in place and I could not be happier with the work that I do,” she says. Coming from such a strong lineage, the pressure to deliver is quite high. The quality must be perfect after all.

The factory is in constant evolution and it aims to have the most modern equipment and apply innovative concepts, so the struggle is pretty much an everyday thing, she adds.

Bosca sells all over the world, easy to drink

Spumante, which is created to attract those that don’t like traditional wines. The concept is to give the consumers a wine that is easy to drink, aromatic, pleasant and low on alcohol content. Th is concept was studied by Bosca over 40 years ago and sold in many countries. It took them more than six months to develop the right product specifically for Indian taste buds.

Talking about India she adds, “I love the culture and the people. I feel at home here. What I like about the Indian wine market is that it is a very fast growing one and it also a surprise me every single day.”

The Bosca Cellar has now become a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Polina and the family are extremely proud of their achievements. “It is a great honour as we worked on it for 10 years before receiving the nomination,” she says.

The biggest challenge that she and her team face is to get as many people as possible attracted to wine and give them alternatives. They will soon be launching a non-alcoholic Spumantecertified Halal called Toselli. Making this product a success is Polina’s next big challenge.

Currently, it has been selected by Alitalia Airlines as a welcome drink on their Milano to Dubai fl ight and it is indeed a step in the right direction, she believes. The plan for the future includes getting their wines to China. “We are very keen on growing there and building a loyal Chinese consumer base with the Bosca spumante wine,” she tells us. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

Kebab lovers’ paradise Sultanz offers a much-appreciated balance between street food and a sit-down restaurant while not disappointing on flavours at all

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

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t’s not fancy or jazzy but it’s most definitely worth your time and money. A recently opened joint, Sultanz on Salunkhe Vihar Road, Wanowrie, offers some of the best kebabs and Mughlai food. Although the restaurant might seem a little too plain from the outside, it has a great spread of Mughlai food with options for spice lovers, those with a sweet tooth and even biryani lovers.

No matter how hot the weather may be outside, being an open restaurant it is surprisingly breezy here and the lights make a pretty picture at night. While visiting the restaurant on a hot Saturday afternoon for lunch, we tried the refreshing drinks, a kebab platter and everyone’s favourite Butter Chicken with Roomali Roti and here is what we have to say: What works: A great start to any meal, especially in this heat is a tasty refreshing drink. Be it a Virgin Mojito or the Strawberryflavoured version, every sip is a blessing in

In the wine making business for decades now, the Bosca family has given to the world some of the best wines and Polina only hopes to keep up the good work

disguise. While rescuing you from the heat, it also helps cool down your stomach during the meal as the spices have their own little party in your mouth.

Next, come the kebabs. Be it the usual Chicken Tikka, or the spicy Chicken Angare, every bite is juicy and full of flavour. The Chicken Angare is a must-try for spice lovers

a n d t h e Chicken Malai for those who love something sweet. The fact that the grill for the kebabs is outside the restaurant is a huge plus as you not only get

to see them being made but it might also do wonders in pulling more customers to the restaurant. In addition, it works well for people who like seeing their food being cooked. It gives it that street-food vibe too.

There is an array of dishes you can pick from for the main course and the Roomali Roti should definitely be one of your pick. The prices are reasonable and don’t dig too deep into your pockets. The outside seating is also a plus point. The staff is responsive, service is quick, and you are served every dish with a smile.

What doesn’t work: While the food is great, the absence of an ambience to attract a crowd might not work in the restaurant’s favour. The whitewashed walls feature a few paintings but don’t particularly look inviting.

Plain white plastic chairs and tables are not the most comfortable although they aren’t that big of a problem. Plating the dishes to make them look a little more appetizing is also something that the restaurant could work on.

All in all, it proved to be a pleasant lunch outing and we were left wanting more the kebabs and the Mojito.

With a few changes, it could be the next place you would see people flocking to just to gorge on some scrumptious kebabs and have a decent, fi lling meal. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

Inspired by old, family-style cooking, Chef Tanuja Kerker is coming all the way from Goa to tickle your taste buds with her authentic delicacies

VISHAL KALE

Home-made masalas brighten up her creations

By Heena Grover Menon @HeenaGM

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oan cuisine is not complex and isn’t all that difficult,” that’s the first thing Chef Tanuja Kerker has to say about her native food. Hailing from the small island of Divar in Goa, she didn’t study beyond standard X and worked as a tailor for a while.

Besides her hectic schedule, she would always take time out to cook and often treat family and friends. She didn’t hold a degree or certificate but, after noticing her dedication, she was offered a job as a help at a restaurant in Panjim. Acknowledging her keen interest in the kitchen, she was asked to cook meals for all the employees at the restaurant. There was no looking back for her thereafter.

After 10 years, she decided to move to Dubai for two years after which she had to come back to Goa due to her husband’s illness. Back in her home state, while hunting for a good opportunity, Tanuja landed at Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa. The team was more than happy to welcome her on board and, ever since, she has been a part of the team and is now the Chef De Partie at the hotel’s signature Goan Restauarant, Casa Sarita.

While talking about her style of cooking, she says, “All my preparations are inspired from old Goan families. Most of our cuisine has key staples such as rice, seafood, coconut, vegetables, and local spices, including kokum, which is one of the key ingredients that brings a unique flavour in our food. While a typical Goan meals is never complete without fish, not many know that Poee (a Goan bread), which is made using yeast as a raising agent is also the most significant part of our cuisine.

It’s accompanies many savory and spicy curry dishes.”

Chef Tanuja has handpicked some of her favourite signature recipes for the upcoming Goan Food Festival which will begin at Hyatt Kalyani Nagar this weekend. Sharing some of her cooking secrets, she says that it’s nothing but the authentic spices and fresh pastes which do the magic. “Goan food is as authentic as it gets. These days, people use preservatives and bottled pastes, powders and packed spices to make it all quickly which actually takes away the freshness of the flavours.”

POMFRET RECHEADO Ingredients Pomfret, about 500 gm each 2 nos Turmeric powder

1/4 tsp Lime juice

20 ml Oil

80 ml Recheado masala 80 gm Salt, to taste For Recheado Masala Red kashmiri chillies 250 gm Toddy Vinegar 1 ltr Garlic, peeled 50 gm

Ginger, peeled 50 gm Cinnamon

25 gm Cloves

25 gm Cumin

1 tbsp Black peppercorns 1 tbsp Tamarind

100 gm Sugar 100 gm Salt, to taste Method: Blend all the Recheado spices into a thick paste in a blender. Remove the guts and gills from the pomfret. With a sharp knife, make a few incisions on both sides of the pomfret. Do not de-bone. Marinate the

TGS LIFE

APRIL 16, 2016 PUNE

INDULGE

CHICKEN CAFREAL Ingredients Chicken boneless

1kg To be roasted Black peppercorns

1 tbsp Cumin seeds 1 tbsp Coriander seeds

1 tbsp Fennel seeds 1 tbsp Ginger, peeled and chopped 2 tbsp Garlic, peeled and chopped 4 tbsp Lime juice

1 tbsp Tamarind pulp

90 gm Goan toddy vinegar 50 ml Vegetable oil 50 ml Small cinnamon stick broken in to pieces For the masala Green chillies, cleaned 4 nos A handful coriander leaves, cleaned A handful mint leaves, cleaned Water, as required Salt, to taste Method: Roast the black peppercorns, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and fennel in a cast iron pan for two minutes over low heat. Place in a bowl and keep aside. Put the green chillies, coriander leaves, mint, ginger, garlic, lime juice and roasted spices into a food processor and grind until it becomes a smooth paste. Add tamarind, vinegar, vegetable oil and water to the masala. Check seasoning and marinate the chicken in the masala, cover and place in the fridge for two hours. Heat a frying pan, add some vegetable oil and pan sear the chicken, skin side down over a low heat. Cook the chicken on both sides for three to four minutes. Leave the chicken to rest for one minute before serving. pomfret with salt, turmeric powder and lime juice.

Apply the recheado masala only on the inside of the pomfret. Heat oil in a pan and fry the pomfret over medium heat until done. Serve hot with a mixed salad.

When: Till April 25, 7.30 pm onwards Where: Eighty Eight, Hyatt Pune Kalyani Nagar

YOUR CHOW AROUND TOWN Bowled Over Cricket Live action on large TV screens, beer buckets, cocktails and shots are all you need to support your favourite cricket team. So, round up all your cricket crazy friends and head to Four Points by Sheraton Pune to enjoy the cricket fever at Best Brews.

When: Ongoing, Where: Best Brews, Four Points by Sheraton, 5th Mile Stone, Nagar Road

Celebrate the harvest festival This April celebrate the festive glory of Baisakhi and treat yourself to a variety of delectableNorth Indian dishes at Kangan.

Indulge in an irresistible set menu featuring

a selection of traditional Baisakhi recipes prepared by chef de cuisine, Sadab Qureshi.

When: Till April 17, 6 pm onwards Where: Kangan, The Westin, Koregaon Park Annexe

Relish the gourmet donuts Taste the fantastic Italian dessert in the delicious Tiramisu donut that will leave you craving for more of its tiramisu butter cream filling, white chocolate and cocoa dusting. For those who love a sweet-salty combination, there’s Salted Caramel, a donut filled with salted caramel butter cream, a drizzle of caramel sauce, crushed butterscotch bits and a light sprinkle of sea salt. Head to your nearest Mad Over

Donuts outlet and indulge in this new line of premium flavours and fall in love at first bite.

When: Ongoing Where: Mad Over Donuts, all outlets

The stage is their

TGS LIFE APRIL 16, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

Riya Deshmane, 14, who is now very bubbly and enthusiastic, was once a very quiet and not-so-confident child. Theatre made this shy little girl open up. It not only enriched her emotional world but also enhanced her sensibility. “When I was younger, I was quite dull and kept to myself. I was in the fifth standard when my mom read an ad about a theatre workshop and enrolled me. That changed everything,” says Riya. What fascinates her the most about acting is the process of being in a dressing room, impersonating a different person, getting the feel of the character and being on the stage. She loves to be surrounded by lights and tells us that the applause from the audience at the end of any performance is the best feeling ever.

Her theatre group is full of friends and there is plenty of laughter backstage. “I have played ghost in Pichi Maushi and it was the most challenging role that I have played till date. I had to put on a lot of make-up and the script was based on a poem, so learning it was difficult,” she says. She has now learned the many nuances of theatre and many a times also covers up for her co-actors when they forget their lines. Anyone can make a mistake onstage, we either prompt the dialogues to the other person or say their lines in such a way that it looks as if we are going with the flow, she adds.

She has been a part of plays like Behkebe, Ghabrat, Pichi Maushi and Kidnap. What she loves about theatre is making people laugh. In her free time, she watches movies and tries to analyse every scene and then imitates the actors. “I want to be a big theatre actor one day. So whenever I get time, I practise famous dialogues from films in front of the mirror and try to improvise,” says the young girl.

RAHUL RAUT AND TEJAS GAIKAWAD

I want to be a big theatre actor

By Salonee Mistry & Zainab Kantawala @TGSWeekly

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he confidence and candour with which these young kids take over the stage is nothing short of unbelievable. They walk around, playing characters that you would usu find portrayed by older people. Too yo to decide what they want their careers to acting for them is everything at this mom Studying and homework take a backseat w shows are to be staged and the young ac get busy memorising long scripts rather textbook lessons. In more ways than one, are the future of theatre and are shoulde the responsibility well. Meeting the tale artists gave us an insight into why they theatre, what they do when they mess up and what they want to do in the future. He what each one of them had to say. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow

Entertaining the audience is fun It’s a blissful Sunday, a perfect afternoon for kids to play in the park or to kick the football but 11-year-old Krish Surekaa finds his comfort in the rehearsal hall of Swatantra Theatre group. Having played meaty roles in plays like Oliver Twist, Chulbuley Bulbuley, Tamasha, Malgudi Days, Rabi Sansaar and Dak Ghar, he is now looking forward to audition for Yashraj Films next project.

“I participated in drama competitions held in school and later enrolled with Swatantra Theatre group. Initially, I was really nervous about performing in front of an audience that I knew would judge me. But now, when I get on stage, I am confident,” Krish tell us.

Besides acting, the young boy is good at academics and also excels at sports.

He absolutely loves being on stage. The sound of the audience applause keeps him going. He sure is tiny on stage but his performance holds the capacity to leave one astounded. Once when he was playing a thief in the play Chulbuley Bulbuley, he almost broke down on stage because everyone was laughing throughout his performance and he thought that they were laughing at him. “I could see his expressions change after the audience laughed. He thought they were making fun of him but he didn’t know that it was the character that tickled everyone,” says Srushti, his mother.

Before a play opens, Krish attends rehearsals every single day for about two

“I could see his expressions change after the audience laughed. He thought they were making fun of him” — SRUSHTI SUREKAA

hours and as fewer days remain to the premiere, he spends more than four hours working on his expressions and perfecting the lines. He has participated in seven plays and has explored many genres, but he enjoys comedy the most. “Entertaining the audience and making them laugh is fun. Once during a play my moustache kept falling and my partner covered up for me. The last week of rehearsals are important as they help you cope and know what to do when things like this happen on stage,” he says confidently.

Learning his own lines seems too easy a task for the young boy, so he learns the entire script. Acting comes naturally to him. His expressions, his cute antics are sure signs that he might just grow up to be an actor.

I’d like to Amitabh B

After 20-plus plays a 13-year old Ved Raw stardom. An introve imagine the shy boy the confident young on stage because, unl know if people like m a dialogue. It also a he says. His biggest performance is wheth role he is playing.

He prefers to dee to play. This, he belie of the reasons why h appreciation he recei stage, he is a compl language is extreme every performance a aunt Shubhangi Raw There is someth Ved believes. Learnin comes naturally to h is his inborn talent. he wants to grow up remain a part of his to act with and he Bachchan someday. H us that he would hav from the film Bhoo played it a tad bit bet

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and two films, Chintoo and Chintoo 2, wade has just begun his journey towards ert by nature, it is quite difficult to y playing lead roles in plays and being actor that he is on stage. “I love being like films, the response is immediate. I my work or not as soon as I have delivered llows me to express different moods,” worry while on stage and before any her the audience will accept him in the

eply study the character he is supposed eves, helps him play the role better. One he loves being an actor is because of the ives from his friends. “When Ved is on letely different person. Even his body ely different. He blows us away with and we could not be more proud,” his wade tells us. hing about acting that calls out to him, ng lines is a cake walk, improvising too him and having a strong stage presence Although he is not quite sure of what to be, he hopes that acting will always schedule. Ask him who he would love says, “I’d like to work with Amitabh He is an exceptional actor.” He also tells ve loved to play the young boy Banku othnath and feels that he would have tter too.

TGS LIFE APRIL 16, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

My dream is to run my own hotel Confident, expressive, and above all extremely sorted, he knows what he wants with his life. This is the most apt way to describe 11-yearold Nilay Deshpande. Getting his creative side from his dentist father Rahul, who is also a lyricist, the young boy set foot on stage for the first time when he was merely four years old. He obviously doesn’t remember that first stage performance but his mother Ashwini Deshpande was all praises. “No one would have said that he was only four years old and that it was his first performance. He was professional, performed effortlessly and there was something genuine about the entire act,” she recalls.

Remembering lines is not difficult for him. Not only does Nilay know his own but, most times, knows the entire script by heart. “Theatre is a brilliant form of expression. The first play that I d i d as a part of a comeptition and which I remember was, Daboo Chi Aangol and I was not nervous at all. I knew my lines, I knew what I had to do, there was no reason to be nervous,” he tells us.

He is an active member of the dramatics club in his school too. Nilay can be found memorising lines and rehearsing roles every weekend.

A foodie at heart, he is certain that he wants to grow up to pursue Hotel Management and set up a restaurant of his own. Acting will always be a passionate hobby for him that he will continue to pursue, he tells us. “My dream is to have a hotel of my own. I already have blue prints for it. I will call it Empire. Becoming an actor is my fourth career option,” he adds confidently, when asked about his future plans. About 10 plays old, he won the best actor award twice at the Kankariya Karandak, which is a state level theatre competition for children held in Nagar. He also received the special appreciation award twice at the Rajya Natya Competition and the second best actor at the Ravi Kiran Natya Competition.

I get nervous before every play

Chubby, expressive and eloquent, Nikita Kulkarni is a born actor. The young girl’s tryst with theatre started when her teacher selected her for a drama competition. She was just five years old then and after that there was no looking. This 12-year-old has been a part of plays like Behkebe, Ghabrat, Pichi Maushi and Kidnap. She was also part of a short film Ghubad made by FTII students to promote LED lamps. In most plays till date she has played the role of a mother but now would like to do something different.

What keeps her going is the excitement of playing different characters and audience appreciation. “I get nervous before every play. We don’t know how the performance will go and the thought of something going wrong is always on our mind. But once the curtains are down and you hear the audience clapping, it feels like a reward,” she says. When things go wrong on stage, she convincingly changes the dialogues to make it look natural. She recollects an instance like when, she was playing the role of the teacher and had to distribute question papers, which she completely forgot.

“Improvisation is important to make the character your own,” Nikita tells us. She loves performing in comedy and horror plays.

Her mother, Manasi who had long realised her potential, enrolled her at Akanksha Rangbhoomi where she could polish her skills.

“It was after she won the statelevel elocution competition, I decided to train her for acting.

She was confident and didn’t have stage fright like many other kids her age,” says Manasi.

“I get nervous before every play. But once the curtains are down and you hear the audience clapping, it feels like a reward”

TGS LIFE

APRIL 16, 2016 PUNE

THRILL OF DRIVING

YAMAHA SALUTO RX LAUNCHED FOR RS 46,400

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amaha has rolled out its new street bike—the Saluto RX. In comparison to its predecessor the 125cc Yamaha Saluto, the RX is a 110cc bike with a mileage of 82 kmpl, up from 78. The Saluto RX runs an air-cooled, 4-stroke, SOHC, 110cc, 2-valve singlecylinder engine mated to a 4-speed transmission.

The engine delivers 7.3 hp and 8.5 nm of torque. The “RX” suffi x is no coincidence, with Yamaha aiming to capitalise on the performance reputation of the

original RX100. The Saluto RX does weigh in under 100kg, so it does have something in common with its storied ancestor. Yamaha is targeting the rural market with a focus on the youth and while it sounds like urbane elitism, we can’t help but be a little sad to see the storied RX badge on this twowheeler.

Colour options are Matte Black, Breezy Blue, Inspiring Red and Gleaming Black. The Saluto RX is priced at Rs 46,400 exshowroom, Delhi.

Datsun redi-GO unveiled globally D

atsun has finally revealed its urban crossover/hatchback— the redi-GO for the global market. The international unveil was in New Delhi on 14th April. The redi-GO shares the same CMF-A platform as the Renault Kwid, and Datsun thinks of the redi-GO as an urban crossover car with attributes of a hatchback.

The redi-GO will run on an 800cc three-cylinder petrol motor mated to five speed manual transmission — the same kind used in the Renault Kwid. A one-litre engine and AMT option that was expected, will likely be available later. The lines between

Crossover will slot in below the GO genres of cars continue to blur based on what the marketing departments are feeling on a particular day. In the case of the redi-GO, it justifies the crossover tag with a generous 185mm of ground clearance. The redi-GO actually slots in below the Kwid in the Datsun lineup and will likely be priced very competitively.

Expect a sub-3 lac starting price. It’s also stayed reasonably true to the concept cars shown at various auto expos, losing the big, flashy wheels as

most production cars do. Guillaume Sicard, President – Nissan India Operations, said, “Datsun’s growth strategy in India will continue to reflect our commitment to local engineering, development and manufacturing. The Datsun rediGO, as a tangible expression of this commitment, offers several best-inclass capabilities. It is created to bring fun, free and confident thinking to the otherwise traditional compact hatchback segment.”

Bookings for the rediGO will start in the end of May. Keep reading these pages for a test report around the same time.

BENTAYGA TO BE LAUNCHED IN INDIA ON 21ST APRIL British luxury car maker Bentley is set to launch its new SUV—the Bentayga in India on 21st April.

When available, the Bentayga will likely be the most expensive SUV in India. It is propelled by a twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre W12 engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The engine generates 600 bhp and 900 nm of torque. Bentley claims that the Bentayga is the world’s most powerful and fastest SUV. The top speed is 301 kmph and

it takes a scant 4 seconds to reach 100 kmph.

The Bentayga comes equipped with LED headlamps, matrix grille, classic Bentley haunches, roof rails, a sloping rear window and 22” aluminum black painted and polished wheels.

The Bentley Bentayga has already been launched in China for Rs 4.2 cr (3.98 million yuan).

The first edition is limited to 608 cars globally.

F

or someone who is born and brought up in California, sea surfing and spotting a famous actor is a given. But Chad Mowbray has never cared much for any of it.

Playing his bass guitar, spending hours reading books, learning new languages and travelling from one city to another have become his passion.

He did a lot of odd jobs during his college years, sometimes being a bar spotter and getting paid for it by way of free drinks and food. In Texas, he graded essays written by elementary level students. “While reading those essays I realised how terrible the education system is. If I could write a book on the hilarious things these students would write in their essays, it would be nothing short of a bestseller,” Chad laughs.

He completed his graduation in Middle Eastern Studies from The University of Chicago, then took a couple of years off to travel and learn Arabic, Persian, Syriac, German and a couple of other languages.

Chad calls himself an atheist but has always been deeply inclined towards the writings of various saints and Sufis. While learning Arabic and Persian, he chanced upon a biography of Ibrahim ibn Adham, one of the most prominent of the early ascetic Sufi saints whose life closely echoes the legend of Buddha. Ibrahim too had renounced his kingdom. “All this was very fascinating and I started

TEJAS GAIKWAD

TGS LIFE

By Heena Grover Menon @HeenaGM

All for the love of Sanskrit

APRIL 16, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

After a failed attempt at learning the vedic language in Chicago, Chad Mowbray packed his bags to travel all the way to Pune and do it right

getting deeper into trying to find connections with India and finally discovered ‘Kalilah wa Dimnah’, which was the Arabic translation of Panchatantra. Kalilah and Dimnah are basically the names of the two jackals in the first book. I learned that there were several other translations of Panchatantra which were written during different eras by many scholars in the Middle East and other countries

and languages, including Greek, Latin, Spanish and Italian. But the origin of Panchatantra is India and to know how it reached these countries, I had to know Sanskrit.”

Chad says that even within India, many of the Jataka tales which were written during the Buddhist era can be found in the Panchatantra, which was written in Sanskrit between 4th and 6th century CE.

Chad then enrolled in a Sanskrit course in Chicago, but dropped out in a few months, as he found it very hard to learn or understand. “But I was not going to give up just yet.

So I took it up as a challenge and packed my bags to come to India. I enrolled for a nine-month course at The American Institute for Indian Studies in Deccan College.” The first six months were very crucial as Chad

Jagu is going places Neeraj Narkar shares his experience of directing the short film Nana Parit, Pangri

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

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aking a playful attempt to tell a tale of hope and despair, Neeraj Narkar’s 16-minute long dramatic story does justice to its protagonist as well as supporting characters. Shot over three full days the film has the support of an extremely passionate team that didn’t let the exhaustion hit them till it was all done. Fascinated by Anton Chekov’s style, subject matter and dramatic conclusion, the inspiration for the film lay in the stories that Neeraj and his brother Nikhil Narkar heard when they were younger. Neeraj began by adapting Chekhov for the Marathi stage in Pune as a graduate student and Nikhil turned the translation into a street play when he was at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi.

Selected for the New York Indian Film Festival and the Toronto Film Festival of South Asia, along with the International Human Rights Film Festival to be held in Paris, New York and Barcelona, the film is already making its mark.

Nana Parit, Pangri is the story of a little child, Jagu, who is sent away from his home

and school to work in a firecracker factory. Jagu has no one but his grandpa, nana Parit, a loving and mischievous old man from Pangri village. The film is about Jagu trying to relate his past and present. Although Neeraj Narkar Nana and Jagu are the main characters, a lot of the dark, but playful, humour in the film revolves around characters such as Mali and an old hag.

The film has also won two awards, one at the Bangalore International Short Film Festival and another at the Pune International Short Film Festival.

Neeraj loved watching films is something since he was a boy so he knew that he always wanted to somehow be involved with cinema.

However, things did not work out as he had hoped and he landed up in the corporate office of a TV channel after his post-graduation. The monotony of the job made him quit and he started off by making a couple of documentary films. With the information and experience gathered in that process, he got into writing fiction. Following this he also tried his hand at directing and anyone who watches the film will be glad that he did.

“Being able to tell stories through films is a very enjoyable process. The fact that someone spends a little time enjoying the story that I want to narrate is a very gratifying experience.

Plus, I get to work with a variety of people and that broadens my horizons,” he says.

Neeraj aimed to make a film that everyone would like to watch. “We wanted to make a complex film and we tried everything to do that. When Neeraj discussed his adaptation of the story, I immediately agreed to become the producer. I loved getting all the people together for this project and it has been a very enriching experience,” shares Nikhil.

Ananya Parikh, the other producer of the film, adds, “We were producing a film for the first time. Although I teach films, I had very little idea about what exactly a producer does.

Only gradually did our roles become clear to us.” Once the team decided to take up the project, they thoroughly enjoyed the entire process, she points out.

Ask Neeraj how he is on the set and he says, “I am afraid my crew thinks I am rather boring. Frankly, I feel quite lonely when I am directing. When we are shooting, all I think about is the next shot. If I am excited or animated about something, it is about a shot well done.” He currently lives Germany with his wife who is a scientist, is learning German and for the sake of financial independence works in a local pub as a kitchen help. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

was still unable to grasp anything related to the language, but his zeal for learning and his teachers’ patience finally started paying up. He says that Sanskrit is more about memorising, which is something we don’t follow at all back in America. But to learn such a complex language as this, there’s no other way but to memorise. And that’s what he has been doing for the past eight months. He says that the results have been quite positive.

He is in Pune for another month and then plans to take a break before starting his PhD on how the important scriptures and writings travelled all the way to the Middle East. “I still have about two-three years to master the language and then I plan to become a professor so I could read and teach all the writings.

For me, it’s not about learning for my own good, but to give it back to the society and showcase how significant it is to learn things like these. “ Chad has always been very fond of Indian food, even while in LA, he would often visit Indian restaurants.

Ever since he moved to Pune, his breakfast has usually been poha, which he absolutely loves eating. heena.grover@goldensparrow.com

TGS LIFE

APRIL 16, 2016 PUNE

TEJAS GAIKWAD

FEATURES

Finding their feet in fashion

By Heena Grover Menon @HeenaGM

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rom creating their own labels, catering to niche clients in and outside the city to even moving beyond their comfort zone to find success, they are doing whatever it takes to up their game.

WHEN FASHION AND FRIENDSHIP GO HAND-IN-HAND Rutuja Patil and Nitesh Mehta She always wished to become a doctor and he didn’t know what exactly was his calling. Rutuja and Nitesh’s story is as fun as it can be. Even after doing pretty well at academics while in school, Rutuja didn’t make it to the medical college she wished to go to. Disappointed, she started going into depression when her family told her to join any college instead of sitting at home. While in college, she would always dress up well and seeing her flawless sense of fashion, one of her professors urged Rujuta to get into the field of fashion. “I came back home one day and told my mother about what everyone had been telling me. After hearing me out, my mother actually told me to think seriously about it and said why not give it a shot. So I

enrolled myself for a short course in fashion designing in Pune. A few months into it and my creations started getting selected to be displayed at the Lakme Fashion Week, which pushed my interest all the more and then I applied for a course at London School of

“My exclusivity lies in my own fabric and design elements which I customise according to what one would wish to wear.”

— SONAM PARMAR

Fashion and got through.”

Nitesh’s case was also quite similar. After completing his graduation in Commerce, he was clueless about what career path to choose.

By this time, Rutuja had already started her own little studio and was doing quite well.

Seeing her work got Nitesh interested and Rutuja encouraged him to apply for the same course as well. He got through and started to create clothes for men. Both of them work together under their own individual labels but assist each other whenever needed. “While I focus more on Indian wear and do a lot of bridals, Nitesh has created a niche in men’s wear. He has a very distinct sense of style which a lot of people find difficult to absorb at fi rst, so that’s where I bring my experience and help his clients try out Nitesh’s creations,” says Rutuja.

Nitesh agrees that even if both of them handle their work individually their friendship of so many years helps understand each other’s strengths and shortcomings. While Rutuja is focussing on creating a name for her brand in the city, she dreams of working in Paris and Spain one day. Nitesh, on the other hand, wants to expand his brand in Pune and other cities by creating bespoke garments with his own touch of quirk.

These five determined fashion designers started out early in life to make a mark in the industry

TGS LIFE

NOT A STEREOTYPICAL STYLIST Ritesh Asudani Out-of-the-box is what defines 24-yearold Ritesh Asudani’s style best. He came to Pune around six years ago from his hometown Bhopal to study fashion design and started freelancing soon after.

Looking at his cool, off beat sense of style, his friends and acquaintances began asking him to customise their outfits.

Ritesh then collaborated with a start-up brand for a little while but realised very soon that it was not what he wished to do.

So, he started working independently as a fashion designer and became quite popular through word of mouth. “I don’t believe in sitting in one place and creating styles as I feel designs cannot be created in isolation.

Being creative is an in-born talent but being aware and resourceful is the primary function of any designer or stylist, for

which travelling around is very necessary.

I love traveling, interacting and absorbing different cultures and clothing sensibilities because that helps me bring versatility to my creations.”

Ritesh believes in creating his own masterpieces rather than being stereotypical. Due to his frequent travels across the country, he has created wardrobes for a huge clientele that includes celebrities such as Himesh Reshammiya, singer Darshan Rawal, Suyyash Rai and Kishwer Merhant of Big Boss 9 fame too.

“Out of about 800 styles that I have created so far, I have never repeated any design for any of my client. It is something I am immensely proud of. My dream is to create a record of making 5,000 entirely different costume styles in every segment - western, Indian, Indo-western, casual, formal, etc., in the next two years.” Besides, Ritesh also makes customised shoes and T-shirts.

A PLAY OF BLING AND PINK Sonam Parmar You may find it hard to believe but Sonam started designing clothes while she was in still in school. The use of sequins, bling elements and hues of pink that she used to add in her creations while she was in school remain quintessential elements of her style. And so many years later, the same elements have now become the 25-year-old’s trademark. Sonam comes from a family of garment machinery business, so the knowledge of textile and fabrics has been imbibed ever she was young, especially through her father. Even while she was in school, she knew she would become a fashion designer and so she completed her graduation from School of Fashion Technology in Pune.

After her graduation, she interned with ace designer Nivedita Saboo who mentored her and taught her everything about the fashion industry. “I didn’t pursue a post-graduation course as I was extremely impatient and excited to start my own work.

At the same time, I knew you can’t just enter a zone with a boom without having a certain amount of experience and exposure. So I decided to begin small, out of my home. I held a couple of small exhibitions showcasing my collection to friends and family to start with.”

The last 11 months have been really fruitful for Sonam, as she finally created her own label and opened a studio of her own where she only caters to a niche clientele which includes Pune’s high society women, businesswomen, their daughters and celebrities, such as actor Diya Mirza, singer Sunidhi Chauhan and many others.

The lovely and talented designer specialises in prêt and western wear where everything has a touch of pink and a little bit of bling, both being her favourite fashion elements. “I design my collection for a very select clientele. If someone comes to me asking if I can make an outfit out of a fabric that they have, I would say no because that’s not the way I work. My exclusivity lies in my own fabric and design elements which I customise according to what one would wish to wear.” She exhibits her collection in multiple cities but Pune is where her heart is.

She says that this city has made her what she is today. And although she would love to see her brand expanding in different cities, Pune will always be her base from where she would like to operate her business.

SHE WANTS TO STYLE AKSHAY KUMAR Manasi Attarde While studying fashion designing at School of Fashion Technology, Pune, Manasi took a drop for one year and went to Mumbai to assist a costume designer for a popular television serial.

The experience gave her a lot of exposure and that’s when she decided that she wants to work full-time in the entertainment industry. Later, she came back to Pune to pursue MBA in design management from INIFD to study visual merchandise in detail.

Right from her younger days, Manasi always loved styling looks for her mother and friends, so getting into this profession was a natural progression.

“Most people in my family are doctors or engineers, but my mother saw my inclination towards fashion, and encouraged me to go in that direction,” says the 27-year-old.

After Manasi’s TV serial stint, she had started to get offers to work in other projects. But she was not able to take them up as she was living in Pune.

She then realised that if she had to make this her career, she will have to switch cities. She asked her friends in Mumbai to help her find opportunities

APRIL 16, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

and before she packed her bags, she got a chance to assist Sachin Lovalekar, who had done costume designing for films like Paan Singh Tomar and Mumbai Meri Jaan. Of course, there was no looking back ever since.

For the first year, Manasi worked as an assistant designer and then moved on to become an independent designer for several Marathi films such as Chinu, National Award-winning film Yellow and many others. She has also assisted in Bollywood projects such as Court, Bhootnath Returns. She has designed costumes for Irrfan Khan and Jimmy Shergill in Nishikant Kamat’s upcoming film Madari. “I am grabbing as much experience as I can to start taking up independent projects in Bollywood. But, on the side, I also design costumes for many promos for popular channels apart from TV commercials.”

Manasi says even if luck played a big part in what she is today, it was her hard work that people noticed.

While she has worked with many celebrities in both Marathi and Hindi film industry, she admires actor Akshay Kumar’s sense of style and would like to create clothes for him if given a chance.

SP

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TGS LIFE

APRIL 16, 2016 PUNE

SHOPPING

Summer blues This funky top is perfect for a fun afternoon with friends.

Team it up with denim shorts and you’re doll.

Price- Top: Rs 250 Shorts: Rs 300 Where: Shirole Bazaar, FC Road

t i p e e K t r o h s

‘Check’ it out This funky checkered top is good to go with a white or black shorts.

Accessorise with shud earrings and junk kada and you are ready to hit a rock concert.

Price: Rs 250 Where: Sagar Fashion Zone, FC Road

any ust-have in pair m a e r a s t Shor r fect ding the pe ome n fi f I . e b o r ward e are s wear y, her u o y s e v a le for you smart picks

Give me red This uber cool red shorts will make you stand out in the crowd. Pair it with a black tshirt and canvas shoes for a day out with friends.

Price: Rs 250 Where: Sonali Creations, FC Road

A colour play Want to make an edgy fashion statement? Team it with neon colour t-shirt and a long neckpiece to complete your look.

Price: Rs 300 Where: Stall No 4, Hong Kong lane, FC Road

Go green Team up this cool green shorts with a white or grey tshirt or top.

Price: Rs 250 Where: Vardha creations, FC Road

Anchor me This layered top is perfect for a night out. Pair it with classy black shorts , dangling earrings and you are ready to hit the party.

Price: Rs 300 Where: Shraddha Store, FC Road

Classy denims

Flowy floral Get ready to beat the heat with this print top. Pair it with a blue or black shorts to add spunk to your everyday style.

Price: Rs 250 Where: Sagar Fashion Zone, FC Road

These shorts are perfect for a casual outing with friends. Pair them with a shirt and you are all set for a semi-formal meeting too.

Price: Rs 250 Where: Sonali Creations, FC Road

Mellow yellow This shorts are perfect for a day out at the beach. Team up with your favourite top for a flawless look.

Price: Rs 250 Where: Shirole Market, FC Road

‘I want to give my children what I didn’t get’

unekar educated herself she can’t really

Walk in style with mulmuls and khadis

Jaya and Ruchi of Indigene

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asy breezy khadis, natural dyed prints and light weight mulmuls, handmade fabrics and garments are perfect for this scorching season. Designer duo Jaya and Ruchi of Indigene shares ways to style hand-made garments in casual, contemporary and chic. l Printed linen culottes and pants can be teamed up with tees or casual tops, wear them with tennis shoes, pumps or open sandals to add to the playful look. l Dresses can be worn in several ways, team up with a contrasting under dress. It serves two purposes - one gives you a lining and second, adds more interest to the dress, even better if it is a couple inches longer. l Team up your dress with pants, that is a rather cool look to carry, accessorise with a scarf or some classy piece of jewellery. l Team up a sleeveless dress with a light-weight jacket or a throw over – add colour, contrast and save yourself from the sun as well. l Combine prints. It’s a great way to add interest to your clothes, make sure the colours work with each other, you could choose between monochorme or contrasting colours. l Accessorize with simple and subtle fabrics, it could be fun to accessorise with bolder jewellery pieces, fun bags, belts and statement footwear.

(As told to Heena Grover Menon)

STYLE GURU

APRIL 16, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES TEJAS GAIKWAD

A

single mother, a maid, a tailor and above all, a loving daughter and caring mother is the ibest way to describe 28-yearold Chaaya Rajesh Hivre. She moved to Pune about nine years ago along with her husband in search of a happy and safe home. When her daughter Aarti, who is her second child, was merely a-year-and-a-half-old, her husband left her to fend for herself and her two children. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she strapped on a whole lot of courage, put a smile on her face and stepped out of the house to earn some money and give her children the future they deserved.

“My childhood was rough. We were never sure if we would be having food that day or not. I want my children to have a comfortable life. They must have jobs that guarantee them two meals a day,” she tell us. Not being

TGS LIFE

help her children study and so has even put them for tutions. Even though this is an added cost, she is not wiling to comprimise on their education one bit.

Stepping out at 6 am, she does

house-hold chores in about six houses and returns home by 2 pm to be there for her children who get back from school by then. She then does some house work and takes on her role as a tailor to earn some extra money. After spending a considerable amount behind the machine, she cooks for the family and by the time she clears up, its time to hit the bed. “I hardly get any time with my children and this is something I regret. It’s probably for the best though. Only when I earn enough money now to pay for their education, will I be able to spend my retirement years peacefully as they will earn and take care of me,” she says, with a big smile on her face.

Educated only till the ninth grade, doing house chores was the easiest option for her when she started working six years ago. She stays with her two children and mother, Devaki Ambadas Bhalshankar, who is also a maid.

(As told to Salonee Mistry)

City celeb chat

Name: Rohit Nikam Three words to describe me: Actor, Lyricist, Cricket fanatic.

I love my job because: I love my job ‘cos I love doing it. and feel at peace doing it.

Best advice I’ve received: My elder brother once said “do whatever your heart says at that exact moment. Some years down the line, you should not be regretting about the things you didn’t do.”

When buying something, the first thing that catches my eye is: Colour and size of the thing catches my eye and then obviously the price tag.

What’s your inner animal? - I guess my inner animal is an Elephant. Always with myself. Never really worried about the things going around.

The first thing you notice about an attractive person: That depends on whether the person is boy or a girl. May be hair, eye colour and lips.

The perfect start to a day is: When I get to wake up after least an eight-hour sleep.

Your current four-wheeler: My Royal Enfield 350 classic.

Your fitness regimen: Normal cardio and warm up only, no weight training.

Your food indulgence: I do not like sweets at all. Apart from that I eat anything that has less fats and calories and is tasty.

Books by your bedside: Gulzar’s Raavipaar, Raat Pashmine ki and currently I have started reading Immortlas of Meluha by Amish Tripathi The first site you visit when you fire up your comp: www.rohitnikam.com that’s my portfolio website.

Your favourite city: Since my birth I have always been in love with one city. And that is

Pune. There is no better city to stay and live your life. And believe me I have been to quite a few cities around the country.

Ideal holiday: I would love to go to Europe for a one month long vacation. As of now I’ll be travelling to Bangkok this month. In India I would prefer Outy any time.

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