TGS Life 13/08/2016 by Golden Sparrow Publishing

PUNE, AUGUST 13-19, 2016

www.thegoldensparrow.com

THEY BRING THE REMOVER OF OBSTACLES TO LIFE Pg 8-9

SHORT AND SWEET Pg 14

TGS LIFE AUGUST 13-19, 2016 PUNE

STAGE

Building Taj Mahal in the scam era Swatantra Theatre’s production explores the construction of the monument in the light of issues like corruption, red tape and bureaucratic power play

t took Emperor Shah Jahan 20 years to build the magnificent Taj Mahal owing to its detailing and intricate work. That was, of course, years ago. Imagine how long it would take for him to build the monument

in today’s age, given all the resources at his fingertips. This is exactly what the play Taj Mahal ka Tender explores. The play revolves around the possibility of the emperor coming alive in our age, giving orders to construct the Taj Mahal in collaboration with engineers, contractors, babus, politicos and many more people who take the emperor on a roller-coaster ride. More than two decades ago, Ajay Shukla’s Taj Mahal Ka Tender won the writer both the Sahitya Kala Parishad and the Mohan Rakesh Sanman. Now, Pune-based theatre group Swatantra Theatre is attempting to revisit the play with a modern twist. “It is about a hypothetical situation, if Shah Jahan was alive in the modern era and wanted to

A play that deals with stress

By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab

he light hearted Marathi drama Don’t Worry Be Happy, starring Spruha Joshi and Umesh Kamat in lead roles, is all set to complete its 100th show in the city this weekend. The play, written by Mihir Rajda and directed by Advait Dadarkar, presents the story of a young working couple Akshay and Pranoti Pradhan, who are both over-occupied with their respective commitments, with no time even for a honeymoon. It gives a timely message to such stressed married couples, for solving their issues in a harmonious way. The story revolves around Akshay and Pranoti, a 21st century typical Maharashtrian couple who are immersed in their career. They are both for family planning and adopt a nokids policy for first five years of marriage. The story unravels as Pranoti is diagnosed with PCOD (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) and this changes the entire story of the couple. “This is a world of competition and we end up adding more and more stress to our lives on a daily basis. This play focuses on the universal problem of stressful lives of the younger generations and how it ultimately affects their overall life,” says Umesh. Umesh and Spruha gained much appreciation for their role in the TV serial Eka Lagnachi Tisari Goshta and their chemistry was loved by viewers. This play is their third project together. The play touches many issues such as

build the Taj Mahal, what would happen? The red-tape, corruption and all the other hurdles will be portrayed through the play,” says actor Dhanashree Heblikar. The play begins when the emperor first decides to build a monument to commemorate Mumtaz Mahal and moves on to show the delays in the project. It reminds us of the present day reality, and uses satirical and situational comedy. “A number of the activities are carried on in typical sarkari fashion, for instance the tenders are issued and the contractors are hired. The very determined Shah Jahan is in no mood to accept excuses for delays,” she adds. So does the project see the light of the day or does the emperor become a victim of the

system as well? The chief engineer Guptaji plays is a negative character in the play. He uses every trick to disobey Shah Jahan’s orders for a quick construction of the monument. He cheats and drains the funds allocated for the construction to serve his own purposes. Everyone else involved in the construction too is greedy and dishonest. Each time the emperor asks for an update he gives lame excuses and in ten years’ time he also builds his own house. “The main challenge for us was to keep the characters natural, and not exaggerate them,” she says. When: August 14, 6.30 pm onwards Where: Pt Jawaharlal Nehru Sankrutik Bhavan, Ghole Road zainab.kantawala@goldensparrow.com

Don’t Worry Be Happy portrays a couple trying to figure out the reason that’s causing stress in their lives and how to avoid it with a tinge of humour

infertility, marital hardships, extended family issues which are common nowadays. The main challenge for the writer Mihir Rajda was to give out a serious message in a humorous way. “This is a very contemporary topic and it could have been a really serious drama. However, I always wanted to offer the best to the viewers and so I decided to subtly built it around humour and portray it in a way that audience would love to watch it. This is why this drama is very effective in delivering the message to the audience on a high note,” he adds. Spruha believes that the play stages the universal issue of depression in such a way that everybody feels it’s their own story. “Depression and many such mental disorders are affecting our lives. However, we have a

problem in accepting them and so we look at them with a very different point of view,” she adds.

When: August 13, 5 pm Where: Yashwantrao Chavhan Natyagruha, Kothrud

He’s in the mood to experiment A rare combination of the rugged and boy-next-door looks, this young actor is finding a loyal fan base with every project he takes up By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

e was first known as Saiprasad from the popular television show Ka Re Durava and now as Vikrant from Khulta Kali Khulena, which airs on Zee Marathi. Excelling at everything he does, Omprakash Shinde is a powerhouse of talent. A straight As student when he was in school and college and now an excellent actor, the young boy is sure making is way to the top and how. He completed his engineering with a distinction and acting was never a part of any of his future plans. The first time he performed a solo act on stage, it was for his school function when he was in the ninth grade. Soon enough, his corporate life got the better of him and he decided to take up theatre once again although it was just as a hobby. There was something about the character Vikrant that immediately clicked with Omprakash when he heard the script for the first time. In the show, he plays a gynaecologist, who is smart, mature and always keeps others’ interest over his own. “I don’t want to play just one kind of role. Vikrant’s role was very different from what I had done prior to this and I only hope that the next project I do is something even more out of the box. I am, in many ways, tolerant and patient like Vikrant. I could relate to his character so deciding to take it up was not much of a hassle,” he smiles. He also adds that one other factor that helped him take the decision was the fact that this was not the typical ‘saasbahu’ saga. Omprakash always thought that to find your feet in the

“No performance of yours as an actor must be a fluke” industry one required a godfather and/or a lot of money. This is why even when he started doing theatre as a hobby, he did not think for a second about taking up acting as a career. He wasn’t getting the kind of satisfaction he would have liked to have from his nine to five job and his restlessness made him join theatre groups in the city. He even started enrolling himself in acting workshops. He has always liked doing mimicry since he was in school so he thought he could divert his mind with acting. Since he had done a few solo

TGS LIFE AUGUST 13-19, 2016 PUNE

ENTERTAINMENT acts when he was in school, he felt like he knew what he needed to about theatre. It was, however, quite surprising for him to discover that there was so much that he had no idea about and that there was a whole side to him that he had not yet explored. “I learned that to be an actor one has to be intelligent and aware of what his or her capabilities are. No performance of yours as an actor must be a fluke. You are a good actor only if you are able to replicate your performances and recreate the personality of your character just like you did it the previous time,” he says. Omprakash says he has been fortunate enough to always have a good set of coactors to work with and has nothing to complain about. While he has nothing planned in particular for his future he knows for a fact that he wants to play as many diverse characters as he can and will not say no to any kind of opportunity. Bollywood is definitely something he would venture into but he also realises that there is a lot more to achieve before he starts planning for that break. Nevertheless, he will soon be seen in the Avdhoot Gupte directed film Kanha, where even though he has a small role, it is a substantial one he tells us. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

‘Theatre will always remain my first love’ Theatre actor Gopal Datt shares his experience working in The Viral Fever’s web series Pitchers By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab

opal Datt, a familiar face and voice in Indian theatre, is now an integral part of The Viral Fever’s (TVF) core talent team. He is one of the finest television and theatre actors, and his performances over the years have been very well appreciated by audiences across India and the film fraternity. We have all seen him in almost every All India Bakchod video, and he will now be seen in a web series Pitchers. He is currently juggling freelance projects with theatre and he confesses that he will never branch away from the latter to pursue his dreams in the film and television industry. “As an actor it’s great to experiment with every medium. The

web series is youth oriented, and it’s good to see youngsters getting together to brainstorm and come up with fresh ideas,” he says. The actor has been seen in movies like Samrat & Co and Filmistaan.

Gopal hails from Nainital and spent his early years in the picturesque hill station. He joined the local theatre group Yug Manch after hearing about it from a friend. His first opportunity came knocking

when, on the very first day of the rehearsal, he got a chance to read for a missing actor! After that, there was no looking back. “I was in high school when I joined theatre and then there was

no looking back for me. Theatre will always remain my first love,” he adds. He has also won the Best Supporting Actor for his part in the play Kaumudi at the Mahendra Excellency in Theatre Awards. His first acting experience was in the TV series Missing followed by a role in the Pankaj Kapoordirected TV series Drishant. He has now started his own theatre group Aarambh and has produced the much acclaimed Aaj Rang Hai, Ok Tata Bye Bye, Tunni Ki Kahani and many more. “I don’t do many films, as they can typecast you very easily. The only role close to my heart is in the film Filmistan. Even though I had few lines, the character was in itself very strong,” he adds. His web series Pitchers is about four friends who enter the business world by launching their own startup company. “I really enjoy working with the TVF guys, they are well informed and intellectuals. All of them are IITians and keep coming up with different ideas. This is what excites me about working with them,” he adds. zainab.kantawala@ goldensparrow.com

TGS LIFE AUGUST 13-19, 2016 PUNE

STAGE Pune-based band, Aanavya all set to open for Indian Ocean this weekend and have something exciting in store for Pokemon fans

Here’s a classical twist

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

hey believe in creating music that mesmerizes the audience. Experimenting by fusing genres like Jazz, Blues and Rock, the seven-piece band Aanavya was started by rhythm guitarist Kaushik Agnihotri and drummer Saurabh Thakker. With a goal to enter the Mood Indigo competition hosted by IIT Bombay, the two decided to come together and form a band. They then approached a few musicians from their own college and formed Aanavya in November 2013. Once the band was formed, they chose

Hindustani Classical Fusion as their genre as it was something that they were all interested in. Even though they lost the competition, the fact that they reached the semi-finals considering how little they had jammed, it was inspiration enough for them to continue with the band. Apart from Saurabh and Kaushik, other band members include Mandar Chimurkar on the bass guitar, Tejas Joshi on vocals, Neel Pandit on tabla, Sphurti Kachare on violin and Vitthalsingh Hajeri on the lead guitar. Opening the act for Indian Ocean this weekend, TGS spoke to the super fun and energetic band to get a vibe of what their performance

will be about and what inspires their music. “Our jam sessions are the best part of my day. They are fun, chilled out and mainly focus on experimenting with different genres,” shares Saurabh, who has been playing the drums for five years now. He is a BBM-IB from BMCC College and is currently preparing for MBA entrance exams. At the event, they will be performing a mixed set of originals and covers that they have altered with a twist of their own. The audience can definitely expect a funfilled night. Also, there’s a special surprise for Pokémon fans, he adds. Growing as an Indie Fusion act

in India where music listeners are largely biased towards Bollywood music is what the band finds the most challenging. Most of the younger Indian audience tends to not be interested in the music as soon as the word classical is associated with it. The struggle begins with trying to bring about a change in this ideology. For the band, their inspiration has often come from shows like Coke Studio, MTV Unplugged and Kappa TV that promote fusion music in their very own way. Agam, Advaita, The Raghu Dixit Project and many other Indie acts inspire them too. As far as their originals are concerned, their first song Raat Mori

was inspired from a bandish based on Raag Bageshree. “Inspiration lies in everything, be it any other form of art, real life incidents or Illusions. People can relate to the melody in a much better way when it is accompanied by lyrics. So noting thoughts that share a mutual feeling between us and the audience is what we do,” says Vitthalsingh, who has been penning down lyrics for the band’s next few original numbers. He is currently pursuing graduation in BBM-IB from Sinhagad College and is in his second year. He is the youngest member of the band and has been performing for about three years now. Mandar is in his final year pursuing a graduation in BBA from MITSOM College and has been performing for six years as a vocalist, guitarist and a bassist. Tejas is an engineering student in his third year and hopes to someday become a playback singer. Neel too is an engineering student from VIT College. Being the son of a music director, rhythm has pretty much been a part of his life since he was born. Sphurti is in her second year of engineering and is from a family of classical musicians. The young group hopes to someday grow up and become musicians and have already begun working hard towards their end goal as they take out time from their busy schedules to jam and create music. When: August 19, 7 pm onwards Where: blueFrog, Yerawada salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

Put your best foot forward Strap on those dancing shoes and feel the excitement of an intensive routine as Desi Hoppers bring StreetMation to town this weekend

ith a dream to prove themselves on an international platform and take their love for dance to the next level, Shantanu Maheshwari, Macedon Dmello and Nimit Kotian formed their dance crew Deshi Hoppers. They collaborated with BBC WorlWide and Disney Bindass, who gave them just the push that was needed. They gave up on every other activity to pursue their passion for dance and last year proudly won the World of Dance competition held in Los Angeles. They also participated in America’s Got Talent and cleared the first round. In the city this weekend for a workshop, we got talking to Palkhi Malhotra, the founder of the show Bindaas Naach which got these dancers together. Palkhi lets you in on what to expect at the event, what the team hopes to achieve and why they are so passionate about dance. Putting together the best dancers from across the country, this six man troupe is a force to reckon with. Apart from Shantanu, Macedon (aka Macee) and Nimit, who are the founding members,

the team also includes Rohan Vyas, Niraj Lama (aka Jack) and Subhash Naidu. All of these dancers are not only some of the best you will find but are also only aiming at getting better every day. “All of them come from extremely varied backgrounds but dance, in more ways than one, unites them. Whether they dance to pay bills, are celebrity choreographers or dancers or have fought all odds to get so good, their only priority is to change the way dance is perceived as a profession in India as well as make the country proud internationally,” Palkhi tells us. Apart from Bindaas Naach, she is also the founder of shows like Girls on Top, Dil Dosti Dance and Dil Mill Gaye. The Desi Hoppers were the first dance crew to represent India at the World of Dance Championship and bring back home the title of too. They were also the crowd favourite at the same championship. Keeping in tune with wanting to do something different, they started StreeMation which is a mix of street dance and animation. The idea was to stick to

their roots, yet do something out of the box. Their two-day workshop in Pune will be extremely intense and will consist of a lot of warm-up and training exercises. When asked what makes them so passionate about dancing, Palkhi tells us that for the team the fact that dance is looked down upon as a profession is a huge driving force. This is something that they are convinced on changing and representing Indian talent internationally will help inspire more people to dance, which will, in return, change how the art form is perceived. Their passion for dance also keeps them motivated to excel in every rehearsal and performance. “To me, dance represents a celebration. It is a way of communicating through movement. I know for a fact that shows like Dil Dosti Dance and Bindaas Naach have inspired many to start dancing and this is a huge achievement for us as a team,” she adds. When: August 14 & 15, 1 pm to 4 pm Where: University Women’s Association, Gokhale Nagar

RAHUL RAUT

Improve running, a scientific way

AUGUST 13-19, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

Pune’s Atul Godbole uses Gait analysis to help athletes run more efficiently and to identify posture-related or movement-related problems

By Ashish Phadnis

ait analysis is used to assess, plan, and treat individuals with conditions affecting their ability to run. It is also commonly used in sports biomechanics to help athletes run more efficiently and to identify posture-related or movement-related problems in people with injuries. Pune’s Atul Godbole is one of the few who conducts analysis. A software engineer by profession, Atul has been an elite runner and has been participating marathons regularly. He recently participated in the Comrades Marathon, the toughest marathon in South Africa, and has

TGS LIFE

“Runners are not aware of their body imbalances and eventually end up having an injury”

been training other runners to prepare for the next edition. Since last year, he started doing gait analysis and has been getting good results. “Currently lot of commoners has taken up running and they plan to run big events. However, they are not aware of their body imbalances and posture weakness. Eventually,

they end up having an injury. To tackle this common issue, gait analysis is must. There are some analyses for elite runners of Army Sports Institute, but for commoners it’s not accessible. So I decided to start on my own,” said Atul. Some of the most common injuries like runner’s knee, IT band pain, Achilles pain,

3 EDITION

plantar fasciitis, shin splints and stress fractures can be traced back to a flawed running gait. Gait analysis makes the runner aware of flaws in the gait, claims Atul. “Our analysis screens for 16 bio-mechanical criteria, quite literally from head to toe. Using high-definition super slow-motion video footage captured on open ground or on treadmill, I determine any untold movement of the upper body, foot landing and hips movement. We also do a running specific muscle test to detect muscle imbalance, inflexibility, weakness and inhibition.” he said. Not just analysis, but Atul advices specific drills, strengthening exercises and stretches customised as per the needs of each runner, along with helpful mental cues to be used use while running. “It normally takes six weeks to get some results but so far we have analysed 20-25 runners and are getting a good feedback from them,” he said.

Stick to your nutrition strategy for better results By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab

ompleting a marathon is a feat of strength, endurance, and stamina, and proper hydration, nutrition, and training are vital to a runner’s success and survival. Runners, especially novice runners, may need guidance from nutrition and sports professionals before attempting the event. Are you wondering what to eat before, during and after your run or confused about carb-loading and hydration strategies? Maadhuri Sharma, an ex model, television personality and a renowned nutritionist, shares with TGS some guidelines to be taken care of by the runners. “An endurance event like a marathon requires 80 kcal per kg of body weight. So if an average person is 65 kg (60 - 70 ) kg, they require 5200 kcals per day. Most of the calories must come from carbohydrates and along with this, the athletes must drink 6-8 ounces of water or sports drink for every 10-15 minutes of exercise,” says Maadhuri. Athletes must consume 1-1.5 gm/ kg of carbohydrates immediately post exercise. Emphasis should be on complex carbohydrates. Avoid high fat, high protein and high fibre foods. Carbs increase the endurance by almost 20 per cent.

OVERALL DIETARY GUIDELINES Runners should try to get into the habit of eating 5-6 small meals earlier in the week before a marathon, to train the body for the ‘carb-loading’ over the last 48 hours. Evening snacks are optional earlier in the week. Runners should look to use fluids and light snacks, if they find it difficult to tolerate the increased quantities of food. 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MARATHON The second day of carb-loading offers an alternative high carbohydrate breakfast option, designed to be a higher GI, and easily digested. The evening snack is liquid based, for those who find it difficult to load the carbs before the big day. Options today should be easily digestible, which means not too much spice! Breakfast: Tropical breakfast smoothie, fruits, oat and seed bars. Give a tasty twist on flapjacks with a luscious layer of apricots inside. Lunch: Rice and bean enchiladas. An enchilada is a corn tortilla rolled around a filling and covered with a chili pepper sauce. Try this Mexican-inspired vegetarian wrap for a speedy and spicy supper. Afternoon snack: Spanish tomato bread with jamon Serrano. These tasty tapas snacks are ready in just 5 minutes, the perfect accompaniment for a drinks party. Dinner and dessert: Bacon and mushroom pasta. A simple one-pan pasta dish with bacon,

mushrooms and pesto ready in under 30 minutes. Pear & blackberry crumbles. Use pear instead of apple in these individual versions of the classic pud with a crunchy pistachio topping. ON THE RACE DAY Race day is here and it’s time to put all that training to the test. Stick to your nutrition strategy before and during your run, then replace fluid, carbs and protein once you cross the line. Recovery after the race gives options to replace fluid, carbohydrate and protein in one natural drink. Don’t forget to also include carbohydrates and protein at dinner to continue the refuelling and repair process. DAILY NUTRIENT ANALYSIS Total intake per dayCalories: 2788 Proteins: 147.5 grams (21% of total calories) Fat: 51 grams (15% of total calories) Carb: 450 grams (64% of total calories) Fibre: 34 grams Hydration: Athletes should consume 1.5 L to 3 L of fluid above their normal intake the day before the event. Athletes should consume .5 L of water 1-2 hours prior to the event. Empty your bladder 15 minutes prior to the event. Sip cool water during the event for faster absorption and it cools the body better. During Event: Athletes should drink 150 - 250 ml every 10-15 minutes to maintain a fluid balance. Athletes must sip water and not gulp it.

TGS LIFE AUGUST 13-19, 2016 PUNE

INDULGE

Food art is currently taking over the culinary world. With great taste comes great visual delight. These dishes from Pune are redefining how you see your food

By Rituja Rao

our plate is a canvas so let these food artists work their magic on it. Wonderful menus, signature dishes, great plating – Puneites are going far and beyond to create food like never before. As food gains increasing visibility as an agent uniting cultures, attitudes and people, restaurants in Pune are taking it to the next level not just by making it visually appealing, but also thought-provoking. They are incorporating food-art on their regular menus to give their customers the global edge in dining. This isn’t just decorative plating. These are carefully designed and meticulously executed dishes that look stunning and taste even better. Food art refers to creating edible structures to conceptualise a dish by creating artistic elements using a variety of processes. While TV shows tingle your taste-buds, these dishes will satisfy them. IRISH COFFEE DOME AT MALAKA SPICE This little dome, bursting with flavour, is the perfect way to end your meal. What can best be described as a mug of Irish Coffee that looks and tastes better than when in a mug! The dome is constructed and erected from a mould, full of Irish coffee inspired mousse topped with chocolate garnish with a thin layer of sponge cake to give it that perfect texture. This liquor-based dish incorporates espresso, Irish Bailey and honey into a mousse that melts in your mouth. The inspiration for the dish came from the need to go beyond traditional fruit and chocolate-based desserts. This dessert has been specially conceptualised for Malaka Spice’s monsoon special menu. Their seasonal menus feature favourites and trends. This season’s hit menu consists of two sub-sections - Shravan and Sawan. Malaka Spice believes in using in-house and locally produced ingredients in all their dishes. Keeping up with their food inspirations, they have introduced Irish Coffee dome as a part of their Sawan menu. This artistic play on conventional coffee brings a fresh outlook on changing dynamics of fine dining. This dome of mousse almost convinces you not to dig in, but when you do, it’s art at its finest.

TEJAS GAIKWAD AND VISHAL KALE

ART ON YOUR PLATE

VIENNESE SACHER WITH RASPBERRY SORBET AND APRICOT JAM AT STONE WATER GRILL A divine looking dessert, it is definitely a musthave for every sweet tooth in the city. Inspired by the sachertorte invented by Austrian Franz Sacher, this two-tier dessert gives it a fresh outlook combining fruit and chocolate. The raspberry sorbet is placed on sugar crystal mesh elevated on a slice of rich chocolate sacher infused with apricot jam. The sacher is a specific type of chocolate cake with

JELLY ART AT NIMS CAKE AND CRAFT Jelly brings back childhood memories. Nima Pashankar of Nims Cake and Craft is giving jelly an artistic makeover in what can only be described as magic. Jelly Art is very popular in Mexico and Vietnam, rapidly gaining popularity in Malaysia. The jelly is made with specially imported setting agents, which are only available in Bangkok at the moment. Once it sets, Nima uses syringes and needles to create designs within the jelly. She uses different types of nozzles to create different shapes but this can only be done at a certain temperature. The jelly originally is white and transparent in colour, but is later infused with variety of gel colours which too are imported. The jelly can be molded into different shapes using appropriate containers. It tastes very similar to normal jelly, but surprises your eyes. Nima learned this art from Malaysian chefs Shreyl Bito and Calvin Mark. While the jelly art is still under experimentation, Nima has already had a very high demand by people who are surprised about how they do it. She will soon be launching these at her bakery on JM Road and two other outlets. Very few in India are aware of this food art but it is slowly gaining popularity. Now that you know, this jelly is unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.

strong flavour that capitates your palette with perfect amount of sweetness. The raspberry sorbet gives it the fresh citrus flavour that balances the chocolate. The apricot jam too is a fresh touch in contrast to the rich sacher. The sugary crystal structure is what makes this dessert unique. It is not just hard sugar but a caramel sugar mould shaped like an inverted bowl. This perfectly designed dessert is a delight to eat as it is to see. Their other dessert options too are plated delicately. A very well thought menu, Stone Water Grill offers an experience you’ll never forget.

ESPRESSO PHIRNI AT SYRAKKO If a rich white rice preparation with dry fruits just came to your mind, you are in for a surprise. In fact, Espresso Phirni looks nothing like Phirni! Inspired by a tree, this plate looks like a little garden that has soil, twigs and leaves too. This dish is comprised of many elements, each made completely in house and bought to life with adept techniques. Curated by executive chefs at Syrakko, Rizwan Moidu and Nagraj Bhatt, the espresso phirni actually lies beneath all other elements. At first glance, you see some rich soil made of chocolate with mint leaves and dill, with tiramisu sorbet topped with rustic-looking twigs made of chocolate. Below these elements is a rich smooth phirni, infused with dark chocolate and espresso that instantly melts in your mouth. The chocolate soil adds to the texture breaking the monotony between the phirni and the tiramisu sorbet. The chocolate twigs look so much like real twigs that you might doubt if it’s edible. For the added drama, the chefs have even dusted them with cocoa powder, giving it the bitterness to cut through the intensity of the chocolate. A spoonful of the dessert gives you the most amazing combination of flavours and textures. This wacky twist on Phirni takes fusion fine dining to its epitome. Syrakko’s menu is filled with such mind-boggling combinations and fusion cuisine. The inspiration for the dish came from the need to have an Indian dessert on their menu, and Syrakko made this crazy delicious dessert. Step away from you conventional sweet plates and embrace this wacky, artistic and bold dessert.

There’s a new hangout in Camp

TGS LIFE AUGUST 13-19, 2016 PUNE

INDULGE

Amidst the hustle bustle of MG road, wouldn’t it be nice to have a quiet, cosy place to dine. Tora Tora offers you just that By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab

ora Tora, as fancy as it sounds, is located at Amba Commercial Complex, MG Road, an old, nearly dilapidated building, with litter all around, stinking of betel leaf and other pan paraphernalia, and you have to go through all this if you don’t take the lift upstairs. But once you are there, it’s like another world altogether. The space is massive and split into a cosy enclosure and a larger alfresco with part higher seating on one end and a swing set table on the other. The restaurant display is tastefully done with cosy lights, bright coloured chairs and a youthful touch to the ambience, the only thing missing was some soft music. The vibrant interiors and multiple seating options are perfect for an brunch or for a night out with friends. The menu here offers Continental, North Indian, Chinese and Italian. While the bar was sending out colourful cocktails, beers and other alcoholic delights, we went for a

refreshing Peru Pyala, a guava mocktail. It was just about perfect and went well with the flavourful dishes they served that afternoon. The Broccoli

Almond Soup is something we would definitely recommend. The broccoli was finely diced, served with cream and the shredded almonds brought a nice crunch and flavour to the soup. For the starters, we were served Paneer Tiranga, Bharwan

Aloo, Paneer Imperial that was robust in flavour, packed with spices and a hint of parsley. The Tora Tora Royal Pizza, which was served in a decorative basket, was strictly okay. The main course consisted of Paneer Tikka Lababdar and was full of spices,

beautifully seasoned. The portion was very generous too. Their Jeera rice, Dal Tadka and Assorted rotis are a must try. While the rest of the food was quite nice, the dessert failed to end the meal on a high note. We didn’t really enjoy the Gulabi Gulkand and Vanilla ice cream. The staff told us they would work on the dish though. All in all, the place packs a lot of potential. The service here is quick too. All they need to work on is the outer space, which, the staff assures us, would get sorted in a few days.

On a week-long visit to Westin in Pune, TGS caught up with Chef Jack Ng and spoke to him about his love for food, his personal favourites and what he has to offer to Puneites By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

or almost a decade and a half now, Chef Jack Ng has been cooking and serving people some of the best Chinese and Singaporean dishes. Learning the knick-knack of cooking merely by observing his mother as a child, the young man found a way to do something that he loves for the rest of his life. He was 13 years old when he first attempted to do something in the kitchen. Even though it was just a packet of instant noodles, he felt immense joy at having achieved something so big and getting it right in the first attempt. From here on he kept cooking and experimenting and currently works as a junior sous chef at The Westin in Singapore, where he

oversees the hotel’s signature all-day dining venue Seasonal Tastes. “The smile you see on a patron’s face when you serve them good food and something that they will like is quite priceless. At the end of the day, you feel that the hard work has paid off so the satisfaction from a job like this is immense,” he tells us. His personal favourite to eat and cook are the Singapore style Chilli Crab. He will serve this and other flavourful dishes at Westin, Koregaon Park as a part of the Singaporean Food Festival, for the entire month. The food has been tweaked to meet Indian taste buds but is as close to the original as it can be. Jack believes that food allows him to understand different cultures. Every cuisine, if studied properly, will tell you about the history of the place

VISHAL KALE

All the way from the island city of Singapore

or the kind of people that come from a particular village, city, state or country. Since the food bug bit him early on, he learned most of what he knows today by observing others cook, especially his mother and by watching videos online. He also worked with a few chefs to understand how the kitchen works and what the dynamics were on handling one. He has mastered the

finer details of every dish that he sends out of his kitchen through trial and error. Prior to Westin, he has worked at Goodwood Park Hotel, Singapore Marriott, and Oscar’s at Conrad Centennial Singapore. Creative in whatever he does, he loves inventing dishes or finding out a way to take them up a notch. “Inspiration can come from anywhere.

I prefer not to think about food or rack my brain to come up with something when I actually want to invent a dish. I think better when my head is clear,” he smiles. He will listen to music, go for a walk, watch a few films and maybe even talk to people around him to be inspired. Just before we end our conversation, Jack gives us some very important piece of advice. The one thing that he feels, every chef or someone looking to become one must have is patience. It is a well-rewarding profession if treated right and given due respect. The holidays are limited so if you do take it up, be prepared to work hard to ensure that every dish you churn up is a work of art, he adds. In his case, since this was something that he absolutely wanted to do from a very young age, he started working on being patient early on. Today, Jack can’t imagine a day where he doesn’t head to the kitchen to either prepare something elaborate at his job or a quick simple meal for himself and his family. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

TEJAS GAIKWAD

TGS LIFE AUGUST 13-19, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

Chintamand Jawari

HE TURNED HIS HOBBY INTO A PROFESSION

n Chintamand Jawari’s workshop hangs a small and really old picture of a Ganesh idol in black and white. Made by Ramprasad Kaushal, this picture for decades now has been a source of inspiration for Chintamand, who learned everything he knows about idol making from Ramprasad. Dressed in a white kurta and pajama with a Nehru cap, you will find Chintamand spending hours at an end working on various kinds of idols, moulding them to perfection. Learning the art when he was merely six or seven years old, education took a back seat for him as his interest in sculpting grew by the day. “I strongly believe that you need to be in the right kind of mood to get the best out of yourself as a sculptor. If you like what you do, there will only be a few instances when you get bored. Eventually, neither your work is affected nor your ability to deliver the best,” says the 78-year-old. Following

in his footsteps, his son Ganesh, who also began helping his father after his school from when he was 13 years old. It is something that he learned while observing his father work on it and practiced enough as a child since the materials were always available. Going by the name Kala Jagat, the business has been running for more than five decades now. Working throughout the year, they not only make Ganesh idols but sculpt other deities as well. His two sisters, Rekha and Gauri, usually assist Ganesh. “Th is business is something that started off as a hobby for our father. Since I have always seen him do this and learned it from him early on, I decided to make a career out of it too. I got a diploma in sculpting and now help him run it,” he says. Come next year, his sisters’ children will also starting helping around and one will then find three generations working under the same roof, he adds.

Deepak Lanjhe

CELEBRATING THEIR GOL

Manohar Lanjhekar

he Lanjhekar family was engrossed in their little workshop in Kasba Peth. M about six months prior to Ganesh Chat small team, of five people, they manage to crea Even though it was initially just a business t idols, today the family spends hours bent o getting the detailing of every single idol correc “One should venture into this field only though it was a family business, it was someth brother Manohar’s and my attention so we ha with it. Our children too are involved becaus on it, not because they have to,” shares Gan shut down three of his other businesses to conc time. Manohar who had a full-time job also retirement.

MAKING IDOLS CAME TO HIS RESCUE

Ganesh Jawari

Gauri Ghanekar

Rekha Dhanve

retired military officer, a business man and a sculptor, Shyamrao Deshmukh has been many things. Hail and hearty even at 90, he is a source of inspiration for many. After he retired from his military service, which he tells us he didn’t like much, he got involved in a truck business that failed miserably. For a while he even lived on the streets and could barely make ends meet. Merely through observation, he learned how to sculpt idols and soon enough with Rs 15 in his wallet but with the will power and determination to survive, he started making idols. Th is was his story about 40 years ago. Today, his sons Rajendra and Bhalchandra look after the idol making business which has expanded over the years. Going by the name Natraj Arts, they now make close to 6,000 idols every year and do a lot of painting jobs too. When we asked Shyamrao if we could click his picture while he painted one of the idols, he says, “I don’t like getting

clicked at all. Th is business is something that worked in my favour when I needed something to go right. The fact that I did this for so long, and that my children do it too, is a huge reward for the struggle that I have been through,” he says. His son Rajendra is a science graduate, while Bhalchandra graduated in Commerce and holds a Diploma in Pharmacy. Both learned the art when they were seven or eight years old and are now entirely dedicated to developing and flourishing the business. “We continue to learn something new every day. Bhalchander and my children also help us out and we have about 40 other workers at our three workshops in Penn, Dhairi and Shukravar Peth. There is something to learn from everyone so even though we have been doing this for a long time there is always a way to make the idols look better,” Rajendra says. Alongside this they also run a pharmacy and have a fabrication business.

They bring the remover of obstacles to life

TGS LIFE AUGUST 13-19, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

ekar

ith Ganesh Chaturthi just round the corner, several mandals will be set up across the city. While each and every idol is a visual treat, the actual preparation takes weeks, sometimes months. It is only after working on dummy idols for months at end, that the sculptors master the art of making them and manage to do it well too. TGS brings stories of some of these idol makers and the hardships that they have gone through. While some have quit jobs to make idols, others are carrying on the family traditions. For all of them, it is not only about the faith that they have in the deity but also the respect for the art of making, painting and designing the idols. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

LDEN JUBILEE

n work as we entered Making the idols from turthi, amongst their ate about 2000 idols. that sold readymade over their creations ct. if you like it. Even hing that caught my ve been able to stick se they like working nesh Lanjhekar, who centrate on this fullshifted to this after

Bhalchandra Deshpande

Sourabh, who is Deepak’s son and in his final year of BCom, helps around the workshop before and after his college. His other son Siddharth, who is a musician, can also be found at the workshop almost throughout the day, helping around. They also have another partner Abhijit Jadhav, in this venture which goes by the Saurabh Lanjhekar name Lanjhekar Bandhu. “The one thing, we ensure no matter how engrossed in work we were, was to push our children to study and do this as something extra. The minute this job becomes a compulsion it will start showing in your work and that is not something you want,” adds Manohar.

Nilesh Parsekar

FROM AN ILLUSTRATOR TO A SCULPTOR

s a young boy, Nilesh Parsekar would often find his father Pandurang come home from his service in the ammunition factory and spend hours sculpting idols. He loved watching his father work with the tools and painting the idol after, and he too soon learned how it was done. His elder brother Deepak and he started helping their father early on. While Nilesh went on to become an illustrator for a while, before switching to this full-time, his elder brother concentrated on lending a helping hand to their father. Set up in 1948, their business is one of the oldest in the city and over the years has expanded tremendously.

“I was fi ve when I made my very fi rst idol. It was an ecstatic feeling to see the fi nished idol. Even though it might have not been the best, for me it was a masterpiece. When I decided to quit my job as an illustrator, it was not a very diffi cult choice, simply because this is also something that I had grown to love,” says Nilesh. Apart from the regular traditional Ganpati idols that they make at their workshop in Katraj, which are mostly made from clay, they also sometimes just make the ornaments that might adorn other sculptures. They have been making the Kasba Peth Ganpati for the last 16 years.

CARRYING ON THE FAMILY BUSINESS

rom his grandfather to his father and then to him and his son, the hobby and profession of making idols has been passed down. Growing up in an environment where round the year idols took up all the corners of the house, Santosh Kumbhar made his fi rst Ganpati idol when he was 13 years old. It has now been 20 years that he has been sculpting, designing and painting the idols. One would often find him after his school curled up in a corner engrossed in painting the idols, concentrating so as to not make a mistake. Other than watching his father work on the idols every day, he learned quite a bit through trial and error too. “Even though this is a family business and I had to take it up because there was no one else to look after it, I don’t think I do it out of any sort of compulsion. Had I been introduced to the art form even otherwise I would have probably taken it up,” confesses Santosh, as he looks up for a minute from the idol that he was painting. With barely enough space to work, his workshop in Karve Nagar is full of idols, some finished, some waiting for the final touches. While there are only the smaller idols here, the bigger ones are stored away in another place near Poona Hospital which is where they’re sold. Catering to a lot of customisations in terms of designs and colours, every idol in the workshop has a small tag on it with a detailed description of how it must look. After the movie Bajirao

Santosh Kumbhar

Mastani, the craze to have an idol that replicates the Bajirao look is the in thing this season, he tells us. The entire process is handled by the family members themselves as even his wife, Sheetal and son Sanket who is in his fi rst year at Abhinav Kala Mahavidyalaya, help him out. They start working for the Ganpati season about four to five months in advance and make about 1,500 idols during this time.

TGS LIFE AUGUST 13-19, 2016 PUNE

THRILL OF DRIVING

Bajaj offers new colours for their Avenger

You can now have either Street variant in green and red

hen we rode the new Avenger back in XX, we came away impressed by the ease, refinement and accessibility of the 150cc version in particular. We did, however, find it odd that the ‘Street’ variants were only offered in a single colour each for 150cc and 220cc. Bajaj is changing that now, with the recent announcement of two new colours for the Avenger Street line. The Avenger Street 150 was previously available only in “midnight blue” and will now also be offered in “cosmic red”, while the Street 220 adds “matte wild green” to it’s existing “matte black” colour scheme. The new colours are available now across Baja dealers at Rs. 85,497 for the 220 and Rs. 75,500 for the 150, ex-showroom Delhi.

Ford cuts prices between Rs 25,000 and Rs 91,000

ollowing good sales in the month of July, when the American auto manufacturer sold 7076 vehicles domestically, Ford has decided to drop the prices of their Aspire compact sedan and their next-gen Figo hatchback. The cuts apply to the top two variants of the hatchback and all but the base model of the sedan. Both vehicles were launched in 2015. Since their launch, Ford has claimed

several fi rsts for the cars, including upto six airbags and Ford Sync with AppLink, allowing more integration with customers’ smartphones. Ford’s new Figo is particularly attractive, offering a genuine, full-loaded 100hp diesel hatchback at just over Rs 7.17 lac, which is Rs 50,000 down from the previous price. The Aspire sees the largest drop of Rs 91,000 for its petrol and diesel variants. The full price list (exshowroom, Delhi) is as follows:

Ford drops prices of new-gen Figo, Aspire

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

ou and I were probably cribbing about our homework, fighting with our siblings over who got the last chocolate or sitting by the window and day-dreaming when we were 10 years old. Prerna Shinde, on the other hand, was learning to ride a Bullet and was doing a good job too. Fulfilling her father’s dream, she kept her fears aside and within a few months could cruise down the roads on the bike, without much worry. Not having a license and not being of the legal age to ride was the only thing that stopped this young girl from starting the engine and travelling to as far as she could. The 22-year-old travels whenever she gets a chance and her love for riding only keeps increasing. Back from her ride, we caught up with her to find out what it felt like being the youngest member of the rally, where she wants to travel to next and what she loves the most about riding. For its 13th edition this year, Royal Enfield flagged off an all-women rally to the Himalayas. Led by Urvashi Patole and Sara Kashyap, the rally had about 20 bikers from all over the country covering more than 2,500 kilometres and Prerna was a part of the rally too. This is the longest she has ever travelled on her bike and could not stop gushing about how great her experience was. “The tracks were extremely hard and we did a lot of off-roading. There were places when even a small mistake could have resulted in us losing our life. On the whole, though it was a great experience that I will never forget,” she says. Till date, she has been to Kolhapur, Daman, Lonavala, Divyagarh,

FOR THE LOVE OF RIDING

TGS LIFE

AUGUST 13-19, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

VISHAL KALE

In a recent all-women rally to the Himalayas arranged by Royal Enfield, Prerna Shinde from Pune was the youngest biker. She shares her story of falling in love with biking and her experience on the adventure

Mumbai and even Tapola on her bike. When she started off, even though she learned on a Bullet, a Passion Plus bike was her first. It was just at the beginning of this year that her father gifted her a Classic 360 Royal Enfield and it is currently her most prized possession. “Riding a bike is extremely liberating. It takes away all the stress and allows you to explore dimensions of yourself that you never knew existed. I got to see a new me on all of my trips and there aren’t words to describe the feeling,” she shares. Currently doing her Bachelor of Commerce through Annamalai University,

Geetanjali Joshi’s tome portrays the untold stories from the life of Kamala Phadke, well known Marathi writer N S Phadke and his first wife Manorama Phadke

Tamil Nadu, under a distance learning programme, she is a final year student and post this wishes to enrol for an MBA degree too. As part of the rally, she travelled through Solan, Narkanda, Manali, Jispa, Sarchu, Leh, Khardung La, Tso Moriri, Tso Kar, Manali, Gushaini and Chandigarh. It was a great motorcycling adventure for all women riders who were a part of it and the main idea behind it was to further encourage the passion to ride among women riders and travel new roads, the young girl believes. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

Meet the unsung protagonist of Marathi literature

By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab

or Geetanjali Joshi, daughter of noted Marathi writer Narayan Sitaram Phadke, aka NaSi, penning thoughts down was scripted into her destiny. After basking in the success of her first book, Shat Taraka (A Hundred Stars), published a year ago, she is now launched her second book Kamala which explores the life of Kamala Phadke, whose literary contributions have long faded with time. The book is a tribute to her mother and highlights the turmoil she faced in life as well as her contribution to Marathi literature, which was overshadowed by the legendary work of her father. Kamala, was a student of NaSi Phadke. Their 22-year age gap and the fact that he was married did not stop them from taking the path less travelled. The book brings out this

complex triangle of love and war between Kamala, Nasi and Manorama Phadke. “Many know Na.Si., but not too many know Kamala Phadke, his better half, a talented, strong lady who dared to go against the tide and emerge victorious. I felt that her contribution to Marathi literature was significant and I wanted the world to know this. It took me a year and a half to collate and compile all facts before I could write this book,” says Geetanjali. She is a Marathi author and poetess with a strong inclination towards theatre. She has been a part of Sai Paranjpe’s children’s theatre group called Progressive Dramatic Association and has also been a part of plays like Tu Veda Kumbhar, Sati by Venkatesh Madgulkar and Sharada by GD Deval for which she won the State Award for Best Actress. Through the book, she attempts to narrate the story of purity and sanctity of their relations in an era where such things were a taboo. “The separation from the first wife and his second marriage scandalised the conservative Marathi society in those days and caused a lot of adverse comments. The book also spans the life of Kamala Phadke from 1916-1980, highlighting her literary work and her strong bond with her sister, eminent poetess Indira Sant,” she adds. zainab.kantawala@goldensparrow.com

TGS LIFE AUGUST 13-19, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

Graphic novels make a comeback

For a genre that was once considered only for kids, graphic novels have accomplished quite a feat to steadily gain mass recognition

By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab

f a picture is worth a thousand words, then a graphic novel is worth much, much more. Picture books or books with illustrations capture every child’s imagination. As we age, we generally pick a book that is serious in content and storyline, and forget about graphics. We no more want to read a book that has characters with capes, super powers, and bad nicknames. However, this scenario is fast changing as more and more graphic novels for adults emerge out of the wood work and their fan following continues to increase. There was a time when graphic novels meant superheroes and their impossible stories, but today these books deal with serious subjects like politics, social issues, mythology and tackle stories with complex issues too. “Graphic novels are often mistaken for comics. The story in comics continues in many parts, while it takes one or at most two books to complete the story in graphic novels. Plus, the plots too are much longer and complex,” says graphic novelist Bharat Murthy. He is an animation film director and authors comic books. His recent graphic travelogue, The Vanished Path, is an account of his journey through the ruins that mark the Buddha’s life, the places where he lived and taught, and the lands from where all traces of that past have almost disappeared. “It is my travelogue from Sarnath to Lumbini, from Kudan to Bodhgaya, and many other places in between. I have tried to bring alive the sights and sounds and smells of these places through the graphics. Whether it is Buddhism you’re interested in or travel, this is a journey you will enjoy,” he adds. The big change, between then and now, is the appearance of varied themes. Novels these days are not confined to narrating fictional tales instead they tackle a variety of themes. Sarita Dasgupta’s debut work Feathered Friends is an illustrated collection of Aesopian stories about forest birds learning to live in

harmony with each other, while growing into independent individuals. “The appeal of graphic novels these days is not limited to their story lines, how these stories are told plays a huge part as well. My book is set in the thick of the forest, where there are all kinds of birds. Each bird is gifted with a special talent and purpose, and together they enrich each other’s lives as well as their own,” she explains. She thought of experimenting with this genre as it has a great advantage over regular textonly books. She believes that illustrations help in understanding a concept in depth. “A lot can be conveyed through images which work almost like imprinted moving pictures,” she adds. Another young writer Tejas Modak too

agrees. He is the author of the graphic novels Private Eye Anonymous: The Art Gallery Case and Animal Palette. “I am a storyteller. My pursuit is to tell stories through words and pictures that will entertain, enthral and inspire people for a long time,” he says. Even though cartoon strips in newspapers and magazines are very popular, no theme is beyond the reach of actual graphic novels, he adds. His book revolves around Anonymous, a wise detective with a flair for ironic humour and a knack for finding trouble. “It’s a mystery novel, illustrated with stylish graphics and peppered with some intelligent humour. The suspense unfolds when Anonymous is hired to protect paintings from art thieves and things don’t quite go as expected,” he adds.

In the past, many Indian books like Amar Chitra Katha, Chacha Chaudhary, Tintin, have captivated readers of all age groups. And the new authors continue the legacy in their own way. “Those are evergreen, but today with changing tastes and styles, graphic book creators are adapting to new trends, which would have been unimaginable two decades ago. They are no longer just confined to narrating fictional tales; instead they tackle a variety of themes,” says Bharat. Tejas, who has grown up reading comic books, feels that illustrations in the book make things more entertaining. “If you can entertain folks as they are learning, they will retain more of the information,” he adds. zainab.kantawala@goldensparrow.com

Making cakes for over a decade now, 90-year-old Kalawati Tallam helps her grandson Sriedhaar run the bakery they own and make ends meet

TGS LIFE AUGUST 13-19, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

TEJAS GAIKWAD

She wants Bhai to taste her creations

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

ow many times have you had a fresh fruit cake that has left your mouth watering even after you have eaten to your heart’s content? It’s not very often that a cake is soft, extremely fresh and has been prepared minutes before it reaches your doorstep. Granny Amma’s Bakery is a quaint little space to watch out for in Rasta Peth. Living in Pune since his college days, Sriedhaar Tallam has done a lot of odd jobs to help run the house. Right from working in a bakery and a hotel to assisting a tailor, the 42-year-old has had a rough time growing up. During all these odd jobs, he also assisted an expat family who had recently moved to a house in Koregaon Park and that was where he learned to bake cakes. He taught his grandmother and sister the tricks of getting the texture and flavour right and thus began the story of Granny Amma’s Bakery. “It was a speech by Ratan Tata that inspired me to start the business. In his speech, he spoke about how if you ran a business and employed someone you not only fed that one person but four others along with him. Th is inspired me further to set up my own bakery and I am indebted to all those who have helped me,” he shares. A lot of what he has learned has been through observation and trial and error. There were hundreds of cakes that he himself rejected when he started off and refused to deliver them irrespective of the overflowing orders. He also makes sure that every single product he uses for his cakes is fresh and of the best quality. As if this was not enough, he delivers all over Pune and is

just a call away. While he has a huge list of people to thank there are a few names that immediately come to his mind. These are all those have helped him along the way and without whom achieving whatever he has today would not have been possible. There is Rahul Bhandari, Vipul Oswal, Gautam Jain, Deepak Mankar, Jitendra Shah, Raju Mutha, Vikram Kakade, Renu Desai, Vijendra Pawar, Mobina Khan, Chetan Puram and Raviraj Takavne, among many others. Talking about his

grandmother, who is a huge Salman Khan fan, he tells us that her only wish is to bake a cake for him and feed it to him too. She absolutely loves the actor so much so that Sriedhaar even has a Tata Nano custommade for her with a small television inside on which she watches Salman fi lms. It was after she saw the fi lm Hum Aapke Hai Kaun that she fell in love with him and can keep

“It was a speech by Ratan Tata that inspired me to start the business”

watching his movies on repeat. She makes it a point to see every single fi lm of the actor on the big screen and is willing to travel distances to the theatres houses for whichever show’s ticket she gets. For the Tallam family challenges and struggles are an everyday affair. Especially after a major accident a huge part of the funds are spent on Sriedhaar’s medical treatment. “Irrespective of everything that we have been through our optimism isn’t weak enough to stagger. I have met enough and more generous and good-hearted people in my lifetime to believe in the fact that things will turn around some day,” he says, with a smile. His future plans include expanding his business, continuously inventing cakes and creating an experience for the customer other than just delivering a product. An animal lover, he has already adopted three stray dogs and hopes to even start a pet clinic for the others that he can’t take in. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

TGS LIFE AUGUST 13-19, 2016 PUNE

SHOPPING

SHORT

Pretty Pastels

A dress like this is a perfect contrast to block colours and makes for a gorgeous look too. Cute or hot, take your pick, this dress does both! Pair it up with a glamourous clutch and wedges to complete the look. Dress: Wink, Rs 1,300 Clutch: Bling Bin, Rs 1,500 Wedges: MG Road, Rs 800

& SWEET TEJAS GAIKWAD

Life’s too short to wear boring clothes. This 20-yearfashion student, Dhwani Shah picks five dresses every girl needs in her wardrobe. Heads up, spirits high, flaunt your legs with the perfect dress for every occasion Party Animal

Bring out the party animal in you with this short and fit blue dress perfect for a club night. This is your chance to flaunt your body too. Pair it up with contrasting and minimal accessories for the oomph factor. Dress: Blush, Rs 1400 Bag: Forever 21, Rs 1800

Play it safe

White is always in fashion; be it summer or winter. Ideal for a day-out but also perfect for your evening plans. Dress: Zara, Rs 3,200 Bracelet: Colaba Causeway, Rs 300

LBD

Owning a plain little black dress in your wardrobe is a must. It is elegant, has a perfect neckline and works with almost everything you own. Pair it up with red heels and red lipstick, and there’s your evergreen look. Dress: Honey, Rs 1,400 Heels: Tresmode, Rs 4,500

Stripe it up

Stripes are always in, no matter what the ongoing trend. This casual yet chic dress is perfect for any occasion day or night. Pair it up with sneakers or black heels to set the tone. Dress: Forever 21, Rs 1,200 Heels: MG Road, Rs 1,200

— Compiled by Rituja Rao

CHASING FITNESS CHANGED HER LIFE RAHUL RAUT

Sneha Khandelwal swears by the fact that once she started respecting her body and loving it the path to healthy living became easier

EXPERT SPEAK Atul Godbole Founder and Head Trainer Motiv8 Coaching

You have a very well balanced workout and diet regimen. Maintaining this balance over the long term is a challenging task though, so try not to be too rigid about everything. Its ok to have a cheat snack once every few days. Also be careful with the heavy backpack since it can lead to back problems in the long run. Consider using ankle weights instead.

TGS LIFE AUGUST 13-19, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

Get the Floral print look right

Expert rating: 10/10

SNEHA KHANDELWAL Age: 30 Weight: 56 kg Height: 5’6

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

he loves travelling, trying new cuisines, is a movie buff and can spend hours at an end reading books. Th is is the best possible description for 30-yearold corporate banker Sneha Khandelwal. Always focused on academics, she was never really involved in sports or athletics while in school or college. A stranger’s comment changed her mind and pushed her towards getting fitter. “It was just last year that I was putting on weight and someone said something that made me realise it. I then met my personal trainer Amin Virani and he practically changed my life. In addition to this an Arnold Schwarzenegger poster in my room, funnily enough also became a great source of inspiration to get out of bed,” says Sneha. Apart from her regular workout she also began meditation to help relax her mind,

started playing tennis after office hours and now often goes trekking with her friends over weekends. MY DAILY LOG My day starts at about 5:30 am and the fi rst thing I do when I wake up is have a fruit or two dates plus half a scoop of whey protein. The fruits can be anything from an apple to a banana, a few grapes, chickoo, watermelon, custard apple and mango or even raisins. After this meal, I head out for my workout at 6 am which usually lasts for two hours. I am currently alternating between weight training and cardio. Once I get back at about 8:30

am, I have my breakfast or my second meal of the day which is paneer paratha, uttapa, dosa, upma, pancake, methi paratha or any oat preparation. When at work, I make it a point to try and eat after every two hours and my next meal is at about 10:30 am or 11 am, which is just a bowl of fruits. Lunch is around 12:30 pm or 1 pm which is a proper meal only in smaller quantities. It consists of a bowl of vegetables, besan or methi ka paratha which substitutes for a chapati, salad and cow milk paneer. I try to include a lot of sprouts in my meal too. After about two hours, I eat some peanuts, almonds or walnuts to satisfy my hunger. The last meal, which is my dinner, is similar to what I have had in lunch. The weekend is usually my cheat day and this is when I devour my favourites like pasta or pizza, but in small quantities. In all my meals throughout the week I try and avoid white rice, poha, idli, ghee, butter, cheese, corn and maida products, potatoes, sabudana, fried, junk and sweets. I make it a point to have at least four litres of water daily, no fruit after lunch and no fruit juices either. My last meal is always two hours before I sleep and I do not eat anything whenever I have a cup of tea or coffee. My daily intake of oil is only three tablespoon. MY FITNESS MANTRA Believing the fact that you are what you feel, Sneha says that her fitness mantra is very simple. “If you respect and love your body, no goal is off limits. When one learns to love and care for their body, they will take the extra effort to stay healthy and benefit the body even more,” she tells us. Once she started respecting her body, she put in the effort to turn healthy and also began feeling more confident about herself, she adds. salonee.mistry@ goldensparrow.com

lorals are an everlasting trend and will never go out of style no matter which season of the year it is. It is the one kind of print which can either be dressed up or dressed down according to the occasion. With each season newer trends and styles in florals keep coming to the forefront and create a buzz for a while till something else takes over. This season we have seen a variety of new trends within Vivek Kumar the floral theme such as bold floral and placement prints which can be floral wild orchid, roses, lilies and many more. Another theme noticed is the floral raw sketch prints which can be seen at a number of fashion events currently. Last but not least, the organic digital floral prints are on an up-rise this season and spotted by a number of fashion forward individuals. Designer Vivek Kumar gives you four quick tips to ensure that whenever you wear florals you do it right and make a statement and get heads turning wherever you go. 1. Use floral print crop tops along with some plain fresh color culottes. 2. Coat dress in hue like mint with all over floral raw sketch prints is a must have in your wardrobe. 3. Jackets with hemline digital prints pairing with cigarette pant give you a chic and tasteful look. 4. If you wear a long skirt with bold flower placement print pair it with a plain blouse so as not to overdo your look. CORRIGENDUM With reference to the story ‘A Slice of Magic’ dated August 6, the name of Dolly Gulwani was mistakenly written as Neha Agarwal. The error is regretted.

TGS LIFE AUGUST 13-19, 2016 PUNE

BUZZ

'Hollywood is my next plan'

ctress Esha Gupta might be taking slow steps to establish a strong footing in the Hindi film industry but the Raaz 2 star is already eyeing Hollywood and says it is next on her wishlist. The 30-year-old actress, whose looks have long been compared with Hollywood star Angelina Jolie's, says she is hoping to begin a career in the West soon. "I would really love to do a Hollywood film. I have not tried anything now. Not even given any audition or meeting but

I am looking forward to it. I think that's my next plan," Esha said. Heaping praise on Bollywood stars Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone, who are gearing up for their big Hollywood debuts, Esha said the two actresses have taken India to the next level, globally. "I respect Priyanka and Deepika, where they have reached. They have taken not only themselves but India on a different level of map. We have sportsmen who are known and otherwise there are film stars who are more

famous than anyone," she said. "People may not know who is the PM but they will know which country a particular star comes from. Now, people are going to say Priyanka and Deepika are from India." Esha will be next seen in Akshay Kumar-starrer Rustom , which hits theatres on August 12. Her other forthcoming ventures include Vipul Amrutlal Shah's Commando 2 and Milan Luthria's next directorial venture Baadshaho, alongside Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashmi.

Pressure to deliver with Happy Bhag Jayegi: Diana Penty

iana Penty is returning to the big screen after a gap of four years with Happy Bhag Jayegi and the actress says there is pressure on her to deliver with her upcoming film. The 30-year-old actress was last seen in her debut movie Cocktail in 2012. "There is a certain kind of pressure with Happy Bhag Jayegi. Even personally, you want to be as good as you were before or do better. I am aware that the audience is expecting something from me. Now, everybody has started calling the film as my 'comeback', so I know that I have to deliver," Diana said. The actress says her role in Happy Bhag Jayegi is very different from Cocktail and therefore should not be compared. "The two films also have a different audience. So, it would be hard to compare the both. But in terms of personal achievement, I might be able to say 'Hey, I matched up to that level of expectations.'" The film will release on August 19. Diana says her absence from films was because she did not want to put any pressure on herself to go on a signing spree. "The break was not a conscious decision or goal that I am not going to do anything. I feel like it has been misinterpreted. I just played it by year and didn't put any pressure on myself. "Cocktail happened overnight for me. I didn't have the time to think about it, I suddenly got into films without even realising what I was doing," she added. Diana says from a business point of view, the four-year-long gap in films may have been a bad move but she was following her instincts. "I wanted wait and do movies which would excite me. That's what I was doing, I didn't know how it became a big deal."

‘I’d like to romance Alia Bhatt someday’ By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

laying a simple guy in the web-series Shaadi Boys, Aakash Ahuja, who hails from Delhi, had quite a tough time getting into the skin of the character. Although he is a shy person otherwise, once before the camera a whole new side of him can be seen, he tells us. Acting in plays since his school days, it was something that he had hoped he could make a career out of some day. After graduation he started modelling and shifted to Mumbai like so many others to chase his dreams and slowly but steadily he is getting to where he wishes to see himself: at the top. For him, the best part about being an actor is that he gets to see different perspectives and kinds of people. When he was offered the role of Neil for the webseries Shaadi Boys, he had to do a lot of research to understand the character. Since the character he plays is that of a young writer from Kanpur, he spent a lot of time with people who came from the city to try and get a hang of their accent and how they pronounced words. “Being an actor gives me the chance to be another version of myself, since it allows me to let loose. Acting needs one to be

honest and true to yourself more than anything else and this is what keeps me motivated to spend as much time as I can rehearsing a character to ensure that it is relatable. If you don’t believe it to be true you can never convince your viewers that it is,” he tells us. In Shaadi Boys he plays the role of a writer from Kanpur who moves to Mumbai to make it big in Bollywood. He gets pulled into writing scripts for wedding functions by Nitin and Mukesh, the other two leads of the series under the pretext that Shah Rukh Khan will be at the wedding and that it is only here where he will get the superstar to read his script. Since writing a film for King Khan is his only dream, he agrees and this is where it all takes a fun twist. A movie buff himself Aakash would love to play a psycho killer, just like Anthony Hopkins’ character from Silence of the Lambs and also do some action films. Ask him about his future plans and he says, “I’d like to romance Alia Bhatt someday. I think she is an exceptional actor and has played every role with a lot of suave. I would also love the opportunity to work with Imtiaz Ali, Rakesh Om Prakash Mehra and Rajkumar Hirani,” he says. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com