PUNE, AUGUST 29, 2015 | www.thegoldensparrow.com
Beyond Books, Following Their Passion These five extremely talented youngsters have charted the path to follow their passions and have not only made their parents proud but are setting an example for others of their kind
Jennifer is in a happy space
Turn your trash into treasure
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Wish your pet a happy birthday
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TGS LIFE AUGUST 29, 2015 PUNE
ENTERTAINMENT
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I wanted to play the bad guy: Eijaz Khan
Appearing in music videos when his career started, the actor moved to ad films before becoming a familiar face through the big and small screen. Eijaz Khan talks about turning 40 and remembers people who helped him along the way By Salonee Mistry @Sal0412
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etting into the head of a serial bomber was definitely not easy for Eijaz Khan. He had to understand the criminal’s ideology as well as the situation, which made him who he was. In a candid conversation with TGS, the actor speaks about his upcoming film, favourite characters, inspiration and his belief that Pune is an extended version of Mumbai. Eijaz believes that when a film does well, even its supporting artists do better. It does not matter whether you are the hero or a supporting actor. Hoping that his upcoming film Zainab is as successful as Tanu Weds Manu, Eijaz is a man of humble dreams.
Zainab, which is Pranav Singh’s directorial venture, is largely based on the Muzzaffarnagar riots of 2013. The film looks at the ideology and events that led to the riots — why they happened and, more importantly, how they happened. Having insisted on wanting to play the villain in the film, Eijaz promises that although his part in the film short, it is interesting and was challenging for him. In fact, the actor had been offered the lead role in the movie but he was insistent on playing the villain. Eijaz says, “I always keep to myself. I am a very serious guy and a huge control freak. I need to be completely involved in every single aspect of my character, right from what kind of clothes he wears to how the make-up is done. This always gets me completely involved in my
character and allows me to portray it better.” Hiten Tejwani, who is also a part of the film, was a good influence on the actor and managed to keep him in the best of his spirits throughout. Having seen a lot of ups and downs in life since his childhood, Eijaz is often extremely nervous right until he has given the first shot. While every movie he does his inspiration is someone new, currently Nasseruddin Shah is at the top of his list. Crediting most of his success to television, Eijaz most definitely cannot pick a favourite between the big and the small screen. “Television gave me an identity and films have been my learning turf. Plus, if you compare the two, my big screen journey has just started and I am positive of it being a long run,” says
the actor, who believes the film Godfather made a huge impression on him. “If given a chance, I would love to play any character from the film.” A number of the actor’s close friends hail from Pune. He can’t stop praising the Biryani from Dorabjee’s and the Shrewsbury biscuits from Kayani Bakery, Camp. He feels Pune is a part of Mumbai. “Punekars are easy on themselves. No one is in a hurry. The city is an extremely peaceful place, and I never miss the opportunity to drive down to the city on weekends,” says Eijaz. salonee.mistry@ goldensparrow.com
Jennifer is in a happy space
With her debut film Phir Se releasing within two months, television-turned-film-actor Jennifer Winget is beaming with excitement, even as she looks very much at peace. In a candid chat, she talks about her first Bollywood venture and falling in love again, with herself RAHUL RAUT
By Heena Grover Menon @HeenaGM
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fter a rough year, that saw Jennifer Winget parting ways with husband Karan Singh Grover and rumours brewing about her growing chemistry with Saraswatichandra co-actor Gautam Rode, things have finally started looking up for the charming and talented actress. Jennifer will be seen opposite director-turned-actor Kunal Kohli, who is known for his newage romance fl icks such as Hum Tum and Fanaa. The fi lm Phir Se is about taking second chances in relationships and seems to have been timed just perfectly with the current phase of Jennifer’s own life. Talking about the fi lm and her role, she says, “It’s a very sweet, happy and light story that you would want to watch with your family. It’s about taking second chances and shows a very positive approach towards relationships and life. We shot 80 percent of the fi lm in London during Christmas. Although it was freezing cold, the experience was just magical.” Calling the switch from television to fi lms a very natural transition, Jennifer says that her stint with TV has given her a strong foundation and nothing deters her anymore. “In the beginning, I was
nervous about how fi lms work, but playing a variety of roles on television and the training that I have undergone, this seemed very easy and uncomplicated. I feel very fortunate that I got to work with such an amazing fi lm crew that the entire process felt like a holiday. Unlike television, where one has to work really hard every day, in fi lms, you get a lot of time to prepare and deliver the best. We would finish shooting everyday by 4 pm and then have all the time to ourselves to travel around and enjoy.” While working on the fi lm, Kunal and Jennifer hit it off really well which helped contribute towards their onscreen chemistry. In fact, the two bonded so much, Jennifer says, that they didn’t realise when the shoot got over. “Kunal and I have very similar personalities. He is a very chilled-out and easy-going person just like me, and the fact that both of us were facing the camera to do a fi lm for the first time put us on the same page. It was so much fun working together that we didn’t even realise when the shoot was completed.
We finished shooting in just 40 days.” The 30-year-old actress has been rumoured to be dating her television co-star Gautam Rode, post her separation with actor Karan Singh Grover. When quizzed about her current relationship status, Jennifer lets an infectious smile distract us before saying, “I am not seeing anyone but I am in a relationship with myself. I have always been so busy that I had not given myself enough time and that’s exactly what I am doing right now. I’m loving every moment of it.” On taking second chances in her own life, Jennifer says that although she is thoroughly enjoying her single status and is currently in a very happy space, she totally believes in taking chances that life throws at her every single day. “I don’t believe in sitting and waiting for a miracle to happen. One has to keep the doors open at all times and not shy away from seeking love and happiness. You never know when luck might knock on your door. So I always stay prepared.” heena.grover@goldensparrow.com
“I am not seeing anyone but I am in a relationship with myself”
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He’s the first to take Bollywood Dance Music on a US tour DJ Kiran Kamath decided to pursue his passion for music even though he was not formally trained in it
himself how to use the console. He learnt the tricks of the trade after a lot of trial and error and observing those already in the profession. He started by playing at private parties, eventually reaching nightclubs. At, Scream, the nightclub at Le Meridien, Sangamwadi, he was introduced to the world of remixes. His first remix was Tere Liye from Veer Zara and then the list just grew bigger. Kiran’s first stop en route to fame was his first-ever Bollywood mash up released at the end of 2011. “DJ Earworm had just a few months earlier released a mash up of English songs, which became my inspiration for the Bollywood mashup. That was just the start, today I have officially released close to 40 mash ups of different kinds,” says Kiran. Once all of this was accomplished, Kiran moved to producing music. Some of the finest songs like Tu Meri from Bang Bang, Jugni from Cocktail, Subha Hone Na De from Desi Boys and Character Dheela from Ready are some of his creations.
By Salonee Mistry @Sal0412
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hen Kiran Kamath started his music career at the age of 16, little did he know that, 20 years later, he would be crowned the King of Mashups. DJ Kiran shares his journey, the feeling of playing to a crowd and facets of his upcoming US tour. Hailing from a non-musical family, when Kiran decided to pursue music as a career it came as quite a shock to his family. “They were worried if it would provide enough to survive. Moreover, back then, it was a profession that was frowned upon and so my parents were all the more worried. They stood by me nonetheless,” recollects the 36-year-old. Not having any background in music, it was a little tough at the beginning. Kiran joined a piano class, downloaded software on his computer and started teaching
TGS LIFE AUGUST 29, 2015 PUNE
stage
When Kiran plays, he loves to spin together, Bollywood, House and Electro Progressive music. He believes that the best part about being a DJ is to see people dance to songs and remixes that he has produced. “There’s no other feeling like that,” he adds. Kiran is all set to tour nine cities in the United States this September where he’ll play Bollywood Dance music sets. His aim is also to introduce more people to this genre of music. Playing in an unknown setting is definitely challenging, even so Kiran considers it thrilling. “Every new place is a new experience. It offers opportunities to learn and to stumble upon ideas that allow you to grow, both professionally and personally,” says Kiran, who is extremely excited about the tour. Starting second week of September, Kiran will tour New York City, Boston, Washington, Miami, Atlanta, San Jose, Los Angeles, Houston and Chicago. salonee.mistry @goldensparrow.com
“Today I have officially released close to 40 mash ups”
pluck that string: your weekly dose of events One on One Part 2
After the phenomenal success of ‘monologue’ show-One on One, Rage launches a sequel One on One part 2 starring Rajit Kapur, Anu Menon, Neil Bhoopalam, Hussain Dalal, Sumeet Vyas, ShikhaTalsania, Zafar Karachiwala and Gopal Datt. Ten riveting stories are narrated that are sure to keep the audience at the edge of their seat. From frustrated ticket collectors to feisty brides-to-be, the subject matter for One on One -2 is sure to leave you in a gripping state. The play includes themes ranging from the music industry, the bureaucracy, and marriage, the futility of war to immigration, real estate scams and Bollywood- a host of issues concerning the new Incredible India. The play is written and directed by a number of renowned people including Rahul DaCunha, Rajit Kapur, Nadir
Khan, Sumeet Vyas, Ashish Jagtiani and Hussain Dalal. When: August 30 Where: Nehru Memorial Hall, Camp
Mrs and Mr Artist
Venus Traders has organised a paintings exhibition showcasing the art-work of
When: September 1 to 4 Where: Darpan Art Gallery, Senapati Bapat Road
Bhuta Shuddhi
Reap the benefits of deep yogic science this weekend. Yoga preaches that our body is made up five elements, namely earth, water, wind, fire and space. The purification of these elements adds up to the overall well-being of our body and mind. Keep your system in harmony and balance while you prepare it to handle powerful states of energy. Enter a spiritual zone and discover a happy you. When: August 30 Where: Nirmal Township Community Hall, Hadapsar
Photography Workshop married couples from different regions of Maharashtra. The exhibition will display paintings in oil, acrylic, water and poster colours by couples from Pune, Mumbai, Kolhapur, Sangali, Ratnagiri, Ahmednagar and Aurangabad.
If you own a camera and love using it but are not sure if you are clicking them right, here’s your chance to learn more. The Fisheye World Institute of Photography brings to you a basic as well as automobile photography workshop. The three hour workshop will give you a better understanding of how
you camera works, composition of the contents in your frame and how to make your picture look as professional as it could be. When: August 30 Where: Mercedes Benz Showroom, Baner
Monsoon Art Workshop
Learn the tricks of watercolour painting from Milind Mulick and many others over the weekend. These specially designed short courses are apt for all working professionals who have no time throughout the week to test their creative side. Right from beginners to art students the course is designed to provide quick handy tips on watercolour. When: August 29 and 30 Where: Art2Day Gallery, Shukrawar Peth
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TGS LIFE
Phantom
AUGUST 29, 2015 PUNE
BIG Cinemas: Chinchwad: 10:40 AM01:30 PM02:50 PM04:20 PM05:35 PM07:10 PM10:00 PM11:00 PM Ashok Theater: Pimpri: 03:20 PM06:20 PM09:20 PM E-SQUARE Vishal: Pimpri: 11:45 AM12:45 PM02:30 PM03:30 PM05:15 PM08:01 PM08:30 PM10:45 PM INOX Jai Ganesh: Akurdi: 08:15 AM09:50 AM11:05 AM01:05 PM02:00 PM04:55 PM07:50 PM09:45 PM10:45 PM E-SQUARE: University Road: 11:00 AM11:45 AM02:30 PM04:01 PM05:15 PM08:00 PM08:45 PM10:45 PM City Pride: Mangala Cinema: 10:30 AM12:30 PM03:30 PM06:30 PM07:30 PM10:00 PM City Pride: R Deccan: 11:30 AM02:00 PM04:30 PM07:20 PM10:00 PM Vasant Cinema: Budhwar Peth: 01:00 PM07:00 PM10:00 PM INOX: Bund Garden
filmygyan
4 Road: 08:20 AM09:20 AM10:20 AM11:15 AM12:15 PM01:15 PM02:10 PM04:10 PM05:05 PM06:05 PM07:05 PM08:00 PM09:00 PM10:00 PM11:00 PM BIG Cinemas: Kalyani Nagar: 09:50 AM11:40 AM02:30 PM03:50 PM05:20 PM08:10 PM09:55 PM11:00 PM PVR: Phoenix Market City, Pune: 11:45 AM12:55 PM02:35 PM03:50 PM05:30 PM06:45 PM08:25 PM09:40 PM10:45 PM11:20 PM CineMAX: Inorbit Mall, Pune Nagar Road: 09:20 AM10:20 AM11:10 AM01:15 PM04:10 PM07:05 PM08:05 PM10:00 PM11:00 PM PVR: Koregaon Park Plaza: 11:45 AM12:55 PM02:30 PM03:50 PM05:25 PM06:45 PM07:40 PM08:20 PM09:40 PM10:30 PM11:15 PM Neelayam Theatre: Sadashiv Peth: 03:30 PM09:30 PM City Pride: Kothrud: 11:45 AM02:30 PM05:30 PM08:15 PM10:45 PM Victory Theatre: Camp, Pune: 12:01 PM02:45 PM05:30 PM08:15 PM10:30 PM Laxmi Narayan Cinema: Satara Road: 12:30 PM09:30 PM Bollywood Multiplex: Kharadi: 10:00 AM11:30 AM01:00 PM02:30 PM04:00 PM05:30 PM06:45 PM08:30 PM09:30 PM10:30 PM City Pride: Satara Road: 10:30 AM11:45 AM02:30 PM05:15 PM08:00 PM09:45 PM10:45 PM INOX Fun N Shop, Fatima Nagar: 09:30 AM11:05 AM12:25 PM02:00 PM03:20 PM04:55 PM07:50 PM09:30 PM10:45 PM Cinepolis: VIP Seasons Mall, Magarpatta City: 10:00 AM12:00 PM01:00 PM03:00 PM04:00 PM06:00 PM07:00 PM09:00 PM10:00 PM
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TGS LIFE
The silver lining By Zainab Kantawala and Heena Grover Menon @TGSWeekly
There is something about silver jewellery that can
AUGUST 29, 2015 PUNE
SHOPPING
never go out of vogue. They can bring alive any dull attire and add glamour and oomph to your look. If you like making a subtle style statement, silver is the way to go.
Silver shine necklace This traditional necklace with intricate detailing will go with a fusion outfit such as white shirt teamed with a colourful jacket and ghagra. Price: Rs 699 Where: cooliyo.com
Lucera Silver Bangle Add this bangle to your look next time you head out for a party to make a fashion statement that’s strictly your own. Price: Rs 3,976 Where: Giftease, Koregaon Park
Silver Antique polish necklace This antique set will go beautifully with your skirts, sarees and kurtas. Wear it to on special occasions and get you are sure to gain compliments. Price: Rs 5,500 Where: Laxmi Pearls & Jewellers, Karve Road Shubhra Kadaa This completely handmade silver kadaa is just the thing you need to add that little something to your outfit on a day you want to stay minimalist. Pair it with black jumpsuit if you are feeling a little adventurous. Price: Rs 4,850 Where: Aadyaa, Prabhat Road
Ziveg Sterling Silver Cute Hoop Earrings No matter how simple your outfit is, this pair of earrings is sure to add cheer your to your look and mood. Price: Rs 2,099 Where: Giftease, Koregaon Park
Silver Pendant Set Beautiful design and quality craftsmanship make this pendant set a musthave for a jewellery collection. The unique design of this pendant set will greatly complement your attire. Price: Rs 2,750 Where: Sia, Seasons Mall and Phoenix Marketcity
Lion Shaped Kadaa This gorgeous bangle can be paired with a white or black strappy dress and even a solid colour saree. Price: On request Where: MB Ashtekar Jewellers, Budhwar Peth
Silver Anusuya Jhumka Earrings If you love to spend on collecting jewellery, the jhumka is a definite must-have. Wear these to enhance your ethnic look all day along. Price: Rs 4,990 Where: FabIndia
Silver turquoise necklace This super funky necklace will add to your oomph factor. Pair it with any western outfits and you are ready to rock the party. Price: Rs 6,000 Where: Rudraksh, Aundh
TGS LIFE AUGUST 29, 2015 PUNE
INDULGE If you love giving a sweet finish to every meal, make sure you try these new desserts on the block By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab
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othing beats the satisfaction of biting into a yummylicious dessert after a sumptuous meal. If you are fond of sweets, you’d defi nitely want to explore and experiment with your dessert. Today, specialty chefs are creating the most unique and exciting desserts. They are pushing the envelope to introduce the city to international favourites, even adding some out-of-the-box fl avours to desi mithais. TGS takes on the arduous job of jotting down names of bakeries and restaurants, while attempting to stay on a diet. zainab.kantawala@ goldensparrow.com
Go high on sugar LASUN AUR SABUDANE KI KHEER CHURROS
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churro is fried dough pastry that gained popularity in Spain and Philippines. Churros were initially made by Spanish shepherds as a substitute for other baked sweets, as the churro’s paste was easy to make and fry in an open fi re in mountains. “The dough is essentially a mixture of flour, water, salt and vanilla pods. Some versions are made of potato dough too. The dough is fried until it is crispy, then sprinkled with sugar and grounded cinnamon. Our Churros, with chocolate fondue dip, are crispy on the outside, with a sugary soft center. Inspired by the Mexicans, we make ours mini and bitesized,” says Chef Sagar Bajaj. Where: The Flying Saucer, Viman Nagar
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he name itself can take you by surprise but this kheer, with its unique ingredients, is a delicious gourmet dessert. The kheer is a perfect option to please your palate. “What makes this dish special is the texture of the sabudana in the kheer. Unlike other such preparations where you can taste the sabudana pearls, in this recipe they blend in to give a smooth, creamy consistency. Also, very few chefs know how to make the dessert,” says chef Shaikh Arif Ahmed.
simmer until it reduces to half then add khoya and let it cook until the khoya incorporates. In a different pan, heat the desi ghee, add the sago and cook until golden brown drain the ghee and add it to the milk and khoya mixture. Add the garlic. Cook the entire mixture until the sago dissolves. Garnish with pistachio.
Where: Food Story, Dhole Patil Road Ingredients 200 grams khoya 2 litre milk 100 grams garlic 100 grams sugar 100 grams sago 100 grams ghee Pistachio for garnish Method Blanch the garlic into a mixture of 100 grams milk and 100 grams water for 25 minutes, or until the garlic is soft and looses it’s pungency. Add the milk and sugar to a slow heat and let it
YOUR CHOW AROUND TOWN Wine Dinner
Pair exquisite wines with tailor-made Indian delicacies at The Cafe. The dinner will be an enjoyable as well as an insightful meal with wine maker Alessio Secci explaining how different wines can be paired with your meal. The menu will include dishes like Khaman Dhokla, filo-wrapped Warki Jhinga or Warki Asparagus and Zafarani Badam Shorba. The mains will have rich dishes like Afghani Raan, Tandoori Bharwaan Aloo and Lachha Palak for non-vegetarians and Sabz e Guncha Tandoori Bharwaan Aloo and Lachha Palak for vegetarians. Mini Malai Ghewar will be served as dessert. The food will be paired with Fratelli wines like Vitae, Vitae Tre and Sette 2011. When: August 29 Where: The Cafe, Hyatt Regency Pune, Nagar Road
Make Your Own Pizza
Be your own chef and give your pizza a tantalising edge, by choosing from various options at Spaghetti Kitchen’s ‘Make Your Own Pizza’ festival. You can choose from an array of mouth watering toppings and lip smacking sauces to create your own masterpiece. The make your own pizza menu has a range of toppings varying from classic tangy jalapenos, crunchy coloured peppers and flavoursome smoked chicken sausages, to premium aromatic rosemary potatoes, sweet and smokey cottage cheese, juicy lamb meatballs, tender crab meat and many more such delicious options to choose from. When: Till August 30 Where: Spaghetti Kitchen, Amanora Town Centre, Hadapsar
Celebrate the Sweetness of Siblinghood
On special occasion of Raksha Bandhan, gift your beloved sibling a delectable treat at Food Story. They will offer a complimentary dessert counter all day which will include a wide range of delectable Indian desserts all prepared by its Master Chef Arif Ahmed. The scrumptious Hyderabadi and Mughlai cuisine will be as welcoming as ever with its specialties like the Gosht Biryani, Shikampur Kebabs, Nali Nihari and Dal Makhani. When: Till August 30 Where: Food Story, Dhole Patil Road
Lunch Express
The Express Lunch menu assures to delight patrons with its impressive display of vegetarian and non-vegetarian
food. A three-course meal includes a beverage, a choice between an appetiser or a salad, a main course and a desert. From chaats to burgers and samosettes to brownies, there is something for everyone. If you are vegetarian, tantalise your taste buds with mouth-watering Corn Samosettes that will melt in your mouth or try the tangy Aloo Chat. For main course, you can go for the flavoursome Pasta in Tomato Basil Sauce or opt for no-frill Double Decker Veg Burger. Non-vegetarians should not miss the tasty Bhuna Chicken Rolls or the perfectly-done Roasted Chicken with Rosemary Jus, Grilled Veg and Mash. Finish your meal with the heavenly Orange Caramel Cake or the lip-smacking Mini Chocolate Mousse. When: Till September 30 Where: Hard Rock Café, Koregaon Park
APPLE AND BANANA STEAMED SANDESH
TGS LIFE
BOURBON CHOCOLATE TART WITH PEANUT BUTTER CREAM
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AUGUST 29, 2015 PUNE
his dessert is special for those who love their chocolate and peanut butter. It has a nutty and crunchy crust with the richness of a smooth peanut butter cream. The chocolate and mascarpone (Italian cheese) help balance the taste, which makes it an overall melt-in-the-mouth treat. “Th is is a dessert made from caramelised sugar and butter to create the bourbon with an
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andesh is a simple and delectable Bengali traditional sweet but Chef Suvendu Roy serves this soft and melt-inthe-mouth dish with a twist of apple and banana. The chef has specially created the desChef Suvendu Roy shares his recipe for the Apple and Banana Steamed Sandesh Ingredients 1 litre Milk 100grams Apple 100grams Banana
sert for those with an exceptional sweet tooth. “When making a Sandesh, milk and khoya are usually cooked but in this recipe they are steamed. Also, Apple is citric in nature and milk
has high protein content. Normally, when mixed together they curdle, but not in this case,” he says.
200grams Khoya 5grams Cardamom 1 gram Saff ron 15gram Pista 15gram Almond
khoya. When the milk is boiled properly and reduced, keep aside and add the cardamom powder. Add the cubes of banana and apple as well as the reduced milk. Take a banana leaf put the mixture and add the pista and almond and steamed it.
Method Keep the milk for boiling, add the
INDULGE add-on of chocolate and rum. The peanut butter cream, mascarpone and fresh cream adds to the taste and richness of the dessert. The crust is of pure chocolate,” explains chef Sanjib. Where: Tertulia, Koregaon Park
Where: Hyatt Pune, Kalyani Nagar
WEEKEND FOOD COURT
RESTAURANT NAME
LOCATION Panash, Four Points By Sheraton Viman Nagar, ahead of Phoenix Market City
CUISINE TYPE TABLE BOOKING
TIMING
SPECIALITY
PARKING
CARD
HOME DEL
Sushi, Dimsum, Teppanyaki
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Cuban Food
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Pan Asian
020 3093 1030/ 7709006688
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19.00 - 23.00
Global Cuisine
020 3093 1030/ 7709006688
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12.00 - 24.00
Mediterranean
020 3093 1031/ 7709006688
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19.00 - 23.00
Global Barbecue, Desi Tandoor, Moroccan Tagines
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The Eatery, Four Points By Sheraton Viman Nagar, ahead of Phoenix Market City
Multicuisine
020 3093 1031/ 7709006688
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19.00 - 23.00
Indian and Continental
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Chhavni, Hatel Deccan Pavilion, At Navale Chowk Narhe, Pune
Multi-cuisine
020-66834500, 8796075745
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11.00 - 15.00 19.00 - 23.00
Punjabi
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Parichay Hotel & Restaurants, FC Road
Multi-cuisine
020-25531511/2/3
Maharashtrian & Punjabi
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W
X
Royal Symphony at President Hotel, Erandwane
Multi-cuisine
020-30255555 Ext 08
Indian and International Cusine
W
X
Rumaani Veg/ Non Veg, FC Road
Multi-cuisine
020-25538365
Mutton Kheema Pav Chicken Rassa
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W X
Cuba Libre s37, 2nd floor Season Mall, Magarpatta city Alfresco Beyond The Eatery Four Points By Sheraton Viman Nagar, ahead of Phoenix Market City
X W X
11.00 - 23.00
11.00 - 23.00
7.00 - 23.00
TO PARTICIPATE IN TGS FOODCOURT, CONTACT- } Ananda 7507169414
} Prasad 9527507064 } Yogesh - 9011055077
814, Demech House 4th Floor, Law College Road, Pune 411 004 | Tel: 020-2432 4332/33 | www.thegoldensparrow.com
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AUGUST 29, 2015 PUNE
FEATURES
Beyond books, following their passion
These five extremely talented youngsters have charted the path to follow their passions and have not only made their parents proud but are setting an example for others of their kind By Heena Grover Menon
@HeenaGM here are many who believe that multi-tasking or trying to do multiple things at the same time can never fetch you the desired results. We recently chanced upon some
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The soccer buff Samiha Dabholkar, 23 Studied law at ILS Law College
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amiha’s love for football began while watching boys play football on the streets around her house. She used to play in the boys’ cricket team of her school and also captained the volleyball team. Seeing her interest in the field of sports, her parents encouraged her to take up professional training and it was at the age of 15 when Samiha began her professional
TGS LIFE AUGUST 29, 2015 PUNE
FEATURES
youth from different parts of the city, who are the perfect living examples of how, with passion and dedication, you can achieve multiple goals in life without having to compromise on either of them. heena.grover@goldensparrow.com
football training. “Till the time I used to just play the galli football and never realised what a great sport it was, but my training made me more serious towards the sport. She currently plays in the women’s team of Pune Football Club which was formed in January this year and has also played at the state level in tournaments across the city, and also in other cities such as Kolkata. Samiha fi nished her degree course in law recently and was a merit ranker in the third year of her college. “I have participated in international moot court competitions which are held in Vienna
every year. I was also lucky to be a part of our college team which was selected amongst the top 20 colleges at the Oxford University, to submit written memorial at the moot court competition that was held last year.” Currently, Samiha coaches children in football at different locations in the city. She is going as a coach with the Yuva Foundation group for a special workshop in Jharkhand next week. “I wish to pursue Sports Law and want to contribute to the sports field in future. Coaching is something that I really enjoy and would always want to do along with the career that I choose.”
The nature lover Pratik Kela, 19 Studying Environmental Science at Fergusson College
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PICS BY ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR AND RAHUL RAUT
TGS LIFE
ratik’s passion for conservation of nature began at school when he was 16 years old. He studied at the Bishop’s School in Camp and was an active participant in the environment club of his school. “Our teachers used to conduct sessions to spread the awareness on different subjects and I took a keen interest in every activity held on the campus. But after joining college, I started missing those activities as there were no such clubs or awareness in my college.” Pratik decided to form a club called Nature Lovers on World Environment Day in 2012, along with six of his friends. “We started carrying out small cleanliness and plantation drives on our college campus and our respective residential areas. We started from Sadashiv Peth where I live and planted 40 saplings, and then slowly spread towards different areas in the cities including Hanuman and Taljai Tekdis. And soon, the club expanded from six to 40 members, and now we are over 150 members across the city.” The club has tied up with 20 reputed schools in the city. Every year during the results they request students to bring in their old notebooks, which the group sends for recycling. The money they get from it funds goes into buying saplings that are planted at the campuses of all these schools. “We received close to four tonnes of notebooks last year and bought around 2000 saplings from the funds.” After finishing his course, Pratik wishes to specialise in Sustainable Development and wants to work with students and corporates to spread awareness about the importance of nature conservation in day-to-day life.
The dancing diva Komal Surve, 19 Studying BBA at Marathwada Mitra Mandal’s College of Commerce
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rom classical, western, folk to Latin and Indian contemporary, she has done them all of these dance forms. Komal started learning Bharatnatyam at the age of three and took part in a dance reality show when she was just five. “I have never restricted myself to a particular dance form, so I would enrol myself in every form of dance I came across. I was one of the fi rst to join the children’s batch at the Shiamak Dawar Institute, which I pursued till 2008. I also finished my Arangetram when I was in standard VI,” she said. Komal has been a part of several dance shows across the country and even abroad. She represented India in Paris and Monaco where she was amongst the 30 dancers to perform a dance drama depicting Maharashtra’s colourful lifestyle and culture. “Th roughout my school years I used to head all interschool dance programmes and all my teachers supported my passion.” During her standard X board exams, when she had put everything on hold to focus on her studies, Komal got an offer to be a part of Dance Maharashtra Dance, another reality show. “My family pushed me to give it a try and I went to audition for the show without any preparation and was selected. For three months I was away from school and when I came back, I had just 15 days to prepare but managed to score 75 per cent,” says Komal. Besides dancing, Komal has also received training in acting from Choice Film & Television Institute, Pune. She has appeared in a few Marathi short fi lms as well, and has also done a three-month diploma course in acting at Balaji Telefi lms. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor in Business Administration and also preparing for Disney’s fi rst Broadway musical show working with well-known choreographer Terence Lewis, which is slotted to happen this October in Delhi and Mumbai. On juggling between college and her hectic schedule, she says, “Due to my practice sessions that happen every day in Mumbai, I am not able to attend my college classes in Pune, but I have enrolled myself in a coaching and begin my day early in the morning. I go for my BBA coaching around 9.30 am, and then head to the studio to practice for the Broadway. From 6.30 pm till 8.30 pm, I learn the German language and only then call it a day.”
The beat goes on Armando Khan, 20 Studies at Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts
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rmando began playing the drums at 15 but says that he was not musically inclined as a child. It was his parents who were ardent fans of 80s classics which eventually drew his attention
to music. “I knew music was always ingrained in me but I somehow never took it seriously. It was during my VIII grade, that I actually began listening to music. By the time I reached my IX grade, I had
decided that I wanted to play the drums.” Armando took just a year’s training on how to play the drums but his talent mostly comes from within. “I am mostly self-taught and drew inspiration from practicing and listening to legendary bands. No matter where I am, I always think about music and what I can create
every time I play. I derive most of the positive energy from practice and totally believe that if you are dedicated towards something you will eventually apply the same into your other pursuits in life such as academics, or anything that you choose to do.” More than perfecting the art, Armando feels that one should fi rst follow the passion from within and do it for one’s own self before trying to become the best. He has formed two bands, ‘What Plough’ and ‘Miki Learns to Mosh’, one of which also has his twin brother as the lead guitarist. He also plays with several bands in the city and performs across the country. Besides, he is doing his major in media studies at Symbiosis and is really keen on pursuing journalism and advertising and marketing professionally. “I want to join a media school which is my ultimate goal and be able to earn my bread and butter from it, but at the same time I would like to do something in the digital advertising field which could eventually contribute in my music in some way.” Armando has been the president of his college students’ council for the past two years and has been active in all the activities.
A born artist Haris Imtiyaz Khan, 17 Studying science at RIMS International Junior College
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aris started scribbling on paper when he was three, but his parents noticed his talent when one day, he made a drawing of a lion which he saw on his pencil box. He recalls how his aunt, who he is very close to him, would not let him roam about with children of his age as he was quite frail during his childhood, and she would always encourage him to do something creative and more concrete instead. “I would read books and hear poems my father used to write and narrate to me. He was a very good writer and poet himself and was a huge fan of Ghalib and Faiz Ahmed Faiz. It was during that time that I began visualising these poems and started bringing them alive through my paintings.” He is self-taught and has never taken any classes or professional art training. All his creations are an outcome of his own thinking and experimentation. “I love to play around with oil paints, charcoal and dry pastels and most of my art is an outcome of conceptualisation,” he explains, while giving final touches to Dr APJ Kalam’s portrait that he has made using dry pastels. Talking about his academic strengths, his beaming parents say that Haris has always been a very bright student who has never compromised on his studies. “Besides art, mathematics is my
favourite subject and I wish to study architecture in higher studies.” Haris has received tons of accolades for his achievements and he has been showered with awards and honours by eminent personalities in India such as actors Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Amir Khan. A few years ago, he presented a portrait and letter to the late Dr APJ Abdul Kalam for which he received acknowledgment from the great man himself.
He holds the world record of being the youngest live portrait artist and has been ranked among the world’s 12 most talented children. He also made the biggest wall painting, 10 feet, 8 inches in size which was bought by his neighbours and now adorns the wall of their living room. With a poet father and mother who is an interior designer, creativity runs in the veins of this young boy, whose eyes sparkle when he gets some praise.
TGS LIFE AUGUST 29, 2015 PUNE
THRILL OF DRIVING
The new Audi A6 Matrix is a truly madefor-India package By Tushar Burman @tburman
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he “new” Audi A6 Matrix is the sort of product that’s put together with thought that you appreciate the more you consider it. And while this isn’t the sort of “made in India” product that will revolutionise many lives, it’s a nice indicator of things to come. The “Matrix” part of the nomenclature refers to the nowfamous Audi Matrix LED headlamps. Apart from being extremely bright, these headlamps are able to selectively and automatically turn segments off to ensure that oncoming traffic is not blinded by your sunshine-bright beams. There’s also an aggressive-looking arrowhead shape to the LED DRLs and the sweeping, animated line for the indicators. Tweaks to the grille and bumpers have refined the stance of the A6 from unremarkable to purposeful over the course of the refinements to this generation car. The rest of the car is made up of a host of carry-forward components and features, with some significant
Land-based aircraft
enhancements. There’s the standard sunroof, the slightly more powerful 2.0 litre TDI engine, now producing 190hp, the latest generation MMI system and a new 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox that’s a perfect complement to the motor. In essence, the A6 Matrix is a close-to-ideal package that represents what Indian luxury car buyers most appreciate in this segment. That said, this is not a car that will help you make a statement, save for those headlamps that write headlines themselves. Get inside and you’re greeted with the accoutrements that you’d expect from an upper-segment car. There’s a power-adjustable steering wheel, driver’s and front passenger seat. The gear shifter is a new leatherwrapped item. The dashboard has new wood inlays that don’t use a glossy clear-coat, allowing one to actually feel the grain. It’s very classy. The updated MMI touch system has a large retractable screen for navigation, with a smaller screen between the dial binnacle. Milano leather seats are standard and we found no cause for complaint over our extended 200km drive. The climate control allows independent adjustment of four separate zones and provides four vents for rear passengers. There’s even an MMI remote and power adjustment of the front passenger seat from the rear,
with two extra side airbags for the rear passengers, taking the total to 8. And there you have it. Not as many features to overwhelm the brochure with checkboxes, but very little one could point out on a wishlist, particularly for the Rs 49,50,000 price tag. It’s an excellent package that rides on possibly the best thing about the A6 Matrix: the suspension. This car is almost unbelievably comfortable on all possible surfaces. exact opposite direction, into narrow We started driving on the village roads barely wide enough for a Mount Abu road outside Udaipur, single vehicle. Then came the JCBs, a near-perfect, fast highway with an followed immediately by the cessation excellent surface. First impressions of paved roads. What came next for an enthusiastic driver are would qualify for a gravel rally stage, underwhelming. The more powerful, and sometimes worse. Our speed updated engine is just about adequate slowed, but thanks to the excellent for a car this size. In comfort or suspension, not by much. auto mode (the A6 allows, We found ourselves Comfort, Dynamic, scooting along Verdict Auto and Individual unpaved trails + Suspension, driving modes) the confident that feature list ride is plush and quiet we’d ultimately Not a driver’s car to the point that I hit upon some needed to keep talking form of highway. TGS rating to my co-driver so as About 20km in, ;;;; to stay alert. Even the the GPS asked us transmission is programmed to make a U-turn and for smoothness and passenger head back the way we came. comfort in these modes, with Oops! nothing but audible feedback and a Back over the rocks, the gravel, jump of the tachometer to betray a the ripped-up tarmac and the village gear change. A soft power delivery roads, this time with increased and this excellent gearbox ensures confidence thanks to the A6’s an almost electric feeling of gentle, adaptive suspension. We tried the continuous thrust. Individual drive mode, setting the Put the car into Dynamic engine, steering and transmission driving mode and the suspension to “Dynamic” and the suspension and steering stiffens. It’s still not a on “Comfort”. With the shifter communicative, engaging feeling for slotted into S, this big sedan became the driver, but things are palpably significantly more lively, allowing us more alert. What’s surprising is to point and squirt as much as we that even in this mode, the ride and dared around blind corners in the comfort is perfectly comfortable. middle of nowhere. All was well until On good roads, you really can’t tell the combination of early mornings, the difference, and this is with the twisty roads and bad genes caught up A6 Matrix’s new 18” alloy wheels. with me, delivering a healthy dose of A quick snack stop done with, we car-sickness. Never mind, I wanted programmed the GPS to return us to to try the rear seat anyway. Which the hotel, which is when things got I did, prone, all the way back to the interesting, The GPS guided us in the hotel. Despite some spirited driving
by my co-driver, I was actually able to get some shut-eye on the rear seat, never having to brace myself against something to prevent sliding around, even in my horizontal position. The adaptive suspension is almost magical and even while an enthusiast would balk at the lack of all-out performance, she would have to begrudgingly accept the amazing ride. Audi claims that the tweaked 2.0 litre TDI motor is 5% more efficient than before. The VW group’s TDI motors have traditionally been good on efficiency and we wouldn’t doubt the company’s claims. Even after our all-day run with a full tank of diesel, the MMI display showed an estimated range in the hundreds of kilometres. If you had to do 1000km days, this would be an excellent choice of vehicle. And this efficiency dovetails nicely with the sticker price. At Rs 49,50,000 Audi has created an excellent package, with cleverly selected components and features that have maximum impact when you have to live with the vehicle every day. The A6 won’t go around corners as hard and quickly as its quattro-equipped brethren, but it will do so with more comfort, and the occasional flashing of the traction control indicator. Audi only offers the A6 Matrix in a single, fully-loaded S-line package, while the competition may have a trim or two to chose from. The A6 is front-wheel drive only, so if driving dynamics are paramount to you, look elsewhere, but you can’t beat the A6 for comfort. tushar@goldensparrow.com
Animal lover and homebaker, Mohena Ahluwalia helps you celebrate your dog’s birthday without feeling guilty about the cake not being dog-friendly By Salonee Mistry @Sal0412
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aking has always been her first love. Even when she was working as a retailer with Accesorize and Forever New, Mohena Ahluwalia never forgot to make a regular batch of cookies, cakes and cupcakes. Apart from baking, her only other love is her dog Bingo, a Golden Retriever, who is now four years old. Bingo is so special that Mohena celebrates his birthday every year just like she would celebrate her own. The mischievous Bingo, however, is an ardent chocolate lover and refuses to accept any substitute. Seeing him upset on his birthday, because he was offered only a little bit of chocolate, was always heart-breaking. This is when Mohena decided to come up with a solution. Seven months ago after numerous attempts, the 27-year-old started making cakes that were not just tasty but also healthy for her dog. This
is how she started her pet bakery, Snuggle Treats. A home-baker, she is extremely particular about what she offers to her customers. Even though, when she started, it was a little challenging in terms of what could be used to make these cakes and what could not, Mohena slowly and steadily fit the right ingredients together. “There was a lot of trying and testing that had to be done. Dogs are just like us and have their own set of allergies when it comes to food. So I knew that what my dog liked or could eat might not be the choice of other dogs. I had to, therefore, come up with options before I could present anything to dog owners,” says Mohena. Working along with her friend Saniya Sarguru, who prepares the
cakes in Delhi, Mohena believes that people are still getting used to the idea of letting their dogs eat an entire cake. The cakes are available in three different flavours, peanut butter, carrot and oats. Fresh home-made cream and eggs along with a pinch of icing sugar is used to make the cakes fluffy. Banana is also an option if the dog is allergic to cream. Honey is a major ingredient in the cakes as it gives the cake its much-required sweetness. For dogs, that are allergic to oats, riceflour is used as a supplement. The 20-odd cakes baked till date have been shaped as paws, bones and cupcakes for those organising larger parties. “My biggest challenge with the cakes is to make them look pretty. Since I can’t use fondant it is really difficult to decorate them. Even so, if someone absolutely demands an extremely pretty cake, I use fondant and request the owner to not feed it to their dogs,” says Mohena. The young baker’s new venture relies largely on feedback that she gets from her customers. If they are happy then she knows that she is on the right path. If not, she constructively uses the feedback for her next cake. The cakes can be refrigerated for two to three days. For Mohena, a favourite aspect of baking these cakes is that it hard-
AUGUST 29, 2015 PUNE
Features
aniruddha rajandekar
Wish your pet a happy birthday
TGS LIFE
ly takes any time. With baking time of just about 15 minutes, a last-minute plan to celebrate your dog’s birthday is never a problem. “When I decided to do something like this there was no other bakery catering to animals in Pune. I only hope that I can create as many fla-
vours and options for dogs equal to those available for humans,” says an enthusiastic Mohena. Mohena also runs another baking venture called, Once Upon A Cake, offering different varieties of cakes and cupcakes. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com
She can turn fruits and vegetables into paper Eight years ago, city-based Vaidehi Thakker chanced upon a unique way to create paper out of fruits and vegetables, and now is the only one in India to make a business out of it
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hen she steps out to buy vegetables and fruits it’s not the dish that occupies her mind. The only thing on her mind is what kind of papers she will be to make out of them. Vaidehi Thakker, 33, learnt the art of turning eatables into paper while she was living in the US. She has been settled in Pune four years now and now runs ‘Spaces Things Etcetera’. Born and brought up in Kerala, Vaidehi always had a keen interest in art. She studied architecture from Centre for Environmental
Vaidehi Thakker (Above); A lamp made from Kiwi paper (Right)
Planning and Technology University (CEPT University) in Ahmedabad. Soon after graduating, Vaidehi got married and then moved to Massachusetts, US with her husband. While looking for a job there, she began volunteering at the Acorn Gallery School of Art in Massachusetts. It is here that she was introduced to fibre art and got hooked to the medium. She studied
fibre art at Haystacks Mountain School of Arts in Maine, Cleveland Institute of Art in Ohio and The University of Arts in Philadelphia. Taking care of her two-yearold son along with the workshop does not give her enough time to market her paper-making skills. Over the years, Vaidehi has managed to create a clientele in the city and even abroad where the
demand is quite high for such kind of products. Also known as fibre flats or papyrus, the paper can be made from almost any vegetable and fruit. The only exceptions being those which retain a lot of moisture and fruits with high sugar content potatoes, ladyfinger, some versions of apples and pears, musk melon and grapes, among others. The paper is extremely thin and one can easily identify the fruit or vegetable it is made from.
The 33-year-old explains that depending on the season, the time spent on preparing one sheet of paper can even take more than a month. It also largely depends on the kind of vegetable of fruits being used. Once the vegetables of fruits are properly diced, they are dehydrated and also put through an anti-fungal and fire retardant treatment. Most of this paper is used to make wall art and lamps among other things. “My dream is to have an entire furniture line crafted from this paper,” says Vaidehi. Just like the fruits and vegetables even the paper ages over time and changes colour. The paper also looks extremely different when under light. “Every paper has its own texture and colour that sets it apart from the other even if it is the same fruit or vegetable. It is for this very reason that every single order is custom-made and every batch looks different.” tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com
TGS LIFE AUGUST 29, 2015 PUNE
features
Turn your trash into treasure Priti Desai: Artrex
Upcycling projects are always cool, especially when you can turn your trash into something new and useful. These artist have turned their creative side on and taken up art seriously By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab
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eusing and upcycling your old junk not only benefits the environment but also breathes a new life into those objects that were otherwise destined to land up in your trash can. With a little help from the internet, one can find numerous uses for aging mason jars, egg cartons and even
iddhi specialises in making beautiful wall hangings and jewellery out of recycled materials. She makes funky stuff by using natural components like creepers, roots, jute, feathers, beads, etc. Feathers are sourced from the forests in Goa and no birds are harmed for it. A shell, placed at the centre, adds to the beauty of the neckpiece with other colourful materials that highlight the vibrant colours in the design. “I’ve been creatively inclined since childhood
he loves playing with colours, and canvas is not the only medium open to her. Priti Desai uses stones, bottles, jars and everything else that has lost its shelf life. She started her venture, Artrex, which specialises in handcrafted artworks that can be customised into anything that catches your attention. “Basically, I love to paint on anything and everything, right from walls to clothes. I was experimenting on glass, when the idea to paint bottles struck me. Later, I started experimenting with paints and recycled paper on the bottles. Then I reused old gift wraps to decorate them and turn them into show pieces,” says Priti. The upcycled bottles are painted in vibrant hues and can be placed near
your old sweater. From colourful jewellery to beautiful home décor accessories, recycling is a perfect way to use those extra bottles that have been lying at home for a while. These innovators have created impressive works of art from upcycled materials following the ‘trash is treasure’ concept. Their handicrafts will inspire you to try your hand at creating funky stuff too. zainab.kantawala@goldensparrow.com
Siddhi Shah: Dark Reflections
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and I’ve always t r i e d learning new things, spending most of my time Siddhi Shah indu l ging in creating different stuff. Soon after graduating, I started learning unique art forms and the brand Dark Reflections came about immediately. I started making dream catchers, jewellery, accessories and various home décor products. The response has been terrific,” Siddhi says. She also creates handmade items like hair accessories (hair extensions, headbands), wind chimes and other knickknacks. “The idea was to introduce unique products that are unheard of. Handicrafts from different cultures, that have their own symbolism and meaning, unique styles of arts and crafts, thread-work and different knots used to create a piece of jewellery or home decor, really catch the eye of the onlooker,” she adds. Get in touch: www.facebook. com/darkreflections9
your window or shelves. Priti also has inspiring messages written on the bottles to light up your morning with happy thoughts. “The idea was to Priti Desai write messages that could keep you ticking through your goals and aspirations. The wine bottles had always attracted me, the beauty of their shapes and shades at times are distinctive. I love to experiment with them,” she adds. Get in touch: https://www.facebook. com/Artrexdesigns/
Abishree Mehta: The Craft Palate
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f you are a book lover, you’ll love their bookmarks. You can splash some colours onto Abishree Mehta the beloved pages of your latest read or have Minions, Sponge Bob, pandas and even Whatsapp emoticons keep the book company. Abhishree Mehta uses old newspapers, calendars or brochures as her medium. “I am a medical student. I was always into crafts, and made things out of waste as a pass time. I love reading too and I would make creative bookmarks. I would punch heart and teddy bear shapes out of colorful sheets of paper and glue them to the back of a white paper that had already been used.
Following my friend’s advice I came up with a slightly more sophisticated take on the craft. I decided to start The Crafts Palate, which also gave me a platform to do something good for the society” says Abhishree. All the bookmarks are handmade by recycling waste paper, but what truly makes them special is that the proceeds from
the sales goes into providing for under privileged children. “They are made from stiff sheets that hold the corners of page gently. And if you want a special character or your favourite quote, we customise the bookmarks too” she adds. Get in touch: https://www. facebook.com/thecraftpalate
TGS LIFE
Shirin Shaikh and Monali Shinde: Antarvalay
AUGUST 29, 2015 PUNE
FEATURES
Shirin Shaikh and Monali Shinde
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PICS BY RAHUL RAUT
wo best friends, who have an eye for art got together to follow something they believed in. Shirin Shaikh and Monali Shinde work towards helping you add a little zing to your home. Their collection of hand-painted
to keep its transparency intact. Their themes vary from florals, to nature to abstract. They even use dried flowers to decorate their work. “We decided to make something that is pocket friendly for everyone. What’s better than waste material, as the project turns ecofriendly too. We have a variety of decor products like paper quilling, pop art, calligraphy, recycled bottle art, artistic candles, natural flowers, etc., to choose from to enhance the beauty of your living room,” Shirin adds. Get in touch: antarvalay@ gmail.com
bottles, with each having a unique design will surely stun you. “We are school friends and we’ve always exchanged our ideas and thoughts about art. I am from a technical background whereas Monali is from a fashion background. We’ve always wanted to do something that can polish our creativity. We started with brand Antarvalay. The name is an amalgamation of ‘antar’ which means deep inside and ‘valay’ which depicts emotional aura or artistic vibe. Hence this is our reflection of inner emotions and expressions in the form of art,” says Shirin. The two girls use glass colours
Pradeep Deshpande: Narayani Creatives
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his is a one shop where you get everything that is eco-friendly. Pradeep Deshpande specialises in products made using recycled materials, be it wall art, lamps, frames, planters or jewellery. He even has age-old clay handicraft items. “We use spare paper and dried flowers, worn out wood and plastic to make these creative items,” says Pradeep. Pradeep’s team brings the products to life
by polishing them and painting them with natural colours. “I am a retired engineer and I used to work for an automobile company. It was my last year and the company sold around 10 lakh vehicles in a month. I thought about the pollution it would create when the motorbikes would be out on street. That day, I decided that whatever I did would be for the environment,” he adds. Get in touch: Narayani Creatives, Nigadi
rahul raut
AUGUST 29, 2015 PUNE
NightLife
14
Just for fun
TGS LIFE
A whole lot of activity at the Swig Bar & Eatery surely is a sign that the city’s party scene is getting better By Manasi Shroff @ManasiShroff
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t one end of the room, you see a crowd cheering at the foosball table and at the other a group of friends are laughing away to glory. One corner is all about a birthday party and the other makes space for a friendly date. Well, that’s how the small and cosy Swig Bar & Eatery in Koregaon Park parties. Soon it was 9.30 pm and the highlight of the day, the band Work in Progress, took to the stage to play their magic. Songs about love, friendship, heartbreak and some Bollywood numbers were a part of their style of entertaining the audience. Undoubtedly, the entertainment quotient never dropped, making
the evening even more fun. While the young guys and girls sang along with Ruth and Vernon Besterwitch, Anic Prabhu charmed everyone with his impeccable skills on the violin. “We’ve been a part of different bands but once we come together, it’s just so much fun to perform” says Vernon as he looks at
his beautiful wife, Ruth. “It started off when we would sing as a pair and after that we completely hit it off,” Ruth said. When we asked Anic about his journey with the couple, he called himself a talenthunt-find. “The IT Company I work in organised a talent show at which Vernon was the judge.
Obviously I won,” he laughs. It’s been three years since and the joy of playing together has been growing with each performance. The colour co-ordinated trio believes in keeping their style simple. Ruth considers that “the classic, yet understated style is more like me,” while Anic loves his sleek shirts with
a pair of jeans to go with his beer. Vernon on the other hand votes for comfort. With talent like that, these guys are surely party starters. “For us our performances are the parties we go to and nothing can be more fun than that,” claims Vernon as Ruth adds, “But sometimes dancing the night away is fun too.”
Where’s the party tonight Goa Gil LIve
The Babaji of pystrance is coming to Pune again! One of the founders of Goa trance and psytrance movement in EDM, the 64-year old spinning wizard will be playing a 10-hour set. Gil grew up in California. He witnessed the birth of the hippie movement and acid rock, and was involved with the freak collectives Family Dog and Sons of Champlin. Feeling that the San Francisco musical scene was falling apart, he took off in 1969, going first to Amsterdam and then to India, settling in Goa. Here he discovered the sadhus wandering, holy men living off the forest, covering themselves with ash, and drinking the elixir of the gods. Soon, Gil himself became a Sadhu. When: August 30 Where: Bluefrog, Yerwada
The Big Bollywood Brunch
Save all your latkas and jhatkas for Sunday because The Flying Saucer is all set for a dramatic Bollywood evening. Enjoy a soulful time with Raushan Verma singing to you songs from your favourite movies and more followed by DJ Sukhi pushing the tempo beyond control with the best Bollywood dance hits of all time. Its gonna be brilliant, bigger and better! So make sure you get your gang of friends, family & fellow colleagues at the most happening brunch venue in town! When: August 30 Where: The Flying Saucer Sky Bar, Viman Nagar
a key role in promoting Hip-Hop and Trap music, he can be seen performing regularly at clubs all around the country. The opening act will be performed by DJ Clay, who is best known for enriching Pune’s nightlife by collaborating with artists like DJ Mantri and DJ Kave. When: August 29 Where: Bluefrog, Yerwada
following and their list of clients are now extending to the second page of the book. One thing is for sure - there is no stopping the fiddlecrafter’s from making their voices and music heard. When: September 4 Where: Pumproom Pubtown, Yerwada
Fiddlecraft
DJ Dev and DJ Kawal are all set with their best tunes for Puneites. They are bringing in a power packed night filled with the all-time favourite Bollywood tunes. The night will be filled with soothing battle of vocals of the duo swaying the crowd. Get ready to rock the dance floor with the mind blowing music and make it a night to remember. When: August 29 Where: Miami, JW Marriott, SB Road
Uncensored with DJ Sa DJ Sa is coming to town! The HipHop playing, Trap churning DJ is sure to draw you to the dance floor. Sa is noted for taking Hip-Hop music to a whole new level in the country. Having
Come and enjoy the super rocking sounds of Fiddlecraft as they play live at the Pumproom Pubtown. Fiddlecraft is a fusion band formed in Pune city in 2013. The band is not restricted to any artist or genre of neither music nor any form of music. It’s open for all and any regional artist in the country. The current genres played by the band are mainly fusion and hard rock; however their focus now is also on Blues, Jazz, Celtic, Indian Classical, Afrikaan, and all other types of acoustic and electronic music. In their first few performances itself the band has created a huge fan
Bollywood battle night
TGS LIFE
Dad wants me to use my popularity in right direction
H
ighway” star Alia Bhatt says her filmmaker father Mahesh Bhatt advises the Bollywood actress to use her popularity for the right causes. “My father says I should use my popularity in the right direction and not just restrict it to films. I have been in the industry for three years and I try and do things like this,” Alia told reporters here at the launch of a short film “Girls Rising”. The film, supporting the cause of girls, is helmed by Academy Award-nominated director Richard E Robbins. The 22-year-old Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania actress has learnt from her mother to help others. “My mother used to pay for education of the daughters of sweeper, watchman and others. This is something I saw happening at home and I want to take it up when I run my own house,” Alia said. She said through her fi lm “Highway”, they tried to portray how physical abuse happens at home.
Rekha’s exit from Fitoor was sad
K
atrina Kaif says even though it was nice working with veteran actress Rekha for Fitoor , she was sad when the actress walked out from the fi lm. Rekha, was replaced by Tabu in the Abhishek Kapoor directed romantic-drama, which stars Aditya Roy Kapoor in the lead. “It (working with Rekha) was nice. But then she and the producers decided to part ways for their own reasons. That was very sad because I have known Rekhaji for a long time and we have our own independent equation together. That was the only sad thing. Every fi lm has its destiny and you have to respect that,” Kaif told PTI. The fi lm, which is an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic novel Great Expectations, will have Tabu play the role of Miss Havisham as Begum. The 32-year-old Phantom star will be seen opposite Kapoor for the fi rst time, but she says, the duo recently got to know that they had worked together for an advertisement almost 11 years ago. “We searched for the interview on YouTube and laughed our heads off,” she said adding, “Adi pointed it out to me that 11 years ago, on my second or third ad fi lm, Adi was in the ad as one of the boys in the group. He was in the ad and you can see him very clearly. We looked for that ad too and had a good laugh about it.” Kapoor plays the character of Noor in the fi lm, and Kaif, who will be seen playing Firdaus, credits their equation to their friendship. “We have a funny equation. We both have been working for long but obviously I have done many more fi lms. He is a really nice person. He is also part of my friend circle. We knew each other well.”
“The cause that we tried to talk about is sometimes physical abuse happens in your own home, it is a harsh reality which we don’t want to face. It was deeply disturbing as I got to play that character and to understand what a girl might go through in her own house,” said Alia, who finds such incidents disappointing and shocking. “I am happy I did the film. There are girls who told me that after watching the film they opened up about their experiences,” she said. Alia is part of campaign “Girl Rising”, through which she is trying to raise awareness about girl education. “We want girls to fly in the right direction and spirit and with the right heart. This will happen when people in our country understand that it is necessary for girls to study,” she said. “I am a ‘girl rising’ means that I want to stand up today, want to study and make a future for myself. I want to have my own dreams fulfilled and I want to take over the world. Why alone send my brother to school, what about me,” she said.
Made space in action genre with Brothers: Sidharth
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rom an affable lover boy in his debut film “Student of the year” to an aggressive MMA fighter in the Akshay Kumar-starrer “Brothers”, Bollywood actor Sidharth Malhotra has come a long way. Though “Ek Villain” also saw him in an angry young man role, Sidharth counts it as his biggest achievement that he could convincingly pull off the action avatar in his latest fi lm. “With this movie, there were so many things, which were non-conventional. People do not associate me with these kind of grey and aggressive characters. I did not have any love story. So, on paper there were a lot of wrongs for me,” the actor told PTI. Sidharth said he experienced a high when he visited
a theatre in Mumbai and saw people applauding and rooting for him during the fight sequences in the film. “People’s favourite scene is the climax. They genuinely believed when my shoulder breaks, they can feel my pain or when Akshay sir is choking me. The compliment came from action, people actually felt I could kick some people. Because that’s one thing they don’t associate with me when they saw ‘Student’ or ‘Hasee Toh Phasee’. “If I could convince the audience with my action in this film, that’s all my hardwork paying off. It is the biggest positive for me that a dark grey character who can do great action...” he said.
AUGUST 29, 2015 PUNE
BUZZ
Katrina has a great fashion sense
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hedding his reticence to discuss girlfriend Katrina Kaif publicly, Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor heaped praise on the actress by calling her one of the best fashionistas in Bollywood, at an event here. The 32-year-old “Bombay Velvet” actor and Katrina, 32, have been a couple since 2009. The two shy from commenting on their relationship directly, but have often dropped hints about their special bond. “I think Katrina has a great fashion sense. I really think she carries herself very well,” he said, before cheekily adding many more Bollywood actresses’ names. And so does Kareena (Kapoor), Priyanka (Chopra), Parineeti, Alia and Shraddha (Kapoor),” Ranbir added. The actor said the one person, whose style he admires and looks up to, is megastar Amitabh Bachchan. “His dressing sense is all class. It is impeccable.” Ranbir said being in showbiz and surrounded by thousands of cameras have made him cautious about how he looks when he steps out of his house as he always wants to look good for his fans. “We are constantly being judged, photographed. So I try and dress the best I can... If I have a bad hair day, I wear a cap, if I have dark circles, I put on a sunglass. I do that because I want my fans and the audience to get the best of me. I am sure others do it too,” he said.
John scoffs at divorce rumours
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ollywood actor John Abraham has quashed rumours of his divorce with wife Priya Runchal, saying everything is beautiful in his marital paradise. Gossip mills are abuzz with reports that all is not well between the newly married couple. Priya and John have reportedly been living separately for a couple of months. Priya is in US pursuing her higher studies while the actor is in Mumbai for fi lms. Apparently, both of them are finding it difficult to handle their long-distance relationship. “All is superb in paradise... to set the record straight. Everything is beautiful in paradise. It is not true. You believe all that
crap. I just feel bad when people put out things,” John told PTI. “I was doing a comedy fi lm but I did not know that comedy was happening outside my life...just put all this rumours to rest...there is nothing happening. It is all superb,” he added. John said he feels frustrated that his silence on his personal life is misunderstood. “I believe in being quiet because I feel that is dignified. I keep quiet but unfortunately I also see lot of negative press sometimes around me and that is very disparaging and discouraging,” he said. John thinks he does not deserve negative attention. “I feel I don’t deserve it and no one
in my family deserves it. Just because no one speaks doesn’t mean you can go out and say anything you want,” he added.