PICS BY RAHUL RAUT
PUNE, FEBRUARY 6, 2016 | www.thegoldensparrow.com
They’ve worked hard for a
happily ever after Seemingly unending arguments with their loved ones, heightened pre-wedding melodrama and, of course, cultures as varied as chalk and cheese – these brave hearts have survived a lot before they could lay claim to lifelong marital bliss
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FEBRUARY 6, 2016 PUNE
FEATURES
Music will come alive when 20 upcoming bands from Mumbai and Pune showcase their talent and compete to win prizes galore
THE BEST BATTLE IT OUT By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry
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hether you are a Psychedelic Rock, Alternative Rock, Blues, Funk or Hindi Progressive Fusion music fan, starting Sunday you are most definitely in for a treat. The city’s biggest band competition, The Bandcubator, will host 20 upcoming bands through the next six weeks. With four bands playing every Sunday, the competition will end with three winners. The best band will take home Rs 1.4 lakh as prize money, an EP recording deal with Cottonpress Studios, Mumbai, a four city tour with Mixtape, a video screening on MTV Indies and some goodies from Furtados. This will be the perfect platform for some of the new bands to show music lovers what they are made of and take the first step towards being successful. TGS got talking to some bands from Pune to learn how they were formed and what kind of music they will be playing. RAAGALOGIK When Aditya Ranade, the vocalist of the band, decided to form Raagalogik a year ago, the first person he approached was his friend Ashish
Kulkarni with whom he would regularly jam. When they got talking about it they realised that Bhushan Chitnis, Ashish Ambekar, Anurag Swanginkar and Tejas Mazgaonkar were the people whom both wanted on their team and were ecstatic when they got on board. Playing Classical Fusion, the idea was to present the bandish with a twist. “Since we could not call anything that we did with the bandish original, we started writing our own songs. Making intense classical music easy to listen is our main focus,” says Aditya. They have opened for the famous Indie Act, Avial, have been featured in Rolling Stones India magazine twice and have won many competitions too. When: February, 7 THE CELESTIAL TEAPOT Getting together about three years ago, this band was a result of jamming sessions that Ashwin Naidu and his friends Kartikeya Dixit, Nishant Karve and Tushar Verma. Playing instrumental rock, the bands priority rests in enjoying every single minute that they spend with music. “Every band member shares a very serious relationship with music. There are absolutely no boundaries when we experiment with music,” Ashwin tell us. If you listen intently, you will find sounds that you hear quite often, represented in a different and unique manner. Every piece of music that they play is their way of presenting themselves and what they believe in. They have won several music competitions and were also the runners up Channel V’s Indiafest 2015. When: February 21 DOCTOR ZEBRA This two-year-old band was the brain child of Jay Kinra, who runs an adventure sport company called Active8 sports. “I heard my cousin’s band perform and instantly wanted my own band too,” he tells us. This band which plays Punk Rock is the first in India to create music for skaters and surfers. The lyrics written by Jay are inspired by his memories of when he used to live in Florida. The name of the band was suggested by his son and was an instant hit with the members as they needed something out of the box and funny. The other band members are Amit Bhatia, Vinay Rao
and Anurag Sawangikar. Each of them pursue music full time, mostly by teaching it. The band’s albums are a big hit on radio stations in Mumbai and are often used for skateboarding and surfing videos as well. When: February 28 EDEN Clyton Fernandes, Jason, Muang, and Akshay Nathwani got together three years ago to form their very own band, feeling a connect during one of their jamming sessions. Eden, which represented something heavenly, is the perfect balance, they say, between things that are real and fake. “No matter how hard your day, it is important to feel your music every time you pick up your instrument. In India, a musician has to work hard because nothing comes easy,” says Clyton, when asked how much of a struggle is it to be a musician. Clyton runs an academy that teaches Chemistry and Math, Akshay works with a start-up while the other two are full time musicians. Their music is heavily influenced by the medieval and ancient times. When: February 28 salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS Milk- Psychedelic Glam Space Rock band from Mumbai When: February 7 The June Tom Influence- A folk blues band from Pune When: February 14 Left Hand Drive- Rock band from Mumbai When: February 14 The Gravy Philosophy- A psychedelic folk Rock band from Pune When: February 21
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TGS LIFE
FEBRUARY 6, 2016 PUNE
With a detailed script that includes original songs and poems, Dhanashree Ganatra’s latest performance is sure to touch your heart
ENTERTAINMENT
By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry
“Puneities appreciate culture better than people from any other city”
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ifferent forms of art have always known to be the best tools to communicate with an audience. Be it dance, poems, songs, theatre or films everything can convey a story and a composition that gets you thinking. Dhanashree Ganatra is a musician and singer by profession. She has composed music for a few short films and is currently working on a Marathi film too. Being inspired by almost everything that she sees, this music lover came up with a unique concept and decided to merge her love for music and poems. You Me and Chai is her latest presentation. Keeping tea as the central theme Dhanashree and her team, which comprises of Avanti Mehta and Ashutosh Joshi, began writing poems and songs around it. Throughout their performance tea is used as a symbol of many things. Talking about it in terms of a relationship, she says how it is tea that marks the start of a relationship. She points out how just like different parts of the world have different kinds people, even teas around the world are different and this is something that
She voices your thoughts she draws a reference to in her poems and songs. “Everything has the potential to inspire you. You need to be able to just see it,” she says when asked what inspires her work. Being a musician, she is continuously thinking about what to do next and doing something out of the box has always thrilled her. In reference to this particular act, she says that it was when she was performing at a blind children’s school that the idea came to her. Realising that she had to do
something to fill in the gap between the lyrics since, like those who can see, these children couldn’t look here and there, she infused her performances with shayari. Giving us a little more information about what she would be doing, she tells us that when it comes to music, she has tried to use as many genres of it as possible. Not only are they rapping about tea, but there is a Rock, Pop, Jazz, even Ghazal music in the act. There are no musicians on stage and all the music is pre-recorded, which
means that timing will matter a lot. Her biggest challenge with any of the performances that she takes up is reaching out to people. “Puneities appreciate culture better than people from any other city. The problem is that no one is willing to take a risk with something new, they want to see what they are used to,” she says. Dhanashree has done everything from composing the music, to directing and writing the script, for the performance. She has penned a few songs and poems, while Avanti and Ashutosh have written the rest. When: February 14, 6 pm onwards Where: Patrakar Bhavan, Navi Peth salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com
two-and-half hour duration. Akshay and his team took a loan of a few lakh rupees to make this film, and initially it was quite a tough task to initiate the shooting process, but they eventually got Arvind Pakhale on board for the post production of the film. The film has been shot majorly in the Khandesh region of northern Maharashtra, Ajanta Caves, and some parts in Pune at the Fergusson College. “The major challenge that we faced while making the film was the funding. There were many times that we decided to entirely shun the project as our thought process behind making this film was very different from others. I am a young filmmaker, so a lot of people who heard this idea didn’t have the faith that I will pull it off, especially when the film talks about such a big personality. But me and my team didn’t want to compromise on anything and despite not getting funding, we continued with
our conviction.” The film is now in the editing stage and once the process gets over, the team will go out to seek sponsorship. Slotted to be released sometime in April, Udaharnarth Nemade’s story, direction and part cinematography has been done by Akshay. The main cinematography has been done by Swapnil Shete, the executive production is done by Tejashri Kamble and editing is being completed by Kshama Padalkar. Once completed, the film will be screened at various taluka theatres across Maharashtra along with film clubs and colleges. “We will organise shows at colleges and villages so it can reach the masses. There will be screenings at various film festivals across the country and even abroad. If we are fortunate to get the desired sponsorship, we will release the film in major theatres as well.” heena.grover@goldensparrow.com
Tales of a great story-teller A former FTII student is making a docu-fiction film on the life and times of Jnanpith Award and Padma Shri Award-winning Marathi writer Bhalchandra Nemade By Heena Grover Menon @HeenaGM
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fter completing his graduation in Mass Communication from Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, 24-year-old Akshay Indikar from Solapur joined FTII in 2012, but due to personal reasons, he dropped out from the institute last year. He was a student of the ex-Dean of FTII, Samar Nakhate and it was under his mentorship that Akshay was introduced to the world of cinema and decided to become a full-time filmmaker. He was always drawn towards Marathi literature and world cinema. Recently, he’s made a few short films, including Doh (deep water) which was selected for the Kerala International Film Festival in 2014. Akshay was working on a Marathi feature film called Yatra and wanted to use some of the poems written by Nemade so he went to meet him to seek permission. After meeting the eminent writer, he got deeply inspired by him and finally decided to make a documentary on his life. “I have been a fan of Nemade sir’s writings, especially his first novel Kosala which is loosely based on his own youth. I have read his books over 10 times and they left such a
deep impact that I thought I had to make a film with him. Fortunately, he gave me the permission and even agreed to act in the film which we named Udaharnarth Nemade. Not just that, when we began shooting in his native village Khandesh in Sangavi, he offered his own house as a living space for the entire crew,” shares Akshay. He has been working on this film project for around two years and in the filmmaking process, Nemade was present for 35 days during the shoot. The film is a journey told with Akshay’s own imaginations and for this, he has also roped in some actors to portray the characters from Nemade’s novels including actors Sanjay More and Ketaki Narayan. While Sanjay is playing the role of Pandurang Sangvikar, who is the lead protagonist of Nemade’s Kosala, Ketaki is playing a character from one of his poems. “When we gave the initial brief to Sanjay which focussed on facial expressions to depict inner feelings of the character, he spent all his time reading the entire novel to get into the core of the protagonist’s character. This was a great effort by him and will show on screen when we release the film in April.” There’s also a very famous chapter in Kosala which is about Pandurang and his sixyear-old sister, Manu, who died after suffering from chicken pox. “We have tried to make a cinematic representation of the chapter in this film. The character of Manu is being played by a little girl Pallavi SURNAME who belongs to Nemade’s village itself.” The film will represent Nemade’s literary journey and Akshay has tried to bring out the nuances by unfolding the writer’s subconscious mind with his own cinematic imagination in
TGS LIFE
FEBRUARY 6, 2016 PUNE
FEATURES By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry
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n operation theatre-themed restaurant, an animal-based décor club and a super hero café is what Pune foodies will get to experience in one place. Dahsmit Singh, who owns a real estate leasing firm, and Minoti Makim, who has her own public relations agency and team Madness bring a concept never seen before to Pune. Three storey’s for three generations, the OPD-themed Social Clinic is for everyone,
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Have you dined here yet? the Donkey’s Arse laughter club is for the younger lot and the Superheros café is for children. While this was an idea that had been brewing in Dashmit’s mind for about two and a half years, it was built in a record time of 82 days and is located in the heart of Koregoan Park. TGS speaks with Dashmit to understand the concept and the story behind the ambitious venture. DONKEY’S ARSE A laughter hub set to tickle your funny bone, this club located on the first floor, screams out to the youth. Even when you see the furniture
A 3-in-1 space for every generation, this latest hangout in the city has so much to offer
you are sure to burst out laughing. “This is the one place in the city that will be dedicated to comedy full time. We hope for the place to be synonymous with laughter,” he says. The place looks whacky, vibrant, and most definitely something out of the regular. SUPERHERO’S Allowing your children to have fun and be entertained without you having to actually be a part of it, this place takes care of children aged between four and 14 years. They also have a nanny to look after those who are really young. All you have to do is leave your
children on the second floor while you enjoy with your friends on the two floors below. “The city was lacking a place that allowed children to be social. The idea is for them to communicate with people they don’t know in a safe environment,” he explains. THE SOCIAL CLINIC Drinks in test-tubes, wheelchairs and hospital beds as seats and waitresses and waiters dressed as hospital staff, when you step into the social clinic for the first time you are sure to be amazed by what you see. “We thought
that having hospital interiors would not only be out of the box, but jazz things up too,” he tells us. The main idea was to take away the fear associated with hospitals and turn something scary into something that would make people happy. No matter which floor you are on, the fun you are guaranteed is limitless. A common kitchen throughout, the food is full of invention and twists. The cocktails here include Kokum and Ginger Margarita, Townhouse Frog with four spirits or Blue Curacao. The music is modern and keeps the vibe energetic. The multicuisine restaurant specialises in Mediterranean menu and has some of the best kebabs and delicacies like Chirayni which is a combination of Chinese food and Biryani. After Pune, the team is all set to launch in Raipur, Indore and Hyderabad. They are working on expanding to 50 cities across the country. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com
A festival to celebrate the city In its fifth year, the Pune Heritage festival promises to be better, more impressive, and a true display of the city’s treasures TGS News Service @TGSWeekly
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o matter what the performing art, Pune is a city that has time and again proved itself to be the cultural hub of Maharashtra. For decades now, some of the best and most talented dancers, theatre artists, actors and musicians hail from the city. Celebrating everything that Punekars love and admire in the city, this is the fifth year of the festival. Organised jointly by Janwani and INTACH-Pune Chapter, the festival will a host several activities – from walks across the city, to lectures and workshops, exhibitions, showcasing of local talent and more. While it initially started as Heritage Week in 2012, the festival has grown to encompass much more over the years. With an aim to involve every strata of the society in this celebration, the list of activities is abundant and most of
Triveni trio-Amit Joshi, Pradnya Deo and Anup Joshi
them are free of cost. TGS spoke to a few artists who shall be performing as part of the festival and give you a sneak-peak into what you can expect. Performances that celebrate dance, music, and theatre are spread all over the festival. Through their performances of Kathak, Odissi and Lavani not only will dancers tell a story but the musical trio Triveni will take you through the different time zones of music. Anup Joshi, the tabalchi of the trio tells us that the performance will begin with Khayal and go on to present a table jugalbandi between Amit Joshi and him, followed by a fusion of the table with electronic beats given
by Amit. They will end with an instrumental fusion performance and will be accompanied by Pradnya Deo throughout on vocals. “The idea of presenting music like this is to show its lineage, growth and diversity through the years,” he tells us. Coming all the way from Mumbai, Archana Basu shall perform a Kathak piece which she believes is apt for the festival. It not only promotes the art form which is somewhat missing in the city but spreads the message of togetherness, a much needed aspect in the society. The performance shall relate to people from every walk of life and will focus on different forms of love by celebrating Krishna and Radha’s pair through their dance. “We hope for everyone to relate to our performance and celebrate love with us,” she tells us. Apart from this, some of the other highlights of the festival include a Bat Spotting Walk, held on February 6 in the evening, an open sketching workshop by Pune Urban Sketchers on February 7, a Council Hall Tour to understand conservation on February 12, a Handloom Workshop on February 13 and the screening of Man Eating Tigers, which was nominated for the British Academy Awards in 1987, by Bedi Brothers on February 14. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com
Archana Basu
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These talented Puneites had the zeal to do something innovative that could make people’s lives easier. Pratiksheet Malwadkar, Natasha Shrotri, Zameer Rauf Iftekhari and Barshani Gokhale talk about turning their passion into interesting online ventures and how the boom and competition is actually helping them trend in the online sector
FEBRUARY 6, 2016 PUNE
FEATURES
VISHAL KALE
In Pune, everything’s a click of the button away
TGS LIFE
By Heena Grover Menon @HeenaGM
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ith funky personalised gifts, cool bike gear and accessories to specially-stylised clothing, chemical-free cosmetics and fresh foods, think of anything you need, and there’s an online service to deliver it all at your doorstep. Besides the big players, there are multiple local brands that have created their own niche, presenting products and services to local residents and even those living in other parts of the country through their online portals and social networking sites. After graduating in dairy and agriculture in 2012, Pratiksheet Malwadkar decided to research how many families living in Pune would be interested in buying food products online, but the response was very low. He repeated the process the following year and this time 70 per cent households showed interest in the concept. With an aim to provide fresh dairy produce, Pratiksheet started his online venture called Paneerwala.in which promises to offer the freshest cottage cheese and other milk products such as mawa and pure ghee to its customers. “Our USP is that all products are made and delivered on the same day. Whatever is left behind is not used even the next day for delivery. We ensure the highest standard of quality because of which we have gained many repeat customers over a short span of time,” says Pratiksheet. A fashionista by both passion and profession, Natasha Shrotri began her own blog a few years ago, where she would write about the latest trends in fashion. Being an avid traveller, Natasha loves picking up her clothes, shoes and accessories from almost anywhere. After receiving some great reviews on her blog about her personal style, she decided to make the products available to everyone. That’s
Pratiksheet Malwadkar
Barshani Gokhale
The 6ixie Art Company
how her blog Mariposa Love turned into a full-fledged clothing and accessory portal. “I launched my website in April 2015 and my basic idea was not to have just another online fashion store but a platform where I could help people understand various ways to style a particular garment. I love styling and shoot all my products in all the fun ways one can wear them along with descriptions that make the website attractive,” says Natasha. Most of her products are handpicked from various wholesalers across the country, especially up north. She has a partner in Hong Kong too, where she picks most of her clothes from. For Zameer Iftekhari it was a college assignment where he had to invest Rs 5,000 and start a business which got him and his batchmates to try their hand at business. They made nameplates and started selling them but after college days were over, everyone got busy with their own life. One day while watching the film Da Vinci Code, Zameer was intrigued with the idea of Ambigrams and spent hours running a search on it. Here onwards, the idea of creating nameplates and keychains in Ambigram art style struck him. “I wanted to go abroad to study but I didn’t have the money and like me, there were five of my friends who were
extremely talented in their own field but not just lucky enough to fetch a good job. One day, I got a call from one of them who asked me to help him find a job and then I told him about my business idea of making customised Ambigram nameplates which perhaps no one has ever done before in the country,” he shares. Zameer first experimented with the idea when he got an opportunity to create a nameplate for Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts. “I created the nameplate using the Ambigram theme and everyone praised it which made me realise that this has a lot of potential to become a successful online venture. But for this, I needed someone who is great with computers. I love doodling but needed a good artist to design the products and then someone who could manage finances once we go online. That’s when I thought of all my friends so we could do this together and in January this year, we launched an official Facebook page of 6ixie Art Company,” he adds. The group has also built a website which they plan to launch in the next two months, but now they are operating out of Natasha FB and already Shrotri have heavy traffic on their page. A doctor by profession, Barshani Gokhale has been practicing medicine for 15 years now and it was an extension to her holistic approach towards healing people through natural ways rather than just prescribing antibitotics that gave birth to her own little cosmetic brand called Navami. Inspired by her mother, aunts and grandmothers, who would make various handmade scrubs and oils at home, Barshani also makes natural chemical-free products at home for her children and family members. But after trying them at home, she thought it would be a great thing if
these products could reach a bigger section of people who are into natural body care products. “I decided to label my products and would sell them at small exhibitions and fairs and mostly through word of mouth. As the demand started growing, I started my own Facebook page last October during Durga Puja and put up images and details of the products online which instantly started getting good traffic. People post their requirements and send messages and I prepare the products on order-basis. Since none of my products have any chemicals, I tell everyone in advance to consume them in a stipulated period to avoid any allergies,” Barshani explains. She has a limited range of products that includes body, face and hair oils, and body polish scrub. With the growing popularity, Barshani now plans to expand the range of products and says that it’s very heart-warming when her customers share their feedback praising her products. “I get messages from young girls saying ‘I love you’ many a times which fills me up with pride and pushes me to do better,” she smiles. But with such a huge market where every now and then a new brand pops up, what is it that makes them tick? When asked, Pratiksheet says that the upsurge of multiple portals has only helped new ventures get noticed and then, it’s all about how good your product is. “When we started, there weren’t enough takers, but as brands like Flipkart, Localbanya, BigBasket and Grofers came into the market, people started spending more and more time on search engines which in turn helps us as they chance upon our portal or page and get to know the brand.” Agrees Natasha, “There was a time when people would be very sceptical about buying things, especially clothes, online as they were unsure whether the products would be of good quality or not. But with more and more portals popping up, they are opening up to experimenting. In fact, 2015 was a great year as it witnessed a major boom in online retail which helped my brand a great deal as well. One just has to ensure the quality and a USP and you are sure to tick with people.” heena.grover@goldensparrow.com
FEBRUARY 6, 2016
PUNE
INDULGE
From their kitchen to your dining table
Doing what they do best, these home chefs have their hands full as they take in orders and win foodie hearts across the city By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry
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ith restaurants popping up in every nook and corner of the city, there’s always options galore to choose from every time you decide to step outside for a meal. But what happens when you crave home-cooked food and are too tired to trudge to the kitchen? In come our home-chefs with the best possible solution. Creating delicacies in their home kitchens and delivering it to your doorstep is just what these home-chefs do. They pick their own produce, make their own spices and masalas, pack the food themselves and deliver it too. TGS introduces you to six home chefs, whose food is not just mouth-watering but is made with just the same amount of love and affection that your mommy does when she cooks for you. PARIKSHIT AND ANUJA VILEK AR Right from the authentic biryani recipe from Ratnagiri to authentic Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu (CKP) cuisine, everything that leaves the Vilekar kitchen, located in Pimpri, is packed with love. Overwhelmed by the appreciation their friends and family showed towards something that was just a hobby for this husband and wife, they decided to turn it into a business venture. Serving a range of biryanis and some authentic CKP cuisine, it has been three years that Parikshit and Anuja have been running Kitchen Cornucopia by Cloves Catering. They were among the first few to start something like this and tell us that the initial struggle was immense. Social media and word of mouth was their only source of marketing. Even now, they aren’t quite keen on setting up a restaurant and earning big bucks. “If we start a restaurant we will take away the essence of home-cooked food. We might however get a bigger kitchen space and continue to function from home,” says 38-year-old Parikshit. Handling the kitchen and its chores – from buying the ingredients to making the masalas at home and delivering the end product – leaves the couple with hardly any time to do anything else. Must try: Kheema Pattice, Chicken Pepper Roast and Ratnagiri Murg Biryani Get in touch: 9890993980/9175559810
NIKHIL DAHAKE Running the 18-month-old venture, Just Bites, from the comfort of his home in Kothrud, this young chef is more than happy with the way things have turned out. Even after graduating with a degree in Travel and Tourism, Nikhil’s love for cooking and food kept him occupied round the clock. With bare minimum help from his wife and mother, he takes care of everything from buying the ingredients to packing the food and delivering it. We asked him if he would like to set up a restaurant and he wasn’t quite sure about the idea. “When we visit a restaurant the dish that they serve when they have just opened their doors and when they are about to shut is way different. Quality compromise is a given when you have to do it large scale and I am not willing to do that,” he says. Nikhil wants to ensure that his food is high on quality and tastes just as if it was made at home and that is most important to him. Whenever he does not have orders to prepare for, he loves experimenting with food. He has successfully made mushroom, paneer and soyabean biryani and has several different kinds of biryanis on his menu. Must Try: Chicken Afghani, Mushroom Salt and Pepper and Chicken Suka Get in touch: 8805332323
PICS BY TEJAS GAIKWAD
TGS LIFE
ZUBIN RUPA His love for cooking dates back to the time when he was just seven years old and would assist his grandmother in the kitchen. After working for giants like Hyatt Regency, And KASCO in Kuwait, Zubin decided to start something of his own and is based out of Camp in Pune. Even though he has a PR team that helps him manage his schedule as he shuffles between Mumbai and Pune, he goes shopping for fresh ingredients on his own as that is something that he does not like to delegate to anyone. When he is done cooking, his delivery team brings the food to your doorstep. Even though the 41-year-old focuses on Parsi cuisine, if the customer so requires, he can make everything from Continental to Chinese and even Indian dishes. He makes sure to stick to the actual recipe as much as possible and refrain from tweaking it, unless asked for by the customer. Talking about experimentation and invention, he says, “Both of them are a never ending part of the profession. If you wish to excel constantly inventing and experimenting is the way to go.” Since he works out of Mumbai and Pune, he is not always available, nonetheless his food is worth the wait. The items are made available two days in advance and booking your meal as early as possible is the smartest thing to do. Must Try: Bhonu, Tatreli Kolmi and Salli Boti Get in touch: 8898563798/9892817997
TGS LIFE
FEBRUARY 6, 2016 PUNE
INDULGE
SAJJANI NAIR Settling in Pune five years ago after spending a lot of time in Singapore and England, Sajjani who is a professional graphic artist, decided to start her own food venture called The Secret Chef Next Door. Realising that there wasn’t a place that served high quality authentic European food in the city, she decided to make that a focus of her menu. Based out of Wanowrie, when the 45-year-old began cooking for her friends and taking orders she had absolutely no idea of how huge the venture would become. A true lover of food she would often spend 10 to 15 days researching a particular food before experimenting with it. Her kitchen is like a science lab, she laughs. “How I make the meal depends largely on what time the customers will be consuming it. I am very fussy about how my food is eaten and I want to ensure that the right flavours reach my customers,” she adds. No matter what she makes, everything is prepared from scratch, with ingredients that she handpicks herself. Very often, she gets orders even for dishes that aren’t on the menu but Sajjani makes them anyway, since invention in cooking is what she loves. She believes that her husband is her biggest critic when it comes to her food. It is important to be involved with your ingredients to deliver the taste that is in your head, she feels. Must Try: Lasagne, Pasta and Pies Get in touch: 9960938121 SUNANDITA BOSE Bringing the best of Bengali food to your doorstep, Bong Connections is a venture established by Sunandita Bose and her mother Suchandra Bose. Sticking to authentic food as much as possible, Bong Connections draws connoisseurs and those with an experimental bent alike. Then again, to match the taste of their local clientele, the food is customised and cooked fresh with every order. It’s been about two-anda-half years that they have been operational out of their homes. Earlier, Sunandita and Suchandra owned a restaurant by the same name in Magarpatta. “Cooking food at home keeps the quality control in our hands. We don’t have to rely on help to prepare the dishes and we have
the liberty to follow each step just the way it should be done, without any shortcuts,” says Sunandita. They do have help for things like delivery, packing and other preparations, but the food is not cooked by the help. One of the things that Bong Connections does is run a regular tiffi n service for the elderly people that live in and around Undri. Talking about altering the food, Sunandita tells us that every customer requires something different. “Bengali food is spicy and so while we try and stick to that as much as possible, we tone down the fl avours by one or two shades depending on customer requests,” she says. Must try: Posto, Mutton Korsha and Mache Chal Get in touch: 9766311276
CHANDRIK A AND JASPREET NIRULA Hailing from Chandigarh and having always belonged to the restaurant business Chandirka, 41, and Jaspreet, 42, had a lot of technical knowledge as far as food was concerned when they moved to Pune a few years ago. They were simply appalled by the way Butter Chicken was served in the city. While they started off with only non-vegetarian pickles and were the only ones who made them in the city, they decided to broaden their menu a tad bit more. Operating from their home in NIBM, they now offer mouth-watering Indian cuisine which is like a spice party in your mouth. Chandrika tell us that she is extremely particular about how the food is made, packed and delivered. Their packaging is usually based on a theme and is very often colour coordinated. “The one reason why we did not join hands with a food delivery service is because it has to be delivered with utmost care. People eat with their eyes before they use the fork and so it has to look appetising,” she says. It was their passion to eat good food that made them start their own venture called Chiya’s Home Gourmet. Their speciality rests in desi food like Nihari Raan and Laal Maas. The two believe that when it comes to food, nothing is impossible. Must try: Butter Chicken, Ginger Lamb Chops and Sarso Ka Saag Aur Makke Di Roti Get in touch: 8600091723 salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com
FEBRUARY 6, 2016 PUNE
FEATURES
They’ve worked hard for a
happily ever after
Seemingly unending arguments with their loved ones, heightened pre-wedding melodrama and, of course, cultures as varied as chalk and cheese – these brave hearts have survived a lot before they could lay claim to lifelong marital bliss
PICS BY RAHUL RAUT
TGS LIFE
By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry
M
arriage is rightly considered as the coming together of two families. Therefore, the beliefs and faith that people hold in religion and castes, marrying someone who does not have the same upbringing and religious values as yours is usually frowned upon. Even today, when the world has advanced leaps and bounds in almost all spheres, an inter-religion or even an inter-region marriage is not very well-accepted. How will you manage, you will have to sacrifice so much, you will regret your decision – such and umpteen other remarks are usually thrown at you when you announce that you will be marrying someone who isn’t from your caste or religion. With Valentines’s Day around the corner, we spoke to five couples from the city who have not just crossed the cultural threshold, but they’ve never once regretted the decision. Be it Aziza Degwekar who is a Persian Iranian married to Tejas, Degwekar a Maharashtrian, Nitin Bellara a Sindhi married to Sangeeta Bellara from Odisha, or Zubair Poonawalla who is a Bohri Muslim and has married Vanessa Mattu a Christian, each of them swears by the fact that this was the best decision of their lives. HAPPILY, EVER AFTER “Your culture is very often who you are. Settling into someone else’s way of life might be difficult if you aren’t willing to compromise,” says Cleta Pardeshi. Brought up in a typical Christian household and focused on her career, she had absolutely no idea that she would fall in love with someone who was so different from her and who belonged to a different faith. Working in the same chartered accountancy fi rm, Cleta and Rajasatyan Pardeshi dated for about five years before they decided to get married.
Nitin and Sangeeta
Cleta and Rajasatyan
Convincing their families was tough for both of them. They were, however, adamant to make it happen and seek blessings from both families. Happily married for 14 years now, they have two children aged three and two. Just like them, Vishal Pipraiya and Neha Tiwari too although did not have a lot of restriction from their parents, they believed in seeking their blessings as they pushed them to get out of their comfort zone. Meeting while bagpacking across the country, they became friends and eventually started dating. When they did decide to get married, they not only convinced their parents but decided to do something out of the box. They got married in a Bengali temple, dressed in the traditional South Indian wedding attire. The idea made several family members frown but it was their way of getting their parents to broaden their mind set. Running an extremely successful book café called Pagdandi Books Chai Cafe in Baner, the couple is as happy as they could be and are busy planning their extensive travel itinerary. Falling in love with his elder brother’s classmate, Nitin and Sangeeta Bellara got married when they were just 23 and 24 years old respectively. Even after being brought up in a cosmopolitan city like Mumbai, Sangeeta was the fi rst one in her family to be married outside of her caste. Their marriage was a fusion of Sindhi and Odiya cultures. At their
destination wedding in Goa, which was essentially done in the Odiya style while smaller functions saw some Sindhi flavour. Nitin’s family ensured he got onto a horse for the baraat and was something new for Sa family. “There was pin drop the bride’s side as they did n on a horse and why people ar Nitin as he recalls memor parents of two children Ni that they chose each other. helped eachother excel acad study after marriage and ha beings too. Coming from a conse Degwekar despite being bro a bubble. She lived in Cam next to her house, went to a working at Talwalkar’s Gym same area. Tejas Degwekar, city from Nagpur in 2010 and The fi rst time Aziza and Teja was admitted to the hospital After a few months of know get married and the tedious
“When married culture d from it’s not accomm but resp
- AZIZA D
Tejas and Azi
lay ahead of them. W h e n their folks were finally convinced they got married in a proper Maharashtrian wedding ceremony and have now been together o for six years. While Aziza is Vishal and Neha this a professional dancer, Tejas runs angeeta’s Chai, one of the most popular cafés p silence from in Wanovrie. not understand why I was Unlike everybody else, Zubair Poonawalla and round me were dancing,” laughs Vanessa Mattu never really dated. They went straight from ries from 13 years ago. Proud being friends to eloping and getting married. Married for itin and Sangeeta are thankful 18 years now, it has only been two years that Vanessa’s . Both believe that they have family has accepted the marriage and their son-in-law. demically as they continued to While Zubair is a Bohri Muslim, Vanessa half Irish and ave even become better human half Kashmiri Pandit and so followed both religions. Their 10-year-old son, Mikhail, has the advantage of being ervative Muslim family Aziza brought up in different cultures and doesn’t identify with ought up in Pune, was living in just one religion. They had a simple court marriage and the mp, went to school in the lane fi rst few months were full of surprises that were a result of nearby college and then started their different cultures. m, Camp when it opened in the on the other hand, came to the LEARNING FROM ANOTHER CULTURE d loved roaming around the city. Ask them how is married life and almost all of them say as met was when a mutual friend that they have changed for the better. Someone has become l and they had gone to visit him. more respectful, someone more tolerant, others have learned wing each other, they decided to things related to another culture and, most importantly, all task of convincing their parents of them have learned to respect and appreciate the faith,
you get d into a different yours t about modating pecting.”
DEGWEKAR
iza
culture and tradition of those different than their own. “When you get married into a culture different from yours it’s not about accommodating but respecting. There is no need to compromise and adjust if you know how to respect, as tolerance follows. Th is is what marriage has taught me,” says Aziza. As Tejas and she live alone, adjusting with her in-laws has never been an issue for her. When it comes to food there is obviously a huge difference. Since Irani food is almost bland every time something spicy is made in the house, she simply avoids eating it. Sabudana Khichdi and Puran Poli are her favourites though. In the last six years, Aziza has not only seen a completely different world but has also, finally, mastered Marathi. When Sangeeta married into the Bellara family, it was a huge change for her as she went from living in a nuclear family to a joint family. There was so much that she had to suddenly take care of and it was all too overwhelming to begin with. She not only learned to cook Sindhi food but now completely understands the language too. Cleta too learned the ropes around her new Marathi household. Not only did she learn to cook Maharashtrian food, but her mother-in- law also taught her how to drape a sari. She gave up wearing dresses and willingly embraced the Maharashtrian culture. Rajasatyan too has absolutely no qualms about her following her own religion. They and their children celebrate all festivals and visit both churches and temples together. Vishal and Neha have discovered so many new things about each other after they got married. They feed of each other’s creative energies and being for different cultures has never been that much of a problem for both of them. “We have exposed each other to so many things about our own cultures. He is my best teacher when it comes to things that are local, Marathi or Puneri,” says Neha, who hails from Delhi. The couple live by themselves and love the fact that even when they are together they have learned to give each other their personal space. Talking about giving them their space, Zubair and his family has been extremely broadminded and open towards Vanessa and her faith. They have never stopped her from practicing her religion or doing things her way. Vanessa celebrates everything from Christmas to Diwali and Ramadan. Although she doesn’t fast, she wakes up early in the morning so she can cook and serve those fasting. “The fact that Zubair and his family have never forced me to convert, makes me more welcoming and appreciative of their religion,” she admits. Apart from this, both of them learned so much about the other’s culture after getting married. “Initially, when she asked me to get Lauki, Tarbooz or Dhania, I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. I knew them by different names,” he tells us as he bursts out laughing. I learned what Laxmi Poojan and Diwali was and for the fi rst time in my life ate Rajma Chawal and Upma after I was married to her,” he adds.
TGS LIFE
FEBRUARY 6, 2016 PUNE
FEATURES For all these couples the best part about their marriages is that they have learned so much. While arguments are a part and parcel of life, for these couples they have never argued because of their different cultures. They feel that when you decide to get married to someone who is outside of your culture the most important thing is to learn to respect the other individual and their beliefs. It, most definitely takes time to settle into the new routine but it all depends on how open your mind is. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com
Zubair and Vanessa
Bikes of
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FEBRUARY 6, 2016 PUNE
THRILL OF DRIVING
Yamaha MT-09
Yamaha India had a sedate first day, with a new variant of an old scooter launched, and a smattering of existing products on display at their expansive booth and the Expo. On the second day, however, they pulled a rabbit out of their hat with Bollywood actor John Abraham making an appearance to launch the MT-09, a bike so perfect for Indian enthusiasts that we never thought we’d see it here. The MT-09 isn’t new. It was launched in 2013 and described by Yamaha as a “roadster motard”. A prescient motorcycle, seeing that many manufacturers are adopting less extreme, more upright, practical and accessible bikes that still have some enthusiast appeal. The MT-09 fits the bill perfectly, having been ahead of the curve. The engine is an 847cc triple that generates 115hp and 88Nm. Reviews have been generally positive for the bike internationally, with some initial niggles with throttle response and brakes ironed out over model years. The MT-09 has even spawned the retro-themed XSR900 and the MT-09 Tracer, an adventure-touring version, but we only get the standard model. At Rs 10.2 lac ex-showroom, the price is on the higher side for what it offers. You can get similar displacement, but less power in the Ducati Scrambler or the new Triumph Street Twin, and save several lac rupees. If Yamaha offered this for a couple of lac less, they’d have to form lines outside their showrooms.
Honda Navi
If you’ve seen videos of Honda’s Grom minibike on YouTube and wished for the fun little runabout to be available in India, your wish has almost come true. Honda’s new Navi minibike/scooter uses the Activa’s 110cc engine in a new, and definitely unique package. Starting at Rs 39,500 exshowroom, what you get is a tiny motorcycle with a big hole where your engine would usually be. That void can be filled by an optional accessory utility box and the vehicle itself is customisable with body panels, decals, add-on bits NEXT WEEK: MORE FROM THE AUTO EXPO AS IT COMES TO AN END.
New Triumph Bonnevilles Triumph recently announced a new range of Bonneville motorcycles to replace their aging, but very significant model lineup. There’s a new Street Twin base model, a T120 classic-inspired variant and a much more potent Thruxton R on offer in India, starting today. Triumph have done a lot of work on the new range of Bonnies, and they’re all-new. The motor, for instance, is now liquid-cooled and has a host of electronic aids including ride-by-wire, ride modes and traction control. ABS is standard across the range. The engine is also available in 900cc and 1200cc capacities, with a stress on meaty torque coming in early and staying flat up through the rev range. For the Street Twin, Triumph claims 80Nm from the 900cc parallel-twin, while the T120 generate 105Nm from its larger 1200cc motor. The Thruxton R generates 112Nm from a tuned 1200 engine. Interestingly, Triumph have decided to go the Harley way and quote only torque figures. This actually makes sense in many ways, since torque is what your bum feels
AUTO EXPO The Auto Expo in New Delhi keeps getting bigger and better. This time round, there was quite a bit for the two-wheeler enthusiast. Here’s a selection of juicy announcements
like crash bars and bark busters, luggage racks and so on. It’s available in three standard variants: s t r e e t , adventure and off-road, that use various combinations of accessory parts. The Navi may be based on Activa parts, but it’s a brave direction for a traditional manufacturer like Honda. They also claim that it was designed and made by Honda’s India R&D department and have big sales targets for the minibike. Their marketing visuals target the youth market, and we think they might just be onto something. Whether you want to ride a Navi for its accessibility and practicality or just because it’s so damn weird, at just under Rs 40,000, either way, you can give it a shot. when you twist the throttle, and is a more realistic assessment of performance. That said, international reports indicate that the new Street Twin actually makes less horsepower than the outgoing model, but on a recent press ride in Spain, very few complained of a lack of power. Styling is very refined and clever, maintaining an authentic, classic vibe despite all the accommodations for modern tech and regulations.The best parts about the new Bonneville range are the prices. The Speed Twin starts at Rs 6.9 lac ex-showroom, while the T120 starts at Rs 8.7 lac. Thruxton R prices are pending.
Triumph T120 and T120 black
Royal Enfield Himalayan Technically, this motorcycle was announced a day before the Expo opened even for the media, and Royal Enfield chose not to participate in the Expo itself. They didn’t need to. The Himalayan is one of the most anticipated bikes of the year, and RE have played along with a clever campaign of spy shots and sightings in recent months. The bike itself came as a gentle surprise, in that it was revealed almost exactly as it has been spotted by keen-eyed photographers previously. The Himalayan is Royal Enfield’s homage to the traditional stomping grounds of the Royal Enfield range of motorcycles: the hills. It’s almost a rite of passage for the RE owner to get up to Ladakh, drape the prayer flags across the wide, aftermarket handlebars and return triumphant in having earned, well, something. Perhaps it’s the fact that there are few bikes less suited to such a journey than the average
BMW G310R
Enfield, and making a journey with one is a task in itself. We’re glad the storied company decided to do something about it. The Himalayan is a soft-core enduro bike. It’s spartan, flexible and comes with a brand-new 410cc OHC motor that develops 25hp. Service intervals are at 10,000km, so RE seems confident in the engine’s reliability. The frame is also new and sports Royal Enfield’s firstever monoshock. The clearance, stance and practicality make it far more suited for long, mountainous journeys. Curiously however, the Himalayan is carbureted not fuelinjected, which isn’t too good for changing altitudes. We’re reliably informed that there will be only one variant of the Himalayan, with a massive range of accessories available to kit it out for your particular kind of road trip. Prices and availability next month.
We’re surprised BMW Motorrad didn’t make more noise about this unveil. Tucked away in one corner of BMW’s large pavilion was space for four motorcycles. On the second day of the Expo, one of them was replaced with the upcoming BMW-TVS joint project, the 310R. The bike looked largely production-ready. The bike will be made by partners TVS at their Hosur plant, but sold through BMW Motorrad’s own dealerships later this year. The bike itself is a known quantity by now. A small, streetfighterinspired naked running a 313cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine developing 34hp and 28Nm of torque. Weight is just under 159kg and styling is contemporary, but not exactly wild. Interestingly, the cylinder is reversed and canted backward, with the exhaust exiting directly rearward and giving the fuel-air mixture a straight shot into the combustion chamber. BMW also claims it helps in mass centralisation. BMW Motorrad makes premium motorcycles, so expect the G310R to be positioned and priced as such. It won’t have the take-no-prisoners value proposition of the KTM 390 Duke, but could make a compelling alternative to products from Benelli and Yamaha.
By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry
I
have wanted to be an artist since I was a little girl,” is the first thing that fashiondesigner-turned-painter Payal Tripathi tell us. Growing up in Lucknow, her parents had hoped for her to take up engineering or medicine as a profession but what art was always a passion and it eventually turned into a career choice too. Payal’s first stint with art was when she began sketching as a child. Currently, focusing all her energy on her baby and painting, her first set of art work is at display at Bliss Art Gallery in Koregoan Park. This is her first exhibition and Payal is extremely excited about it. When her software engineer husband Shailendra was transferred to Pune five years ago, she too moved to the city and found new inspiration here. The city’s rich cultural heritage and vibrant colours helped inspire her every time she picked up the brush. Her
From sketching dresses to paining portraits
TGS LIFE
FEBRUARY 6, 2016 PUNE
FEATURES
PICS BY VISHAL KALE
For her very first exhibition this artist has put together 18 of her best paintings to represent African beauty and Indian classical dance forms
current exhibition is a compilation of 18 portraits inspired by African beauties and Indian dance forms. Explaining her choice of themes, she says, “With African beauties there is something about their skin tone and the way they dress that is very pleasing to the eye.” As far as the other theme is
concerned, she wanted to bring to life through colours the expressions and gestures that are a part of the Indian dance forms. The two themes aren’t often seen together and that’s what inspired Payal to combine the two. The artist believes painting gives everyone an opportunity
to express what they feel in their own way. Keeping this in mind, it is not possible to be the best since there will always be a new and better perspective on things that remains to be explored. “You can never start off with an idea and stick with it till the end. Every time you pick up the brush after a break,
your perspective and inspiration changes, even if slightly,” says the 28-year-old. Most of her paintings are oil-based as they bring out the best in everything, she believes. Ask her where she sees herself in the next five years and she says that she doesn’t have plans stretching that far in the future. As long as people recognise her by her work she will stay happy. She would love for people to think of her work when they see her and think of her when they see her work. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com
Buying designer wear was never this easy Get ready to get spoilt for choices as Shivoguee comes back to town with its grand fashion exhibition By Heena Grover Menon @HeenaGM
L
ove to dress like a glam doll without a care for cash? Head to Shivoguee, where the best of Lakme Fashion Week designers await to turn you into a diva. Entering its fourth edition, Shivoguee will feature collections of over 60 designers including celebrity fashion designers such as Monisha Jaising along with Karishma Shahani, Harsh Harsh, Vivek Kumar, Karishma Jamwal, Shivangi Sahni and many more, who would exhibit everything from fashion clothing, accessories to shoes and jewellery to make you drool. Conceptualised by four friends – Cherry Malpani Jhawar, Kaushal Shah, Shiven Tapadiya and Kailash Shivnani, all in their 20s – out of their common love for design, art and fashion, Shivoguee was launched in October 2014. The aim was to give a platform to well-known and new designers to test the emerging fashion market in the city and bring fashion conscious people of Pune to come under the same roof and witness highend fashion. “All four of us studied abroad together and always wanted to do something related to fashion. When we finally launched Shivoguee, we wanted the best from the fashion world, be it emerging designers from around the country to reach Pune which had not seen anything like this before. The idea is not just to introduce people to high end
From (L-R) Kaushal Shah, Cherry Jhawar, Shiven Tapadiya and Kailash Shivnani
fashion but something that would suit every individual, irrespective of their background,” explains Cherry who started out as an image consultant and is now full-time into the exhibition business. Interestingly, all of them come from absolutely different backgrounds, nowhere close to fashion. While Kailash is into construction and glass trading, Kushal is also into trading business. Laughs Shiven, who is into equity research, “It sounds unusual but surprisingly we all share the same mindset when it comes to lifestyle, art and fashion. It was a humungous task when we initially started out as getting fashion designers from cities like Mumbai and Delhi to showcase their fashion line here needed a great deal of
convincing. But at the end of the day everyone sees gain and who wouldn’t want a growing market. We have been lucky that Shivoguee took off on a great note and the line-up of designers has increased manifold. We want Puneites to find that perfect destination to come and indulge in fashion, get spoilt for choices and fall short of money when they finally leave.” There are many talented designers in and outside the city who don’t have the correct means or know-how to reach buyers, and Shivoguee helps the cause by bringing them all together. “People in Pune had this preconceived notion that fashion labels are all about spending a bomb, but we are trying to change that mind set. Whoever comes to this
exhibition there’s something which everyone can afford. For example, a particular product price range starts from Rs 2,000 and can go up as high as to Rs 50,000 depending on how much the customers are willing to shell out,” adds Cherry. When: February 13, 11 am to 8 pm Where: The Westin, Koregaon Park
TGS LIFE TEJAS GAIKWAD
FEBRUARY 6, 2016 PUNE
FEATURES They might only be inching closer towards their teens but their attitude, achievements and confidence is as good as any successful adult. Meet Pune’s very own young achievers
What’s age got to do with it By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry
S
RAHUL RAUT
o many of us wait to ‘grow up’ before we start walking down the road that we believe will bring us the success we deserve. Most of our school days are spent completing homework, playing with friends and maybe attending a few classes that our parents enrol us into. There are, however, a few who find what satisfies them and what they want to do for the rest of their lives at a very young age. PUNE’S TIGER WOODS You ask a child today what sport he would love to play and tennis, football, cricket or even badminton is the most common reply. But how often do you hear a 12-year-old say that when he grows up he wants to be a professional golf player. Managing academics at school, football for fitness, tuitions to back up everything taught in school and then golf, which is his passion, Aaditya Natekar has as hectic a schedule as any working adult. “Hectic is fun. I am used to it now and golf helps me remain focused and calm through the daily chaos,” he says as shy as he could be. He is currently a seventh grade student at Vidya Valley School located at Sus. While his father wanted him to pursue tennis, his grandfather enrolled him in a gold camp when he was six years old and Aaditya has loved the sport ever since. There was a small kit at home which was not being used and this became something that Aaditya spent most of his spare time with. Wanting absolutely the best for him, his parents have let him train under a golf and fitness coach from Bangalore. Both of them manage his training sessions via software and over the phone. The hardworking and passionate golfer has participated in several zonal and national golf tournaments held across the country. Just last year, Aaditya also qualified to become one of the top four golfers from the South zone.
WRITING HER OWN FATE, BOOK AFTER BOOK Kavana Anklekar was just 10 years old when she wrote her fi rst book, which was a collection of her own short poems. The book was called Kavana’s Poems and did a great deal to boost the little girl’s confidence she believes. Her second book, Happy House, was written last year and is about a house and the family that lives in it. It’s a fictional story where the house actively helps the family solve their problems. The book was unveiled at the hands of Tom Alter and his praise meant a lot to the 10-year-old. “I don’t necessarily have a topic in mind when I start writing. Its just about expressing and penning down your thoughts,” she explains, when asked about her inspiration. When she grows up, Kavana hopes to become an ambassador to the United Nations and win a Nobel prize in Literature. The biggest compliment she has ever received, she says, was from her school principal who told her that if someone read the book, they would assume that it was written by an adult for small children. “I only write keeping in mind what my younger sister or I would like to read. Books, for me, are my best friends that don’t complain, argue, or judge me,” she tells us. Studying in the seventh standard at The Orbis School in Mundhwa, Kavana is also learning Hindustani Classical music.
TEJAS GAIKWAD
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FEBRUARY 6, 2016 PUNE
“I only write keeping in mind what my younger sister or I would like to write”
FEATURES
- KAVANA ANKLEKAR
A MATHEMATICIAN IN THE MAKING While Math is a dreaded subject for hundreds, nine-year-old Aryan Dahiwal already plans on pursuing it as a career once he grows up. “Math is very precise and interesting. It is game played with only nine numbers and is very logical,” he says, exuding absolute confidence. Always nervous before a competition, Aryan eventually relaxes once he knows that he can solve the problem. A fourth grade student at City Pride School in Nigdi Pradhikaran, he was only six years old when he bagged the first prize at the state level abacus and mental arithmetic competition held in Nashik. He also won the fourth prize at the national level competition in the same subjects. The next feather in his cap was added when he was seven and won the first prize at a state level math competition held in Pune. The list of
achievements, of course, goes on. “There is no other subject like Math. The questions are different and challenging each time and that’s what keeps me hooked on,” Aryan smiles brightly as he speaks with
us. When he grows up the young boy hopes to either become a mathematician or a civil engineer, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. Like any other child his age, he is extremely mischievous and can RAHUL RAUT
almost never sit in one place for long. Aryan is introduced to various concepts of mathematics through trips to the construction site or even in the kitchen. The practical knowledge helps him grasp the subject better. He loves challenging everyone who comes home with Math problems and confidently gives them a calculator to solve them while doing mental math himself. Apart from Math, his other loves include football and cricket. THE LITTLE DHOL M ASTER It takes about 30 seconds for Sujit Soman to tie the ropes of the dhol and then you are most definitely in for a surprise. Sujit isn’t tying the dhol on himself but on his fouryear-old daughter Savitri, who is a member of the Ramanbaug dhol tasha troupe. When the tipru, the stick with which you hit the drum, strikes the drum, she is the one to watch out for. Managing the weight of the drum, she usesall her forec, is accurate and has a palpable zeal in every beat. While her father is a musician and mom Abha a Kathak dancer, music has been an integral part of Savitri’s life. Having been raised in an environment where music was always in the air, she fell in love with the dhol when she was two years old. She would often start playing on her father’s dhol, which was much bigger than her own height, without even knowing what she was doing. “When I go for my rehearsals, I often take Savitri along. If the dhol players stop practicing she rushes over to the tasha players and starts playing with them,” Sujit smiles. Looking at her passion for music, Sujit and Abha decided to get a dhol made that would be apt for her size. Now, there isn’t a spare moment when Savitri isn’t practising the dhol. The little girl is a fast learner and only needs to observe performers around her to catch a tune or rhythm. She is currently a senior kindergarten student at the Rewachand Bhojwani Academy in Camp. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com
SP
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FEBRUARY 6, 2016 PUNE
SHOPPING
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SENSITIVELY Here are some eco-friendly, upcycled products to pretty up your life By Heena Grover Menon @HeenaGM
Pipeline Split Lamp These super innovative and attractive lampshades are made using discarded PVC pipes from various construction sites. Brighten up your living spaces especially your dining area by hanging these. Price: Rs 2,500 Where: Studio Alternatives, Laxman Nagar, Balewadi
Keyholder Clock & Hectagon Coasters
Earthen cookware This ceramic kadhai is made from mineral based coating which is totally non-toxic and will promise a heathy lifestyle. All you have to do is cook and serve. Price: Ranging Rs 1,700-Rs 2,700 Where: Bungalow 12 A, Stanley Road, Near Bombay Garage
This funky wall clock is made using waste plywood and laminate. This multi-purpose piece can easily double up as your keyholder. Just mount it at a strategic point in your house to keep it handy. These multi-coloured coasters are again made of waste plywood wood and look absolutely adorable. Set them on your coffee or dining table when you have friends coming home on special occasions. Price: Clock-Rs 1,450; Coasters (set of four)- Rs 650 Where: Studio Alternatives, Laxman Nagar, Balewadi
Recycled plastic bags Made out of waste polythene bags, these extremely useful handy bags can be used for almost all purposes. Price: Ranging Rs 200-Rs 600 Reach her at: Amita Deshpande - 8275175567; amita.aarohana@gmail.com
Tyre Twist These upcycled tyres have been wrapped around with coconut coir to give effect of our traditional modas. The table in the centre has storage space to be used for keeping items or alternatively be used for keeping decorative lights and plants giving it a beautiful effect. Price: Chair with cusion- Rs 3,000; Table- Rs 3,500 with glass top Where: The Real Green Cafe, Phoenix Marketcity Mall, Nagar Road
Handmade body polish This rejuvenating body polish created by a citydoctor is absolutely chemical free. Handmade using natural products it’s a wonderful clean-up therapy you must gift yourself for a soft, shining skin. Price: Rs 350 Where: Dhawalgiri Building, Gaikwad Nagar, Aundh
Cardboard bookmarks These cute little creative bookmarks are made out of using old book covers. A perfect example of how you can easily upcycle things and put them to great use in everyday life. Price: Rs 25-Rs 30 each Where: Either Or, Sohrab Hall, Sassoon Road
F
rom doing odd jobs when he was in school, to learning to stitch , to now when he runs one of the most popular biryani joints, Shaikh Abdul Wahid’s journey has been a great one. A small but flourishing meat shop and biryani house by the name of Behtarin Biryani House in Kothrud is this 43-year-old’s everything. Growing up in Amravati, he went to school till fifth grade and then began doing odd jobs back in his hometown to help around the house. He sold things like bobby chips and other eatables to help his father run the house. His father was a smalltime businessman. They also did farming which added to the family income. Shaikh moved to Pune when he was 16 and started looking for a job.
He worked under a tailor in Dhanukar Colony, Kothrud for a few years. While he was working there he got paid Rs 150 for eight days and that would be enough to take care of his expenses. “I have never had a lot of needs. As long as I can provide a substantial meal for my family, I am happy,” he says. When he was working as a tailor, he would often visit his brother-in-law at his meat shop in Kothrud and would help around. He slowly started developing interest in it and decided to start his biryani house. Shaikh has been running the shop for 20 years now and could not be more satisfied with the way things have turned out. In 2008, he opened
TEJAS GAIKWAD
He made his own destiny
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FEATURES
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City celeb chat
a biryani house right next to his meat shop and hired a chef for a while. “I learnt how to make the biryani from the chef who worked at the shop. I would just stand beside him and observe everything and memorise it to try out later,” he tells us, when we
Name: Suraj Chhajed, model Three words to describe me: Determined, focused and an optimist. I love my job because: Modelling has always been my passion and through this I get to make my own identity Best advice I’ve received: My teacher once said to me ‘Don’t do things to impress others, do whatever you do to impress yourself’. When buying something, the first thing that catches my eye is: I always look for something unique when I step out for shopping. What’s your inner animal? Snow leopard: Attractive, rare, and they play smart when it comes to hunting their prey down. My personality is kind of the same I believe. A combination of all these qualities help me to sustain and grow in this industry. The first thing you notice about an attractive person: Artificial beauty doesn’t attract me. A well-spoken person will always get the edge and is more attractive. The perfect start to a day is: A morning jog followed by a protein smoothie with instrumental music. Your current four-wheeler: Toyota Innova Your fitness regimen: Eating clean, being consistent in the gym and sufficient rest. Your food indulgence: I’m a huge lover of pizzas and sometimes I like to try southIndian dishes Books by your bedside: Mostly inspirational and I like to to read love stories too. The first site you visit when you fire up your comp: It has to be Facebook. Now-adays, Facebook is not only about people, it’s also about social awareness. Your favourite city: Pune. I’ve always been in love with this city and with the people here. Ideal holiday: For me a perfect holiday would be meeting friends and travelling with them to the places that are unknown to me. (As told to Heena Grover Menon)
asked him where did he learn to make the biryani. He is happily married with three children and is taking care of his whole family including his parents who live with him. Even though he had never really thought about what
he wanted to do when he was young, his only wish for his children is to grow up and be successful and happy. There is not much that he expects from life. “A smile on my family’s face when they get up and before they go to bed is enough to keep me going and stand strong through the problems that life throws at me,” he says, before he ends the conversation. (As told to Salonee Mistry)
Flaunt your khadi look Eight reasons why Khadi is your ultimate fashion fabric that can never go out of vogue, explains designer Purvi Doshi By Heena Grover Menon @HeenaGM
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here’s something about khadi that instantly makes you look royal. Whether it’s a cotton or silk, you can turn them into stylish attires such as kurtas, suits, jackets and even saris. Khadi is organic and an inspiration by nature. Wearing khadi is an authentic way of being fashionable. With time, khadi has got a modern twist and suits well on both men and women. No more dilemma between comfort and style! Men can team up their kurtas with a Nehru jacket and look effortlessly stylish. Th is trend has become so desirable that the world has accepted it charm and passion. Styling in khadi is not limited to saris and kurtis. Modern designers have come up with versatile ideas to make women look drop-dead-gorgeous with this classy fabric. Khadi being the faultless fabric for every season has a variety of collection in numerous fashion stores across India. Feel the delight of wearing authentic Indian clothing. Khadi being a symbol of freedom will not only make you enhance your grace but also give you a distinguished and glamorous look. Look colourful as khadi can also be dyed in a variety of colours and prints that has proved it to be a trendsetter among the youth. No more just nude shades. Glam up your look well with ethnic accessories like jhumkas. Silver goes well with khadi, so team up your kurta with silver bangles and complete the look with juttis. heena.grover@goldensparrow.com
TGS LIFE
FEBRUARY 6, 2016 PUNE
celluloid dreamer
BUZZ By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry
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Meet the
ll set to hit the theatre screens on February 19, the love drama Mr and Mrs Sadachari, is something that every young person will relate to believes Prarthana Behere who plays Mrs Sadachari. Th is is the second time she will be seen opposite Vaibbhav Tatwawdi and is super excited about the fi lm. In the fi lm she falls in love with Vaibbhav’s character and later starts disliking the very same qualities that she used to love. “Loving without conditions is a message that we hope to give through the fi lm,” she points out. Becoming an actress was something that was never on her mind. Strong in academics, her father was keen on her becoming an engineer. While she did graduate in Mathematics, Prarthana always had an artistic bend. A fun photo shoot and a friend who submitted the photos to Balaji Telefims, changed her life. Playing the younger sister to Ankita Lokhande in the serial Pavitra Rishta, was her stepping stone towards a career that she absolutely loves. Ask her who her idol from the industry is and she immediately thinks of Sridevi. “I want
to have a fi lm career like Sridevi. Even in fi lms that weren’t women centric, she was a huge part of the screen time and that is what I want to achieve,” she says. A Bharata Natyam dancer since the age of three, dancing is something that she enjoys at all times. She assures us that she gives her 100 percent no matter what the role and that it’s not about the money at all. She loves doing work that satisfies her passion for acting. We asked her about working with Vaibhav and says that it has become a cakewalk. They have become the best of friends which makes the entire process very easy, she says. We also wanted to know about her love life and she started laughing. “I am focusing on my career at the moment, but after a year or two I would not mind getting married. I have handed over the responsibility of looking for a boy for me to my parents,” she smiled. She absolutely loves to fly and chase her dreams but is as grounded as one can be. Other than the fi lm, Prarthana is working on a non-commercial festival fi lm where she is playing the role of a dancer and another fi lm with Vaibhav is also in the pipeline. salonee.mistry@ goldensparrow.com
“I have handed over the responsibility of looking for a boy for me to my parents”
‘I love the responsibility that comes with direction’ By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry
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passionate person no matter what she does, Shriya Pilgaonkar is a director, theatre artist, actor, dancer and she has numerous more dreams she still wants to turn into reality. Drawing inspiration from her parents Supriya and Sachin Pilgaonkar. who excel at everything that they do, Shriya too is ambitious and pushes herself to learn, explore and grow. Debuting in Bollywood with Shahrukh Khan’s fi lm Fan, she could not be more excited. While she cannot talk much about the fi lm, she tells us that she is playing a small character but a special one. As far as working with the Badshah of Bollywood is concerned, she would love to have another go at it. “Shahrukh is extremely professional on the set and there is so much to learn from him. He never treated me differently because I was a young actor, I got the same amount of respect as everyone else,” she says, grateful of the opportunity. She would also love to work with directors like Imitiaz Ali, Rajkumar Hirani and actors like
Ranveer Singh and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Having directed a few short fi lms, Shriya says that she sees inspiration in everything. She believes that story telling is a great form of art and loves using it as often as possible. The director is the most important part of any fi lm. “I love the responsibility that comes with direction. The director does so many things, including transforming ideas, and that’s what makes or breaks a fi lm,” she says. She is also a huge admirer of the effect that fi lms have on people. Her idea is always to make fi lms that she would love to watch as an audience member. Being a people’s person makes her a pleasure to be around on the sets even though she asks a lot of questions, she laughs. Dreaming of going global whether as a director or acting, she is someone who lives in the present and doesn’t quite believe in strategising everything. Apart from her upcoming fi lm Fan, Shriya is also working on two English plays. Last, but not the least, we asked her if she was seeing anyone and that’s when the giggling began. “I am still not over Jean Dujardin who has been my crush for the longest time,” she adds. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com
Learnt a lot about acting from Rekhaji
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ctor Aditya Roy Kapoor said he learnt a lot about craft of acting from veteran actress Rekha by merely observing her during fi lm Fitoor. Rekha was initially a part of the fi lm and had shot some portions for the role of Katrina Kaif 's mother. However, things did not work out between director Abhishek Kapoor and Rekha. "The experience of working with her was really lovely. I hardly shot with her for three days but you learn so much when you are in the presence of great actors. In two minutes, Rekhaji knew how the set has been running, she knew what the dynamics were," Aditya told PTI. The Aashiqui 2 actor feels he has become a better actor
by merely observing the Khoobsurat actress. "I learnt so much by observing her rehearsing and noticing how she approached the scene. She is also a very warm and supportive person, she made me feel good about what I was doing," he said. "What I take away is I learnt about the craft of acting. I feel I am a better actor after working with her." The 30-year-old actor said no other actress could have essayed the role of Begum Hazrat better than Tabu after Rekha moved out of the project. The fi lm, based on Charles Dickens' classic Great Expectation Expectation, is slated to release on February 12