The he Ideas deas Issue ssue
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Cocktails C k l That Hydrate y e
S Sunshine &
NEHA SSHARMA A A She’s Hotter S Than Th n Ever E r!
RAISING A S G THE BAR AR
Sex & S S bl y Sensibility
T MODERN THE O CO COUPLEE
A DOG’S OG S LIFE
Hacks From om Man’s Best Friend Mans iend
Cellphone p Salvation S l n
A S FOR APPS O THE MINDD
The h Indian d Sportsperson p p n PRESENT & FUTURE
Urban Style y
FROM O SSTREET TO O SSPORT O T
# MakeHerSmile k le INDIA VOLUME O 13 3 ISSUE SS 7
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NEHA SHARMA
The stunner makes her Maxim debut.
THE IDEAS ISSUE
56 EVOLUTION OF SPORTSPERSONS
How the current breed of Indian athletes is redefining performance and furthering the cause of sport.
62 MAN-CAVE MAKEOVER
Eco-friendly and recycled goods can give your place the upgrade it needs.
66 JEWEL OF THE NORTHEAST
Explore Mizoram like never before.
72 ARE YOU THE LOVER SHE NEEDS?
We trace how the interpretation of sexuality has changed over the ages, and what that means for you.
76 GOOD NEIGHBOUR
Sri Lankan model and activist Sonali Silva takes us to the beach.
84 ATHLEISURE IS BACK
Take sporty style from the pitch to the street without breaking a sweat.
Photographed by NICK SAGLIMBENI 4
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custom made
www.bombayshirts.com Mumbai | New York City | Delhi | Dubai | Bangalore | Chennai | Kolkata | Pune
36 CHANGING GEARS
Two British auto giants have created a self-flying car.
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UNCANNY CANINE
“GANGSTA, GANGSTA”
Here’s what your dog can teach you.
Ice Cube talks about kicking it in the afterlife.
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MINIMALIST PLATES
ERIKA MEDINA
Your idea of dining is about to get a do-over.
What American women think of Indian men.
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COCKTAILS THAT HYDRATE
STRANGER NO MORE
Raising the bar.
HEALTHY TICKER
David Harbour of Stranger Things on why cinema must be an agent of change.
Here’s the best way to make your heart stronger.
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24 THE JUICE
CONTRADICTORY ELEMENTS
Michael Kunze and how art can cloak reality.
You can now drink yourself to better sex.
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MIGHTY MUSCLE
TIME TO TUNE OUT
Mustang’s Shelby GT350 is back, badder and with more power than ever.
Reclaim your mindspace with these apps.
35 RIDE SMOOTH
A custom Yamaha is the sleekest motorcycle you can ride.
36
The best new (and old) cocktails.
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Keanu Reeves and the art of impeccable city style.
42 LOOK THE PART
Channel David Beckham’s biker look.
The future of mobility is here.
43
TRAVEL SMART
BOOZEHOUNDS
YES, YOU’RE BACK!
BUCKLE UP
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Gadgets for men who’re ready to take flight.
SEASONAL NOSE
These fragrances have been designed to stick to you...even if she won’t.
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Copyright © 2018 Exposure Media Marketing Pvt. Ltd., 378-379, Second Floor, Udyog Vihar, Phase IV, Gurugram – 122015, Haryana. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited. Published by Xavier Colaco from Exposure Media Marketing Pvt. Ltd., 378-379, Second Floor, Udyog Vihar, Phase IV, Gurugram – 122015, Haryana. Printed at Kala Jyothi Process Pvt. Ltd., S.No. 185, Kondapur Village, Serilingampally Municipality, Ranga Reddy District, Hyderabad - 500 133. MAXIM does not take responsibility for returning unsolicited publication material. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Delhi/New Delhi only. Opinions expressed in the articles are of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors or publishers. While the editors do their utmost to verify information published they do not accept responsibility for its absolute accuracy. Unsolicited material is sent at the owner’s risk and the publisher accepts no liability for loss or damage. Materials in this publication may not be reproduced, whether in part or in whole, without the consent of Exposure Media Marketing Pvt. Ltd. Copyright © 2018 Maxim Inc. The name “MAXIM” and the MAXIM logo are registered trademarks of Maxim Media Inc., and used under license by Exposure Media Marketing Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. The United States edition of Maxim is published monthly by MAXIM Inc., 268 W. 44th Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY, 10036. For international publishing or licensing inquiries: maximworld@maxim.com.
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CONTRIBUTORS
ELENA FERNANDES
DAN CARNEY
Well-known automotive journalist Dan has a special interest in reviewing aspirational cars, super races and interviewing celebrities about their automotive interests. His larger aim: to remind Maxim readers why we love cars.
After completing her law education, Elena embraced modelling and acting, and is even a former Maxim Covergirl. She’s a vocal advocate of animal welfare and currently mothers five cats and one dog. When she has some free time, she loves to write.
SANDHYA MULCHANDANI
NICK SAGLIMBENI
The brain behind Slickforce Studio in downtown LA, Nick has photographed for more than 120 magazine covers and numerous campaigns. He has received several awards, and is the author of the hugely successful ‘Mastering’ series of books. He has also created WMB 3D: World’s Most Beautiful, a magazine photographed and designed in 3D. He does a ton of pro bono work for numerous charities, too, including the Painted Princess Project.
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Having worked in print media for over 20 years, Sandhya continues to write and has authored several books, including Kamasutra for Women. She has a deep interest in Indian mythology and classical music, and she lives in New Delhi.
ISSAC JOHN
A marketing professional who, on a wing and a prayer, plunged his life’s savings into a screenwriting course in New York. Issac’s first book, Buffering Love, a collection of short stories based on apps redefining relationships, released last year (with Penguin Random House).
ROSARIO BELMONTE
Rosario left his native Sicily at 18 to explore his passion for fashion and beauty in Milan. He studied under Stefano Anselmo, one of Italy’s top makeup artists. His Asian adventures have taken him to Mumbai where he has done extensive editorial work with the Indian editions of international magazines and also, Mumbai’s movie industry.
“I’m sorry, did my fun in the rain step on the toes of your pointless deadline?”
SOCIETY
WHAT I’VE SNIFFED Dogs, and what we can learn from them! Text by ELENA FERNANDES
“A
re you a dog person or a cat person?”—it is one of the most common questions that I am often asked. Well, I have both! Now, if you must know, I live with five cats and one dog (her name is Princess), and I love my babies. But, I feel my cats tolerate me and my dog dotes on me. And dogs, right from when they’re nutty puppies to when they’re in their elderly phase, are man’s greatest friend! I’ve always been an ardent animal lover and I feel my passion for animal welfare stems from my mother and grandfather. My grandfather would rescue injured pigeons. I remember him making splints for their wings from lollipop sticks. So, I guess saving animals and loving them has always been in
my blood. My father has always secretly had a passion for dogs, despite his assertions of being allergic to cats and dogs. Yet, even with this ‘allergy’ there was the arrival of our golden Labrador, Oscar—the family dog, a rescue that was the runt of his litter. When no one was looking, you could always catch my father massaging Oscar and showering him with kisses. And Oscar was a typical Lab, absolutely harmless and a big softie. Having a pet is fun but one thing that should never be taken lightly is the responsibility that comes with it—and it is a life-long commitment. They make a mess, so you need to have patience to train a dog. You can’t abandon your pet because she or he is too naughty as a puppy or too much of MAXIMINDIA.IN
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SOCIETY
a burden as a senior. Dogs are a part of your family; they are your therapist, your best friend and so much more. There’s so much that we can learn from dogs and inculcate in our own daily lives. Not only will we be a lot happier like our furry friends, we’ll grow as people. FIND YOUR STRENGTH My dog is a Staffordshire bull terrier and Collie mix, and is stong, resilient and smart. Sadly, her breed has garnered a reputation as a fighting dog, but you don’t get bad dogs, you get bad people. Princess has severe osteoarthritis, but that hasn’t deterred her from being a happy dog. She’s the first to be up and the last to sleep— always keen to play. When we look to our strays, their resilience to extreme conditions is just incredible. No matter the pain, they stay strong and are hard-wired to survive. This is something we can incorporate into our daily lives—pull yourself up and learn to endure. They avoid conflict as far as possible, and have an innate strength to pick themselves up. So can we. OPEN YOURSELF UP A dog will always love you more than he loves himself. You only have to look at the strays who experience cruelty—they still approach you, show you unaffected affection. From our pet dogs, we experience what I call ‘Disney’ love. They’ll love you through good and bad times. When you’re angry, they don’t stop loving you. When you’re crying your heart out, your dog will come and sit with you, and even bring you one of his toys to cheer you up. It’s pure, and we need to learn to love like that! Dogs will never give up on you. We need to learn from our dogs to love hard and love without expecting anything in return. LOOK OUT FOR YOUR PEOPLE Your dog will protect you more than Kim K’s security protect her assets… except when there’s food around. I’m sure many of you will agree that you can describe your dog as your shadow. Your dog is your guard, the one that will be with you—in the words of Buzz Lightyear, “To infinity and beyond!” You can see a male stray guard his pack, even if they’re not from the same litter. Loyalty and protection go hand-in-hand with our furry friends. Some of us shy away from certain situations when we know we should speak up and protect those weaker than us. Whether it is for another person or an animal, we need to stand tall and protect those with no voice. What do we fear— 14
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judgment, being cast out or hurt? Protect not only your loved ones, but the ones who are in the shadows, too scared to speak out. You can stand up with your mind, your heart or your voice.
of comfort when you befriend him. This friendship is built on emotion, and is an unspoken bond. Sometimes, we can be better friends and we need to remember that physical presence goes a long way.
JUST STICK AROUND My dog Princess is a rescue. She was being passed around from home to home until my mother and I brought her into our family. At this point we already had three cats and a dog, but you can never have too many furry friends. It’s well known that a dog can provide companionship. When you have a bad day at work and you feel alone, you can rely on your dog to be your mate—a friend who’ll never judge you or stab you in the back. Even a stray can give you a moment
LEARN TO LET GO Social media timelines, newspapers, TV news...constant angst, anger and sadness that seems to come at you. It may be time to dial it back. I don’t know about you, but I always see strays gathered and playing together. It literally looks like a social gathering, which humans seem to have forgotten. Dogs sometimes bicker over territory, but then they adjust. They don’t cling to something or hold a grudge. That’s a great trait to have, and something the world
“I’m just wondering: is that phone an extension of your hand like my tail is an extension of my butt, or is it like my leash?”
SOCIETY
desperately needs. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but disagreement needn’t be constant and permanent. HAVE SOME FUN Animals do the funniest things. The #whatthefluffchallenge is bloody hilarious— they have such unique personalities. We all speak to our pets in a certain voice, too. Scientists have found that even dogs are prone to stress—just like us—but it seems they manage it better. How liberating would it be to have this carefree attitude? We spend so much time worrying about the opinions of others and portraying a ‘perfect’ image that we forget how to live. We should laugh from the heart. GIVE IN TO THE MUNCHIES Like dogs, we need to enjoy the simple pleasures of food, coupled with the delight of community. Dogs have zero interest in anything else when they have food in front of them, and they savour every last bite. I know that from personal experience— Princess inhales her grub. We’ve developed a complex relationship with food, be it diets or medical reasons. But I feel we’re so distracted in our daily lives that we forget to appreciate what’s in front of us. If you have food on your plate, you are blessed.
THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX Dogs are exceptionally persistent, they don’t easily give up. I have read countless stories of dogs walking miles to get back to their owners. Moreover, I have seen many dogs figure out ways to get to food without anyone seeing them. This spirit is both admirable and endearing—a quality that we should incorporate into our lives. We see something as hard to do, try once or twice, and then give up. The fear of failure stops us from really trying, but the only way one can learn is through trial and error. It is best to have tried and failed than to have never tried at all, as they say. RESERVE THE JUDGMENT Some see stray dogs on the street and think the dog has rabies, or the dog is dangerous, or the dog will chase you and pin you down. Some people think big dogs are too aggressive. Trust me, I have seen some feisty Chihuahuas, too. And we do the same to people around us—we constantly tend to judge. “She’s so big!” Or “He looks so hostile!” I experience it firsthand in my profession. Most people are scared to approach me as I have a natural resting ‘bitch’ face. I just don’t like to waste a smile. How many possible friendships have you missed out on or opportunities of working
with people or finding love by misjudging people because of their class, their look or what they’re wearing? A Labrador does not distinguish an Indian breed from a pedigree, so why do we? We need to stop this subconscious judgment and make more of an effort to not inflict our prejudices on others. Based on my stance, I’d otherwise be Billy-no-mates for sure, if people did not take a chance to get to know me. The bee stung lips and cheekbones do help, though! JUST LIVE, MAN! When I look at Princess, I see a dog, actually to be honest, I see my lady who has reached the grand age of 11 years, lived her life with zero fucks given. We have become a society of over-thinkers, stressing about the smallest of things. We need to learn to let loose, to laugh, to shout (once in a while) and to smile. Run with your dog, release your inner child and play with the strays. Now, here’s the caveat: keeping all this in mind, watch your dog but keep your eyes open. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much you can learn. A dog’s size, colour or breed doesn’t deter it from being the dog she or he wants to be. If nothing else, a dog is simply who he is. So should you be.
“Fascinating story about your girlfriend and your boss. When do we eat?”
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FOOD
THE MASTER OF MINIMALISM
In 2012, Ollie Dabbous’ eponymous restaurant changed London’s and, consequently the world’s, dining scene with its no-fuss aesthetic and menu, and its five-star reviews. Now, he is planning something even bigger. Text by TOBY SKINNER
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E
ven in London’s frenzied dining scene, few openings have ever been as buzzed about as Ollie Dabbous’ first restaurant, launched in 2012 on such a tight budget that he had to bring pots and pans from home. In a spartan, central London space that one reviewer noted looked like a car park, Dabbous’ fresh, pared-back dishes had critics salivating into their sourdough-brown paper bags. The London Evening Standard’s Fay Maschler, the hard-to-please grande dame of London restaurant critics, gave it a full five stars—something she’d done only a handful of times. A Michelin star followed eight months later as Dabbous was hailed as a new culinary messiah who’d appeared out of nowhere to slay stuffy fine dining with his unpretentious enterprise. Soon, it seemed every London opening was about bare concrete, bare bulbs and minimalist small plates—which was good because there was a five-month long waiting list for Dabbous. So, five years after being the ‘next big thing’, what does a game-changing young chef do next? In Dabbous’ case, the answer is to close the doors of his first restaurant as well as his second, Barnyard, the even more casual Soho restaurant that he had opened in 2014. He’s planning to open a much bigger venture in the spring of 2018, with many of the same chefs and staff that worked at Dabbous, including his business partner, bartender Oskar Kinberg. He won’t confirm reports that it’s set to open in a three-storey, 250-seater site on Piccadilly, not far from the Ritz London hotel, but does say it will have—“The soul of Dabbous. It will be like a new album from the same band; you will see a real progression, but you’ll still recognise the music.” I meet Dabbous in the Soho office of his PR company. He’s been busy testing dishes, and is excited about a few top-secret ingredients he’s been playing with that “diners won’t have seen before.”
He’s wearing his signature white T-shirt with a wide neck and high-cut sleeves, and his slightly tribal necklace. His look—one reviewer compared him to Coldplay’s Chris Martin—is probably the most extravagant thing about him. He doesn’t do social media, likes a quiet kitchen and claims to be impervious to all the hype. “I know what I like,” he says. “I’m not bothered about how many Instagram hits I get or where I am in the London pecking order.” A glance at Dabbous’ CV gives a sense of where this puritanism comes from. His first real job after high school was at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Raymond Blanc’s twoMichelin-starred institution in Oxfordshire, England. Dabbous learned the basics in this sink-or-swim environment, and went from “being totally out of my depth to becoming a valued member of the brigade.” After four years at Le Manoir, he toured some of the most progressive kitchens in Europe—from Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck, also in the U.K., to Noma in Copenhagen and the Basque institution Mugaritz. “I was massively driven,” he says. “While my friends were getting drunk and
sleeping around, I had this almost military existence in my 20s. I’d put my knives and my bag in the car, and I’d drive to the next restaurant.” When he opened Dabbous in 2012, no one had heard of him. The 31-year-old hadn’t done any pop-ups, and struggled initially to find a PR firm to promote him. But, he had a clear vision. “I like dishes that are about simplicity and purity; that are not too ‘chef-y.’ I’ve always liked food that tastes as much of itself as possible, and I only want to innovate if it works—there’s no point creating an outrageous new dish if it doesn’t taste as good as a coq au vin.” At Dabbous, the critics were wowed by simple but somehow magical combinations like peas and mint, with a purée and a granita in a tiny bowl; coddled egg, served in its shell with wild mushrooms and smoked butter; or a dessert of a frozen sorrel leaf with icing sugar that tasted like a popsicle. Now, though it’s time to create new iconic dishes, “Closing the restaurants I loved was strange, but it had to be done,” he says. “Some chefs want to build an empire, but I like being hands-on in the kitchen. I’d rather do less and be very happy than do more and be fairly happy.” He insists that he feels no more pressure than he did the first time around. “If it did not work then, I would have been bankrupt, and no one would have invested in me. Now, this time, people know who I am. The real pressure comes from myself—I’m still just as hungry to create the best food I possibly can, and to do myself justice. It’s about self-respect.” MAXIMINDIA.IN
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DRINKS
BOOZY CLASSICS
These five season-straddling cocktails are all you need to make. Text & Photographed by TYLER ZIELINSKI
W
eekend getaways and sunshine on a tap aside, it’s definitely prime season for cool cocktails. These five recipes are a mix of modern classics and outstanding originals that are sure to keep you happily hydrated. But, be warned—they are dangerously tasty! THE 50-50 MARTINI The martini is one of the world’s most popular cocktails for a good reason! Traditionally, it’s just two ingredients that are easy to remember: gin (or vodka) and dry vermouth. The 50–50 split between vermouth and gin (or vodka) makes this classic a perfect drink on a hot summer day. 45 ml gin (or vodka) 45 ml dry vermouth Combine all the ingredients into a mixing glass. Stir with ice until properly chilled or diluted. Strain into a coupe or a cocktail glass, garnish with a lemon twist or sliver, or some olives, and serve. You can add a dash of orange bitters for some extra depth if you’re into that sort of a thing or if you’re looking to take things up a notch. THE PARTY STARTER The name says it all. It’s floral, effervescent and appealing in both taste and scent, with a grapefruit peel garnish and lavender bitters making for a can’t-miss combination. It’s easily one of the best tequila and tonics around. 45 ml tequila 20 ml lemon juice 20 ml honey syrup (2:1 honey to water) Four dashes of lavender bitters Top with tonic water (approximately 60 ml or 75 ml) Combine all the ingredients (excluding two dashes of bitters and the tonic water) into a shaker. Shake until chilled, strain into a glass and then top with tonic. Add two more dashes of lavender bitters for the aroma, garnish with a grapefruit peel and serve.
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JUST A LITTLE BIT The most beloved tequila drink ever is hard not to love...so long as it’s done right. One of the best things about margaritas is that you can whip up a unique version of your own, using the standard ingredients and proportions as a template. I’ve provided a version of my favourite here for some inspiration. You’re welcome! 45 ml tequila 30 ml lime juice 20 ml honey syrup (2:1 honey to water) 15 ml Amaro Montenegro (the traditional Bolognese amaro) 5 ml mescal 5 ml blue curaçao Combine all the ingredients into a shaker over ice. Shake until chilled and then strain into a double rocks glass, garnish and serve. BEACHSIDE RUM PUNCH While punches have been around since the early 1600s, they’re still crushing it when it comes to easy-drinking party cocktails. This Bon Vivantito punch is great to batch for summer parties. Just don’t forget to keep a ladle handy. 60 ml rum 30 ml coconut milk 30 ml pineapple juice 20 ml lime juice 20 ml cinnamon syrup 15 ml curaçao Two dashes of Angostura bitters Mix all the ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled or diluted; strain into a glass over a large ice cube; garnish with all of the things (dealer’s choice here) and finally serve. To make this a large format drink—instead of measuring in millilitres, use all the proportions listed above as cups instead. For the bitters, this would mean 16 dashes if you use that recommended translation. THE GOLD RUSH There aren’t many better-tasting, three-ingredient cocktails than this one (sorry, Negroni-lovers). It was perhaps best popularised by bartender T.J. Siegal at Manhattan cocktail mecca Milk & Honey— which, sadly, is no longer in business. Bourbon takes centre stage with honey syrup and fresh lemon juice tying it in a bow for a delightfully fresh and vibrant bourbon-sour. The great thing is that not only can you order it at any bar, but it’s also extremely easy to make at home. 60 ml bourbon 20 ml lemon juice 20 ml honey syrup (2:1 honey to water) Combine all the ingredients into a shaker over ice. Shake until chilled and then strain into a double rocks glass; garnish with a lemon twist or wheel and serve. MAXIMINDIA.IN
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FITNESS
ALL ABOUT THE TICKER
The heart, like any other muscle, gets stronger with exercise and a healthy diet. Text by SHAYAMAL VALLABHJEE
T
ruth be told, it is the increased workload on the heart as a result of exercise that makes it adapt progressively over a period of time, resulting in a stronger cardiac output and an enhanced ability to withstand fatigue. The secret, though, is slow progression, as studies suggest that for the greatest heart protection, the total weekly energy expenditure is more important than the energy expenditure of a single session. As is said in the world of sports—consistency is the key to success. In fact, consistency is what makes the heart the one muscle that does the most physical work over the course of a lifetime. The power output of the heart ranges from one to five watts, and even though the quadricep muscles can produce over 100 watts in a few minutes, the consistent output of a single watt over an average lifespan of 80 years earns it the accolade of the ‘hardest-working muscle.’ For the longest time, the heart muscle was seen at a disadvantage for its inability to regenerate damaged fibres. With time, research has shown everyone the silver lining. Exercise not only increases the growth of new muscle cells and tissue in individuals with heart failure, it can also reverse patterns of muscle damage that are associated with heart failure. This is extraordinary news for an organ that beats more than 100,000 times in a day and more than 2.5 billion in an average lifetime. We all know that inactivity is the biggest threat facing the modern world. In addition to heart disease, it is also the culprit behind other chronic lifestyle diseases, such as obesity and hypertension. The question is: how much exercise is needed to unlock this trove of benefits? Research unequivocally points out that sedentary individuals are at a higher risk of contracting a heart condition in the long run. In fact, contrary to popular belief, approximately 90 percent of heart attacks occur in a resting state, as opposed to during physical exercise. 22
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THE RIGHT EQUATION The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) suggests performing aerobic exercise sessions of 15 to 60 minutes a day, three to five times a week. To truly enjoy the benefits of aerobic exercise, it advises that individuals train in a specific heart rate zone—between 60 to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate. The easiest way to calibrate this figure is by using the Karvonen Method: first, subtract your age from 220 to get the Maximum Heart Rate. Then, take 60 percent of that. So, if you’re 32 years old: 220 – Age = Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) (220 – 32 = 188 MHR). 188 x 60 % = 112.8 is 60% of your MHR 188 x 80 % = 150.4 is 80% of your MHR The ACSM advises that one should exercise with a target heart rate between these two figures. However, if you’ve had a previous heart condition, you’ll need to seek medical clearance before you embark on a physical exercise regime. In fact, these guidelines are also endorsed by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. THE OPTIMUM MOVES Strength training is a subject that has always had conflicting opinions. While there is little evidence that points to a direct correlation between strength training and improved heart health, there is definitely an indirect relationship. Strength training not only contributes to the improvement in one’s quality of life, it also plays a role in improving an individual’s aerobic economy, thus allowing them to train in the appropriate target zone for a longer period of time. This can be best done using the Principle of Specificity, which states that training should be relevant and appropriate to produce a ‘training effect.’ Through biomechanical patterns or training methodology, consistent training can lead to an overall change in your body and mind; but that has to be monitored to reduce the chance of injury. Individuals who use resistance training
to improve their activities of daily living also report higher self-efficacy scores. So, without question, light to medium resistance training should be incorporated into every individual’s exercise regime. The heart muscle is truly an organ to marvel. It circulates 5.6 litres of blood we have in our body more than 1350 times in a day. It’s no wonder that exercises linked to the heart muscle have other extraordinary benefits. In addition to improved blood circulation, increased metabolic rate, lowered blood pressure, decreased inflammation in your arteries and an overall improvement in your productivity, its benefits roll over into the management of other chronic and lifestyle diseases, which allows you to live happier and also become more active. It’s safe to say that such is the importance of the heart that it has been metaphorically represented in almost every other industry through centuries of literature and verse. For those who already lead a healthy, active lifestyle, regularly changing your training routines will help you see consistent, incremental gains. For example, interval training (short burst of high-intensity training with intermittent recovery periods) can help you push your
cardiovascular limits and enjoy noticeable gains. These workouts are generally more exhaustive than traditional aerobic routines; so it is recommended that you begin slowly and find your own optimal training intensity. Once you do, you can slowly scale it up. But it works wonders! For those who are looking to kick-start their healthy active lifestyle, brisk walking is the easiest way to begin. By varying your distance, pace and the incline, you can begin to enjoy the benefits of interval training through intermittent variable heart rate training. Remember this easy fix: it’s the small habitual changes you make that will eventually help you achieve your lifestyle goals. Of course, if you’ve been previously diagnosed with a cardiac condition, seek medical clearance prior to embarking on a regime, but there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy the benefits of exercise. As a rule of thumb, if you are above the age of 40, have a family history of cardiac conditions or have been diagnosed previously, you can use this questionnaire to ascertain your need for a medical examination prior to beginning an exercise programme: 1. Has any doctor previously recommended medically-supervised activity because of a heart condition? 2. Does performing physical activity bring on chest pain? 3. Has chest pain occurred during the previous month? 4. Do you faint or fall over from dizziness? 5. Does bone or joint pain intensify during or after an exercise session? 6. Has medication been prescribed for hypertension (high blood pressure) or heart problems? 7. Are you aware of, or has a doctor suggested, any physical reason for not exercising without medical supervision? If you’ve answered ‘yes’ to any of the above questions, it is important to seek medical clearance prior to beginning an exercise programme. Healthy hearts are happy hearts. So, start today! MAXIMINDIA.IN
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NUTRITION
JUICE IT UP
Who knew you could amplify your sexual experience with natural juices? Text by ADITYA PANDEY
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et’s face it. We are not the health experts we consider ourselves to be. The diet we plan to follow often gets shoved in the corner as soon as the aroma of deep-fried bacon and the goodness of chilled beer take over. But, did you know, all the junk that we so fondly put in our bodies can take away the greatest pleasure from us—yes, the joy of sex! But worry no more. We’ve got your back. Several nutritional studies have found that a couple of elements in certain fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs and spices can
actually pump up your sex drive, boost your performance and spike your pleasure quotient. Sounds ecstatic, doesn’t it? All you need is a tall glass of juice loaded with an abundance of L-tyrosine, L-arginine, Iron, Vitamin E, Vitamin C and B Vitamins; call it your very own natural aphrodisiac! Drink up daily to get that libido game on track. So, gentlemen, it’s time to unfold the secret ingredients and pack in all the sexually-stimulating nutrients in a punch! Trust us, she will thank you later!
These Five Easy-To-Make Recipes Will Ensure You Have The Best Night Of Your Life! Cherry On Top
Ingredients 1 cup cubed watermelons 10 cherries 1 slice of fresh ginger 1/2 banana Method Chuck everything in a blender. Now, bottoms up and ‘do it right.’
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Go All Raw
Ingredients 60 gm spinach 65 gm romaine lettuce 200 gm celery 4 pears 100 gm rocket leaves 1 tsp crushed nutmeg Method Early morning blitz. Blend it all up together.
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Smooth Criminal
Ingredients 2 medium tomatoes 1 carrot grated 1 stalk of celery 1/2 green bell pepper 1 cup fresh spinach 1/2 cup cucumber slices Chilled green tea to taste Method Grind until smooth. Then get grinding!
Sunrise, Sunrise
Ingredients 1/2 cup pineapple chunks 1/2 cup mango slices 1/2 cup strawberries 1 kiwi Orange juice to taste Method Blend and gulp! There’s no wrong way to do it, like really!
Crimson Affair
Ingredients 2 pomegranates Handful of mint 2 gm ginseng powder 1 tsp dried passion flower leaves Method Mix it all up, sexily, of course. And, get your groove on.
ESOTERICA
What would you have said to Eazy-E if you managed to chat with him before he died? It would’ve been something along the lines of, “What you doing in here? Get yo’ ass up. You ain’t about to lay up in here and…nah, this ain’t gonna happen, man. We need you to get better.” I never thought in a million years that he would pass away. Even that day, I went to see him and I still thought he would come out of it. What’s the first thing you would say to him in the afterlife? “I wish you could have stayed a little while longer, man.” To whom on earth do you owe an apology, and why? Ah…shit. Let’s see…ah, there’s probably a few people, a long list in fact that I’d need to apologise to. What’s the best lyric you ever wrote in your time on earth? ‘Fuck the police coming straight from the underground’ and ‘A young nigga got it bad ’cause I’m brown.’
ICE CUBE
The legendary rapper, actor, producer and filmmaker tells us how he’d spend his final day on earth... How do you want to die? On the Mothership with George Clinton. Do you have any deathbed confessions? Yes. That’s all you get—yes! You going to heaven or hell? To be determined. What do you say to God or the Devil— wherever you end up? “What’s cranking? Y’all got ESPN?” What’s the craziest thing that ever happened during your NWA days? We got chased off the stage in Cincinnati.
When I ran out of the building I ended up hitchhiking with some fans just to get back to the hotel. We were running from the police; no security, nobody else I knew was around. So, while I’m thinking I’m by myself and in trouble, I see some fans and jump into a car with a bunch of strangers. It was some crazy shit.
What’s the greatest Ice Cube scene that never saw the light of day? That’s a tough one, but I wrote a movie called Public Enemy. It’s not about the group ‘Public Enemy’ but it’s about what people would call a public enemy, and I would love for it to make it to the screen. What’s the dumbest thing that you ever did on earth? Wow, that’s a hard one. Oh wait, I almost burned my house down. What are your friends saying over your casket? Hopefully they are saying, “Man, he lived a full life.”
Which legendary people will you hang out with in the afterlife? Besides Jesus, I would kick it in the afterlife with Bob Marley.
What are the former members of NWA saying over your casket? Oh, they are all going to die before me.
What would you say to him? “Hey, roll one. Let’s go.”
What’s written on your tombstone? “Gangsta Gangsta.” MAXIMINDIA.IN
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MAXIM GIRL
HEY THERE, DELILAH! We caught up with Erika Medina, Los Angeles-based actor and model for a quick chat, Maxim style!
Text by SUNANDA VAID Photographed by NICK SAGLIMBENI
Do you think American women generally find Indian men desirable? Of course they do! America is such a melting pot; we love sexy, exotic men. Okay, noted. What are the three things you look for in a man? He absolutely has to make me laugh! That is very important. He must be a gentleman; I don’t like rude people. Finally, he needs to be respectful. He needs to treat the women in his family well; it’s a reflection of how he will treat his woman. Would you be open to a blind date with an Indian guy? I don’t know! I’ve never been on a blind date before. Your Instagram feed is on fire. We always wanted to know, do hot girls get together first, and then, drop awesome photos? Or, is it the other way around? I would say a mixture of both...It depends on the girl. I like to take photos and post them later. I like to be in the moment and enjoy my time with who I’m with.
What do you love about Los Angeles? I love everything about LA. It’s my home. I meet so many people living here and there’s always something to do. I see tourists coming to town, and then I think, “Some people have to save up money to visit LA, and I live here!” I’m very lucky. You are super fit. Do you seriously work out or is it just eating right? A little bit of both. I go to F45 three to four times a week, and I try to eat healthy. Don’t get me wrong, but if I crave something bad, I go for it! Does this mean that you’ll only date fit guys? Physical attraction is also important, and I believe in being fit together. If I can put in the work, so should he. How do you feel about couple workouts? It’s fun to work out together sometimes... But, I also love going with friends or even alone—it’s therapeutic.
Do you enjoy sexy shoots? Absolutely I do! I think every girl should channel her inner sexy goddess and feel good. I like to mix it up with beauty and fashion as well. When do you feel sexiest? That’s a tough one. I feel sexy in a lot of things, but I’m going to say men’s button-ups. Final question, and we’re hoping you’ll help us. What are the three sure-fire ways for a guy to catch your eye? Confidence is key! There’s something hot about a man with confidence (not to be mistaken with being cocky). Also, being funny and having a great smile helps. We just have to ask one more question. What’s the one thing a man does that really puts you off? Being rude and disrespectful will surely get you off my list, real quick.
MAKEU P & HAIR BY NAOM I MARIN
Does being on social media all the time ever become a drag? I believe everything is good in moderation. Sometimes it can be a little too much. That’s when I take a few days off; but then I come back. It’s a really fun tool. You’ve acted in a bunch of TV shows. What’s your fondest memory? Being on How I Met Your Mother was amazing. It was such a fun set to be on. It was the first set I’ve been on where the whole cast came up to me, introduced themselves, and thanked me for being on the show. They were all very lovely and humble. Priyanka Chopra just did a show. How did you and your friends react to it? My first time seeing Priyanka was when she did Quantico. I remember looking at her and thinking, “Wow! Who is that?” She is so breathtakingly beautiful and talented. I’d love to meet her someday. MAXIMINDIA.IN
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SPOTLIGHT
THE STRANGEST THING
David Harbour was a workingman’s actor growing disillusioned with Hollywood when a script about a bunch of kids in the US Midwest battling supernatural forces fell into his lap... and everything changed. Text by MITCH MOXLEY
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ast January, as protesters stormed airports around the country to rally against the White House–issued travel ban, David Harbour delivered an impassioned speech during the SAG Awards in Los Angeles. The cast of the sleeper Netflix hit, Stranger Things, was onstage accepting the award for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series. It was just days after the ban took effect, and Harbour felt that attending an awards show was kind of frivolous, all things considered. After co-star Winona Ryder handed him the bulky statue, Harbour, who plays troubled small-town police chief Jim Hopper in the show, took the mic. “In light of all that’s going on in the world today, it’s difficult to celebrate the already celebrated Stranger Things,” Harbour said, his voice forceful. “But, this award from you, who take your craft seriously and earnestly believe, like me, that great acting can change the world, is a call to arms from our fellow craftsmen and women to go deeper, and through our art to battle against fear, selfcentredness and exclusivity...by revealing intimate truths that serve as a forceful reminder to folks that when they feel broken and afraid and tired, they are not alone. We are united in that we are all human beings and we are all together on this horrible, painful, joyous, exciting and mysterious ride that is being alive.” The audience stood and roared, and in the days that followed, the speech went viral—viewed over two million times on YouTube. It wasn’t political, Harbour insists, but instead a cultural plea. He was asking his peers: What kinds of stories do we want to tell? What kind of world do we want to reflect on-screen? “If we can make little ripples in the pond in certain directions,” Harbour says. “Maybe those ripples can somehow affect social change.” Harbour has been a workingman’s actor for more than two decades, and with Stranger Things, the 42-year-old has finally found the kind of stories he wants to tell. He was an underdog choice to emerge as the breakout star in the nostalgic series that evokes Steven Spielberg’s dreamlike films from the eighties. But then again, Stranger Things is an underdog story itself. The project couldn’t have come at a better time for the New York–based actor. He received the script just after NBC cancelled State of Affairs, in which Harbour co-starred. He was in a dark mood and didn’t think he’d land the part—he figured Netflix would be looking for more star power. It’s not as though Harbour hadn’t experienced career success before Stranger Things—he’d had roles in art house fare and blockbusters alike, including Brokeback Mountain, Quantum of Solace, Black Mass, Revolutionary Road and End of Watch, and he’d been nominated for a Tony in 2005 for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?—but he had never broken out as a leading man. Harbour says he was in a—“Deeply cynical place about my abilities and telling meaningful stories in the Hollywood environment.” He later mused to the Los Angeles Times about quitting acting, a comment he now admits was a slight exaggeration. “For about five or six years I was kind of like the ‘other cop’ in something, or I was the best friend, or the killer.” He felt like another cog in the big entertainment machine; at one point he tried to get out of a part in a big-budget movie to do a Shakespeare play. “I was like, ‘Look, I’ll come when they call and when I need to make some
rent, but I’m not going to throw my heart to really invest myself in this industry.’ And then Stranger Things came along and I met these guys, the Duffer brothers, and that all turned around completely.” The Duffer brothers—33-year-old North Carolina natives, Matt and Ross, who had previously written and directed the small horror film Hidden—had developed an idea about a show focused around mysterious occurrences in the fictional Indiana town of Hawkins in 1983. The script dripped with eighties longing, inspired by the works of Stephen King and John Carpenter, as well as Spielberg. It reminded Harbour of the unbridled joy he experienced going to the cinema as a child in the eighties. He auditioned for the role of Hopper, who is investigating the disappearance of a young boy. On paper, the character reminded him of Roy Scheider’s police chief, Martin Brody, in Jaws, or Nick Nolte in 48 Hrs., with just a dash of Indiana Jones thrown in. Harbour wanted to craft Hopper as a wounded man—flawed, not a traditional barrel-chested hero. He wanted Hopper to have a paunch, a receding hairline and the look of a perpetual hangover. Hopper likes to smoke cigarettes and at times, punch people. The portrayal was a risk—how would audiences respond to a hero who could barely get out of bed in the morning? But, it paid off. Hopper is relatable, and he becomes a hero for our time: a man who doesn’t know how to figure it out, figuring it out. Surround him with a group of charismatic kids and you have a collection of underdogs that everyone could root for. And just about everyone did: Stranger Things is both a critical and audience darling, rolling into next season, and now a multiple award-winner. Harbour himself was nominated for an Emmy. “So, one of the great things about Stranger Things is that you take these people that are really incapable and really a mess and they are ordinary people, and then they go and do an extraordinary action,” Harbour shares. “I want people to feel like, ‘Look, I am just a schlub like you.’ Because I am—I am not in perfect shape, I’m not in perfect lighting, I’m not looking great. That’s the thing when you watch Hopper—you’re like, ‘This is the dude that’s going to kill the monster? I could totally be that dude. I sleep late...I cannot deal with these situations.’ And I think that is really fun as an audience member, to truly identify more with the lead character, as opposed to being in awe of them and being like, ‘Whoa, they do like, so many sit-ups.’” Speaking to Harbour, it’s clear that Stranger Things is much more to him than simply a vehicle for his own success. He displays a deep affection for his character and for the show itself. Stranger Things means something to Harbour; he binge-watched the first season, just like everyone else. But, Stranger Things has undeniably opened doors. Harbour has taken over the titular role in the Hellboy franchise, and the show has given him a platform to influence people and the culture—hence his SAG speech. Not that he’s totally content—“My divine dissatisfaction as the artist...never ends”—but he’s embracing the challenges offered by his newfound success. “I really want to tell stories that I believe in, like Stranger Things, and let’s see if people want to watch that. And let’s see if my voice has that kind of resonance.”
“We are united in that we are all human beings and we are all together on this horrible, painful, joyous, exciting and mysterious ride that is being alive.”
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ART
PALETTE OF CONTRASTS
Michael Kunze amalgams contradictory elements to create art. Text by PRIYANKA CHAKRABARTI
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erman artist Michael Kunze has been creating paintings reinforced by Central European intellectualism. His art represents the inner world of human beings—a dark, complex maze with explosions of blinding light in which illusion is part of reality. Kunze’s individualistic style of painting has gained him recognition in recent years as one of the most important German painters of our time. Earlier this year, he was a recipient of the prestigious Hans Platschek Prize in Karlsruhe, Germany. His works can be found in numerous public and private collections like the Nationalgalerie in Berlin, MMK museum in Frankfurt and the Goetz collection in Munich, among others. He is currently exhibiting his latest work, The Last Tango In Thule, at Galerie Isa, Mumbai.
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What inspired you to create The Last Tango In Thule? The title refers to Bernardo Bertolucci’s movie, Last Tango in Paris from more than 40 years ago. The typically ’70s-like existentialistic atmosphere and the borderline occurrence of two lonely and lost individuals in Paris, tells us a story that is strongly connected to a cultural context. I always call myself a shadow-line of modernism—a sort of complicated and historically confused development beside the official line of modernism that came to an end with the ideas of ‘minimal,’ ‘pop’ and ‘concept’ in the last decades of the 20th century. In the shadow-line, there is no strong idea of progress, but a mythologicalbased surrealistic and metaphysical narration—look at Giorgio de Chirico and
Lars von Trier who bring different and difficult historical sources together to a more or less trans-historic image of a time with a doubtful future. In the title of my exhibition, I changed Paris to Thule because it strengthens this aspect of a cultural historic twist. Thule since ancient times has been a name for a not-so-clear précised country in northern Europe (perhaps Iceland). Later, the name Thule got a legendary meaning, like Atlantis. The change from an originally and simply existing location far away to a mythological nowhere and everywhere is exactly the sort of shift I try to follow with painting, text and other media, referring to a strange relation between shadow and light as well as between modern and nonmodern attitudes. Can you describe your style of painting? I try to juxtapose different manners of painting that belong to the mythologicalapocalyptic-futuristic twilight zone. This style brings me closer to the most actual possibility of reacting to an end of an era. My style is a blend of new function and new understanding (not minimal, not pop). You can, in fact, find a reflection of this kind of approach in the works of Arnold Böcklin, G.
de Chirico, some early surrealists, Balthus, Bacon, A. Kiefer, M. Barney, W. Kentridge and others. What media do you employ? The main work is oil on canvas, quite classically with different techniques; it all depends on the concrete subject that is to be seen. When did you know that you wanted to be an artist? I come from a family of classical archaeologists. I feel, the first instance that got me closer to my calling was when I visited Greece as a child with my parents. Who do you create art for? Most people in the art world forget to think about this complicated matter! It is easy to give a tautological answer, like—“I do it for the art world,” or “I do it for myself.” All these answers are imprudent; they strengthen the decorative approaches, where now the majority of exhausted movements and styles of the last decades come to an end. Exactly here, we can point to the decline of an epoch that only brings out thinner reanimations of the
results of the recent past. Against this, I try to interest people with content-based imagination that helps leave behind this well-known understanding of the whole era of the last century. If this can happen, it could be possible to discover a parallel on-going history of modernism that went a much more labyrinthine and historicallyqueer way. An artist’s work can redefine culture and history; so, an artist has to be conscious about what he/she creates. I work for people who are curious enough to move themselves to the strange contra-presence that is stranger than the present we believe we live in! What is the art scene like in Berlin? The art scene in Berlin is quite active. Many artists from all over Europe, and also other parts of the world, find it most practical to come live here and have a studio. Living costs are much more economical, and it has become a hub for art studios. How has the response for your current exhibition been so far? It has been a success, I would say. My works are now in so many homes in India, and I love this country. MAXIMINDIA.IN
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AUTO FOCUS
RAW MUSCLE The Mustang Shelby GT350 is back and bolder than ever for 2019. Text by DAN CARNEY
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AUTO FOCUS
FORD SET A PRETTY HIGH BAR with the 2018 Mustang Shelby GT350. So, to make the car even faster for 2019, they had to borrow from the racing version. Ford’s engineers started by recalibrating the MagneRide active suspension to suit the aero and tyre enhancements, along with revised springs. The aero improvements include an all-new rear spoiler with optional Gurney flap and optimised grille closeout. These tweaks, in fact, came from wind tunnel development of the racing cars and upcoming Shelby GT500 model. Together, they deliver significant rear greater aerodynamic efficiency when equipped with the new optional Gurney flap on the rear spoiler. That’s the name given to the tiny lip added to the spoiler’s trailing edge that multiplies the downforce with only a small increase in drag. To shed the additional speed, power is provided by six-piston front and four-piston rear caliper Brembo brakes. The Shelby also gets new Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres using a 34
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GT350-specific tread pattern and different rubber compound that provides more grip for quicker acceleration times, higher-G lateral acceleration and shorter braking. “The new Shelby GT350 is our ultimate track Mustang,” said Hermann Salenbauch, global director for Ford Performance vehicle programmes. “We’ve stuck to Carroll Shelby’s original formula for winning championships and made our Shelby GT350 even better with the latest in raceproven aerodynamics, tyre and chassis technology.” Under the hood, they left well enough alone with the 5.2-litre, 526 horsepower and 581.6 Nm-torque small-block V-8 mated to a Tremec six-speed manual transmission. You’ll be able to spot a new 2019 GT350, thanks to fresh colours that include Velocity Blue and Ford Performance Blue, with optional factorypainted racing stripes available in high-gloss Shadow Black, Oxford White or Kona Blue. Now, do look for this monster in early 2019.
MOTO
THE SLIM MACHINE The razor-thin Yamaha ‘Lane Splitter 54’ was designed to slice through traffic. Text by DAN CARNEY
IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A WAY TO beat traffic, this is probably the sexiest one. Benjie Flipprboi, founder of New Jerseybased Benjie’s Cafe Racer, had an epiphany while stuck in traffic en route to a meeting with a customer who was commissioning a custom-built Yamaha SR400: this bike would be optimised for lane-splitting, the traffic-beating practice of motorcycles riding between lanes of cars in traffic jams. Or, what we call everyday commuting. The SR400 is the perfect foundation for such a design, as the air-cooled single-cylinder machine is a slim, trim throwback to the roots of motorcycling, with none of the superfluous add-ons that can make some bikes disappointingly fat. The question is: how narrow could the SR400 get, if that was the underlying design
principle? The answer, as measured in centimetres, is reflected in its name, ‘Lane Splitter 54.’ The bike’s hips were the starting point, so to convert it to runway model-thin, BCR Design cut away the rear subframe that supports the seat and replaced it with a narrower bolt-on stainless steel frame topped with a custom leather seat. Beneath the seat, Benji sculpted a teardrop-shaped exhaust tip, with a matching intake scoop just ahead of it. The whole assembly is designed to ride high above the rear wheel, with the resulting open space contributing to an airy, lightweight appearance. You’re almost forced to stare at the aluminium gas tank: it is hammered into a teardrop shape to enhance the bike’s art deco design theme. The scallop-shaped front fairing is also
made of aluminium and mounts directly to the frame. The fork shrouds are stainless steel, while the ventilated front brake disc covers are aluminium. All the hand controls are custom-fabricated and the throttle employs an internal cable to keep the appearance clean. “This project was an exciting artistic challenge,” said Flipprboi. “Our final decision was to use the bike’s teardrop silhouette to inspire the downstream design decisions chosen for the sub-components. Several other design paths were equally inspiring and worthy of pursuit. Perhaps one day, we will have the opportunity to pursue those other options.” That sounds like an invitation for someone to open their wallet and commission a sequel to Lane Splitter 54. MAXIMINDIA.IN
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CONCEPT
BIG AIR Aston Martin and Rolls-Royce have joined forces to design a luxurious self-flying jet. Text by GITUMONI TALUKDAR
JAMES BOND WOULD APPROVE. When Aston Martin took on the seas in style with the ultra-luxe Project Neptune personal submarine, we learnt to swim. Now, they’ve set their sights on the skies; so, we guess we have to fly. The supercar manufacturer has teamed up with compatriot carmaker Rolls-Royce to create the Volante Vision Concept, an autonomous personal jet capable of hitting 320 kmph. Designed with the urban commuter in mind, the concept aircraft is powered by a gas turbine hybrid propulsion system created by Rolls-Royce. And, Cranfield University, the Bedfordshire-based institute that developed vertical take-off and landing technologies employed by military jets, pitched in to create a tri-rotor propeller set-up, capable of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL). Simon Sproule, vice-president and chief marketing officer at Aston
Martin, highlighted that Cranfield University’s pedigree in VTOL is proven. “They did the Harrier system and currently do the system for the new F-35 Lightning,” he told media. A fighter-style canopy opens to reveal a 1+2 seating configuration, styled with lavish features fit for one of Bond’s DBs. In fact, Andy Palmer, president and CEO at Aston Martin, explained what makes the concept a practical solution to travelling in evergrowing cities. “With the population in urban areas continuing to grow, congestion in towns and cities will become increasingly demanding,” Palmer said. “We need to look at alternative solutions to reduce congestion, cut pollution and improve mobility. Air travel will be a crucial part in the future of transportation,” he added. If this does hit the air, the Volante Vision Concept is likely to be the ultimate luxury mobility solution.
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GADGETS
WILDLIFE BABIES If you love adventure and travel, you need something smart and edgy. Here are a few cool and ultra-efficient travel gadgets. Text by ADITYA PANDEY
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VAGO’S BAGGAGE COMPRESSOR
Don’t you always wish for a little more space in your suitcase while travelling, especially when you fall in love with a place that you have just visited, and want to bring a lot of souvenirs back home to cherish the fond memories? Vago’s baggage compressor is just the thing for you. Put your clothes inside the plastic bag, zip it tight and attach the tiny compressor to the funnel in the bag. It takes about a minute or so for the compressor to suck out all the air and shrink the size of the bag by 50 percent. Now, did I mention the fact that the compressor works with a simple USB cord and an Android connector, so you don’t have to worry about carrying extra batteries? Price `5,400 vago.com.sg
GOTENNA MESH
In the age of technological advancements, it is a bust to not be able to get cell reception while travelling. Well, the goTenna solves that problem for us. Inspired by the disaster management and rescue operations after Hurricane Sandy in 2012, goTenna Mesh is probably the most useful device on this list. Compatible with both Android and iOS devices, this device allows you to stay connected to your loved ones even if there is no cellular service or WiFi available around you. goTenna Mesh creates its own off-grid network with other users who are within the range of 80 kilometres, and allows them to send private messages and locations to each other. Price `10,200 gotenna.com
CAMELBAK ALL CLEAR
Most health issues faced by travellers are caused because of contaminated water consumption. Problems like nausea and diarrhoea occur if one drinks untreated water. We don’t want that, now do we? Albeit, not as flashy as the other gadgets, a good portable water purifier is therefore a must for any traveller. The Camelbak All Clear is probably your best wildlife buddy. Furnished with rechargeable lithium ion batteries, this water purifier has an energy-efficient design that lasts for up to 10,000 cycles. It uses UV rays to neutralise viruses, and kills greater than 99 percent of the bacteria present in the water (we are not making these numbers up)! Price `4,200 camelbak.com
SCRUBBA’S WASH BAG
Presenting the lightest washing machine in the world at five ounces for all you clean freaks! Scrubba’s Wash Bag is equipped with a flexible washboard and a durable microbial-and hydrolysis-resistant polyether TPU, which doubles as a dry-bag to prevent the water from leaking out. You just need to add a little bit of liquid detergent to 2-4 litres of water and you are good to go. Get fresh clothes in just less than three minutes! Price `3,500 thescrubba.com
VSSL’S FLASK FLASHLIGHT
What are the two things that are absolutely essential for a Maxim man heading out in the wild for an adventure? A flashlight and… booze! VSSL’s Flask Flashlight is a multifunctional tool, which not only allows you to store up to ten ounces of your favourite beverage, but also consists of two collapsible stainless-steel glasses, a customised VSSL bottle opener, a compass and a powerful LED flood-beam flashlight. Time to get lit? Price `5,000 vsslgear.com
LUMINAID
A smart and sustainable source of light while travelling through the woods—now, who would say no to that? This little invention has it all. With highly efficient built-in solar panel recharges and a flexible, waterproof and light-weight skin, which can float, the inflatable lamp can produce up to 16 hours of LED light depending upon the light settings (OFF, LOW, HIGH). Price `2,400 luminaid.com
CGEAR SAND-FREE MATS
Love the beach vibe but the sticky sand keeps bothering you? Worry no more! We present to you the CGear Sandfree mats! Originally developed for military purposes, this clever innovation has come as aid to millions of beach addicts who complain of sand sticking all over their body when they lie down. The double-layered weave in these mats makes them perfect for camping and chilling at the beach. It is also equipped with ‘D-Rings’ around the edges to affix firmly to the ground. Price `3,400 cgear-sandfree.com
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APPS served their purpose of getting us connected to everyone and everything—be it animate or inanimate, and for some that has, along with what those notifications are notifying you about, resulted in devices occasionally becoming the bane of one’s existence. In a twist that no one saw coming, the solution truly lies in the problem as multitudes of apps have cropped up to help us re-centre ourselves, and we’ve scoured through them to find the ones that’ll help bring you some respite.
DOWNLOAD SOME DOWNTIME Welcome to a world where, with just one click, you can get one step closer to the self-actualisation that Maslow kept talking about. Text by GAYATRI MOODLIAR
“IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES, it was the worst of times,” said every person who has ever held a phone, and stared down the barrel of pending, unopened notifications. Our phones and tablets, or whatever other device you may be using, have 40
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BRAIN.FM With the underlying strategy of using AI-generated music to influence one’s cognitive state, Brain.fm promises to improve focus, meditation, naps and relaxation within 15 minutes of use. The option to ‘Select a Mental State’ is an ambitious and, to be honest, a desired one, even though it seems as though it’s foreseeing a robotic future. Available On iOS: In-app purchases Android: In-app purchases MEDITATION STUDIO People have been raving about the benefits of meditation for years, and the centuries-old practice has found its presentcentury form in your pocket. It’s perfect for both novices and those who excel at reaching a zen state of mind, as Meditation Studio allows you to partake in guided sessions as well as unguided ones. Available On iOS: In-app purchases Android: `270 FOREST Consider this your sciencebacked reason to take a break at work, as this app is backed by the Pomodoro technique, which suggests that one should work in set instalments that are followed by a break. The quirky app puts a unique spin by allowing you to plant a seed, and should you not use your phone during the
designated task time, the seed will blossom, as will, hopefully, your work efficiency. Available On iOS: `159 Android: In-app purchases MINDSHIFT There’s been a startling increase in the number of anxiety cases being reported but, thankfully, one can start taking active steps to take charge of the situation. MindShift is one such step, and it includes strategies that you can make use of in your daily life to tackle anxiety. This is not an alternative to visiting a trained professional, obviously. Available On iOS: Free Android: Free HAPPIFY Developed in collaboration with experts trained in the fields of positive psychology and cognitive behavioural therapy, Happify offers a suite of activities and games that put your emotional well-being at the forefront, that aim to elevate happiness. It’s an app with the simplest of objectives and we’re up for it. Available On iOS: In-app purchases Android: In-app purchases CALM Who said bedtime stories were exclusively for children? Well, Calm certainly doesn’t think so, as this app offers soothing music and guided meditation sessions; you’ll be sleeping like a baby! Available On iOS: In-app purchases Android: In-app purchases WHITE NOISE LITE For those post-noise notes to help you fall asleep, White Noise Lite offers an array of sounds to choose from that will distract your brain and also give it a signal to fall asleep, lulling it into a rhythm—so please go ahead and tune in to tune out. Available On iOS: Free Android: Free.
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STREET KING Channel Keanu Reeves with these sophisticated city essentials. NOTHING SAYS ‘URBAN’ LIKE PRECISION style, something Keanu Reeves has come to personify in his roles. John Wick, of course, slays with his sophistication, and here’s how you can get some of it.
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1. V-neck T-shirt CELIO. 2. Derby shoes BRUNELLO CUCINELLI. 3. Blazer ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA. 4. Sunglasses PERSOL. 5. Conquest V.H.P. watch LONGINES. 6. Fragrance CREED. MAXIMINDIA.IN
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REBEL, REBEL Get David Beckham’s biker look with goods that evoke the open road. DAVID BECKHAM IS AN AVID BIKER, AND he’s known as much for his style as for his enviable motorcycle collection. The former footballer and forever fashion icon can often be found cruising the streets of Los Angeles, or undertaking rugged rides off the beaten track. No matter where he is, he looks the part.
1. Seeley signature leather motorcycle jacket BELSTAFF. 2. T-shirt MARKS & SPENCER. 3. Belt BERLUTI. 4. Watch CERTINA. 5. Gloves ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA. 6. Chain MASTERMIND WORLD. 42
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OLFACTION
THE FLAME-SHIFTERS Smell your best even when it’s hotter than hell. Text by THOMAS FREEMAN
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1. GIORGIO ARMANI ACQUA DI GIÒ ABSOLU has united the scents of fresh water and warm wood for this elegant yet undeniably masculine fragrance. 2. DOLCE & GABBANA LIGHT BLUE has created a simple and classic men’s fragrance with hints of woods, spice and citrus. 3. LE LABO SANTAL 33 has developed a cult following for its spicy, leathery and musky aura. 4. HERMÈS EAU DE CITRON NOIR combines citrus with the subtle smoky notes of black lime in this fragrance, available in a striking tapered bottle. 5. CALVIN KLEIN ETERNITY AIR captures the smell of fresh air with orange, berry, sea and ozonic top notes. 6. GIVENCHY GENTLEMEN ONLY evokes the elegance of a travelling gentleman with green mandarin, pink pepper, nutmeg, cedarwood, patchouli, vetiver and incense.
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COVERGIRL
SHINE LIKE THE SUN NEHA SHARMA, SHE OF TWINKLING EYES, MAKES HER MAXIM DEBUT. Text by PRIYANKA CHAKRABARTI Photographed by NICK SAGLIMBENI
THIS SPREAD White swimwear set SUPERDRY. Fishnet high-waisted bottoms FLIRTATIOUS. Earrings H&M.
THIS PAGE White linen shirt MARKS & SPENCER. Distressed denim shorts SR STORE. Floral bikini ROXY. Earrings H&M.
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Welcome to Maxim! How do you feel? It feels absolutely fabulous. I think we’ve been trying to do this for a while, and I’m glad it’s finally happening! I guess some things are just meant to be. What are you up to these days? I am working on a couple of projects these days (can’t tell you just yet)! But, when I’m not working, I love training. Working out keeps me super-motivated. I love spending time with my dog, too. Oh, and I love watching movies. And, here’s something no one knows—I really enjoy reading books the authors of which have made a difference to this world, or tried to. What are you currently reading? I am currently reading Simple Abundance–A Daybook of Comfort and Joy by Sarah Ban Breathnach; it’s an amazing book and it makes me feel really good. Tell us about your favourite movie. La Vie en Rose—I can watch it over and over again; it has the most beautiful performances. It’s also got the most amazing soundtrack...this film has all my favourite things in it. What are you like on vacation? Super fun! I love exploring a city like a local, and I’m not someone who likes planning in advance and being all organised. I like to go with the flow and be impromptu. Now, being in the visual medium, we actors have to eat right because our profession demands us to look a certain way. But, when I’m holidaying, I like to indulge in the local cuisine—it just makes the whole experience more holistic. Also, like I’ve told you before, I really enjoy music so I make sure I visit places where I can hear some local jams. And, I can’t stress this enough, I love road trips. The drive to a destination is better than the destination itself, they say.
Where are you planning to go next? This year, I want to visit Italy. Excellent choice. What does a usual day look like? My day always starts with a warm cup of water. Then, I take my dog for a walk and catch up with my family. This is often followed by my workout session, which is an integral part of my life. Work happens thereafter; but when I’m not working, I like cooking, reading and, basically, unwinding. Oh, and if I have the time, I go out for a nice meal. What’s the secret to a sexy selfie—your Insta feed is full of them! A happy heart and great light. Find a place with the perfect lighting and just take that selfie! We’ll tell our girlfriends. Your favourite drink? When I go out, I like to have a good time so I’m open to trying different concoctions. It depends on the place, company and my mood. But, I do have a fondness for a red wine sangria and a martini (I always ask for some extra olives). Nothing like a good martini. What does a guy have to do to get your attention? I’m attracted to quiet and shy guys. What’s amazing about them is that they smile from the heart and have honest eyes. It melts my heart. I don’t like loud and full-of-themselves kinda people. When do you feel sexiest? Leather pants do it for me. What were you like growing up? Goofy, talkative and entertaining—it all comes from the love I always had for drama and stage. I was very naughty. I loved playing outdoors and I have broken many bones in my body. If you see my
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THIS PAGE Floral cover-up ZARA. Bandeau criss-cross bikini set SR STORE. Earrings H&M. FACING PAGE Scallop bikini set PURPLE PAISLEY.
“BEING IN THE ARMS OF SOMEONE CHARMING, WATCHING A MOVIE AND SOAKING IN A BEAUTIFUL SUNSET—THESE ARE THE INGREDIENTS FOR A PERFECT DATE. THINK OCEAN VIEWS, JAZZ MUSIC IN THE BACKDROP, SOME RED WINE AND DELICIOUS SPAGHETTI ON THE PLATE.”
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THIS SPREAD Bikini top NIDHI MUNIM. Bottom KAI RESORTWEAR. Macrame jacket VERANDAH. Sunglasses BURBERRY. Necklaces H&M. Hand charms H&M, FOREVER 21 and SWAROVSKI.
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THIS PAGE Monokini PURPLE PAISLEY. Earrings H&M.
Styling by KHYATI BUSA Assisted by ARPITA CHONKAR Make-up by ROSARIO BELMONTE Hair by MARCELO PEDROZO Shot on location at RENAISSANCE MUMBAI CONVENTION CENTRE HOTEL 52
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childhood pictures, you’ll always find a plaster on me. That’s why I hate my childhood albums. How is the entertainment business evolving for women in India right now? It’s a better place for women now. Things are changing and lines are blurring. There was a time when married women didn’t get too much work, but all that is changing now—just look at how high Kareena, Anushka, and Aishwarya are soaring! Cinema has become more liberal, too...people are ready to experiment with scripts and the audience is ready for a transformation. Today, people are talking about equal wages for women and equal treatment at the workplace. I feel these will eventually happen, but at least we have started making the right noises. Where do you see yourself in the next five years? Happy, doing things I love, making good movies and, basically, I can’t stress this enough, chilling in life. If we had to plan the perfect date night, what would it take? Being in the arms of someone charming, watching a movie and soaking in a beautiful sunset—these are the ingredients that you will need. Think ocean views, jazz music in the backdrop, some red wine and delicious spaghetti on the plate.
A part of the reason why your fan base is so loyal is because you seem to present your genuine self on social media. Was that a conscious decision? Not really. I can’t be any other way. This is who I am. I can’t pretend to be someone else. I think, if you’re real, people connect with you. My fans love me for who I am. What is the good, bad and ugly of using social media in today’s digital age? Social media is a great platform to express one’s views. For me, it’s a direct doorway to interact with my fans. On hindsight, though, there is so much hate and negativity and trolling to pull people down. People judge easily, and I don’t understand why. It’s not cool. One bad picture and there comes a long trail of judgments. I know being a celebrity means such things can’t be avoided, but sometimes it can get a little overwhelming. If there’s something you could change about yourself, what would it be? Absolutely nothing. I love myself now. I am very grateful for who I have grown up to be. We have to ask: how did you like the OnePlus 6 phone? It’s a damn cool phone. Perfect for taking selfies.
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WE LOVE WOMEN. We want them to feel safe. We want them to grow. We want them to do what they damn well would like. We want to see them happy. And the first step is making her smile.
A Social Initiative By
With our #MakeHerSmile campaign, we want to take little steps and show our women we need them, cherish them and, well, can’t live without them. Because it is all about the little things you can do to make her smile. With this campaign, we pledge money from magazine sales, generous patrons and our beloved readers. Through 2017, we hope to collect as much as we can and support others who are doing excellent work in women’s welfare. Kalki Koechlin, Sapna Bhavnani, Anushka Manchanda, Richa Chadha, Taapsee Pannu, Lisa Ray, Amy Jackson and Pooja Hegde help us take this amazing idea forward.
#MakeHerSmile It’s time to
You know she does that for you.
This is a non-profit initiative from MAXIM and its publishers. Supported by
ANALYSIS
THE STATE OF INDIAN SPORT PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE Our sporting ambitions have been uplifted, thanks to a new breed of dynamic, empowered sportspersons. Text by ISSAC JOHN
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hile we were contemplating this piece, we were reminded of the India-South Africa ODI series with India 3–0 up in an away series—almost a sweet and vindictive relief from images of the average Indian cricket team from our childhoods in the 90s. We’d be hard pressed to remember a time from back then, of any series in any sport for that matter, where India was leading 3–0 in an away series in conditions as alien as South Africa presented earlier this year. As a thumb rule, if you were growing up in the 90s, it was a tough time to be a supporter of Indian sport. Consider this: between 1984 and 2004, there were six Olympics in which India as a nation collectively won all of two bronze medals and one silver. Between 1984 and 1992, three Olympic events passed by without a single medal of any currency. You can 58
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compare that to any number of tiny countries—like The Bahamas, for instance— that fared better than us during the same time to make this point even more stark. In what used to be our stronghold at the Olympics, hockey, where we won eight Olympic medals right until 1980, we are yet to win any medal since. But the malaise didn’t stop there. Cricket, our most viewed sport, wasn’t great either. We were routinely beaten abroad in the 90s, and until Sourav Ganguly’s gladiators flourished in the early 2000s and started displaying a different spunk, we had nothing to show except the odd away series win in Sri Lanka. To close this discussion, the less said about Indian football, the better. We still weep every time the FIFA World Cup comes around, given that we have to cheer for odd teams. Fast forward to our fast-greying and stress-filled adult years, and it’d be fair to say that things have changed significantly
now. And, like any artist’s work over a lifetime, the Indian sportsperson has evolved quite starkly—thankfully for our own personal self-esteem over the course of this time. Today, it is hard to write India off on overseas tours, no matter what the sport. Our wrestlers and badminton players are on par with the best in the Olympics, and the resurgence of Indian hockey at the men’s, women’s and junior levels is finally showing signs that, like in software coding, we may just be second to none in some sporting disciplines. An up-and-coming tennis player from the mid-nineties who got into the Top 10 on the national circuit once told us that she wishes that she had people who could’ve guided her to improve her mental strength and given her direction on basic things like nutrition and recovery. She had played the sport for 15 years and honed her game alongside veterans like Leander Paes, but had eventually reached a point where she
Bidding wars over relatively-unknown players may surprise the average spectator, but these are carefully curated decisions by sports economists and analysts, as is the investment in sporting leagues that has had a very positive effect on sports as a viable profession.
couldn’t elevate her game further with the resources available in India. Her concerns from a sporting point of view were no different than the Indian national cricket team’s just before they hired Paddy Upton in 2008 as a mental conditioning coach for the Indian cricket team under the leadership of Gary Kirsten. The results showed less than four years later when India lifted the World Cup. With the money at its disposal, while cricket is normally the beneficiary of bestin-class training and coaching standards, other sports have greatly moved forward in the right direction, thanks to one institutional change brought about by cricket in the last decade. The birth of the Indian Premier League in 2007 on the heels of the now-defunct Indian Cricket League, which was seen by the purists as a “legalised bastardisation of the gentlemen’s game” has, in fact, done more for Indian sports in general, and the Indian sportsman
in particular, than it’s credited with. While cricket itself underwent a sea-change, the IPL has since spawned international leagues in India in various sports including football, hockey, badminton, tennis, wrestling and kabaddi, among others (table tennis and volleyball are here, too). Even our national sport, hockey, that disappointingly enough has fractured federations, has had multiple shots at forming a world-class league since. What the IPL did, of course, was to borrow a template that had worked very well in more popular sporting leagues like the English Premier League. While the organising committee focused on delivering a world-class competitive league replete with a top-of-the-line broadcasting experience for the TV audience, the teams involved began investing in world-class coaching standards. Sports science departments, physical conditioning coaches, diet instructors, et al became the norm, and soon enough, other sporting leagues followed. Today, the Bengaluru Football Club (BFC), one of the shining examples of what a modern football team looks like, leaves no stone unturned in running a team that structurally is no less than a modern automotive marvel. Four years ago, the CEO of BFC, Mustafa Ghouse, told this writer about how the club was working with a sportswear brand to supply kits for the senior team, and how, without batting an eyelid, he’d asked for kits for his U-17 and U-15 teams as well. It was a refreshing move, as other legacy clubs didn’t seem to have the foresight to invest or ask for brands to invest in grassroot football. Today, BFC’s support staff consists
of a conditioning coach, a head of sports science and a head of youth development. This is a vastly different support staff combination from a decade ago, when teams such as Mohun Bagan would at best have a coach and a manager. Modern clubs must be doing something right given that their players are fitter than ever, their squads have ample bench strength and they’re becoming household names. But, that’s not all. Sports economists, a rare breed and much in demand in western sporting leagues, have found their way into our own sporting leagues. At the recent IPL auctions, while all the IPL teams went headto-head in a complex maze of picking the right team for this year, number crunchers had from months ago laid out the best picks for their respective teams after months of analysis and data-crunching. Bidding wars over relatively-unknown players such as Jofra Archer and D’Arcy Short may have surprised the average spectator, but these were carefully curated decisions by analysts trying to find a model that would find favour with Billy Beane of Moneyball fame. All the investment in sporting leagues and the marketing blitz to drive viewership has also had a positive effect on sport as a viable profession. Before all these leagues came to being, a sportsperson who turned up for her or his state team would retire with little to fall back on, both in terms of financial upside as well as career options. In 2017, David Conn, author and a sports correspondent with the Guardian, wrote about the widespread issue of young footballers rejected from academies at ages MAXIMINDIA.IN
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As Arya Stark might say, “A girl can dream.” She must. Because what may have seemed impossible a decade ago, seems imminent now.
as tender as 16 or 17, struggling to settle back to a regular life, and the associated negative aftereffects of the transition. One of the studies the report cited was that of Chris Platt’s, whose 2012 doctorate for Chester University pointed out that out of 303 aspiring 17-or-18-year-old footballers from academies, only four had succeeded in securing a professional contract. This meant that 99 percent of the kids who, until then, had devoted practically all of their waking hours to football had little to show for it when they tried going back to a regular life. It resulted in everything from clinical depression to alcoholism, apart from the shock to their families. In India, before the advent of these sporting leagues, things for any sportsman would have been as bad, if not worse. That these leagues now provide professional fees for a player, even if you are on the bench, has meant that there has been some semblance of financial security in a field that was wildly fickle. On the flip side, the advent of brands and broadcast being the centrepiece has meant that sport overall has become far more commercialised than ever. While one risks being subjected to a gaudy chewing gum commercial smack in the middle of 60
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the unfolding beauty of an Ajinkya Rahane straight drive, these very brands have made it possible for the likes of Ajay Thakur to become household names in the Indian hinterland. Meanwhile, administrators continue to hold sway and are, perhaps, even more empowered to dictate the fates of players. Yet, there is more hope now for sport than ever before. In 2008, this writer got an opportunity to meet Pullela Gopichand at his badminton academy to invite him and Saina Nehwal for the Hyderabad 10K that he was organising. He was given the time of 8:30 am to meet them to hand over the invite. He reached 10 minutes before time and saw hordes of young players practising their guts out on the slick courts. He waited patiently for his appointment and, before long, the facility manager told him that practice sessions began every day at 4:30 am. The routine was that the players would go for a break at 9:00 am everyday, finish their meals, head to the gym to work out for a couple of hours, catch a quick nap in between and then come back to practice by 3:00 pm for another four-hour session. Back then, the writer was amazed to see this magnitude of dedication to a sport that in 2008 had little by way of a future for a badminton player.
Sure enough, dot at 8:30 am, both Gopichand and Saina walked up and spoke to him cordially, heard all about the event and went back to their practice sessions. The writer was 25 and a failed sportsman himself. But, back then, he had a reasonably-stable sports marketing career. Looking at them, he wondered what would come off such intense practice sessions for those scores of other players who were practising that day. He still doesn’t know what transpired for them all. Exactly four years later, Saina won India a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics. And, a further four years down the line, P.V. Sindhu came back from Rio with a silver for the nation. Somewhere on those very courts today must be another girl sweating her guts out, and in spite of all that’s wrong with the system, the corrupt administrators and the apathy we harbour towards sporting culture in general, it gladdens us to know that perhaps the future is brighter today than a decade ago. With all that has come out of a single academy, we’re very positive there must be a girl on some court today with an Olympic gold as her dream. As Arya Stark might say, “A girl can dream.” She must. Because what may have seemed impossible a decade ago, seems imminent now.
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SKILLS
H O M E IM PROV E M EN T FO R T H E M A N Going green doesn’t take much out of you, and living in an environmentally-conscious home can be gratifying. Text by ASHUTOSH MAHESHWARI
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hen we heal the earth, we heal ourselves,” said Professor David Orr. This statement holds a lot of weight, today more than ever, with all the incessant talk of global warming, depleting marine life, accelerated pollution levels and the increasing number of landfills. Whether we like it or not, every single person is responsible for adding to the carbon footprint in the world. So, if you’re driving to work, flying to Europe for your well-deserved holiday, painting your new home with VOC paints or simply purchasing your monthly household goods in a plastic bag—there is some amount of harm that is constantly befalling the earth. But, really, what can you do about it? They say good starts from home, and in terms of going eco-friendly, your house is truly the best place to start. Now you may wonder: “For a working, busy man, how much can I really do?” to which we’d like to say, “A lot!” Contrary to popular belief, setting up an eco-friendly home isn’t a Herculean task; small bits of effort can go a long way.
REUSE, TO RECYCLE We’ve all heard that ‘old is gold,’ and the statement makes complete sense because it implies that old objects do not become waste, but instead become more precious over time. This philosophy can extend into your home, too. Look around and see what you have; it’s time to give things a new purpose. Fish out that old wooden stool kept in your garage. This is an ideal and economical candidate for a washbasin stand. Discarded wooden crates can be put together as a bookshelf or for wall storage. An old trunk can be repainted and used as a coffee table. Derelict corbels can be repurposed to make wall-hung tables. An old ladder can be used to hang towels in the bathroom. Burlap sacks can be used as covers for chair seats, pillows and throws.
CHOOSE UNCONVENTIONAL EARTHY MATERIALS Concrete and reclaimed wood may not sound like the most appealing materials to use around the home, but what if we told you that these humble materials can be moulded into stylish products? Go the unconventional route—purchase concrete or cork-coasters, planters, wall hangings and clocks. For your doormats, opt for coconut coir and buy carpets made from jute—all biodegradable materials. Not only do these products look grungy, they can make good conversation starters, too.
VISIT YOUR FOLKS & UNBURDEN THEIR HOME It’s always a good idea to meet your old folks on a weekend, but this time, you could go there with a specific purpose in mind (rather than just visiting grandma to snag her pickles). Ask them if they have an old armoire, a rocking chair, a chest of drawers they would like to get rid of. More often than not, old furniture is made of sturdy 64
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teak wood that can last generations. Instead of buying new furniture, use these vintage pieces, repolish them and place them around your home. Remember, a single statement vintage piece can add a lot of gravitas to your space.
THINK POST-MODERN INDUSTRIAL NEW YORK STYLE If you are constructing a new house or it’s time to re-floor your current home, this is the best time to look for eco-friendly tiles. Natural materials like cork, bamboo and sleeper hardwood are good flooring solutions for a greener home. Not only are these stylish and durable, these are also available in a lot of colours and textures.
LIGHT THE WAY AHEAD There is nothing quite like natural light; so, if you have large windows that are covered with black-out or heavy drapes, replace them with white, sheer cotton or linen curtains. These look smart and have a stylish visual impact. Have a towering pile of wine bottles? Wait, don’t give them to your scrap dealer yet! Ask your electrician to add an LED bulb inside, and you can use
it as a bedside lamp. You could also opt for earthen lamps or ones made of coconut fibre and shells.
BRING IN THE GREEN If you are one of those who find home decorating tasks quite a drag (like us!), then don’t worry, we’ve got your back. The easiest way to add a spark to your interiors is by just letting nature do its own thing. Bring in plenty of plants: some potted and some wall hung to lend vibrancy to spaces. Now, for a bigger impact, purchase some interesting looking plants like Areca palm, Peace lily, Snake plant, Ficus or bonsais.
CHOOSE HOMEMADE OVER MACHINE-MADE The more mass produced things you choose, the more you run the risk of undoing all your eco-consciousness, especially if the item is made by an oil consuming, smoke or carbon releasing machine. Or, if the product has to be shipped miles to reach your doorstep. Opt for a local pick-up or visit artisans that make handmade goods: table napkins, bed sheets, cushion covers, wall hangings, hand-painted
canvas artworks, grocery bags and etc. Many of these craftsmen work with recycled and biodegradable materials.
USE ENERGY-EFFICIENT GADGETS If you are on the verge of buying a new refrigerator or a microwave, or are planning on replacing your old ones, we suggest you look out for ones with high energy star ratings. The higher the rating, the less electricity your appliance will consume. Generally, a 4 or 5-star rating is good; it will reduce your overall carbon footprint, and also minimise your electricity bills! MAXIMINDIA.IN
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TRAVEL
THE MIZORAM YOU NEED TO SEE 66
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Aizawl seems lit up with a myriad small twinkling lamps.
HIDDEN JUNGLE TRAILS, UNDISCOVERED CAVES, ACTION-PACKED FOOTBALL FIELDS, AND VILLAGES SO CLEAN THAT YOU CAN EAT OFF THE GROUND. THIS NORTHEASTERN STATE IS YOUR PERFECT TRAVEL DESTINATION. Text by SUGATO TRIPATHY Photographed by JOHNNY NGURTHANSANGA, ZOMUANI SANGI & TETEA RALTEW
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here are places in this world that demand leisurely discovery, that require days of easy wandering and poking into nooks and crannies. Wee places like these, not much visited, hide within them a soul, which can only be experienced by those willing to discover it. As the twin-engine propeller aircraft starts its descent to Lengpui airport, lush green hilly terrain comes into view with brown patches of agricultural land (jhum cultivation) scattered in a random pattern, as if to put on a spectacular show for those above. Aizawl’s airport started serving the state only 18 years ago, before which the nearest one was 205 km away at Silchar in Assam. An hour’s drive from Lengpui, Mizoram’s capital is an unpretentious and languid hill station, very different from the usual postcard-perfect scenery of Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Instead of rows of deodars and pines and rhododendron blooms, you will find dense, impenetrable herbaceous undergrowth similar to tropical evergreen forests. Bamboo trees are present everywhere here along with sub-tropical mixed forests of palms, bananas, ferns and orchids. Almost all the towns and villages in Mizoram are built on mountain ridges and Aizawl is no different. It’s easy to get lost in the labyrinthine roads of the city. Commercial establishments are limited to a specific area called Chanmari where all major shops, hotels, restaurants and bank branches operate. The rest of the town emanates a rustic feel and you hardly ever get a city vibe. A common grievance of tourists is that there is not much to see or do in Mizoram, and dare we say that it is the most common misconception that anyone can have about this wonderful state. It’s true that there is not much to see in Aizawl apart from the exhibits at the Mizoram State Museum and the mesmerising night view of the city from Durtlang Hill. However, it is the perfect hub for day trips to several unique destinations nearby. 68
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THE STATE MUSEUM
Established in 1977, the museum displays a variety of tribal paraphernalia and artefacts, which highlight the culture and traditions of the state. Rare collections of headgear, footwear, photographs, ornaments, musical instruments, dresses, paintings, carvings, weapons, artwork and other objects portray the lifestyle of the various tribes of Mizoram. With more than 2,000 items on display, the exhibits are exhaustive and interesting. From different kinds of smoking pipes and rare minerals like pink calcite to excavated rock scriptures of 1076—the museum has it all. Several taxidermy exhibits of indigenous creatures like the racket-tailed drongo, flying lizard, yellow-bellied weasel, giant flying squirrel, green pigeon, flying fox and clouded leopard make the experience more authentic. The three-storeyed building has five detailed galleries—textile, ethnology, history, anthropology, natural history and an archaeology terrace. Entrance fee is `10 and there is an additional charge for mobiles and DSLR cameras.
VANTAGE POINT—DURTLANG HILL
It is the highest peak of Aizawl and promises spectacular sunsets. It’s also the perfect vantage point to see the rustic city. As night falls, the city lights come alive. The entire mountain seems lit up with a myriad small twinkling lamps, creating an outline similar to India’s map! The resemblance is uncanny. Located in the beautiful campus of the Aizawl Theological College, it is considered to be one of the best viewpoints of the state. On the way back from Durtlang Hill is a mausoleum called KV Paradise. It is a three-storeyed structure built by a loving husband (Mr. Khawlhring) in the memory of his wife (Ms. Varte) who died in a car accident. Almost entirely made of white marble, it is now popularly known as the ‘Mizo Tajmahal.’
TREK TO REIEK PEAK
About 30 km from Aizawl is Reiek—a model village at the base of Reiek Peak. It was developed by the state tourism board to be the epitome of Mizoram’s efforts towards cleanliness. Here you have spotless roads, manicured hedges, colourful houses and
Instead of rows of deodars and pines with rhododendron blooms, you will find dense, impenetrable herbaceous undergrowth similar to tropical evergreen forests.
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blooming flower pots. The trek to the 5,000-foot-high Reiek Peak is through the popular Reiek Resort, where the city’s folk throng during the weekend. The pork momos, stir-fry vegetables and soup served here and in a few small shops in the village are a must-try. A steep, winding dirt and gravel road through dense foliage and open-ended caves takes you close to the peak. A stone stairway runs on the edge of the cliff, and then along the undulating landscape. A few iron benches at various vantage points help visitors rest up and soak in the surroundings. There is something elemental about the mountains, which reduce most of us to dreamy-eyed spectators. The vastness, the grandeur and the sheer realisation of our size in the cosmos humbles you. The mountains here are wild in the true sense. Tall golden grass and shrubs flourish amidst black mountain ridges. There is no rhyme or rhythm to the topography of Mizoram, and that’s what makes it so special.
BEHIND THE CURTAIN OF TUIRIHIAU FALLS
Travel is a carousel of new, unfamiliar and exciting things. There is always a place, a point, an experience or a conversation that gets etched in every traveller’s memory from a particular trip—a place which defines travelling for you, a place which turns you into a storyteller. Tuirihiau Falls in the picture-perfect town of Thenzawl is one such place in Mizoram. The Vanva river falls off a small, 20-foot cliff and cascades farther into tiny falls off the rocky edges. It is one of the few waterfalls in the world where you can walk behind the falling water and watch the gushing flow from the back. You don’t need any protective equipment and no waterproofing (even for your camera). This rare experience makes Tuirihiau Falls unique. A century-old banyan tree with its quirky aerial prop roots on the eastern side of the falls makes the setting enchanting. Thenzawl is a four-hour drive from the state capital. The way to the falls is short and easy. It closes at 5 pm and the entry fee is `40.
VANTAWNG FALLS
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best during the monsoon. More than 100 km from Aizawl, it is difficult to reach the base of the falls, so it’s advisable to hire local guides if you wish to try the two-hour (one way) trek through knee-deep water, rough boulders and dense vegetation. There is no designated pathway to the waterfall. The tourism department has, however, constructed a viewing area just before the start of the trek. From here you can watch the breathtaking 750-foot-high Vantawng Falls in its full glory— especially during the monsoon season.
SIALSUK TLANG—A 360° PANORAMA
The highest point of Sialsuk village (67 km from Aizawl) is Sialsuk Tlang. It is a popular hangout place for Mizos, especially couples. With the absence of malls and movie theatres, this is the entertainment hub for them. At any point of time, you will find cars parked on hilltops with people enjoying their time with music and food. It is also a preferred place for wedding photography in these parts. It provides an unmediated allround view of the rolling Mizo Hills. Rows of mountains glide seamlessly into each other. Similar to Reiek Peak, there are several iron benches strategically placed at vantage points to let you gaze at the panoramic view. The road to the top is arduous and a four-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended. If you have time (and guts), you can also trek to the top. Once you’ve seen all of this, you’re ready to feel something that sticks to you. People in cold places know the worth of warmth, and Mizos are extremely caring. You can experience it only when you stay in someone’s house or befriend a Mizo family (maybe your cab driver or your hotel manager) and pray that he invites you to his home. Even in restaurants and shops, you usually get a polite enquiry about your trip and a sentence or two in praise of the beautiful state. Mizoram is very special. The state’s mix of a distinct culture, the extravaganza of nature and warm hospitality is a rich tapestry woven by welcoming arms. It is on few travellers’ itineraries, reason enough to explore it before it is overtaken by the crowds. Find hidden waterfalls, venture along secret trails, trek to mountain peaks, spot exotic birds and rejoice in nature’s company. This is an experience that you will cherish for a very long time.
About 30 km from Aizawl is Reiek, a model village that has been developed to be an epitome of Mizoram’s efforts towards cleanliness.
Mizoram has a special affinity towards football. In fact, Aizawl FC has been in India’s top-tier football league and they continue to thrill.
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RELATIONSHIPS
EVOLUTION OF SEX
Our ancestors didn’t shy away from it—so why should we? Text by SANDHYA MULCHANDANI
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ll human behaviour is fascinating but nothing is as intriguing as things sexual. Civilisations have changed and evolved, as have human beings, but the preoccupation with sex has remained constant through millennia. Romantic or platonic, fleeting or lifelong—love and sex have the power to nurture meaningful relationships, teach us invaluable lessons and even change lives forever. What is the genesis of this desire? What makes us behave the way we do? What part do love and sex play in a man’s total being? These are questions men have been asking from the very beginning of time. With the size of our population, it’s easy to believe that sex and sexuality have occupied an important place in our collective mindset. When wise men started to contemplate the nature of existence, they recognised that at the heart of almost every action was desire, and they personified it as Kama Deva, the Lord of Love. This concept of universal or cosmic desire then transformed into individual need and personal passion, taking the form of lust, sexual love and, of course, longing. Humans have basically remained the same anatomically for some 100,000 years. So, it’s safe to assume that if we
Ancient India appears to have wholeheartedly accepted desire, and that meant love was embraced without hypocrisy, duplicity or inhibition.
enjoy sex now, we enjoyed it then. But while the central act remains much the same, behaviour and attitudes towards sexuality, romance, love and lust have changed, been redefined, and adapted to the changing circumstances and needs of society.
IN THE BEGINNING Ancient India appears to have wholeheartedly accepted desire, and the all-pervasiveness of the idea meant that people embraced love without hypocrisy, duplicity or inhibition. Instead of being burdened by guilt, shame and self-consciousness, they freely explored their sexuality, and developed the art of loving through education and practice. Satisfaction in every sphere of life was considered a prime characteristic of a civilised society and, to this end, every aspect of life was included and explored.
Never was flesh considered an enemy of the spirit. The dynamics between the physical and emotional sphere were an integral part of India’s moral and spiritual traditions. Thus, in antiquity, there were no sidelined spectators but liberated participants who partook enthusiastically in all that life put out on offer. For ancient Indians with their high spirits and refined aesthetic sensibilities, life was a continuous carnival where sensual indulgence was a merit and a sacred duty, where emotional gratification was raised to a fine art, where relationships between men and women were treated with artistic finesse, and where every nuance of the romantic emotion was tastefully expressed and gracefully experienced. The sages obviously did not advocate a life of denial and hardship for us, but a life of balance. Self-negation is not in our DNA. Our gods had consorts and several relationships, and folklore spoke of ascetics being regularly seduced by heavenly nymphs, and many kings had harems, and courtesans were not outcasts. So, it comes as no surprise that there was no concept of chastity belts in the history of sexuality in India, no stoning for adultery and almost no divorces. The penalty that society meted out for adultery and impotence or non-performance were punishments like donation, chanting and charity. The perspective on sexuality of an entire society was 74
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pragmatic and philosophical with eroticism as its natural attribute—the premise being that a man and woman coming together was magical. The need to fully comprehend, explore and sustain these magical moments became an end in itself. Curiosity led to contemplation, and the study of sexuality became an acceptable aim for human existence, fêted both as an art and science. The belief that anything worth doing was worth doing, led to books like the Kama Sutra—a manual that explored the science of courtship. This explicit treatise written in the 3rd century AD could hardly have been an isolated work, it was rather an outcrop of a liberal society that not just made it possible to write and publish such a work, but one that embraced sexuality with a lot of ardour. Contrary to popular notion, the Kama Sutra is not a treatise on prurience alone. Nor is it a text that elaborates the pursuit of sex in furtive dark corners. It emphasises the need for knowledge through first-hand experience. Exploring one’s sexuality thus became a personal adventure. So, the Kama Sutra starts with the basics—advocating personal hygiene, having clean sheets on the bed, playing music and other instruments, being well versed in the art of conversation and all manner of entertainment, and then slowly advances to seduction and retaining the affection of women, courtesans and even other men’s wives. In the Kama Sutra, a penis is a penis and, well, it takes 24 minutes! It emphasises the need to shed one’s ego while making love, to communicate freely with your lover—that togetherness, respect, patience and trust are key ingredients to having successful, meaningful and sexually-fulfilling relationships. But, before you jump to the conclusion that India was a no-holds-barred society, none of the scriptures advocate a life of unbridled hedonistic pleasure, sexual or otherwise. The laws of Manu were in force; monogamy was the norm rather than an exception; chastity was expected of married women; adultery and homosexuality, though accepted, were not endorsed. Although temporary hook-ups, contractual arrangements, relationships with courtesans, and the free use of pleasure houses were prevalent in ancient society, there was acceptance of the fact that life and love had to
be based on inclusiveness, respect and tolerance—making it everyone’s right to seek sexual fulfilment. And, because good times don’t last forever, things began to change. Fuelled by patriarchy, archaic laws came into force, relegating women to the background, which was further compounded by the coming of invaders between the 10th and 12th centuries. The waves of invasion by successive armies of Turks, Uzbeks, Persians and Afghans on north India changed attitudes, values and societal structures irrevocably. Women seen as needing protection from invading forces were cloistered, all dealing a mortal blow to the hoary vision of our world. This was worsened by the ascendancy of the British in the 19th century. The richness of India that held in thrall the very early British coloniser, soon became the dark land of heathens, wallowing in a corrosive moral evil, and was full of ‘horrible beliefs and customs and unmentionable thoughts.’ A society that supported polygamy and polyandry was seen to be ‘disgusting’ and ‘immoral,’ filled with lust and fanaticism, and suffering from unparalleled sexual degradation. So, whatever little sexual exuberance remained was deeply buried as personal preferences came under the scrutiny of federal law. The biggest tragedy of the British revivalist movements was that even Indians sought to reform culture by accepting the British approach as entirely valid, jettisoning a way of life. The entire tradition of Kama fell victim to such perceptions, and slowly the philosophical acceptance of desire and the erotic sentiment got asphyxiated by a hypocritical morality that continues to equate sex with sin and desire with guilt. And, because bad times don’t last forever, too, change is again in the air, in the citadels of orthodox India. All modern phenomena in India, especially the recently discovered sexual revolution, in particular are a complex, puzzling trend of tantalising truths and contradictions. Caught as we are between our natural exuberance and cultural policing, sex and everything connected to pleasure still remains a taboo in Indian society. Western influences and technology have forced India to open, even as social boundaries and traditional constraints hold us back. While we are becoming more sophisticated in our attitude towards sexuality, confusions abound. One has to only see the ads and Hindi films to see these paradoxes. The deep longing between people who could not express, let alone consummate, their love was best exemplified in early Hindi cinema where the hero and heroine looked longingly at each other like ice-lollies, and romanced by singing songs on telephones. A decade later they graduated to holding hands, running around trees and causing bushes to shake. Two decades later, on-screen kissing is de rigueur, and a recent film unabashedly showed a woman masturbating. Acceptable on celluloid, there is ongoing public outcry if young girls dress in jeans, or
Understanding the fragility of human needs and emotions, ancient works emphasised the importance of taking responsibility in a relationship and maturity in interaction. Sexual pleasure is first of all about a feeling of worthiness, so the celebration of sexuality requires the celebration of life.
worse in bikinis, are seen in bars or in the company of young men. Severe rules are imposed on love… on whom you can love, how much you can love and those you cannot love at all. Contradiction is rife: while we’re living in one of the most sexually liberated times in our history, research suggests that we’re actually having less sex now than we’ve had for decades. There are many more instances of rape and violence against women, rising divorces, moral policing, and an overall sense of discontent. So, in the light of all the inconsistencies, what does all this permissiveness translate into? Why has this new era of sexual openness and hedonism not translated into better relationships? What’s gone wrong? Sex still remains the most intimate interaction between two human beings offering love, succour and comfort, and is the basis of a good relationship. Our culture believed that a stable society depended on a stable marriage, and the secret to a stable marriage was good sex. To make sure that sex did not become a reflexive act of boring habit, desire had to be kept alive and the fires of attraction had to be kept burning, which made it imperative to understand the nuances of sexual pleasure. Human beings have lost the art of sensuousness. So, are there lessons from the past that can help us find more meaningful, sexually fulfilling lives? Ancient philosophies and books like the Kama Sutra were not about satiating one’s basic instincts and desires, or encouraging pleasure seekers; they were about handling one’s needs with understanding and maturity. Love is necessary to satisfy the mind, just as ethics are needed to satisfy the conscience. Without eroticism, the mind remains restless and dissatisfied, and without boundaries comes decadence. Understanding the fragility of human needs and emotions, these works emphasised the importance of taking responsibility within relationships and maturity in all interactions. Sexual pleasure is first of all about a feeling of worthiness, so the celebration of sexuality requires the celebration of life. A philosophy that our ancestors understood only too well. MAXIMINDIA.IN
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Sultry Seductress MEET SONALI SILVA, THE SRI LANKAN SUPERMODEL WHO ROCKS FASHION SPREADS AND SOCIAL WORK WITH EQUAL EASE. Text by MEHER BAJWA Photographed by NICK SAGLIMBENI
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worked in the arena of public health in Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the Middle East and Italy—mostly focusing on women’s health and mental health. One campaign that I’m really blessed to have been a part of was in the Middle East; I was working with an amazing ambassador on a project to raise quality of life of South-East Asian domestic workers in the Middle East. It’s a perspective of globalisation that not a lot of people get to hear—I felt almost helpless listening to mothers sharing their stories about raising other children, leaving behind their own and the psychological impact of that. Most of them are quite content with giving years of their lives to serving others in the hope that back home, everybody they love is living a better life because of their sacrifice. It just kinda hit me that our service to the world, in whatever scale possible, is really all we leave behind.
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Welcome to Maxim! How’s it going? Hi, Maxim.
What’s the best part about being a model in Sri Lanka, compared to anywhere else? Locations! It’s such a beautiful little island with just the most amazing backdrops. Also, Sri Lanka has an amazing island vibe; it’s a closely knit community of artists here, and working is just really chilling with your friends in a beautiful location.
Given you’re from the island nation, is it safe to assume you’re a kick-ass surfer? Oh, not at all! I have zero balance, and I am mostly just decoration on the beach.
What are you usually up to when you are not modelling? I just graduated. I did medical bioscience and political science at uni; so right now, I am working my first job as a public health communication analyst at an INGO. I also run a small PR & branding company. Tell us a little bit about your work in public health. It sounds amazing. It is! I love what I do. I feel quite passionate about universal health coverage, and I think it’s important for everyone, everywhere to be able to access quality healthcare regardless of their financial standing. I’ve 78
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You’re passionate about educating young women in Sri Lanka on health and safety. What’s the end goal for you in this space? On my personal platforms I’m quite vocal about having a history of self-harm. I have lost a close family member to depression. So, mental health is something I closely associate with. I started self-harming at a very young age, and it was only much later that I actively sought and developed better coping mechanisms. It’s important not to romanticise mental health issues. Keeping that in mind, I think it’s important to share struggle and to celebrate authenticity. Just to say, “Hey! Look it’s not easy but it’s worth it.” Always choose life. Wake up every day and try a little harder. Particularly on my social media platforms, I just really focus on spreading the word and teaching by example. It works out beneficial for me as well. When I’m down, I kinda hold myself responsible: “There’s someone out there who looks up to you and if you’re sitting here feeling sorry for yourself, you’re letting them down.” That’s an instant ticket out of my seasonal downers. I love being a both-ends-of-thespectrum kind of woman. I love that I get to model and be sexy, and still show up on Monday and kick some ass. It’s empowering to me and I hope it shows other girls that as long as they leave no stone unturned, they can do anything. And it’s okay to be comfortable with your body, dress how you want and still demand the respect you deserve—firstly, as a human being and secondly, as a professional. I’m so grateful that social media provided me this platform where I connect with so many other women
“I love that I get to model and be sexy, and still show up on Monday and kick some ass. It’s empowering to me, and I hope it shows other girls that as long as they leave no stone unturned, they can do anything.”
thoughts and your words and particularly your body. How easy it is for them to judge ‘what kind of woman she is’ just by looking at her. But, as a woman in 2018 you are obligated to be more ethical than the society you grew up in. And, you really just gotta ask yourself, why do we even listen? Who apart from you decides what’s right for you? I think it’s not particular to my culture, but in general as well—women are told not to make a spectacle of themselves. That’s just not for me. I wanna dance even if the floor is empty. Are you a travel buff? If you could visit any place in the world, where would you go and why? Definitely. Straight out of university, I went on this solo Euro trip. It was just amazing! Now, to answer your question, I would go to Verona, Italy. It has a very special place in my heart. When do you feel your sexiest self? I have to have an on-point outfit. I generally make sure I do (laughs). Also, I have to be the most prepared and most knowledgeable person in the room. Trust me, if we get an assignment, yours is gonna be good but mine will be laminated in lace. What’s the most attractive quality in a man? Well, I am attracted to guys with a good sense of humour. Also, I have a weakness for dog dads. just instantly. The end goal for me would be waking up in a world where stigma on mental health issues no longer exists and where the content of a woman’s character is not judged by the length of her skirt.
Styling by THE THREE BY TPV Additional styling by JOANNE STOKER Make-up by NADIYA FERNANDO Hair by SHAHEEN SOURJAH Shot on location at THE BARTIZAN IN GALLE, SRI LANKA 82
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What is something you hope will change for women in your country? If you have a look at Sri Lankan history, women have been pivotal in shaping the country’s political and socio-economic antiquity. I’ve always been inspired by them. It’s like there’s magical powers of resilience and strength in our DNA. I don’t understand why we’ve become comfortable putting ourselves and other women in categorical boxes, always telling them—here, this is what a smart girl looks like, this is what a reserved and respectable woman should dress like, don’t swear, don’t drink and if you go out at night you’re not a lady and etc. It almost feels like the system is rigged against us. As a woman you have so much to lose by being a free spirit with your
What’s the secret to a perfect Instagramworthy selfie? Sunlight! What’s that one thing every man should do or can do to make the women in his life smile? (Maxim’s got a social campaign called #MakeHerSmile that aims to educate and create awareness about this.) Be thoughtful and surprise her—even if it’s like a little note on her planner. Make her feel special and loved, always. If you were hosting a fantasy dinner party, who would you invite? I would invite Amal Clooney because I just wanna hear her speak, to be honest with you. I feel like it would change my life. Next, Beyoncé, because well, Beyoncé! Lastly, I would invite Kylie Jenner; I think she’s a ninja architect of businesses. What’s your go-to Friday night drink? I love red wine.
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HERETO PLAY WE TAKE SPORT STYLE OFF THE FIELD AND INTO THE STREETS. NO MATTER THE SITUATION OR THE MOMENT,, WE’RE HERE TO PLAY. Photographed p by RO RODRIGO GO PALMA
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FACING PAGE On Charlie: Sweatshirt KAPPA. Pants LEVI’S. Rings VARON. Sneakers NIKE. On Pavel: Jacket FILA. Pants LEVI’S. Sneakers NIKE. On Josué: Earring HOUSE OF GUADALUPE. Necklace VARON. Shirt vintage. Pants LEVI’S. Boots DR. MARTENS. On Tino: Sweatshirt ADIDAS ORIGINALS. Pants FILA. Sneakers VANS.
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Styling by JUAN FORTIS Assisted by DANIEL LEVY Make-up by MARIO NEVAREZ Hair by ALBERTO SANTIESTEBAN FOR AMERICAN CREW Photography Assistant ENRIQUE AGUILAR Models PAVEL HOFFMAN CHARLIE NESI TINO PORTILLO JOSUÉ EDUARDO RODRIGUEZ Production MAXIM MÉXICO
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THE MOST COVETED SPORTS AWARDS OF THE YEAR
It was an evening to remember, as some of India’s biggest sporting icons came together for the eighth edition of the Sports Illustrated India Sportsperson Of The Year Awards. Text by SAUMYA KALIA
“It is not for the victory alone that they are honoured, it is for the quality of their effort and the manner of their striving.” This is the ethos for the Sports Illustrated India ‘Sportsperson Of The Year Awards’, and there could have been no better illustration of this than the 2017-18 edition. The evening witnessed sportspersons from diverse disciplines and eras sharing the dais for the first time. The awards opened with an address by the Chief Guest, Minister of State (I/C) Youth Affairs & Sports and Information & Broadcasting, Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore. The former Olympian said, “I am very proud to be the Sports Minister in a country where sports is now really beginning to show itself and demonstrate to the world what a huge sporting nation we can be.” 90
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The winners included badminton sensation Kidambi Srikanth, who was adjudged the Sportsperson Of The Year for his 2017 performance that included four Super Series crowns. Former India hockey captain Dhanraj Pillay was conferred with the Lifetime Achievement 4. Award, while three-time Olympic gold medallist for hockey, Balbir Singh Sr., was honoured with the Living Legend Award, which was won by Milkha Singh in the last edition. Olympic medallist and 18-time Grand Slam champion Leander Paes was felicitated with a Special Award for Outstanding Contribution To Sports. The Awards saw some of India’s top sports stars come together for the evening, including India women’s T20I captain Harmanpreet Kaur, badminton star Jwala Gutta, paralympian Deepa Malik, leading spinner Amit Mishra, Olympic Gold Quest CEO Viren Rasquinha, Asian Games medallist Achanta Sharath Kamal, Adivasi Rugby Club founder Sailen Tudu, India’s only female F4 driver Mira Erda, extreme biker Sarah Kashyap and India’s best-known polo player Samir Suhag, among others.
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STARS GALORE 1. Minister of State (I/C) Youth Affairs & Sports and Information & Broadcasting and former Olympian, Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, presents the Sportsperson Of The Year Award to Kidambi Srikanth, with Ajay Khanna, Country Head & VP, Herbalife Nutrition (right) and Vivek Pareek, Editorial Director, Sports Illustrated India. 2. Indian tennis ace Leander Paes receives the Special Award for Outstanding Contribution To Sports from Paralympian Deepa Malik and Herbalife Nutrition’s Ajay Khanna. 3. T20I skipper Harmanpreet Kaur receives the Team Of The Year Award on behalf of the Indian women’s cricket team from (L to R) Rakesh Bali, Senior Vice President & Head Marketing, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), and Gunjan Sharma, Chief Marketing Officer, Polyester Sector, RIL, with Olympic Gold Quest CEO Viren Rasquinha. 4. Björn Rettig, CEO of Burda India, Parineeta Sethi, Director, EMM, and Vivek Pareek unveil the main and special supplement cover with Sportsperson Of The Year winner Kidambi Srikanth. 5. Chief Guest Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, presents multiple Olympic gold medallist Balbir Singh Sr. the Living Legend Award, with Herbalife Nutrition’s Ajay Khanna and Vivek Pareek. 6. Sailen Tudu, founder of the Adivasi Rugby Club (R), receives the Community Development in Sports Award from Simon Clays (C), Publishing Director, EMM, and Jayant Rastogi, CEO, Magic Bus India. 7. Shooter Jitu Rai (C) receives the Editor’s Choice For Excellence Award from Indian shuttler Jwala Gutta and Rohit Bhardwaj, Senior Managing Editor, Sports Illustrated India. 8. All India Football Federation’s Kishore Taid (R) receives the Coach Of The Year Award on behalf of Stephen Constantine from (L) Ranjita Shaw, Director of Public Relations and Communication, Roseate Hotels and Resorts, and Indian cricketer Amit Mishra. MAXIMINDIA.IN
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STARS GALORE 1. The esteemed guests enjoy a light moment at the Sportsperson Of The Year Awards. 2. The closing address by Björn Rettig highlighted the way ahead for Sports Illustrated in India, as well as the initiatives being taken by the magazine to help promote sports in the country. 3. Standing ovation for hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr. 4. Manav Vikas Thakkar (C) receives the Young Sportsperson Of The Year award from Ranjita Shaw and Amit Mishra. 5. Shubhankar Sharma (R) receives the Gamechanger Of The Year award from (L to R) R-Elan’s Rakesh Bali and Gunjan Sharma. 6. Representatives of the German Embassy on the red carpet. 7. India’s most famous polo player, Samir Suhag. 8. Mira Erda, India’s only female F4 racer, on the red carpet. 9. (L to R) Parineeta Sethi and former Indian cricketer Atul Wassan present the Lifetime Achievement Award to former Indian hockey player Dhanraj Pillay. 10. The winners of the main awards with their trophies. 11. Aizawl F.C. founder and president Robert Royte (R) receives the Editor’s Choice For Excellence Award from (L to R) Jwala Gutta, Simon Clays and Rohit Bhardwaj.
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CREDITS
CONTENTS p. 6: Self-flying car, image courtesy of Aston Martin. Drinks, View Apart/Shutterstock.com. CONTRIBUTORS p. 10: Elena Fernandes, photographed by Sasha Jairam. Nick Saglimbeni, photographed by Joyce Park.
THE MASTER OF MINIMALISM p. 18: Ollie Dabbous, Matthew Lloyd/Contour by Getty Images. p. 19: Food, Courtesy of Dabbous London. BOOZY CLASSICS p. 20: Martini glass, Goskova Tatiana/Shutterstock.com.
PALETTE OF CONTRASTS pp. 30-31: Images courtesy of Michael Kunze. RAW MUSCLE pp. 32-34: Images courtesy of Ford Motor Company. THE SLIM MACHINE p. 35: Images courtesy of Benjie’s Cafe Racer. BIG AIR pp. 36-37: Images courtesy of Aston Martin. WILDLIFE BABIES pp. 38-39: Man with tablet, GaudiLab/Shutterstock.com.
ALL ABOUT THE TICKER p. 22: Heart made of steel, Tereshchenko Dmitry/ Shutterstock.com. p. 23: Shayamal Vallabhjee, photographed by Shivangi Kulkarni.
Product images courtesy of respective brands.
JUICE IT UP p. 24: Woman squeezing fruit, Volodymyr Tverdokhlib/ Shutterstock.com.
STREET KING p. 41: Keanu Reeves, Axel Köster/ Porsche. CELIO celio.com. BRUNELLO CUCINELLI
ICE CUBE p. 25: Ice Cube, Ga Fullner/ Shutterstock.com.
brunellocucinelli.com. ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA zegna.us. PERSOL persol.com. LONGINES longines.com. CREED creedboutique.com.
THE STRANGEST THING p. 28: David Harbour, Charley Gallay/Getty Images. 94
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DOWNLOAD SOME DOWNTIME p. 40: Painting of head, Benjavisa Ruangvaree/Shutterstock.com.
REBEL, REBEL p. 42: David Beckham, image
courtesy of Belstaff. BELSTAFF belstaff.co.uk. MARKS & SPENCER marksandspencer.com. BERLUTI berluti.com. CERTINA certina. com. ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA zegna.us. MASTERMIND WORLD mastermindworld.com.
p. 60: Greek sculpture, Anastasios71/Shutterstock.com.
THE FLAME-SHIFTERS p. 43: GIORGIO ARMANI BEAUTY armanibeauty.com. DOLCE & GABBANA dolcegabbana.com. LE LABO lelabofragrances.com. HERMÈS hermes.com. CALVIN KLEIN calvinklein.com. GIVENCHY givenchy.com.
HOME IMPROVEMENT FOR THE MAN pp. 62-63: Man in bed, Photographee.eu/ Shutterstock.com. p. 64: Tabletop with items, Pexels.com. p. 65: Wooden trunk, ESstock/ Shutterstock.com. Man holding woman, George Rudy/ Shutterstock.com. Ladder on wall, Pexels.com. Floor lamp, Pexels.com.
SHINE LIKE THE SUN pp. 44-55: ZARA zara.com. SR
THE MIZORAM YOU NEED TO SEE
STORE srstore.in. H&M hm.com. PURPLE PAISLEY purplepaisley.in. NIDHI MUNIM facebook.com/ nidhimunimindia. KAI RESORTWEAR kairesortwear. com. VERANDAH studioverandah. com. BURBERRY burberry.com. SWAROVSKI swarovski.com. SUPERDRY superdry.com. FLIRTATIOUS flirtatious.in. FOREVER 21 forever21.com. MARKS & SPENCER
p. 71: Aizawl FC, AIFF.
marksandspencer.com. ROXY roxy.com.
OFFICIAL varonofficial.com. KAPPA kappastore.eu. DR. MARTENS/AIRWAIR drmartens.com. HOUSE OF GUADALUPE houseofguadalupe.co.uk. FILA fila.com. VANS vans.com. AYANEGUI ayanegui-online.com.
THE STATE OF INDIAN SPORT pp. 56-57: Marble torso of man, VeronikaChe/Shutterstock.com. pp. 58-59: Double-sided statue, akturer/Shutterstock.com.
EVOLUTION OF SEX pp. 72-73: Hourglass, Min C. Chiu/Shutterstock.com. p. 74: Relief work on wall, Zzvet/ Shutterstock.com. HERE TO PLAY pp. 84-89: ADIDAS adidas.com. LEVI STRAUSS & CO levi.com. NIKE nike.com. VARON
KE AN U REEVES , A XEL KÖSTER /PORSCH E
WHAT I’VE SNIFFED pp. 12-13: Dog, dezy/ Shutterstock.com. p. 14: Dog, dezy/ Shutterstock.com. p. 16: Dog, Seregraff/ Shutterstock.com.
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