January issue 2017

SOUTH INDIA’S PREMIER UBER LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

JANUARY 2017 VOL 13 ISSUE 06

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"JAYALALITHAA: AS I KNEW HER" SANJAY PINTO'S UNFORGETTABLE INTERACTIONS WITH THE IRON LADY

ONE OF INDIA'S FOREMOST VOCALISTS ARUNA SAIRAM ON BRINGING FASHION AND STYLE INTO HER PERFORMANCES

MUST-VISIT:

THE QUICKEST AND DREAMIEST ISLAND GETAWAYS FOR A THAT IDEAL VACAY!

THE CHANGE MAKERS PRESENTS

4 CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY ON THEIR GRITTY, INSPIRING JOURNEYS THE NEWEST TRENDS IN BEAUTY, FOOD, LIFESTYLE AND LOTS MORE

RITZ My view "To improve is to change To be perfect is to change often" "Who you refuse to be is responsible for everything you don’t have" The above are two of my favourite quotes. Of course my most favourite ones border on the unprintable, but let's not go there now, shall we?

It is a new year and however hackneyed it may sound, it is a time for new promises and new resolutions (which are promptly broken, nevertheless) that we make in the hope of a better version of ourselves.

Over the years, I have scoffed at cooking and shuddered at water sports, even though my idea of heaven is any place by the beach! This year I have resolved to change my approach and ace both these areas.

Speaking of change, we have on the cover of the New Year Special Edition of South India’s largest and most successful lifestyle magazine RITZ, four swashbuckling heroes of our times, who have changed the notions around their areas of business, challenged norms, faced a multitude of challenges and have come up trumps every time.

Reading their inspiring journeys is a great way to start the year on a motivational note indeed!

As a pioneer in lifestyle publications, we at RITZ have constantly changed and adapted ourselves to stay on top of the game while creating markets where none existed and no one dared to venture. And what is exciting is that change is on the cards at RITZ too, as you will see from our February edition.

Happy 2017 and happy reading!

FOLLOW US

RITZ Inside

ISSUE 06 | VOL 13 | January 2017

10 Buzzin Interesting events of the month gone by and the latest in fashion, both at a glance

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RSVP Our own events dominate both our pages and social interest over the last month as RITZ pulls off yet another historical feat as a testimony of our absolute dominance of the South Indian market – two mega award ceremonies across 2 different cities of Kochi and Hyderabad in a span of 5 days from each other, with both being hosted in perfect style!

30 Beauty Glow like a goddess or prove you are the ‘mane’ man… no matter your choice, we have the perfect beauty advice for you plus a round up of the hottest new products in the beauty sphere.

38 Personality 4 change makers across different fields tell us their uniquely inspiring stories of courage, determination and ambition.

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Wanderlust We list some of the best super luxurious island getaways that are quick to get to and visa-hassle free

54 Trending Now Hyderabad gets its hookah back! We visit 3 well-known hookah bars in the city and come away charmed Pet owners in Bengaluru on what it takes to care for their four-legged besties

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64 Spotlight Espanio Events has got the formula and attitude right when it comes to acing events!

Sadayush offers holistic Ayurvedic healing for the body and mind. Read on to know how Veteran Kochi-based fashion designer Hari Anand on what has kept him flying high over the years

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RITZ Inside

ISSUE 06 | VOL 13 | January 2017

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The Kingfisher calendar shot by Atul Kasbekar is a visual delight. The ace photographer shares his experiences shooting some of the most lithe and sensuous models and explains why the Indian supermodel is dead

74 In Conversation Veteran vocalist Aruna Sairam on infusing her trademark brand of style and pizzazz into her stage performances Deepali Goyal, Latika Golyan and Shweta Mahtani talk to us about their ambitious new venture The Big Feed One of India’s most successful restaurateurs ever, the one and only Riyaaz Amlani speaks on the fastchanging and extremely competitive F&B market and how he is aiming to capture a big chunk of the pie Siddharth Poojari on his legacy, his hospitality business and future plans

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The mother-son duo of Asha and Akshay Sebastian Mattathil of MOD Jewellers talk about their brand and their meteoric rise Jamie Walker, USL Diageo Reserve Brand Ambassador, South Region on the churning whisky market and the emergence of a cocktail culture in India

94 Edited and Published by Aruna R Krishnan from 7th Floor, Sigma Wing, Raheja Towers, 177 Anna Salai, Chennai 600002. Printed by B Ashok Kumar of Rathna Offset Printers at 40, Peters Road, Royapettah, Chennai - 600 014 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. RITZ is not responsible for unsolicited material. RITZ assumes no responsibility for the veracity and authenticity of the advertisements published herein.

Readers are requested to make appropriate enquiries before incurring any expenses or acting on medical recommendations or otherwise in relation to any advertisement or article published herein. Also views in articles published herein are those of the respective authors only. RITZ does not necessarily subscribe to these views.

All correspondence should be addressed to: RITZ, 7th Floor, Sigma Wing, Raheja Towers, 177, Anna Salai, Chennai 600 002. Contact: 4211 3871 / 2 Email: admin@ritzmagazine.in

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90 Corridors of Power Sanjay Pinto writes in his inimitable style about the real ‘Power Star’ the TNEB/ TANGEDCO Chairman Dr M Saikumar IAS 92 Point Blank Sanjay Pinto writes fondly of his many interactions with the rarely accessible former (late) Tamilnadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa 94 Culinary Voyages with Minnie Menon Veteran columnist, foodie and jewellery designer Minnie Menon in her brand new column for RITZ goes on a voyage of discovery to Feathers Hotel

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RITZ buzz in' < AISHWARYAA ROCKS

The beautiful Aishwarya Rajinikanth Dhanush released her first book, Standing on an Apple Box, at a glittering event with tennis star Rohan Bopanna doing the honours. In the book, Aishwarya writes about her life as the superstar’s darling daughter, of falling in love with husband Dhanush, raising her two boys and finding satisfaction in her choice of career.

Her memoir is a frank and spirited insight into her life that entailed growing up in the house of India’s biggest superstar. Way to go girl.

> RAMP WALK REGULAR?

Is the brooding Arjun Kapoor becoming a regular on the catwalk? After sashaying down the ramp for his friend Sahil Aneja in Mumbai in August during the Lakme Fashion Week, the good-looking hunk was in namma Bengaluru. This time, he walked the ramp for designer duo Falguni and Shane Peacock at the Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2016. Arjun’s bindaas swagger, bearded look and his intense eyes surely make for a great treat for designers, fashionistas and models alike.

BENGALURU

< PRETTY WOMEN

Pretty girls Masaba Gupta and Kriti Sanon made for a striking picture in Bengaluru. Masaba was showcasing her designs at the Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2016, with Kriti wearing one of the her creations. Last heard, Masaba who is known for her lightweight fabrics and quirky prints, is penning a book. Called The Masaba Print, the book will journey her life and provide grooming tips to young women.

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RITZ buzz in'

^ KERALA HOSTS THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF CARDIOLOGY SOCIETY OF INDIA

THE ICONIC KOCHIMUZIRIS BIENNALE 2016! Reputed event management firm

The third edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale was flagged off by curator ^VOLVO LAUNCHES Sudarshan Shetty at the Aspinwall THEIR NEW KOCHI House. The 108-day art extravaganza will conclude on March 29, 2017.

SHOWROOM AND THE Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan NEW VV40 was the chief guest at the event. The Volvo recently launched the all new KMBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first edition was held on 12th Volvo V40, the compact hatchback perfectly suited for life in the city. With December 2012 and it was India's first biennale for contemporary art agile handling, interior versatility and held in Kochi, Kerala. The exhibition smart technology to make your life easier, the V40 is the perfect companion continues to be set in spaces across Kochi, Muziris region and surrounding as you start your journey. Adding another feather to its cap, Volvo opened islands with shows in existing galleries its new showrrom and service centre at and halls, and site-specific installations in public spaces, heritage buildings NH Byepass, Padivattom, Kochi. Tom and disused structures. Indian and Von Bonsdorff, Managing Director international artists will exhibit of VAI inaugurated the showroom. G Mohanan (Chairman, Indel Corporation) artworks across a variety of mediums including film, installation, painting, and Umesh Mohanan (MD, Indel sculpture, new media and performance Corporation) were also present at the art. Artists Bose Krishnamachari and event.

Riyas Komu are the founders of Kochi KOCHI Biennale Foundation.

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Executive Events joined hands with Cardiology Society of India to organise the CSI 2016 in Kochi, the first-ever joint session of five major cardiology societies of the world on prevention of cardiovascular diseases that involved CSI, ESC, ACC, AHA and World Heart Federation. The carefully designed program had lots of case-based sessions and workshops, a plethora of eminent international cardiologists, state-of-the-art audio visual systems for comfortable viewing of scientific content with the most modern audience poll system coupled with SMS facility in the question answer sessions. It also organised public awareness programs and made use of delegatefriendly mobile app for ready reference of scientific programs, directions for access to conference halls and information about the venue and the city.

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RITZ buzz in'

BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL

CHENNAI

18k white gold earrings with round brilliant cut diamonds ^

^ 18k white gold necklace with rose cut diamonds and brown rose cut diamonds

Jewellers have an ace up their sleeve this New Year, with dressy, classy designs drenched in diamonds vying for your attention. Take a look at our curated selection from two jewellers.

< 18k yellow gold earrings with brown diamonds

> 18k yellow gold earrings with untreated unheated Mozambique ruby, tourmaline, brown diamond and opal

> 18k white gold earrings with round brilliant cut diamonds, brown diamonds and golden south sea pearls

Available at Studio Tara, 10/50 Kasthuri Rangan Road, Alwarpet, Chennai.

Call +91 44 4314 4511 / 2499 0240

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RITZ buzz in' < THIS TIMELESS DESIGN reveals the curves of life, which connect and eventually create a beautiful treasure. With 1.826 carats of diamond and 9.7 grams of gold this pendant is an inimitable beauty that has an exceptional level of expertise and attention to detail. ^ DIAMOND SWIRLING PETALS bearing secrets that are worth holding onto becomes a beautiful symbol of love with pink sapphires in the middle. This symbol of a perfect and significant relationship contains 2.381 carats of diamonds, 13.880 grams of gold and 2.321 carats of pink sapphire.

> A BOUQUET OF BLOSSOMING FLOWERS with minute yet radiant diamonds illuminated by the presence of rubies. With 2.144 carats of diamond, 8.640 carats of ruby and 17.510 grams of gold this pendant is ornamental and enchanting in every way.

CHENNAI

TIMELESS AND ELEGANT Available at Viswa and Devji, R.S.Puram, Coimabatore. Ph: +91 422 4223301/2/3 G.N. Chetty Road, Chennai, Ph: +91 44 46264000

< A DAZZLING RUBY with charming diamond rays radiating from its centre is the beauty of this pristine yet elegant pendant.

Simplifying life in its elements, this charmer contains 3.990 carats of Diamonds, 16.820 grams of Gold and 16.800 carats of Ruby.

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^ NESTLED within this exotic pattern of interspersed diamonds is a brilliant ruby.

Luminous and sophisticated in style, this pendant contains 2.850 carats of diamond, 18 grams of gold and 22.526 carats of ruby.

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RITZ buzz in' CHENNAI

FASHION INSPIRED

BY THE LIFE OF A FLOWER Designer Shriya Som who is engaged and all set to marry actor Akhil Akkineni in January, showcased her collection in Chennai recently at Evoluzione.

Inspired by the journey in the life of a flower and its droopy wilted forms, pale colours such as clear water, soft muslin, onion pink, nude, periwinkle blue along with with metallic shades of sun kissed gold and silver progress into a droopy wilted darker palette of midnight blue and noir and bursts of red.

The Made to Measure collection consists of structured evening dresses, flirty gowns and full volume trailing skirts paired with crop tops, bandeaus and capes. There is an edgy vibe to the evening wear with its fringing details and tone on tone qualities and textural contrasts.

Retailing at Evoluzione, No 3, Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Chennai.

Call +91 44 2833 3627.

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FOR THE LOVE OF THE DRAPE

HYDERABAD

e Gaurang Shah is on Hyderabad-based a. di In in rs ne sig of the preminent de earthy colours s hi ve lo s ie Celebrit Shah may well be and bold styles, as to the first designers credited as one of ck ba om lo nd t of ha bring the dying ar use of traditional g in ak M e. in vogu g tech niques, his motifs and weavin nd of elaborately label revived the tre ris. designed, classic sa e spirit iv nt ve Testimony to his in e gowns th of me are his saris and so g all the in do e av with the jamdani we dering or en m wo talking. We've seen of a s ur lo co 10 saris in different hing, nc fli t ou with certain collection tery of the drape. for such is his mas

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RITZ rsvp

KOCHI

THE RITZ ICON AWARDS 2016

- A GRAND CONCLAVE OF THE MOST RESPECTED ICONS!

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ochi witnessed the seventh edition of the prestigious RITZ Icon Awards 2016 held at the Le Meridien on December 20, 2016.

Over the years, RITZ has been continuously honouring top industrialists, artists and celebrities from South India and in a bold and unprecedented move, the magazine decided to host the grand event in Kochi. The event was powered by Bootz, BOLS India Pvt ltd, and Cutty Sark in association with the Lulu Mall, M.O.D Signature Jewellery, BMW Platino Classic, the Round Table India, the Rotary Club of Kochi, 93.5 Red FM, Rajan Outdoor Media, That1too.com and Espanio Events.

This year too, the RITZ Icons included top industrialists and film stars hailing from the South like renowned actresses Taapsee Pannu and Menaka Suresh, Dr. Viju Jacob - MD of Synthite Industries, Ms. Sheela Chittilappilly - MD of V Star Creations, Ms. Beena Kannan - CEO of Seematti Silks, Mr. Jose Dominic - CEO of CGH Earth, Mr. Sunil Kumar â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MD of Asset Homes, Dr Regeena J Murli - Jeppiaar Educational Group, Namrata Goyal - Heiress of Jet airways and Padma Rajgopal - Chairperson, FLO, Hyderabad. Eminent personalities like MLA Hibi Eden, MLA AM Arif and Honourable Justice Surendra Mohan were the special guests of honour at the event and gave away awards to the winners.

The coveted RITZ Icon awards was welcomed by Kochi with great style and panache and as always, the event garnered wide media coverage in national, regional and local TV Channels, newspapers, radio and online media.

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HYDERABAD

SOUTHSCOPE LIFESTYLE AWARDS - 2016

Several top celebrities and achievers congregated at the Sheraton Hotel in Gachibowli, Hyderabad on December 15, 2016 to cheer the winners of one of South India's most highly rated awards, The SouthScope Lifestyle Awards.

The Ritz Magazine and Cutty Sark's SouthScope Lifestyle Awards in association with Lawrence and Mayo and Lakhotiya Institute of Design were presented to a select few who had excelled in their respective fields. Among those who graced the occasion and won awards were actors Rana Daggubatti, Tamannaah, Amala Paul, Pranitha Subhash and Parul Yadav, designer Anushree Reddy, Allola Divya Reddy, Dr Sridevi Jasti, Stellar group, Sashi Nahata, Hemanth Siree, Dr Nandkishore, Neeraja Kona, Avnish Kumar of Neeru's and others. Upasna Kamineni along with Aruna R Krishnan signed and presented the citations to the winners. Amitav Mendonca of Lawrence and Mayo along with his beautiful wife Menaka made a big impression at the event as the couple made a speech and presented important awards. The award ceremony had inspiring speeches, emotional moments and some spectacular fashion shows by Lakhotia Institute of Design which made the evening a really special one for all those present. We present to you pictures of the ceremony.

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RITZ Beauty

L'Oréal Professionnel Homme Strong Hold Clay

Mane

MAN

Clarins Men Total Shampoo

Think haircare is all about slicking your hair back with a bit of gel? You’ll definitely change your mind after you see these hair products that are designed keeping men in mind. Tasteful packaging, hard-working formulas and great results. What’s not to love!

By FAYE REMEDIOS Ashutosh Valani and Priyank Shah, Co-Founders of Beardo, spill the deets on what needs to go on your bathroom shelf: “Your hair needs as much love and care as your skin and that is only possible by using the right hair products – a shampoo, serum and styling wax. We all know the importance of shampooing your hair regularly, and this must be followed with a hair serum to protect your hair from all the heat, dust and humidity. A good hair styling wax will also help tame your mane in the way you like it without harming your strands. So, stop stealing your girlfriend/sister’s products and ensure you have these three must-haves in your cabinet!

Beardo Hair Wax Vichy Dercos Oil Control Advanced Action Shampoo

Just B Au Naturel Pure Argan Oil

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BBLUNT Gel OH! Natural Hold Gel

er Roch Yves idence Ev me Hom y Bo d Ha i r p o o Sham en G re

se Kérasta ue q Densifi u r Se m e Jeuness Park Avenue Beer Shampoo

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RITZ Beauty

Just B Au Naturel Clarifying Green Clay Mask

The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask

Dior Hydralife Jelly Sleep Mask

MASK ON, MASK OFF Dr. Kiran Lohia, Medical Director, Lumiere Dermatology, gives you the low-down on how to use a mask daily.

So, go ahead and mix-and-match to know what works for your skin and get ready to glow: GEL MASKS: Can be used daily as they are gentle on your skin.

Exfoliating masks: Use once or twice a week as they can remove the buildup of dead skin cells. However, skin renewal takes time so it is not ideal to use these daily.

SHEET MASKS: Can be used daily as they work like an instant fix by nourishing the skin with its essence and giving the skin an energetic boost.

They are great to be used as a perk-me-up, just before heading out to a party or big event. However, if your skin is easily clogged, then you may want to refrain from using such masks daily. In that case, use twice a week instead.

MOISTURIZING MASKS: Stick to using these once or twice a week as they are very rich and may cause the skin to break out if used excessively.

Once a week application of this mask should be sufficient unless your skin is extremely dry.

PEEL-OFF MASKS: Use these once a week, as they can be too harsh when used too often since the peeling action isn’t exactly gentle.

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PUT A MASK ON IT There’s no better time for a little athome pampering than just after the festive season. But while a face mask can definitely give your skin that pick-me-up that it needs, do you know that the latest trend, which advocates using a mask daily, can be a complete beauty game changer? We tell you how to go about it…

In nisf ree It's Real S q ue e z e een M a sk G r k s a Tea M

Epique Express Fa cial, Bio- Cellulose Face Mask

Avène Cleanance Masque

Oriflame Love Nature Gel Mask Aloe Vera

Clarins Hydra Quench Cream Mask

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RITZ Beauty

Take a Chance ON GREEN

L'Oréal Paris Color Riche Le Smoky Eyeliner, Antique 209 Green Sally Hansen Triple Shine, Kelp Out

NYX Macaron Lippie, Key Lime

Pantone’s colour for 2017 is ‘Greenery’, a fresh and zesty hue and we have to say that when it comes to makeup, green in all its hues, makes an impact. From pretty to sultry to fresh, no other shade shows as much versatility. Prepare to have envious glances cast your way when you sport this fab hue….

By FAYE REMEDIOS Innisfree Eco Nail Color PRO, Pastel Green

Rimmel Scandeleyes Eye Shadow Stick, Gossip Green

Aila Cosmetics Nail Lacquer, Wheatgrass

Revl o Enam n Nail Mari el, n M at t e e

Oriflame The ONE Colour Impact Cream Eye Shadow, Olive Green Make Up Forever Artist Shadow, Emerald

Sephora Colorful Eyeliner, Stadium Fever

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Givenchy Ombre Couture Cream Eyeshadow

Shiseido Shimmering Creme Eye Color

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RITZ Beauty

REAL MEN Moisturise With a new year upon us, it’s time to upgrade your lackluster routine. And the excuse that ‘you can simply shave away all the dead skin cells’ is simply not going to cut it. We pick out the essential products that no man’s grooming arsenal is complete without.

Clarins

By FAYE REMEDIOS Men Super Moisture Gel

Elemis ProCollagen Marine Cream for Men

Dermalogica Daily Defense SPF 15 Innisfree Forest for Men Phytoncide All-in-one Essence

Thalgo Men Regenerating Cream

ALL GOOD SCENTS Rockstar Aftershave Splash for Men

Just B Au Naturel Miracle Healing Salve

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Nivea Men Dark Spot Reduction Crème

Shiseido Men Moisturizing Recovery Cream

Be a r d o Ult raglo A ll I n 1 w Spf 30 Daily Moist u rising Lotion

Forest Essentials Night Treatment Cream, Sandalwood and Orange Peel

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RITZ personality CHENNAI

PRESENTS

The Change Makers

It might seem like great audacity in the way they leverage emerging trends, technology, finance and sheer brain power to get things done in ways not done before – they are bold leaders in their respective businesses whose growth, innovation and presence in that world is marked by success and something so big and so impactful, that it changes the landscape.

They are change makers. They see things - and it is in their transformational genius, that organisations under them go from being ordinary to exceptional. And how do they get their ideas?

Simple - they work at it. They focus on pursing their goals, are never satisfied with the ordinary and are certainly not lucky. They just were and are committed to the pursuit of excellence, dreams, creativity, passion and innovation. They are the doers and are persistent individuals who understand potential is of little value if it fails to be realised! They focus their efforts on shattering the status quo, challenge norms, break conventions and encourage diversity of thought. The message here is simple: don’t just play the game – change it. And above all they are the ones who truly understand the value of serving something beyond themselves.

We have here four such individuals who have literally changed the name of the game. In their respective fields of design and architecture, education, jewellery and the real estate. Meet Krithika Subrahmaniam, architect, Anand, owner of NAC Jewellers, Srinivasan Gopalan, CEO of Ozone Group and Regeena Jeppiaar, Director of Jeppiaar College of Engineering - all of whom have lots to show for when it comes to their work and the strides made through the years and the difference it has made to the landscape of their pursuit.

Photographer - Karthik Srinivasan Make up - Naturals Lounge, TTK Road, Alwarpet, Chennai

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RITZ personality Krithika Subr ahmaniam How has this journey been till now?

My group of companies evolved out of Transform, a design firm that started 23 years ago. From that I now have COD – construction by design and Decode that works for the arts, through which all my activities take shape. I graduated from Anna University and was always a design junkie. I liked spaces, forms, organising visuals and wanted to become an architect. It was very strange in those days because there were not too many taking to architecture.

But you do come from a building background?

I come from a family of builders; my grandfather was a builder of public buildings, roads, dams and more in the 50s, 60s and the 70s. My father is also very design aware and a sculptor. So I guess it is in my DNA. I am also very sensitive to my environment and find inspiration just about everywhere.

So how did architecture prove to be your mojo?

The five years of formal studies set the ground for all my capabilities. Plus I was spirited enough not to depend on anyone financially. And here I was married into a large family and I didn’t want to be a socialite or a housewife.

So I started my own business and in the beginning it was all about meeting my requirements of having my own office, getting new computers and needs like that. Add to that the fact that I am a workaholic and cannot sleep much so it was all about creating a space for myself.

Did you get any support for all this?

Or was this a journey all by yourself?

I am a firm self-starter. I didn’t have anyone who was actually in the business - of course my husband is a builder, but then I am not a free loader and didn’t feel the sense of entitlement of designing their projects. I did get one project from them and apart from

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that in my free time I worked as a supervisor in their company, even doing things like counting cement bags etc. Come to think of it, this worked well for me as I enjoyed going to the site.

What about the business, the commercial part of it all?

I never calculate the bottom line of my business. It is something I always urge everybody in my company not to do. I tell them ‘Don’t set targets for yourself because I believe they are limiting.’

What I do tell them is to keep pushing the boundaries. And don’t copy. If that happens, then it is time to go home.

How would you place yourself in the financial world?

We are one of the more successful firms in Chennai for sure and nationally, well, we are getting an award for being the best service provider in terms of turnover. Without getting into actual numbers, I would say we have been grossing enough to be in the top three firms in Chennai and among the top 7 or 8 in the country. I charge a hefty fee for the high quality work we do. I deliver a quality product and we don’t have price wars. No design wars either; I prefer to call them ‘design dialogues.’

I also drive a hard bargain when it comes to providing the best for my clients from the vendors and that is something I do not dilute.

What about current trends such as the demonetisation - how has it affected business?

It is unfair that political parties have been left out of this, but business has been affected. Business serves society and it provides jobs and opportunities.

So yes, in that sense it has affected us all. Avoiding taxes is counter productive and we are super compliant about it. But then, true enterprise will always find a way. We keep working and enjoying what we do.

What would you say is your USP? It’s my company’s youthfulness. I like to keep it that way. I’m a 43-year old who is on a journey of discovery and I

love the fun of it all. I work on several ideas and choose the best of them. I have worked in hospitality, industry, education and retail – across the board and in all areas of design.

You have recently got into the hospitality industry with Swatma, a heritage hotel in Tanjore?

I started a hotel in Tanjore, where we hope to bring the world’s best principles in hospitality for high-end travelers. I do want to create more such hotels in other places in Tamil Nadu, with each being more unique than the previous one. The focus is to make the rich culture of Tamil Nadu approachable and for the intrepid traveler to make a voyage of discovery.

Future goals?

Look ahead. Never forget where you came from. I don’t aim for my group of companies to be the biggest but to be the best.

Life’s mottos?

We are not bound to anything. I don’t have an ego. I can take criticism as well as appreciation. I appreciate critics more because there is more to learn from that than the other. I don’t fear failure and I don’t expect people to like everything I do.

Do you see yourself as a change maker?

I think to a large extent I have changed one game- I'm not scared to push boundaries and it’s not been picnic all the way. I’ve had many failures. I just don’t look at them. I keep going.

I didn’t recognize the glass ceiling as a woman and I have been a major dreamer. I see a whole lot more. And I don’t see boundaries.

Your personal mantra?

Keep dreaming.

Neckpiece, Earrings & Ring - Studio Tara Apparel - Krithika's Own

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RITZ personality

Srinivasan Gopalan You look at him and you just know he is an achiever. In his stride, in his forthright manner and in the simple straightforward way that he talks. Srinivasan Goplan, the CEO of Ozone Group is driven, focused and game for new pastures.

It’s been a long journey towards this point, we can see.

Yes, I started out as a chartered accountant at Deloite, went into an agro chemical company in Mumbai, a dot com firm, a chemical company and then into acquiring a hard core organic chemical company and finally into real estate, which is my current field of activity.

I was with the Wadhwa group in Mumbai, doing well as CFO and then the Chief Operating Officer for about 7 years. A split in the family made me move – amicably of course, to Bengaluru to Ozone, which was two and a half years ago.

In such a short time you have managed to scale great heights!

See, all the hard work was done before me - land was acquired, approvals were in place and all I did was to ensure the focus and keep selling.

What is the strong point here, apart from this focus and selling?

Adding value to customers is the USP of our group. If the customer wants a 10,000 square feet house, I will make it and if he wants a 500 square feet house I can make that too. I am very adaptable to change, so if today the market indicates that smaller houses are the key, then we go ahead with that.

As someone who is driving change, what do you see as your goals, plans and vision?

Three years back, I made a promise to my employees that five years down the road we will be among the top five in India. And we are half way through there now. There are a lot of changes happening in the environment, in the real estate sector per say. The recent demonetisation came as a surprise. Then came the Benami Act and the RERA, all of which are good when it comes to a structured setup like ours. It has been a catalyst for us, mainly because the group institutionally holds a minority stake as the promoter and the entire burden of the loans are secured by us, the promoters. We own only about 24 per cent and are used to a culture of a structured way of functioning and have never used cash in any of our dealings.

Ever. We have institutions to answer to and once cash comes in, there is no accountability. We are the only industry where we actually sell air – no finished product. It’s just a vision and people

42 RITZ January 2017

trust us and invest. And the current changes especially the Benami Act will help stabilise prices and provide transparency. A lot of foreign money will come in now.

These changes are extremely good for companies like ours and we welcome every change that is coming. We are geared fully and just need to do some tweaking to ensure smooth sailing.

So in about three years what are the changes that you have brought about?

I come from a market in Mumbai that is not really structured unlike here in Chennai and Bengaluru. Here you have to earn the price increase only through performance. Operationally, you are expected to be extremely clear that the one rupee you say is the increase is truly worth it. The end user here can come with an inch tape to check whether the promise of space is indeed what has been said. He keeps you on your toes. Changes are largely about achieving increases in the square footage so that the overhead costs can be absorbed and the salary cost or marketing cost gets distributed.

Also I have managed to work towards achieving the average realisation – from ` 7000 to 9500 to 12000, which meant entering the Mumbai market. Today I have totally two and a half crore square feet of which Urbana in Bengaluru, itself is 200 acres. Here in Chennai it is 85 lakh square feet and there are several others too in Whitefield, Sarjapur etc. We are also contemplating some projects in London – smaller projects partnering with landlords. No high rises, as it takes a lot of time and costs keep increasing exponentially and you don’t make money. If at all, I would go only up to 20 stories.

What really drives the company forward?

This company is a sales and customer driven one. So around 300 employees focus on sales, releases and handing over of flats to people and ensuring that they have the best experience ever. A couple of years ago the turnover was around ` 400 crores but today we are touching ` 1000 crores. We have grown with offices spread across the world.

You mean there is such a demand?

Every sixth person in the world is an Indian - and out of this proportion outside, 65 percent are South Indians especially Keralites. And we are able to fulfill the demand for a ` 5 crore, ` 10 crore and ` 50 lakh project to suit everyone who wants to buy a house. We fulfill the dreams of even an ordinary worker and that makes my customer base huge. But then, for instance in Bengaluru we make products between ` 40 lakhs to a crore.

And these customers are those who take a bank loan and not those who offer cash. I don’t want surplus cash because I don’t want my business to get affected. Another advantage is that there is credibility about the customer and the bank ensures that the payment does come. The third aspect is that if I keep performing the money will keep coming from the bank. I don’t even have to see the customer. So we have hedged the business in a clear manner.

This market is not a bull market and we are never going to see those 2008 days, where super normal profits were possible. It has to get evened out at some point. It is the law of nature!

Today you should own your profit, you’ve got to be transparent, be of serious value to the customer and make the brick and mortar real estate into a service.

So what moves have you made in that direction?

We have started a senior care with 700 units only for senior living – all sold out. When my mother died I couldn’t reach her on time. My father is 82, and if something happens I need at least some kind of first aid for him.

Which is what we are trying to do with these homes. In Urbana, we have para medics, nurses and a doctor on call along with a hospital. The life of each customer is very important.

This is especially important for the NRI community. We built a team only to take care of the needs of such investors and constant updates are given to them so that the hand-holding is continuous, whether it is housekeeping, leasing, selling or any other facilities they may want. Today 30 per cent of our revenue comes from abroad. It started with one

percent or at best three. We are present in every market today – Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, US, UK… we have offices everywhere.

How is Ozone placed vis a vis the other big players?

When you deal with us, there is transparency. We score there. We are doing something many others are not doing. We make products, we keep our eyes open, quickly adapt to changing needs, understand the market and stay customer focused. We work as if we are start-ups today. I am ruthless with my sales team; each one of them has to earn their incentives and if my sales person does not earn his incentives in two quarters he is not adding value to me. You earn money, because unless you do I wont. We make reasonable profits.

What influences have there been on the growth?

The growth interest rates have fallen and now the 2009 rates are back – loans are available at 8 percent and this is a big boost. We are optimistic and that’s why we are developers! We believe the prices cannot drop further than this and that they will hold. I also feel land prices are not really going to come down either. We don’t believe in being burglars or greedy. We want to make money reasonably and not at the cost of the customer.

How do you see yourself as a change maker?

The thrust is to keep selling at a price the market is ready to accept without reduce our volume. Our policy is to be affordable, deal with people properly and provide them what they want with a service element. If they want milk delivered then we will offer that too.

Offer fully furnished apartments, which saves them the trouble of dealing with carpenters etc. As long as you keep adding value, you remain the market leader. We will continue to explore newer markets at minimum risk.

Personal mantra?

Work hard. Be truthful and transparent and leave the rest to the Almighty.

January 2017 RITZ

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RITZ personality N Anandha R amanujam (aka) Anand This young Turk is a combination of the traditional and the modern – he understands how new trends work, adapts to them at the speed of lightning, changes the rules of the game and has his vision fixed on achieving the heights of glory in his line of work. N Anandha Ramanujam who is trained at the GIA, one of the premier gemological institutions in the world, possesses the experience and insight to make a distinct mark in the world of jewellery. He handles his family business NAC Jewellers with great confidence and passion and the love for jewellery is in his DNA. Getting into the family business – was it a natural progression in your life? Considering your youth, how difficult was it to win the trust of the older generation of people who have been working with your firm for a long time?

(Laughs) For me, I don’t think there was any option of doing anything else but my family business.

But then I have a natural flair for jewellery and I have always wanted to be totally involved in the business.

As for our staff, well, most of them have been around for 20 to 25 years and they have all seen me as a little kid playing around in the shop.

They have treated me as a child in their own family and then to find that they had to take orders from me must have been tough for them too.

But things changed and they started adjusting to the new scenario.

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Winds of change are always difficult and with your background of an MSC in International Business and GIA qualification, what changes did you initiate into an already flourishing business?

I had to change certain things about the way they were operating – for RITZ January 2017

instance, ours was too much of a family run business. I had to usher in the corporate culture for I felt that that is the only way we would grow. The thing is most of them were too close to my dad and didn’t see him as an MD but as family; of course for us too, our employees are our extended family, but one has to draw the line clearly as work is work. It was a little hard for me initially but now they understand me and we work well as a team.

What kind of a turnover have you brought about?

We are hopefully touching the fourfigure mark this year – about ` 1000 crores. Or at least we are poised for that.

Has this been gradual growth?

And how do you make a mark with so many jewellers around?

Being creative is imperative. Right now, the Chennai market is all about being price-competitive. I still feel there is opportunity to survive when there is creativity and you look to do things differently. We were the first to introduce branded jewellery for kids. The market already existed but we just made it more acceptable by making it a brand. It is very successful as we see many people walk in with kids. Every time we do a campaign it is just not about giving a discount – it is also about giving a different product or introducing something new or putting the word out in a different way. We have had one the best marketing campaigns of the year for three years in a row.

They say you can’t talk to the young without being young yourself. What have you done to bring in young people into the store?

The youth today prefer the white metal to the yellow. And they like something light and airy. Even my wife for that matter prefers silver to gold. So to win young people over, you need to give them something different. Yet any girl after a certain

age will go for diamonds. So the challenge is to make something lightweight and not chunky and heavy.

What has been the impact of demonetisation on the business?

It’s definitely had an impact on the business but it’s all in the game. If something good is going to happen to the country through this, then we are okay with it. The good thing is the love for the yellow metal will definitely bring the crowds back.

It is January and we are already seeing things improving. And by March- April, things should be back to normal.

How do you personally respond to marketing plans? Bring about innovative ideas? Deal with the competition?

I did the kids’ jewellery campaign.

I also handled my father’s pet project, Rewind, a collection of antique jewellery. My father has been working on it for the past 20 years. It involves a lot of work because when you endeavor to take someone back in time to how things were, you change the entire experience – so apart from the collection itself, we worked on changing everything, right from the display to the counters, the packaging and more. The Rewind collection had to be an experience and not just something you buy over a counter. We also design jewellery for the Oscars’ red carpet.

We have had our presence on the red carpet for two editions and we are going in for the third one with something very unique. We have designed a collection based on the pieces worn on the red carpet called Fabula. At the other end of the spectrum, we have the affordable collection of diamond jewellery where you can get something for as low as ` 4000. They were stones set in 14 carat gold and with high quality gems. It was an experiment and it worked wonders for us. We came up with the ` 81,000 pendant set for five pieces of diamonds

– earrings, pendant, ring and a bracelet.

And then there was our nose pin collection with interchangeable jackets for ` 18000 where you get two nose studs and three jackets. According to me, the game-changing project is stylori.com, an online portal for jewellery.

It was completely my pet project, which was successfully launched. As a brand, NAC Jewelllers is on expansion mode as we have four more stores coming up this year. Right now our presence is in two states – Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

Suit - Gatsby Shoes - MonkStory available at www.that1too.com

What is uniquely you?

I am always looking to experiment and give the customer something new.

Till I do that, I won’t be happy. If I am not doing something innovative and different, I will be bored. I don’t come from a background where we just sit over the counter and sell something. I feel the future of this business is not just going to be about the price. When you buy jewellery you must be happy. It should be an experience. When you compare our stores to those abroad, there is a vast difference. There you feel you are buying jewellery. Here you feel like you are in a super market. I want to change that.

Your personal mantra?

Be innovative. Be creative and always be happy doing what you are doing.

If you are not, then what you do is not going to be effective.

January 2017 RITZ

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RITZ personality Neckpiece, Earrings & Hand cuff - Studio Tara Apparel - Regeena's own

Dr Regeena J Murli The very name Jeppiaar has grown to be synonymous with excellence in education and the Jeppiaar Educational Trust was formed in 1987, with the sole purpose of providing cutting edge technical education that is both accessible and affordable by establishing premier colleges of Engineering and Management studies.

Under the aegis of the Late Col Dr Jeppiaar, the Jeppiaar Engineering College was inaugurated on August 15, 2001.

The Managing Director of the college and the daughter of the founder, Dr Regeena J Murli has led the college from its fledgling state to an institution to reckon with. It is said that the vision of this young lady and her dedication and pursuit of excellence to the cause of technical education combined with her dynamic approach to leadership, has made a telling difference to the growth of the college.

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My father was a pioneer in the field of education. He was the President of the engineering colleges he started all of his own. His mission was to provide engineering education to all students across barriers. And for those who could not afford it, he ensured that scholarships came in handy and education could be provided. Every year, there are many students who come from the villages and from extremely poor backgrounds, but are given this opportunity to enhance their lives through education.

Today we produce nearly a lakh students through our various institutions and also provide placement to nearly 80 percent of them. A lot of them go abroad for further studies or get involved in entrepreneurial start-ups.

Do you see many changes in the engineering education system?

Yes engineering is changing constantly.

Now it’s not just about the syllabus, there also needs to be a lot of industrial exposure, practical experience and several workshops. Text books alone won’t do and these are all needed to bring out talent and get students involved in projects. The government has also started funding projects which are promising and excellent. For our part we have tied up with several companies to come and teach and provide practical experience and also place students in core companies.

Would you say you provide quality education?

We have qualified doctorates, I am one too, who guide students and the department heads along with supportive staff to impart the syllabus along with all that is new and emerging in the respective fields.

How much are you able to fulfill your father’s vision after his demise?

The thing is our father always prepared us for the roles we play today. Even as a child, I have been encouraged to be at the colleges and learn how to run an institution of excellence. To be fair, our mother was equally encouraging as she always wished for us to accompany our father – my sisters and I – to learn. It was always about learning. My father came to Chennai as a very ordinary person, he was a police constable, but with lofty dreams. He started this institution and saw it grow from strength to strength. He was also in politics for a while being very close to Mr MG Ramachandran, but withdrew after his death to dedicate his life to education. After we were born he saw us as lucky mascots because his empire grew and grew and he wanted us to carry the name forward with an eye on quality education to even the poorest of the poor. I miss him a lot and I was devastated when he died. But I think about how he would want me to carry on and I make myself strong. I still feel he is around and I talk to him everyday especially when I have a difficult situation on hand.

There are other businesses you are involved in too right?

Yes there are other businesses like water, milk, steel, cement and now we are coming up with a power plant, which is another feather in our cap.

All my sisters (they are four of them altogether) are also involved in all aspects of the various institutions and industries and we hope we will grow this legacy that we are known for.

In what way have you personally made a difference here?

I have initiated more of an industryHow do you rank yourself? focussed education. Plus I have ensured We are now 8 and 9 out of the 500 that sport plays an important role in the engineering colleges in existence and overall scheme of things by bringing we produce several gold medalists along about the women’s volleyball team and with a superior quality of education, the men’s football team. We have a authoring path-breaking books and have sports quota and we sponsor everything well known educators and authors on for those playing these games. They are our list. given scholarships and our teams have

won several championships including the state championship conducted for volleyball. We promote the welfare of the students through such activities and also scout around for talent among the backward areas and those with no support or financial backing.

What difference is this institution making?

We do everything to upscale ourselves.

We keep learning and quickly incporporate whatever is new. We are placed between one and ten in terms of quality and we strive very hard for results every year. To take care of every student is our motto and it is not important how he enters the college. It is important to see how he exits with all life skills and knowledge to go and conquer the world outside. That is what my father believed in.

What about future goals?

We wish to be a research centre and adopt several villages, digitize them and implement things that can improve their lives and make quality education easily accessible to poorer students. We aim to introduce new courses and adapt swiftly to new trends.

And as a change maker you believe in?

Being receptive to new trends and working to ensure our institutions are in the forefront of all things innovative and futuristic. If it is going to help my students then I might take the plunge in politics. If it helps to change the students’ environment and quality of life, yes, I would certainly consider entering politics.

Your personal mantra?

Aiming low is a crime. Aim high because you have only one life to live.

Try out everything do not hesitate to speak out. Life this one life to the fullest. There is no limit to what you will achieve!

January 2017 RITZ

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RITZ wanderlust

Scintillating Island Getaways

Give a rocking start to your New Year by packing your bags, grabbing your passport and jetsetting to some of the most exotic tropical islands in the world. Boasting crystal clear waters, multi-hued corals, incredible marine life, white sands, azure sky and velvety green fronds, the islands promise a whole lot of excitement. Dive deep and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d come face-to-face with the rich culture and heritage of each island that goes much beyond the beaches and parties. RITZ explores quick island getaways from Bengaluru that are just a flight or two away, and come without much visa hassles. So jet set and go!

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M ALDIVES If you’re to draw the map of Maldives, it would be dots set against blue waters. Yes, this archipelago of over 1200 islands, with a mere 200 inhabited, is like no other in the world! Each resort is an island offering peace and adventure and nothing but bliss. Maldives is the place for the true blue beach lover. Besides the range of adventure sports and sun-bathing, you can island hop to the nearby local islands to glimpse into the lives of Maldivians. A spa or a massage, dinner by the beach and reading bedtime tales to your loved ones lying in your ‘water bungalow’ should pretty much end the day. There is no ‘sightseeing’ in Maldives, it’s all about experiencing nature’s bounty.

W Maldives

A luxury private island in the wonderland of beaches, lagoons and breath-taking coral reefs, W Maldives provides top-end private escapes above the ocean with exclusive pools and sundecks. Six gourmet eateries and lounge bars invite you for that ultimate island experience. 15BELOW, the Maldives’ one and only underground nightclub located 15 steps below the island surface is stunningly incredible! You could further amplify your experience by taking in the crystal blue ocean and explore the resort’s private reef, declared the best reef in the Maldives. Jump into your snorkelling gear and set about exploring the best of corals, colour fish, turtles and maybe even reef sharks! End the day by whisking away your beloved on the property’s private yacht, Escape, to a romantic sunset sailing on sparkling waters.

Approximate per night cost: $1300 plus is the room rate.

How to get there: A two-way flight from Bengaluru to Male (Maldives’ capital) via Colombo costs upwards of ` 21,000.

Visa: Maldives grants a free visa upon arrival.

January 2017 RITZ

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RITZ wanderlust

BORACAY, PHILIPPINES One of the most exciting islands in the archipelago of Philippines, Boracay is 7 kilometres long and only 500 metres wide!

Yeah, that’s true. From a quaint fishing island to the proverbial backpacker’s paradise to one of the most coveted resort destinations, Boracay has indeed come a long way. The four-kilometre White Beach is the jewel in Boracay’s crown. From zorbing, cliff diving, scuba-diving, mermaid swimming (yes!) to island hopping, the ‘things-to-do’ here are quite diverse.

You can explore this small cutesy island on foot, bike your way around, or take ATVs or motor bikes on rent. Native sailboats called paraws can be used to zoom around the blue waters of the seas. You should go to Boracay if you want to experience living on a truly isolated island.

Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort and Spa

This luxurious 5-star resort spread over 12 hectares, amidst thick green foliage and surrounded by the bluest waters doles out utmost peace and tranquillity. Guests are treated to speedboat transfers from Caticlan directly to the resort’s jetty port.

If you’re looking to sooth weary senses, then head straight to CHI, The Spa or else to the two beach fronts for some sunbathing. For nightly excitement, the Solana Sunset Bar is a cliffside bar with outdoor cabanas providing the best views of the sunset, while the Rima restaurant located on a treetop welcomes you sweeping views of the resort and the ocean. This one’s a favourite with Kate Upton and Irina Shayk who’ve stayed here.

Approximate per night cost: $430 ++ and includes round-trip speedboat transfers and breakfast.

How to get there: Flights from Bengaluru to Manila (Philippines’ capital) average ` 28,000 – 30,000 two-way. You could take a connecting flight from Manila to Caticlan Airport, nearest to Boracay.

Visa: Holders of valid Schengen, US, Japan or Australia visa do not need a tourist visa provided they head out of Philippines within 14 days.

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BALI, INDONESIA This one is truly paradise on earth. Its aquamarine waters are superbly complemented by lush greenery and layers of fresh rice fields. Add in ancient temples, exotic Hindu rituals and a legacy of arts and crafts (like batik) and voila! You are sure to get an out-of-this-world experience. Once you’re done sun-bathing or adventure sporting in the beaches of Nusa Dua and Sanur, head out to explore the temples of Tanah Lot, Uluwatu or Goa Gajah. The carvings and sculptures are exquisite at these architectural marvels. Cycle along the rice terraces, go see the active volcano of Mount Batur, trek through the monkey forest and ride an elephant, before indulging in the ultimate Balinese massage.

The Ritz-Carlton, Bali

An expansive beach-front and cliff-top land welcomes you at this luxurious property situated on the sweeping coastline of Nusa Dua’s southern tip. The 180-degree unobstructed views of the Indian Ocean are the undeniable highlight; with a 70-metre high glass elevator providing guests with access to the beach, ensuring views of the lush landscape and exquisite scenery are strikingly omnipresent. A very kids-friendly resort, The Ritz-Carlton, Bali transforms the youngest ladies and gentlemen into little Bali ambassadors through the property’s educational and cultural experiences special to the destination.

You can indulge in surfing, sunrise yoga, beach meditation, aquatic goddesses and lots more before satiating your appetite with a Rijstaffel dinner at the Bejana restaurant, featuring traditional dishes from different parts of Indonesia.

Approximate per night cost: $ 575 plus taxes at the Sawangan Junior Suite.

How to get there: Flights from Bengaluru to Denpasar (Bali) via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur cost upwards of ` 24,000 twoway.

Visa: Indians get a tourist visa on arrival.

January 2017 RITZ

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RITZ wanderlust

M AURITIUS This tiny multi-cultural island nation in the Indian Ocean is a steal for everybody. Contrasting its white sand beaches and turquoise waters are the towering sugarcane fields stretching the breadth of Mauritius. Visiting the Unesco listed Le Morne monolith at the tip of Mauritius provides a dizzying experience, while the dormant volcano of Trou aux Cerfs is a must-see.

With exotic birds and reptiles aplenty, the nearby island of Ile aux Aigrettes and the beauteous swimming paradise of ile aux cerfs could make for quick day trips. Indian culture resonates through this island, with the street food like farata, dhal puri, pakoras being a clever spin of their Indian avatars. Rent a self-drive and zoom off the clear roads into a haven of spectacular beauty.

The St.Regis Mauritius Resort

Located on the soft sands of the Le Morne peninsula, the resort’s lagoon creates a magical setting with lavish accommodations out to pamper you. Bask in the sun by a luxurious pool or on the beach; go wind and kite surfing; or escape to a sanctuary of rejuvenation at the award-winning Iridium Spa. You could even indulge in stand-up paddling, water skiing, scuba diving, snorkelling and catamaran cruises. What’s more, the food at this property is to-die for. The Hiroshima maki roll with Wagyu beef, spring onion and sesame chilli sauce is simply awesome. As is the Mauritian duck breast ‘a l’orange’ and crusted coconut chutney braised turnip and carrot puree. Lara Dutta celebrated her birthday here with Mahesh Bhupathi, and went on record to say it was a fantastic time indeed.

Approximate per night cost: 700 Euro for the Ocean View Junior Suite with breakfast and dinner.

How to get there: A two-way direct flight from Bengaluru to Mauritius costs around ` 34,000.

Visa: Indians get free visa on arrival.

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PHUKET, THAILAND The largest island in Thailand is a crucible of culture, architecture, food, nightlife and of course beaches. The Patong, Kata and Karon beaches are drop-dead gorgeous. Take a day trip to the splendid Phi Phi islands or James Bond island, considered two of the best in the world. If you’re done with enough water sports and beaches, go on a culture tour exploring the Big Buddha, the intricately decorated Wat Chalong, numerous Chinese temples, and Hindu shrines. The old town in Phuket provides a good walk-through, with medieval Sino-Portuguese architecture contrasting Phuket’s landscape. The nightlife here goes beyond the clubs and cabarets, with boxing and street food getting a special mention. Exotic fruits like durian, dragon fruit and food like mango with sticky rice, pineapple rice and prawns can never be missed for the true Phuket experience.

Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas

Fringed by the Sirinath National Park and the Mai Khao Beach, this property is a luxurious refuge that opens into unspoiled panoramic vistas and emphasises on designer relaxation and guests’ privacy. Each private villa has its own pool, terrazzo tub and sun lounge for a slice of the good life. Allow yourself to sink in a world of serenity at the spa as expert hands work magic and discover a unique approach to wellness with a range of experiences to rejuvenate your body, mind and soul. You may even choose to participate in the raw juice detox programme or yoga. You could learn Muay Thai kick-boxing with a professional instructor, soak in a Jacuzzi or be there at the Anantara cooking school to chop and blend the Thai way. This property offers all this and more.

Approximate per night cost: The villas start upwards of ` 68, 000 inclusive of breakfast.

How to get there: Flights from Bengaluru to Phuket via Bangkok cost upwards of ` 21, 000 two-way.

Visa: Thailand offers visa on arrival costing approximately 2000 THB. January 2017 RITZ

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RITZ TRENDING NOW

Hyderabad gets its hookah BACK! HYDERABAD

Smoke rings and sweet double apple clouds puffing in the air? Sounds like the cafes in the city of the Nawabs Hyderabad. Originally tracing its existence from India, the hookah has travelled through the Arab, Somalian, Turkish and Persian cultural lands before the trend caught up in India and how!

The word Shisha or Hookah (in some places) translates to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;a glassâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and is used commonly in Middle Eastern countries. The hookah contains flavoured tobacco which was smoked after royal dinners and diplomatic meetings.

This trend of smoking hookah soon caught up with the royal Nizams and has become a trend in the new generation today. The city of Hyderabad however, seems to have taken to the trend quite strongly as compared to the other metros.

And while the trend is for one to choose from, the hookah is finally back in Hyderabad after a ban that was imposed by the government on Hookah smoking, few months back.

Available in multiple flavours, hookah this winter seems to be gaining ground among most Hyderabadis. Who needs the alcohol and loud music anymore? All you need is a place to hang out with a pot of hookah and some company that makes it all worth it. Taking you through few of the cafes conquering the battle of the best with some great interiors, scrumptious food and some amazing sparkling drinks to go with your hookah, here are few of your go-to places in Hyderabad.

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AREA 10-70 With an open breezy area to chill and a great sit-out space, this place seems to pack in the best of both worlds. Designed with a rustic and quirky theme, Area 10-70 has been a hotspot for both youngsters and stars from the film industry. And while munching on your delicious food while smoking hookah might be an enticing offer, brownie points are in order for the rooftop city view that is simply spectacular from the café.

What’s more, their food has been a clincher for most patrons who swear by the traditional South Indian delicacies like Chicken Kheema Dosa, the Onion Masala Mirchi Bhajji, Sambar rice and the fish Vepudu. And while one can enjoy the munchies from the South, Bucket Chicken and KFC chicken are a few of the other fast sellers from Area 10-70.

Balancing it all just right, the café is a good mix of ambience, good food, spectacular view to just sit back relax, catch up with buddies and smoke fruity flavoured vapours.

When in twos: ` 650 (approx) Where At: Adityaram Square, 5th Floor, Road 36, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad Buzzing At: +91 9000911122, +91 90104 14777 January 2017 RITZ

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RITZ TRENDING NOW

Hyderabad Socials Hyderabad’s first ever social club is here with Kitchen & Grill and has been creating quite a buzz in the city. Located at the heart of the city, Hyderabad Socials is themed with an automobile and garage look and feel.

Serving some fresh fruit flavoured hookah, the place also has delicious food to couple with the different flavours of Hookah.

Stealing the show at Hyderabad Socials are the Pizzas, Khuda Gawah Kebabs and Chicken Steak among many other dishes while refreshing coolers include Goli Soda and Guava Marine in the mojitos section. Rounding up some beautiful scenic views and a delicious spread of food and hookah, the place also lightens up to live music bands, making it an experience to cherish.

When in twos: `.1000 (approx) Where At: 4th Floor, Srida Anushka Pride, Opp Ratndeep, Road Number 12, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad Buzzing At: 040 3316 5242

SkyPark Café Popular among many hookah lovers, SkyPark Café has been there and done it all. On a pleasant day, it is the perfect place to unwind with most of its sit-out being outdoors. Well known for its choice of hookah flavours served, SkyPark has also been a hot favourite for foodies in Hyderabad. With a menu that is light on one's pocket, the café serves a great choice of food like Volcano Chicken, Fish and chips and BBQ Sizzlers that are definitely worth trying.

The place sure has its set of repeat customers who come back to enjoy the wide choice of hookah options the place has to offer. With comfortable seating, soft music and a flavoured pot of hookah to smoke from, SkyPark café definitely qualifies as a ' Friends Adda'.

When in twos: ` 1200 (approx) Where At: Owner's Pride, 5th Floor, Road 12, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad Buzzing At: +91 9885044737

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January 2017 RITZ

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RITZ Trending now

BENGALURU

Petting your

Furry Babies It’s sooo cool to have them. Pat them, prank with them, take them for walks. Meowww…or did we hear a bow-wowww…How about keeping them in the pink of health, fit and fine? Come rain, chill or shine. Caring for your canine and feline babies goes beyond hair styling them, indulging them in aroma therapies and feeding them crunchy delights. Pet parents have a lot on the cards, considering the harsh climates down South, even in the once-so-pleasant Bengaluru.

It’s winter now, but your purring and barking little ones need your active care and support all year round. They are babies after all, no matter how big they balloon out to be! RITZ chats with well-known cat and dog experts in Bengaluru for their take on providing the best pet care.

Text: PRIYANKA GOLIKERI

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OWNER - Vivek Prabhakar, Founder and CEO, Chumbak PET - Hugo

Hugo turned 2 years on Christmas Day. He comes to the Chumbak office everyday and sits on all the chairs and goes around saying 'hello' to all his favourite people

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RITZ Inspotlight conversation OWNERS - Phirooza Rustumji and her daughters Zenea and Sahar. Phirooza is a well-known cat expert and cat lover, while Zenea is a certified All Breed Professional Groomer who runs Zeenu’s Pet Spa, and Sahar is training to be a pet groomer.

PETS - The Rustumjis have 3 cats and 3 dogs. Honeybun is a blue point Himalayan cat, Monty is a Persian cat and Armani a Persian Tabby. Their two Pekingese dogs are Peggy and Fudge, while 9 year old Peppy is a field cocker spaniel.

"Fudge is the youngest but he is a bully. Everyone is afraid of him. He doesn’t bite, none of them bite. The cats of course are very gentle and they sit around like beauties. If there are strangers, they feel shy. They all play together, my dogs and cats.

We groom them regularly and that’s why they look so fabulous" 60 RITZ January 2017

OWNER - Alicia Souza, illustrator PET - Charlie

"My Charlie is a 5-year-old, very talkative and interactive Indie. He just loves cookies and biscuits, and he doesn't really like to go out and play. He is like an old man in a dog's body"

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RITZ Inspotlight conversation

"Copper is very health-conscious. He likes eating all things healthy, be it broccoli, carrots, chicken or brown rice. Just like human beings, he is very possessive about his things, like his toys, etc. and he won't allow anyone to touch those. Copper is now 4 and half years, but will forever remain our baby"

OWNER - Wanitha Ashok, Fitness Expert PET - Copper (Shih Tzu) GROOMED AT - Ruff Pet Services, Bengaluru

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ou may be a new pet parent, or a veteran who has nurtured a dozen cats and dogs. But the climate change is contributing towards an environment not very conducive for your little friends. Pet parents nowadays are always on their toes, doing their best for their babies who’ve got to confront increased noise, extreme winters and summers and have very little green space to walk and breathe.

Whether you’re parenting a dog or cat, a pup or a kitten, your schedule can get jam-packed with vet visits and salon treatments. It’s crucial to get your pet examined regularly by the vet, say experts.

“The idea is to make them confortable all year round,” says Shobhana Jayashankar, from the Muddy Pawz pet salon.

PET CARE With the onset of winters, you’ve got to keep your pet warm, by creating cosy bedding. Sindhoor Pangal, Owner, Bangalore Hundeskole says it is imperative to ensure the pet gets a good dose of sunlight. “So in addition to walking your dog in the morning, you could step out in the afternoons as well in winters,” says Pangal.

Experts say that just like humans, dogs too can develop dry skin during winters, “making them itchy.”

“Therefore use a good conditioner post shampoo and give them a good (coconut) oil massage,” says Jayashankar.

Conversely in summers, keep your pet constantly hydrated. “Remember; do not shave off your dog completely.

Their coat allows them to remain cool in summers by creating an insulation layer of air,” says Pangal, who is a canine behaviour consultant.

And with cats, never sheer them as the fur is “like a thermostat, keeping it warm in winters as the cat starts growing an undercoat, while in

summers the undercoat is shed to keep it cool,” says cat lover and expert Phirooza Rustumji.

Pet parents often have to confront with fleas and ticks. Experts say spraying some eucalyptus oil and lemon oil around your dog’s bedding area can work towards controlling the menace. “You could also use neem oil or citronella oil to give your dog a massage and then wash it off. Also, give your dog a pod of garlic a day,” says Pangal.

Equally important is feeding your pet with a nourishing, wholesome diet. For cats, Rustumji suggests “wet homecooked food consisting of oats, chicken mince (only breast) with a pinch of salt, one teaspoon of virgin olive oil and grated carrot with plenty of chicken stock. Milk is a definite no as they have a hard time digesting it. You can even feed them cooked veggies like broccoli or corn.”

According to Pangal, give dogs homecooked food, “with the right amount of meat, vegetables, oil and unrefined carbohydrates. And allow them enough play time and some good exercise.”

GROOMING All pets should be groomed professionally often, say experts. “For cats, nails are to be cut once in 15 days, while brushing of teeth and ear cleaning should be done by a professional.

Grooming is essential as it removes dead hair, prevents hair balls and stimulates blood flow,” says Rustumji.

and keeping them de-matted is important, says Pangal.

Apart from nail cutting, nail filing, hair trimming and bathing, salon menus are today brimming with some exotic spas and treatments for your pets.

Sahaya Kunte, proprietor of Poochezz in Bengaluru is known for indulging dogs in her blueberry facial. “It’s specially recommended for summers as it gives a cooling and hydrating effect, making the pet feel relaxed after the facial, apart from leaving it clean and bright. We also have aromatherapy baths where we add essential oils such as say lavender or lemon grass while bathing the pet. This provides a soothing impact,” says Kunte.

A mud spa, with dead sea mud and salts, is another exotic treatment for dogs. Ruff Pet Services provides this treatment that removes dead skin cells, leaving the pet feeling rejuvenated and refreshed.

So… shower your babies with loads of hugs and kisses!

Basic grooming costs approximately ` 1,500 to ` 2,500, while add-ons such as facials cost about ` 300 to ` 500.

Regular trimming for dogs, giving them a good thorough brushing

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RITZ SPOTLIGHT

The Show Must Go On!

The clock is ticking, the make-up artists and stylists are working furiously to make sure the models look glamorous on the ramp. The Chief Guest of the show calls in to say that she met with an accident and won’t be able to make it. In between, a light bursts and technicians are running to the scene to change it. The program flow has to be altered and the entire crew needs to coordinate.

The guests have slowly started to trickle in….chaos would be an understatement! This is a typical scenario an event management company faces every time there is a show. It’s a cocktail of disaster management, time management, resource management and yes, utter confusion! But at the end of it, the show needs to go on and the audience never realise or rather, are never made to realise the madness that is happening behind the scenes. RITZ is in conversation with Zulfi Ali and Anwar A T who spearheads Espanio Events, the company that launched and successfully managed four seasons of the coveted Kerala Fashion League!

Text: RIYA SONNY DATSON

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KOCHI

midst all the confusion, what keeps you going? “The bitter sweet pressure that builds up during the show is what I enjoy the most. It gives me a kick,” grins Zulfi. One has to have to nerves of steel to handle such mega events and Zulfi and his partner sure seem to have it. The twosome started out with an advertising agency called Black and White and slowly Zulfi Ali progressed to event management. “Events were always a passion for me. So when the opportunity came up, we didn’t think twice. We had the resources and the right network. It clicked right away and since then, there has been no looking back.” Espanio has many big budget international events to its credit. With a team of twenty five, a head office in Kochi and offices in Kerala and Dubai, the company has been instrumental in organising award nights, musical shows, product launches

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and fashion events in Dubai, Thailand and Singapore apart from innumerable shows in Kerala. They are also the authorised Railway Advertising Agency in Kerala who successfully handled a political campaign using the railways.

“The Kerala Fashion League is the biggest and only fashion event in Kerala that showcases over 20 designers on a single platform.

Coordinating with the designers, makeup artists and models, getting the show stoppers, handling backstage coordination, production, media – the tasks and pressures are endless but at the end of it, when the show is a hit, the satisfaction is tremendous. This year we had 25 celebrities including Soha Ali Khan, Priya Mani and Isha Talwar walking the ramp and the response has been overwhelming. We have already started the ground work for Season 5! My strength is my team who work together tirelessly to put up a great show. Popular Mollywood actor, Idavela Babu is a creative partner of our company and his constant support at our events has definitely had a positive impact on Espanio!”

The biggest show so far? “Each show is special and a challenge in its own way. We have had tie ups with organisations and several media like Jeevan TV, Red FM,

Adipoli India Pvt Ltd and MACTA to name a few and have hosted their award nights and musical shows. But one of the biggest shows we have handled so far is the launch of a residential project of Anwar A Win Touch called ‘Palm Meadows’ at Kasargod.

We had an audience of almost 50-60,000 and we brought in Cricketer Irfan Pathan for the event. It was a great launch that garnered a lot of attention from all corners and yes, a truly memorable experience!”

Espanio also organised the prestigious RITZ Icon awards 2016 in Kochi at the Le Meridien, which was an astounding success.

Future of Espanio?

Zulfi aspires to do more fashion related events in Kerala as he sees a great opportunity in the state’s fashion market. And yes, doing bigger shows at the international platform, especially Dubai, is his dream!

A Good Event Planner • Is Always: A Problem Solver • Should Never: Give Up • Loves to: Improvise • Hates: Being Unorganised • Desires: Every event to be a masterpiece!

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January 2017 RITZ

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RITZ Spotlight

In pursuit of

relaxation

Sadayush’s second centre in the city offers a pleasant mix of modern amenities and traditional treatments

By SABRINA RAJAN

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ucked away into a by lane in Padi Pudhu Nagar is Cholayil’s new Ayurvedic cure and care centre.

Braving traffic and dusty roads of Anna Nagar West Extentsion, when I reach Sadayush, I am in for a surprise. The freshly painted property of about 6,000 square feet seems untouched by the urban mayhem surrounding it. Folks here are smiling and the air is pleasantly laced with herbal aromas as I sit by a large urli of fresh marigolds, while a benign brass deity of Lord Dhanvantari oversees it all.

Offering treatments that are deeply entrenched in age old recipes from Kerala, Dr P V Haridas Varier, the consultant at the centre, tells me what I need. “I am from a traditional background – it is my father’s teachings that I am following,” says city-based Varier, who has more than 20 years of experience in this line and has roots in Kerala. The doctor shares that lifestyle based ailments are on the rise and hence

consultation is of great importance, because “while Ayurveda has great benefits, the herbs have to be used according to the individual’s need and according to the environment to avoid adverse reaction”. After I rescheduled my appointment thrice – it was no surprise that the doctor chose an intense

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relaxation package for me.

The treatment rooms with bath attached are squeaky clean and contemporary, barring the traditional wooden massage table and the steam box.

The two masseuses are evenly paced and their strong and confident hands speak of years of practice. In course of conversation they tell me that they have been with the centre since its first outlet opened in Mylapore two years back.

The oils have unique fragrances and I find that they are using different oils for the shiro-dhara (for the head) and for the abhyangam (for the body). The latter is more viscous and I get whiffs of balmlike strains – think eucalyptus, menthol and camphor. I am told later that there is a science to the concoction - these elements apparently help in opening the pores and allowing the essence of the oils to get deeper into the skin.

My first time for a shiro-dhara, I am fascinated with the heavy wooden stand and the shiro-dhara metal vessel that hypnotically pours a steady drip of oil over your forehead. The sheera bala oil for this procedure is specially recommended for its de-stressing characteristics. Using sesame oil as a base this concoction has a very mild aroma and is infused with the essence of the bala mula herb that is known to be a strong element for relieving anxiety, insomnia and even for improving memory. With an assurance of no synthetics additives or aroma oils, the products here promise natural ingredients.

While I always thought that getting rid of the oil is a daunting process, at Sadayush it is made easier. The centre being under the umbrella of the group Cholayil (that also offers well known brands like Medimix and Cuticura) has its advantages. Thulasi soap bars

from their brand Krishna, herb infused shampoo and other Ayurvedic products of Sadayush – are provided to ensure that the treatment doesn’t end with just the massage. While I did miss the traditional gram flour mixes, at the end I must concede the flower petal gel that was suggested was an excellent find.

With a mild exfoliating effect, the paste manages to get rid of the oil easily and leaves behind a glowing skin. Noting a spring in my steps and extra bounce in my tresses, I promise to be back soon.

Sadayush Ayurvedic Cure and care is at No28, Padipudu nagar, Near Waves Signal, Mogappair East, Chennai.

Also at: OldNo.65, New No.129, Above Raymond, Royapettah High Road, Royapettah, Chennai.

Boutiques for luxe designer eyewear The best of eyewear in the chicest of brands right here in South India! Visit your nearest Lawrence and Mayo boutique today. PRIYANKA GOLIKERI gives us the deets on what makes this chain so popular and reputed.

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he globally renowned brand Lawrence & Mayo resonates with style, class and sophistication. A ‘must have’ for anyone with the need or want of eyewear, Lawrence & Mayo, over the last 140 years has strived to provide the fashionconscious with products of the highest quality, coupled with the latest fashionable styles and global trends in eyewear.

This stellar brand, that has had queens, barons, viceroys and other VVIPs amongst its worthy clientele, now boasts exclusive designer eyewear boutiques in South India’s biggest metros, Chennai and Hyderabad. The luxury boutiques showcase the choicest eyewear brands from across the world such as Bentley, Bvlgari, Cartier, D&G, Armani, Maui Jim, Maybach, Mont Blanc, Oakley, Polo, Prada, Swarovski, Tag Heuer, Tom Ford, Versace, Hugo Boss, Chopard, Chrome Hearts, Dita, Porsche Design, Silhouette, Starck, Alain Mikli, Michael Kors and Marc Jacobs. The collection also includes lenses from Essilor, Nikon and Zeiss.

Did you know that Lawrence & Mayo has been the first choice for many internationally recognised brands like Ray-Ban, which perceived the chain as a platform to enter the high potential Indian market?

And to add to their exciting bouquet of eyewear brands, Lawrence & Mayo now brings to its discerning customers, products from the iconic British luxury fashion house,

Burberry. For a man of contrasts, who is classic yet contemporary, the Burberry spectacles and sunglasses guarantee superior quality and style.

Amitava Mendonca, Director, Lawrence & Mayo says, “The boutique not only houses a diverse range of top brands, but also an extensive variety of designs from the standard all-time classics to the latest fashion range. It’s a definite stop for the trendsetters in these cities. Our portfolio of luxury brands which keeps growing is widely appreciated by our discerning clients”.

In the high-end spectacle lenses category, the boutiques in Chennai and Hyderabad offer both personalized lenses that give better clarity, contrast and enhanced colour perception.

The boutiques add style to vision and offer prescription polarized sunglasses that cut glare, add style and enhance vision. Other than housing the world’s authentic luxury eyewear brands, the Lawrence & Mayo boutiques also offer personalised and premium eye care solutions, and the most sophisticated eye testing technology, making it a one-stop boutique for all eye care needs.

Over the last century and a half, the brand’s product styles have evolved, designs have been improvised and newer techniques have been adopted. But what has remained constant is Lawrence & Mayo’s solid commitment and dedication to its clients. Built on the brand’s foundational values of excellence, expertise and experience, the boutiques are unflinchingly committed to ensuring customer satisfaction.

Visit Lawrence & Mayo boutiques: Chennai: Khadar Nawaz Khan Road, Nungambakkam. Phone: +91 44 28332757/58. knkchennai@lawrenceandmayo.co.in Hyderabad: Road No.12, Banjara Hills.

Phone : +91 40 65511877. Banjara12@ lawrenceandmayo.co.in January 2017 RITZ

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RITZ SPOTLIGHT

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KOCHI

ochi’s very own ‘Fashion Icon’, Hari Anand recently launched yet another store at Convent Road, Kochi, which offers a 360 degree fashion experience. Spread across 4000 sq ft, the store showcases an exclusive collection of bridal wear, casuals and formals for men and women apart from a beautiful range of fabrics. Accessories like velvet brogues, stunning suit pins, knitted bow ties, silk scarves, jewellery, incense, body care products and an exquisite Lladro collection adorn the display.

Anand started his career with big names like Tarun Tahiliani and Givenchy. Eventually, in 1992, he started his own fashion line, ‘Glada’, his first experiment with Kochi. It had designer outfits from Mumbai, priced at ` 15,000. Though very pricey for those times, it was received well by a niche clientele who understood fashion and related to his designs.

He has over 100 fashion shows to his credit but the ones that are closest to his heart are the shows he did for Fashion TV. He explains that while fashion shows are standalone shows curated by the designer, fashion weeks are an eye opener. “It’s much bigger as you get to charm an entire city or state - there are a lot of designers, fashionistas and media who witness your work on a platform that is shared by other designers. You get to test the waters then!” he grins. When asked about his experience in designing for celebrities, he says that stars already have an aura.

A simple Kerala dhoti worn by Amitabh Bachchan will be an instant fashion statement. “In India, movies set the benchmark for fashion, it reaches out to the common man and so designers need stars to endorse their creations.

But abroad, the ‘garment’ is the showstopper. For the designer in me, the challenge and fulfilment lies in creating a star out of every client who walks into my store,” he says.

There is a designer in every household and boutiques are bourgeoning at the blink of an eye. So what are the challenges for fashion designers?

“There is plenty of risk and investment involved. While there are design

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D esigning

A FASHION REVOLUTION As this young boy browsed through his history textbook, what caught his attention was the perfectly designed jacket worn by Jawaharlal Nehru! Fashion has been a constant source of intrigue for him since then - driving him to observe, explore, innovate and design some of the most iconic and exotic fashion revolutions like the linen saree, pleated saree, short kurta... the list is endless! His international partnership with Patti Stren, noted animation artist based in New York led to three Avant-garde printed fashion series called Alphabets, Sex and the City and Karma couture. Amidst clients, calls and a busy schedule, RITZ catches up with Kerala’s master craftsman and fashion guru, Hari Anand.

Text: RIYA SONNY DATSON Photography: SHAFI SHAKKEER

institutes, there are no formal training centres for artisans, who are fast becoming extinct in our country.

Likewise, there is immense talent in the rural areas but unfortunately, knowledge doesn’t reach them simply because a majority of our books are not in the local language. If you look at China or Japan, their mother tongue is the primary language and hence people have access to knowledge in any subject. I also feel that our fashion R&D is not strong enough. There is immense potential but Indian designers are not trained for a global platform.”

“ Your garment is your signature!”

How has fashion changed in the last two decades? Earlier, fashion was purely based on seasons but now it has diversified into bridal, pret, corporate and even resort wear. “My inspiration for design lies in observing the environment around me. There needs to be a unique story board for every season. On one occasion, I created

embroidery designs by watching a truck that carried iron rods - for it left an intense image in my mind,” he smiles with a twinkle in his eye. “We address social issues through our work - We have imbibed stories of extinct wildlife species and climate change in our fashion mood boards. A recent one, being a collection that has embroidered images inspired by the circus, an art that originated in Thalassery, Kerala, but is unfortunately fast becoming inexistent now. In the end, every new collection is an improvisation of the earlier collections.”

He’s been there and done that, so what’s next? Image consulting for the bridal couple is what excites this pioneer now. Every aspect of their special day, from clothes to jewellery, makeup, hair, accessories to even music and photography will be based on a story board exclusively designed, supervised and masterminded by Hari Anand himself. “That’s going to be my next forte!” he beams as Alka, his daughter and a fashion designer herself walks in with yet another client!

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g n i l z Siz in s o n Myko

RITZ SPOTLIGHT

BENGALURU

Featuring exotic locales and sensuous, lithe women, the iconic Kingfisher Calendar has always set the bar very high with its exclusive blends and styles. The ultra-exquisite 2017 edition is out, and features gorgeous beauties in super spectacular locations in the fairy-tale island of Mykonos in Greece. Ace photographer Atul Kasbekar, credited with creating magic with the camera, and who boasts a long association with the Kingfisher Calendar, talks to RITZ about his experience with the brand, shooting in Mykonos and why the supermodel is dead in India.

Text: PRIYANKA GOLIKERI

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hen you hear ‘Mykonos’ you automatically visualise aquamarine waters, white sands, cobalt-tinged sky, 16th century windmills, white-washed buildings and a crazy nightlife.

The sought-after island getaway is all this and much more, says Atul Kasbekar, the man who shot non-stop, over 14 hours a day, for the Kingfisher Calendar amidst scintillating backdrops with beauties who are to stun you all in 2017.

Atul Kasbekar

“Mykonos is like Ibiza (in Spain) or Cannes (in France). It carries a certain allure as it is the playground of the rich and the famous. You really don’t get tired there. Despite shooting non-stop we would still have the energy to go out and party. All the girls were great fun to work with. Each is elegantly beautiful,” says Kasbekar, who feels the desert-like charm of Mykonos adds to the aura of the 2017 calendar.

The coveted calendar this year features a galaxy of beauties. It has in the past been a launchpad for the likes of Katrina Kaif, Lisa Haydon, Yana Gupta, Nargis Fakhri and Deepika Padukone.

“Yes we are that springboard for many girls. A lot of them hit the limelight through us. (Mirzya actress) Saiyami Kher was featured in the calendar four years ago,” says Kasbekar.

Featuring beauties in superbly styled swimwear, the calendar could take some credit for playing a role in the evolution of the swimwear and resort wear market in the country. “I feel the contemporary woman is evolved, independent and is comfortable to wear swimwear or resort wear during beach getaways. You need to be fit and not thin to wear swimwear,” says Kasbekar.

The man is known for his passion for photography. “The face fascinates me. And I like making it look as best as it can.” Kasbekar is a fan of “quirky good looks.” He feels that shooting the perfect face is no big deal. But with “quirky good looks”

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you can add a little more story. “And it challenges me as a photographer,” he says, adding that overseas is currently the market if you want to make it big as a (super)model.

“There is not much money in modelling here. Overseas and by that I mean New York, London, Paris, and Milan are places where the pay is good and the market is mature and highly evolved.

But the requirements there are different as they require models with a different attitude, body, size and height. Our girls and guys have to tailor themselves to suit those requirements,” says Kasbekar, while rueing the fact that the supermodel is long dead in India. He feels the era of personalities like Sheetal Malhar, Mehr Jessia, Dino Morea is long over. “They were all stars in their own league. People took autographs of Arjun Rampal and John Abraham much before they became actors.

No one takes autographs of models anymore. I feel the supermodel era is over.”

But why does he feel this has happened? Kasbekar points towards the influx of foreign models in the Indian market. “We have the white skin obsession. We are not fascinated by Indian skin tones or features and nobody today pays a premium for even some of the best models that we have currently.”

ALLINY GOMES

This Brazilian-Goan girl is known for her strong features. She has an elegant vibe and flamboyant charm coupled with versatile appeal. To be a Kingfisher Calendar girl, according to Alliny, confidence is the key.

“A disciplined workout and good diet are essential.”

DAYANA ERAPPA

This leggy lass, known for her poise and confidence, has walked the ramp at several leading fashion weeks, including the Milan International Fashion Week.

Here are the Kingfisher Calendar 2017 beauties upping the oomph in Mykonos

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RITZ SPOTLIGHT

KANISHTHA DHANKAR

She was crowned Pantaloons Miss India 2011 and has graced the cover of several national magazines.

MEENAKSHI RATHORE

She is a beauty with brains as she left her job as an audit associate to pursue her passion in the glamour world. She has walked the ramp for leading fashion designers like Tarun Tahiliani and feels that to be a Kingfisher Calendar girl; you need to believe in yourself and the power of your dreams. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Confidence comes through self-love.â&#x20AC;?

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;People took autographs of Arjun Rampal and John Abraham much before they became actors. No one takes autographs of models anymore. I feel the supermodel era is overâ&#x20AC;?

NORA FATEHI

She is a Moroccan Canadian dancer, model and actress. Nora made her film debut in the Bollywood film Roar: Tigers of the Sundarbans and gained popularity in Telugu cinema with item numbers in films like Temper, Baahubali and Kick 2.

VARTIKA SINGH Vartika was crowned Femina Miss India Grand International 2015 and has represented India at Miss Grand International 2015.

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RITZ in conversATION

CHENNAI

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A Style of her own

It is the Margazhi season and music is predictably in the air. While the city limps back to some semblance of normalcy after Vardah, happier moments are being experienced in the sabhas and other forums where music is being made, dances are being discussed, a variety of tiffins are being eaten, several cups of piping hot filter coffees are being dispensed and rustling silks are being displayed on concert platforms.

CHITRA MAHESH talks to Aruna Sairam, one of the biggest singers in the Carnatic firmament today on how she has infused her stage appearances with a dose of style and chutzpah, that is inimitably her own.

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rtists and rasikas are both making style statements - whether it is discussed or not there is a certain dress code that has been around for years and this really is the time to go traditional and sport all those pieces one would not normally take out. The jhumkas are back and how! Kancheepuram silk saris and half saris are draped neatly around mostly slim bodies; eyes are lined enticingly with kohl and blouses are getting more and more resplendent, sometimes even jazzily so.

Aruna Sairam who is at this moment having a great musical season, is one of the most vibrantly dressed artists on stage. Her saris are always silks, while the trademark diamonds on her ears and neck, a big red bindi which enhances her kajal-lined eyes and her stately posture on the concert platform immediately evoke a sense of eager anticipation about how the concert will evolve. ‘’How I am dressed for a concert,’’ she says, “is very important. I think this is true of all artists today. It is an important part of the experience for the audience in the way artists come and take the seats - the aura they exude before the music is a big part of it all.’’

How do you do this and what made you decide that this is the persona you would evolve into?

“Every year I choose the saris for the concerts. While others shop during festivals like Deepavali or Pongal, I shop only for the season. When I go looking around I feel intuitively what would look nice for which stage. Because each space has its own vibe. For instance, for Music Academy I would like to go for the traditional classical colours - old colours that have been in use for many years. I always choose koothuvangina border - contrast borders etc. and wear my diamond earrings. For a place like Kamarajar Arangam, which is a huge auditorium, I would probably choose more lustrous, colourful saris with large, jari borders – glamorous in a way and go bold on the accessories with chunky pieces that are very visible. Also because so many of our performances are televised, one has to wear stuff that is photogenic. I also make sure that I ask the producer about the backgrounds chosen so that colours do not clash.”

Do you feel that your music needs this kind of a presentation? That you need to dress in a particular kind of a way? To make a kind of a mark or a style statement? When did this come about?

“I don’t know when this came about but I do know that even while I was growing up, I have keenly watched artists and how they appeared. My own guru, Brindama had her own style just like her music. It was understated, deep and quite sombre. Not for example like that of ML Vasanthakumari whose music was brilliantly bright. So therefore my guru’s garments reflected her nature. She wore the deep-sea kind of colours - dark, with mild veldhari or rudraksham and just big diamond earrings, which were probably so heavy that they swung whenever she moved or sang. In fact her musical character shone through her choice of colours and demeanor. And then there was MS Amma, who owned her style so powerfully that colours were even named after her! While she was never over dressed, there was glamour in the way she presented herself. The curl of her hair, the diamond nose stud with other January 2017 RITZ

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RITZ in conversATION

coloured gems, the glass bangles in between gold ones, bright green sari with brilliant blue borders… I have never seen her shabbily dressed. I would go so far as to say that for an artist simply sitting at home also means to be in elegant understated clothes, and that is a good thing. It speaks of that extra five minutes you take to groom yourself.’’

Does the way you dress take away from the music?

“No, not at all. When I start putting on my makeup, I get into the mood of the concert. Kathakali artists as you know have long hours of getting ready for a performance. It takes two hours for the layers itself. And I am told and I have observed them - that those hours are spent meditating and getting into

artist – you know when you have arrived, there is a lot of emphasis on how you appear on stage. You do focus a lot on that. Earlier I was very casual I didn’t know how to put on makeup, I would appear in a casual sari, concerts too took it as it came.”

Today it is a conscious attempt and decision about how to appear before an audience. It’s also part of the image? ‘’I guess so and it is not just the female artists who are part of this. Male artists are also very conscious about their appearance. Today you see such good kurtas and accessories. Earlier the angavastrams would be simple – but now they are style statements in themselves. In fact when we go to different places for kutcheries my male colleagues are scouting places for good kurtas.’’

It is a sign of the times, then, that clothes become the person? ‘’I think the dress does exude the personality. It exudes a confidence.

But however internally if that is not how you feel then it will show through anyway, irrespective of how fancily you are dressed. It has to match the inner confidence and one without the other is certainly not good enough.

Where do you normally shop?

I go for a round first. To Nalli, RMKV and sometimes Radha Silks. I have not been to Sundari silks in a long time, though I do know their collection is quite special. I find it easier geographically to go to the stores I mentioned. I don’t buy right then; after I have seen everything across several shops, I go again and make my purchases.”

the mood and preparing for that role they are going to play. In the same way, when I wear my jewellery and my sari I am getting into the mood of the concert.”

Was it always like this?

“Perhaps not. But at some point once I came into my own as a professional

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And these shops must be aware of you and what you buy?

“Oh yes. In fact there was a RMKV salesperson in one of my concerts and he recognized that I had bought it from that store. He came up to me after the concert to say he was so glad that I was wearing something from their store.”

Who are the other vocalists you think stand out in the way they appear?

“I think each one has their own style according to their personality, isn’t it? I would say Sudha has her own style, so does Bombay Jayshree and Nithyashree has a particular way with saris with jari borders – they are all very well dressed.’’

What would you say like an overall statement – or rather what does it really imply in the way one dresses apart from the music? ‘’I would need to narrate an incident to answer this question. My husband and I had gone to Dwaraka temple in Gujarat. Those days he was posted there. We were in the little lanes that lead up to the temple. And there are shops selling clothes for Krishna and pooja items etc. We were at a shop, as we wanted to buy clothes for the Krishna idol we have at home. So the shopkeeper was asking us the size and whether we wanted summer clothes or winter clothes for our idol. Summer meant beautiful muslin material and winter, velvet. All beautiful and we finally made our choices and went for darshan. At the sanctum sanctorum the curtains parted and the bells were ringing. There was a person doing the chamaram dressed like a mini raja, all complete with turban, coat and upper garment. He looked very familiar and I was wondering where I had seen him.

After the darshan he came up to me and said, “Don’t you recognise me? I am the shopkeeper, you came to my shop!

I said, “I'm sorry I didn’t recognise you, as you look so different - like a maharaja. And he replied, “Woh hai maharaja. Aur unke samne rehene ke liye layak hona chahiye. (He is the Maharaja; I have to deserve to be in His Presence as a mark of my respect to Thakurji). That statement has stayed in my mind. So when I dress well, it is the respect I show for the audience, the stage, the arena and the occasion.”

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RITZ In conversation

Latika Golyan

"A restaurant I would want in Chennai - Wagamama! I totally love this Japanese healthy food chain.

It's a perfect combination of health food with great taste!"

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CHENNAI

It Takes Three to

TANGO

Deepali Goyal teams up with Shweta Mahtani and Latika Golyan to launch their ambitious brand, The Big Feed – with an event that is all about gourmet food, fashion, music and art

By SABRINA RAJAN

W

ith The Crowne Plaza Chennai Adyar Park hotel for a swanky backdrop, we find the team from the newly launched event management company The Big Feed, exuding elegance and fashion forward aesthetics with charming nonchalance. Deepali keeps it subtle and wistful with an Anamika Khanna paired with a crop top. “This En Inde neckpiece was gifted to me by a close friend,” shares the business graduate from Carnegie Mellon, USA. Meanwhile, Shweta and Latika are childhood friends and their choice in wardrobe does give it away.

Both have donned chic dresses from Montage Fashion House (by designer Ritika Arya Jain) and picked jewellery from Ritika Sachdeva.

We catch up with the three gorgeous ladies over pots of honeyed tea and delicate pastries, as we talk about their plans with their new enterprise, their debut concept event and more. Deepali who has made a mark with curated events in the past, starts off by telling us, “We are the game changers.” The fashionista, who is part of the family that owns and operates hotels with the Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) in

Chennai besides ITC and Oberoi Group of Hotels outside the state, further adds that, “I feel the city is ready for stylized events. There are some private events – but most are not privy to them. The city is growing and the people want to be exposed to more.”

The trio promises that The Big Feed showcases will be nothing like what Chennai has seen before. “It will be experiential events with fashion, gourmet, music and art in the mix,” says Shweta, brimming with ideas, who also happens to be the marketing director of two of Chennai's franchises of Specialty Group's Mainland China and is the creative head of the café, Toastie Express. With part of the experience being al fresco, Latika, an effervescent Chennai girl now settled in Nepal and who owns the Cashmere Outfit store there, says, “Nepal is known for their big open markets that have fashion, gourmet, music – I wanted to do something like that here.” Excited about their debut showcase, the Big Feed Boulevard is an extravagant statement of all that the brand stands for. From exclusive designer collections, delicious menus to tarot card readers and famous make-

up artists – the gala has an exotic European street vibe and is all about indulgences, luxe labels and of course heaps of feel-good retail therapy.

Offering select participants, there are exclusive labels coming to the city for this showcase. Chennai's swish set will be thrilled to know that Big Feed is bringing to the city for the first time - labels like Paridhi Jaipuria, Shrdha Trehan, Baroque and Richa Khemka, besides many others. Latika who is also the director of Golyan Group of companies and Arya group, and has her own knitwear manufacturing unit, tells us that makeup trainer and artist Bijon Burepaga participating in the event is another first for Chennai.

Recreating the glamourous 1920s, the highlight of Big Feed’s extravaganza this month is intrigue, drama and delectable experiences. As we quiz them about the retro telephone booth, Shweta tells us it symbolises clandestine entrances to nightclubs and watering holes of the 20s when prohibition was in full swing, and is suggestive of Please Don’t Tell, the speakeasy bar in NYC. Shweta is also the creative force behind her January 2017 RITZ

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RITZ In conversation

Shweta Mahtani

"This season’s LBD - Shrdha Trehan’s jumpsuits"

eponymous jewellery brand and says, “This is the first time that Chennai will experience a speakeasy bar – a New York concept from the 20s.” Of course grabbing attention and adding big laughs to the evening is the famous standup comic Atul Khatri – as there is a rush to buy tickets for his show ‘48 Shades of Grey’ at the venue. With a well-stocked bar, quirky bites, a DJ, a jazz performer and a celebrity standup comic on the cards, their pop-up night club promises to be a blast.

Meanwhile, their food section is about carefully curated new and exclusive tastes for the palate.

From gourmet tea by Tea Trunk, to mulled wines and gourmet muesli, even familiar brands like Nicky’s Café will be bringing only specially designed menus to the do, we are told.

Launching her new brand, Somras, city-based Kirthi Wassan is bringing wild honey, along with her sister who is bringing home-made muesli to the gala. Gentlemen can join the party too as there is a full-fledged men’s lounge (featuring a vintage twist) that has offers like Uff from Delhi with fusion wear, Son Of A Noble from Bengaluru and city-based designer couple Heeba and Omar Sait with their bespoke internationally-renowned range, besides other brands. They have also roped in Gallery Veda for art at the venue.

With more curated events in the pipeline and going by their debut showcase one can safely say that Big Feed is set to change the face of event management in the city. Offering concept designing and exclusive vendors, Shweta concludes that, “We are not just about fashion. Our event designing skills are meant for unique launch ideas for new products, exclusive brand building programmes and concept events.” Bringing varied expertise and interests to the table, the delightful trio does have more in common besides their passion for the out-of-the-box and quirky – for instance their sense of fashion. We discover that all three swear by the Kolkata based designer Anamika Khanna for her eponymous label of wearable and understated fashion that ticks all the right boxes.

Deepali Goyal

"My favourite winter destination - Florence any time of the year....so beautiful, it’s like walking through a museum"

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CM

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January 2017 RITZ

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RITZ In conversation

Creating a Restaurant Revolution BENGALURU

His is one of the most famous names when you speak of restaurants, food and cafés. His first brand Mocha – Coffees & Conversations was one of the earliest ‘hangout’ spots for one and all and pioneered the hookah concept in India well over 15 years ago. And now Social, one of his most contemporary offerings is metamorphosing the ‘hanging out’ concept by adding on the co-working zones. Meet hotshot restaurateur Riyaaz Amlani, CEO and Managing Director of Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality, the firm that is synonymous with brands like Smoke House Deli, Smoke House Grill, Smoke House Room, Stone Water Grill, Salt Water Grill, and of course, Social. In a tete-a-tete with RITZ, the effervescent Amlani speaks of the fast-changing F&B market in India and how Impresario aims to capture a chunk of the pie.

Text: PRIYANKA GOLIKERI

82 RITZ January 2017

“I

t’s great value, great experience provided at a great price that draws in and retains consumers,” says Amlani. “It’s also good food; good service and good story-telling…yes

showcasing the legacy of the brand that is equally essential in the restaurant business,” says the man who now runs a ` 250 crore venture spread across metropolitan cities and second-rung towns, but whose journey is as exciting as a movie script. Considered one of the best restaurateurs in the country, he started off by working at Metro Shoes in Mumbai at the ripe young age of 13.

This was followed by opening a shoe shop in Maximum City, working as a DJ at Parsi weddings, flipping burgers in the US, and then finally setting up ‘Mocha’, the café known for its hookahs in 2001.

“I had to kiss many frogs before finding my prince. Career-wise, that is,” he winks, adding that today he is extremely comfortable dealing in restaurants, “as this is what I like to do and I’m talented at.”

Under the Impresario umbrella, Amlani runs 44 outlets in the F&B space across India. “The plan is for 100 more over the next 5 years.” Bengaluru, a city boasting 5 brands from Impresario, is slated to have 10 more over the next 3 years. “Bengaluru has that great F&B culture, a superb regard for hanging out and a vibrant cosmopolitan population, all of which forms the right mix for us.”

Of all his brands, be it in Bengaluru or in any other city, it is Social that stands out the most. The all-day café and bar with a dedicated collaborative workspace for freelancers and small ventures is the perfect zone for working, networking, eating and being merry. Positioned as the café of the future, Amlani is optimistic that Social is going to be bigger than even Starbucks in India.

The 16 Socials under Impresario are however superseded by the 17 Mochas. Amlani, who liked the idea

of the quahveh khanneh (coffee houses offering hookahs) of Morocco and Turkey, which eventually lead to the first Mocha in Mumbai, has now shifted all the Mochas to the non-metros. The space in the metros has been left for more Socials to come about. Why is that so? “It’s purely economics and rising real estate prices in cities,” he says, specifying that an average cheque per head in Mocha can come up to ` 200, while in Social, it can be as much as `800. “So considering the cost of operating in metros, it made more sense to shift Mocha to the non-metros.”

What’s interesting is that Amlani has gradually weaned away the hookah from Mocha “to appeal to a wider audience. There was a ban on hookahs in 2007-08. We had contested that ban and we won. But we came to realise that we were highly dependent on that one product which was risky from a business perspective. Hence we decided to take out the hookah from Mocha,” he says. Quite a bold move indeed.

Like the hookah ban which was a challenge (and which helped him turn around Mocha drastically), taxation, regulation and realty pricing are the major challenges that he has to confront. “Restaurants employ a lot of people and the business (both organised and unorganised sectors) contributes to around two percent of the country’s GDP. So we need more impetus to grow and thrive.”

Amlani is a big fan of Spain…Spanish architecture, beaches, weather and of course the food. So can we expect a Spanish themed restaurant or say a tapas bar coming out of his portfolio in future? Without directly divulging any plans, he says that he seeks great inspiration from Spain and Spanish food. “And that will grow through my work.” Impresionante!

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RITZ In conversation

Concocting Gourmet Delights BENGALURU

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a Bengalurean or have ever travelled to Bengaluru, you would have most certainly relished a platter of sizzlers at Kobe, or gorged on rich Mughalai at Zaffran, or enjoyed an evening at the deli bistro bar The Glass House, or better still, partied the night away to zany music at the City Bar. So now get ready to meet the man who runs the show at the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ultra-chic bars and restaurants which are frequented by evolved food connoisseurs and wellheeled denizens. In a tete-a-tete with RITZ, the dynamic, welltravelled and entrepreneurial Siddharth Poojari offers us a preview of his multiple plans, all of which centre around satisfying a multitude of taste-buds.

Text: PRIYANKA GOLIKERI

84 RITZ January 2017

S

iddharth sounds upbeat as we commence the conversation. “Indian Kitchen is doing really well. The response and feedback from diners has been fantastic,” he says of his newest offering, which serves delicacies from (pardon the cliché) “Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Maharashtra to Bengal.” And it actually does. From the yummy panki from Gujarat, to Kashmiri rogan josh, to Mangalore style mutton gassi, to Bengal’s fish cooked in mustard gravy. Started a year ago on Bengaluru’s commercial hotbed, MG Road, Siddharth is now looking expand the brand by starting one more Indian Kitchen in the Garden City, then entering Mumbai, and gradually moving overseas to Dubai and then perhaps London.

“Indian Kitchen offers pan-Indian cuisine. That is the need of the hour. As cities get more and more cosmopolitan, the craving for authentic food from every nook and corner of the country is experienced like never before,” he says, revealing that plans are afoot to introduce exotic dishes from the North Eastern states such as Assam and Arunachal Pradesh as well.

As the CEO and Managing Director of RSP Gourmet Foods, which runs Indian Kitchen and the aforementioned brands, Siddharth has a host of plans in his kitty. From five restaurants at present, he aims to have 15 in the next four years, with Bengaluru, Mumbai and Dubai being the cities of choice.

While Dubai will mark his international foray, Mumbai will be much about going back to where the story began. It was in Maximum City that his father, prominent restaurateur Suresh Poojari began his journey by opening the pure vegetarian fast food restaurant Sukh Sagar way back in 1962.

Though immersed in the workings of Sukh Sagar for a couple of years, the UK educated Siddharth felt there existed a need in the fast-changing city

of Bengaluru for an edgy, cool bar.

And thus the very popular City Bar, RSP Gourmet Foods’ flagship brand was born eight years ago at the uber luxurious UB City.

“The other brands are all an extension of my aim of providing the finest cuisines to people who love food and look to indulge,” he says, before quickly pointing out that he forever seeks opportunities to expand and grow.

Even if it means treading onto allied platforms. Like his Mulshi natural spring water brand, which he states, sources the

“purest spring water directly from a place near Lonavala (in Maharashtra) and packages it for high-end restaurants and luxury hotels.

Natural spring water is an extension of my restaurant business and it has a fine fit with my brands.”

Being someone who has observed, studied and experimented with the food business in Bengaluru for years now, what does he think about the present-day restaurant scene? “It has surely evolved. The food palate has grown; people nowadays are aware of cuisines and ingredients and give sound feedback. Although majority of sales come from say Indian, Chinese

and Continental (Italian) fare, there is tremendous potential for cuisines like Japanese, Korean, Burmese and more such exotic flavours.”

So will Siddharth ever look at venturing into the gamut of delicacies from the Far East, with say an offering in Korean or Vietnamese? “Yes, why not,” he states, saying that to start off with, something exclusive, “maybe say a 40-seater restaurant could work out to be fine. I have thought about it.”

When asked about his other plans, he does not shy away, instead rattling off numbers with élan. Alongside taking the bouquet of restaurants under RSP Gourmet Foods from 5 to 15 by 2020, he says that Sukh Sagar (where he is a Director) is planning to add another 25 outlets in the troika of Bengaluru, Mumbai and Dubai. “We currently have 25 outlets across these three cities. We are looking at introducing a new format, which should be around QSR.” The young restaurateur (who surprisingly “does not cook”) might look towards starting ready-to-eat (RTE) food, as an extension of Sukh Sagar’s menu. “The RTE segment has huge potential. People on the other hand are familiar with our tastes and RTE could see much traction.”

An outdoors enthusiast, who has tried it all from sky diving, to sailing and kayaking; Siddharth believes that London has an active, thriving and vibrant food culture. “Italy and New York City are other places that should be visited, especially for the food.”

What about closer home in India?

Which places does the man frequent?

“I enjoy eating Japanese food and I really like going to Wasabi at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai and also The Table.” And what about Bengaluru?

“Over here, I like eating at my own restaurants,” he says with a smile.

January 2017 RITZ

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RITZ In conversation

Crafting

The Golden Trousseau “I have had brides tell me that right through their wedding reception, they had to keep saying ‘M.O.D’ as there were so many enquiries about their jewellery!”

86 RITZ January 2017

KOCHI

Her tryst with the yellow metal began when she was just fourteen. She knew she had an eye for design when she designed her very first trinket. When it was time for her engagement she travelled across South India in search of exquisite jewellery but nothing seemed to excite her. As she closed her eyes, the designs and images in gold seemed to come alive. She decided to get a goldsmith to craft her dream designs, which became an instant hit! Luckily for her, she was married into a family in Pala, (Kerala) that had its own jewellery brand, ‘Mattathil Jewellers’. With her passion in design and the family business to back her, she gradually created her own line of designer jewellery.

Pieces from her exclusive wedding collection were worn by top South Indian film stars and celebrities at their weddings. RITZ talks to Asha Sebastian Mattathil, the designer behind the coveted signature jewellery line, ‘M.O.D’!

Text: RIYA SONNY DATSON

W

ith the rich legacy of Mattathil Ouseph Devasia (M.O.D), popularly known as the ‘Pepper King’ of Kerala who also built the trusted family name in the jewellery business, ‘Mattathil Jewellers’, it was only a matter of time before M.O.D made its mark with its elegant jewellery line that was a fine blend of tradition and contemporary styles. “I was very confident about my designs from day one. Jewellery is a premium lifestyle product and my dream was to craft a signature line of my own! Today, we have hundreds of designs that have been crafted here in M.O.D and I can vouch for the fact that those designs will never be found anywhere in the world. Designing jewellery was never a task for me. I enjoyed doing it so much that I could do it for hours at a stretch without tiring myself. I draw inspiration from nature, floral motifs and prints, architecture…. why, I remember drawing inspiration from a simple chappathi roller!” she laughs. Even as she talks, her little granddaughter comes running in with her puzzle book and she promptly answers her with a smile. Asha’s son, Akshay Sebastian handles the brand’s marketing and the mother-son duo have raised the bar for designer bridal jewellery in Kerala. M.O.D has been one of the 21 Iconic jewellers from India (published by Hello!) alongside brands that have a national and international presence, like Shobha Asar, Poonam Soni and Farah Khan Ali. “When I see a bride, I instinctively know what would suit her. My priority lies in crafting jewellery that would enhance her beauty, making the bride look her best on her D-Day. We have a ready-made collection of pieces but I also custom make jewellery to suit the bride’s attire, hairdo and style. I have designed for Hindu, Christian and Muslim brides as well as brides from other states, but I must say, each client differs in their requirement. While some like it simple, others prefer to be decked up from head to toe. Setting aside the normal jewellery, what I enjoy most is designing body jewellery like the arm cuff, waist chains, anklets or

the head piece,” says Asha.

From traditional Hyderabadi Nizam jewellery, the contemporary version of the Kerala Nagapadam necklace or coin mala, colourful gem stone jewellery etched into exotic patterns and motifs, polki jewellery and elegant enamels to versatile matt designs, her range of ornaments offer variety and exclusivity. The challenge of course lies in achieving perfection while it is handcrafted. “Each karigar differs in his creativity and skill and the secret lies in recognising the right talent and tapping into it.

While it’s important that you perceive the customer’s requirement, it is equally important to be able to convey the idea to the right craftsman. Unfortunately, skilled labour is something that is fast depleting,” sighs Asha who has craftsman supplying jewellery from different parts of the country.

It’s a weekend and the store is buzzing with customers.

Have demonetisation and the gold curb affected M.O.D? “It would be unrealistic to say that it hasn’t affected us. But we still have a steady flow of customers and honestly, we are finding it difficult to service orders due to the high demand,” says Akshay. In the last six years since they curated the M.O.D designer line, their clientele has had its fair share of celebrities from across the country.

M.O.D offers only 916 BIS Hallmarked jewellery and their range starts from as low as Rs 3000. Although it continues to have its head office in Pala, the Panampilly Nagar boutique in Kochi is the brand’s flagship store.

As we chat, a bride enquires for Asha who steps out to check on the client.

The girl seems a bit hesitant at first, but as soon she wears the jewellery, she is all smiles and thanks Asha for her beautiful creation, which

looks stunning on her. “I have had brides tell me that right through their wedding reception, they had to keep saying ‘M.O.D’ as there were so many enquiries about their jewellery. I have even had clients who have told me that they loved the piece so much that they kept waking up in the middle of the

night, just to open the box and look at the jewellery again. My dream now is to attain international exposure, to take M.O.D to an international platform and to design jewellery for women the world over,” signs off Asha.

M.O.D Signature Jewellery is at Main Avenue, Panampilly Nagar, Between South Indian Bank & Federal Bank, Cochin- 682036.

Ph: +91 484 4016916, 99467 07007, 90610 07070.

Email: info@modsignature.com

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RITZ in conversATION

RAISE A TOAST TO

2017 Consumption of liquor and alcoholic beverages is a fast-evolving paradigm in India. A well-heeled, cosmopolitan crowd is furthering alcohol consumption in the metroes, with cities like Bengaluru leading the way. RITZ gets Jamie Walker, USL Diageo Reserve Brand Ambassador, South Region to share his thoughts on the churning whisky market and the emergence of a cocktail culture in India. Originally from Scotland, the Bengaluru -based Walker has worked across Europe and Australia running cocktail bars and private members clubs.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;T

he cocktail culture in India is evolving rapidly as consumers are truly enjoying a taste of varied spirits and cocktails. Dozens of standalone, cocktail focused bars are opening and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m glad to say that the standard of drinks is steadily improving. Drinking a martini is no longer just for people spending their evening in a 5-star hotel! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen a trend where bartenders read classic cocktail books and learn about spirit categories and then showcase these beautiful brands in the drinks they

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serve in their bars, which lends more diversity and character to the Indian cocktail scene.

A closer bond between chefs and bartenders is also driving the idea behind seasonality, fresh ingredients as well as bespoke syrups and bitters that are used in drinks.

For too long, India has been ruled by mass produced syrups, with bartenders relying solely on having 70 different imported syrup flavours behind the bar. This led to overly sweet drinks. Now bartenders are realising that you do not need 3 tropical flavoured syrups to make a

drink taste interesting, as well as make it blue. With fresh fruits, herbs and spices available locally, it is far better to use what you have available in the marketplace.

Whisky and gin drinks are becoming popular, with consumers evolving from their regular Long Island Ice Teas and flavoured mojitos. The quality of ice in particular, as well as the renaissance in classic cocktails mean you are far more likely to see a bartender reaching for a bar spoon and a mixing glass nowadays

instead of a blender. Seeing well-made Manhattans, Rob Royâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Boulevardiers taking pride of place on new menus makes for a healthy trend and a great leap forward for Indian consumers.

Using Single Malt whiskies in cocktails is not the cultural faux pas as it may have seemed a decade ago, and seeing brands like Singleton and Talisker as the backbone of some delicious drinks tells me that things are changing in a positive manner.

Hospitality programmes like World Class are educating bartenders not only on global trends, but also to try and challenge the norm and come up with innovative ways of serving cocktails.

Get ready to see dry ice, smokes, handcut ice spheres and fogs in the coming months. Experiment and enjoy, you might even find a new favourite.â&#x20AC;?

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RITZ corridors of power

THE REAL

'POWER'

BY SANJAY PINTO

W

hen Chennai was plunged in darkness after cyclone Vardah wreaked havoc in the city last month, restoring power was not as simple as waving a wand and saying 'Lumos'. What was the Electricity Board Chief upto? For starters, he had to cancel his travel to the United States, where his only son Saurabh's Convocation at Purdue University was scheduled. 'Watt' a sacrifice. For more than 48 hours, there was no regular power supply at most homes across Chennai. Saikumar's residence in Adyar, one of the worst affected areas due to the fallen trees, was no exception. So the Chairman decided to stay overnight in his office.

“I slept on the sofa and got a stiff neck”, he mentioned casually as I tried to get a glimpse into the massive operation to restore power in the cyclone ravaged city.

STAR!

and his mother Kupamma, a school teacher, seemed to have had a bearing on his style of functioning – low profile and result oriented. Not the sort to brag about his achievements, I was not surprised when his initial text response when I broached the subject of a magazine feature was “I'm not a celebrity. Why waste your time?” The nod came only after some prodding that this column is not about Page 3 flashbulbs but a spotlight on officers making a difference.

District postings are usually newsy.

But he self effacing and soft spoken Saikumar always wanted his work to be remembered and not necessarily reported. When he was the Collector of Dharmapuri, female infanticide was rampant. “With the support of NGOs, we launched a campaign to save the girl child. It involved dropping a postcard to the Collector about instances of this A routine google search may not yield social evil. We were able to save about pages and pages on this 1990 batch 150 infants. I can never forget how a IAS officer who can jolly well pass for parent who had experienced a change a college professor, which is what he of heart, met me with a request to name may have gravitated towards, had he not his baby.” passed the Civil Services Examination in his maiden attempt. With a Masters Development was the buzzword in the in Political Science from the University Madurai Corporation with Saikumar of Hyderabad and later, an M Phil as the Commissioner. Building bridges degree in International Relations, and the landmark inner ring road were Saikumar took to government service possible, thanks to CRISIL ratings “on a whim”. Middle class values like obtained and World Bank loans availed patience and a long fuse, instilled in for infrastructure development. At the him by his father Krishna Rao, who helm in the Tamil Nadu State Marketing was in the Audit and Accounts Service Corporation (TASMAC) it wasn't so

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much about 'boosting booze' as much as it was about streamlining the financial spirits of this golden goose. Although he was on deputation with the Government of India for 6 years, this affable bureaucrat functioned out of Chennai as the Director General of Foreign Trade for South India.

A three year tenure as the Secretary of the Public Works Department saw considerable action. The raising of the height of the Mullaiperiyar Dam from 136 feet to 142 feet, the Cauvery Award and the modernisation of the Namakkal Kavignyar Maaligai in the Secretariat kept him on his toes. I'm wondering if dinner table conversations at home resulted in some informal inputs on the work for the Secretariat offered by his wife Sumati, an interior designer.

Presiding over what insiders call a 'turnaround phase' in the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board\TANGEDCO, Saikumar claims to have drastically cut the organisation's losses by a whopping “7000 crore, from 12,000 crore to 5000 crore, with a target of 3000 crore” in the near future. And how was this managed? “We reduced power purchases from costly players from about 8 or 9 rupees a unit to an average of about 4 rupees a unit.” While these figures may not mean much to the common electricity consumer, the functioning of the Power Failure Call Centre 1912 did come under the scanner.

Why was it practically non-functional at a time when most residents, as a

facebook post succinctly put it, were “powerless, paan-less and penniless.” Power failure meant card swiping machines, online banking and ATMs didn't work, making the cash-tration' measure a double whammy. BSNL, as in the case of even the 2015 December Deluge, proved to be the Ugly Duckling of the telecom sector. “We have 12 BSNL lines.

The maximum queue is 30. So the call centre can handle upto 360 calls through these lines at a given time.” There is clearly a case for improvement here, which the Electricity Board boss recognises.

A fitness enthusiast, Saikumar seldom misses his jog or swim or cycling every morning. And it shows. It's hard to believe that the officer recently turned 50!

Although government service beckoned, the academic streak has been alive and kicking, evident from his PhD in Public Affairs from the University of Madras.

(Pic: Dr.M. Saikumar, IAS, Chairman – Tamil Nadu Electricity Board\TANGEDCO)

As his son Saurabh is poised to storm corporate boardrooms in America, after his post graduation in Mechanical Engineering and Management at Purdue, his daughter Sahiti, a Fine Arts student at Stella Maris College and an avid Bharatanatyam dancer is a busy bee at this Margazhi season.

Saikumar had to contend with watching the video of his son's US Commencement event online.

Sabha hopping to watch daughter dear let her light shine on stage may be some consolation for this administrative transformer.

(Sanjay Pinto is a Lawyer at the Madras High Court, a Columnist, Author, Political Commentator, Public Speaking Mentor & Former Resident Editor – NDTV 24x7)

Photograph: Gurunath Prabhu January 2017 RITZ

91

RITZ Point blank

JAYALALITHAA :

AS I KNEW HER

(Pic: Trichy, 2011- When Jayalalithaa stopped her convoy to speak to me) When Ms.Jayalalithaa was hospitalised, I prayed for her recovery. When the Apollo bulletin mentioned that she was critical, I prayed for a miracle.

And even went on national tv to express hope. When she was officially pronounced dead, I tried hard to fight back tears. But I couldn't keep away a lump in my throat. And I wondered why. The former Chief Minister was obviously not related to me. After I left mainstream television journalism, I wasn't even meeting her regularly. For that matter, there were no interactions with the media. Her death was not sudden but was announced after 75 days of hospitalisation. And rumours galore. Yet, there was something that touched a chord. From the image of the most powerful woman in the State, flanked by black cat commandos moving in her convoy to 'mortal remains' lying at Rajaji Hall.

From party workers worshipping her, prostrating and screaming 'Puratchi Thalaivi', to a sea of mourners. From the 'Iron Lady' to a memorial with a picture sporting a mystic smile.

Death may be a great leveller but that transition is still hard to digest. I have always been absolutely apolitical and fiercely independent in my previous avatar as a television journalist and

92 RITZ January 2017

editor. Objectivity in my work did not necessarily preclude a personal rapport with political leaders across the divide.

As I was dusting my study room recently, I noticed a Tamil Nadu Government Media Phone Book with Jayalalithaa's picture on the cover. Then there were files with her replies to some of my correspondence. And a rack of DVDs of my news stories on her on the NDTV network for close to a decade and a half. The flashback was poignant.

It's these memories that still leave me moist eyed.

In the late nineties when I first joined NDTV which used to produce the Star News Channel, I had to extensively cover Ms.Jayalalithaa. The Cauvery issue was in focus. And there was that fragile alliance with the BJP led National Democratic Alliance, to which she ultimately withdrew support, causing the government to fall. Covering a Jayalalithaa event, especially at the AIADMK Headquarters, invariably meant jostling with a massive crowd and security personnel who would sometimes fiddle with your rib cage (quite like stringing a harp!) if they felt you would break the security cordon. I had to bear the brunt

of this treatment as I inched forward in a bid to ask Ms.Jayalalithaa a question on the constitution of the Cauvery River Authority. A security officer pulled me back holding on to my belt.

Sensing my discomfort, Ms.Jayalalithaa immediately ordered them to allow me to come forward so that I could interview her without any hassle. “Are you hurt? Are you alright?” she asked me in a tone that showed genuine concern. It was probably the first time she noticed me but that was my first impression of her.

A clear reflection of her convent education was how she would always wish you back, even if it was a crowd and you were not visible. She would look in the direction from where the 'Good Morning Ma'am' emanated and warmly acknowledge it. The same courtesy was evident in the way she handled her correspondence. Almost every letter that I wrote to her elicited a reply. They were not in the round robin cut-copy-paste format but with a personal touch. (See Pic) Emerging from her hotel in Trichy in 2011, bang in the middle of an election campaign, she made it a point to acknowledge my request for an interview. “Got your letter. Thanks.” Little did I realise that

within an hour, as I was shooting a Piece To Camera for NDTV's flagship election show 'Follow The Leader', the AIADMK Chief would stop her convoy to give me a few exclusive sound bytes. (See Pic) There were many decisions of hers that we had criticised on the channel – from the dismissal of over a lakh government employees to the slapping of defamation cases against journalists. For that matter, I used to cover her arch rival – the DMK extensively and I still have good friends in that party. Not once did it alter the way she treated me. If I'm not mistaken, I was the first journalist to ask her about her Prime Ministerial ambitions. “No comments. But thank you for the compliment” was all that she said with a smile. When even single MP parties had managed Ministerial berths at the Centre in the past, a leader of her stature with 37 seats in the Lok Sabha in 2014 could have easily played King Maker or, even become the Queen herself in a coalition government, had the BJP not won a comfortable majority.

A journalist is expected to play an adversarial role. Quite. But calling a spade a spade involves also giving credit where it was due – be it the Rainwater Harvesting Scheme, the elimination of the Veerappan menace, the handling of the Tsunami or the Chennai Deluge of 2005, where I witnessed her wading through ankle deep water on an inspection of the city's inundated areas. R.Nataraj, the then Commissioner of Police and now the Mylapore MLA was part of her convoy.

After a meeting with BJP partriarch and former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani at the Secretariat in 2012, I was taken aback when Ms.Jayalalithaa called out to me. “ Where's Pinto? Sanjay Pinto.” It was to thank me for putting out a fair and balanced review of her year in office. That post press conference interaction went live. My former NDTV colleague and the then Media Advisor to the Prime Minister Pankaj Pachauri sent me a text message to ask why the Chief Minister had asked for me. I did not put that clip out in the public domain. However, after her demise, I posted it on the social media not to score brownie points but to show the world the humane side of the 'Iron Lady'. The video went viral.

If you're wondering if these gestures were a pure PR exercise to keep journalists in good

(Pic: One of Jayalalithaa's Replies in 2009) humour, wait till you read this.

Well after I left NDTV to plunge into legal practice, I was chatting with my friend, the then Additional Commissioner of Police (Chennai South) Rajesh Das near her Poes Garden residence. As her convoy drove up to the gate, the top cop had to say a hurried bye and moved forward to salute her. I retreated. On seeing me, she stopped her convoy and signalled to me. “Yes, Sanjay.

I don't see you nowadays. How are you? How is your family?” It was then that I informed her that I had quit journalism to become a lawyer.

“Oh lawyer”, she asked as her eyes lit up (she had nursed an ambition to become one herself). “I was not aware. But why?” I then told her how I wanted more time with my family. And to earn more money!

She smiled and wished me well.

“We'll meet soon.” That was the

last time I had met her, although I saw her at her swearing-in and the Global Investors Meet, to which her office sent across special invitations.

The envelopes read: “Sanjay Pinto, Former NDTV Editor. Now an Advocate.” So it was never the tag. It was the person.

I just don't feel as emotional when I think of any other deceased public figure whom I had covered. Except interviews, I never asked her for any favours. But I knew that if I ever needed her help, I could reach out.

Ms.Jayalalithaa, I will always miss you. As do millions of others.

(Sanjay Pinto is a Lawyer at the Madras High Court, a Columnist, Political Commentator, Author, Public Speaking Mentor & Former Resident Editor – NDTV 24x7) January 2017 RITZ

93

RITZ food

Culinary Voyages

with Minnie Menon

A new year invariably heralds new beginnings. What better time to kickstart a new column than the month of January? Hence I am delighted to get off the starter’s block at the newest 5-star hotel on the Chennai landscape, Feathers located in Manapakkam, a tad off the beaten track. It is the fourth hotel from the Radha group, and their first 5-star property. That they have certainly done their groundwork well is apparent from the moment I entered the serene lobby. A warm welcome from the General Manager Rupam Dutta set the right tone for my voyage of discovery. Feathers Hotel exudes a wonderful sense of belonging as we walked down the spacious corridors with the green foliage on the outside merrily peering in through the glass-panelled walls.

We arrived at Waterside, the All Day Dining restaurant. This cheerful 125-seater has the light filtering in wherever one is seated.

CHENNAI

I

Minnie Menon

94 RITZ January 2017

learnt that Rupam Dutta has spent 17 years with the group and is a graduate of the General Manager’s Executive Program at Cornell University. The Executive Chef Lawrence Amalraj joined us. He seems to specialise in the launch of star hotels in leading chains.

This is (yes!) his fifth assignment in a row at the launch phase at a premium hotel. Obviously this Masterchef has been handpicked for this critical role.

Both Rupam’s and Lawrence’s passion and knowledge of food set the ball rolling and we got into an animated discussion on all aspects of cuisine from comfort foods to the exotic… to their philosophy on the subject .

“Simplicity and freshness and a connect with the customer’s palate” are Chef Lawrence’s ground rules while crafting the menus. “No complications,” added Rupam “…is what the customers are looking for.” And that’s exactly what

Waterside delivers. This is truly an extraordinary coffee shop.

The wide range of cuisines is only natural because of the diversity of the walk-ins. The Asian section is vast and expanding even as you read this column. The growing popularity for Japanese cuisine in our city has ensured exotic choices. A tempting sushi counter beckoned. I learnt that a sashimi buffet one evening was a big hit with Japanese and Korean residents.

Photography: Gurunath Prabhu

An Indian section, where Chef Lawrence changes the visual display for the menu every week between copper, stainless steel and cast-iron pots, is another big draw for those who seek the flavours of familiar staples. Pizzas on order, tempting Tagliolini with porcini mushroom, an innovative variety of burgers, continental fare, cold cuts, perky looking salads, bread baskets, cheese platters and a dessert counter all make for a veritable riot of choices.

Ample variety for a foodie to freak out on and yet ‘corporate executivefriendly’ for working lunches that can empower a standout presentation immediately thereafter. The health freak in me went straight for the quinoa served with green peas, carrots and olives and pistachio dressing decorated with palm hearts on iceberg lettuce. It was the right pacifier for the indulgence that followed. Panko-crusted prawns, paniyarams with a healthy Madras tan thanks to a dip in delicious podis accompanied by a trio of chutneys and my favourite Mediterranean starter Spanakopita, a combination of spinach, feta, pine nuts and fresh crushed pepper wrapped in phyllo pastry. I switched my cell phone to ‘aeroplane mode’ and savoured every bite undisturbed by beeps and ringtones. Sheer bliss!

I learnt however that there is one word that the GM and Executive Chef of this hotel do not have in their vocabulary and that is ‘outsourcing.’ The key ingredients, condiments and preserves so critical to flavour and taste are all prepared in-house under the trained and watchful eyes of the hotel chefs.

Customization is the key and therein lies the tangible difference.

My next course arrived... a visual delight indeed - wild mushroom soup January 2017 RITZ

95

RITZ food feature

with truffles, mascarpone in a stark white cup, accompanied by a choice of breads. This is an outright winner and so right for this season.

An age old favourite with a new spirit was the Indonesian chicken satay â&#x20AC;&#x201C; flatter, bigger slices of chicken on skewers, infused with a lemon grass marinade and served with peanut butter sauce.

Another tantalizing presentation followed, very pub-style, on skewers

96 RITZ January 2017

and in glass tumblers, marinated grilled cubes of King Fish, Shish Taouk, tenderloin, and traditional fish fingers. These are favourites at the Vapor Bar. Foods that pair well with a liquid diet! The eye-catching desserts are some classic and current favourites - Tiramisu, salted caramel chocolate mousse and Banoffee pie.

And as the saying goes the proof of the pudding is in the eating â&#x20AC;Ś.

I succumbed.

I got a sneak peek into the soon to be

opened Skyloft, their rooftop restaurant which promises to be a new beacon of buzz. I can picture myself stargazing and then looking on to the terrestrial cityscape.

There is so much to be discovered at this uber-contemporary hotel . The novelty of being new is hard to beat and reason enough for me to want to visit Feathers again very soon. There was a spring and a lightness in my step as I sailed out.

SUMAN JOSHI

MAKEUP ARTIST

ADVT

SUMAN JOSHI is the one name every bride can

add in her ‘wedding wish list.’ Suman believes that every woman is born beautiful, but each of us could use some help to highlight our best gifts. According to her, hairdressing and makeup lets you understand your style, fashion and personality. Take a look at the journey of this immensely talented stylist.

TIPS FOR

BRIDES

DRINK LOTS OF WATER GET ENOUGH SLEEP BEFORE YOUR BIG DAY USE SUITABLE MOISTURIZERS AND FACE WASH EAT NUTRITIOUS FOOD

She got herself educated and trained in institutions across Mumbai. Even though she began her career in Bengaluru at a famous salon, deep down Suman always knew Chennai was her market and thus began working with Naturals in 2005.

Suman holds a diploma in Hairdressing Salon Management from L’Oreal Academy and a Diploma in Makeup (MAC) with Christine Valmey International Beauty School. She is one of the rare stylists with a L’Oreal Passport Class Certificate.

Considering her passion for the field, it is natural that Suman Joshi has won many accolades for her contributions to the hair and beauty industry. She has been awarded by AIBHA (All India Beauticians and Hairdressers Association) as the Best Makeup Artist – Bridal in 2009.

Today, Suman Joshi proudly boasts of owning three franchises of Naturals Lounge and Page 3 in Chennai and Trivandrum. Her list of clients include celebrities such as Sneha, Prasanna, Prabhu Deva, Amy Jackson, Radhika Apte, Sarath Kumar, Radhika Sarath Kumar and many more.

Suman believes that makeup should retain and highlight the natural skin tone of the bride. She also feels that a bride’s hairdo is important to enhance her look in a very special way on her big day. According to Suman, a bride should opt for a quick trial to understand her needs.

With many of the western influences trending in the industry, Suman reveals that smoky effect makeup, fake lashes, hair extensions, trendy hair colour, air-brush foundations are all in huge demand.

Here is a stylist who truly seeks to inspire millions of women to never give up on their dreams for their big day!

CONTACT: M: 9884260922 | O: 7708622810 January 2017 RITZ

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