THE BEAUTY OF NEPALUNCHARTED THENETWORKAUNTIEINSIDE DIANAAUSTRALIAMASTERCHEFCHANSEPTEMBER2022 PLUS 5 SIMPLE HABITS TO DISEASEWOMENYOURCHANGELIFEHEARTMYTHS WELL BLENDED EMILY SHAH ON MIXING HOLLYWOOD, BOLLYWOOD AND HER OWN BRAND OF AYURVEDIC GIN
CONTENTS An Ode to Fashion Photography page 38 Diana Chan page 70 5 CONTRIBUTORS 6 BEYOND LIMITS PIONEERS 8 Designs on the Sets 14 The Auntie Network 18 The Dream, Dreamt by a Few… FEATURES 38 An Ode to PhotographyFashion 50 Women of Action 54 Women Heart Disease Myths BEAUTY 58 A Facial for Your Crowning Glory WELLNESS 62 5 Simple Habits to Change Your Life FOOD & DRINK 66 Batch, Please! 70 “I Live and Breathe Food Every Day” TRAVEL 74 The Beauty of Uncharted Nepal RECOMMENDS 82 The Warm Weather Wrap-Up BOOKS 86 The Power SpeculativeofFiction HOROSCOPE 91 Forecast with Farzana The Auntie Networkpage14 ONCOVERTHE ‘I Just Love Creating’ 26 CREDITPHOTO RYDEAUSTIN:
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FOUNDER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SEEMA KUMAR CREATIVE DIRECTOR SAJID MOINUDDIN DESIGN HB DESIGN EDITORIAL COORDINATOR ROHINI KAPUR EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE AHAD SANWARI WRITERS ABHIJIT FARZANASWETABINDUPRATIKAMELANIESWARNENDUJASWANTMASIHLALWANIBISWASFOURIEYASHASWIGOPALRAOVIKRAMSURI BRAND PARTNERSHIPS, DEVELOPMENT AND STRATEGY ANJALI MANIAM MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS SHARE/LIKE/TWEET/USON EMPOWERING SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN GLOBALLY SEEMA KUMAR, FOUNDER COPYRIGHT © 2021 SEEMA, JAYARAM, LLC PUBLISHEDSEEMA.COM AT P.O. BOX 814, PENNINGTON, NJ 08534 SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES: INFO@SEEMA.COM OR SEEMA.COM/ARTICLE/CONTACT-US TO SUBSCRIBE WRITE TO: SUBSCRIBE@SEEMA.COM SPONSORSHIPS, PARTNERSHIPS, ADVERTISING, NEWSLETTER AND EVENT INQUIRES: INFO@SEEMA.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ADVERTISING EMAIL: ADVERTISE@SEEMA.COM SEEMA™ ISSUE 09 | SEPTEMBER 2022 @seemanetworks@seemanetwork@seemanetwork ON THE COVER: EMILY SHAH (PAGE 26). PHOTO CREDIT: AUSTIN RYDE
EDIT | SEEMA
The joy of being together and celebrating in person was back in vogue. And oh what fun it was to be out and about again! And get dressed to the nines and hug people you hadn’t seen in two years! The pandemic seemed like a bad dream. And now that we were vaccinated and boosted, we were feeling confident. With no more federal mandates, the masks came off and we let down our guard.
BEYOND LIMITS
And in fact new cases rose to levels three times higher than the summer of 2021. Thankfully, hospitalizations remained low and for the most part people didn’t suffer serious illness if they were vaccinated and boosted.
Getting Back Into Gear KUMAR, FOUNDER
J ust when you are beginning to relax and get complacent, life smacks you with a wake up call. Such was the case for many of us this summer, just when the world was opening up and appeared to be returning to normalcy. We were back to celebrating graduations and weddings long postponed, were back on schedule.
By June, COVID cases in the US were surging thanks to the rising rate of omicron sub-variants in the U.S.
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SEEMA
The good news was that thanks to vaccines and boosters, my illness was very mild, milder even than my mildest case of a common cold. But my friend, who also fell ill after the same gathering, experienced symptoms that were worse, showing once again how this virus affects different people differently. Although my symptoms were mild, preventing it from spreading meant isolating myself for two weeks until I tested negative. It was a huge disruption in life for two weeks but it was the right thing to do.
Our own family had dodged the coronavirus for a long time, thanks to vaccinations and boosters and careful prevention strategies. But COVID finally got me! It was bound to happen. Being back in circulation at weddings and gatherings, where Omicron also was also circulating, would eventually catch up with us.
While new boosters or vaccines specifically targeted against Omicron are in development, and could potentially be available this fall, the data are still pending on their value compared to the general COVID vaccines, says Barouch. So stay up to date with your boosters and when in doubt, don a mask — there are some fashionable and fun ones out there. Guess what, I often wear them in the city and in bathrooms because in addition to protecting me, they protect me from the assault of fetid odor.
As we get back to school and kids get back to in person learning in the classroom, it is important to give kids and schools the tools they need to prevent or minimize the spread of COVID.
As school year starts, the Biden administration two weeks ago, issued a statement laying out guidance for protecting students, teachers and schools, including vaccine and boosters, access to testing to detect infection early, and improving indoor air quality in school buildings. But the most important guidance of all is how we can protect each other by staying home if we feel sick and test before showing up in school and spreading the virus to others and when in doubt wear a mask. And of course, get vaccinated and boosted if you haven’t already.Before you head back to school or work, take some time to read the great stories we’ve got for you in this issue. Our cover star is Emily Shah. She is half Scottish and half Indian, and making a name for herself in both Hollywood and Bollywood! She is down-to-earth, real and also blends her own brand of Ayurvedic gin! We get ready to go back to school, pay homage to Fashion Week with Ash Gupta’s fabulous fashion photography, celebrate South Asian women in lead roles in action movies and Marvel comics, and so much more! Enjoy September! And stay healthy and stay safe!
CREDIT:PHOTO KAGSHRAVYA
This summer surge was less severe because many people have some form of immunity to COVID now — either from vaccination or from a COVID infection, Dr. Dan Barouch of Boston-based Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center told CNBC.
Argya Sadan, film production designer
W hat is common to “Ms. Marvel,” HBO Max series “Winning Time: The Rise of The Lakers Dynasty,” “Don’t Worry Darling,” “Daisy Jones and The Six” and “The Killer”? Well, Argya Sadan. The production designer for all these shows recollects how she, a woman of color, found fame in Hollywood.
As a young girl, when her father asked her what they could do with a plot of land they had in Bangalore, her mind came alive.
BINDU GOPAL RAO
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DOWN MEMORY LANE Sadan recollects that she always had a strong interest in designing spaces.
“I jumped at the opportunity to help design the house we would move into,” Sadan said. “From then on, I knew I wanted to focus my career on designing spaces.” That led her to a bachelor’s in architecture from Ramaiah School of Architecture in Bangalore.“Iinterned at architecture firms and
DESIGNS ON THE SETS
Architect Argya Sadan reinvented herself to become a rising production designer in Hollywood
As a relatively young woman of color, Sadan had to do more to prove her professional design opinion was worth heeding, to and to do work that everyone was satisfied with.
CREDITPHOTO MARVEL
The sets of the iconic film “Pride and Prejudice,” set in Victorian England, had always piqued her curiosity. With some research, she found out some fascinating details about production design. She applied to production design programs in the U.S. and was admitted to the American Film Institute, one of the top schools in the U.S.
“It has been a journey and I’m still learning new things in film every day as every project I take on is so unique,.” she said. As production designers, every element needs to convey to the audience who the characters are, their backgrounds and intentions, all the while not distracting from the narrative. The colors and textures of the space, and the decor the A Pakistani setting from Ms Marvel
HOLLYWOOD CALLING
10 | SEEMA.COM | SEPTEMBER 2022 enjoyed the work, but, honestly, felt somewhat stifled in my creativity,” she said. “Designing homes and office buildings became a bit of a rote routine, and I longed for the opportunity to create worlds that might be more fantastical or set in a different time or place.”
PIONEER | SEEMA SEPTEMBER 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 11 “AS PRODUCTION DESIGNERS, EVERY ELEMENT NEEDS TO CONVEY TO THE AUDIENCE WHO THE CHARACTERS ARE, THEIR BACKGROUNDS AND INTENTIONS, ALL THE WHILE NOT DISTRACTING FROM THE NARRATIVE. THE COLORS AND TEXTURES OF THE SPACE, AND THE DECOR THE DESIGNER CHOOSES HELPS SET THE TONE FOR THE VISUALS AND SUPPORT THE NARRATIVE” A motel room from the sets of Winning Time
THE FUTURE NATURALLY LOOKS EXCITING .
Since Sadan grew up as an Indian in Singapore and spent much of her youth traveling across Asia, she was always informed by diverse traditions.
“These projects have been an eclectic mix. Each project has its own set of challenges, most of which are fun and involve creative problem solving,” Sadan said. “We are tasked with trying to achieve certain artistic goals but must do so within a limited budget and timeline. That said, I believe a good design comes through the rules and restrictions placed on it, constraints force creativity.”
“I have always been very careful not to get stuck in one genre,” Sadan said. “I am excited to continue stretching into a wider variety of genres, working with people who inspire me and who I look up to and, most importantly, to do a project in Bollywood in the next few years.”
Sadan is working on the soon to be released Olivia Wilde’s psychological thriller, “Don’t Worry Darling,” “The Rock ‘N’ Roll Miniseries,” “Daisy Jones and The Six (based on Taylor Jenkins Reid’s bestselling novel) and David Fincher’s “The Killer” (adapted from Alexis Nolent’s graphic novel series of the same name.”
One of her latest projects was the HBO Max series “Winning Time: The Rise Of The Lakers Dynasty.” It tells the story of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team led by Magic Johnson and paints a picture of America in the 1970s and 80s and reimagines the National Basketball Association as it was then.
12 | SEEMA.COM | SEPTEMBER 2022 who have been in that specific world.
“I had a great time designing the forum, the legendary arena where the Lakers played,” Sadan said. “It was a remarkable and rewarding challenge recreating a space that sat 17,000 people on a tiny stage in downtown Los Angeles. One of the most challenging components was bringing in the energy of intense games and the excitement of rabid basketball fans even though we had limited stage space and could only fit 500 background actors.”
“I ALWAYS JUMP designer chooses helps set the tone for the visuals and support the narrative.
INDIA INSPIRED
“I have always had a curiosity for other cultures and a desire to tell stories of people from different backgrounds,” she said. “I always jump at opportunities to design sets that tell global stories, including the upcoming “Ms. Marvel” about Kamala Khan, Marvel’s first Muslim woman superhero. For that project, I was fortunate enough to design some sets inspired by locations in South Asia. It felt great to be connected to the show that way –bringing to life scenes I grew up seeing in India. It also feels wonderful being a part of an historic project featuring Marvel’s first South Asian, Muslim woman superhero.” Sadaan does much research to understand the authentic feel of a time and place and usually goes on location and speaks to people
PROJECT PROFILE
SUPERHERO”MUSLIMMARVEL’SKAMALAMARVEL”THESTORIES,THATTOOPPORTUNITIESATDESIGNSETSTELLGLOBALINCLUDINGUPCOMING“MS.ABOUTKHAN,FIRSTWOMAN
Stills from Ms
CREDITPHOTO MARVEL Marvel
PRATIKA YASHASWI
Radha Patel has always been a social butterfly with a great social circle. She’s chatty, vivacious, and has a vitality that brightens any conversation — and that’s perhaps why people are always going to her for things.
“Even after I was married, uncles and aunties would ask me, ‘Do you know any single people? So and so is looking for his daughter,’” she says. One day, Pate; sat down and draw up a list of all the singles she knew but quickly realized there weren’t enough people to satisfy everybody’s needs and wants. So in 2018, she began her own matchmaking business. In the South Asian community, often whole families are involved in the marriage of individuals. “I’ve realized you can’t cut family out [of the matchmaking process],” Patel says. “Parents would call me like, ‘My daughter’s not listening. She’s not interested. She thinks matchmaking is too scary. I am trying everything.’ I kept hearing the parents say: ‘I’ve done everything. I don’t have any other way to convince her.’” And that’s when she got thinking: what if she could connect parents and family to the matchmaking process and minimize stress? This led to the Auntie Network, a matrimonial app that brings families into the matchmaking process. Parents (or an auntie or uncle) create a profile and search for matches on behalf of their children. If they like a single, they can directly reach out to the single’s family on the app and set their kids up if there’s a good match. In the world of matrimonials, this is a game-changer, taking the frustration out of the process of finding love.
A new matrimonial app gets the family directly involved in the matchmaking process
“I realized that, okay, maybe [the kids] don’t need
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TheNetworkAuntie
Radha Patel, Founder, The Auntie Network
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So let’s say Radha Auntie finds a single woman she’s interested in for her son. On that page, she can see [both] the single and her proxy’s information and chat with her proxy to see if there is a match.
PIONEER | SEEMA 16 | SEEMA.COM | SEPTEMBER 2022 [to be] involved. Right now, we’re sending biodatas through WhatsApp. You ask your friends, your sister, ‘Do you know any single people?’ How do we [formalize it]?
Simultaneously, if the families want to start with their kids first, the mom and sad can send the profile to their child for discussion on the app. “Hey beta, do you like this profile? Do you want me to talk to their family?” So they invite their children to join them, but it is designed for parents to communicate with each other and search for singles on their children’s behalf. It streamlines the process, and it’s faster; there’s follow-up. Right now, if mom sends you a biodata and she doesn’t see you for three weeks, she doesn’t know if you called the guy? But in the app, she can message you and ask, “Pratika, did you follow up with him? Blah, blah, blah. Auntie’s asking.” So it’s just easier, faster, and it’s just making the overall experience less antagonistic for young singles. It’s allowing parents to feel like they’re involved, which is all they want at the end of the day. They’re not going to force their kids to get married, but they want to feel like they have a say in it. So children can also make profiles? Yes, they can if a family member invites them to join. They cannot have an account without a family member attached to them. The parents can function independently of their children but can also work together. The Auntie Network makes it transparent. You can communicate both family to family or within your ownThisfamily.appis specifically for adults looking on behalf of a family member. It’s different when a family member like a parent is involved because they have different motivations, and there’s nothing in the dating app
The app is just over two weeks old as of writing but has already had a positive response among her target audience of fifty-something South Asian parents. SEEMA sat down with Radha to learn more about The Auntie Network, the dating app for desi parents. Tell us about The Auntie Network. How does it work? The Auntie Network is a collaborative family matrimonial app. It starts with a parent, uncle, auntie, or just a proxy family member with a vested interest in a single person. They create their profile with their names and photos and then search the network for singles.
But two months later, I met my husband, and we both just knew. He proposed to me five months after that. And that’s why I say thank God. I thought it was bad back then, navigating the two cultures and fighting with my parents about what kind of guys I wanted to meet, but it is a hundred times harder now. And knowing I went through some of this, working with so many singles, I’ve understood what’s missing and how to make it better.
I grew up in Maryland and worked a corporate job for a while, but I’ve always had an entrepreneurial streak, coming from a Gujju family of business owners. So I dabbled in things here and there over the years, but nothing really stuck until I founded my matchmaking business. And that was my passion. It ignited what I was interested in, what I loved doing: meeting people and connecting them.
Let’s talk a little bit about matchmaking in general. What do you think is the biggest challenge that people South Asians have in finding love?
Well, with matchmaking, I think they come to us and say, “This is exactly what I want,” and you’ll see it on the apps too — they want this exact height and sub-community and this exact whatever. And then they get no results, or they get something like three results, and then they get frustrated because it’s the same three people they see everywhere, the same three singles. And then, I think the biggest challenge to finding love is that technology has made it so prescriptive. Like if you’re not on the apps, and if you’re not doing all of the avenues, you’re never going to find anybody. The pressure is way greater now; the visibility about being single is greater now than it was 10 or 20 years ago when I was looking to get married. What would be your advice to people looking for love today?
My advice to all my matchmaking clients is, yeah, you got to be on the apps just because everybody’s like, “You got to get out in the world.” I know COVID made it hard, but the more you indulge your interests, and you’re excited about the things you’re doing in the world, [the more] you’re going to track that energy, and that’s where you’re going to find your partner.
How do you categorize matches? Some families are particular about community, language, etc.
Want to join The Auntie Network? Sign up directly at www.TheAuntieNetwork.com and get started today with a 30-day free premium subscription.
I met my husband at a matrimonial convention two months after my younger sister’s wedding. She was 23, and I was 25. I didn’t feel like I was late until she got married—because log kya kahenge, and everybody was saying, “Oh, the older sister. Why is she not married?”
SEPTEMBER 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 17 market that allows the family to be involved. We are the only ones that [enable families to talk directly with each other], which is very important for a lot of South Asian families still.
Tell me about yourself. Where did you grow up, and what was your journey to finding a partner?
There are fifteen questions a single has to fill out to sign up, and we categorize them by their community. So Gujarati, Marathi, Telugu, things like that. But that’s something [we will refine] as we get more user feedback. We only launched about two weeks ago.
Dream,The
BYDREAMTAFEW… As artist, curator and teacher, Noorjehan Bilgrami has lived that life JASWANT LALWANI
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Noorjehan Bilgrami, artist, curator and educationist
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oorjehan Bilgrami, a national internationallyand acclaimed artist, curator and educationist, has captured the soul of Pakistan through her numerous multidisciplinary art projects. She is grounded in the traditional crafts of Pakistan, and her atelier Koel spearheaded the revival of handloom weaving, hand-block printing, and the use of natural dyes. Gallery Koel has provided a vibrant platform for new and emerging artists, and Bilgrami has curated numerous exhibitions for the gallery. She has held numerous solo shows and participated in exhibitions in Pakistan, in the U.S., Australia, Korea, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and India. She was awarded the Japan Foundation Fellowship in 2000 for a comparative study of the traditional method of indigo cultivation, processing and usage in Japan and Pakistan.
LET’S BEGIN WITH YOUR ROOTS, YOUR CHILDHOOD AND EDUCATION.
N
Born in Hyderabad Deccan, surrounded by rich, colored silk saris, heady ittar fragrances, motia gajras, strains of classical music, delicious food and the refined scale of Islamic architecture, I was nine when I moved to Karachi, where later I completed my education in fine arts.
HOW DID YOU START YOUR ARTISTIC CAREER?
The search for a hand-block printed fabric for upholstery led me to a rundown workshop in the old city. Bent over a table, an old man was blockprinting small square dastarkhans (tablecloths). He transferred with great dexterity, patterns onto a yellow cloth using wooden blocks dipped in red dye. It was an ugly print but I was captivated by the process. I started frequenting the old workshops, hunting down precious, traditional carved blocks that were tucked away on broken shelves or under charpais on rooftops. Karachi had been
Art work by Noorjehan Bilgrami
“ I WORKED WITH PAKISTAN’S TAPESTRY”TOGETHERFUTUREPRESENTWHICHPOETICPAKISTANNARRATIVEPROJECTHISTORIANSSCHOLARSARTISTS,MASTER-CRAFTSMEN,FILMMAKERS,LEADINGMUSICIANS,ANDTOTHEOFINAWAYINTHEPAST,ANDAREWOVENASA
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KOEL HAS EXTENSIVELY USED THE TRADITIONAL CRAFTS OF PAKISTAN. TELL US MORE ABOUT IT.
YOU ARE A FOUNDER MEMBER OF THE INDUS VALLEY SCHOOL OF ART AND ARCHITECTURE IN KARACHI. TELL US ABOUT THAT AND HOW WAS IT FORMED? In the 1980s, violence was becoming increasingly common in Karachi as the city began fragmenting along ethnic and sectarian lines. Responding to this situation, a group of artists, designers and architects came together to introduce positive energy to the strife-torn metropolis. We opened in September 1990, and I served as executive director of the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture from 1990-95. The school’s first convocation, held in December 1994, was an unforgettable experience. The theme music – composed in Raag Malhar - was performed live by revered ustaads. “The circle seems complete The dream, dreamt by a few
a vibrant center with many chapai karkhaney (block-printing workshops). Saris were blockprinted here, then sent to Bombay and Dacca. Partition brought an end to this. I found a garage to set up my own small printing studio where my atelier, Koel, was born in 1977 to promote the revival of natural dyeing and handloom weaving.
The early days of Koel were extremely challenging. I had no idea then how people would respond to hand-printed cotton fabrics, but I was greatly encouraged when my first exhibition of block-prints in 1978 was a total sell-out, with many orders and enthusiastic reviews. Over the years, Koel has hosted numerous exhibitions and fashion shows in cities in Pakistan, and India and internationally. I was soon called a pioneer of block-printing. Inspired by the response Koel was receiving, many women started similar workshops from their homes, employing a number of blockprinters, block makers, embroiderers, and tailors. Today Koel is one of Pakistan’s leading contemporary art galleries, with a flagship store in Clifton, Karachi, along with a courtyard café and an art gallery.
TELL US ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM THE PAKISTAN PAVILION AT DUBAI EXPO 2020 RECEIVED. Three years back, I was invited to join a core team formed by architect Shahid Abdulla, project head of the pavilion. The official curatorial brief was to attract tourism and investment to Pakistan. Since 192 countries were participating in Expo 2020 in Dubai, I thought it was a great opportunity to project the true essence of the country so that we could illuminate the unique jewels unknown to many. The pavilion was designed as a labyrinth of eight distinct spaces, comprising winding corridors and irregular sized rooms. My challenge was to create a mesmerizing seamless journey that left visitors awe struck by the grandeur of our ancient and layered history, awe-inspiring landscapes, people and traditions of this land, cultural and religious diversity, rich craft traditions along with the immense potential and possibilities it holds for the future. I worked with Pakistan’s leading filmmakers, master-craftsmen, artists, musicians, scholars and historians to project the narrative of Pakistan in a poetic way in which the past, present and future are woven together as a tapestry. To create an immersive, multi-sensorial feel that would inform, inspire and ignite conversations and leave a lasting impact.
A book has been commissioned about the making of the Pakistan Pavilion at Dubai Expo, “The Hidden Treasure of Pakistan,” which won the Silver Award. My current project is the curation of an exhibition, “Saahil ki Kahaaniyan – Stories from the Coast,” for the British Council, which is celebrating 75 years of Pakistan’s independence. Exciting work is emerging on the history of Sindhu and the Indus through recorded stories from time immemorial. Research-based projects are emerging on the convergence of the sweet water of the River Indus and the salty water of the Arabian Sea; mangrove conservation efforts; biodiversity of the coastline including blind dolphins, migratory birds and the fisherfolk communities.
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WHERE NOW AFTER SUCH AN ILLUSTRIOUS BEGINNING?
WHAT IS “SINDH JO AJRAK” AND WHAT GOES INTO MAKING THE TRADITIONAL
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR CURRENT PROJECTS?
The world in its own way is also searching for timelessness as it faces the adverse effects of heedless consumerism, recklessly bruising our land, over-industrialization, unparalleled disasters in ecology mostly man-made and so forth. We need to simplify our existence, we must nurture our land and its people. My guiding light has been the quote below from Iranian scholar, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, one which I would like to share: “There is nothing more timely today than that truth which is timeless, than the message which comes from tradition and is relevant now, because it has been relevant at all times. Such a message belongs to a now, which has been, is, and will ever be present.” Jaswant Lalwani, a global real estate advisor and lifestyle consultant in New York City and the Greater Miami Area, is also an avid writer globetrotter.and
HEADGEAR THAT IS THE SUBJECT OF YOUR BOOK? Ajrak is a complex, layered textile with great cultural and historical significance. It is created through a complicated process involving 21 stages. It is resist–printed, mordanted and dyed in madder and indigo. At a Lok Virsa Mela held in Islamabad many years ago, I came across a variety of ajraks in different stages of completion. Till then, ajrak to me was a simple red and blue blockprinted cloth worn as a paghri (turban) or chaddar (wrap) in the villages. Traveling along the banks of the River Indus, one encounters ajraks spread out in different stages of preparation; artisans can be seen sprinkling water intermittently on the madder-dyed cloth as it dries. The alternate drenching and drying helps the colors to mature while the sun bleaches out the white areas. The cloth goes through two indigo dips before it is taken to the river for a final wash. The result is the precious, jewel-like ajrak. Years of this research led to the book “Sindh Jo Ajrak” in 1990, and later to the making of the documentary film “Sun, Fire, River, Ajrak - Cloth From the Soil of Sindh.”
The dream was realized by many The seeds sprouted into young shoots The roots firmly in the ground spread the branches.”
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SEPTEMBER 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 25 Art work by Noorjehan Bilgrami
BLENDEDWELL Emily Shah on mixing Hollywood, Bollywood and her own brand of Ayurvedic gin ABHIJIT MASIH
PHOTOGRAPHER: RYDEAUSTIN MAKEUP:ANDHAIR RYDEAUSTIN EDITIOR: RYDEAUSTIN WARDROBE: KYNAHBYDUPATTAANDTOP
“C andMostfacingmakeupofconsumingparlance,televisionThat,amera-ready.”insimplifiedindustryisthetime-processgettinghairanddonebeforethecamera.requesttimetalenttoget
themselves ready. For Emily Shah, it doesn’t matter so much. When she spoke to us from her hotel room in Mumbai, it was late evening after a hectic day and she had no time to get ready. The best option, she thought, would be to wear a hat. But the remedial prop obstructed the lighting, casting a shadow on her face. Thankfully she was requested to take it off, revealing delightful natural beauty, proving that some faces do not need to get Shahcamera-ready.hasworkedboth in Hollywood and in Indian cinema. She has the credentials to straddle both industries, having studied theater art at Lee Strasberg’s Institute of Film and Theater and the New York Film Academy, and learned the nuances of acting in Indian cinema from the Madhumati Film and Dance Academy in Mumbai. The interest to be an actor in the West as well as the East stems from her desire to accept and adapt to both sides of her mixed parental culture.
COVER STORY | SEEMA
“My mother is American, Caucasian, white,” Shah said. “Her background is Scottish and Welsh, and my father is a Gujarati
COVER STORY | SEEMA
from Mumbai. My mother’s from the midwest of America. So I really embraced both sides, but I was drawn more towards my Indian than my American side. And I just really love the culture, I love being able to speak Gujarati and Hindi.” So how did a Gujarati immigrant man in Queens, NY fall for and marry a white girl from small-town Missouri? Shah’s dad, who is a big time movie producer now, worked as a manager at an appliance shop in Queens and her mother, who flew for a prominent American airline, was transferred to La Guardia airport. While setting up her new apartment, she went to the appliance store where she met Prashant Shah. His advances were met with a curt no-nonsense message, but the instantaneous cheeky response broke the ice. Emily narrates the story about her parents getting together. “Mymother didn’t even know where India was located on the map,” Shah said.. “She was from such a small town in Missouri. I think the population is maybe like 3,000 people – she might kill me for saying this. But it was a very, very small town. She’s proud of where she came from. But nonetheless, she told my dad that he wasn’t her type, but he said I’m O positive. That was his pickup line. And she kind of gave him a chance after that.” Shah’s parents have been her rock ever since she was young and have supported her all along, throwing her in every possible artistic class. From when she was 2 years old, she had been taking lessons in ballet, music, painting, soccer and acting. Both her parents indulged her in every passion that took root and helped her thrive in it. Shah talks about her love for the arts and how after dabbling in several creative interests she chose acting. She takes us back on the creative route that she took.
“I just love creating, whether that was with music or being on stage or dancing,” she said. “I tried painting and ceramics. I wasn’t very good at that. But I did try basically every avenue and route of art. I just took a real liking to being on stage and performing. I started dancing when I was two years old. And one thing kind of led to another, starting with dance. And then it moved into theater. Then I really discovered and fell in Emily Shah as a young girl
Prashant Shah may have turned producer to fulfill his daughter’s dream of becoming an actor. And while he produced films for both Hollywood and Bollywood, including the Shahrukh Khan-starrer “My Name is Khan,” his daughter went about getting professional degrees to complement her acting talent. She graduated from California State University with a degree in entertainment media management. Around then she also studied theater art at the Lee Strasberg’s Institute of Film and Theater and did an acting course at the New York Film Academy. Training and talent helps, but you have to charm the cameras as well. So what do you do? In 2014, while still in high school, Shah entered a beauty pageant. She thought she was entering the Teen category of the Miss New Jersey USA pageant, but she was listed as a contestant for the main category. She was crowned Miss New Jersey USA, the youngest ever, beating 130 other contenders. Now 18, she recalls the moment: “I genuinely enjoyed my time as Miss New Jersey, USA. I was the first Indian American to ever compete. So I’m really proud of that. And after that, there’s been so many that have competed.”Shahsaid the pressure of being the youngest contestant made her a different person, one focused on winning the crown.
Shah worked as a stunt director assistant on “Captain America 2” and Clint Eastwood’s “Jersey Boys,” as well as on the stunt teams of “Fast & Furious 7.” She then moved on to working with the stunt team on Ed Harris and Liam Neeson starrer, “Run all Night.”
“I realized that whatever I was experiencing in that moment, working on those sets, there was no way that I could have learned that in any university,” she said. “Not even the best of the best schools could have taught me what being on set has taught me. I admire my parents specifically for pushing me to do that. You’re working on these massive Hollywood productions –Emily during her reign as Miss New Jersey USA.
SEPTEMBER 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 33 COVER STORY | SEEMA love with acting.” The seriousness and the passion for acting and the support of her parents saw her enroll at the Madhumati Film and Dance Academy in Mumbai when she was just 5. She spent that summer with her grandparents and showed her parents she was serious about acting. The proud parents still treasure some VHS tapes of performances recorded during her time at the acting school in India. Shah also recalls the summer spent in India with her Ba“They(grandmother).sawallofthe performances that I had done at Madhumati, the monologues that I memorized, and the dance performances I did,” she said. “I think at that moment my family knew that there was something special about me performing, and the spark I had when I would get on stage or perform for an audience.”
Shah considers her stint as a production assistant, the best training for any actor, helping her immensely when facing the camera.
“I felt immense pressure being the youngest contestant,” she said. “I felt like I had to always have my guard up. I had this insecurity that people might be expecting me to fail because I am so young. I was so competitive, almost in a way that it wasn’t friendly. I wasn’t mean or anything. I was, like, I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to win Miss USA. I think if I could go back and change that I definitely would because I remember coming out of Miss USA, and the girls that I competed with, whom I wasn’t even friends with during the competition, became some of my best friends.”TheMiss New Jersey then shifted her focus back to her goal of becoming an actor, learning the craft through acting institutes and working as a production assistant on some of the biggest Hollywood productions.
SPIKEDEMILYCOCKTAILGINRECIPEBYSHAHCHERRYLIMEADE
you’re talking Universal Studios, Disney and Marvel. It was quite intimidating at first, but truly and honestly it’s taught me so much about what I know today. I don’t think that I would be half the actor I am right now if I didn’t have that experience. I understand what it’s like to be a PA (production assistant). I think working on both sides of the camera is just so much more helpful. You respect everybody a little bit more like I can tell some actors that have worked behind the scenes versus ones that haven’t.”
The credits for Shah, in front of the camera, include leading roles in the 2018 Hollywood thriller “Fortune Defies Death” and the 2022 Indian film “Jungle Cry,” based on a true story. Shah’s movie career has commenced and she is consciously putting in play her learning of both styles of acting. She does not want to be limited to one kind of cinema and wants to explore and be a part of not just Hollywood and Bollywood but also to give British cinema a shot. She can compare the Hollywood and the Indian film industries. “Ithinkthey’re very similar in quite a bit of ways,” Shah said. “At the end of the day you’re still making a film or a series. [But] I get a spot boy while I’m working here. Thatt’s basically an assistant. So that’s a difference. But more on a logistical and a creative note, I think Indian cinema is becoming worldlier than it used to be.”
Being half Scottish and half Indian by heritage gave Emily the idea of Dharma Gin; the perfect spirit to distil • 5-6 pitted cherries • Half a lime wedge • Muddle (option to add .5 oz simple syrup) • 1 oz Dharma Gin • Stir and strain • Top off with sparkling water • Garnish with a cherry DHARMA
CHERRY LIMEADES ALWAYS GIVE THAT RETRO FEEL. STIR UP THE OLD SCHOOL FAN FAVORITE AND SPICE IT UP WITH SOME DHARMA GIN!
Shah has been in India for a few months now, working on an under-wrap series, but is super excited to be in one
While in the thick of things within Bollywood, she realizes the transformation of the industry which is quickly aligning itself to an audience that is now more intelligent and international.
of her favorite cities, doing what she loves best.
Shah was paired opposite Abhay Deol in “Jungle Cry,” which was released earlier this year and is now available on Apple and Amazon Prime. The film is based on the inspiring true story about a bunch of underprivileged orphan boys from Odisha, their journey to the International Junior Rugby Tournament, and their triumphant win as a dark-horse team. In the film, Shah plays the team’s psychotherapist, Roshni Thakkar. Along with starring in the movie, she also served as the film’s executive producer. “Eventhough it’s such an incredible story, nobody in India knew about it,” she said. “That’s when I realized, we really have to make this story. It’s really incredible. It’s really a familyfriendly film. It’s a very sweet film.”
“I think we have kind of taken over that stereotype and kind of grown out of it,” Shah said. “You see a lot more South Asians playing superheroes and things that you would have really never seen about 10 years, maybe even five years ago, for that matter. I do think we are making progress. But I also think that there still is a lot of work that needs to be done. I do think we have a lot more to progress, but I am glad of the direction that we’re going.”
Multiple Instagram posts of Shah include her partner actor Mena Massoud, who starred in and as “Aladdin” in the 2019 Disney blockbuster with Will Smith. The talented actor was also in the recent Netflix Rom-com “The RoyalEmily with her partner Mena Massoud, who sheconsiders to be a talented and multifaceted actorand looks forward to doing a film with him in future.
“I’M DISTILL.”PERFECTGINIHERITAGE,HALF-INDIANHALF-SCOTTISH,BYANDSOTHOUGHTTHATWOULDBETHESPIRITTO
While there have been a growing number of white Westerners in Indian films, they are still limited to roles of exotic dancers or characters with negative shades. It may be payback for Hollywood stereotypes of South Asians as nerds, doctors or gas station owners. Shah feels people who look like her are breaking these stereotypes.
“I think because people have so much more access to global content now, the audience is becoming a lot more intelligent about the type of content that they want to watch,” she said. “I think that Bollywood does have to not only compete within their industry, but also with the rest of the world, just like any other industry does. I am noticing that shift in Bollywood happening right now.”
“I’m gonna let him do rom-coms with other actresses, but maybe we might have a different type of genre that comes up,” she said. “I’m not just saying this because he’s my partner but he is talented and a multifaceted actor. Recently, he actually did a horror film, which was so surprising. I was just amazed by him. So I’d be more than happy to work with him. And I hope we can one day.” The partnership with Massoud is not just personal but professional as well. The two actors earlier this year got together to launch their own company, Dharma Gin. Inspired by and in continuation with merging her Western and Indian culture, she zeroed down on the tangible alcoholic product.
Treatment.” Shah shrugs at the idea of pairing with her partner for a Nicholas-Sparks based romantic film.
QUICK FIRE WITHSHAHEMILY
MOST ROMANTIC CITY IN THE WORLD Maui CITY ON THE BUCKET LIST
WHERE IS HOME? My home is wherever my family is. It’s one place wherever my parents, my partner and my dog is, that’s home.
FAVORITE FOOD Pasta FAVORITE MOVIE
Budapest. I’ve heard amazing things, people are incredible, living there is incredible and I would, if I liked it that much, actually consider living there.
“Little Miss Sunshine” FAVORITE INDIAN MOVIE “Kites” BEST CO-STAR Abhay Deol
“I never wanted to do tequila because I’m not Mexican,” Shah said. “I’m half-Scottish, half-Indian by heritage, and so I thought that gin would be the perfect
Emily Shah with co-actor Abhay Deol in Jungle Cry Emily Shah in Jungle Cry
“YOU SEE A LOT MORE SOUTH ASIANS PLAYING SUPERHEROES AND THINGS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE REALLY NEVER SEEN ABOUT 10 YEARS, MAYBE EVEN FIVE YEARS AGO, FOR THAT MATTER” spirit to distill.” She goes on to explain the Indian influences that has been added to create the unique gin.“I was taught by my Ba at a very young age that Indian foods are actually super foods and Indian ingredients should be used almost like medicine,” she said. “I did want to incorporate what I learned and kind of bring that to the forefront in the spirits industry, because it’s never been done before. I thought it would be really interesting to kind of add those elements that I grew up with that all Indians are pretty familiar with in terms of ingredients. One of my favorite ingredients that we use is amchur. So on the back of our label, it says mango, but really we’re using is amchur (ripened mango peel crushed into powder form). The other ingredient that we use is black cardamom, dried over an open fire. So there is a slight element of smokiness in our gin which you’ve never tasted anything like that before.” Some of the other Indian ingredients in the gin are rose, turmeric, ginger, saffron and Egyptian coriander (Massoud’s country of origin), to make Dharma a premium gin. While Shah is busy navigating Bollywood right now, she plans to be back in LA for Diwali, to celebrate at home, which for her is where her family is. That includes her parents, partner and her rescue German shepherd, Bagheera. She has been gearing up for a career that balances both Hollywood and Bollywood but her goal is to venture beyond the two megafilm industries. “I think the overall goal for me is to not just act in one industry, and not be labeled as a Hollywood or Bollywood actress,” Shah said. “I actually like to work in different cinemas in different countries. So I want to work in the Korean industry, whether it’s in music, beauty, fashion or series like “Squid Games.” I would love to work in Korea and in the U.K. on British content. I want to grow at the end of the day. I think that’s the overall goal of the future – to become an international actor and not be labeled as Hollywood or Bollywood.”
PHOTOGRAPHYFASHION Ash Gupta dazzles with his images of haute couture ABHIJIT MASIH An Ode to
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FEATURES | SEEMA
Fashion photography has evolved a lot since the early 20th century. It has always been influenced by events, be it the Second World War, or Great Photographers,Depression.thecogsin the wheel of fashion, have over time pushed boundaries, maintaining a balance between creativity and commercial diktats. They carry the responsibility of creatively and beautifully projecting the brand, outfit and the model. Their immense influence within the fashion industry is a result of the standard they set for what is beautiful and fashionable. Their influence endures as they continue to dictate what is considered beautiful and fashionable. In recent times, social media has brought new democracy to what was once regarded as an elitist industry. Fashion photography has seen significant changes as it goes beyond glossy magazines. The September calendar is stacked with fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris. To celebrate Fashion Month, SEEMA gives you a front row seat to the bold and creative fashion photography of Ash Gupta.
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1950s
1960s
21ST CENTURY Going green is shaping buyer minds now. Celebrity endorsements continue to drive the market, with young, current pop icons and celebs from the previous decades.
Fashion photography and images are not limited to the glitzy pages of fashion magazines but have become more democratic and can be easily available on various social media platforms.
1909 Though founded in 1892, “Vogue” Conde Nast transformed it in 1909 into a women’s fashion magazine that promoted fashions from Paris, New York and London.
For the first time models wearing designer dresses were photographed by an American, Edward Steichen.
1947 Shedding wartime austerity, numerous fresh designers emerged with a focus on glamour and feminism.
Ditching the confines of a studio, many photographers began shooting outdoors, with models in the street, giving the images a more fluid and spontaneous spirit.
As women found their voice against inequality, a more youthful look emerged, giving rise to teenage models. 1970s
1911
Feminism influenced the fashion world. Photographers increasingly pushed the boundaries of sexual acceptability.
1980s
Consumerism led to the brand and logo becoming all powerful, with fashion houses like Gucci and Calvin Klein becoming aspirational. The decade also saw Hollywood celebrities endorsing brands, like Julia Roberts did for Lancôme.
1840s In Victorian society, debutantes were photographed by portrait photographers in lively finery.
Fashion fused with music icons and pop culture. The decade witnessed a boom for the fashion industry owing to rampant consumerism. It also saw the rise of the supermodels like Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell. 1990s
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NADIA, THE HUNTERWALI
Nadia rode horses, wielded swords, guns and whips, fought atop speeding trains, jumped off cliffs, industriously beating up villains throughout all that strenuous activity. She did her own stunts,
ofWomenACTION
These ladies played tough and stormed traditional male bastions In the last decade, we have seen more empowered female protagonists in Indian cinema, ones not delimited by feudalistic and patriarchal tropes. Among these are also a few in action-oriented roles in Indian cinema, and South Asian cinema as a whole.
SWARNENDU BISWAS
The last trend can be traced to the legacy of swashbuckling female action roles in Indian cinema, a tradition handed down from Fearless Nadia (an Australia-born Indian actress and stuntwoman whose real name was Mary Ann Evans) who ruled from the mid-1930s to mid-1940s.
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52 | SEEMA.COM | SEPTEMBER 2022 risking her life in the process. The escapist action entertainment was extremely popular with the masses and Nadia went on lead in over 50 women-oriented action films, including “Hunterwali” (1935), “Miss Frontier Mail” (1936), “Diamond Queen” (1940), “Jungle Princess” (1942), and “Hunterwali ki Beti” (1943). However, for decades there were few women to carry the torch in Hindi and regional Indian cinema. In the 1990s a few films did finally put women in action roles. “Phool Bane Angaray” (1991) had Rekha in the lead, playing Namrata Singh, a teacher turned superintendent of police); “Bandit Queen” (1994) had Seema Biswas depicted the real-life story of the oppressed Dailt girl turned dreaded dacoit Phoolan Devi; and the Telugu film “Karthavyam” (1990) had Vijayashanti playing a tough and honest IPS officer.
Over the last two decades, there have been quite a few action-oriented roles for female leads in regional Indian cinema too. Vijayashanti who did a number of action roles, is often referred to as the action queen of Indian cinema.Besides the earlier-mentioned “Karthavyam,” “Indiramma” (2004) is another major action films (in Telugu) with Vijayashanti in the lead, playing a commando. In one action scene, she is seen vanquishing a number of goons with one hand! Though the action scenes are cruder than those in “Mary Kom” and “Mardaani” but they resonate with the theme of womenAnotherempowerment.actionfilmin which Vijayashanthi played the lead was “Bharat Ratna” (1999). The Telugu movie was dubbed in Hindi as “Captain Bhawani.” She played a double role, coming in both as an army captain and a petty thief who replaces the military officer, Captain Bhawani, when the original Captain loses her legs in action.“Three Roses” (2003) is a Tamil film in which all the three heroines – Rambha, - Jyothika and Laila had multiple fight sequences. Rambha, along with her brother, also produced the movie, which was a commercial failure. No discussion on women in action roles in Indian cinema would be complete without reference to Ayesha Habib, a black belt in karate. Her toned physique and superlative action moves, and the title of a film she appeared in, earned her the tag Lady Bruce Lee. Most
In the same year, “Gulaab Gang” became the first film in mainstream Bollywood wherein the protagonist and the antagonist are female. In the otherwise trashy film directed by Soumik Sen, Madhuri Dixit played the main character, and Juhi Chawla the villain. The film was a flop at the box-office.
Surprisingly, despite no hero being in the male lead (a new actor named Darshan Kumar played Mary Kom’s husband), the film, directed by a new director and riding solely on Chopra’s shoulders, went on to become a major commercial success in India, a nation where people are not much interested in any sport other than cricket.In“Mardaani” (2014), Rani Mukerji essayed the character of Senior Inspector Shivani Shivaji Roy. With rare toughness and sensitivity, the depicted the protagonist tackling human trafficking by the mafia . To prepare for the role, Mukerji even learned Krav Maga. Despite her toughness, the protagonist is shown to have a sensitive side, thereby making the character more appealing. The Pradeep Sarkar-directed film too became a big hit without any main male lead.
WOMEN POWER IN REGIONAL CINEMA
In “Naam Shabana” (2017), Taapsee Pannu played the title role of a secret agent. Though unsuccessful commercially but the action sequences involving Pannu, who took training in mixed martial arts for the role, were slickly shot.
In “Waarrior Savitri” (2016) Luxembourger actress Niharica Raizada, who has a black belt in taekwondo besides being a qualified doctor (she is a Fulbright Scholar in cardiology), did some spectacular action scenes. The little-known film directed by Param Gill is a modern adaptation of the legendary tale of Savitri. It may not have been a commercial success but film historians will mark it as milestone in female-oriented action drama films in India.
“Dangal” (2017), is the first Indian film to focus on the struggles and triumphs of a real-life female wrestler (Geeta Phogat won the first-ever gold medal for India in wrestling at the Commonwealth Games). The character finds success through inspiration, support and strict coaching of her father. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the film is the fourth-highest-grossing film in India. Both Zaira Wasim and Fatima Sana Shaikh garnered critical acclaim for their performances as young and adult Geeta Phogat, respectively.
ACTION WOMEN IN BOLLYWOOD In the second decade of the 21st century, the number of women in action-oriented roles in Indian cinema increased dramatically. “Mary Kom” (2014), a biopic based on eponymous Indian woman boxer, directed by Omung Kumar, and with Priyanka Chopra Jonas in the title role, deserves special mention. In Bollywood it was – and still is –unimaginable to have a biopic based on the struggles and triumphs of a female boxer.
Actors Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Taapsee Pannu have both played leads in action-packed films
FEATURES | SEEMA SEPTEMBER 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 53 of the films starring her are action flicks; in some is no discernible male lead.” Jana Gana Mana” (2018), the Kannada movie dubbed in Hindi as “Maajal” and the Telugu “Lady Bruce Lee” (2011) are among the famous action movies starring her.
THE RELATED INDUSTRIES RESPOND In other South Asian countries too, more women are showing up in action-oriented roles in the last two decades. In Nepali films, Rekha Thapa led in a number of absurd action films wherein she was shown beating or even killing a gang of bad guys singlehandedly. “Lanka” (2012), “Rampyaari” (2016), and “Maaleekaa (2019) are some films in which she is depicted as invincible in hand-to-hand combat. Namrata Shrestha, also from Nepal, did some amazing action sequences in “Xira” (2019), where she played a mixed martial artist in search of vengeance. As far as Bangladeshi films go, Mahiya Mahhi’s fight sequences in “Agnee” (2014) and “Agnee 2” (2015) were stylish, and stood out in South Asian cinema. Anjuman can be credited for establishing the concept of action heroine in the Pakistani film industry. Among some films where she was lead and did action sequences, “Hunter Wali,” “Qatil Haseena,” “Daku Haseena” and “Nangi Talwar” deserve special mention.
False. Heart disease comes in many different forms and flavors. Exercise is an integral part of any hearthealthy lifestyle. Depending on the cardiac condition you have, under the guidance of your physician, you should partake in a moderate cardiovascular exercise regimen. In general, I recommend all my patients follow a plant based diet, and do cardiovascular exercise at least 30 minutes a day.
False. This is a very important point especially in our South Asian community. The most common form of cholesterol-lowering medication, statin, decreases
IF YOU HAVE A HEART DISEASE, YOU NEED TO TAKE IT EASY
ABHIJIT MASIH
IF YOU TAKE CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING DRUGS, YOU CAN EAT ANYTHING
WOMEN HEART DISEASE MYTHS
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Dr. Parija Sharedalal, an interventional cardiology fellow at Northshore University Hospital in New York and alum of The American University of Antigua, helps SEEMA shatter some myths related to heart diseases, particularly those relating to South Asian women. Sharedalal chose cardiology because she wanted to provide comprehensive care, especially to women. She hopes to spread awareness about ways to prevent cardiovascular diseases in the South Asian community, in which heart diseases are most prevalent. These are some of her suggestions:
Dr Parija Sharedalal busts some notions about South Asian women and cardiac trouble
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FEATURES | SEEMA 56 | SEEMA.COM | SEPTEMBER 2022 your body’s production of cholesterol. Taking a statin absolutely does not negate the unhealthy effects of eating cholesterol-rich foods. While statins are wonderful drugs that do lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, they are not magic bullets to prevent you from getting heart disease if you eat anything you want.
HEART DISEASE IS REALLY A MAN’S PROBLEM. FOR WOMEN, BREAST CANCER IS DEADLIER THAN HEART DISEASE. Heart disease is the number one killer of women in America. What we have realized in recent years is that women often present with atypical symptoms, when they come in with a heart attack. They may not have the classic presentation of crushing left sided chest pain; they can have just some abdominal discomfort or a general feeling of being unwell. Heart disease often goes unnoticed or undiagnosed in many women. It is more important than ever to manage stress, eat healthy, exercise, go for regular checkups, check for diabetes and limit smoking/alcohol consumption.
IF YOU’VE BEEN A SMOKER, QUITTING WON’T REDUCE THE RISK OF HEART DISEASE. False, false, false! I can’t emphasize this enough. I’ve heard it all. “I’m a social smoker, I only vape, I only do hookah, I only smoke marijuana.” The list goes on. First, the act of smoking causes direct injury to the Dr Parija Sharedalal with her team
True and false. If your family member had a heart attack at a young age (50’s or earlier) you are at a higher risk. In addition, certain medical conditions (genetic or acquired) can put you at a higher risk. However, if you have a family history, it is doubly important to institute lifestyle interventions today. That includes eating a diet low on processed foods and added sugars, and to emphasize fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, adding in at least 150 minutes a week of aerobic activity to your routine could greatly decrease your risk of developing heartWhiledisease.having a family history does predispose you to heart disease, there are simple interventions in your daily lifestyle that help minimize those risks.
Define fit? Exercise and a healthy diet definitely improve your risk of developing heart disease. But I have had many skinny patients who lead sedentary lifestyles and have unhealthy diets, and who are shocked to hear they developed heart disease. A normal BMI does not equate to a healthy heart; you need to consistently do exercise that raises your heart rate above your resting normal.
If you can make one change, quitting smoking will do the most to decrease your risk of developing heart disease. It is the number one thing to help in recovery if you have already had a heart attack.
IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY; THERE’S NOTHING YOU CAN DO.
HEART DISEASE DOESN’T AFFECT FIT WOMEN
SEPTEMBER 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 57 blood vessels. Just as an injury in any other part of your body results in scar tissue, smoking also causes lung tissue to become thicker, rigid and less flexible. It narrows the vessels, causing you to be more prone to heart attacks. In addition, because nicotine damages blood vessels, vaping doesn’t prevent heart disease.
Dr Parija Sharedalal, an interventional cardiology fellow at Northshore University Hospital in New York
As someone who does angiograms/angioplasty and stent placement daily, I could surprise you with the number of young South Asians who have heart attacks. Genetically, South Asians have small blood vessels surrounding the heart. Combine that with modern diets full of processed foods and we see more and more preventable heart disease in the younger population.
HEART DISEASE IS FOR THE OLDIES
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MELANIE FOURIE
H ead spa treatments are relaxing, cleanse the scalp, boost hair growth and treat hair problemsWhenit comes to hair care, our scalps often get scant attention in the race to acquire beautiful tresses. However, this is critical, given that the scalp is the origin of all hair growth. Enter the Japanese head spa, a treatment that guarantees lengthy, thick hair, among other things.
WHAT A HEAD SPA TREATMENT ENTAILS
To begin with, it has a purifying and balancing impact on the scalp while also healing damaged hair, according to its Ayurvedic origins. A Japanese head spa is a kind of scalp therapy that targets pressure points while simultaneously improving circulation to the whole scalp.
A CrowningforFacialYourGlory
HEADSPA EN These head spas in Beverly Hills and Pasadena, California use microscopy to examine your scalp, and customize a treatment protocol based on your specific requirements. Depending on session duration, pricing could range between $50 and $200.
Rigid scalps and reduced blood flow are commonplace in today’s stressful and fastpaced life, making a head massage a terrific way to alleviate some of the strain and boost relaxation! In addition to providing rapid stress reduction, headache elimination, and improved sleep, this head acupressure therapy has several other advantages. Dry and greasy scalps may benefit from head spas, as can hair loss and flaking. You may not anticipate it, but an innate facelift is an extra advantage with head spas too. How so? The enhanced blood flow to the hair shaft and the assistance the scalp muscle provides to the facial muscles counteract sagging skin.
After combing through your hair, the hairdresser checks your scalp to make sure it is healthy. Many spas use a screen to display an image of the scalp of the client during treatment. This helps highlight problem areas on your scalp, which, in turn, helps to pinpoint why you may be experiencing specific problems with your hair. Steaming turbans are placed to prepare the head. Then the Japanese shampooing method begins. Scented oils used to eliminate residue and treat irritation are massaged into your scalp via pressure points,. If your head tends to be on the greasy side, a clay mask may be applied instead of these caps. You may also receive a blowout after your head spa therapy. Note that on average, sessions usually last about 60 minutes, although this could range from 20-90 minutes.
TOP NOTCH HEAD SPAS IN THE U.S. The following is a list of a few of the most reputable head spas in the country.
THE MER AQUA HEAD SPA AT SALON DOREMI Salon Doremi’s Mer Aqua Head Spa, in Johns’ Creek, Georgia, offers a holistic way to boost your mental and physical well-being. The Japanese approach they use here is a hybrid of spa day and scalp therapy. Reach the zenith of serenity at this spa with upper-body massages and facials included with your head spa treatment. Expect your head spa to include deep tissue scalp massage, mild exfoliation, steam therapy and herbal oil treatments.
PREPPING FOR THE EXPERIENCE
MORE BENEFITS...
HOW TREATMENTS ARE CONDUCTED
When washing customers’ hair, most salons use tonic water, which may help restore the pH balance of your hair. Additionally, these experts are able to remove products from areas usually difficult to access. Spa products are designed to properly feed your scalp as well.
Hair salons provide complimentary hair treatments with head spa treatments too, which may aid in the recovery of brittle or damaged hair. Applying pressure to certain spots on your scalp may also help stimulate hair growth by increasing blood flow to the follicles.
To get the most out of a head massage, make sure you extend your neck well beforehand. This may also be accomplished by having a professional sweep their hands over your head in an open-handed motion. In order to increase blood flow to your follicles, he or she will target certain places on your scalp. These spots include your neck, hairline, and behind your ears. They may also push an index finger down in the center of your head from the ear line to the crown for a more calming effect.
BEAUTY | SEEMA
THE HEAD SPA AT MASA.KANAI This spa, on New York City’s Columbus Avenue, is an oasis of calm. There are many head spa treatments available for a wide variety of problems, including psoriasis and hair-thinning. If your scalp is too greasy, you may benefit from a purifying head spa treatment comprising bergamot, burdock, and thyme. They also offer an express detox to help eradicate impurities.
ne word that often comes up in modern-day conversations is “habits.” Be it clients, colleagues, friends, or family, a large majority of us are trying to “become better” and lead a more mindful life. The pause during the pandemic brought up a mirror to our faces and showed us what could be different. But the journey of transformation requires making shifts and replacing old habits with new ones. If you are reading this essay, you, too, have probably mulled over, How can I tap into the power of good habits to make drastic changes to improve my life, health, relationships with others and myself?
I was a little girl when an older cousin of mine promised that she’d get me an Anil Kapoor poster. It was the 80s when Anil Kapoor was a hot favorite, and I loved dancing to his movie’s music. I didn’t ask her for the poster. She offered to buy it for me as a gift. She never did. Even as an adult, I have noticed that this cousin says a lot of things she doesn’t mean or makes plans with others that she doesn’t keep. I don’t think she is a bad person. But she isn’t impeccable with her words. Words matter…be it a promise to a little girl or when you wake up and step into life daily or when you hold space for your loved ones or work with your
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5 SIMPLE HABITS
It can have a lasting impact on health and relationships
BE TRUE TO YOUR WORD:
toYourChangeLife
SWETA VIKRAM
Here are a few suggestions that will help reshape the way you think about habits and how they can change your life.
64 | SEEMA.COM | SEPTEMBER 2022 clients or colleagues. Take your time to respond but don’t say things that you don’t mean. If people can’t trust you, they can’t build a relationship with you. Nobody can survive alone. We already know (Thanks to the coronavirus lockdowns) what loneliness can do to us humans.
STOP PERSONALIZING EVERY INTERACTION: We don’t know what the other person is thinking. We have no idea what their day was like until we met with them. Don’t make assumptions about how people show up. They could have had a fight with their partner, watchman, boss, friend, or yelled at their kid before they ran into you. It’s hard not to personalize rude behavior or condescending tone. I am not asking you to condone or forgive bad behavior. All I am suggesting is that you don’t personalize every interaction — both good and bad. Here is how I have shifted the narrative for my own well-being: I have told that tiny voice in my head (also known as ego) that the world doesn’t rotate around me. If a person is nice to me, it’s not about me; if someone is mean, it’s again not about me. The detachment has been profoundly helpful in centering myself instead of being
WELLNESS | SEEMA
GET BACK ON TRACK WHEN YOU FALL OFF COURSE. A client recently confessed that they went on a dessert binge for three months. They have gained weight and their blood work is slightly alarming. She thought I’d be upset with her and was surprised when I showed compassion. This is a woman who recently lost a parent. This woman is about to send her kid off to college and live with the new norm of no one at home (Husband is back in the office after two years of remote working). So, she fell off the wagon. Life happens. We addressed her emotional issues and talked about ways in which she could get back on track. To fall off the wagon is a human condition, so don’t be hard on yourself. Just remind yourself that you must choose to get back on the horse for your own well-being. This attitude can be applied to every aspect of our lives. “First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you’re inspired or not.” ~ Octavia Butler
We all have 24 hours in a day. Be wise about how you choose to spend them. Most of my clients are busy professionals who are trying to make positive changes to their lives. A large majority will also express their hesitation as I make even a few suggestions. So, I give them tools and strategies they need to get over the mental barrier and transform their habits. For example, if they are new to meditation, I ask them to start with 10 minutes of practice every day. If they are looking at exploring “me-time,” I suggest they include a 10-minute solo walk in their day. The point being words are ineffective until you put them into action. And unless you make time for new habits, you will revert to the old, unproductive ones and then be upset with yourself for feeling stuck in a rut.
I have always known that I am different from a large majority of people around me. I am extremely straight forward, loyal to a fault, see the world differently, inflexible when it comes to ethics, and need very little to be happy. I am not afraid to speak my truth. For example, my mom always believed that one day I will fall in love with saris and jewelry and start to wear/ purchase/appreciate what she gave me. My momin-law was equally delusional about my “sanskari” choices. They both kept buying, and I gently kept reminding them that they were wasting hard-earned money. One day, I sat them down and reiterated that saris and jewelry don’t make a person more “Indian,” good, or dependable. My values have nothing to do with my feelings towards saris and jewelry. Women who like adorning them, they should; those of us who are happier in bookstores, hugging our Lululemon leggings, and sharing hugs at mom and pop coffee shops, should be allowed to pursue our path of happiness. I am not sure how much of the conversation they processed that day, but they both have believed that I will be there for them whenever they need me and even when they don’t…without the saris and jewelry. What I am saying is that being a good person and staying true to yourself are the most important values. Instead of trying to fit into societal cliches or being upset with others for not accepting me the way I am, I have lived authentically without resenting anyone. As a result, I sleep well, have good relationships with my family, and have an incredible circle of friends who are truly present in my life. They all know that what they see is what they get.
MAKE TIME FOR NEW HABITS
SEPTEMBER 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 65 a yo-yo caught in other people’s emotional response. Don’t allow others to derail your mental health.
BE TRUE TO YOURSELF:
Turn cooking from a chore into a joyful, creative exercise
PRATIKA YASHASWI N o matter how much you love cooking, creating a healthy meal from scratch on a daily basis can be taxing for the best of us.
If you’re a working woman and you’ve been cooking for your family every day, chances are you’ve gone one of two ways: meal-prepping or batch-cooking.
BATCH, Please!
Meal prep is where you cook meals an entire week or a couple of days in advance, refrigerate and then reheat them when it’s mealtime. It’s a great way to avoid waste, eat nutritiously and ensure that you spend zero time cooking during the work week. But this also means that if you’re craving biryani on Thursday and haven’t planned for it, you will be forced to eat what you’d decided on Sunday or order in (which would defeat the purpose of meal-planning in the first Batch-cooking,place). on the other hand, offers you a little more flexibility. Instead of cooking entire meals ahead of time, you clean, peel, chop or cook meal components, mixing and matching during the week. Sure, you’ll have to spend time cooking every day, but you can go with your mood, plus the food you eat is fresher. Meal prep is rigid, batch-cooking is
68 | SEEMA.COM | SEPTEMBER 2022 modular.SouthAsian cooking is notorious for being time- and labor-intensive. But it does lend itself beautifully to batch-cooking.Thinkaboutit.
FOOD & DRINKS | SEEMA
Whether you’re from the north or the south, east or west, a South Asian meal typically has the same components: tempering (or vaghar, tadka or popu, depending on where you’re from), a gravy base, lentils, and legumes; spices, vegetables and/ or meat. Then you have rice and/ or roti. Of course, a great variety of South Asian food goes beyond these ingredients, but stay with us a moment.Suppose you eat Indian meals throughout the week. A meal plan for a week could roughly look like this: for each day, you have one or two sabzis (curries), one dal (cooked lentils), and rice or rotis to go with for lunches and dinners. You might have dosas and idlis for breakfast a couple of days and a chicken dinner twice a week. What would batch-cooking look like for you,Youthen?can cook a large batch of lentils like moong (split mung beans) in bulk on Sunday and have it as part of dal tadka on Monday and moong ka cheela (a kind of crêpe) on Tuesday. You can then mix leftover dal dishes with your advance-prepped roti dough and have dal roti. If you soak enough garbanzo beans, you can have Amritsari chole on Wednesday and chickpea salad for dinner on Friday. Like many North Indian dishes, chole consists of a gravy base of tomatoes, onions, ginger, and garlic. Make this gravy base in bulk, and you can turn it into aloo mattar, chicken curry, and kadhai paneer in a jiffy.
2. Blend into a smooth paste and keep aside. Preparing the Curry Base
4. Cover and cook for 20 minutes until the oil separates. Keep stirring.
1. In a large wok, heat ¼ cup oil and add 1 tsp turmeric, 3 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, 3 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder and 1 tsp garam masala.
ForINGREDIENTSonion-tomato puree • ½ cup oil • 1-inch cinnamon • 1 tbsp cardamom • 1 tsp cloves • 2 bay leaves • 1 tbsp cumin • 1.1 lb onion (sliced) • 1 oz garlic • 1 oz ginger • Salt to taste • 2.2 lb tomato (sliced) For cashew melon paste: • ¼ cup cashew • ¼ cup melon seeds • ½ cup hot water Onion-tomato paste preparation : 1. In a large wok, heat ½ cup oil and s auté the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves and cumin on a low flame until it turns aromatic.
5. Once cooled, transfer the mixture to the blender and blend until it becomes smooth. Do not add any water.
Cashew-melon paste preparation:
1. Soak the cashew and melon seeds in ½ cup of hot water for 15 minutes.
6. Your curry base is ready. Cool completely and refrigerate.
BATCH-COOKING RECIPE: MULTIPURPOSE CURRY BASE
3. Once the onions begin to leave water, add the sliced tomatoes, cover and cook until the paste turns soft and mushy. It can take up to 15 minutes.
5. Then add in the prepared cashew melon paste and cook until the mixture separates the oil.
3. Then, add in the onion-tomato puree and mix well.
2. Saute on a low flame until the spices turn aromatic.
4. Once the onions and tomatoes are cooked to satisfaction, let the paste cool completely.
Make this curry base in large batches to use with a variety of South Asian dishes. The recipe has two components: Onion-tomato puree and cashew paste. Since it is a batch-cooking recipe, its ingredients’ quantities are large and require large utensils. This recipe freezes well in airtight containers for up to a month. It is adapted from hebbarskitchen.com.
2. Add the onions, garlic, ginger and salt and saute well.
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BINDU GOPAL RAO D iana Chan grew up in Johor Bahru Malaysia and moved to Melbourne, Australia, at the age of 18. She learned a lot from her parents, both of whom are amazing home cooks, But her mother was a huge influence, taking Chan and her two elder siblings shopping with her, and teaching them ways to prep the ingredients before cooking. With such a strong foundation in the fundamentals of cooking, it was little wonder that Chan won MasterChef Australia by one point. She tells us more in this chat.
It wasn’t until I finished MasterChef that I realized I could make a career out of food and pursuing my passion. Coming from an
When did you first realize that you wanted to be a chef?
70 | SEEMA.COM | SEPTEMBER 2022 “I LIVE FOODBREATHEANDEVERYDAY”
In conversation with Diana Chan , MasterChef Australia 2017 winner, who is also a television host and brand ambassador
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Tell us about your collaborations and what they mean to you, such as the recent one with Marriott Bonvoy on Wheels? I enjoy working across different industries but all with one thing in common, the food element. I love the variety of working with different brands and partnering up to create great content (furniture, lifestyle, fashion, home appliances and cookware). I also enjoy working on projects such as menu creation and on events, which allows me to travel. Being able to share my food with people in India is truly magical. I am so glad to be able to partner with JW Marriott and Marriott Bonvoy on Wheels. I have curated a menu and carefully trained the chefs remotely to help with the execution and I think they have dish prepared by Diana Chan
A
accounting background, it was daunting. The uncertainty was a little scary at the start but then things just started to happen and lots of exciting opportunities came about, which made me realize it was possible.
Tell us about your experience in MasterChef Australia. My experience was incredible, truly something money cannot buy. I say this because it was somewhat like a crash course in cooking. In the seven months of me being in the competition I learned [a lot]. We were lucky enough to travel to Japan. That was an unforgettable experience. Not to mention the friendships forged and continued after filming had ended. How does your Malaysian roots influence your food?
I cook Malaysian all the time. I travel there frequently, and I think it still plays a big part in my cooking style. I love the bold and punchy flavors and the variety of cuisine Malaysian food has to offer and I am constantly trying my best to showcase the food I grew up with.
done a fantastic job. Truly an honor.
How do you choose brands that you like to endorse? First, I think about the alignment. It must be organic. If I believe in the brand, [I have] absolutely no issue endorsing it. If I use the brand organically anyway then it makes complete sense. I think everything must make sense and have a good synergy to what I stand for. What are the food trends you are seeing in 2022? Food trends are definitely more about snacks. I tend to see lots of restaurants offering a wider range of snacks or small bite-sized food rather than huge dishes. I think maybe it’s because people coming out of lockdown want to try everything and having things in smaller portions means you can try more. I am also seeing a big shift in promoting nonalcoholic drinks. Many restaurants now have a great selection of nonalcoholic beverages that are not soft drinks, tea and coffee.
“ I ALSO PROJECTSWORKINGENJOYONSUCH AS MENU CREATION AND ON EVENTS, WHICH ALLOWS ME TO TRAVEL. BEING ABLE TO SHARE MY FOOD WITH PEOPLE IN INDIA IS TRULY MAGICAL” more comfortable eating in the comfort of their home. So, there is still a huge demand for good takeaway or finished at home meals. What does food mean to you? Everything. Apart from family, food is everything. I live and breathe food every day of my life. I cook daily, apart from eating out. I shop daily and I am constantly learning about it every day. It is something I will never get bored of. The best part is, there is so much more to learn and explore. What are your plans? I am working on my new homeware range, which I plan to launch as soon as I get all my stock in place. Beautiful linen all made here in Melbourne. I am also working on several projects, which include a cloud kitchen food offering. It will be like takeaway style food as I think I could reach more people that way. Also, we have some exciting new FMCG [fast-moving consumer goods] continuing from the expansion of my dumpling range with Golden Wok.
After the COVID outbreak, how has the food industry changed? I feel like things are back to normal here in Australia, but what I have noticed overseas as well is the demand for takeaway food. There are still a lot of people who feel
THE BEAUTY OF NEPALUNCHARTED TRAVEL | SEEMA
Besides the adventure-seekers, it also offers much to the religious-minded and even those who hate the cold ABHIJIT MASIH
“G
iving up is not in the blood, sir. It’s not in the blood.” The epic line from Netflix’s “14 Peaks” reflects the true spirit of the people of Nepal. The line by Nirmal Purja (Nimsdai) who conquered 14 of the highest peaks in the world over 8,000 meters (26,246 feet) in just seven months. Out of these 14 peaks, eight are in Nepal. These include Annapurna, Lhotse, Kanchenjunga and, of course, Everest. Whether it be the legendary mountaineer or my beautiful wife from the Kathmandu valley, giving up is not in the blood, more so when it’s an argument.TheHimalayan country has long been a favorite destination for mountaineers as well as regular tourists from the neighboring South Asian countries. For a long time, especially when Nepal was a monarchy, it was the first foreign destination for many Indians, including myself. While the regular and most popular destinations are Kathmandu and Pokhara, there are many lesser-known and even more beautiful hidden gems in Nepal. Not all of them are perched on mountain peaks, the country offering a diverse bouquet of attractions for adventure seekers, the religious-minded and even those who hate the cold. Thanks to the local source at home, here is a list of some of these absolutely stunning destinations in Nepal that should be included in the itinerary.
ANNAPURNA BASE CAMP
TRAVEL | SEEMA
About 10 miles southwest of Kathmandu, is Chandragiri hill. At 8,370 feet, it is one of the four hills that surround Kathmandu valley. Even though anything over 600 meters (1970 feet) is considered a mountain, with peaks rising over 8,000 meters, Nepalese define a mountain differently. Chandragiri hill is one of the best day-trip destinations near Kathmandu. The main attraction is the mountaintop from where you can witness spectacular views of the great Himalayan snow peaks. It also provides great views of the capital city in the valley. There are loads of other activities that can be done, both for kids and adults alike. It also has a hiking trail that lets you appreciate the natural beauty of the area. There is a cable car that can take you to the top in just about 15 minutes. It is a thrilling and fun-filled option to get the best views of Kathmandu and its many historical attractions.
At 8,091 meters, Annapurna is the 10th highest mountain in the world. Though the Everest Base Camp is more popular among professional hikers and mountaineers, the Annapurna Base Camp Trek is easier for anyone. It offers the beautiful natural vistas, cultural experience and, of course, the majestic Himalayan peaks. This is approximately 125 miles west of Everest and can be accessed from Pokhara. From Kathmandu you could either go to 76
| SEEMA.COM | SEPTEMBER 2022
CHANDRAGIRI HILL
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CREDIT:PHOTO JOSHIGRACE
Picturesque sights that provide therapy for the soul
Annapurna Base Camp
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CREDIT:PHOTO JOSHIGRACE
Pokhara by road, which would take about six hours, or you could also take a 30-minute flight. The ABC hike is around the same as the EBC but at 4130 meters, the altitude is much lower than that of the EBC. The hike takes you through diverse landscapes and sleepy villages which offer breathtaking views of the snow clad mountains. The hike to the base camp at 4,130 meters is one of the most popular trails in the world. Known as Machapuchhre or the Fishtail mountain in Nepal it attracts seasoned and first-time hikers alike with its unique beauty. Even solo female tourists can venture forth on the trail, as a friend did a couple of years ago. Though not much of a hiker, she managed to complete the trail. Do not compare it to one of the trails in the Appalachians because ABC hike will test your endurance. There are different itineraries for the ABC trek but the most popular is the 14-day hike. Pokhara, which is Nepal’s second largest city, is also a perfect spot for some post-hike relaxation. MANANG While on the ABC hike you could also check another must-visit destination in Nepal, Manang. The quaint village is perched into cliffs and is at an elevation of 3,518 meters. The road to the village is tough and meandering but is well worth the ordeal. The village is
used by hikers to take a day’s rest and get acclimatized to the thin air. You can also experience the warm hospitality of the people of the hills. It will surely rejuvenate and recharge you for the climb ahead and the best part of the Annapurna Base Camp trail.
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There are many sites and places to explore in and around Manang and you may decide to extend your stay at this beautiful village to bask in the beauty and the culture on offer. Find a spot to marvel at the beauty of Annapurna III and Gangapurna Peak and get a taste of some local delicacies like Thukpa, Tsampa and Momos. However the locals also cater to Western tastes and easy to feed yourself with a pizza or burgers. However, before you leave Manang behind make sure to complete the experience with some Ghiu Chia, a smoky and buttery tea. : In the shelter of snow capped, majestic mountains.
CREDIT:PHOTO JOSHIGRACE
80 | SEEMA.COM | SEPTEMBER 2022 Breathtaking views on the mountain trail
The Pashupatinath temple, the Swyambhunath temple, the Boudhanath Stupa and Kopan monastery are some of the most visited religious places. That said, there are many such sacred temples outside the Kathmandu valley as well. The most important amongst these is the Muktinath mandir, located at an altitude of 3,710 meters. It is also part of the Annapurna Base Camp trek and is just below the Thorong-La Pass. Its architecture reflects similarities between Buddhism and Hinduism. The temple is built in the style of a pagoda and is revered by Hindus as the place Lord Vishnu got salvation from the curse of Brinda. Hence, the name Muktinath, or the lord of salvation.
Not all who want to visit Nepal may be interested in mountains and hikes. It is also home to many religious places worth visiting. In Kathmandu valley there are temples sacred to both the Hindus and the Buddhists.
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Besides mountains, Nepal has plains as well, in the form of the Terai region.
While in Nepal, you could also do a jungle safari at the Chitwan National Park. The park has gates facing all directions but the most favored is the one from Sauraha. The town is about five hours’ drive from Kathmandu and about four hours’ drive from Pokhara.
MUKTINATH MANDIR
CREDIT:PHOTO JOSHIGRACE
There are many tour operators in both cities who conduct day trips and even overnight stays at the park. Once at the park you can do an elephant safari, which let you get as close to the wildlife, including the one-horned rhinoceros. Though there are supposedly Bengal tigers at Chitwan, they are very elusive. Chitwan offers an exciting jungle experience with activities including canoeing and bird watching. It is home to the Asian big five – the one-horned rhino, the Bengal tiger, the Asian elephant, the spotted leopard and the crocodile.
CHITWAN NATIONAL PARK
82 | SEEMA.COM | SEPTEMBER 2022 Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturizer SPF 35 Sunscreen It is a tinted moisturizer that offers skin-loving hydration, sheer, dewy coverage in confusionfree shades for brown skin. It also provides 100 percent UV grid:p468210:productP468210?skuId=2497485&icid2=products%20tint-dewy-tinted-moisturizer-spf-35-sunscreen-https://www.sephora.com/product/saie-slip-protection. 1 RECOMMENDS | SEEMA The SEEMA team share their favorite end-of-season picks THE WRAP-UPWEATHERWARM
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Women’s Tote Shoulder Bag Summer or fall, you don’t really need an excuse to get one. And then, a good tote bag is essential, no matter the time of year. Back-to-school season just gives another reason to get a new one. Toss anything from snacks to school supplies for your little one in this spacious bag. It comes in tons of colors and styles –for daily use, traveling, working, shopping or school
THE POWER SPECULATIVEOFFICTION
As author Tashan Mehta puts it,: “Made a baby novel monster that no one else will take? Come, speculative fiction will give it a home.”
BOOKS | SEEMA
SOUTH ASIAN SPECULATIVE FICTION, PAST In South Asia, the roots of speculative fiction run deep.
Speculative fiction is a wide and wonderful genre. It welcomes everything: magic, horror, fantasy, science fiction, climate fiction and so much more. For authors, this is an attractive arena of exploration. Any reader will attest that fiction itself is a form of truth-telling, and when you can construct your own world, the possibilities are endless.
“Contrary to what we PRATIKA YASHASWI
Women’s writing in the genre in South Asia has always been a tool for imagining worlds where they are powerful
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Almost anyone who has grown up with Amar Chitra Katha comics or even just listened to their grandmothers tell them folktales can identify elements of fantasy and horror in South Asian stories. Remember King Vikramaditya and the talking corpse, Vetal? Or even Kapish, the monkey who could grow his tail to any length.
Filmmaker and polymath Satyajit Ray is also known for his bone-chilling horror writing. South Asian speculative writing isn’t just fun to read though. Over the last two hundred years there are many examples where it has been used as a tool to respond to the concerns of the time. Enjoyable speculative elements exist alongside a keen engagement with the zeitgeist. The earliest example of this is from 1835 by a young university student. Titled “A Journal of Forty-Eight Hours of the Year 1945,” it imagines the story of a battle between the Englisheducated, urban elite revolutionaries in British India, and their colonizers years before the historic Sepoy Mutiny in 1857. In the story, British leaders are humorously named Governor Lord Fell and Colonel John Blood-Thirsty.
might assume, the genres of science fiction and fantasy are not recent imports from the West.” says academic and author Nudrat Kamal, who has extensively studied the genre. “We have rich traditions such as the dastaans and epics of the past which can be viewed as the precursors of the genre as we know it today.”
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MEHTATASHANAUTHOR
Women’s writing in the genre has always been a tool for imagining worlds where they are powerful. `````````` n this regard, authors like Bangladeshi authors Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain and Leela Majumder were ahead of their times. Hossain’s short story “Sultana’s Dream,” written in 1905, imagines a world where men are secluded into “mardanas” and women rule. “Men, who do or at least are capable of doing no end of mischief, are let loose and the innocent women, shut up in the zenana! How can you trust those untrained men out of doors?” asks a character named Sister Sara. “Earlier women writers consider[ed] more than what it would mean for women to be powerful, in their speculative fictions: what we today call an intersectional perspective, considering some or all of class, ethnicity, human-animal relations, and environmental issues inter alia,” says Indian feminist advocate, historian, and utopian studies scholar Dr. Barnita Bagchi. Today, she adds, “Themes around humanity, nature, and technology, climate change and disasters, extremisms combine with critiques of patriarchy in the most loved South Asian women’s speculative fiction from recent times.”
SEPTEMBER 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 89 TRAVEL | SEEMA ACADEMIC AND AUTHOR NUDRAT KAMAL
WOMEN’S SPECULATIVE FICTION
Vandana Singh is a physicist and one of the earliest sci-fi and fantasy authors in the South Asian literary scene. In her worlds, characters who are marginalized in more ways than just their gender, take center stage. For example, the protagonist of her story “Reunion” is a workingclass Adivasi woman. According to Kamal, their perspectives allow for richer and more textured worlds in her stories.
While Singh has been writing since the early oughties, several new South Asian authors are creating some fantastic work of speculative writing today, especially women. In her literary debut, “The Liar’s Weave,” for instance, Tashan Mehta imagines a world in 1920s Bombay, where birth charts are real and one’s life is mapped in the stars. In this world, protagonist Zahan Merchant is born without a future but the power to change reality with his lies. In author Vauhini Vara’s recent novel
“Sultanpur Chronicles” by Achala Upendran
“Gollancz book of South Asian Fiction, Volumes I and II” edited by Tarun K. Saint “One Arm Shorter than the Other” by Gigi Ganguly
BOOKS | SEEMA
“Magical Women,” an anthology edited by Sukanya Venkatraghavan
“Analog/Virtual” by LakshminarayanLavanya
Want to read women’s spec fic but don’t know where to start? Here are some recommendations (put together with help from Tashan Mehta and Nudrat Kamal):
“The Immortal King Rao,” a Dalit boy, rises in the world to become the leader of a global, corporate-led government in the age of climate change— and his daughter has access to his dreams. Vara frequently engages questions about AI and technology, even using these tools in her work. Other notable women writing with roots in the subcontinent include Mimi Mondal, Fatima Taqvi, Kehkashan Khalid and many, many more. For those who are new to the genre, however, Dr. Bagchi has some advice. Apart from urging readers to catch up on women’s speculative fiction from the past and present, she says it is vital that readers read works published in other local languages from South Asia. “In the past of SA-specific we have so many figures whose works when translated feel (like they) refresh the repertoire of the field,” she says, citing the work of Leela Majumdar, who wrote in Bengali. While the worlds they spin may be make-believe, the truths they ask us to reckon with couldn’t be more pithy, poignant and real. As India’s first Hugo-nominated sci-fi and fantasy author Mimi Mondal says, “All science fiction is political.”
RECOMMENDATIONS
“Machinehood” by S.B Divya
DR BARNITA BAGCHI, FEMINIST STUDIESHISTORIAN,ADVOCATE,ANDUTOPIANSCHOLAR
“Clone” by Priya Sarukkai Chhabria
talk and more action. A proposition is likely to come your way in the area of work or love. Due diligence before you apply for a job, open a business, or make investments is critical. Take the time before you trust or open up to people. In the affairs of the heart, be prepared to take things slow. Remember, self-care is the strongest form of selflove. Your success lies hidden in the discipline of your daily routine especially in matters of your health, mental and physical. Jun 21 - Jul 22 Stay in pursuit of that businessjob,idea or project because the crunch time is now. howeveropportunities,yourselfOpentonewvetthem well. Don’t limit yourself. Stretch yourself and give 110% to the tasks in front of you. The effort
Let go of any image of yourself that has you feeling like you are loving connection, but your presence and attention are required. Tend to yourself first and get in touch with what your body’s knowing. What does a yes or no feel like in your body? Use that to guide you. Spend more time outside – in nature.
Apr 20 - May 20
You may be juggling to keep up home time-wastersIdentifyownpursuenowithresponsibilitieswork-relatedandlittleortimetoyourinterests.yourand free up time to drive your own goals. If your finances need attention, make a ritual out of reviewing the numbers, setting goals, and creating savings systems to secure your future. There’s an opportunity for genuine
If you want to see your dreams, come to life, be the creator of your own destiny and don’t wait for things to fall into your lap. Make sure you have a solid plan in place and rise to the challenge with optimism. Career-wise, this is the time to take calculated risks and consider a move or change. Money-wise, think longterm, and don’t burn it with quick-rich schemes or lavish spends. Think through decisions so they work in your favor. You won’t find the ideal partner staying within your daily routine. Get out there and mingle. If your relationship seems to have lost its spark, then rekindle the passion.
it is achieved. Pay no heed to that monkey on your shoulder of worry, drama and politics. You may need to recommit yourself to a project or relationship so stop making excuses and be ready to accept the attention and success that is coming your way. A good time to travel, relocate or invest in a new pair of wheels. Your relationship is likely to evolve into something more solid with open communication or the much-needed space. Tune into your intuition for more clarity.
SEPTEMBER 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 91 HOROSCOPE | SEEMA
Aug 23 - Sept 22
Mar 21 - Apr 19
Jul 23 - Aug 22
May 21 - Jun 20 Victory
As new dreams and visions are onesightsandhardtimeclutter.emotionalshakeemerging,offtheIt’stomakedecisionssetyouronthatkeygoal,until
you put in, will pay off and you will enjoy the fruits of your labor, soon. Financially speaking, your cash flow is likely to be healthy. A great time to invest in upskilling for the role you seek. In love, make sure, your work isn’t driving a wedge in your relationship. If you are single, make sure your work commitment isn’t stopping you from finding a partner.
The school of hard knocks has made you formidable and the only opponent you need to fight is the one within.
FORECAST WITH FARZANA
Itcomethatanytowellandpreparation,favorsyouarepositionedovercomechallengesmightyourway.istimeforless
Jan 20 – Feb 20
Dec 22 - Jan 19
Oct 23 - Nov 21
Sept 23 - Oct 22
If what you’re doing is alignmentin with what lights your spirit up, the rest will flow. There’s an opportunity to achieve a level of financial comfort where you are able to do both – make or receive good amount of money and know how to hold onto it, too. If you are looking for a job or a promotion, the signs are positive. Don’t allow competition to quash you. Assert yourself and you are likely to make a positive splash. Resist the temptation to overspend. Being spontaneous in life and love could go a long way. Get out there and mingle if love is what you seek.
This month is about embracing new andnotionsyouryourselfonahorizons,expandingbeginnings,yourandtakingchancebasedyourgut.Allowtoletgoofpreconceivedofrealityyoumaydiscover things that you thought were impossible. You may seek a new role or even go off to start your own business. Evaluate your options, carefully however don’t be afraid to take the risk. Check in with yourself and your heart at every turn. There’s a good chance you may embark on a new romantic adventure. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you are ready for a new partner. Expect a more freedomloving, creative and authentic side of you.
92 | SEEMA.COM | SEPTEMBER 2022 HOROSCOPE |
If you can’t see the the wood for the trees, then it’s time to pause and look at the bigger picture. Ask burdenswhatare you carrying and are they really yours? Keep glorifying hard work and the universe will keep doling it and you will be burnt out. Lighten your financial, emotional and societal loads. Muster the courage to delegate, collaborate and make choices to claim your freedom and peace. The likelihood of a move related to a house, or project job, is high. Break old patterns, embrace flexibility and start doing more of what you love to welcome new experiences. Don’t ignore your health.
Farzana Suri is a Victory Coach who coaches people through their life’s challenges to take the leap to victory, using the science of Fornumerology.apersonalised forecast, you may contact Farzana at surifarzana@gmail.com or visit her website www.farzanasuri.com
Step up your game and place your trust in the process of your growth.personalTrust is the highpoint of this month so look beyond the surface. In case, you find yourself in a situation where you feel outplayed or insecure; assess, research and then plan your action, because knowledge is power. Take notice of where you’ve been rationalizing to keep yourself safe. Have you been doing your best? Make sure your actions are aligned with your highest morality. If you’re considering a relationship or a business collaboration, go beyond the usual reference check. Be mindful of your words, finances, reputation and your back.
SEEMA lacking, or timid, or not good enough. Know that you are supported, loved and capable of making it through. Whatever troubles you may be facing in your career or in personal life are temporary. Instead of compromising your finances, consider finding another source of income. Be mindful about what you get and what others offer you. It is likely that you may take a big step forward when it comes to your romantic life.
Nov 22 - Dec 21
The universe is on your side and is likely to use its power and influence to help you to get to where you want to go. Go and reinvent an aspect of your life that needs attention. You have the ability to control the outcome of a situation that you are in right now. People will appear in your life to show you the way. Magical coincidences will take place. Listen to your intuition and take action. It will bring a new perspective on your love life, too. Understanding and communication will get your relationship in the shape you need and desire it to be in. Balance is the mantra of this month.
The winds of change are moving in your life. Welcome and embrace it – the light at the end of the tunnel is getting close. Release any troubled or chaotic past behind, be it in your relationship or at work. If you have been struggling to see eye to eye with people who matter, things will calm down soon. Balance, flexibility and patience attract the support you desire and pave the way for victory. Try not to rock the boat. You may not have everything under your control and it is okay. Don’t overplay your part in anyone’s life. Learn to show kindness to yourself and your needs.
Feb 21 – Mar 20
W H I L E Y O U D O T H E T H I N K I N G , W E B R I N G T H O U G H T S I N T O R E A L I T Y . A M O V E M E N T , A T R E N D , O R A M A G A Z I N E S H O O T ; W E ’ V E G O T Y O U R B A C K T H E V I S I O N R O O M I S K E E N O N M A K I N G Y O U R D R E A M S C O M E T R U E . O U R J O B I S T O T R A N S F O R M Y O U R I D E A S I N T O M A S T E R P I E C E S T H R O U G H T H E L E N S O F O U R C A M E R A S A N D I T D O E S N ’ T S T O P T H E R E W E T A K E Y O U R I D E A A N D C R E A T E B R A N D C A M P A I G N S T H A T H A V E T H E V I E W E R S I N A W E W E H O N E I N T O Y O U R B R A N D A N D C R E A T E C O N T E N T T H A T I S A U T H E N T I C A L L Y Y O U . W E P L A C E T H E B E S T T E A M B E H I N D O N T H E P R O J E C T S T O G I V E Y O U R B R A N D A V O I C E T H A T R E S O N A T E S W I T H Y O U R A U D I E N C E O N T H E R I G H T F R E Q U E N C I E S . L O O K I N G T O D O A P H O T O S H O O T T H A T E X C E E D S Y O U R I M A G I N A T I O N ? T H E V I S I O N R O O M I S Y O U R B E S T B E T . Visit us at visionroomnj.com
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