TGS Life 19/11/2016

ADDING AN ELEMENT OF SCIENCE TO FITNESS PG 2

PUNE, NOV 19-25, 2016 | www.thegoldensparrow.com

HYUNDAI LAUNCHES 3RD-GEN TUCSON IN INDIA

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TGS LIFE NOV 19-25, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES

Coming a long way from the traditional ways and means of strength, Indian fitness enthusiasts are now all set to compete with international benchmarks

By Caroline Felicia D’Almeida @iCaroline21

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s Indians, our concept of strength emerged literally in the soil or ‘akhadas’ – where huge wrestlers would compete for honour. It was a rough, masculine approach to fitness. We’ve come a long way since, where traditional wrestling has evolved into martial arts, mixed martial arts and people have become a lot more knowledgeable about different types of weight training and the type of cardio-vascular exercise required for them. We’ve seen a rapid transformation since 2008, when people started learning more about the actual process and thought that goes into building a body – as necessary for health as is the physical aspect of it. Today, there is everything from yoga, spinning, aerobics and even calisthenics that take place in Indian gyms, apart from simple weight training.

Amidst all the existing gyms today, internationally renowned gym BodyPower

Studio has entered the markets to further revamp existing fitness notions in India.

Differing from existing gyms, the basic idea of BodyPower is to create an intimate space for people to encourage them to transform – with guaranteed results. The franchisee owner of the Studio in Pune, Imraan says, “The entire motto of the gym revolves around the concept of transformation. It’s unlike other huge gyms where things tend to get a little chaotic.”

Also present for the launch of the gym was none other than one of the toughest bodybuilders Martyn Ford, also known as ‘The Nightmare’. Standing 6 ft 8 inches tall with rippling muscles and impressive tattoos all over his body, the moniker is well-deserved and earned. The perfect example for working out to transform, Martyn was initially merely concerned with simple fitness and running, and studied a lot about different types of training before becoming the force to reckon with that he is today. With role models such as Alan Donald, Richard Branson and Jonah

Lomu – his fitness regimes seem to be just as versatile as his choices. When it comes to knowledge and the science of fitness he says, “Science is a massive part of getting results. While it might seem scary to many, the reality is about understanding correct nutrition and training to make it work.”

International fitness has always worked along the same lines, and this concept is slowly but surely being adopted in India. “It is more about restricting the number of machines and increasing the functionality of the existing ones,” says Imraan. Martyn adds, “From my experience, most Indian athletes pay more attention to their upper body than lower which is a problem for a balanced and complete physique. If they

Adding an element of science to fitness pay attention to all-round looks and the feel of it, they’ll do wonders at a world platform.”

However, with foreign concepts of training, any aspiring candidate also has a rigorous diet to follow. India’s very own Mr. World Pawan Shetty too faced such problems while scaling for internationally-set benchmarks. “My trainer in the UK would give me a certain diet to follow with foods that weren’t easily found in India. It is more created to suit the environment there. For all the food unavailable here however, there are certain supplements one can take.” Indians remain keen to develop and learn as much as possible, and it is the blend of both cultures and techniques that will take the entire process of getting into shape to newer heights. “What people earlier used to do was basic weight training or sweating it out for hours with absolutely no results. All this has been changing in the past few years, and with a specific plan for

fat loss, total transformation of muscle training, Indians are now on the right path,” adds Pawan.

Being a former Assistant Manager at a bank, it wasn’t easy for Pawan to switch to an unusual alternate career. “I feel more Indians will be able to relate to my problems, but if you have the passion for it then it’s just about taking a decision. Mine was the best one I ever took,” he says with a smile.

New concepts like this requre a certain aggressive level of marketing, so that Indian audiences are able to accept it. While digital marketing and social media platforms are the best way, the team of BodyPower Studio will also be travelling in small groups to different major cities in order to promote their message and further awareness in India. With top-notch equipment, qualified trainers and proper dietary methods – all that lacked was the actual science and method to what would otherwise be madness. “Most people

come to the gym and don’t tap into their full potential, lost in the sea of people, they either sweat or take selfies,” says Imraan about the current scenario in India. “We need more people to be aware of the different types of training options available, therefore every customer will get individual attention,” he adds.

From wrestling in the soil to yoga, aerobics, spinning, calisthenics and more – there is no dearth of what one can now do to remain or get back into shape. There is no stopping too as Pawan says, “I could be happy being the best where I am, but I know there are healthier and better people out there in the world to compete with.

So it’s about perfecting what’s perfect.”

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The ‘pressure’ of diving to numero uno

TGS LIFE NOV 19-25, 2016 PUNE

250 certified divers in Pune are all set to welcome the New Year by creating a Guinness World Record!

By Caroline Felicia D’Almeida @iCaroline21

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n the 27th of December, 2016 – two hundred and fifty certified scuba divers are going to attempt the daunting task of creating the world’s longest human chain underwater, in Ko Tao, Thailand. The current holders of the Guinness World Record are Raid Italia, who accomplished the feat only as recently as October 3rd, 2015 with 173 people.

Chrysalis is an organization founded

by Manish Gupta in order to help motivate those people who seemed to have reached their saturation point. In order to empower entrepreneurs, they conduct business interventions and motivational counseling – and this when the idea of setting a Guinness World Record struck them.

Once the entire vision was crystallised into a plan, they decided to hand over the

reins to Absolute Scuba and they are now working towards the accomplishment of this dream. A brainchild of two diving professionals, Absolute Scuba makes scuba diving more fun than one could imagine and has managed to generate over 2500 professional divers in the past five years!

Aside from their training in Pune, they also regularly take their divers to exotic locations and on trips for both practice as well as training. Initially a little hesitant to be on board with the idea, they decided to be a part of the project for the sheer excitement of it and the pride it would bring to Pune and the nation. “It’s not an easy feat to accomplish by any means,” reiterates Siddharth Pujari, founder of Absolute Scuba. However, it has certainly got them thrilled and it’s all systems go towards the final destination.

Scuba diving by itself is a magical experience, yet one that requires immense training and certification to be enjoyed to

its fullest potential. The divers who have volunteered for this world record attempt age from as young as eight years old to sixty! There is absolutely no stone being left unturned as the D-day nears. Absolute Scuba is PADI-certified, and the entire plan is also approved and mentored by them. The entire event is going to be conducted in two phases. Phase 1 will include all the training that is currently taking place in Absolute Scuba’s Yerwada centre in Pune, while Phase 2 will see the actual record attempt.

“The training also includes the basic 7-10 safety skills for every scuba diver, the lack of which might cause them to panic and rise up to the surface. If there are any issues, they need to be able to solve the same underwater, calmly,” says Siddharth.

The final day will itself be carried out in two parts. On 26th of December the divers will first do a sort of reconnaissance of the water, understanding the climatic conditions

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and any issues to be overcome before the actual event takes place the following day.

The entire project is on a self-sufficient volunteer basis, so what exactly do they stand to gain out of it? “We’re true-blue Pune boys, and we’re doing this to make Pune proud and in turn, India proud. We’re not doing this for anything other than that,” states Siddharth proudly. And it truly is something to marvel at, handling the logistics with a whopping 250 people roped in.

The moment of truth is scheduled to take place at Ko Tao Island’s Sairee beach on the 27th of December in Thailand. While most people would shy away at the potential risk of scuba diving by itself, here are 250 people from all walks of life spearheading a record that will definitely be hard to beat. We sure hope that they manage to make the country proud!

City to host first-ever underwater festival Pune Underwater Festival will offer diving enthusiasts a chance to explore underwater games and an exhibition for preserving ecology

By Rucha Devarchetti @rucha285

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eing an inland city, Pune has always hosted adventure sports events that make the most of the rough, mountainous terrain of the region. Water sports in the city have been centred around the lakes in the area, but the underwater world has never been explored in the city. Divers of the city often head to the beaches in the neighbouring coastal districts to practice their craft. Come November 27, the city will host the Pune Underwater Festival aimed at promoting an exposure to marine life, and creating awareness for its preservation.

The day-long Underwater Festival is being organised by Finkick Adventures, a scuba diving

and underwater training facility in Yerwada. The facility consists of a 60-foot deep swimming pool which is used for the training of scuba divers.

One of the founders of Finkick Adventures, Kshitij Mittal, said, “The pool has a higher visibility range that is necessary for diving.

Such a set-up is not easy to find in a city like Pune and hence we decided to use it to host the event.”

The festival will consist of training in scuba diving and a range of games to add to the fun element.

The highlight of the event is the Octopush or underwater hockey.

Besides this, there will be an obstacle race, chess, pool, uno and puzzles, all of which will be played in the water. Apart from the race, all of the other games can be played by non-swimmers and first-time divers.

“We are trying to break all limitations in bringing people underwater. Non-swimmers can participate in most of the games we have planned. We are also providing guidance for new divers in the event. All participants will also be given exciting goody bags for playing. Everybody is welcome

to join us underwater,” said Mittal.

He is serious when he says everybody. The Underwater Festival will be open for people with physical disabilities as well, which is a first for India, as claimed by the organisers. “I have a trainer onboard with a physical disability and that hasn’t stopped him from diving.

We have a proper mechanism in

place to help blind, paraplegic and quadriplegic people in the event.

We are also welcoming people with single or double amputations to take a plunge,” says Mittal.

Taking into consideration the safety factor, Finkick has tied up with the Rashtriya Lifesaving Society of India. The organisation is providing ten lifeguards to ensure

the safety of the participants.

Finkick’s own instructors are trained in underwater safety as well, and will take all the precautions to make sure that everything goes smoothly.

Apart from the games, the Underwater Festival will also have an exhibition based on the theme of underwater life and sports. “This is our way of generating awareness among people about the current state of marine life in the world and what sort of precautions need to be taken in order to conserve it,” says the co-founder. The festival will also bring underwater photographers, marine conservationists and diving specialists under one roof to talk about life beneath the water surface.

Finkick is currently selling passes for the Pune Underwater Festival. The regular pass costing Rs 2,500 provides a two-hour access to the games and unlimited access to the other activities in the event. The Rs 4,500 VIP pass offers unlimited access throughout the games and the event.

Where: Divisional Sports Complex, near Ishanya Mall, Rahim Shaikh Road, Yerwada When: November 27, 9 am to 3 pm

TGS LIFE

Open The Little Door for a taste of French cuisine

NOV 19-25, 2016 PUNE

INDULGE

Mayur Gadkari believes in using only fresh ingredients in all of his culinary preparations at his French restaurant called The Little Door

By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab

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ayur Gadkari’s culinary career started at Dadar Catering College, Mumbai. This is where he acquired the foundation of skills and knowledge that have enabled him to distinguish himself as a chef.

“In the second year of the course we are required to do industrial training. We are made to work in all the departments of the hotel.

The food production (kitchen) department was where I spent most of my time,” he said.

After the grounding in culinary art, he worked at restaurants in Melbourne and Sydney in Australia for more than a decade, where he

gained mastery over French cuisine.

M a y u r keeps pushing the boundaries with regard to his food preparations.

He is not averse to Mayur Gadkari juggling with the ingredients he uses in his kitchen to conjure up new recipes. Endowed with this unflagging interest and passion, it is the same philosophy that he relies on at the restaurant called The Little Door, known for gourmet French meals.

“I love cooking classical French food in a rustic way, but you have to

By Gulal Salil @gulalsalil

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ne of the names that pop up while thinking of a party destination is Penthouze Nightlife on top of Mundhwa’s Onyx tower, or as colloquially addressed, above Citibank in KP. On the complex terrace overlooking Pune’s brilliant cityscape, this nightclub has remained a stronghold for weekenders for around seven years now. It was recently overhauled into a fine dine space they call Penthouze Edition II. So what happens to the legacy?

Still keeping with its upmarket mode, Edition II is not a fine dine with price-related compromises in its service. It has introduced a new menu with distinct levels of presentability to its dishes and beverages. The service team led by Senior Captain Namit Talreja lives up to its presence. With the changeover to cozy floral-cushion laden furniture, wide but low central tables which make it a spaced-out arrangement, the place now has the perpetual vibe of a sundown in Goa.

adapt to changing trends as well. We are cooking a lot of Mediterranean food with an Indian twist at The

Little Door,” he said.

Mayur believes that food should be prepared with fresh ingredients

Nightlife unplugged

After a break of five and a half months, Penthouze has relaunched itself as a fine dine space. Does it do justice to the concept as it did as a pub earlier?

Their popular B-Town nights have been renewed as B-Town Unplugged, with artists performing acoustic renditions of Bollywood hits and their Sunday brunch has been spruced up with a DJ-instrumentalist duet.

All in all, the revamped experience does feel great as the evening comes on. The food manages to almost compliment the vibe. The alcoholic beverages are exemplary.

We were presented with a course of seven dishes, with delightfully adequate portions by Head Chef Wasim Mondal, but which also showed modest scope for improvement. The starter Harissa Marinated Pollo Supreme was smoothly spicy but could have been a tad bit juicier. The Stuffed Mozzarella Chicken with

its spicy mayo base was delicious and not at all greasy. The Fresh Basil Indian Salmon starter was an example of a slightly overdone experiment, as the fish lacked a flavour of its own.

Smoked Barbeque Chicken Wings were cooked well but the sauce was too sweet. The Cilantro & Jalapeno pizza was beautifully balanced, with a cheesiness that did not overload the crust. Finally in the main course, the Grilled Lemon Chicken with Mashed Potatoes was a progressive settler. The lemon empowered the Cajun sauce, although a little too much making it slightly bitter. Mashed potatoes were flavourful but slightly dry where the juicy garlic tossed veggies cut in perfectly.

Overall, the dish had its tiny problems but

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and that the kitchen should be completely hygienic. His experiences at restaurants and hotels across the world and the knowledge he has gained from the people he met, are his inspiration when he is on the job in his kitchen. His greatest reward is when his customers are pleased and pay him compliments over his culinary preparations.

When he is not experimenting with French food, Mayur loves to eat Chinese cuisine. “My guilty pleasures include Creme Brule. My refrigerator always contains cold cut meats, eggs, bread and sauces,” he says.

Adapting to whatever is present in your kitchen and being able to think on your feet is a quality that he feels every chef must have. His secret ingredient in all his delicacies is lemon. “I love using lemon in all its forms in cooking,” he says.

Mayur’s restaurant The Little Door has a branch in Kalyaninagar in Pune, and in Mumbai as well.

with a drink in one hand and a knife in the other, these were hardly any complains.

As I said, the booze was exemplary and in the course of achieving that, perhaps the food has been given second priority -- a common restaurateur mistake. In-house mixologist Lucky Kedarta was a guide into the world of cocktails. As the Beverage Manager, he has added his own twist to common cocktails like El Negroni, by adding self-spiced Indian blends aged in barrels ordered from China.

All four: Aged Negroni which was bitter with a dash of orange to it, Dreadlock Mojito with white rum base and dark rum tops, Earl Grey infused vodka with egg white called Tea Time and watermelon flavoured Raggaelicious Mojito were terrific.

Smoothly and silently doing their job, the cocktails were a discotheque for the food to dance it’s part out. It did eventually match up to the music, which was gradually building up into the night. The terrace has been redone into a setting which is peaceful. It is a recommendation for those willing to spend and make merry.

PICS BY TEJAS GAIKWAD

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One superhit song can give you the success you want

TGS LIFE NOV 19-25, 2016 PUNE

ENTERTAINMENT

Hindi film music heavyweights Vishal Bharadwaj and Shankar Mahadevan talk about what it takes to make it to the top of the heap and remain there PICS BY TEJAS GAIKWAD

By Rucha Devarchetti @rucha285

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ne does not need to be overly knowledgeable about music to be familiar with the works of Vishal Bharadwaj and Shankar Mahadevan. Their journey to the top has been an odyssey of hard work and creative tension, mixed with experimentation that forms a huge part of their success. Speaking during an interaction at the Royal Stag Barrel Select Perfect Strokes event in the city on Saturday, the two music directors opened up about their success in the industry.

“I wanted to be a cricketer initially,” said Vishal Bharadwaj. “I came to Mumbai in the year 1991 and ended up working with the celebrated lyricist Gulzar. I first composed music for the movie ‘Maachis’ in 1995. It was Gulzar who suggested that I become a film director since my music career did not look like it would go far.”

Shankar Mahadevan’s journey began on a similar note. He worked as a software engineer for nearly eight months with Oracle before quitting his job to pursue his passion, music. “My job allowed me to work alongside music companies by designing software for them. I found myself in a very peaceful state of mind on the days we worked on music. That led me to question myself whether I want to continue with the

desk job. When I had my answer, I quit the job and went ahead with my passion.”

The two stalwarts described what goes into the making of a soundtrack for movies. “The director of the movie is the most important person this process as it is the vision of the director that we fulfill. He gives us the brief and we try to make songs that suit his requirement,” said Mahadevan.

Adding to the description, Vishal Bharadwaj said, “The process is interesting as well as frustrating since you are completing someone else’s vision. Very often it so happens that your own opinion about the compositions may have to make way for the director’s who has complete control over the project.”

Mahadevan playfully contradicted Bharadwaj by saying that the latter is in a very enviable position as he both directs and produces music for his movies. The acclaimed film and music director has complete control over the kind of product delivered, which according to Mahadevan is the ideal place to be when composing music.

Asked about how the two have come so far in an industry where composers have a short shelf life, Vishal Bharadwaj says that it is important to be honest with your work to be a success. Mahadevan prefers to give credit to the depth of the work done. “You may have composed a thousand songs but what you really need is that one song that will make you immensely popular.”

Shiny, happy stress-busters Vishal Kumar Singh and Niharika Ramgopal from Team Fitastic are Pune’s most fun Zumba exponents

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une takes its marathons very seriously, but you’d be hardpressed to find stoic, serious faces at any of them. Part of the reason is Team Fitastic, who have a virtual monopoly on dance-based warm-up and cool-down sessions at most Pune marathons.

Most recently, Team Fitastic performed for PRBM – Pune Running Beyond Myself, which was by far their largest audience. “It was an unforgettable moment watching a sea of 12k people dancing to our cues,” explains Niharika.

Fitastic with VKS started over a cup of coffee, with the intention to offer multiple verticals of fitness and dance under one established brand. Their motto is to make people fit in a fantastic way, hence “FITASTIC with VKS”. “I was an IT professional working at TCS. A small town boy from Bilaspur,

Himachal, I still remember the day - 28th May 2012 when I set foot in Pune with dreams to climb the IT ladder,” explains Vishal of how he came to be in Pune.

“But one day, I got introduced to this amazing form of fitness -- Zumba and by 9th September 2012, I had done my certification for the same. Since then, there has been no looking back. Fitness started as a passion and became my life,” he adds.

Zumba is a dance fitness program created by Colombian dancer and choreographer Alberto “Beto” Perez during the 1990s. It’s based on Latin and International rhythms, music that tends to resonate with Indian audiences.

Team Fitastic swears by Zumba because of its ever-evolving nature. It is a one-of-a-kind fitness routine based on music and dance, which is simple and easy to

follow. Participants tend to look at their sessions as leisure time, acting as stress busters and ways to connect to people in the most wonderful way.

While the perception of any dance-based fitness activity would be that it is geared towards women, Zumba is an intense cardio-vascular fitness program, and not gender-biased. One gets so engrossed in the fun of the

session, that losing weight and getting exercise becomes a natural byproduct. The routines are simple yet effective to accommodate all age groups and genders. “To all those out there who have their doubts, Fitastic warmly welcomes you to take a trial class at any of our centers,” the duo adds.

Niharika and Vishal are clearly enjoying the success of their venture as much as their

students, but remain humble about the origins of the fitness form.

When asked about their fitness idols, they respond, “Without doubt it would be Sucheta Pal the ultimate Zumba diva. She’s an International ZES (Zumba Education Specialist), the first one from India. Sucheta is the one responsible to spread Zumba in India in such a massive way.”

Their focus remains on events and they look forward to taking the brand to a national and international level.

The energy and enthusiasm that Fitastic inspires in their audiences can be infectious, and hard to ignore. Vishal is a veritable rockstar when on stage at any of their events. “I love my members and am lucky to get a lot of love from them too. My USP is my interactions and my quality to make them smile,” he explains.

“Our focus is our members, and Team Fitastic’s motto is to make the client forget all their worries and feel free and happy during and after our sessions,” he adds.

You can follow Team Fitastic on Facebook: https://www. facebook.com/FitasticwithVKS/

TGS LIFE NOV 19-25, 2016 PUNE

THRILL OF DRIVING

Hyundai launches 3rd-gen Tucson in India Mid-size SUV makes a return after years to fill the gap between Creta and Santa Fe

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f you’re going to buy a 19-lac SUV, you may as well get the name right. It’s pronounced “two-sawn”, not “tuckson” or whatever else you call it on your end of the basti. The new Tucson fills the gap between the Hyundai Creta and Santa Fe, and is available in 2WD only. You do, however, get a choice of petrol or diesel motors, and a manual or automatic transmission with either. A total of five variants are offered.

This is the third generation of the Hyundai Tucson, and uses the “Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design

philosophy”. What that means is that the slashes and creases make the SUV even more rakish than what we’ve been used to with recent Hyundais. The claimed first-inclass double-barrel headlamps are sufficiently swept-back to look aggressive, and flank a big, wide grille with three chrome-accented slats. Fog lamps get LED DRLs below and in general, the SUV is bigger and more imposing than its predecessor.

Hyundai is claiming a lot of “first-in-class” features in the Tucson, including puddle lamps,

twin chrome exhaust tips, static bending headlamps and 18” diamond-cut alloys. We’ve seen those before, but not in this class, so that’s a pass.

Petrol motivation comes from the 2.0-litre “Nu Dual VTVT Petrol Engine” that generates 155ps and 192Nm while the “2.0 R e-VGT Diesel Engine” outputs 185PS and a stonking 400Nm. If the weight is kept in check, that diesel should make for a storming fun ride. Both the manual and automatic transmissions have six speeds. Interestingly, Hyundai

is offering “steering modes” on the manual to choose between a comfortable or sporty feel.

Hyundais have traditionally had feather-light steering, which does not lend itself to spirited driving, so this is a bonus.

The automatics come with Normal, Eco and Sport driving modes, as is expected with this price segment these days.

The petrol manual is rated at 13.03kmpl, while the auto is rated at 12.95kmpl. The diesel manual delivers 18.42kmpl while the auto delivers 16.38kmpl

MT

AT GL

AT GLS

Petrol 2WD

Rs 18,99,000

Rs 21,79,000

—

Diesel 2WD

Rs 21,59,000

Rs 23,48,000

Rs 24,99,000

(all ARAI figures).

The third-gen Tucson comes with a 5-star EuroNCAP rating, and is an IIHS top safety pick.

Six airbags are available, as are hill-start assist and downhill brake control. ABS with EBD is present, as is ESP with VSM. Parking sensors are present on the front and the back.

Hyundai continues to provide feature-rich variants. An 8” touchscreen infotainment system is available with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support, as is a hands-free powered tailgate. You also get dual-zone climate control, 60:40 splitting and reclining rear seats, auto headlamps, auto defogger and powered ORVMs with a heater.

At this point, we’re getting tired of typing up the features.

With a passion for writing since she was just a young girl, Nikita Lalwani seems to have chosen the right path by writing her first book

On the write path with a swig or two Indian Literature

By Caroline Felicia D’Almeida @iCaroline21

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rowing up, Nikita Lalwani did tread the conventional path and settled into a career as a dentist.

However, having always nursed a passion for literature and writing, she knew she didn’t truly belong where she was. “My soul never felt complete even as I studied and worked as a doctor. I knew that I would always write,” Nikita explains.

With her first book ‘2 Peg Ke Baad’ now out, she has certainly come a long way. From a dentist to an author to a copywriter at a well-known advertising agency, her journey began with blogging. Her book too, stems from her successful blog based on stories that emerge after people drink. “I’ve always been fascinated with human minds, and I feel that the truth and the most interesting stories and experiences come out after two pegs. This book certainly isn’t about alcohol consumption,” says Nikita with a chuckle.

Part fiction and partly based upon real-life incidents, the

By Caroline Felicia D’Almeida @iCaroline21

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rmed with her brushes and colours, Ann’s imagination has always transcended seamlessly into visions on her canvas.

With a love for working with beautiful paper, it hasn’t stopped her from exploring other mediums to get the effect and final result she desires.

Each of her creations have a story to tell, and must be told in a specific manner to boot.

She works mainly with beautiful, thick French Canson paper and uses anything from aqaurelles, acryclic, wax and aerosol sprays to get the effect she desires. All her work stems from the rise of

books has something to offer to every kind of reader. When asked about the content of her book she says, “All fourteen chapters are Nikita Lalwani completely different and belong to unrelated genres. It’s a book for people who are looking for something new, something different”.

While switching from a stable job to one with an uncertain future would be a tough decision for most, for Nikita, it was all about following her heart.

With literature having been a big part of her life, she has a strong opinion and is unafraid to voice it. In the same vein she says, “Indian literature is quite underrated. We either think contemporary such as Chetan Bhagat or legends like Tagore – both of which may displease in terms of content or interest in today’s age. It’s all about searching; my favourites are Devdutt Pattanaik and Chitra

TGS LIFE NOV 19-25, 2016 PUNE

FEATURES Banerjee, amongst others. They not only have brilliant stories to tell, but also a crisp and interesting way of telling them.

Indian audiences need to stop looking at just international authors as good ones.”

Every artist faces a certain amount of criticism in their careers. This doesn’t daunt the budding author’s spirit however, “My dad is my biggest critic,” she says with a laugh. “I welcome healthy and constructive criticism, it’s the best way to learn and grow. However, if I listen to everyone’s opinion I’ll lose my very essence as an author,” she says insightfully.

Juggling her copywriting career on the side, she is currently working on a woman-centric book. Inspired by one of her favorite books ‘Mahabharata’, the story traces the subtle differences in the lives of women from ancient times till date — as well as society’s outlook on the same.

She hopes to have the book done and dusted by the end of next year. In a sea of books based on love stories or dystopian lands, this quirky collection of tales is sure to be a relief.

Colouring reality onto canvas

an image in her subconscious which excites her – and refuses to leave till it has been translated to reality. ”My pictures are often imbued with narrative, whether explicit or discreet. It works itself out to reveal the fullest potential of my art,” says Ann. But there is a lot more to her work than just the creative expressions. As an artist, she reveals the spiritual side to her work. “There is not too much monetary gain to the profession, art is merely for spiritual satisfaction,” she says.

Her exhibition ‘Illusions’ too is an example of this. With each piece taking a month to create, she has channelized the figures and forms of her subconscious awakening to reality on paper. Aside from her regular work, she is also an avid sculptor and has worked in stone, bronze and copper. “It is my experimentation with different mediums that spurs me on,” says Ann on her varied interests.

Having previously held several exhibitions of her paintings, bronze and marble sculptures and copper reliefs in Mumbai, Delhi and at the Triennale in Hungary, she now brings her latest creation to Pune. Her life has always been a kaleidoscope of various interesting and challenging experiences, making it hard to single out just one in particular.

Ann Delorme’s always been passionate about art, and her latest exhibition ‘Illusion’ is just another reflection of how far she has come

Like every great artist however, there has been a significant amount of criticism too that has come her way. “Many galleries have rejected my work, but that doesn’t stop me from working, it just spurs me on to experiment further in my work. An artist generally works for his or herself, not to please anyone, be it a gallery owner or an art critic. Criticism from a critic who understands what a particular artist is striving to achieve, is healthy criticism and needed,” says Ann on the gradual acceptance of her work. “It takes time for a gallery visitor to enter into the soul of an artist’s work, especially if it is profound and not pretty, decorative work,” she adds.

Her favourite artists include some of the most lauded such as Ganesh Pyne, Somnath Hore and Francis Bacon. While her idols dealt more in the recreation of history and other civic causes, she prefers to deal more with the translation of her own mind. An artist who is unafraid to embrace her own whimsy while adapting with time, her work is to be noted.

“It takes time for a gallery visitor to enter into the soul of an artist’s work”

TGS LIFE NOV 19-25, 2016 PUNE

BUZZ

I AM NOT A METHOD ACTOR: RANVEER SINGH

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umbai, Nov 16 (PTI) Actor Ranveer Singh said he wants to work with talented new-age directors, who will help him improve his acting skills.

"There are a lot of directors I want to work with. I hope I get to work with new directors who have fresh and new perspective and are new age fi lmmakers," Ranveer told reporters here at the song launch of "Befikre" last night.

"I always learn from my directors like Vikramaditya Motwane, Maneesh Sharma, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Aditya Chopra to Zoya Akhtar. I hope to work with directors who enrich me as an actor," he said.

The 31-year-old actor said after megastar Amitabh Bachchan and superstar Shah Rukh Khan, he is the only actor to be directed by Bhansali and Chopra."I feel blessed

to be directed by both Bhansali sir and Adi this early in my career."

The "Lootera" actor said he does not believe in "method acting" but he does know the process of acting and always tries to improve his craft. "I have never said that I am a method actor. I think method as a term is loosely thrown out. Nobody understands method... I knew the process (of acting) but it changes with every fi lm, every role and every scene," he said.

"Mr Bhansali broke my idea and notions of acting. He creates and changes things on sets and there was an evolution in me. Adi (Aditya Chopra) is a blend of both (Bhansali and Zoya Akhtar)."

Chopra has so far directed only Shah Rukh in all his fi lms but this is the fi rst time he has worked with Ranveer.

When asked about stepping into Shah Rukh's territory, the

"Ram Leela" actor said, "I am the least territorial person. I am not stepping into anyone's territory. I work as fi lms come to me. Adi was clear he wanted to make the fi lm with me."

According to Ranveer, the "Dilwale Dhulania Le Jayenge" helmer spoke to him even before he started scripting the fi lm. "I am happy and proud that my mentor (Chopra) selected me to be part of this fi lm. It's a big deal for me to be performing for him. It will always be a special fi lm."

When asked if he had any inhibitions shooting a scene in which he strips down to his underwear in "Befikre", Ranveer said he is very comfortable with his body. "Physical nudity means nothing to me. As an actor I am letting myself emote and show feelings on-screen. I am putting a lot more on display as an actor."

The gap in my career is due to Adi: Vaani

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umbai, Nov 16 (PTI) Actress Vaani Kapoor, who returns to the silver screen after a gap of three years, says fi lmmaker Aditya Chopra had asked her to wait for the rightfi lm.

Vaani made her acting debut in Aditya Chopra produced fi lm "Shuddh Desi Romance" opposite Sushant Singh Rajput. Now in her second fi lm "Befikre" she has been directed by Aditya himself and the actress says she couldn't have asked for more.

"I was waiting for something really good and exciting to come my way.

The gap is because of Adi Chopra. He told me to wait and do a fi lm that will be apt and justify me as an actor. Adi took two years for this fi lm ('Befikre') but I am glad to have waited," Vaani told reporters here at the song launch event last night.

Vaani is paired opposite Ranveer Singh in the romance drama and she reveals she was bullied a lot by her co-star.

"He (Ranveer) bullies me a lot. He was mean to me," she said. While Ranveer on his part says, "After ages I was ragging someone and I had great fun."The actress, who has teamed up with the "Bajirao Mastani" star for the fi rst time, says she has had a great time working with him.

"He makes you feel very comfortable."

There is pressure to look good: Kajol

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ith so much media scrutiny around, Kajol feels there is a huge pressure on actors to look good all the time which was not the case earlier.

"Be it early morning or afternoon or late night we have to look good all the time, the moment we step out of the house.

It's like how dare you did not wear good clothes and pencil heels? I wonder how does it all makes sense," Kajol told PTI. “But I can't take all this seriously I can't let it affect my life. I am happy in my chappals and comfortable clothes," she said. But at the same time the 42-year-old

actress says she does like dressing up for events.

"I like to get dressed for events, put make up and look good. I can't think of this seriously. I am not thinking about it all the time and let it take over my life and everything else slide by," she added. The "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" actress says her daughter Nysa often gives her tips in beauty and fashion.

"She (Nysa) is an expert as these kids are exposed to internet; they know a lot of things today about beauty and health. She tells me to put a face mask at least thrice a week," she said.

"She has incisive way of looking at things because it is a child's point of view.

She has clear concise view of the world and she is seeing as it is, without my experiences colouring a lot. She teaches me a lot," she added.

Kajol was talking on the sidelines of Olay Total Effects event.

"We all start taking care of our skin late which we shouldn't do. It is important to recognise the early signs of skin ageing like dark spots, dullness, uneven skin tone, blemishes, etc which can occur as early as your 20s. It's time we women give importance to ourselves."