TGS Life 28/11/2015

RAHUL RAUT

PUNE, NOVEMBER 28, 2015 | www.thegoldensparrow.com

They struggle Nothing but the limelight will satify these ‘strugglers’.

Add irrefutable talent to the heady mix and interesting stories flow

to chase their dreams

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Keeping the spirit of Sufism alive

Gyaan Adab is all set to host the Sounds of the Sufis, an interactive performance tracing the journey of Sufism from the eighth century

By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab Khusro dariya prem ka, va ki ul-i dhar, Jo ubhra so -ub gaya, jo -uba so par – Amir Khusro The verse simply means, Khusro!

The river of love has a reverse flow, He who floats up will drown, He who drowns will get across.

When the heart speaks, words are just not enough and to prove

this, the trio Anurag Dhoundeyal, Priyanka Patel and Karan Chitra Deshmukh have come up with the performance titled ‘Sounds of The Sufi’s’. They will explore the meaning of Sufism with the help of the stories of 11 Sufi saints from the Indian subcontinent and share their own life experiences. The theatrical documentary is a movement that goes beyond the boundaries of religion, caste, language and belief that all is indeed just one.

Their act will include narrations and live music that cover the lives

of Sufi mystics like Moinnuddin Chisti, Amir Khusro, Kabir, Meera Bai and many others. “It will be an interactive performance with music and storytelling in a documentary theatre format.

We have traced the journey from the evolution of Sufism and explored every pillar of it from stories to poetry and music. We have picked up pieces from our own lives too so that the audience can relate to the subject better,” says Anurag.

Through the act the group has not only tried to cover the historical evidence of the epic movement of love, but have also spoken about

the lives of the performers through music and poetry. “Having an interaction with the audience and sharing our life experience helps them connect with us and identify with the performance at a deep level, bringing the 8 0 0 -yea r-old philosophy to life,” he adds.

They have had successful performances at various venues like Prithvi Theatre Festival 2014, Acoustic Music Festival and Kala Ghoda Arts Festival. “I will be doing the singing and interacting part, Karan will be on the percussion and Priyanka is the narrator. Each

“We came up with the concept after meeting a lot of experts and reading on the subject for over a year”

of our performance has received an overwhelming response. Once a 60 year old man even told us that it was the first time he cried since his mother passed away. It was very touching,” he says.

The group is a part of The Looking Glass, a portal that promotes all kinds of arts. Sound of the Sufi’s is a result of their year-long research, interaction with scholars and a strong personal interest. “This project is very close our hearts. We came up with the concept after meeting a lot of experts and reading on the subject for over a year. We wanted to come up with something which the audience can relate to and also wanted to retain its essence. We have included songs that are in different languages like Hindvi, Urdu, Farsi,” says Anurag.

When: December 4 Where: Gyaan Adab, Kalyani Nagar zainab.kantawala @goldensparrow.com

Creating a platform to showcase their talent

By Shailesh Joshi & Salonee Mistry @TGSWeekly

I

n the midst of a thunderous applause, 11 dancers set the stage on fire. For the first time ever, Pune saw a group of transgender dancers get together to showcase their talent.

Muskaan Kasbe has been dancing to earn her daily bread and butter for almost 12 years now. The 23 year old has done everything from dancing at weddings to even doing road shows. “Initially, when my family found out that I was a transgender I had to move out of the house. I lived for a few years with my guru Nilofer. It was she who convinced my family to take me back,” she says. It was during this time when she was away from home that she learned to dance.

This show is her brainchild and she hopes that it will be well-appreciated. Her dream is to change the way people perceive the transgender community.

Along with her, Anmol Pawar, who has also been dancing for the past 15 years. She saw a childhood where her mother, a fisherwoman, struggled to raise her four children. The 28 year old is hoping to provide a

RAHUL RAUT

A group of 11 transgenders came together for a scintillating Lavani performance at Bal Gandharv on Monday

reasonably comfortable life for her mother in her old age. She has worked in a documentary called Koti and Panti and has even played the role of a dancer in many plays.

Most of the 11 dancers have lived a similar life. They all live with their families now and are only on the lookout for the opportunity to put forth their skills.

Apart from performing in plays across

Maharashtra, some of them have even performed internationally with orchestra groups.

Not only was their performance entertaining it was exactly what one

would expect if they were going to watch a lavani or a tamasha performance. This is the third show that the troupe has done.

The first two were in Kolhapur. “We are always rehearsing and finding ways to improve the show with every performance.

New songs, better moves and any way in which we can showcase our talent, is all we want to achieve,” says Muskaan.

With the aim to create a platform for their community, the group of 11 has just taken the first small step towards it. The team wants to perform five shows for charity if the response they get is good.

Although the cause is still not decided they are keeping their fingers crossed for a positive outcome. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

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Atharva theatre takes stage this weekend with Shobhayatra hoping to tickle your funny bone and get some brain juices flowing

These docs are awesome entertainers

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

W

hen not on stage, entertaining an audience, the members of this theatre group are usually seen wearing a doctor’s apron and occupying operation theatres, clinics or dispensaries. They aren’t make believe medics. In fact, Atharva theatre group includes nearly 100 doctors from Pimpri Chinchwad, who share a love for the stage.

Some of them have always wanted to be actors, directors and script writers, while others joined the bandwagon much later. Be it orthopaedics, anestheologists, or neurologists, the group gets together every night to practice.

So what if their onstage life leads to a very hectic schedule indeed.

The group has, till date, performed around 350 plays. Set up in 2001, Atharva theatre group usually revives old plays. It is only when one of the members finds an interesting topic that they spend time scripting it. “We have been around for a while now and we have got around to balancing and managing our schedules.

Rehearsals are conducted on a daily basis and are usually scheduled at night to ensure that everyone can make it. Sometimes rehearsals run

till midnight if everyone can’t make it earlier,” says anesthesiologist Sanjeev Patil, one of the members of the group.

A pass out of B J Medical College and Sasoon Hospital in Pune, Sanjeev believes that his college played a huge role in supporting his dream of becoming an actor. Family pressure and expectations pushed him to become a doctor but his college allowed him to pursue both. He also tells us that even if he was offered a higher salary to pursue acting as a full-time career and quit his medical practice, he would never accept it. It was his medical college that gave him the opportunity to pursue acting and he could not be more grateful, he states.

Members of Atharva theatre group generally produce two kinds of plays — those produced solely for the purpose of entertaining the crowd and earning profits and those created to satisfy an artistic urge. “The serious plays that we revive or produce do not have a big audience.

People want comedy and that is what sells at the end of the day. So, we do quite a few comic plays and collect enough money so that we can then challenge ourselves with the tougher, more serious roles. Since these kinds of plays have a lesser audience, our profits from our comic plays helps bear the loss,” Sanjeev tells us.

Finding a way without words

Catch a mime performance featuring three short acts by Mumbai-based group Mime’Ers

By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab

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peaking is strictly forbidden. With white painted face, highlighted eye brows and clown like make up, the trio Heena Dsouza, Vaibhav Raj Gupta and Shivankit Parihar from Mumbai are set perform three mime acts at Journeys, an art festival organised

by Gyaan Adab.

They call themselves Mime’Ers and put together they make a perfect recipe to entertainment with large portions of laughter and topsy-turvy moves. They promise to tickle your funny bone till you drop laughing. “We are bringing together three different acts and each is about different journeys. One is about three friends on a road trip and the barriers they come across, all presented in a light and funny manner. The second act is about a journey of a Mumbaikar in a local train. How he has to push through a crowd to find a place for himself to even stand and his experiences.

The last piece is The Interview, which is the

story of two men struggling for the same job.

The act uses satire to present their turmoil,” says Heena.

The group was founded a year ago, when the three came together for a mime act based on LGBT. They believe in redefining the phrase ‘actions speak louder than words’ in its truest sense. “I started with a single act on something that I had written and people loved it. This encouraged me to take miming up. After working on a mime together with Vaibhav and Shivankit we decided to form a team. We just go up on stage, act and let the audience speak after the performance,” she says.

Being a complex art form, miming requires the body to stay in sync and to be extremely expressive with their movements. Their act should appeal to children and adults alike. “It surely is difficult to form a storyline. We have experimented with theatrical mime and have now started including pantomime in our acts too. It is challenging as it is a musical act and explaining the character to the audience is important,” she adds.

They have also done a horror comedy, where a dead wife comes to life. This jaw-dropping play got an over whelming response from the audience. They recently conducted a mime-act for kids. “We were a little hesitant in the beginning as making them grasp the story line is a bit difficult but we were surprised to see them enjoy and laugh out loud at the jokes. Children sure do have a more open mind if you provide images that are within their experience,” she says.

When: December 4, 6 pm Where: Gyaan Adab, Kalyani Nagar zainab.kantawala@goldensparrow.com

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For instance, their most recent production, Shobhayatra, has made a loss of Rs 1.5 lakhs because it is difficult to get an audience for a serious play. The group, however, continues to perform the play to satisfy the creative calling, he adds.

With the sole aim of continuing to do something that makes them feel content and satisfied apart from their medical practice, the

group promises to keep producing play after play. They have produced quite a few wellreceived plays like, Zopi Gelela Jaga Jhala, Barrister, Kakachi Kaku and Toh Mi Navhech, among many others.

When: November 29, 7 pm onwards Where: Ramkrishna More Auditorium, Chinchwad salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

TGS LIFE

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Swaying to the beat

T

he body’s movements are a reflection of the soul, they say.

Elegance, grace and charisma define this artist. His energetic performance, positive appeal and his original Tribal Fusion dancing style have resulted in an uproar among the belly dancing crowd in the city.

Arun Bharadwaj is a pioneer belly dancer from the city who is working hard to take the dance to new levels.

He focuses not just on choreography but also works towards improvising his moves and costumes. He has professionally trained in belly dancing accompanied with jazz and odissi dance style as well. He has attended many workshops from international artists and instructors named Coleena Shakti, Marwa Tuna, Kalara Daila Jansikova, and many more.

Being India’s first tribal fusion male belly dancer he has tried to fuse the dance with different art forms. “I started dancing at the age of 16 in Pathankot. I saw a male belly dancer perform on TV, and was fascinated by his moves and

Be it theatre, acting on the small or big screen, hosting shows or even playing the role of a woman, Subodh Bhave delivers each and every character with equal grace and charm. His directorial venture is no less

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

C

reating a musical play that will be remembered and appreciated by all is a great achievement.

Re-creating it through a film and meeting the same standards is pure Subodh Bhave genius. Doing almost everything right, Subodh Bhave dared to bring back the magic that Vastanrao Deshpande had cast through his play Katyar Kaljat Khusli.

Not only has the film been well-appreciated by the audience, the shows have been running houseful since it released almost two weeks back. As if this was not enough the film has been nominated by UNESCO for the Fellini

flexibility. I started surfing on the internet to know more about the dance and saw videos on Youtube. I tried to imitate the steps and fell in love with belly dancing,” he says. He later went to Delhi and got admission in Banjara School of Dance.

What sets him apart is his sense of music and intricate movements. Over the years, his talent and dedication has earned him a reputation as a performer, teacher and choreographer.

After completing his course he came to Pune and started Tribal School of Dance to promote belly dance. But all this didn’t come easy. Initially, he faced a lot of hardships including opposition from his family. “People judge you as soon as you tell them you are a belly dancer.

My family, which is otherwise very supportive and broadminded, opposed my decision to take up belly dance.

They asked me to take up anything else but not this. After I came back from Delhi, they saw me perform on stage for the first time and they were stunned. They accepted that I was made to do this,” he adds.

Today he teaches American tribal style, Egyptian classical, Tribal fusion, fluid tribal style to name a few. He has participated in many reputed dance fes-

tivals like Bellywood, Jashn-e-Banjara, Neon-Hafla, etc. Apart from this, he also participated in dance reality shows like Just Dance and Aja Nachle. “When I started, I never thought about the future prospects. I simply followed my heart. People have misconceptions about a man doing belly dance. They are okay when you practice Indian classical dance.

I have learned both and in these dances you have to play different roles but the process of learning is the same. Why then should we create a gender bias,” he asks.

But now he sees a change in the perception, people now see him as a performer, appreciate his dance and congratulate him. From the time when people were skeptical of the idea of a male belly dancer to a time that people are applauding him for his art, time is surely changing for good.

“Now, when I upload my dance video on Youtube, I get many comments and likes. I want to grow more and inspire as many people I can. However there is a long way to go. I get many guys coming to my school to enquire, but none of them enroll for the classes.

Men feel shy because of how people will perceive them. I am hoping to change that mindset one day,” he says. zainab.kantawala@goldensparrow.com

RAHUL RAUT

After years of practice, with a slight uncertainty, Arun Bharadwaj promises to change society’s perception about male belly dancing

By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab

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“People judge you as soon as you tell them you are a belly dancer.”

‘Acting is my first love’

medal. It is the only Marathi film to be nominated this year alongside a Bengali film and two Malayalam films. The film beat 26 other films to be screened at the International Festival of India, next year.

Starting off as a salesman with an IT company, Subodh was elated at the chance to once again join theatre and act. From all his roles he most prefers the role he played in the film Amhi Asu Ladke and Lokmanya Ek Yugpurush.

Talking about the nomination, he said,

“The story is extremely close to my heart. I was already directing the play and when I decided to make a film. More than awards, my happiness lies in putting on screen what I had in mind.

After that the audience appreciation and then the award,” says the 40 year old actor-director.

The other biggest challenge even before making the film was finding the right people to play the roles. For Subodh, deciding who played what character was a matter of intuition and pure imagination. When he pictured the

character Zareena he immediately saw Amruta Khanvilkar’s face; likewise when he pictured Uma Mrunmayee Deshpande. He believes that he was fortunate enough to have got Shankar Mahadevan on board to play the character of Panditji. The character for him did not need someone who could act but someone who could sing exceptionally well and had a sense of purity to their presence. The most difficult was selecting the person who would play Khan Saheb. It was after a lot of thought that Sachin Pilgaonkar was selected.

The success of this film has, however, not pushed him to pursue direction full-time.

“Acting is my first love and will always be.

I would love to play any and every role that intrigues me, be it for an Assamese, Iranian, Bollywood, Tollywood or Hollywood movie. I will once again direct a film only when I find a story that I closely relate to and feel that it would look glamorous on screen. I can never do commission-based direction,” he says. Subodh shall soon be seen in Bandhan Rajanche, a fantasy film with a different subject matter by January next year. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

RAHUL RAUT

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Music runs in their souls

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tep inside their house and you will instantly feel the positive vibe. With statues of deities and aroma of incense that fill up your senses, it’s a little temple of music and peace that Gitanjali Rai and Kamakshi Rai call home.

While Gitanjali is a noted Ghazal and devotional singer, her daughter, Kamakshi - who is now based in Mumbai - is a singer, song writer and composer. She has sung many popular ad jingles in the recent past for brands like Raymond, Pond’s Dream Flower Talc, Santoor soap and many more.

It was during her college days in the early 80s when father of famous music composer bothers Jatin-Lalit heard Gitanjali Rai talking over the phone and suggested that she pursue music.

Soon after that, Gitanjali became a disciple of Pt Pratap Narayan and started learning classical music from him as well as music composer Anu Malik’s father, Sardar Malik as all of them lived

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FEATURES

This mother-daughter duo follow different genres of music but it’s the love and passion for melody that binds their lives together

By Heena Grover Menon @HeenaGM

TGS LIFE

in the same locality in Mumbai. After college, Gitanjali went on to become the head of the psychology department in the SNDT College, but moved to Pune after getting married in 1986 and started a new life here.

During the early 90s, Gitanjali started feeling a strong urge to get back to music and decided to enroll in Ghazal classes. By now she was already a mother of a schoolgoing daughter and a son. “In a matter of few months I began performing ghazals on stage and started travelling from one city to another doing corporate events which gave me a lot of satisfaction and confidence. I had not planned anything, so it was almost like living a dream.

Ghazals taught me a lot about the different facets of life which is a mix of happiness and bitter realities which helped a lot in shaping my life,” she says. For Kamakshi, her journey with music began even before she was born.

Needless to say that she inculcated the talent from her mother, who is her first guru and idol.

At the age of eight, she told her mother that

she wanted to drop out of school and become a singer just like her childhood idol Britney Spears. But as a matter of fact, she went on to study more than she had imagined. She calls herself a bit of a nerd, “From comic books, college textbooks to science fiction, I loved reading everything. So after finishing my graduation in computer science, I decided to study MBA in Mumbai. While I was studying there, I was also trying to find a ground in the music industry, but that was one of the rough phases as the entire music industry was kind of crashing down due to duplication. Post that, various music labels signed musicians but failed to cut any album or give them a proper break.

So, I also had to face a period of void for over a year,” Kamakshi recalls.

After completing an MBA, Kamakshi settled back in Mumbai and started working with international music composer Mikey McCleary. She went on to do voiceovers and singing for many commercials. Over a year ago, she finally got her first big opportunity

as she was chosen to be a part of India’s first English music reality show, The Stage. “The show demanded me to be at the sets 24x7, so I quit my job to be part of it and now I’ve made it to the top 10 contestants. With some brilliant line-up of judges such as Vishal Dadlani and Monika Dogra, this show has been the best thing to have happened to me,” she adds.

With ghazals and devotional music concerts gaining a lot of momentum amongst people in North India, Gitanjali says that she has found a great fan base. “People from smaller towns are crazy about devotional music as they find solace in my music. Ghazals, in fact, are no longer about pain and solitary moments, but I always try to bring out a happy mood in whatever I present to people.

It’s overwhelming to see when people come to me after the performance to shower their blessings. There are many pubs in the Western countries that play Indian devotional music on which people dance. I saw it in Argentina recently and was amazed to see how they love our music,” says Gitanjali.

On the other hand, while Kamakshi likes singing all kinds of songs be it Hindi Bollywood and Punjabi folk, she has always been drawn towards western music, especially modern rock. “During my childhood, I was highly inspired by artists such as Britney Houston, Eric Clapton and John Mayor. But among the recent lot, I absolutely love Justin Timberlake for his intense songwriting skills, apart from Rihanna, Beyonce and Sam Smith.” Besides, Kamakshi is currently working on her first music album which will be a mix of English songs from different genres and devoting most of her time writing and composing for it. heena.grover@goldensparrow.com

Retired assistant police inspector, Vitthal Chavan will soon release a collection of poems that are a reflection of his on-duty experiences

RAHUL RAUT

Penning down poems to spread a message

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

A

n artist at heart, family conditions and pressure from parents compelled him to join the police force. It was only after serving as an assistant traffic cop for 40 years that the creative side of Vitthal Dagdu Chavan was allowed to surface.

More than academics, writing stories and poems, drawing and sketching along with painting always seemed more interesting to Vitthal. The need to shoulder familial responsibility managed to keep his art at bay throughout his service. Moving from one city to another, witnessing cases one worse than the other, gave the 60 year old more than enough to write about.

Taking inspiration from his own experiences, the retired police officer has penned down to 60 poems and shall soon be publishing them to release his first ever book. “There were so many things that happened around me all the time that I wanted to write about. There were so many emotions all just waiting to be explored. Being a cop did not give me any space to have an

opinion and pin it on paper. My poems are a mere reflection of what I see. For example, there is a poem that expresses what a woman would feel after she dies,” he explains. During his service, he worked at Yerwada, Kondwa and Shivaji Nagar in Pune and the Nagpada traffic police department in Mumbai too.

He is so passionate and dedicated towards his poems, because of which he often gets up at 3 am to write them.

Once in a while the picturesque beauty that surrounds him at his current workplace is also a source of inspiration for him.

His collection of poems will be published under the name ‘Palvi’ and shall be released in about two months. He is also working on the script for a Marathi play.

His collection of poems has been reviewed by well-known Ghazal writer, Raman Randive. Suggestions on how his work could be made better or what is missing in them have been detailed out by the artist. Raman and he have shared a strong friendship for a while now. It was under his guidance that Vitthal actually decided to take his art seriously.

Currently working as a chief security officer at Paranjpe Scheme Forest Trail in Bhugaon, he has absolutely no complaints about life. He had a good time serving in the traffic department, has a good job now and enough and more time to work on his art. Living at Narhe, which is almost 15kms away from his work place, the commute provides enough inspiration. “Whenever I see something that interests me or builds my curiosity, I immediately pen it down. Even if I am walking to a shop nearby my house, I stand on the road and write. If I wait to get back home, I might be at the risk of losing the thought and emotion,” he says.

As a poet Vitthal has the charm of explaining the most difficult emotions in a simple way. All poems have a message, be it the idea of how powerful a woman is or how she is at the receiving end of the violence and what the society can do to help.

He hopes that his poems can speak for those hundreds of women who suffer every day or have lost their lives suffering. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

TGS LIFE

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THE PEOPLE’S RAHUL RAUT

CHEF Women, of course, go weak in the knees for him but Chef Vikas Khanna also has an ardent fan following among men and children

By Heena Grover Menon @HeenaGM

H

e has hundreds of dedicated Facebook and Twitter fan pages that idolise him and follow his every move. Some fans travel from far off places just to catch a glimpse of him while others bring with them homecooked food just so they could get him to taste it. The hysteria that this charismatic chef from Amritsar generates has to be seen to be believed! We witnessed all this and much more when the 44-year-old Michelin Star Chef Vikas Khanna visited the city as part of a Mercedes-Benz Luxe Drive event. Needless to say, he had the audience awestruck with his charm and cooking brilliance.

After waiting for almost two hours, we finally got a chance to talk to the celebrity chef and as he apologised for the delay, we asked him where does he get so much energy and how is he so patient? He smiled and quoted an instance from New York, “Being in the restaurant business, I have to be continuously on my toes to keep a check on everything. There are great days and bad. On one such afternoon, I was facing a terrible day at work when nothing was going right. I was furious at my staff when suddenly someone told me that an 80-yearold lady has come to Junoon (his restaurant) and wanted to meet me. I was not in the right frame of mind nevertheless I went to meet her. She had come to the restaurant for the first time and said she was a great fan of the

food. After talking to her for a little while, I realised how love can overcome everything.

She reminded me of my grandmother and soon after, I was back to work, all charged up to take on the pressures for the rest of the day. So, it’s the love that I get from millions of people who watch me on TV or meet me at different places that keeps me going. Also there is no space to be impatient or rude in our business. No matter how successful you become, if you can’t earn people’s love, you have failed.”

While watching various reality shows, such as Masterchef India, one wonders how the contestants manage to dish out fancy recipes. “Pressure only makes you better, especially when you have strong competitors around you and you have to get your act together. When they say that you’ve given your best under pressure, it’s actually true. There was a particular instance when one of my dishes was delayed by just five minutes to reach a guest and he left in a fury. You can’t make such mistakes again and again. That’s the kind of pressure that a chef has to handle on an everyday basis. If you can’t take it, you are not meant to be in this business.”

He has travelled and mastered cuisines from around the world, but back home, Vikas still loves the home-cooked Methi Aloo Ki Sabzi and roti prepared in the same kadhai in which his grandmother used to cook over the chulha in their house in Amritsar. “We still have that kadhai and it has turned all black due to years of use.

But nothing can beat the taste of what my grandmother and mother would cook for me. While recovering from a back injury in a hospital recently, I craved for that Aloo Methi for days, but there was no way I could have it abroad and that’s the kind of food that I have tried to introduce people to through my restaurant and wherever I go,” he says. heena.grover@goldensparrow.com

YOUR CHOW AROUND TOWN Sunday Harvest Market A natural and whole foods market organised by Quesediya Productions in association with Oakwood Premiere Pune, you can come binge on good food, wine and beer and also listen to some good music as buy your vegetables, fruits, organic products, handmade jewellery, home decor items and much more.

When: December 6 Where: Oakwood Premier Hotel, Koregaon Park

our favourites from the mains, and we happily polished it off with Roti Kanai, a flaky flatbread akin to the Malabar Parotta. End the meal with either fried banana fritters coated with cinnamon-sugar called Pisang Goreng; Lapis Legit, a multilayered cake with strong hints of star anise or Rujak Medan, a tropical fruit salad served in a tuile basket with cayenne pepper rendering a spicy kick.

When: Till November 29 Where: Panash, Four Points By Sheraton Hotel, Viman Nagar

pan-Asian vegetarian restaurant, and Spice Kitchen, the all-day dining to cater to the taste buds of both vegetarians as well as non-vegetarians. Be set to indulge in dishes such as Chicken Rendang, Gado Gado, Penang Rojak, Sambal Eggplant or Sambal Terung, Sayur Lodeh, Temptu Sayran, Tahu Bakar, Chicken Satay, Hainan Chicken Rice, Kari Sayur Campur, Char Kuay Teow and Sayur Lodeh.

When: Till December 5 Where: JW Marriott Hotel, Senapati Bapat Road

Malay Melange

Singapore-Malay Food Festival

Thanksgiving pie

Chef Khairuzzaman Bin Ahmad Hadzri and Mr. Mohd Afiq Bin Tamdzis from Singapore have been brought in to ensure that the city gets a real taste of Singaporean and Malaysian cuisine.

The festival will take place at Shakahari - the

Thanksgiving is that time of the year again where all families come together for a hearty meal. When going out, we sure know that Terttulia is one of the spots for a meaty Thanksgiving lunch and dinner, but there’s something more to look forward to. Classic Pumpkin Pie prepared by Chef Sanjib and team have always taken pride in preparing the Pumpkin Pie which is a classic mix of roasted sweet pumpkin, crust, butter, and their add on of mascarpone and condensed milk When: Till November 30 Where: Terttulia, Koregaon Park

Savour the flavours of Malaysian cuisine at Panash at the week-long Malaysian Food Festival. Curated by Executive Chef Sanjay Mitra, you can choose from vegetarian, meat or seafood offerings at the on-the-table buffet. We sampled a few dishes on offer, of which the Soto Ayam, a mildly flavoured chicken soup with glass noodles and mushrooms is a good way to start the meal. We followed it up with Tembossa, a Malaysian take on the humble samosa with a curry puff filling. From the non-vegetarian menu, the Malaysian Chicken Satay and Sambal Udang – fried prawn tossed in sambal sauce – were good picks.

The Kari Kapitan, a Malaysian chicken curry was one of

TGS LIFE

NOVEMBER 28, 2015 PUNE

VISHAL KALE

Food on the wheels

Watch a motor garage turn into a Mughlai cuisine haven at The Garage Grill

INDULGE

Kathi Rolll

Barbequed Chicken

Chicken Tikka

By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab

H

ave you been to Madhu Automobiles on Salunkhe Vihar road lately? Did you know that it turns into a barbeque food station by night? This is what happened

when an automobile engineer and garage owner Ashwin Soneji wanted a diversion from his regular work.

The Garage Grill serves lip-smacking kebabs, tikkas and rolls. Everything about the place is unique, be it the garage theme décor or the Mughlai food. “Work at the garage started

getting monotonous. I was always passionate about food, and my brother suggested that I take this up. That’s when I thought of turning my old car into a food joint,” says Ashwin.

While food trucks are steadily taking over the city and experimenting with their décor to offer something new to Punekars, this place has set itself apart.

Located opposite St Mathews Academy, The Garage Grill gives its customers a oneof-its-kind experience. The vehicle is easy to spot, as you can find a bunch of people snacking there happily. The first thing that will grab your attention is the cooking station on the wheels, with fire graphics done around it. The tables are stacked wheels with a glass top and headlights are used to brighten the place. Not just this, the dishes on the menu

also follow the garage and car theme. Their tikkas have names like Fiery Ferrari Tikka, Rolls Royce Tikka, Maserati Tikka and Engine Kaleji. Their Four Stroke Tikka is an assortment of malai and haryali tikka and is made in tandoori style.

“We put a lot of thought in setting up a car-n-food joint. We used car seats and tyres for seating. My father and I work in the garage during the day and turn it into a barbeque joint by the evenings,” he says.

Their menu consists of grilled food, kathi rolls, tikkas and they specialise in tawa food.

“Our Bheja Fry and Kheema Pav are the most sought after dishes. The response has been phenomenal so far, and the customers have loved our food,” he says. Every cuisine is priced between Rs 150 to Rs 200.

When: From 7.30 pm to midnight Where: Madhu Automobiles, opposite St Mathews Academy, Salunke Vihar Road zainab.kantawala@goldensparrow.com

A journey down South!

Born out of a passion for travel and food, Savya Rasa is a little treasure trove of traditional delicacies and history of South India

Antique brassware collected from down South

By Heena Grover Menon @HeenaGM

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s you enter you get the feeling of walking into a typical Dravidian home. The beautifully carved Chettinad door welcomes you inside this artfully done up restaurant. The The cosy courtyard opens up to a massive Kalamkari wall art that depicts the tree of life. A wooden staircase on the right takes you a level up where the tables are set. There is an exclusive dining room done up using antiques which Vikram Mohan, co-owner of Savya Rasa has collected over the years.

A pair of 150-year-old coconut scraper adorns one of the walls. Elsewhere, there are twin frames of Ganjifa cards, hand-painted playing cards which are over a century old and were used by ancient royal families of Mysore. “We wanted it to be a place where patrons not only enjoy hand-picked traditional treats, but also get a tour of

Chemeen Podi-Ittu Varuthathu The Madras roof tiles give a typical earthy Tamil home feel to the outer courtyard

southern states,” adds Uday Balaji, co-owner of the restaurant.

The charming staff dressed in traditional attire patiently takes you through each and every dish on the menu keeping in mind, your tastes and preferences.

Some of the popular non vegetarian starters on the menu are worth trying - Sainu Thatha’s Kozhi Kebab (griddled skewered chicken flavoured with crushed pepper and coconut milk), Chemeen Podi-Ittu

Varuthathu (prawns stir fried with shallots, ginger, red chillies and cumin, finished with coconut slivers) and Anjal Rava Fry (small fillets of seer fish marinated with a masala with the base of chillies, coated with semolina and fried to crisp).

For the mains, order steaming hot Idiyappa Idli along with your choice of curries like Bendekai Gojju (ladyfinger curry) or Mizhagu Kozhi Chettinad (pepper chicken).

The Dibba Roti, a kind of slow-cooked bread

made of black lentil and coarsely ground rice batter, flavoured with cumin and crushed black pepper is an interesting savoury.

To mark a perfect sweet ending, ask the chef to surprise you with a popular Mysore dessert, Godi Huggi, broken wheat pudding or Karupatti Halwa of Kongunadu. No south Indian meal is ever complete without a cuppa, so don’t leave your table without trying Sukku Kaapi.

Where: Savya Rasa, Gera Serenity Building, next to Starbucks, Koregaon Park heena.grover@goldensparrow.com

TGS LIFE

NOVEMBER 28, 2015 PUNE

FEATURES

They struggle to chase their dreams Nothing but the limelight will satify these ‘strugglers’. Add irrefutable talent to the heady mix and interesting stories flow Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

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ecoming famous and earning loads of money is never an easy task. It takes a lot of energy, effort and patience. With hundreds of people making their way to Mumbai and Pune to pursue their theatre and Bollywood dreams, the odds of getting lucky early on and making it big are extremely low. In the absence of a godfather, the chances are even slimmer. Given this, there are innumerable artists who land up struggling for years at end. While some give up and choose

different paths, others start by scaling down their aspirations and then taking one step at time.

There is also a third kind of ‘struggler’ who remain content in what they have, yet dare to dream big.

Falling under that third category, here are five people from the city who are struggling every single day. Not only do they want to chase their big dream, they are also finding different ways to make ends meet. A singer, actor, director, dancer and stand-up comedian share the story of their on-going struggle in the hope to inspire people around them to never give up on something that you are passionate about.

YOU MUST BE WILLING TO LEARN EVERYTHING AS A STRUGGLER Being an artist was in his destiny, he believes. As a child, he did everything from drawing, sketching, acting, singing and dancing. Cultural activities held by his school and college gave the artist inside him an opportunity to soar and the multitalented, director, script-writer and actor Amar Deokar was born. Taking part in innumerable national and state level competitions, the 29 year old started off by joining theatre as an actor and mimicry artist. After graduating from Shivaji Vidyapeeth Kolhapur with a BA and BEd, he moved to Pune to pursue a postgraduate degree in Video Production from Pune University. Under the guidance of Samar Nakhate, Amar learned everything that he needed to and began his journey as a director.

“Just like any other struggler, when I started off I too had to face tough times. Till date, I have made around 85 short films, some as individual

Right from singing solo live shows to performing alongside an orchestra 32-year-old Avinash (Babloo) Khedkar has been pursuing his passion for the past decade now. As a child, he started learning classical music under Pandit Sadashiv Rao Jadhav. After his guru passed away, his training came to a halt and since then he has been teaching himself. He was first a part of Sargam and then Rashmi orchestra before he started freelancing as a singer. “The journey has been a long one. I have had a lot of lows and compared to them a few things that I can count as highs. On one hand, I have seen days when making ends meet was a challenge, whereas I have also been honoured to sing alongside great singers like Mika Singh.

But I have never wanted to do anything except sing,” he confesses. Babloo won the Pune round of the Royal Stag and MTV Bollywood India competition and got the opportunity to sing alongside Mika Singh and Kanika Kapoor.

When he was still in his initial days

of creating an identity for himself in the entertainment industry, his father became ill. Shouldering the responsibility of his entire family, he was forced to assist his uncle in his business for two years. During this time, Babloo even borrowed money from his friends to ensure that his family had at least one meal to eat. Even under such conditions he could not think of anything other than music. He eventually quit the job and decided to work harder to ensure that he could achieve something in music. “I do not necessarily want to become a playback singer but I would not say no if the opportunity came along.

I feel that it is more challenging to do live shows as there are no retakes. My dream is to be recognised by people as an entertainer and have a packed schedule so that I do not even have the time to breathe. Working with Pritam Da and Shankar Ehsaan Loy will also be a great accomplishment. My struggle will end when I achieve this,” the talented and modest singer tells us.

projects and some for others. Although I want to make films that are different from the mainstream Bollywood films, a certain amount of fame and recognition would be welcome,” says the young director. When he made his first individual short film titled Identity in 2011, the only thing he lacked was financial support. He sourced as much help as he could from his friends who had studied alongside him and were now working as professionals. The rest of the money, approximately Rs 1 lakh, required to finish the movie was borrowed from art lovers in his village. Amar also feels that his major struggle is producing work which is different and new. “You must be willing to learn everything as a struggler. If I am choosy about the kind of projects I want to do, or the kind of work that I am offered I will never get out of the struggler phase. This is something that my 10-year journey has taught me,” he says.

TGS LIFE

PICS BY RAHUL RAUT

I AM STILL WAITING FOR THE BIG BREAK

MAKING IT BIG REQUIRES A LOT OF PATIENCE Her uncle M Sunil Kumar was a magician and her father Surendra Majgaonkar was a mimicry artist. Constantly under their influence, joining the creative field and dreaming of becoming a performer was a given for Chaitali Majgaonkar Bhandari. Packing her bags when she was just 21, she moved to Mumbai to pursue her dream.

“Making it big requires a lot of patience. I was in Mumbai for three years facing innumerable auditions and directors. When things did not look so bright, I started doing almost any and every job I could find to ensure that I could survive in the city. Right from being an assistant director, to a writer, to any kind of job that came my way, I did them all,” she recollects.

Passionate about acting but making no head way in Mumbai, Chaitali moved back to Pune and decided to do something on her own. She began doing stand-up comedy and different kinds of shows. One-act plays to feed the actor within her,

puppet shows and a women’s orchestra called Ladies Express are among the projects that the talent house has managed to accomplish on her own.

Currently the president of Pune Ek-Patri Kalakar Parishad, she is still constantly fighting the financial battle. “Doing what I do, the pay is never constant. It is the kind of shows and the number of shows that determine my pay for the month. Since this is the only job I do, I try to ensure that the quality of my acts is high so that the audience is on a rise, but there is no guarantee. It was my mimicry and one act play, Tumcha Amcha Same Asta that has given me the recognition I have today. However, I still have a long way to go,” she says. Chailtali assures us that in the entertainment industry without hard work there is absolutely no gain unless you have a godfather. Even then, she adds, it is only the performer’s effort that determines who the audience appreciates.

MY DANCE PAID FOR MY EDUCATION Supriya Khedkar’s life revolves around dance. In the last 14 years, she has done over a thousand shows. Professionally trained, the 29-year-old is great at several dance forms like Hip-Hop, Krumping, Bollywood, Contemporary, among others. She has also formed a group of 12 performers and is a name to reckon with in Pune. Her dancing and choreography skills have helped her carve a niche in the city. Better known as Piyu in the dance circuit, she is waiting for her ultimate break. She aspires to be among the top most choreographers in the country.

Piyu started to dance at the age of 14. Her brother enrolled her into a dance class. From being an extremely shy person, who could barely dance in front of handful of people, she transformed into a professional performer. “My instructors appreciated my dance and it gave me the courage to take this hobby ahead,” says Piyu.

From then there has been no looking back. Instead of restricting her talent, she decided to turn her hobby into a profession. Piyu started performing for corporate events and private parties.

Three years ago she formed Naalish, a troupe of 12 professionally trained dancers. Refusing to settle with what she has, Piyu aims at carving a niche in the arena of performances. She hopes that someday she will get noticed by Bollywood. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

A humble upbringing has made Rahula Phaltankar the person he is today.

Hard-working, focused, dedicated and someone who values the little things as equally as the big ones is perhaps the best way to describe him.

Born and brought up in Phaltan in the Dhangar community, he did not have big dreams. Wanting to do something other than farming, he moved to Pune after his 12th standard exams. Working in a hotel as a manager gave him the opportunity to explore an aspect that he was completely unaware about. “I did not have much to do after my shift in the hotel ended and so I started accompanying a friend for his play rehearsals. They gave me a part to play and then there was no looking back. I even received the best actor award for my first play, Kalok De Phunkar at the Kaamgar Kalyan Natya Spardha,” says the proud 28-year-old.

When Rahul moved to Pune in search of a job, his family was extremely upset with him. For four years his parents and siblings did not

NOVEMBER 28, 2015 PUNE

FEATURES even talk to him. He somehow managed to rent a room in Sinhagad and make ends meet. This was just the beginning of his struggle. “Pravin Tarde, the director of Deeol Band, spotted me at one of my plays and offered me a supporting role in the film. This made my urge to succeed and be famous even stronger and after that auditions and meeting with directors has become a regular affair. I am still waiting for the big break,” he says.

It was only last year that he fell extremely ill and had to borrow money from friends and family since he did not have a steady job. The young actor dreams of seeing himself on the big screen in a role that he is extremely proud off. He also wants to make a film that has no language and is working on a script for the same.

NOVEMBER 28, 2015 PUNE

THRILL OF DRIVING

By Tushar Burman @tburman

VISHAL RAUT

TGS LIFE

MINOR GOD

Who’d have thought that making the engine smaller would make a better bike?

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he current Bajaj Avenger is the successor to the Eliminator, a small cruiser-style motorcycle originally sold by Kawasaki internationally. It its era, it was a wellstyled, low-slung small motorcycle with the kind of stance and chrome that appealed to buyers. This is evident from its enduring sales. It’s also aged surprisingly well. So much so that when we first saw the Harley-Davidson Street 750 on the roads in 2014, most observers remarked at the similarity. Bajaj appears to believe that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and chose to be flattered, for their new Avenger Street 220 takes cues from affair, with sufficient front-end bite. For a small 240mm disc, braking the American in its blacked-out paint job and cast wheels. action is surprisingly well-modulated, and there’s not a lot of dive when But that’s not the big story here. Nor is the Cruise 220, which braking hard. This perception may be down to the short, almost flat is the same bike but with more chrome and taller handlebar. The handlebar on the motorcycle. most interesting part of the new Avenger is that it’s actually Bajaj says the seat height is up 15mm and is more comfortable. Ground three bikes, including a base model with a 150cc engine. If you’re clearance is up too. Combined with the tweaked suspension rate, we snickering already, you should read on. had no trouble thrashing through rough roads on the Street 150.

To be blunt, the new Avenger is not new. The Verdict The riding position is quite neutral with the pegs forward, but cycle parts are all the same, save from tweaks to the + Comfort, not too much. Visibility is excellent thanks to these ergos, suspension to compensate for different weights. price, refinement and the mirrors are just right, but use poor quality glass that Even the new 150cc engine is adapted from Bajaj’s existing lineup, but tweaked for this application.

- Somewhat dated distorts the rear view. Also a bit strange is the fact that the tell-tale lights are down on the tank, not up in the console, Succumbing to the “bigger is better” mindset, TGS rating which makes them entirely useless to remind the rider that we too started our test with the 220cc Cruise ;;;`Z she’s left the indicator on. model, which also has some significant changes.

At Rs 72,901 ex-showroom, Maharashtra, the Bajaj Coming off that and onto the 150 is where the Eureka Avenger Street 150 carves another niche out of a segment where moment happened. There’s simply no other way of saying the manufacturer already had no peers. For the price, you get the style and it: the 150c engine makes the 220 feel downright crude. Sure, ergonomics of a cruiser with a proven record over a decade, along with the you’re likely to hit 100 and beyond faster on either 220cc model, efficiency of a 150cc commuter (claimed at 65kmpl). Bajaj claim that the new but the 150 will do comparable speeds -- within its limits -- with Avenger is attracting customers that were in the market for a traditional 150cc much more finesse. The larger motor appears to vibrate much motorcycle and hadn’t even considered a cruiser. We can see why. more than the smaller when revved hard, and transfers those vibes to the footpegs and to your knees via the tank. Bajaj do claim to have worked over the package to control NVH, and this effort is most evident on the 150.

The Street 150 also gets the blacked-out treatment of its more potent stablemate, but with a glossy blue paintjob instead.

To our eyes, it looked the better bike.

You would expect a cruiser to ‘cruise’, that is, go long distances quickly and comfortably. The 150 may not have the performance for fast mile munching. But then, there are those who enjoy the ergonomics and style of a cruiser motorcycle, but primarily need an urban two-wheeler. The Street 150 fits perfectly in this bracket, once again creating a new segment as Bajaj is wont to do.

The refined 150cc motor is based loosely on the Pulsar 150 engine, but makes more torque in this tune: 12.5Nm at 6500rpm, and much of it kicks in earlier in the rev range. This makes the Street 150 quite comfortable to run through the gears. Modified sprocketing ensures that you don’t feel much of a power loss when coming from the 220cc model.

Peak power is about 14.3bhp at 9000rpm, so don’t expect to sustain 100kmph for long durations. The gearbox has a nice, light action and it was very easy to flick through the gears quickly. This applies to the 220cc models as well. Stopping the Street 150 was a no-nonsense

The Street bikes get dark paintwork and cast wheels

Dark theme carries over to the exhaust

Analog/digital hybrid console is new

PRICES (EX-SHOWROOM, MAHARASHTRA)

• Bajaj Avenger Street 150 Rs 72,901 • Bajaj Avenger Street 220 Rs 81,727 • Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 Rs 81,727

The Avenger family The Avenger is now available in two motor options and trims, making up a total of three bikes. The Cruise uses the 220cc motor that we’re used to, but with more chrome all round, a more touring-oriented handlebar and a pillion backrest. It also uses wire-spoke wheels. The Street 220 comes in matte black with cast wheels reminiscent of some Harleys, but with a flatter handle and no pillion backrest. Both 220cc models use a larger 260mm front disc. For the most part, the Street 150 is the same as the 220 model, and saves you a fair bit of money.

TGS LIFE

NOVEMBER 28, 2015 PUNE

FEATURES

Young and raring to go, these stuntmen love to push the envelope with their mean machines

OF WHEELIES, STOPPIES AND

BURNOUTS

By Heena Grover Menon @HeenaGM

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or these daredevils, the adrenalin rush comes from biking and performing stunts.

The idea that was born simply out of fun and initially just to grab some attention has now become the sole purpose of life for Shekhar Singh (25), Ajinkya Kenjale (24), Manish Chakraborty (28) and Anam Hashim (22). These youngsters are among the few bike stunt professionals in the city. They may belong to different groups but are still connected through a single passion.

Shekhar is one of the three members of a group who started an online stunt shop called Stuntech, which manufactures motorcycle stunt parts and accessories. “During my school days, I used to practice some stunts on my bicycle to impress girls. But as I got my first bike, I actually started taking it seriously.

Then, in 2009, I met members of the club Rubber Smokin’ Angels (RSA), who let me to join their team and mentored me in learning some of the coolest stunt tricks.”

Until he went to perform for reality television shows, Shekhar’s parents had no idea what he was doing in life. “One day, some people from MTV came to meet me for an interview, followed by a documentary.

That’s when my parents actually realised that what I was doing held some worth in the world. Ever since, I have given my sweat and blood in setting up my little business and a

Ajinkya Kenjale

Shekhar Singh

stunt spot, which, unfortunately, had to be shut down due to land and legality issues,” adds Shekhar, whose group is also one of the best freestyle stunt riding teams in the country.

The only bike stunt woman in the city and one of the youngest of the lot, Anam moved to the city from Lucknow a few years ago.

She is currently pursuing a course in fashion designing and runs her own bike accessories portal called Stuntkart.com. Anam’s love for bike stunts goes back to her school days when she would see young boys on fancy bikes. “I didn’t have a bike so I started practicing little stunts on my bicycle. After school, I somehow managed to convince my parents to buy me a motorcycle and during one of the sessions I met with an accident.

My parents got to know what I had been up to and they asked me never to touch the bike again. It took a lot of convincing, and winning a few contests, for my parents to come to terms with the fact that this is what I wanted to do seriously. Although they are still not totally happy about me doing stunts but they don’t stop me either,” she says.

Anam Hashim

Manish Chakraborty

After Anam moved to the city she met some of the popular stunt experts but she always wanted to carve her own niche. Today, she is the only stunt woman in Pune. “I have travelled across the country and done multiple shows and events. I am also associated with a US-based company, which is supporting my venture,” she adds.

Anam wants to give bike stunting a legal sports status just the way it is in other countries so that it is not considered as just a rookie game but pursued in a professional manner.

Members of RSA, one of the first bikers club of India that kick started in Pune in 2003and focuses mainly on sport riding, stunts and drags, Ajinkya and Manish also began their biking journey out of pure passion. When Manish came from his hometown, Tripura, in search of a job in 2008, he was also crazy about bikes and wanted to learn stunts. That’s when he got in touch with Shekhar and joined the club. “I got to know about Shekhar and contacted him through social media and ever since then we are

together,’ says Manish. Ajinkya also met Shekhar around the same time.

“The club gave us a lot of recognition and opportunities to showcase our talent on multiple platforms.

Along with Varad More, Bhuwan Choudhary and Rohit Paradkar, we have done shows and trained people who wanted to learn this skill,” says Ajinkya.

While Ajinkya and Manish are still a part of the club, Shekhar went one step ahead to build his own brand with Stuntech. Just as any other profession, he also had to go through many ups and downs. His stunt spot had to be shut down and during one of the stunts, Shekhar suffered a ligament injurydue to which he is currently off any such activity. “I sold my treasured bike recently as I need the money to run the business. I am still struggling to find a new space to create a stunt

spot where we can train freshers but I am hopeful that it will all come through by next year,” he adds.

Their ultimate goal is to make bike stunts an absolutely legal activity in the country for which they are constantly trying to engage the younger lot while spreading awareness on safety. “These stunts are risky but, if done with proper gear and safety measures, one can master the art. This is what we try to inculcate in the minds of the youth who come to us to learn stunts,” says Manish.

Though Shekhar spends all his time and money over bikes and things around it, Manish is also an engineer by profession. Apart from turning the wheels of her beloved bike, Anam studies fashion designing, while Ajinkya runs a restaurant. heena.grover@goldensparrow.com

Boosting the city’s cultural space

TGS LIFE

NOVEMBER 28, 2015 PUNE

TGS brings to you five alternate spaces from across the city that have become cultural hotspots and are thriving destinations to showcase talent

FEATURES

The Classic Coffee Rock Co. hosts the Sunday Fitness Social in the amphitheatre space

By Salonee Mistry @SaloneeMistry

F

or several people from across the country, Pune is a place full of cultural diversity. There are enough and more theatre veterans in the city and an equally large number of youngsters, who are active in theatre today. The same goes for other art forms like dance, music performances, painters, stand-up comedians and every other form of art. With so many people, so much talent, and so much to showcase, the city is bound to come up with the spaces that act as alternate arenas for these artists to showcase their talents. Some of them are restaurants and cafes opening their doors to welcome performers, while others are art enthusiasts setting up new spaces solely for the purpose of spreading and promoting art forms. The city, in the last year or so, has seen a huge rise in the number of cultural hotspots and community centres. Talking to the owners of five cultural hotspots and community centres from across the city, we

Poets shocasing their talent at the poetry slam held at Pagdandi Cafe

learn what made them set these centres up and how the response has been. People who frequent these places tell us what about these spaces entices them and how much they love events held outside boring auditoriums.

SETTING UP AN ALTERNATIVE SPACE A warm and home-like place, Monalisa Kalagram situated at Koregoan Park, is one of the most picturesque spaces that is being used for various events. Around for about a year and a half, the space was started with the intention of using available space to promote new talent.

“Having a lot of space available, the initial idea was to start an art gallery to exhibit the work of new and wellknown artists. It was a platform apart from the one’s that already existed to enable more space as the numbers of artists in the city are rising day by day,” says Lisa Pingale, the owner of Monalisa Kalagram. The huge garden space is used to hold open-air movie screenings and other events like flea markets that need a bigger place.

A similar place that was among the first few places to

An open-air screening at the spacious Monalisa Kalagram

TGS LIFE

NOVEMBER 28, 2015 PUNE

FEATURES

Story tellers keeping the tradition of story-telling alive at The Loft

open its doors to performers and artists was The Loft. Situated in Camp, The Loft is a cozy place and was the brain child of 40-year-old Khushru Irani. Moving to Pune from Mumbai, Khushru saw the lack of a non-commercial cultural space whose focus was the art form that it helped promote. Although the space was never a part of his original architectural studio plan, it all started because of his interest in the talks of the gap that he found and the resources available at his disposal made it easier for him to open the space. “I started The Loft with the intention of supporting, sharing and inspiring. This is also the tag line that I associate with the space. Our community currently is 1,000 people strong and the hope is only that it keeps growing,” says a proud Khushru. The space boasts of having a few of the most unique sessions, like promoting the art of dastangoi, among other things.

Anubha Harlalka Doshi, a dance movement therapist and psychologist by qualification, opened her own cultural hub about 2 years ago. A passionate dancer herself, Anubha founded Artsphere in Kalyani Nagar because of the lack of such a place in that area. Hailing from Delhi, she constantly felt the need for more cultural hotspots in the city and decided to take matters into her hand by starting at least one place. “After I started the space it was my responsibility to ensure that it offered the right kind of services and partnered with the right kind of people to keep the place constantly vibrant. This is when I chalked out a series of classes I would want to have in a place like this and started contacting the best teachers for them. Now, we have a few teachers on board who work with us full time and a few who take workshops on an off. Guest lectures and sessions are also a common aspect at the space,” says Anubha. Artsphere runs classes for some of the most unique forms of martial arts, classical dances, guitar lessons, contemporary dance forms and even celebrates festivals with anyone and everyone, who wishes to join in.

Set in the heart of Baner, is an alternative space that is quite different from those mentioned above. Standing on a strong foundation of the love for travelling, art and culture Pagdandi is the heart and soul of Vishal and Neha Pipraiya.

A quaint little space, which was initially meant to be a library, later transformed to a space that is energetic with all kinds of talent. Be it story-telling, music jam sessions and so many more events. “Being avid travellers, Neha and I met while we were backpacking and instantly connected because of our love for travelling, books and art of different kinds. After we got married, we decided to start a library where people could come and read as well as borrow books. This exchange is a great way of creating a community,” says Vishal. Pagdandi Café has been around for about two years and quite often hosts, poetry slams, story-telling sessions, music jams, shayari sessions, plays, and so much more. The upbeat restaurant Classic Coffee Rock Co at Koregoan Park has turned itself into a hub for community

Participants of an art therapy wokshop express themselves through colours at the Artsphere

activities. The fitness social, the zumba classes and flea markets are how the place is used as an interactive space by the community. Avinash Agarwal, the owner of the space, decided to set up the community centre about four months ago and his reason for doing so was very simple. “Apart from peak hours at the restaurant, like the weekends or in the evening, the space remains empty. In an attempt to bring the community closer and use the space effectively, I decided to lend it for cultural activities and that’s how the centre was born,” shares Avinash.

The fitness social, a big community event, which was a huge success and accounted for more than 100 people, was held at the Classic Hard Rock Co for eight consecutive Sundays.

ALTERNATIVE SPACES: A BETTER OPTION What all these owners had in common was the vision of supporting and promoting the young and budding talent irrespective of their art form. Most events, which are held at these places, are not only giving the young talent of the city a direction, support and guidance that they need, but are also making the lost art forms a trend. Poetry slams have become a very common aspect of the city today and now there are so many poets that the city has to offer. While auditoriums and halls have always existed, these alternative spaces are much lighter on the pockets and gather much more crowd because of a new kind of environment and the concept of free entry for a lot of events. “When the library started off, it was just a space to spend time and interact with books. It was much later that it became a place where people interacted and we decided to make it a space where different interests and hobbies could be pursued. People now need a place that not only offers them space to gather crowd that will come watch them perform, but a place that inspires and guides them and that is exactly what

an alternate space does,” says Neha.

Agreeing with her, Anubha too feels that as the months go by, the demand for alternate spaces like her studio or any other place is only increasing. While initially she had to walk up to people and tell them about the place and ask them if they would like to collaborate, today she has people come to her and the feeling is great, she confesses. Along with being approached for shows and performances, Lisa believes that the growth of these alternative spaces is greatly measured by the quality of performances that the places produce. The more a place is well-known and more supporting and encouraging, the talent one gets to see at such a place is extremely rare and unique. It is the promotion of this talent which needs a boost, she adds.

The Loft, which began four years ago, has grown tremendously over time. The response, Khushru believes, has been remarkable and the fact that the space is at Camp has been an added bonus. For Avinash the fact that the community centre is just next to the restaurant is an added bonus for both the restaurant and the centre. While social events are generally not charged, or have a minimum fee, the food and beverages are always just next door for whoever wants them.

WHAT PUNEKARS SAY The people of Pune are known to be lovers of cultural activities and different forms of art. Be it theatre, music or dance, the city has never disappointed. Since the alternate spaces are on a rise, there have been high quality performances and the number of events are on a rise too. “A hall or an auditorium does not necessarily value the work of the performer. The environment does not support the artist’s art in the way that an alternative space does and this is the plus point of showcasing your work in an alternate space,” says Ruby Jhunjhunwala, who has showcased her work at Monalisa Kalagram twice now. Holding a similar opinion, musician Shivam Shankar, who often jams at Pagdangi, believes that the atmosphere at the alternative spaces makes all the difference. He says that since it is more encouraging and supporting than at a show where you perform for an audience who has paid to see the show and expect a certain kind of performance. In the alternative space, especially where he jams, the people are just chilling and are there to have fun so the stress and expectation on the performer is much less, he says.

Just like them, there are innumerable Punekars who actively enjoy the existence of these alternate spaces and this can be seen by the growing artists who showcase their work or by the rising numbers of the members of the community. Not only are these spaces encouraging and supporting young talent but are, in all probability, showing them the right path too by having guided sessions by experts from time to time. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

NOVEMBER 28, 2015 PUNE

SHOPPING Multi-coloured muffler With the right pair of clothes, you need the perfect match of accessories.

And no winter wardrobe is ever complete without a warm stylish muffler. Wrap it around your neck and team it with a blazer and chinos for a laid-back look.

Price: Rs 799 Where: Peter England Store, JM Road

Denim jacket

The evergreen denim jacket is your perfect winter wardrobe essential. Wear it over a deep shaded tee or a chequered shirt paired with denim pants or chinos.

Style with a denim cap and look your boyish best.

Price: Rs 1,500 Where: Choice Corner, Camp

Cool wear to keep you warm

VISHAL KALE

SP

TGS LIFE

By Heena Grover Menon @HeenaGM

P

earl is ancient but will probably never be out of fashion. Today, pearls

have moved far beyond the image of just a classic white strand. Here is our collection from the best stores in town to give you a fresh take on this ancient gem.

14 Suede high neck jacket

This uber stylish jacket goes very well if you want to don a semi-casual look. Wear it over a black full-sleeve tee and pair it up faded denims for that perfect coffee date.

Price: Rs 2,700 Where: Swag Apparels, Tilak Road

Checkered tweed shirt

Tweed shirts have been in vogue for ages and something that look super stylish yet elegant to be worn in almost any occasion.

Style it with chinos along with a warm scarf for a dapper look.

Price: Rs 750 (Shirt), Rs 200 (Scarf) Where: Swag Apparels, Tilak Road

Black semileather jacket A black jacket is one thing that your winter trousseau can never be complete without. Pair it up with formals or torn denims trousers along with boots and your set to impress the girls out there.

Price: Rs 2,200 Where: Stile Man Fashions, Fashion Street, Camp

Brown laceup shoes

Cut an impressive statement as you complete your outfit with this pair of brown laceup shoes. You can wear this versatile design with a pair of chinos and a polo tee for casual Fridays at work.

Price: Rs 1,899 Where: People, Niyoshi Park Society, DP Road Aundh

Grey leather jacket

This warm and stylish jacket goes well with every attire.

Wear it over a pair of faded blue jeans with buttons up to office or just leave it unbuttoned over a bright shirt or a tee for a casual look.

Price: Rs 2,500 Where: Sagar Arcade, FC Road

Denim hooded sweatshirt

This all-new denim style sweatshirt is one of the most popular winter wear in the city market. Pair it up with a black or rugged blue jeans and you are ready for your weekend movie date.

Price: Rs 2,500 Where: Famous Men’s Wear, East Street

Striped t-shirt with denims

This bright striped tee goes perfectly in the gloomy weather. Just pair it up with a pair of denims and add a dash of funk with a beanie cap and a jacket if you feeling a bit nippy.

Price: Rs 400 (T-shirt), Rs 900 (Denims) Rs 200 (cap) Where: Belief Fashion, MG Road

RAHUL RAUT

Never giving up

TGS LIFE

NOVEMBER 28, 2015 PUNE

FEATURES

I

t was the responsibility to earn the livelihood for his family of four that forced Baburao Gomte - an accountant by profession - to become a security guard. The job not only got him a regular income but assured him of a steadiness in his life that his previous jobs could not give him. Hailing from Nanded, Baburao has quite an inspiring story to tell. After graduating, he joined a private firm as an accountant. Two years later, the company went bust and he lost his job.

Next came a small shop where he sold tea-powder. “My shop also suffered a major loss. With whatever remaining money I had, I invested it in a hotel hoping it would end some of my miseries.

Unfortunately, luck was not on my side and this too, failed. I moved to Hyderabad and found myself knocking on the

door of a security company. Later I got transferred to Pune and have been living here ever since,” says the 44-year-old.

Class up your wardrobe with these must-have accessories

N

o matter what the season, there are certain accessories every woman must have in her closet. They are classy, and enhance your regular outfits. Designer Bhuvana Malineni shares some tips for must have accessories.

• Embroidered or Zardosi belts are a great way to dress up indo western outfits or plan black or white tops with jeans.

• Tie and dye Bhuvana Malineni scarves are a must have for every wardrobe. They class up otherwise plain looking dresses.

• A printed f loral blouse can be worn either with a saree or even as a crop top on plain maxi skirts or even jeans.

Choose dark colours with a lighter design, or vice versa.

• A clutch in a neutral colour, STYLE like gold or dull silver, will complement most traditional GURU outfits and is a perfect if you don’t want to carry a bag.

• Splurge on a pair of shoulder earrings which work well with both western as well as Indian outfits.

• Mojadis in both neutral as well as colourful patterns leave your options open for choosing f lats over heels.

• A shoulder bag is an essential for all women, considering the amount of stuff they always carry.

Perfect for dumping your clutch, sunglasses, scarves and even a pair of shoes in

case of emergencies.

• Rounded sunglass frames are in style, now that the cat eye is out. The style of the seventies is back in fashion now.

• An oversized watch is a great accessory, for both western as well as Indian outfits.

Worn with a tucked in printed shirt and a pair of jeans, it gives a feel of smart casuals.

10.

Another must have is a set of oversized bangles to jazz up any casual outfit in your wardrobe.

As told to Abha Pandit

on duty. Currently working at Paranjape Schemes Forest Trail in Bhugaon, he is the head security supervisor. His wife, Urmila Gomte, 35, works in the billing department of a hospital in the city. Between their salaries they manage to provide two meals a day for their family and educate their children as well.

“Irrespective of all that has unekar happened, I have learned to see the positive in everything. I faced failure in my two businesses, but I am grateful that they went down at early stages. I would have lost a lot more money than I did had they lasted longer. I am content with the way things are now. They could be better but I am happy that they For the past 12 years, Baburao has aren’t worse,” he says with a smile. dedicated his time and energy to safeguard the places where he has been put (As told to Salonee Mistry)

City celeb chat

Name: Amitriyan Patil Profession: Actor Three words to describe me: Silent curious observer I love my job because: I get paid for acting which others do anyways for free all the time around in society Best advice I’ve received: From my senior in theatre group - Think less When buying something, the first thing that catches my eye is: Uniqueness and how rare it would be What’s your inner animal? Horse ( I imagine myself as shiny brown horse ) The first thing you notice about an attractive person: Attitude along with type of vibrations that person emits.

The perfect start to a day is: That relaxed extra 10 mins on the bed even after opening eyes after waking up Your current four-wheeler: Ecosport Your fitness regimen: Swimming three times a week and gym twice a week Your food indulgence: Nothing fancy…simple dal rice with ghee Books by your bedside: Either old comics or something in mythology The first site you visit when you fire up your comp: It’s always Google search every 20 minutes Your favourite city: Aamchi Mumbai Ideal holiday: Depends on the kind of company I have, nothing is ideal (As told to Zainab Kantawala)

TGS LIFE

NOVEMBER 28, 2015 PUNE

BUZZ

Happy I got to Tom Hardy plays abuse in Tamasha gangster twins

S

he is known to be a soft, shy person in real life but actress Deepika Padukone admits she loved using a few expletives in a scene for her upcoming fi lm Tamasha. The official trailer of Tamasha sees Deepika abusing a man, who does not allow her to make a phone call. When asked about the sequence, she said, "Abusing people does not come naturally to me. So, in the scene where I am asking a man to allow me to make phone call and he does not budge and I abuse him, I enjoyed it a lot.

It was fun because I don't get to do that in real," Deepika said.

The actress along with actor Ranbir Kapoor and director Imtiaz Ali was in the capital to promote Tamasha, which arrives in theatres this Friday. It has been eight years since Deepika started her showbiz journey and the actress has undergone immense transformation and today stands tall with fi lms like Piku, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Finding Fanny and Cocktail to her credit. The actress said she is finally in a place where she is enjoying her craft and being in front of the camera. "I don't think I can talk about my own growth but I can say I have learnt a lot. It has not been easy, specially for a person who comes from a different lifestyle, completely different background, to adapt to a new city, new profession and people, not understanding anything about the craft but being here because I am very passionate to be the best that I can be.

"I have that thing to learn. I don't mind criticism and accepting my mistakes and learning from all the fi lms that I have done and the experiences that I had. I have learnt a lot and most importantly reached a stage in my life today where I really enjoy my craft and I enjoy spending time in front of the camera and milking that," the actress said. Post Tamasha, Deepika, 29, will be seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Bajirao Mastani, which also stars her rumoured boyfriend Ranveer Singh and Priyanka Chopra.

When asked who out of Ranbir and Ranveer is a prankster, Deepika named her ex-flame.

By Zainab Kantawala @kantawalazainab

W

hat's better than one Tom Hardy? Yes, the suave actor will portray twin gangster brothers Reginald 'Reggie' and Ronald 'Ronnie' Kray in his new fi lm Legend. After his breakthrough performance in the science fiction thriller Inception and Mad Max: Fury Road, Tom Hardy is all set for the release of his next fi lm. The versatile actor will be playing the role of the gangster twin brothers who left their mark on the London Underworld in the 1960s. He admits that it was not easy to play two characters. “It was challenging, yeah. But I wanted to work with Brian Helgeland, and once we started working on it, it was actually a really lovely puzzle to solve from a performer’s and collaboration point of view. There’s a part of me that enjoys investigating the criminal underworld,” he says.

While the characters drew Hardy to take up the fi lm, he himself didn’t know much about the notorious brothers since there was a lot of myth around to differentiate from the fact.

“A lot of us grew up knowing about the Krays. There are lots of stories about them but most of them are made up. We did a lot of research, but no one really knows the truth

about them. It’s pretty much open to interpretation, some aspects,” he adds. From there, he had room to dramatise on what they knew about the brothers.

While Reggie is sharp and clever, Ron is muscular and violent. Either role is a dream for any actor. Tom says he is lucky to be playing both.

“Playing Ron came easier. He had a certain predictable-unpredictability thing about him, which allowed me as a performer to have a bit more fun. He speaks his mind at any given moment. Reggie is more calculating and is a manipulator. Playing doubles is something that I wanted to do, I suppose rather selfishly, just to see if I could pull something like this off,” he says.