It is not a walk in the park to rise to a status of a world-renowned female bartender. Lauren Mote gets candid on her hard-earned expertise.
Mixologist Lauren Mote doesn’t believe that the challenges she faced as a bartender were related to her gender. Every person has a unique journey and she too worked hard to gain the global fame that she enjoys today. However, hiring practices are changing and hopefully this means that job criteria and financial hierarchy are changing too, she added.
As Diageo Global Reserve’s brand ambassador, she said, “Markets like Canada, the USA, United Kingdom, western Europe and Australia have a significant number of women working behind the bar whereas emerging markets have a lot less. We still have a long road ahead of us to make real change in our global industry but we are on the right track,” Mote said.
A rebel and a powerhouse, she advised young women interested in mixology to “seize every opportunity to work with people who value you for your skills and abilities.” She doesn’t want them to change in the face of adversity or succumb to the status quo.
“It’ll be tough to rise above, but you have a voice and the ability to command a room, so use the stage wisely. It might take a long time to create an audience, but once you do, make sure you have something powerful to say. In our industry, as in many others that are public-facing, it takes a lifetime to build a positive reputation and just seconds to destroy it. Keep that in mind with each step, each interaction and each decision. Bring those that have helped you along the way into the fold and build an army of strong, powerful professionals – they deserve to be heard, too,” she said.
The world of cocktails is changing and it is no longer only about making the expected, traditional concoctions. The Canadian cocktailian said that the trends to look out for include sustainability, signature serves and culinary cocktails. “The world is waking up to the impact their choices have on the environment and sustainable practices and ingredients are becoming increasingly important.
Mixologists who embrace this new reality are the ones who will flourish and there is an opportunity for the industry to get behind some ‘easy to execute’ initiatives,” she said.
A significant part of travel itineraries have started including the world’s best bars as ‘must visit’ destinations for drink-savvy tourists. In 2018, we expect to see a rise in signature serves as bar owners give a free rein to talented mixologists to create unique drink experiences. Chefs and bartenders have also begun to collaborate on flavour development. There is a symbiosis in the process with more bartenders getting involved in the kitchen and using classical culinary techniques as a new way (for the bar) to preserve, extract and develop flavours.
“With the rise in the last decade of celebrity chefs and interest in cuisine, the most enlightened mixologists will experiment with flavours, ingredients and techniques from their peers in the world of fine dining,” she said.
For her, the best cocktail depends on the season, the time, the place and the occasion and yet the Negroni is what she would choose most of the time. Her ideal version is heavy on the Tanqueray No. TEN Gin. It would have standard pour bitter liqueur and lower on the vermouth. Then stir and serve over big cubes and long flap of orange peel expressed over the glass and dropped in.
“I always eat the orange afterwards as a palate cleanser. These days, I am also falling in love with the Johnnie Walker Black highball all over again – it’s just delicious,” she said.
Mote also says that on the technical front, bartenders commonly misuse sugar and acid.
“Understanding that sugar is to the bar what salt is to the kitchen is important in our quest for balance, and certainly one must consider acidity and bitterness too. When all the six tastes come together – sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent and pungent – it pushes flavours forward and helps create balance. The more bartenders that learn to cook and understand these principles, the better their cocktails will be each and every time,” she said.
She says that a bartender is a steward of all things food and beverage culture: tea, coffee, spirits, wine, beer, food and ingredients, flavour and complexity – you name it!
“So, you’ve got to have an incredible depth and breadth of category knowledge and the ability to communicate this knowledge to your customers with skill and creativity. Being in the customer service industry, you’ve also got to have top-notch interpersonal skills and a selfless attitude, ultimately putting others needs ahead of your own,” she said.
Writer: Asmita Sarkar
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Tourism Minister K.J. Alphons tells this writer how along with sizeable revenue generation, tourism continues to generate jobs in India.
The Union Minister of State for Tourism, Alphons Kannanthanam, believes that with his ministry’s aggressive marketing campaigns, the number of foreign tourist arrivals and revenue generated from the same can be doubled over the next three years. Calling Indian tourism transformational, he appeals to everyone to visit the country to experience the various colours of life. Here is an extract from the interview:
How has the tourism industry fared so far?
In 2017, we received a total of 16.5 million tourists. Keeping the non-resident Indians aside, the number of foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) was 10.1 million, registering a growth of 15.67 per cent over 2016. Thus we crossed the 10 million mark of FTAs. The forex earnings from foreign tourists in 2017 amounted to $27 billion or Rs 180,000 crore, registering a growth of 20.8 per cent over the previous year. Domestic tourism has also done well, registering a growth of about 15 per cent in 2017 over 2016. The tourism sector contributed seven per cent to India’s GDP and 14 per cent to the job market. Of all employed persons in India, 14 per cent are employed under the tourism sector which amounts to nearly 82 million. Over the last four years, the sector has created 14.92 million additional jobs. However, I am not happy with these figures. My target is to double the inflow of FTAs and revenue from tourism over the next three years.
What is the Ministry’s promotional plan?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been our biggest ambassador in promoting tourism and uplifting India’s reputation in the world. We are positioning ourselves in the international market in a different light and flooding the market with innovative ideas regarding India through mainstream and social media. We are conducting roadshows in various markets like the US, Russia, China and Australia. China is the biggest outbound market with 144 million travellers every year. If India can get even 10 percent of these tourists, it would be phenomenal. Thus we are planning to do major promotions in China.
Six 60-second promotional videos have been made in many languages to promote various themes of Indian tourism. Of these, four have been released in the overseas markets on yoga, wildlife, ayurveda and luxury. These videos have been massive hits with over 25 million views within 24 hours of their launch. The Indian embassies and high commissions abroad are also being involved in overseas marketing of tourism.
What is the update on the revamped Incredible India campaign?
The Incredible India 2.0 campaign has been launched on a pilot basis in various markets and proved to be a success. The new website has innovative content and is more interactive and comprehensive. It will prove to be a valuable guide to all tourists. We are partnering with Google for virtual reality elements for the website. Soon, we are also going to launch our mobile App.
What has been the Ministry’s budget?
The Ministry has received funds to the tune of Rs 600 crore out of which Rs 453 crore have been set aside for overseas promotions and the rest are for marketing in India. With a focus on 15 themes of tourism, the Ministry has undertaken 67 projects with an outlay of Rs 6,537 crore under the Swadesh Darshan scheme. It has taken up 23 projects worth Rs 600 crore under the PRASAD scheme. The funds are being used to develop infrastructure at heritage sites and religious places besides developing eco-tourism and tribal tourism circuits. Nearly 30 of these projects are expected to be completed by the end of December and the rest shall be completed by March 2019.
Which other projects are in the pipeline?
The Ministry has identified 12 iconic sites based on the largest tourist footfall. State-of-the-art infrastructure will be developed at these sites. Currently, after consultation with the stakeholders at each of these sites, a consultant will be appointed and then these will be converted to projects and taken forward.
The “Adopt a Heritage” scheme is also a way to bring Indians closer to their heritage where they can adopt a monument and take up its upkeep and further development. Expression of Interest has been submitted by various NGOs, private players and individuals and the projects have taken off after a go-ahead from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The Northeast is an untapped region. Our aim is to take up at least two projects in each of the states in the region.
We are promoting the Buddhist Circuit in a big way. As part of this initiative, we will be hosting a Buddhist conclave in New Delhi from August 26 to 28. We will develop Sarnath as a hub for this circuit but to develop the complete circuit, we are in talks with the World Bank to finance the project, subject to the approval of the Finance Ministry. The Ministry is also investing funds in the Udan scheme to accelerate air connectivity to key destinations like Khajuraho, Aurangabad and Hampi. We are willing to fund the losses incurred if these routes do not show profit. We have also allocated Rs 100 crore to develop infrastructure for cruise tourism at Mumbai, Margao, Kochi and Chennai. Last year 139 ships called at Indian ports and 1,74,000 Indians went on cruise holidays. However, globally there are 26 million cruisers and this segment offers very high revenues. Our aim is to get more ships to home-berth at Indian ports.
What are the Ministry’s plans to make night tourism a reality in India?
Globally when tourism receipts are considered, the largest revenues are contributed by night tourism. Though the tourists visit the monuments in the day, the entrance fee from them is nominal. It is entertainment that generates big money. We need to create a safe and open environment where we can entertain the guests at night. These can include light and sound shows at monuments, cafes, pubs and restaurants that should be open throughout the night.
Writer: Ankita Saxena
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Stand-up comedian Amit Tandon, who will be launching his new show Tandon Talkies soon, talks about his inspiration in everyday life in a freewheeling chat with Chahak Mittal.
Delhi-based comedian Amit Tandon, commonly called “The Married Guy” of the Indian stand-up comedy scene, is laughing all the way to the bank — for a reason. He recently touched a milestone when he completed 100 shows in the last one year.
Tandon opens up about how he ended up doing 45-50 shows in 32 cities across the US last year. “I have been to 15 countries last year but in terms of experience it has been both very surprising and pleasant because I never knew the kind of reach that social media could give me. In the UK, we had planned four shows but we ended up doing nine.” Across the Atlantic, things became even bigger. “Something similar happened in the US as well, where initially the size of the venue that we were booking was only 300-350 seater but we sold out two months in advance. So, we shifted to 1,000-seater theatres and completed around 45-50 shows across 32 cities in the US.”
He adds, “It was a great learning experience though it was back-breaking in terms of the schedules because the flights for the US are pretty long. There is no time for the body clock to adjust. But at the same time, I felt that the more people you meet, the more material you collect in terms of comedy and the more you get to observe.”
Amit believes that social media has been instrumental in allowing him to reach out to the masses. He says, “Earlier you had to be either on television or in movies to do that, since those were the only media through which you got recognition. But now WhatsApp groups, Youtube and Facebook have provided a platform to showcase your skill set on your own and find your market, which is exactly what happened with me.”
Ever wondered how do these comedians find inspiration or ideas for their stomach and jaw-aching jokes? As far as Amit is concerned, he has a very realistic and observational approach. He says, “In terms of inspiration, comedy is tragedy plus timing. Whatever bothers me, I use it for comedy. A lot of it is observational comedy. For example, the struggles of a middle class person, mobile phones, traffic are things that everyone sees and I use them in my gags.” He illustrates with an example from daily life. “It could also be the things that irritate me. Today, when I was at the airport, waiting in the queue, there was a person who tried to break the queue. Then I realised, this is a habitual offence at airports everywhere.”
Being a comedian isn’t an easy job, neither a fixed one, so how does he manage to keep his jokes evergreen? Amit says, “This is a constant worry that plagues a comedian that maybe you have written your best set already so what will you write next. And is there an exhaustion of jokes? You just need to get out of your comfort zone every now and then to get new things and find inspiration.”
There is, of course, a dark side to being funny man. The pressure of performance is such that comedians hardly get to look at real issues in their lives. Here is what Amit has to say about it, “Well! Mujhe toh depression nahi hua hai abhi tak (laughs).” He adds, “Depression is becoming very common among artists, no matter in whichever industry. In a time of social media, there is a constant struggle among celebrities, like even Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, to update their social media profiles to connect with the people and project the sunny side of their lives, even when they are not feeling so.” He says, “Comedians are as serious as anybody. So it is not just confined to comedy industry only.”
Amit believes in jokes that stay within the people’s conscience. “Today you read a hundred jokes on whatsapp but forget them by the evening. I believe in taking a joke back home. There is a saying that you should be able to live your joke, which means that people should be able to relate it to themselves.”
He shares one of his most memorable experiences about how he had to jump on the improvisational theatre pattern. Says he, “When we were booked for a show in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the show was advertised in English but it was a comedy club, so we ended up with a 100 White people and two Indians. They just wanted to see Indian comedy. But the show was in Hindi and English, a mix of both. At the last minute, there were two of us, me and Deveshu, and we had to completely re-do our show in English. First, Deveshu turned to the stage and did a half-an-hour interaction in English, which went pretty well. While he was on the stage, I sat down to translate all my sets into English — which was a three-and-a-half hour script of jokes that I had written so far. Thankfully, it went pretty well. In fact, so well that I have been booked for a one-hour show by the same Crackhouse Comedy Club in KL next year. That is one show that I will always remember. It was a great sense of achievement for both of us, because we regularly do Hindi-English mix comics, and we ended up doing a one hour 15 minute show, which was completely in English, for a White audience. We got a standing ovation at the end of the show.” Clearly, he is, as the parlance goes, “killing it,” one show at a time.
Writer: Chahak Mittal
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Rural areas in India is reeling under acute shortage of physicians and lack of proper healthcare infrastructure. Only when we learn from our failures can we do a course correction.
As a part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), India committed to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC). However, its total healthcare expenditure (under five percent of its GDP) resulted in sub-optimal outcomes. With less spending, India faces a severe shortage of hard infrastructure and talent along with regional imbalances in healthcare delivery. Although rural India accounts for about 70 percent of the population, it has less than one-third of nation’s hospitals, doctors and beds, resulting in large disparities in health outcomes across States.
As India’s health system faces multipronged challenges, deficiency of doctors has emerged as one of the biggest roadblocks in the making of a new healthcare ecosystem. Currently, there is a shortfall of nearly two million doctors and four million nurses. Moreover, doctors’ numbers are also skewed towards a few States. According to NATHEALTH’s Aarogya Bharat Report- “India Healthcare Roadmap for 2025”, healthcare services are expected to generate demand for 15 million to 20 million new jobs for doctors and other health professionals by 2025. In spite of such huge prospects, India continues to face severe shortage.
India has less than one doctor for every 1,000 citizens, which is less than the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard that prescribes a doctor population ratio of 1:1,000. If Ayush practitioners are included, India has 1.3 doctors for 1000 population. A Medical Council of India (MCI) report suggests that in July 2017, there were a total 10,22,859 allopathic doctors registered with the MCI or with state medical councils. As per the Aarogya Bharat Report, the shortfall of doctors is likely to continue till 2039. India is passing through a critical phase, and to deal with the situation, it needs urgent structural reforms.
National Medical Commission — managing it professionally: India needs to be in mission mode to bridge the critical gap in available health professionals. The Government is all set to restructure the way India manages the supply side of medical professionals. The National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, which is expected to be tabled in the Parliament during the monsoon session, will address several issues related to doctors’ deficiency. It is promising to note that the Government has carefully dealt with the concerns expressed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and other experts and their suggestions were incorporated to modify the Bill, which was approved by the Cabinet early this year.
Issues related to screening tests for doctors with foreign medical qualifications, “bridge course” for Ayush practitioners to practise modern medicine, fees and seats by private institutions have also been resolved. Apart from scope, the constitution of the Commission has also been restructured with number of nominees from States and Union Territories in the NMC going up to six from three. To give it a professional character, the NMC will comprise 25 members, of which, at least 21 will be doctors.
Pride of medical professionals: The pride and status of medical professionals of all cadres is waning. There is an utter disregard for the attempts to provide basic amenities to doctors in rural areas. Apathetic management for staff and lack of professional protection during healthcare delivery further aggravates the problem. This holds back healthcare providers to take innovative steps suitable for local needs. There is an absence of reward for excellence or punishment for failures in the system.
In order to cope up with ‘doctors’ deficiency’ in rural areas, the Governments must develop model villages and blocks. The concept of model group housing at block level or primary healthcare level should be considered, where Government employees of all departments could be provided accommodation and required facilities like school, playground, community centre, supermarket et al could be bestowed in the neighbourhood. This concept would allow holding, retaining and recruiting fresh talent by facilitating their stay and improvising their quality of life comparable with their counterparts in the city.
The way forward: Prioritising areas with critical shortage of healthcare professionals especially doctors will be important. Moreover, regulations that enable private participation in medical education need to be created. Exploring public-private partnership (PPP) models to enable a rapid increase in medical education seats needs to be given priority. Focusing on primary care can help reduce hospitalisation rates. And telemedicine and remote monitoring tools can be used to widen the reach of existing doctors and increase their productivity. The implementation of Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Swasthya Suraksha Scheme under Ayushman Bharat Mission, clearly indicates that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with innovative doable solutions, prefers to act as a radical plastic surgeon rather than the cosmetic one, to change the lives of rural ailing population. ‘Doctors’ deficiency’ remains a big challenge and to fulfil the dream of ‘Swasth Bharat’ (Healthy India), this has to be taken up by all stakeholders on an urgent basis.
Writer: Daljit Singh/Anjan Bose
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Actor Sanjay Mishra, an alumnus of NSD who is known for his unconventional and soulful roles in Bollywood, believes in becoming the other face of the Indian that is unknown to audience.
Actor Sanjay Mishra literally believes in American playwright Clare Luce’s succinct observation, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” As somebody who completely dissolves into the common characters that he enacts onscreen, he says he doesn’t overthink his roles or even his choice of them. “It’s very simple. I don’t read scripts at all, I like the scripts being read out to me. If I am able to see the entire movie in my mind with the character while hearing, then I am in. At least that’s my first criteria,” he tells us on the sidelines of the recently concluded Jagran film festival. “Other than that, I’m a very emotional person. I say yes to whichever film strikes the emotional core of my being. And I reject roles where I am required to be a caricature of an oppressor, like in romantic films where I’m to play a strict father of a girl who wants to marry another boy he has issues with. So, it’s quite a simplified process for me.”
For somebody who debuted and made a mark on television with the popular Office Office, Mishra’s acting chops drew mainstream attention with his performances in indie films like Masaan and Ankhon Dekhi.
But he won’t go back to television soon though he doesn’t disown it at all. Says Mishra, “I worked for television a lot and it was fun too. But after a point, I realised that the content of TV is degrading. If you ask me what went wrong, I will put it in a very desi way, ‘Sab chaat ki dukaan ban gaya hai (Everything has become like a snack shop).’ So long as a recipe works for everyone, everybody will churn out the same staple. They don’t want to come out of their comfort zone and try something new and unique.”
Mishra believes that content writers are scared to write anything new because of fear of failure. “Writers are so hemmed in by the revenue and funding imperatives that they don’t realise there might be a flip side and the audience might actually love a show that is unique.” In films, he says, “The situation is not that bad as yet. There have been Kadvi Hawa and Ankhon Dekhi and young filmmakers want to tell a good story. Big banners still rely on formula but the smaller films have forced them to change their tack a bit.”
Having worked in a lot of independent projects, Mishra says he does them because “there are stories that need to be heard. Movies made by independent filmmakers are really the ones that deserve the kind of attention that movies with banners do.
I’m not saying all of them produce great work but I think everyone should have an equal opportunity to reach out to the audience. I hope that the flat world of the internet changes the dynamics as these independent projects are gaining traction.”
The 54-year-old actor, known and appreciated for his rustic acting and originality, credits his fans for lasting so long. But now he feels it’s enough. So he wants to hit pause button, breathe easy and focus on his life. “I’ve hustled a lot now. I wanted to become an actor and I’m blessed to have been given the opportunity to become one. I have tried to give a voice to the grassroots with roles that have had a social impact, sometimes through comedy. As long as I am offered good scripts that tell a story I’m personally emotionally attached to, I’ll work. If I don’t, I won’t look back with anger or regret. I’ve made my parents, myself and my kids proud.”
After that, there’s the commune of artists. “I want to build a cultural hub for myself and the young ones who need a roof over their heads to chase their dream and live a simple life, like how we used to live in the good old days.” A rare chip of the old block.
Writer: Shambavi Suri
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Despite celebrating her silver jubilee in the profession, designer Payal Jain is not showing any sign of slowing down. Currently, she is working on her Spring-Summer 2019 collection to be showcased in Paris. She tells this writer how she works hours to meet strict deadlines and achieve big targets.
India has been widely accepting global fashion trends. What changes have you brought about in your designs that involve international as well as Indian fashion cultures?
I have always created Western garments from the inception of my business in the early 1990s. At that time, Indian fashion sensibility of most consumers was very ethnic. Over the last two decades, I have seen these preferences change completely across the country. We have gone from a primarily saree/salwar kameez-wearing nation to one where jeans, pants, dresses and skirts have become the standard way of dressing in the cosmopolitan cities. This is limited to not only a few cities but has also filtered down to tier II and III cities. Today the Indian consumer is well aware of the global trends and is up to date with international fashion. They want the latest fashion trends and are cost-conscious, expect comfort and durability and need an ease of wearing and maintaining.
I have followed the international fashion predictive to an extent from the beginning of my career but these are good only for a broad guideline of the season. They cannot be adhered to completely while creating collections which represent your brand identity and ethos. That is a personal journey and the one, which each brand must define. Earlier, we used to create different collections for the Indian market and Western trade shows as market preferences varied. Those days are long gone, now we book orders on the same collections across the globe as well as India.
Design as a sensibility is flowing from fashion to the commonest utility item. What has led to such artful consciousness?
‘Design’ is about your aesthetics in relation to the nature of art, beauty and taste with the creation of something beautiful. Design encompasses various facets of life, such as fashion, lifestyle, home furnishing, textiles, products, interiors, art, music, cuisine and travel. For an artist, everything becomes a medium of expression, be it a canvas or a loom, an instrument, a wall, a piece of textile, a mound of clay or a roll of paper. Design aesthetics have evolved greatly over the last few years. Today people want creative choices and options in everything, be it fashion, interiors, home furnishings, products, accessories, etc. They are also willing to pay a premium for creativity; hence I believe this shift has come about globally.
The Scandinavian countries, France, Italy and Japan were leaders in their particular design aesthetics for many years but now the whole world has followed suit and each country is creating its own unique handwriting.
There was a time when Indian formal design was about ceremonial lines and Western silhouettes in informal wear. Now Indians are more comfortable in their own skin, styling and cuts, silhouettes too. How have you tracked this change as somebody who has been around for 25 years?
That is very true. After graduating from the US, I returned home to start a career in fashion. We, as designers, were still treated as glorified tailors and no one understood that there was a skill and education required to pursue a career in fashion. Today, designers have a huge fan following and are treated as celebrities but the journey to this day has been long and hard. I ventured into designing Western outfits at a time when they were unheard of in India. When I started my fashion label in the early 90s, most Indians believed that an outfit was worth money only if it was a saree or an Indian ensemble, because it would be preserved as an heirloom or passed down to the generations. A beautifully draped gown or immaculately constructed suit was never their natural choice and certainly not an expensive one. Western outfits were limited to casual day wear, mostly by young people and a selected few corporate ladies. Western couture was neither heard of nor appreciated.
I have always been passionate about Indian textiles and crafts and merged these with Western silhouettes from the inception of my label 25 years ago. During those days, there was a minuscule market, which was at its best for this marriage between the East and the West, but I believed it was my strength and I stuck to it against all odds. Slowly, the customer sensibility evolved in India and from a handful of clients, my label now creates for a large segment of discerning women across the globe. The Indian woman is comfortable with her body, confident of her goals, clear about her choices and wants to make her own unique style statement. She no longer needs to hide behind the garb of tradition; she is proud of her heritage and carries it with dignity. Today, the entire world looks at India for its textile heritage and fashion amalgamation, catering to the global audience.
What are the shortcomings of being an individual designer given the growing preference for an online fashion market? Why aren’t individual designers forming a collective for prêt wear?
I sincerely wish designers would come together on a common platform, online being the most logical choice today. Individually, one can only expand one’s repertoire to a limited extent, no matter how organised or professional your organisation may be. Coming together as an industry is the most pragmatic way forward in my mind as the market for Indian designers is immense, both in India and globally.
There was a time when the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) was a cherished institution. What ails it now?
NIFT has shaped a whole new world of making fashion an aspired career choice for the youth in India. Several generations have benefitted from this institution and it remains India’s premiere institute for fashion studies even after all these years. I am not a product of NIFT so I won’t comment on what has changed internally with time but I do believe that spreading out too much with so many different locations creates a big challenge when it comes to maintaining quality and standards. I believe quality reigns over quantity and both must go hand-in-hand for growth.
How has women’s sense of style evolved over the years?
Fashion in India has gone through a revolution in the last two decades; the design sensibility of the consumer has changed completely from an ethnic and traditional taste to the current modern and global language. I feel blessed to have been a part of this change.
What is the project that you are currently associated with?
I am currently working on my new flagship store, which is in its designing stage at the moment and occupies every waking hour of my mind space. Other than that, there are a dozen or more corporate projects in hand spread over several countries. Also, Spring-Summer 2019 is getting ready to be showcased in Paris.
Do you refer to trend books like Promostyl for your designs? If not Promostyl, then what?
Fashion predictive is necessary for every fashion brand for basic season guidelines. Promostyl is very good but I personally like WGSN, as it is extremely comprehensive and well-articulated.
Fashion designers have a constant role throughout the year since trends keep changing with seasons. Do you feel burdened at times? How do you tackle the pressure?
My work is my biggest passion. It is a constant high for me like a shot of adrenaline pumping fire into my veins. I need nothing else to keep me on my toes day after day, month after month and year after year.
In fashion, you have to have something new to say in every two weeks, else your client will get bored or weary of waiting. There is a tremendous pressure to constantly create something fresh and new, keeping the brand ethos intact.
However, this is the best part of the business because there is never a dull moment and you are considered as good as your last collection, no matter how many years you may have been in the business of fashion. Everyone has an opinion on fashion, like food and films. I, personally, love the blood rush of crazy deadlines, endless working hours and unreasonable delivery schedules and over-ambitious targets. It drives me to give my best each day. I think a slower pace of work would bore me, I work at my best under pressure and what I achieve at those times is my absolute personal best.
Name a celebrity whose fashion trends you adore.
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex.
What is your biggest source of inspiration?
Travel, nature, history and art, everything inspires me. I think the beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.
If you are looking for it, everything can and will inspire you. Inspiration for a collection can take root with a beautiful flower blooming, a mesmerising sunrise and travel to a new destination, a great book, a historical period or a character, an artist’s work or simply an inspired frame of mind. My love for India and its glorious past, rich culture, vast textile heritage, incredible costumes, musical legacy, art and architecture have all come together to inspire my work in fashion.
Writer: Chahak Mittal
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Ramola Bachchan is offering a readymade platform to young and creative entrepreneurs to showcase their talent.
Socialite Ramola Bachchan has always stayed away from the predictable. So though she has an unparalleled style sensibility, she has never hopped onto to prevalent fashion bandwagons and instead created one that has her signature and promotes new talent. Her Runway Rising series has been on for some time but this year’s day-long fashion exhibit focussed on creativity in any kind of design, be it beauty, wellness, precious and destination travel jewellery, accessories, gifting and home decor.
More than a 100 fashion and lifestyle brands displayed their eclectic collection. “We launched Runway Rising about six years ago when I decided to move to India from London. I was amazed and impressed with the entrepreneurship of the younger generation here. They were not scared of doing something independent and creative. I thought it would be a useful platform for young people to put up an exhibition like this to market and sell their original ideas and products,” Ramola told us. She hand-picks the designers who are innovative and whose products are market-friendly.
When we asked her about how the launchpad formula helps, she said, “Participants look for sales, inquiries and an opportunity to network. Our objective is to act as a springboard to help them develop their brands by connecting them with high-quality clients.”
For her, style is about being comfortable in the way one carries oneself. “What you wear is important as times change. Women dress for women. They like it when other women appreciate their attire.”
One style tip she offered was less is good when it comes to accessories. “If I wear a heavy pair of earrings, then I make sure that I don’t wear a necklace with it. And when I am walking down for an Indian event, I make sure to wear something with Indian accents if not a sari. On other occasions, I love to wear Western.”
Designer Surbhi Soni, who had exhibited her designer sarees, said, “I have hand-painted them and tried to use floral prints which never go old, enhance every body type and add a texture to the look. It is perfect for every occasion.”
Writer: Divya Giri
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Through her avant-garde, she has created a niche for herself
Priya Priyadarshini aka Priya Jain has been in the business of the family which has had diversify interest in sectors like manufacturing Industry, Real Estate, hospitality, Retail & Exports. Under her vision, the family business has prospered to great heights. She is promoting FashionGypsy (fashiongypsy.co.in) an online platform to promote and market lifestyle brands as a marketing tool, a fable of fine design that brings the rich appeal to every lifestyle genre. Priya is inspired by the historic city of Delhi and other old beautiful cities of India. The luxury foray & social media platform adds an element of panache to everyday design.
Priya Jain belongs to a very affluent business family in Delhi, the national capital of India. Her father late DK Jain was the pioneer of Make in India story wherein he established the famous Luxor Group. Priya has diversified family business, her collection of various designs of lifestyle which fashiongypsy promotes looks at refined living of the present modern-day in a new light. From fashion that you wear on yourself to décor elements for your home, to tableware and travel gear and different kind of experiences in Spas, Restaurant & Hotels. It adds a luxe touch to many realms of design.
Surface ornamentation, the luxury of refined textures, an evolved color palette and an experiment with shapes and forms gives this social media platform FashionGypsy.co.in a fresh spurt of energy.
Redefining lifestyle in India and orchestrating a luxury fable the collection that includes the finest in tableware, fashion, silver, jewellery, art, home décor, hotel, spa and restaurant. The collection is a delight to experience and pride to possess.
She is a dynamic women entrepreneur with experience in business over last 10 years. She has the ability to do multi-task jobs and the willingness to take risk in business as well.
She has provided valuable vision to the various different projects research and developmental capabilities to create new products in the field of Hospitality, Education, and Real-estate. She also contributed to promote Indian Art and Artists in India and abroad.
She has also participated in different charities and cultural events and deeply committed to be a local Indian who thinks globally. Priya Jain treats obstacles as learning experiences and opportunity to look in different directions.
She has the ability to find solutions to every situation and widening her focus to tap in competitive markets.
Priya Priyadarshini is a social entrepreneur and has been promoting social causes for the upliftment of women and children. She has been associated with many NGO and registered charities with a quest to do development in this area in Delhi and in other cities in India. Her main endeavor and goal is to remove poverty for street children and women empowerment through women enterprise and education. In the recent times, she has contributed with her efforts and skills to these various causes.
REPORT FILED BY Anshuman Dogra in association with AIAI.
Dil Hai Hindustani 2 is starting soon, and one of the people on the judge panel is none other than our favorite – Badshah! Muskan Kathuria says that the rapper will take on a new take with this role and follow it up with an acting stunt.
Does the name Aditya Prateek Singh Sisodia ring a bell? No? So, are you familiar with Badshah? If the answer is a resounding yes, no one is surprised. The transformation of the young civil engineer from Delhi with a common name to the ace rapper is now complete as his songs are now on the lips of every Indian. What has made him immensely popular is that he writes about the most relatable things. In the past, he has rapped in songs like DJ Wale Babu and Saturday Saturday which went to become the party anthems for young adults.
His latest song Tareefan, from the multi- starrer Veere di Wedding, where he made his singing debut just hit a whopping 91 million views on YouTube. He was in the capital to promote the second season of the singing reality show Dil Hai Hindustani 2 which will be aired from July 7 on Star Plus. While the rest of the judging panel has changed, Sunidhi Chauhan, Pritam and Badshah are in for a longer run. He believes the concept of the show and the bubbling talent is what make him love it. Irrespective of nationality, Dil Hai Hindustani invites everybody who can sing Hindi songs to compete in the show.
In a candid conversation, he shared his expectation from the show and his feelings for the group that used to be Mafia Mundeer. And there is more as one might soon see Badshah, the actor, on the big screen.
What according to you determines the success of a reality show? What made you choose Dil Hai Hindustani?
TRPs. The secret of TRPs for any show is the content and nothing beyond it. It’s the talent and the vibe of the show that attract the audience. I have no idea what makes Dil Hai Hindustani different from other shows, but I just love it. I love the people, the production house and the channel. Of course, money is one factor for why I chose to be here, but once I met the people on set, I felt like this is where I want to be. I have Raghav and Mukti, they’re such talented kids. We just hope we’re able to capture this vibe and communicate it to the viewers.
How was your experience while judging the show with Sunidhi Chauhan and Pritam in Dil hai Hindustani 2?
Pritam Da (music composer) and Sunidhi (Chauhan) Ma’am are amazing, I get to learn a lot of new things from them. It is amazing. While Pritam Da is a bank full of knowledge and Sunidhi Ma’am is like a computer. Like, I find a contestant’s song extremely good and feel that nobody can sing it better, Sunidhi ma’am can find a hundred flaws in it. And then she sings it and nails it. We had this contestant who sang Kamli and I was talking to her about how good it was and Sunidhi ma’am appreciated it too, I was like, thank god! But then she sang that song and I had goosebumps. I started crying as I wondered how can she do that. We don’t realise it, we praise Beyonce, but Sunidhi Ma’am is so huge. She’s blessed. We’re blessed to have her.
How was your journey from Aditya to Badshah?
The journey from Aditya to Badshah can be an incredible biopic. I was just looking for a stage name and I thought Badshah was quite apt because I’m a huge fan of Shahrukh Khan. That was an important factor in choosing the name. Also, probably because I live like one. But these are two different persons. I think, Aditya is an employee of the brand Badshah. The rest is for you to figure out (chuckles).
Do you feel the industry is somehow losing originality as there is a flush of remakes, be it in songs or stories?
I have begun to feel the same too. That is why I made Buzz with Aastha Gill and then Tareefan. I rejected a lot of remakes that came my way. There may be around 20 remake proposals that I have said no to. I feel like you should do what you’re best at. It is up to us musicians to keep the sanctity of Indian music intact. I did feel like it was losing somewhere but it’s going to be back on track. There are a lot of amazing soundtracks releasing this year.
When did you decide that you wanted to become a rapper?
I always wanted to be successful in whatever I did. But being a rapper was a natural instinct. I think storytelling came naturally, so I felt like I need to do this. I just subconsciously decided that. I was working as a civil engineer but when rapping had started supporting me financially, I left the job. I wasn’t stupid to follow it passionately. I think, I was smart enough to balance the both. My dad wasn’t supportive. It was a typical middle class family crisis. But then I came home with a BMW and he was fine.
Tareefan is a huge hit, how does that make you feel? How involved were you with the song?
It’s a huge hit and that makes me feel pressurised. I didn’t expect it to become this huge. But I’m just glad to be a part of this song. The movie Veere di Wedding itself is very special to me. I love Rhea (Kapoor) for what she does, she’s always stood for women in her own ways. I wouldn’t call her a feminist but she’s a boss lady. When she was making this film, she was under tremendous pressure. She couldn’t find the soundtrack and I was happy when she brought the song to me. When she asked me to rap on this song, I refused and said that I’ll sing it. She didn’t think I could do it but I reassured her and told her to give me five days to nail this. After five days, she heard me sing it and responded, “Dude, you nailed this!”
Which one do prefer more — singing or rapping?
I like both. Maybe, acting! You’ll see me on the big screen soon.
Where do you find the inspiration for your songs?
Anywhere and Everywhere. This interview. *raps* Interview me pooche muhse aise se sawaal, jaise mere liye buna jaa raha ho koi jaal; jaise mujhse sunna chah rahe ho kuch sansani khes, jaise kya maine sach me likhe gaane Honey ke.
While there are millions of people that love your songs, there are also a few who dislike them. How do deal with the critics?
I’ll explain it to you in this way: Pink is a beautiful colour. But I don’t like it. It’s subjective. Lord Ram couldn’t make everyone around him happy, who am I. My own wife doesn’t like my songs. I am the colour pink for her.
You are no longer close to the group that was called Mafia Mundeer? What went wrong?
I’m not. I’m independent and I’m bigger. That is what I wanted to be. To be able to do my own thing, be independent. I feel it’s only natural to follow your dreams and people have their different ideologies. Even the biggest groups split. We were just young kids from Delhi. And it happened for the best for each one of us. I’m not close to any of them now but I wish them well. I don’t intend to work with them in the future because to work with me, they have to be on the same creative level. We have to share the same zeal, the passion and the vision. I don’t know if they share the same vision.
Who would you like to work with in the future?
Young kids. Passionate kids. Not the upcoming stars, just kids with a lot of passion. No big names because they’ll become big post working with me.
What are your views on the culture of rapping in India?
It’s growing, It’s beautiful. I think, it’s up to us to cultivate it. Of course, there is a stereotype against rappers but I don’t intend to break it. I think time will do that. It also depends on how we treat this genre. If we’re in this for the money, I don’t think it will be a long surviving genre but if we’re in this for the love of music, nobody will be able to question its credibility.
Your much awaited album O.N.E. is coming out soon. What should we expect from it?
It’s my life in an album. Obviously, there are going to be a few commercial songs, but the rest would be about my life. I feel it’s about time that you get to know about me.
Writer: Muskan Kathuria
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Team Viva says, the California-based songwriter and rapper Raja Kumari, with roots in Andhra Pradesh believes that she is the link between East and West.
She straddles the East-West divide with an ease that comes together in the combination of Indian classical dance with Western rap. And this amalgam is visible in the US born singer Raja Kumari new song I Did It which hit YouTube last week and instantly went viral. Dedicating it to her fans, she tells us, “I created this song for my fans who wanted to dance with me. I’m a dancer first, so it was exciting to create a true fusion of sounds. I always wanted to set classical dance within hip hop beats. I feel like we achieved this.” If you have missed it, then you certainly haven’t missed the Allah Duhai Hai number in Race 3.
She performs a mix of Indian ethnic dance forms and hip hop. Sung in English, she can be seen performing kathak, while the Indian taals (beats) can be heard in the background.
The songwriter and rapper is best known for her collaboration with artists including Gwen Stefani, Iggy Azalea, Fifth Harmony, Knife Party and Fall Out Boy while her solo songs on YouTube are unique. “Music has always been a huge part of my life. I wanted to find a way to have fun every day and music was always that escape for me”, Raja Kumari says. The West Coast hip hop and rap influence was common ground for her. She became a household name in India, especially after the song City Slums (featuring Divine) which has successfully amassed 7.6 million views on YouTube. “I’ve had some incredible experiences in life. I can never forget the feeling of performing City Slums for the first time at NH-7. It was the first time I stepped on stage in India and experiencing the love of the people was an incredible feeling,” she adds.
What makes her songs stand out is the ways she blends genres. Mixing the music traditions of two different countries also helps in bridging the gap between them. She says, “I believe I am the bridge. I want to open the door for cultural exchange and want to see an Indian person impacting pop culture worldwide.” She is very passionate about music and was nominated for a Grammy award in 2015.
Though she grew up in America, the Indian in her was always alive and kicking thanks to her parents. She emphasises, “I credit my parents for raising me with a deep respect and love for my culture. They always made me proud to be Indian and made sure I knew my roots.” Unlike some NRIs who force their children to be doctors and engineers, Raja Kumari’s parents were supportive of her and satisfied with whatever made her happy. Her academic choice was pioneering too. She studied ancient religious studies and took comparative religious studies in college. She has a degree in ancient Indian history and studied Sanskrit besides three classical dance styles. “I did my arangetrams in different styles. I’ve dedicated my life to study Indian culture,” she adds.
Despite supportive parents, she did face some obstacles at at other fronts. Surmounting them, she says, “It is always difficult to blaze your own trail. Being a woman in a male-dominated arena is a challenge but I welcome it.”
I Did It has already won millions of hearts and has gained over 300K YouTube views and because of its uniqueness the figures will continue to rise. Talking about her future plans, she says, “I don’t limit myself. I want to lend my voice to whatever makes to my brand. Right now, I’m in Los Angeles working on my new EP. I love Bollywood and would love to get more involved.”
Writer: Pioneer
Courtesy: The Pioneer
After a long break, TV Star Mona Singh is again ready for her new upcoming series ‘Yeh Meri Family’. The web series is set in 90s and revolves around a typical Indian family. Mona plays a simple housewife, a mother of three children, who’s a strict disciplinaire. She is paired opposite veteran actor-filmmaker Akarsh Khurana.
As the scorching heat reigns over Delhi, one misses the good-old days of the early 90s when families, despite the goodies of liberalisation, still sat together. For something as simple as savouring mangoes. For kids, summer was about outdoor games and for mothers a troublesome time as they ran around the house. To relive nostalgia from three decades ago, and symbolically hoping to relearn a few lessons, The Viral Fever has announced a new web-series on YouTube, Yeh Meri Family, starring Mona Singh and Akarsh Khurana.
Singh, best known for her lead role in Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahi, plays the mother. “On TV, a mother is still portrayed as very sweet and sugar-coated, who is forever indulgent. But the difference here is that I am playing a believable, real-life one. Back in the 90s, we used to get shouted, scolded and not treated with kid gloves. Our parents were disciplinarian but not over-indulgent. And they were just as caring and loving. They made us understand the worth of things and work towards it. Nowadays, parents just dump everything in excess, be it affection or gifts, like reward points. For this role, I referenced my mother and I tried to get an essence of that in my acting,” she says.
The web series, set in the summer of 1998, “is taking the audience back to the pre-cellphone age, when Govinda songs were a rage and family time was all about eating mangoes together, even going out to a dhaba for a good meal,” she tells us, hoping she can take the viewer on a trip down memory lane. In the process, she hopes people will appreciate the emotional heft of family relationships that are increasingly under strain these days.
The actress has come a long way since her first role in the Indian adaptation of Ugly Betty and has gone on to play mature characters in movies like 3 Idiots, Kya Huaa Tera Vaada and won the dance reality show Jhalak Dikhla Ja.
She doesn’t mind playing mother, since that is one role that can be played over and over again with discernible layers of complexity, conflict and empathy.“Three of my co-actors were kids. On the sets, I would become one of them and play all sorts of silly games like hide and seek. On the other hand, Akarsh, who is a very funny man, used to keep cracking jokes all the time. We shot for almost 40 days for seven episodes and it never felt like we were working. It was always party-time. That’s when I realised the importance of connecting with family, no matter what the time or context,” she says.
Working with TVF for the first time, the 36-year-old says she was inspired by all “very creative people, who write inspiring stories, which get brilliantly translated by the director. I believe that these are the type of stories that need to be told and unfortunately lack takers on TV.”
Writer: Shambhavi Suri
Courtesy: The Pioneer
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