The Year That Was!

2009 was the year of sex, fallen heroes and aggressive PR, with stars being seen and heard everywhere!

As we allow the year to slip by, the first reaction is a sense of panic at how fast time flies. The next, a quick calculation of what we managed to achieve in these 365 days - the ups and downs, the euphoria and setbacks. And then, a list of resolutions for the next year to make up for what we lost and to achieve what couldn't be managed.

At this juncture, every news channel, newspaper, magazine, blog and every grandpa takes a stock of the year gone by, spelling out lessons learnt - the good, the bad and worst the year brought us. Some amusing, some disappointing, others quite predictable.

All I attempt here is three observations that struck me recently in the midst of some of the constant dance and interplay between celebrities and media …

No matter what, sex sells!

Some of the most salacious scandals that sent TRPs soaring and page views rocketing this year were incidents we enjoyed thoroughly before puckering up our brows and frowning. And all of them had to do with, yes, sex!   Be it a Shweta Tewari or Negar Khan bathing under a waterfall in a reality show; Neetu Chandra canoodling with Krishika Gupta for an ad shoot in 'gay' abandon, or golfing legend Tiger Woods being besieged by luscious ladies with fingers pointed at him - the underlying layer of sex is what appealed and fascinated all. These were the items of news that had most of us sit up and take notice, check out most frequently on internet, or surf television channels for. Indeed we may deny it all we like but reality is that the three-letter word sells!

Never take what you have for granted!

What is it that pushes people, particularly those in the public eye to court danger despite every likelihood of getting caught and losing everything they ever had? Does a celebrity status blind you to dangers? In that one moment of madness, how do they lose sense of who they are and the repercussions they would have to face for a single act? Does one start imagining that one is immune to any adverse reactions or sense of ethics? What did Shiney imagine when he allegedly pounced on his maid? Did he think she would quietly acquiesce to his demands or that nobody would point a finger at him? What did Tiger imagine during his many assignations and one-night stands - did he think the truth would never come out, or did he think he was above any accusations? Once caught in the wrong, nobody was ever saved because of his celebrity status. The public is morally uptight and unforgiving, particularly with those whom we seat on a pedestal.

In today's world, marketing or perception is everything!

In a world where perception is reality and publicity makes all the difference between success and failure, the accent on marketing is immense. We are bombarded with a blitzkrieg of ads everywhere. Without even realising it, our everyday choices are dictated by the papers we read, the channels we watch and the sites we visit, and the ad exposure each one of these gives us. If you have noticed, most stars give effusive interviews and make friendly appearances only on the eve of a release. Particularly notorious for this is Aamir Khan, who though unavailable and even irascible otherwise, dons a most unlikely public image soon as a movie is ready for release. So conscious are stars about publicity and marketing aspects that they even allow their names to be linked romantically with co-stars just to arouse interest in the movie. Needless to say, the public laps it all up!

Of course there were many more observations made, and we try and deal with some more in the limited space in this issue. Hope you enjoy it!

Translate this article

Point of No Return

You visit some bars for their music, some for their quality of drinks, some for the people they attract, and some for their convenient location. You would go to Rubicon for an evening of comfort and elegance along with some good classic drinks. And that would be your rubicon (point of no return).

You can grow used to such elegance and luxury. An unobtrusive alcove in the mesmerisingly glittery lobby of The Leela Kempinski Gurgaon leads you through a tantalising tunnel lit up in rich ruby colour into a welcoming lounge bar. The décor, the lighting, Chesterfield wing chairs, the glitter of crystal and twinkle of amber liquids, all conspire to give an immediate sense of well-being and having arrived.

This is the kind of place where you would automatically reach for the single malts and Scotches, for they belong. Carefully selected wines from the hotel’s state-of-the-art walk-in cellars would be a close second. Cocktails would still seem part of the environs, but beer would seem an insolence!

A low seating bar with a counter introduces a new concept inspired by Japanese bars. This goes quite well with the “Let me be” rather than the “Come see me” ambience of the Rubicon bar. So even if you choose to sit at the bar, you can be comfortably unobtrusive rather than seated uncomfortably on high stools. Alcoves and winged chairs in other places, some near the floor-to-ceiling windows facing the Gurgaon highway, also assure privacy. Ornamental details with exquisite metallic lattice work by Japanese designers Design Studio Spin weave a special magic.

The bar boasts an enviable range of single malts and Scotches, while the wine cellar is more than adequate with a range of labels selected more for their uniqueness and importantly, value for money. And so the ubiquitous French wines are picked and chosen and a freer hand allowed to Italian wines, which Kunal Chauhan, the EAM – Food & Beverage, believes are more price friendly.

Kunal has been adventurous with his wine selections, taking full advantage of the open market status of Gurgaon. So Leela Kempinski keeps introducing new wines and replacing old ones with fresher alternatives quite often. Chilean and Argentinean wines are also popular, particularly the latter that go well with Indian cuisine.

The beverage list is very extensive too, with almost everything anyone can offer-rare single malts, 75 labels of whisky, vodkas, flavoured vodkas, cognacs, etc. Japanese whisky such as Nikka and Suntory are already available with other labels poised for entry.

Rubicon also has an extensive selection of cocktails but interestingly, they rarely follow it. Because next door is their 24-hour dining, Spectra, which has fresh ingredients flown in everyday. And so bartender Ankit Sadana reinvents his cocktails list everyday depending on fresh ingredients available. The Cherry Martini he offers today may become a Strawberry Martini tomorrow and so on. We try the Pomegranate with Lemongrass Martini and Elderflower Martini (both passably good at Rs 450 each).

At Ankit’s encouragement we try two drinks – the Maracusa (Rs 450) with Gold Tequila, White Rum, Cointreau, passionfruit and lemon juice; and Fifth Avenue (Rs 650) – Cognac with dark Crème de Cacao and a generous dollop of whipped cream. These are real winners and highly recommended.

Delhiites, in case you are wondering why you would travel to Gurgaon for your tipple, pricing is an attraction. The same Chivas or Absolut peg you get for Rs 550 each in a Delhi hotel, is available for Rs 400 at Rubicon. During Happy Hours (10-midnight), you can avail two pegs for the price of one. So you could get two pegs of the rare Ladyburn 1973 Vintage Single Cask at Rs 4000 (normally you get a single peg at Rs 5000 in Delhi).

Oh yes, an added attraction is the live singing. Few classy bars still have someone sing for you to the strumming of a guitar, most having given way to DJs, though live bands are coming back in a big way now. From 7 to 9 pm is Jazz Blues by a two-piece band, which turns to retro for an hour, before house and progressive to hip hop so the late night happy hours crowd (10 pm and midnight) can shake a leg too!

Reason enough for Delhi to visit Gurgaon?

Translate this article

No nude bar this

NuDelhi. From a distance you are able to read just the first four letters, which is exactly how the patrons like it. Nude. Not that they mean anything vulgar or offensive by that.

But certainly the idea is to set tongues wagging. Not a very subtle way to do that but maybe it works for some.

“It is the era of marketing,” says one of the partners Atul Kapoor of WG Hospitality. “An element of mystery works. When we opened Q’ba, a lot of people wondered what it meant or stood for. We got asked why we didn’t call it Cuba? Then came our other Connaught Place offering, @Live. Here again the name is unusual and there was a great amount of curiosity around it. Now with NuDelhi, we have managed to arouse curiosity again, particularly by highlighting Nude!”

Curiosity does attract people frequenting Malcha Marg market to check out this new place that is strategically placed and announces itself as a bar and grill joint. However, I am not so sure that has much to do with the name. Located at a stone’s throw from the almost legendary Chinese joint Fujiya, NuDelhi is a much needed new entrant on the block.

Don’t be misled by the name; the bar has nothing that reflects Delhi, either old or new. Walk in past the smiling hostess and the décor is welcoming though a bit distracting. A big ship fashioned like a table holds pride of place, while light fixtures are also shaped like boats. The red ceiling lights have elements of the overpowering Veda in Connaught Place.

Take your seats at the bar. The menu contains many of the same drinks as their other outlets. Classic cocktails are offered up with interesting names though very little sense of adventure. Order your usual tipple and focus on enjoying the environs, the people and yes, the live music. NuDelhi has organised a band all the way from Thailand and plan to make music the USP of the place.

Unfortunately at the time we visited, which was just a week into the opening, though they had all their basic spirits, none of the aperitifs and liqueurs that go into transforming a drink from a basic spirit to an exotic cocktail, were available. So, if you opted for God Mother, they would have Vodka but not Amaretto; for Cassini, they had the Vodka and Cranberry Juice but no crème de cassis; and for lack of Cointreau, you couldn’t enjoy a Mojito Martini. The only beer on tap available was Fosters though we happened to ask for it just as the barrel emptied; we had no choice but to go for the Kingfisher bottles that everyone else in the restaurant seemed to prefer.

However to be fair, it does take a bar time to settle and we did land up at quite a wrong time. Tonight for its grand opening, we are assured the bar is well stocked and fully operational. They also have a fair selection of wines.

NuDelhi anyway is all about music and giving in to your choice of rock, blues or jazz, all of which the Thai band is proficient at. The bar has no designated dance floor but that is unlikely to stop the average client from pushing away furniture and swinging a leg, particularly over weekends.

You are not likely to find any fried stuff on the menu. It’s grills all the way and a fairly good option would be to try their kebabs. Do try the place for its location, the live band and their brand new enthusiasm. For those who stay in the vicinity, a one-time visit is a must and we bet the music will get you back again and again.

As one client from across the road, in the diplomat area said, “They say drunken driving is a crime. Now I can drink and just walk across the road home!”

Translate this article

Tiger in the Woods

The virulent attacks launched on a besieged Tiger Woods is a study in the pleasure people take in pulling down celebrities from pedestals they place them on Pop legend George Michael in an interview to The Guardian last week, lashed out at those, including singer Elton John, who insist upon thrusting their concern on him. "People want to see me as tragic with all the cottaging and drug-taking... those things are not what most people aspire to, and I think it removes people's envy to see your weaknesses… I don't even see them as weaknesses any more. It's just who I am."

Exactly. Ok, so Tiger Woods too had his weakness; he slept around. Wouldn't every man drunk on success and surrounded by swooning women begging to be propositioned? Anyone is liable to slip once in a while.

But that one act cannot take away everything else Tiger stood for. Do a few stray romps mean he loved or valued his family any less? Do a few meaningless encounters justify the public destruction of one of the best golfing talents the world has seen? Or, the frenzied "lovecheat golfer" tirade launched by Western media?

I would agree with George Michael that at times like these the deep-seated envy and grudge the common man bears towards the successful specimen comes to the fore. Fans or followers, each one of them out there would give their eye-teeth to be in the celebrity's shoes. Every man envies him those romps and every woman is curious about his prowess. And it is this unbridled jealousy that empowers the vicious attacks and supports the moral puke that is spouted the moment a chink in the celebrity's armour is detected.

We all know Tiger as an ace golfer. But why expect that to make him a paragon of virtue or moral righteousness! Tiger, the man is not as significant as Tiger Woods, the golfer. What the man does and his acts of infidelity should be of least concern to the world that admires his moves on the golf greens. The man has to be detached from the player. The player has responsibilities towards the game and his fans, which the man doesn't need to.

Entertainers and sportspersons have a responsibility towards their game. But, unlike politicians and public servants they are not beholden to the masses to demonstrate moral fortitude! You can pull down a Prime Minister like the Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi for not displaying morally appropriate behaviour, but the same rules cannot be applied to a performer, a pop icon, star or a sportsman!

Ace achievers like Tiger are national, rather world heritage stuff and should be treated as such. There is the danger that all the moral policing, the witch-hunting by media and public outcry may have irreversibly damaged his game; it has already shattered his image and near about broken his marriage!

The witch-hunting led by international media is amazing. Channels have withdrawn advertisements of products endorsed by the ‘tainted' golf legend! Newspapers and websites have actually set up special desks with dedicated numbers that scream out, "Do you know any women linked to Tiger Woods? Call us!"

Well, considering all those publicity seeking sharks out there living for their golden moment in the sun, such an open invite may be quite irresistible, and it is quite possible that more than half the women claiming a romantic connect with the slain Tiger, are nothing but opportunists waiting for moments like these!

One cannot close one's eyes to the phenomena of fans who seek brief sexual encounters or to the more determined female groupies, who are available and in fact actively seek sexual favours or even emotional connects with celebrities and figures of authority.

I'm not saying that what Tiger did was right. But I do want to meet the one man who can swear, hand on heart, that he wouldn't ever naughty text, flirt, or even indulge in an affair with women throwing themselves at him, given the opportunity.

As mistresses spilled out of the "Woods" — waitresses, porn stars, club hosts, TV presenters — Tiger made a touching appeal after apologising for his "transgressions", "There is an important and deep principle at stake, which is the right to some simple, human measure of privacy... Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn't have to mean public confessions."

It is under the pressure of media and public outcry that celebrity marriages break and a man is brought down to his knees in a manner far worse than his transgression deserved. Left alone to lick their wounds, a couple may well rally round and arrive at a compromise, as most couples do, to preserve their marriage.

We did this to Boris Becker and wife Barbara when Boris had a closet interlude with Russian model Angela Ermakova. The world cried foul; media and public outcry broke up his marriage. Hugh Grant had to grovel after being caught with a hooker in his car. He pacified the public with abject apologies and was then forgiven.

There is an element of perverse pleasure media and people take in the public humiliation of a celebrity. In a throwback to times of archaic public hangings and stoning, everyone seems to gleefully reach for the first stone to throw...

Translate this article

Ever had a mind affair?

Delving into the depths of another mind can be both interesting and adventurous. Similar minds attract while different ones mesmerise...

Quite often we find a person attractive or beautiful. But how many times do we find another person mentally stimulating? Like a good book or a movie, how many times does another leave us with thoughts to mull over, questions to answer and yet more questions to ask?

Do you wait eagerly for the next meeting of minds with someone? How often does someone excite the mind rather than just the body or emotions?

You may grow used to the sheer physical beauty of your loved one; grow out of a sexual attraction or even get used to their kindness, warmth or niceties and start taking these for granted. But there is one thing that can neither be taken for granted, nor is a trait you could get used to or grow out of. This is the stimulating power of another mind, the uncanny intricacies of the mind that attract and enrapture you.

This is the one quality that doesn't come with an expiry date.As a young girl, along with other friends, I enjoyed reading Mills & Boons, not for any sexual content as most imagine (back then they didn't even exchange a kiss till the last page), but for the witty repartee between the main characters.

The almost-always petite, fiery haired and tempestuous heroine and the tall, arrogant, dark hero with superior intellect and a silver tongue. Their exchanges would hold me enthralled and for me, these became the definition of romance.

If you were in love, you had to be able to exchange witty repartee; it became an irreplaceable stimulant in a relationship. The relationship of Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice too had acrimonious but stimulating conversations as the basis.

We are always interested in the working of an unusual mind. Those who are predictable get boring after a while. It's the minds that are able to think differently, think out of the box, come up with new, creative ideas and keep destroying to rebuild again, that are really worth interacting with.

Whenever a problem is brought up, almost everybody tries to offer quick, easy and commonplace solutions. And then there may be that one person who will think different. And come up with a solution that's unusual and pathbreaking. That's the mind that operates a notch or two deeper than others.

You may talk to many during the course of a day. And yet there may be the one whose conversation had the ability to make you sit up and take notice; the one whose thinking process and mind not just interested, but challenged you. That is the mind and the conversation that stays with you, the one that you will seek out again and again. The one you will have a mind affair with.

A mind affair that is quite different from a physical affair. Or even love or romance. Delving into the depths of another mind can be more interesting and adventurous than anything else in the world. While a similar thinking process and similar thoughts can be attractive and reassuring, what can be mesmerising is a different mind that challenges your understanding and the working of your own mind. It is not necessary that the mind you relate to would be attractive to another as well.

Criminal minds all share a common mind-set that is disturbingly different from the average mind-set. Such proclivity towards a criminal mind is evident from childhood. The very strangeness and dangerous quality of this mind holds a different type of fascination for us and we find studies, books and movies made around the study of such a mind extremely engaging.

And then there is the realm of mind games, games that highly intelligent minds play to control the minds of those lesser than themselves or those emotionally dependent on them. Such intelligent, but complicated minds can be highly dangerous and are usually associated with people who have a high IQ level. You wouldn't even realise and somebody close to you could be controlling your every thought, every action and emotion. And deriving a great satisfaction from it!

It's almost like playing a game, like posing a challenge to oneself. Such a mind often veers towards obsessive and it can be very difficult to disengage from such a person who almost takes you over mentally.

Also consider the twists and turns of the corporate mind, the ability to survive highly politicised situations and stay afloat with sheer power of mind. This can be a unique aphrodisiac when you win the games and the worst depressant when you lose some! It's a game of one upmanship. Such games can be dangerous for the uninitiated, though they are a deadly battle of survival that takes place every day, all the time, just beneath the sophisticated, smooth-seeming veneers of most organisations, at the higher levels.

The beauty of finding a person whose mind appeals to you is that he/she keeps you fully engaged and in a state of perpetual stimulation. The effect can be a highly positive one if you do not allow yourself to be completely overshadowed but rather focus on enjoying the magnificence and intricacies of such a lively interaction and taking inspiration from it to build your own mind and grow to a higher level together...