MUMBAI: Kriti Sanon says that the upcoming period drama “Adipurush” is one of her most exciting projects yet. At an interactive session with fans, a user asked her to talk about the film. “One of my most most exciting projects! Totally different experience. Loving every bit of it,” Kriti replied, along with a note for the fim’s director Om Raut: “@omraut can we resume soon.” The film is an adaptation of the “Ramayan”, where Telugu star Prabhas features as Lord Ram while Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan essays Ravan. Kriti Sanon will be seen as Sita. A fan also asked her to describe Telugu star Mahesh Babu in one word. Incidentally, Mahesh Babu was her co-star in her debut film, the 2014 superhit “1: Nenokkadine”. Kriti replied: “Best! My first ever co-star! So humble and so amazing. I hope I get to work with him again”. On handling success and failure, she said: “My Mantra: Never let success go to your head. Never let failure go to your heart.”A fan asked about release of her film “Mimi”, to which the actress said she cannot reveal but it will happen soon. 

I smiled and looked affectionately at the video of a little girl of five, one of the students of my music academy. She was doing some ‘Sargam’ patterns, which are patterns of musical notes taught in the early stages of classical music learning. The video was to be part of a virtual ‘Baithak’ or music congregation. The Baithak otherwise happens every year at a physical venue, but is forced by COVID to be online this year. As I watched the video, I realized that it was such a heart-warming sight to see this little human seated amidst two ‘gaddas’, or cushions, each double her size, to create an authentic Indian setting. She was wearing a ‘ghagra choli’, an Indian traditional outfit, and so endearingly trying her best to hit the notes right sometimes succeeding and sometimes not. As I watched with amusement and pride at her grit, I also saw something profound in her that is representative of each of us.

We all are innately musical even if we cannot understand music or cannot sing. There is something intrinsically divine about music that touches our souls. This is the reason we have so many people, musically learned and lay persons alike, gravitating towards some form of music, almost like sunflowers to the sun.

However, barring viewing imparting musical training and knowledge as only a commercial activity, I do not see any other reason motivating many professional classical musicians to teach and impart to the musically deprived or less talented. I am reminded once of a music teacher in a music school complaining that he ended up with a ‘bad lot’ of students who couldn’t sing and how one of his peers was ‘lucky’ that he had ‘capable’ students. And that it would have been tolerable if the pay was worth it. I wondered then, and do so even now, that if a person can already sing well, what then is the teacher’s role? This brought me to the gaping hole in the approach to imparting musical education.

In my opinion, there needs to be a lot more humility and compassion in the process of imparting classical music training. While one’s own training as a professional may have needed to be extremely tedious and rigorous, and might have been available only for the so called musically ‘abled’, the approach has to be drastically different for the lay person who longs to experience music. It has to be more inclusive and more forgiving.

First and foremost, there is a need to give up the notion that there is only one place of perfection in music. To me, even moving from being completely unable to hit a single key to being able to sing one note correctly is a point of perfection and needs to be celebrated. Perfection is an illusion. And this illusion is one that many of us musicians have ended up chasing mindlessly without noticing when moments of it happen right under our noses. As I have kept revisiting my views around this issue over the years, I have begun to notice beauty in small things within what I sing, hear and teach. And those moments make it all worthwhile.

There was once a student who came to me saying that she just loved music, but considered herself amusical, and described how she yearned to hit at least a single key right. She wasn’t wrong in her assessment. I watched, sometimes helplessly, for months as I tried to get her to hit a basic key correctly. I wondered whether I was chasing a pipe dream, and whether I ought to tell her that it might be wise for her to not waste any more time. But after months of tireless, tedious work, she finally hit the key right. And to me and to her, it was a moment of bliss that cannot be explained. It was an emotional moment for her, a huge turnaround in her self-esteem. She will most likely not go on to sing professionally or do anything significant with music in the outside world. But she has taken away a piece of music that means the world to her, much more than any ‘perfect’ piece of music she may hear.

The pursuit of music itself is the end. And in every moment of that pursuit lies the potential for happiness, for bliss. This is true not just for us classical music professionals, but for humanity as a whole. The sooner we realize this, the more easily will the divine beauty of music will become accessible to everyone.

Netflix has released first trailer of upcoming mystery thriller ‘Haseen Dillruba’, which stars Taapsee Pannu, Vikrant Massey and Harshvardhan Rane. The trailer looks promising, giving viewers a deeper look at the intriguing murder mystery.

The trailer, which gives a glimpse into the movie’s engaging storyline filled with love, lust and murder, is sure to leave fans excited. It was shared by Taapsee on her Instagram account with a caption that read, “Ek tha Raja, ek thi Rani, hui shuru ek khooni prem kahani. #HaseenDillruba.” The trailer of ‘Haseen Dillruba’, which features the actors indulge in a game of love, lust, deceit and murder, introduces the audience to Rani Kashyap (Taapsee Pannu) who is newly married to Rishu (Vikrant Massey).

A few seconds into the trailer, Rishu loses his life in an explosion and Rani becomes the prime suspect in the murder case. How did she end up as a murder suspect? There are also scenes of Rani’s affair with Harshvardhan’s character, her not being the ideal wife, and Rishu being suspicious of her intentions. The police, headed by CID star Aditya Srivastava, is confident of her being the murderer and now she has to prove herself innocent. The trailer, which features a powerful star cast and a gripping storyline along with a brilliant background score, teases a love triangle, dark humour and a twisty whodunit. Directed by Vinil Mathew, ‘Haseen Dillruba’ has been written by Kanika Dhillon. The film, which is set to premiere on July 2 has been produced by Anand L Rai’s Colour Yellow Production and T-Series. Speaking about the film, Vikrant said, “Haseen Dillruba is mix of humour, quirk, revenge and romance. I hope it surprises audience as much as it surprised me when I heard it first. It was an enthralling experience shooting for it. Let us all watch the mysteries unravel itself and learn important life lessons from our beloved Pandit Ji.”

Gone are the days when we used to take our kids to a park or a fun picnic. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are stuck at home waiting for the world to re-open. With even adults often struggling with the prolonged work-from-home, it is understandable that children are finding the changed scenario bewildering. One of the many things children miss during this period of lockdown is the chance to go out and play. Unfortunately, that is a tad bit difficult in the current scenario. But that shouldn’t stop us from devising ways to include physical activity in our child’s routine.

Being active is essential for anyone and everyone to keep their minds engaged. We do not know if the pandemic is going to end anytime soon, so there are certain things we need to incorporate into our kids’ lifestyles to keep them active and healthy.

We should make it a point to engage our kids in fun activities as often as possible. I have a planned weekly schedule for my kids; we listen to new music, sing songs and talk about different music genres for one hour every Monday. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we paint together and I introduce them to different art forms. For my kids painting is a fun activity, but in the long run art helps kids express themselves and gain confidence. It also helps kids come up with positive emotional responses to stressful situations, which is what is needed in the current scenario.

Also, if you live in a safe environment with open spaces, I recommend going cycling with your kids to keep them active and relieve stress. Playing board games with your kids a few times a week also promotes family time and strengthens your bond with your children. It also helps them build their communication skills and, at times, helps them learn to fail. If you let your children win, you deny them the opportunity to learn from failure. Instead, praise the efforts they have put in, and encourage a conversation about what went wrong, and they’ll begin to see that failure is teaching them to succeed.

Further to the above activities, you should also involve your kids in helping you out with community service. I often involve my kids in my community initiatives to sensitise them about what is going on in the world and how they can help make the world a better place.

On a separate note, experts are predicting a third wave sooner or later, and lots of parents have concerns when it comes to the safety of their children. We certainly cannot avoid this wave but what we need to do to deal with this impending third wave is build our kids’ immunity with the help of physical activity and a nutritional diet. We should ensure our kids exercise every day, in any form they like. Further, we must incorporate almonds, fruits, vegetables, protein (egg or paneer) and yoghurt into our child’s diet. I do not recommend over-doing it with kadha. Although it is known to aid the body’s ability to fight infections by boosting immunity, excess of anything can be harmful. According to experts, anything more than the specified quantity can lead to health issues ranging from constipation to an increase in body heat. Further, since no child likes to eat basic food every day, we should try out new recipes to recreate restaurant food at home. Avoid ordering food from outside, and most importantly, cut down on visitors to avoid unnecessary exposure.

To conclude, I strongly feel it is imperative to pique the curiosity of our kids and to encourage a healthy lifestyle. They say it takes 21 days to make or break a habit, so imagine what months of regular learning, activity and a healthy diet can do for your child’s future!

The writer a well-knwon mom blogger and influencer.

Though loss of life and livelihood have been the most severe effects of the pandemic, other aspects have been affected too. Children’s education in particular has faced serious disruption countrywide, with street children facing the most difficulty. Access to education has been an uphill task for underprivileged children even in the best of times, and the pandemic has worsened this significantly. Fortunately, certain NGOs and organisations, such as Wishes and Blessings, have taken up the mantle for this cause through their ‘Street to School’ virtual programme which began in April this year. Additionally, they have also introduced various Covid-relief measures to address the needs of the underprivileged sections of society.

Founded by Dr Geetanjali Chopra, an academician, researcher, columnist, and philanthropist, Wishes and Blessings is a unique platform that connects donors to beneficiaries from the lower strata of society. By dedicating themselves to six causes including education, nutrition, care for elders, relief, customisable charity and happiness, they have proved to be long-standing good Samaritans in Delhi, Assam, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. “The philosophy behind our enterprise is simple—many of us have unfulfilled wishes while some of us can help others fulfil their wishes, in exchange for which we receive blessings. Hence the name, ‘Wishes and Blessings’,” shares Dr Chopra.

The NGO began by working with visually impaired children, and expanded to include daily meal programs, old age homes and shelters for the homeless. One of its most successful initiatives was ‘Street to School’, launched in 2016, which provided education to street children in physical centres located in Delhi-NCR. Through this programme, a number of children were sent to formal schools, with students excelling in both academics and extracurricular activities. Unfortunately, with the pandemic, everything came to a halt. “When we opened centres after 8 months in January 2021, we realised that our kids living on the streets and slums had already forgotten basic concepts and book knowledge was far behind,” says Dr Chopra.

That was when the NGO decided to continue the training, guidance and counselling of their children online, by converting their day care centres to virtual classrooms. Modules are shared via WhatsApp, covering all the formal subjects and art and craft activities. The teachers attached to Wishes and Blessings share videos explaining the lessons and then assign worksheets to the children. “In some cases, children do not have access to the Internet, so we encourage them to sit in groups and complete the assignments together”, adds Dr Chopra.

The Wishes and Blessings team formulates educational modules that encourage consistent and high-quality engagement for the children. One-on-one sessions are also held for children who require additional guidance and counselling during these tough times—both intellectually and emotionally. Currently, there are 100 children being taught under the ‘Street to School’ Programme of Wishes and Blessings in Delhi.

In addition to its philanthropic educational activities, the NGO has stayed true to its commitment to aid the needy and destitute during the Covid-19 pandemic. They have been providing medical essentials such as oximeters, paracetamol, masks and sanitisers to shelter homes in Sarai Kale Khan, Delhi Gate, Munirka, Safdarjung, and Okhla amongst other areas of Delhi. They have also launched free transportation services for Covid positive patients from their residences to the closest hospital or treatment facility.

Talking about the importance of the ambulance services, Dr Chopra says, “During this crisis, the need of the hour is to ensure that Covid+ patients reach hospitals and receive treatment as promptly as possible. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of ambulance services that the underprivileged can make use of, especially those that are equipped with oxygen support. Our services provide aid to this demographic, completely free of cost.”

Wishes and Blessings has been at the forefront of the fight against Covid, having launched their Covid Relief Project back in March 2020, when the first lockdown was announced. Since then, their team has served over 20,00,000 meals, distributed over 70,000 dry ration kits and provided over 23,000 hygiene kits to the beneficiaries. It is these good Samaritans that keep one’s faith in humanity alive.

The writer is a lawyer who pens lifestyle articles for various publications and her blog www.nooranandchawla.com. She can be reached on nooranand@gmail.com.

India is unlocking, and businesses that have been functioning online for the last few months, are back in full form. Talented designer Abhinav Mishra, founder and creative director of his eponymous label, had the foresight to launch Mastana—a bridal collection inspired by the onset of the monsoon season—at just the right time. In this exclusive chat with The Daily Guardian, Mishra opens up about his new collection and upcoming trends in wedding fashion.

Abhinav Mishra

Q. What made you choose a career in fashion?

A. As a child, I was always fascinated with the minute details of a wedding—the demure bride with a glimmer in her eyes, the clinking bangles, hands fragrant and decorated with Mehendi. So, I began my career in the decor and events industry by working with renowned wedding decor company—Rani Pink, of which I am currently co-founder and creative director. It was only in 2014 that I started my own label, Abhinav Mishra, where I brought together my love for weddings and my aesthetic sensibilities towards fashion.

Q. How did the pandemic affect your business?

A. The pandemic undoubtedly took a toll on the economy, affecting many industries, including fashion. However, with digital innovation and imminent unlocking, the industry is slowly getting back on track. We actively showcase our collections on our website AbhinavMishraOfficial.com, Instagram and other social media platforms. Our stores in Dhan Mill Compound and Shahpur Jat in Delhi have reopened with safety measures in place. We allow entry only by appointments, and patrons are not permitted to try outfits. However, we do allow virtual trials and I personally meet customers on Zoom/Google video calls, by appointment to ensure the best possible experience. 

Q. Who was the muse for your monsoon collection?

A. Our Monsoon curation, Mastana has been inspired by the idea of young love. We wanted to create an atmosphere of ardour and passion. People are happiest during their weddings. I constantly imagine the lighter moments of such hearty occasions, such as the simple joys of new love or the beginning of an everlasting friendship. Isn’t that what weddings do – bring people closer? My muse is the new age bride—she has always been the vision behind everything I do. She is a force to reckon with and most likely the life of every party!

Q. You have used a lot of mirrorwork in this collection. What was the inspiration for this?

A. Mirror work and I have a lifelong romance and it has come to be my signature. My design ideology is to amalgamate modern cuts with traditional embroideries and mirror work using pastels as well as bright colours. My aim is to dress the modern Indian woman who is always evolving. The Abhinav Mishra millennial bride is confident, bold and unabashed about who she is, while being delicate, soft and intrinsically connected to Indian culture. The traditional vibe is interwoven with the identity of the Abhinav Mishra label, with Indian arts, craftsmanship, heritage and culture being central elements of the clothes. 

Q. Weddings have become minimal with the onset of the pandemic. How has bridal fashion adapted to this change?

A. Despite the restrictions, I believe Indian brides enjoy full-blown maximalism with multiple dupattas embellished in heavy jewels and gold. With less of a budget allotted towards guests and large venues, more is given to the bride’s outfit. The three trends I predict are blended colour schemes, bridal capes and light gold lehengas. These days, an ensemble’s versatility is of utmost importance, as people adopt sustainable living. This season, I have introduced Indo-Western silhouettes like one shoulder blouses, flowy cape blouses with lehenga skirts, printed sharara pants, and saris with ghera.

I think brides today are willing to experiment and try new things, which is very refreshing. They are in tune with the latest trends and know what they want. Personally, I feel they should never feel restricted to wearing traditional reds and maroons for the big day. 

Q. What inspired you to think out-of-the-box and create a collection specific to monsoons?

A. In this digital age, we have the liberty of showing capsule collections throughout the year. Personally, I feel inspired to create something new every few months. Monsoons are a beautiful season of blossoming, much like my current collection, so I felt it was an apt time to launch Mastana.

Q. What are you working on next?

A. Technology is helping us follow a more personalised approach with our clients. We’ve added menswear to our offerings recently and are soon launching a jewellery collection and home furnishing line. Stay tuned as the future holds many surprises!