Joe Goldberg, the protagonist of the popular Netflix series ‘You,’ based on the novel series by Caroline Kepnes is an orphan, bibliophile, stalker, hacker, mimic, and a serial killer. Goldberg is like a snake that wouldn’t think twice before striking you dead. But the fascinating thing about it is that there’s nothing personal about it. For, it’s in his character. He can kill you and most probably he will. But, it’s not meant to be taken personally. After all, if you are at the wrong place and the wrong time with him then you will become his prey. Now, Joe is so well-read that almost everything he knows about the world and its inhabitants comes from the thousands of books that he has consumed. Rendered orphan as a child after he shoots and kills his abusive father to protect his mother who takes the blame for it, Joe has to spend a few years in the foster care system before he gets adopted by the abusive and psychopathic bookstore owner Mr. Mooney who keeps Joe locked in a plexiglass cage vault, below his bookstore. It’s Mooney who introduces Joe to the world of books and teaches him about the importance of reading and the preservation of books.

If Joe had a precursor in literature it’s none other than Tom Ripley—the serial killer character in Patricia Highsmith’s novel series. Now, Ripley is well-educated and has good taste in art, music, food, wine and architecture. He is a charmer who can give a woman a good reason to love him. He is a career criminal but he always gets away with his crimes. When these novels first came out Ripley was a huge revelation. The phenomenon is best described by the late American critic Roger Ebert: “Villains usually last through only one crime novel, while heroes are good for a whole series. That’s a great inconvenience for their authors because villains are usually more colorful than heroes. Patricia Highsmith’s novels about Tom Ripley are the exception, a series of books about an irredeemably bad man, and yet charming, intelligent and thoughtful about the price he pays for his amoral lifestyle.” Ripley has been an enigma in the crime fiction genre because it’s very rare for a thief and murderer to get away with his crimes in novel after novel while appearing on most days like a considerate lover and a good neighbor. While it’s true that in recent times we have encountered many such characters that get away with their crimes, there is perhaps none more fascinating than Joe Goldberg.

The recently released third season of ‘You’ takes much darker turns, constantly combining literature and cinema to create something truly topical and laced with strong socio-political commentary. How it critiques urban parenting, anti-vaccinationism, diet obsession, and abuse of money, fame, and technology is staggering, to say the least. And, ironically, it does so through a protagonist who himself has some serious morality issues. Joe is not a hero by any imagination but he nonetheless has certain redeeming qualities. In the first season, he tries his best to safeguard a child in his neighborhood. And in the second season again he jeopardizes his new life to protect a teenager from a sexual predator. In the third season, set in a fictional Californian suburb, he refuses to frame an innocent man for murder after he sees his humane side. ‘You’ is a reminder that the kind of world we live in is a world sans heroes or villains. For, in this world of ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’, we all have both heroic and villainous traits hidden in ourselves. And, at the end of the day, it’s all a balancing act.

Now, there is no denying that Penn Badgley’s mesmerizing portrayal of Joe Goldberg is one of the biggest reasons behind the popularity of ‘You’. The unique thing about Joe is that just like Tom anyone can take him for a boy next door with a cute smile, only to discover his dark, cruel side when it is a little too late. Now, Badgley is a very gifted actor. The first season of ‘You’ was all about him. But, the second season was also about Victoria Pedretti who is another gifted talent. She is able to seamlessly switch between different emotions at the drop of a hat. What she brings to ‘You’ is exactly what was missing in the somewhat one-dimensional first season. The character of Beck irritated the viewer at times and Elizabeth Lail as Beck somewhere felt weak in comparison to Badgley’s Joe. But, Pedretti’s Love is the perfect match to Badgley’s Joe. And now that both of them are fully exposed in front of each other as well as the viewers, it does open a lot of exciting possibilities. And, Sera Gamble and team, to their credit, don’t leave any stone unturned to explore them. But for how long can the viewers go on watching bad people do bad things? Well, Tom Ripley lasted five Patricia Highsmith novels, published between 1955 to 1991, and so in that regard Joe Goldberg, so far having lasted three Caroline Kepnes novels, published between 2014 and 2021, is still in his adolescence.

DUBAI: It was Indian skipper Virat Kohli’s 33rd birthday yesterday, and his wife Anushka Sharma was all hearts for him.

Taking to Instagram, Anushka penned a heartfelt post for Virat, saying his “core is made of honesty.” “No filter needed, for this photo and the way you lead your life. Your core is made of honesty and guts of steel. Courage that pales doubt into oblivion. I know no one who can pick themselves up from a dark place like you can. You grow better in every way because you hold on to nothing in you as permanent and are fearless,” she wrote.

Anushka also thanked Virat for making her life “brighter”. “I know we are not ones to talk to each other through social media like this but sometimes I just want to scream and tell the world what an amazing man you are. Fortunate are those who really truly know you. Thank you for making everything brighter and more beautiful,” she added.

MUMBAI: Celebrating the festivities of Diwali, on Thursday, several B-town celebs took to their social media handles and shared wishes commemorating the festival of lights. Taapsee Pannu shared a picture of her along with her mother and sister. In the caption she wrote, “Let the Lakshmi Puja beginnnnnnn 🙂 HAPPY DIWALI.”

Abhishek Bachchan too shared an Insta post that had a small note. It read, “Aap sabhi ko diwali ki haardik shubhkamnaye.” Ishaan Khatter shared a photo collage that featured pictures of him with brother Shahid Kapoor and sister-in-law Mira Rajput. “Happy Diwali,” he wrote, in the caption. Arjun Rampal celebrated Diwali by visiting the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir with his close friends and family. Sharing pictures from his visit on Instagram, Arjun, in the caption wrote, “Happy Diwali everyone. Lots of love, peace and prosperity. Had a beautiful Dharshan at the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir.” Earlier in the day, several other Bollywood celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan, Shilpa Shetty, Kangana Ranaut, and others, also extended Diwali greetings to fans.

The act of gifting is a special one. Even a little thoughtful token goes a long way to express that you love and care. On the occasion of Bhai Dooj 2021, here’s a list of thoughtful gifts to express your love and care for your brother or sister.

GIFT CARDS AND VOUCHERS

Since gift cards and vouchers allow the other person to actually choose the gift they’d want, this present is perfect for a choosy sibling, whose likes and dislikes are not clearly known. Gift vouchers of brands are sure to impress and the amount of the voucher can be adjusted according to budget.

COOK SOMETHING FOR THEM

This one is perfect for those who are low on budget and have some time in their hands. Cooking your sibling’s favourite meal would be a beautiful sentimental gesture. Though it might be tricky to hide this gift in advance. Still, this gesture is sure to impress, especially if you hardly cook in general.

PRANK GIFTS

A perfect gift for a sibling is to start off with some prank gift, but make sure to follow it with some good present. Fun, prank gifts could be empty boxes wrapped up with lots of gift papers or prank boxes that blow up with a loud boom sound or smoke when you open them. The options are endless when it comes to teasing your sibling.

WRITE A LETTER

Writing a letter is and perhaps will always be one of the sweetest gestures ever. Plus, it won’t cost a penny, working best for those tight on budget.However, for this gift, little writing skills and time are required. Plus, this gesture might not work for siblings who find heartfelt letters ‘too cheesy’ or awkward. But if they appreciate these kinds of gifts, then a great letter can make them laugh and cry and brim their hearts with love.

The letter can comprise of all the great, little things to thank your sibling for, things that are often left unacknowledged in day-to-day life. The letter can be handwritten on paper, or in the form of a card, or a surprise e-mail or WhatsApp message.

PERSONALISED BASKET OF FAVOURITE THINGS

This might require some budget, though the kind of things that make this basket and the size of the basket can always be adjusted according to spending capacity.If it’s food, then fill it up with your sibling’s favourite things to eat or maybe bulk up on their one most favourite chips or chocolate or anything else they love to binge.

Basket items can comprise gadgets, toiletries, stationery, makeup, jewellery or anything else that your sibling is fond of. Make sure to keep the items personalised, so that the gift remains thoughtful.

THAT THING ON THEIR WISHLIST

People often have fancy items lying around in their online shopping carts or wishlists which they would love to buy, but usually do not have the budget to splurge.

For those willing to spend some money, surprise your sibling with that thing waiting in their shopping cart, that they have probably been blabbering about for the past two weeks.

With these fun, quirky and budget-friendly gift ideas, have a happy and memorable Bhai Dooj with your sibling.

With the festivities now behind us, it is time for the world to return to normal once again. And with Covid-19 numbers on the lower side, one is hopeful that this means returning to the definition of what was considered ‘normal’ in a pre-pandemic scenario. The world is definitely opening up, but are public spaces equipped to deal with this changed scenario?

Fortunately, forward-thinking minds are constantly looking for apt solutions to a problem. Daalchini Technologies is one such enterprise, which had begun manufacturing hygienic and contact-free vending machines in the year 2018. When the pandemic hit the country, they pivoted from being installed only in corporate offices to having a presence in hospitals, manufacturing and pharma companies, cabs/buses, as well as residential complexes.

“We help customers save their money and their time as Daalchini is the most cost-effective delivery option for customers, especially in smaller priced goods categories. Vending machines are not new in India, however, these cash-operated manual machines were found mainly at airports, large offices and served only the 7Cs (chocolates, chips, cookies, cakes, colas, candies, cuppa) packaged food and beverages only. We have changed this,” explains Prerna Kalra, CEO and co-founder of the brand.

Through their state-of-the-art vending machines, Daalchini Technologies provide round-the-clock snacking items. Their wide range of products allows people a chance to discover more items they are unfamiliar with, explore new and upcoming brands in every category including frozen/chilled meals, savoury items, beverages and desserts, in an instant without having to pay for delivery charges or waiting for delivery.

“Daalchini is India’s first 24/7 instant snacking destination that provides affordable, healthy snacks, home-style meals through IoT-enabled ‘phygital’ (physical+digital) vending machines and smart stores. Daalchini’s phygital vending machine/kiosk offers an array of products from café-packed savouries, bakery products to ready-to-eat and premium proprietary products along with packaged food. We employ a tech-driven, temperature-controlled supply chain that is not demand-driven but forecast-driven led by machine learning-based projection tools. Our tech suite also uses IoT retail to keep food safe and healthy while allowing us to monitor it remotely,” explains Kalra.

Through their consumer app, the customer scans the QR code to order snacks and food. There is also a separate app for retailers and smart store operators to manage their vending machines intelligently and sustainably. From electricity, internet, temperature, music, pricing, inventory, and offers – everything is managed on the app.

In case you’re wondering how a vending machine is the solution for public spaces to open and thrive in a post-pandemic world, it is because they are a completely contactless solution where customers buy through the app, scan the QR code to vend the item, use the foot-paddle stand to open the pickup pocket and collect the item, without the need of any physical contact.

Kalra highlights the plethora of options their machines offer, including the likes of only ‘Home Food’ to 6-meals-a-day plans through their suite of D2C brands and Cloud Kitchens. Some of the leading FMCG brands sold here include Amul, Britannia, Coca-Cola, Dabur, Nestle, ITC, Parle, Paper Boat, Haldiram, Jubilant Foods, etc. Healthier options include BRB, Priniti, The Healthy Company, Dole Fruits, Nutri Tatva, Kari Kari, Why Fryy, True Elements, Yoga Pulp, Postcard, etc. The company has also tied up with the country’s leading managed office spaces such as Smartworks and 91Springboard that house thousands of professionals. They have also set up contactless pantries for the offices of leading manufacturing like Aditya Birla Group’s Hindalco plant, Whirlpool, LG, HCL, to name a few.

Their vending machines are currently operational in 13 cities of India including Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, and Indore. Further plans to open over 2000 smart stores or locations in the coming year are in place, of which over 610 smart vending machines and over 50 vending machines have been added in the last couple of months.

Now with schools, colleges, offices, cinemas and most other public activities opening their doors, smart vending machines that require no physical contact on the part of the customer, seem a smart choice for the world to adopt. Machines have always sought to address a need and fulfil a purpose, and in the altered world we live in, these ones in particular are certainly providing an apt solution.

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

What does it take to be known as a truly iconic restaurant in the overly-saturated food space of Delhi? Truly special dishes of course. Hence, as the original creator of the renowned Butter Chicken and Dal Makhani, Delhi’s famous eatery Daryaganj stands apart from all others. In a candid chat with The Daily Guardian, CEO and Co-founder, Amit Bagga talks about staying relevant in modern times. Excerpts from the interview:

Q. How did you enter this field and what has your experience been like so far?

A. We have attempted to carry out the legacy of my partner Raghav Jaggi’s late grandfather, Shri Kundan Lal Jaggi, through Daryganj. As Raghav has travelled the world extensively and been exposed to a range of authentic cuisines and local and regional recipes, he has become an expert at blending this global gourmet culture with age-old family recipes, to bring Daryaganj to life.

I have been part of the restaurant industry for over a decade, and during this time I have been featured in India Today Group’s list of “50 Young Leaders of Delhi”, and been a finalist for the “Business World Magazine’s 40 Under 40”.

I describe myself as a hands-on restaurateur because I pay attention to detail in every aspect of running the restaurant. I like to ensure that all five senses of the customer are evoked positively so they have a truly memorable experience. That is the principle on which I have conceptualised Daryaganj too. 

Q. What is the USP of Daryaganj?

A. We have established a strong brand loyalty as a result of the excellence in food quality and customer experience. Our biggest USP is offering the best value for money in our category by offering simple yet classic North-Indian cuisine made with the freshest and highest quality ingredients, at the lowest price in their category. Also, our USP is that we give a complete sensory experience to the guests with our concept of ‘5 senses dining’.

Q. Being Indian in the 21st century means appreciating tradition and modernity. How does Daryaganj maintain its traditional essence and continue to appeal to the younger generation?

A. Our food is a blend of old-style and contemporary cuisine. The restaurant has been carefully designed with great attention to detail. We have followed an innovative approach by following the principle of a brand concept that appeals to all five senses of our guests:

Taste – the original and nostalgic flavours with the best quality ingredients.        

Touch – traditional utensils mixed with contemporary materials.                   

Sight – retro elements with black and white photos in a chic contemporary setting.             

Smell – a signature fragrance with a blend of Indian and contemporary notes. 

Sound – soulful and unplugged old classic tunes sung by new artists.

Q. What are your signature dishes? Why do you feel they are most popular?

A. Without any doubt, it is “The Original 1947 Butter Chicken” and “The Original 1947 Dal Makhani” as both are the original recipes of Mr Kundan Lal Jaggi, who invented these dishes in the locality of Daryaganj in 1947.

Q. When is the new branch launching? Do you have anything special planned for the launch?

A. We plan to launch a QSR brand next year which would be a prequel to the story of Daryaganj going back 100 years. Extensive research and development is being done for it currently. This will cater to a lower price point than the Daryaganj Restaurant.

Q. How many outlets do you currently have and how many more are in the works?

A. Daryaganj Hospitality has 5 restaurants in top locations of Delhi NCR:

DLF Mall of India, Noida               

Ambience Mall, Gurgaon                

Pacific Mall, Tagore Garden                               

Parliament Street, Connaught Place                       

Worldmark 1, Aerocity

We have plans to open five more stores in the next six months and another 25 stores in the next three years. The ultimate plan is to open 100 stores in the next 5-7 years and launch an IPO. Initially, the focus will be on expanding in the top eight metropolitan cities and Tier I and II cities as well. Also, there are plans for international expansion in Singapore, UAE, UK, Canada and Australia.

Q. How have you adapted to the changing food industry requirements?

A. Daryaganj Hospitality has adopted data analytics with AI for improving its systems and processes and also its customer experience. We believe in innovation of design processes through technology and analytics. Unique packaging design products and concepts have also been developed like a mouth freshener box which is the first-ever smartly designed hygienic solution containing saunf and mishri to end a meal. We also have a Kulfi Drip Tray that prevents kulfi from dripping when it melts.

Our most unique and popular product however, has been the 5 Senses Delivery box, that allows you to touch, see, hear, smell and taste the delights of Daryaganj. We use soothing materials to touch, vivid design colours and fresh ingredients to make a wholesome vision, a fragrant note welcomes you with the scent of Daryaganj, one can taste the delicious flavours and a QR Code plays a specially curated Daryaganj playlist.

The interviewer pens lifestyle articles for various publications and her blog www.nooranandchawla.com. She can be reached on nooranand@gmail.com.