Author: The Metrognome

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Become

She crafts beautiful door handles…

…and hardware that make a home’s interiors go from great to wow! Anagha Dandekar’s work is literally crafted by hand.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Anagha Dandekar (46) is beautiful, successful, and scion of one of the country’s premier business families – her grandfather, DP Dandekar, founded the Camlin Group of companies, and father Subhash made the brand a household name. Despite being an heir to a powerful business that has impacted generations of Indians, Anagha chose to chart her own route; she runs and manages Hardware Rennaissance, a firm that makes hand crafted hardware for homes.

She started her business at Santa Fe, US, where she resides, but the former Mumbai girl recently started retailing in the city of her birth and in Delhi, too. Anagha spoke to The Metrognome about the business that changed her life, how her early grounding with Camlin helped, and what it takes to be in a position of power in business.

What are your earliest memories of your father when he was with Camlin? 

From when I was a few years old, I remember going with my father to our offices and factory in Andheri. My brother and I loved going there, we would always be excited. My father would show us new machines and how products were being made. I especially loved watching wax crayons being made – the way molten wax was poured into the mould machines, and how the crayon sticks would start coming up like magic.

How far has the presence of Camlin been instrumental in honing your creative instincts? Also, how important has the home atmosphere been? 

Camlin and the home atmosphere have been pivotal in making me the person I am today, in awakening and honing my creative and business instincts. Growing up, my parents would take us to art galleries to see the best of Indian artists and we would often meet and talk to them. My mother is a very creative person and I was just five years old when she got me started on Bharatanatyam. My father encouraged me all the way through my arangetram and till I came to the US.

My guru, the great Sucheta Bhide Chapekar, instilled in me a love and appreciation of dance, movement, form, and expression. I also learned Indian classicial singing for some years, and I was active in school plays. I guess you could say that I was immersed in all forms of the arts while growing up!  But even through all that, I always knew that my career would be in business, and ideally combining it with art.

How did the idea for ‘Hardware Renaissance’ come to you? 

I happened to meet a creative, energetic person named David Coe, who used to make beautiful doors. Together, we explored the

idea of making a line of exceptional hand-crafted hardware as good as his doors, and Hardware Renaissance was born. I learned all the technical aspects of hardware from him. Unfortunately, he passed away from cancer several years ago.

What was your parents’ reaction when you started your own line of work and did not return from your studies in the US to join the family business? 

My parents were certainly disappointed, because that meant I would not be back home, and not be a part of Camlin. But I was always brought up to think independently and be my own person, so I guess that was the downside!  However, as they got to learn more about my plans, and as they saw the unfolding vision and strategy for Hardware Renaissance, they were very supportive and have given me their guidance and support throughout.

What was the initial period of setting up your business in Santa Fe and later, promoting it, like? 

Since our hardware line is so unique, and since it involved working with blacksmiths in India and the USA, it took about two years to develop the initial, small hand-forged iron range. We launched it through four dealer showrooms in Santa Fe and in neighboring Colorado. It was a very exciting time, full of creative energy and business planning. We had to really educate customers about the way the hardware was made, why it was unique and special, because it was totally new to the market.  Architects and interior designers were not familiar with hand-crafted hardware. They had never seen such unique finishes either!

How has the US largely responded to the ‘handmade’ concept that is such a big feature of your work? 

High end customers in the US appreciate hand craftsmanship tremendously. Labour being so expensive there, most items are machine-made. So the response to our hardware has been very enthusiastic. I have had architects and designers as well as high end homeowners tell me many times that they still cannot find hardware with such a high degree of hand craftsmanship anywhere in the world. It is a source of great pride to them to be able to have something made entirely by an artisan adorn their doors. And the fact that it works so precisely too is invaluable.

What were some of the challenges you faced in sourcing material and labour in the US?

We manufacture and distribute our hardware through 80 showrooms in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda. They are our dealers who display and sell the hardware. The main challenges were in getting the products developed to our satisfaction. Then we needed to hire and train patina artists in the US to develop and perfect our unique hand applied finishes for production. Creating something entirely new, involving a high degree of hand craftsmanship, and across two continents, was a challenge for sure!

Why did you feel the need to retail in India? What is the market like, for products such as yours? 

At this time there are no plans to open our own stores here, because we want to evaluate the best way to sell the hardware. Each market is different in the dynamics of customer tastes, of selling and distribution, and we are working closely with several top Indian architects and designers to ensure that we give the high end Indian market what it wants, and the way it wants it. The Indian market is maturing in the high end, with customers more aware than ever of world class luxury goods. I feel that our hardware offers a compelling choice since there is nothing like it in India. The concept of high end, exclusively manufactured hardware with unique finishes and precision working is exciting and new in India, and with our association with Camlin, the Indian customer has a high trust factor also.

Is Camlin in any way associated with the daily working of Hardware Renaissance?  

In the USA, where Hardware Renaissance is head quartered, there is no linking of working with Camlin. In India however, there is close daily working with Camlin Fine Sciences Ltd., my brother’s company. Manufacturing, as well as marketing and distribution activities for India, are all operated through this Camlin offshoot. That gives us a tremendous position of strength with deep resources and the implicit faith of the Indian customer in the Camlin name and legacy. My father, though retired as Chairman of Camlin, is my advisor and supporter, and my brother is also behind Hardware Renaissance all the way. I am extremely grateful for this family support that I have.

What keeps you motivated and challenged? 

My goal of creating a high end brand that truly stands for hand crafted quality world-wide is what keeps me motivated and challenged. Creating beautiful hardware is energising – it is something that customers touch and use in their homes all day long, it is the jewellery of their home. Yet for hardware to be exceptional, it not only has to look beautiful but it must also work with precision. The marriage of art and engineering is a constant challenge, but very satisfying when the result is a good one!

Where do you see yourself five years from now? 

I see myself working hard to take the brand to greater heights in design and in market reach. My vision is to add line extensions, and to see the brand launched in many countries around the world.

 

Categories
Film

Brand new stories

It seems like Bollywood just can’t do without brand integration in its films. The newest example is Aamir Khan’s ‘Talaash’.
by M | M@themetrognome.in

Brands and products have been used in films for a very long time now, under the guise of innovation. Terms like brand integration and product placements have recently been coined and abused ever since. While brands have been seamlessly woven into certain films’ narratives, even in films from the Dev Anand and Rajesh Khanna era, the truth is that the lone objective of these deals these days is to mint money. At times, the entire production budget can be recovered with multiple brand promotions in a single film.

Many films have tried and tested this formula but few have succeeded in carrying this out subtly, without in-your-face promotions. Don 2 deserves an honorary mention in affiliating with Tag Heuer watches and Microsoft flawlessly. The brands carry the same value associated with the characters in the film – haute and tech savvy – thus making it a good fit. Even the on-screen time dedicated to the products was not overly long.

But at other times, you wonder: why are teens endorsing bourbon biscuits for Student of the Year, when clearly they have been starving to look as skinny as poles for the film? Where is the connect? There’s an increasing tendency to force brands into films’ promotions, despite many brands not fitting in with the overall storyline at all.

Windows 8 tied up with Aamir Khan starrer Talaash (releases November 30, 2012) and the commercial has being doing the rounds of the Internet and TV. As long as the ad features an intense Aamir Khan, I don’t have a problem with it – I just don’t want Aamir, in the film, to tell the audience how Windows 8 helped him solve the mystery.

Talaash’s brand integration reminds me of an interesting anecdote – a story of a director-producer who thought of reinventing this concept.

This is a true story.

In his film, a song featuring various communication devices like phone, PC, et al in the new age presented a great opportunity for making some quick moolah. For one of the scenes in the songs, the over-confident director used a mobile handset manufactured by a leading company without striking a deal with them first – he thought he could ask for endorsement money once the film was complete and the marketing kicked in.

The brand was approached for money a couple of months before the film’s release. To his astonishment, however, the brand rejected the business proposition. The reason? The phone used in the film was out of production and they didn’t want to promote it. The deal never happened.

For another film, a handset manufacturer asked for money from the producers to use the product. This is a reverse of the concept. In this case, the film was a small banner production, so the brand had leverage. Of course, the deal never happened.

Films like Ra.One and Don 2 have set benchmarks for brand integration in the Hindi film industry, and now, every film runs after brands like they’re the elixir of life. Special agencies to look after this concept have been set up in media companies, while new ones keep mushrooming with every film. It’s almost like Bollywood’s forgotten to make money from other avenues, like storytelling, for instance.

As long as it’s done in a fashion that doesn’t mess with the entertainment value attached to the film and doesn’t annoy the audience (like the Amitabh Bachchan film Viruddh), it’s totally okay. Make all the money you want, but here’s a sincere appeal: after recovering your costs and making a profit, keep the ticket prices low. The reason I walked away from watching Jab Tak Hai Jaan was the Rs 400 ticket price; though it did turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

Moral of the story: Plot your brands before the script is frozen, and plot them well.

(Pictures courtesy koimoi.com and rateon10.com)

Categories
Uncategorized

Trousseau trends unlocked

Customise your trousseau with the best in 2012’s bridal fashion, as Kavya Kolli decodes this season’s hottest trends for you.

The festive season may be over, but it’s only made way for more festivities with the wedding season right around the corner. And for all the brides-to-be who will be tying the knot soon, this is a very crucial time. These are the days of endless trials in search of the perfect wedding outfits.

Most brides have an idea of the kind of look they see themselves in. This can be both advantageous or challenging. If you are able to find an outfit that fits the bill, then you’re lucky. But if not, it helps to be open to other options. There are lots of designs that you may be reluctant to try at first, but once you do, you’ll be surprised at how great they look. A tip: Try on the outfits before taking a call.

To make things a little easier, we’ve handpicked the trendiest details from this year’s bridal shows.

 

 

 

Colours

The classic red was a predominant colour in all collections this year. And if red is the colour you’re looking for, you’ll be spoiled for choice. Red appeared in so many beautiful shades – dark cherry reds, bright scarlets, orange reds etc.

 

Seen in the picture: Anjalee and Arjun Kapoor at India Bridal Fashion Week 20122

 

 

 

Colour combinations

Both classic as well as unexpected, fresh combinations were also seen on the runways this year. 

Because it’s winter, deep colours like maroon, burgundy, rusty oranges, purples, navy and bottle green make for a great palette.

Seen in the picture is a Neeta Lulla creation at Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive, 2012.

 

White

 

 

White is a great colour for a bride, and it shone in its pristine glory on the runways. Embellished with silver or gold embroidery, it looks stunning. Off whites and ivories were the popular choice.

 

Nudes, along with whites, were also seen with coloured trimmings in the shows of major designers this year. Seen in the picture on the left is a creation by Payal Singhal at the Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2012.

 

 

 

The silhouette

The anarkali is still dominating the ethnic silhouette in the form of statuesque full-length dresses. 

Another silhouette that’s become a rage is the lehenga sari. The ensemble comprises of the typical lehenga, blouse and dupatta. But instead of draping the dupatta as you usually would with a lehenga, it’s draped like a sari – a great marriage, without the fuss of having to drape the nine-yard sari.

Seen in the picture on the right is an anarkali from the collection of Shyamal & Bhumika Shodhan at Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2012.

 

Fabric

 

 

 

Velvet is a huge trend this season, and it’s also very practical for the winters. The texture and rich shades of the fabric lend a regal touch to the ensemble.

Sheer fabrics like net, chiffon, georgette etc., look stunning in contrast to the rich velvet.

Brocades were also a popular choice with the some of the designers.

But what really stood out in the designs was the wonderful play of contrasting fabrics- heavy with light, stiff with flowy, thick with sheer.

Seen in the picture on the left is a velvet creation from the collection showed by Shyamal & Bhumika at Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2012.

 

Embroidery

The work that goes into embellishing, is what makes the bridal ensemble. And it requires the very best. It’s all about intricate, handmade embroidery and this season showcased an endless variety. Gota work, kundan, zardosi, zari were all there in gorgeous, unique designs as were embellishments with sequins, pearls and crystals.

Seen in the picture on the right is a creation from the collection of Meera and Muzaffar Ali at the India Bridal Fashion Week 2012.

Categories
Hum log

The objects of her affection

Shrutti Garg is a talented young photographer who doesn’t like to capture people or nature – give her objects, instead.
by Vrushali Lad | vrushali@themetrognome.in

Shrutti Garg (25) is a Worli resident and ace photographer who doesn’t like to capture people’s faces, or nature. Her latest works – Objects as streets, streets as objects, and The Green Project are on display at Gallerie Max Mueller, and the two walls of the Gallerie that hold the exhibition’s photographs are strong examples of how objects are central to Shrutti’s imagination.

In a series of black and white pictures across half of one wall, there are glimpses of people carrying their belongings as they move about the streets –a woman’s bundled several bags into one shopping cart, in another, a musician’s put down his guitar on the sidewalk. In a third, you see squashy sleeping bags. The Green Project, meanwhile, has a series of colour photographs in which Shrutti’s aimed for a contrast between life as it happens and a single object or piece of clothing or even a mark on the road, that is bathed in a startling shade of green.

“I went to Cologne, Germany in 2011 through Max Mueller Bhavan for a six-month artists’ residency. Before my departure, I had discovered the word ‘flaneur’, which describes a person who walks through the city to explore it. I took this idea for the Objects… series, wanting to see how people moved from place to place with belongings they held dear, because there was maybe a strong memory attached to them. The first three months I was there, I simply walked everywhere and explored. During these walks, I saw several interesting examples of people moving from spot to spot with their belongings – some in one big bag, others in a shopping cart,” she explains.

The Green Project, meanwhile, was an exploration of two contrasting symbols attached to the colour green – of new beginnings, and envy. “I started it in Mumbai; it explores the balance between these two opposites. It was fun working on it, because I only photographed this one shade of green which was the most eye-catching, and I had to find situations and items bearing this colour. I have not Photoshopped the colour in any of my pictures. I’m not a fan of Photoshop anyway,” she smiles.

Shrutti, a Commercial Arts graduate who was attracted to photography very early in life, has always “worked in a series, I’ve rarely worked on individual pieces” – prior to this, she’s worked on Mumbai in Motion, about how everything moves fast in Mumbai but how one still has to wait, Hidden Realities and Luxurious Life Of the Streets, among others. “I also showed the Objects series and The Green Project in Germany, and it was interesting for them to see my point of view in the pictures,” she says.

She also heard a few interesting back stories of some of her subjects. “There were these two guys who met when they were living on the streets, and they would move everywhere in twos, because while one was away, the other would look after their belongings! Then I learnt that you can’t live on the streets in Munich at all. Besides, the weather plays a big role in people staying out or going underground.”

Her focus is always on objects, not on faces. “Your imagination must guide you to ask questions about the person you can’t see,” she explains. “Besides, I am very attracted to objects in the context of the environment they are in. I’m not into photographing people or nature.”

She is currently working on a privately-commissioned series of photographs very much like The Green Project, but “the colour the client wants is blue,” she says. She is also toying with the idea of a project where she asks you to part with a very precious object and substitute it with a picture of that object. “I’m also applying for a lot of residencies,” she says.

Shrutti Garg’s twin exhibition, Objects as streets, streets as objects and The Green Project concludes at Gallerie Max Mueller, Kala Ghoda, today.  

Categories
Event

Laugh and save a child’s sight

Stand up comedy show will raise funds for eye treatment of BMC school children at YB Chavan Auditorium this evening.
by The Diarist | thediarist@themetrognome.in

What’s a fun way to raise funds for a serious cause? Have a stand-up comedy show featuring some seriously funny comics, that’s what. It’s an idea that will hopefully make enough money to treat 10,000 children with preventable blindness and other eye problems.

The Rotary Club of Bombay Central and Rotaract Club of the Caduceus are organising ‘Eye Stand Up’, a show featuring stand up comics Aditi Mittal, Tanmay Bhat, Karan Talwar, Gursimran Khamba and

International comic star Andy Zaltzman will also perform, while DJ and Submerge founder Nikhil Chinappa will be chief guest at the event, which will be held at YB Chavan Auditorium, Nariman Point, this evening.

The cause

We usually do not associate problems of sight with young children. In fact, it is this mindset that often prevents the treatment of several treatable eye problems in children. Recognising this, the Rotaract Club of the Caduceus, a city-based group of 135 doctors, dentists, medical students and paramedics under 30 years of age, adopted a preventable blindness programme and is working towards treating the eye problems of 10,000 children from BMC schools by end of January 2013.

Says Pankaj Jethwani, one of the Club’s members and organisers for the check up camps held in schools and slum communities, “India is home to 1.5 crore visually-challenged people – that is like two Switzerlands put together! However, eight out of 10 people can get their sight restored or their problem treated with a simple operation, but there is very low awareness among people. Besides, several people cannot afford even the Rs 1,200 surgery, plus the drugs and spectacles.”

However, the cost was brought down to Rs 50 per person through bulk operations; this includes screening, treatment, managed referrals, deworming, Vitamin A prophylaxis and risk-pooling for surgery. “When we went to BMC schools, we found that some children had myopia, or a spectacle number of 1.2. They couldn’t see the blackboard, and so they didn’t feel like studying at all.” Pankaj says he was surprised to note that 13 per cent of children had undiagnosed myopia, and that none of the children screened had ever been to an ophthalmologist.

He says they’ve treated about 2,800 children in the last 55 days, and hope to complete the target of 10,000 children in two months. “The treatment has been on-the-spot for most, but if surgery is required, it is done for free at BYL Nair and KEM Hospitals. We provide spectacles, manage infections, and refer cataract and squint cases for free surgery. We also conducted surprise checks to see if the children were adhering to the treatment we had prescribed; 92 per cent of them were.”

The event

The Club initially wanted to organise a marathon to raise funds for the programme, but then finally decided on a stand up-comedy event. “We love these comics – everybody follows them on Twitter and everyone wants to see them live. We got the venue and sponsors on board very quickly. But we will use the money we get strictly for the programme.” Plus, Cafe Mocambo will sponsor an exclusive after-party for those who attend the show.

(Picture courtesy www.betterphoto.com) 

 

Categories
Soft Coroner

Mumbai konachi?

Prashant Shankarnarayan wonders whom to call a son of Mumbai city’s soil, and who can be termed as an outsider. Or are these words just words?

Prashant ShankarnarayanThe situation – A colleague casually retorting to the sons of the soil theory by stating that “Mumbai’s original inhabitants were kolis and East Indians”

The observation:

Last week in office, we were discussing the funeral of ‘those we don’t speak of on the Internet’, when the conversation predictably veered towards “Mumbai konachi?” (Whom does Mumbai belong to?) That is when a colleague wryly mentioned that Mumbai’s original inhabitants were the kolis (fisherfolk) and East Indians. Obviously the sons of the soil would have retorted by landing a punch on his face for not mentioning Marathis. The ones who won’t punch but support the theory would upload on Facebook that the kolis and the East Indians both spoke Marathi, and that Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra. But what many of us conveniently sweep under the carpet is the vast difference in the Mumbai ruled by indigenous rulers, and the Mumbai that stands today.

Everyone and his uncle stakes claim on Mumbai without admitting that the city as we know today was ‘created’ by the British. In 1784, the Governor of Bombay, William Hornby, officially completed the Hornby Vellard project which united all the seven distinct islands into one landmass. Future reclamations and road and railway projects shaped the Mumbai as we know it today. There were many communities and nationalities that preceded the English but the conjoined map of Mumbai was not created by the ones who claim to be sons of the soil.

Hence to put an end to this question, it is imperative to honestly and neutrally consider:

In terms of race

Kolis, who are of Dravidian origin, are the earliest settlers of the erstwhile seven islands that form present-day Mumbai. Kolis have lived here for thousands of years but as per the Hindu caste system, they are a different community compared to the Marathas, and even though their mother tongue is Marathi, quite a few of them converse in Konkani and English. Yes, Marathi precedes English, but if we were to apply the same logic then the kolis have been eking out an existence even before the reign of the Mauryan emperor Ashoka (around 3rd Century BC), which means that they probably communicated in Prakrit or one of its dialects. The Mauryans were followed by the Satavahanas, who were of Telugu origin and so on. In a nutshell, the kolis existed in Mumbai even before the colloquial Marathi was used as a spoken language.

In terms of religion

My friend was right about the Kolis, but wrong about the ‘East Indian’ bit, because for the Europeans, every Indian was an East Indian. But for us, an East Indian is someone who is a convert to Christianity, incidentally from the western coastal belt. At one point, Mumbai was also ruled by the Gujarat Sultanate, which led to the spread of Islam. However, it is a documented fact that the oldest form of organised religion prevalent in these islands was Buddhism, preceded by Hinduism which again must have been preceded by animism. This means that the original residents of Mumbai were indigenous people who believed in an indigenous religion.

In terms of language

Since ancient times, the seven islands have been ruled by the Mauryans, who communicated in Prakrit, Shatavahanas who communicated in Prakrit or possibly Telugu, Vikatakas who spoke in Maharashtri Prakrit, Kalachauris who were Kannada kings and many other kingdoms including the Marathas (briefly) at a much later stage. Marathi is derived from Maharashtri Prakrit, but so are Konkani and few other dialects. This clearly shows that Mumbai was not necessarily ruled only by Marathi speaking rulers in the past. In fact, Mumbai was already a multi-lingual city even before the Marathas captured parts of Salsette in 1737.

The Mumbai story

So whom does this city belong to? If it belongs to the kolis, then we are only mentioning the ancient seven fishing hamlets and not the present land mass as it exists. And while Mumbai was originally ruled by Hindu and Buddhist rulers, we can’t ignore the contribution of the Muslim royals from Gujarat and European Christians at different junctures.

In a way, Mumbai’s reputation as a land of opportunities enhanced when Parsis, Gujratis, Dawoodi Bohras, Jews, Goans, etc landed here after the British established the first mint in 1670 – four years before Chhatrapati Shivaji’s coronation as the first Maratha emperor. It clearly indicates that Mumbai was a melting pot of communities even before the Maratha Empire came into existence. It’s because the only distinct identity that Mumbai possesses in context to other Indian cities is its fabulous work culture and cosmopolitanism.

Mumbai belongs to the one who works hard and the only indigenous culture is the thriving work culture. It belongs to the Parsee philanthropists who built the city and its great institutions, to the Gujarati and Marwari businessmen who transform first class compartments into a mini share bazaar, to the Marathi housewife who juggles her job and family even as her husband works hard to make ends meet, to the Sindhi and Punjabi refugees who lost their motherland to another country, yet carved out a successful life, to the South Indian educated class who brought in their professionalism and sincerity that defines Mumbai’s rise, to the Shetty hotel owners who have been feeding Mumbai since pre-independence days, and to millions of  migrants from every community, and different nationalities who have equally contributed to Mumbai’s success story in their own way.

Hence, watching an autorickshaw driver from another state refusing to ferry Mumbaikars is as painful as watching a few locals trying to hold a Talibanesque control over the city. We owe a better Mumbai to the martyrs of the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement and to the many unsung heroes of the past. Over hundreds of years, many outsiders worked hard to convert few islands into one of the world’s leading cities and hence, in my humble opinion, the only insider in Mumbai is the outsider.

Prashant Shankarnarayan is a mediaperson who is constantly on the lookout for content and auto rickshaws in Mumbai. ‘Soft Coroner’ tries to dissect situations that look innocuous at the surface but reveal uncomfortable complexities after a thorough post mortem.

(Picture courtesy wikimedia.org)

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