Tag: ritika bhandari parekh

Categories
Achieve

Playing God with the inanimate

We catch up with Mumbai’s first 3D designing and printing firm that brings all your fantasies to life – seriously!
by Ritika Bhandari Parekh

It looks like a scene from the future – jewellery being printed from a printer. And no, it isn’t paper jewellery. We are talking about wearable jewellery, from earrings to rings. Intrigued? We were too.

Siddharth Sah

When 28-year old Siddharth Sah finished his MBA from California in 2012, he decided to fuse his love for design with his inherited business genes. The result: a one-of-its-kind 3D Design Studio in Churchgate, called Make Whale.

Be it jewellery or a carved bottle to hold your messages, a Ganpati idol or a wacky creation of your company logo – Make Whale gives you an opportunity to go wild in your thoughts and shape them. Intricately carved or flexible in design, the design studio gives you complete freedom to mould your creations and showcase them.

“Our thumb-imprinted cufflinks are gaining much popularity these days. As each product is designed from scratch, we have no inventory as such. Also depending on the style, designs and colours, we choose the material which will fit best for the product. So while sandstone allows for a multicolour product, it is difficult to have interlocking designs in the same material,” he says. “Steel helps to give various finishes, for instance gold-plated jewellery. But there are design limitations, too.”

Sah tell us how 3-D printing as a technology has been around for 30 years, but its advancement began only in the lastGanapatifive years. “I remember taking a joint class in design as a business student, to understand the world from their angle. The first-time I witnessed 3D printing at the prestigious Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, I was hooked.”

Studying the market and understanding if all the hype around 3D printing – does it have or not have substance – led him to opening the business venture. “After a lot of research and development, we started in August 2015. I have a team of product designers who help with the gift designs and an experienced automotive engineer,” he explains.

A graduate of Jai Hind College, this SoBo man believes that besides bobble heads, the market for 3D printed gifts is still in its nascent stage in India. With the focus on designing, Make Whale wishes to plunge deep into the elite society weddings and corporate gifting arena. “Whether customising candle stands or napkin rings with the initials of the bride and groom, the possibilities are endless. Our focus is on the consumer and once we are a bit more settled, we wish to bring out ceramic plates and mugs which adhere to the food safety standards,” he says.

Spicy1Their office has an in-house 3D printer to give the consumer an idea of how his creation will look as a prototype. And that is where the magic happens. A loop of material attached from the rear is heated till the design from the SD card finally takes shape in its current avatar. The designing process takes from a week to 10 days’ time, while the 3D model prototype arrives within a couple of days. Once approved, the final product takes three weeks to be created and delivered.

In a small way, 3D printing gives mortals like us a chance to play God. Inanimate gifts are created, designed, re-designed and produced. The limitation is only your imagination and the materials, to some extent. Sah signs off hoping to see you the next time brandishing your creative juices, keeping your gifts anchored in fantastical reality and designing it with Make Whale.

To know more about Make Whale and their products, log on to http://www.makewhale.com. Look up more images on our Facebook page.

Categories
Become

Budget stays with a smile

Mumbai-based start-up Vista Rooms has you covered if you’re looking for a brief and low-cost stay in India’s smaller towns.
by Ritika Bhandari Parekh

Picture this: You have a business meeting at Valsad in Gujarat. And for a one-day visit, you do not wish to spend on a luxury hotel. You wisely choose the option of a local budget stay, but the dilemma arises in picking the right hotel.

Enter Vista Rooms, a budget-friendly option for travellers who wish to experience low-cost branded accommodation. With rooms starting from Rs 800 to Rs 1,500, Vista Rooms is hoping to revolutionise the way a local Indian businessman travels.

An idea germinates

Vista Rooms founders (left to right) Amit, Ankita and Pranav

This Mumbai-based start-up was founded by three enterprising individuals – Amit Damani, Ankita Sheth and Pranav Maheshwari. Bidding goodbye to their jobs in the corporate sector, the trio plunged in the competitive budget hotels arena.

28-year old Pranav, who heads the Finance and Technological department says, “The genesis of the idea came from Amit, who travelled the small cities and rural areas of China in his previous job. Over there, he noticed how efficiently one could stay in low-cost hotels and became familiar with their standardisation process. Starting January 2015, he researched the Indian budget hotels domain and chanced upon OYO Rooms which had a similar concept.”

With a belief that the budget hotel market is huge and there is space for competitors to co-exist, they started Vista Rooms. Their third partner, Ankita was heading the acquisitions team for OYO Rooms before she quit and joined them.

With a focus on the Tier II and Tier III cities, she manages the offline sales and partnership domain at Vista. While 27-year old Amit is very active in the social domain and handles the marketing relationship with online travel agents.

No more ‘Buyers Beware’

Normally, a person making online bookings is solely responsible for selecting their hotel rooms based on the customer reviews and photos uploaded. But the team at Vista Rooms is looking forward to making this dubious ‘caveat emptor’ style obsolete. “We want our customers to be exceptionally confident that the room they book via our website will adhere to all the parameters set. So from a clean and comfortable room to a hygienic bathroom, free Wi-Fi, complimentary breakfast to a concierge service – Vista Rooms will make sure that your stay in the small towns and sleepy cities of India is perfect,” says Pranav.

He continues, “The key to this experience is standardisation. Once a hotel property has the stamp of Vista Rooms, they become a part of our brand and their visibility increases. We do not take over the hotel operations, but help them in the sales, marketing and branding of the services.” With the occupancy percentage increasing, it is a win-win situation for the partnering hotels.

The growth story

For Pranav, the most exciting part is the growth story of Vista Rooms. “We started with four properties in April 2015 and over the next four months added 450+ properties across 55 cities in India. This initial success is what helps us stay motivated.”

With a vision to be the number one player in the budget hotel scene, they wish to make online bookings and feedback as seamless as flight bookings. With an asset-light and operational-lean model, the start-up has 40 employees under its wings.

Pranav signs off saying, “We are forever scouting for new talent and would welcome a second round of funding.” So the next time, you are in Salem or Somnath – fret not. Just head to Vista Rooms and look for your smile-worthy accommodation.

For more information and booking details, please visit their website www.vistarooms.com

(Featured image courtesy www.asiatravel.com)

Categories
Read

A reader’s paradise in Lower Parel

Trilogy, the library is a much-needed book corner in a bustling city that can find itself through the reading habit.
By Ritika Bhandari Parekh

You are greeted with an abundance of trees, sunlight, books and more books here. From Feynman’s musings to Alexander McCall Smith’s suspense, from everything you wish to know on Ogilvy to a delightful hour with Calvin and Hobbes, Trilogy has something for everyone, age notwithstanding.

The owners of Trilogy

When literary editor Ahalya Naidu and wildlife photographer Meethil Momaya met each other, they shared a dream for a quaint bookstore atop a mountain. They even had a date browsing books at Churchgate’s Sunderbai Hall annual books sale. Undoubtedly, the book lovers united and years later, they are the envy of every reader with their venture, Trilogy. Located in Raghuvanshi Mills at Lower Parel, the space houses a library and a beautiful bookstore.

With books as quintessential birthday gifts, avid reading runs in the family for the duo. The library feels like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory albeit with books. With options galore, it will make a book addict giddy with excitement.

The stepping stone

“It all started some 5 years ago, when we both were looking forward to entering the publishing industry. In the process we found that our core strength lies in talking to readers, finding good books and recommending them,” Ahalya (32) says. “In 2013, we started The Eternal Library (TEL), our library consultancy. It was a great opportunity to use our passion to help corporations and individuals set up their own reading spaces. While we were helping others set their libraries, we always felt a personal need to have a better collection of books.”

Meethil (35) adds, “We realised that quite a few good books did not make it to city bookstores. Also we observed that in-house libraries of MNCs do not get updated regularly. That’s how memberships start to dwindle and reader engagement dips. That’s why libraries don’t work.”

But through TEL, they helped revamp existing libraries to maintain their collection. They would carry out surveys to know audience preferences. “The underlying aim was always to match a book to a reader and a reader to a book. One thing led to another and in Christmas 2014, we had a space called Trilogy, where people could find books they would love,” Ahalya says.

A setup unlike other libraries

Most city libraries have a cafe setup to cover the costs, but the owners of Trilogy believe that their forte is books and not food. “Our main motto for having a reading space was to promote reading. Today when members come to just sit and read, we know the concept is working well. We have seen a shift in the body clock of our readers. They leave behind their hectic work and tune into reading at Trilogy,” they say.

“Also our interiors allow sunlight to enter and fill the room. Our vision of no jam-packed shelves, keeping books in a melange of vertical and horizontal stacks, not housing poorly written books or listing special mentions on post-its make the library interesting.”

The ‘cool’ job of a librarian

Their careers as editor and photographer have taken a back seat since the book business keeps them busy. “Managing the library and bookstore is difficult. Even when we are not at the library, we are in a way eating, sleeping and waking up to it. We do not like to take the day off, as being here is much better than being at home and working on the same thing,” Meethil says. “We are continuously talking books or the library and things related to Trilogy.”

On being surrounded by books for a living Ahalya says, “It is a powerful and transformative feeling. When you connect to a reader, it takes a different dimension altogether. When people come back and appreciate the recommendation, it validates all the difficulties we endure.”

She says, “I feel extremely guilty, if a parent and a child walk in and I’m not part of the conversation. Recommending books which they will like makes everybody happy. We wish we had more hours in the day to read those books. Because if we are supposed to recommend, we need to read, too,” Meethil complains.

The Member Diaries

“When we curate, we try to find the right reader for a book and vice versa. It is always heartening to see kids come and reissue their books as they have found a favourite book. I remember how this girl had written a note and kept it inside a book, as she loved the recommendation. Another girl thought it was a tradition to write a note after reading, and did the same. Also young mothers trying to get back to the habit of reading is appreciable. We also have a member who comes all the way from Kandivali with her kids. Every night she reads one book to the child and posts a Facebook status. Seeing that makes us happy,” Ahalya says.

With plans to expand in other cities like Pune – Trilogy serves as an inspiration to follow one’s passion and make it soar higher. As for the readers in Mumbai, they need to enjoy this wonderful treat offered by two passionate book lovers.

Categories
Hum log

One book and the taste of India

Soon after the Delhi launch of his travelogue ‘India on a Platter’,  chef Saransh Goila talks about travel and Indian food.
by Ritika Bhandari Parekh

He trends on Instagram as the #SadakChef and has a special place in his heart for Butter Chicken. Meet Saransh Goila, the youngest celebrity chef to come out with a unique travel book interspersed with recipes. Titled India on a Platter, the book amalgamates the assorted experiences from his signature show Roti, Rasta aur India.

Prologue to the book

India on a PlatterThe 100-day travelogue saw him travelling 20,000 kilometres across 25 States in India to taste the delicacies of every nook and corner. “The show changed my life. It was not at all easy, but we completed it. Hard work is one thing, but there was also the pressure of being answerable to a channel making it,” he remembers.

It was aired in 2012-2013, after which Goila started grooming himself as a food personality. He says, “After winning the FoodFood Maha Challenge, I was lucky enough to get the show. And I took this opportunity to develop content for print, visual and digital media and made it my forte.

“The book is a by-product of Roti, Rasta aur India. When we were travelling, we would shoot 50 minutes of content every day. But what I experienced was much more. So after it was aired, I realised that the smaller details missed out in the television format. I wished to bring out the unexplored treasure that is India,” he says. In 2013, the Delhi boy struck a deal with publisher Om Books.

Memorable feasts

“In India, everyone is very emotional about food. One such brilliant and remarkable experience was on the eighth day of my trip. It was a meal in Kullu, where we trekked 4 kilometres uphill. There we were invited for a meal in a traditional Kullu house built on a stone.

“Their kitchen was a frugal one made of clay and mud. The women of the family were kind enough to make food for all 20 members of my crew. They made a meal that I shall never forget. It was a simple dish of red rice, a pickle out of a local fern, ghee which was organically made. Then there was kodra ki roti, which was made from local flour. Half a roti provides energy to sustain an entire day. They also had bhallas, but those were very different. They were like steamed momos, but were stuffed with dal inside,” he says.

“This experience made me aware that I have a great opportunity to touch the lives of so many people and enrich myself,” he adds.

His beginnings

Having started cooking at the young age of 12, Saransh particularly recalls how aloo paratha was the first dish he ever cooked. “It started with a mehndi night, Saransh on travelwhere my chacha and I volunteered to cook some parathas. Everyone laughed, but after eating my parathas – they loved them and I became popular. So then my family and friends would set aside dough and boiled aloos and always encourage me to add masalas and make parathas. The image of my grandfather trying his hand in the kitchen fascinated me,” he says. “Sanjeev Kapoor’s Khana Khazana show was my inspiration to become a TV chef.”

A theatre student, Saransh always hoped to be an actor. While his mother hoped he would do Biotech Engineering, he ended up getting a Bachelor’s degree in the Culinary Arts. In Mumbai, he had a stint with famed adman and foodie Prahlad Kakkar, and took acting lessons at Barry John’s Acting Studio – as he believed that his destiny was on the screen.

And screen it was, but with the twist of food. He says, “The best part about my job is that I get to live both my passions of acting and cooking. I am a creative person who enjoys whipping up new recipes. I can write, present myself and talk well, so being on screen gives me a sense of satisfaction.”

A taste of the future

His latest venture is making ‘his’ style of Butter Chicken readily available to the consumers. He signs off with, “I wish everybody revisits India via road. I want them to travel and soak in the atmosphere and not just skim through the touristy places. The view changes every 200 kilometres. Be it culture, language, weather, dressing styles, accents…it is a highly diverse range.”

(Pictures courtesy en.wikipedia.org, twitter.com, www.indiantelevision.com. Images are file pictures)

Categories
Read

Review: The House that BJ Built

Anuja Chauhan’s sequel to ‘Those Pricey Thakur Girls’ is a humorous look at issues like making a will and sharing property.
by Ritika Bhandari Parekh

Rating: 4 out of 5

The 16th Hailey Road brats are back! A sequel to Those Pricey Thakur Girls, Anuja Chauhan’s latest offering from the Delhi melee is The House that BJ Built. With this book, sappy rom-coms will finally make sense in the real world.

Once again, we enter the world of Justice Thakur and his chronologically-named daughters. Hot-shot director and grandson Samar Vir Singh and curvy, independent, vivacious Bonita Singh Rajawat are the grown-up protagonists of this novel. Bonita and Samar’s attraction, interaction and the illogical chemistry of the heart set the tone of the story.

A conniving brother, a muddled past and some letters abound as Chauhan anchors the different-as-chalk-and-cheese sisters to their home ground. The siblings are all set to take their respective shares from the glorious house that BJ built. But is it all possible without a clash of thoughts and past bitterness?

Chauhan vividly describes the characters and has us asking for more. She manages a sharp level of detailing, from Bonita aka Bonu Singh’s business ways to Anjini’s socialite editor nakhras or Chachiji’s sweet as chashni nature turning sour to the item-song ways of the film industry. These are all amusingly believable. The story scores in bringing an oft-happening issue of batwara, will-making and will-changing in the Indian family society to the fore. The author throws in her awesome writing skills and wit to make the entire drama a beautiful page-turner.

As Indian authors go, Chauhan’s belief in her readers and her deft-ability to not explain her characters and their desi ways (especially for foreign readers) makes her a favourite. Unapologetic, sexy (with all the beauty and brains of the Thakur girls and their offspring) and words that will make you smile and laugh, The House that BJ Built is definitely a must-read.

Categories
Film

Review: Minions

They are out to find the most despicable master of all time. But are they good enough henchmen of their era?
by Ritika Bhandari Parekh

Rating – 3 out of 5

The dungarees-wearing, goggle-eyed and pill-shaped creatures called the Minions are back. And this time, they help us trace their origins.

Right from losing the T-Rex as their master to wiping the Egyptian civilisation, their only purpose is to serve the ‘biggest and baddest’ master. With visits to the Dracula and the Yeti, the villainous humour is at times ‘so much fun, that it is a crime!’ But the Minions’ foolhardy antics bring about the downfall of the tyrants.

Faced with depression and no master, Kevin – a brave Minion – has a plan. Unwittingly, Minion Stuart and enthusiastically, Minion Bob join his mission to save their race. Their journey takes them to the land of Scarlet Overkill (voiced by Sandra Bullock), who is the coolest villain ever. They help her in a heist to steal the crown of Queen Elizabeth. And what follows, brings the tiny Minions to their ultimate master Gru.

 

Directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda, the movie has quite a few ‘aawww’ moments – especially when the Minions (voiced by Pierre Coffin) speak and sing in their gibberish language. The plot takes us on a rendezvous from New York to London. It also has stereotypes (like how the English love their tea), the regular villain convention and a long climax to take it forward. With the story completely resting on the Minions, it tends to become a bit predictable. The gags and slapstick humour will keep you glued, but the story should have risen above with a bit of intellect.

Bullock’s Scarlet is rightly named Overkill, as her evil intentions border on plain madness. She does a fine job of being the badass villain. Writer Brian Lynch has the pulse of the kids, but the adults will be left asking for more. This 91-minute animated comedy of errors makes for an average prequel to the stunning Despicable Me series. It is a one-time watch and a must watch if you are fans of the Minion army. So get ready to be squished by cuteness.

(Picture courtesy pop-verse.com.)

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