The Premiere Issue

SUNIL PATEL Interactive Director [email protected]

MINI KOLLURI Editor, Writer [email protected]

FAIZ-UR-REHMAN Art Director [email protected]

SERFRAZ QADIR Assistant Art Director [email protected]

PUBLISHER: AgniCreative.com 39 Saffron Cres. Brampton, ON Tel: (647) 962-2464

Contact: Info/Sales: [email protected] Web: www.MastiMagazine.com

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06SPOTLIGHT

MISSISSAUGA TO MANCHESTER

08EYE FOR DESI

COLOUR ME UP

12TUNE IN

SHOWING IT OFF

16HEALTHY SIZZLING

SOY TAKES ON A DESI FLAIR

20TUNE IN

BOLD BEATS

24SPOTLIGHT

BEAUTY WITH BRAINS AND HEART

26FASHION FOREPLAY

I AM FRANKE

30EYE FOR DESI

LEAN MEAN PARTY MACHINE

32CINE

LIGHTS, CAMERA, REACTION!

C O N T E N T S

| OCTOBER-NOVEMBER, 2010 | MASTI 05| www.mastimagazine.com |

EDITOR’S LETTER

There are at least two dozen newspapers and web magazines in the GTA that cater to South Asians. Is there really room for one more? We believe there absolutely is!

When a shy Gujarati teenager from Richmond Hill dazzles the pros with his jaw-dropping skill on the guitar or when a Pakistani Canadian beauty, from Mississauga, bags hi-profile modeling contracts in London, someone needs to tell their inspiring stories so that Desis everywhere recognize their talent, support them and cheer-lead them on to greater success.

We at Masti want to be that “someone”. Sure, we will cover some Bollywood and, occasionally, give in to the allure of stars. For example, in this premiere issue, we review three compelling movies that screened at the Toronto International Film Festival – Kiran Rao’s Dhobi Ghat, Anurag Kashyap’s That Girl in Yellow Boots and Sarah McCarthy’s The Sound of Mumbai – and talk to the cast and directors.

But our focus will remain showcasing local talent – musicians, painters, entrepreneurs, chefs, actors.... We want our readers to get to know their struggles, their passion, their triumphs, their desires, and understand their vision.

And since this is an endeavour to cater to needs of the community, we rely heavily on you to help us succeed. Feel free to play critic. Also, if you know of hidden gems that could use some spotlight, let us know.

In this issue, we also feature Amar, a Punjabi kudi whose East meets West music, is creating ripples in both hemispheres. We also feature Mississauga-born actress and model Armeena Rana Khan, Calgary musician PropheC, Project Runway Canada Season 1 designer Kendra Francis, Brampton artist (painter) Nisha Patel, Toronto event planner Gaurav Bhargava and Miss India Canada 2010 Anchal Sharma.

Like us, these artists have sensibilities shaped by both their heritage and the country of upbringing and / or residence. They have channelized their unique perspectives to produce work that is inspired and innovative.

As Masti grows older and picks up more momentum, we wish to feature many many more artists and inspire many many more children, and grown-ups, to follow their dreams!

Yours truly,Mini [email protected]

C O N T E N T S

| www.mastimagazine.com |

SPOTLIGHT 06

06 MASTI | OCTOBER-NOVEMBER, 2010 |

Hai

r and

Mak

e-up

: Suk

hi S

angh

era

Phot

ogra

phy:

Ada

m L

ewis

Re

touc

hing

: Maq

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Ali

reto

uch.

or someone who says she was a “happy-go-lucky” girl, growing up in Mississauga, actress and model Armeena Rana Khan, who

is now based in Manchester, U.K., is doing phenomenally well.

After featuring in commercials, music videos and telefilms, in U.K. and in Pakistan, she now plays the part of a classical dancer in a new GEO TV Pakistan soap that is currently being shot in the Middle East.

Armeena loves the role and is confident the audience will love it too.

“I am having such a fun time playing Preeti, an Indian classical dancer married to a struggling actor. She is this lovable, naive character that the audience will simply fall in love with,” she says. “I instantly adored her as soon as I read the script, she is very caring and helpful and that is where I feel I can relate to her.”

Armeena says she is unable to mention the name of the soap or the exact location of the shoot due to contractual obligations.

The actress, of Pakistani origin, landed her first gig in Pakistan as a result of a chance meeting with acclaimed video director Sohail Javed in Karachi. While she has thoroughly enjoyed working in a Pakistani media environment, there is one unexpected hurdle that she has had to overcome.

“I always thought my Urdu was good, till I went to work on my first Urdu

project,” she says. “I quickly realised that I was way off base. Urdu is a beautiful language and to do it justice I simply had to focus and improve. I am happy to say that it is almost there as I have worked really hard on it.”

Armeena may have had to work on her diction, but as far as her acting skills go, they are top notch. She plays the demure damsel in the music video Dil Ka Diya , by British Asian producer Khiza and singer Omer Nadeem, with as much as ease as she plays the sassy bombshell in the video for the Punjabi number Dil Lena by Mirza MC and JKD. When asked if she were shy or sassy in real life, she says that gentleness and spunk are both very much a part of her multi-faceted personality.

“As a kid, I remember being very well mannered and respectful of my teachers,” says Armeena recalling her days as a school kid. “However, I was an artist in more ways than one. I would try to seize every opportunity to act whether it was practising in front of the mirror, recreating my favourite movie scenes or taking part in school plays.”

Armeena has worked for major ad campaigns such as that of Faysal (RBS) Commercial Bank (Pakistan), which is currently being aired, and has donned the pages of several magazines such as U.K-based Asiana Wedding Magazine and Perfect Asian Magazine, and Pakistan-based She Magazine

and The Mag Weekly. Still, her passion remains acting.

If she keeps up this level of fervour, soon little Desi girls everywhere will confess to recreating one of Armeena’s scenes in front of the mirror.


Mississauga to Manchester

SPOTLIGHT

| OCTOBER-NOVEMBER, 2010 | MASTI 07

Armeena Rana Khan is shuttling between Europe, South Asia and the Middle East to etch a stellar career for herself as an actress and a model.

Armeena at work, filming for a drama

Photography:Ajay ChayHair and make-up:Vanity Make-up

HHH

| www.mastimagazine.com |02 MASTI | OCTOBER-NOVEMBER, 2010 |

EYE FORDESI 08

| www.mastimagazine.com | | OCTOBER-NOVEMBER, 2010 | MASTI 09

EYE FOR DESI

Brampton mom Nisha Patel draws on her African childhood, love of sports cars and admiration of the human form to create art that is awe-inspiring.

COLOURME UP

10 MASTI | OCTOBER-NOVEMBER, 2010 | | www.mastimagazine.com |

EYE FOR DESI

fter her two little daughters, Tulsi and Prathna, fall asleep at night, this single mother from Brampton gives in to her “crave”. She leaves her

cares behind and passionately paints in different media – acrylic paints, charcoal, airbrushes, markers and Conte Sticks.

“I have this burning desire to paint,” says the 36-year-old Canadian Asian Nisha Patel. “It’s so bad that I get up in the middle of the night to draw and paint, sometimes even on workdays.”

Having lived in Nairobi, Kenya, till the age of 15, Nisha, the daughter of an auto-mechanic, draws on her African childhood, love of sports cars and admiration of the human form to produce pieces that are powerful in very different ways – while some explode with vitality, others relax you with their soothing restraint.

In July, when a co-worker at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, asked the artist to create something in yellow and red for him, Nisha took just two

days to paint him a vivacious poppy field on a 40”×30” canvas.

“Hibiscuses, roses and carnations are common. But poppies are a rare delicate flower,” says Nisha, who explains her affinity for the subject of the painting. The painting depicts red poppies in a green field juxtaposed against a warm sun-kissed sky.

Incidentally, this Bramptonian shares her love of red poppies, as a subject, with the legendary French impressionist painter Claude Monet, who famously captured these beauties in Red Poppies At Argenteuil in 1873, and Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent Van Gough who produced classics such as Vase With Red Poppies in 1886 and Field With Poppies in1889. But Nisha, undoubtedly, brings to her poppy field a point of view that is unique and a sensibility that excites the inner romantic in the viewer.

Nisha’s love of nature is also evident in her Conte Sticks depiction of a lion – majestic, with captivating eyes and an

The artist draws her inspiration for lighting

from the Dutch master painter Rembrandt.

| OCTOBER-NOVEMBER, 2010 | MASTI 10| www.mastimagazine.com |

EYE FOR DESI

emotive face. When asked why the lion is not golden yellow, as one would imagine, the painter says that her choice of deep red and yellow, black and white reflect her love of African colors.

“My inspiration for this painting comes from traditional African colours – yellows, bright green and reds. I wanted to use clean colours that are brown-based,” says Nisha who adds that she even listened to African music while painting the beast.

Another of her traits that can be attributed to her childhood is the love of cars.

“My dad was a car mechanic in Kenya. He had his own shop where he also refurbished old vehicles. The shop had posters of cars on the walls,” says Nisha, examining her own marker rendering of a Porsche 944. “My dad was also the mechanic for Team Nissan during the four-day Safari races.”

Nisha was talking about the East African Safari Rally held in Kenya every year. Considered by many to be the world’s toughest rally, it tests the endurance of

the cars over Savannah lands and the forests. Watching this race year after year had a deep impact on Nisha who has also depicted cars using airbrushes and Conte Sticks. She is eager to portray cars using acrylic paints.

When Nisha migrated, with her family, from Kenya to Mississauga, in 1989, she was in the tenth grade. She took a visual arts course in school and fell in love with art. With the encouragement of her art teacher, she enrolled in Sheridan College to study art. Her two years in college gave her mastery over several techniques and taught her to love the human form.

“I am attracted towards human figures,” says Nisha who has several Conte Stick drawings of models in her portfolio. “In

the near future, I want to depict semi-nude East Indian male and female forms with only one very dim source of light.” The artist draws her inspiration for lighting from the Dutch master painter Rembrandt, who played with light and shadows to create art that was natural and compelling at the same time.

Nisha sees herself doing more commissioned pieces in the future. “I enjoy the challenge of making someone’s vision become reality,” she says with a glint in her eye and a smile on her face.

Mini Kolluri

Photos: Rigo Reyes

I enjoy the challenge of making someone’s vision become reality,” says Nisha Patel explaining her desire to do more commissioned pieces.

HHH


TUNEIN 1 2

1. Your favourite song by you?

Sajana (feat Shankar

Mahadevan)

2. Your favourite Western singer?

Justin Timberlake

3. Your favourite Bollywood singer?

Shankar Mahadevan

4. Who are you dying to work with?

Will-i-am

5. Your favourite cuisine?

Indian

6. Your favourite vacation spot?

Miami

7. Your ideal date?

A gorgeous meal, good

conversation, and lots of flirtation

8. Your ideal man?

Edward Cullen!

9. What do you do to unwind?

Gym, eating out, watching movies,

reading books and sleeping

10. How would you describe your

fashion sense?

Glamorous and Feminine

RAPIDFIRE

SINGER AMAR DHANJAN


EYE FOR DESI

s a child, she used to sit cross-legged next to her famous British Indian musician father Mangal Singh, who was on a harmonium, and sing old Bollywood songs. As a teenager, in the mid-1990s,

she moved to London and recorded intriguing music with the likes of Talvin Singh and Nitin Sawhney.

More recently, she collaborated with several American musicians including Grammy Award- winning record producer and musician Timbaland who features her on the track Bombay from his hugely successful album Shock Value.

And now, with her recently-released sophomore album Show It Off, the sultry songstress Amar Dhanjan has thrilled the critics, showcased her sensibility as a musician and won herself several new ardent fans including Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan.

When British DJ Nihal played four songs from his BBC Radio 1 Show including Bombay Billionaire from Show It Off, to SRK, he picked Bombay Billionaire as one of his favourites and said he would like to meet Amar.

The musician, herself, is extremely happy with how the album turned out but admits that she was nervous at first.

“It was daunting making this album because the onus was all on me. There was no hiding behind other people,” she says. “In the same vein, it was liberating to be behind the ideas and the lyrics and to be able to control the end product. It was a good feeling to have it “all about me” for a change.”

Show If Off includes several collaborations including Bombay Billionaire which features popular Indian playback singer Sonu Nigam. Other artists that feature include Indian musician Shankar Mahadevan, reggae artist Apache Indian, frequent Timbaland collaborator Jim Beanz and American boy band Rebel.

“I have the best of the East and the West on here (in the album) with me collaborating, even my Dad,” says Amar who sings with her father on the dreamy and

melodious track Deewana. Different songs on the album have different vibes.

The opening track Loye Loye has a traditional sound, while Bombay Billionaire has spunk. Amar’s favourite Sajana, featuring Shankar Mahadevan, is an emotional track, while the title song Show It Off, featuring Rebel, has an upbeat urban tempo to it. But what ties all the songs together are Amar’s vocals – Hindi lyrics sung in a manner that is sweet and yet playful.

Amar considers her music today to be a reflection of how she feels at this stage in life.

“I am a grown woman now, my music is confident and self-assured whereas my old stuff reflects teenage angst and different issues.”

Though she was a shy child, Amar says, her father, well-known for his song Rail Gaddi, recognised her talent and encouraged her to sing in front of anybody

Showing it off


| Mini Kolluri |

who would listen. When she was sixteen, Singh, got his daughter her first hit single – Tu Hai Mera Sanam.

“I was singing the English version (Dolly Parton’s I Will Always Love You) in my room and my Dad decided to take me to a studio and record a Hindi version,” Amar says. “It was only meant to be an experiment as I had never been in a studio before, but his label loved it, released it, and it went on to become a massive hit.”

Amar also thanks her parents for her flawless Hindi diction.

“There was always Indian music and films playing in our house. My parents also consciously spoke to my brother and I in our own languages,” she says. Amar’s fluency in Hindi and Punjabi has not only helped her as a singer but also as a songwriter. While still a teenager, Amar, who grew up in Walsall, West Midlands, moved to London, accompanied by her mother Ninderjit.

“Me being a fierce independent youngster, I didn’t want my mum hanging around with me, so we had some rows,” the singer says. “I now realise she was looking out for me and only doing what any mother would do.”

In London, Amar discovered the Asian Underground scene. She lent her soulful voice to Jaan, a song on producer, composer and tabla player Talvin Singh’s 1997 album Anokha – Soundz Of The Asian Underground.

Jaan was a massive hit and Amar’s days picked up a frenzied pace. Her typical day would include waking up, going to a studio, working on music, meeting label execs or others, doing interviews and then heading to a club to perform or meet new DJ friends.

Talvin Singh had a profound impact on Amar who fondly recalls the first time she met him.

“He had this crazy blue hair and was wearing a white kurta when I first met him at the Anokha club. I was totally in awe,” she says. “Talvin is very philosophical, a real thinker, very knowledgeable, spontaneous and charming. He really goes deep into his music when he is creating and never follows the crowd.”

Amar also collaborated with producer and composer Nitin Sawhney to bring out her first solo album in 2000 titled Outside. Released by Warner Brothers UK, Outside was very different from Show It Off. It had Amar singing in English and Hindi against a backdrop of Asian-influenced beats. Sometimes It Snows In April, from the album, became a huge hit in the club circuit and the fast-paced Red Sky was very well received.

Amar attributes the gap between her solo albums to her search for the right team to help execute her ideas. Today, she is signed to the independent label Sunset Entertainment Group.

“They manage an amazing team of producers and writers and meeting them helped me feel inspired to write again after a bad spell with my previous company who never really understood me as an artiste,” the singer says about her management team. “I’d always wanted a full album in Hindi.”

American record producer and musician Jim Beanz is also signed to Sunset Management Group, which is how Amar began collaborating with him. When Jim realised that Timbaland was looking for a singer who could sing in both Hindi and English, he enthusiastically recommended Amar.

Impressed by Amar’s work with Jim, Timbaland asked Amar to fly down immediately to work on a song for his solo album Shock Value.

“We hit off straightaway,” she says about her meeting with Timbaland in his Virginia studio in the wee hours of the morning. “We spent some time talking about his favourite Bollywood soundtracks before we got to work on Bombay.”

Since Bombay, Amar has cemented her place in Team Timbaland. She features in Nelly Furtado’s chart-busting remix Maneater and has just written on a Timbaland production -- the new Shakira / Lil Wayne track Give It Up To Me. She has also added vocals to a Katy Perry / Timbaland track If We Ever Meet Again.

“So we’re moving fast...,” Amar says, excited by the way her career is panning out.

Photos by Roy Cox 2010 copyright: Sunset Entertainment Group


EYE FOR DESI

I am a grown woman now, my music is

confident and self-assured

whereas my old stuff reflects

teenage angst and different

issues.

”

HHH


HEALTHYSIZZILING 16

DESI FLAIRSOY TAKES ON A

ith all the hype surrounding the health benefits of soy, it is easy to forget

how yummy tofu, edamame and soy sauce are. And what’s better is that

these pair extremely well with spices, which means that, with a little care,

we South Asians can infuse our foods with these “protein shots” effort-

lessly.

I’m sure many of you already use tofu as a paneer substitute in dishes

such as Saag Tofu and Mattar Tofu and use Soy Sauce liberally in Indian

Chinese food. Here are some recipes that illustrate three other waistline-

friendly ways of meaningfully integrating Soy in a Desi diet:

Mini Kolluri W



NUMBER OF SERVINGS: ABOUT 4

oy sauce is salty and so it can replace salt in certain dishes. A small amount compensates for the absence of salt and goes a long way in bumping up the overall flavour.

You will need: Two chicken breasts (cut up), three tablespoons of canola oil, four dried red chillies, one pod of garlic (crushed), one-inch cube of ginger (grated), up to four teaspoons of soy sauce, up to two teaspoons of red chilli powder, a generous handful of peanuts, two green onions (chopped), a handful of chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)

METHODHeat the oil in a skillet. Add in the ginger, garlic and dried red chilies. Let them cook for a few seconds and add in the peanuts. Once, they get a little roasted, add in the chicken pieces. Stir occasion-ally and season. Add a teaspoon of salt and two teaspoons of soy first. Taste and depending on the spiciness you prefer, you could add more of soy sauce and / or chilli powder and bump it up.

Take care not to overcook the chicken. While the chicken is tender, switch off the flame and garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro.

Tofu in a Roti Roll: TOFU-VEGETABLE FRANKIE

Edamame in Flavoured Rice: TOMATO RICE WITH EDAMAME

Soy sauce instead of salt: SPICY SOY CHICKEN STIR-FRY

Y Y SNUMBER OF SERVINGS: ABOUT 6

ou will need: One packet of firm / extra-firm tofu, up to two teaspoons of salt, up to three teaspoons of red chili powder, two tablespoons of lemon juice or tamarind pulp, one tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste, five tablespoons of canola oil, one large onion (chopped), one red bell pepper (diced), one green bell pepper (diced), one large tomato (diced) and a handful of chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)

METHODCut the tofu into cubes. Marinate the cubes for at least two hours in one teaspoon of salt, two teaspoons of red chilli powder, lemon juice and ginger-garlic paste. You could use tamarind pulp instead of lemon juice if you like.

After a few hours, stir fry onion pieces in canola oil. Add in the red and green bell pepper pieces. Add in the marinated tofu and stir-fry. After about ten minutes, add the diced tomato and let it cook together so that the flavour develops. Once all the vegetables and tofu are cooked, taste and add salt and chili powder as necessary. Garnish with a handful of chopped coriander leaves.

Use chappatis / tortillas as wraps. Place a little stuffing in the middle, seal two ends and roll. The stuffing is likely to yield six-eight rolls.

NUMBER OF SERVINGS: ABOUT 6

ou will need: Four cups of edamame (shelled), five tablespoons of canola oil, two cloves, one pod of cardamom (crushed), one bay leaf, one small stick of cinnamon, one large onion (chopped), one-inch cube of ginger (grated), one fat pod of garlic (crushed), four green chilies (chopped), two teaspoons of tomato paste, three tomatoes (diced), one tea-spoon of garam masla, salt to taste, chili powder to taste, two cups of Basmati rice (cooked), a handful of chopped coriander leaves (cilantro), a tablespoon of lemon juice (optional)

METHODHeat the oil in a pot. Add the spices to the oil. Once the aroma develops, add in the onions, green chillies, ginger and garlic. Stir occasionally. Once the onions brown a bit, add in the tomato paste, the tomato pieces and the edamame. Season with salt, chilli powder and garam masala. Once the vegetables cook, mix the rice in and let them cook together for a while. Add more salt / chili powder if necessary. Squeeze in a little lemon juice if you’d like and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Edamame could also be used in pulavs.

HEALTHY SIZZILING



TUNEIN 20


Neal Chatha, the 19-year-old singer, songwriter and producer from Calgary, Alberta comes out with “Urban Desi” music that is very fresh and truly groundbreaking. His ability to produce what seem like the sounds of the future justify what he calls himself – PropheC.

The singing sensation, who is drawing in listeners from not just Canada but also India, Germany, the UK and even the Caribbean, talks to Amanpreet Bhullar about his work and his plans for the future:

BOLDBEATS!

| www.mastim agazine.com |

TUNE IN



TUNE IN

How old were you when you started singing and song writing?I was five years old when I first started singing. I’ve only been song writing for the past year or two and am still getting the hang of it.

You write, sing, produce and engineer every track yourself. What do you like the most – singing, writing or producing?For me, I’d say singing and producing are my favourite. I produce at least one instrumental a day because it allows me to take a break from regular stuff and also allows me to express what I’m feeling at the time.

Where did the name PropheC come from?The name PropheC came from when I started producing beats in junior high. Back then I liked it because it sounded cool but now it can be interpreted as my future in the urban Desi scene.

There is a lot of buzz surrounding your new single “Nain”, which is on iTunes. Where do you see your music going in the future?Nain has gotten a huge response online but I always aim to do better with each release. In the future, I hope to see a more international response to my music, which I will hopefully achieve with the release of the Sohni music video.

You have a lot of support in Calgary, your hometown. Many of your fans enjoyed the “Run This Town Remix” Ft. DeepC. There has not been a lot of Desi music coming out of Calgary. How do you feel about it?

I think Calgary has taken longer than cities like Vancouver and Toronto to develop a scene. But in recent years, we’ve seen loads of Desi-centered events and parties so hopefully soon enough, we’ll be able to put out as many artists as those cities.

How influential and supportive has your family been in your career?My family has been very supportive throughout my career so far. Although they stress I should be studying more than making beats and singing songs, they always have my back no matter what I do.

Who has influenced your music the most?My friends and family have influenced my music the most. They always give me great feedback and always tell me what they really think of some of my songs.

DeepC and you have collaborated on a few tracks, what artist would you like tocollaborate with the most?There are too many artists that I would like to collaborate with. When collaborating, I look for artists that bring something new to my sound and also artists that like to challenge themselves creatively.

What is your favourite track to perform live?It depends what type of setting I’m in. If I’m performing in a club I like to sing Sohni because a lot of people know that track and will give me a great response when I sing it. When I’m in more of a personal setting I like singing classical hits

from artists such as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Saleem.What is your favourite type of crowd to perform in front of?A crowd that gives me loads of energy so I can give it back to them in my performance.

What song do you wish you would have written / sang? Why?I don’t wish I would have written or sang any song because I feel that each song is a representation of the artist that makes it.

What celebrity do you have a crush on?Katrina Kaif

What kinds of tracks do you like creating more, upbeat dance tracks or romantic love songs?I like making romantic love songs more because, growing up, I always listened to melody-driven songs. I feel that there is less room for experimentation on upbeat dance tracks and it’s always been difficult to produce them since I never listened to them growing up.

What can we expect from PropheC within the next six months? A year?Right now we are working on the Sohni music video, which should hopefully be released at the end of September. I’m also almost done my with my debut album, which should also be done by the end of this year.

Where can your fans go to find your music and to find out more about you?www.theprophec.com. I’m also on Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.

«««

My friends and family have influenced my music the most. They always give me great feedback and always tell me what they really think of some of my songs.”


SPOTLIGHT 24


Beauty with brains and heartOn August 21,

ANCHAL SHARMA,a gorgeous and talented 23-year-old from Richmond Hill was crowned Miss India-Canada 2010 at a star-studded event at the Doubletree Hilton in Toronto.The beauty talks to Masti Magazine about the pageant, her aspirations, interests and even her celebrity crushes.What made you enter the Miss India-Canada Pageant?I have always wanted to enter the pageant. My uncles had a sign business and they used to make banners for sponsors of the event. They would get complimentary passes. I went to the 1996 show. Rishma Malik from Richmond Hill won the crown. I was inspired.

Plus, I love to perform. I also come from a very conservative family and since you don’t have to wear a swimsuit, this pageant was in tune with my values.Your dance at the show was very well received. Have you leant Kathak?Yes. I sing and dance. I have been classically trained in Hindustani music and have learnt Bharatnatyam and Kathak. I come from a very talented family. My brother Kunal Sharma plays the tabla and my parents are huge lovers of singing. Whether they are at a gas station, mall, they are always singing. If you’d meet them, they’d sing for you too.You have a degree in Kinesiology & Health Sciences and a Bachelor of Education degree from York University. What made you study Kinesiology?I was really interested in how the human body works but I never wanted to do medicine. Kinesiology is about human movement, the human body, physiology, anatomy and since vigorous, high intensity movement takes place during

sports, it is linked to sports. Now that you have won the crown, how are you going to use the title?The title gives me a platform for one year. Now I have a name across the community. I am a firm believer in Satya Sai Baba and believe in giving back, doing seva. Through charities and education, I want to give back. I already perform at charity events.

So I already do charity work, it’s just that now I’ll be the centre of attention and can start something on my own. The crown makes me feel confident that I can make a difference.What kind of music do you usually listen to?I am a huge fan of Bollywood music. I love masti fun songs. Since I’m a Canadian girl, I also love hip hop, reggae and alternative music.Would you consider doing a Bollywood role?I won’t say “no”. Probably if doors open up. But my priority is charity.Who is your celebrity crush?Hrithik Roshan. Every time he is on the TV screen, I smile ear to ear. He makes me blush. But since he is married, I feel it is wrong to eye him. I also like Shahid Kapoor. I like the dancers because I am dancer.What’s your kind of a man?He should be family oriented, have good values, be fun loving and treat people well.What’s your favourite cuisine?Hakka Chinese. I love it!

Anchal Sharma being crowned by last year’s winner Aanchal Dogra


SPOTLIGHT


ou may recognize her as the talented, gorgeous and outspoken black designer from Project Runway Canada Season 1 that aired on Slice

Network in 2007. But Kendra Francis has been making fabulous clothes way before that and continues to do so, on a grander scale, today.

The designer, now in her late 30s, comes from a family of tailors and seamstresses. She made her first dress when she was only 13. She even designed and sewed her own prom dress, which was modeled on the floral printed silk dresses that Ungaro used to make back in the day.

“I was confident about my dress till I got to the door of the prom,” says Kendra who showed up in her slim-fitting chic ensemble. “All the other girls looked different, with their puffy dresses. Then, I realised I was different from the others and teenage angst set in.”

Kendra began to desperately look for

fashions, that appealed to her sensibility, in the pages of Vogue and on TV. And when it was time for college, despite her parents’ opposition, she enrolled in Ryerson University’s School of Fashion in


FASHIONFOREPLAY 26

I am FrankeShe thinks, lives and breathes fashion. She even calls her dog, a Maltese, Louis Vuitton. Toronto’s leading fashion designer Kendra Francis talks to Masti about her past, present and plans for the future.


Kendra Francis

| Mini Kolluri |

On the South Asian Aesthetic:

I love that South Asian women, like Caribbean women, wear

colour and are in touch with beauty and fashion. After all, India is the land of beautiful textiles and beading. Sometimes, their dressing is over the top but they always look put together, unlike North Americans who might go to the church in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.”

On how curvy women should dress:

The worst thing that curvy women can do is to wear bigger

clothes to hide their curves. So, don’t wear tents, don’t wear clothes that are too tight or cut you at the wrong spot. Wear empire waists and if you can’t wear skinny jeans, don’t wear them, wear boot cut.”

On good skincare:

Good skincare should start in the early 20s. We all know that we

should drink enough water, take off our make-up before going to bed, etc. I never used to take off my make-up before going to bed but now that I do, it makes a big difference.”

A quick fall fashion tip:

Red lipstick is going to be the trend this fall. So get yourself a

cream red that suits you.”


FASHION FOREPLAY

Toronto.Standing tall at 5′11”, the skinny design-

student became a fitting model or a “guinea pig” for her fellow students. Taking cues from this situation, she took a year off from

school to pursue modeling in New York.The designer-turned-model, who lived in

the Forest Hills neighbourhood in Queens, was enthralled by the cultural vortex that is New York City. But, more importantly,


FASHION TIPS FROM THE PROKendra, whose mother is from Trinidad and father from Dominica, loves the way Desi women dress. Here are some of her thoughts and some of her suggestions:


FASHION FOREPLAY

exposure to the Big Apple’s dynamic fashion industry solidified her resolve to be a designer.

“In Toronto, fashion was low-key, commercial and department store driven. Here fashion was a fairy tale,” says Kendra. “In New York, in the Fashion District, I actually felt that the fashion industry was legitimate, it was a part of the economy. It was this living, breathing, moving organism.”

Kendra feels that Toronto is just beginning to become more fashion conscious and hence more fashion forward. She attributes some of the change to Project Runway Canada as well for finally making designers such as Brian Bailey household names.

Kendra modeled in trunk shows for brands such as DKNY and Ralph Lauren in New York, but her heart was firmly set on making clothes. She returned to Toronto and began to make clothes, first under the label Kendra Francis, and later under a new label Franke.

Though her creative juices were being employed fruitfully, Kendra found the economics of selling her clothes at other’s boutiques frustrating. So when she was presented with the opportunity to lease a shop in the now trendy Trinity-Bellwoods neighbourhood, she jumped on it.

She converted what was once a dog boutique into an elegant space that conveyed her sensibility as a designer.

“It was done in the French Bourgeois style, all white with a lot of vintage Louis XIV style furniture and a mirror,” Kendra says bubbling with nostalgia.

The designer, who ran her chic boutique from 2001 to 2005, explains the French influence in her work.

“French women are gorgeous, effortless. They smoke a cigarette, have a glass of wine, they are elegant and carefree. I am inspired by the understated sensuality of the French woman,” she says.

Her passion kept her going on Project

Runway Canada, a show that, she says, is designed to beak a contestant down.

“For three months, you are kept isolated. You have limited contact with your family. You have no money, no TV, no passport, no iPod and no computer,” she says. “You develop friendships with the people you are living with but you are also competing with them. This causes the whole mess that is reality TV.”

Though Saskatoon-raised designer Evan Biddell walked away with the $100,000 price money, Kendra showcased her Fall / Winter 2008 collection at the Toronto L’Oreal Fashion Week.

Her label Franke has dressed celebrities such as director and actor Sarah Polley and Much Music VJ Hannah Simone at red carpet events. Kendra has also recently launched a secondary label Franke L.A.B, available online, that focuses on daywear and separates that cost under $500.

“Not everyone can afford the edgy upscale limited edition pieces I make so I wanted to create a line that is more accessible,” says Kendra. “The L.A.B pieces are created more instantaneously and are a reflection of where I am at the moment.”

L.A.B pieces are updated every six weeks. And Franke will showcase runway collections every season.

And, if you wonder if Kendra still remains true to her philosophy of making edgy elegant clothing for today’s confident woman, just have a look at her Spring / Summer 2010 collection. The dresses and separates made with a silk satin crinkle fabric, in vivid reds, lilacs, greys and beiges will most likely convince you that she does.

The L.A.B pieces are created more instantaneously and are a reflection of where I am at the moment.”

HHH


EYE FORDESI 30

| Mini Kolluri |

30 MASTI | OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2010 |

f you ever ran into Gaurav Bhargava, the 29-year-old mild-mannered Toronto sales consultant, he might come across as the straight-laced executive type. But come weekend, this part-time event planner and promoter unleashes his wild side to throw some of the most unforgettable parties for Desis in town.

Gaurav’s double life began, years ago at York University, while pursuing a Bachelor of Administrative Studies – Information Technology degree. As the president of the South Asian Alliance at York, he organised cultural events and fell in love with event planning.

In 2002, while still in college, Gaurav started his first event management company NightCrawlers Entertainment. Back then, the fledgling event planner feared his parents’ disapproval and hid his venture from them.

In 2008, he set up a new event management company SimplyGaurav Events & Marketing to cater to young South Asian professionals looking unwind in style.

Gaurav is now well-known in the Desi community through Bombay Nights, a sizzling monthly bash that

SimplyGaurav has been hosting for two years, in association with another event planner Amar Ahlawat. But, Gaurav is no one-trick pony.

At times, he painstakingly puts together music, artists, props, promotion models, etc. to create spaces that transport his guests to hotspots far far way – the red-light district of Amsterdam, the Las Vegas Strip, the beachfront of Miami and, more recently, Hollywood.

“For the Vegas party, we hired Blackjack tables and we had show girls. The Miami White Party was a beach party, so we had fake palm trees, promotion models dressed up in swim suits and salsa bongo drummers,” he says.

His Hollywood-themed event, that took place just before the Toronto International Film Festival, featured Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, Madonna and Prince impersonators.

Gaurav also foresees a frenzy and capitalizes on it. For example, sensing the immense interest generated by Anurag Kashyap’s That Girl in Yellow Boots, Gaurav and Amar hosted a fabulous after party following

Simply Gaurav brings the feel of Amsterdam’s

Red Light District to Toronto

Gaurav, with India’s hottest female DJ,

Ashrafi

Lean Mean Party Machine

I


EYE FOR DESI


the premiere of the movie at TIFF. The uber-talented director and the cast were present at the event.

Gaurav’s enterprise won him the “Favourite Events Promoter” award at Toronto’s Masala! Mehendi! Masti! People’s Choice Awards in July 2009. His parents, who eventually got to know of his activities as an event planner and promoter, were thrilled.

“Now they see it as something respectable. They even put up the MMM Award where my degree certificate was,” says Gaurav of the new-found support from his parents.

Ironically, Gaurav gets his love of parties from his family.

“We have a large family and we used to have family parties for no reason,” he says. “The grandmother to the youngest kid, everyone would be on the dance floor.”

Gaurav was born and raised in Kuwait and moved, along with his family, to Canada in 1995. He attributes his understanding of his role in society and his appreciation for culture to his Indian and Middle-

Eastern backgrounds. “As I approach my 30s, I don’t want my kids to just

remember me as a guy who used to throw parties,” says the planner who co-hosted a charity fundraiser on Valentine’s Day, this year, to raise money for Plan Canada’s “Because I’m a Girl” campaign.

Gaurav also wants to be instrumental in passing down South Asian culture and values to the next generation of Desis growing up in Canada. “We should put into place programs, now, that will teach our kids more about our culture and religion,” he says.

The event planner also sees his events as forums for single young South Asian professionals to meet each other and possibly find love. He prides himself on being invited to several weddings by those who met for the first time at his parties.

As he talks of his vision and how he inches toward it through his art, Gaurav’s eyes gleam with excitement and his face bursts into a contented smile.

Gaurav flanked by showgirls at his Las Vegas themed Party

The hottest music, the coolest themes, the hippest crowds. Toronto event planner Gaurav Bhargava’s parties have it all!

HHH


CINE 32


Lights, Camera, Reaction!Mini Kolluri

reviews three movies screened at the recently concluded

Toronto International Film Festival. While the three tell

very different stories, they share the same backdrop – the

bustling metropolis of Mumbai.

Dhobi Ghat is not for the faint of heart! There is hope that

resonates throughout the movie but it is intertwined with heartache and angst. It’s not one of those Bollywood staples designed as vehicles for escapism.

It’s a story of three complex people whose paths intersect as they go about their business in the demanding and challenging city of Mumbai. Arun (Aamir Khan) is an asocial brooding painter who, over the course of the movie, derives comfort, inspiration and, ultimately, anguish from an unexpected source. At one of his art exhibitions, he meets Shai (Monica Dogra), an Indian American investment banker and amateur photographer who falls in love with him.

Shai and Arun share a good-looking dhobi Munna (Prateik Babbar) through whom Shai traces Arun. While Munna’s relationship with Arun remains formal, he and Shai develop a friendship

that enables Shai to explore working class Mumbai through the lens of her camera.

Kiran Rao, who has lived and worked in Mumbai for more than 15 years has succeeded gloriously in painting a collage of images, colourful and sometimes contrasting but always depicting aspects of living that are quintessential Mumbai. “I wanted to explore the city through different worlds, the different Mumbais that live within the city,” says the director. “Each of us know a different city almost.”

Aamir Khan, who is also the producer of the film, says he had to become “crabby” to play the role of Arun who has “rough edges and is boorish and yet sensitive.” He says that he is also amazed at the fact that the only real relationship the painter is able to have is with a girl who isn’t real.

«««Aamir Khan as Arun, a brooding painter, in Dhobi Ghat

Aamir Khan and director Kiran Rao at TIFF

HHH

DIRECTOR: KIRAN RAOPRINCIPAL ACTORS: AAMIR KHAN, PRATEIK BABBAR, MONICA DOGRAMASTI RATING: VERY GOOD

Dhobi Ghat

| www.mastimagazine.com | | OCTOBER-NOVEMBER, 2010 | MASTI 33

That Girl in Yellow Boots The Sound of Mumbai

Often, when Indian movies address sexual harassment, drug abuse

and crime, they are very one-note and grave. Indie flicks tend to make the characters seem overly psychotic and weird and mainstream cinema caricatures them.

Anurag Kashyap’s triumph is in addressing these issues with sensitivity and a commitment to reality. This remarkable achievement can probably be attributed to the fact that both the scriptwriters Kalki Koechlin and Anurag have drawn from their life experiences to write this compelling story.

Kalki, who was born to French parents in a small village in Pondicherry, associates with the bi-racial protagonist of the movie Ruth (played by Kalki), who is searching for her father, a man she hardly knew but is determined to find. “Many things, at least the superficial things are very

identifiable for me. I’m a white Indian so that comes with being stared at all the time and never knowing what a guy really wants from you,” she says.

Anurag says that an incident in his childhood, stories he read in the newspapers and his inquisitiveness about the whites living in India, led him to make this movie.

In the movie, Ruth, who is on a visitor’s visa, works illegally in a massage parlour and gives men “happy endings”. Her boyfriend Prashant (Prashant Prakash) is a drug addict with money problems. Instead of offering her respite and protection, he puts her in further danger by getting mixed up with sleazy criminals. Ruth finds her father but also finds out a shocking truth that leaves her heat-broken and jaded.

This delightful documentary features a choir of slum children, from Mumbai,

being trained to sing songs from The Sound of Music at the city’s prestigious National Centre for Performing Arts by the Austrian conductor Johannis Steinwender.

The film centers on eleven-year-old Ashish, an optimistic and enthusiastic young boy who is asked to sing a solo piece during the performance at the NCPA. The boy, who lives in a small shack with his parents and brothers, struggles with his self-consciousness and the jealously of his peers, especially his best friend Mangesh. As he gives lacklustre performances at practice sessions, the audience is at their seats’ edge hoping that Ashish will come through on the big day. He himself hopes to succeed and change his life through the event.

Kalki Koechlin as Ruth in That Girl in Yellow Boots

The children who make The Sound of Mumbai delightful

Director Anurag Kashyap at a TIFF after party

HHH HHH

DIRECTOR: ANURAG KASHYAPPRINCIPAL ACTORS: KALKI KOECHLIN, PRASHANT PRAKASHMASTI RATING: EXCELLENT

DIRECTOR: SARAH MCCARTHYMASTI RATING: EXCELLENT

CINE

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