Exec Lifestyle?s Weekend Watch recommends and previews television shows, films and live events that you simply cannot miss! Check out our recommendations for this weekend (10 - 12 July).

Live Act:

An amazing evening with great music and kickass performance by Peter Cat Recording Co. awaits all the froggies this Sunday. Formed in 2010, the boys in the band effortlessly pull off genres like ballroom, gypsy, jazz and even car chase music. Peter Cat Recording Company includes Suryakant on vocals, guitar and organ, Rohan on bass, Kartik on organ, guitar and electronics and Karan on beats. The ensemble has played along with several talented outfits like The Vinyl Records, The Psychai Shop and Karam Kandi Project. Catch them live at Blue Frog at 9.30 pm on Sunday, 12 July.

About Town:

Treat yourself to some powerful screen play on stage with director Rahul Da Cunha?s The Sidhus of Upper Juhu. The plays plot follows the 55 year old financial executive Balvinder Siddhu who is married to Behroze. They live in Upper Juhu?s sea facing hi-rise. He has put in his life savings in this house which is not as peaceful as he would have wanted it to be. Things only get worse by the day and when he sacked at his job. He is on the verge of nervous breakdown. Watch the play to see how the couple braves their way out of this financial fix this Sunday in Sophia Bhabha Auditorium, Sophia College Campus, Haji Ali Road, South Mumbai at 7.30pm.

Television:

Star Movies

Start this weekend with back to back rounds of your favourite action star, Dwayne Johnson in two very different roles on Star Movies. At 9 pm brace yourself for some thrilling action and sci fi as actors Dwayne Johnson and Carla Gugino take on a joy ride through Las Vegas in Race to Witch Mountain. A Las Vegas cabbie enlists the help of a UFO expert to protect two siblings with paranormal powers from the clutches of an organization that wants to use the kids for their nefarious plans.

Chase it with The Game Plan at 11 pm where Dwayne Johnson plays a NLF quarterback living the bachelor life before discovering that he has an 8 year old daughter from a previous relationship.

By Papri Das

During the week, they put on their best Hugo Boss suits, Piaget watches, and Italian handcrafted shoes, during a typical day at the office. But come the weekend and late evening, you see them donning jeans, boots, bandanas, tight T-shirts, as they head for the bright lights of the stage, guitars or haversacks slung over their shoulders. Meet the modern day rocker CEOs.

These are the guys who continue to pursue their musical gifts, even as they drive their corporate charges to new financial and growth milestones. They spend their time rehearsing and getting into the groove with their band mates before a performance at either a Blue Frog or an NH7 Weekender. And when they really let it all out, just playing to the thousands in the audience, nobody would guess they are the corporate types.

Take Universal Music India CEO Devraj Sanyal. He has gained a reputation as a CEO who is re-imagining and recreating his recording company into a new organization ready and fit for the fast evolving music ecosystem. But Devraj is also famous amongst the metal heads in India for his band Brahma, one of the forerunners of India?s metal scene from 1994 to 2005.

?We got our first big break through the IRock festival which used be very huge. After 10 years of active presence in iRock opening most major rock festivals in India we saw ourselves doing two hour and three hour long sets,? shares Sanyal crediting the success to they have achieved to their diversion free focus. ?Unlike most rock bands, none of us had any addiction to drugs or the like. It made us tighter as a band and extremely focused on what we wanted to achieve,? he reveals. 

Of the thousand plus gigs that Brahma has played, Devraj says their act at Manipal in --- is a standout.  ?Mad  monstrous crowd! They didn't let us leave the stage for 30 minutes more than the rehearsed set. At some point we were playing the metal version of ?Smoke on the Water? by Deep Purple and the fans set the side walls on fire as we sang the chorus ?fire in the sky?,? narrates Sanyal. ?At that time it seemed the ultimate show of love by ours fan but on hindsight it was a scary experience.?

Leo Burnett India CC, Rajdeepak Das reveals he has taken a shot a deejaying and hangs out with a lot of deejays. ?Being a deejay is the coolest thing,? he confesses, with his top DJ being David Guetta. These days however he is busy building up his music playlist. ?I am massive on Bob Dylan. I also like Rodrigues. I have all his released and unreleased work as well,? he says.

 Mumbai-based digital content and distribution company 120 Media Collective CEO Roopak Saluja used to do night shifts as a trance deejay. And he even has a record label Procyon Records, which signed on and released other artistes in the past.

 He recollects zipping from airport to hotel across different countries while at ad agency Young & Rubicam. But the hectic schedule could not get the deejay out of him. He would continue spinning records and getting trance fans to get into the groove in the EDM capitals in Europe. 

He shares: ?I was literally living my life out of a suitcase. There would be times when I would fly in from Singapore airport and not even go home, catch another flight to some place like Portugal or Amsterdam over the weekend. I would then play a gig  or gigs and come back to Mumbai  airport on Monday and directly go to office.?

 Roopak rubbishes all claims that deejaying is relatively easy and can be done even when holding a day and week job. ?People believe that you simply need a playlist of two or three hours of the popular tracks but they don't get the hard work  which goes into creating that music set of two or three hours. As a deejay you need to be constantly listening and exploring new music and keeping up with the world?s trends While the three hour play happens once a week or so, you spend the entire week and you burn the midnight oil listening and researching. So yes, it is hard work indeed, but the people I met and parties I had made it worth it,? says Roopak.

 Apart from running a creative ad agency, Bartle Boge and Hegarty CEO and managing partner  Subhash Kamath has built up a fan following for his music being a regular performer at advertising industry awards functions and dos.  ?I used to sing in a band when I was in college but it was short lived after I started work years later I found myself jamming with friends in parties or office gatherings, and at one time I was asked to form a  band to perform at an advertising event,? says Kamath. ?I was surprised to see how well we were received. Soon after a few more people (some from advertising and some professional musicians) got on board we formed the band Wanted Yesterday.?The name reflects the ad industry?s plight of short deadlines for creative as well as his love for the classic rock and blues era.

 There are others in the south east Asian region who mix their music with work. And that too pretty well. Consider the band Uranus which has some media heavweights as its members.

 Among them: event and conference company Branded CEO Jasper Donat, TigerGate boss William Pfeiffer, ad and documentary film maker Ocean Vista Films CEO Craig Leeason, Siren Films founder Ed Bean and former Channel V VJ Dominic Lau. The motely crue has been performing for quite a few years now and they even have a booking agent and play in clubs and bars in Hong Kong and at industry events.

 However, most of the corporate chieftains we spoke to, confessed that their musical careers are important ? but they rank lower on the priority list after their day jobs and family. Says Sanyal: ?My job as an MD and CEO always comes first and the band second. It?s a conscious decision I have taken a long time ago and the boys have been very respectful of it.? However, the band is fiddling with the idea of releasing their third album.

 Kamath finds the time to rehearse and jam but he finds the coordination piece between all his mates a major challenge, because each one of them is pre-occupied. Gigs therefore are limited.

 Ditto with Uranus. The rockers have regaled their fans ? especially in the industry ? over the years, but play only at select venues. ?Music is in our blood,? says Donat. ?And we will continue to play as long as we can.?

Rock on!

Exec Lifestyle?s Weekend Watch recommends and previews television shows, films and live events that you simply cannot miss! Check out our recommendations for this weekend (3 -5 July).

About Time:

Here?s some news for those who want to hear their favourite song at a bar and at the same time do some good for the furry pals in our society.  Come to Boveda and request the DJ to play your favourite songs for just Rs 10. Don?t worry; this isn?t some cheap trick to extract money from you. The money will be donated to an NGO called World For All Animal Care & Adoptions - a registered Mumbai-based animal welfare NGO that has revolutionised the model of stray animal adoptions. Now you can save lives, one song at a time.

Live Act:  

Nation?s favourite playback singer who has given some of the biggest romantic hits in the last couple of years is going live in Mumbai this Sunday. After his return from a very successful tour abroad, Arijit Singh, is all set to mesmerise Mumbaikars with his voice at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium, The National Sports Club of India, in Worli at 7 pm. The show promises to be houseful so grab your tickets now.

Television:

Zing
In the upcoming episode of Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya this weekend, popular actor will play cupid as Anurag?s uncle who shows him the path to true love. Known for his ?dhai kilo ka haath? Dharmendra will act as introspective uncle who understands Himani?s feelings for Anurag and the meaning behind her gifts to him. Catch him spread love and open doors for more exciting chemistry between Himani and Anurag, in the coming episode of Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya this Friday at 7 pm on Zing.

By Papri Das

In midst of cracking million dollar deals, managing multiple hundreds of employees and running companies, executives seldom get the opportunity to explore their other talents.

Sometimes, it?s the designation that holds them back from flaunting their talents; say in a party or when engaging in some team building activity. But when that opportunity comes in the shape of saving many lives, there really isn?t any reason to hesitate. Same goes for the many CEOs who participated in a singing show.
The 12th edition of Genesis Foundation?s fundraiser activity saw 11 business leaders letting go of their inhibitions and picking up the mic -- not to give an inspiring lecture on business but to sing songs!
?It was amazing to see such eminent personalities from the business world come together for a cause and not only do it for charity but enjoy themselves in the process,? says Genesis Foundation founding trustee Prema Sagar.

Genesis Foundation is a celebrated non-profit organisation that  provides financial support for life-saving and life-changing medical intervention for critically under-privileged children in areas of cancer, cardiac disorder, post organ transplant medication, thalassemia and extreme deformities.
?The idea was to organise fundraising activities that the participants could get involved in more spontaneously, and would also create a lively atmosphere for the kids. And what would work better than singing?? says Sagar adding that since the inception, they have received rave reviews from both the CEOs and the audiences, which in turn has helped them raise funds efficiently.
?I am glad that our efforts are bringing smiles on their faces and giving them a better life,? says Rhythm House MD Mehmood Curmally, who has been a participant four to five times already, with the latest one being in Mumbai, earlier this month.

?I always had a thing for singing and after performing at the fundraisers I have found out how passionate I am about it. In fact, I am taking vocal training classes these days,? shares Culmally, admitting that he and his fellow participants took the competition way too seriously before the ranking system was pulled out.

?I still take it seriously and make it a point to practice properly before getting on the stage. I try to squeeze in time between lunch, in cars and after work hours at night to give my best performance,? says the CEO who did a cover of Hallelujah for his solo round and Phantom Of The Opera as duet with his friend.
Trinity Vintners CEO Ashwin Deo who rendered his version of the song Ek Ektara from Wake Up Sid, also feels that he prefers the current format way better than when it used to be a competition. ?I had been involved with the event ever since its inception eight years back. I definitely feel that the competition format wasn?t healthy for something with a purpose like this,? says the dynamic CEO. ?I am looking forward to participating in the Delhi chapter of the fundraiser in July,? signs off Deo.

Exec Lifestyle?s Weekend Watch recommends and previews television shows, films and live events that you simply cannot miss! Check out our recommendations for this weekend (25 -27June).

About Town

All you electronic music lovers have a treat in store this weekend. The Maximum Tour 2015 continues to amchi Mumbai with Ma Faiza in association with Vh1 India. Facebook stalking by his fans revealed that the charismatic artist just got himself a crazy hairdo for his upcoming gig in the city. It simply shows how revved up he is to show off his skills sets with the turntable at Blue Frog this Friday at 10.30 pm.

Live Act

Written by Sadat Hasan Manto, the play ?Toba Tek Singh? explores the hypothetical scenario where Pakistan and India decide to exchange their mental asylum inmates post 1947 on religious basis. As this news breaks inside a mental-asylum in Lahore, what follows is funny, farcical, satirical and absurd. Join director Mohit Sharma, who also single handedly depicts the roller coaster of emotions in this funny yet dark spectacle on stage.

Television:

Sony Max

Movie buffs who have been disheartened by the constant rains disrupting their theater plans can now enjoy a new movie every weekend on Sony Max! Catch its latest in the series of world television premieres, Mr X. You can check out this Emraan Hashmi starrer 3D science fiction vigilante thriller film on Saturday, 27 June at 8 pm with a repeat telecast on Sunday, 28 June at 1 pm.

For passionate dance lovers across the world, this week brings a sense of loss. On 25 June 2009 the world lost one of its brightest stars, Michael Jackson, and we continue to weep for him, and miss his legendary performances. Though his last performance in India goes way back in 1999, Michael still enjoys a fan following of billions in this nation, including some of our favourite Bollywood actors. From tributes, to mentions in interviews to collection of his memorabilia, our B?town MJ fans stop at nothing to show their love for the King of Pop. Here?s a list of Bollywood actors who go gaga over Michael Jackson

Prabhu Deva:

This actor choreographer, director and performer has time and again proven his love for Michael Jackson. His interpretations of MJ?s dance moves, especially the pelvic moves are what has earned him the title of Indian Michael Jackson. Right from the chart bursting performance to the song ?Muqabala? to his tribute to the King of Pop at IIFA Awards 2012, Prabhu Deva is our number one fan choice of Micheal Jackson in Bollywood with his perfect moonwalk.

Shahid Kapoor:

Shahid Kapoor has been known to be a dire fan of the King of Pop, going so far as to give him a tribute in Filmfare Awards 2010. He not only danced on Michael?s numbers but whoever saw that performance live could swear they couldn?t differentiate between Shahid?s performance and MJ?s shadow in the background. If you haven?t already seen it, here?s a YouTube link to it.

Hrithik Roshan:

There?s no two question about the fact that Hrithik is one of the best dancers in our country, and like any other passionate dancer of this era, he was also inspired by MJ when he was a kid. His honest feelings for the ?dangerous? man came forth when he participated in the tribute video after Michael Jackson passed away in June 2009. His ?Bang Bang? performance clearly reflected MJ?s influences, with Hrithik adding his own deadly style to the mix.

Tiger Shroff:

Tiger Shroff, the new kid on the block, gave a fantastic first performance in his debut film that took no time in getting his name enlisted amongst the top dancers in Bollywood. This man with smooth dance moves was apparently born with two left feet. Something hard to believe, if one sees his recent tribute to MJ, which he uploaded on YouTube.

Remo D'souza:

This popular film choreographer and dance mentor who specialises in hip hop is very vocal about his patronage to Michael Jackson. Remember those MJ bands? They became a prestigious badge of excellence in one of India?s biggest dance reality shows, ?Dance India Dance?, all thanks to him. Remo's rendition of MJs popular numbers with his Rangeele's in ?Dance India Dance? finale in 2011 was quite the spectacle.

Surya:

Well, he isn?t from Bollywood, but this southern superstar is a diehard Michael Jackson fan. His fan following, which is already in millions, probably tripled over his kickass tribute to Michael Jackson in his movie ?Mass?. While Surya did an amazing job at dancing to the ?Smooth Criminal?s? beats, it was apparently the movie?s music composer Yuvan Shankar Raja?s wish to pay his tribute to MJ that led to the songs inception.