In Conversation with Anurradha Prasad Managing Director, BAG Films Ltd.

I start my day with

I suffer from a chronic backache so I start my day with yoga and some stretches. Earlier on, I had a trainer coming home every morning but now I just do all the asanas and pranayams on my own. Must say, yoga is also a great stress buster for me.

My diet mantra
I am a vegetarian and prefer food which is low on oil and spices. Breakfast is mostly sprouts, cottage cheese or maybe soyabeans. Prefer to use olive oil in my food which is light on the stomach. Lunch is mostly some soup, followed by dal, roti and sabzi.

Shopping
I am not a very brand conscious person. Also, it's not like I grab things when I see them. I shop whenever I need to. For my western wear I prefer Armani suits. I mostly shop in London for my trousers where I get the right fabric and fitting. As far as Indian clothes go, I get them designed by Ritu Beri and Sapna Chopra.

Don't like very heavy or garish clothes. If I have to go with my husband Rajiv Shukla for a political get-together or a party, I prefer a Indian look with some Zardosi work or a Lucknawi look. When its about my official meeting then I go in for a little classy upmarket look. Whenever, I need something special designed, I just call up my designer friend Sapna Chopra who sends me the right dress and the jewellery to go with it.

Jewellery
Not very fond of gold jewellery. Prefer platinum, Kundan , Polki and Meenakari work.

Travel Destination
I love London and Dubai. Though Dubai is not so much of a tourist destination but everytime I go there I am really amazed at the progress the country has made. I also love exploring Paris and Italy.

Favourite Car Brands
I prefer cars which are spacious and functional. Currently, I drive a Lancer, a Toyota Corolla, Endeavor and Chevrolet Optra.

exec_life/y2k6/eflyer/3april_exec_life.htm
Can't do without my 20GB - ipod digital music player. It carries upto 15,000 songs, so whenever I am on the move I freak out on all the latest Hindi as well as English songs.
I have a great fetish for gadgets and gizmos. In fact, I keep upgrading my handsets all the time.

I am currently using Sony Ericsson - P900 which has a high-quality camera phone, video recording and a good gaming experience. I recently bought a Nokia 6630 which is a portable office and a modern rich media machine. It has video editing, email, web browser with broadband as well as a support enhanced media gallery for storing photos.

I also use Nokia 6680 which has two integrated cameras, video sharing capability, music player with stereo audio. It gives me a convenient email access with automatic download to send images and view documents while I am on the move.

"I believe in living life to the core. And I derive pleasure from doing simple things in life; be it just cooking up a meal, entertaining guests or just pursuing a game of cricket," says Ravi Rai as we settle down for a brief tete-e-tete. Dressed casually in a simple red T shirt and jeans, Rai welcomes us in his exquisitely done up apartment in Versova that reflects the man behind the veneer. A picture of his younger days adorns the wall, an Egyptian painting and collection of books in the library speak a volume about him.

With his characteristic far-away look, he says, "my study is where I spend a major part of time reading and writing. But, then writing is only one of my passions. My career as a writer, director, producer has really been an accidental journey." And this coming from the man behind subtle serials like Kashish, Sailaab and Thoda hai thode ki zaroorat hai. I have no major ambitions like writing a master piece before dying," he further declares honestly. We wait for more as Rai reveals it all about his life and times.

I've become spiritual in life
"It's a rather mercurial business, sometimes it can put a creative person on a pedestal and the next moment you are out. Though it hurts, but then nothing is permanent in life. I've analysed life and now I've become spiritual in life. I believe in god and destiny. I do not believe in dreaming too big and losing my sleep over it.

Cooking helps me unwind.
Rai is passionate about cooking; so much so that he orders for different masalas like garam masala, nimboo, paani masala and lassi masala from various parts of the country. Recalling his childhood, he says, "As a child I had working parents. So, at the age of nine my father taught me how to cook dal chawal, since it's easy to make and is also a complete meal. So, whoever reached home early would cook for everyone. The habit stayed with me and later even during my struggling days in Mumbai at the age of 20, I used to cook parantha, sabzi , dal, chawal. Cooking helps me unwind

Entertaining friends
Weekends are a time when Rai along with wife Anita love to welcome friends home "It gives me tremendous satisfaction when I see people savour my dishes. We both cook up separate dishes. My Sindhi mutton recipe is a hit amongst all my friends. Anita, who is a Kashmiri, makes very good Italian and Kashmiri food. "

And what are the other preparations he likes to make? "Anything that takes a long time to prepare," he quips. "I love making rajma and channa for that reason. So, does he indulge in day-to-day cooking too? "Of course ! Today I am preparing Chinese for my kids," he announces happily. Rai also tells us that one of his favourite pastime is watching matches with friends when he sometimes loves to surprise them by cooking a dish or two. That brings us to his other passion that is Cricket.

Cricket talk
" I am a member of a team called Upstagers which is led by Mahesh Manjrekar. Some of the other members are Shivaji Satam and Robin Bhatt. We have our practice sessions at he Kalina Ground in the wee hours of morning. Once a year we also go to Ajmer, Bhavnagar and Pune where we play against other teams. Next year I am looking forward to go to Goa to play a match against a team from England," says the 45 year old producer, who also does the treadmill and weights to remain fit.

Traveling
His mobile rings. We take some time to browse in his library where we find several books on travel. Talking about his passion for traveling he says, "I travel a lot with my family. I have a certain connection with Agra for some strange reason. Kerala is another place I love. I have also been to Bangkok many times. We had a good vacation in Seychelles recently. This summer we are planning to do Europe," concludes the simple man who believes in middle class values and derives pleasures out of ordinary things.

MK Anand, business head, Zoom has an eclectic taste in reading; but draws a sharp line when it comes to books on computer programming and engineering... in a candid chat with Nidhi Jain..

Who introduced you to reading?
My father is an avid reader. He describes his reading appetite as voracious.

Kind of book collection you have
History, Philosophy, Biology and Management.

On favourite authors and well written books
George Williams, Plan and Purpose in Nature. An absolute eye-opener in terms of understanding our motivations. To know why we do what we do. Brilliant Thyucidedes, The History, An account of the Peloponessian wars between Athens and Sparta.

Do you find interesting things in every book, how do you choose books you read?
Yes I do think that every book has something unique to offer. I choose books on instinct.

What do you think of self help books?
Not preferred.

Money and time you spend on books
Lots.

Your reading pace
Never in a hurry. About 40 - 50 pages a day when I am engrossed. Else about 10 pages.

Your first book
Nursery rhymes!! Then Enid Blyton, Franklin W Dixon.

Browsing and e-reading
Mainly Media Economics, for my PhD thesis.

Currently you are reading
Corporate Social Ethics, HBR .

Books that do not hold you
Computer Programming and Engineering books!!!

A Man of few words Ranjith Rajasekharan, Vice President - Marketing, Neo Sports Broadcast has a very simple world view, he reveals in conversation with Nidhi Jain.

Reel love?
I read books and watch movies to keep myself updated and refreshened. SawLast King of Scotland, which I'd heard got nominated for the Oscars, and saw Blood Diamond. If you observe there is lot of drama in the sport itself.

Rhythm Divine?
When it comes to music I like anything I lay my hands on. I really enjoyed going to the Roger Waters concert and I am looking forward to watch Shakira live in action.

Hmmmm?
Survival is easy as I can cook chicken curry really well. But I like to check out new things that are in flavor, different cuisine. One of the favorite pastimes is to try new restaurants.

I like chicken tikka masala at Leopold at Colaba, I love pasta at Churchill, Colaba. Also Thai Pavilion for Thai food.

Fit-o-meter...
My wife Sheetal, ex- advertising person insists that I do Yoga. It is more effective than it was 5 years ago. Silently Yoga worked on me and made me feel healthy.

A cautious traveler...
I am a very conservative traveler. I get paranoid if I do not plan my holidays but my wife, Sheetal is the opposite, and she can just backpack with limited money and travel. I am more into luxury holidays. Kerala and Goa remain my favorite holiday destinations.

Sports feature reader...
When it comes to reading it's only about keeping up to date with sports. While holding on to a newspaper, my reading starts with the sports page sections only.

Agenda?

Now I am looking forward to go to World Cup and see my favorite player Rahul Dravid and the other Blue Billion boys in action.

Vikramjit Roy, head publicist, Sony Pictures, tells Nidhi Jain that a lot of what he is has been shaped by people around him.

By Birth
I am a Bengali, but Indian at heart and truly cosmopolitan. I have been to different cities, traveled all over the world, met political leaders, met grassroots workers, NGOs. I and my thoughts are not bound by any 'ism'. I was bound when I was into politics during college days, not anymore. Neither am I bound by any cultural definition.

Religion
I am very assertive, confidant and rational. God is a source of power, inspiration, dedication. That's the greatest entity. My views are not dogmatic. It's about tolerance - Sarvat Dharm Sambhav. I drew a lot of inspiration from Swami Vivekanand. He had a Guru like face.

Values
Values that I have and the culture that I share is the same as the organisation I work for. I am lucky to be part of that system basically, which has integrity - self, family, work, courage, empower, people, responsibility (for action). Sayings like every action has an opposite reaction is also a part of my life. Great thinkers had respect for others opinions. I truly believe in democracy, women empowerment. Only if we learn do we grow.

Belief
On a purely religious perspective, because I am a Bengali,one cannot be separated from Ma Durga. Durga puja is an intrinsic part of my life. I like to just chill out with myself. My daughter, Veda, is a great fan of Ganapati.

Rituals
A lot has come from my paternal grandfather who was Indian National Congress member, a Member of Parliament and later became an MLA. A lot has been shaped by mom and dad and now by people I work with, my boss Uday Singh, colleagues. People have influenced me in big and small ways.

Spiritual guidance
Spirituality is experiencing the grandeur of darkness.

Positive thinking
Always. Everything can be achieved if we try and if we don't get than we have to try harder. No point in getting upset.

Karmology
If we do something right only right will happen.

Relaxing spiritually
I just ease myself out spiritually through yoga.

Are you Destiny's child?
It's for destiny to say.

A peek into Cartoon Network Enterprises India and South Asia director Jiggy George's mind. He tells Nidhi Jain about his interests, which are a very crucial part of his life.

Life for me is about merging things that are most important to me within and outside of work.
At work, life is about responding fast via technology, I am totally hooked to my Blackberry which has my data, schedules, emails etc. When changing gizmos, my research about new efficient gadgets ends with information from my close friends. I often carry a portable DVD player when I travel and a digital camera, as I love to do photography which is my most recent interests. I would love to own a single gadget with multiple functions to make things simpler but life that doesn't work that way.

My music flows seamlessly in my life from home, to car, to office or anywhere else I may be or travel. I am constantly hooked on to my ipod and have a Docker back at home and one at work, a road trip for my car and a small travel Docker for when I'm away.However I still have my old Panasonic deck only for nostalgia.

I am not greatly passionate about cars; however my favorite would be the BMW. For me in a city like Mumbai where you run at snails pace and are always threatened by scratches and dents, a car becomes just a mode of transport that takes one from place to place.

I grew up on the tradition of rock; after which there has been an eclectic and paradigm shift towards jazz and world music. I have recently started lessons in learning the Classical Guitar.

 I am equally a lover of art and have some interesting art in my private collection besides my own prints. I used to do these strange miniature black and white drawings. .

 I am passionate about travel. For travel within India, I think the Outlook Traveler is one of the best things that could happen to a discerning traveler. I have traveled quite a bit within Maharashtra to offbeat destinations and have also traveled to countries in Europe, Africa, South East Asia and parts of the US. Travel for me is an entirely cultural experience gathered by staying with locals and friends, savoring the native cuisine, being introduced to local music, history, art and architecture, cultural traditions, trends and lifestyles.

 As for cuisine I love Thai, Japanese and Indian cuisine. I feel sorry about how for people Indian food is about Northern Frontier cuisine with thick masala rich curries, where the taste of vegetables or the meat is completely lost. I love Gujarati and Maharashtrian food too. I can just about save myself during tough times when it comes to cooking.

I am a huge fitness freak, I think it's important to stay fit mentally and physically especially when one is constantly challenged by the enthusiasm and energy levels of the young fresh corporate breed. Yoga, running and sessions at the gym form my weekly fitness routine. I like team sports and as a kid played loads of soccer, hockey and cricket.

As one progresses in life, yoga is more like a spiritual and physical exercise. An hour of yoga is a great kick start to the day as it makes you mentally alert and the energy levels are much higher too. As for being intellectually fit, my work lends itself to lots of creative and mental gymnastics and challenges.

My personal philosophy in life is to stretch oneself to the extent possible, so that on the final day of reckoning what matters is that one can look back and say that was a good job done and a life truly enjoyed.