By Papri Das

Gone are the days when the kitchen used to be a pious space, kept secluded and strictly maintained by women of the family, and cooking and handling the kitchenware used to be an alien concept for the men. Indians today believe in a more open and welcoming kitchen that facilitates team work, where the entire family can get together. While the gender bias within the kitchen hasn?t dissipated completely, a large chunk of Indian kitchens is shared 50-50 by men and women. This was soon followed by a drastic change in the way kitchens were designed and decorated, and now the modern Indian kitchen has gone beyond functional changes to welcome fashion within its four walls as well -- a change that celebrated chef and entrepreneur Sanjeev Kapoor, who launched his own food and lifestyle channel Food Food,  has witnessed and promoted over the years.

While visiting the HGH India 2015 annual trade held at the Bombay Convention and Exhibition Centre to launch of Sanjeev Kapoor branded Table and Kitchen Linen and Cutlery products, Kapoor talks about the evolution of the Indian kitchen, its tryst with fashion and his own brand positioning keeping all this in mind.

Excerpts:

What has been your observation on the changing indian kitchen?

The kitchen in Indian homes was a pious place with a lot of reverence. It was a space people preferred to keep to themselves rather than sharing it. Today, kitchen has come to the living room. As soon as that happened, there was an immediate need to give it a makeover. 

From design to the products you see in a kitchen, it all had to be presentable aesthetically. And the change isn?t just based on the functionality or utility of the things but it also on the attitude you have. It soon became a space where one can have conversations and get togethers as well. Earlier the kitchen was only used to cooking food, but now kitchen is where you cook stories as well.

What is the scope of branding when it comes to homeware and lifestyle goods in India?

The home category earlier was more about utility and functionality, but it is changing now. Earlier we didn't really care what lighting we use in the kitchen, but now we do. These days homes are adapting the lighting schemes, which are mostly used in restaurants. What is interesting is that people are willing to spend money beyond their functional needs to expand their horizon of lifestyle. 

With Sanjeev Kapoor as a brand, I plan to improvise and transform the entire kitchen and dining experience of modern-day consumers by developing quality houseware products that are trendy, aesthetically suited to modern settings, functionally more effective and safe. 

I see myself lending my name to not just cups, and saucers and plates and forks but more. Today food is not merely limited to the senses of taste and smell but has gone beyond this to also include the sense of sight.

Will you agree that the Indian kitchen has shrunk in size due to the over all space constraints in the cities?

Space used to be a problem earlier because people were in the habit of hoarding things. Today you get things ?a La Minute?, which means ?I want it now so I order it and get it?. So there is no point storing things. Earlier people used to store certain items for over a year in their kitchens, today there is going to be someone who will supply it round the year and that too to your doorstep with a  click of a button in your mobile app.

Do you agree that the kitchen is no longer exclusive to women?

Absolutely. My research data, which I have gathered from a trustworthy source, backs the fact that today the kitchen is used almost 50-50 by men and women. And it is not about gender anymore, but about experiencing something together with the entire family. Even kids are cooking these days under their parents' guidance, and therefore the kitchen is being modeled according to these emerging trends, a space that can safely support a child?s cooking experience.

Having said that, today?s kitchen and homeware products aren?t designed or marketed just for any gender. There is no need to think differently to cater to women. Whether it's a frying pan or an apron, it doesn?t matter if it?s a man or a woman using it, it?s produced and marketed in the same way. One may say that colour scheming will differ according to gender, but gone are those days when pink products were for women and blue was for men. The homeware lifestyle products are more about the family and its members.

Is this new age, are fashionable kitchens being accepted beyond the metro cities?

The growth of India is pan Asia, and thanks to the internet, people are more informed and aware of the lifestyle services that they can avail. Earlier the affluent Indians and those in the towns didn?t know that they could avail of such services that existed.

By Papri Das

From word of mouth information exchange amongst family members and classified advertisements in newspapers, to matrimony sites playing matchmaking -- the Indian wedding scene undergone a sea change. And yet, the outlook and approach towards marriage and relationships hardly saw any difference. In spite of matrimonial search going digital, families still looked for ?fair, beautiful and homely? brides while girls? parents were introduced to a new breed of would-be son-in-laws: NRIs. At times when the only thing catering to the dating plans of young single Indians were the other extreme like social media and apps like Tinder, Aisle.co came as a pleasant surprise. Founded by Able Joseph in 2014, Aisle.co gave young successful Indians a contemporary approach to dating, relationship and matchmaking, which they could relate to.

It?s been almost a year since its launch and the start up is not only doing great, but has plans to expand its coverage to other arenas of the wedding industry as well. Indiantelevision.com's Exec Lifestyle caught up with the dynamic co-founder and CEO Able Joseph to find out more.

Excerpts:

What made you come up with the idea to launch a matchmaking site?

When I was in Dubai, I had a couple of friends, who were attractive and well settled yet single. They had horrible experiences from the matchmaking sites. As soon as they sign up on these sites, they would be bombarded with invites, calls or messages from random users or fake profiles, which finally took a blow on their self-esteem. It is not uncommon for a beautiful independent woman in her late 20s to be single anymore. The reason being, the existing avenues don?t really comply with her taste or requirement. And that?s how the idea of Aisle came about. We wanted to build a more result oriented application, which focuses on bringing people together for the right reasons.

What makes aisle.co different from other matchmaking sites?

Aisle is a niche product. It is a community of urban Indian singles with the intent of having a long term committed relationship. Not everyone who applies becomes a member. We take the pain of validating every applicant. We don?t work on a monthly subscription revenue model, which promotes spam, in the form of uninvited phone calls or messages.

Moreover ailse.co has many new age elements like interest meters and preferences. This gives members a better understanding of the other?s personality, making it easier to connect with individuals of the same wavelength. We also ensure that Aisle profiles are handled by the users themselves and not by a parent or relative, nor do our own algorithms interfere with the choice people make. The power of choosing is given completely to the members.

What is the revenue model for the website? 

Aisle is completely ad free. Aisle users do not pay membership fees, but they need to purchase invites to initiate communication with other users. Each invite gets used up when the other user accepts the invitation to connect. The price for the invites ranges from Rs 1,999 ($33) for three invites to Rs 3,999 ($66) for seven.

What is your reason for getting well known novelist Nikita Singh on board as the brand ambassador?

Nikita Singh is going to be the most sought after romance novelist from India. She explores deeper issues and relationships in a very mature and organized manner in her books. She boldly dwells into topics that most people shy talking about. Each one of her books has something that the young Indians can easily relate to.  She is a perfect match for Aisle. We were one of the co-promoters of her book launch that happened last month while she was in India.

Are you happy with the progress the platform has made in a year?
We launched Aisle on 14 July, 2014 with two things -- good intentions and a good idea. Today, we have over 20,000 hand-picked members from more than 40 countries and have created thousands of connections. 

We have our apps on Android and iOS. So far it?s been quite a journey. We didn?t expect such a quick response in such a short period. The countless number of hours spent in building and scaling this unique members-only social network for Indian singles, today seems like the best thing we could?ve done for society. We are thrilled to see what lies ahead for us.

What more can we expect from Aisle.co in the future?

Currently, we are perfecting our technology and working on other projects than can serve as extensions to Aisle. One such effort is http://plannerbyaisle.com where we are organizing the massive wedding industry by handpicking some of the best wedding facilitators in the country. We are also working on expanding our team.

What are your thoughts on the current marriage scenario in India and the choices that young single indians are taking?

The situation among the independent youth today has deteriorated, having to give up on and almost go against, the institution of marriage. What I see today is a lot of unnecessary conditioning on social and other media against tying the knot, which is certainly not good for our society if you think about it. We believe that we can change that for some.

We will start by ironing out the flaws introduced by online and offline marriage bureaus. Slowly but surely, through creative methods of marketing, we wish to re-instil faith in marriage among the singles.

Can you share a few trends in dating amongst Indians today?

The term ?dating? is surely misunderstood in this part of the world but that is soon changing. Dating in the west is a term that is used to describe a romantic plan with another person or a period of courtship. But in India a date is usually referred to a casual hookup. The corresponding term for a 'date' in India would be 'meet-up' and for 'dating' would be 'relationship'. 

Can you share a few stories of the matches you have made?

We encourage our members to reach out to us no matter what the occasion. Not just with their compliments and words of appreciation, but also simple suggestions has helped us understand the changing needs of our members and let us grow. 

In just a few months, eight of my friends who signed up on Aisle found their soulmates. They are all engaged or married as of today. Thank you emails keeps pouring in from those who met their matches on Aisle. While most users want to keep their personal lives discreet, here?s the story of Riti and Arnab

By Papri Das

Pedestrians and sightseers at the busy streets in Mumbai were taken by quite the surprise when model turned actor, entrepreneur and self confessed fitness fanatic Dino Morea paid them a visit on 15 July. The occasion was the launch of twelve open air fitness stations as part of his ?Get Fit Mumbai? that will be accessible at various points across the city, with the latest addition being the one at Marine drive. 

When asked about the initiative the muscle man promptly replied that this was his way to give to his city. ?I consider this as an opportunity to do something for my city and its citizens. These stations are aesthetic in design thereby adding to the city?s look and very effective while exercising,? he said.

Dino, who had earlier gotten Bollywood biggies and fellow celebrities like Hrithik Roshan to flex their muscles for his fitness stations, didn?t disappoint this time either. The launch saw Bollywood diva Jacqueline Fernandez and youth leader Shiv Sena chairperson Aaditya Thackeray having fun with the fitness gear at their disposal. 

?I?m grateful to Aaditya Thackeray who supported the initiative as it couldn?t have happened without him believing in the idea. I?m also thankful to Jacqueline who took time out from her busy schedule and being the fitness icon that she is, added immense value and will surely help spread the initiative,? added Morea while thanking the two.

After the world wide awareness program on yoga, fitness is finding a redefined position in the everyday life of the young Indians and the open gym comes as a unique concept to the ever busy city dwellers. ?It helps create awareness on health and since it is basic functional training, it?s the most effective form of training. Moreover, all those who cannot afford spending on gyms can use these stations. An added advantage of this fitness station is that you can enjoy free good outdoor workout in the open fresh air,? Dino adds in parting.

Exec Life is back again with another episode of Talking Point, where we give you a sneak peak into the lives of successful media executives.

This episode follows our host to the lively office of Leo Burnett in Mumbai to catch up with the dynamic Chief Creative Officer, Rajdeepak Das.

Hailed as one of the youngest in the industry to have climbed the corporate ladder in a short time, Das calls hard work as his success mantra. Watch out for his jokes and infectious energy!

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

Entrepreneur, artistic director and a poet, Ferriswheel Entertainment founder and creative director Shubhra Bhardwaj has over two decades of experience in managing large-scale events in the field of sports -- a field assumed to be primarily male dominated.

Her expertise is reflected through the success of some of India?s biggest sporting events like the Doha Asian Games 2006, Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010, First South Asian Winter Games Dehradun and Auli 2011, World Cup Kabaddi 2013 and 2014 Punjab and many more. In this candid chat with Exec Lifestyle, catch Bhardwaj open up on her love for literature, her tryst as a poet, and her journey from starting a company at 20.

Do you see any perks or disadvantages of being a woman CEO?
Gender difference is something I do not understand. There are no privileges based on gender. Expecting an easy or smooth start is the first step towards failing. There are no sign-boards, no guarantees and no given. In fact, as a person who is a non-conformist, I found it thrilling to play by my own rules and engage in an unstructured environment to create the brand and establish the company. 

The biggest challenges were what any man would have faced. Protecting our interest, liquidity crunch, team motivation, competition foul play, structure and procedures within the company were issues I had to deal with constantly. The biggest truth is that merit always wins be it a man or a woman.

What about event management attracts you?

Since childhood, I was always inclined towards art and culture. Music and dance brought soul to my life. Event management and the performing arts industry was the obvious career I saw myself growing in. Thus it was an automatic and gradual progression. I set up my first company at the age of 20 and kept it going for 15 years. With my keen eye for detail, I decided to set up an organisation which challenged norms, conventions in creatives and management practices and which would set a benchmark for the industry.

Ferriswheel was founded in the year 2009 as a result of a few years of wanting to create a cutting edge, niche and extremely professional agency. This whole process was extremely exciting and enriching for me.

What are the major challenges you face in arranging large scale sporting events?
Owing to the sheer scale of it, public events especially game ceremonies involve visualisation, creativity, meticulous planning, communication and venue management at a whole new level. The dynamics of these spaces is so large that there is a fine balance between operations, logistics, finance and creatives on which the end delivered product depends. Most of the times, we have to work in a physically challenging environment sometimes even in extreme weather conditions or a completely new environment.

New environment of course involves dealing with regional issues, language barrier and adaptability to the culture of the new space.  I can give you an example from my past experience of how things can go seriously wrong. During the ?South Asian Winter Games 2011?, the mercury had plummeted to as low as -16 deg C in Auli. The team was freezing and hence we had to borrow jackets from the army there. During the Commonwealth Youth Games, two of the panels of our 100 by 100 meter set collapsed due to a huge storm. We arranged for extra manpower immediately and worked through the night to put it back in place.

People sometimes have misconceptions regarding an event manager's job. How would you clarify that?

People think that we do not sleep, eat or have fun but just work all the time. The truth is although it is a high-pressure career; we do find time for everything that we love to do. At Ferriswheel, we strongly believe in organisation and teamwork. Hence, even during the most difficult and trying projects, we manage to engage ourselves beyond work. Work from the outside may look disorganized but it is not so. There is a definite science to the chaos and we understand it well and are used to it.

Do you feel that you could have done a better job at some of the events you organised?
I do feel that things could have been done differently and in a much better manner. When I was invited by the Mayor?s office for watching the London Olympics, I realised how well an event could be delivered. It was complete perfection! Due to the mishandling of the event, not only did we lose revenue and tourists but also most importantly, we lost face in front of the whole world. I had never seen a city so unenthusiastic about an event of this stature. If we could have employed all our channels well, everyone would have benefitted from this massive international event.

How do you balance work and family, as a mother?

Life isn?t overwhelming for me. All that I do is well within my capacity. It isn?t about being a superwoman, but just about having your priorities right and utilizing your time well.

I do not waste my time at all. There is no space for negative engagement in my life. I channel all my efforts into something productive and positive. I make sure I have time for my children and family, my team and work. I have limited but close friends and I am always available for them. The peripheral things do not occupy my time.

Do you play any sport yourself?

I do not engage in athletic activities but I love adventure sports. I have done all sorts of adventure activities like river rafting, bungee jumping, mountain climbing and sky diving.  

You are also known to be passionate about literature. Please share a bit about that.

I love writing poetry. It is my release. When something moves me, affects me, I need to write it out. I normally write whenever I can and on whatever I can find right then and compile it later on.