In this issue

RITZ features some of the most stylish people in Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.Which contains On The Cover of On Top Of The Game An exclusive chat with the stunning and super talented Taapsee Pannu, Fashion, Spotlight, Beauty, RITZ Special, RITZ Trending,Food, Travel, COP, Transformers, Point blank and etc...

MUSIC FOR THE SOUL

Padma Shri awardee and Sangita Kalanidhi Aruna Sairam is the reigning queen of classical music and an authentic representation of the long lineage of women singers from South India. She has absorbed the finer nuances of Western and Hindustani music to beautify her performance, but ultimately it is her own aesthetic sense that makes all the difference. The leading light of Carnatic music enthralls listeners and transports them to a divine spiritual realm experiencing the joy of the blissful music as they feel the pure emotions and soulfully connect with her Abhangs. Carnatic music’s most prominent vocalist, Aruna Sairam talks to RITZ in an exclusive interview as she reminisces her journey, love for music and what it takes to be a Carnatic singer.

6 mins

ELEMENTS OF GAUTHAM VASUDEV MENON'S LIFE

Most people know that Gautham Vasudev Menon is not just special, he is important. We met him on a rainy day. And the conversation that ensued was as good as a Gautham Vasudev Menon movie. Here’s how the ace director charmed us...

10+ mins

ON TOP OF THE GAME

From being the ‘baby’ in Arrambam to being a rocket scientist in Mission Mangal and turning a shooter for her latest Saand Ki Aankh, Taapsee Pannu has a quality about her that is very convincing. The pretty lass, who is arguably one of the busiest actors currently, also happens to have a matter-of-fact personality that makes her very convincing in person too. We felt for her in Pink, rooted for her in Mulk, had a squirmy time seeing her in Game Over and felt inspired by her in Saand Ki Aankh. We got an opportunity to chat with her recently and here's how well we got along with the brilliant Tapsee Pannu.

7 mins

CLASS APART CRAFT

THE 80s INDEED WAS A GOLDEN AGE FOR TAMIL CINEMA. THE MOVIES THAT WERE BEING MADE HAD STRONG STORYLINES

6 mins

A Crusader With A Heart of Gold!

She grew up watching her dad rescue and rehabilitate lepers, beggars and stray animals from the streets. Though he was a dermatologist by profession, he worked at a leprosy hospital that promoted therapy and service; so treating and rehabilitating helpless lives was routine and very often this little girl would join her dad on his rescue missions. Post marriage as she settled in Kochi, she continued her service of rescuing injured animals, teaching at orphanages and spending time with the physically challenged. But she noticed that there were very few organisations in Kochi that supported animal welfare especially that of stray dogs. In fact, slaughtering stray dogs was on the rise and she couldn’t bear to think of such mindless killing. She garnered support from her friends and likeminded people to help as many animals as she can. But when the Kerala floods happened in 2018, things went out of hand. People were abandoning animals as they left their homes. There were far too many animals to rescue, limited funds and support. Yet, she along with her friends teamed up to rescue over 50 animals. Once the animals were settled, they conducted three adoption drives through which 300 animals were adopted. She knew that this was her calling and she quit her career and her PhD degree to follow her heart. Read on to know more about this very compassionate and courageous lady behind the NGO, Oneness, Ashwini Prem.

7 mins

Winning Is Just The Beginning

The winners of Miss Kerala 2019 strongly believe that hardwork and passion eventually pays off. Interestingly, all three title winners believe that it is journey that matters more than the destination. With each passing year, Miss Kerala pageant gets tougher with more number of applicants, multiple levels of screening and shortlisting protocols. Impresario Events zeroed in on twenty two participants this year who underwent a series of training and grooming sessions on how to handle various aspects of the competition! The winners revealed that contrary to popular perception, all 22 participants shared a strong bond with each other. They were there to support each other in times of need and they felt more like a gang of friends who were ready to the take on the world! RITZ is in conversation with Miss Kerala 2019 – Ansi Kabeer, First runner up – Dr. Anjana Shajan and Second runner up – Anjana Venu!

10 mins

A HOME TO LAZE AROUND IN!

The minute we walk in VJ Deepak offers us juice. On that very hospitable note, we walked in to see a really loved home that the bubbly man had built with his wife and son.

5 mins

Yoga Goals For The New Year!

Life seems to be moving on the fast lane for most of us with long hours of work, little or no work-life balance, mindless hours of social media distractions and unchecked screen time! But the unlimited information flow into our minds and constant physical stress can often have a strong impact on our mind, body and soul leaving us tired, drained and often depressed. It is important to refresh ourselves, to calm the mind, reach out to our inner self and relieve stress whenever we can. One of the best ways to achieve this goal is through Yoga. Renowned Yoga coach, Sudakshna Thampi explains how we can begin practising Yoga, points to be kept in mind while practising Yoga and tips on how we can inculcate it into our daily routine. So what’s your New Year resolution going to be?

8 mins

THE HIVE IS BUZZING!

Of late, Kochi has been witnessing a surge in performances, live entertainment, workshops and film screenings. The city seems to be evolving to accommodate new forms of entertainment and networking and two new spaces that have been the centre of all the buzz is The Hive and the Cuckoo Club. From stand up comedy, theatre, music to mentalism, they have it all covered and performers across India and abroad have come to perform here like Rahul Dua, Naveen Richards, Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow India and Suhani Shah to name a few. Ritz catches up with Ria Verghese of the Cuckoo Club and The Hive in Kochi who gives us details of the inside story!

5 mins

DJ King!

The man who is on top of everyone’s mind when you think about nightlife in Chennai is DJ Rudy who has been in the industry for over two and a half decades!

2 mins

Read all stories from RITZ

RITZ Magazine Description:

RITZ is South India’s premier lifestyle magazine. As the chic voice of contemporary South India, RITZ features the most interesting and elusive personalities from across the 4 states along with haute fashion news, and other topics that celebrate the aspirational, uber lifestyle.