LIFE LESSONS

Funny how a simple weekend getaway with the Tata Safari can change perspectives

- BENJAMIN GRACIAS

Few things in life leave a lasting impression and act as a catalyst for future visions. I vividly remember watching the Tata Safari on television, the advertisement titled 'Reclaim your life'. The melancholic background score, the way the Safari was portrayed as your getaway from the mundane. The ad was a masterstroke, but more than the creative genius that was the visuals, the 'Reclaim your life' tag stuck with me, a motto to live life by, on my own terms.

However, life happened and the 'Reclaim your life' motto turned into a distant dream and the Safari too underwent a transformation from a hardcore trueblue SUV to a tamer lifestyle one. A change I did not appreciate, maybe because it reminded me of what I was a decade ago.

Like other finer things in life, the Safari too succumbed to the mundane, albeit gracefully. The rugged lines gave way to svelte curves and goanywhere ability was traded for comfort (courtesy of switching to a monocoque chassis) and a long list of features. The new Safari lost out on four-wheel drive mechanicals and became more city-friendly.

When I got the new Safari Red Dark edition for review, the first thought crossing my mind was 'Man, its quite a looker!' the same way I first laid eyes on the OG Safari. The Safari pulls off the colour black well and the red accents look like accessories on a well-tailored suit.