ALL IN A DAY'S WORK

The development of the gig economy has caused a deviation in the usually straightforward career graphs of the urban professionals. An example of the outliers, Pooja Sinha Roy freelances full-time as a French tour guide, content creator and animal rescuer. At the other end, there is the up-and-coming actor Zoya Hussain who, while also in a relatively non-traditional field, has single-mindedly stayed on the path she mapped out for herself. Sadaf Shaikh marks the personal pay-off in both women’s approaches

IN GOOD COMPANY

Two women. Two start-ups. Two thought leaders. The result of an impromptu idea, Ankiti Bose’s Singapore-based digital fashion marketplace, Zilingo, is en route to a billion dollar valuation just four years after its launch. Its rapid rise caught the eye of fellow businesswoman Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, founder of the over-four-decade-old Biocon, who herself holds an unmatched position in corporate India. She naturally takes a mentoring stance when Verve combines the entrepreneurial powers of the Bengaluruborn disruptors for a reliably impressive exchange of ideas as Shirin Mehta listens in

STIRRING UP CONVERSATIONS

Addressing stereotypes about North-East India is a key element of Abhineet Mishra’s stand-up comedy act on stage. We test his skills in the kitchen, where the reluctant cook gamely whips up a staple dish of the region while filling Zaral Shah in on the less-talked-about culinary connection with his roots

Two-Track Minds

Mountaineer Priyanka Mohite, triathlete Solonie Singh Pathania and ultrarunner Anjali Saraogi use their day jobs to sustain second careers as part-time semi-professional athletes. Shail Desai comes away inspired by the women’s impressive stamina to push their bodies for highintensity outdoor sports while maintaining a regular 9-to-5 schedule

CELLULOID DREAMER

Each of the films that Vikramaditya Motwane has directed — Udaan, Lootera, Bhavesh Joshi Superhero and Trapped — grapples with the desire to change one’s circumstances; the relentless chase for happiness, love, success…freedom. He surveys the commercial Hindi movies of the last 70 years and picks seven iconic releases, exclusively revealing how each one has guided his own aspirations, especially once he found his métier

Bittersweet

The essence of boutique brand Ether Atelier Chocolat is rooted in the founder Prateek Bakhtiani’s lived experiences and the stories of the earth that begat the bean. Disarming Ranjabati Das with his candour, the chocolatier and chemistry savant expounds on the intense interaction between his two passions

IT'S NEWS TO HER

In the current national scenario, the economic liberalisation of 1991 – that, to a large extent, shaped our dreams – seems to be a thing of the distant past. Sonia Singh, editorial director, NDTV and mother of three, who has been reporting on the country’s ups and downs for over 20 years, tactfully balances an objective big-picture outlook with her maternal sixth sense. During a Sunday afternoon in her home, she offers Shraddha Jahagirdar-Saxena an even-handed take on re-evaluating history and preparing for what lies ahead...

An inside job

Anxiety and stress at the workplace can be crippling, particularly in today’s high-pressure corporate culture. And the stigma around men opening up about mental illness is shaped by its own set of patriarchal diktats. Entrepreneur Nikhil Taneja leads Supriya Thanawala through his uphill climb to personal and occupational success and proves that showing vulnerability is the first step towards taking control

EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF

The menswear retail sector has undergone a visible evolution as it moved from offering just boring basics or expensive designer garments to including multi-designer men’s stores and Instagram brands that are eco-friendly and influenced by street style. Verve gives you an overview of the ready-to-wear market while highlighting a mix of well-established and under-the-radar labels

ALL IN A DAY'S WORK

The development of the gig economy has caused a deviation in the usually straightforward career graphs of the urban professionals. An example of the outliers, Pooja Sinha Roy freelances full-time as a French tour guide, content creator and animal rescuer. At the other end, there is the up-and-coming actor Zoya Hussain who, while also in a relatively non-traditional field, has single-mindedly stayed on the path she mapped out for herself. Sadaf Shaikh marks the personal pay-off in both women’s approaches

Below The Surface

Five years after learning how to swim, Sukhada Tatke finally tests the waters outdoors and contemplates the existential uncertainties of nature while floating in the rippling Schlachtensee in Berlin

The Lens Of Marriage

The thought of marriage awakens a conventional wedding fantasy from her childhood, but it is also a bitter reminder of her otherness as both a queer woman and a member of the BDSM community. In an honest appointment with herself, Jaya Sharma analyses these contrasting truths

“We Are Mirror Images Of Each Other, And We Are All Trying To Figure It Out.”

Motivational social media accounts have emerged as an unexpected champion of emotional and mental health, providing a much-needed shot of positivity to those seeking to manage stress, grief and anxiety. Best-selling author, speaker and serial social entrepreneur Neeta Bhushan leads Ranjabati Das down a path of self-introspection

Modern-Day Metallics That Draw Inspiration From Festive Elements

Over-the-top dazzle or a hint of glitter, celebrations in India bring out the shine. Verve spotlights modern-day metallics that draw inspiration from festive elements - sparkles, varq, a kalash, and wedding mandaps - and styles gold, silver, copper and red-and-gold separates on model Sumaya Hazarika as she throws light on her scintillating go-to ensembles for the season...

Asha Parekh Speaks About The Rule-Breaking Life Choices She Has Made In Her 77 Years

At a time when unmarried women were the exception, ’60s superstar Asha Parekh defied the norm and rejected a long list of suitors. Bollywood history rookie and the soon-to-wed Sadaf Shaikh reconciles her 21st-century feminist ideology with the still-single actor’s understated iconoclasm as their conversation elides the 50 years between them…

Like Father-Unlike Daughter

Creative consultant Ekta Rajani and businessman Suresh Rajani may share the same blood, but their approaches to style are hardly related. The daughter’s downsized and minimalist-yet-original wardrobe has inspired young consumers to re-evaluate their purchasing patterns, while the equally couture-conscious father follows a more outlandish school of fashion. Sadaf Shaikh spends a day observing the pair’s tailor-made modes of self-expression

Low-Pressure Area

Soul Harmony, the spa treatment at the Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai, leaves a renewed Shirin Mehta feeling an immense lightness of being

On The Rocks

Turn up the luxury quotient with Breguet’s haute joaillerie timepieces that will make you wish there were more hours in a day to flash them on your wrists. Verve presents four jewel-encrusted showstoppers from the legendary horological house

When It Comes To Age, There's No Deadline…

Three authors convince the columnist that when it comes to age, there’s no deadline…

Asha Barrak Making Every Day A Good Hair Day

She founded the Facebook community Indian Curl Pride in 2014, helping women to subvert the internalised beauty ideal of flowing straight locks by flaunting their wavy or coiled strands. And earlier this year, Asha Barrak – known online as Right Ringlets – launched Ash:ba Botanics, the country’s first haircare line dedicated to curly girls. She chats with Joanna Lobo, a fellow CG, about making every day a good hair day…

Tools Of Engagement

Emojis, acronyms, memes, GIFs and other forms of internet shorthand are helping us express emotions and open up to each other in a hyperconnected world. Infusing nuance and personality, they transcend the limits of traditional speech and writing and add a level of intimacy, letting us communicate in a more uninhibited way

Queen Of Hearts

The newest means to go viral, TikTok, has also emerged as a democratising desi alternative to homogeneous and exclusionary Western social media. Influencer and first ‘regular’ Indian woman to be ‘crowned’ on the app, Nagma Mirajkar, opens up to Akhil Sood about the exhilaration and fragility of being an online superstar.

Too Much Of A Good Thing?

Madhu Jain looks back to a time of simple games and pleasures and compares these to the multitude of on-demand diversions available to all, in the present day.

How Cinemas Are Jumping Towards Mindful Eating

The culinary swing towards mindful eating isn’t limited to cafes, bars and restaurants; cinemas are jumping on the bandwagon too — unhealthy snacks have been replaced by more diverse, wholesome and customised theatre foods. At INOX Insignia in Atria-The Millennium Mall, a thoughtfully curated and unconventional menu adds to the luxury movie-watching experience, and Zaral Shah samples the goods while chatting with the venue’s head chef, Vicky Ratnani and the COO of Inox Leisure, Daizy Lal…

The Ladies Marine Collection To Contemporary Women Explorers

The Ladies Marine collection by Breguet celebrates the desire to travel the vast expanse of the seas. The house dedicates its new collection to contemporary women explorers, finds Verve

Michael Kors' Leather Handbags Are In The Spotlight For All The Right Reasons

Its namesake may have hit the tabloids for its exclusivity (read notoriety), but this bag is in the spotlight for all the right reasons.

Anuradha Menon & Lola Kutty's Practical Jokes

In the wake of the #MeToo movement, the maledominated comedy industry is transforming into an inclusive space. Anuradha Menon, still recognised for her iconic alter ego Lola Kutty, spends an afternoon with Prashasti Singh, the show stealer from last year’s Comicstaan lineup, and the two women pull back the curtain on inherent biases and the evolving scene. Between generous doses of laughter and nostalgia, Sadaf Shaikh has a frontrow seat for this unexpected yet synergetic interaction.

An Acquired Taste

Rishim Sachdeva, Olive Bar & Kitchen’s former chef, made the hard decision to leave Mumbai where he had reached starry heights. Joanna Lobo gets the lowdown on his life and relationship with food between learning to prepare a dish of perfectly seared fish and quizzing him about the future…

The Match Makers

Since the 1983 World Cup win, when the Indian media and fans switched their focus onto the players, demigods have been born into cricket almost as often as in that other field of pageantry — Bollywood. And, the constant innovations in viewing formats have further broadened the scope of its ability to ‘entertain’. Snehal Pradhan examines the formerly unassuming game’s shift from sport to spectacle…