My Mumbai studio is bare; there is no paint on the walls; there is a lot of light, the bedroom is chiefly white. My writing space veers between my bed and my desk, on which is a prayer book of Meher Baba and a silver incense holder Vikram Seth gave me. All the art on… Continue reading This award-winning author’s art-speckled studio is endlessly inspiring
Ever wondered what happens to the hero’s best friend—the one usually played by an actor whose name you can’t quite recall? Writer-director Hardik Mehta did, and he decided to shine the spotlight on these pivotal-yet-fringe artistes with his debut feature film, Kaamyaab. “I discovered that every big film director either has or has had a… Continue reading Director Hardik Mehta’s debut film is an ode to Bollywood’s most famous sidekicks
Waiting to meet Sana Amanat, the co-creator of Marvel’s first Muslim superhero, Ms. Marvel, I tried not to be intimidated. This is the woman whom former US President Barack Obama once called “a real-life superhero”. In her nine-year career at Marvel, the American comics juggernaut that created blockbuster characters such as Black Panther and Iron… Continue reading The badass woman who created Marvel’s first Muslim superhero to headline her own series
This is a museum of memories, where time lingers in every corner. The wood-panelled, temperature-controlled rooms on the top floor of the Hermès flagship store on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, were once the workrooms of Charles-Émile Hermès, who took over the family’s horse harness business from his father, Thierry, in 1880. [Gallery id=”1660″] This enchanting… Continue reading The Emile Hermès Museum in Paris is a secret magical wonderland
Tech entrepreneur Manisha Raisinghani started her logistics optimisation company, LogiNext, in 2014, with Dhruvil Sanghvi, her batchmate from Carnegie Mellon University. In just four years, it has become one of the fastest growing tech firms in the world (according to Financial Times, statistics portal Statista, and IBM), with 200 clients across 10 countries. As the… Continue reading Manisha Raisinghani on co-founding one of the fastest growing tech companies in the world
The arts of prophecy are often tautological. “They reason in a circle,” classicist and poet Anne Carson writes in her 2016 essay, Cassandra Float Can. “The prophet must prove to you that she is a prophet by telling you unbelievable news, which you will only believe if you already regard her as a prophet.” Of… Continue reading Inside contemporary artist Nalini Malani’s 50-year-long career retrospective in Italy
Known for its artisanal traditional sweets, Khoya has mastered the gifting experience with mithai so rich in flavour, you cannot stop at one. Choose from an assortment of handcrafted mithai options ranging from pink motichoor ladoo and kesar modak to walnut peda which blend age old family recipes with contemporary flavours. If you are one… Continue reading These traditional sweets from Khoya make for the ideal gift this festive season
At the time of writing this, Hasan Minhaj’s Wikipedia page still referred to him as an “American” comedian. And my reaction was, and still is, “How dare they!” We all know that the Peabody Award recipient and ex-The Daily Show correspondent is one of ours. Yes, perhaps we should have claimed him sooner, but how… Continue reading Why you need to watch Hasan Minhaj’s new talk show on Netflix RN
The festive season has us at ELLE India OD’ing on dessert and tracking fashion trends with fervour. Here, we let you in on the best of style, new tech, and the coffee you just can’t miss. Scroll through the gallery for all our recommendations. [Gallery id=”1656″]
Provenance, a coffee house and gift boutique located in Palladium mall, Mumbai, has become our go-to for thoughtful bespoke hampers for every occasion. The USP of the brand is the wide range of products they offer from across the world, as each one comes with their own beautiful story of origin and tradition. From Belgian… Continue reading Looking for a bespoke gift hamper? Provenance has the perfect solution for you
Looking back, the signs were all there. A fierce femme revolution was on its way. For years, our judiciary, bound by archaic terminology and a similar mindset, was suddenly, this September, full of poster-worthy feminist messages. While opening the gates of the ancient Sabarimala temple to women of all ages, Supreme Court Justice DY Chandrachud… Continue reading It took too long and too many women, but India’s #MeToo reckoning is finally here
Diwali is just around the corner and if you’re fretting about getting your friends and family the perfect gift, we’re here to help. Artisanal paper floral studio Mi Ikigai’s new festive line features candle holders, centrepieces, wall hangings and valences that exude luxury. The collection has been created using an amalgamation of different materials such… Continue reading Mi Ikigai’s floral décor pieces deserve a spot in your festive gifting guide
One of the oldest rituals in cultures and communities across the world has been lighting candles. It’s often done to signal the start of something new, to dictate the mood, and to lend aroma to the ambience. In India, lighting candles are a given when it comes to celebrating festivals. This Diwali, look no further than… Continue reading These fragrant candles from The Maeva Store will light up your festivities
In the words of Max Muller, “A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love”. Weddings mark a significant milestone in the lives of people. Everything must be perfect, right from the venue, the outfit, the food, and yes, even the flowers. With the overwhelming amount of information available online and a… Continue reading Getting married soon? These are the latest floral arrangements trends for modern Indian weddings
Sneha Kunder, 27, Cabin Senior with Etihad Airways Milan: Etihad Airways travels to most of the fashion capitals all over the world. But if I had to pick my favourite, it would be Milan. It is one of those places where glamour is in the air as the city is filled with fashion and haute… Continue reading The best global shopping destinations, according to people who travel the most
They say when you’re pregnant it is an empowering, beautiful phenomenon. Now, while I’m sure that’s true (whoever ‘they’ are), I’ve also heard from plenty of mothers that the nine-month period (and the years following) can also be pretty sh*tty and challenging. Carrying a child involves many a sleepless night, tears over the most unusual of… Continue reading What not to say to pregnant women, from 8 people that know
Of all the places in the world to compare Delhi to, Paris may be furthest from anyone’s mind. But for Ambassador Alexandre Ziegler, life in the sprawling, crowded capital city is a reminder of the home he left behind. “I love Delhi; it is very French,” he says, as if that is self-explanatory. From his… Continue reading Ambassador of France to India, Alexandre Ziegler, on finding a piece of home in the country
Walking away from the corporate world and turning entrepreneur is never easy. But Saroja Yeramilli, CEO and founder of the jewellery brand Melorra, has a knack for trying out new things. In her career of over two decades, she has been an account executive with Ogilvy and Mather, headed the sales team at Tanishq, led… Continue reading Melorra’s founder Saroja Yeramilli shares the career advice you need to know
None of us knew what to expect. I followed hundreds and hundreds of students as they poured into Yale University’s 844-seat Battell Chapel, finally finding a seat on a packed pew next to my friends. The crowd around us murmured to each other in excitement, craned their necks to find their friends, and marvelled at… Continue reading I took the popular Yale University course that teaches the secret to happiness and here’s how it changed me
In 2000, with a hotel management degree, and a dream to record an acoustic album in an era dominated by electronica, Ankur Tewari set out from Roorkee, Uttarakhand. It took him 10 years—from dealing with snide hotel guests in Delhi, to living in a chawl in Mumbai while he made the rounds of music label… Continue reading Ankur Tewari on his latest EP, his love for vinyl, and why we need more storytelling
My father passed away from cancer two years before I was detected with it in December 2012. From his diagnosis to his death, it was a span of just five weeks. We were a family in shock and just about coming to terms with what had happened, when a tarot reading indicated I had a… Continue reading Positivity goes a long way, says this cancer survivor
