You have literally explored every medium possible when it comes to performance. Looking back, how would you describe your journey??
Surreal - I can not describe it in words. It has been incredible and all I can say is that - it is just surreal!
You wished to be an actor at 12 and yet we have heard you say that you ran away from it…
Yes, my grandfather had his apprehensions about the industry and honestly I don’t blame him for it. I never had a Godfather or a mentor in the industry who I could approach for help and that by itself was a little scary. He assured me that I was free to do whatever I wished for while in school, but after schooling, I had to focus on academia. I did try to do that for a while but after a point, I guess when you run away from your passion, it eventually finds you!
What does he say now?
Now he is my biggest fan! He has saved all my print interviews and he shows it to guests who visit us. He has learnt how to use a smart phone, use Youtube to look me up and he follows my shows.
Your first audition led you to Thespo, the youth theatre movement, instead of the play, how did you feel back then?
I was in my last year of college and it was my very first audition for a professional play that was being directed by Qasar and produced by QTP. When I didn’t clear it, I did feel bad but I knew there would be something else that would work out. As it happened, the audition introduced me to two of the most important people in my life to day, who are also my mentors Toral Shah and Qasar Thakore Padamsee. Thespo also gave me the networking tag, it was literally my spring board into the field of Theatre and the entertainment industry. I met Akarsh Khurana at Thespo, who again plays a very important role in my life, he is one of my mentors. I also got my first audition through someone who I met at Thespo.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة February 2020 من RITZ.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة February 2020 من RITZ.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
WOMAN OF METTLE
Full-time actress and a full-time mother, one wonders how she does it all and with so much passion; yet, one conversation with Uma Riyaz Khan is all it takes to know one can have it all! She is one of the few actors who love acting and takes cinema passionately and has shared screen space with some of the leading stars of Kollywood. For her acting is a craft and she proves her mettle every single time she’s on-screen and has been constantly juggling between many mediums of entertainment. The versatile actor speaks to RITZ about her career choices, her family life, and her experiences on and off-screen as a mother and much more.
THE ART OF MAKING TEA
Kausshal Dugarr - Founder and CEO of Teabox shares how he took his Indian tea brand to 117 countries.
READY TO FACE THE ARC LIGHTS!
As a child, she was always under the limelight for her amazing performances at the Kerala Youth Festival. It came as no surprise that her very first film offer came from Sibi Malayil for Ishtam opposite Dileep. Though her parents were reluctant initially, with a little coaxing from her uncle, Director K Madhu, they agreed to let her chase her dreams and ever since, there has been no looking back for this beautiful actress. Her memorable performances during the early stages of her career in films like Nandanam, Kalyanaraman and Kunjikoonan made her one of the most sought after actresses in Mollywood. With close to 50 films to her credit in Malayalam, Tamil and Kannada, she is the recipient of two Kerala state film awards. Ritz is in conversation with the South Indian Star, Navya Nair, who after a hiatus of eight years, is making a comeback to Mollywood with her much awaited film, Oruthee!
FROM RAGS TO SHAYYA!
Pure Living is back with yet another incredible initiative. On women’s day this year, the firm that focusses on eco-friendly products and eco awareness, launched a special product titled ‘Shayya’, a handcrafted mattress that is being distributed free of cost to the poor and homeless. What makes it special is the fact that it is upcycled from cloth waste. Yes, the cloth scrap generated at fashion design or tailoring units that is usually burnt every single day is what is being used to make the Shayya. The result? Less pollution and a warm coz y surface for the poor and homeless! Read on to know more about this wonderful initiative by Lakshmi Menon.
DREAMS MAKETH A WOMAN
She’s a sensation in the wrestling ring. Sakshi Malik made India proud by bagging a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She was the first woman wrestler from the country to secure a podium finish. No highs or lows, or ups and downs stopped her from reaching her goals. Just one step short of the Summer Olympics 2020 in Tokyo, Sakshi seems to be fitter and stronger than ever before, thanks to the confidence, she’s gained from her last victory. Endorsing the partnership of Herbalife Nutrition with the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) as it’s sports nutrition partner, the young IIS wrestler spoke to us about her journey after Rio Olympics and her dreams for Tokyo Olympics.
Creating ENTERTAINING SOCIAL SPACES
Riyaaz Amlani, CEO & MD, Impresario Handmade Restaurants shares his journey on providing unlimited entertainment options.
Say It With Chocolates!
Love is in the air with Valentine’s Day being just around the corner. Needless to say it is the season of roses and chocolates, and one can never go wrong with them! And when these lip-smacking chocolates come as pretty hearts with amazing flavours, rest assured that you will win your Valentine’s heart twice over! LISO Chocolatier has always raised the bar when it comes to authenticity, quality and flavours and this year, you have one more reason to celebrate the season with LISO - their Valentine’s Day special gifting options!
THE WORLD UNDER HER FEET
In an industry as fiercely competitive as Bollywood, being top gun is no mean feat. However, Deepika Padukone has made the top spot her own and that too with so much ease and panache. Daughter of the famous Bangalore-based Badminton player Prakash Padukone and Ujjala Padukone, she followed in her father’s footsteps and took up the same sport. She turned her attention to modelling and movies soon, with a Kannada film Aishwarya opposite actor Upendra in 2006. She left her home in Bangalore at the age of 18 and after her hit film Om Shanti Om with Shah Rukh Khan, she shifted to Bollywood and there has been no looking back, since! There are so many facets to this lovely lady and just the few that we have come across have left us all in awe. Her boldness, composure and down-to-earth attitude, combined with a figure to die for, have brought her to where she is today. Having herself suffered from depression, Deepika formed The Live Love Laugh Foundation to help spread awareness on mental health. She has never shied away from voicing her opinions on social issues and has always believed in doing her part for the society. Here’s a candid chat with the reigning Bollywood queen.
GRAPE EXPECTATIONS
Founder and CEO - Sula Vineyards, Rajeev Samant, has been instrumental in changing the landscape of the Indian wine scenario and has put Nashik on the global wine map. Sula was the first Indian winery to be the subject of feature in Wine Spectator, the world’s leading wine magazine and since then, Rajeev has been a favourite for global media houses of the likes of Times, Newsweek, CNN, BBC, Bloomberg and many others, as the man who has really got Indians to start drinking wine. Namita Gupta finds out how Rajeev Samant, a Stanford graduate, found his calling in the world of wines and became the pioneer of wine tourism in the country.
MADE IN INDIA, MADE FOR THE WORLD
An inventor, code developer, researcher, consulting engineer, activist, entrepreneur, and angel investor, all rolled into one, Anil Kumar dons many hats. Over the years he has meticulously crafted his skill set and has mastered the various field of his interest. From following his childhood dreams to achieving his serious passions, Anil Kumar is known for what he is today. As a founder and CEO of Jodi365, he aims to provide a preferred matchmaking platform for educated quality singles worldwide. Anil Kumar talks to RITZ in an exclusive interview as he unveils his childhood, passion, and his love for sports and fitness.