It's an overcast afternoon, but the air is clear, with a whiff of a late monsoon following a short shower over Mehrauli, New Delhi. Down a flight of stairs and into the Bentchair Studio, a posse of camerapersons, stylists and makeup artists are focused on the last shot of the day, with former Miss World and current Bollywood beauty Manushi Chhillar, poised gracefully atop a cabinet, the colours of her outfit creating a contrast with the wallpaper.
In a few minutes, after a change of clothes, the willowy, auburn-haired actor is sitting opposite me, her large eyes framed by long lashes.
"Here, let me hold that for you," she says, as she takes my iPhone with the recorder on.
"People think I'm a small-town girl, but I'm pretty much a city girl. I grew up in Delhi.
My parents were both doctors (her father was in the Ministry of Defence), and until I was seven, we lived in Bangalore." Manushi had an idyllic childhood in the comfort of a nuclear family, with two siblings.
"My parents were my best friends," she smiles. "We were a housefull, the five of us. My sister was more of a second mom to me, and my parents taught us everything from riding a bike to dribbling a basketball and even playing badminton." An excellent student, the young Manushi was more interested in participating in school dances or plays, and then painting in the art room. She was encouraged to take up dance classes street jazz with Ashley Lobo (all the rage back then) and then Kuchipudi with Raja and Radha Shetty. A 'strategist' when it came to her studies, Manushi says she learnt to crack the exam system and got into medical college in Sonepat. But in her second year, Miss India came calling.
"Every girl thinks of Miss India. I first saw it live on TV when I was in middle school.
Denne historien er fra November 2022-utgaven av Hello! India.
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Denne historien er fra November 2022-utgaven av Hello! India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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HEART OF A PRINCESS : ADISHREE SINGH
A CHAMPION OF SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES, THIS BRIGHT YOUNG ROYAL FROM J&K DISCUSSES HER WHOLESOME CHILDHOOD YEARS, HER SPECIAL BOND WITH HER GRANDFATHER, AND HER VISION FOR A BETTER WORLD FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, IN AN INTERVIEW WITH HELLO!
THE UNSTOPPABLE : NORA FATEHI
She's lighting up the entertainment industry with her dazzling dance moves, hit songs and captivating acting, driven by her ambition to make a global impact. Yet, as she confides in HELLO!, she remains girl at heart, cherishing her childhood friends, seeking a good, god-fearing man, and longing for more time with her loved ones
BOBBY CHADHA
WHILE HIS GLAMOROUS WIFE, RITU BERI, COMMANDS PUBLIC ATTENTION WITH HER BUSINESS, THE DAPPER BUSINESSMAN HAS CHARTED HIS OWN COURSE TO SUCCESS. IN A CHAT WITH HELLO!, HE DISCUSSES NAVIGATING LIFE OUT OF THE LIMELIGHT, FATHERHOOD AND THE SECRET TO A HAPPY MARRIAGE WITH HIS DETAIL-ORIENTED SPOUSE
Sandeep Namboodiry's
The passionate chef stepped into the kitchen at the age of 7 to flip pancakes, and he hasn’t left it since, in spirit. He chats with HELLO! about his chic new eatery Mesa Lodhi, crafting a menu that sparks joy and a dish that delights him
MARIE-ANNE OUDEJANS
OF DUTCH ORIGIN, SHE LIVED IN PARIS, NEW YORK, ROME AND MADRID BEFORE INDIA BECKONED, ULTIMATELY MAKING THE PINK CITY HER HOME. THE TALENTED AESTHETE SHARES WITH HELLO! HER PASSION FOR CREATING BEAUTIFUL PIECES INSPIRED BY HER DIVERSE HERITAGE, TRADITIONS AND CULTURES, HER LOVE FOR FASHION AND ART, AND WHY TRAVEL REMAINS HER FIRST LOVE
RIMPLE & HARPREET NARULA
THE COUPLE INVITE HELLO! FOR AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT THEIR SOUTH DELHI DREAM HOME, FILLED WITH BEAUTIFUL ANTIQUES, ART AND FURNITURE FROM AROUND THE WORLD. THEY CHAT ABOUT THEIR PASSION FOR TRAVEL, CREATIVE PURSUITS OUTSIDE OF FASHION, AND THEIR DYNAMIC FAMILY BOND, WHERE CONFLICTS ARE RESOLVED AS QUICKLY AS THEY ARISE
BANITA SANDHU - FROM BOLLYWOOD TO BRIDGERTON
ONCE CONFLICTED ABOUT NOT BEING INDIAN OR BRITISH ENOUGH, THE STUNNING ACTRESS HAS NOW EMBRACED HER DUAL IDENTITY AND IS LEARNING TO NAVIGATE THE WORLD MOST RECENTLY THAT OF REGENCY ENGLAND! ON HER OWN TERMS. THOUGH TIGHT-LIPPED ABOUT HER RUMOURED LOVE LIFE, SHE TELLS HELLO! THAT OFF WORK, THERE’S ONLY ONE PLACE YOU'LL FIND HER: AT HOME, IN SWEATPANTS AND A T-SHIRT
SUNIL SETHI
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FASHION DESIGN COUNCIL OF INDIA REFLECTS ON HIS 15-YEAR LEGACY, SHAPING BRIDAL COUTURE AND LEADING THE COUNCIL, AHEAD OF THE FDCI-MANIFEST WEDDING WEEKEND ON AUGUST 3=4
CULINARY MAESTRO : ALEX SANCHEZ
THE AWARD-WINNING CHEF, KNOWN FOR CHAMPIONING LOCAL PRODUCE, PIONEERING SMALL PLATES AND CONTINUALLY REINVENTING HIMSELF, DISCUSSES HIS PASSION FOR COMFORT FOOD AND EMBRACING FATHERHOOD
Dancing In the Rain
From frizz to dampness and everything in between, revive your drizzle-drenched hair with HELLO!'s round-up of the best products to survive the storm and maintain a fabulous mane all season long!
