PRINCELY PANACHE - VRISHANKADITYA PARMAR

Meet the dashing young royal from Santrampur, Gujarat, showcasing men’s summer fashion trends for HELLO!, who's also an aspiring actor, passionate about trap shooting and preserving his legacy

- ANANYA SHANKAR

Once revered and imbued with an aura of magnificence, royalty in India has certainly evolved over the years, carrying with it a legacy of opulence and grandeur. And while some perceive it as a relic of the past, others continue to be captivated by the allure of its lavish, larger-than-life lifestyle in a contemporary landscape. Amidst this shifting paradigm, we notice the emergence of a new narrative embodied by the likes of Vrishankaditya Parmar, a young prince hailing from the picturesque province of Santrampur in Gujarat — currently aspiring to be king of Bollywood.

Sporting jeans and a casual black T-shirt, Vrishank walks into the café with a genuine smile on his face. He wastes no time, ordering his favourite cold brew before delving into the details of his extraordinary journey. But one simply doesn’t hear of royals pursuing the filmy path and so, we wonder if this young trailblazer is the first in his family to do so. “I’m probably the first in all of the Rajput circle!” laughs Vrishank. “Generally speaking, people from families like ours venture into politics or make their heritage properties into homestays.” And while his own family does too — Shri Joraver Vilas — that’s not this prince’s calling. “My grandmother [Padma Shri H.H Rajmata Saheb Goverdhan Kumari of Santrampur] was a big Bollywood buff and so is my father [H.H Maharana Paranjayaditya Parmar Of Santrampur]. She was very close to Asha Parekh, who’s also my father’s godmother!” Having grown up around those who appreciate the beauty of cinema, he’s come to enjoy it as well.

“I wanted to be a part of it and so I just went for it,” Vrishank says, nonchalantly taking a sip of his coffee. “I mean, why not?”