DESPITE ALL THE fabricated hype, the collective global mood entering the Paris Olympics was distinctly dour: two major military conflicts being waged; societal tensions flaring up across Western Europe; summer temperatures soaring; and a majority of Parisians angered by the disruption to their lives. The botched opening ceremony, with its faulty cultural messaging, seemed to follow the doomed script.
Yet as I walked off the air bridge into Charles de Gaulle on my way to attend the Games, I felt a blast of good vibes. The immigration lines in Paris can be torturous, but this time the wait lasted less than a minute. The officer at passport control had a warm smile and waved me through. Not what I was expecting at all.
I was a guest of Omega, which has been the official timekeeper of the Olympics since 1932, and things seemed to be working like clockwork. I boarded a special coach that whisked me to the Mandarin Oriental in the heart of the city in less than 45 minutes, miraculously avoiding the traffic snarls that the City of Light is notorious for. After a quick change at the hotel, I was back on the coach, this time heading to the iconic Stade de France, located in the gritty suburb of Saint Denis. Among our travelling cohort was Abhishek Bachchan, who has had a long-term association with Omega, and is also an unabashed sports nerd-in other words, perfect company for the occasion. We were seated in some of the best spots in the house: trackside and opposite the podium.
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Denne historien er fra August - September 2024-utgaven av GQ India.
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In Haider We Hope
The role of a fashion designer is one usually forged in chaos and fired down by “creative differences”. But on the eve of a new Tom Ford directorship, Haider Ackermann has never felt more free.
VIVA VARUN
Varun Dhawan on balancing fatherhood and film shoots, and the pressure of making the right choices.
PRATIK GANDHI'S QUIET EUPHORIA
The actor―who delivered a knockout performance in Madgaon Expresson the high of a hit and the pressure of sustaining success.
THE COMEBACK KID
Buoyed by his performance in Singham Returns, Arjun Kapoor doubles down on creativity.
SCRIPTING STARDOM
Vicky Kaushal on the thrill and terror of stepping onto a Sanjay Leela Bhansali set, charting an unconventional career, and making sense of the money game.
A TRYST WITH STARDOM
Triptii Dimri segued from her left-field roots straight to the animal park. The gamble has paid off.
WALKING A TIGHTROPE
Following the monster success of Stree 2, Rajkummar Rao opens up about navigating artistic fulfilment and box-office glory.
THE MAHARAJA OF MEHRAULI
It's been an action-packed year for Tarun Tahiliani, the emperor of Indian couture.
LONE WARRIOR
Kartik Aaryan on why, in an industry that only watches out for its own, he has to blow his own trumpet.
HITS AND HEARTBREAKS
Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali talks about redeeming himself with the extraordinary Chamkila, dealing with star-studded setbacks, and why we've forgotten to make love stories.
