'21 Issue 01

These Mumbai-based food entrepreneurs, who left their promising careers in fine dining to start their own enterprises, in interviews with Verve, talk about the process of — and challenges in — breaking free of the unsavoury practices that the restaurant industry is notorious for, while bringing the sensibilities of gourmet cooking into the delivery-only model
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When the Bandra-Worli Sea Link was unveiled in 2009, the architectural marvel that stood tall over the waters filled all who saw it with varying degrees of wonder. Fifteen years later, in 2024, we will be looking forward to the opening of the coastal road which, even as it facilitates speedier travel, will once again inevitably transform Mumbai’s shoreline. ANURADHA MAHINDRA, Founder-Editor, Verve, whimsically envisions the changing face of the sea and the impact the new road will have on the city’s daily life — and, most importantly, on the fishing community whose colourful boats will have to skirt the pillars of the bridge to bring back their catch…
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Every year, around June, we wait with bated breath for the familiar pitter-patter against our windowpanes that heralds the arrival of the rains in Mumbai. When the first showers are delayed, we are filled with restlessness — we worry at the disruption of nature’s seasonal rhythm. In a poetic outpouring, ANURADHA MAHINDRA, Founder-Editor, Verve, voices the thoughts of many, as she shares her own experience of waiting….
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The much talked-about exhibition was a fitting documentation of the country’s milestones that impacted the global imagination through two parallel, carefully curated narratives — the story of fashion and a visual referencing of India in its scenographies
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The actor’s early alter ego in the 1993 Lehar Pepsi ad had exuded a cool irreverence and a certain mystery. Her character Sanjana — who has nostalgic value now — had, even in that brief appearance in a white shirt and trousers, reflected the confidence of an emerging modern India and spawned several namesakes. However, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s 21st appearance at the Cannes Film Festival, while dominating feeds, also saw trolls liberally taking potshots at her shimmering hooded Sophia Couture gown and her other fashion choices. ANURADHA MAHINDRA, Founder-Editor, Verve, notes how the 49-year-old role model, who has resiliently borne the brunt of naysayers in recent years, continues to stand up to the never-ending onslaught of ageist and misogynistic challenges and considers how she can do more to inspire the generations to come…
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Every form and flavour of carefully curated high fashion was amply visible on the Met Gala’s red carpet this year. After repeated viewings of the spectacle and some existential pondering, ANURADHA MAHINDRA, Founder-Editor, Verve, analyses why audiences were left eagerly lapping up every detail on show. Is it the cultural allure of this event — and other public showcases like the Coronation of the British monarch or the Cannes Film Festival — or simply their clickbait appeal that keeps us glued to our screens, she wonders…
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