Irene Augustin
Irene’s is a familiar face. A part of the campaigns of some of the country’s top design labels, including Anavila, Masaba, Gaurav Gupta, L’Oreal and Pantene, Irene is also all set to go international, as she has signed up with a New Zealand-based agency. The Bengaluru girl, who graduated from Mount Carmel College, is taking a well-deserved break before she is off on the road again, shuttling between different time zones for some high-profile collaborations. Talking about what Christmas entails for her, she says, “On the eve of Christmas we go to church to bring in Jesus’ birthday, which is then followed by a wine and cake feast at home.” The model, who has also graced the pages of numerous international magazines, adds that this Christmas is going to be a little different. “This Christmas, we are keeping it small and warm by inviting a few close friends. We will spend the evening singing Christmas carols and distributing Christmas goodies to everyone in the neighbourhood,” she shares.
When asked what she has lined up for the new year, Irene tells us that she is excited but cannot reveal any details. “2022 is going to involve a lot of traveling for me. You have to follow my Instagram Stories to know which part of the world I’m in each day. I’m going to travel to every international market next year. The people at my agency in New Zealand, N Management, have been the biggest support system and have a busy 2022 planned for me,” she tells us.
David Abraham
The label Abraham & Thakore (A&T) by David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore, is synonymous with minimalism. Launched in 1992, it became known for celebrating a minimal and pared down aesthetic decades before it became something to aspire to. David, who grew up in Bengaluru and spent most of his childhood in the central part of the city shares that Christmas for him has always been simple and small. “I haven’t really been consistent with Christmas traditions, but it has always been a quiet one with close friends and family. Usually, my brother flies down to Delhi and we spend the day with my partner Kevin’s (Nigli, the third business partner of A&T) family,” says David. “This year, I will be celebrating with my brother in Bengaluru. Prasad Bidapa is a very close friend of mine, so I will probably meet him too. I enjoy visiting Bangalore. I went to Bishop Cottons for school and would frequent Bangalore Club. And when I was a little older, the club was where I learnt to smoke.” He goes on to share that at home, he puts up a small Christmas tree. “Nothing too big or fancy. We also exchange gifts and distribute gifts to our staff. I’m not going to pretend to be religious, but I do love the festival, the rituals, the music, the food and especially getting together with my family.”
Talking about how the last two years have changed his perspective on life, David says, “I have lost really close friends to the pandemic. Now I have begun to value these moments with my family a lot more than I used to, because everything has become so much less certain.”
Kriti Kharbanda
She grew up in Bengaluru and worked in Sandalwood before moving to Mumbai to make a career in
Bollywood, and she’s had a steady run with films such as Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana and Housefull 4. Her most recent outing was 14 Phere which was released on Zee5 and turned out to be quite a successful film. Though she’s been basking in the limelight and has been busy with brand endorsements, Kriti says the pandemic helped her put things in perspective. She had just moved to Mumbai and the first lockdown was announced. “I was at home without shoots and without my family. Although I had friends, it was a period filled with uncertainty but also self-discovery,” she explains.
It was only earlier this year that Kriti finally got a chance to visit Bengaluru, after the restrictions had eased. She flew in for work and was at the opening of The Maeva Store. This visit gave her chance to spend time with her parents. Speaking about how she has grown in the last year, Kriti says, “It was a year of learning, it made me more patient, and it made the world a slightly better place.
Empathy is a characteristic that doesn’t come naturally to people, but somehow the pandemic helped people discover that and I have seen it personally.”
On the work front, Kriti has worked with stars such as Akshay Kumar, Rajkummar Rao and Bobby Deol. She’s also been cast opposite up and coming actors like Vikrant Massey and Pulkit Samrat. The actress says it’s all been a great experience. “It’s also about the person who you are and how people perceive you. It’s been wonderful.” Kriti will next be seen in a Tamil movie, but before that, she’s planning something special yet simple for Christ-mas. “I want to decorate my home and host a Christmas dinner,’ she signs off.
Robin Uthappa
For cricketer Robin Uthappa, Christmas is a festival he loves to celebrate, but for most of his life, he has been away from home thanks to his demanding career. However, the birth of his son saw him making it a point to be at home for Christmas. “For us, Christmas starts on December 1. That’s when we put up the tree and all the other decorations,” begins Robin, who shares that it’s also a time when you can find him in the kitchen baking some festival favourites. “No matter what diet I’m on, I’ll find some recipe or use alternative ingredients that suit my diet to make some classics that are synonymous with the season. Last year, I made stollen bread and yule logs,” he reveals. Robin’s Christmas is also incomplete without a shopping session. “We exchange gifts so shopping is important. The benefit of the mask is that no one can recognise me, so I can step out bravely,” he says
with a laugh. Robin, who made headlines earlier this year for his performance for Chennai Super Kings, tells us that Christmas day itself is dedicated to closest friends and family. “It’s the day when we remember the simple things, the things that are most important to us and that is family and relationships. It’s a happy time,” he shares.
Priyanshu Painyuli
His last film Rashmi Rocket in which he played the role of Captain Gagan Thakur and impressed the audience with his performance is still fresh in the mind. Priyanshu Painyuli, who calls himself a North Indian from South India, studied in Bengaluru before he moved to Mumbai. Rashmi Rocket, an OTT release, was shot between lockdowns and the second wave last year. “After months of spending time at home during the lockdown, we started to shoot the movie in November last year. It was quite a different experience,” recollects the actor. Since he and his wife, Vandana Joshi, had both gotten used to being at home, leading a simple, minimalist life, and making short films, getting back to the sets meant Priyanshu had to balance it all.
“I was quite used to spending time with myself. I had started writing a lot of stories, and then Vandana and I made many short films. This time helped us connect with our family,” explains Priyanshu. After getting used to this simple life, the actor says he has adopted these small changes in his routine. “I think there is more clarity in my head. I give 100 per cent to my work, and then whatever time I get after that I spend it with my family and wife,” says the actor who has just wrapped up his shoot for Pippa, a period war drama that is being shot in the interior parts of West Bengal. Keeping it simple is key even for the Christmas and year-end celebrations. Priyanshu reveals that he and his wife are fond of snow and were looking forward to celebrating Christmas in Europe, but with the new Covid-19 variant they had to change plans. He reveals, “We are heading to Dubai where there is a snow park. We will pose there and pretend we are in a snowy country.”
Charles Ma
Bharatanatyam dancer Charles Ma’s lifestyle is the definition of simplicity. The 38-year-old incorporates it into every aspect of his life, whether it’s his clean vegetarian diet or the way he approaches his craft. “When I was younger, Christmas was a big affair in my family,” says the Chinese-Indian who hails from a mixed Hindu and Christian background. “We used to exchange expensive gifts, and go out for lavish dinners or lunches to five-star hotels and order lobster and duck. Then the kids would party at Catholic Club all night,” he adds. However, the past two years have given Charles a new perspective to life. “I’m very grateful that on the professional front, the pandemic didn’t make things too difficult for me. I was still teaching and there were many new students. But Covid taught me to live a quiet life. It really made me question the meaning of things. There is a higher awareness about who I am and how I can contribute to society,” he tells us.
Now Christmas has become a simpler affair in his household. Instead of a trip to a fancy restaurant, the family will gather at home. The meal will consist of a home-made biryani and maybe some ice cream for dessert. “Our family used to give each other expensive gifts from luxury brands. But now it’s usually something like a bottle of jam, or dry fruits,” Charles explains. The artiste plans to capture the spirit of giving and give back to society through his work and teaching. “Teaching is my first love, not dancing. Dancing can sometimes be a selfish act. But charity is a part of my life, whether it’s giving away knowledge or giving away love,” he concludes.