Indulge one-on-one: Chasing dreams with Anaka Narayanan and Vandana Srinivasan

Anaka Narayanan and Vandana Srinivasan on the #MeToo revolution, finding your girl tribe, and chasing your dreams
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Soft jazz music fills the room, and sunlight streams in through the huge windows of a quaint cafe. Here, two powerhouses by their own accord, Anaka Narayanan and Vandana Srinivasan share a slice of carrot cake and coffee. The designer and founder of Brass Tacks, Anaka, is clad in a vibrant one-piece from her own creation — a compulsive habit she is working on. “I need to start wearing other designers,” she says, with an infectious laugh, as Vandana joins in. Vandana is a singer who has lent her voice to several South Indian films, and is also an independent artist and entrepreneur.
Chennai connect
“The city started to feel like home in no time. Sure there was a lot of homesickness, but I found a community of people who are intellectually stimulating and found an outlet for expression through music, and that’s really all I need from a city,” Vandana says with a smile, looking back at her 10 years in the city. Anaka is quick to chirp in with her views. “It’s a place of a lot of intellectual thought, where people are warm and respectful. The only downside is that while I feel safe here, there is not too much of a migrant population. Which means that you aren’t rubbing shoulders with a lot of different kinds of people.”
On a lighter note, both of them easily agree that the baked goodies at local haunts like Amethyst and Chamiers Cafe top their list of favourites.


Working girl
Dressed to the nines in kalamkari and ornate silver jewellery, Vandana’s eyes light up as she sips her cup and talks about her relationship with the city. “I moved here from Doha for college to pursue something in music, which I didn’t think I could do anywhere else,” she says, with a melodious voice. She forayed into the Tamil film industry in 2012, and has worked on several films including Vetrivel (2016), Vu (2013), Thodari (2016) and Aarohanam (2012). “There is a certain magic when you go to a theatre and listen to your voice that you lent on the big screen. I remember the first time and it’s a feeling that doesn’t get old!” Vandana also tours extensively with her band as an independent artist, and is the Creative Head of a music and video production company, which she runs with her husband.
As the conversation turns to more feelings that never get old, Anaka shares her memories of growing up in a home filled with handloom textiles and fabrics. “I’d make a big fuss and miss my mother when she used to go to work. She would sometimes take off the sari that she wore in the morning and change into another one, and give it to me,” she reminisces, adding “It would smell like her, and soon I started associating the touch, feel, texture and patterns of handloom with my mother.” Brass Tacks came to life in 2007, and along with it, the city saw a huge influx of fashion forward silhouettes, with clean lines and subtle details.
“Do you feel like your work is a huge part of your identity? What would it be like if you wake up tomorrow and find that you couldn’t sing anymore?” Anaka questions, to be greeted by a moment of stoic silence. “I really don’t think I would know who I am anymore. It’s such an integral part of me that I can’t imagine my life without it,” comes a response, as she lingers to play with a delicate ring on her finger. 
“I’m finally able to delink Anaka and Anaka’s identity from her baby, which is Brass Tacks. It allows me see the bigger picture,” Anaka responds, adding that she needed to treat it like a business and take a step back. 


#MeToo
Having met in the throes of the #MeToo revolution, both Anaka and Vandana both share a passionate discourse on the subject. As we discussed what would happen if men had a curfew of 9 pm, the most fundamental things came to the front burner.“I would go for a walk or a run on my own, or even a late night drive. It is things men do all the time, so I suppose it’s hard for them to understand the kind of stuff they take for granted,” says Vandana. Across the table, Anaka nods in agreement. “We don’t have the same kind of privilege that men do, and I actually feel a bit envious of that. Our actions to protect ourselves are almost second nature at this point,” she claims, elaborating on how that means locking the car doors immediately, or  having to be on guard when walking into a crowded room “We want a new man, someone who is sensitive and intelligent, and understands that women are human beings too!” she asserts.


Coming soon
Both the women are big on the idea of collaboration and combining ideas to create a novel masterpiece. While Anaka credits her brand’s landmark boxy top to a French intern, Vandana is constantly looking for new sounds and people to jam with. She is also fresh off the boat from Singapore, where she launched her album, and recently performed in Sydney. “I’ve always enjoyed multitasking, and this year is all about focusing on my creative pursuits,” Vandana says. She will continue playback singing for films and running the dynamic music production company with her husband.
Anaka is keeping herself on her toes and launching a Core Collection, and even has an exciting book coming up. And this is something we at Indulge are looking forward to.

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