ThrivingAt13: Bengaluru icons who’ve changed the way we look at the city’s culturescape!

Our love for Bengaluru is immense! Ask anyone across India and they will joke about how a Bengalurean will defend their city in any situation. Be it our traffic woes, our disappearing lakes or our increasing pollution — our love for our home city goes beyond taking sides. We are aware of the shortcomings of our ‘uru’ yet choose to take immense pride with a faithful sense of duty at making this city the global cosmopolis it was meant to be. We catch up with 13 such heroes who have changed what Bengaluru means to each one of us, to find out what the city meant to them in 2023.

Shiva Rajkumar — actor, philanthropist
The scion of the Rajkumar family, Shiva Rajkumar is known for his prowess as an actor and his dedication to his Kannada brethren when he’s not shooting films. Involved in a bunch of social movements, the hero is now a national favourite after his cameo in Rajnikanth’s Jailer. “Bengaluru is a developing city, change is bound to  happen. But back in the day, the weekends in the city were a pleasant affair. Now, with the much-needed infrastructure coming in place and the increase in traffic and vehicles, it has just become a bit chaotic, but this is necessary. Keeping that aside, I am thankful that some of our old spaces remain intact, especially some eateries and restaurants from old Bengaluru around Avenue Road, VV Puram Food Street and Raja Market. That and the fact that Cubbon Park is as beautiful and lively as it as it has always been, reminding us of the good ol’ days, giving us something to hold on too — even if it’s just nostalgia.”

Arundhati Nag — theatre evangelist, actor
Bengaluru’s theatre scene would be dead by now if it weren’t for Arundhati Nag’s Ranga Shankara. Built in memory of her late husband, superstar Shankar Nag, the space reinvigorated the city’s Kannada language theatre scene giving it a home JP Nagar. An award-winning actor, Arundhati is also a theatre evangelist who is always toying with new ideas to make theatre more relevant to everyone. “Bengaluru for me is not just the good weather that we cannot take the credit for. It is also about the large-hearted, well-meaning and soft-natured people of this land. The culture here has also always welcomed everything new — new ideas, new people and that’s what makes us unlike any other city in the country, today.”

Prasad Bidapa — textile enthusiast, fashion icon
Fashion is personified by Prasad Bidapa when it comes to the city of Bengaluru. Accredited for having discovered some of the biggest names in entertainment and fashion to step out of the city, Prasad is also a textile enthusiast and evangelist working closely with handloom revivalists across the country. “Bengaluru was the city I grew up in and more than anything else, it’s an emotion for me. Quite frankly, I’d not want to live in any other city! Besides our lovely weather, it’s the people of our metro who elevate the quality of life to create a very modern ecosystem that allows me to thrive and grow. Bengaluru is the most modern of Indian cities and I’d never want to leave this wonderful and international city, we call home.”

Padmini Ravi — danseuse, artiste
Bharatanatyam dancer and guru Padmini Ravi is the director of Padmini Ravi Dance Academy in Bengaluru and is one of the most respected names when it comes to anything related to the artform.  She is a recipient of the Karnataka Sangeetha Nritya Academy Award as well as the State Rajyotsava Award and played a crucial role in curating several cultural festivals over the years, including the Bengaluru Habba. “Bengaluru is a hotspot globally because it welcomes everyone with an open heart. It’s a true cosmopolitan city with people of different cultures coming in and retaining their own culture. It would be nice if they come in and try to integrate with the local flavour be it language or culture or traditions. But that’s the goodness of the city. It supports you, no matter what.”

Prem Koshy — restaurateur, theatre artiste
If you do not know Prem Koshy, you do not know Bengaluru. The owner of Koshy’s — Bengaluru’s most iconic restaurant — Prem is also a theatre enthusiast. “I think I would define Bengaluru as my little piece of heaven on earth. It means everything to me. It is my home. I am blessed to be born in this amazing city. It helps me to live to my fullest potential — to be able to be in the service of people of the city for over three generations now, to give wings to my talents, to be able to sing, to dance, to do theatre. Bengaluru has been a blessing for me to fulfil my ultimate destiny.”

Madhu Natraj — danseuse, textile enthusiast
One cannot think of dance in Bengaluru and not think of Madhu Natraj. The director of the Natya Institute of Kathak and Choreography and founder of its performing wing STEM (Space.Time.Energy.Movement) Dance Kampni. “Bengaluru embodies the juxtaposition of tradition and modernity. A space where legacy and innovation both collide and congeal. A city where one can attend a traditional temple concert and partake in outstanding local cuisine in the morning and in the evening hear some amazing rock or jazz in one of the city’s numerous watering holes. We hold this contrast and balance uniquely. It is the city that gifted me my artistic voice. It doesn’t dictate a pace and that gives me the creative space to birth projects in the realms of the performing arts, social change and healing. I always say, Bengaluru is the cosmic centre of the universe! Bengaluru is the only place I can truly call home.”

Suresh Jayaram — curator, artiste
An artist, art historian, arts administrator and curator from Bengaluru, Suresh is the founder, director of visual art collective 1Shanthiroad studio — an artist’s residency and alternative art space. He is currently involved in art practice, urban mapping, archiving, curation and arts education; and is involved in several social and cultural movements across the city. “Bengaluru for me is home — it is where my heart is. I live between Lalbagh Botanical Garden on one side and Cubbon Park on the other. The nature in the city is as eclectic and cosmopolitan as the people. It reflects a balance of native/vernacular culture, rooted amidst global aspirations of a high-tech city.”

Jackie Besterwich — model, choreographer
To many of us, the city’s first real supermodel will always be Jackie Besterwich. Ruling the ramp for over two decades, the pretty model recently launched her own fashion week and is now keen on taking the Bengalurean sense of fashion to the world. “Bengaluru is one of the most sought-after and arguably the best city one can live in. There’s this sense of belonging and an incredibly special bond with this city which has impacted and shaped me. I have been privileged to grow up in this city where there is freedom to live, let live and to liberate. So much of who we are as individuals has been defined by this city. Bengaluru will always be my safe space. You have amazing weather here, delectable food and an upbeat vibe that resonates through the city’s soul and character. I am super proud of living in a city that’s a global phenomenon, progressive and a symbol of a new India, which embraces cultural diversity and celebrates change. The hustle is addictive here!”

Ashvin Mathew — stand-up comedian, actor
Quite simply one of the first comedians to introduce the city to stand-up as an art form, Ashvin is also known for his cameos and roles in several films across languages and recently debuted as a director with Kannada film 3Devi. He is known for his love for the city, it’s diverse languages and cultures and his active participation in the theatre scene and several other  cultural movements. “You know how everyone here says, ‘adjust maadi?’ I think that is how I would define Bengaluru. It’s one of the most adjusting and livable cities in India and it accepts you as you are. Everyone says the traffic here is a problem. It’s a problem in every city but everyone complains about Bengaluru. Do you know why? Because they can. We don’t care about it. It’s the most chilled-out city. And as cliché as it sounds, when I define Bengaluru as a brand, it’s a city where you should just leave your inhibitions at the door and come as you are.”

Shibu Arakkal — artist, cultural ambassador
Shibu Arakkal is a an award winning photo-artist who has garnered international respect for his photographic art and a unique philosophical viewpoint which unify a diverse range of works shown in over 50 exhibitions, spanning a career of nearly 25 years. His work embraces abstraction, minimalism and zen philosophy, while merging analogue and digital photographic techniques of printmaking in a very unique and unconventional style. Shibu and his father Yusuf Arakkal have helped in putting the city on the international art map. “There is a feeling here of being unlike anything I’ve felt anywhere else I’ve been to. The Bengaluru I grew up in and the one I live in today are strangely different and the same. Different in its scale and same in its nature, at its heart. If I weren’t a Bengalurean, I think I’d surely want to be one. And that spirit of Bengaluru stands for something, I think. Bengaluru to me, has the mind of an outlier, the heart of the old-fashioned individual and the soul of a dreamer, imagining something that is yet to be created.”

Lourd Vijay — dancer, artiste
If salsa and bachata are dances we speak about pretty matter-of-factly in Bengaluru today, a huge reason would be Lourd Vijay. “Bengaluru embodies a unique state of mind, balancing characteristics from both big and small cities. It encompasses the amenities, infrastructure, cultural outlets, institutions and challenges akin to major cities like New York, yet retains the warmth and inquisitiveness of a smaller town like Mysuru. Bengaluru, as a brand, encompasses diverse personas — Garden City, IT Capital, former Pub Capital of India, current Hub of Microbreweries, Pride Capital, home to over 1,500 lakes, boasting the world’s best weather, a haven for foodies and housing one of the most sophisticated airports in the country. If I were to distill Bengaluru into a single defining trait, the word ‘calm’ resonates.”

Abhijit Saha — chef, gourmet evangelist
The degustation king of Bengaluru, gourmet evangelist Abhijit Saha literally introduced the city to the ‘deconstructed’ food trend. Winner of several awards, the chef who now travels across the globe as a part of his career, still calls Bengaluru home. “Bengaluru has been my hometown for almost 23 years and it is my favourite city in the world. I love this city for its sense of warmth and cosmopolitan lifestyle besides its pleasant weather. Despite its growth from being a small, relaxed city into a bustling megapolis over the years, it has retained its old-world charm in many of its pockets. Also, the culture of entrepreneurship in the city is very infectious and has helped me transform from being a chef to a chef-entrepreneur.  As the principal food and beverage consultant of Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (KIAB), I’m delighted to have been able to contribute in my own small way to one of the most important projects of the city over the past five years.”

Ramya (Divya Spandana) — actress, producer
Bengaluru is an emotion. An emotion that one fully can’t express.

Team Indulge & A Sharadhaa

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