March arrives, and with it begin the endless conversations about the weather and speculations on just how hot a summer we’re in for. Vacation plans start to take shape, although it feels like people have permanently been on vacation this past year. And the other mega event for March — Women’s Day, resulting in a slew of events for the ladies. We’re not complaining. Right on cue were the Realistic Awards by Pakwan Chennai, honouring and recognising the accomplishments of women from different walks of life. From doctors and architects to authors and entertainers, the awardees made for an interesting and highly accomplished group. We saw a few of the same faces at the launch of Nails and Beyond on Cathedral Road, inaugurated by their brand ambassador Iykki Berry, Indian rapper and celebrity cosmetic surgeon. Known for making her presence felt, Iykki performed a special piece for the crowd, written for the occasion, amidst hooting and cheering. Everyone then set off to take an extended look around the new space and check out everything on offer.
It was a busy weekend for actress Samyuktha Shan who launched Winterbear, India’s first BT21 and Line friends Merch store, at VR Mall. Fans can now enjoy a staggering range of products from home décor to apparel, but the clear winners for the evening were the plush toys. We then spotted the starlet doing the honours at the launch of Finesse Aesthetic Medical and Surgical Centre. It was a glam guest list who had carved out the time to wish Dr Roshni Manay on her new venture.
Our next stop for the week was at Phoenix MarketCity for the launch of Aptronix, where the crowds had gathered in droves, but for a change, the celebrity in question wasn’t an actor, but a scientist. Nambi Narayanan did the honours and officially launched the store but was hard pressed to find space to move with the mob of cameras and fans all hoping for a good shot. I was lucky enough to interview him, and talk a little about the future of rocketry in India and his connection with the brand. Despite the madness that enveloped us, our guest of honour remained calm, smiling for everyone, more than a little amused. Hard to say what he was thinking but that was me venturing a guess. Once the ribbon was cut, the crowds flooded into the store like one giant human wave, rushing towards their favourite products. After everyone had gotten their ‘tech and selfies’ fix, they rushed off to the Courtyard to catch Benny Dayal live in concert. No surprises that Benny, the ultimate showman had everyone going crazy, as he took the audience on a special journey. Multiple genres, languages, styles and requests, seamlessly presented, in a way that only he can.
My week ended with a quick ‘look in’ at Contempo, by Pooja Tatia and Anita Bhandari. My plan was to head to the pop-up bright and early, but I was in for a surprise to see loads of ladies already in serious shopping mode by the time I got there. It was a well curated selection of easy breezy pieces for the summer. Of course, my ‘only look, don’t buy’ plans were thrown to the wind and I went deeper and deeper into the exhibition. I’ll see you next week with my usual update, here’s hoping for a relaxing weekend!