2020-12-01 gq india userupload net

INDIAINDIA

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TOGETHERWE STAND

12TH MOTYANNIVERSARY

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94 Jeep Presents The Humanitarian Award: Sonu Sood98 Creative Powerhouse: Vir Das100 International Man: Lewis Hamilton104 Rising Star: Saiyami Kher106 Media Personality: Chetan Bhagat108 Director Of The Year: Hansal Mehta112 Fitspiration: Milind Soman114 Writer Of The Year: Fareed Zakaria116 Fashion Icon: Sir Paul Smith120 Breakthrough Performance: Jitendra Kumar122 Chivas Presents Entrepreneur Of The Year: Nikhil Kamath126 American Express Presents Excellence in Acting: Bhumi Pednekar128 Global Pop Icon: Maluma132 Most Stylish: Ranveer Singh

DECEMBER 2020 — 7

ON THE COVERON LEWIS:BOMBER BY ETRO. TURTLENECK BY TOM FORD

ON SONU:SUIT, TURTLENECK, POCKET SQUARE; ALL BY TROY COSTA. LOAFERS BY CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN. WATCH BY ULYSSE NARDIN. RING BY INOX JEWELRY

ON RANVEER:VEST, SHIRT, TROUSERS, SHOES, TIE; ALL BY PRADA. WATCH BY FRANCK MULLER

ON MILIND: BLAZER, BRACELET; BOTH BY HERMÈS. NECK CHAIN BY INOX JEWELRY

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22 Editor’s letter24 Contributors26 GQ Access183 Where To Buy186 Humour

10 — NOVEMBER 2020

Contents

138Pg.

10 — DECEMBER 2020

The strange tale of hydroxychloroquine in the times of coronavirus.

Our tips to help you choose the right smart speaker that’s more than just a music player.

Swatch’s SISTEM51 is for the style-conscious buyer looking for an affordable timepiece.

A bottle-by-bottle look at the best malts and blends right now for the whisky connoisseur.

Fun but understated dials: The Favre-Leuba Sky Chief is perfect for daily wear.

The T-Rex-themed, one-of-a-kind pocket watch by Hermès is all things exquisite.

Everything that’s trending in takeaways, desserts and drinks to set the weekend vibe.

Time to add the cosiest knits and sexiest topcoats to your #WFHFits.

The Ultimate

2021 Gifting Guide

If you’re running behind with holiday season shopping for

your loved ones, flip to our very helpful and very extensive list of

suggestions.

Social media, politics and the pandemic take centrestage in artist Sameer Kulavoor’s next solo show.

The A-List

We rank the most stylish, innovative and futuristic cars

and bikes that have surprised us

this year.

(Left) The BMW 8 Series

66Pg.

Prescription For DisasterPg. 164

Talking HeadsPg. 60

Less Is MorePg. 146

Top Of The BarrelPg. 44

Predator AlertPg. 136

Layer UpPg. 75

High FlyerPg. 162

Please Turn OverPg. 58

GQ TastePg. 48

Pg.

Pg.

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Sky’s The LimitPg. 84

This Is How We Do ItPg. 80

Step ForwardPg. 82

The Shape ShifterPg. 54

Smash HitPg. 86

The Female Gaze Pg. 148

GQ Food & Drink FestivalPg. 34

THE TASTERIn conversation with YouTube celebrity Mike Chen about pav bhaji, biryani and online stardom.

THE MYSTIQUE OF MIRAZURWorld’s #1 chef Mauro Colagreco tells us what it takes to run the world’s #1 restaurant.

WRITTEN IN THE STARSHollywood’s favourite chef Wolfgang Puck on Spago, and catering at the Oscars for quarter of a century.

FrozenPg. 88

Flip The ScriptPg. 50

Coat TalesPg. 174

Finish In StylePg. 76

15 Seconds Of FamePg. 56

148


At Hermès’ bespoke service Horizons, all wishes are allowed.

Gucci Off The Grid: A sustainable collection and a lesson in ingenuity.

Menswear designers revisit the concept of luxury and what it represents today.

After O and Season Pass, Tienas is ready for the world with his next EP, For Sale?.

The Dior B27 is every sneakerhead’s dream come true.

COAT, SUIT, SHIRT,

TURTLENECK, SNEAKERS; ALL

BY VERSACE

Women designers showcase their ideas of masculinity and menswear.

Bvlgari Man’s latest carries a whiff of the sweet alpine freshness.

Use December to get fit and ready to crush the coming year.

Show off your on-point layering skills with the perfect overcoat.

What You Really Should Be Building Is

Intergenerational HealthBecause, wellness means creating communities.

How to achieve the dapper look: The right leather accessory, the right jewellery and loads of confidence.

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Why TikTok’s clones cannot fill the void, according to Rajiv Makhni.

FOR MOMENTS LIKE NO OTHER

ANA DE ARMAS


MANAGING DIRECTOR Alex KuruvillaConde Nast India Pvt. Ltd.

MUMBAI 2nd Floor, Darabshaw House, Shoorji Vallabhdas Marg, Ballard Estate, Mumbai 400 001, India Tel: +91 22 6611 9000 Fax: +91 22 6611 9001NEW DELHI Unit No. 503-B, 5th Floor, Salcon Rasvilas, Plot No. D-1, Saket District Centre, New Delhi 110017, India Tel: +91 11 4066 9000 Fax: +91 11 4066 9001

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Editor: CJ Kurrien Distributed by Living Media Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is strictly prohibited. All prices are correct at the time of going to press but are subject to change. Manuscripts, drawings and other materials must be accompanied by a stamped

addressed envelope. However, GQ cannot be responsible for unsolicited material.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Che Kurrien

ART DIRECTOR Mihir Shah

PHOTO DIRECTOR Gizelle Cordo

DEPUTY EDITOR Shikha Sethi

DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR Vivek Surve

CULTURE EDITOR Nidhi Gupta

SENIOR FASHION EDITOR Rahul Vijay

LIFESTYLE EDITOR Saumyaa Vohra

COPY EDITOR Anamica Nair

COPY EDITOR Janice Fernandes

FASHION BOOKINGS EDITOR Megha Mehta

JUNIOR FASHION STYLIST Selman Fazil

PHOTO ASSISTANT Nidhi Marwah

SYNDICATIONS MANAGER Michelle Pereira

SYNDICATIONS COORDINATOR Shobhana Parmar

CO-DIGITAL EDITOR & MANAGING EDITOR Shabdita Pareek

CO-DIGITAL EDITOR & FASHION EDITOR Aarthi Baliga

SENIOR DIGITAL WRITER Rimi Chakraborty

DIGITAL WRITERS Shikha Talwar, Yash Bharati

SENIOR DIGITAL GRAPHIC DESIGNER Anita Dake

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Sunil Nayak

SENIOR MANAGER – COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION Sudeep Pawar

PRODUCTION MANAGER Mangesh Pawar

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS & PHOTOGRAPHERS

Abhishek Bali, Abhishek Mande Bhot, Adil Hasan, Anish

Trivedi, Annie Zaidi, Arun Janardhan, Bhanuj Kappal,

Bikramjit Bose, Errikos Andreou, Jignesh Jhaveri,

Kerry Harwin, Lindsay Pereira, Manasi Sawant, Manish

Mansinh, Max Vadukul, Parth Charan, Phyllida Jay,

Prakash Amritraj, Prasad Naik, Rahul Bose, R Burman,

Sameer Kulavoor, Tarun Khiwal, Tarun Vishwa,

Uday Benegal, Vikram Raizada

CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER Arjun Mehra

PUBLISHER Armaity AmariaADVERTISING DIRECTORS Kapil Kapoor (New Delhi), Charu Adajania

SENIOR ADVERTISING MANAGERS Dipti Dani, James WilliamsADVERTISING MANAGER Ankita Saxena (New Delhi)

ASSISTANT ADVERTISING MANAGER Ria DoshiADVERTISING SALES COORDINATORS Nishant Shetty, Vriti Malhotra (New Delhi)

ITALY SALES REPRESENTATIVE Angelo CarreduUS ADVERTISING MANAGER Alessandro CremonaCHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER – SALES Jabir Merchant

MANAGERS – DIGITAL SALES Peeyush Lakhotia, Afzal Khan (New Delhi)MARKETING DIRECTOR Madhura Phadnis

SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER Pooja JaggiMARKETING MANAGER Christel Anthony

SENIOR MARKETING EXECUTIVE Ankita RajurkarHEAD – ADMINISTRATION Boniface D’Souza

PR DIRECTOR Swati Katakam SamantSENIOR PR EXECUTIVE Waheeda Abdul Jabbar Machiwala

HEAD – EVENTS Fritz Fernandes SENIOR MANAGER – EVENTS Khushnaz Daruwala

CNX

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Dipti Soonderji MongiaASSOCIATE DIRECTOR – CLIENT SERVICING & PROJECT MANAGEMENT Neha Dhanani

MANAGING EDITOR – NATIVE STORIES Shivani Krishan

COPY EDITOR – BRAND SOLUTIONS Tanuj Kumar (New Delhi)INFLUENCER MANAGER Insiya Bagasrawala

SENIOR MANAGER – BRAND SOLUTIONS Shweta Mehta Sen

MANAGER – BRAND SOLUTIONS Esha SinghCREATIVE STRATEGISTS Karan Kaul, Sangita Rajan

SENIOR DIGITAL WRITER Andrea PintoDIGITAL WRITER Megha Sharma

CREATIVE STRATEGIST – ART Ayushi TeotiaASSOCIATE PROMOTIONS EDITOR Sneha Mahadevan

PROMOTIONS WRITER Tina Jimmy DasturSENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Varun Patil, Atul HirijagnerMANAGER – CIRCULATION OPERATIONS Jeeson Kollannur

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Amrit BardhanFINANCIAL CONTROLLER Rakesh Shetty

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR – PROCUREMENT Veerbhadra MauryaSENIOR ACCOUNTANT Dattaprasanna Bhagwat

ACCOUNTANT Anthony PauloseDIRECTOR – VIDEO COMMERCIAL Harmit Singh Sehmi

ASSISTANT MANAGER – PROCUREMENT Anubhuti SharmaASSOCIATE DIRECTOR – COMMERCIAL PLANNING Alisha Goriawala

DIRECTOR – HUMAN RESOURCES Coralie Ansari ASSISTANT MANAGERS – HR Ria Ganguly, Neha Pednekar

HEAD – AD OPERATIONS Sachin PujariSENIOR PROJECT MANAGER – DIGITAL Dipak Raghuwansi

DIGITAL GRAPHIC DESIGNER Deep Shikha TECHNOLOGY PROJECT MANAGER Vishal Ingale

AD OPERATIONS MANAGER Vinayak Mehra AD OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE Akanksha Malik

DIGITAL DIRECTOR Saurabh Garg SENIOR MANAGER – DATA & GROWTH Tanvi Randhar

MANAGERS – DIGITAL MARKETING Akansha Naik, Priyanka ShivdasaniMANAGER – AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Kanupriya Kedia

ASSISTANT MANAGER – CRM Tanya Chhateja

DIRECTOR – VIDEO Anita Horam

SENIOR CREATIVE PRODUCER – VIDEO Preshita SahaASSISTANT CREATIVE PRODUCER Aditya SinhaCREATIVE PRODUCER – FICTION Maharrsh Shah

EA TO MANAGING DIRECTOR Karen Contractor Avari

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Editor’s Letter

Together We Stand

Over consecutive nights last month, I did Zoom calls with Lewis Hamilton, Sir Paul Smith, and with pop icon Maluma, from his farm in rural Colombia. Hosting conversations with these GQ Men Of The Year

awardees from my living room was a surreal experience – in a year � lled with them. Exchanging namastes and smiles with Lewis as Diwali � reworks went off outside my balcony, or having one of the world’s greatest aesthetes, Paul Smith, praise a mantlepiece artefact acquired in Kerala. It all felt intensely personal, yet professional too – an unstoppable, intimate form of virtual engagement whose time had come. For all the destruction wrought by the pandemic, to witness in real time, and in such vividness, the birth of new possibilities is a privilege – and a re� ection of what media is today: borderless, agile, unfettered.

Yet, not everything has changed. For each of the past 11 years, we have identi� ed a set of outstanding individuals and presented them at the GQ Men Of The Year Awards, recognising achievement across industries and professions: in sport, entertainment, business and philanthropy. 2020 is no different. Our theme for this year’s awards – and a crucial message for the months ahead – is “Together We Stand”. It is a message of unity. Further, GQ India reaf� rms its commitment to diversity, inclusiveness and equality, while always trying to draw the perfect balance between substance and style.

As this strange year draws to a close, it is important to recognise that there are many things out of one’s control. It is equally important to realise that there is a lot within one’s control and that the power of human agency to affect outcomes and create profound change remains undiminished. So keep pushing. It is a message poignantly delivered by our Writer of the Year, Fareed Zakaria, at the end of his new book: “This pandemic has created the possibility for change and reform. It has opened up a path to a new world. It’s ours to take that opportunity or squander it.”

Enjoy the issue.

Contributors


The one thing you’re looking forward to the most in 2021

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Manasi Sawant“NORMALCY… BECAUSE WE TOOK IT FOR GRANTED.”WHO: Photographer based in Mumbai who is obsessed with coffee. Instagram @manasisawantWHAT: “Men Of The Year 2020”, page 93THE MOST SURPRISING: “Hansal Mehta. I was expecting him to be very serious, but he made the shoot super fun.”

Mihir Shah“A CLEANER, SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. THIS PANDEMIC HAS TAUGHT US A LOT AND THAT EACH ONE OF US HAS A ROLE TO PLAY.”WHO: GQ India’s Art Director, who’s also an experimental cook and aviation enthusiast. Instagram @mahamihirFASHION FORWARD: “There are no rules to style. These have been blurred over time. You need to educate yourself to select what’s right for your body type.”

Kosmas Pavlos“LOOKING FORWARD TO THE TIME I WILL BE ABLE TO HUG PEOPLE AGAIN WITHOUT BEING AFRAID.”WHO: Photographer and model agent based in Vienna, Austria. Instagram @kosmaspavlos WHAT: “Coat Tales”, page 174MY STYLE: “I don’t have a specific style, but I would say winter is my favourite time because you can wear long coats, and I love those.”

Parth Charan“WIDESPREAD AND EFFECTIVE VACCINATION. THAT SHOULD ALLOW US TO DO WHAT WE WANT, WITHOUT ANY TREPIDATION.”WHO: Mumbai-based writer who is currently spending his downtime looking up baseless trivia about the British Royal Family while watching S4 of The Crown. Instagram @parthcharanI RECOMMEND: “A car or bike is only good in the right environment. In Mumbai, the BMW M2 or the new Mini Electric would be ideal. The new Honda Africa Twin is also ideal for our roads.”

Joe Holder“INCREASED UNITY AROUND THE GLOBE, AND CERTAINLY IN THE UNITED STATES.”WHO: A fitness contributor and founder of a health and wellness consulting company. WHAT: “What You Really Should Be Building Is Intergenerational Health”, page 62THINGS TO REMEMBER: “Do your best to control your environment so you don’t have to rely on willpower; and small things add up over time, but you can have big moments to jumpstart you.”

Acc

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A DAYTIME TOAST WITH ROSHNI CHOPRA In association with Monkey 47, influencer Roshni Chopra makes her favourite daytime cocktail with her #LockdownLiqour.

GQ India celebrated its first ever Food and Drink Festival across our social channels on October 31 and November 1, with over 35 speakers and 22 sessions, featuring a series of stimulating conversations, masterclasses, Instagram Lives and panel discussions.

The two-day virtual festival celebrated our collective love of food, evoked by our favourite restaurants and brands, and was a toast to the good life. Kicking off GQ India’s 12th anniversary celebrations, it spotlighted individuals who define the food and drink industry, locally and globally, the men and women who are pushing boundaries today.

Read on to find out more – and tune in to Instagram, Facebook and YouTube to catch the conversations.

AROUND THE WORLD WITH YOUTUBE SUPERSTAR MIKE CHENIn conversation with GQ’s Editor-in-Chief Che Kurrien, in association with Teacher’s GlassesA freewheeling chat about all things food and travel, with Strictly Dumpling’s Mike Chen retracing some of his most memorable food experiences.

BRING ON THE NIGHTGQ’s Editor-in-Chief Che Kurrien in conversation with Kelvin Cheung and Zorawar Kalra, in association with Chivas XVNightlife impresarios Cheung (Dadel) and Kalra (Bo Tai) give us the dope on what it takes to create a killer bar, and what a post-Covid future will look like for the industry. IM

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A good story stands the test of time. Just like a good � lm or a good song, which has the power to change the world. And, � lmmakers and musicians are storytellers whose � lms and compositions have made a lasting impact. With this thought in mind, Teacher’s Genuine Stories’ brand new season spotlights individuals and storytellers from varied backgrounds as they share their passions and incredible life stories.

After a hugely successful � rst season, Teacher’s Genuine Stories launched its second season with host, actor and activist Rahul Bose with episodes featuring ace choreographer Terence Lewis and fashion mavens Shane and Falguni Peacock. The subsequent episodes stars musician Raghu Dixit, a folk rock star who has given the genre a global sound and whose Kannada poetry is so popular that his international audience includes the Queen of England. Dixit’s story is an inspiring one, wherein he talks about his transition from being a microbiologist in Belgium to becoming a full-time musician. Dixit also discusses how his attire on stage – the lungi – has become synonymous with his identity and how it represents his roots in folk music.

It is often said that the best way to

change the world is by telling a good story. And who better than � lmmaker Shoojit Sircar to reiterate that? Sircar has successfully bent the rules of conventional storytelling to forge a genuine connection with his audience through his � lms that are a seamless blend of great stories and real-life situations. Think Vicky Donor, Pink and Piku. The episode offers insight into his early life and details how he swapped a career in commerce for one in the � lm industry. Over the course of the episode, we learn that he began his journey in theatre before transitioning to � lms. The rest, as they say, is history.... PRESENTED BY TEACHER'S GLASSES

RECREATING THE MAGIC OF STORYTELLING

So, if you are looking for some creative inspiration, tune in to Teacher’s Genuine Stories to hear passionate � rst-person accounts of real stories that will move and motivate you.

“I BELIEVE MY OBSERVATIONS OF LIFE HAVE HELPED ME IN FILMMAKING. I NEVER WENT TO A FILM INSTITUTE, I HAVE LEARNT EVERYTHING ABOUT THE CRAFT ON MY OWN. BECAUSE I GOT ADDICTED TO CINEMA, I STARTED READING A LOT, I BEGAN WRITING AND WATCHING ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT EXISTED”

“THE REASON WHY MY MUSIC IS A MIX OF INDIAN AND FOREIGN ELEMENTS IS A MYSTERY TO ME! BUT IT’S BECOME MORE

OBJECTIVE FOR ME TO MIX DIFFERENT CULTURES IN MY MUSIC AND BRING THE VARIOUS STYLES AND GENRES OF MUSIC INTO A SENSE

OF TOGETHERNESS REPRESENTING A UNIVERSAL BONDING”

With episodes featuring fascinating stories that give us a peek into the lives of brilliant artists and their incredible lives, Teacher’s Genuine Stories is back with its second season to take us on a journey through the best of art, culture, entertainment, music and more

G Q P R O M O T I O N

MAKE AN EASY PRE-DINNER MARTINI WITH EVONNE EADIE AND TANQUERAY A fun lesson in how to make an easy, no-fuss pre-dinner martini

#BEYOUROWNBARTENDER WITH ANJALI BATRA & JIMMY’S COCKTAILSAnjali Batra teaches you how to #BeYourOwnBartender with Jimmy’s Cocktails’ limited-edition party pack, where we find exclusively crafted cocktail mixers that pair with your favourite spirits for quick and easy drinks.

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) HOW COPENHAGEN BECAME THE WORLD’S FOOD CAPITAL, AND WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDSIn association with Estuary, long-time buddies and chefs, Matt Orlando of AMASS, Copenhagen and Prateek Sadhu of Masque, Mumbai share the story of Copenhagen’s unlikely rise to the centre of the gastronomic universe.

In conversation with GQ’s Lifestyle Editor Saumyaa Vohra, in association with Chivas 18The Michelin star chef on creating phenomenal food for the biggest stars in the world – from his legendary restaurants to catering the Oscar’s ball for 25 years running.

THE GLAMOUR OF FOOD WITH WOLFGANG PUCK

In conversation with GQ’s Deputy Editor Shikha

Sethi, in association with Johnnie Walker

A warm, intimate chat with the world’s best chef, in which Argentinian-born

Mauro Colagreco, tells us what it takes to earn the #1

spot on the World’s Best Restaurants List, as well

as three Michelin stars.

THE MYSTIQUE OF MIRAZUR, THE WORLD’S

BEST RESTAURANT WITH MAURO COLAGRECO

ELEVATE YOUR BRUNCHES WITH THE BLOODY MARY AND KETEL ONE Brand Ambassador of Ketel One India, Afzal Kaba, makes us a classic Bloody Mary.

CHIVAS LIMITED EDITION LAUNCH WITH SHIVAN & NARRESHIn conversation with GQ’s Lifestyle Editor Saumyaa Vohra The designer duo dives into their signature aesthetic, going digital for fashion week, the idea of chivalry and the launch of their limited edition packaging for the iconic Chivas 12.

CELEBRATING CHEF FLOYD CARDOZ AND THE RISE OF REGIONAL CUISINEThomas Zacharias in conversation with Rahul Akerkar A heartfelt tribute to the late Chef Floyd Cardoz, who passed away in March this year, and his legacy, including spotlighting regional Indian cuisine to a global audience.

Jacqueline Fernandez in conversation with Prakash Amritraj Two of the fittest people on the planet reveal how they take care of their physical and mental health, and show up everyday, despite the challenges life throws their way.

CLEAN EATING AND HOW TO BE THE FITTEST VERSION OF YOURSELF

Arshiya Bose, Founder of Black Baza Coffee Co., in conversation with Ashish D’abreo, Co-Founder of Maverick & Farmer Coffee and Manoj Kumar, Co-Founder of Araku CoffeeAn unfettered conversation between three coffee veterans about the evolution of coffee and the new wave that awaits it.

THE FOURTH WAVE OF COFFEE

DIAGEO IS RAISING THE BAR Shweta Jain in conversation with Priyank Sukhija, Yangdup Lama and Rakshay Dhariwal about Diageo’s new global commitment.

THE VIVID HARMONY WHERE OLD MEETS NEW JAPAN WITH TOKI Brand ambassador Zoran Peric talks about Suntory Whisky Toki, the craft of ice carving, ice block chilling and the perfect highball serve.

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THE INCLUSIVE KITCHENA conversation with Manu Chandra, Chef-Partner at the Olive Group of Restaurants, Anumitra Ghosh Dastidar, Chef and co-founder of Edible Archives and Alex Sanchez, Chef-Partner at Americano Bombay, moderated by food and travel writer Roshni Bajaj SanghviA frank discussion between India’s top chefs on the nature of discrimination in Indian kitchens, and how to make them more inclusive and progressive.IM

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THE WHISKY FORECAST WITH NATHAN WOODRUFFThe trends to watch for in 2021, in association with Bowmore American whisky influencer Nathan Woodruff on the biggest trends to watch for in the year ahead – from production in a post-pandemic world to the rise of European ryes.

INTO A STRANGE WORLD BY STRANGER & SONS Three cocktail recipes featuring the award-winning home-grown gin: Strange G&T, Nine Lives Hobson and the Nine Yard Gimlet.

A CELEBRATION OF JAPANESE CRAFTSMANSHIP WITH ROKU Brand ambassador Zoran Peric on Roku Gin, the botanicals in it, the elements of ice carving and the perfect Roku Serve – Japanese G&T.

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JAPANESE CRAFTSMANSHIP IN FOOD WITH CHEF VIKRAMJIT ROY A masterclass on Japanese craftsmanship with Chef Vikramjit Roy as he takes us through easy-to-make bar snack recipes that pair perfectly with Oaksmith Gold.

THE ART OF HOSTING WITH ARCHANA VIJAYA In association with Jacob’s Creek, Archana Vijaya walks us through the nuances of entertaining at home, and how to pair food with a Chardonnay Pinot Noir, Red Shiraz Cabernet and White Chardonnay.

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WHY I GOT INTO THE RESTAURANT BIZGQ’s Editor-in-Chief Che Kurrien in conversation with AD Singh, Riyaaz Amlani, in association with Ballantine’s Two of the country’s pioneering restaurateurs chat about the importance of creating a distinctive customer experience, their biggest failures as well as their most cherished wins.

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR PARTNERS: BALLANTINE’S, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE, BOWMORE, CHIVAS 12, CHIVAS XV, CHIVAS 18, ESTUARY, GREY GOOSE MUSIC CDS, JACOB’S CREEK, JIMMY’S COCKTAILS, JOHNNIE WALKER, KETEL ONE, MONKEY 47, OAKSMITH GOLD GLASSES, ROKU, STRANGER & SONS, SVAMI, TEACHER’S GLASSES, TANQUERAY AND TOKI.

THE TASTER

Digital superstar Mike Chen dishes out culinary secrets from around the world

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I N T E R V I E W E D B Y C H E K U R R I E N


The founder of the Strictly Dumpling YouTube channel, Mike Chen, has four million devoted followers across the globe who simply love to watch him eat. Chen

was born in China, immigrated to the United States as a child, and is famous for traversing the planet, exploring and filming various cuisines, from A5 Wagyu in Japan, a mountainous 50-pound plate of lobster in Toronto to steaming dim sums in Kolkata’s Chinatown. A passionate eater and animated personality, Chen is a new media superstar, who’s made his reputation seeking out and presenting delicious food from a wide range of countries. Because, as he says, the best way to experience a culture is taking a bite of it. You’ve travelled everywhere. What’s your favourite food city?That’s so tough! But at the very top would have to be Tokyo. I feel I could eat for eternity there, and that each meal would be different and unique. Yet, it’s not just Japanese food: They’re doing so many other cuisines brilliantly in Tokyo. Many people say the best pizza in the world is there, the best burgers in the world are there. That’s why I love it... Nowhere else would I pay $150 for a melon. A melon! By the way, if you’re cutting open a $150 melon, do it over a bowl, as that juice spilling will really hurt you. What are some of your best experiences in India?Everything I ate in India was through-the-roof amazing. I remember we got off the plane in Mumbai and went straight to a place [Sardar restaurant] that served pav bhaji. I have to tell you it looked very intimidating. The chef was just crushing mounds of vegetables together; but that’s not the intimidating part: It was the huge slabs of ghee he’s just flinging on to the giant cooker. Then there was the bread being dunked into this ocean of butter. It was all so intimidatingly beautiful. I started stuffing the food into my mouth, and suddenly, life changed. I remember thinking, “I could be vegetarian

here, I really could be.” I would never have uttered those words until that moment. That meal was a transformative experience. What’s your favourite food city in India? The most memorable is Hyderabad. I’d never seen biryani intricately layered the way they do it there. While I was eating, I turned into a food archaeologist. I was digging into the pile of rice and discovering new layers each time. Hyderabad also has the best dosa, hands down. I woke up at 3am to go eat at this tiny place, where I discovered they coat the inside of the dosa with a red, nummy, mashed-up spice that’s actually used a lot in Szechuan cooking. To me, it tasted like a fusion of Indian and Szechuan flavours. Mind-blowing! How are restaurants going to change in a post-pandemic world?I see a lot of shift to delivery. We have to make food accessible, that’s just the smart thing to do. It has to be done in a way that’s very convenient but preserves the integrity of the food. It’s no longer just about the restaurant experience, but about getting food to the people, not just in the same city, but across the country, even the world. We have to think like this, in case this happens again. We can’t have this kind of devastation, have the food industry be at the mercy of something like this ever again. You built your audience from scratch. What advice do you have for people entering the content game?If you’re trying to build something to make money, you’re going to be miserable. If you’re trying to get on to this platform [YouTube] because you love it, because there’s something you’re passionate about – be it dog training, food or travel – and want to share it with people because you think it’s great, then go for it. But if you’re not doing it because you love it, don’t do it. IM

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Staycations at their finest

With a view overlooking the Arabian Sea and the Bandra Worli Sea Link, Taj Lands End, Mumbai is unarguably the crown jewel of the pulsating Bandra. The hotel boasts of the city’s finest accommodations, dining experiences and elegant conferencing and banquet facilities. Although contempo-rary, it reflects India’s warm and heartfelt tradition in hospitality. Ensconced within this luxury hotel in Mumbai, you could choose to overlook that you are at the nerve-centre of a thriving metropolis. Redefining style and comfort, our all-encompassing rooms and suites offer spectacular views of the majestic Arabian Sea. Be pampered by our world-re-nowned butlers and enjoy sumptuous in-room dining experiences, curated to perfection. Come, escape deep within this palm-lined haven on the harbour.

For aficionados, eager to experience the finest, the Atrium Bar & Lounge offers the largest documented selection of whiskeys on the menu along with iconic concoctions definitive of the Golden Age. From Cappuccinos to Cocktails, Teas to Tequila, Mocktails to Malts, it gives you every reason to cheer, sit-back and relax, while you watch the sun set over Bandra’s charming seascape.

For bookings and queries call: +91 22 66681234

Food connoisseurs from all over the world favour the collection of fine-dining restaurants at Taj Lands End, be it the signature Indian cuisine at Masala Bay, skillfully designed cocktails at the House of Nomad or the flavours of authentic Sichuan and Cantonese specialties at Ming Yang. The popular all-day-dining restaurant, Vista serves a medley of flavours from the world-over and is renowned for its delectable Champagne Brunch. A gourmands paradise, these are just a few of the many options the hotel offers.

For a staycation that stays with you, look no further, after all, where lands end luxury begins

Chef Mauro Colagreco helms the reigning No 1 restaurant on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants List. He was also voted the world’s No 1 chef by the esteemed Gault & Millau guide this year. We had a tête-à-tête with the culinary superstar as part of GQ India’s first virtual Food and Drink Festival

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Massimo Bottura refers to Mauro Colagreco as “the poet of a frontier land” in his introduction to Colagreco’s lush book, Mirazur. Writing about the restaurant’s unique location along the Côte

D’Azur in Menton in the south of France, sandwiched between the Maritime Alps on one side and the deep blue Mediterranean Sea on the other, Bottura says: “It isn’t easy to interpret such a complex territory, one that breathes as much Alpine air as it does salty, maritime perfume from the waves that kiss a brilliant and dazzling riviera. Mauro Colagreco is one of its greatest interpreters because he is in love with this territory… I love Mauro’s cuisine because he knows how to be both contemporary and Mediterranean...which is the centre of his story. A story that’s born in the garden, his vegetables intelligently conjugated with the best fish from the Mediterranean, which is just a few metres below the restaurant, the game and meat sourced from the Alps that also share its surroundings.”

In this, Bottura perfectly captures Colagreco’s culinary philosophy: a deep love of nature and its bounty. Fourteen years ago, when the Argentinian-born chef decided to open Mirazur in Menton, the first thing he did was to work the land, “which was totally dead because the previous owner had used a lot of herbicides. It took three or four years for the land to become fertile again.” Inspired by Fukuoka San’s vision of permaculture, his garden has now expanded to five, at varying altitudes from sea level to higher up the mountains in Castillon, that are home to a breathtaking diversity of produce: from figs, mangoes, bananas, one of France’s oldest avocado trees, mushrooms and root vegetables of all kinds. There are also ten different breeds of hens, beehives, as well as a fermentation cellar, packed with kombuchas and kefirs made from elderberry, medlar/

roses, pear/vanilla, tomatoes and peaches. The gardens are such an integral part of the chef ’s vision, and he proudly says: “Earlier, the garden was a little part of the restaurant. Today, the restaurant is a little part of the gardens. It’s become the window to the gardens.” It’s why the gardens have their own IG handle, @jardinesdelmirazur, a wonderful visual archive, documenting everything from bulbs of saffron to alien-shaped chanterelle mushrooms to the colourful insects and butterflies that constitute this thriving ecosystem. This beauty is, in turn, reflected in the artful plating of dishes, which often echo the shapes and forms found in nature. “It’s like a puzzle,” Colagreco says, and “sometimes it can take up to a year for an idea to translate onto a plate.”

Colagreco spent much of the lockdown continuing to work the gardens, applying the principles of biodynamic lunar farming, which involves planting seeds and planning garden work according to the cycles of the moon. It was then that it struck him that the same principle could be applied to create a radically new menu, or rather, four. When the lockdown in France eased and people could dine out again, the restaurant launched its new “roots, leaves, fruits and flowers menu”, with each theme served for two or three days, according to the lunar calendar. It’s challenging to transform the restaurant every few days, from the menu to the staff ’s uniform, right down to the ambience perfume, but it is attention to such granular detail that makes dining here, at almost `30,000 a head for a nine-course meal, such a memorable experience.

Sustainability is also key to Mirazur’s philosophy – it’s one of the world’s first restaurants to go plastic free – as is an artisanal approach of working with smaller local producers and suppliers. Colagreco, who’s worked in some of France’s most influential kitchens with culinary legends such as Alain Passard and Alain Ducasse, is clearly guided by a Romantic spirit (he studied literature in Argentina before becoming a chef). During our interview, he smiles easily even as he sometimes struggles to find the right words to express himself (English is his fourth language). His vision of connecting people to nature runs deep, and is heartfelt. And that’s why a meal at Mirazur is not just a one time event to tick off your bucket list. As he says: “In some restaurants, they make a special dish and people visit for that dish. In this way, some restaurants become museums... I love museums, but I don’t want my restaurant to become one. I want to keep things fresh, alive... That’s what keeps a restaurant young... Yes, it’s been 14 years [since we opened Mirazur], and you can say that’s a lot of time, or you can also say that it’s not that long at all. It just depends on the perspective.”

The Flowers Menu at Mirazur

From the easy vibe of his flagship restaurant, Spago, Beverly Hills, to being caterer-elect of the Oscars for 25 years running, Wolfgang Puck unwittingly cracked the formula to being Hollywood’s favourite chef early on

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sunny as the test kitchen he’s in, where his innovative cuisine starts out as myriad experiments, growing into revered classics over time. The city’s élite du cinéma took to Puck’s flagship restaurant, Spago, fairly early in its years, bursting at the seams with instantly recognisable faces – a scenario a young, 33-year-old Puck would’ve never imagined for his relaxed restaurant.

But, what he’d envisioned as a neighbourhood haunt with uncompromisingly fantastic food grew into the nerve centre of Hollywood royalty. The reason was simple: When most chefs were cultivating exclusivity to earn their Michelin star, he understood the power of casual dining. “I thought to myself, where would I want to go?” Pucks says. “And what I wanted was a fun place, one that wasn’t stuffy or overbearing; but with great food.” A straightforward idea, executed as intended, gave Spago its unflinchingly cool vibe – and set the tone for Puck’s stream of successful restaurants to come.

“I started cooking at age 12, when I used to visit my mother at work during the summer – she was a pastry chef and I loved sweets!” Puck recalls fondly. In the years since, the Austrian chef has built a formidable empire. Over a hundred fine dining and casual dining restaurants across the world, popular branded products, a world-class catering service that’s done the Oscars Governor’s Ball for the last quarter century – there’s little territory left uncharted. What’s been undeniable, though, is his ineffable celebrity draw.

While members of the Hollywood fraternity have been frequent patrons, Puck’s restaurants have also seen the likes of kings and world leaders in plenty – former US president Jimmy Carter, the King of Sweden, Prince Albert of Monaco. “In fact, I once got a call, asking for a reservation for the Pope,” he grins. “I thought it was a joke,

and said ‘Please tell the Pope we’re sold out. Later, the Archbishop told me he’d recommended Spago to the Pope, but I didn’t give him a table.”

The draw hasn’t dimmed in the years that have followed, and the decades have seen a shift in the way stars dine from, say, 30 years ago, Puck observes. “In the old times, people came dressed to the nines – a sharp suit, a beautiful dress. Now, you see people in sweatshirts or hoodies – that’s what they think is cool.” A pleasant change, he mentions, is that people are more adventurous with their food today. “The first time I served sashimi at Spago, people hid it under their salads and lied about how much they loved it. But over time, they’ve become more open to things.” Though, the one thing he believes will never change is that everyone loves comfort food.

It’s that epicurean-with-an-upscale-touch menu that’s made the food at the Oscars ball the stuff of legends. From his signature pizzas and smoked salmon matzo, to his iconic chicken pot pie with black truffles, the glittery evening has always ended by letting guests tuck into a warm, rewarding meal. “Everyone wants to look good at the Academy Awards – especially the women, who want to fit into their tight dresses. And on the day itself, they’re doing their hair, make-up, fittings, so most people don’t eat at all,” Puck grins. “By evening, all the stars are really hungry, and at that moment, nothing does the trick like comfort food.”

Each year, Puck has gotten a firmer lay of the land, and now it would be unthinkable to see the Oscars ball in other hands. “My first time, there was no kitchen! We had to cook for 1,500 people, so we prepped the food at Spago and built a kitchen in the parking area of the auditorium. It was so rainy and windy, the flame kept blowing out,” he recalls, laughing. “Luckily, everyone loved it. They were just so happy to have good food at the Oscars.”

Cut to now, watching Puck orchestrate the mise en place, it’s like watching a well-rehearsed opera, one to which the audience sometimes gets a backstage pass. “Last year, Joaquin Phoenix, who’s vegan, was worried about what food we’d have. I took him to the kitchen and gave him ten different vegan dishes; he was delighted.”

What Puck always leaves out is that he’s a star himself; the original celebrity chef, before the term was corrupted by shouting matches on reality shows. Only the second chef ever to get a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, he averts his eyes humbly when I ask him about the rush he must’ve felt when he got it. “It’s great for my family, my grandkids. When I’m long gone, they can see my star there and say ‘that was our grandfather’.” Right now, as he opens doors to Ospero and Merois, his marquee restaurants at Pendry West Hollywood with plans for another in LA come 2022 (with Frank Gehry designing), Puck has miles to go before he sleeps. “I love what I do, so I’ll work till the day I die. What else am I going to do, play golf every day?”

(Left) Wolfgang Puck with Michael B Jordan; (Right) With Eddie Redmayne

A CELEBRATION OF TALENTGQ’s annual event, the Men Of The Year awards, in association with Jeep, is back to celebrate the best of

Indian and global talent in its 12th edition this year through a luxury virtual experience

This year has been a challenging one. The pandemic has changed everything about the way we live and forced us to reset and restructure our lives, urging us to find new ways to interact and communicate. While social distancing may have kept us physically apart, it has undoubtedly brought us all closer together, if only in spirit. While we may have been propelled to pause our lives for the better part of this year, now, with the country opening up, we’re finally increasingly gaining the quiet confidence to approach our ‘new reality’ with renewed enthusiasm. And bringing the spirit of celebration to your screens is GQ’s much-awaited annual event, the Men Of The Year awards (MOTY), which is back this year in an all-new virtual avatar to recognise and honour the most heroic and accomplished names of 2020.

Taking into consideration how the pandemic has affected the world, even as people continue to put out their bravest foot forward, the theme for the 12th edition of MOTY is “Together We Stand”. While a physical red carpet may be missing this time around, there will be no dearth of entertainment as the virtual ceremony will celebrate prominent names from different walks of life – including Bollywood, sports, fashion and business – with much aplomb and vigour.


Coming onboard as associate sponsor for the very first virtual edition of MOTY is Jeep, a brand that is synonymous with passion, adventure, individuality and authenticity – everything that MOTY embodies. With a legacy spanning almost 80 years, Jeep’s unwavering commitment to strength and meaningful engineering has helped forge an extraordinary bond between the vehicles and their owners. For these individuals, Go Anywhere. Do Anything® is not just a slogan, but a badge of honour that they show off with immense pride. Mirroring Jeep’s adventurous and fearless approach is GQ’s MOTY – a property that recognises and honours worthy individuals who have outshone others across various fields – from films, fashion and sports to philanthropy and green activism – and forged a new, extraordinary path for themselves.


Over the last eight decades Jeep has made vehicles packed with exceptional features to ensure your life’s journeys are smooth and filled with adventure, no matter where you go with them. The brand has been a pioneer in the SUV Segment, that has stood the test of gruelling terrains. And, the winners of MOTY, too, are trailblazers – those who have broken convention and dared to be different. Last year’s edition saw Shahid Kapoor, Anand Ahuja, Ayushmann Khurrana and Hrithik Roshan picking up the top honours. This year’s line-up promises to be equally star-studded, with a deserving list of personalities who have brought about radical change in 2020. Celebrating exemplary individuals who continue to push the envelope, the spectacular event promises to be one for the books.

For more information, visit www.Jeep-India.com

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Something old, something new, something limited – and everything that warrants dram deux. Here are the most exciting editions to have on your shelves

before the year closes out

C hivas regal 25A recreation of the OG 25 blend

from the brand’s first released edit circa 1909, each of the whiskies

that go into this luxe blend have a quarter century of age

behind them. A rich scotch with a long-lasting finish – it would be

criminal to tamper with.

4̀5,000

Monkey Shoulder

A relaxed, unfussed scotch for the cocktail aficionado, this spicy-citrus malt was made for mixing. Its zesty notes of orange and spicy wood shine brightest in a Jam Sour, but

try an espresso martini if you’d rather coax out the vanilla.

5̀,800

Rampur Indian single malt

Double CaskHandcrafted and aged in the Himalayan foothills, there’s a

tangible freshness to the Double Cask edit by this 75-year-old home-grown brand. Its oak

notes and fruity palate make for the perfect, after-dinner dram.

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T H E W H I S K Y S P E C I A L

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Suntory Whisky Toki

The fruity, peppermint vanilla notes and the smoky finish

of this layered Japanese whisky come alive at sub-zero

temperatures – ergo, best served in an ice-laden highball.

3̀,960

Black Bowmore DB5

1964A true collector’s edit for a

voiture a� cionado. If you happen to get your hands on one of the 25 bottles ever created, you’ll

� nd the arresting piston-inspired � acon (a collaboration with

the Aston Martin DB5) holds an equally rare 1964 single malt. The 50 Year Old Black

Bowmore, bursting with black truf� e, acacia honey and velvet chocolate espresso, lies in wait.

Price on Request The Glenlivet Winchester Collection Vintage 1967

The third installment in the Winchester Collection, there’s only 150 of these rare vintages across the world. The bottle is as much a piece of art as the

50-year-old single malt it boasts; a long, luxurious usquebaugh with a hint of chocolate and

toasted almond.

Price on Request

Royal Salute The Malts

BlendThe original 21 is a resident favourite on our list, but this year we’re giving its spot to a

brand new blend under its wing. Made from 21 single malts

across five regions of Scotland, the sweet orchard fruit, clove and crème brûlée notes are

as remarkable as the emerald flagon that bears it.

Price on Request

Revisit T he Classics


Glenfiddich Our Solera

Fifteen’ There’s nothing like an old

whisky in a new bottle to add cache to your collection. The

Speyside distillery’s much-loved spicy, complex single malt is now housed in a sleeker silhouette,

but hasn’t lost its old-world warmth and trademark triple-

cask finish.

1̀0,050

Jameson Caskmates

A savant worth his salt knows that a real whisky repertoire

is incomplete without the Irish contingent. This craft

beer barrel-finished blend gets its sweet mouth-coating from the Irish pot still, with bursts of orchard fruit, hazelnut and

cocoa in the mix.

4̀,200

The Balvenie Doublewood 17This 17 Year Old gets both its name and its flavour from the two-cask

maturation process it undergoes. It draws its soft vanilla from American

oak cask, while its spicy richness comes from the European sherry

cask. Best served neat.

1̀9,700

Sazerac Rye An established American classic that launched here

earlier this year, the straight rye pops with oak, leather molasses and all-spice. To tell you which cocktail it

was born to star in would be redundant, non?

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Woodburns Whisky

A charred barrel whisky layered with smoke and chocolate, this full-bodied Goan malt has been deceiving scotch snobs with its quality and smooth finish since

its launch in late 2019.

2̀,850

Amrut Triparva

A brand new, limited ed from the award-winning home-

grown brand, the triple-distilled single malt brings together the nuanced notes of honey, plantain and sweet oranges.

Ardent admirers should claim one of the 5,400 bottles

worldwide, stat.

9̀,999

Johnnie Walker

Black Label 12 Year Old Lowlands

Origin

One of the four 12YO blended Scotch whiskies from JW’s

Origin Series, we’re partial to this Black Label rendition for its Lowland malt-grain blend

laced with toffee, cinnamon and a touch of caramel.

5̀,800

Glenmorangie 18 Year Old

Made by transferring part of the whisky to Spanish Oloroso casks after aging 15 years in American white oak, it’s then

blended back when both factions have hit legal adulthood. The

result – a full-bodied, aromatic single malt bursting at the

seams with honey, wood, figs and flowers.

2̀3,805

TasteF O O D . DRINK . TR AV E L

THE WINE

TILT BY FRATELLIThe idea of wine in a can has seen a steady millennial revolution from gauche to cool in the last few years, edging out the elitism of the wine world in lieu of approachability. While it’s not every winery’s game, Fratelli’s latest launch is definitely a strong contender; each of its four variants is a fun, unintimidating way to drink the names it brandishes. There’s the plum-finished Red, the aromatic White, the fruity-citrus Bubbly and the blueberry-laced Bubbly Rosé. Since we’re all entertaining at home more, the relaxed vibe of these cans work for a comfortable, fuss-free sort of gathering. We’d say break them out at your next impromptu brunch or movie night when you’re looking for a change from the usual suspects. @tiltwine

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THE CLOUD KITCHEN

THE MEXICAN BOX | MUMBAIIf you’ve been missing quality Mexican (sans the Tex), make a note of this newly launched Worli cloud kitchen. With a mix of traditional Mexican fare and a few updates on the classics, you’ll find a range on its menu: The Nacho Man (a DIY nacho kit), Twisted Guacamole (which could feature anything from crab to berries or bacon) and, of course, a range of chimichangas, quesadillas and burritos to boot. The pop hues of the graphic-rife packaging set the tone for the easy but innovative food it comes bearing. We’d recommend pairing your plates with one of its in-house cocktail premixes for best results – we hear the Jalapeno Margarita is an uncontested favourite. @the.mexicanbox

THE CUSTOM BURGERS

GOBSMACKERS | DELHIIf you can relate to the feeling of having a burger that’s almost perfect – if only they’d “left out the onions”, or “used a different sauce” – this delivery-only kitchen will become a fast favourite. The build-your-own-burger concept works especially well for someone who always calls in a change to a preset burger; from the patty (of which the Gochujang pulled pork and rosemary lamb shine brightest), to the bun, toppings, smears and sides that go with it. You can choose to have your burger three ways: made-to-order, DIY with easy-to-assemble elements, or in a carb-free burger bowl. Like any eatery focused on doing just one type of food well, the limited options don’t matter – because they do, indeed, get that one thing right. @gobsmackers


THE PATISSERIE

LAVENDER BAKERY BY FRESH PRESSERY| BENGALURUWhile Fresh Pressery is a garden city staple for its cold-pressed juices, granola, smoothies and grills, Lavender Bakery, is its indulgent, cheat-day cousin. Though the mothership is all things healthy (including keto and vegan options), the freshly launched bakery lets you end your meal with a no-holds-barred treat – or even take a health-conscious friend to lunch without having to partake of its tofu salad. Make sure both your meals end with the croissant bread pudding or the Signature Lavender Chocolate Cake, though – everyone knows desserts don’t count.@lavender_bakery_freshpressery

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FLIPTHE

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W H AT ' S YO U R C O D E


How to turn 2020 on its head, and prep for a brand new year

Perspective is everything in life. I remember times during my tennis playing days when I’d find myself in the middle of a battle in the final set

of a match. If I’d been down and then fought back, my mindset was that I was happy to be there and felt like I had momentum on my side. If I was close to the finish line, but then surrendered the lead to end up in a weaker position, the mindset was quite different. I’d find myself thinking: “Man! I should be off the court with a win already and sitting down at lunch!” This is something I’ve worked hard to improve over the years. Take the moment as it is, and understand the match is still to be played for and won. This is something we can apply to our mindsets at this time.

2020 feels like a loss for almost everyone. In one way or another, we’ve lost – whether it’s opportunities to work, travel, spend time with friends, or live our normal lives. But it’s imperative to snap back into focus so we don’t “lose the match”. December is the perfect time to work on this mindset shift, before we go into the new year. The coronavirus may not go away tomorrow morning, but I have faith that life will, as always, find a way. And we must prepare for that.

First off, I think it’s extremely beneficial to focus on the positives that this year brought. Yes, there have been some, even if we may have had to look harder for them. Perhaps you had the coronavirus and recovered; or escaped it entirely. Either way, that’s something massive to be grateful for. With our health intact, there isn’t any goal we can’t chase. Try to embrace the significance of that when you start this mindset change. It’s a great base to build from.

Many of us have big goals and desires, mountains we’re trying to scale. When we’re so focused on those, we lose track of the level of fuel in our tank as we “Go, Go, Go!” Whether we like it or not, 2020 has recharged our

physical batteries. When you need to get a bit extra out of your tank moving forward, remember you’ve rested, or refuelled, more this year than ever – even if it’s been forced.

We’ve had a moment to focus on our gifts, what we are meant to do, and what truly moves us. While we were “working”, most of us didn’t take the time to focus on these aspects of ourselves. I’ve had several conversations with people this year who’ve developed a new passion – writing screenplays, learning a new language, starting a beauty line. These have opened up various avenues: the joy of a new hobby, a new career path, or a new business venture. It’s been an amazing time to learn about ourselves. Take some time to think about what new ventures you’ve dug into this year, and how you can use this new-found knowledge about yourself as you move forward. Don’t forget: Self-awareness is power.

Good health, rest, new skills and self-awareness are valuable commodities to be grateful for, and certainly are all seeds you can build on in the coming year.

But once we’ve laid the groundwork for why we’re no longer upset to be “at this stage in the match,” we need to focus on achievement and “the win”. Here, our tennis analogy translates into achieving goals in the coming year. Visualising our goals and laying out the necessary steps to get there is an important habit of champions, and something I strongly advocate.

My method for this is tied into my physical training. My routine changes regularly based on what I’m getting ready for on-camera, but the one constant is my desire to improve my physique, as well as mental strength through gym work on a daily basis – making it the ideal setting and time to manifest and work on my future.

2020 has prevented me from going to movie sets, as a producer and an actor; and prevented me from travelling to tennis events as a TV presenter. So I’ve begun to map out what goals I want to achieve in each of these areas in the coming year. I generally lay out my goals and visions on a big white board in the gym while I’m training. I also keep a portable version in my notebook, which I’m constantly editing.

This is the process that works best for me. I challenge you this month to find what works best for you.

Instead of feeling down in the dumps about a year of losses, let’s use December to work our mind muscle to view 2020 as a time of unexpected things to be grateful for, and time to build clarity on how we’re going to crush the coming year. The toughest step is usually the first one – telling yourself that you can do it. Let me save you the trouble: You can.

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Proficient in the craft of music-making and prolific

like few others, Tienas’ time has come

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Writing songs for me is a subconscious process,” says Tienas. “I’ve never really sat down to consider what I should be

writing. I dream up most of these songs. Mostly I forget them, but when I remember them, it’s beautiful, that feeling of creation.”

It’s a few weeks before the rapper – Mumbai-based, Azadi Records-reared – is to release a new EP. After his debut album O and sophomore EP Season Pass, For Sale? will be his third in two years, and second in 2020. Tienas, who also goes by Tanmay Saxena or Bobby Boucher, isn’t nervous about what the critics will say at this point. “When O was out, most critics loved it. When Season Pass came out, most people kind of hated it. So, I guess, I’m making progress,” he grins.

“The thing is, whether you love it or hate it, just say it,” he says. “It’s when there’s silence that I get worried. Otherwise, I’ve learnt not to get too attached to a song. Once it’s out there in the universe, it’s yours.”

This afternoon, he’s at a co-working space in suburban Mumbai shooting the music video for “Oh My Lord”, a track about sexual harassment in the workplace. A five-track album, For Sale? contends with “heartbreak and casteism and arranged marriages – and how all this bullshit breaks people. How it just ruins everything.”

It’s heavy stuff, which is Tienas’ usual fare: The 25-year-old channels the ethos of 1980s conscious rap and marries it with the sounds of the 21st century. Trap, funk, a shred of boom bap, all underline the sometimes sarcastic, always sharp-as-nails commentary in his tracks. For this album he downloaded beats by producers Taylor King and DJ Pain 1 off YouTube. The magnetic track “Bury Me”, he says, was created over a single night of jamming with his “brother” Zero Chill. “He just played me a gang of beats, and I was just scatting. It’s one of the catchiest songs I’ve ever made.”

And Tienas has made a lot of songs. Back in 2018, as his track “18th Dec” was making waves, he told us he had a bank of 600 tracks ready to be released. He wasn’t just stunting: Over our Zoom call, he says he has two albums complete and ready for 2021. “Back then, I wanted to be the best rapper,” he says. “Now, I want to be the greatest composer, musician, songwriter ever. My horizon has broadened.”

So, a little back story: Saxena dropped out of school in 2012 and found Eminem, Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg. He remembers the feeling: Walking on the streets with his headphones on, listening to Jay-Z or 50 Cent, feeling like he was “the shit”. “Hip-hop gave me this confidence, it did that for kids around the world,” he says. Then, Kendrick Lamar and J Cole entered his universe and that feeling manifested into something bigger. Tienas began to rap, spitting with a velocity and fervour he couldn’t match in regular conversation due to his speech impediment. It was empowering to say the least.

Circa 2017, Tienas found rock music: He fell in love with the Beatles and Bob Dylan. He picked up a guitar and taught himself chords and frets. Tienas’ songwriting has acquired funky basslines to go with those big beats. “Paul McCartney would be proud of me,” he says, laughing.

Now, he has a rock album, with 25 songs ready. “There’s a track about Gauri Lankesh,” he details. “There’s a bluesy song about Indian society and how we are being trained to be what they want us to be. There’s a song called ‘Cyanide’ in which I’m screaming my ass off. I lost my voice for four weeks after recording that song. It was the worst thing I could’ve done to myself, but that song has come out amazing.”

Alongside, Tienas has also drummed up yet another album. With shayari-inspired songs, he’s singing in Hindustani for the first time – well, putting it on tape for the first time, anyway. He’s christened it “Allah Rakha” and even created a whole new persona for

himself to go with it. “There are thousands of ways to make a song,” he observes. “You just have to match the right sound with the right lyrics. The feelings are the same, just the language that is different.”

On the side, he’s also working with his rap crew Frequency Time Space to create their debut album. “To make an FTS album, we all have to be in the same room. We can’t lack in any way, we have to be on-fucking-point, because if we don’t do that, we will be just another collective in the city. We don’t want to be that at all.”

As his spectrum of influences widens (he’s now following JPEGMafia, MC Ride from Death Grips, Lifafa), and his stage personae evolve into their own beings with distinct sounds and style statements, Tienas is ready for the world. “They have to come to me,” he says, when I ask if he’s got any international collaborations lined up yet. “Because I’m working my ass off here. They should be like this guy is so sick. And I’ll be like, I know!”

“Everything there is to get, I want to try to get it,” Tienas adds. “Because I’ve always had this thing in my head: Either I’ll be a king or a vagabond, there’s nothing in between.”


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Among the many dramatic events of 2020, the rise and fall of TikTok will stick out. Probably because there’s none that can do what it has been able to accomplish: A true grassroots platform that may be packed with cringe, but was authentic like little else. Here’s why every one of its many clones is already dead in the water

W hen you’re writing about a “never seen before” global phenomenon, it’s standard practice to introduce jaw-

dropping statistics. Sample these: TikTok has around 900 million active users currently (faster than Facebook and Instagram to reach that number), is the most downloaded app on the Apple App Store (strongly beating out YouTube, Instagram and WhatsApp), and each of those millions spend an average of 52 minutes per day on the app (with each video clocking in around 15 seconds, consider the number of videos watched).

Now that I’ve sufficiently dazzled you with incredible numbers, it’s time to understand the phenomenon. If you’re over 30, then you’ve heard about it, maybe even tried it and come out of it

dazed and confused. Don’t worry, you’re not the target audience. TikTok is an incredible content feeding machine that makes creating, consuming and interacting with videos very simple. A bottomless pit of videos automatically starts playing (there is no play or pause button) as you scroll, almost all from people you don’t know. The cringe factor is high and encouraged; in fact, it’s almost a feature.

Unlike other social media platforms, there is no cultivation to get started – you don’t need to follow anyone and you don’t need anyone to follow you. Just dive in and you’re deep into it. Creating content has a very low entry bar, almost everything you need is machine gunned at you, including songs, sounds and filters. Converting those into a video is a no-brainer. Interaction is a constant as hashtags,

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challenges, comments and responses fly at the speed of light. And that is how TikTok became the global holy grail of bite-sized entertainment.

India was one of its biggest markets, until the app got banned. Some other countries also have banned it or are looking to ban it. It’s pretty much doomed. While many reasons are given, it’s mostly its origin and its incredible success that has led to a very big target painted on its back. TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a new age Chinese Media AI company that is purportedly valued at $150 billion. The “Made in China” label and extraordinary success doesn’t sit well with many. Multiple TikTok alternatives have sprung up in India and worldwide, each wanting to wrestle away the crown. To each, I have one simple piece of advice. Give up, you’re dead already.

This may sound brutal, but is unfortunately true. There are two main problems. The first was the carefully constructed strategy that TikTok unleashed to build this incredible ecosystem. It was Machiavellian in approach and ruthless in execution. The second is the aftermath, a “Black Swan” virality that happened unaided – and is near impossible to replicate.

CREATOR CONSTRUCT TikTok understood that early adopters and non-stop content would determine future trajectory. TikTok spent serious money to recruit influencers, artists, singers and young models (it played the “good looks – good body” card that makes all visual social media successful), and paid them to get on to the platform. It announced huge sums of money to help them increase followers. A clear target was to help create 1,000 influencers with over a million followers in each country. That careful build-up hasn’t been done by any of the TikTok clones. It needs serious money (none of the Indian clones have that kind of funding, though MX TakaTak is spending somewhat aggressively) and planning (not one of the international biggies has even attempted this).

CONTENT BY ALL While the push to get people on to the platform was with influencers, the main objective was to make ordinary people stars. Topic marketing was literally invented by TikTok to get everyone to create content. Hashtags, daily challenges, trending subjects – these are doled out very cleverly and give people something to make videos about every day. And with the frictionless toolkit that makes video creating simple, millions take part. This is tough to replicate for others. The biggies have tried to embed short videos within their main platform, creating a horrible mishmash.

(For instance, Reels is lost within the Instagram glut.) All the standalones like Chingari, ShareChat, Mitron and Roposo have a very unsuccessful diluted copycat version embedded.

EVERYONE FOR EVERYONEArtificial Intelligence is at the core of TikTok. That breathless, dizzy and unrelenting stream of content that is churned out may seem random, but there are algorithms that determine what you will stick around to watch. Unlike other social media platforms that show you content by people you follow, TikTok wants you to discover new creators based on your past viewing behaviour. Thus, freshness and addictiveness is built in. It’s complex but cunningly accurate. Unfortunately, the User Interface for all clones is a sad reflection of what a rush job looks like. The UI is poorly made, difficult to negotiate and terribly glitchy. In the rush to get a TikTok killer out, they’ve pretty much killed themselves.

TIKTOK IS GLOBALAnd that helps with virality, numbers, content and reach. The problem with most of the Indian TikTok clones is that they are all trying the hyper-nationalistic and local language approach. That cuts numbers drastically and takes away a major chunk of their audience. Not ideal for creating a short video monster machine.

THERE ARE TOO MANY CLONESTikTok was the first short video platform to get it right. Thus, it got the lion’s share of creators and audience. With so many of them and each doing exactly the same thing, the number of creators on each platform is now distributed. Other than the initial euphoria of downloads and usage – the numbers are abysmal. Death knell for what they’re trying to achieve.

AND THEY ARE ALL JUST CLONESAnd therein lies the main rub. Nothing new has been attempted. Every single clone is just that, a poor cousin that brings nothing new to the table. Every aspect and every strategy is just a run-of-the-mill copy of what TikTok has done before. Thus with nothing new, it’s just 100 clones all aiming for a piece of the pie that already doesn’t want to be delivered to you.

With TikTok in the slammer and heading for further problems, what was needed was user-generated short video content but with a brand new twist. All we’ve got is regurgitated, semi-digested TikTok and that’s not pretty. As one of the challenges on TikTok once said, “It’s called #Originality – you should try it sometime.”


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OVERWith his new solo show You’re All Caught Up, visual artist Sameer Kulavoor talks to Nidhi Gupta about deploying his considerable skills with the paintbrush and keen eye for irony to reassess a turbulent world and the self in crisis

I t’s felt like there’s an apocalypse going on in my head,” says Sameer Kulavoor. Over a Zoom call from his studio in Mazgaon, the Mumbai-based artist is

musing on this end-times sentiment, familiar and disconcerting at once. “The early days of the lockdown were a big shock. First, there’s no human interaction, so one had to rely on smartphones and social media – and that, after resisting it for so long,” he grimaces.

“Then, you’re so used to the workings of the city, the pace of a place. But suddenly, all of it stops. Are things ever going to be fine, one wondered. While at the same time, we thought it would be over by July. That was the immediate reaction. Now, as an artist, I’m trying to get ready for a longer struggle. In all this time, painting has anchored me. It’s become a way to push past all that’s happening around me. It’s begun to feel therapeutic.”

At the top of the year, Kulavoor’s colourful human figures had come out in full force on the facade of India Art Fair’s tent, buckets and cycles in tow. Weeks after This Is Not A Still Life became an event of its own, he was “revisiting #AManOfTheCrowd from 2017 in the times of #COVID19” in an Instagram post. No one could have predicted this, but Kulavoor’s drone-view on this multitude of humans against a concrete grey landscape somehow foretold the social distancing we’re expected to maintain in 2020. IM

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The city had indeed shifted. And Kulavoor, an avid watcher of the urbanscape as it moves and drifts, felt displaced in a dissonant world. If his Instagram is a developing exhibit of his coming-to-terms with this dystopian reality – it’s a place where the crowds have dwindled, everyday objects are bent out of shape, city walls and scrap like discarded cigarette packets have stood in for paper and canvas – Kulavoor’s new solo show at Tarq, Mumbai will take you a bit further back in time.

You’re All Caught Up is a completely fresh body of work that the visual artist has worked on since his last solo show in 2017. With these, “I’m responding to whatever is going on around me. I’ve become a lot freer in the way I paint,” he says. This has translated into bigger canvases, a return to watercolours and greater flexibility in the subjects he meditates on. If he was previously preoccupied with the idea of why things look the way they look – such as the nature of Mumbai’s predilection for blue tarpaulin – in these artworks, perhaps there’s a shift in concern with why people behave the way they do.

“There are almost three parts to this show: smartphones and social media is one, the current politics is another and the third is our response to the pandemic,” he says, as he takes us on a virtual walkthrough of paintings that also double as a chronology of our turbulent times, but with his signature wry sense of humour. What links them? “They’re all strongly connected to the time they’ve been painted in. And, I guess, also with a certain humanness.” Here, Kulavoor relates the story behind some of our favourite artworks.

I LIKE IT. WHAT IS IT?“In late 2018-early 2019, I was working on the excessive use of social media in our lives, and, as a result, what social gatherings look like. My paintings were exploring the presence of a smartphone within that context. “I Like It. What Is It?” is a line from the very popular poster series by the graphic designer Anthony Burrill. I kind of made my own version of it. You see a group of people trying to capture something on a phone, but there is nothing there. Because these guys are in that act, there’s a second ring of people who want to document what they’re documenting. It’s like a chain reaction, but there’s nothing in the centre.”

THE MIGRANTS HAVE LEFT“I spent part of the lockdown in a secluded neighbourhood of Goa. Not too many people were out there, pretty much nothing was functioning. I started working on an idea around dysfunctionality. What does it take for things

or a city to be functioning – what is the meaning of infrastructure or everything we’ve built? Because we’ve never really seen a pandemic, we’ve always seen a city functioning at its peak, constantly moving, churning. It began with a few drawings of scissors that don’t work. That led to more thoughts on dysfunctionality, around space. Are our homes dysfunctioning? Are our offices? What about all these empty spaces as we shelter at home? So I drew an upside down house, or a house with a strange kind of staircase. Another house is sliced through, and yet another has no ceiling. It’s almost like a cityscape, a skyline for 2020.”

58“They say music is about time, art is about space. This is a self-portrait – it’s me in my studio, where it’s very hard for me to keep track of time. This can be viewed from any direction. You see me spotting an insect and taking pictures. You can see some of my older works in this painting. There are plenty of screens: I’m making a commentary on social media but I’m also complicit. I’m playing with the idea of ‘meta’ here. But 58 is also about ways of seeing – inspired by John Berger, it’s also about perspectives on perspective. Time is a bit warped here, but also realistic in some ways.”

(Right)Sameer KulavoorI LIKE IT. WHAT IS IT?, 2019Acrylic on Canvas 48x48 inches

(Top)Sameer KulavoorTHE MIGRANTS HAVE LEFT, 2020Acrylic on Canvas36x72 inches

(Opposite) Sameer Kulavoor58, 2019Acrylic on Canvas 72x36 inches


2020’s voice assistant speakers aren’t just getting smarter by the day, they’re also ready to fill up your room with excellent sound as they optimise your day-to-day

living – even if you don’t have a smart home to match just yet

HOMEPOD MINI For those who exist within the Apple universe, investing in a HomePod Mini is a no-brainer. A more affordable option

than the larger HomePod, it also fits seamlessly into your tech grid. It can take calls; pick up any song playing off Apple Music on your iPhone (if you bring the two close enough); pair with another HomePod for stereo sound; create an in-house intercom system. And it can do it all with excellent sound, a combination of top-of-the-line hardware, software

and design that allows for 360-degree sound radiating from the bottom of the speaker. Of course, there’s Siri, smarter than ever, who can identify multiple voices and knows who needs to listen to A World Of Calm every night.

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GOOGLE NEST AUDIO It’s widely acknowledged that Google Assistant is, at the moment, the most capable of all AI systems out there. Its powers are enhanced when sitting inside the Nest Audio, Google’s latest mid-range smart speaker, a great combination of sleek design (aluminium and magnesium inside that classic fabric wrap), great sound (coming off a 75mm woofer and a 19mm tweeter) and an assistant that can summon a lot of the World Wide Web’s knowledge at command. Available in five colours, it is a stationary device, but can deliver the boom if you pair with a second one: big crisp stereo sound that’s perfect for your year-end (and socially distanced) house party. 7̀,999

AMAZON ECHO (2020)Amazon’s trusty Echo gets a radical design upgrade – it looks like a bowling ball now, with a colour ring at the bottom that gives it an ethereal quality. Alexa is still built into the cloud and diligently acquiring new skills – 30,000 and counting, which includes paying your bills. The 4th-gen Echo gives it the audio output to match, with a 76.2mm woofer and two 20mm tweeters. The Alexa app is compatible with Fire OS, Android and iOS devices, can stream music from pretty much every platform out there, and is ready to voice control your home – when you are. 9̀,999

MI SMART SPEAKER Bigger doesn’t always mean better; but a 63.5mm driver with a 12W output and two built-in mics are good enough reasons to make it large. MI’s first smart speaker is powered by Google Assistant and sports a beautiful ring at the top that indicates when the speaker is listening. It isn’t the most portable device around – with no built-in battery, it needs to be plugged into a socket – but at this price, you might want to get a couple at a time and transform your den into a rock arena. 3̀,999

BUYING GUIDEThings to keep in mind while buying a smart speakerBUDGET AND FUNCTIONS: On the lower end of the price spectrum exist devices that offer the functionality of an AI assistant with basic sound: Useful if you’re in the market for something simple that’ll make your shopping lists and tell you the weather. On the higher end are devices that come with screens (Google Nest Hub could be a karaoke machine) and incredible sound (Sonos and Bose also make devices that offer access to multiple voice assistants) that can replace your home theatre sound bars. AI: While most smart speakers pair with multiple operating systems and devices, for a seamless experience, it’s best to stick to the AI system that compliments the majority of your gadgets. Siri in particular is great if you run on iPads and MacBooks; Alexa is exceptionally useful if you shop off Amazon a lot; and Google Assistant is an Android loyalist’s perfect wingman. PRIVACY: Usually smart speakers tune in only after you drop the wake word – “Alexa”, “Hey Google”, “Hey Siri” – but all smart speakers record your commands. Google Nest Audio sports a button to mute the mic. Alexa allows you to erase previous commands. Apple says it doesn’t associate requests with a user’s personal ID and does not sell information to advertisers.

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Joe Holder explains how true wellness is about helping other people in your community to be well too – for the long haul

WHAT YOU REALLYSHOULD BE BUILDING IS

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e generally think of wellness as a bunch of stuff we do as individuals. It’s self-care, right? What does running a 10K or getting eight hours

of sleep have to do with anyone but yourself? I’d argue, however, that it’s time we start thinking

about health and wellness as something more communal – a set of commitments that can actually be a force for collective action and positive social impact. That’s never been easier to understand than it has this year, when the pandemic has made global inequalities, particularly around health and well-being, harder to ignore than ever. If social justice is about creating a more equitable distribution of rights and opportunities, how could that not include the right to good food, good health and good living? And if you’re living well, you have a responsibility to help others live well too.

If you’re thinking, “Dude, I’m just not really into politics”, I’ve got bad news: Your life is inherently political. What you eat, where you work out, the brands you wear – none of these choices are neutral. I understand that might be uncomfortable to hear. But that doesn’t mean it should scare you. In fact, it should give you hope. Because your wellness can be a form of activism. I’m passionate about creating what I call “intergenerational health”, and that comes from addressing the structural and systemic disadvantages within ecosystems so that more people can thrive in the long haul.

The first thing we need to realise and accept is that no one is self-made. You can’t demonise others for appearing unhealthy. People are ultimately products of their environment, and if you’re placed in an environment where you’re just trying to get by, it’s going to be hard to flourish. I’m in shape, but it’s not because I’m some kind of freak of nature – I’m privileged to have a life that allows me to eat well and move my body. But if you’re in a situation where your basic needs aren’t met, you don’t have a lot of time to sit back and think, “How can I design my environment so that I can be healthy and well?”

You hear a lot of talk about the racial wealth gap in the United States, but there’s also a huge health gap. One of the reasons Black and Latinx people (and the less privileged in India) are so disproportionately affected by Covid-19 is their environments. Racist and discriminatory health and housing policies have made it so that these populations have less access to high-quality and preventative health care, to parks and other green spaces, to good supermarkets, to gyms and recreational facilities. They’re more likely to be subjected to noise and air pollution, and to live in crowded environments – all things that put a body under constant stress, especially during a pandemic. That’s a wellness problem, and it’s all interconnected.

WELLNESS MEANS BUILDING COMMUNITYIf you have the luxury to take care of yourself and are doing so – exercising regularly, eating right, being mindful – you’re on your way toward moving beyond self-care.

I want your wellness practice to give you energy to help others, to wake you up to the world, to ask why things are the way they are.

Let’s use food scarcity as an example. Say I’m enjoying an apple after a workout. Riding that wave of post-workout clarity, I wonder: Why doesn’t everybody have access to fresh fruits?

I dig a little deeper and find out that where I live in New York City, poor neighbourhoods often lack access to fresh, locally sourced food. So maybe then I volunteer somewhere that has a food bank that helps distribute fruits and vegetables to the community and use my platform to solicit more volunteers. It might not feel like much in the moment, but in the aggregate these acts of service add up. So ask yourself: What is it that I care about? How can I use my own skills and expertise to help those around me?

There are psychological rewards here as well. A recent long-term study of 70,000 people in the UK showed that volunteering improves your mental health – participants likened their service work to having an extra lakh in the bank.

For Instagram influencers hoping to build clout, wellness can often be a selfish act. But for those who aren’t given the luxury of good health, wellness is an act of revolution: It’s taking care of yourself in a society and country that won’t. This is why some of the most influential social justice movements have included wellness initiatives.

As an example, in 1969, the Black Panthers launched a programme in Oakland to provide free, nutritious meals for kids living in underserved communities who didn’t have access to healthy (or any) food. It ended up feeding tens of thousands of kids in more than 20 cities, and many people believe it was the Panthers’ efforts that ultimately helped shape the federally funded breakfast programmes that feed more than 14 million kids in the United States today. It’s not just that those kids now have food; it’s that the energy they would have spent securing a meal can be used toward creativity. And innovation. And yes, even activism.

That’s how I believe we build intergenerational health that impacts not just ourselves but our communities, especially the children of the people in our communities. If we can change the environment in which someone lives – giving them access to clean water, nourishing food, proper medical access – and we make wellness available to all, we can change the future. It starts with you and expands outward. P

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This year’s had its share of challenges, but there have been positives, too. Perhaps its greatest gift has been the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. With a mind-boggling foldable design and

a revolutionary Flex mode, this nifty smartphone is bending the boundaries of our imagination

THE FUTURE IS IN THE FOLD

S uffice it to say, this year has been a rollercoaster; but, in a surprising plus, 2020 has pushed us to change the

way we interact. Over the course of the year, we’ve gotten increasingly inventive with technology, experimenting with cool ways to stay in touch and celebrate special moments with loved ones despite the distance. In fact, you could say that 2020’s greatest gift to us has been the way it has propelled us to get creative with our smartphones to stay connected like never before. And, adding an exciting new dimension to our renewed relationship with technology is Samsung’s savviest smartphone yet – the Galaxy Z Flip.

As we’ve grappled to stay connected with friends and family, many of us have resorted to

“I’m feeling the fact that it’s a flip phone; I’ve been missing that feeling of whipping my phone out and flipping it up to shout out at someone since school times – it’s very nostalgic and very stylish.” AJ TRACEY, RAPPER

“It’s incredible to have a phone that makes it so easy to talk about my work and get it out there to people.”

HARRIS REED, FASHION DESIGNER


“I’m actually obsessed with it. The folding

glass really blows my mind. It’s an incredible

engineering feat.”RINA, SINGER

showing our love for them via video message, if only because it helps us communicate seamlessly, in real time. And, spotlighting this lesson in creative collaboration are British rapper AJ Tracey and actor Jess Alexander in Samsung’s � lm, The Greatest Gift.

Released just last month, the � lm pushes the limits of the imagination, with AJ, Jess, and a power-packed cast of Vogue and GQ talent, including fashion designer Harris Reed and pop sensation Rina Sawayama, using the Galaxy Z Flip to surprise their friends with a special video gift. Aiding them in effortlessly creating and connecting, the physics-defying smartphone executes each of their entertaining efforts with ease, highlighting just what this foldable beauty is capable of.

Ask Jess what impresses her most about the Galaxy Z Flip, and she’s quick to tell you that it’s the phone’s compact square micro design, which is a nostalgic nod to the iconic � ip phones of the ’00s. But, she reveals that it’s the � exible Hideaway Hinge that allows the phone to stand on its own and makes it “a lot less � ddly than other phones” that really

“We love it. The colour palette is amazing and so unique. It’s

the perfect accessory to complete our look.”

CHECKING INVOICES, ANONYMOUS DUO

makes the device stand a class apart. Hands-free video calling? Check. Taking sel� es from previously unimaginable angles? Check. The ability to simultaneously view content on the top half of the display whilst controlling it from the bottom half? Also check! With its unique take on smartphone technology, the Galaxy Z Flip is rede� ning the way you interact with others by letting you focus on what really matters.

So, regardless of whether you’re curating your personal show of appreciation for someone special or just looking to stay connected with the world at large with incomparable ease, the Galaxy Z Flip promises to take your smartphone experience to the next level. It really is the gift that keeps on giving.

S P E C I A L F E A T U R E

“I love the design. It means the screen’s protected and I can actually fit my phone into my

handbags and my pockets.” JESS ALEXANDER, ACTOR


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THE IT BAG

DIOR MEN SADDLE BAGWith the current obsession for all things 1990s, there’s no better accessory than this iconic bag. For a street style geek, we recommend this latest edition in the meticulously perforated Oblique Galaxy Leather. The contemporary silhouette, coupled with a subtle shade of beige and metallic hardware, promises to make a statement. Price on Request

It’s that time of year when everyone looks forward to a gift or two, something to take into the new year. So, if you’re one of the late risers who is yet to complete shopping for presents, we’re back with our curated list of 30 suggestions, which will help you to not resort to the very predictable, last-minute gift cards. It’s extensive and across categories, and you’re sure to find something for everyone

BEST FOOT FORWARD

BURBERRY ARTHUR SNEAKERSA must-have for any sneakerhead, the fine balance of smartly placed mesh, nylon and nubuck panels makes it one hell of a cocktail for the feet. Its bulky yet compact shape along with the striking colourway makes it stand out in a crowd without a doubt. So if you are considering gifting a pair of kicks, this is the one. `64,400

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TIMELESS STYLE

HERMÈS KELLY BRIEFCASEOne of the most recognisable and talked about bags ever created, the men’s version is nothing but equal parts charming and sleek. Constructed in high quality Epsom calfskin and featuring the iconic clasp and bevelled edges, this briefcase has an understated yet extremely polished look great for daily use too. For the one who always loves to look like a boss.Price on Request

LOOK MAKER

CUTLER AND GROSSSUNGLASSESThis is for that one friend who can never have enough sunglasses. The extremely modern rectangular frame in a contrasting deep red and black combination is nothing but a “runway to Instagram” goodie. And if you’re wondering how your buddy would pull it off, this thick framed statement eyewear is just what one needs to amp up that all-black outfit. Cheers! `32,000 (Available at Sterling Optics)

FRIEND FOREVER

POLO RALPH LAUREN LEATHER BOMBER JACKETArguably, an “ideal” gift is something that serves a purpose and lasts a lifetime. So, if that’s what you are looking for, this is quite an impressive choice. If the deliberate vintage finish and collar didn’t do enough for you, old school patches and flap pockets are added to create a masterpiece. Gift yourself this and you might not ever have to think beyond a white shirt, blue jeans and boots to rock with it. Price on Request

SUBTLE STATEMENT

FRED PERRY X RAF SIMONS POLO T-SHIRT Collaborative collections always bring out the unexpected. Take this limited edition piece designed with Belgian designer Raf Simons, for example – the strong choice of colour combinations, clever placement of colour blocking stripes and the logo makes for a unique gifting number. It’s also a safe choice for the ones who love just the right amount of details in their fits without sacrificing on style for casual avatars.`9,500 (Available at The Collective)

BEST THROWBACK GUCCI

EPILOGUE COLLECTION PORTFOLIOThis isn’t just a fantastic accessory but something that

brings back childhood memories of days spent watching Donald Duck. Made with the classic GG Supreme base and

complementing leather and golden details, it’s a one step guide to looking dapper with the least amount of effort. We

cannot recommend this thoughtful gift enough. Price on RequestW

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LIFE GOALS

APPLE WATCH SERIES 6With a built-in blood oxygen level indicator being added to an already impressive list of health-related features, the Apple Watch has taken another enormous leap as a wellness device. The Series 6 isn’t drastically different from its predecessor, but it gets a host of new colours, a solo loop strap and is 20 per cent faster. Being health conscious is no longer the domain of the middle-aged and the elderly, and that’s what broadens its appeal. This wearable monitoring device is truly a watch for our times. `40,900

NATUR AL MOVEMENTS

AUDEMARS PIGUET [RE]MASTER01 SELF-WINDING CHRONOGRAPHA vintage-era inspired chronograph from Audemars Piguet that isn’t a Royal Oak is a sign that the times are truly changing. This one rides on the coat-tails of the Code 11.59 Self-Winding Chronograph, and is exquisitely traditional in its appeal. It’s got an 18k pink gold case, with art deco inspired numerals, chamfered crown and the original 1940s AP logo. Suffice it to say that with only 500 pieces in the world, it’s a gift fit for only the most special. You’d have to attain sainthood before Santa considers this for you. `39,30,000 (plus taxes)

GAME ON

XBOX SERIES XNothing quite like the newest, buzziest gaming console to bring the holiday cheer. Microsoft’s latest upgrade is a powerful piece of hardware. It’s super fast, very quiet and looks fittingly like a portal to futuristic, fantastical realms. It comes with 1TB internal storage, supports 4K/60fps gameplay and Dolby Vision and Atmos. Spring for the Xbox Game Pass subscription as well, which means an automatic EA Play membership.`49,990

POWER SOUND

SENNHEISERCX 400BT Here’s a pair of wireless earphones that the audiophile in your crew will truly appreciate. Powered by the German company’s legendary engineering, the relatively affordable CX 400BT allows for custom EQ settings, offers reliable touch controls, a solid seven hours of battery life and is an absolute winner on sound. There is no active noise cancellation, but that absence may not rankle until we return to our big noisy offices. `16,990

CLASSIC ELEGANCE

LONGINES MASTER COLLECTION

CHRONOGRAPH WITH MOONPHASE This is one of those classically designed watches that

don’t have to try too hard to stand out. It values legibility over ostentation, so there are no reflective surfaces and

no superfluous design flourishes. With its tool-watch-meets-dress-watch vibe, it is aimed at the professorial

lot among us. Works best with a tweed jacket. `2,40,000 (plus taxes)

RISK TAKER

MONTBLANC 1858 GEOSPHERE For those who claim to prefer “mountains over beaches”, Montblanc has refurbished one of its best world timers giving it a much lighter titanium case. A blue gradient dial along with blue ceramic bezel inserts go a long way in distinguishing it from its past iterations. They also help in diversifying its role, particularly as a dress watch for the hyper adventurous. `3,90,000

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REVOLUTIONARY

HERO LECTRO C3i 26 SS Combining electric power with pedal power ought to brighten up a halo like nothing else. The Lectro C3i 26 SS might sound like a predator drone, but its 36 volt lithium-ion battery is just powerful enough to propel you in whichever direction you want to go for over 25km. The pedals are power-assisted and there’s a throttle, just like a motorcycle, so it doesn’t physically strain you or your loins at any point. The ideal combination of healthy and practical transport. `32,499

NEXT LEVEL

SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FLIPWith a touch display that bends, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip is a delightful smartphone where the past and future meet. It doesn’t just look like a premium device: Running on Snapdragon 855 Plus, a 3,300mAh battery and 8GB RAM, it also boasts a dual 12MP camera on the back, 256GB storage and 6.7-inch OLED screen. A pretty great style flex for the new year. Available in Mirror Gold, Mirror Purple and Mirror Black at ̀ 1,08,999

ARTISTIC EFFECTS

GOPRO HERO9 BLACKA monster device for its size, it fits a 23.6MP sensor, offers more battery life and boasts an additional front colour display. But the real magic is in its software – features like Hypersmooth 3.0, Horizon Leveling, a Hindsight mode for action videos make this camera as good for a skydiving adventure as for your bestie’s (socially distanced) wedding party. Best of all, it offers the possibility of grabbing hi-res shots from 5K video: more action, less decisions. `49,500

ON DISPLAY

ONEPLUS TV Y SERIES 43INCHNo matter how many screens you’ve got, the TV remains indispensable. OnePlus’ Y Series is a great option, especially the 43-inch variant. It comes with a Full HD display, DCI-P3 colour gamut and Dual 10W speakers with Dolby Audio. It runs on the Android 9 TV platform (topped by Oxygen Play and Data Saver) and supports Chromecast, OnePlus connect app and Google Assistant. The no-frills smart TV upgrade that fits your sheltering-at-home needs. `24,999

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THOMAS FUCHS CREATIVEBLAZE BARWARE CHAMPAGNE COOLERHave a friend who loves to play bartender? A cocktail shaker might be the most obvious choice, but we urge you to look at the other less-popular member of the barware family: the champagne cooler. This multicoloured ombre stainless steel ware will keep the drink at the desired temperature, as well as make a statement, all at once. Happy drinking. `5,136

PR ACTICAL LUXURY

IKKA DUKKAATLAS WHISKY DECANTERA decanter is a bar essential; but looks matter as much as functionality, since it’s also meant to be displayed. So pick one that makes for an impressive piece of decor and is also easy to use. This crystal decanter is accentuated with the world map in gold and is designed by the famous Portuguese brand Vista Alegre. Just saying.`19,660

INSPIRED DESIGNS

ROOSHAD SHROFF FORDITE BELLY BENCHA bespoke bench that’s handcrafted out of recycled Burma teakwood and inspired by the vivid patterns of the Fordite stone, it’s the seating option you didn’t know you needed. Especially in corners you didn’t think necessary. The one thing you need to keep in mind before purchasing is the size – it’s six feet-long.`2,25,000

FLIP THROUGH

BILL CUNNINGHAM:ON THE STREET: FIVE DECADES OF ICONIC PHOTOGRAPHYFor a simple gift for your best friend’s new home, we suggest this coffee table book on street style. It isn’t just a bunch of tastefully curated imagery, but also a chronicle of the evolution of fashion and fashion photography over a period of half a century, all from the streets of New York. An inspiring vision of an artist and his passion, it’s a must-have for those who love fashion and photography. `2,900

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FOR THE LOVE OF DOG

BENT CHAIR PUG BOOKENDSKnow a bibliophile who also loves dogs? Here’s your chance to gift them something personal but quirky at the same time. It could also serve well with a few books that need organising, or maybe they just need to be stacked in style. For those of you thinking that it looks like a small gift, trust us when we say it’s sturdy enough for heavy, large-formatted books.`3,716

ART ATTACK

THE HOUSE OF THINGS LOOK AT THE TIME: FUTURE BY TUDA MUDAWith the kind of year we’ve just had, the hope that the future will be better is high on everyone’s mind. Echoing a similar feeling is this artwork about the always consistent and loyal sky that’s full of possibilities. This acrylic on round canvas will make for a colourful addition to any space and is a definite front-runner on our guide.`11,160

CONVERSATION STARTERS

JAQUAR LIGHTING FLOOR LAMP

We’ve always said that lighting can make or break the look of the room; but it’s not just about the “light” that it throws. It’s also about the aesthetic appeal it adds

even when not in use. A floor lamp is the easiest way to glamourise a space – well, a chandelier is the easiest way, but gifting a floor lamp is more practical. So

pick something like this one that also exudes a studio-like vibe.`77,900

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TIME-HONOURED CLASSIC

CHIVAS REGAL 18 YEAR OLD2021 is slated to be the year of the blend, and what better way to punctuate that than with the OG that was always ahead of its time – the sumptuous, layered Chivas 18. Marked on the whisky map for its famous “85 flavour notes in every drop”, the rich usquebaugh with sweet-floral notes has been an ardent favourite for generations. You can’t go wrong with a classic. `12,000

THE JAPANESE EDIT

THE YAMAZAKI® DISTILLER’S RESERVEA Japanese whisky makes for a fantastic gift for a connoisseur who understands its nuances, and Suntory’s flagship single malt whisky is the best place to start. This delicate, tempered expression finds its roots in Japan’s first (and oldest) malt distillery. It has a flavour profile of fruit and Mizunara, with a hint of coconut on the palate and a sweet vanilla finish. If you’re looking for a gift for someone whose home bar could do with some range, this is a solid choice. `20,000

THE FRENCH VINO

EARLY DARK RÉSERVE RANGEA great bottle of wine is never not appreciated, and we’re partial to this collection of new age French wines – a trio created at Vignobles Arbeau in the South of France. The two reds are both gorgeous winter wines: the rich, dark Château Coutinel and the Géraud Arbeau, a Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon blend. And are the perfect dinner party accompaniments.`1,652 onwards

SKINCARE SAVIOUR

INNISFREE JEJU ORCHID ENRICHED CREAMThe most popular range from this Korean beauty brand since its iconic Green Tea, this lavender jar is a masterclass in moisturising. The contents are rife with Jeju Island orchids and green beans, a hydrating super-combo. An excellent present for someone looking for a great anti-aging product. `2,000

POWER FR AGR ANCE

GUERLAIN L’HOMME IDEAL INTENSE EAU DE PARFUMScent is something one doesn’t buy very often, so to give someone a present they’ll never forget, you know the drill. With notes of chilli, cardamom, Bulgarian rose and patchouli, and anchored by the intoxicating notes of tonka, this perfume is indeed, as the name suggests, intense. The powerful black bottle that holds it will also make an impact when unwrapped. `10,250

TR AVEL SET

THE MAN COMPANYTHE CHARCOAL GANGNothing has gift badge value quite like a complete grooming set. This activated charcoal-based range combines the holding ingredient with tempering ones like lemongrass, black pepper, peppermint and ylang ylang. You’ll find a shampoo, body wash, face scrub, face wash, soap and cleansing gel in the mix; which means the recipient is completely sorted. `2,695


With the country steadily easing restrictions, and with festivities filling the air, it’s fair to say that we’re longing to experience life’s simple joys again; and nothing quite compares to being able to relive a quintessential in-restaurant dining experience. Offering up an exciting new culinary adventure in the country’s capital – albeit in safe, hygienic environs – is Hyatt Regency Delhi’s latest dining venue, Syrah.

Inspired by the former Iranian capital of Shiraz, Syrah brings the intense flavours and beguiling aromas of Levantine cuisine to your plate. Designed by Dubai-based interior designer Michelle Evans, Syrah’s welcoming interiors, bathed in shades of Mediterranean blue, will instantly

transport you to the famed bazaars and coffee houses of the Middle East. A well-stacked spice wall infuses the air with a captivating blend of aromas while a striking colour-changing roof adds an element of drama. Add to that a live kitchen where skilled chefs whip up meals right before your eyes, and you’re all set to end this year with full hearts and fuller bellies.

Speaking about chefs… In an effort to treat your palate to the most authentic Mediterranean flavours, Syrah is helmed by phenomenal Syrian chef duo Mohamed Hussein Ibrahim Kasem and Abdelkarim Kurdi, both of whom bring with them years of culinary experience. Together, they weave their magic to

immerse you in a one-of-a-kind gastronomic experience with typical Levantine preparations – popularly referred to as Bilad al-Sham and Mashriq in Arabic – that will take you on

Cap 2020 on a cheerful note by reliving an authentic in-restaurant experience at Hyatt Regency Delhi’s latest dining venue, Syrah. Offering an array of gastronomic preparations inspired by the intense flavours of the Levant, this chic space promises to indulge and excite your palate, in equal measure

OF MEDITERRANEAN FLAVOURS AND CULINARY CAPERS

a culinary journey across Syria, Israel, Palestine, and Jordan. While you will find a plethora of grilled meat dishes on Syrah’s menu, the emphasis lies on healthy, carb-free yet flavourful offerings that incorporate fresh imported produce and spices. Savour a selection of refreshing salads, relish delightful vegan bowls, or feast on an elaborate mezze platter.

That’s not all. To keep things interesting, Syrah also organises fun masterclasses with the chefs as well as consults with an expert dietician in a bid to position itself as a progressive space that offers a unique culinary experience, through the day and into the night.

Syrah, Hyatt Regency Delhi. Open Wednesday to Saturday – Dinner 1900 to 2330 hours. For more information, call +91 8130681104

INDIA

THEULTIMATEWISHLISTALL THE GIFTS & GEAR YOU NEED

THE MUSICAL GENIUS OF MALUMA

THERESURGENCEABHISHEK BACHCHAN

PLUS

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LAYER UPIt’s that time of the year again when statement coats and warmer knits replace your

lightweight pieces. From Bottega Veneta’s tailored-to-perfection, practical wool coat and Dior’s heavy-knit sweaters (Tip: Wear it with opera gloves and sleeves rolled up) to Louis Vuitton’s structured outerwear in hot pink and Hermès’ sporty yet comfortable take on

knits – we round up hero pieces that’ll see you through.

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The hottest accessories right now to fashionably bring in the new year

T hink of this as the perfect addition to your travel gear and not just a great investment

BELT BAG BY ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA, `95,000

CROSSBODY BAG BY BURBERRY, `1,05,200

BAG BY HERMÈS, PRICE ON REQUEST

Your bag can be the highlight or blend in with

your outfit. Let your mood of the day

take that call

Nothing completes a look better than a sharp bag. Whatever your personality might be, we’ve got you covered

BACKPACK BY CANALI, PRICE ON REQUEST

BELT BAG BY FENDI, `1,93,000

BAG BY GUCCI, PRICE ON REQUEST

BAG BY PRADA,

PRICE ON REQUEST

BAG BY CHRISTIAN

LOUBOUTIN, `1,09,000

BELT BAG BY BOSS, PRICE ON REQUEST

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It’'s time for the superstar in you to take the front seat with this chunky piece

of jewelleryRING BY LOUIS

VUITTON, `4,25,000

NECK CHAIN BY VERSACE, `1,60,600

From minimal, delicate pieces to the experimental maximalist ones, these baubles will serve as the ultimate accompaniment to your look

CUFFLINKS BY ANMOL JEWELLERS, `2,60,000

NECK CHAIN BY ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, PRICE ON REQUEST

BRACELET BY FOREVERMARK, PRICE ON REQUEST

RING BY CARATLANE, `56,100

BRACELET BY MEN OF PLATINUM BY PGI, PRICE ON REQUEST

Serious hypeTHE


Swap your classic leather pieces with these smart, sleek versions to make a statement

T he accessory you didn't know

you needed: a hanging phone case

PHONE CASE BY LOUIS VUITTON, `3,33,000

WALLET BY BOTTEGA VENETA, `55,000

PORTFOLIO BY DIOR MEN, PRICE ON REQUEST

WALLET BY CANALI, PRICE ON REQUEST

BELT BY SALVATORE FERRAGAMO, PRICE ON REQUEST

CARDHOLDER BY POLO RALPH LAUREN, `10,000

WALLET BY HACKETT LONDON, `9,500

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A delicious combination of loud and proud fashion, exceptional quality and bona fide sustainability that Gucci has managed to hit with Off The Grid

Your style preference may point towards Gucci’s eccentric and vivid wares, sneakers and accessories with a very visible logo. Or maybe, it leans towards the Italian house’s understated, top-class tailoring and leather goods

carrying the explicit Horsebit. But, what if you could enjoy the sheer amplitude of Gucci’s gamut with a conscious mind and incredibly necessary retail practice, thanks to unadulterated sustainability thrown into

the mix? That’s where Gucci Off The Grid really sits: Everything you need for premium, kickass, consummate style that is designed at the best level and with incredible astuteness for a better environmental impact.

Here’s the hard truth: Fashion can be scary as it is desirable. The industry’s frightening 10 per cent carbon emission, 1.5 trillion litres of annual water waste and heavy chemical waste are just some of the few statistics of fast fashion contributing to the largest global pollution chain. Gucci’s Off The Grid collection, one that


will be an ongoing process – from the brand’s Circular Lines for the house’s vision of globally sustainable production and circulation – ticks all the right boxes to reverse what is so very urgently required with unmatched quality. Let’s just start with the basic use of recycled, organic, bio-based and conscientiously sourced fabrics incorporated into each element in the first collection. First up, nylon, the most harmful of them all. Gucci, who in 2016 was the first luxury fashion brand to begin injecting recycled ECONYL® – taking pre- and post-consumer waste, abandoned fishing nets, old carpets, plastic harming marine life, and turning it into perfect yarn – goes full power in using it 100 per cent this time round in every ready-to-wear garment, shoe and accessory. Then comes polyester, what we all so aggressively shop online for the minute we see a sale. Off The Grid uses it as solvent-free adhesives and recycled versions from PET bottles, topping it off with metal-free tanned leather, recycled brass, environment-friendly linings and zips, gold and palladium hardware, next level organic cotton and handcrafted embroidery.

Before you get scared of the excessive sustainability chatter doing the rounds (there’s a good reason for it), here’s where the Italian mega house’s Herculean fashion might really stands and jumps in: What you’re using correctly on the best possible level of luxury doesn’t for a moment step away from all things Gucci in the era of Artistic Director Alessandro Michele. Whether it’s Jane Fonda or Lil Nas X, among the many diverse celebrities fronting the genderless line and campaign,

or the products themselves. Take your pick: Shiny, vivid bags in orange and yellow or black? All crafted so light, including backpacks, besides belted, shoulder and tote styles, to take on your next road trip or trail. Bucket hats and baseball caps are a must add. If you’re looking for a pair of sneakers, there’s the Gucci Tennis 1977 genderless style in low and high-top formats with, of course, the textured GG motif and the signature web stripe in green-red-green or blue-red-blue. The high-top stamped with the number 77. Ready-to-wear has an arsenal of products to handpick in orange and black that women can also wear – if you can manage to be permissive to share with your partner or friend. This equally includes unlined sportswear blousons and light-as-good-air hoodies or unhooded versions to set off with sporty stirupp pants. Comfort like you’ve never slipped into.

Through this unprecedented year, nothing has taught us more than to enjoy and appreciate the luxury of nature, escapism, our wild imaginations and peace. Obviously, equally coupled with crazy chocolate cravings, bad days, mental duress, binge-watching and what-the-hell shoutouts. It’s this contrast that makes us all who we are and what unites us unequivocally as human beings. But, it has also brought within us the empathy and sensitivity to value the person in front of us and respect nature all around – whether it’s the alarming increase of bad air quality again, or shopping for things you seriously don’t need. PS: The secondhand clothing industry is predicted to be valued at $64 billion by 2024. Whatever it is you expect of the next person, fight hard to exercise goodness first. The process starts with you.

Luckily, there’s already been a happy rise of consumer demand for sustainable practices, especially fashion. And, Gucci’s marching forward with giant strides to ensure you know just where to look. That is, of course, inimitably without compromising on quality, inexhaustible sustainablity and unbeatable style.

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KUNAL RAWALWhat is your most prized possession?I think it would be my rings, because each of them holds a different memory. Most of them are one of a kind and customised. They feel like a part of me, like an extension of my fingers. I wear them from the minute I wake up till I go to sleep. The balance and weight of my hand feels off even if one of them is missing. I have one that is chunky gunmetal and white gold, customised on one of my trips, another one that has longitude and latitude coordinates engraved on it from a special time, one with the chemical code engraving and one inspired from Roman armour work. These might not be my most expensive possessions, but definitely are my most prized items when it comes to luxury.

STEP FORWARD

F R E S H TA K E

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TARUN TAHILIANIHow important is social media today in the luxury business?Social media has become one of the most integral tools; through the pandemic, it was the only communication tool that businesses had with customers. Many do not want to come to the stores just yet, and even if they did, they will not have the same experience because they are masked, a little stressed and there is always an associated risk. A lot of decisions have been taken through the spread of imagery and information on social media and this is a very important aspect of this age we live in. So you can tell your story, you can communicate price, colourways and impression, and you can also put them out on the same forum as the other brands.

Fashion has made a move on to social media, shopping has moved on to social media; so anyone who thinks it’s not important is crazy. It’s the single most important thing right now and should be done with great care, attention to detail and integrity.

As we head towards the new year, menswear mavens share with us their

thoughts on the concept of luxury in today’s times – what has changed and

what needs to be rewritten

GAURAV GUPTA

According to you, how have Indian men evolved as consumers of luxury fashion?I think over the

past few years, especially since we launched our menswear line, I’ve seen a big difference in the consumption of luxury fashion among Indian men around the globe. They are now extremely confident and ready to experiment. Today, they automatically incline towards sharp embroidered tuxedos, sculpted accents, flamboyant motifs and unusual colours. I’ve been very pleasantly surprised to see this! In retrospect, there weren’t enough options for them to explore in the past and even when we were designing our first-ever menswear collection, we identified the gap. This is why we were certain that the brand’s philosophy of contemporising a traditional silhouette should reflect in menswear seamlessly. The overwhelming response only reinstated the fact that Indian men are willing to experiment, step out of their comfort zone and discover newer facets to their personality – fashion tends to do that.

KAUSHIK VELENDRAHow do you incorporate the idea of “Indian luxury” in your work?I wouldn’t call it Indian luxury, but Indian craftsmanship and skills, which is the core of my work and myself. I work with artisans from India, my home country, to apply beading, sequins and other finishes to my pieces. Even the power shoulders in my garments made from heat-blasted felt, a material I’ve

learned to control and understand, links back to my days of moulding and selling candles on the streets of India. I was embarrassed to tell anyone I did that, but today I’m proud because it’s helped shape my technique. I want to break down Indian stereotypes. I want to show how there is so much more to being an Indian, outside of the culture, the colours and the festivals. I’m trying to show a whole new dimension of what Indian craftsmanship can look like. It doesn’t have to be colourful like the Holi and Diwali festivals. Of course, that’s my culture, but I want to show we can be international without the clichés.


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KARAN TORANIAccording to you, how has the pandemic impacted the concept of luxury?If anything, the impact of the pandemic in a slow but certainly more serious way has brought back the attention to luxury, handmade and sustainability. Realising what our money is worth, the need to invest in products that last longer and speak of a certain value system has become a must. It’s no longer just about the quality of the product (which is a given with luxury products), but the merit and ethos of a brand’s foundation that matters to the consumer. What you stand for, and how you communicate that, also matters.

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Hermès Horizons challenges you to dream and then brings that dream to life

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Every so often, Axel de Beaufort gets a request from one of the Hermès stores around the world to check if his team could perhaps custom-make a product for a client. Most of these requests are for custom bags for specific use, while some others are tad less conventional, though not entirely out of Hermès’ scope of work – say customising a private aircraft or a yacht. Then, there are some requests that you imagine make him sit up. Like, what would it take to create an Hermès cabana… In the trees?

de Beaufort is the design and engineering director of Hermès Horizons, the exclusive atelier where all kinds of luxury fantasies are brought to life. But no matter what the object may be – a pair of bespoke boxing gloves or a fishing rod – the principle behind each creation remains largely unchanged. “We have to understand the why of each project,” de Beaufort says. “In some cases it can be straightforward, but at other times, we have to get to know the client at a deeper level before proposing a design. Once we get the green light, we develop everything for the object in-house – including the leather and the smallest metal clasps – as we try to use elements on shelves when we can. We also aim to develop new know-how and techniques.”

Recent additions to the list of Hermès Horizons’ bespoke objects include a boombox, a jukebox and a vinyl bag. The boombox is a portable vinyl turntable integrated with a high performance audio system, whereas the jukebox is crafted in a marquetry of swift and calf leather, features six speakers and has a capacity to hold ten vinyl records. Completing this mini collection’s homage to all things retro cool, is a vinyl bag – colourful, chic and capable of holding up to 15 LPs.

“For the jukebox, we worked with multiple partners, including someone who runs the

last jukebox-making factory in Europe; sound engineers who advised on what fabric we should develop, or how we should develop the sound level we aimed to reach; and we worked with an artist who added unique details (like the little lad surfing on the tone arm),” de Beaufort says. “The boombox is inspired from a special order that never went through. But since we had a lot of fun designing it, we had kept the design in my office and pulled it out and tweaked it when we created this music collection.”

Music has increasingly been part of Hermès’ whimsy. In 2018, the Silk Mix installation reimagined the men’s silk scarf artwork as vinyl covers and tie designs as cassette tape covers, setting them to music. “We aren’t turning sound engineers,” de Beaufort says. “But we will hopefully continue to do something joyful and exclusive around sound-related objects.”

RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE LIST OF HERMÈS HORIZONS’ BESPOKE OBJECTS INCLUDE A BOOMBOX, A JUKEBOX AND A VINYL BAG. THE BOOMBOX IS A PORTABLE VINYL TURNTABLE INTEGRATED WITH A HIGH PERFORMANCE AUDIO SYSTEM, WHEREAS THE JUKEBOX FEATURES SIX SPEAKERS AND HAS A CAPACITY TO HOLD TEN VINYL RECORDS


HITSMASHJUST IN


Part of the resurgence of the

retro tennis look, Dior B27

feeds into the rising need for

dressing vicariously

K im Jones continues to bring his streetwear sensibilities into Dior with the new B27 sneakers that channel the vintage aesthetic of everything, from the 1980s tennis shoes to the skateboarding

universe. Available in pale grey – serving as an homage to Christian Dior’s love for the hue – as well as in white and black, the B27s combine smooth calf leather and nubuck with the Dior Oblique motif in perforated leather. The subtle “CD” configuration on the eyelets and the overt Dior logo embossed on the heel and inscribed on the sole remind you of the provenance of the pair you’ve landed.

Dior’s B27 sneakers are part of the resurgence of the retro tennis look that has come to define the summer catalogues of top brands. The interest in tennis court sneakers has gone up around 32 per cent since early this year, according to Lyst.

Importantly, they follow Dior’s tremendously successful Air Jordan collab which went on sale this summer with more than five million people signing up for a chance to buy the 13,000 pairs manufactured, indicating an overall boom in the sneaker market despite the pandemic.

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By the seventh month of lockdown, the days have become one long contiguous stretch, with little to differentiate one from the other. So when the doorbell rings, and my custom Bvlgari Oculus Quest VR kit finally arrives, I feel a genuine frisson of excitement. The brand had planned to launch its latest fragrance, Bvlgari Man Glacial Essence, in an Alpine setting earlier in the year, but had to quickly pivot to a virtual one.

There are a few things we now know about the “new normal”. VR will have an increasingly large role to play. As I put on my headset, I take a thrilling first step into that future. First, I must create a guardian boundary for my “play” area, so that I don’t bump into my sofa or bar or

coffee table. After months of being mostly indoors, confined pretty much to my living area, kitchen and my bedroom, I am finally somewhere else.

Under a glass dome, to be precise; the greens and purples of the aurora borealis swirling in the night sky beyond. Around me, a room that’s all Scandinavian chic – minimal, kitted out in warm blond wood furniture, complete with an inviting settee and a roaring futuristic fireplace. This is essentially the equivalent of a home screen, but because this is VR, it’s my “home environment”. Even this brief sense of escape is welcome.

The next day, I explore further. I know how to use my left and right controllers now, and the little disembodied hands in front of me no longer strike me as odd. I enter the Bvlgari Man Glacial Essence experience at the Cervinio Base Camp at 1,900m, where master perfumer Alberto Morillas greets me, a gentle friendly presence in this frozen sea of ice. A few lemon yellow tents are

Bvlgari’s latest fragrance – the frosty Bvlgari Man Glacial Essence – is a clear winner

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scattered around the stark landscape, and the wind roars in our ears. Our mission is to summit the Matterhorn at 4,478m, where we will discover the fragrance.

“Nature is the most important inspiration for my creativity,” Morillas says, in a French-inflected English. As I look around at the blue sky that stretches on and on, the white disc of the sun shining down on me and a ring of towering craggy mountains, covered in pure snow, it’s clear to see why the sublime in nature has inspired creators through the ages.

A long snaking line appears, indicating the path I’m to take, and I place one virtual pole ahead of the other, and pull to move ahead. The pole strikes the ice, and a few flakes chip off. At one point, a few small ice balls roll down one of the larger crevices as I cross it, and my heart beats a bit faster as I watch them drop down precipitously along the glacier.

The next vantage point has me at almost 90-degree incline, looking upwards at a massive boulder, that I must skirt around to reach the summit. Behind me – below me – is a sheer drop of hundreds of feet. The ski poles have morphed into ice axes that I use to hack my way upwards. Within a few minutes, I’m at the summit, on a narrow ledge, looking over at a breathtaking view of the surrounding range.

Like VR and music, scent has the ability to transport you elsewhere within seconds. A whiff can unlock a memory, open a portal to another place and time, and create a particular mood. Bvlgari, which has a long history of working with master perfumers to create iconic fragrances, knows this only too well. One of their longtime collaborators is Spanish perfumer Morillas, the “best nose in the world” and the author of classic scents such as CK One and Acqua di Gio by Giorgio Armani. Morillas has also created the deliciously sensual Bvlgari Man in Black and Bvlgari Man Woody Essence.

For the latest addition to this family of fragrances that celebrates nature in its rawest elements, Glacial Essence, Morillas has dipped into his “scent bank” – an archive of all his scent memories and the emotions associated with them – to create a delightfully fresh fragrance. With top notes of juniper berry essence, ginger extract, geranium essence; heart notes of Australian sandalwood and artemisia; and base notes of nootka wood and a clearwood accord (which mimics patchouli), you can expect a richly textured fragrance that evokes the crispness of fresh mountain air and the bracing scent of pine trees. Perfect for day wear, or a casual brunch, this woody EDP creates a sense of coolness without leaning into the cliché of minty or citrus notes.

Morillas, who lives in Switzerland, says he wanted to capture the “unique atmosphere of the Swiss winters.” He’d often smell earlier iterations of the fragrance while sitting outdoors, to draw inspiration from the striking winter cold. “The power of nature at that time, the strength of the cold and the quietness of the snow that falls, gives you the energy to face any challenge… I hope the fragrance provokes a breath of liberating air in every man who wears it, that it makes him shiver and allows a real reconnection to his own spirit and vital force… I remembered the first time I smelled natural juniper berries essence – the immediate feeling it gave me, a striking, powerful thrill, and a deep sense of unmatched power,” says Morillas.

The irony of launching a fragrance in the middle of a pandemic caused by a virus that affects one’s sense of smell is not lost on me. Like most of us, I’ve come to appreciate the little things in life during the last few months. Slowing down. Observing nature outside my window. A tantalising icy scent that lingers with the promise of pleasures unknown. As Morillas says, when I reach the Matterhorn summit: “Don’t forget to breathe.”

MORILLAS, WHO LIVES IN SWITZERLAND, SAYS HE WANTED TO CAPTURE THE “UNIQUE ATMOSPHERE OF THE SWISS WINTERS... I HOPE THE SCENT ALLOWS EVERY MAN A REAL RECONNECTION TO HIS SPIRIT AND VITAL FORCE”

A CELEBRATORY TOASTAs the highly-anticipated annual Men Of The Year awards fast approaches, GQ India,

along with Chivas – title sponsor of MOTY ever since its inception in 2008 – raises a toast to their glorious partnership by delving into the archives and reminiscing about some of

the best moments and celebrations they have shared together over the last 12 years

Catch #MOTY2020 on GQ India's social media platforms

For 12 years running, GQ India has, through its widely celebrated Men Of The Year awards, shone the spotlight on enterprising male faces that have led by example, acknowledging and honouring their tireless endeavours to effect change across various industries. This year is only slightly different. GQ India's 12th edition of the annual Men Of The Year awards goes digital for the very first time, whilst retaining its core purpose – to celebrate inspirational talents who have dared to dream and do across the fields of films, fashion, sports and even social and green activism. This year, given the situation with the pandemic, the awards centre on a pertinent and rather apt theme – “Together We Stand”.

Speaking of standing together... alongside celebrating

2020’s most illustrious personalities, this time around, GQ India raises a toast to its long-standing, unwavering partnership with Chivas, the official title sponsor for GQ India's Men Of The Year property ever since its inception in 2008. Over the course of the last 12 years, Chivas has steadfastly stood by GQ India in recognising and rewarding worthy talent, in the process forging a unique partnership with the publication that is, quite frankly, worthy of its own award. As the dynamic duo readies itself to host yet another successful edition of the highly anticipated Men Of The Year awards, GQ India takes a walk down memory lane and serves up a healthy helping of nostalgia by throwing it back to some of the best Men Of The Year moments from the decade gone by.

2016

Russell Peters

Katrina Kaif

Hasan Minhaj

Aamir Khan & John Travolta

Saif Ali Khan

Priyanka Chopra Jonas

2019

Amitabh Bachchan

Deepika Padukone

Ranveer Singh

Shahid Kapoor & Hrithik Roshan Milkha Singh & Farhan AkhtarAkshay Kumar

Anushka Sharma

CAPTAIN COOK

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GQ India’s Men Of The Year Awards have always been a celebration of the most accomplished individuals across industries and professions – sport,

entertainment, business and philanthropy. This year – an unusually unsettling year – had its own share of heroes who’ve stood up and stood out. They’ve excelled

at their own game and used their platforms to speak up in favour of empathy, diversity, inclusiveness and equality: All core values of the GQ Manifesto. A perfect balance of style and substance, our 14 award winners join us

in spreading a message of unity from across the globe. Together We Stand.

12TH MOTY ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

EXCLUSIVE BROADCAST PARTNER

OUR PARTNERS

TOGETHERWE STAND

JEEP PRESENTS

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Back in the spring of 2020, as the pandemic paralysed human activity around the world, one man sprung into action. Sood supported everyone he could, from the very beginning of the lockdown: Helping thousands of

migrant workers reach their homes, transporting stranded students from overseas and opening the doors of his Juhu hotel for medical personnel.

The good work doesn’t stop: He is now in the process of building a platform to skill and connect informal workers with job opportunities.

As they say, you don’t need a cape to be a superhero.

SONUSOOD

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What does being a humanitarian mean to you? It means being kind and empathetic towards every member of society, especially the ones who are less privileged than you are. It does not take too much effort to be one. All you need to be is responsible, have an understanding of the circumstances that other people are in and help them without any kind of discrimination.

Tell us about the Pravasi Rojgar project. A lot of people have lost their jobs during this pandemic. We realised that while it’s important to provide food and other basic supplies to those in need during these tough times, it is also essential to make them self-reliant and self-sufficient. Pravasi Rojgar is a free application that will connect workers and labourers to new employment opportunities; and will also provide them with specific online programmes for learning languages, among other things. The app already has more than 500 companies offering job opportunities. We’ve received more than one lakh applications, and aim to touch the one crore mark soon.

Who is the kindest person you’ve known? My mother, Professor Saroj Sood. When I was a child, I would see her taking time out from her busy schedule and teaching underprivileged students on a non-commercial basis. She has always inspired me to help those in need because there is no greater joy than helping a fellow human being.

What are you hoping 2021 will bring, for the world and for you?In terms of work, I have Prithviraj. I also have Alludu Adhurs and Chiranjeevi’s 152nd film. Apart from that, I want to keep helping people from different backgrounds and walks of life. 2020 has made all of us value the smaller things in life. I am hoping that 2021 will see us become more responsible, caring and compassionate individuals.

“GO OUT, HELPSOMEONE,HELP CHANGETHE WORLD.”

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CREATIVE POWERHOUSE

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VIR DASThere’s very little that’s funny about 2020. But Das has managed to keep

us in splits. He’s smart, charming and, most importantly, honest. His 2020 stand-up special, Vir Das: For India, is a great palette cleanser for when

you’re tired of being angry at the news, and ready to laugh about it. He has also kept up the witty repartee on his social media platforms, offering much-

needed respite and perspective in a year as crazy as this. Das’ mission is clear: To speak truth to power, and to keep the punchlines coming.

“ALL I FEEL IS CREATIVE RIGHT NOW.BUT I DO KNOW A POWERHOUSE:MY AUDIENCE. IT’S VERY STRANGE

TO BE MY AGE AND HAVE YOUR AUDIENCEBE THE YOUNGEST, SMARTEST

AND KINDEST THEY’VE EVER BEEN.”

TOGETHERWE STAND

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INTERNATIONAL MAN

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On a treacherous track in Istanbul last month, Lewis Hamilton shot to a record-equalling seventh Formula One world championship at the Turkish Grand Prix. Just two weeks

earlier, this time in Portugal, the British driver achieved another mind-boggling milestone by clinching his 92nd Grand Prix victory, eclipsing Michael Schumacher’s formidable tally.

Yet, for all his achievements on the track this year, Hamilton, 35, has arguably been an even greater hero off it. He’s been one of the most vocal supporters of the ongoing social justice movement, which included taking the knee for the first time just before the start of

the Austrian Grand Prix in July to raise awareness about racism – an especially striking statement within the context of a sport not known for its diversity. His voice has only

grown more powerful since then, with millions of people across the globe connecting with him and his message. A rare combination of skill, advocacy, style and global influence,

Lewis Hamilton is a force of nature, whose best is still to come.

LEWIS HAMILTON

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“TOO MANY PEOPLE TODAYFACE RACISM. SO I DECIDED

TO SPEAK UP. I DID IT TOREPRESENT THOSE WHODON’T HAVE A VOICE. TO

ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME OUT AND BREAK THEIR SILENCE.”

Congratulations on this incredible, historic year on the racetrack. What does it feel like?I’m ecstatic and grateful, the feeling is so hard to put into words! It’s absolutely monumental. Yet, amid all the joy, I’m also thinking about kids who look like me: The ones who have big dreams but are shut down, who’re told they’re not special and don’t have what it takes. I hope they’re watching me achieve my dreams against all odds, and understand the arc of my journey. Where I came from and where I’ve reached. Most people just see my success. But it’s taken me 26 years to reach this point, it’s been a long time coming. Did you expect to smash two colossal F1 records in 2020?When I crossed the chequered flag in Portugal, it felt like I was being passed the baton from a great champion like Michael [Schumacher]. What’s been most surprising this year is that I’m still learning, still improving. I’ve grown a lot. Last year, I wasn’t strong in qualifying, but did well on race day. The goal this year was to improve on the weaker areas, without compromising my race day performance. I somehow managed to raise my game in both of these areas in 2020. That’s been a total shock! [Laughs]

What is the relationship you share with your father?My dad gave up every bit of money he had and put it into my future. He could have bought new cars or gone on nice holidays, but instead he invested every last penny into my racing. He took on multiple jobs, which must have been miserable – but that’s what was needed. He made big sacrifices. That’s why today, despite all I’ve achieved, I look at each race as an opportunity that I have to grab and make the most of. I still put in the work, and am constantly trying to improve.

The most important people in my life are my family, who were with me before I had anything. The most amazing part of my story is not what I’m doing on the track right now. It’s the journey of a father and son, and the complexities and the hardships that we faced along the way: the racial abuse, the challenges of not having money, of not being able to race at times because we couldn’t afford it. The ups and downs we faced. My podiums belong to my dad. He’s an incredible human being, and I aspire to be a father like him. And just like him, all parents have the power to empower their kids and create a better future for them.

2020 has been a challenging year. How have you dealt with it?When most folk see me, they only witness the tip of the iceberg, not what’s below. So, a lot of people think it’s been the greatest year for me, and in so many aspects, it has been. But there’s also the human factor. Like everyone, I’ve been locked down, been isolated. So it’s also been the most challenging year. And not just personally, but also given what’s happened around the world… It’s been emotionally draining. Yet, there’s also

been this great awakening. Watching people pull together has been uplifting. That’s definitely one of the best things about this year. You’ve been a great champion for the ongoing social justice movement. What compelled you to take a stand? I’ve faced racism since I was five, and remember going through all these experiences. Watching the George Floyd video brought up emotions that I didn’t expect would hit me so hard. I’d suppressed all those feelings and channelled them into my work; I hadn’t dealt with them. My niece and nephew are biracial and I don’t want them to feel what I did growing up. Too many people today face racism. So I decided to speak up. I did it to represent those who don’t have a voice. To encourage them to come out and break their silence. My stand comes from the heart, from deep down. I hope that in the future we will all have more empathy for others, especially for the discrimination faced by minorities.

What’s your hope for 2021?A more united world. We’ve been living in a divided time. I also want to see more equality across the board, particularly in terms of quality education for children. Everyone has the right to an education, and there are millions of kids that don’t have access to one at the moment. I know it can’t all happen in 2021, but we must start on the right foot.

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RISING STAR

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SAIYAMI KHER

Subtlety isn’t popular these days, thanks to TikTok stars and Instagram Reels. But it is still a badge of honour for any professional actor. And Kher proves it. She delivered hits on all three major streaming platforms this year. After the action-packed Special Ops and a brief

but impressive appearance in Breathe: Into The Shadows, she knocked it out of the park with her work in Anurag Kashyap’s Choked. Mature, restrained, confident – it is a winning turn

that has catapulted her into the league of India’s most compelling performers. She’s a force to reckon with, and, lucky for us, she’s just getting started.

“I MISS THE RED CARPET, THE CROWDS,THE MADNESS; BUT I’M GLAD I’VE BEEN

ABLE TO DO MY BIT TO ENTERTAIN PEOPLEAS THEY SHELTER AT HOME.”

BLAZER BY ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA. TROUSERS BY ALIPH BY GATSBY COLLECTION

WAISTCOAT, SHIRT, TIE; ALL BY GIORGIO ARMANI. TROUSERS BY VERSACE

LOAFERS BY SALVATORE FERRAGAMO.BOTTLE BY CHIVAS

MEDIA PERSONALITY

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CHETAN BHAGAT

It can be difficult to remember a time when earmuffs weren’t necessary while watching the news. Bhagat, with his pragmatism and insight, sits on the other end of the spectrum from that split-screen commentariat. He also represents the ambition

and confidence of a generation that put India on the global map. These days, the bestselling author is appealing to his vast, young audience with a crucial message

about the productivity and momentum to be found outside our smartphones. Sharp, controversial but always entertaining, you can count on Bhagat to tell it like it is.

“INDIA’S UNIQUENESS IS ITS MANY CULTURES,AND WE MUST WORK EXTRA HARD TO PRESERVE

THE HARMONY.”

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Mehta’s powerful storytelling has always brought to life the humour and humanity behind headline-making events and figures. With notable films like Shahid, Aligarh

and Omertà, he has chronicled the shifting contours of Indian society. Long a favourite of the critics, he impressed audiences far and wide this year with the masterful Scam

1992: The Harshad Mehta Story. He also forayed into the mainstream masala space like never before with Chhalaang. With 23 years in the industry behind him, he stands at the cusp of a new decade and phase in his career. Among India’s most acclaimed

film-makers, this is Hansal Mehta 4.0.

HANSAL MEHTA

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finishing the series, but also writing a few scripts. There’s been a constant uncertainty that’s driven me to write more, just so I’m ready.

What to you has been the most positive impact of OTT platforms on Indian entertainment? They’ve widened the playing field for all of us. If you’ve been making feature films in this industry long enough, you are familiar with those pre-decided pressures. The benchmark for success has shifted from opening weekend numbers. Take Omertà, for instance. Nobody went to theatres to watch it, but it has accrued something of a cult following after it arrived on OTT. It has allowed us to explore not just different kinds of stories, but also the right medium to tell them.

How are you reckoning with the churn in Bollywood this year? I’m not really an insider, but I do feel that people have been unfairly categorised. We’ve all worked hard, even through the pandemic to keep entertainment coming, to keep up livelihoods. We did not deserve this kind of name-calling. I’ve realised since that it’s not public perception, but just the creation of these invisible names and hands on social media. At the same time, we’ve lost too many colleagues this year. While the issues might be things we’ve just begun to discuss, their denial is our collective failure. Hopefully, 2020 has taught us one thing: We need to come together and fight.

What are your main takeaways from the triumph of Scam 1992? With this, and with Chhalaang, I feel I bridged that divide between critical and mass appeal. I actually shot Chhalaang before Scam 1992, at a time when I was seeking some of that mainstream popularity. Then, Scam 1992 came along and I owned it completely. It was my baby from start to finish. Its viral success did leave me feeling vindicated.

What are your favourite memories from the shoot for Scam 1992? I used it as an excuse to stay in Colaba and reconnect with South Bombay, where I grew up. I stayed at the Taj, which has maintained its tradition and still recalls a bygone era. A lot of my association with places is through food. I remember my parents taking me to the Golden Dragon when I was very young. It was an event. The place was expensive, I had to behave myself. And I remember hating the food then. Now, of course, the chef is different, but it still evokes a certain nostalgia. Paradise’s biryani is the same though.

What’s next for you? Anubhav Sinha, Sudhir Mishra, Ketan Mehta, Subhash Kapoor and I are putting together an anthology film, which we should hopefully begin shooting soon. I’ve worked hard through the lockdown, not just on

“ONE’S EVOLUTION,ONE’S ABILITY TOTACKLE THE NEXT

THING: THAT ISA KEY MEASURE

OF SUCCESS.”

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FITSPIRATION

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MILIND SOMAN

There’s no better poster child for leading an active lifestyle than Milind Soman. Look at him go: Running for social causes with his mother and partner; swapping notes with the prime minister on his regimen; forest bathing in secret spots outside the city; pull-ups, push-ups, headstands in some leafy green balcony. He has shown us that neither age nor genes are barriers to staying in

shape. Most importantly, Soman has demonstrated that it’s never too late to begin.

“2020 HAS SHOWN US WHAT IT MEANS TOBE HUMAN, AND TO BE HUMAN TOGETHER.

HARD WORK, GOOD HEALTH AND LOVE: THIS ISALL WE NEED FOR A GOOD LIFE. LET’S GO

INTO 2021 STRONGER AND BETTER.”

WRITER OF THE YEAR

FAREED ZAKARIA

Among the world’s leading public intellectuals, Zakaria has decoded international affairs for the layperson for decades. His hit CNN show, Fareed Zakaria GPS, has featured presidents

and iconic business leaders. His new book Ten Lessons For A Post-Pandemic World – essential reading for 2020 – reveals principles that are likely to be crucial for success in the years

ahead. In a world that’s divided and siloed like never before, all of Zakaria’s work is guided by objective, thoughtful and insightful analysis that regards current events

in the light of human history. The voice of reason our time needs.

“THERE TENDS TO BE AMONG ALL YOUNG PEOPLEA SENSE OF IDEALISM. AND AFTER SEEING

THE REALITY OF POLITICS OR SOCIETY ANYWHERE,YOU MAY THINK IT CAN NEVER FIND ITS WAY.THAT’S NOT TRUE. YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE

ENORMOUS CHANGES.”

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FASHION ICON

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Sir Paul Smith is a fashion industry legend, a menswear maestro who created his eponymous label and grew it into a multi-million dollar empire. Although, now venerated around the

globe for his impeccable taste, Smith’s roots are humble: Born into a working class family in a provincial English town; opening a small shop in Nottingham where he first began designing and getting noticed; and on to Paris where he first showed his menswear collection in 1976. Since then, the label has developed into a powerhouse fashion brand, with a cult following in Japan, and a global fan base that reveres his quirky twists on classic tailoring. Over the

decades his signature multicoloured stripes have found fans among aesthetes everywhere – including Jack Nicholson, Harrison Ford and David Bowie. The Paul Smith brand celebrates its 50th anniversary this year: Half a century of pioneering style, independence and creativity. And to mark the occasion, Sir Paul is doing what all true legends do: Giving back, by working

through his foundation to empower and enrich the creative class across the planet.

SIRPAUL SMITH

OCTOBER 2017 — 277

TOGETHERWE STAND

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ARE NOW INTERESTEDIN FASHION. WHEN I

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CLOTHES THAT COVEREDTHEIR BODY.”

evening it’s planning a fashion show. So I’ve got multiple jobs, and that’s a fairly unique aspect of an independent company.

What’s the best advice you have for creatives?Nobody cares how good you used to be, that’s Rule 1! The second is: If someone pitches you an idea, give yourself time to respond. If they say to you, “I’ve got an idea for six pages on rock music from the 1960s,” just take a breath. Think about it. Say, “That sounds really exciting. Can I come back to you tomorrow?” And then when you’ve thought about it overnight, the chances are you will either say “no” or change it slightly and say, “Sounds like a good idea, but what about this, this and this.” This approach has really worked for me, because I get a lot of people throwing ideas my way. And you need time to think about it. My third bit of advice is my company motto: never assume. That means just check things out. For example, never assume that the FedEx parcel is going to arrive tomorrow, get a tracking number, so you can chase it if it doesn’t arrive. That’s a very useful tip, and has saved me a lot of money over the years. It just means check – check things out.

How do you strike the balance between checking and letting go?You don’t have to be obsessive about checking, it can be very simple. I’m known as someone who’s light-hearted but proper. I’m blessed with a lot of energy and I’m fun, but underneath it, I’m organised, sensible, responsible.

Congratulations on this 50-year milestone! What does it mean to you?To be in business as an independent brand for 50 years feels amazing. Having longevity these days is unusual, especially in fashion. What’s worked is the loyalty of my customers, keeping my feet on the ground, constantly reassessing, never sitting back and always staying humble. What’s been your creative secret sauce?Putting out wearable clothes, but with an element of surprise – like a buttonhole in an unexpected colour. The fact that my clothes are wearable is the key point. When you go to the [fashion] shows, a lot of the looks are sensational but they don’t sell. They’re there just to grab attention. The clothes we make have character, are a bit edgy, but are always wearable. How are things different from when you started?The biggest difference is that men are now interested in fashion. When I started, they were not. Men simply chose clothes that covered their body. Over time they grew interested in style, and, in parallel, started exploring skincare, hair styling, watches, jewellery, spectacles and trainers. There were never any trainers in the past, there were just tennis shoes or classic shoes. Now you’ve got an onslaught of trainers – from the extraordinarily ugly to the very practical. What are the joys of running an independent brand?It’s all the different hats I wear. In the morning, I’m a designer, in the afternoon I have to think about the warehouse or the distribution, in the

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BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE

JITENDRA KUMAR

There’s never been a better time for raw talent in India. Today, it’s possible for an engineering graduate from a small town in Rajasthan to give it all up, come to Mumbai,

showcase his versatility and mad comic timing on the internet, and transition into mainstream cinema. This is Jitendra Kumar’s story. And, with his powerful, progressive

roles in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan and Panchayat, 2020 has been his year.

“I REMEMBER STANDING IN A QUEUEFOR JOB APPLICATIONS AT IIT, WHERE I MET A GENTLEMAN

WHO ASKED ME WHAT I WANTED TO DO. I TOLD HIMI WANTED TO BE AN ACTOR. HE SUGGESTED

THAT WE LEAVE THOSE DREAMY JOBS FOR THE LIKESOF AMITABH BACHCHAN, WHO HAS THE OPPORTUNITY

AND THE HEIGHT FOR IT. I HAD NEITHER,AND YET HERE I AM.”

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JUMPER, TROUSERS;

BOTH BY BLONI. POLO T-SHIRT

BY SHIVAN & NARRESH. BOOTS

BY DIOR MEN

CHIVAS PRESENTS

This Bengaluru native dropped out of school at 14 to play chess professionally. Three years later, he started trading stocks. By the age of 23, he’d launched Zerodha along with his elder brother Nithin Kamath: A future-forward platform that effectively

hauled the Indian stock market into the 21st century. Zerodha has grown into a unicorn and is now one of India’s hottest companies, making him the country’s youngest billionaire

at 34. With the asset management company True Beacon, his next disruption lies in the hedge funds space. Soft-spoken and introspective, Kamath represents the ambition

and dexterity of an upwardly-mobile generation bullish about their prospects in an increasingly digital world.

NIKHIL KAMATH

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR

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“TOO MUCH SPRAYAND PRAY MIGHT GIVE YOU

A MORAL HIGH IN THE SHORT TERM,BUT IT DOES NOT REALLY

FIX A PROBLEM. WE HAVE TOCOLLABORATE.”

the ones that didn’t. The one big learning from chess for me has been that it teaches you to work within a system of rules, but within those rules you can be creative. Life and business are like that too. What have you learnt about being a businessman from your brother?Nithin is very good with people. He has a great EQ, he’s very good at driving a vision, at motivating and inspiring people. I’m better at the markets and investing and stuff like that. I’m not an introvert, but I’m not really an extrovert either. So, while that combination works well for us, I do wish to improve upon my interpersonal skills. How do you interpret “Together We Stand”? I think it is important for everyone to realise that nothing is made better in isolation. Problems will only get fixed with education and collaboration, when enough people come together as a community. It’s up to each one of us to become more conscientious in a way and get more involved. Who are the people that inspire you?Azim Premji, certainly; also Nandan Nilekani, primarily because his biggest drive in life is impact. Everything he does, whether it was the Aadhar project or the UPI project, there is no financial motive – there’s always a social angle. He revolutionised banking and payments in our country while not having made anything from it or wanting the credit for it. I think it’s incredibly important for a society to have people like that.

How does it feel to be the country’s youngest billionaire? Honestly, it doesn’t mean much. Beyond a point, you’ve got to stop focusing on that aspect of life. A tag like that just embarrasses you and puts you on the spot. I get a little more attention than others because I’m younger. I’d rather people focus on my beliefs, my thoughts, my perspective on things, but I guess that’s harder to sell than just a vanity metric that everyone can relate to. What are these thoughts and belief systems? At this point, it’s a moral dilemma between doing what is right and doing what you like. I’m trying to decide which side I fall on. In theory, definitely on the latter, but it’s harder to practise than you think. What is the origin story of Zerodha?Nithin and I started trading when I was 17 – he was slightly older. At that time, we thought that the incumbent platforms were too expensive. We wanted to create something that we could use ourselves, which was better than the brokers of the day. That’s how we started. But down the road, different people have played important roles in the journey of Zerodha. Significantly, there’s Kailash [Nadh], he’s our CTO. I’d credit him even more than Nithin and myself for the products we have because most of our technology has been built by him. What are the skills that you developed playing chess that you can now apply to the markets? Chess has very little to do with intelligence and a lot more to do with memory. You have to mug up every game that was played, the moves that worked and

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AMERICAN EXPRESS PRESENTS

EXCELLENCE IN ACTING

From behind the scenes as a casting director at Yash Raj for six years, she’s been in front of the camera for the past five. Each time she makes an appearance, she’s praised by critics

and audiences alike. She brings candour and poise to every character she plays: This year, we saw her hold her own alongside Konkona Sensharma in Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare;

and now, she’s holding down the fort in the recently released horror-thriller Durgamati. She’s keeping it real and relatable, on screen and on her social media; and therein, she’s channelling

the million quiet rebellions that are reshaping Indian womanhood for the 21st century.

BHUMI PEDNEKAR

“NOW IS THE TIME TO STAND BY EVERYONEWHO HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO KEEP

US SAFE. NOW IS THE TIME TO STANDFOR CLIMATE JUSTICE. NOW, MORE THAN EVER,

IS THE TIME TO BE COMPASSIONATE.”

GLOBAL POP ICON

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From Medellín to the world, Maluma’s ascent to global pop superstardom has been stratospheric. His tracks

are dance-floor anthems across the planet, with 55 million followers on Instagram who watch his

every move. He’s as adventurous with his style as he is with his music, an evangelist for the power of cross-cultural

expression and collaboration. With a clear eye on Asia in 2021, it’s just onwards and upwards for this

“farm boy” from Colombia.

MALUMA

You sing in Spanish, but your songs connect with millions across the world. Why do you think that is?I always dreamt about being a global superstar. In the beginning, I thought I’d have to sing in English to achieve this. But then, I saw that my music was conquering the world – without changing my language or accent. That’s when I realised something huge was happening, that I didn’t have to change my essence to connect with people. Music is a universal language. That’s been the key in my career: Making music that makes your body move. It doesn’t matter that people don’t know the lyrics. Everyone knows how to dance.

I also feel grateful because there’s something beautiful happening with Latin music and culture at the moment; people around the world are paying attention to it. And I feel honoured and proud to be a Latin artist who’s taking my culture around the world. People these days value authenticity, artists who tell their own stories in their own voice. That’s what matters. We live in a world that’s increasingly accepting of difference. This wasn’t the case a couple of years ago. Of course, things aren’t perfect and we’re still struggling with it, but I’m a good example of someone who represents the shift. If I can win over the world by just being who I am, anyone can do it in their own way. That’s my message: You’re going to win when you’re yourself. When you try to copy or do something that you don’t feel connected with, it won’t work. That’s when you lose your essence, lose who you are. You also have a great sense of style. Style is a way for me to communicate my feelings, my thoughts. I’ve been in love with fashion since I was a kid, I keep watching and learning. I keep developing my style and it keeps changing. Now I need to start designing clothes. Today, there are no boundaries for creative people.

“WE LIVE INA WORLD THAT’S INCREASINGLYACCEPTING OFDIFFERENCE. THISWASN’T THE CASEA COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.I’M A GOOD EXAMPLEOF SOMEONE WHOREPRESENTS THE SHIFT.”

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MOST STYLISH

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RANVEER SINGH

It hasn’t been a year of bow ties and sherwanis, but Singh has never relied on them to prove he’s got game in the style department. For a good decade now, Singh has pushed the boundaries of Indian menswear with his brave, unconventional choices. Looking back,

he may have predicted the pyjama revolution of 2020 at GQ’s Best Dressed bash five years ago. On the red carpet or in his movies, he always makes an impact. A born entertainer,

Singh is our most radical exponent of free expression.

“MY DAD IS THE OG HYPEBEAST.GROWING UP, I’VE TAKEN ALL OF MY CUES

FROM HIM. I HOPE I CAN KEEPBRINGING SOMETHING FRESH, EXCITING

AND ORIGINAL TO INDIAN FASHION.”

OCTOBER 2017 — 277

VEST, SHIRT, TROUSERS,

SHOES, TIE; ALL BY

PRADA. WATCH BY FRANCK

MULLER

134

SONU SOODPHOTOGRAPHER: MANASI SAWANT

STYLIST: RAHUL VIJAYHAIR: AALIM HAKIM

MAKE-UP: RAJENDRA CHAVANASSISTANT STYLIST: SELMAN FAZIL

PRODUCTION: MEGHA MEHTA, ANOMALY PRODUCTION

HANSAL MEHTAPHOTOGRAPHER: MANASI SAWANT

STYLIST: RAHUL VIJAYHAIR & MAKE-UP: JEAN-CLAUDE BIGUINE

ASSISTANT STYLIST: SELMAN FAZILPRODUCTION: MEGHA MEHTA,

ANOMALY PRODUCTIONBHUMI

PEDNEKAR

“NOW IS THE TIME TO STAND BY EVERYONEWHO HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO KEEP

US SAFE. NOW IS THE TIME TO STANDFOR CLIMATE JUSTICE. NOW, MORE THAN EVER,

IS THE TIME TO BE COMPASSIONATE.”

NIKHIL KAMATH

SONUSOOD

HANSAL MEHTA

MILIND SOMAN

“2020 HAS SHOWN US WHAT IT MEANS TOBE HUMAN, AND TO BE HUMAN TOGETHER.

HARD WORK, GOOD HEALTH AND LOVE: THIS ISALL WE NEED FOR A GOOD LIFE. LET’S GO

INTO 2021 STRONGER AND BETTER.”

FAREED ZAKARIA

“THERE TENDS TO BE AMONG ALL YOUNG PEOPLEA SENSE OF IDEALISM. AND AFTER SEEING

THE REALITY OF POLITICS OR SOCIETY ANYWHERE,YOU MAY THINK IT CAN NEVER FIND ITS WAY.THAT’S NOT TRUE. YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE

ENORMOUS CHANGES.”

SIRPAUL SMITH

JITENDRA KUMAR

“I REMEMBER STANDING IN A QUEUEFOR JOB APPLICATIONS AT IIT, WHERE I MET A GENTLEMAN

WHO ASKED ME WHAT I WANTED TO DO. I TOLD HIMI WANTED TO BE AN ACTOR. HE SUGGESTED

THAT WE LEAVE THOSE DREAMY JOBS FOR THE LIKESOF AMITABH BACHCHAN, WHO HAS THE OPPORTUNITY

AND THE HEIGHT FOR IT. I HAD NEITHER,AND YET HERE I AM.”

MALUMA

RANVEER SINGH

“MY DAD IS THE OG HYPEBEAST.GROWING UP, I’VE TAKEN ALL OF MY CUES

FROM HIM. I HOPE I CAN KEEPBRINGING SOMETHING FRESH, EXCITING

AND ORIGINAL TO INDIAN FASHION.”

VIR DAS

“ALL I FEEL IS CREATIVE RIGHT NOW.BUT I DO KNOW A POWERHOUSE:MY AUDIENCE. IT’S VERY STRANGE

TO BE MY AGE AND HAVE YOUR AUDIENCEBE THE YOUNGEST, SMARTEST

AND KINDEST THEY’VE EVER BEEN.”

LEWIS HAMILTON

SAIYAMI KHER

“I MISS THE RED CARPET, THE CROWDS,THE MADNESS; BUT I’M GLAD I’VE BEEN

ABLE TO DO MY BIT TO ENTERTAIN PEOPLEAS THEY SHELTER AT HOME.”

CHETAN BHAGAT

“INDIA’S UNIQUENESS IS ITS MANY CULTURES,AND WE MUST WORK EXTRA HARD TO PRESERVE

THE HARMONY.”

BHUMI PEDNEKARPHOTOGRAPHER: MANASI SAWANT

STYLIST: TANYA GHAVRIHAIR: SANKY EVRUS

MAKE-UP: SONIK SARWATEPRODUCTION: MEGHA MEHTA,

ANOMALY PRODUCTION

LEWIS HAMILTONPHOTOGRAPHER: RENELL MEDRANO

STYLIST: KEANOUSH ZARGHAMASSISTANT STYLIST: ZEID JAOUNI, MATTHEW HAN

PHOTO ASSISTANT: MAX RAINOLDIGROOMING: ARIKA YAMADA

PRODUCTION: AMIRA ELRAGHY, EMILY STRANGE, DANA HEIS

VIR DASPHOTOGRAPHER: MANASI SAWANT



ANOMALY PRODUCTION

SAIYAMI KHERPHOTOGRAPHER: MANASI SAWANT

STYLIST: RAHUL VIJAYHAIR: KIMBERLY CHU

MAKE-UP: PRAVIN MADYEASSISTANT STYLIST: SELMAN FAZIL

PRODUCTION: MEGHA MEHTA, ANOMALY PRODUCTION

SIR PAUL SMITHIMAGE: COURTESY PAUL SMITH

MALUMAPHOTOGRAPHER: PHRAA

FAREED ZAKARIAIMAGE: COURTESY CNN

CHETAN BHAGATPHOTOGRAPHER: MANASI SAWANT



ANOMALY PRODUCTION

NIKHIL KAMATHPHOTOGRAPHER: MANASI SAWANT

HAIR & MAKE-UP: JEAN-CLAUDE BIGUINEPRODUCTION: MEGHA MEHTA,

ANOMALY PRODUCTION

JITENDRA KUMARPHOTOGRAPHER: MANASI SAWANT

STYLIST: RAHUL VIJAYMAKE-UP: RITIKA TURAKHIA


ANOMALY PRODUCTION

MILIND SOMANPHOTOGRAPHER: MANASI SAWANT



ANOMALY PRODUCTION

EDITED BY NIDHI GUPTA

THE CREDITS

RANVEER SINGHPHOTOGRAPHER: THE HOUSE OF PIXELS

STYLIST: NITASHA GAURAVHAIR: DARSHAN YEWALEKAR

MAKE-UP: MAHADEV NAIKASSISTANT STYLISTS: SALONI PAREKH,

RAGHAV TIBREWAL

B I T E - S I Z E D


With its latest creation, Hermès is out to remind us that luxury watches aren’t all about mechanical complexity and practicality. Sometimes they serve as the perfect canvas for creative expression

T he movement packs both, a minute repeater and a tourbillon escapement

Leather marquetry process

on display

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It’s not every day that you come across a timepiece that has a Jurassic-era roar as part of its actual name. One look at Hermès’ latest creation and you know that’s not all that’s unique about it. The

gleamy-eyed T-Rex staring out of its case is proof that every once in a while, the world of haute horology can produce something that doesn’t take itself too seriously and doesn’t mind being a bit silly. It’s also telling of the fact that the most memorable aspect about a pocket watch with a minute repeater and a tourbillon is its exterior. Because underneath its overt silliness is a highly developed mechanical movement and intricate artistic � ourishes that’ll make this pocket watch a hit even outside paleontology circles.

To begin with, the Hermès Arceau Pocket Aaaaargh! has a 48mm case made of white gold (a standard feature of the Arceau series) with an oversized lug for the alligator leather strap. However, even the glistening case is easy to overlook because of the arresting visual in the centre: the colourful leather mosaic (we’re dealing with Hermès, after all), dubbed “Aaaaargh!”, that’s been designed by celebrated British artist Alice Shirley. This marks the brand’s third collaboration with Shirley, whose work includes illustrations for children’s books and has produced similar mosaics for the bear-faced Arceau Grrrrr! and the wolf-themed Arceau

Awooooo. With Arceau Aaaaargh!, the process involved dying several individual leather pieces separately and placing them by hand onto the enamelled lid. While the head and the scales of the T-Rex are composed of thousands of leather fragments, the domed eye is made of cabochon-cut (a type of gemstone that’s shaped through polishing) Grand Feu enamel and is visible through both sides of the cover. Then, there’s the jaw and the teeth, which are crafted in a technique known as leather marquetry – an immensely skilled process which has its origins in woodwork, but lately has been applied to leather by a handful of artisans. Essentially, it involves putting together individual pieces in such a seamless manner that it’s undetectable to the human eye.

The H1924 movement inside has been manufactured in-house. It packs both a minute repeater and a tourbillon inside – two of the most complex complications to be found in a watch. What shows the brand’s dedication to aesthetics is the fact that the bridge of the movement, visible through the transparent caseback, is shaped like – you guessed it – a T-Rex. It also packs a 90-hour power reserve.

Pocket watches tend to appeal to people with a yearning for the past. The Arceau Aaaaargh! takes them much further back in time than they might have considered. De� nitely the coolest pocket watch of the year.

Underneath its overt silliness is a highly developed mechanical movement and intricate artistic flourishes that’ll make this watch a hit, even outside paleontology circles

SUPERCAR OF THE YEAR


comparatively less powerful, the EVO RWD is a lot more dramatic – you can smoke those Pirelli P Zeros to oblivion, using its Race Start function, for starters. It’s not out to bite your head off, mind you. Hurl it into a corner, and the tyres continue to bite down into the tarmac with seemingly limitless adhesion. But with power going exclusively to the rear, it frees up the front of the car to focus on what it was designed for – handling and driver skill, something that’s being lost in the mad scramble for superlative power and acceleration figures, neither of which translate to a greater driving experience in the rear world.

For this reason, the EVO RWD dispenses with the fancy torque vectoring and rear-wheel steering found on the AWD version, and offers a relatively analogue experience, with the focus back on the old-fashioned thrills of driving a tricky Italian supercar.

Earning the purist vote in a world full of nuanced supercars isn’t an easy task. Yet, that’s exactly what the Lamborghini Huracán EVO RWD has done. Where the all-wheel-drive Huracán EVO – the latest and most up-to-date version of the baby Lambo – was deceptively clever in its ability to mask your shortcomings as a wheelman, its rear-wheel-drive counterpart has no such compunctions. The EVO RWD takes the same sonorous 5.2-litre, naturally aspirated V10, detunes it to 602 horsepower (29 less than the AWD version) and sends it packing, lock stock and barrel, to the rear wheels.

In doing so, Lamborghini has created a potent concoction, which, unlike its many turbocharged competitors, is explosive and instantaneous in its power delivery and not favourably inclined to those who don’t share a healthy regard for physics. Although

LAMBORGHINI HURACÁN EVO RWD

THE A-LISTIt’s been a tumultuous year for the Indian automotive market. Despite that, OEMs, emboldened by market projections, have brought in an impressive roster of machines, ranging from remarkable to revolutionary. The state of industrial ferment, brought on by rapid change in technology and economic policies, makes it the ideal time to kick off the first ever GQ India Drive Awards. A thoroughly vetted list that includes the greatest performance cars and motorcycles in the world, alongside everyday heroes that offer the sort of value proposition that blurs the lines between comfort and true luxury. It’s an exciting time to be an enthusiast, and our winners show you whyE D I T E D B Y P A R T H C H A R A N

PERFORMANCE CAR OF THE

YEAR


AUDI RS7 SPORTBACKIn the battle for the coolest four-doored jack of all trades, the Audi RS7 has always faced formidable competition – including some from its own, more stately relative, the RS6. The all-new RS7 Sportback, however, appears to have the scales tipped in its favour, having, at long last, mastered the formula for being the greatest weaponised sedan out there. It’s not the fact that it looks sensational, although its finely boned nose, scimitar-like shoulder lines and menacing headlamps do make quite an impression. What makes the RS7 a winner is its combination of trouser-dropping performance and its boy-scout friendliness. For instance, cylinder deactivation means the V8 can switch to a V4 under light loads. There’s also a mild hybrid system that’s been incorporated to keep fuel economy outside the “abysmal” zone.

Despite having nearly 600bhp at your disposal, the RS7 never overwhelms you. And it takes millions of euros in R&D to qualify the car for such a feat. It never runs the risk of being too extreme in any regard – be it the ride quality, or the way it deploys

its might. Sure, things can get daunting should you use the throttle too liberally; this is after all, a 4.0-litre, twin-turbo V8 that makes as much power as the outgoing RS7 Performance (a suffix added to the lairiest of Audis). Every cut, crevice and contour of the RS7, both inside and outside, is frame-worthy and dripping with the sort of opulence and attention to detail that only top-shelf carmakers can provide. What endears it to you at the end, however, aren’t the numbers. It’s the fact that this Audi sends 85 per cent of its power to the rear wheels, doesn’t take itself too seriously, and needs only the feeblest excuse to cut loose.

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LUXURY CAR OF THE

YEAR

OVERACHIEVER OF THE YEAR


A four-door grand tourer is always a welcome notion. Especially when it comes with a Bavarian, 3.0-litre, in-line six-petrol engine, ample legroom and smashing good looks. The new 8 Series Gran Coupé sits at the top of the BMW hierarchy, bringing superior luxury into the mix, along with muscle and desirability. Unlike BMW’s other recent offerings, this one retains classic design features, such as long sweeping lines and a grille, that won’t threaten to suck in jaywalkers, for instance.

The 8 Series has the daunting task of providing the best the brand has to offer. Pillarless doors, a sculpted shoulder line and a turbocharged motor putting out 340bhp of power and 500Nm of torque betray the car’s sporty inclinations; but there’s something about the way the 8 Series Gran Coupé wafts over surfaces that makes it a more practical option compared to the two-door torpedo that is the M8. It is unapologetically grand in its proportions: Everything from its sheer length to the size of the centre console is opulent. But, the heavily bolstered seats, rear-wheel steering technology ensure that it remains the enthusiast’s preferred form of luxury. If you’ve a road trip planned, few cars will offer as engaging an experience as this one.

Kia Motors continues its winning streak in India with the Sonet. Entering one of the most demanding and cut-throat segments, the Sonet wins the popular vote by its earnest attempt to reach for the stars. Its features list is long and distinguished, and every component, crevice and contour of the car reeks of top-notch quality. In an almost Shakespearean manner, Kia is out to usurp its own in the country, and the Sonet exemplifies the fact that it’s not afraid to pull its punches.

As a high-riding compact SUV, with a powerful turbocharged petrol motor, a clever “Intelligent Manual Transmission” option and a robust exterior, the Sonet is as wholesome a product as they come. One whose every detail, from dimensions to driving dynamics, is designed to appeal to Indian sensibilities and infrastructure.

KIA SONET

GAME CHANGER


MERCEDES-BENZ EQC

the combined range will keep you rolling in silent luxury for a good 450km, according to Merc. A box charger that comes with the car can whittle down the charging time to ten hours, after which, all one has to do is slot the wheel-mounted gear shifter to “D” and settle in for one of the more hassle-free driving experiences.

The EQC heralds the arrival of a host of electric cars from Mercedes-Benz that will accompany its petrol-powered counterparts, until it renders them obsolete in the not-too-distant future. Its ability to carry serious speeds in the most innocuous manner, staggering refinement and clever use of regenerative braking is what puts this two-and-a-half-tonne electric juggernaut on our list. Arriving at the turn of the decade, the EQC marks a turning point in the world of automotive luxury, much like the W124 E-Class did back in 1994, when the brand made its debut in the Indian market. Now, if only we could set up a few more charging stations.

Electric mobility had long been missing the sort of shiny-armoured mascot that can turn heads and overturn any verdict that presented electric cars as overpriced milk floats. Enter the Mercedes-Benz EQC – the country’s first all-electric luxury car – which, with its mix of AMG-esque power, space station-like insulation and impeccable build quality, has put the longevity of petrol-powered luxury in India into serious doubt.

Powered by an 80Kw lithium-ion battery, the EQC makes a staggering 408bhp of power, along with 760Nm of torque. The kind of figures that can pique the curiosity of the most ardent petrolhead. While it remains peerless in the country at the moment, the EQC will be hard to beat, as it seems to be lavished with the same attention to detail as the over-engineered Mercs of yesteryear. Each axle houses an electric motor and

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CROSSOVER OF THE YEAR

GQ ALL-ROUNDER


AUDI Q2 Carving out a new, entry-level niche isn’t an easy task, but Audi seems to have done a better job of it than its chief competitors. The cuddly little Q2 marks the new entry point to the exclusive four-ringed club, and it does so by giving you unfettered access to that very familiar 2.0-litre turbo-petrol, Audi’s signature “virtual cockpit” and interior bits that have been picked out of the “quality bin” at VW. Audi could have relied on sheer badge value for the Q2, but the brand has gone the extra mile in making the Q2 a truly wholesome product.Given its compact dimensions and a punchy motor, the Q2 is engaging to drive and very practical in the city. Knurled metal knobs, a flat-bottomed steering, a wireless charging tray and a sunroof make the insides a very inviting place. It also offers a great view from the cockpit, ample head- and legroom and – despite the vehicle being only 4.2 metres long – ample boot space. The Q2 practises a refreshing level of restraint when it comes to design, not trying to appear bigger or bulkier than it is. And what it is, is a practical, luxurious runabout, that’s ideal for our road conditions.

VOLKSWAGEN T-ROCIt’s not every day that a CBU import, limited in number, gets sold out within months of its arrival in the country. But the VW T-Roc is proof that if the product is exceptional, people will sit up and take notice. Despite its relatively small footprint, the T-Roc is the most well-built, impeccably finished and insulated car in its class, with an automatic dual clutch transmission that’s seamless as ever.

It’s this emphasis on safety over size (it’s got a five star EURO NCAP rating) and quality over gimmicks that makes the T-Roc stand out in a sea of overeager competitors, injecting their vehicles with Bondmobile levels of gadgetry, while focusing less on driving dynamics. Then there’s the way it looks. In exercising proper Teutonic restraint, the T-Roc manages to look like the sort of crossover that should serve as a template for the segment. That 1.5-litre turbo-petrol unit is a gem; throw in lane assist function and a panoramic sunroof, and suddenly cars that cost a lot more start to seem a lot less appealing.

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SPORTS COUPÉ OF THE YEAR


MAHINDRA THARRarely have home-grown cars witnessed the sort of fanfare and adulation as the Mahindra Thar. In its all-new, robust yet derivative avatar, the Thar’s accentuated bodywork and raw potential speaks to the enthusiast in a way few other cars can. Why? Because it lies within the reach of a greater mass of buyers. Because Mahindra has taken into account every criticism of the previous one and lavished the new Thar with the sort of quality, power levels and appeal that can make it a bestseller in the subcontinent. There’s a new chassis, a new 2.0-litre, turbo-petrol to go with a 2.2-litre diesel option, a factory-built hardtop version and even an automatic gearbox.

The new Thar is a significant leap from the old one and feels contemporary – a claim backed by the fact that it’s now a fairly comfortable car to drive on road. Of course, that’s not where the Thar belongs, so be assured that its off-roading chops are still intact, transfer case and all.

MERCEDES-AMG C 63 COUPÉThe Mercedes-AMG C 63 was one of the sub-brand’s’ breakout stars, before we were treated to an avalanche of AMGs. Having reached a new milestone in locally assembling AMGs, the brand has reminded us about the C 63’s immense contribution in making those three letters a byword for outright speed and power. With two doors and an “S” suffix dropped, the front-engined, V8-powered coupé is a muscle car, disguised as a European sophisticate. And given that the car is all bonnet bulges and flared arches, it’s not much of a disguise. Plenty of carbon fibre, heavily bolstered seats, steering-

mounted switches to toggle driving modes and 476bhp of raw power – the C 63 does not make it easy to trace its origins back to the C-Class.

Power sliding comes naturally to this hooligan, with an electronic differential diligently sending all the power to the rear wheels, keeping them spinning. It’s rare to find a performance car, in the age of electronic nannies, that has such a sense of humour about it. At a time when engines are downsizing and power levels are dropping, the C 63 Coupé remains unapologetically bombastic, letting out a primordial roar, which will echo through the mountains, long after internal combustion cars have gone extinct.

ADVENTURE BIKE OF THE

YEAR

SUV OF THE YEAR

LAND ROVER DEFENDER 110Few hardcore off-roaders come with the sort of pedigree possessed by the Land Rover Defender. The all-new Defender is everything you’d expect it to be – mindful of its heritage and yet steeped in modern technology that makes it a perfectly viable option for the tarmac. But what wins our vote is the breathtaking array of gadgets and features installed. Electronic air suspension that comes as standard, with adjustable ride height allowing it to wade into water as deep as 900mm underbody cameras providing an all-encompassing view of the terrain, and an electronic active differential reducing wheel

spin – the Defender is so much more than an impregnable fortress.

Like all Land Rovers, the Defender’s entry and departure angles have been optimised for boulder-bashing. The underbody cameras allow for perfect wheel articulation. There’s even a two bar that can be engaged through a gentle tap on the 10-inch touchscreen mounted on the centre console. While Land Rover’s contemplating bringing in a straight-six, the 2.0-litre, turbo-petrol feels adequate enough, for the moment. The Terrain Response System continues to remain the best in the business, while a militaristic interior pays homage to the original’s bare bones appeal. All of these factors put together imbue you with a certain confidence that no matter how sticky the bog, the Defender’s got your back.

HONDA AFRICA TWIN ADVENTURE SPORTS It’s particularly cruel that a motorcycle as synonymous with the outdoors as the Honda Africa Twin should once again arrive at our shores in a year that forbids adventure. Or perhaps, it’s perfectly timed. Because the all-new Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports – the top-end iteration of the world-renowned adventure tourer – has the sort of terrain-conquering chops that makes it the ideal ride for a post-pandemic world tour.

Cruise Control, automatic dual clutch transmission (optional), TFT touchscreen display and inverted front forks offering 220mm of suspension travel: the Africa Twin has a mind-boggling array of features. Yet, despite weighing a quarter tonne, it feels easy enough to ride, with plenty of low-end torque and a wide berth that can have you touring for hours. It also has a massive 24.8-litre fuel tank to ensure that you can meander far off the beaten path, whenever the mood strikes.

Everything from the bike’s wide berth to the large, 21-inch front wheel beckons you to saddle up and aim for the horizon. More than mere technical flourishes found on many-an-adventure bikes, the Africa Twin Adventure Sports has that one key attribute that cannot be quantified – soul.

PERFORMANCE BIKE OF THE

YEAR

MODEL CITIZEN


TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE R More powerful than the Street Triple S, less extreme than the Street Triple RS, the new Triumph Street Triple R – takes the winning formula of a race-derived 795cc engine in a naked middle-weight performance bike, and calibrates it to meet your everyday needs. The R, which now serves as the base model for the Street Triple range in India, gets the same in-line triple engine as the range-topping RS model, making 118bhp of power (5bhp

ATHER 450XYou can throw in all the horsepower in the world, but the Ather 450X will continue to remain the noblest steed in the stable. The latest version of the home-grown electric scooter takes everything you love about the Ather 450 and makes it slightly better. This means it’s a little quicker, a little lighter and, with a marginally extended range of 85km, a lot more practical.

Ather claims to have managed the scooter’s weight distribution better with the X, making it feel more nimble and balanced. Of course, it’s not designed for outright performance, with the top speed still capped at 80kph, but it’s a zippy little runabout, ideal for city commutes. And now, with a new subscription scheme that allows you to pay a monthly fee (over the 1̀ lakh down payment), it’s relatively less expensive and more powerful.

less than the RS) and revs all the way up to a giddy 12,000rpm. The Street Triple has always been a balanced motorcycle, with a sharp rake angle priming it for quick inner-city manoeuvres, an intoxicating exhaust note and manageable proportions that make it a more accessible option than some of the more intimidating supersport motorcycles out there. The R takes that cocktail and adds an up-down quick shifter, new riding modes and sharper looks – all combining to create one of the most invigorating riding experiences that can be enjoyed by novice and expert riders alike.

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T he SISTEM51 Irony Bluerang is water-resistant

up to 30m

BARE BONES


F or a relatively accessible and hassle-free timepiece, designed to appeal to millennials, the Swatch SISTEM51 sent ripples across the watch

industry upon its launch in 2013. An automatic movement comprising only 51 components, held together by a single screw? This was the sort of ingenuity that made the original Ford Model T such a smash hit way back in 1908 as it brought a seemingly inaccessible piece of technology and presented it to the great multitude. That’s what Swatch intends to do with the SISTEM51 – make mechanical watches popular among an increasingly price and style-conscious consumer who wants a funky looking timepiece at an affordable rate.

The new SISTEM51 Irony Bluerang takes that same concept and adds a bit

more aesthetic appeal to it. It gets a simple sunray dial, which is transparent in the centre with a partially openwork movement allowing you to observe horological minimalism at work. This means you get to see the transparent oscillating weight as well. The dial maintains a clean design, free of any numerals around the hour markers, instead diverting your attention to the centre. A date display window pierces its otherwise smooth surface, encased in stainless steel, � anked by blue striped rubber straps.

Ever since its introduction, the SISTEM51 has gone on to become a mainstay of Swatch’s mechanical watch collection – the � rst among its equals. It’s got a baf� ing range of colours on its palette, broadening its horizon as a dress watch. Keeping in mind the all-too-busy lives of its target demographic, Swatch has given the SISTEM51 a power reserve of 90 hours, which, at `18,469, makes the Irony Bluerang a gobsmacking bargain.

What’s the minimum number of components needed to assemble a mechanical watch? With Swatch’s SISTEM51, the clue lies in the name

MORELESS IS

T he SISTEM51 houses an in-

house, Swiss-made mechanical movement

that's produced robotically

DIGITAL EDITION 600

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As menswear and the idea of masculinity take a giant leap forward – from traditional to boundary-pushing ideas – we celebrate the exciting, innovative

designs as seen through the lens of women designers

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ASSISTANT STYLIST: SELMAN FAZIL

It’s gotta be a striking looking collection, if it must take the brand away from familiar territory. And in their own, subtle and understated manner, these chronographs are. There are essentially four colour options – autumn green with black counters (pictured), burgundy red with brown counters, velvet black with beige indexes and a porcelain white dial with black counters and red accents. Despite the muted shades, Roten insists the colours are designed to add cheer to what are dreary times. “These dials are a re� ection of the people’s desire to be positive.” The dial colours are complemented by light coloured suede leather straps, while the dial features Favre-Leuba’s trademark bi-compax layout, with indexes and hands based on the ones found in its watches back in the 1960s and 1970s.

Its past designs are something Roten plans on mining to a great extent. “Next year, in the early summer, we are going to launch the � rst watch of our vintage collection, a relaunch of a watch from 1968,” he con� rms, adding, “It will be limited to 284 pieces to celebrate our 284th anniversary.” No such thing as too many vintage tributes, right?

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T he Sky Chief gets a stainless steel case with

an engraved motif on the chrono pushers for

better grip

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“We aim to connect the past to the future,” says Philippe Roten, the recently appointed CEO of the world’s second oldest watch brand, Favre-Leuba. The brand’s resurgence, after being acquired by the Tata Group, led to the launch of its � agship pieces – the Bathy and the Bivouac – re-establishing the

brand as a maker of hardy tool watches. Roten plans to add less bulky, everyday watches

to the mix, in an effort to boost sales. Enter the new, facelifted Favre-Leuba Sky Chief. Launched with the brand’s new “Trust Yourself” campaign, the Sky Chief is a dressier alternative to the robust, larger-than-life mountaineering and diving watches in the Favre-Leuba roster. “When you go to the of� ce, you might not wear such a strong watch. So, I would say as a daily watch, the Sky Chief collection is much easier to wear, and, therefore, also has greater potential to be sold,” says Roten, who doesn’t downplay the fact that he has ultimately been appointed to sell watches.

Favre-Leuba’s latest collection marks a stylistic departure for the brand. Does it make an impact?

niu&nau. A niu you. nau.

The four conversationalists

niu&nau at Taj Lands End, Mumbai is more than a salon. We’re an

experience. In fact, we’re many experiences. We’re the salon you always

knew, reimagined for a mindful generation.

At niu&nau we don’t just craft a look, we create a feeling. We take time

to �nd the real you, so you can shine brighter.

What’s more, our gentleman’s barbering section, offers a the �nest

grooming treatments. Discover a re-imagined salon experience with

niu&nau. With a niche sense of style, niu&nau brings a full regimen of

services for men spanning hair, beauty and skincare. The gentleman’s

barbering section and is out�tted with the most modern equipment and

stocked with the hottest beauty brands.

Come to create your new look. Or simply to grab some downtime.

We give you the time and space you need to truly be yourself.

For bookings and queries call: +91 22 6668 7464

The story of hydroxychloroquine is a strange and twisted tale pitting power against knowledge. Let’s not repeat it

PRESCRIPTION FOR

absinthe; next time you order a Manhattan or a Sazerac, give a little l’chaim to the Peruvians.

Medicine that treats a deadly disease but grows only on certain � nicky trees is the kind of thing chemists live for. A failed attempt to synthesise quinine in the 1800s had accidentally produced the � rst synthetic pigment (a lovely shade of mauve); after World War I, when endemic malaria arguably did almost as much as Allied soldiers to limit Germany’s expansionist ambitions, that country set its scientists to solving a problem. A dye company called Bayer took up the quinine challenge, synthesised some reasonably

useful replacements and became a pharmaceutical powerhouse with a global market. When World War II denied the US access to both German drugs and the quinine-producing cinchona trees of Java, the Americans basically stole a recipe from German prisoners of war and turned that into a successful treatment.

That drug was called chloroquine. It has a slightly better- tolerated cousin, hydroxychloroquine. You may have heard of them.

So, yeah: A drug extracted from indigenous knowledge to lubricate European colonialist impulses went on to power the military adventures of the latter 20th century and save millions

DISAS C H A P T E R O N E

the JESUIT BARK

In the mid-1600s, a Jesuit priest serving in Peru got a useful tip. The indigenous people there, he learned, were using the bark of a particular kind of tree to treat fevers. The priest, who’d probably gone a few rounds himself with the local diseases, got ahold of some of the reddish-brown bark from this “fever-tree” and shipped it back to Europe. In the 1670s, what came to be called Jesuit bark had made its way into a popular patent medicine, along with rose leaves, lemon juice and wine.

That was the beginning of the impressively effective bark’s role in pharma cology (and its side career in mixology). In the mid-1700s the proli� c Swedish taxonomist Carl Linnaeus gave the tree’s genus its name – having heard a fanciful (and untrue) tale about the bark’s success treating the Spanish Countess of Chinchón, he dubbed it Cinchona. In 1820, French chemists isolated the active ingredient, a plant alkaloid they named quinine. Its bitter � avour became not only a hallmark of the prevention and treatment of

malaria but also the basis for a medicinal � zzy water – a “tonic” – that mixed well with the gin that Europeans brought with them to their equatorial conquests. Today, quinine can be found in bitters, vermouth and

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of lives. But even as the parasites that cause some strains of malaria began to develop resistance to chloro quine, newer science started to hint at a second life for the drug. Some lab studies suggested that it could fight viruses, and that it could suppress overreactions by the human immune system. By the mid-1950s, doctors were using hydroxychloroquine to treat the autoimmune disorders lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. The drug was readily available. It had manageable side effects. And because it’s so old, no pharmaceutical company holds a patent on it. So it’s cheap.

Viable. Safe. Available. Inexpensive. What more could you ask for?

It made sense, then, that when a novel coronavirus appeared in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, people started speculating about the old drug. Chloroquine’s virus-fighting reputation preceded it. Four centuries of the history of science came crashing into the newly apocalyptic present. By February, several Chinese research teams had spun up small trials of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine against the new disease, and some were soon reporting success. A simple, familiar drug was offering hope.

Still, though. Before you start giving a drug to the thousands, soon to be millions, of people affected by a pandemic virus, you want to be very, very sure it’s safe and effective, that the benefits of administering it outweigh the risks and side effects. The Chinese studies of chloroquine were, so far, preliminary and small-bore. And because of language barriers, limited access to international journals, and some mutual distrust, Chinese data doesn’t always make it into the global information ecosystem. Nobody really knew, IM

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authoritatively, if the drug actually worked.

But “Does it work?” is a harder question to answer than it sounds. Few drugs are penicillin-size successes; most drugs have more moderate effects. That means those possible effects are hard to distinguish from what may just be statistical

noise. Under normal conditions, distinguishing one from the other requires painstaking, time-consuming research protocols and statistical analysis. But the urgency of a pandemic makes conditions abnormal in the extreme. Faced with intensive care units full of the severely ill, physicians begin to feel they can’t wait for statistics before their patients become one. Politicians start looking for a win, or something to signal they’re dealing with the problem. And the world’s technical and economic elite start looking for quick fixes and opportunities to make a sale, spreading their opinions (whether quarter-, half-, or fully baked) on social media. After all, influencer and influenza share the same etymological root.

At issue here is more than just whether a drug treats a disease. The heart of the scientific method is the process of formulating a hypothesis and collecting data to test it. This is how to reliably be sure that (in this case) a drug does what you say it does – that the effects you think you see are not coincidence or luck or mirage. It sounds simple, but, in practice, it’s ambiguous, messy and often contentious. The twisted tale of hydroxychloroquine is actually about how to know stuff, the question that has

defined every existential decision since the early 20th century – climate change, vaccines, economic policy. We’ve learned from failure and bitter experience that only when we take the time to find the truth do we at least have a chance to make good decisions. We also know that it’ll be a struggle – that grifters, power-seekers and fantasists will push their own

TER165

versions of truth while scientists and policymakers grapple with the lumbering process and nuanced outcomes of the scienti� c method. Because there will be other pandemics, other disasters. And just as with Covid-19, only science and its tools will soften their impact. But also as with Covid-19, humans will do that science and wield those tools, and that makes things messy. What happened with hydroxychloroquine was a debacle, but retelling the story might help avert the same kind of chaos next time around.

C H A P T E R T W O

it works in the lab

Viruses aren’t alive, exactly – they’re just genetic material wrapped in fat, starch and protein. But because they use living things to reproduce and spread, evolutionary forces effectively

shape them, synchronising viruses with the speci� cs of their targets. Viruses land on cells and viruses’ landing gear, as it were, are shaped to lock onto the exact topologies of proteins on their surfaces. Once clicked onto that docking site, a virus forces the cell to engulf it in a little bit of membrane. Like a � ghter jet on an aircraft carrier deck, the virus gets elevatored into the cells’ innards. Down there, the viral genes slide into the cell’s own genome and take over, forcing the cell to pump out more copies of the virus. Eventually the cell bursts open, the new virus copies spread, and the process starts all over.

Hypothetically, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine can mess all that up. They interfere with the biochemistry that lets the landing gear touch down, a process called glycosylation. And it seems like the drugs change the acidity of the elevator shaft, of that bit of involuted membrane bubble, making it inhospitable to a virus and preventing infection.

It works in the lab, anyway. Over decades, researchers have tried chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine against a

bunch of viruses, including the human immuno de� ciency virus that causes AIDS. The new pathogen that emerged in 2019, SARS-CoV-2, belongs to a family called coronaviruses – as did its prequel, SARS-CoV, which caused severe acute respiratory syndrome. In 2004, a team of Belgian researchers tried chloroquine on SARS-1 in the lab, and it seemed successful – apply the drug to cells and the virus has trouble replicating.

Cells in a petri dish aren’t people, but even with such crappy evidence, it made sense in the early days of the pandemic to try the drug again. Emergency rooms and intensive care units were � lling up with sick people who couldn’t breathe, and frankly, frontline caregivers didn’t have much else to give them.

By March 9, the US was facing a shortage of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine. About a week later, with a surge of Covid-19 patients slamming New York City, I talked to Liise-anne Pirofski, the chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Monte� ore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Chloroquine was standard for patients with Covid-19, along with a repurposed HIV anti viral – even though, at the time, there was only the thinnest data recommending either drug. “Everybody gets that unless they have some contra indication,” Pirofski told me. What else could they do? Her hospital was participating in a clinical trial of a then- experimental antiviral called remdesivir, but it was still unavailable outside that study. Pirofski herself was advocating the use of convalescent plasma, a decades-old treatment made from the blood of people who’ve recovered from a disease, which also hadn’t been tested against Covid-19. They were throwing everything they had at the virus. People were sick and dying. You go to war with the drugs you have, not the drugs you wish you had.

C H A P T E R T H R E E

science in action

The possibilities in early 2020: Hydroxychloroquine might help. Or it might not. Or it might make people worse. No one knew.

One of the � rst people to leap into that breach was David Boulware, a diligent infectious disease researcher and professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota. Back in 2015, he’d worked on an Ebola drug trial with the National Institutes of Health, and he quickly raised his hand to work on trials of treatments for the new virus.

In early March, he and his team were supposed to be at an HIV conference in Boston, but by that point nobody was

travelling anywhere. “We all had four days free to totally focus on this task,” Boulware told me then. His group used the time to put together a plan to study hydroxychloroquine.

Right here – the stage where scientists come up with these “research protocols” – is where how-to-know starts getting complicated. It’s a cliché because it’s true: The answers you get depend on the questions you ask. In this case, Boulware’s team decided not to test the drug on hospitalised patients, when the disease becomes severe. “If it was going to work, you’d

have a better chance to alter the disease course early on,” Boulware said.

They hoped it worked. But they didn’t know. To � nd out, they proposed a classic structure: A couple hundred people would get the drug; a similar number would get a placebo – an inert fake. The ones getting the placebo would be the “control group,” experiencing all the same things except for the drug, to isolate its effects. Neither researchers nor participants would

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know who got which until the end; that’s called a “double-blind” study. And people would be assigned to the groups at random, to avoid even unconscious bias on the part of the researchers and prevent differences between groups of humans – socioeconomic, demographic, and so on – from throwing off the results.

That is, in other words, a large, double-blinded, randomised controlled trial. Boulware’s team proposed two. One would look at whether

person was hoping to hear in the � rst place. If one of those things goes viral, and if the science behind it is dif� cult or undercooked, pretty soon everyone starts nodding along.

Which is what happened on March 13 – the same day the FDA approved Boulware’s well-thought-out trial. A physician named James Todaro tweeted that chloroquine could � ght Covid-19, and he’d written a paper that proved

it. Now, this wasn’t a “paper” from a peer-reviewed journal, or even a preprint. It was a Google Doc, co-authored by a lawyer named Gregory Rigano and a biochemist named Thomas Broker, identi� ed as a Stanford PhD. It was a pretty good summary of all the research on chloroquine up to that point. It even cited the work of a French researcher named Didier Raoult, a controversial infectious disease specialist who, a few days later, claimed he had results showing that hydroxychloroquine worked against Covid-19 in human beings.

A steady rain of likes and retweets turned into a viral downpour. The in� uential Silicon Valley blog Stratechery linked to the Google Doc. Rigano went on Fox News. Elon Musk tweeted about the document with the link. Musk, who said he’d taken chloroquine for malaria, also tweeted a link to a video on hydroxychloroquine and Covid-19 produced by a small medical- education company called MedCram. The company had started doing brisk traf� c covering the coronavirus; the hydroxychloroquine episode took off.

The original Google Doc made a good case for chloroquine being of interest – attempted use in prior pandemics, studies in cells and in animals, preliminary results from China. Not proof, to be sure, but tantalising hints. But, as it turned out, the creators were not all that they appeared.

Rigano had done most of the initial work. According to his Linked In bio, Rigano was on leave from a master’s programme in bioinformatics at Johns Hopkins and was an adviser to a drug development programme at Stanford. But the head of the bioinformatics programme at

hydroxychloroquine could prevent illness in people with exposure to an infected person – “post-exposure prophylaxis” – and another would see if taking the drug close to the onset of symptoms could keep those symptoms from getting worse. That was “early treatment”. On March 13, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the study, a blisteringly fast green light from a typically cautious, plodding agency. The responses of the federal government’s scienti� c policymaking would falter in key ways over the next few months, but this wasn’t one of them.

Boulware started enrolling people almost immediately. For statistical validity, they’d need enough people so that some in the experimental groups and some in the controls would get Covid-19. The researchers would run the numbers, ask who got what, and they’d have an answer in weeks. They’d write up the results, publish in a journal and it would be science.

Except Boulware’s reasonable expectation that things would work the way they were supposed to didn’t take into account the viral social-media blender that was spinning up its blades – making a viscous gazpacho out of Silicon Valley opportunism and the hottest of hot takes from the president of the United States.

The way they were supposed to? Yeah, no.

C H A P T E R F O U R

the tech solution

Even the stodgiest of scientists don’t believe that waiting months or years for a formal write-up of an experiment to penetrate a wall of skeptical reviewers, receiving an inscrutable thumbs-up to get published – in ink! on paper! that gets mailed! to libraries! – is an ideal system for disseminating new knowledge today. Yet, that’s still mostly how things work, despite the existence of the online version of most journals. But the Covid-19 pandemic came at a weird moment in the history of how information spreads. For one thing, that formal system was already in the process of breaking down. Due to the pressures of publication and academic seniority, some of

the science that gets into peer-reviewed journals doesn’t hold up to scrutiny, and many scientists are internalising the hard truth of that “reproducibility crisis.” Formal peer review and publication doesn’t make something true. That’s part of the reason the biomedical sciences were embracing a newer approach, one that their colleagues across the quad in the physics and math buildings had arrived at years before: “prepublication” or “prepress” articles that could go online as soon as their authors � nished typing them.

That’s good; it means faster, freer information and a more egalitarian kind of review. But rethinking the gatekeeping in the ways nominal experts disseminated nominal knowledge opened the door to other people playing the game. Thanks to widespread access to publishing tools and social media, pretty much anyone can marshal the trappings of expertise. The crisis of the global pandemic intersected with a crisis of belief, with opposing scienti� c ideas somehow getting tethered to political ideologies. With just a bit of Googling, anyone can � nd things that look like truth, that are what that

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Johns Hopkins told me Rigano wasn’t really on leave from the programme; he had only taken one class. And the co-director of the Stanford programme told me that, while he’d met Rigano, he was in no way an “adviser”. Todaro, whom Rigano met via Twitter, was a former ophthalmologist turned professional bitcoin investor. And Broker was not, it turned out, a Stanford biochemist. He attended Stanford but now was a retired virologist at the University of Alabama who studied not corona viruses but an entirely different family of viruses. Broker disavowed any involvement in the paper, and Todaro and Rigano soon removed his name from it.

None of which is to say they were necessarily wrong. But none of which is to say they were necessarily right, either. Yet, the idea rippled through Silicon Valley like photons through an optical cable. Facebook, Amazon, Apple and Google had sucked up most of the disruption oxygen in tech, and entrepreneurial types were already interested in biotech as a thing to pour money on. And their libertarian bent means they’re always looking for an institutional eyeball into which they can shove a venture-capital finger. The medical establishment, with

are different processes with different goals. In the Valley, whether something works is different from, maybe even disconnected from, whether it sells.

Combine that with the quantified-self, n-of-1 approach to health and wellness that some of the same people also embrace, and you get not science but pseudo-science touted by the four-hour-body crowd that gets rejuvenating transfusions of young people’s blood and rebrands nutritional diet shakes as food from a dystopian science fiction movie. “Tech, and especially Silicon Valley, has this belief that all you have to do is disrupt things and try shit and make it stick to the wall, and it will work and change everything,” says one investor with a long history in health care. “We’ve had a tried-and-true method of getting vaccinations and drugs approved in the US that is absolutely antithetical to everything the tech industry believes and has found to be true.”

As deaths in the US mounted and the economy went into a lockdown- induced spin, some rich and successful venture capitalists started arguing that the

whole system was nonsense. As noted contrarian, investor and former PayPal, LinkedIn and Square executive Keith Rabois tweeted, “Randomized controls are horrible ideas. Largest impediment to progress in health spans.” (Rabois agreed to consider answering emailed questions but didn’t respond to the ones I sent.) Randomised, controlled trials not only take too long, Rabois and

its elitist reliance on the plodding, 20th-century model of clinical trials in the midst of a raging pandemic, seemed like a fat target.

The need for speed was real, and it played into the baser, basic instincts of the Valley. Those hold that all a technologist needs is a dream, a minimum-viable product, and the will to build a company. (A Stanford undergraduate degree doesn’t hurt.) If you’re trained to see your successes as the result of genius and instinct rather than luck, you might not be able to readily distinguish between the rigours of testing a drug’s efficacy and the travails of bringing a product to market. But they

Though President Donald Trump was an early advocate of hydroxychloroquine, it was not part of his treatment when he contracted Covid-19

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his ilk said, but were in this case unnecessary. You could instead use “real-world data,” like the experience of the tens of thousands of people who were actually taking hydroxychloroquine, and do some kind of data thing on it.

It’s not crazy. Randomised controlled trials are, as the scientists say, the gold standard. But that method isn’t the only way to � gure out causality, or at least to start to get a sense of it. Sometimes double-blind studies are impractical. Sometimes nature and circumstance offer a great opportunity to see how changes in conditions have different effects. Observational studies, retrospective analyses of existing data, meta-analyses of grouped smaller studies – they’re all useful, and certainly better than throwing biotechnological spaghetti against a pandemic to see what sticks. But look what happened months later, after similar hopes for convalescent plasma as a therapy turned into widespread use. After giving it to nearly 1,00,000 people, plasma appeared to be safe, but there was only limited evidence of its effectiveness.

If it’s possible to characterise an entire swath of opinions, though, what the tech� uencers seemed to be pitching was not a study where the parameters of observation were de� ned in advance, but one where all sorts of casually collected data, the � otsam and jetsam of our digital lives, might somehow be tabulated and correlated to whether, when and how a person got hydroxychloroquine. Quanti� ed self, but applied to everyone – quanti� ed other.

To be fair, the ethics of demanding rigorous, time- consuming tests during a pandemic are worth debating. In a sense, this is about medicine now versus science later. Correctly administered, hydroxychloroquine only rarely has serious side effects; it’s a well-understood, mostly safe drug. Why not just give it to everyone and monitor their outcomes? That’s a very Silicon Valley approach – intermediate risk, high reward. “I appreciate some of the tech people coming to health care, because I do think we should be thinking about

some things differently. Having fresh thinking is great. But fresh thinking is different from illogical thinking or uncaring thinking,” the investor tells me. “If you’re a tech guy � acking hydroxychloroquine to people who shouldn’t use it, what the fuck? People can get really sick.”

Even if they don’t get sick, that plan still has problems. Giving people a drug that may or may not work is ethically dicey. And who would actually keep track of those outcomes? “Big data” approaches to medicine are susceptible to the distortions and bias of anecdotal evidence and intuition, exactly the mistakes that rigorous, large-scale, randomised controlled trials are designed to avoid. But over decades, those trials have gotten more and more complicated and expensive – just as government funding of them has plateaued. The main consequence has been that pharmaceutical companies fund their own

trials, and the companies are highly incentivised to focus on drugs with huge potential markets. That often means more expensive lifestyle drugs and fewer worthy public health solutions or medicines with population-scale bene� ts – more Viagras, fewer Vancomycins. Little wonder, then, that researchers running trials for the unpatented drug hydroxy chloroquine had such trouble gaining traction, while the expensive antiviral remdesivir, with the transnational pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences pushing it, found support for a trial in the NIH and in the White House – and is now standard in US Covid-19 treatment. The foxes all run their own chicken-coop businesses.

C H A P T E R F I V E

the president of what do you have to lose

The same week the mania for the drug took hold in Silicon Valley, Larry Ellison, the chair of Oracle and the � fth-richest person on earth, started talking with Donald Trump. According to The Washington Post, Ellison wanted to pitch a widespread study of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as a treatment. Ellison proposed that Oracle could develop a website to track people’s use of the drug along with their health outcomes, and the data would anticipate whatever a slow, expensive randomised controlled trial might eventually reveal. (Through a spokesperson, Ellison declined to answer

my questions about these discussions, as did a White House spokesperson.)Ellison seemed to make an impression. Shortly after that conversation,

the Post reported, Trump met with his senior advisers on the coronavirus pandemic and asked if the government could expedite the approval process for hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine and, for good measure, remdesivir. Emergency use authorisations had been employed during pandemics in the past, to allow treatments with potential to jump the line in times of urgent need. Remdesivir was in the midst of a large-scale randomised trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. Hydroxychloroquine didn’t have the same backing.

The president’s urgency wasn’t just a matter of public health. Trump had promised Covid-19 would just disappear, but the US response to the disease was going entirely off the rails. During a disastrous visit to the CDC on March 6, Trump touted his own scienti� c acumen – “I like this stuff. I really get it. People are surprised that I understand it” – but behind the scenes he was obstructing programmes to begin widespread testing for the disease. The failure to do those tests meant that as March ticked onward, thousands of

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Americans were already infected. Trump acknowledged privately to the journalist Bob Woodward that Covid-19 was a dangerous, plague-level disease even as he railed against the press on Twitter and elsewhere, hoping to bolster a plummeting stock market. (“I don’t want to create panic,” he said in September when asked about why he had downplayed the severity of the pandemic.) And meanwhile every model, every infectious disease researcher, every epidemiologist was looking at case and fatality curves on the cusp of exponentiality, with worst-case fatality estimates in the millions.

A miracle cure must have sounded pretty good.

On March 19, the president conducted a press conference, and it was really weird.

This is where he started pitching hydroxychloroquine. “It’s shown very encouraging – very, very encouraging early results. And we’re going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately,” the president said. The FDA was all in too: “They’ve gone through the approval process; it’s been approved.”

This was untrue in most respects. Few results were in. The president might have meant that hydroxychloroquine was approved for malaria, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, and that clinicians could prescribe it off-label. He might also have been talking about Boulware’s trial, which had also been approved by the FDA. It’s certainly possible the president got confused.

The president introduced FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn, who treaded cautiously. Chloroquine was worth considering for use against Covid-19, Hahn said. “Again,” he said, “we want to do that in the setting of a clinical trial – a large, pragmatic clinical trial.”

That wasn’t what the White House was pushing for behind the scenes, though. At that same moment, the administration was allegedly pressuring Rick Bright, responsible for vaccine development as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA),

to get on the hydroxychloroquine train. According to Bright’s eventual whistle-blower report, the general counsel for HHS told Bright’s team that the White House wanted an Investigational New Drug protocol for chloroquine to accommodate a soon-to-come donation of millions of doses from Bayer. Bright managed to talk his bosses down to an emergency use authorisation, a less full-throated support of the drug’s efficacy. “When I resisted efforts to promote and enable broad access to an unproven drug, chloroquine, to the American people without transparent information on the potential health risks, I was removed from BARDA,” Bright told a subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

On March 27, the FDA announced an emergency use authorisation for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine to treat Covid-19, freeing up the drugs for use on sick patients. Prescriptions skyrocketed, mostly from physicians who’d never prescribed it before. Many people who volunteer for clinical trials do so out of community spirit; some also hope to get access to a potentially crucial drug – risking the chance that they might instead get randomised to the placebo group. Widespread availability of hydroxy chloroquine meant nobody needed to be in a trial to get it. The authorisation had the counter-intuitive effect of undercutting the effort to find out if the drug was actually worth taking.

Back in Minneapolis, Boulware suddenly found he couldn’t enroll enough people to get the statistical power his protocol needed to give a definitive answer. The research was on outpatients, people who weren’t hospitalised, all over the country – they could volunteer from anywhere. And the emails just stopped coming. Boulware read all the same news reports as everyone else. He could understand why. “Half of the people think it’s an unethical trial because it clearly works,” he told me in April, “and the other half thinks it’s clearly dangerous and we shouldn’t do it.”

They had 1,200 people enrolled. They only needed 180 more. They were so close.

The president’s advocacy added another, hyper-partisan political layer of difficulty. Trump supporters began to see the use of hydroxy chloroquine, like the avoidance of wearing masks, as a badge of political allegiance. Even gentle cautions about potential bad health outcomes from hydroxychloroquine came to signal disloyalty. Drug companies weren’t pushing for trials. (Sandoz, a drugmaker with a business in generic, off-patent drugs like hydroxy-chloroquine, tried to mount a trial but cancelled it for lack of participation.) The government wasn’t pushing for one, as it had for remdesivir. All of that left Boulware’s team hanging. Even his volunteers were telling him how they felt. “By mid-April, people had formed an opinion,” he says. “Either it worked or it was dangerous, and our enrollment was minimal.”

I asked Boulware if that’s normal, that participants in a clinical trial might have an opinion about whether the drug they were testing worked or not.

“No,” he said, “it’s not normal, but I guess I’ve never been involved with a clinical trial that became political. I don’t think any clinical trial has ever been political while it was ongoing.”

The benefit of the doubt and goodwill toward others that clinical researchers depend upon in their volunteers was gone, thanks to the president. “What do you have to lose?” Trump said at a press briefing in April. “We don’t have time to go and say, ‘Gee, let’s take a couple of years and test

it out. And let’s go and test with the test tubes and the laboratories.’” Days later, two former FDA commissioners went on record saying the emergency use authorisation had been a terrible idea, because of the lack of efficacy data. But the president had no interest in slowing things down.

That kind of cavalier approach – hey, why not? – puts physicians in the position of balancing a chance of benefitting the

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patient in front of them against the certainty of not bene� ting patients in the future. It’s a terrible choice. It also exists in a fog of privilege. Only people rich enough or with good enough insurance can afford, literally and metaphorically, to make a mistake. If the drug helps, they got it before anyone else could. If it does nothing, no matter. And if it does harm, well, they have access to medical care to save them. The whole concept seems like it gives individuals autonomy, but making a decision

tamp down the good immune response. So it wasn’t clear whether a steroid would help the second phase more than it harmed the � rst.

The other drug candidate was a combination therapy of HIV antivirals many hospitals were relying on – including Monte� ore Medical Center.

At � rst Landray and Horby didn’t include hydroxychloroquine. They added it in April. “It was a choice a lot of people were interested in,” Landray says. “And if it wasn’t in the trial, a lot of people were going to use it anyway.” (Landray was aware of the “circus” in the US, but people elsewhere were advocating the drug too. “I’m not just talking about the president of the US,” he says. “He’s been a high-pro� le advocate of all sorts of things.”) All they needed was a couple thousand people taking hydroxy chloroquine, and up to 4,000 who were not, and they could rule it in or out.

Back in Minnesota, it wasn’t until early May that Boulware’s team managed to eke out enough participants for statistical signi� cance. They wrote up the results in three days, a dozen people sharing one Google Doc, and they sent two papers to The New England Journal of Medicine. Both showed negative results. Hydroxychloroquine didn’t ease symptoms any better than a control, and it didn’t prevent anyone from getting sick after exposure to an infected person. The papers weren’t perfect, but the data was clear: The drug didn’t work. Then, on the same day he submitted the papers to the NEJM. “I got an email from the White House asking about post-exposure prophylaxis,” Boulware says. “It was a memorable day.”

The public didn’t know it yet, but one of President Trump’s valets had tested positive for Covid-19. The White House staff knew Boulware had been working on post-exposure prophylaxis, and the president’s doctor wanted to see the trial results. “If it were normal times, I would say sure, that’s � ne,” Boulware says. But NEJM follows something called the Ingel� nger rule, named for a

with insuf� cient information isn’t autonomy. It’s desperation, and it comes at the expense of everyone who gets sick later. This dangerous tactical individualism degrades both personal responsibility to community and overall scienti� c knowledge. Sick people become panicky nihilists, and no one ever learns anything.

C H A P T E R S I X

an alternative approach

Since the 1970s, a certain lineage of epidemiologists had been arguing that really massive randomised controlled trials could provide a scienti� c bulwark against that egotistical nihilism. When most drugs have only moderate-size bene� ts, you need thousands of people in the trial. When scientists and companies are motivated by social and commercial needs to get positive results, you need randomisation to get good evidence. It’s the only way to change policy and treatments.

At least, that’s what an Oxford researcher named Martin Landray had come to think. A professor of medicine and epidemiology and acting head of the Big Data Institute at Oxford, Landray made his bones on large-scale cardiac trials; recently, he’d been working on policy, trying to simplify the regulations around those kinds of big studies. The Covid-19 pandemic gave him a chance to put the idea into action. Just a couple of weeks after Boulware put his hydroxy chloroquine protocols together, Landray and Peter Horby, an expert in conducting trials during epidemics, built something bigger. Much bigger.

The Randomised Evaluation of Covid-19 Therapy Trial, also called Recovery, would split thousands of Covid-19 patients into groups testing various drugs as soon as they entered a hospital. Just about every other aspect of the UK’s Covid-19 response has been, in the local argot, a massive cock-up, but this thing they got right. Landray and Horby got approval to build patient consent for the study into hospital admission processes across the country. The National Health Service’s electronic medical records made it easy to track what happened to people with Covid, and the outcome they decided to measure for every drug on the roster was the simplest one: mortality. Did people, simply, die? “When you’re in a pandemic, just thrashing about is not helpful. One has to actually go back to the basic principles of randomised trials to determine which treatments work and which do not,” Landray says.

The � rst drugs they picked were already available, but no one was clear whether they worked. Dexamethasone, a steroid, was controversial because of the double threat of Covid-19. In early stages, the disease acts like a run-of-the-mill virus, damaging cells, especially in the lungs. But in the second stage of the disease, a person’s own immune system overreacts, causing widespread damage and sometimes death. Steroids are immuno suppressants that can calm that overreaction but also

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preeminent early editor, that says if your data has been reported or submitted somewhere else, you can’t also publish it in NEJM. Boulware was worried that the White House might release the data and screw up his chances with the journal.

So Boulware demurred to the White House. He told the staffers that his team’s analysis was still ongoing. “I did say, ‘based on the data we’re aware of, we don’t recommend this,’” he says. “I gave a recommendation based on my judgment.” But Boulware also told the White House doctor that it was safe to take, at least.

“I mean, can you imagine being Trump’s doctor? Clearly Trump wants it, and he’s going to get it no matter what,” Boulware says. “What he wanted to do and what he thought was the best judgment versus the president of the United States? It’s hard to say no to that.”

Several days later, the president announced at a press conference that he was indeed taking hydroxychloroquine. “The president has always said that he sees hydroxychloroquine as a very promising prophylactic, but that it should only be taken in consultation with your doctor,” Sarah Matthews, a White House spokesperson, told me in an email. “The president has personal con� dence in it, as he has taken it himself as a prophylactic.”

C H A P T E R S E V E N

the double helix of irony

A couple weeks after Boulware told the White House doctor that hydroxychloroquine was safe even if it didn’t work, the respected medical journal The Lancet published the results of a study erasing even that silver lining. It wasn’t a clinical trial. It was, on its face, an observational study reviewing outcomes from nearly 1,00,000 Covid-19 patients on six continents. As big data goes, that was pretty big. The authors said

their data showed that the drugs caused a signi� cant increase in potentially fatal heart problems, a risk that

could outweigh any bene� t. The impact of the paper was huge. Within a few days, the World Health Organization announced it was pausing the hydroxy chloroquine arm of its major study. Regulatory agencies around the world started making noise about cancelling more studies, revoking use authorisations.

Landray wasn’t convinced. “I was mildly irritated, disappointed, that people were taking the paper seriously, because it was an observational study,” Landray says. “The people who got the drug are different from the people who didn’t, in all sorts of ways you can’t measure or successfully disentangle.” But the tangle was real nevertheless. UK health regulators wanted to know what was going on; at their behest, Landray asked his data monitoring committee to take an unscheduled look at their � ndings so far – without letting him or any of the other researchers see it – for signs of clear bene� ts or harm.

In fact, the Lancet paper was sitting poorly with lots of people. In Thailand, a malaria researcher named James Watson read it on a Friday night, after he’d put his kids to bed. “My � rst thought was, this effect on cardiotoxicity seems too big to be real,” Watson says. He’s a senior scientist at the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, and at the time he was working on pharmacology for a hydroxychloroquine study. To him, the statistics in the Lancet paper looked hinky. The paper didn’t even mention the most dangerous kind of cardiac arrhythmia that hydroxychloroquine can cause. “The most important data was missing,” Watson says.

The next day Watson’s boss got a phone call. Health regulators in the UK were suspending their study. The team was shocked. It seemed wrong. They had an emergency meeting – it was Saturday – to reverse engineer the paper. They thought it must have had methodological � aws. They were wrong, though. The actual explanation was much, much worse.

Over the course of the following week, Watson exchanged emails with The Lancet and with the paper’s lead author, an illustrious cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston named Mandeep Mehra. The data, it turned out, came from a company called Surgisphere, a slightly mysterious 13-year-old company with scant history of working with patient medical records. People started noticing some � aky stuff almost immediately: The data was aggregated not by country of origin but by continent. But a reporter at The Guardian noticed that the Australian data didn’t match that country’s Covid-19 stats. “We started thinking, maybe the data are rubbish,” Watson says. He wrote an open letter demanding clari� cation from the journal and authors, and hundreds of researchers signed it – including Boulware. “Everyone had read this paper, everyone had seen different dif� cult, weird parts of it,” Watson says.

The pro-hydroxychloroquine forces were just as activated. James Todaro, the guy who wrote that � rst white paper, wrote another one: “A Study Out of Thin Air,” in which he too laid out all the very real problems with the paper. It was a double-helix of irony. By now lots of researchers suspected the drug

didn’t work, but they were criticising a bad paper that said so; supporters of the drug’s use were touting the bad paper as evidence of unfair suppression of an effective medicine.

Mehra, through a spokesperson, declined to be interviewed or to answer emailed questions; he told The Scientist that he hadn’t been aware of any problems with Surgisphere’s data before publication and referred other questions to one of the other authors on the paper. That author has since been terminated from an adjunct position at the University of Utah, and the third author – Surgisphere’s founder, Sapan Desai – has also left his job at a Chicago hospital.

No one actually knows for sure what went wrong with any of the papers that used

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Surgisphere’s numbers, but it seems clear that the underlying data from Surgisphere doesn’t represent actual outcomes from actual patients taking actual hydroxychloroquine. Perhaps the journal moved too fast, failing to enforce standards of responsibility for data upon its authors. Everyone was operating in a high- velocity moment in which every new bit of Covid-19 information got picked up and picked over by the scienti� c establishment and the mainstream press. Desperation made them all vulnerable.

Landray’s data monitors didn’t � nd people suffering from heart problems, and his trial continued. “That, I think, was an important decision, because with a drug that was being so widely used, it’s really important to get the right answer,” he says. “Even at that point I thought, it’s possible this treatment might work. We don’t know.”

Then things accelerated. Over just a few days, Boulware’s � rst paper came out. The Recovery trial announced it was cancelling its hydroxychloroquine arm, not because the drug was dangerous but because an analysis of the data showed that it did no good. The WHO, which had restarted its study after the Surgisphere mess, shortly thereafter re-cancelled it for the same reason as Recovery. So did the NIH.

The Lancet retracted the Surgisphere paper – which had the confounding effect of making hydroxychloroquine seem good to its proponents, including the president of the United States. Matthews, the White House spokesperson, cited the retracted paper to me as an example of “misleading studies out there that were heavily touted by the media.” Yet, as a capper, the FDA revoked the emergency use authority for the drug. A few smaller studies are still ongoing, and technically physicians can still prescribe the drug off- label – but the tens of millions of doses in the stockpile are now a no-go for Covid-19. After all, it doesn’t work.

The end.

C H A P T E R S E V E N

known knowns

Hah, no, just kidding! Of course that wasn’t the end. The large clinical trials did manage to get hydroxychloroquine out of the running to be part of the standard of care for Covid-19. Some researchers still think the drug might have a small, as yet unproven effect if used early enough, or in a different amount. It’s possible, and it’s also possible no one will ever know.

That would be normal. Part of knowing how to know stuff is knowing what the edges are. All science is settled, until it isn’t.

In July, two more big randomised trials hit that showed hydroxychloroquine having no effect. That didn’t stop White House economics advisor, Peter Navarro from touting the drug on TV. The propaganda site Breitbart, which had been an early proponent, posted a video from a group calling itself America’s Frontline Doctors, which

likewise praised hydroxychloroquine and described its demise as the result of an “orchestrated attack.” The president and his son both shared the video. So did Madonna. One of the main speakers in the video turned out to be a doctor with a storefront clinic that was also a church. It quickly emerged that she wrote a book about illness being the result of demonic impregnation, which it is not.

By the way, that line about an orchestrated attack came from the “investigative physician” of America’s Frontline Doctors – James Todaro.

The science infrastructure of the federal government might have been able to head off all this politicisation and weirdness. A simple message of calm, plus the coordination of actual clinical trials, could have cleared away the confusion and ambiguity. But that didn’t happen. Such actionable information could have stood in the way of the, uh, nonscience infrastructure doing whatever it was they wanted – to prove that they were smarter than scientists, to show that there was a miracle cure, to sow political chaos. In the middle of a pandemic that killed more than a quarter-million Americans, that waste of time was a waste of human life.

As a coda to all this, a funny story: About 6,000 words ago I mentioned that some of the earliest evidence that hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine could help with the � ght against Covid-19 came from in vitro trials – mix a little of the drug with some virus and some cells in a petri dish and see who wins.

Well, in late July a team of German researchers pointed out that early, seemingly successful tests of chloroquine used a cell line that’s derived from the kidneys of African green monkeys. SARS-CoV-2 affects lots of different organs, including the kidneys, but its primary target is the lungs. So the German researchers got a culture of lung cells and exposed them to the virus – and to both hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine. Neither drug did a bit of good. None. Bupkiss.

Boulware’s team had been working on one other trial since April. It was for “pre-exposure prophylaxis.” They gave the drug to health care workers before they were exposed to Covid-19, to see if it kept them healthy. When we talked about it, Boulware seemed to care a little less about what the outcome would be this time. He’d had enough. “If it doesn’t work, we’re going to be, like, that’s � ne. We’re kind of burned out. Let’s just get it done, write it up, publish it, and move on, because we don’t like the political aspect of any of this,” he says. (The results came out in October; the drug didn’t work.)

A coda to the coda: In the early morning hours of October 2, Donald Trump announced that he had tested positive for Covid-19. Amid a fog of disinformation about his condition and treatment, his doctor released a list of the drugs they were giving him, including the antiviral remdesivir, still-experimental and unapproved monoclonal antibodies, and untested but potentially useful things like zinc and vitamin D. Hydroxychloroquine wasn’t on the list.

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COAT, COAT(INSIDE); BOTH BY GIORGIO ARMANI

Wonder how we select the season’s sexiest outerwear? Oh, the lengths we go to

P H O T O G R A P H E D B Y K O S M A S P A V L O S

S T Y L E D B Y L U K E D A Y

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COAT BY CANALI. COAT (INSIDE), TROUSERS,

BOOTS; ALL BY DIOR MEN. VEST BY GAP. NECK CHAIN

BY EMANUELE BICOCCHI

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COAT BY DSQUARED2. JACKET BY LORO PIANA

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COAT, TROUSERS, CUMMERBAND; ALL BY

LOUIS VUITTON. VEST BY GAP. NECK CHAIN BY

EMANUELE BICOCCHI

DRESS BY VIVIENNE WESTWOOD. BIKINI BY LA PERLA. SHOES BY GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI. BRACELET BY CARTIER

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COAT, JACKET; BOTH BY ETRO

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COAT, SUIT; BOTH BY BOSS.

VEST BY GAP. NECK CHAIN

BY EMANUELE BICOCCHI

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COAT, TURTLENECK; BOTH BY DOLCE & GABBANA

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COAT, SHIRT, TROUSERS, GLOVES; ALL BY BURBERRY

STYLE ASSISTANT: POPPY NORTONGROOMING: JOSH KNIGHT/CARENGROOMING ASSISTANTS: LOUISE HALL, ESSI KARJALAINENPHOTO ASSISTANT & DIGITAL TECHNICIAN: CRAIG TEUNISSENMODELS: MOSES/ELITE; BENJAMIN J/IMG; LOUIS B/KMA; EDWARD W/KULT LONDON; ALAN D/NEVS; MICHAEL C, HYUN AND DEANO/NEXT; AZIM/PRM; DO B/STORM

E ITD RSOMEHOTA

E ITD RSOMEHOTA

E ITD RSOMEHOTA


The products featured editorially have been ordered from the following stores. Prices and availability were checked at the time of going to press

at Infinite LuxuryMontblanc Mumbai, Palladium, 022-4333 9994; Delhi, 011-2302 2351; Bengaluru, 99011 61354

NNivea nykaa.comNopelle nopelle.com

OOsman Abdul Razak Chennai, 044-4308 4380/81/82

PPéro Delhi, 99103 93388Polo Ralph Lauren Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4205 8323Prada prada.com

RRimzim Dadu rimzimdadu.comRooshad Shroff rooshadshroff.com

SSalvatore Ferragamo Mumbai, 022-3062 1018; Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4660 9084; Bengaluru, UB City, 080-4302 0456Shiseido nykaa.comShivan & Narresh Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4940 5843Stella McCartney stellamccartney.comSterling Optics Mumbai, 022-2200 3420Swatch Mumbai, 022-2413 4449;

Johnson Watch Co, 011-4151 3121; Bengaluru, Ethos Summit, 080-4099 9621

JJaquar Lighting jaquarlighting.comJodi thejodilife.com

KKanika Goyal Label Delhi, 011-6555 7775Kaushik Velendra maisonvelendra.comKia Motors Mumbai, Kia Autobahn, 90292 92929; Delhi, Frontier Kia, 98739 43152; Bengaluru, Advaith Kia, 96110 06006Kiehl’s kiehls.inKunal Rawal Mumbai, 97696 47696

LLamborghini Mumbai, 99302 21963; Delhi, 011-4610 8700; Bengaluru, 99002 62218Land Rover Mumbai, Modi Motors, 98004 98004; Delhi, AMP Motors, 011-4691 1111, Bengaluru, 080-4309 9999Laneige nykaa.comL’Occitane in.loccitane.comLongines Mumbai 022-6743 9853; Delhi, 011-4359 2848; Bengaluru, 080-4098 2109Loro Piana loropiana.comLouis Vuitton Mumbai, 022-6664 4134; Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4669 0000; Bengaluru, UB City, 080-4246 0000

MMahindra & Mahindra Mumbai, NBS International, 77388 96325; Delhi, Indraprastha Automobiles, 81303 90907; Bengaluru, Automotive Manufacturers Pvt Ltd, 63095 55534Man Arden nykaa.comMen Of Platinum menofplatinum.comMercedes-Benz Mumbai, MB Auto Hangar, 022-6612 3800; Delhi, T&T Motors, 011-4005 8300; Bengaluru, Akshaya Motors, 91085 35297 Missoni Available

Dolce & Gabbana dolcegabbana.comDsquared2 dsquared2.com

EEka Delhi, 93103 66662Emanuele Bicocchi emanuelebicocchi.itErmenegildo Zegna Mumbai, Palladium, 022-4347 1261; Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4606 0999Etro etro.com

FFavre-Leuba Available at ethoswatches.com

Fendi Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4604 0777Forest Essentials forestessentialsindia.comForevermark forevermark.comFred Perry X Raf Simons Available at The Collective

GGap Mumbai, 022-4244 0000; Delhi, Select Citywalk, 011-4105 3160; Bengaluru, 080-2268 2282Gaurav Gupta Mumbai, 022-2269 3433; Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4104 2989Giorgio Armani Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4102 7122Gucci Mumbai, 022-6747 7060; Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4647 1111Guerlain nykaa.com

HHackett London Mumbai, Palladium, 82860 15010; Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4108 7388; Bengaluru, UB City, 080-4149 0999Hermès Mumbai, 022-2271 7400; Delhi, 011-2688 5501Honda Mumbai, BW Topline, 70576 66600; Delhi, Dhingra Honda, 011-4140 0000; Bengaluru, BW Topline, 87225 86878

IIkka Dukka ikkadukka.comInfinite Luxury Delhi, 011-4698 0000Innisfree nykaa.comInox Jewelry inoxjewelry.inIWC Mumbai, Time Avenue, 022-2651 5757; Delhi,

AAhluwalia ahluwaliastudio.comAlexander McQueen alexandermcqueen.comAlighieri alighieri.co.ukAliph By Gatsby gatsby.inAnmol Jewellers Mumbai, 022-6133 3444; Delhi, 011-4082 3366; Bengaluru, 080-4112 8383Apple apple.comAther Energy atherenergy.comAudemars Piguet Delhi, Kapoor Watch Co., DLF Emporio, 011-4676 7777

BBeardo beardo.inBent Chair bentchair.comBerluti Delhi, DLF Emporio, 78761 23123Bloni Delhi, 78384 10413 Bode bodenewyork.comBombay Shaving Company bombayshavingcompany.comBoss Mumbai, Palladium, 022-2491 2210; Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4604 0773Bottega Veneta Mumbai, Palladium, 022-6615 2291; Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4609 8262Burberry Mumbai, Palladium, 022-4080 1994; Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4652 9850; Bengaluru, UB City, 080-4173 8825

CCanali Mumbai, Palladium, 022-4009 8685; Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4604 0731; Bengaluru, UB City, 080-4173 8997Caratlane Mumbai, 022-6237 2030; Delhi, 99992 00822; Bengaluru, 80672 66579Christian Louboutin Mumbai, 022-4347 1787; Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4101 7111ClarinsMen nykaa.comClinique clinique.inCutler and Gross Available at Sterling Optics

DDior Mumbai, Taj Mahal Palace, 022-6665 3366; Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4600 5900; Bengaluru, UB City, 080-4098 2100Dior Men Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4600 5900IM

AGE:

RAJ

U R

AMAN

Delhi, 011-2241 2241; Bengaluru, 080-2206 7775

TTarun Tahiliani Mumbai, 022-2642 0643; Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4606 0980The Body Shop thebodyshop.inThe Collective Mumbai, Palladium, 022-4023 4414; Delhi, 011-4087 0544; Bengaluru, UB City, 080-4120 7331The House Of Things thehouseofthings.comThe Man Company themancompany.comThomas Fuchs Creative thomasfuchscreative.comTom Ford Delhi, DLF Emporio, 011-4103 3059Torani Delhi, 87009 69159Triumph Mumbai, Shaman Motors, 96193 33033; Delhi, One Triumph, 96938 00800; Bengaluru, Keerthi Triumph, 080-4511 2345Troy Costa Mumbai, 98200 71069

UUrvashi Kaur Delhi, 98738 00720

VVersace Available at Infinite LuxuryVolkswagen Mumbai, 91671 09317; Delhi, 011-4534 0002; Bengaluru, 96866 01249

Where To Buy

COAT, TROUSERS; BOTH BY URVASHI KAUR

LUXURY AND FASHION IN STANDOUT STYLE


Driven To Delight This holiday season, embark on a driving experience par excellence in the uber-premium Audi Q8 Celebration. The exclusive SUV boasts sporty dynamics and a permanent quattro all-wheel drive along with a power-packed combination of a 3.0L TFSI petrol engine and an 8-speed tiptronic transmission. Additional features include HD Matrix LED headlamps, a button-less MMI Navigation system and an Audi Virtual Cockpit, among others.`98,98,000. Book the Audi Q8 at Audi Dealerships across India or on audi.in

Workout Wonders If you’ve already started making note of your fitness resolutions for the New Year, consider investing in a Garmin smartwatch. The brand’s latest launches – the Instinct Solar, Fenix 6 Pro Solar, Instinct Tactical, Venu Sq and Venu Sq Music – come jam-packed with an array of cool features including tracking of heart and respiratory rates, sleep and stress monitoring and blood oxygen saturation, all in a bid to help you ace your fitness game and live your healthiest life.For more information, follow @garminindia on Instagram

Eye Spy Scott Eyewear’s latest Signature Collection boasts edgy eyewear in classic shapes, exciting colours and versatile materials that have been personally handpicked by Bollywood’s biggest fashion icons, Sonam Kapoor and Anil Kapoor. This festive season, accessorise your looks with the Steven frames from the collection. Made from high quality metal, this pair is a contemporary take on the navigator and features striped metal inserts running from the front down the sides, a double bridge and three different coloured lenses.`3,990. Available at major department stores and opticians across the country

Knock KnockWhen giving your home a makeover, don’t make the mistake of ignoring your doors. This New Year, bring home Fenesta’s state-of-the-art, ready-to-install integrated door solution systems. Crafted from hybrid polymer, they are water and decay proof, with no cracking, fading, expansion or contraction issues. The best part? They won’t ever require a fresh coat of paint! Available in plain and designer finishes, choose from a palette of four shades – white oak, natural oak, teak and walnut – and leave all installation work to the brand’s trained professionals.`12,000 onwards. For more information, visit fenesta.com

Enjoy The Show A premium streaming service from Lionsgate India and Starz, Lionsgate Play promises to liven up your home screens with a selection of bespoke Hollywood content, including premieres, billion dollar franchise movies and binge-worthy box sets, as well as a variety of high budget premium Indian originals. With a widely distributed network, Lionsgate Play’s partnerships span Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel, Jio FTTH, Apple TV+ and Amazon Fire Stick. So, get ready to #PlayMoreBrowseLess.Download Lionsgate Play on App Store, Play Store and Fire TV Stick

A Platinum PartyWith Christmas and New Year just

around the corner, it’s time to step up your style game. Lend your

festive looks a touch of class by accessorising with jewellery from

Platinum Guild International – India’s latest Men of Platinum

collection. Designed for men of character and substance, this

statement pendant, cast in rare platinum, shows off a stacked

pattern of successive elevations.Price on request. For more information

on the latest Men of Platinum collection, visit menofplatinum.com


A Starry Affair Evocative of a starlit sky, the two

latest iterations of the iconic Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet

Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon are masterpieces in watchmaking. This

particular model features an 18-carat pink gold case and a shimmering

black dial that flaunts a blend of crushed aventurine glass and

“Grand Feu” enamel, complete with hand-finished hour markers, Arabic

numerals and hands in 18-carat pink gold, a black lacquered inner

bezel and the flying tourbillon cage at 6 o’clock. A hand-stitched “large square-scale” black alligator strap

rounds up the timepiece.For more information, visit

audemarspiguet.com

Sail AwayGive your wardrobe a fun refresh with Nautica’s Navtech range of polo T-shirts. Combining inventive fabrics with nautical elements, the polos from the latest collection are the perfect blend of style and performance. With innovation at the heart of the brand, the latest line also boasts an Active Stretch feature, which offers versatility, flexibility and a comfortable fit. What’s more, Navtech’s polo T-shirts flaunt moisture wicking capabilities to ensure that your skin stays cool and dry through the day. Available at exclusive Nautica brand stores and on Myntra and Flipkart

Caring For Your Wears Since its inception in India in 2008, Pressto has serviced over 2,00,000 customers and repaired over 10 million wardrobe items across its 42 stores in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru, garnering a reputation for being one of the country’s most well-respected dry cleaning and cobbler services brands. Recently, Pressto bagged the “Best Dry Cleaner” award by the Economic Times for the role it has played in revolutionising the fabric and leather care industry, which was graciously accepted by founder and director, Esther Lennaerts.For more information, visit presstoindia.com/locate-us-2 or call 9167188355

You’ve Been Framed To celebrate its latest campaign, You’re On – which is all about living an authentic life – luxury eyewear brand Ray-Ban has rolled out a collection of funky frames. While the I-shaped Octagons embody the joyful spirit of the 1960s and 1970s with their oversized geometry, the 1990s-inspired Frank frames feature the original colours and vintage gold Ray-Ban logo and the State Street wayfarers flaunt a cool squared shape and contemporary aesthetic. `8,890 onwards. Available at leading optical stores and on india.ray-ban.com

HUMOUR


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