Mama De's big night!

Aditya,Anandita and Arundhati dress up for Mama De's big night! And what a super fabulous night it was! Warm and wonderful all the way. The Vintage Veuve Clicquot definitely helped set the mood for a truly sparkling evening.... and the Tribute itself was powerful and inspiring. I was even more touched and impressed by the informal tributes paid to me by two good friends - Alex Kuruvilla and Tasneem Zakaria Mehta. In the beautiful and accomplished Tasneem's case, our friendship spans three generations. I knew her parents well. I know her even better. And our daughters are best friends! Like great Champagne, even deep friendships improve with time! ******************** This appeared in Asian Age today.... Why Lit Fests are no different from Fashion Weeks… It was inevitable. The last Jaipur Jamboree received so much media play, it inspired every other city,town,taluka and hamlet across India, to get into the act and announce a Lit Fest to call its own.Today, there are almost as many Lit Fests in India as there are new authors. Which can be seen as a good thing or a bad thing. A few years ago, something similar happened to Fashion. After the early success of the first few Fashion Weeks, suddenly, every other week became a week dedicated to fancy frocks and killer heels. Encouraged by the excitement being generated in the press, several eager sponsors jumped into the ring and voila – we had a Fashion Week sprouting up in any city that had a mall, or was dreaming of getting one. Self styled fashion designers were immensely encouraged by what was seen as a huge boost to the desi darzi brigade. Today, one Fashion Week flows into another seamlessly and we have a year long calendar crammed with fashion. Nobody can actually tell the difference between these assorted weeks… which is also fine. For they are no longer about fashion. This is a fascinating phenomenon: Just like the IPL is not really about cricket, and Fashion Weeks have little to do with fashion, we now have Lit Fests that aren’t about Literature. My worry is this : while the IPL in its sexy avatar has thrown up a galaxy of young, gifted cricketers who have made serious money, neither the glamourised Lit Fests nor the frenzied Fashion Weeks have pushed the cause of poor, over worked and underpaid authors and designers. There are many more of us in the literary maidan these days… but how many of our tribe can claim to have hit jackpots? What have these high profile Lit Fests really done to upgrade the lifestyle of those who are up there on the stage, morosely reading from their latest tome? Apart from the firangi stars who have already made it big ( but, who, out of habit , still cadge free drinks from fawning local acolytes), the rest hang about hoping to strike better deals,receive higher advances, manage superior distribution – the usual grouses of authors the world over. The story of J.K. Rowling is an exceptional one. It’s worthy of several books. And bio pics.How she made it as the most successful writer ( in terms of earnings) in the history of publishing, starting off as a broke single mother, is by now the stuff of legend. With her first adult fiction (“A Casual Vacancy’) declared a best seller before a single copy hit bookstores, the Rowling juggernaut continues to move on. As the Newsweek reviewer pointed out in a piece aptly titled From ‘Potter to Pagford’, Rowling’s kid- lit was not written exclusively for children. The more important question: Did Rowling need Lit Fests to sell her books? Nope. It’s Lit Fests that needed and will continue to need Rowling. I am an incorrigible Lit Fest hag. I love the circus. Meeting readers is the bonus. Meeting other authors? Let me put it this way…. every big ticket writer holds his or her own nightly durbar. These are amazing occasions! You go at your own peril. Once the official sessions are done, it’s time to relax and diss. Publishing gossip dominates with anxious questions revolving around whose book has sold how many copies, whose foreign rights have been acquired at a record price, and which young thing is doing which big shot agent/ mentor/ publisher/ co-writer/ editor. This is the best part. There’s nothing like a monumental bitchfest to keep the ponderous, pompous authors from boring everybody with their genius. With hilarious and frequently scandalous, side shows galore, Lit Fests have acquired their own sheen and allure. Just like those Fashion Weeks, during which warring designers frequently indulge in very public spats. These meltdowns are far more riveting than anything canny organisers can dream up. Now that Lit Fests have started attracting sexy supernova celebrities from Delhi, Mumbai, London and beyond, what’s the bet there will be sponsors galore lining up to keep those thirsty throats from drying up? Free booze is by far the most inspirational element at Fests of any kind. Designers, models, writers, painters….it’s hard to tell them apart, which is how it should be. They dress alike, look alike, talk alike, perhaps even think alike. In fact, the scenario is so confusing these days, one has to stop and ask, “ Errrr…. excuse me…. is this the lit fest venue? Or am I at Fashion Week?” Even if someone does clarify, it hardly matters. The audience remains the same. Let’s see… at last count, I have been invited to five Lit Fests. I am tempted to attend all of them. I have a new novel to promote. And an older list to keep flogging. The brand new book jacket is looking good. But my worry is about my own jacket! It is sooooo last season! Nobody will notice the design of the new book. But everybody will comment on my dismal design sense. I’m faced with a major dilemma. Should I aggressively invest in the book? Or save it all up for a better investment in the latest ‘It’ bag? My practical self tells me to go with the bag. It will get widely photographed ( thank you, Hina Rabbani for an invaluable tip) even if it isn’t a limited edition Birkin. As for the book….maybe I should get a sharp and savvy designer to launch it at the next Fashion Week? Sethji as a show stopper? Why ever not?

La Grande Dame!

A daughter's heartfelt tribute .............. My heart bursts with pride...mama De is painting the town yellow! What better way to flag off the "festive season", than with my mother receiving the Veuve Clicquot Tribute, this Friday evening? It is not enough that she has been a constant source of inspiration for me and my siblings, but also to countless nameless and often faceless women all across India and Asia, over the past four decades. But she receives this very special honour from VC in the category of 'Inspirational Women of the World'. Ladies and Gentleman, please do read the official note below:

Without sounding too gushy, this is truly an important moment in her life time. I feel tremendously proud of her. She has worked so hard and so sincerely and has contributed to society in the best ways known to her, and with all the resources at her command. Working out of our home, with the family dining table as her office, the perenially broken cordless as her dedicated hotline and with the services of our semi-literate home help as her "personal assistants", my mum has furiously and prolifically carried on. Never fussing as a creative or glamorous person usually does, she has done her work with all her heart and soul, over the din of kitchen sounds, the dhobiwaala and the phonewalla.She has always been this way, as far back as I can remember. Never compromising on her family life and valuing us in her life, she manages to balance all the worlds that she has chosen to be a part of. When I was younger, there were many times that I would be irked that I would have to share her or our time together with people who were mere strangers (intruders?) to me, who would come to visit her. I was always encouraged to hang about these meetings, and being the chipkoo little girl that I was, I would just stay put, sponging in all that I heard. All kinds of people from different parts of the world and various walks of life meet with mum and the case usually is that they come to her with the force of a homing device to its base. It takes just a few moments after meeting her that these people enjoy a "volcano moment" and simply erupt their thoughts, their troubles, their ideas, their hearts... Through these interactions, I have learned so much about the lives of others and it is only now that I can value those experiences. I have been fortunate enough to meet some truly great and wonderful people and particularly some fabulous women, whom I could have never met on my own. So I am glad that I was that chipkoo creature, clinging on to her and never feeling too shy to stay in! Now as I attempt to forge my own path in life, I find myself in amusing situations when people "realise" that I am her flesh and blood. The colour in their faces change, their eyes brighten and I know that they are looking at me in a different light. Without skipping a beat, I follow suit and play the part to the T! But it is so amusing...because she is just my mom, sitting at home in her kaftaan, in front of the laptop going clickety-clack and awaiting the return of her absconding children, even if they roll home at 5 am! But to the outside world, she is a role model and a figure of motivation. I can't say she is a regular mom, and thank God for that! I have enjoyed life's best moments with her or living vicariously through her. As I get ready to celebrate her moment this Friday evening, my only thought is that I hope to have even half her effervescence and joie de vivre. Chin-chin folks.... and drink up your cup of life.

Mum in Reims at the Shobhaa De vintage line of VC champagne Posted By Arundhati to aazäd aaväz on 10/04/2012 04:36:00 PM

What is that 'something' about Sridevi?

Isn't this an intriguing image? Arundhati shot it at the fragrant and elegant LÓccitaine Boutique in Mumbai. If you look closely, you'll identify the brass L'Occitaine tile embedded in the flooring. Right now, even as I key this in, I'm slathering my face with the Creme Precieuse from the Immortelle range. I don't really know whether it will do much good for my skin.... but I swear it's doing great things to my mood! *********** This appeared in Bombay Times today... What is that ‘something’ about Sridevi…? While we all agree there’s ‘something’ about Sri, when asked what that something really is, we are totally thrown! We could say it’s nostalgia – for a top actress who waltzed away from dizzying movie glory , fifteen long years ago. That fact alone is enough to get her fans into a frenzy of anticipation.But that’s not the whole answer, is it? Many an actress has waltzed away, waltzed back and regretted the decision later. As they say in this cruel business, once off the silver screen, it’s off from people’s hearts and minds. Largely true. Fantasy feeds on visual reminders. In an era in which an alarmingly young Alia Bhatt (17) is being projected as the next big thing, and established stars hitting 30 are seen as over-the hill has- beens, it is a monumental challenge for Sridevi (49), a mother of two teenage daughters, to woo a blasé, hardened, seasoned audience once again. Will English-vinglish do the trick for the glorious Sri? I’d say, whether or not the movie sets the box office on fire, Sridevi devotees ( countless, across the world) will applaud, whistle and shout during the screenings. I know one such diehard fan who lives in Hong Kong. Rama has worshipped Sri from the time he was a little boy ( Rama is just 30 himself). His home is a shrine dedicated to Sri . It has been his sole and most fervent dream to be in Sri’s divine presence and breathe the same air as his Goddess. Well, it happened recently when Sri was in Hong Kong to promote her film. I am not sure Rama has started breathing normally yet! To evoke this powerful a response, an actor needs more than just physical beauty. Sri, with her statuesque body and those eyes like ‘dark pools’ ( Rama’s description!) that invite you to drown in them, is indeed a gorgeous lady. But there are equally gorgeous and far younger stars around. While most of Sri’s contemporaries have either opted for Reality TV ( Madhuri Dixit) or disappeared into oblivion, by picking an unconventional,quirky subject, Sri has displayed rare acumen. For a girl , who at her peak, was known for her standard ‘Ask Mummy’ response to any and every question, today’s Sri has responded to interviewers with poise, grace and intelligence. More importantly, she has picked a deglamorised role that relies far more on her histrionics than on those ample curves. That’s a pretty brave decision! Going by just the teasers and previews, Sri’s plain jane character comes into her own after facing enormous hurdles on account of her lack of English language skills in a foreign land ( Canada). Determined to overcome these hurdles and prejudices, the awkward, embarrassed lady decides to enroll in a language school. What happens after she acquires those hard to master skills, is the basic premise of Gouri Shinde’s movie. Thousands of Indians across the world will easily identify with Sri’s predicament. That in itself is a huge start. But eventually, the film’s commercial and critical success will rest on the audience response to Sri herself. One generation of movie goers doesn’t really know who Sridevi is . The older fans may expect another wet blue saree dream sequence, complete with orgasmic groans and close ups of Sri’s heaving bosom. Despite these distorted hopes, my feeling is that Sri will score big time. The reason is simple : Sridevi endears herself to her audience. She has the capacity to connect directly and emotionally to her fans. On screen, Sri is electrifying, no matter whom she’s playing. Off screen, she’s another human being – almost boringly reticent. The other thing about her comeback, is that she doesn’t sound desperate about it. Unlike most of her rivals. She, more than any of them, appears relaxed and chilled out about her big decision to taste stardom all over again. With an attitude like that, Sri has nothing to lose!

Bilawal-Hina: Ishq Vishq

Yes. Like the rest of the world, I have gone Gangnam mad! It is sly, clever and totally insane. Addictive, too! The other image? Simbly! Was looking for something else. Found this.... and the rest, as they say, is vanity. ***************** This appeared in Sunday Times today Why Asif Zardari hates this luv story…. Oho! Love happens. And it has happened. That the love birds happen to be Bilawal Bhutto and Hina Khar, makes this particular ishq-vishq saga most riveting, especially to those of us across the border who have recently been exposed to Ms.Khar’s irresistible charms. So irresistible , in fact, that our dapper Foreign Minister, S.M. Krishna who went totally latoo over the lovely lady , behaved like a smitten schoolboy, drooling in her alluring presence and forgetting all about the Indian agenda.It’s possible he is nursing a broken heart even as Young Bilawal (23) and Hina (34) deal with the storm that has been unleashed in Pakistan after a Bangladeshi tabloid (Blitz Weekly) ran a juicy expose on the scandal. Bilawal is a bachcha Majnu to Hina’s seasoned Laila. Reports suggest that President Asif Zardari is far from amused by his son’s dangerous liaison with his External Affairs minister. Not only is Bilawal the Chairman of the ruling Pakistani People’s Party, but he is also the nominated heir to his mother’s and father’s respective legacies. If the lovestruck chap does indeed push off to Switzerland to begin a fresh chapter in his life with the begum he adores, the repercussions of such a drastic decision could prove very costly to the government. Amidst spicy speculations and racy rumours , the buzz in Islamabad is that old boy Asif plans to rein in his handsome son , and perhaps sack the seductive Ms. Khar. Spoilsport!What a fuddy duddy thing to do. Really Asif Miya… we expect you to be far more understanding,given your own personal history. Look at it this way - Bilawal is seriously cute. And loaded. Hina Khar is seriously gorgeous. And married to a loaded guy. Feroz Gulzar ,Hina’s smart husband, has rubbished the scoop and called it ‘social media gossip’. Yes, there is an eleven year age difference between Asif and Benazir’s boy and the luscious mother of two. So what? Some of the most enduring love stories in the world have been similarly scripted. Think about it – Hina is keen to take the relationship forward, as her love notes to Bilawal establish. Perhaps her husband’s naughty affair with a junior staffer was what made her turn to Bilawal . Now that their secret is out, there’s no stopping this pyar ki Jodi. ‘Dil Toh Pagal Hai’ is how we put it in Bollywood lingo. Hina, Pakistan’s tempestuous minister has apparently told Asif, her future father-in-law, to keep his nose out of her ‘personal matters’. This is remarkably gutsy of her, considering it was Zardari who found the two in what is delicately called a ‘compromising position’. Known for his fiery temper and a happy relationship with guns, it’s a miracle that the President didn’t reach for his favourite weapon when he walked in on the lovers at his official residence. Instead, he tamely asked for Hinaji’s mobile phone records!What a pussycat! No point in such a silly exercise considering the lady has not bothered to deny anything! The real fun starts now. Will Zardari have the guts to fire his Ministersahiba? What charges can he frame against her? Will he send Bilawal into exile? Where will that leave the PPP? More importantly, since Bilawal is the one with access to his mother’s considerable ( but undisclosed) wealth, how can Daddyji kiss the impressive funds goodbye? Unfortunately,the most dispensable member of the cast is Hina’s ex- Firoze Gulzar. But blowing him away serves no purpose – it will be one more body in an overcrowded morgue. There is however, one solution: India could immediately step in and offer a safe haven to the lovebirds.Why go to Switzerland when there is India? We can create an attractive destination nikaah for Bilawal and Hina. Maybe thrown in a luxury houseboat on Dal Lake for the honeymoon. Sarpanchs in Omar Abdullah’s State may not be safe. But he’ll take good care of his mehmaans from across the border. After all, when it comes to matters of the heart, Omar knows a thing or two about unbridled passion . Apart from asylum in India, we could make life a lot more fun for this good looking couple. As neighbours, we owe them this much.Cross border romanticism is so much more civilized than cross border terrorism. Hina can happily shop for pearls and more Birkins in our luxury malls. We can get her to host a talk show and perhaps, design a signature fashion collection. Bilawal could consider Bollywood. He has the looks. And a surname every Indian recognizes. This is a fabulous, heaven- sent opportunity to strengthen bi-lateral relationships between the two nations. Hina Khar has already charmed half the country, and reduced S.M Krishna to putty in her presence. If India can manage to bag two for the price of one, it will rank as a major political coup. Come on over, you two. Your Honeymoon Suite is waiting!

Go Veggie in Monaco... it's possible!

These are images I clicked during my memorable stay in Monaco at the famous Hotel de Paris. And that is the interior of the extraordinary restaurant, Le Louis XV, where my daughter Avantikka and I enjoyed what I rate as the best dinner ever! ************************************** GO VEGGIE IN MONACO..... Consider this extraordinary factoid: There are no less than seven Michelin-starred restaurants in the tiny ( just two square kilometres!), jewel-like Principality of Monaco. While you chew on that, digest this as well: Alain Ducasse, arguably one of the greatest chefs of our time, was once entrusted with a truly daunting task by none other than the late Prince Rainier 111 of Monaco himself! This was in 1987, and Ducasse was 33 years old at the time. His culinary challenge was to earn three Michelin stars ( tough, tough, tough) for Le Louis XV restaurant housed in the magnificent Hotel de Paris. Ducasse was given four years to achieve this feat(it was in his contract!). He succeeded spectacularly in beating all odds in exactly thirty three months! There has been no looking back since then. This superlative dining experience has few rivals in the world. Thankfully, knowing a little about the impressive background, had prepared us sufficiently for the grand, memorable experience that followed. After pulling out the stops and dressing up in all our ethnic finery, my daughter and I wafted into the restaurant (that routinely hosts Kings and Queens, Heads of State and mega Movie stars, Sportsmen and other super celebrities), filled with high expectations.We took our seats at the tastefully decorated table (the restaurant seats no more than 50 diners at a time)and were greeted by a darling little silver sparrow crafted especially for the restaurant by Christofle ( the reputed silverware company established in 1830). The perfectly colour- coordinated roses, old fashioned silverware and crockery urged us to experience ‘the hush’. The hush is something that happens rarely, but when it does, you know you are in a magical place where only delight and nothing but awaits you at every turn. Here at the Louis XV, the indulgent staff is used to greeting awestruck diners from across the world who react like they have just been granted a special audience in heaven with God himself. We were no different. My daughter urged me to put away my camera and stop behaving like a desi tourist. But that’s before we looked around and saw flashes popping from every other table! Dining at Le Louis XV is a pretty big deal – and people like to remember it... cherish every moment. Encouraged, I clicked away happily, even persuading the butterman to pose. Butterman? Yes. At the Louis XV, there is a fancy butter service and you get to choose your butters. The Butterman brings a mound of freshly churned, unsalted butter ( what we Maharashtrians call ‘lonni’) from Normandy, covered by a blown glass cloche designed by Jean Claude Novaro , and serves it in pats, after shaping it with a spoon and it into a special marble dish. There is a great deal of drama involved as the bread trolley simultaneously draws up bearing bran michette nicoise flavoured with olive oil to the small baguettes(3oo are kneaded everyday), some of which are almost too pretty to eat! We are reminded gently that the food served here is ‘respectful of its environment.’ As we nibble on what are referred to as ‘frivolous nothings’( chefs the world over create whimsical ‘amuse bouches which epitomise the very essence of their individual cuisines), we realise just how seriously Chef Ducasse takes his mission. It is pretty evident in the menu we are presented, which heavily emphasises the use of fresh local produce. Since Monaco nestles comfortably between land and sea, amongst the hills of hills of Nice and Liguria, Ducasse has faithfully stuck to his original mission statement which is “to exalt the truth in all produce without impairing them, searching for the source of the flavour.” This original simplicity and fervour are being carried forward twenty-five years later with the creation of the Anniversary Menu, that respects green grocers, farmers, breeders, butchers, fishermen, mushroom gatherers whose unique stories are reflected in the dishes that are presented with such elegance to humbled diners. Ducasse’s dishes are a feast for the eyes before they get to the tongue. With his focus on splashing colour on the table as a visual treat,it is not uncommon for diners to gaze at the paper- like breads ‘printed’ with transparently thin sheets of carrots, zucchini flowers and other attractive vegetables.... wondering all the while whether or not to eat from the Mini Pan Bagna, which is more a bouquet than a bread basket! You also have to remember that each diner here has 40 people at his/ her service, to clear more than 50 pieces of cutlery, china and glassware! Despite these numbers, at no stage do you sense anyone hovering around making you feel hemmed in or self conscious. The seamless service is the hallmark of the restaurant – non-obtrusive, silent and yet attentive to your smallest need. Ducasse, who runs 27 restaurants world-wide ( three of which have earned the ultimate accolade of 3 Michelin stars) has recently written ‘Nature’ which encapsulates his feelings about food. He said in an interview that we must not ‘demonize’ haute cuisine. Towards that end, he offers dishes from $10 to 400 Euros! He sums up his cuisine in three eloquent sentences, “ Ïf it were a colour, it would be blue just like the Mediterranean Sea. If it were to be defined by just one taste, it would be that of extra virgin olive oil... subtle and aromatic. If it were to be described in just one word... it would be Ëssential”.The menu is described lyrically as a Mediterranean Symphony. It is designed to soothe the senses, not intimidate diners. The choices are simplified and do not bewilder the unwary : 4 courses, 1 cheese platter and 1 dessert. The chef and 20 cooks work in a state of the art basement kitchen. If you are the favoured one, Ducasse himself receives you in “l’Aquarium’, which is a mini dining room inside the kitchen. While the food menu has been refined to an attractively lean one, albeit with an impressive palette of fine fare, the rest on offer is mind-boggling!Let’s talk about water for now! You have a choice of 18 different sorts of bottled water. There are coffees from Brazil to Africa, 15 types of tobacco, and of course, the perfect cigar to end the meal.As for the selection of wines from the Hotel’s legendary cellar, you get to pick from 400,000 bottles, 950 different wines, 40 rare and great vintages, and 16 “fine and exceptional bottles”. Magnums and jeroboams play starring roles here, as connoisseurs will readily confirm. But I’m getting ahead of myself. We greedily demolish the tiny baguettes...next, it’s on to Ducasse’s internationally renowned “Cookpot of ‘Haute-Provence” This is the sort of inspired vegetarian dish that is worth taking a long flight for. I’m not even a shudh vegetarian, but was I glad I opted for the Cookpot over the lobster tails ( which my daughter was sweet enough to share with me – and they were indeed scrumptious). Bet you’re dying to know what exactly goes into the Cookpot. Since it is Ducasse’s signature dish, let me just say it is bursting with fresh and surprising flavours. Seven seasonal vegetables ( carrots, artichokes,turnips,peas,baby broad beans, asparagus and morels) are meticulously sourced from local farmers. They are coated with Asparagus jus and cooked with a slightly oily but entirely delicious cereal which tastes like cracked wheat but is called ‘small spelt’. To dub it an earthy dish would be a gross understatement. It is a dish so complete, I longed to linger over the after- taste and was actually prepared to skip dessert. Our charming Maitre d’ dissuaded me from even contemplating such an absurd act. Sacrilege! For who can refuse Ducasse’s other masterpiece – the famous Warm Piedmont Hazelnut soufflé? Presented grandly in signed fine china by Pieter Stockmans, the delicately flavoured soufflé rises majestically and gradually melts in the mouth, as the hazelnut gianduja disc placed on top blends smoothly with a side dish of hazelnut ice cream, that induces diners to sigh with pleasure. Sigh deeply. Eyes shut! That’s not where it ends. There is the selection of regional goat cheese which relies on the knowledge of local herdsmen who create the range from whole,unpasteurised milk. The cheeses are served with fennel, baby beans, olive oil and crystal salt There’s also a jaunty sorbet that takes you into the heart of the gardens of the Riviera with its tangy , tantalising flavours of bitter citrus fruit, lemon jelly, grapefruit and Campari. This is pure genius... only a true artist could combine these flavours in as masterful a fashion. Just as we were gathering our senses ( the friendly,local wine had done its work by then) and replacing our respective dropped jaws into their original place, I spotted what resembled a mobile garden going past us on four wheels. Surely, I hadn’t drunk that much of the Dom Perignon(2002), or the Chateau de Bellet (2010)? I was enchanted and flummoxed, so I asked the garcon to kindly explain. “Oh”, he answered suavely, “that’s just the fresh herbs trolley.... our guests can pick their favourite herb for the after- dinner tea. What would you like ? We have citronella from Madagascar to verbena and sage on our fresh infusion trolley”. I turned to Avantikka and stated with complete authority, “We are in the Garden of Eden – take your pick.”She responded sternly, “No more champagne for my mother!” And marched me out of the restaurant and up to our suite. I held on to my flowing caftan and sailed out with a slightly silly smile on my face. Later,as I lay satiated and blissed out on my king size bed, my head light and loopy, I wondered how on earth I would be in a position to recall one of the most memorable meals I had ever consumed? Aha. Even that detail was taken care of. If the chef has created the menu for you, it is presented as you leave, bearing the date and printed on a personalised Louis XV card. Like many before me, I shall preserve this memento for years to come.

Why we love Mary Kom...

A lone and lovely hibiscus blooms on the balcony. I take it as an auspicious sign. Tonight is my Summit Meeting with the Lord. Each year I visit the world famous Lalbaug Chha Raja, and place my head on his feet, daring to look up and into his eyes, if time permits. What an awe-inspiring, majestic presence he has! There is much to thank him for... and little left to ask. That's how it should be. For years, I have been a bit too greedy.... always demanding... always begging.... for more and more and more. Since last year, I decided to give up on all those selfish wants. It has made me feel kilos lighter! ********************* This appeared in The Week.... Why we love Mary Kom…. When a hugely successful woman’s husband declares to the press that his wife is “ too good to be true,” it actually says much more about the man than the lady he is referring to. By now, all of India has fallen in love with Mary Kom. Her proud husband Onler Kom, will just have to get used to it. After all, Onler married a world champion. She had two mighty titles in her kitty in 2005, when Onler popped the question. That didn’t change a thing, for he says he married ‘an angel’. As a sportsperson ( footballer) himself, perhaps Onler understood his wife’s grit and determination to excel in her chosen field. Not only did he keep his own sporting ambitions on hold, he sensibly decided to become Mary’s manager and mentor. He has spoken about his decision in several candid interviews since Mary’s ascension. Today, his wife is India’s number one darling . After winning her Bronze medal at the London Olympics, Mary’s regulated and uncomplicated life has undergone several, rather dramatic changes. Apart from being a national Sports’ hero, she is a much admired youth icon and role model, drawing crowds of admirers wherever she goes. Check out the standing ovation she received at Shabana Azmi’s Bollywood fashion show for charity where Mary shared the ramp with the likes of Priyanka Chopra, and walked away as the biggest star of them all! Someone who was present that night explained why Mary stole the show despite the stellar line up of Bollywood biggies on the catwalk. “ She was so herself, so natural…. her simplicity scored over all those preening Divas batting their fake eyelashes.” Aha – that was the secret – simplicity . In as high profile an existence that Mary will be a part of henceforth, she will need to tap into that very simplicity to stay grounded. To stay happy. So far, none of the attention or adulation has gone to Mary’s head. She comes across as a delighted child playing with new baubles. Those ‘baubles’ happen to be medals, trophies and global accolades. Whether Mary subjects herself to a fashion makeover and graces the covers of glossies, from what her husband says about her, it would appear as if Mary remains untouched by the overnight glamour and glitz that is swamping her right now. She herself says she is happiest strumming the guitar and singing for Onler, cooking pork and rice for the family, and playing with her 5 year-old twins. As a woman from Manipur, Mary insists she has faced no discrimination, despite belonging to a patriarchal society. Women across India, and possibly the world, are cheering for this spunky individual who to this day, cooks , cleans and looks after her kids without a trace of self-consciousness. Compare her matter-of-fact attitude to the one displayed by other successful women who foolishly look down on what they call ‘house work’. That Mary’s husband has opted to take on several domestic responsibilities without making a song-and-dance out of the decision, is to his credit. How it to all goes from this point on is going to be critical. Mary is on a roll right now. She will get endorsement deals galore. A movie is being planned on her extraordinary life. There will be countless invitations to travel and address international conferences. Celebrity is a seductive addiction. Mary has gone seamlessly from being an athlete of renown, a genuine achiever, to a Very Famous Person. Apart from several national honours and awards that will inevitably come her way, her life will be overtaken by the accoutrements of fame – the wardrobe that goes with being a recognized person, the paparazzi shots each time she steps out, the high profile public appearances … the barrage of requests to participate in reality shows on television…. yes, it’s all happening to our Simple Mary from Manipur. Will this adulation go to her sensible head? Will she be co-opted into the tinsel world of flashbulbs and photo shoots? How will it affect her life with Onler and the twins, one of whom has undergone heart surgery? The thing about this kind of fame ( as opposed to the one she has enjoyed all along), is the superficiality of it all. Mary Kom is the flavor of the day – everybody wants a piece of Mary. But what is it that Mary wants? For herself? Her family? Her future? “ She has been a giver all her life…” Onler was quoted as saying. Once a giver, always a giver. But shall we also reserve a medal for Mary’s wonderful husband, Onler? It is because he gave, that Mary could achieve her dream. He deserves our congratulations, too.