Met Kartik Aryan and former Miss Universe Ushoshi in the City of Joy
It’s been ages since I am writing a personal blog, this time pretty much from my almost 5-year old iPhone 7. It still works and that’s a wonder to me. This phone has travelled with me to many places starting with a painful second trip to Hong Kong, thereafter Singapore, Jakarta, Thailand (briefly)…and pre-pandemic Paris, Düsseldorf, Prague and Moscow. Who says, you can’t teach new tricks to old dogs.
I started journalism with The Telegraph in Calcutta, then Deccan Chronicle, TOI and CondeNast Bombay bureau. It culminated with Total Media in Hong Kong or rather briefly when I worked on a US Embassy project in 2020 which delved more into diplomatic news coverage. I shifted to Corp Comms and as a Content Manager, I managed a team of 32 writers and two content leads. It was quite a task to recruit and train such a huge team, especially for British and Australian target markets. Anyways, so, I actually felt like tasting a bit of my old life that I left behind a few tears back. So, when I was invited to meet Kartik Aryan at Novotel Calcutta, I took the opportunity to chew the fat with Kartik the past weekend. He briefed us about his love for Calcutta & his new film Bhul Bhulaiyaa II, which was released in May 2022.
The next day, I was invited to a fashion show to attend at Fairfield by Marriot hence I gave myself a relaxing Spa day at the Thai Spa in Axis mall. It was an evening display of the newest wedding collection by a coveted jewellery designer Vijay Soni whose brand Mahavir Dhanwar gifted the winners a holiday in Dubai. I envied them as I spend the new year basking in Jumeriah beach and didn’t wanted to take that one-way Emirates flight back home. Well, all holidays must remain as beautiful and romantic memories.
I met Ushoshi Sengupta, an old acquaintance from the city of joy who represented the country in Miss Universe 2010 held at Las Vegas, United States. At the dinner table, it was a pleasant surprise when an old friend Richa Sharma just came and greeted me. Richa is a dear old friend who represented the country in Mrs. Universe 2011 held at Chicago, United States. Both of them were the front row guests at the fashion show by Vijay at the Fairfield by Marriot which showcased their 2022 wedding collections.
Well, when there is cinema and fashion, why would we leave music behind. This cute guy Milind Gaba who is a Delhiete came to meet us in the city of joy too. I met Milind at JW Marriot yesterday evening where he told us about his eight-city national tour starting in Calcutta, then Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Goa, Hyderabad and the likes to promote his music. I really envy him, travelling for 2 months in eight cities is a dream come true and hope someday I can travel like that in near future with my work too.
When I googled Milind the evening before, all I could find was his bodybuilding pics and his new-age music. No wonder, he is an online sensation amongst the youngsters, especially in Delhi and Punjab since he does Punjabi rap quite well. His Insta has Honey Singh & the likes hugging him and am sure, someday soon he will be quite a heartthrob like Honey too. Below you can see us at Marriot, listening to this young and charming Milind while he sang some lyrics from his newest songs, he is quite a treat! ❤
Indeed rightly said, it is the city of joy where we try our best to find joy in simple things like music, fashion, cinema and art. Tonight, where I am heading to – well, nowhere, I will hit the gym and then the pool, let the water soak into my skin combined with the beautiful view of the sky on a Saturday night. What more can you wish from life, a good weekend, a good week and elated conversations. Perchance, maybe a few nights with high-spirits (read red wine) too. That’s all make this city altogether a joyful city amist it’s dwellers. Whatever will be, will be – we must enjoy our present to the fullest always – QUE SERA SERA!