Never Enough: Bengalureans on maximalist fashion
Rooted in experimentation, maximalist enthusiasts urge towards a need for individualism and advocate for small businesses. Divya Jalan, founder of Not Just Bijoux, a city-based handmade jewellery brand, expresses, 'A big part of maximalist artistry is the effort that goes into making those pieces. I'm spending a lot of time and effort to create something that has a huge statement to it. Because maximalism is becoming an aesthetic now, you can just go to stores like Urbanic and buy items that can match your maximalist look.' Adding onto experimentation, Kirolikar says, 'Fabric, colours, and prints matter. You can just wear a crop top, layered with a thin cotton white shirt, and go on with a lot of accessories.'
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NDTV
28 minutes ago
- NDTV
How A 'Palace' In Karnal Is Courting Delhi With Art And A Train To Pakistan
Sometime in the early-90s, before the Partition of India, the Frontier Mail chugged in to the Peshawar railway station and an uproar followed. How was the Frontier Mail late? 15 minutes late? People at the platform were aghast. They couldn't believe that the train, whose timetable you could set your watch by, could be delayed. The driver was asked to explain the delay. No one quite knows what the driver's answer was, but today, as you step into a carriage of the 'Frontier Mail' somewhere in a palace two hours from Delhi, you can sit at ease. This train won't be late. Neither will the services here, in this train-themed restaurant at Noormahal Palace in Karnal, Haryana, a stone's throw from Delhi. A Train To Pakistan For A Dinner Date The restaurant borrows its name and is a tribute to that exotic legendary train that once ran between Bombay and Peshawar and ferried celebrities from this part of the undivided country to that. The menu at Frontier Mail is curated from all the stops that the train stopped at on its way from Bombay to Peshawar. As a local band played out Saadgi, dinner at Frontier Mail took us back to the era of ice-cube air-conditioning, steam engines, and food that made us smile a smile of satisfaction. The restaurant is the star of Noormahal Palace, a 'palace' hotel two hours from Delhi. The hotel is the brainchild of ex-Armyman Colonel Manbeer Choudhary and his wife Binny Choudhary. "Whichever corner you look at here, you will see a lady's touch. My wife brought a delicate and detailed touch to the interiors," Col Choudhary tells NDTV. 'Only A Sardar Or An Armyman Can Fight This Battle' It has been more than a decade that the couple has been running the hotel, fending off big conglomerates from awarding a 'badge' to them, and keeping their head steady in a landscape dotted with five-star hotels. "Only a Sardar or an armyman can fight this battle, I tell you!" laughs Col Choudhary. How does an armyman become a hotelier, we ask. The answer is as fascinating as his hotel. "I come from an army background. I have served with the indian army for 25 years in active service. I took premature retirement. I resigned from my job. I felt that there was a calling or something, and that I wanted to do much more. The army, for me at that point, had become a routine job of chase and run," says Col Choudhary. "I was in Jammu and Kashmir, in a separated family accommodation, for a very long time. I was lucky enough to see a lot of action at the Line of Actual Control for about 4.5 years, when I wrote a letter to the army headquarters, saying that enough was enough. No officer is posted in the Northeast or Jammu and Kashmir for more than 18 months, because that ends up turning the officers themselves into targets. Somehow, I was there for 4.5 years," he says, "So, I thought I needed to do something better than just the normal policing job; my area of operation was more into countering insurgency." "I came out of the army in 1997. I needed a cooling off period before beginning the second innings of my life," says Col Choudhary. Art, Architecture, Opulence The second innings came quick and came easy for Col Choudhary. His father had left him a plot of land in Karnal where he created his first hotel: Jewels. The second hotel had to be bigger, and had to be the realisation of a joint vision: so, while the Colonel brought discipline and a quarter-century of learnings from the Army, his wife brought the art, the eye, and the put-togetherness that turned Noormahal Palace into an address worth checking out. The 125-room (200 rooms soon) hotel in Karnal reflects the Choudharys' eclectic taste in art and architecture. A palace hotel might have made purveyors of modernism raise an eyebrow at the time when the couple built Noormahal, but they went against the tide to go big. Today, when you enter Noormahal, you are stunned by the art, the architecture, and the sensibly maximalist aura of the hotel. It is opulence but not eye-watering. It is a thousand artefacts but none out of place. "You can pick up extremely expensive items at an auction, but placing it right isn't everyone's cup of tea," as Col Choudhary's son and hotelier Roop Partap Choudhary sums it up. The hotel is designed by renowned architect Himmat Singh. It is built in the Mughal and Rajputana schools of architecture and you find the jharokha s, the chhatri s, the massive gates, and artwork everywhere. Inside the 'Khwabgah', the highest category of suites at Noormahal, you find a window from the time of the Mughals. The in-room bar area has a jangla from Amritsar during the time of Operation Blue Star. The Khwabgah boasts a royal sleeping chamber - which lends its name to the suite - with two sleeping rooms, a dining room where the chairs weigh more than any you might have come across, a separate bar, a private office and a private terrace that opens to views of all of Karnal. Speak of opulence! A Suite Loved By Jagjit Singh The suite that NDTV spent a weekend in came with its own story. It once hosted the legendary late ghazal singer Jagjit Singh. Inside, as you wonder if Jagjit Singh hummed " Tum Itna Jo Muskura Rahe Ho" somewhere by the massive windows, you catch yourself smiling too. An autograph by the singer sits framed on the wall. Singh, known for his love for his drink, would have been at home at Noormahal. Trust the in-house Polo Bar on that. The colonial-style bar has a cocktail menu inspired by the sport and has shelves lined with everything from rare whiskies to wines. A selection of Cuban cigars too. Films, Weddings, Recreation Noormahal has quite a few food and beverage options to choose from: Khaas Mahal, its al fresco under-the-sky restaurant; Jal Mahal, the poolside restaurant; Brown Sugar, its international all-day diner; the award-winning Frontier Mail; and the Polo Bar. The hotel also has an in-house spa with a bouquet of wellness therapies to choose from (and a couple's jacuzzi to soak in if you're travelling with a date). A hit with weddings, the hotel has an array of packages to choose from. It has also found itself in a few movies and music videos, including on the day we found ourselves at the property. 'New-Age Travellers Want A White-Lotus Feel To Trips' And why not. For the film and wedding circuit that does not want to navigate the chaos of Delhi-Gurugram-Noida, nor venture as far as Shimla, Karnal offers a middle-of-the-road destination. "Noormahal's location means there's no real competition in a 150-kilometre radius," says Roop. "There is no palace hotel in this area. And after Covid, the market trends have completely changed. Your decision-makers are now in the age bracket of 25 to 40. They are more focused on wellness, they need more value for money, and they also want a certain aesthetic - a White Lotus feel to their trips," Roop tells NDTV. 'How Will You Fake Warmth?' "Above all," the Senior Choudhary adds, "you need a story. You need heritage. If you have to sell a hotel, you cannot just do boxes. I was the President of the FHRAI (the Federation of Hotels and Restaurant Associations of India). My time there taught me what five-star hotels need. The big players in the hospitality industry have only now begun focusing on the Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities in India. That's where the expansion is happening. When I invested in this piece of land all those years ago, it was investment in the dark. Look at us now." It's the guest reviews, the people at Noormahal, and word of mouth that keep the hotel the way it is, say the Choudhary father-son duo. From Khwabgah to the Frontier Mail, it's the warmth that sets the palace apart. After a meticulously curated warm dinner at Frontier Mail, Roop leaves us chewing on some food for thought: "You can fake a chandelier. How will you fake warmth?" FACT SHEET Where: Noormahal Palace in Karnal, Haryana, is situated 120 kilometres from Delhi. A two-hour drive from the national capital takes you to the hotel. Rooms And Tariff: The hotel offers various categories of rooms - Club, Club Royal, Heritage Suite and Presidential Suite. Doubles from Rs 13,290 per night, subject to change. Noormahal Palace also curates several seasonal and occasion-based packages.
Economic Times
40 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Esha Gupta appointed global talent for Swiss luxury watchmaker Hublot
Advertorial (This article is generated and published by ET Spotlight team. You can get in touch with them on etspotlight@ Actress Esha Gupta has been announced as Hublot's global talent, thus gaining international recognition for her association with the luxury watch brand. She joined Olympic legend Usain Bolt in Greece for the launch of Hublot Big Bang Unico Summer 2025 to celebrate luxury, speed and style under the Mediterranean sun. Gupta's presence marked a significant milestone for Indian representation in the global luxury industry. She brings a touch of elegance blended with power and boldness to international platforms, including the Mediterranean's most anticipated horological her recent visit to the brand's manufacturing facility in Nyon - Switzerland, she experienced the innovative materials lab, brand's production facility all housed under one roof of their is notably the first Indian actress to become a 'Friend of the Brand' for Hublot, a title that highlights a strong alignment between her personal style and the brand's philosophy of innovation and was seen sporting the Big Bang One Click Joyful watch during her visit to the brand's facility. Compact and full of character, the Big Bang One Click 33mm has been adopted by countless women worldwide. It is a versatile timepiece that can be worn every day, for every occasion, and still make a statement. Three hands, a date window, and the unmistakable Big Bang silhouette with the trademarked One Click quick strap-change mechanism offer a timeless expression of femininity in just the right proportions. Now, with the Big Bang One Click Joyful collection, the addition of scintillating colours makes it that much more personal and 2005, the Big Bang marked the advent of a new era in watchmaking, more closely attuned than ever to the privileges of its name. Few timepieces have transformed contemporary watchmaking like the Big Bang. Twenty years after its launch, it remains the incarnation of a Manufacture that constantly pushes the boundaries of the unknown. Through exclusive materials and in-house movements, led by the Unico and the Meca-10, the Big Bang breaks with tradition —a notion it has never completely embraced. Singular for its bold aesthetic, plural for its versatility, this is the Big Bang.
Indian Express
40 minutes ago
- Indian Express
‘David Dhawan made Sarkai Lo Khatiya vulgar': Lyricist Sameer defends Govinda song, blames Madhuri Dixit's ‘Choli ke Peeche' for boom in ‘double-meaning' Bollywood songs
The classic Indian film format focused equally on the narrative of the film and the songs that go along with it, with some songs transcending the film itself. On the other hand, some songs get flagged for being problematic in nature, and in an era where awareness and sensitivity are non-negotiable requirements, many films and their songs have not aged well. Renowned lyricist Samir Anjaan talked about this particular phenomenon and how many of his songs have been questioned for their lyrics and the underlying meaning behind them, especially the song 'Sarkai Lo Khatiya' from the film Raja Babu, directed by David Dhawan. Another of his songs, 'Khambe Jaisi Khadi Hai', has been in the crosshair with director Sandeep Reddy Vanga questioning Aamir Khan for doing songs that objectified women. While talking to BBC Hindi, Samir quickly cleared himself of all blame for writing songs containing vulgar and inappropriate themes. He instead blamed another very famous track written by Anand Bakshi for starting a trend of sorts, and he blamed the censor board for letting it happen. 'All of this talk about vulgar songs started from Choli Ke Peeche. There was so much chaos, and people were ready to set fires; Anand-Bakshi and Subhash Ghai were being abused. Ultimately the song got passed by the censor board, people heard it all over the country and loved it.' He added that he never truly understood 'how the censor board was okay with that song' and why the people in power did not comment on the amount of backlash it got. ALSO READ: 'AR Rahman will get a song out of you at 3 am,' says Sukhwinder Singh: 'He shines like the moon' Coming to his own music, Samir talked about 'Sarkai Lo Khatiya' from the film Raja Babu. The song was picturised on Govinda and Karisma Kapoor, and just like 'Choli Ke Peeche,' received flack for its messaging. Samir defended himself and said, 'Sarkai lo khatiya' was born out of the practice of musicians and dancers who used to travel from village to village to perform. I have seen my elders listen to the whole song, and I took that song and just remade it for the movie. I didn't write it myself, and I didn't think there was anything vulgar in it. The way David Dhawan shot it, though, was problematic. He pictured it in a very seductive and vulgar way, so people thought it was a song with a double meaning to it.' He stated that people seem to have a problem with everything, and he never intentionally wrote a song with inherent vulgar messaging. 'I have never written a single vulgar song, but still people accuse me of doing so. Should I only write religious and feel-good songs? The writers of today are writing things much worse than what was going on before, and songs like 'Khambe Jaisi Khadi' are nothing compared to that.' The song Samir is making a reference to is from the Aamir Khan film Dil, which was sung by Udit Narayan. Just like the aforementioned tracks, 'Khambe Jaise Khadi' has also become a point of contention, with people debating whether the track is appropriate or not. After Vanga's comments, Aamir had apologised for the song. 'Hindi films have not been responsible enough, especially the way we project men and women. When we show something wrong in the films, we also show that the result of it is something positive. Which is wrong. And we often make the women an 'item' in films. Even the songs are like 'tu cheez badi hai mast mast'. And even I am involved in this and I have done such films. 'khambe jaisi khadi hai, ladki hai ya chadi hai.' We are calling women 'khamba' but not humans. I am very ashamed of it,' he said in an interview to Aaj Tak.
