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Journalism of Courage
An Express Wave
Oceanic depths that spew caressing waves, lapping a friendly shore only to turn grey and sombre as nature, in all her wondrous fury, throws a thunderbolt, to churn the ocean into a miasma of black, grey and white. The palette that the sea conjures can run the gamut of ink black, through steel grey and azure blue to pure white. Wendell Rodricks, the mega-talented designer from Goa, used all the colours of the sea in an awe inspiring, minimalist, monochromatic outpouring of carefully controlled designer expression.
I was 10 minutes late and thus missed the first few minutes of the show but the dramatic pause at the top of the stairwell and again at the base, by the models, ensured that everyone had a bird8217;s eye view. My favourite outfit and model for the evening was my namesake Nina Manuel 8212; I was tempted to add, quot;there goes my old bodyquot; but that would certainly be stretching it. She wore a turquoise blue skirt sari draped creation, the blouse was an itsy bitsy teeny weenie pleated number that seemed sewn on to her skin. Wendell eruditely informed me after the show that it was heldtogether by a new laser method which ensured a body fit. Marilyn Monroe would have approved. Wow! Pioneering new techniques and creativity as well.
I sat with the stunning Suchitra Pillai, again a namesake and relative, who was wearing a sarong white body contouring top, very West Coast and elegant, Poonam Malhotra looked delectable in pink, Sudha Dubash, serene in black, spoke of contentment with her nine month-old grandson. Some of the chunks of hunk present that night were Hemant Trevedi, Dash Saxena, Wendell, Hemant8217;s new South American business partner and my dear friend Jerome, who is Wendells8217; partner and a law unto himself. The coastal food served at the Regal room after the show was delicious. The prawn on sugar cane sticks, and the banana leaf wrapped sword fish stole the march in the gourmet Indonesian corner.
Unfortunately, I had to leave early as my young son was waiting for me at Palms, the coffee shop, where I had bribed him with an ice cream. As I left I felt a blush of pride for bothThe Indian Express and Wendell Rodricks who had pulled off the coup of the fashion season 8212; the waves of which will be felt till we hit the millennium.
It was Ritu Ajatshatru Singh8217;s birthday that Friday, she being one of the true blue livewires about, I was determined to go over and wish her. Jerome, Achala, Wendell and I started the evening early with a glass of bubbly so it was way past 10 when Achala and I arrived at the Chancery Room, at the President. Surprise! Surprise! Everyone seemed tame, quiet and reticent but not for too long. Within half and hour the room was buzzing. Ritu and Ajat are adorable as a couple and all of us that night, with a little encouragement from the Emperor of Zee, Subash Chandra, sang, danced, recited and chanted for our supper. Pinaki Mishra with his light-eyed wife, Mukesh Patel, Nita and Naresh Goyal, Dev Ahuja, Mr Talwar of the Reserve Bank of India, Rana and Bindu, Pramod Mittal, actor Sharad with friend Dev with the divine voice, Javed Akhtar, KailashSurendranath, and Salman Khan were some of the guests I networked with. But hey! I told you in the beginning that the couple were well loved. We were near space cadets when we left at dawn. A night of pizzaz and fun. Trust the coolest couple from the rarefied mountains of Kashmir to come and teach us a trick or two on entertaining. Even us jaded Mumbaikars sat up and enjoyed it. Naresh and Neeta Goyal did the quot;hat trickquot; with a dinner on Sunday night at their home. Though they both made an extra special effort for Ritu and Ajat, we all flaked out rather early. The glow of warmth, colour and hospitality I was exposed to this weekend will warm the cockles of my heart for a long, long time.
