Rita Morar is a singer and songwriter, and my Facebook friend! Every now and then Rita posts pictures of yummy looking ingredients that she puts together to create healthy smoothies. The juicing culture is huge these days and I thought I’d share some of Rita’s recipes every now and then. Rita is also on Twitter.
#InMySmoothie today:
Spinach and water blended with fresh ginger and manuka honey.
Then added added mango, blueberries and half a melon. Yummmm . Happy Monday xx
Who doesn’t know Vishal Dadlani? Vishal is part of a duo with Shekhar Ravjiani and is responsible for many successful soundtracks in Hindi, Telugu and Marathi films.
Pentagram is a four-piece Indian rock/electronica band started in 1994 in Mumbai, India. Regarded as one of the pioneers of original Indian independent music, the band has received major recognition.
Pentagram is fronted by Vishal, with Randolph Correia on guitars, Papal Mane on bass and Shiraz Bhattacharya on drums. All of whom have recently been actively involved in the Bollywood music business.
Making his mark in the music industry in Bollywood and beyond, this man has achieved a status that many dream of having. His humility is something that just cannot be faked, a thoroughly genuine person with a no-nonsense approach to life. I managed to catch up with Vishal for this exclusive one on one and I must say I am more convinced than ever that such honesty and wit cannot be faked.
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If you weren’t Vishal Dadlani who would you be?
Dunno. I’d have loved to have been someone like Stephen Hawking, or, perhaps, Lennon. It’d still suck, not to be me, though.
Were you headed towards being a singer or a music producer? You do both with such ease and success.
I wasn’t headed towards either. They came to me, and I’m grateful they did. I didn’t know I’d have anything to do with music until I was about 19!
How do you deal with fans who clamour all over you, especially when you’re having a bad day and really don’t feel like any human interaction?
I try and be nice. It shocks most people, cuz most people are afraid of me, for some unfathomable reason.
If you weren’t in the music industry, what would you be doing?
Not the first clue, but I’d be good at it, and I’d be self-made. These two are certain.
You work very closely with Shekhar. Your chemistry with him is very apparent in the music both of you create, your live performances and even recently, as we saw on Indian Idol Junior, both of you seem to get on really well. Has there ever been a time you’ve wanted to leave chalk marks around each others’ bodies?
I’m sure Shekhar feels that way, more than I do. To quote a Pentagram song “I’m only made of Human Failings”.
We do get along really well, though. I think it’s because we’re respectful of each others’ talent, and also because we’re both utter and absolute goofs.
It’s impossible if you say the pair of you have never argued professionally. How do you guys make up?
We talk, we grab some coffee, or we write a song or do a show. That usually sorts it!
You’re always so well kitted. From the posh suits you wore as an Indian Idol Junior judge to the rather funky tees you always seem to wear, who dresses you?
The suits were by a designer that the show hired for me! Given a choice, I wouldn’t go near ’em!
The t-shirts are just part of who I am, and almost always have been.
Can you cook? Like REAL cooking and not the bbq and boys night out cook out thing.
I burn a mean slice of toast.
What has been the biggest extravagance in terms of spending your hard earned cash?
Nothing major, really. Possibly my car, but it’s nothing too fancy or expensive.
You’re so popular and going by your Twitter account, you’re adored by many. What drives you to be Vishal Dadlani?
I don’t really have the option to be anyone else, do I? Besides, I’ve learnt to really sit back and revel in being me. I wasn’t quite convinced, for a long time, but somewhere along the way, I learnt to love myself for everything I am. Bumps and bruises, included.
You’re actually one of the few celebrities I know who isn’t stuck up or has his head up his back side so far that the lips get mistaken for an extra kidney. You also make a point, whenever you can, to reply back to fans. Why do you think these so-called celebrities behave the way they do? Is it beneath them to be nice to the people who adore them and actually afford them their star status?
The thing is, I’m no celebrity. I’m a musician. I don’t make music to be famous, or to make the papers. I make music because I have no choice. The rest of it, is superficial.
Celebrity comes with a certain head-up-ones-own-ass-ness, but sadly, I’m not particularly flexible in that way.
Why other people do what they do, is their problem. I’ve never given it a thought.
What’s your opinion on Man-Bags? Do you carry one? What’s in it?
I’m ok with em. I own one, carry it when I travel. Headphones, phone chargers, passport, keys, that sorta thing.
On a scale of 1-10 (10 being highest) how scared are you of dogs growling and foaming at the mouth with fangs for teeth?
I’ve come across a few, and it’s a little scary, but nothing I haven’t overcome. So I’ll give it a 2.
Tell me of 5 things you will not leave the house without.
Shoes. Clothes. House-keys (although I have been locked out, several times).
And two phones. There. That’s 5.
Samose or Pakore
Samose
Rain or sunshine
Rain
Ferrari or Lamborghini
Lambo
Live concert or playback singing
Writing with Pentagram.
Twitter or Facebook
Yes.
Coffee or tea
Coffee
Gym or jogging
Gym. I’ve got bad knees from years of jogging, as a kid.
iPhone or BlackBerry
Whichever battery hasn’t died on me!
Mika Singh! Our favourite Badmaash of Bollywood!
Welcome to East Africa yet again… and most importantly to Nairobi.
Thank you ji, thank you so much. And first of all Satsriakal, Namaste and Salaam Aleikum Nairobi, I’m here just for five hours and I just had a great concert in Uganda, all thanks to the Uganda fans and Ranee Jamal of Ranee Productions, and maybe I’ll come in December to perform again in Nairobi.
I know you are in transit and we’re honoured you took the time to speak to us. You were performing in Uganda in Kampala this weekend. How was the experience?
It was great. There were more than 15,000 people at the concert. I thought there would be at least 5 to 6 thousand people but this was something else. It was a really great experience and I sang straight for three hours with my latest song Agal Bagal as well, which is from my latest film Phata Poster Nikla Hero that stars Shahid Kapoor.
*sings a line from the song*
I must ask you, was the Nairobi audience better or Kampala?
**laughs** Well, both places are in Africa. So it’s like asking me how it was performing in Gujrat or Punjab. I got a lot of love from both Nairobi and Uganda but I must say the audience in Nairobi knows how to party and dance and are full of life. Also definitely Nairobi has a lot of Punjabi people, and being a Punjabi you know how we like to dance and enjoy life.
You’ve been extensively touring a lot. How do you find time to do playback singing AND tour at the same time?
Yes it does get really very difficult but it is also something that I love doing, I’m a work freak and I love to work. I try my best to juggle both aspects – singing live on stage and also playback. Of late there are a lot of my tracks that will be released. Right now there’s Zulmi Zulmi from Grand Masti, and I’m also singing for the first time for Ranbir Kapoor in the film Besharam, I have two tracks in that film. Also it’s the first time my brother Daler Mehndi and I will be singing together – I’m lending my voice to Ranbir Kapoor and Daler will be lending his voice to Ranbir’s father, Rishi Kapoor.
Your latest superhit is Agal Bagal. It’s one of the most requested songs on our station at East FM right now. What is your secret to giving out one superhit after another?
This is all because of my fans, it’s their blessings and they keep supporting me for so many years so definitely, the credit goes to my fans.
So what else can we expect from you? What other projects are you working on?
I have a song ‘Saawan Meh Lag Gayi Aag’, you might remember it as the first song that gave me a platform almost fifteen years ago, I’m working on a remix of this track because I always get a very good response whenever I sing this song on stage. Besides that I’m getting a pop album ready for my fans, and besides that I will make some good videos in which my fans can see me.
I also have a movie coming out soon. I’m starring with the singer Shaan and that movie will be releasing soon. We are both singing in the film and acting in it too.
QUICK FIRE ROUND
Samose or Pakore?
Pakore
Rain or sunshine
Sunshine
Ferrari or Lamborghini?
Lamborghini
Live concert or playback singing
Live concert
Twitter or Facebook?
Coffee or tea?
Tea
Gym or jogging?
Jogging
Bhangra music is to see an unexpected and surprising collaboration in 2013 with the return of an artist who has given Punjabi music fans some of the biggest anthems of all time, Mr ‘De De Ghera’ himself …. Balvir Boparai teams up with Dipps Bhamrah!
Hailing from Boparai Kalan in Ludihana, Balvir Boparai sent Punjabi music lovers world wide into a frenzy when his ground breaking album ‘Hostel’ was released. The 2005 album featured songs written and vocaled by Balvir Boparai and included, undoubtedly, one of Bhangra music’s most iconic tracks in ‘De De Ghera’. To this day the track is still part of DJ playlists around the world and has etched Balvir Boparai’s name into history.
Tracks like ‘Hostel’, ‘Ve Shudaiya’ & ‘Hookan’ have established Balvir as a vocalist. His lyrics have also made hits for fellow artists including Inderjit Nikku, Late Kulwinder Dhillon, Ranjit Mani, and Daljit Dosanjh which includes the super hit track ‘Nachdiya Alrhan Kuarian’.
In 2013, H.S.Preet (Sangeet Darpan Magazine, Punjab) presents Balvir Boparai’s forthcoming album with one of UK’s most charismatic all round Bhangra entertainers, Dipps Bhamrah. As an international DJ, music producer and BBC Asian Network radio presenter, Dipps Bhamrah has been flying the Bhangra flag for many years and follows up from his 2012 album ‘Project:BHANGRA’ success with his music gracing the brand new Balvir Boparai album.
With the brand new 8 track album nearing completion, the Balvir Boparai & Dipps Bhamrah collaboration will be releasing in late 2013.
Balvir Boparai
www.balvirboparai.com
Dipps Bhamrah
www.dippsbhamrah.com
For further information
Contact 14/8 Media:
Email: info@148media.com
I’ve been telling Bob Collymore, the CEO of Safaricom, that I’d love to drop by to meet him at his office since he was utterly kind to come to my workplace and personally deliver me a box of rather posh chocolates. The invitation has always been open from Bob to drop by so I decided today to take up on it and go and say hello.
Since last week I started asking directions of how to get to Safaricom House on Waiyaki Way, what floor Bob was on, where I was supposed to park and if I should bring my own biscuits. (Surely I was going to be offered a cup of coffee right?) So with my own detective work I managed to find out everything I wanted to know except for the biscuits. Bob kindly replied back on Twitter and said I could bring my own. Fair enough. I didn’t expect the CEO of the biggest mobile subscriber company to be donned in an apron on Monday evening baking me cookies to share on Tuesday morning so I got a box of some fancy treats.
Off I went to Safaricom House and was seriously fascinated with the security measures that I underwent. There were two entrances to Tower A & B and I was to go see Mr CEO in Tower A. I sat patiently in my car as the polite security guard did what he had to and I was riveted with the electronic pillars in front of me that were barring my car to move forward until the whole security check was complete. Even the parking was so organised! Nothing like those crazy shopping malls where we’re clamouring for a parking nearest to the entrance. Anyway, I told the security guard I was here to meet Bob Collymore (check me out name dropping) and he told me to go to the VIP car park. I had to stifle a gasp. Sorry but that’s the truth. I was like a country bumpkin in my posh heels in a VIP car park and it just started to get better.
I parked my car, checked my lipgloss in the rearview mirror, powdered the nose a bit, fluffed my hair, checked teeth for bits and bobs sticking in my crooked teeth and finally got out of the car and made my way to the vast entrance. I teetered to the security desk in the foyer and a very pretty lady asked me my name and discreetly called Bob’s office to check if I was being expected. I was. (Thank goodness eh?!)
Now if there is something I really abhor it’s those disgusting plastic security tags you must wear when you go to some buildings but not today! The pretty lady came around to me and pinned on a VIP badge on me herself and led me to the elevator door, which by the way is the CEO’s personal elevator, and directed me to the 7th floor.
I got off at the top floor and went to another reception desk where yet another lovely lady led me to a waiting area that had a breathtaking view of Brookside Drive, Lower Kabete Road and its environs. Tried to work out where my friend’s house was and was just about to take a picture when lovely lady was back to ask me if I wanted tea or coffee. I politely declined and within seconds Bob came out to receive me and we did those 3 kisses on the cheek thingie (I’m usually just a one hug person but this was good. Also my lipgloss didn’t leave glitter on Bob’s cheek. I’m not into air kisses.) Before we go to his office he ushers me into a side office where I FINALLY get to meet ‘The Lovely Purity’ and of course ‘The Robbed & Wronged Tabitha’. Apparently the BlackBerry Michael Joseph gifted me was supposed to be hers… I was unrepentant and had no remorse. I had also hidden it deep into my bag just in case I was asked to produce it or something – even that on Silent Mode lest it rang.
Bob ushered me into his fantastic office, which I shamelessly admired, and I simply adored the view from the 7th floor. I could see almost the whole of Nairobi!
We sat down to chat and Bob is ever so witty and funny and if he wasn’t CEO I’d put in a good word for him with my boss and get a voice test done to launch Bob’s radio career… 😉
Then came the obligatory photo session and I’m just glad I wore my posh new heels.
Thanks Bob for your wonderful hospitality. You’re such a warm, down to earth person. Please stay like that
Now then… about that iPhone4….
I caught up with Fareed Khimani, the bloke who brings you the Rude Awkening on X FM every weekday morning. He shares some insights with Kamal’s Korner…
If you weren’t The Fareed Khimani what do you think you’d be?
A virgin…
So why do you think the likes of me wake up early just to listen to you on X FM’s Rude Awakening?
Cause you got a dirty mind…no, I think seriously because like minded people, also don’t want to take life to seriously…
You make me gasp for all the wrong reasons sometimes when I listen to you on air. Your audacity and guts have me in peals of laughter and I wish I could say a fraction of what you do. Have you ever been on the receiving end? Has anyone ever complained about you?
All the time…but truthfully, its also important to understand media laws…its a huge responsibility and a privilege…so push the boundaries back, but do not go overboard (sometimes I do tho)
How do you deal with fans who clamour all over you, especially when you’re having a badass day and really don’t feel like any human interaction?
I tell them to sod off!! (Kidding)…no, look I don’t mind stopping for a photo or a quick chat.. It is awesome actually…can make a bad day turn good…
If you weren’t in the media bizz, what would you be doing?
Selling insurance…no, I would be a pilot actually…
Is bromance your thing?
Fully…I have a ton of bromances…Arjun, Marcus, Sanchez…SachinEric…(I’m only naming them to embarrass them…)
You’re always well kitted. Is it a conscious effort on your part or do you just wear whatever you feel like and not care what anyone thinks?
My wife dresses me…truthfully though, I love clothes. I looove clothes….
Can you cook? Like REAL cooking and not those boys night out korogas and bbqs.
Actually I love to cook. I cannot cook Indian food, but I love to cook…kitchen, bbq whatever….
BlackBerry or iPhone?
Black berry…I am not into toys..
What’s been your most extravagant indulgence in terms of spending your hard-earned cash?
My Landover defender…and our wedding…
You’re so popular that so may people I know deem you a demi-god. What drives you to be Fareed Khimani?
Well besides my inflated ego after that question…nah, I get to be the guy that gets to say what everyone is thinking…that’s the best part…
You’re actually one of the few celebrities I know who isn’t stuck up or has his head up his back side so far that the lips get mistaken for an extra kidney. Why do you think these so-called celebrities behave the way they do? Is it beneath them to be nice to the people who adore them and actually afford them their star status?
Because they take themselves a little too seriously….
What’s your opinion on Man-Bags? If you have one, what do you carry in it?
Fareed’s man bag (slight feminine twang)…laptop…headphones (in a Tupperware to protect themI’m serious)…diary…that’s it…
On a scale of 1-10 (10 being highest) how scared are you of dogs growling and foaming at the mouth with fangs for teeth?
I love dogs…but that dog..a 10!!!
Tell me of 5 things you will not leave the house without.
Sunglasses, credit card, my diary, time or Newsweek and uh…hmmm…coffee in some form…
My nephew wants to be you when he grows up. What’s your advice to the likes of him?
Observe everything…and eat ya spinach….!!
