Esha Gupta
Favourite show: Friends
One of my favourite shows is Friends. I can watch the reruns every Sunday. It’s one of those classics that appeal to people across generations. I was in school when I started watching it. My favourite character is Joey. He’s a total foodie and just like me, hates sharing his food. I like how each one in the episode values each other.
Esha is an actor
Mozez Singh
Favourite movie: The Revenant
It’s a tough question; there are many amazing films. I recently watched The Revenant, it’s like a masterpiece at every level. It’s amazing — right from the cinematography to the background score to the acting; everything about the film is simply spectacular. Alejandro González Iñárritu is an amazing director. When I was in the States recently, I watched the film twice in a week! The film is an education in itself.
Mozez is a director
Salil Tripathi
Favourite book: A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
While Ernest Hemingway’s classic account of his early life in Paris, which was published over 50 years ago after his death in 1961, is old by current standards, it is a timeless classic. If I can trace my wanderlust to a particular book, it would be A Moveable Feast. It recreated the aura of Paris during the wars and created a romantic image of a writer’s life. I was 17 when I read it first, and I wanted to follow his footsteps — both by travelling and writing, and by retracing his journey in Paris. I got to do that in 1995, and have done so many times since. In the book, Hemingway recalls, with nostalgia, his time in Paris 40 years ago, when he was in the process of becoming a fine writer. We learn about the company he kept, how he practised his craft, the steps he took to sharpen his skills, the journeys he undertook, and how great events shaped his politics and thinking. And it is the beauty of Paris that if you visit it now, you will find manifestations of it, in the quaint bookshops, in the tree-lined riverbanks, in the cafes, the museums, the gardens and its cheerfully libertine character. I attempt to capture some of that in my chapter on Paris in my book, Detours: Songs of the Open Road.
Salil is an author and columnist
Radhika Vaz
Favourite performance: Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
I would recommend that everyone check out Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, the American funk/soul band. Watching a woman with a Tina Turner like voice belt out anything is a turn on. The frontwoman, Sharon Jones is a force of nature. She isn’t a young tootsie but she would give any one a run for their money. The Dap Kings are rad. They worked with Amy Winehouse on Back to Black...need I say more?
Radhika is a comedienne and writer
Shaun Kenworthy
Favourite food: Street food from Bangkok
Whenever I’ve been travelling outside of India over the past couple of years, I have been having Korean food. It’s much spicier, full of flavour and has a lot more chillies than in Japanese and Chinese cuisine.
You know, I’ve spent my life visiting some of the best restaurants all over the world and none stand out as much as some of the street food I’ve eaten on my travels; particularly in Singapore and Bangkok. I would suggest everyone to be brave and not go out just looking for what you know. You’ll be amazed at what you’ll find. I would recommend everyone to try this out because you don’t want to grow old and regret never having done so!
Shaun is a chef
Siddhant Behl
Favourite singer: Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley is rightly named the King and his music has influenced most of rock and roll. It’s likely the world will probably never see another artist quite like Elvis. Only few artistes could manage to come alive on stage the way he could. He will always be a part of my playlist. I also like Michael Jackson a lot — I think I was introduced to western music because of his songs. He holds a special place in my heart.
Siddhant is an actor
— Compiled by Julie Sam and Aarti Bhanushali
