Separated at the Kumbh?

Rishi Kapoor and Suhel Seth

This picture of two incorrigibly garrulous Punjabi Khatri men, both known for their gargantuan appetites for life and their God given gifts of the gab, will bring a smile to anyone's face. After all, the company of the hard drinking, laugh a minute, perennially quipping actor Rishi Kapoor, and all round media maven Suhel Seth, must have kicked up a virtual storm of balderdash and blather.

"An amazing evening of great drink, food and chatter, as one can only have with a true-blood Kapoor. Rishi Kapoor," said Seth about the epic evening he spent with Kapoor, on one of his frequent visits to Mumbai. "We discussed the launch of his new book which we are both doing on Jan 17 in Delhi. Black Label and vodka was consumed, as was the famed Kapoor mutton pulao and chicken curry and tons of snacks. His new book is called Khullam Khulla." Here's to Patiala pegs and mutton pulao!

Dongre at grand finale
Anita Dongre appears to be on a roll this season. Not only did the designer hit the jackpot with Princess Kate wearing one of her creations, on her much hyped visit to India (which saw the outfits flying off the shelves as a consequence and Dongre being announced as the most googled designer in the world), but at the end of the year she launched her largest couture store of 10,000 sq. ft in Delhi.

Anita Dongre

And on the heels of this rapid expansion, word comes in that Dongre has been chosen to show at the grand finale for an upcoming fashion week for the very first time. "The collaboration is perfectly timed as they are launching a line of lipsticks enriched with Argan oil, christened liquid gold. Our Summer Resort 2017 collection is designed in light of the liquid gold theme - where you will catch glimpses of fluid silhouettes in glazed gold, reminiscent of an oasis securely hidden in the glistening sands of Rajasthan," she says. Nice!

Just add water
We chanced upon this glam snap of man about town, architect Riyhad Kundanmal, who when he's not at his yacht making boatyard across the sea at Mandwa, jets around the world.

(left) Riyhad Kundanmal with friends

"It was taken in Monaco, Monte Carlo, the world capital of boating at the iconic Yacht Club de Monaco recently, while I was attending the Black-Tie Captain's Dinner party with my colleagues," says the avid sailor adding, "'The Captain's Dinner', happens to be one of the biggest annual events in Monaco where the best in the industry get felicitated for their achievements on water."

As for enjoying some of the sailing action back home, Kundanmal, who represents an international luxury yacht manufacturer, is quite gung ho.

"With a marina already coming up in Mandwa -Raigad and work on in full scale, thanks to Nitin Gadkari, this will be the beginning to the revival of waterways becoming the next big thing connecting cities thru water transportation," says the man whose company has gone ahead and conceptualized its first express cruiser completely made in India, inspired the PM's initiative. "The current thrust in waterways infrastructure will boost the economy," he says.

"And of course, with cities already congested with millions of cars, traffic and pollution, it is our hope that our boats will ply the waters and connect the cities, like other places in the world where water transportation is as popular as vehicular transportation."

From half pants to bespoke
The things Gen Next gets up to. Abhishek Advani, who we have known ever since he was a wee lad in half pants, is quite the toast of posh London we hear. The Mumbai born and bred Oxford educated lawyer, who lives in London founded Advani London in 2014 - a high end bespoke menswear store based on the sartorial legacy of his grandparents who lived between London and Bombay, and had a cross cultural style.

Eddie Redmayne in a creation by Advani and Abhishek Advani

"Long kurtas paired with Saville Row jackets and Rajasthani Jodhpuri pants," he says about his creations, that have been worn on the red carpet by top Hollywood celebrities including Oscar winning Eddie Redmayne, Transporter's Jason Statham and Narcos' and Game of Thrones star Pedro Pascal.

Pedro Pascal, seen with Sienna Miller, wears another designed by him

Recently, Advani London was named one of the top menswear items in the world by the UK edition of an international men's magazine, and it has just concluded a pop up at the Baur au Lac hotel in Zurich, for the high season.
"Indian menswear had a lot to say to the global luxury industry," says Advani who quit a top law firm to follow his true calling. As for the half pants he used to wear, we have to admit they were quite stylish too.

RIP Jessie Gupta
"It has been overwhelming that within five months of Papa leaving us and the struggle of just absorbing that he's not here, you have gone too Mummy," posted Aarti Gupta Surendranath in a moving tribute to her mother who passed away last week following in the footsteps of her husband.

Jessie Gupta and daughter Aarti Surendranath

A tall and graceful figure, Jessie Gupta (Jaswant Kaur) had worked at the Trade Fair Authority of India when she'd met the dashing Major Gyan Gupta at a Polo match. "He was the ADC to the President of India at that time and lived at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. She was a national level badminton player and they eloped on his Bullet bike, on the eve of her wedding, as her parents had balked at their daughter marrying a non-Sikh, says Aarti.

Jessie Gupta with Major Gyan Gupta

"They remained best friends till the end and both passed away within five months of each other," says the grieving daughter. "My solace comes from the trust and belief that they are now together with each other living happily with the precious love they shared."