By Papri Das

During the week, they put on their best Hugo Boss suits, Piaget watches, and Italian handcrafted shoes, during a typical day at the office. But come the weekend and late evening, you see them donning jeans, boots, bandanas, tight T-shirts, as they head for the bright lights of the stage, guitars or haversacks slung over their shoulders. Meet the modern day rocker CEOs.

These are the guys who continue to pursue their musical gifts, even as they drive their corporate charges to new financial and growth milestones. They spend their time rehearsing and getting into the groove with their band mates before a performance at either a Blue Frog or an NH7 Weekender. And when they really let it all out, just playing to the thousands in the audience, nobody would guess they are the corporate types.

Take Universal Music India CEO Devraj Sanyal. He has gained a reputation as a CEO who is re-imagining and recreating his recording company into a new organization ready and fit for the fast evolving music ecosystem. But Devraj is also famous amongst the metal heads in India for his band Brahma, one of the forerunners of India?s metal scene from 1994 to 2005.

?We got our first big break through the IRock festival which used be very huge. After 10 years of active presence in iRock opening most major rock festivals in India we saw ourselves doing two hour and three hour long sets,? shares Sanyal crediting the success to they have achieved to their diversion free focus. ?Unlike most rock bands, none of us had any addiction to drugs or the like. It made us tighter as a band and extremely focused on what we wanted to achieve,? he reveals. 

Of the thousand plus gigs that Brahma has played, Devraj says their act at Manipal in --- is a standout.  ?Mad  monstrous crowd! They didn't let us leave the stage for 30 minutes more than the rehearsed set. At some point we were playing the metal version of ?Smoke on the Water? by Deep Purple and the fans set the side walls on fire as we sang the chorus ?fire in the sky?,? narrates Sanyal. ?At that time it seemed the ultimate show of love by ours fan but on hindsight it was a scary experience.?

Leo Burnett India CC, Rajdeepak Das reveals he has taken a shot a deejaying and hangs out with a lot of deejays. ?Being a deejay is the coolest thing,? he confesses, with his top DJ being David Guetta. These days however he is busy building up his music playlist. ?I am massive on Bob Dylan. I also like Rodrigues. I have all his released and unreleased work as well,? he says.

 Mumbai-based digital content and distribution company 120 Media Collective CEO Roopak Saluja used to do night shifts as a trance deejay. And he even has a record label Procyon Records, which signed on and released other artistes in the past.

 He recollects zipping from airport to hotel across different countries while at ad agency Young & Rubicam. But the hectic schedule could not get the deejay out of him. He would continue spinning records and getting trance fans to get into the groove in the EDM capitals in Europe. 

He shares: ?I was literally living my life out of a suitcase. There would be times when I would fly in from Singapore airport and not even go home, catch another flight to some place like Portugal or Amsterdam over the weekend. I would then play a gig  or gigs and come back to Mumbai  airport on Monday and directly go to office.?

 Roopak rubbishes all claims that deejaying is relatively easy and can be done even when holding a day and week job. ?People believe that you simply need a playlist of two or three hours of the popular tracks but they don't get the hard work  which goes into creating that music set of two or three hours. As a deejay you need to be constantly listening and exploring new music and keeping up with the world?s trends While the three hour play happens once a week or so, you spend the entire week and you burn the midnight oil listening and researching. So yes, it is hard work indeed, but the people I met and parties I had made it worth it,? says Roopak.

 Apart from running a creative ad agency, Bartle Boge and Hegarty CEO and managing partner  Subhash Kamath has built up a fan following for his music being a regular performer at advertising industry awards functions and dos.  ?I used to sing in a band when I was in college but it was short lived after I started work years later I found myself jamming with friends in parties or office gatherings, and at one time I was asked to form a  band to perform at an advertising event,? says Kamath. ?I was surprised to see how well we were received. Soon after a few more people (some from advertising and some professional musicians) got on board we formed the band Wanted Yesterday.?The name reflects the ad industry?s plight of short deadlines for creative as well as his love for the classic rock and blues era.

 There are others in the south east Asian region who mix their music with work. And that too pretty well. Consider the band Uranus which has some media heavweights as its members.

 Among them: event and conference company Branded CEO Jasper Donat, TigerGate boss William Pfeiffer, ad and documentary film maker Ocean Vista Films CEO Craig Leeason, Siren Films founder Ed Bean and former Channel V VJ Dominic Lau. The motely crue has been performing for quite a few years now and they even have a booking agent and play in clubs and bars in Hong Kong and at industry events.

 However, most of the corporate chieftains we spoke to, confessed that their musical careers are important ? but they rank lower on the priority list after their day jobs and family. Says Sanyal: ?My job as an MD and CEO always comes first and the band second. It?s a conscious decision I have taken a long time ago and the boys have been very respectful of it.? However, the band is fiddling with the idea of releasing their third album.

 Kamath finds the time to rehearse and jam but he finds the coordination piece between all his mates a major challenge, because each one of them is pre-occupied. Gigs therefore are limited.

 Ditto with Uranus. The rockers have regaled their fans ? especially in the industry ? over the years, but play only at select venues. ?Music is in our blood,? says Donat. ?And we will continue to play as long as we can.?

Rock on!

Mutton Tikka Masala, Paneer Kofta Makhanwala, Awadhi chicken Biriyani, fried dumplings and sizzlers-- do you feel your mouth watering already?How often do we find ourselves giving in to temptation and ending up indulging our olfactory organs to some mouthwatering but MSG rich junk food? And there are times when it?s not the gluttony within us, but the sloth that compels us to take the easier and less time consuming way out of hunger -- look up the closest fast food joint online and order! Those with a sweet tooth and a penchant for everything cheesy and creamy have the hardest time staying away from all the yummy desserts, which are also the highest contributor to your body?s calorie and fat meter.

One can?t really blame the foodies for having a hard time keeping themselves fit,. Especially when healthy food and tasty food sound contradictory, and almost all dining outlets care less about their customers? well-being and more about filling up tables. Just when you thought that you have to give up on your favourite white chocolate cake altogether, here?s an alternative -- restaurants that specialise their menu on a healthy diet.

 Exec Lifestyle has compiled a list of fitness friendly restaurants who offer you delicacies based on a healthy diet without compromising with taste. Take a look:

1. Flat Tummies:  

As the name suggests, this Mumbai based online food delivery service caters to a health conscious demography and is already a hit amongst the who?s who of the city. Some of their popular patrons include Mandira Bedi, Emraan Hashmi and Soha Ali Khan.

Started by food enthusiast and biotech scientist Monica Muthappa, who began cooking at the early age of 10, Flat Tummy specialises in gluten free, dairy free, chemical free food which is delicious and loaded with nutritious ingredients. Not to mention it is sugar-free and packed nicely in an eco-friendly package.

It was when Monica?s  husband became intolerant to gluten that she turned her attention towards healthy alternatives to ?junk?.

?I realized there are millions of people who have similar needs for nutrition and health but are deprived from it. They are not readily available in the market. This was the real motivation to make snacks that are very tasty but equally nutritious and low calorie,? she says.

Must Try: Vegan Ice creams in different flavours, ?Chocs Cherry Ferry?, a chocolate mousse based frozen dessert  Protein bars, Flaxseed Jam cookies and Choco Peanut Spread

2. The Protein Bake Shop

 Healthy diet isn't just to get that goddess like body and stay slim. Sometimes a low calorie diet isn't a choice but a necessity to keep your ailment in check, and Protein Bake Shop understands that well.

Started by a Dubai based nutritionist, Rashi Chowdhary, The Protein Bake Shop was launched keeping in mind the plight of those diagnosed with diabetes and the like.  ?I?ve seen eight year olds being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I?ve seen young teenage girls struggle with a negative body image due to insulin resistance and I?ve seen many adults succumb to the vicious never ending cycle of yo yo dieting,? Rashi points out. 

The best thing about this online bakery is that is guarantees to satisfy your sweet tooth without compromising your health. 

She further explains, ?The Protein Bake shop products are high in healthy fatty acids, completely free of refined sugar, dairy and even whole wheat. Gluten-rich grains are replaced by gluten-free flours. Sugar is replaced by dates, figs and honey. In the protein power range Carbohydrates are kept under 10 grams and whey protein isolate is used to improve the carbohydrate to protein ratio.?

Must try: Almond cookies, Peanut Butter Slices, Chocolate stacks, Peanut Bites, Chia + Flaxseed Slices, Chocolate Mousse.

3. Apple A day:

?An apple a day keeps the doctor away,? is a proverb we are familiar with since our childhood, which stresses the importance of fresh fruits for our daily nutrition and well being. Plus, they are tasty. But in our fast paced life, we frequently resort to fruit juices instead, either at a popular juice parlor or from a supermarket in a tetra pack. Both the options more often than not contain added colour and preservatives.

That?s why we give you an alternative -- Apple A Day, a juice parlor in Mumbai which promises you fresh fruit juices without any added sugar and preservatives. And, unlike the other two, Apple A Day has an peppy looking kiosk where you can sit and sip on your favourite smoothie.

?I personally dislike places which offer juices with too much sugar added. It takes away from the nutrition value of the fruits,? says a spokesperson from the juice shop. ?Thus we at Apple A Day always strive to keep the essence of the fruits.?

Must Try: The mixed juices

4. Just Unjunk

 Let?s face it, who doesn?t like an occasional dose of fast food in their lives? Be it pizza, fried chicken or pasta from the MNC joints or the good old pakoras and samosas by the street,  junk food is something you can?t avoid for long.  And once you do, all your efforts at that new dieting fad go to waste.  

Thus the peeps at Just Unjunk have added a new twist to their menu and unjunked all the popular fast food items on it.

 ?Any food me by itself is not a junk food, but it is the method of preparation that makes it one,? says the food chain?s co-founder Yash Bhatia.  

?Take a samosa for an example. A fried samosa is unhealthy indeed but you can unjunk it by baking it which also retains the taste,? states Yash. 

He cofounded Just Junk with Divyesh Panchal and today it serves health conscious foodies in Mumbai?s Bandra and Lokhandwala Andheri areas through its two outlets. Walk in any time of the day and don?t be surprised if you bump into a celeb from the film and television industry.

Must try: Multi-grain Panini sandwiches

5. Diet N Taste

?Diet and Taste? -- these two juxtaposed words are what this outlet offer to its customers. A healthy menu keeping in mind the needs of the diet conscious foodies without compromising the taste. A favourite of many regulars who frequent this joint, Diet N Taste has garnered popularity amongst the fitness freaks in the city. With its wide range of of mouth watering delicacies it excels at maintaining quality, even  during heavy traffic hours. Among its fans is TV actor, anchor and celebrity Rithvik Dhanjani who mentions it as his favourite place to eat in the suburb of Andheri. 

Must try: The continental dishes

Exec Lifestyle?s Weekend Watch recommends and previews television shows, films and live events that you simply cannot miss! Check out our recommendations for this weekend (3 -5 July).

About Time:

Here?s some news for those who want to hear their favourite song at a bar and at the same time do some good for the furry pals in our society.  Come to Boveda and request the DJ to play your favourite songs for just Rs 10. Don?t worry; this isn?t some cheap trick to extract money from you. The money will be donated to an NGO called World For All Animal Care & Adoptions - a registered Mumbai-based animal welfare NGO that has revolutionised the model of stray animal adoptions. Now you can save lives, one song at a time.

Live Act:  

Nation?s favourite playback singer who has given some of the biggest romantic hits in the last couple of years is going live in Mumbai this Sunday. After his return from a very successful tour abroad, Arijit Singh, is all set to mesmerise Mumbaikars with his voice at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium, The National Sports Club of India, in Worli at 7 pm. The show promises to be houseful so grab your tickets now.

Television:

Zing
In the upcoming episode of Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya this weekend, popular actor will play cupid as Anurag?s uncle who shows him the path to true love. Known for his ?dhai kilo ka haath? Dharmendra will act as introspective uncle who understands Himani?s feelings for Anurag and the meaning behind her gifts to him. Catch him spread love and open doors for more exciting chemistry between Himani and Anurag, in the coming episode of Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya this Friday at 7 pm on Zing.

By Papri Das and Jigar Ganatra

Whether you are a foodie or not, there is a certain level of excitement in meeting a celebrity chef like Saransh Goila. Therefore, when the self touted #SadakChef, who hosted the popular TV show Roti Rasta aur India agreed to talk about his upcoming book launch over a coffee, we at Exec Lifestyle were quite thrilled.

At first glance Goila comes across as an engaging individual, who is not only eager to tell you about his exploits, but listen to you as well. And the same is reflected in his approach to food: easy to approach, relatable and enriching with a touch of romance. He emanates a certain sense of familiarity which doesn?t require any ice breaker. So we immediately dived at the reason for meeting him -- his latest book, ?India On My Platter?. And before we knew it, we were having elaborate and somewhat demonstrative discussions on his extensive road across the country covering 27,000 km to explore India?s cuisine.

Here?s an excerpt from Exec Life?s rendezvous with Goila.

Why is ?India On My Platter? not a simple recipe book?
Imagine ?Motorcycle Diaries? with food being the main subject and you will get ?India On My Platter?. Needless to say I was heavily influenced by this very famous autobiographical book. I wanted to bring out the romance of my experiences like great travel writers like Ruskin Bond did. My publisher pointed out that while my travel experiences are rich, as a chef, the book will be incomplete without my insights on the various cuisines I have come across. This is the reason we have also included the various 50 recipes that I encountered or created throughout the journey as part of the narrative. They are not your generic recipe styles which one can download from the net any day, but stories that I want to share.

What are the highlights of your road trip?

While I was in Hyderabad, as part of the journey, I met a Kalamkari artist who taught me about his art. In turn I showed him my art, which is cooking and as a result I came up with a new recipe inspired by his art. Apart from that I was surprised to find Surat to be such a treasure trove for foodies. I mean no disrespect to the vegetarians in Gujarat but I was happy to see certain places serving non-vegetarian cuisine. And the street food there was mind blowing. I remember this particular kiosk called ?Bhai Bhai Omelette?, a tiny shop between a Hindu and Muslim neighbourhood, specialising in 100 different types of egg preparations and catering to both the communities.

What kind of dynamics do you share with Chef Sanjeev Kapoor?
After my grandfather if there is someone who inspires me to be a better chef, it's chef Sanjeev Kapoor. I still remember that as I child I used to run from the school bus to home to catch his show Khana Khazana at lunch with my grandfather and grandmother. I would always miss the first 15 minutes because the bus would get me home by 2:15 pm. From being a fan boy to have him guide me in person; life has been very fortunate to me. As I move ahead in my career he really mentors me into taking the right path.  In fact, in spite of his busy schedule he has agreed to launch my book with his own hands.

How does it feel to get a quote from your favourite Author Ruskin Bond, on your book?

Quite frankly, I gave myself a pat on the back for having pulled such an impossible stunt as to get Ruskin Bond involved in the book. When I thought of a person to get a book quote from, Ruskin Bond?s name came naturally to me, having been such an ardent reader of his works myself.

For a while I didn?t really go ahead with this crazy idea, but then I thought why not. So I looked up this article on him that came out almost half a year back and got in touch with the writer, after putting in all my social media skills. I found her on Facebook, and she turned out to be a common friend. Divine intervention indeed. She told me upfront that Ruskin Bond doesn?t have any social media accounts, he doesn't even have a phone. The only way to contact him is meet him personally at his home in Mussoorie. But his grandson turned out to be a fan of mine, who was happy to help me get in touch with him.

I then went to Mussoorie to meet him personally and had a two hour long chat with him which changed my life.

What do you think of India as a travel destination?

India is a travellers paradise and makes for an amazing destination for road trip. Every hundred kilometers, colours, languages, clothing, the way people look, their eating habits and even the taste of water changes. I think the only other place you can feel similar while travelling is through Europe, but India is more varied and has more character.

If you wish to discover the many characters of India that Goila has found through his travel across the country, check out his book which will launch on 1 July 2015.

Exec Lifestyle?s Weekend Watch recommends and previews television shows, films and live events that you simply cannot miss! Check out our recommendations for this weekend (25 -27June).

About Town

All you electronic music lovers have a treat in store this weekend. The Maximum Tour 2015 continues to amchi Mumbai with Ma Faiza in association with Vh1 India. Facebook stalking by his fans revealed that the charismatic artist just got himself a crazy hairdo for his upcoming gig in the city. It simply shows how revved up he is to show off his skills sets with the turntable at Blue Frog this Friday at 10.30 pm.

Live Act

Written by Sadat Hasan Manto, the play ?Toba Tek Singh? explores the hypothetical scenario where Pakistan and India decide to exchange their mental asylum inmates post 1947 on religious basis. As this news breaks inside a mental-asylum in Lahore, what follows is funny, farcical, satirical and absurd. Join director Mohit Sharma, who also single handedly depicts the roller coaster of emotions in this funny yet dark spectacle on stage.

Television:

Sony Max

Movie buffs who have been disheartened by the constant rains disrupting their theater plans can now enjoy a new movie every weekend on Sony Max! Catch its latest in the series of world television premieres, Mr X. You can check out this Emraan Hashmi starrer 3D science fiction vigilante thriller film on Saturday, 27 June at 8 pm with a repeat telecast on Sunday, 28 June at 1 pm.

For passionate dance lovers across the world, this week brings a sense of loss. On 25 June 2009 the world lost one of its brightest stars, Michael Jackson, and we continue to weep for him, and miss his legendary performances. Though his last performance in India goes way back in 1999, Michael still enjoys a fan following of billions in this nation, including some of our favourite Bollywood actors. From tributes, to mentions in interviews to collection of his memorabilia, our B?town MJ fans stop at nothing to show their love for the King of Pop. Here?s a list of Bollywood actors who go gaga over Michael Jackson

Prabhu Deva:

This actor choreographer, director and performer has time and again proven his love for Michael Jackson. His interpretations of MJ?s dance moves, especially the pelvic moves are what has earned him the title of Indian Michael Jackson. Right from the chart bursting performance to the song ?Muqabala? to his tribute to the King of Pop at IIFA Awards 2012, Prabhu Deva is our number one fan choice of Micheal Jackson in Bollywood with his perfect moonwalk.

Shahid Kapoor:

Shahid Kapoor has been known to be a dire fan of the King of Pop, going so far as to give him a tribute in Filmfare Awards 2010. He not only danced on Michael?s numbers but whoever saw that performance live could swear they couldn?t differentiate between Shahid?s performance and MJ?s shadow in the background. If you haven?t already seen it, here?s a YouTube link to it.

Hrithik Roshan:

There?s no two question about the fact that Hrithik is one of the best dancers in our country, and like any other passionate dancer of this era, he was also inspired by MJ when he was a kid. His honest feelings for the ?dangerous? man came forth when he participated in the tribute video after Michael Jackson passed away in June 2009. His ?Bang Bang? performance clearly reflected MJ?s influences, with Hrithik adding his own deadly style to the mix.

Tiger Shroff:

Tiger Shroff, the new kid on the block, gave a fantastic first performance in his debut film that took no time in getting his name enlisted amongst the top dancers in Bollywood. This man with smooth dance moves was apparently born with two left feet. Something hard to believe, if one sees his recent tribute to MJ, which he uploaded on YouTube.

Remo D'souza:

This popular film choreographer and dance mentor who specialises in hip hop is very vocal about his patronage to Michael Jackson. Remember those MJ bands? They became a prestigious badge of excellence in one of India?s biggest dance reality shows, ?Dance India Dance?, all thanks to him. Remo's rendition of MJs popular numbers with his Rangeele's in ?Dance India Dance? finale in 2011 was quite the spectacle.

Surya:

Well, he isn?t from Bollywood, but this southern superstar is a diehard Michael Jackson fan. His fan following, which is already in millions, probably tripled over his kickass tribute to Michael Jackson in his movie ?Mass?. While Surya did an amazing job at dancing to the ?Smooth Criminal?s? beats, it was apparently the movie?s music composer Yuvan Shankar Raja?s wish to pay his tribute to MJ that led to the songs inception.