All posts filed under: MUMBAI

Rootsandleisure_rapper_SlowCheeta

“I Want My Listeners to Find a Piece of Themselves in My Songs” – A Chat with Indian Rapper SlowCheeta from Mumbai

  “SlowCheeta is a clever artist, who likes to wrap his sharp words in an easy-going sound, presenting them to the audience sometimes almost in disguise.” That’s how we were first introduced to Chaitnya Sharma aka SlowCheeta. So we reached out to the artist himself to know more about the person and the soul behind the rapper. We got talking about his roots, his inspirations, his creative style, and his recently launched music video ‘WANNABE RAPPER’. Read on for the full interview below…  Rapper Chaitnya Sharma aka SlowCheeta from Mumbai gets candid with R&L as he shares about his roots, his love for ’90s Hip Hop, his new music video ‘Wannabe Rapper’ and more.. Hello Chaitanya, good to have you here today! Please introduce yourself to our readers. Hi my name is Chaitnya Sharma aka SlowCheeta. I’m a rapper and actor from Mumbai and I’ve been doing this for almost 10 years now. I just turned 30, and it has been a hell of a ride! Why did you choose music? I always wrote poetry as …

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Catching up with Uday Benegal of Indus Creed During The Band’s Visit to Nagaland for the Hornbill Festival 2019

“The times you lived through, the people you shared those times with — nothing brings it all to life like an old mixtape. It does a better job of storing up memories than actual brain tissue can do. Every mix tape tells a story. Put them together, and they can add up to the story of a life.”~ Rob Sheffield We all have unique relationships with our music – as creators, and as listeners. For folks in Nagaland, music is a huge part of growing up, with almost every activity that has shaped the individual involving some form of music – from singing in the choir to waking up to country music playing across the hall, to jamming to rock music to bonding with family over a bonfire and a guitar, music runs in the life and blood of the Nagas. That being said, music performances are a huge part of the most prominent festival in Nagaland – the Hornbill Festival, which happens every year from Dec 1 to 10, with a host of music …

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Ashwini Narayan, from Hyderabad, is A Saree Stylist Who Making Saree Trendy, Easy and A Fashion Statement

Ashwini Narayan, originally from Mumbai and now settled in Hyderabad, is on her way to create a new perspective for the saree. No more, shall it be branded as a tool for the traditionalists. She has moulded and wrapped in various funky, fresh and free designs to accommodate various age groups and personality types. Ashwini tells us that if you are a free-spirit, try out lighter cotton and khadi and keep your draping shorter or try the kashta drape (pant-like) or wrap it as a skirt. But if you are looking for a more elegant design, aim for silk and experiment with your folds or pair your drape with a professional jacket! She holds workshops and is immensely active on Instagram and always has a world of knowledge to share. Let’s see what drew her towards saree and how she’s changing the perception about it! Link in bio.  Hello Ashwini, we are so excited to be having this chat with you and love how passionate you are about your craft! Give our audience a brief …

Pritika Krishnakumar, a Bharatanrityam Dancer Based in Bangalore, Tells Us About Pursuing This Traditional Craft

Pritika Krishnakumar is a Bharatanrityam dancer based in Bangalore. Currently training under the acclaimed Radha Kalpa dance company, this graceful dancer knew Bharatanatyam was her passion at the age of 4.  On usual days, she is training and honing her craft. She says, “there’s a lot that goes into making a dance performance look effortlessly beautiful. Hours of training and learning. I enjoy the process and hope that people can see through all the hard work.” Know more this flawlessly talented girl journey as we chat with her.  Hello Pritika! At Roots and Leisure we value strong cultural connections. So, when we heard about your mastery in a traditional artform, we were very excited to chat with you! Thank you for being here. Please introduce yourself to our readers. Hi! My name is Pritika Krishnakumar. I’m a 27-year-old, Bharatanatyam dancer based in Bangalore. I was born and raised in Mumbai and I started training in this classical art when I was just 7. I began under the tutelage of Guru Dr Jayashree Rajagopalan (Vijji Akka), …

Anukrti Upadhyay, a Writer from Mumbai, Talks About Her New books, Bhaunri and Daura

Anukrti Upadhyay, a writer based in Mumbai, sits and talks to us about her recent English novellas, published by HarperCollins. Her twin books, Daura and Bhaunri, have received acclaim for the fresh storytelling and their ability to transport you into a whole new world in the midst of the Rajasthani desert. Hailing from an academic background, this author has always been around stories, which inspired her to weave her own stories and share them with the world. Currently, she is working on various writing projects and her job simultaneously. We spoke to this inspiring woman about her books and the inspiration about them.  Hello Anukrti! It’s exciting to have you here today. Please introduce yourself to our readers.  I am Anukrti Upadhyay and I am a writer. I have post-graduate degrees in Management and Literature, and a graduate degree in Law. I also wrote a doctoral thesis in Hindi Literature.  Today, I write fiction and poetry in both English and Hindi. A collection of my Hindi short stories, titled Japani Sarai, was published by Rajpal …

Meet Rachel Lopez of ‘The Greater Bombay’ – an Instagram Account that Curates Quirky Ceiling Designs Inside Taxis

While most people go about their day in a flurry, forgetting to ‘stop and smell the roses’, Rachel Lopez is one observant journalist with a heart inclined towards the arts! Everywhere she goes, she ‘looks up’ — especially when she takes a taxi! A journalist based out of Mumbai, Rachel started a personal project called ‘The Greater Bombay’ where she takes photos of the quirky ceilings of taxis. This project has made thousands notice another side of Mumbai! Her collection of photos is ever-expanding with some crazy ceiling designs, from Gabbar Singh to strawberries! We caught up with her to chat about her project and more. Tap on the link in bio and below!  Hello! Rachel, we are happy to have you! Please tell our readers a bit about yourself. My name is Rachel Lopez, I’m 37-years-old and I’m a journalist with the Hindustan Times. I have been in Mumbai for all of my life and today I use this familiarity for my work.  At Hindustan Times, I cover features, edit, do a weekly column …

‘Books Are Our Favorite Companions’ – Malvika and Mallika, Founders Of ‘The Reading Twins’ From Mumbai

Hailing from Mumbai, twins Malvika and Mallika Mahidhar, share a great passion for reading and writing. Malvika is a teacher, while Mallika is pursuing law and the two also run their passion project called ‘The Reading Twins’. Their blog is a personal journal of everything they read and also a heaven for book lovers. Growing up in a house full of books, they’ve been reading books all their lives. Reading is their primary place of comfort. Grab a cup of coffee as we have an intriguing conversation with these two fascinating women! Hello, Malvika and Mallika! We are excited to have you. Tell us a little bit about yourself. Malvika: I am Malvika. I’m currently a faculty member at a design college in Mumbai. I’m also a writer and am currently working on my first manuscript! Apart from that, I am a self-taught watercolor and acrylic artist.   Mallika: I am Mallika, a reader and a lawyer who loves postcards, clouds and cats. What inspired you two to start your own book blog? We always wanted …

Making Soaps Look Like Desserts ⁠— Meet the Owner of The Sass Bar, Rishika Nayak From Mumbai

Rishika was never one to settle on a conventional job. She knew that she wanted to create something of her own, something different yet a reflection of her personality. And then inspiration hit! Meet Rishika Nayak, a creative soap-maker from Mumbai. She is the owner of The Sass Bar which makes dessert-looking soaps — yes, soaps that look like cupcakes, pastries and everything sweet! Even though you can’t eat it, the soaps are truly a dessert for the skin, as they are made with organic ingredients. Her soaps are unlike anything we’ve seen so far and it was a great fun getting to know her and her brand. Read our chat with Rishika on our blog. Tap on the link in bio or below.  Hello Rishika! Tell us a little bit about yourself. Hi! I am Rishika Nayak from Mumbai. I’m the owner of Sass Bar – a company that makes handcrafted dessert-looking soaps made from raw ingredients. I I began experimenting with soap making when I was 19, which inspired me to take up …

‘I Knew I Wanted to Study Fashion At The Age of 8’ – A Chat With Shivangi Lahoty, Owner of Inaaya and Co.

Shivangi Lahoty, from Nazira, Assam knew that fashion was her true calling when she was 8. With support from her family and friends, she pursued it until it became her profession! She went on to study fashion designing, and then launched her own store called Inaaya and Co. Inaaya is a young, fresh take on ethical fashion. It’s an ethical and premium womenswear clothing and accessory brand, with a store in Ahmedabad.  We had a chance to have a tête-à-tête with this budding creative entrepreneur, owner of Inaaya and Co., about her online store launch at the beginning of next month.  When did your love for designing clothes and fashion begin? I was 8 when I knew I wanted to study fashion. I grew up in a small town called Nazira in Assam. It was heaven on earth, in every sense, including that fact that we had very little connectivity to the internet! Hence, we relied on print media as a source of connection to the outside world.  I remember, one day my father came …

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In Conversation with the Creative Founders of Fashion Brand ‘House of Psy’

‘House of Psy’ is a fashion brand that was launched in the year 2015. We recently got a chance to have a chat with the founders, and learn more about their venture. House of Psy deals in bags, accessories and art where every product is handcrafted, ensuring quality and detail attention. They have online stores as well as walk-in-stores at several places across the country like – Mumbai, Assam and Nagaland. Let’s read to find out more! We had a chat with the founders of fashion brand, ‘House of Psy” to talk about their venture, the brand concept, its specialty and more! Hello! Please introduce a little about yourself. We are the creators of Psy – designer Anisha Chanda is from Guwahati and Danish, the Head of Production is from Mumbai. We have been busy crafting designs and looking for new inspiration every day since the start of Psy, in early 2015. Tell us more about your venture, “House of Psy” and its specialty. House of Psy is an anti-sweatshop fashion brand. It goes without …