GQ India October 2013

WHAT A MANS GOT TO DO
OCTOBER 2013 `150

LUXURY STYLE SPORT CARS GADGETS GIRLS
RAJDEEP
SARDESAI
Media
Personality
VIRAT
KOHLI
Sportsman
HRITHIK
ROSHAN
Cinematic
Icon
SONAM
KAPOOR
GQ
Woman
FARHAN
AKHTAR
Actor
RAKEYSH
OMPRAKASH
MEHRA
Director
MANOJ
BAJPAYEE
Inspiration
RANVEER
SINGH
Most Stylish
Man
NARENDRA
KUMAR
Designer
RANDEEP
HOODA
Outstanding
Achievement
SUHEL
SETH
Digital Don
ADITYA
GHOSH
Businessman
WILLIAM
DALRYMPLE
Writer
DLF EMPORIO MALL, 125 GROUND FLOOR VASANT KUNJ, NEW DELHI 110070 T 011 41033059. TOMFORD.COM
DLF EMPORIO MALL, 125 GROUND FLOOR VASANT KUNJ, NEW DELHI 110070 T 011 41033059. TOMFORD.COM
A classic at frst sight.
The classic personality of the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual
Calendar is recognisable at frst sight. The railway-track minute
scale, the Arabic numerals, and the symmetrically arranged sub-
sidiary dials take their inspiration from earlier A. Lange & Shne
pocket watches. A close-up look at the L101.1 manufacture calibre
reveals its classic design. But since considerably less space is avail-
able in the case of a wristwatch than in traditional pocket watches,
the engineers had to master many a mechanical challenge.
1815 RATTRAPANTE
PERPETUAL CALENDAR
Even more so when taking a closer look.
After all, this timepiece unites two sophisticated complications:
the 211-part perpetual calendar with date, day of week, month,
and leap year, and the 206-part chronograph rattrapante mecha-
nism that displays stopped and intermediate times. Thus,
the name of the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar le-
gitimately refers to Ferdinand A. Langes birth year, because with
its elaborate complications, it represents the Saxon manufac-
torys aspiration in a distinctive way. www.lange-soehne.com
Manufacture calibre L101.1,
crafted from 631 parts
New Delhi: Johnson Watch Company, A-12 South Extension Part I, Tel. +91 11 2464 2299 Mumbai: Time Avenue, 189, Turner Road,
Bandra (West), Tel. +91 22 2651 5757 Chennai: The Helvetica, S-02/03, Ground Floor, Express Avenue Mall, Royapettah, Tel. +91 44 2846 4095
Hyderabad: The Helvetica, No. 1 Banjara Hills, Taj Krishna Hotel, Lobby Level, Tel. +91 40 6455 5088
Sol d excl usi vel y i n Loui s Vui t t on st ores. New Del hi : DLF Empori o: 91- 11- 46690000,
Mumbai : The Taj Mahal Hot el : 91- 22- 66644134, The Taj Lands End Hot el : 91- 22- 66717171,
Bangal ore: UB Ci t y: 91- 80- 42460000, Chennai : Bergamo Mal l 91- 44- 49606666. l oui svui t t on. com
P
H
O
T
O
:

A
B
H
A
Y

S
I
N
G
H
OCTOBER 2013 27
Jacket by Diesel
Black Gold. T-shirt by
Zara. Pocket square
by Tom Ford
GQ Men Of
The Year 2013
ONTHE
COVER
Only the most
accomplished men
(and woman) were
invited to Club GQ for the
hottest party of the year.
254 Sportsman:
Virat Kohli
258 Cinematic Icon:
Hrithik Roshan
260 Digital Don:
Suhel Seth
262 Actor:
Farhan Akhtar
266 Director:
Rakeysh Omprakash
Mehra
270 Designer:
Narendra Kumar
272 Outstanding
Achievement:
Randeep Hooda
276 Businessman:
Aditya Ghosh
284 Writer:
William Dalrymple
286 Most Stylish Man:
Ranveer Singh
288 Media Personality:
Rajdeep Sardesai
292 Inspiration:
Manoj Bajpayee
253
OCT
Contents
brei tl i ngf or bentl ey. com
British chic, Swiss excellence: Breitling for Bentley combines the best of both worlds. Style and performance.
Luxury and accomplishment. Class and audacity. Power and refinement. Perfectly epitomising this exceptional
world, the Bentley B06 chronograph houses a Manufacture Breitling calibre, chronometer-certified by the COSC
(Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute), the highest benchmark in terms of precision and reliability. It is
distinguished by its exclusive 30-second chronograph system enabling extremely precise readings of the measured
times. A proud alliance between the grand art of British carmaking and the fine Swiss watchmaking tradition.
BENTLEY B06
THE ESSENCE OF BRITAIN
Made in Switzerland by BREITLING
P
h
o
t
o
:

r
a
m

s
h
e
r
g
i
l
l
Dress by Vionnet.
Necklace by Slim Barrett.
heels by Roberto Cavalli
278
GQ Woman
Youll never meet a sexier,
more stylish party animal than
Sonam Kapoor.
00 october 2013
Contents
32 october 2013
N
E
W

D
E
L
H
I
:

T
H
E

E
M
P
O
R
I
O

-

W
W
W
.
D
I
O
R
.
C
O
M
P
h
o
t
o
:

d
e
v
r
a
t
h

s
a
g
a
r
sahej Bakshi, aka
dualist Inquiry
00 october 2013
Contents
Indias best new
bands and DJs
The top ten indie music acts that are
making all the right noises. Go listen,
right now. By Aditya Kundalkar
324
Grande Seconde Quantime, ref. J007030245
Ctes de Genve dial and blue opaline ange. Stainless steel case.
Self-winding mechanical movement. Power reserve of 68 hours.
WWW. J AQUET- DROZ. COM - Contact: (91) 11 4609 2943
Bangalore - Ethos Luxury Boutique, Tel (080) 4113 0611 - Chennai - The Helvetica, Tel (044) 2846 4095/96 - Kolkata Prime Watch World, Tel (033) 2283 7185
New Delhi - Johnson Watch Co. Connaught Place, Tel (011) 4151 3110 - Johnson Watch Co. South Extension, Tel (011) 2464 2299/55
TO BREAK THE RULES,
YOU MUST FIRST MASTER
THEM.
THE WATCH THAT BROKE ALL THE RULES, REBORN. IN
1972, THE ORI GI NAL ROYAL OAK SHOCKED THE
WATCHMAKI NG WORLD AS THE FI RST HAUTE
HOROLOGY SPORTS WATCH TO TREAT STEEL AS A
PRECI OUS METAL. TODAY THE NEW ROYAL OAK
COLLECTION STAYS TRUE TO THE SAME PRINCIPLES
SET OUT IN LE BRASSUS ALL THOSE YEARS AGO:
BODY OF STEEL, HEART OF GOLD.
OVER 130 YEARS OF HOROLOGICAL CRAFT, MASTERY
AND FINE DETAILING LIE INSIDE THIS ICONIC MODERN
EXTERI OR; THE PURPOSEFUL ROYAL OAK
ARCHITECTURE NOW EXPRESSED IN 41MM DIAMETER.
FROM AVANT-GARDE TO ICON.
ROYAL OAK
IN STAINLESS STEEL.
SELFWINDING MANUFACTURE
MOVEMENT.
DELHI
KAPOOR WATCH G-7 SOUTH EXTENSION PART 1 TEL: (9111) 4134 5678
243-A EMPORIO MALL 1ST FLOOR TEL: (9111) 4676 7777
MUMBAI
TIME AVENUE 189 TURNER RD TEL: (9122) 2651 5858
AUDEMARSPIGUET.COM
IN STAINLESS STEEL.
p
h
o
t
o
:

c
c
i
l
e

b
o
r
t
o
l
e
t
t
i
358
Suit by Canali. Scarf by Roberto
Cavalli. pocket square by Mrs Bow Tie
Fashion
Animal instincts
Spanish supermodel Andrs
Velencoso unleashes the
beast within, exclusively for
GQ India.
By Ccile Bortoletti
344 A walk in the dark
Basic black shoes that take
you from professional to party-
starter, in two easy steps.
By Matthew Donaldson
384 The collections:
Autumn/Winter 2013-14
The seasons dominated by
animal prints, rich textures
and masculine hues.
By Tony Kim
400 Big time
Get your swag on with these
bold, oversized watches.
By Lee Shin Goo
00 october 2013
Contents
44 october 2013
OCTOBER 2013 `150
RAJDEEP
SARDESAI
Media Personality
RAKEYSH
OMPRAKASH
MEHRA
Director
VIRAT
KOHLI
Sportsman
HRITHIK
ROSHAN
Cinematic Icon
SONAM
KAPOOR
GQ
Woman
FARHAN
AKHTAR
Actor
MANOJ
BAJPAYEE
Inspiration
RANVEER
SINGH
Most Stylish Man
NARENDRA
KUMAR
Designer
RANDEEP
HOODA
Outstanding Achievement
SUHEL
SETH
Digital Don
ADITYA
GHOSH
Businessman
WILLIAM
DALRYMPLE
Writer
GQ Pit Stop 161
What to expect at the Buddh
International Circuit this month;
inside the Mercedes AMG
Petronas Formula One factory;
a nine-point guide to success,
by F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone
GQ Style 175
Burberrys specially designed
haberdashery delivers bespoke suits
in 48 hours; dress shoes for a
smashing evening out; how to make
your anti-tuxedo ensemble red
carpet-worthy, too; talking tradition
and refinement with Massimiliano
Giornetti, creative head of Salvatore
70
76
94
100
417
426
Editors Letter
Contributors
Letters to the Editor
GQ Online
Where to Buy
Open Letter
215
50 OCTOBER 2013
Features
314 Women on top
A collection of British photographer
Simon Emmetts most marvellous
moments with the worlds
sexiest ladies.
348 Dear Leader dreams
of sushi
Kim Jong-ils sushi chef serves up
the inside story on North Koreas
most well-kept secrets.
By Adam Johnson
372 Egypts red dawn
What happens when the politics of
football and the ght for democracy
become inseparable?
By James Montague
392 Chasing the ghost
The search for the hottest chilli in
the country.
By Vivek Menezes
Insider 117
IPL6 host Rochelle Maria Rao is our
woman of the month; Vir Das, the
host of this years GQ Men Of The
Year awards, tells us how to have a
great night out; the worst rappers of
all time; Israeli house music
producer Guy J on his return to
India; the freshest acts at NH7
Weekender; the best movies,
albums and events this month; why
Batman is more villain than hero;
the most stylish tech purchases to
make right now; how to make sure
post-coital bliss is good for her, too;
choosing your role models takes
some serious thought
the perfect tipple for the perfect
moment; the latest from the
world of luxury
Drive 231
Eight kickass ways to pimp your
ride; the new Jaguar F-Type is
worth the long wait; the best
motor museums around the world
Talk 299
300 Sex: The return of Chastity
Fernandes. By a man who knows
shes for real
302 Books: How the living dead
can help you better understand
the living. By Jai Arjun Singh
304 Urban Nomad: Indian
culture has shaped Los Angeles
almost as much as LA has shaped
Indian cities. By Kaushik Ray
306 Humour: A 10-day course
of vipassana, or, a lesson in
heightened hearing.
By Uday Benegal
308 Letter From Beirut: How
Lebanese blues act The Wanton
Bishops took their first European
tour. By Nasri Atallah
310 Sport: Cricket walks the
thin line between theatre and
sportsmanship. By Sambit Bal
312 Movies: Biopics are going
from wide, panoramic pictures to
tighter, sharply-focused snapshots.
By Uday Bhatia
Grooming 407
An unforgettable Icelandic spa
experience at the Blue Lagoon;
fresh new scents to make a
great first impression
Ferragamo; Milans newest
tourist attraction is the Gucci
made-to-measure store; the
hyper-masculine, raw sensuality of
Roberto Cavalli; Chopard
co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele
on the brands association with the
Cannes Film Festival and its Mille
Miglia timepiece; the best watch
designers of all time; fashionable
newsmakers of the month
The Good Life 215
Five of Indias most peculiar
restaurants that serve surprisingly
delicious fare; TV star Neil Patrick
Harris on his food obsession;
306
On Rajdeep: Suit by Paul Smith. Pocket square, tie; both by Tom Ford. On Virat: Suit
by Diesel Black Gold. Shirt, bow tie, shoes; all by Roberto Cavalli. Pocket square by
Tom Ford. On Hrithik: Suit and shirt by Masculine. Bow tie, pocket square; both by
Tom Ford. On Sonam: White cut-out sheer long dress by John Richmond. Shoes by
Jimmy Choo. Cuffs by Roberto Cavalli. Ring, hand chain; both by Slim Barrett. On
Farhan: Turtleneck by John Smedley. Jacket by Ermenegildo Zegna. Pants by
Burberry. Pocket square by Roberto Cavalli. Shoes by Bally. On Manoj: Suit, shoes;
both by Roberto Cavalli. Turtleneck by Ermenegildo Zegna. Pocket square,
cummerbund; both by Tom Ford. On Ranveer: Shirt, suit; both by Frankie Morello.
Tie, shoes; both by Dior Homme. On Rakeysh: Suit, shirt; both by Rajesh Pratap
Singh. Pocket square by Roberto Cavalli. Shoes by Tom Ford. On Narendra: Shirt,
suit; both by Narendra Kumar. Tie by Dior Homme. On Randeep: Shirt by Paul Smith.
Suit by Etro. Waistcoat by Dolce & Gabbana. Bow tie by Dsquared. Pocket square,
shoes; both by Roberto Cavalli. Watch by Chopard. On Suhel: Suit by Ermenegildo
Zegna. On Aditya: Bandhgala by Thomas Pink. Shoes by Johnston & Murphy. On
William: Pocket square by Roberto Cavalli. Digital Imaging: Naweed Qureshi
Contents
The Oberoi Hotel, New Delhi - Horniman Circle, Mumbai
Hermes.com
A

S
P
O
R
T
I
N
G

L
I
F
E
!
56 OCTOBER 2013
MANAGING DIRECTOR Alex Kuruvilla
Conde Nast India Pvt. Ltd.
MUMBAI 2nd Floor, Darabshaw House, Shoorji Vallabhdas Marg, Ballard Estate, Mumbai 400 001, India
Tel: +91 22 6611 9000 Fax: +91 22 6611 9001
NEW DELHI 1st Floor, Southern Park, Unit No 15, Plot No D-2, DDA District Centre, Saket, New Delhi 110 017, India
Tel: +91 11 4066 9000 Fax: +91 11 4066 9001
VICE PRESIDENT & SENIOR EDITOR BRAND DEVELOPMENT Anna Harvey
DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR, CONDE NAST UK Albert Read
PRESIDENT, CONDE NAST INTERNATIONAL LTD. Nicholas Coleridge
RNI.NO.: MAHENG//. Printed and published by Almona Bhatia on behalf of Conde Nast India Pvt. Ltd. Printed at Thomson Press India Ltd., /, Delhi-Mathura
Road, Faridabad , Haryana and published at nd Floor, Darabshaw House, Shoorji Vallabhdas Marg, Ballard Estate, Mumbai . Editor: CJ Kurrien.
Processed at Commercial Reprographers. Distributed by Living Media Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is strictly
prohibited. All prices are correct at the time of going to press but are subject to change. Manuscripts, drawings and other materials must be accompanied by a stamped
addressed envelope. However, GQ cannot be responsible for unsolicited material.
CHAIRMAN, CONDE NAST INTERNATIONAL LTD. Jonathan Newhouse
EDITOR Che Kurrien
ART DIRECTOR Peter Windrim
MANAGING EDITOR Maniza Bharucha
FASHION DIRECTOR Vijendra Bhardwaj
FEATURES EDITOR Rhea Saran
DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR Vivek Surve
ASSOCIATE EDITORS Aditya Kundalkar, Shikha Sethi
PHOTO EDITOR Gizelle Cordo
FASHION EDITOR Antara Motiwala
AUTO & WATCH EDITOR Varun Godinho
COPY EDITOR Vritti Rashi Goel
SYNDICATIONS MANAGER Michelle Pereira
ASSISTANT SYNDICATIONS COORDINATORS
Donna Leeks, Giselle DMello
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Vasundhara Sharma
JUNIOR STYLIST Tanya Vohra
FASHION ASSISTANT (LONDON) Ravneet Channa
DIGITAL EDITOR Marco DSouza
ASSOCIATE EDITOR GQINDIA.COM Megha Shah
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT GQINDIA.COM Meryl Dsouza
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Amit Navarange
PRODUCTION MANAGER Sunil Nayak
COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION MANAGER Sudeep Pawar
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Jonathan Allen
Karan Johar
Ayaz Memon
Suhel Seth
Rajeev Masand
Anish Trivedi
Anil Thakraney
Prashant Agrawal
Iain Ball
Mortimer Chatterjee
Leo Mirani
PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Arjun Mehra
PUBLISHER Almona Bhatia
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Arif Ayyub
ASSOCIATE ADVERTISING DIRECTOR (NEW DELHI) Kapil Kapoor
ADVERTISING MANAGER (BOMBAY) Kumar Mehta
ADVERTISING MANAGER (NEW DELHI) Varun Badhwar, Samira Mukta
ASSISTANT ADVERTISING MANAGER Vinayak Ambekar, Krupa Dalal
ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Anisha Prakash
DIGITAL SALES MANAGER (DELHI) Akshat Saxena, Kritika Sharma
SALES OPERATIONS & SOLUTIONS MANAGER Anitha Ramabhadran
ITALY SALES REPRESENTATIVE Angelo Carredu
US ADVERTISING MANAGER Alessandro Cremona
ASIA SALES REPRESENTATIVE Kim Kenchington
MIDDLE EAST SALES REPRESENTATIVE IAS Media
MARKETING DIRECTOR Oona Dhabhar
ASSISTANT MARKETING MANAGER Madhura Phadnis
MARKETING EXECUTIVE Tanya Merchant
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR SUBSCRIPTIONS Bindu Nambiar
AGM ADMIN & SUBSCRIPTIONS OPS Boniface DSouza
PR MANAGER Yasmin Ranijiwala
ASSISTANT PR MANAGER Manasi Golechha
ASSOCIATE PROMOTIONS MANAGER ART Neha Bedi
PROMOTIONS DESIGNER Friyan Sutaria
PROMOTIONS WRITERS Kinjal Vora, Radhika Sen
CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Prem Abraham
ASSOCIATE GENERAL MANAGER (SOUTH) AT Surendran
AREA CIRCULATION MANAGER Rohan Nair
AREA CIRCULATION MANAGER (NEW DELHI) Gaurav Gambhir
CIRCULATION COORDINATOR Jeeson Kollannur
FINANCE DIRECTOR Vishandas Hardasani
FINANCE CONTROLLER Amit Jain
SENIOR ACCOUNTANT Dattaprasanna Bhagwat
ACCOUNTANTS Anthony Paulose, Nitin Chavan
HEAD HUMAN RESOURCES Vandana C Tilwani
ASSISTANT MANAGER HUMAN RESOURCES Disha Makharia
DIGITAL DIRECTOR Marc-Oliver Hausen
DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER Mayuri Nigam
MANAGER SOCIAL MEDIA & DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS Anjli Vyas
HEAD OF VIDEO PRODUCTION Rohan Michael Hoole
VIDEO EDITOR & COMPOSITOR Arshad Sayed
EA TO MANAGING DIRECTOR Sonia Martis
panerai . com
radiomir 1940 3 days (ref. 514)
available in steel and red gold
Mumbai Boutique - Ground oor lobby level, Heritage wing, Taj Mahal hotel, +91 22 22885052 / 53; Mumbai - Time
Avenue, 189, Turner Road, Bandra (W), +91 22 2651 5757 / 2651 5858; Chennai - The Helvetica, S-02/03 Ground oor, Express Avenue,
Royapettah, +91 44 2846 4095; Hyderabad - The Helvetica, No: 1 Banjara Hills, Taj Krishna Hotels, +91 40 6455 5088;
Kolkata - Exclusive Lines, 4/1 Camac Street, Tel: +91 33 2282 0597; New Delhi - Johnson & Co, A-12, South Extension, Part-1,
+91 11 2464 2299 / 2255; C-16 Connaught Place, +91 11 4151 3121 / 3110; Shop 243, Emporio Mall, Vasant Kunj, +91 11 4609 8205 / 8206
history
and
heroes.
Mediterranean Sea. Gamma men in training.
The diver emerging from the water is wearing a Panerai compass on his wrist.
OCTOBER 2013 `150
RAJDEEP
SARDESAI
Media Personality
VIRAT
KOHLI
Sportsman
HRITHIK
ROSHAN
Cinematic Icon
SONAM
KAPOOR
GQ
Woman
FARHAN
AKHTAR
Actor
OCTOBER 2013 `150
RAJDEEP
SARDESAI
Media
Personality
VIRAT
KOHLI
Sportsman
HRITHIK
ROSHAN
Cinematic
Icon
SONAM
KAPOOR
GQ
Woman
FARHAN
AKHTAR
Actor
In the USA: The Cond Nast Publications Inc.
CHAIRMAN: S.I. Newhouse, Jr.
CEO: Charles H. Townsend
PRESIDENT: Robert A. Sauerberg, Jr.
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Thomas J. Wallace
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: Anna Wintour
In other countries: Cond Nast International Ltd
CHAIRMAN & CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Jonathan Newhouse
PRESIDENT: Nicholas Coleridge
VICE PRESIDENTS: Giampaolo Grandi, James Woolhouse
and Moritz von Laffert
PRESIDENT ASIA-PACIFIC: James Woolhouse
PRESIDENT NEW MARKETS: Carol Cornuau
DIRECTOR LICENCES, NEW MARKETS: Natascha von Laffert
PRESIDENT COND NAST INTERNATIONAL DIGITAL: James Bileeld
PRESIDENT & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR BRAND DEVELOPMENT: Karina Dobrotvorskaya
VICE PRESIDENT & SENIOR EDITOR BRAND DEVELOPMENT: Anna Harvey
SENIOR EDITOR BRAND DEVELOPMENT: Alexandra Harnden
DIRECTOR TALENT: Thomas Bucaille
DIRECTOR PLANNING: Jason Miles
The Cond Nast Group of Magazines includes:
US
Vogue, Architectural Digest, Glamour, Brides, Self, GQ, Vanity Fair,
Bon Apptit, CN Traveler, Allure, Wired, Lucky, Teen Vogue,
The New Yorker, W, Details, Golf Digest, Golf World
UK
Vogue, House & Garden, Brides & Setting up Home, Tatler,
The World of Interiors, GQ, Vanity Fair, CN Traveller, Glamour,
Cond Nast Johansens, Easy Living, GQ Style, Love, Wired
France
Vogue, Vogue Hommes International, AD, Glamour,
Vogue Collections, GQ, AD Collector
Italy
Vogue, LUomo Vogue, Vogue Bambini, Glamour, Vogue Gioiello,
Vogue Sposa, AD, Sposabella, CN Traveller, GQ, Vanity Fair,
GQ Style, Wired, Vogue Accessory, Myself
Germany
Vogue, GQ, AD, Glamour, GQ Style, Myself, Wired
Spain
Vogue, GQ, Vogue Novias, Vogue Nios, Sposabella, CN Traveler,
Vogue Colecciones, Vogue Belleza, Glamour, Vogue Joyas,
Vogue Complementos, Sposabella Portugal, AD, Vanity Fair
Japan
Vogue, GQ, Vogue Girl, Wired
Taiwan
Vogue, GQ
Russia
Vogue, GQ, AD, Glamour, GQ Style, Tatler, CN Traveller, Allure
Mexico and Latin America
Vogue Mexico and Latin America, Glamour Mexico and Latin America,
AD Mexico, GQ Mexico and Latin America
India
Vogue, GQ, CN Traveller, AD
Published under Joint Venture:
Brazil
Published by Edies Globo Cond Nast S.A.
Vogue, Casa Vogue, Vogue Passarelas, Vogue Noiva, GQ, Glamour
Spain
Published by Ediciones Conelpa, S.L.
S Moda
Published under License:
Australia
Published by NewsLifeMedia
Vogue, Vogue Living, GQ
Bulgaria
Published by S Media Team Ltd.
Glamour
China
Published under copyright cooperation by China Pictorial: Vogue, Vogue Collections
Published by IDG: Modern Bride
Published under copyright cooperation by Women of China: Self, AD, CN Traveler
Published under copyright cooperation by China News Service: GQ, GQ Style
Hungary
Published by Axel Springer-Budapest Kiadi Kft.
Glamour
Korea
Published by Doosan Magazine
Vogue, GQ, Vogue Girl, Allure, W, GQ Style
Poland
Published by G + J Media Sp. z o. o.
Glamour
Portugal
Published by Edirevistas Sociedade de Publicaes, S.A
Vogue, GQ
Romania
Published by Mediafax Group S.A.
Glamour, GQ
South Africa
Published by Cond Nast Independent Magazines (Pty) Ltd.
House & Garden, GQ, Glamour
The Netherlands
Published by G + J Nederland
Glamour, Vogue
Thailand
Published by Serendipity Media Co. Ltd.
Vogue
Turkey
Published by Dogus Media Group
Vogue, GQ
Ukraine
Published by Publishing House UMH LLC.
Vogue
What a mans got to do
Scan below to get your digital edition
For iPad and iPhone For Android
286 OCTOBER 2013
OCTOBER 2013 287
RANVEER
SI NGH
Want style? All you need is con dence,
attitude and a dash of Ranveer
a walking, talking, living,
breathing bolt of energy
What makes Ranveer stand out is that he puts
a hundred per cent into everything: his craft,
dressing, facial hair and bear hugs.
Vikramaditya Motwane
Director of Udaan and Lootera
most st yl i sh man
SUIT, SHIRT, POCKET SQUARE;
FRANKIE MORELLO.
DIOR HOMME
OCTOBER 2013
Letter
from the
Editor
GENTLEMEN, CHARGE YOUR glasses for our GQ Men Of The
Year Awards in association with Chivas. Now in its fifth year,
no other awards ceremony matches the style, sophistication
and knockout star power of GQs night of nights. This year, we
spotlight yet another stellar group of overachievers, who inspire us
with their work and lives.
Every Men Of The Year issue is a collectors edition. But this
one is unique as it marks five years since we hit Indian stands. To
commemorate the occasion weve pulled together a special section
revisiting some of our favourite moments. Over this half decade,
Ive also been confronted with lots of odd celebrity behaviour. I
recently received a panicky call alerting me to the fact that this
years Cinematic Icon award-winner Hrithik Roshan had abruptly
walked out of his photo shoot soon after it had begun only to be
spotted a few minutes later tearing around his neighbourhood,
Juhu, in a gleaming Prussian Blue Ferrari. In the past, I might have
been concerned and as disturbed as my team on location but I
wasnt, secure in the knowledge that one of Indias best-looking
men cares too much about his image to create anything less than
the perfect set of pictures. And he came back to do just that.
The first three editions of our awards were classic black-tie
affairs. But in 2012 we introduced a decadent Roaring Twenties
theme to mix things up presaging the Gatsby fever that climaxed
earlier this year. All the action this time around is set in Club GQ,
a deliciously dark space filled with fantastic people. Here, you
leave your troubles at the door and be who you want to be. So
savour the sumptuous pages ahead and be sure to catch the
televised broadcast on Star World on October 20.
Enjoy the awards, enjoy the issue.
Che Kurrien
Editor
The
biggest night
RAISE A TOAST
Share in our favourite
memories from the
last half decade, and
celebrate our pick of
inspiring men (and one
fabulous woman) in
this months special
anniversary issue
70 OCTOBER 2013
P
H
O
T
O
:

A
S
H
I
M
A

N
A
R
A
I
N
C
r
e
a
t
i
v
e

C
e
n
t
e
r

R
D
,

C
r
e
a
t
i
v
e

D
i
r
e
c
t
o
r

A
l
v
a
r
o

M
a
g
g
i
n
i
Time Avenue, Bandra, Mumbai, +91 22 2651 5757/5858 - +91 22 2655 2727/2828
INDIAS
FASHION
FEATURE
358 OCTOBER 2013 OCTOBER 2013 359
DEEP WITHIN ALL OF US LURKS A BEAST TEEMING WITH
UNTRAMMELLED DESIRE. AS THE DECADENT WINTER
SEASON TAKES HOLD, JOIN GQ AND SUPERMODEL
ANDRS VELENCOSO ON A JOURNEY EXPLORING THE
FORCE AND BEAUTY OF THE ANIMAL WITHIN
PHOTOGRAPHED BY CCILE BORTOLETTI STYLED BY VIJENDRA BHARDWAJ
TUXEDO BY GUCCI. LEATHER MASK BY FLEET ILYA
76 OCTOBER 2013
VIJENDRA
BHARDWAJ

WHO: Fashion Director, GQ
WHAT: Overseeing style
for the magazine
GQS FASHION FEATURE
ANIMAL INSTINCTS
page IS A
throwback to a time when
hectic wasnt even a word.
Andrs nonchalance, the
serene beauty of Chantilly,
the sound of photographer
Ccile Bortoletti changing
lm rolls it gave the
entire experience a feeling
of romance.
MEGHA
SHAH
WHO: Associate Editor,
GQIndia.com
WHAT: Uncovering the
secrets of quirky dining in
India, page
THESE RESTAURANTS
ARE For those who
fetishize the authentic.
From Kofuku in Mumbai
to Phobidden Fruit in
Bangalore, these are
venues for people in
the know.
ADITYA
KUNDALKAR
WHO: Associate Editor, GQ
WHAT: The best new
music acts around India,
page
WRITING THIS MUSIC
FEATURE WAS Hard
work. I spent months
listening to a number of
acts and went to all their
gigs, even if it meant late
nights and showing
up to work hungover
the next day. I also had
to suffer through some
really mediocre acts. But
that means the ones Ive
shortlisted are tried-and-
tested guaranteed to
give you a good time.
CCILE
BORTOLETTI
WHO: Photographer
WHAT: Animal Instincts,
page , starring Spanish
supermodel Andrs
Velencoso
THE CRAZIEST SCENE TO
SHOOT WAS The love
scene. Id seen one side
of Andrs, with his great
expressions and ability
to channel his
surroundings. With this
series of shots, I saw
another side: mysterious,
haunted, real. I was
impressed by his ability to
work through everything
we asked of him.
Contributors
MANIZA
BHARUCHA
WHO: Managing Editor, GQ
WHAT: Budget manager,
list-maker, team organizer
FIVE YEARS AGO... We
had to pull every trick
in the book to get the
launch issue cover shoot to
happen with alpha males
Saif Ali Khan, Arjun Rampal
and Yuvraj Singh all in one
room. Half a decade later,
a shoot like that seems like
its all in a days work.
276 OCTOBER 2013
ADI TYA
GHOSH
For decades, air passengers ying across India believed
delays were inevitable, a fact of life. Then IndiGo came
along and showed that if an airline was obsessive about
nailing the details, consistency followed. And the focus
has paid off, with the carrier growing into the countrys
leading airline. A large part of the credit goes to its
37-year-old legal eagle-turned-President, Aditya Ghosh,
who knows the importance of sweating the small stuff
busi nessman
BLUE SUIT BY TM LEWIN. TIE BY THOMAS PINK. POCKET SQUARE BY BALMAIN
OPPOSITE PAGE: SUIT BY BALMAIN. TIE BY TM LEWIN. POCKET SQUARE BY LANVIN. SHOES BY JOHNSTON & MURPHY
OCTOBER 2013 277
Adityas ability to precisely execute his
strategy has taken IndiGo to a position
of leadership in a matter of years
that too as a protable exception to
the rest of the industry.
Rajiv Bajaj
MD and CEO, Bajaj Auto
VASUNDHARA
SHARMA
WHO: Production
Assistant, GQ
WHAT: Coordinating GQs
Men Of The Year shoots
THE MOST UNEXPECTED
REWARD Was getting
to hang out in a brand-
new IndiGo plane for an
afternoon. I had four
days to organize the
shoot with Aditya Ghosh
(page ), which meant
frantic phone calls to the
Airports Authority of
India in Delhi and IndiGos
ofce in Mumbai. It was
totally worth it, though.
ADAM
JOHNSON
WHO: Pulitzer Prize-
winning novelist
WHAT: Dear Leader
dreams of sushi, page
THE SUSHI CHEFS STORY
IS... That of a man
who was once part of
Kim Jong-Ils inner circle
and lived to tell the tale.
I found meeting [Kenji
Fujimoto] valuable while
writing my novel The
Orphan Masters Son. After
I nished it, I thought
people needed to know
the true story behind this
mysterious country.
TARUN
VISHWA
WHO: Photographer
WHAT: Shooting Men Of
The Year winner Aditya
Ghosh, page
ADITYA GHOSH LOOKED
LIKE HE COULD BE IN
A CLUB The inside of
the new IndiGo plane
t perfectly with GQs
Men Of The Year theme:
The cockpit looked like
a DJ console with all its
buttons, switches, lights
and gears.
Contributors
TANYA
VOHRA
WHO: Junior stylist, GQ
WHAT: Styling Men Of
The Year winner Virat
Kohli, page
VIRAT ROCKED THE
SHOOT We didnt have
to do much at all. Virat
cuts his own hair and
it looks pretty good so
all we did was get him
into an outt that kept
his look young and edgy,
and put him in front of
a camera.
CHASTITY
FERNANDES
WHO: Sex columnist, GQ India
WHAT: Lets the world know
she exists, page
ANONYMITY IS KEY
BECAUSE... If I were famous,
it would be very hard to
keep my boys out of the
limelight. Kissing and telling
is not very ladylike.
VIVEK
SURVE
WHO: Deputy Art Director, GQ
WHAT: Visualizing Egypts
Red Dawn, page
THE CHALLENGE IN
DESIGNING THIS PIECE WAS
To portray its serious subject
matter as well as its more
light-hearted football theme.
I had to try several fonts
and icons before I got the
balance right.
82 OCTOBER 2013
RADO HYPERCHROME
AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPH
MONOBLOC CASE
ENGINEERED IN HIGH-TECH CERAMIC
Hrithik Roshan
W
W
W
.
R
A
D
O
.
C
O
M
OCTOBER 2013 000 282 OCTOBER 2013
I met Sonam for the rst time many years ago
and immediately fell in love with her. Shes
fascinating, sensual and sophisticated.
Roberto Cavalli
Designer
TUXEDO BY ELIE SAAB. NECKLACE BY PEBBLE. RING BY SLIM BARRETT. HEELS BY ROBERTO CAVALLI
ON SONAM: DRESS, CUFF; BOTH BY ROBERTO CAVALLI. RING BY SLIM BARRETT
ON FRANCISCO (LEFT): TUXEDO BY CORNELIANI. SHIRT BY GUCCI. BOW TIE BY ROBERTO CAVALLI. POCKET SQUARE BY TOM FORD
ON RAHIL: TUXEDO BY CORNELIANI. SHIRT BY KARL LAGERFELD. BOW TIE, CUFFLINKS; BOTH BY ROBERTO CAVALLI. SCARF BY PAUL SMITH. POCKET SQUARE BY ETRO
ON MIGUEL: TUXEDO BY CORNELIANI. SHIRT, BOW TIE, POCKET SQUARE; ALL BY TOM FORD. CUFFLINKS BY ROBERTO CAVALLI
88 OCTOBER 2013
SHIKHA
SETHI
WHO: Associate Editor, GQ
WHAT: Crossing off
another spa on her bucket
list in Hot Spot, page
ICELANDS BLUE LAGOON
IS FOR The well-travelled
spa junkie looking for
an entirely new kind of
experience. Swimming
in blue waters under
the midnight sun was
incredible. I came away
completely rejuvenated.
ANTARA
MOTIWALA
WHO: Fashion Editor, GQ
WHAT: Transforming
Sonam Kapoor into GQs
Woman Of The Year,
page
SONAM IS THE PERFECT
GQ WOMAN BECAUSE
She isnt afraid to
channel her wild side.
She loves the attention,
and can go from girl-
next-door to sultry diva
in a heartbeat.
PETER
WINDRIM
WHO: Art Director, GQ
WHAT: Designing the th
Anniversary issue
IF GQ WERE A DESIGN
COCKTAIL There would
be equal measures of
breast and brawn. A good
dash of irreverence and
a healthy dose of octane,
poured over some ice-
cool fashion.
ATUL
KASBEKAR
WHO: Photographer
WHAT: Capturing different sides of Men Of The
Year winner Farhan Akhtar, page
SHOOTING WITH FARHAN IS NEVER Stressful.
Hes as open-minded about his photo shoots
as he is about his lm roles. As a photographer,
its a relief having a subject who doesnt dictate
angle and lighting. We broke most of the rules of
lighting on set and got some fantastic shots.
RAM
SHERGILL
WHO: Photographer
WHAT: Capturing GQs
sizzling Woman Of The
Year, Sonam Kapoor,
page
SONAM ONLY HAD
EYES FOR My camera.
She had three male
models ghting for her
attention, so it was a
crazy shoot. But she was
so focused. A true star.
Contributors
SONAMKAPOOR
photographed by SIgNe VILStrUp
BRADLEY
COOPER
hoLLywoodS
LateSt
SUperStar
oUr
defINItIVe
gUIde to
thE BEst
timEPiECEs
Of thE
YEAR
WAtCh
sPECiAL
STRIPPED
DOWN
hOW tO
sCORE An
OffiCE
WifE
AmP uP
YOuR
stYLE
wIth
cropped
paNtS
sOnAm
KAPOOR
what a mans got to do
aUgUst 2013 `125
inDiAn EDitiOn
ACCESS ACCESS ACCESS ACCESS ACCESS ACCESS
ACCESS ACCESS ACCESS ACCESS ACCESS ACCESS ACCESS A
ACCESS
GQ ACCESS
Wieden +
Kennedys main
man V Sunil (right)
shows how to be
#BestDressed
without a suit
Yami Gautam
Farhat Jamal Manuj Munjal
& Anmol Gill
Seema Shah &
Maneka Thadani
Harpreet Baweja, Shaana Levy and Uraaz Bahl
Jagruti & Yogesh Shah
Calendar hottie
Himarsha Venkatsamy
Rohan Vaziralli &
Varun Ahuja
Dharmendra
Manwani
Chetan Jaikishen
Shibani Dandekar
knows well that you
dont necessarily
need to reveal to be
#BestDressed
Neetu Chandra
Rhea Kuruvilla with Madhav Tandan
172 august 2013
AUGUST 2013 193
NAME
OCCUPATION
SHIRT BY PAUL & JOE.
DENIM JACKET BY ALL
SAINTS. TROUSERS BY
CALVIN KLEIN JEANS.
HAT BY REINHARD PLANK
POP CULTURE
Rodman Kim Jong-un,
Beyonc serenades the Gaddafis
and other love affairs
between the worlds most
shameless stars and
historys greatest monsters
Historys greatest
celebrity-dictator
romances
W
ORDS: JEFF JOHNSON, DAVID ROTH; ILLUSTRATION: WARD SUTTON
KimJong-un +
Dennis Rodman
Child king of profoundly
un-free nation meets human
Ed Hardy T-shirt
How they met: In February,
Rodman visited Kims marble-
intensive palace, which is
strategically surrounded by
miles of hugely impoverished
North Korean wasteland.
Diplomatic initiative: [Kim]
loves basketball, and so does
President Obama, so they have
that in common. Rodman,
reminding you that he isnt
the most articulate sportsman
out there.
Possible consummating
moment: A giggly midnight swim
in a scotch-filled swimming pool.
Vladimir Putin +
Steven Seagal
Russias permanent president
pals around with Americas
ponytailed master of
Direct-to-DVD-Fu
How they met: Putin and Seagal
have long been friends, and they
regularly meet each other. A
Russian spokesman.
S
o, Dennis Rodman has plans to hang with
Kim Jong-un again. Weird, right? Only until
you realize that celebrities and totalitarians
have more than a few things in common
wealth, power, world-historic self-regard and
the misplaced certainty that they can get
away with questionable fashion choices. (See:
Vladimir Putins shirtless albino-samurai
aesthetic or Mariah Careys poured-platinum
corset.) Strange as the Rodman-Kim bromance
is and nothing involving those two could be
anything but its not exactly new.
72 AUGUST 2013
9-w
atch trunk by trunks company jaipur
AUGUST 2013 119 118 AUGUST 2013
The fnest timepieces from the
worlds greatest watchmakers
.
.
.
A. LAnge & Shne
seven years of hard graft
have culminated in the
appearance of a Large Grand
complication. Viewings at
the salon international de la
haute horlogerie (sihh) in
Geneva were scheduled to
coincide with the optimum
times for appreciating the
grande sonnerie. what
impressed me was that the
sound was notably clear,
with minimal background
noise (all the more
impressive because this was
achieved without using a
governor). alas, the Grand
complication was far too
grand for us to photograph,
which has left us instead
with the 1815 Rattrapante
Perpetual Calendar, a
serious and solidly designed
piece of kit.
AudemArS PigueT
barely has the bunting
been taken down after
last years 40th birthday
celebrations for the royal
oak, and now its time to
break open the bubbly for
the 20th birthday of the
royal oak offshore, which
ap has marked with a
Grand complication model
that marries a refned and
delicate minute repeater to
this most butch of the big-
boy sports watches. almost
as complicated, though
with softer lines, is the new
Tradition Tourbillon Minute
Repeater Chronograph.
BAume & mercier
the big news for baume this
year is a retail partnership
with chinese jewellery giant
chow tai Fook. Given the
Far Easts fondness for the
simple round swiss watch,
its safe to say there will be
few complaints about the
classic good looks of the
Clifton Complete Calendar.
BeLL & roSS
although it may look like
something from a fghter jet
the new Bell & Ross BR01
Heading Indicator features
a typically aeronautical dial
depicting a warplane i am
reliably informed that it also
tells the time.
BLAncPAin
the tourbillon at 12 oclock
and the carrousel at 6
oclock perform the same
function: both negate the
effects of gravitational force
on the watchs movement,
making the Tourbillon
Carrousel accurate to a fault.
its an exceptionally elegant
timepiece, too, with an
intricate open-worked inner
dial and an enamel outer
dial with raised roman
numerals in rose gold.
BregueT
abraham-Louis breguet
invented the tourbillon
in 1795, and over two
centuries later, the
eponymous company
continues to innovate. this
time, its taken a watch from
its classique collection and
added a tourbillon to it.
the Classique Tourbillon
extra-fat automatic is also
impossibly thin, with a case
thickness of just 7mm.
BreiTLing
the famed swiss
chronograph maker has
been ringing in the changes,
which has meant the
retirement of brand-builder
par excellence count Franz
La rose, and the arrival of
David beckham as poster
boy. horologically speaking,
the big news is the
relaunch of the life-saving
Emergency, a wrist-worn
distress beacon that also
gives you the time.
BuLgAri
i am looking forward
to seeing what jean-
christophe babin will come
up with. the former taG
boss has taken over the
roman jeweller, and given
that it was he who brought
jack heuer back into the
business, i seriously hope
that he can entice Gianni
bulgari back into the family
frm. Gianni was one of
the greatest jewellery
innovators of the 20th
century, and i would love to
see a new Gianni-designed
bulgari watch. that said, the
new Diagono Calendar with
retrograde indicators is a
handsome timepiece.
BurBerry
baselworld debutant
burberry needed a watch
that would ensure it held its
own among the multibillion-
dollar watchmaking
conglomerates present
at the fair. the automatic
chronograph it launched
the 18,000 Britain Limited
Edition Trench Gold which
references the brands
iconic beige trenches with
its muted gold and titanium
alloy case and masculine
alligator straps did just that.
watch rEport
LL11LRS
Letters of the month
l
L
L
U
S
1
R
A
1
l
O
N
.

W
A
R
D

S
U
1
1
O
N

C
L
L
L
B
R
l
1
Y
D
l
C
1
A
1
O
R
;
Power play
I absolutely loved your piece on
Historys greatest celebrity-
dictator romances. You missed
a few important partnerships,
though Hugo Chavezs fling
with Kevin Spacey and Sean
Penn, and Naomi Campbells
dalliance with diamond baron
Charles Taylor, for example.
Plus, what about the close
connections between our own
stars and politicians?
SUMAN, VIA EMAIL
Eye candy
The August Watch Special was stunning. The range of watches you
featured, the way the timepieces were presented... I was completely
riveted. Thanks to your watch guide, Ive decided on a few must-
have timepieces I need to add to my small, but worthy, collection of
a Gallet Flight officer, a mechanical Rolex and a Fortis Black Cockpit.
Keep up the good work!
PRAVIN, MUMBAI
The right t
It takes me at least a week
to get through each issue of
GQ its such an engrossing
read. Apart from your Style
Endorsement page, which is
excellently curated every month,
this August I was particularly
inspired by your street-style
fashion feature Band of boys.
The men were well put-together
and the story gave me several
ideas on how to dress to stay
on-trend.
ABDUL QADIR, CHENNAI
Buttery effect
Ive been an avid reader of GQ
India for some time now, but
you really outdid yourself this
month. The easy-on-the-eyes
Sonam Kapoor looked fabulous
on the August cover. Id
spotted her a few years ago at
Lakm Fashion Week with her
friends. Who knew then that
this chubby young girl dressed
in denims would go on to rock
the nation?
REENA DESAI, MUMBAI
SCC yOU lCllC lO gqletters@condenast.in, O wilC lO. GQ LCllC, 2C llOO,
DaaLhaw HOUC, ShOO}i VallaLhCa Ma_, BallaC LlalC, MUULai ^00 001
94 OCTOBER 2013
Write in and you could win a pen
from Lapis Bard
Time out
I like nothing more
than kicking back
with a single malt,
Miles Davis playing
in the background,
and reading the
latest copy of GQ.
Cheers to you guys.
ZAMYANG BHUTIA,
SIKKIM
INDIA.COM
WHATS NEW ON
100 OCTOBER 2013
P
H
O
1
O
.

R
O
H
A
N

S
H
R
L
S
1
H
A

(
S
A
R
A
;
,

P
R
A
B
H
A
1

S
H
L
1
1
Y

(
V
l
R
;
,

G
L
1
1
Y

l
M
A
G
L
S
,

1
R
A
C
Y

S
P
l
R
l
D
A
K
O
S
.

P
H
O
1
O
.

V
l
C
1
O
R

D
L
M
A
R
C
H
L
L
l
L
R
,

H
A
l
R
.

H
A
R
R
Y

J
O
S
H
/
H
A
R
R
Y
J
O
S
H
.
C
O
M
,

M
A
K
L
U
P
.

R
L
G
l
N
L

1
H
O
R
R
L
/
1
+
1

M
G
M
1
,

M
A
N
l
C
U
R
L
.

A
L
l
C
l
A

1
O
R
L
L
L
O
/
1
H
L

W
A
L
L

G
R
O
U
P
Women we love Check out
Stay connected
Download
FROM TRACY
SPIRIDAKOS TO
SARA LOREN,
EXCLUSIVE
PHOTOS OF
SOME OF
THE SEXIEST
WOMEN ALIVE
EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS, LChiClhCCCC ViCCO
aC lhC iiCC COO} O CVCylhi_ lhal wCl
COw al lhi yCa MC Ol 1hC YCa awaC.
Get more by following us on:
FACEBOOK
GOOGLE +
SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
YOUTUBE
Subscribe to our digital issues here:
iPhOC. hll}.//Lil.ly/R1JVV0
ACOiC. hll}.//Lil.ly/10h6MLC
WiCOw 8. hll}.//Lil.ly/12U65C
Experience GQ like never before
on our new enhanced iPad app
1RACY SPlRlDAKOS
ARlADNL AR1lLLS
Dont miss
GQs weekly playlists with the
coolest sounds from the biggest
musicians and DJs, udpates on
all the F race action and our
round-up of the most decadent
restaurants in the country
SARA LORLN
SCAN. LISTEN.
OSL Luxury Collections Private Limited
Bangalore
The Collection, UB City
Ph 0091 80 41738170
shopbangalore@corneliani.com
Mumbai
The Taj Mahal Palace
Ph 0091 22 66311303/304
shopmumbaitajmahal@corneliani.com
New Delhi
Emporio Mall, Vasant Kunj
Ph 0091 11 46040722/11
shopnewdelhiemporio@corneliani.com
ONHOWDIVORCEWASGOODFORHIMAND
WHYMAYBEHESHOULDKEEPHISMOUTHSHUT
DUCATI MEGANFOXNASEERUDDINSHAHGQLAUNCHPARTY PICTURES PLUS:
AAMIR KHAN PHOTOGRAPHED FOR GQ BY PRASAD NAIK
THE WORLDS LEADING MENS MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2008 RS 100
AAMIR
VEGASVICE
AGUIDETO
AMERICAS
SINCITY
INDIASLAST
AFRICANKING
A400YEAR REIGN
COMES TOANEND
LIQUID
ASSETS
YOURLOCAL
SPERMBANK
NEEDS YOU
BLACK
TIERULES
PARTYINSTYLE
THISNEW
YEAR
LUXURYSTYLE SPORT CARS GADGETS GIRLS
LUXURY SPECIAL YACHTS, ACCESSORIES, FIRST CLASS CABINS, HOTEL SUITES, COGNAC
EXCLUSIVE: THE
KARANJOHAR
INTERVIEW
LAMBORGHINI LEWIS HAMILTONS WORKOUT CANALI DEAN MARTIN PLUS:
DANIEL CRAIG PHOTOGRAPHED FOR GQ BY SIMON EMMETT
THE WORLDS LEADING MENS MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2008 RS 100
WORLD
EXCLUSIVE!
007
DANIELCRAIG
ONPROVINGTHE
DOUBTERSWRONG
ANDTOPPING
CASINOROYALE
INCREDIBLE
SUITSAT
EVERY
PRICE
CITIBANK
UNDER
SIEGE
IS VIKRAM
PANDIT REALLY
UPTOTHE JOB?
THE
KARANJOHAR
INTERVIEW:
SHOBHAADE
ONMEN, STYLE
&INFIDELITY
GISELE
INBEDWITH
THE WORLDS
HOTTEST
SUPERMODEL
actor, director,
extremesportsman,
rockstar isthere
anythinghecantdo?
THE COLLECTIVE FOOTBALL FITNESS LONDONGUIDE MICHAEL CAINE Plus:
FARHAN AKHTAR PHOTOGRAPHED fOR GQ by PASCAL CHEVALLiER
THe woRlds leAdiNg meNs mAgAziNe JANuARy 2009 Rs 100
HOW
FARHAN
AKHTAR
BROKE ALL
THE RULES
THE
KARAN
JOHAR
INTERVIEW
miliNd
deoRA
ONbEiNG A
GOODGUy
iNAbAD
PROfESSiON
TigeR
TRAumA
A TRiP TO
bENGALS
mAN-EATiNG
CAPiTAL
SALmAN
RUSHDiE
PROOFTHAT
LITERATUREGETS
YOUTHEGIRLS
mUGDHA
GODSE
WHYINDIAS
HOTTESTSTARLET
DOESNTHAVEA
BOYFRIEND
blAcKisbAcK
upgRAdeyouR
sTyle: TipsoN
dRessiNgbeTTeR
slicKwAlleTs
sARdAR
bRAveHeART
THE LAHORE LAD
wHObECAmE A
SCOTTiSHLORD
JessicaBiel TomFord GuideToThemaldives TheBesT marTinis Plus:
The worlds leading mens magazine FeBruary 2009 rs 100
Theend
Howwall Street
waS brougHt
to itS kneeS
by MicHael lewiS
Jack
nicholson
tHe HigH
PrieSt oF
gooD tiMeS
wHy
welove
FreiDa
Pinto
evenHer
Size 10 Feet
20sTylish
lapTop
cases
casual
Fridays:
howTo
dressdown
aTwork
giveher
giFTs ThaT
giveBack
howTo
Bea21sT
cenTury
genTleman
John aBraham PHotograPHeD For gQ by r burMan
exclusive
JOHN
AbrAhAm
ive beeN
spaNked
eNOugH
ARMOURYOURAMBY TIGERWOODS GUIDE TOMANHATTAN ASKMIA PLUS:
THE WORLDS LEADING MENS MAGAZINE MARCH 2009 RS 100
INDIAN EDITION
HEIRTO
THETHRONE
RANBIR
KAPOOR
FORMULA1
PREVIEW
YOUR GUIDE TO
THE 2009 SEASON
THE
25
SEXIEST
WOMEN
INFILM
DOLCE &
GABBANAS
RULES OF
STYLE
THE LATEST
WATCHTRENDS
HOWTO
WEAR KHAKI
THE COOLEST
SUMMER SUITS
THE LATEST
CATW
ALK TRENDS
WHAT YOU SHOULD
BE WEARING RIGHT NOW
RANBIR KAPOOR PHOTOGRAPHED FOR GQ BY TARUN KHIWAL
ONSEX, PARTYING
&WHYHEDOESNT
DESERVEALLTHE
MONEYHES
MAKING
INSIDETHE
PLAYBOY
MANSION
CAN HUGH
HEFNER
KEEP IT UP?
FROMU.P.
TOTHEU.S.
HOWTWO VILLAGE
KIDS BECAME
BASEBALL PROS
INDIAN EDITION
LARA DUTTA
DECEMBER
GQKICKSOFFTHE
YEARSCOOLEST
PARTYWITHINDIAS
HOTTESTSTARS
WELCOMETO
THE WORLDS LEADING MENS MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2008 RS 100
THE
GOOD
LIFE
MILEHIGHCLUB
BACKTOSCHOOL
WITHTHEGIRLS
OFKINGFISHER
THELATEST
WATCHTRENDS
THEKARANJOHARINTERVIEW:
ADITYAMITTALON
WEALTH, WOMEN
ANDGLAMOUR
THE GQGUIDE:
MONEY
&POWER
HOWTOMAKEIT
INTHENEWINDIA
64
PAGESOF
NEWSEASON
FASHION
PLUS: KEITHRICHARDS BUILD A BOND BODY 10 RULES OF STYLE PORSCHE KEITHRICHARDS BUILD A BOND BODY 10 RULES OF STYLE PORSCHE
OCTOBER 2013 107
YEARS,
COVERS
JUST LIKE
FINE WINE,
SOME
THINGS
IMPROVE
WITH AGE
The worlds leading mens magazine maY 2009 rs 100
indian ediTion
DRESS-UP DENIMfRENch OPEN 2009 PREVIEwSUzUkI hayabUSa Plus:
irrFan Khan PHOTOGRAPHED fOR GQ By PRABUDDHA DASGUPTA
Boxer revoluTion
IN THE RING wITH THE
NExT GENERATIONOf
CHAMPION PUGILISTS
Hollywoods
favouriteindian
actoronbreaking
intotHebigleague
Irrfan
Khan
iCon:
PeTer
sellers
howTo
wearPinK
Therules:
BurBerrYs
ChrisToPher
BaileY
GET OUT
Of TOwN
ThEwORLDS
cOOLESTTRaVEL
DESTINaTIONS
The
BloomBerg
Boom
THE RISE AND RISE
Of ANUNLIkELy
MEDIA GIANT
INDIAN EDITION
NEwDENIm
TrENDs
HOwTOpAck
THElINE-up:
summEr
T-sHIrTs
sTylEsHrINk THE wOrlDs lEADINg mENs mAgAzINE JuNE 2009 rs 100
sAcHIN TENDulkAr PHOTOGRAPHED fOR GQ by PRASAD NAIK
TANDOOrI pOulET,
sIlvOusplAIT
AN ODD fRENcHmAN
bEcOmES INDIAS
fINEST buTcHER
SachinonhiS
Game, faStcarSand
manaGinGhiSimaGe
The
Tendulkar
enigma
RIOfERDINAND
howfootballs
badboycleaned
uphisact
mONIcABElluccI
THE buxOmSIlvER ScREEN
TEmPTRESS GETS THINGS
Off HER cHEST
THEITAlIANJOB
THE QuEST fOR THE
clASSIc TAIlORED SuIT
Rolls-RoycephantomGQbaRniGhtpictuRes howtoRunascam Plus:
Ju
N
E 2009
The worlds leading mens magazine JUlY 2009 rs 100
indian ediTion
BeYonC Knowles PHOTOGRAPHED by ELLEN VON UNWERTH
monsoon
fashion
STAy fLy AND
DRy iN THE
bEST RAiNy
SEASON STyLE
PiN-UP
PRiNcESS
IndranI
dasgupta
ather
saucIest
TheheisTof
TheCenTUrY
THE UNTOLD TALE
Of A $100-miLLiON
DiAmOND THEfT
BEYONC
iCon:
franK
miller
howTo
dress
for
BrUnCh
TherUles:
TommY
hilfiger
size
maTTers
ARE yOU biG
ENOUGH?
INdIas
favOurItE
pOpgOddEss
uNzIpshEr
wIldsIdE
gqs guIde to MaurItIus Mercedes M-class Best MIcroBrews Plus:
i SSN 0974-6595
JU
lY 2009
INDIAN EDITION
THE WORLDS LEADING MENS MAGAZINE AUGUST 2009 RS 100
ARJUN RAMPAL PHOTOGRAPHED FOR GQ BY BHARAT SIKKA
INDIAS MOST
FAMOUS MALE
MODEL REINVENTS
HIMSELF AGAIN
Arjun
Rampal
YOUNGER,
FITTER, BIGGER
GQS GUIDE TO
COSMETIC FIXES
ICON:
FREDDIE
MERCURY
HOWTO
DRESSFORAN
INTERVIEW
THELINEUP:
OFFICESHOES THECEO
OFCOCAINE
THEHUNTFOR
ACOLOMBIAN
DRUGKINGPIN
WATCH
REPORT
ALL YOU NEED TO
KNOW ABOUT THE
HOTTEST TIMEPIECES
ON THE PLANET
PREMIERSHIPPREVIEWFRUITCOCKTAILSOPENLETTER: NORTHKOREA PLUS:
THE WORLDS LEADING MENS MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2009 RS 100
INDIAN EDITION
LUXURYSTYLE SPORT CARS GADGETS GIRLS GADGETS
NEW
SEASON
TREND REPORT
THE CLOTHES YOU SHOULD
OFFICE SHIRTS THAT WORK NEWAVIATOR SUNGLASSES THE AUDI Q5 PLUS:
HRITHIK ROSHAN PHOTOGRAPHED FOR GQ BY MARTIN PRIHODA
HRITHIK
ICON:
ORSON
WELLES
HOWTO
LOOKGREAT
ATTHEGYM
THERULES:
GUCCISFRIDA
GIANNINI
ESHA GUPTA
WANTS YOUON
YOURKNEES
CANTHE
COPSREAD
YOURMIND?
INDIAS BRAINMAP
TECH GOES UNDER
THE SCANNER
DESTROY
YOUR
ENEMIES!
GQ KICKS ASS,
KERALA STYLE
SUITS YOU
14 REAL GUYS
GET A STYLE
UPGRADE
ONTHE
TEMPTATIONS
OFFAMEAND
WHYITSTIMETO
STARTTAKINGRISKS
ICON: FNSOUZACLASSYCUFFLINKSNBAPREVIEWdEEPSEAWAtChES Plus:
The worlds leading mens magazine noVemBer 2009 rs 100
indian ediTion
HOWTOAVOIDEMAIL
ERRORS, FACEBOOKFAUXPAS,
TWITTERTRIBULATIONSANDMORE
THENEW
RULESFOR
THEDIGITAL
GENTLEMANBY
BRAD
PITT
howTolook
goodThis
wedding
season
inTroducing
Brazils
hoTTesT
suPermodel
inside
indiasmosT
exclusiVe
whiskycluB
Brad PiTT PHOTOGRAPHED by DAN WINTERS
rule no1 Ditch the head- set. He can barely pull it off and you are not him
The worlds leading mens magazine deCemBer 2009 rs 100
indian ediTion
Omar
abdullah
iCon:
sTevie
wonder
sTyleTips
Byrajesh
praTapsingh
whereTo
ski inindia
Lara
Dutta
TheBeauTy
queensTrips
down
lUXUry
enCyClopedia
the smart mans
guiDe tothe best
stuff onthe pLanet
looksharp
howto wear a
DoubLe-breasteD suit
(anD not Look
Like a fooL)
The exTraordinary life of
indias mosT energeTic leader
omar aBdUllah photographeD for gQ by farrokh Chothia
EXCLUSIVE!
snug sweaTers The perfecT Bloody Mary cars for The fuTure PLUS: snug sweaTers The perfecT Bloody Mary cars for The fuTure
INDIAN EDITION INDIAN EDITION
PLUS:
MEN
OF THE
YEAR
AWARDS

FIRST ANNIVERSARY COLLECTORS EDITION
RAMGUHAONNEHRUTHE PORSCHE PANAMERABELTS THAT HOLDUP

108 OCTOBER 2013

+++
INDIAN EDITION
kArEENA kApOOr PHOTOGRAPHED FOR GQ by RAm sHERGill
Under
the covers
withGQs
favoUrite
Girl
NOWININDIA:
choose
your
hArLey-
DAVIDsoN
k
a
r
e
e
n
a
LUXUrYSTYLe SPOrT CarS GaDGeTS GIrLS
ThE WOrlDs lEADINg mENs mAgAzINE jANuAry 2010 rs 100
everYthinG
YoUneed
toKnow
aBoUtwine
(but were AfrAIDtoAsk)
the New yeAr Issue oNe of two specIAL kAreeNA coVers
INDIAN EDITION
THE WORLDS LEADING MENS MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2010 RS 100
LUXURY
WATCHES
FOREVERY
OCCASION
15
THETOP25
VINEYARDS
ININDIA
ANDABROAD
THE WINE GUIDE
MICHAEL JACKSON:
WHY THE MADNESS
OVERWHELMED
THE MUSIC
SEX
RIVALS
KINKS
SRKCOMES
CLEANON:
THE
ULTIMATE
OFFICE
GADGETS
YOUSHOULD
OWNIN2010
THE GQ DETOX GUIDE ASK MIA OPEN LETTER HOCKEY WORLD CUP
SHAH RUKH KHAN PHOTOGRAPHED FOR GQ BY BHARAT SIKKA
INDIAS
HOTTEST
FEMALE
MODEL
SIZZLES POOLSIDE SIZZLES POOLSIDE
LEANDER PAES PHOTOGRAPHED FOR GQ by TARUN VISHWA
INDIAN EDITION
The scary TruTh you need To know abouT
IIT
onHoWto
beaWinner
(Includes marryIng asupermodel)
Leanders
ruLes
IntroducIng
tech
yourmonThly
guIdeTo
ThehoTTesT
gadgeTs on
TheplaneT
(andhowtoget them)
ThE wORLDS LEADINg mENS mAgAzINE mARCh 2010 RS 100
Howyou
canbuytHe
worldsfinest
wineinindia
The Wine guide
20 PageS OF
CLOThES you ShOuLD
bE wEARINg RIghT NOw
7
iPL maTches
you canT
afford Tomiss

INDIAN EDITION
THE WORLDS LEADING MENS MAGAZINE APRIL 2010 RS 100
20+
PAGES
TO HELP
YOU
TRAVEL
IN STYLE:
INTRODUCING
TECH
YOURMONTHLY GUIDETO THEHOTTEST GADGETS ON THEPLANET
ANDHOWTOGET THEM
HOWYOU
CANDRESS
TOIMPRESS
THIS SUMMER
WEEKEND
BAGS
YOU
SHOULD
OWN
THE
COOLEST
GADGETS
FORTHE
ROAD
WHY 60,000
RUSSIANS WILL
GO WILD IN GOA
THIS SUMMER
*
Where you should
eat, drink and play in
the worlds best cities
Adventure holidays
you wont want to
chicken out of
ANDMUCHMORE
THE
TRAVEL
ISSUE:
GQS SMOKING
SEXGURU
MIA
BARES ALL
FOR YOU
GEORGE
CLOONEY
PICKUPSMARTTIPSFORBUSINESSTRAVEL

PORSCHE PANAMERA SHARP FLATSCREENS 100 YEARS OF ZEGNA
INDIAN EDITION
THE WORLDS LEADING MENS MAGAZINE MAY 2010 RS 100
30
PAGES OF
CASUAL
FASHION
To keep you
looking cool
this summer
THE HOTTEST
SUPERMODELS
INNEWYORK
DRESS DOWN
FOR YOU
THE PRIVATE
PLANE YOU
SHOULDOWN
ITS NOT THAT
EXPENSIVE
GQ SOUTHAFRICA
VACATIONGUIDE:
THE BEST WINE,
BARBECUE AND
BOYS HOLIDAYS
IN FIFAS LATEST
PLAYGROUND
SAIF
DON T PLAY
SAIF ALI KHAN PHOTOGRAPHED FOR GQ BY RISHAD MISTRI
The (ex) players rules
for dating, divorce and
doing the right thing
HOWTO GET
AND KEEP
THE SIXPACK
YOUVE ALWAYS
WANTED
GQGETS
BARKHADUTT
SQUIRMING
+++
barbara
mori
Find out why the Kites bombshell
has Indian men besotted
(including the married ones)
THE 50
bEsT-
drEssEd
mEn in
india
Do you
agree?
THE worlds lEading mEns magazinE JUnE 2010 rs 100
Howa handful
of gujarati
families gained
control of the
$45 billion
diamond trade
raHUl
KHanna
shows
youhow
towear a
suit with
style

indian EdiTion
LUXURYSTYLESPORT CARS GADGETS GIRLS
the GQCameraGuide sexexpert mia the mindof mf husain
THE WORLDS LEADING MENS MAGAZINE JULY 2010 RS 100

INDIAN EDITION
GQSTYLE SHRINK THE NEWFERRARI OPENLETTER: DEAR BRITAIN
Fromlegends to
rising stars, meet
the menthe
worldcant stop
talking about
ON THE COVER: Russell Peters, Fareed Zakaria, Lakshmi Mittal,
Zubin Mehta, VS Naipaul, Vikram Pandit, Salman Rushdie
JU
LY 2010
GLOBAL
INDIANS
THE MOST
INFLUENTIAL
OCTOBER 2013 109

INDIAN EDITION
THE WORLDS LEADING MENS MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2010 RS 100
LUXURYSTYLE SPORT CARS GADGETS GIRLS 20 PAGES OF
CLOTHES YOU SHOULD
AMANS GUIDE
TOTHROWING
KICK-A** PARTIES
Fromdrinks to
dinner to...
more drinks
HOWTO
BUILDA
CRICKETERS
BODY
NO, NOT
LIKE YUVIS
ABHISHEK BACHCHAN PHOTOGRAPHED FOR GQ BY TEJAL PATNI
CHARLES
CORREA
Howone man
revolutionized
Indian
architecture
SEX IN
SPACE?
Meet
Avatars
sizzling
hot Zo
Saldana
KRIS VANASSCHE TECH: GAMING SPECIAL SINGAPORE F1 PREVIEW
AREPEOPLE
WATCHING
AB
ORIS HEJUST
BEINGPARANOID?
AREPEOPLE
WATCHING
AB
ORIS HEJUST
BEINGPARANOID?

INDIAN EDITION
MEN
OF THE
YEAR
AWARDS

CLASSIC WATCHES AUDI R8 FASHION SPREAD: MOREA BROTHERS

THE WORLDS LEADING MENS MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2010 RS 100
TECH: 20COOLGADGETS HOWTOSPOTACON THECLASSICGREYSUIT
A10-week
guide to
building
mammoth
shoulders
APROVEN
CHICKMAGNET
SINCE 48,000 BC
EXCLUSIVE:
SHOWS GQINDIAHIS MOVES
TRAVOLTA
JOHN
Did drugs,
sexandabuse
shape creative
powerhouse
Anurag Kashyap?
GIA
INDIAS
SEXIEST
FEMALE MODEL
INSULT
WITH STYLE
USE
CHARM
TO GET
AHEAD
CONTROL
THE AGENDA
IN A MEETING
THE MANUAL ON
SELFIMPROVEMENT
JOHN TRAVOLTA
PHOTOGRAPHED FOR GQ
BY BHARAT SIKKA
INDIAN EDITION

INDIAN EDITION
WHISKYGUIDE HOWTODATEYOURWIFE DRIVE: OFFROADSPECIAL
people
you should be
scared of on
Facebook
Growthe
ultimate
moustache
(without looking like
the village idiot)
Why
Bollywood
is afraid of
REAL stories
By Rajeev Masand
ISCOMING
TOGETYOU
The real estate mogul tells GQIndia why
DONALD
TRUMP
ICON:
DAVID
BOWIE
New Year Special SIZZLINGHOT MISS UNIVERSE
WIN
Negotiate a
higher salary
Charmyour boss
and colleagues
Flirt at work
(without getting red)
AT OFFICE
POLITICS
DONALD TRUMP PHOTOGRAPHED BY BEN BAKER
THE WORLDS LEADING MENS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2011 `100

INDIAN EDITION
THE WORLDS LEADING MENS MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2011 `100

KATRINA KAIF PHOTOGRAPHED FOR GQ BY TARUN KHIWAL
HOWTO
NEVER LOOK
HUNGOVER
(but you need to
get out of bed rst)
RAFAEL
NADALS
tness
training
tips
NOMORE
PLUGNPRAY:
GQreviews the fastest
portable net devices
brings sexy back to the ofce
RACYRETRO
KATRINA
WHYMUKESH
AMBANIS
HOME COULD
NEVER
HAVE COST
$ BILLION
By Anish Trivedi
AZHAR EXPLODES:
Tendulkar
didnt have
it in himto
be captain
PAGES FORTHE
ULTIMATE
CRICKET FAN
ICON: KAPIL DEV THE MINDOF LALIT MODI OFFROADGUIDE PART 2
INTRODUCING

MONEY
HAVE YOUCASHED
INONTHE REAL
ESTATE BOOMYET?

GQIndia takes you inside the dazzling mind
and wardrobe of the worlds coolest actor
THE WORLDS LEADING MENS MAGAZINE MARCH 2011 `100
HOWTO DROP
THE FINAL
(and hardest)
FIVE KILOS
HOWTHE
NIZAMS OF
HYDERABAD
LOST A
$
BILLION
FORTUNE
The nest
beer you can
buy in India
LOOK SHARP
THIS SUMMER
FASHION SPECIAL
JOHNNY
DEPP
A map of
Silvio
Berlusconis
(highly focused)
brain
Are celebrity
chefs out?
MONEY
The newplayers
in the high-end
restaurant game
PREVIEW
IS COMING TOINDIA,
AND THE SEASON
KICKS OFF NOW
FORMULA
GENEVA WATCHFAIR 3D GADGETS SID MALLYA ONSAVILE ROW
JOHNNY DEPP
PHOTOGRAPHED
BY ANNIE LEIBOVITZ
INDIAN EDITION

2011 DAKAR RALLY BEST DESIGN HOTELS BOOKS FOR THE ROAD
THE WORLDS LEADING MENS MAGAZINE APRIL 2011 `100
INDIAN EDITION
GUIDE TO
SMARTER
TRAVEL
YOUR
80

PAGE
GET OUT
OF TOWN!
Where to eat,
stay and party
in the worlds
greatest cities
Howto get upgraded
to Business Class
What you need to
travel in style
IPL CHIEF
SUNDAR RAMAN
SPEAKS UP:
Lalit Modi
and I worked
very, very
closely
Hollywoods sexiest star turns it on for GQ
Scarlett
Johansson

THENEWJAGUAR F1S KARUNCHANDHOK OPENLETTER:DEARSANTA
EXCLUSIVE:
+
INDIAN EDITION
FREIDA
PINTO
Howa
Bill Gates
lookalike
executed
the ultimate
diamond heist
The experts guide
to bullshitting your
way through whisky
CatchAamir,
Travolta, the
Bachchans,
Ranbir, Priyanka
andmoreat
GQs bigparty
The
GREATEST
things in
the world
right now
ANDSOME OF
THEMARE FREE
THE
COOLEST
BARS
ONTHE
PLANET
THE WORLDS LEADING MENS MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2010 `100
FREIDA PINTO PHOTOGRAPHED FOR GQ BY MARC HOM
INDIAS
HOTTEST
EXPORT
110 OCTOBER 2013
LUXURYSTYLE SPORT CARS GADGETS GIRLS OF CASUAL FASHION

TO KEEP YOU LOOKING
COOL THIS SUMMER
25 PAGES
HOWNOT
TOAGE
(immortality
not guaranteed)
Suhel Seths
guide to living it
up in Monaco
RANBIR KAPOOR
PHOTOGRAPHED FOR GQ
BY SURESH NATARAJAN
THE INSIDE TRACK
ON FORMULA 1:
THE DRIVERS
THE GIRLFRIENDS
THE INTRIGUE
NEW SECTION
PIT STOP
THE WORLDS LEADING MENS MAGAZINE MAY 2011 `100
THE GENEVA AUTO SHOW AVIATOR WATCHES DRESS UP DENIM
RANBIR
THE NAKED
AMBITION
OF INDIAS
PLAYBOY
PRINCE
Is the Indian
Express
running out
of steam?
SHEKHAR
GUPTA
SPEAKS UP
VIOLENCE PAYS!
HowJitish Kallat
conquered the
art world
INDIAN EDITION
WHAT A MANS GOT TO DO JUNE 2011 `100
INDIAN EDITION
THE
BEST
DRESSED
MEN IN
INDIA
DO YOU DARE
DISAGREE?
TRACKING
THE MOST
DESTRUCTIVE
COMPUTER
YET BOOZE,
DRUGS AND
BROADS:
QUICK
WAYS TO
BRIGHTEN
UP YOUR
STYLE
MISSING
VIRAT KOHLI
PHOTOGRAPHED FOR GQ
BY MARTIN PRIHODA
VEGGIE
FIXES FOR
THE RED
BLOODED
CARNIVORE
INDIANCRICKETS NEXT SUPERSTAR
IS LOVING ALL THE ATTENTION
IMAGES OF
A MANS
DARKEST
BEDROOM
FANTASIES
SIZZLING
SHOOT!
VIRAT
KOHLI
THE BUSINESS OF FASHION SPORTY WATCHES THE NEWBENTLEY
Where have the
BAD BOYS of
Formula 1 gone?

WHAT A MANS GOT TO DO AUGUST 2011 `100
THE
WATCH REPORT
INDIAN EDITION
SPAS FOR MEN INTERVIEW: PRAKASH JHA TESTED: VWPASSAT
ALL THE ACTION FROMGQS BESTDRESSED PARTY STARRING:
LEWIS
HAMILTON
FORMULA1S
BIGGEST STAR
SUITS UP FORTHE
INDIANGRANDPRIX
The testosterone-
charged cult of yogi
Bikram Choudhury
HOLLYWOODS
LATEST BABA
HOWTO
READYOUR
BOSS MIND
THEANDROID
SCHEMETO
TAKEOVER
THEWORLD
what a mans got to do september 2011 `100
the newaudi a6 interview: raghu rai tested: samsung sii +++
Sid
Mallya
fromblackmarket bookie
toPrince of Goodtimes
The BesT
OuTdOOr
WOrkOuTs
hOllyWOOds
lasT Bad BOy
shia LaBeouf
is the social
networking
revolution
going to end
in disaster?
sid mallya PhOtOgraPhed FOr gQ By Lee jenkins

indian edition
LUXURY STYLE SPORT CARS GADGETS GIRLS clOThes yOu shOuld
Be Wearing righT nOW!
Fashion special
style
shoot
LEO
MESSI
oFF the pitch
introduces:
howto wear
checks without
looking square
EXCLUSIVE
GQ tracks down
indias Jack
The ripper
on death row

INDIAN EDITION
whAT A mANs gOT TO DO OCTOBER 2011 `100
jyotiraditya scindia ar raHMan sHaH rUKH KHan freida pinto KUMar MangalaM birla
pHotograpHed for gQ
by farroKH cHot Hia
what a mans got to do november 2011 `100
interview: abhinay deo tested: range rover evoque ask mia +++
leonardo dicaprio
PhotograPhed For gq
by craig mcdean
indian edition
LEOnardO
diCapriO
On gay marriage, sucky cOmic-bOOk films and big business
style tip
Howto pull
off IndIanwear
wItH a strong
modern edge
HOwZakIr
HUSSaIn
cOnqUErEd
tHE wESt
by Grammy-nominated Viay Iyer
IdentIfIed!
The ComplexiTy
of NaNdaN
NilekaNis
GraNd projeCT
GQ pushes the worlds
coolest GadGets
to their limit and tells you
what to buy
nude
phOtOs
of yourself
will always
end up online!
Meet
Portugals
hottest
supermodel
new
Internet
laws
you must know
INDIAN EDITION
whAT A mANs gOT TO DO DEcEmbEr 2011 `100
Millionaire
hotel tycoon
VikramChatwal
is working hard
to shed his
playboy iMage
...or is he?
the booming
trend of Male
cosMetic surgery
in india
the newrules
of luxury travel
Aringside viewof the
yeArs biggest pArty
GQ Men of the Year
awards CoveraGe
Shah Rukh Khan
Kumar MangalamBirla
AR Rahman
Jyotiraditya Scindia
Freida Pinto
and more
Gq InDIA EXCLUSIvE InTERvIEw
The real deal behind the
princess of pops Delhi act
lADy gAgA
PHOTOGRAPHED by nick kniGHT
GQS CAMERA GUIDE MONSOON FASHION TIPS TESTED: BMW650i
INDIAN EDITION
(Who else made the cut?
Turn to page 103)
THE
FUNNIEST
MAN IN
AMERICA
OCTOBER 2013 111

STYLE
INDIAN EDITION
DANIEl crAIg PHOTOGRAPHED by sAm TAylOR-wOOD
Youknow
about sexY
Cougars
andMILFs
nowgQ presents
the uLtIMate
guIde to
beInga dILF!
whAT A mANs gOT TO DO JANuAry 2012 `100
Daniel
Craig
His year of living dangerously!
On the Girl with the
Dragon Tattoo
Being the ultimate alpha male
And his next badass
BOnD
Cult
watches
Timepieces that have stood the test of time
WHY
UDUPI
MIGHT
BE THE
NEW
SILICON
VALLEY
Is there a CrIsIs
In IndIas advertIsIng worLd?
Prasoon Joshi sounds an alarm
how to puLL Your oFFICe
Look together In 2012
thenewruLesoF
busInessdressIng
LUXURY STYLE SPORT CARS GADGETS GIRLS LUXURY STYLE SPORT CARS GADGETS GIRLS
INDIAN EDITION

SUPER
HOT!
Leo DiCaprios supermodel ex makes temperatures soar
(WHATEVER YOUR AGE)
THE NEWRULES OF
DRESSING FOR A DATE
INTRODUCING:
THE SMART
MANS GUIDE TO
POP CULTURE
EVERY MONTH
WHAT A MANS GOT TO DO FEBRUARY 2012 `100
Why is Hollywoods smartest actor changing careers?
MATT
DAMON
A
BRAND
NEW
GQ CRAFTS
THE ULTIMATE
PLANTO
BYPASS
BREAK-UP
GUILT
WILL MF
HUSAINS
LEGACY BE
TARNISHED
BY HIS
GREED?
MATT DAMON
PHOTOGRAPHED BY BEN WATTS
INTERVIEW: MARK TULLY TESTED: BMW3 SERIES 24 HOURS IN DUBAI
NEW RULES OF
MASCULINITY
INDIAN EDITION
WHAT A MANS GOT TO DO MARCH 2012 `100
IS DELHI
THE NEW
KIDNAP
CAPITAL
OF THE
WORLD?
THIS MONTH!
ALLNEW
INCLUDES
IMRANKHAN
GUEST EDITOR
FASHION
TREND
REPORT
Never
cheat on
a woman
you arent ready
to break up with
49
IMRAN KHAN PHOTOGRAPHED FOR GQ BY NORBERT KNIAT
Rahul Bose on bachelorhood, Papa CJ on fatherhood and Jai Arjun Singhon books
WHAT A MANS GOT TO DO APRIL 2012 `100
THE
WORLDS
MOST
POWERFUL
DIGITAL
INDIANS
30
MEN SHAPING
YOUR FUTURE
INDIAN EDITION
UPGRADE YOUR OFFICE STYLE
BIKINI SHOOT! SARAHJANE DIAS
NANDAN NILEKANI ILLUSTRATED
EXCLUSIVELY FOR GQ BY PETER STEMMLER MEET THE
WHAT A MANS GOT TO DO MAY 2012 `100
CASUALWEAR
SPECIAL
THE HOTTEST FASHION TO KEEPYOU COOL THIS SUMMER
THE13
THINGS
YOUNEED
TOKNOW
ABOUT
WINE
INDIAN EDITION
BRAD
PITT
& THE OTHER KINGS
OF HOLLYWOOD
MEET THE
WORLDS
SEXIEST
INDO-BRAZILIAN
SUPERMODEL
GQS GUIDE
TOTHE
PLANETS
MOST
DANGEROUS
DICTATORS
Why Captain
Nair might
be the most
interesting
Indian alive
BRAD PITT PHOTOGRAPHED BY MARIO SORRENTI
INDIAN EDITION
PHOTOGRAPHED BY LUIS MONTEIRO
THE NEW
'IT' GIRLS
OFBOLLYWOOD
WHY THE
BULLETPROOF
VEST IS
GETTING
FASHIONABLE
ACROSS THE
WORLD
STYLE LEGEND
TOMFORDS
GOLDENRULES
FORDRESSING
THE50
BEST
DRESSED
MEN IN
INDIA
THE
GENTLEMENS
CLUB
FOR INDIAS MOST
ACCOMPLISHED MEN
GQ PRESENTS:
WHAT A MANS GOT TO DO JUNE 2012 `100
Formula1s
GREATEST
RIVALRIES
INDIAN EDITION
what a mans got to do JULY 2012 `100

Onedesis
crazybid
tOwina
medalin
thesnOw
suhel
seths
insider
guidetO
living
itupin
lOndOn
Howto
look sharp
even when
it rains
m o n s o o n s t y l e
ThE
25
CoolEsT
AThlETEs
of All
TimE
DAviD
BECkhAm
Vivian Richards
Michael Jordan
Imran Khan
MS Dhoni
and more
whyindia
willcOme
upshOrt
atthe
games
(again)
iTs our
gEnEs,
sTupiD!
The
uncerTain
fuTure
ofWall
STreeTS
richeST
inveSTmenT
bank
DA v ID b E ckhA m pho T ographed
by pe T er lindbergh
INDIAN EDITION
what a mans got to do august 2012 `100
Howtotalk
like aman
Fromswearing
toseducing
Upgrade
yoUr style
withthenew
dress shirt
tHe conspiracy
why men dont
want women to
love sport
by rahul bose
the craZy
plan to kill
indias greatest
maFia don
DEEpIkA p ADukONE
photographed by prasad naik
dark side unveiled
d eepikas

GQWatch
Special!
ourdeFinitiveguide
tothebesttimepieces
oFtheyear
STYLE GADGETS
112 OCTOBER 2013
INDIAN EDITION
WHAT A MANS GOT TO DO SEPTEMBER 2012 `100
FARHAN
AKHTARS
RULES
10 EASY STEPS
TO GET THE
MOST OUT OF
YOUR SUIT
WHY
CHAMPAGNE
AND MODELS
DONT MAKE
A GREAT PARTY
BY SID MALLYA
BEDSHAKING
ADVICE
FROM A REAL
SEX COACH
BRAZILS
HOTTEST
BOMBSHELL
UNVEILED
THE POKER SCAM
THAT HIT
HOLLYWOOD
HARD
FASHION
SPECIAL
The clothes
you should be
wearing
right now
FOR BEING
A 21ST-
CENTURY
GENTLEMAN
FARHAN AKHTAR PHOTOGRAPHED BY TARUN KHIWAL
INDIAN EDITION
WHAT A MANS GOT TO DO OCTOBER 2012 `100
what a mans got to do november 2012 `100
meet
brnice
marlohe
the sexiest
bond girl
of all time
formulaones
biggest
scandals
INDIAN EDITION
Tech Special
the 50
coolest
gadgets in
the World
nandan
nilekanis
radical
plan to
transform
india
HOw
MIcrOsOfT
LOsT ITs
MOjO
Before yousay
I do GQs
marriaGe
survival
Guide
Howto ampup
your style this
wedding season
The ultimate
guide for grooms
(and wingmen)
AjAy
devgn
Inside
the mind of
the100-crore
machine AjAy DEvgN photographed by tarun vishwa
THE LUXURY
ISSUE
Private jets,
suPerclubs,
really
exPensive
booze
The
50 best
things
in the
world
righT now!
Howtodress
like anitaliangent
in10 easy steps
Can the playboy
CriCket hero
aCtually rule
pakistan?
imrankHans
presidential run
tHe nigHt $500,000
canbuyyou
inlas Vegas
priyanka cHopra photographed by Martin prihoda
PRIYANKA
ROCKS
OUR
WORLD
what a mans got to do december 2012 `100
indian edition
gQmen
of tHe year
inside the
coolest bash
of2012
INDIAN EDITION
what a mans got to do january 2013 `100
AMP UP YOUR
GAME AT
WORK in 2013
ThE NEwrulEs
fOr mODErN
busINEsswEAr
The UlTimATe gUide
To NAvigATiNg
office poliTics
Are you the
workplAce sexist?
TAke oUR qUiz
where indiAs
most powerful
people dine
Guess whos
mAkinG A
comebAck
this yeAr?
iN movies,
mUsic ANd
pop cUlTURe
Meet the
worlds Most
unlikely
Porn star
the
JaPanese
cars
on the
Planet
What money
can and
cannot buy
sAIf AlI khAN phoTogRAphed bY RAm sheRgill
INDIAN EDITION
what a mans got to do maRCh 2013 `100
SNOOP
DOgg
getS uS
very
high
ON HOWTO
LOOK COOL
IN THE HEAT
JOhN
AbrAhAm
Of the beSt
SuitS, ShOeS,
tieS, jacketS &
acceSSOrieS
yOu NeeD
thiS SuMMer
35 pAgEs
sTYLE
FOrECAsT
hOT
shOOT!
Why We
LONg
fOr eva
LONgOria
jOhN abrahaM pHOTOgrApHEd by r burmAN
A mODErN
mANs
gUIDE TO
FrIENDshIp
(dont ever
call it a
bromance)
FOrmULA 1
ThE sEAsON
KICKs OFF
NOW
OCTOBER 2013 113

RAHUL DRAVID
PARTIES HARDER THAN YOU THINK...
2013
INDIAN EDITION
WHAT A MANS GOT TO DO JUNE 2013
+44
CLASSIC
RULES
NEVER
SKIMP ON
SHOES
THE 50
BEST
DRESSED
MENIN
INDIA
Including
the eternally
dapper
AMITABH
BACHCHAN
FOR THE
MODERN
GENTLEMAN
HOT SHOOT!
ON THE
BEACH WITH
OUR SEXIEST
SUPERMODEL
TAKE A WILD
TRIP WITHAVICII
THE WORLDS
HOTTEST DJ
IRON
MAN
RObeRt
DOwNey
JUNIOR
The worlds
wealThiesT
superhero
INflUeNtIAl
GlObAl
INDIANs
the
MOst
50
the ONe
NIGht
stAND!
how
genTlemen
do iT
the plOt tO
AssAssINAte
JUstIN bIebeR
our
Monsoon
style
Guide
GeAR
Up!
roBert doWney Jr photographed by peggy sirota
INDIAN eDItION
what a mans got to do july 2013 `125
SONAMKAPOOR photographed by SIgNe VILStrUp
BRADLEY
COOPER
hoLLywoodS
LateSt
SUperStar
oUr
defINItIVe
gUIde to
thE BEst
timEPiECEs
Of thE
YEAR
WAtCh
sPECiAL
STRIPPED
DOWN
hOWtO
sCORE An
OffiCE
WifE
AmP uP
YOuR
stYLE
wIth
cropped
paNtS
sOnAm
KAPOOR
what a mans got to do aUgUst 2013 `125
inDiAn EDitiOn
WHAT A MANS GOT TO DO OCTOBER 2013 `150
RAJDEEP SARDESAI Media Personality
RAKEYSH OMPRAKASH MEHRA Director
VIRAT KOHLI Sportsman
HRITHIK ROSHAN Cinematic Icon
SONAM KAPOOR GQ Woman
FARHAN AKHTAR Actor
MANOJ BAJPAYEE Inspiration
RANVEER SINGH Most Stylish Man NARENDRA KUMAR Designer
RANDEEP HOODA Outstanding Achievement
SUHEL SETH Digital Don
ADITYA GHOSH Businessman
WILLIAM DALRYMPLE Writer
114 OCTOBER 2013
FIFTH YEAR ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
To succeed in business, you

have to create goodwill.
To do this, you have to be
seen as someone with his
heart in the right place.
Narayana Murthy
october 2013 117

G
a
m
e
s
G
Q

A
w
a
r
d
s
P
o
p

C
u
l
t
u
r
e
W
o
m
a
n
M
a
n

S
k
i
l
l
s
EvErything you nEEd to know this month
M
u
s
i
c
E
D
I
T
E
D

B
Y

A
D
I
T
Y
A

K
U
N
D
A
L
K
A
R
w
o
r
D
s
:

a
D
I
T
Y
a

k
u
n
D
a
l
k
a
r
;

H
a
I
r

&

M
a
k
E
-
u
P
:

M
a
r
I
a
n
n
a

M
u
k
u
c
H
Y
a
n
/
a
n
I
M
a

c
r
E
a
T
I
v
E

M
a
n
a
g
E
M
E
n
T
;

P
r
o
D
u
c
T
I
o
n
:

g
I
z
E
l
l
E

c
o
r
D
o
;

B
H
u
s
H
a
n

P
E
D
n
E
k
a
r
/
H
Y
B
r
I
D

P
r
o
D
u
c
T
I
o
n
s
;

P
r
o
D
u
c
T
I
o
n

a
s
s
I
s
T
a
n
T
:

v
a
s
u
n
D
H
a
r
a

s
H
a
r
M
a
Ram SheRgill
tanya vohRa
Bra BY
what katie
did. collar
nEcklacE BY
joanne hynes.
HEEls BY steve
madden
Few people have had a better
year than iPL hottie Rochelle
Maria Rao, and theres no one
wed rather kick off our fifth
anniversary celebrations with
WOMAN
W
O
R
D
S
:

A
D
I
T
Y
A

K
U
N
D
A
L
K
A
R
;

H
A
I
R

&

M
A
K
E
U
P
:

M
A
R
I
A
N
N
A

M
U
K
U
C
H
Y
A
N
/
A
N
I
M
A

C
R
E
A
T
I
V
E

M
A
N
A
G
E
M
E
N
T
;

P
R
O
D
U
C
T
I
O
N
:

G
I
Z
E
L
L
E

C
O
R
D
O
;

B
H
U
S
H
A
N

P
E
D
N
E
K
A
R
/
H
Y
B
R
I
D

P
R
O
D
U
C
T
I
O
N
S
;

P
R
O
D
U
C
T
I
O
N

A
S
S
I
S
T
A
N
T
:

V
A
S
U
N
D
H
A
R
A

S
H
A
R
M
A
118 OCTOBER 2013
I have a private party going
on in my head all the time, says
Rochelle Maria Rao, and its easy
to see why shes so stoked. In
the space of a few months, Rao
has gone from being a model
in Chennai to one of the most
recognizable faces on Indian
television. She rst sprung to
prominence as the winner of
the Miss India International
competition last year, but what
really caught our attention was
her gig as a host of the 2013 IPL
season. This is a girl who can
talk sports, chug mimosas and
gorge on steak, and who loves
nothing better than dancing
barefoot on a beach under the
moonlight. In other words, the
complete package.
While she doesnt deny
enjoying the newfound attention
from strangers across the
country, shes happiest hanging
with friends back home. Theres
nothing better than going to a
beach house in Mahabs [thats
Mahabalipuram for you novices]
and dancing all night until the
sun comes up, Rao says, adding
that its this kind of vibe or
energy thats sadly absent from
Indias jaded urban nightlife
scene. Why dont more people
dance at clubs all they do
is stand around looking at
each other!
ROCHELLE
MARIA
RAO
T
V

S
T
A
R
HOMETOWN: Chennai
LAST SEEN: Boogeying to the
IPL 6 song with Sidhu-paaji
BRA BY LA SENZA. HIGH
WAISTED KNICKERS
BY BONBON AT
STRAPSANDSTRINGS.COM.
HEELS BY STEVE MADDEN
W
O
R
D
S
:

A
D
I
T
Y
A

K
U
N
D
A
L
K
A
R
;

H
A
I
R

&

M
A
K
E
U
P
:

M
A
R
I
A
N
N
A

M
U
K
U
C
H
Y
A
N
/
A
N
I
M
A

C
R
E
A
T
I
V
E

M
A
N
A
G
E
M
E
N
T
;

P
R
O
D
U
C
T
I
O
N
:

G
I
Z
E
L
L
E

C
O
R
D
O
;

B
H
U
S
H
A
N

P
E
D
N
E
K
A
R
/
H
Y
B
R
I
D

P
R
O
D
U
C
T
I
O
N
S
;

P
R
O
D
U
C
T
I
O
N

A
S
S
I
S
T
A
N
T
:

V
A
S
U
N
D
H
A
R
A

S
H
A
R
M
A
BRA,
KNICKERS,
GARTER BELT;
ALL BY MYLA
WOMAN
Why dont
more people
dance at
clubs? All
they do is
stand around
looking at
each other
Exclusively
on the GQ
India iPad
app: Never-
before-seen
images of
Rochelle
Maria Rao
120 OCTOBER 2013
The worst
rappers of
all time
It looks easy you just
nd two words that
rhyme and speak them
aloud. You dont even
need a melody! Its why
the rap game has proved
so irresistible to a large
number of humans who
either overestimate their
talents or underestimate
what it takes to do it
right. We assemble the
denitive list of the ten
most dreadful MCs ever
to dribble out a rhyme
W
O
R
D
S
:

R
O
B

T
A
N
N
E
N
B
A
U
M
,

A
D
I
T
Y
A

K
U
N
D
A
L
K
A
R
;

I
L
L
U
S
T
R
A
T
I
O
N
S
:

A
R
U
N

J
A
I
T
A
P
K
A
R
POP CULTURE
I
m

s
i
n
g
l
e
,
a
n
d

b
i
l
i
n
g
u
a
l
,
y
o
!

C
U
L
T
U
R
E

W
ULTU
R
E

*

C
U
L
T
U
R
E

W
U
L
T
U
R E *

*

*

*

*
122 OCTOBER 2013
YO YO HONEY SINGH
PRINCE
DIDDY
PITBULL

BOUTIQUE 011 41038001 | ZIMSON 080 40982100
KAPOOR WATCH 0124 4665500 | MEENA JEWEL-
LERS 040 23237170 | PRIME 033 22837185, 0141
2728557 | POPLEY 022 30602000, 6671000 | SWISS
PARADISE 022 28980507 | EVOLVE 020 67210210
DISTRIBUTED IN INDIA BY MATRIX 022 23004061
Paulo Coelho
Limited Edition
Emblema
5

MC Hammer
When people remember
you more for your pants than
your lyrics, its a bad sign.
4
Puff Daddy
Hes hit a trifecta: mocked
on The Daily Show, on South
Park and in The Onion. Daddy/
Diddy has a terrific ear for
shameless hooks, and he knows
the hustle, which is why he has
money hangin out the anus, to
quote his most memorable lyric.
But as a mumbly, indistinct rap-
per, he wouldnt be signed to
any label he didnt own.
I
David Bowie
On Shining Star (Makin
My Love), released in 1987,
Bowie raps about Leon Trotsky
and scabs; Mickey Rourke
answers with some pap about
Sinn Fin, Hitler and fingers in
blood. How did this happen?
Bowie had gone crazy because
of the international success of
Lets Dance. Rourke had
gone crazy because he was
Mickey Rourke.
POP CULTURE
0
Madonna
No matter how inces-
santly rappers brag, no one has
ever before boasted of having
three nannies... a gardener and
a stylist. The self-mockery in
2003s American Life is banal,
and the only other song we
know that mentions soy lattes
is Drops Of Jupiter by Train.
Both suck.
9
Yo Yo Honey Singh
Rapping in Punjabi is easy;
its totally legit to coin double-
barrel rhymes for emphasis,
like roti-shoti, kudi-wudi
and daaru-shaaru. In YYHS
case, the buzzwords are dope-
shope, dance-wance and
stardom-wardom. Not only is
that just plain lazy, but relying
on controversy cue misogynis-
tic rhymes and tossing in the
tropes of big cars, hot girls and
liquor in music videos is no way
to be a rapper.
6
Pitbull
A Cuban-American Vanilla
Ice who flacks for fizzy fruit
drinks and beer try mixing
those two for a fun speedball!
Pitbull specializes in mind-
numbing Eurodisco about
hot girls and nightlife, with
witless, winking reminders
of his heritage: My tongue is
bilingual, ready to play with
that spot where you tingle.
8
Prince
If youre a singer who
knocks rappers for being tone
deaf, as Prince did in Dead On
It, its best not to be a singer
whos beat deaf and raps in a
stiff, elementary way, as Prince
did in the early Nineties on
My Name Is Prince, Days Of
Wild and a few others. Actual
couplet: My name is Prince,
and I am funky/When it come
to funk, I am a junkie. Okay,
but when it comes to rap, you
are a flunky.
7
The two guys in the
Black Eyed Peas who
arent will.i.am
Will produces the songs. Fergie
sings the hooks. You do... what
exactly?
MADONNA
BABA SEHGAL
DAVID BOWIE
I
Vanilla Ice
He sullied an entire
occupation with unprecedented
terribleness. Plus, he wont go
away: He made a metal album,
went on reality shows and re-
recorded Ice Ice Baby along
with nine other hip-hop clas-
sics. You should hear what he
does to Public Enemy.
Baba Sehgal
Its bad enough he melted
down Vanilla Ice to make
Thanda Thanda Paani the
man doesnt know when to quit.
Sure, his music video placed a
scantily clad Pooja Bedi under a
shower and were grateful, but
since those early days of MTV
India, followed by a pretty bad
Bollywood movie, his talents
gone further south. And quite
literally, too: hes now writing
tunes for other has-beens like
actor-politician Chiranjeevi.
Double-shot-
tay-in-mah-
bod-eh
OCTOBER 2013 125
W
O
R
D
S
:

R
O
B

T
A
N
N
E
N
B
A
U
M
,

A
D
I
T
Y
A

K
U
N
D
A
L
K
A
R
;

I
L
L
U
S
T
R
A
T
I
O
N
S
:

A
R
U
N

J
A
I
T
A
P
K
A
R
The Need For Speed
Inspired by the fast-paced world of car racing, Swiss watch makers Chopard ushers in a new era
with its range of SuperFast watches: the SuperFast Automatic, the SuperFast Power Control and
the SuperFast Chrono. The edgy collection is sharper, sportier and powerful. What makes the line
truly distinctive is that its equipped with Chopard movements, entirely designed and assembled
at the Fleurier Ebauches workshops in Neuchtel, Switzerland which specializes in producing
in-house movements.
Speeding ahead in innovation, Chopards new time pieces are elegant with a daring edge. The luxury
brand celebrates its long association with legendary races like the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique
and Mille Milia famous for covering 1,000 miles from Brescia to Rome and back. With these three
exceptional creations, Chopard gives the thrill-seeking adventurous man the feeling of being behind
the race wheel.
Feel the throbbing pulse of
life with the SuperFast
Power Control watch, which
makes a style statement
whether youre on the race
track or off it. It features a
stainless steel crown,
steering wheel shaped dial,
open case back, glare-proof
sapphire crystal and small
luminescent minute and
second hands. The sleek
black strap perfectly
complements the rose gold
look, and will effortlessly up
your classy appeal.
THE MACHO QUOTIENT
SLEEK AND IMPOSING
ROAD VOYAGER
Celebrate your fearless spirit by wearing the SuperFast
Chrono timepiece thats power-packed with stunning
features. From the trademark Chopard movements and
45mm stainless steel casing to the rugged black strap
and 42-hour power reserve the watch is designed to
impress. The mechanical self-winding movement
powers the hours and minutes that places the
SuperFast Chrono at the peak of the Classic Racing
Collection. Its a timeless piece for the bold adventurer.
Sharp in design and movement, the SuperFast
Automatic, sits powerful on the wrist. Its
contemporary features include an open-work
dial, a stainless steel casing, rose gold bezel,
self-winding mechanical movement and a
classy black leather strap. The luxurious
nishing is complete with a 60-hour power
reserve, encrusted jewels and an eye-catching
black dial with vertical stripes.
Hit the road with gusto wearing the SuperFast
Automatic, which promises to be quite the
head-turner.
P
H
O
T
O
:

P
R
A
B
H
A
T

S
H
E
T
T
Y
If funny guys get all the women, what do funny guys who host the
GQ awards get?
Funny guys dont get women Ive never been able to laugh a
woman into bed. As for funny guys who host the GQ Awards, Im
hoping they get a free tuxedo. And cash. Lots of it.
Um... OK, moving on. So, last years host, Rahul Bose, wore stilettos.
How are you going to top that?
The only way I can top that is by cross-dressing. Which I wont do.
But I might do the whole show in Hindi. Or Marathi.
Vir Das walks into a strip club... What happens next?
He gets up on stage and spends the rest of the night earning his
monthly income.
Bravo! Whats been your strangest moment in a nightclub?
Ive been a bartender for a couple of years, so Ive seen some
pretty strange things. One time I saw this guy pass out with a
beer bottle still in his mouth. He was on the oor, bottle attached,
still drinking. I thought that was quite tragic and talented at the
same time.
How does a short man get a drink at the bar?
With the help of a tall, sexy woman.
We love nightclubs. Which is why we built one for this years
awards show. What should fantasy Club GQ look like, according
to you?
If this is true, I probably wont be allowed entry unless, of
course, Im hosting it. Which I am. But Im hoping the dirtiness
and the seediness of real nightclubs can be recreated, and then
we can put GQ people in there. Thatll be interesting.
The perfect ingredients for an epic night on the town?
I wont say rooes, because we all know how that ends. I think
we need good transport, say an SUV, the right mixtape mine
would have jazz on it, but the young ones out there might
prefer Swedish House Maa and you want an Ambani or a
Mittal in your group who can pay for everything.
Good plan. And what do celebrity hosts do after the big
awards show?
I cant tell you exactly what happens, but it involves a lot of
naked people, lots of liquids and certain kinds of powder.
Right. Does anyone bother sending you owers backstage,
the old-fashioned way?
No. But women throw their panties at me sometimes.
Theyre usually over years old, so theyre really
large panties.
Watch the GQ Men Of The Year curtain-raiser exclusively on Star World at 8pm
on October 13. The full event will air at 7:30pm on October 20
128 OCTOBER 2013
GQ AWARDS
Exclusively on
the GQ India
iPad app:
Vir Das Video
Heres to yet another fabulous year of Vogue
Fashions Night Out in association with Croc
Whats better than spending a night
of shopping at your favourite stores?
A night of shopping while sipping on
your favourite cocktails, of course.
Guests entered Palladium for Vogue
Fashions Night Out and were instantly
wowed. Sparkling mosaic letters
spelling C--R-O-C lit up the venue
from the big, blue installation at the
malls entrance. Celebrities, shoppers
and fashionistas armed with shopping
bags lined up to take a picture against
the stunning backdrop. An eventful
after-party had late-night shoppers
dancing the night away. Croc made
sure it was a night to remember!
Croc sparkles at
Vogue Fashions Night Out 2013
CELEBRATE LIFE RESPONSIBLY
132 OCTOBER 2013
W
O
R
D
S
:

K
U
N
A
L

B
A
M
B
A
W
A
L
E
;

G
E
T
T
Y

I
M
A
G
E
S

MUSIC
GUY JUDAH IS not a superstar
DJ. He doesnt headline festivals
like Tomorrowland or Electric
Daisy Carnival. He doesnt have
a billion YouTube views or a
private jet or a lucrative Las Vegas
residency that pays him thousands
of dollars per show. He is, however,
a DJ who demonstrates the
difference between dance music
the purists term for electronic
music with depth, subtlety and
soul and EDM the acronym
that has come to represent the
commodied, homogenized
music that dominates clubs and
charts. (EDM, as wryly noted by
Deadmau5, could easily stand
for event-driven marketing.)
Judah, known to his fans as Guy J,
reminds us that dance music can
still be profoundly moving.
The Israelis visits have become
an annual highlight for Indias
dance music believers. He returns
for the fth time this month with
high expectations for a scene that
he believes might one day rival
that of his native Tel Aviv. Every
time I return to India, it gets better
and better, says Judah, speaking
via Skype from Belgium, where he
now lives. People know more of
my music, the clubs are better, the
vibe is better. Im guessing that
this music is still quite new here,
so Ive found that people are more
excited about it.
That excitement also stems
from Judahs evolution on each
subsequent tour weve seen a
different iteration of Guy J new
music, new ideas, new emotions.
While hes most often described
as a progressive house artist,
his music dees categorization.
Its almost a genre of its own, an
amalgamation of houses sensual
structures, trances blissful
euphoria, technos chugging
basslines and progressive houses
spiritual complexity.
These eclectic inuences come
from Judahs adolescence spent
in Tel Avivs electronic music
scene one of the most vibrant
in the world. He says of the place,
Its small, but the nightlife was
amazing. House music was on
the radio. It wasnt underground.
When Judah was 15, he attended
Love Parade for the rst time.
It was on a beach, he says,
and they used to bring DJs from
across the world to play. Everyone
dancing together on the beach
in the daytime, it was amazing.
Soon, Judah began producing
music of his own because I knew
this was something that I wanted
to be a part of.
By the time he was 21, hed
secured his rst international gig,
in Amsterdam. That international
DJ debut allowed Judah to visit
the country that had given him
much of his musical inspiration.
Im very inuenced by trance,
he explains. I was a really big
fan of Armin and Tisto. All of the
melodies were original, and the
music had a lot of emotion in it.
That was mind-blowing!
Both AvB and Tisto toured
India earlier this year, playing
arena shows to thousands of
fans. Judahs Indian following is
a fraction of that size, but his fans
are just as devoted, entranced by
his musics hypnotic power. A Guy
J performance is an overwhelming
experience, akin to standing waist
deep in the ocean as a current
gently tugs at you. With every
gorgeous melody, every textured
rhythm, you surrender yourself a
little more, until eventually youre
completely immersed, and allow
the music to carry you away.
The term DJ no longer seems
appropriate for a man whos
performing and remixing his
music for his audience, live, in real
time. His sets are now 80 to 90
per cent original music, and his
goal is simple: to keep creating
original music, to keep developing
as an artist, to keep travelling. Its
a priority in life. Theres a lot to do,
a lot to learn.
Guy J is on a promo tour for Enchanted
Valley Carnival. Follow @EVC_India
on Twitter or go to facebook.com/
enchantedvalleycarnival for more details
Israeli DJ and
progressive house
producer Guy
Judah on growing
up in Tel Aviv and
touring in India
Israels largest metropolitan city
has produced some of dance
musics leading lights
Guy Gerber
(tech house,
deep house)
At 15, Guy Gerber was representing
Israel in international football
tournaments. Today, hes an
ambassador behind the decks.
Gerbers live show is an intoxicating,
atmospheric blend of traditional
DJing, keyboard improvisation and
drum machine sequencing which
has made him one of the most highly
regarded underground electronic
musicians on the planet.
Astrix
(psy-trance)
Avi Shmailov has been dazzling fans
for more than two decades with his
complex, vivid sonic landscapes. An
icon of his chosen genre, Astrix is
beloved in India for his sound, which
pairs pounding beats with uplifting
breaks. The result is a sublime
psychedelic journey that pulls you
through a myriad of tempos, samples
and trippy vocals. If a psy-trance
sunrise sounds like your idea of a
good time, Astrix is your man.
Borgore
(dubstep)
Asaf Borgers unashamedly vicious
brand of bass music has made him a
hero in America, where the majority
of EDM fans crave adrenaline over
subtlety. Thats a pity because,
upon closer inspection, Borgores
devastating productions are in fact
remarkably intricate, honed over his
years as a death metal drummer.
Tel Aviv
calling
Its a
Guy J
thing
DELHI: JOHNSON WATCH CO (SOUTH EXT.) 41646766 MUMBAI: WATCHES OF SWITZERLAND (BANDRA) 26402511
(BORIVALI) 28980507 ROSE THE WATCH BAR (BREACH CANDY) 23620277 TALWAR WATCH CO. (ELANTE MALL) 4028500/01
SWISS PARADISE
CHANDIGARH:
FOR INFORMATION OR CATALOGUE CONTACT : INFO@SWISS-PROMOTION.COM
c
a
l
v
i
n
k
l
e
i
n
.
c
o
m

+
9
1

9
8
2
0
0
7
8
6
6
0
/
9
8
7
1
1
2
3
2
4
7

watches
MUSIC
The fourth Bacardi NH7 Weekender festival
kicks off this month with many of the same
indie names. Good thing these acts will also
be there to freshen things up
Scribe
Heavy metal can be hard on the average pair of ears, so if youve
never been brave enough to take it on, let Scribe be your rst
attempt. As one of the most entertaining metal acts in India, the
Mumbai band has a lot to live up to, and it never disappoints.
Expect zany costumes, on-stage antics, plenty of references to
Bollywood and even a paean to pav bhaji. Stick to the sides of
the stage if you dont want to be caught in a moshpit.
Simian Mobile Disco
Their British contemporaries,
Chase & Status, may have the
headliner billing, but were
betting that SMD will be a
more fullling experience:
Unlike the polished and loud
onslaught of dubstep that C&S
are famous for, SMDs set will
be warm and analogue-heavy
house music.
Suman Sridhar w/ Jiver
As one half of jazz spoken-
word act Sridhar/Thayil,
Suman has showcased her
bright, whimsical voice at
many an alternative indie gig.
As drummer of Kolkata band
Pinknoise, Jivraj Jiver Singh
is pushing the boundaries of
drum kits and electronic beat
machines. Together, theyre
bound to create an explosive
sonic concoction thats part
experimental and part jazz
with maybe even a smattering
of opera.
The Bacardi NH Weekender festival
will be held in Pune on Oct -.
www.nh.in/weekender/pune
W
O
R
D
S
:

A
D
I
T
Y
A

K
U
N
D
A
L
K
A
R
;

P
H
O
T
O
:

C
O
U
R
T
E
S
Y

N
H
7
Nucleya
In this list, Udyan Sagar, aka
Nucleya, is the most closely
connected to Indian music
and, as one half of the Bandish
Projekt, hes also the only
Nineties stalwart. Hes moved
on from the drum n bass sound
of the Projekt to go solo and
focus on whats simply called
bass music. Dont worry if that
seems unfamiliar therell be
plenty of indigenous rhythms,
including tabla and dhol,
designed to get even the most
stoic audience moving.
BLOT vs Kohra
The brooding, thoughtful
EDM of Basic Love Of Things
DJ Gaurav Malaker and
visual artist Avinash Kumars
collaborative project meets
the hard-edged techno of
Madhav Shorey, aka Kohra.
Throw in some stupendous
3D video projections and
youve got all the makings of
an epic audio-visual trip.
136 OCTOBER 2013
GAMES
W
O
R
D
S
:

M
E
R
Y
L

D
'S
O
U
Z
A
;

I
L
L
U
S
T
R
A
T
I
O
N
:

S
U
D
H
I
R

S
H
E
T
T
Y
;

P
H
O
T
O
:

I
S
T
O
C
K

P
H
O
T
O
S
140 OCTOBER 2013
Bad man
GAMING COMPANY Warner
Bros Montreal is all set to unleash
the latest Batman adventure,
Arkham Origins, this month. In the
game, Batman will yet again be
ghting crime and beating up the
baddies. But here are ve reasons
why this superhero also has all the
makings of a super-villain.
Magnet of Evil
Bane broke out of prison in South
America and came to Gotham
because he wanted to break
Batman. The psychotic Professor
Hugo Strange became a real
threat to Gotham only after
Batman brought his petty thievery
to an end. And then theres the
Whether its hanging with the wrong
kind of girls or inspiring vigilantism,
Bruce Waynes not the superhero
hes made out to be
Joker who, after losing his family
and falling into a vat of toxic
chemicals during a faceoff against
Batman, upped the ante with his
dastardly schemes for revenge.
Clearly, Pointy Ears attracts the
best to his city.
Randy savagery
We get it: Fighting crime every
night is an adrenaline rush and
gets those hormones raging. But
we dont recommend you get busy
with the women whore trying to
kill you. So far the womanizing
billionaires been involved with
Poison Ivy and Selina Kyle (aka
Catwoman), and had a child with
Talia al Ghul. Not to mention his
rooftop rendezvous with Black
Canary all the while keeping
his mask on. Kinky!
Calculated egomania
The Dark Knight has taken on
many an adversary and come
out on top. But whats up with
never actually destroying them
for good? All he does is lock
them up at the Arkham Asylum
or Blackgate Prison which they
soon break out of to continue
creating havoc. Its like he wants
them to stick around so that
he also has a reason to stick
around and protect Gotham.
Get over it, Batsy. Its not always
about you.
Child abuse
Ever wonder why Batman always
picks young, inexperienced kids
as sidekicks? Hes recruited
teenage boys from Dick Grayson,
Jason Todd and Tim Drake to his
own son, Damian, to play the part
of Robin. One time he even had
14-year-old Carrie Kelley be his
wingwoman. Just because hes
a billionaire doesnt mean hes
above child labour laws.
Epic stupidity
As the Justice Leagues unofcial
secretary, Batman kept a record
of every superhero members
strengths and weaknesses but
didnt bother protecting his
notes. Eventually his ex-mentor
Ras Al Ghul found them,
putting the entire Justice League
and, therefore, the whole
world in danger. Sure, Batman
cleaned up the mess in the end,
but seriously, who doesnt use a
password these days?
Batman: Arkham Origins is available
for PS and XBox .
`,; batmanarkhamorigins.com
MOVIES
ALBUMS
FESTIVAL
ROAD RAGE
RAJASTHAN INTERNATIONAL
FOLK FESTIVAL
Dance under the full moon while watching
performances by the Gypsy Allstars led
by members of the Gipsy Kings the
Manganiyar singers and several other Indian
and international artists.
Oct -, jodhpurriff.org
RED BULL TOUR BUS
The champions of adrenaline are bringing
their world-famous shape-shifting bus-
becomes-venue contraptions to our shores.
Watch indie stars from around the country
Scribe (Mumbai), Dualist Inquiry (Delhi),
The Supersonics (Kolkata) and Swarathma
(Bangalore) do the
rock n roll thing
and travel to each
others cities to
perform. Roadies
and groupies
not included.
@inRedBull on
Twitter, redbull.in
W
O
R
D
S
:

A
D
I
T
Y
A

K
U
N
D
A
L
K
A
R
;

C
O
R
B
I
S
POP CULTURE
144 OCTOBER 2013
THE COUNSELOR
Ridley Scotts taking
a break from aliens,
focusing instead on
the heavenly bodies
of Penlope Cruz and
Cameron Diaz cavorting
in drug-lord heaven.
Think swimming pools,
fast cars, free-flowing booze and,
oh yeah, something about Michael
Fassbenders lawyer character being
in trouble or something.
OLDBOY
From manga to Korean
cinema and now
Hollywood, this story
of a man trapped in
a conspiracy will be
seen through American
director Spike Lees
eyes. Were waiting to
see if Lee can better
or at least match the sharp story-
telling of the Japanese comic and the
flawless framing of Korean filmmaker
Park Chan-wook (Stoker).
GRAVITY
This could be the
perfect film to dash
a kids dreams of
becoming an astronaut,
or it could be a crash
course in outer space
survival. Imagine being
stuck with a whiny
Sandra Bullock on a
damaged space shuttle and no means
of contacting Earth. Scary stuff.
MACHETE KILLS
Tarantino-style action, gorgeous girls
speaking Mexican and a one-man army
recruited to stop a deadly missile whats
not to love? Jessica Alba and Michelle
Rodriguez return as Sartana Rivera and
Luz from the Machete, and this time
theyll have Sofa Vergara, Amber Heard and
Vanessa Hudgens for company.
Dynamics by Holy Ghost!
One of the best non-EDM, yet totally dance-focused,
acts from New York-based DFA Records (think LCD
Soundsystem) has teamed up with producer Chris
Zane (think Passion Pit) to create whats perhaps the
best release this month. Just listen to Dumb Disco
Ideas and tell us were wrong.
Innocents
by Moby
If the first release from
this album, A Case For
Shame, is anything to
go by, this American
electronica producers
11
th
album is going to
be more of the same old
stuff hes been making
since DiCaprios Beach
came out: pianos,
violins, a brooding beat
and sentimental guest
vocalists singing about
how unfair life is.
Splinter (Songs
From A Broken
Mind)
by Gary Numan
The 55-year-old British
electro-rocker is back.
This album sounds so
much like Nine Inch
Nails because NIN
guitarist Robin Finck is
on it. Expect sounds of
big industrial machines,
walls of aggressive
bass and the crackling,
ageless voice that is
Numans calling card.
One Breath
by Anna Calvi
This bold lass with the
big red lips shook up
the indie scene with
her eponymous debut in
2011. Its time for round
two of her stadium-sized
blues-rock sound. Few
other female voices out
there have the sheer
muscle to pull off Eliza
this albums lead
single and songs like
Sing To Me and Bleed
Into Me.
148 OCTOBER 2013
TECH
Stay
connected
(in style)
Bring some simple
sophistication to
your life with these
new instruments
for work and play
LEAP MOTION
CONTROLLER
Like Tom Cruise in Minority
Report, control your
computer with just your
hands a mouse isnt
necessary. At the moment,
you can only play air
guitar, paint or watch a
wireframe hand ip the
bird. But the device also
has a growing selection of
motion-friendly apps.
Approx `5,000
leapmotion.com
BLACKBERRY Q5
This little guy can hold
its own against its more
accomplished sibling, the
Q10, in both performance
and battery life. Although
you get half the built-in
storage (8GB) and a 5MP
shooter (the Q10s is 8MP),
the Q5 goes one better in
terms of size and design:
the bezel is wider so swipe
gestures are easier.
`24,990
in.blackberry.com
SENNHEISER
MOMENTUM ONEAR
These retro cans are the
perfect match for your
turntable setup. Theyre
good for nearly every
genre, given the clear mid-
range and well-balanced
low frequencies. The
couch-like comfort lets
some outside noise in, so
theyre best for home use.
`14,999
sennheiserindia.com
W
O
R
D
S
:

A
D
I
T
Y
A

K
U
N
D
A
L
K
A
R
,

M
A
R
C
O

D
S
O
U
Z
A
;

P
H
O
T
O
:

J
I
G
N
E
S
H

J
H
A
V
E
R
I
/
P
H
O
T
O
L
I
N
K
152 OCTOBER 2013
MAN SKILLS
The sex
was good,
but...
A FEW YEARS ago, a construction crew
discovered the remains of two skeletons, a
man and a woman, near Verona, Italy. The
headline read: Skeleton couple locked in
embrace for 5,000 years. The skeletons face
each other, spines curved, knees up, torsos
an eternal tangle of clavicles and humeri and
radii. Everlasting love, if there ever was one.
Even the scientists who cleaned the eroded
skulls of these people agree its romantic. But
Im not so sure. Its basically ve millennia of I
cant feel my arm and Im falling off the bed
and MY GOD, YOUR FEET ARE LIKE ICE.
Thousands of years, and men and women
still havent gured out how to sleep together
after weve slept together. I would like to say
that both sexes are equally to blame. But Ive
been with men who snored when drunk, who
commandeered the air-conditioner, and who
warned me that the involuntary twitch in my
left knee might result in me literally kicking
your ass. Alas, Im starting to think this is all
you guys fault.
First off, something you already know:
Women are, generally, smaller than you. That
doesnt mean we require less personal space.
We realize you cant shrink yourself nor
would we want you to; your size and shape
are part of your appeal, and were happy to
be here. But just because a woman could
conceivably balance on one toes worth of
mattress space doesnt mean she wants to.
Why am I the one plastering myself to the wall,
spending the wee small hours folded like a
paper crane? I dont care if you have a king-
size mattress or a sofa-cum-bed the woman
gets half. Stick to your side and put those
... theres a good
chance youre ruining
what comes next. We
explain what it takes
to make a woman
happy in bed once the
fun parts over
excitable legs of yours on a leash for the night.
If they y over while youre unconscious, so be
it. Its the attempt that matters.
And as for that most classic of sleeping-
together moves, the spoon? Let the woman
initiate. Theres a chance she might not want
to wear a human straitjacket. The success of
the spoon is in managing the arms and the
head. Unless your lady friend is experiencing
hypothermia, let her arm rest on top of yours.
If she pulls your hand from her stomach to her
chest, its because no matter how much a girl
loves being held, she cant nod off and suck in
her stomach at the same time. But hey, you
get to sleep with a hand on a boob, so this is a
win for you.
Then theres your head. Your nose
should not be jammed against the back of
the womans skull, pushing it forward. Its
wildly uncomfortable to sleep curled up in
a little ball. Your girlfriend is a person, not a
hedgehog. Ill cop to more than one passive-
aggressive head butt in my life, achieved
by merely straightening my neck. (If a woman
does this and apologizes, shes lying; it was
no accident.)
As for when you face each other: Please
dont be insulted if she doesnt want to rest her
cheek directly on your chest. If she opts for a
pillow, some combination of the following is
happening:
1. She likes your armpit odour slightly less than
she likes you.
2. Shes trying to head off the moment when
she drools directly on your skin.
3. Shes being neurotic about her face breaking
out, so she doesnt want to rub her cheeks
in sweat.
4. Its more comfortable for her. In which case,
be happy your chest and a shapeless blob of
faux foam dont feel the same.
Of course, sometimes women too are
responsible for making the bed situation
awkward. In a bid to feel like we nally have
physical sovereignty over the bed, we suddenly
become the outside spoon and maybe thats
weird for you. Or maybe we hijack the entire
comforter. Or maybe we ing an arm over your
face, blocking your oxygen intake. But remember:
Were used to having the entire bed when youre
not around. And at least you wont have to deal
with the discomfort for 5,000 years.
Just because a woman could, possibly,
balance on one toes worth of mattress
space doesnt mean she wants to
W
O
R
D
S
:

L
I
N
D
S
A
Y

N
O
L
A
N
;

P
H
O
T
O
:

I
S
T
O
C
K
156 october 2013
Everyone needs someone to look up to.
But, as is eventually the case, your idols will
almost certainly lead you to delusion and
disappointment... even the dead ones
So Im watching
Californication the other day.
Bloody love Californication.
Anyway, theres the writer
Hank Moody, played by David
Duchovny, and hes just
skipped out of rehab. First he
hits some rock n roll funeral
with a groupie hes just met,
and the dead guys wife drops
to her knees for him behind
a bush, which frankly isnt
pleasant at all. But then they
slope off to a wake at some
other rock heros house where
he snorts this, drinks that,
enjoys the other and smokes
everything else. Because thats
just what its like being a
writer, dont you know.
Then the next morning (bear
with me, there is a point) his
wife fnds him, near naked,
on the foor. She kicks him up
the backside and he stands
up, still stoned and a terrible
mess. And he looks... amazing.
up looking like Hank Moody.
You end up looking like Elvis.
Maybe even like Elvis now. So,
no fctional characters as role
models. Thats Rule No 1.
It sounds obvious but its an
insidious trap. Its more obvious
with women because of the
way they dont grasp that, even
though Bridget Jones found
a boyfriend, they might not if
they keep eating all that cake.
But you do it, too. Youre not
Sal Paradise in Jack Kerouacs
On The Road. You cannot drink
as much as Don Draper in Mad
Men. And that Hawaiian shirt
makes you look less like Fight
Clubs Tyler Durden and more
like whatever Danny DeVito
was called in Throw Momma
From The Train.
Second, take the long view.
If youre 12, bear in mind that
there may be some things
you do not yet understand.
Years back I did a piece on an
up-and-coming professional
skateboarder. Good bloke,
liked him a lot. But what sticks
in the mind is the afternoon
we spent at the wee skate
park in his hometown and the
gaggle of awestruck skater kids
who wanted to know if I was
his friend.
Yeah, I said, basking in
it. Sort of. Does he have a
massive house? said one. No,
Taut muscles, fat stomach,
perfect six-pack. Bloody hell,
is your frst thought. I wish I
looked like David Duchovny.
Your second thought is: So a
relentless diet of booze, drugs
and afternoon sex cant be all
that bad for you, then. And
your third? Your third is, sort
of: Oh.
Look, its not that I dont
wish I looked like David
Duchovny. Hes pushing 20
years older than me and if Ive
got a torso like that when I
hit my mid-ffties, Ill... Ill...
Well, Ill really have turned
my life around, frankly. But I
bet you dont end up looking
like that without a whole lot
of miserable sobriety. No
thanks, he probably says
when the real rock stars offer
him a JD and a line. Id rather
have lettuce and no fun at all.
Fact is, if you want to live
like Hank Moody, you dont end
Hero worship
can turn your
mirror into an
arch-deceiver
you fool, I wanted to say. He
rides a skateboard for a living.
He cant even afford his own
shoes. But I didnt. Because,
you know, they were 12.
Third, no dead guys. At
least, not unless they died of
natural causes. Its all very
well, this teenage adulation for
Jimi Hendrix or Kurt Cobain or
whichever hip young cadaver
the kids are into today, but it
comes with logistical problems.
For one thing, it tends to ignore
the basic direction of travel,
which is speedily corpsewards.
More importantly, it leaves you
with simply no template to
follow once youre older than
they were. You meet them
sometimes, the ageing Jim
Morrison fans whove been
high and dry (well, not dry)
since they hit 28. The tie-dyed
T-shirts have hot-rock burns
older than their children; the
leather waistcoats havent
buttoned in years. Its not a
good look.
Picking the ones who dont
die on you isnt much better,
though, because they just go
through a period of being total
losers. Your sporting heroes
start wearing blazers. Your
movie heroes start turning up
on websites called things like
MenWhoLookLikeOldLesbians.
blogspot.com. Its all horribly
bleak. Sure, youre getting
visibly fatter by the month, but
still. Suddenly, youre pretty
sure youre cooler than them.
Sometimes I think we spend
the frst third of our lives being
wrong about everything and
the next third getting over it.
And the third after that? Not
a clue. I probably need a role
model. Any ideas? W
o
r
d
s
:

H
u
g
o

r
i
f
k
i
n
d
;

i
l
l
u
s
t
r
a
t
i
o
n
:

a
n
d
r
E
W

l
y
o
n
s

Ofcial Retailer:
Cloth - Colombo, Ermenegildo Zegna, Cerruti, Loro Piana & Co., Vitale Barberis,
Dormeuil, Scabal, Reda. Shirting - Albini, Ermenegildo Zegna, Scabal, Loro Piana &
Co., Dormeuil. Shirts - Xacus, Eton, Guiducci. Pullovers - Ferrante, Raidy Boer.
Ties - Ysl, Italo Ferretti, Valentino, Scabal, Dormeuil, Ascot, Nick Bronson, Atelier,
Lanvin. Cufinks - Mon Art. Socks - Bresciani, Pantherella. Shoes - Magnanni.
Sherwani & Indo-Western - Nilesh Mitesh
A 6, Rajouri Garden
Next To Raja Garden Flyover
New Delhi 110027
Phone No: 011 - 25150894/25160894
First Floor, Store No: F-120, Ambience Mall
Ambience Island, NH-8, Sector 17, Gurgaon,
Haryana - 122002
Come adorn the elegance of The Darzi Cut by Sunil Mital and Sushain Mital
Thedarzigroup.com
The Indian GP is back this month Mercedes AMG and IWC come together to create
an engineering marvel Bernie Ecclestone on the definitive rules to success in F1
THE INSIDE TRACK ON FORMULA 1
EDI TED BY VARUN GODI NHO
OCTOBER 2013 161
A
F
P
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
T
h
e

I
n
d
i
a
n

G
P

h
a
s

b
e
e
n

n
i
x
e
d

f
r
o
m

t
h
e

2
0
1
4

c
a
l
e
n
d
a
r

(
t
h
o
u
g
h

i
t

w
i
l
l

b
e

b
a
c
k

i
n

2
0
1
5
)
.

B
u
t

b
e
f
o
r
e

w
e

s
a
y

a
u

r
e
v
o
i
r
,

i
t
s

t
i
m
e

f
o
r

a

c
r
a
c
k
e
r

o
f

a

r
a
c
e
.

S
t
e
w
a
r
t

B
e
l
l

p
r
e
v
i
e
w
s

t
h
e

a
c
t
i
o
n

e
x
p
e
c
t
e
d

a
t

t
h
e

B
u
d
d
h

I
n
t
e
r
n
a
t
i
o
n
a
l

C
i
r
c
u
i
t
,

w
h
i
c
h

c
o
u
l
d

i
n
d
i
c
a
t
e

t
h
e

d
r
i
v
e
r

a
n
d

c
o
n
s
t
r
u
c
t
o
r

t
h
a
t

w
i
l
l

e
v
e
n
t
u
a
l
l
y

t
a
k
e

h
o
m
e

t
h
e

t
o
p

p
r
i
z
e
000 SEPTEMBER 2013 SEPTEMBER 2013
F
E
S
T
I
V
A
L
O
F
S
P
E
E
D

T
h
e
c
a
r
s
c
a
n
r
e
a
c
h
u
p
t
o
a
t
o
p

s
p
e
e
d
o
f

k
p
h
o
n
t
h
is

.
k
m

c
ir
c
u
it
, a
t
a
n
a
v
e
r
a
g
e
la
p
t
im
e

o
f

.
s
e
c
o
n
d
s
INDIAN GRAND PRIX
G
E
T
T
Y

I
M
A
G
E
S
THE RESULTS FROM last years
Indian Grand Prix were a major
turning point in the championship.
Red Bull Racing driver
Sebastian Vettel had left Europe 37
points behind Ferraris Fernando
Alonso and, at that point, it looked
like the Spaniard was on course to
bag his third world championship.
However, four crushing wins
in a row through Singapore,
Japan, Korea and then India
meant that it was the German
who left Asia 13 points
ahead. Red Bull had staged
a thrilling coup dtat.
It opened up the
championship, and set the
scene for a thrilling nale in
Brazil where Vettel, to the
astonishment of everyone,
clinched his third crown
after a rst-lap incident
meant he had to ght back
from the rear. The Red Bull
driver made it to sixth place
by the time the chequered ag
was waved, and the resulting
eight points put him three clear
of Alonso.
And thats why the Indian
GP, purely from the point of view
of a championship-decider, is a
magnicent race to attend. Every
point is absolutely crucial to both
the drivers and constructors
world championships, and
everyone in the pit-lane is pushing
hard to either trump their rivals or
protect their position.
And thats even before you
consider what its like to actually
be at the mega Buddh International
event. I know they have been
working hard behind the scenes to
ne-tune the circuit and facilities
even more. But the most important
thing is the layout of the track
because last year all the drivers
loved it. Its certainly one of the
best in the world.
BIC looks the business, too,
especially on TV, with elevation
Circuit (BIC) which, after just two
F1 events, has the entire world
talking about its curves.

Its no exaggeration to say that F1
drivers love the BIC. What they
not to mention teams, media and
millions of fans worldwide want
above all else is a high-speed
circuit with character.
Buddh International Circuit
always looks after us very well,
said Sahara Force India Team
Principal and Managing Director
Dr Vijay Mallya during last years
INDIAN CURVES
(Above) A birds-eye view of the
track designed by Hermann Tilke
changes, a high-speed section,
a long back straight where the
cars can safely reach 318kph and
a colourful banked double-apex
mini-arena.
Its a circuit I like. It has a
good feel to it, and you can tell its
quite different from the normal
places we visit, says McLarens
Jenson Button. There are a couple
of unusual factors [here]. Firstly,
the approaches to Turns 3 and 4
are incredibly wide, almost like a
motorway, in order to stimulate
162 OCTOBER 2013
H
U
G
O

B
O
S
S

A
G

P
h
o
n
e

+
4
9

7
1
2
3

9
4
0

w
w
w
.
h
u
g
o
b
o
s
s
.
c
o
m
Delhi Emporio Mall, New Delhi Tel no: 011-46040773/74
Mumbai Palladium Mall Tel no: 022-30725553/54
INDIAN GRAND PRIX
different lines into the corner and
encourage overtaking. Secondly,
the combination of Turns 10 and
11 is also pretty special its a
huge bowl-shaped double-apex
right-hander, a bit like the Spoon
at Suzuka [in Japan]. Its unusual
for a new circuit to have such fast
corners, and its really enjoyable
when you get the car hooked up.
The lateral G-force feels great.
Sahara Force India driver Paul
di Resta, who has been enjoying a
relatively good streak this season
by nishing in the top 10 for most
of the races, offers a perspective on
German engineer Hermann Tilke,
who designed the track. Its one
of those new-style Hermann Tilke
circuits. Theres a good mixture
of corners, plenty of run-off areas
and places where overtaking
is possible, says di Resta. We
found last year that the grip built
up quite quickly and the track
was exciting to drive with some
satisfying corners.
However, for many of the
drivers, the best part about
racing in India has not been
just the world-class circuit, but
experiencing the country off it, too.
Last year, I was really
impressed by the passion and
friendliness of the Indian people.
Im looking forward to visiting
again and having more interesting
experiences, says Mercedes
AMGs Nico Rosberg.

From a technical point of view,
BIC is comparable to Suzuka or
Barcelona in terms of downforce
levels, which means that
aerodynamic grip is key here.
Engine performance is also
important, where the rst part of
the lap requires the engines to
operate at full throttle. Despite
62 per cent of the lap spent with
the drivers foot buried in the
accelerator, a driveable engine is
needed for the second and third
sectors much like the South
Korean racetrack.
The rst part is mainly
composed of straights, including
an awesome 1.12km straight, the
longest on the calendar, says
Rmi Tafn, head of Renault Sport
F1 Track Operations.
Unusually, this straight dips in
the middle. The second part of the
track is a lot more intricate, with
all the corners linking together, so
driveability is very important.
The challenge, then, is to
get the right balance between
164 OCTOBER 2013
The track is divided into four
zones North, South, East and
West. The grandstand seats in
the West zone give you a com-
manding view of the starting
grid and the pit lane, but are
also the most expensive. The
free-spirited can camp out on
the lawns in the North Zone.
ATTEND THE RACE
the responsiveness needed for
the off-camber turns such as the
chicane at Turns 13 and 14, and
longer corners such as the radial
Turn 10, which needs a steady
application of power. At the start of
the weekend, dirt on the racing line
and pollution in the atmosphere
can have a detrimental effect on
air lter performance. This will
need careful monitoring during
Fridays practice.
Overall, BIC is not a circuit
that makes excessive demands on
brakes unlike Canada or Monza
but there are some big stops
into Turns 1, 4 and 5 that require
drivers to drastically slow down.
As for the tyres, Pirelli brought
the hard and soft compounds to
last years race, and may do the
same this year although each set
may be about 2kg lighter.

In 2013, you can expect no less
than a bare-knuckled brawl.
Though Vettel currently leads
Alonso by 39 points (as of the
Hungarian Grand Prix), both Inniti
Red Bull Racing and Ferrari have
very real threats in the form of
Mercedes AMG and Lotus.
Mercedes AMGs Nico Rosberg,
who won both Monaco and
Silverstone earlier in the season,
and teammate Lewis Hamilton,
who won his rst race with
Mercedes in Hungary, are driving
an improved F1 W04 that has now
overtaken Red Bull as the fastest
car over one lap. If the team can
get the car to stop chewing its

B
U
D
D
H

I
N
T
E
R
N
A
T
I
O
N
A
L

C
I
R
C
U
I
T
rear tyres in the race, it will be a
guaranteed front-runner.
Lotus, meanwhile, is slowly
picking up pace, too desperate
to replicate its form at the season-
opening Australian Grand Prix
which Kimi Rikknen won after
making one less stop than the rest.
Rikknen is hungry for
more success, his teammate
Romain Grosjean even hungrier
for his maiden victory. If Lotus can
keep up in the development race,
both drivers will be able to stage
the on-track upsets we all want
to see.
We can also expect a strong
showing from Red Bulls Mark
Webber, who will be racing here for
the nal time. The Australian, who
has, to date, won nine times, would
be keen to get India on his win list.
As for the hometown heroes,
Sahara Force India, the podium is
the goal. Di Resta narrowly missed
out on third place in Bahrain
and has looked strong all year
especially in qualifying.
As always at BIC, its go time
from lap one.
POWER PLAYERS
Corporate czars, sporting legends
and political heavyweights are all
part of the mix when it comes to F
S
T
A
N
D
A
N
D
D
E
L
I
V
E
R
S
h
a
a
n
, S
o
n
a
k
s
h
i S
in
h
a
a
n
d

A
ja
y
D
e
v
g
a
n
p
e
r
f
o
r
m
t
h
e
In
d
ia
n

n
a
t
io
n
a
l a
n
t
h
e
m
a
t
t
h
e
b
e
g
in
n
in
g

o
f
t
h
e

In
d
ia
n
G
r
a
n
d
P
r
ix
October -; buy tickets at bookf.com,
from `, to `,
166 october 2013
the alliance
The
racing
gene
What the best partnerships
in Formula 1 are built upon
RestRicted access
Only a privileged few
get an inside view of
the Mercedes aMG
Petronas Formula 1
facility in Brackley, UK
w
O
r
d
s
:

c
h
e

K
U
r
r
i
e
n
CALL US TO DISCOVER MORE +91 20 2668 8888
ONE EXPERIENCE,
EVERYTHING
YOU DESIRE
Developed by
At Verde, the unforgettable is the essential.
Verde is a world without limits. Where design,
nature, entertainment, relaxation and self
expression all ow together as freely as
thoughts and ideas.
www.verderesidences.com | info@verderesidences.com
W
O
R
D
S
:

C
H
E

K
U
R
R
I
E
N
CLIMBING INTO
the most advanced
Formula One simulator on
the planet might seem like one
of lifes great moments, but I was
overcome by a wave of anxiety.
Test drives in one of these pricey
gadgets arent exactly doled
out and all eyes were trained on
me as I ddled with the paddle
gearbox for the rst time so
different from my trusty Hondas
stick shift. Whats more: I wasnt
at an amusement park lled
with camera-wielding tourists
but in the heart of the high-
security Mercedes AMG Petronas
Formula One factory, manned
solely by uniform-wearing, ID
card-displaying technicians and
engineers. In the room beside
me, 2013 Monaco Grand Prix
winner Nico Rosberg was pushing
his simulator to the limit, the
deafening roar from his engines
compounding my angst.
For a true Formula One fan,
access to a F1 constructors factory
is akin to handing a gambler $5
million and dropping him off on
the Vegas strip. And an inside
view of championship contender
Mercedes mothership in Brackley,
70 miles north of London and a few
minutes from the iconic Silverstone
race track, is like being own to Sin
City, with all that cash, on a private
jet. Every single person
in the facility has Formula
One juice running through their
veins from the security guards,
receptionists and mechanics to the
caterers, engineers, truck drivers
and probably even the nance
guys. That pride and passion comes
with the territory when you work
for a team that draws its lineage
from the storied Mercedes Silver
Arrows team of the Fifties whose
cars were raced by legendary
daredevils like Stirling Moss and
Juan Manuel Fangio, guys who
were known as much for their
ability to cheat death as they were
for racking up chequered ags.
Before the team was reclaimed
by Mercedes three years ago, it
passed through several hands,
including Honda and British
American Tobacco. Its now led
by one of the most accomplished
men in the sport, Ross Brawn, who
recruited former world champion
Lewis Hamilton this season, at
once lifting the teams prospects.
And its been a relatively strong
ride so far, with Mercedes
looking like the one outt most
likely to break Red Bull Racings
stranglehold over the sport. Weve
had a bit of a chequered history
and were settling down from
that, says the teams technology
director, Geoffrey Willis. Weve
won some races and I think were
getting better at it. Weve got the
hunger to win but also know we
can do it.
A large part of the success of
BADGE
VALUE
An image
of IWCs Big
Pilot watch
appears on
Hamiltons
glove
IWCS INGENIEUR
COLLECTION TAKES
DIRECT CUES FROM THE
WORLD OF FORMULA ONE
TURBO BOOST
The quick-action switch
on the Calendar Digital
Date-Month looks like
a race cars boost button
MATERIAL BENEFIT
This double chronos
case is made from
lightweight titanium
DIAL DOWN
Its all about the
circular graining on
the Silberpfeils dial
THE
MOTHERSHIP
Theres not a speck of
garage grease visible
at the factory which
is immaculately
designed and
spotlessly clean
168 OCTOBER 2013
FINSPIRED
THE ALLIANCE
the team has to do with its culture,
one thats rooted in high-precision
engineering and technological
innovation. On the most supercial
level, it helps explains why the
Brackley HQ is meticulously
designed and spotlessly clean,
with large parts of its insides
reminiscent of a NASA facility. The
complex includes sprawling rooms
layered with powerful computers
manned by engineers working on
a range of tasks from mining data
to conceptualizing and designing
parts all in a bid to shave off even
a hundredth of a second on the
track. The factory oor is stocked
with gargantuan machines that
produce new parts as technicians
painstakingly monitor each step
of the process. A section of the
factory is dedicated to a series of
units where each component is
checked by hand for the slightest
defect under UV lights; one faulty
piece on race day could mean
the difference between top of the
podium and crashing out. And, of
course, there are F1 cars in various
stages of assembly parked across
the factory, some looking like
super-sized skeletal go-karts. Its
170 OCTOBER 2013
all very manly, all very cool.
Which is why it comes as no
surprise that the most masculine of
prestige watch manufacturers, IWC
Schaffhausen, recently entered into
partnership with the Mercedes
F1 team, in an alliance built on
a shared dedication to precision
technology and performance
engineering. The result of this
collaboration is the sublime 2013
Ingenieur collection, with this
years novelties taking direct
cues and inspiration from specic
elements of the high-octane sport.
Designers from both IWC and
Mercedes teams met and jointly
developed ideas, and the outcome
is a set of jaw-dropping pieces
like the Perpetual Calendar Digital
Date-Month, whose case is made
of titanium aluminide, a compound
used in Formula One cars, and
whose quick-action switch is
reminiscent of the boost button
on the steering wheel of an F1 car.
Other materials frequently found in
modern, high-tech racing vehicles
such as carbon, ceramic and
titanium also frequently appear in
the Ingenieur watch family. It helps
that both sets of designers actually
understand each other, says senior
product manager Niklaus Fumasoli,
referring to the fact that IWC is the
only high-end watch manufacturer
in Switzerland located in the
German-speaking side of the
country, therefore sharing a unique
Teutonic bond with Mercedes.
All of Mercedes trackside
crew wear Ingenieurs on Grand
Prix weekends though the drivers,
Hamilton and Rosberg, who are
both patrons, cant do so while
racing because it adds to their
weight. Instead, on the front face of
their gloves is the striking image of
a mega dial from IWCs iconic Big
Pilot collection. This makes sense:
The drivers are like Big Pilots for
us, says Fumasoli proudly.
And, nally, just in case theres
interest in how I performed on the
simulator in Brackley, I will say
this: I was handily beaten by Nico
Rosberg, but smashed the editor
from China who came before me
and was overcome by nausea.
Ill take that, thanks.
PRECISION,
PERFORMANCE
The IWC museum at
Schaffhausen; (right) the
lab-like milling centre for
IWC watch cases
CASEBACK EVOLUTION
THE
LINEAGE
The original Ingenieur
was created in the
booming Fifties but it was
superstar watch designer
Grald Genta who created
the iconic Ingenieur SL
in , among the
most masculine of
watches
W
O
R
D
S
:

C
H
E

K
U
R
R
I
E
N
172 october 2013
W
o
r
d
s
:

C
h
r
i
s
t
i
a
n

s
y
l
t
;

p
h
o
t
o
:

C
o
r
b
i
s
S
tart early. Ive always been a bit of a dealer. When
I was a kid, I was a fountain-pen specialist; I used
to buy and sell them at Londons Petticoat Lane
Market. And in the war years, I used to go into the bakery,
buy the limited amount of cakes, then take them to school
and sell them at break time.
Seize the initiative. I started out in Formula One as an
owner of the Brabham team and I had a decision to make:
Do I let Formula One splutter along in a very amateurish
way and look after my team, or do I look after Formula
One? I couldnt do both jobs properly. The people who
were running the race teams were spending 24 hours a
day and seven days a week doing that. So I decided to run
the business.
Back yourself. The most important decision I ever made
was doing deals with television channels directly, rather
than only letting Formula One be broadcast by European
Broadcasting Union stations. Everyone said there was no
way I could ever deal with the companies individually. But
the frst company I signed was the BBC.
Be different. I think of the criticism I got about holding
a race in Singapore at night, but now look at how popular
it is. If youre going to take the attitude We dont think it
will work, you will never do anything.
Trust is king. Ive done so many deals on a handshake.
The biggest thing for me is people trust me. In what I
call the good old days, all it took was having a chat with
the people that had the money, such as [Lotus founder]
Colin Chapman Now they come along with lawyers and
masseurs and can never agree on anything.
Shun surprise. I like familiarity when I travel on
business. Normally I stay in the same hotels and they give
me the same rooms, so I know where I am. It is not an
adventure like it was in the early years.
Learn from your mistakes. Out of all the mistakes I
have made in this world, probably the worst was giving
everything to my ex-wife, which was put in trust. The
trustees are not business people so they sat on this pile of
money that could have bought lots of things cheap at the
time.
Never throw money away. I only spend when it is
necessary. When Im at home and there are lights on in a
room Im not in, I turn them off. My daughters spending
is a contrast to the way I operate, but I dont believe all
the reports about it. They could sell all the properties they
have bought for big profts, so any handbags and shoes
fall into insignifcance. Mind you, I dont think they should
have bought handbags and shoes but, anyway, they are in
the fortunate position of being able to.
Dont feel forced to fnd an heir. The only thing I
am compelled to do is pay my taxes and die: I wouldnt
appoint somebody to do my job. You might as well have
asked Frank Sinatra, If you hadnt died, who would you
appoint to replace you? Somebody can sing, but can they
sing like Sinatra? No. Will somebody run the business the
way I run it? No.
the dealmaker
after a 40-year journey that has seen him
steer motor racings elite competition from
an amateur pastime to the one of the most
popular sports in the world, the 82-year-old
president and Ceo of Formula one still rules
the track with an iron grip
The
BerNie
eccLeSToNe
ruLeS
Three-time world champion
Nelson Piquet discusses
strategy with Brabham team
owner Bernie Ecclestone
at the 1982 Formula One
World Championship
E DI T E D BY Vl J E NDRA BHARDWA J AND ARAT l ME NDN C ARRDL L
To fly as fast as thought,
you must begin by knowing that
you have already arrived.
Richard Bach
GLOBAL
THREAD
Need the perfect suit but
seriously pressed for time?
Iconic British fashion house
Burberry now offers a
service that delivers a made-
to-measure suit to Indian
customers in hours
at. Blending together a
radical retail experience and
impeccable tailoring, this is
globalization at its best
4
5
3
2
6
7
S
1
OCTOBER 2013 175
I
L
L
U
S
T
R
A
T
I
O
N
:

S
A
M
E
E
R

K
U
L
A
V
O
O
R
176 OCTOBER 2013
GO MODERN, GO BRIT
Design maven Christopher Baileys hip,
urbane vision for Burberry ensures that
the storied British houses patrons include
some of the worlds most dapper men
FAST PERFECT
The tailors at
Burberrys
workshops are
master craftsmen
who can customize
a suit in a hurry,
without a whiff of
compromise
W
ere all for buying
clothes off the rack,
but certain occasions
in a gentlemans life call for
something special. Custom-tted,
if you will. Burberry understands
this impulse among fashion
connoiseurs, focusing this season
on its mens tailoring by offering a
service that allows Indian patrons
to participate in the creation of a
made-to-measure Burberry suit.
Heres how it breaks down: You
make your selection from an array
of fabrics (produced at the brands
British and Italian mills) classied
as either Heritage, Casual or
Evening. Then youre measured up
at a Burberry store, where you can
choose from three cuts: Modern,
Classic or Slim. At this stage, the
staff will suggest accompaniments
for your suit: a pocket square,
belt or a tie bar little details that
exponentially enhance the impact
of your look. Extensive notes
are taken through the process,
which are passed on to Burberrys
workshops in London and Italy
from where, just two days
later, emerges your supery suit.
Customized just as you like it.
ROBERT PATTINSON
Burberry tailoring is founded on a rich history of
fabric innovation, inspired by the timeless style
of the iconic Burberry trench coat. The modern
sartorial design and traditional hand-finished
details create an effortless and understated
silhouette with a distinct British attitude.
Christopher Bailey, Chief Creative Oficer, Burberry
TINIE TEMPAH
JAKE GYLLENHAAL
DEV PATEL DAMIAN LEWIS
JOSEPH GORDONLEVITT
THE ENDORSEMENT
In 1842, Jules Dormeuil created a family business that would soon become world
leader in supplying luxury fine cloths. For 171 years, the House of Dormeuil has
developed timeless and iconic fabrics that have cemented the Companys reputation
across all five continents.
From kings to presidents, Hollywood to connoisseurs, Dormeuil continues to dress
the worlds elite with timeless British elegance.
Today, Dormeuil fits comfortably into the world of contemporary luxury, pioneering
innovative cloths using the worlds finest and rarest natural fibres.
Dormeuils collection includes the exquisite Haute Couture range that continues
to tempt leading fashion houses of our time while also offering limited edition cloths
for the extraordinary.
These exceptional fabrics are developed by Dormeuils own design team and manufac-
tured in none other than England, using traditional methods that are blended with the
very best of modern technology.
Welcome to the House of Dormeuil!
CREATING WITH PASSION SINCE 1842
Available at all leading stores in India
For enquiries please contact india@dormeuil.com
www.dormeuil.com
180 october 2013
THE icon
muses on upcoming events, parties and
appearances, hes always expecting
the interviews.
This is comforting for a journalist. One
wouldnt necessarily expect someone
of Cavallis prestige to suffer the media
gladly. But at his Milanese penthouse,
upon entering the ornate living room
decorated with intricately carved wooden
furniture upholstered with safari animal
prints, snapshots of his family and his
A-list clique adorning the walls, the maven
lives up to his breezy online persona. He
chats away, not only about his craft but
about how not many people know hes also
a helicopter pilot. I like to go high up,
he says in his Italian-infected English. It
gives me immense pleasure, like a bird. I
feel free.
Picturing Cavalli swooping over the
top of Milans concentric rings, circling
the Duomo, brings to mind the Lenny
Kravitz lyric, I want to get away, I wanna
fy away And not without good reason.
Anyone coming to interview Cavalli in
H
es a man who counts among his
retinue those rarest of people, rare
even in the orbit of international
celebrity; people so famous theyre known
by a mere syllable or two: Bono. Beckham.
J-Lo. He often dresses the worlds most
well-known three-syllable pop stars:
Rihanna. Beyonc. Madonna. He himself is
among a fashion designer elite that, most
of the time, neednt bother with their frst
names: Armani. Gaultier. Galliano. And
while its no surprise that there have only
been two in-depth interviews with the
reticent John Galliano in the past couple of
years even in this information age its
curious that a man like Roberto Cavalli
has a blog. But then again, Cavalli has
always been more outspoken than his
peers. Hes just like that.
The 73-year-old blogs about his
exorbitant yacht, jetting to various
fashion weeks and opening his latest caf
adjacent to his namesake boutique in St
Tropez. The posts appear to have been
written by the man himself and, as he
GQ fashion editors Vijendra Bhardwaj and Antara
Motiwala catch up with Roberto Cavalli, the grand
purveyor of Italian glamour and all things sexy
The kings lair
the Boss
Roberto Cavalli has always
been unabashed about his
love for glamour, opulence
and over-the-top sex appeal
Roberto cavallis HQ in Florence
With naomi campbell, Eva cavalli and Afef Jnifen at
one of his grand shows
DAVIDOFF BOUTIQUE : U 113, LEVEL1, THE COLLECTION AT UB City, No 24, Vittal Mallya Road, Bangalore 560001. Tel.: 080-60122001.
1HL lCON
182 OCTOBER 2013
his lair a sprawl thats about the closest
thing Europe has to the Playboy Mansion
when it comes to celebrities passing
through knows Cavalli and Kravitz go
way back.
One of the rst men who made me
take notice of menswear was Lenny
Kravitz, says Cavalli. He was different.
I made clothes for him and I also copied
Lenny at times. We became good friends.
He has great taste and a sense of ne
personal style You see, I like stars, and
I like glamour, and that is what stays in
every piece that I create, every dress,
every suit. That signature stamp of
a rockstar.
This juxtaposition between haute
couture and rock styling has been a
constant throughout Cavallis career
and, unlike other fashion houses that
have forayed into music fads that
cringe-worthy runway grunge of the
Nineties, for example Cavalli has been
nothing if not consistent in his vision
of street versus chic, from importing
American prison denim before stonewash
was commonplace for men to leopard-
printing gold lam for women. His
newest menswear collections are a
kaleidoscopic vision of what might
happen if a Sixties-era David Bowie
showed up with a bag of mushrooms,
ready to crank the new Black Keys
album at one of Oscar Wildes turn-of-
the-century dandied soires. Which
isnt to say that to be a great fashion
designer one needs to be, um
You know, recalls Cavalli, about
15 years ago you had to be gay to do
fashion. Or it was assumed that only
gay men could do sexy fashion. When I
came on the scene, it was unbelievable
for people. They were amazed at how a
straight man made such rockstars out
of them. My shows always had a great
vibe of music, rock and roll.
Its probably fair to say that Cavalli
has become a bit of a rockstar himself,
such has been his appetite for the
pretty girls usually only afforded to
rockstars and, of course, those who
clothe them. Like a teenager picking
up a guitar so he can join a band and
get chicks, Cavalli has stated it was
wanting to getting laid that attracted
him to the fashion world.
A
U
1
U
M
N
/
W
l
N
1
L
R

2
0
1
3
1
^
STAR POWER
Cavallis decadent aesthetic
has found followers among
A-listers across the globe
AlSHWARYA RAl
ClNDY CRAWlORD
ADRlLN BRODY JLNNllLR LOPLZ
PHARRLLL AND LLNNY KRAVl1Z
SHARON S1ONL
The native Florentine, born in 1940,
had humble, and difcult, beginnings. His
father was murdered by the Nazis during
WWII, and his mother sold coal to survive
thereafter before becoming a seamstress.
When the young Cavalli was studying
at Florences Institutio dArte in the late
Fifties, instead of following in his fathers
footsteps an impressionist painter
or his grandfathers a member of the
Macchiaioli Movement, which favoured
painting outdoors to capture natural light
and colour he moved away from painting
and closer to the skillset of his mother.
He started experimenting with textiles,
specically materials associated with
youth, rebellion and rock n roll such as
T-shirts, denim and leather, by painting
patterns on them. I liked to paint, but
I translated that craft onto textiles,
says Cavalli, dressed in a double-denim
ensemble, made popular in 2010 by his pal
David Beckham. I love creating textures,
new colour treatments, developing prints.
It was his interest in printing patterns
on to textiles that, in retrospect, made
his name. In 1969, he met shoe designer
and leather god Mario Valentino, and
When I
came on the
scene, it was
unbelievable
for people. They
were amazed at
how a straight
man made such
rockstars out
of them
THE icon
184 october 2013
I love women. They are the
most beautiful creatures
on the planet. Sexy, strong,
glamorous women
Cavalli employed his already signature
method of printing patterns on to
textiles, uninterrupted by seam or stitch,
on leather. Unbeknownst to Cavalli at
the time, no one had ever done that
before. The Florentine then debuted his
innovations in Paris in 1970 and, within
two years, he opened his frst boutique.
After a career that has spanned more
than four decades, opening an adjoining
caf to his frst store in St Tropez signifes
the coming of a full circle for this designer,
who wasnt always at the forefront of his
industry. Cavalli had had impressive initial
success but then went through a period
of being seen as a bit too outr, and then
being considered dclass. But he never
stopped working. I always say, its very
important to keep the creative process
on. It cannot stop. The heart, as well as
the mind, are muscles. And just like our
other muscles get stiff and stop working if
theyre not used, so does the mind. So, we
need to keep working on engendering new
ideas. Every day, and every moment.
His tenacity and temerity paid off,
and favour eventually returned to his
opulent some would say ostentatious
sex-drenched style. This was only
possible after the industry had moved
past the womens pant-suit minimalism
of the Eighties, the early-Nineties era of a
waifsh heroin-chic and a unisex design
sense. Never mind the success stories of
Versace or Calvin Klein. Cavalli soldiered
on in his underground glamour and, when
he introduced a lycra blend to denim in
1993, his version of the sacred female
as sultry goddess began to re-emerge,
wrapped waist-down in a hybrid material
that rounded a womans butt perfectly
in painted-on jeans. It worked, no small
thanks to Naomi Campbell, who strutted
down the catwalk in these jeans with
a print of a snake slithering up one leg.
The toast of the Seventies was back.
But Cavalli hadnt really changed. Hed
simply endured. He says his shows were
always unapologetically very sexy: I
loved and celebrated glamorous women,
and women simply loved that. I love that
about womenswear, the excitement, the
possibility. One night a woman can be
daring and seductive, another night she
can be mysterious. I like that possibility,
and providing those options. I like to do
that with menswear as well. But in a
masculine, yet sexy, way.
Theres something elemental,
something as animalistic as much as
animistic, about Cavalli. About the man,
about his designs. Something priapic
about those cigars hes always smoking.
The fashion editor of the International
EVA RiccoBono KARoLinA KURKoVA mALgosiA BELA & isABELi fonTAnA
THAT SEVENTIES SHOW
A young Roberto with
his bevy of muses
1HL lCON
186 OCTOBER 2013
Herald Tribune has called him the king
of Baroque n roll and, looking around
his living room full of rug pelts and
animal prints, two hyacinth macaws in
cages, what looks like a giant gecko in a
glass case on one wall and an imposing
sculpture of a horse in another corner,
the designer is in his element, his natural
state. And hell tell you as much: You
see, I love animals. Inspiration to me
comes from nature. I feel God is the best
designer. The owers, the animals, the
sh, everything has so much design in it.
And in case you forgot you were talking to
Roberto Cavalli: And I love women. They
are the most beautiful creatures. Sexy,
strong, glamorous women.
This raw, macho lets face it, Italian
affectation of dripping sensuality that
has paired so well with his rock couture
is becoming, paradoxically so, even
more elemental with his new Roberto
Cavalli Gentlemens Club collection.
Even more so than the animal prints
hes so well known for. Weve
done this strong red jacket for men. I love
it. I call it Tiger-Blood Red. Ruby is too
done, and expected. The Cavalli man is
strong, and hes out on the night to make a
mark in tiger-blood red. Its not ruby. Its a
mans red.
Never one to chase the tail of a trend,
Cavallis clothes are, as usual, all about
satisfying his own aesthetic sense. And
MAN ABOUT TOWN
Cavallis Gentlemens
Club collection is slick,
undeniably sexy and
in-your-face bold
The Cavalli
man is strong,
and hes out
on the night
to make a
mark in tiger-
blood red. Its
not ruby. Its
a mans red
whether its shredded leather trousers
or a tiger-blood red evening jacket, from
his time at the Florence academy to his
unlikely seat at the top of the fashion
worlds food chain, theres a two-syllable
word consistent with Roberto Cavalli
thats served him well: Instinct.
AU1UMN/WlN1LR 20131^
THE GUIDE
RAVNEET CHANNA
Ditch the classic black
tux and embrace
colour. Midnight blue
and wine look sharp.
The only rules? Match
your bow tie to your
tux and keep your
game face on.
H
A
I
R

&

M
A
K
E
U
P
:

S
I
M
O
N

I
Z
Z
A
R
D
/
F
R
A
N
K

A
G
E
N
C
Y
;

M
O
D
E
L
:

K
R
I
S
H
A
N

B
A
S
R
A
/
N
E
X
T

M
A
N
A
G
E
M
E
N
T

L
O
N
D
O
N
190 OCTOBER 2013
JACKET BY ZARA, `4,990.
WAISTCOAT, `11,840,BOW
TIE, `3,315; BOTH BY TOMMY
HILFIGER. TROUSERS BY
BOTTEGA VENETA, `54,500.
SHOES BY CLARKS, `5,680
SUIT BY KARL LAGERFELD,
`85,000. SHIRT BY ZARA,
`2,490. BOW TIE BY
TOMMY HILFIGER, `3,315.
FRAMES BY CALVIN KLEIN
COLLECTION, `31,118.
CUMMERBUND BY PAUL
SMITH, `14,715. SHOES BY
JIMMY CHOO, `40,305
ROLAND LANE
Not for the faint-
hearted, this one.
Switch out a standard
dinner jacket for
a badass leather
bomber but keep the
white dress shirt and
black tie. You want
to bring just the right
amount of swagger
to the red carpet,
without overdoing it.
BOMBER JACKET, `3,87,100,
SUIT JACKET WITH PYTHON
LAPEL, `1,78,180 (BELOW);
BOTH BY ROBERTO CAVALLI.
SHIRT BY JACK & JONES,
`2,945. TROUSERS BY
GANT, `14,260. TIE BY TIE
RACK, `800. WATCH BY
ROTARY, `32,200. SHOES BY
CHURCH'S, `39,900
E N D O R S E S
H
A
I
R

&

M
A
K
E
U
P
:

S
I
M
O
N

I
Z
Z
A
R
D
/
F
R
A
N
K

A
G
E
N
C
Y
;

M
O
D
E
L
:

K
R
I
S
H
A
N

B
A
S
R
A
/
N
E
X
T

M
A
N
A
G
E
M
E
N
T

L
O
N
D
O
N
;

G
E
T
T
Y

I
M
A
G
E
S
,

R
E
X

F
E
A
T
U
R
E
S
THE RULE-BREAKERS: SOME GUYS KNOW HOW TO CRACK THE CODE. HERE, THE MEN WHO
BRING THEIR OWN DISTINCT STYLE TO THE RED CARPET
192 OCTOBER 2013
ROBERT
PATTINSON
NARENDRA KUMAR
& NEIL NITIN MUKESH
VARUN
DHAWAN
ONE DIRECTION
IMPERATIVE FOR THIS
LOOK: THE BOMBER
MUST FIT SNUGLY. NO
DROOPY SHOULDERS
OR BLOUSON-LIKE
HEMS.
T I P
Keep the jacket, lose
the formal trousers.
And dont be afraid to
leave the shirts top
button open. Throw
on a trilby and no one
will dare question your
sexy nonchalance. Just
ask Bruno Mars.
BLAZER BY G-STAR, `18,985.
SHIRT, `15,670, BELT, `12,815;
BOTH BY PAUL SMITH.
JEANS BY PEPE JEANS, `8,590.
POCKET SQUARE BY ETRO,
`5,600. LOAFERS BY JIMMY
CHOO, `42,684
THE GUIDE
194 OCTOBER 2013
1HL 1AS1LMAKLR
W
O
R
D
S
.

A
R
A
1
l

M
L
N
O
N

C
A
R
R
O
L
L
nay, respected as someone who truly
understands the 85-year-old brands
DNA and plays to its strengths. As more
and more fashion brands become cogs
in the wheels of giant conglomerates,
Ferragamo stands out for zealously
guarding its identity as a family business
there are six members of the family
working for the brand, across three
generations with limited risk-taking
appetite, and Giornetti best represents the
role of a design head in such a business.
His reticence isnt unexpected, either: The
Ferragamo family itself practises similar
levels of public restraint.
Even as his successes have nudged
him towards the spotlight, Giornetti
prefers to place brand and owner over
personality. After each show, he still
bows to Wanda Ferragamo, the sharp-
as-a-knife wife of the founder who, at 91,
is still said to come to work every day.
Salvatore Ferragamo was a genius, says
Giornetti, a man who exemplied both
creativity and functionality he never
made something beautiful for the sake of
it. Its a constant challenge to match that
level of genius, but I try and do the same
Im always looking for new shapes, new
Staying true to ones heritage
and identity is a winning
formula for Salvatore
Ferragamos creative head,
Massimiliano Giornetti
M
ale models lumbered down
the runway to the deep house
loops of Henrik Schwarz. Images
of rainy city sidewalks and ashing
headlights bounced off the walls in
the room. The city on the screens was
distinctly New York (the yellow cabs a
giveaway), the city we were in, Milan.
The clothes a slick palette of blacks,
blues and greys were a paean to
classic outerwear. It was an impressive
showing by Salvatore Ferragamo under
creative director Massimiliano Giornetti
something the brands admirers have
come to expect.
If anyone came to the show intending
to be stunned or blown away, however,
they were in the wrong place. Giornetti
doesnt do shock or awe. And you can
forget about runway gimmicks. The
morning after the show, at his Milan ofce,
he claried this: I am not so interested
in astonishing people. Im interested in
freshness. You take a classic, for instance,
and put a new spin on it.
For a long time, nobody knew much
about Giornetti youd be hard pressed
to nd articles on him dating back more
than a few years. When mentioned in the
fashion press, he was cursorily referred to
as the Ferragamo insider who started
off in the brands knitting business and
was put in charge of menswear in 2004.
But when in 2010 he was made creative
director for the whole brand, the fashion
world really started taking notice.
Several convincing collections later,
Giornetti has come to be recognized
technology, but always linking that with
heritage and quality.
The good thing, he adds, with a
smile, is that he never made menswear.
His only mens shoe was the one he made
for Andy Warhol.
Giornettis deep reverence for the
storied brand some believed it would
be his Achilles heel has worked to his
advantage. He now understands the brand
so well that hes able to translate its DNA
into something modern and relevant.
Autumn/Winter 2013-14, for instance,
was an ode to Ferragamos signature
outerwear, but was peppered with
clever reversibles and technologically
advanced leathers. If you look at most
pieces individually, youll nd that they
are classic pieces from a mans wardrobe
trench coats, parkas, eece jackets, he
explains. Theyve just been treated to
TIMELESS PURSUIT
Retaining the brands classic
appeal, Giornetti is not one
for gimmickry or momentary
gratication. His sensibility
for Ferragamo blends
freshness with forever
Sure
footed
1HL LlNLUP A1 1HL AU1UMN/WlN1LR 20131^ SHOW
1HL MAN BLHlND 1HL BRAND.
SALVA1ORL lLRRAGAMO
1HL 1AS1LMAKLR
196 OCTOBER 2013
W
O
R
D
S
.

A
R
A
1
l

M
L
N
O
N

C
A
R
R
O
L
L
some hybridization. For instance, he
took a classic Derby shoe in calf and
accented it with two-tone multi-layer
rubber soles, its tank tread designed
for perfect stability giving it a gritty
urban edge. Someone told me recently
that my collections are getting younger.
But thats not true. I never think my
consumers are age-specic, just a private
club of people who really understand the
essence of our collections, which is (he
shrugs) its Italianness.
As markets globalize, several luxury
brands have started cross-referencing
different cultures in their collections
some use ethnic prints, others borrow
accents from traditional garb. Not
Salvatore Ferragamo. I dont worry
about globalization. There is an interest
in other cultures, but we do it our way,
the Ferragamo way. I did a menswear
collection that was inspired by a trip to
Argentina, by its wide grassy plains, its
horses but not in the way that youd
predict. I dont do costume; its more
conceptual, its about an attitude.
Working out of an ofce like Spini
Feroni, the fortied medieval palazzo
that is the Florence headquarters of
Salvatore Ferragamo, theres no escaping
the brands Italian roots. That connection
with the city is vital: Giornetti reminds
me that Ferragamo himself returned to
Florence in 1927, abandoning a successful
gig in Hollywood to capitalize on the citys
hands-on artisanal tradition, which has,
of course, existed since the Renaissance.
That relationship with art, tradition and
culture was underlined last year when
Giornetti pulled off a major fashion coup:
the rst ever runway show at the Louvre in
Paris, that grand dame of museums. (The
Ferragamo family also funded a Leonardo
da Vinci exhibition there.) Does Giornetti
ever worry that the arrival of technology
in fashion will some day force the brand
to compromise these deep roots? Our
link to craftsmanship is something were
proud of, and were always combining
quality crafts with technology to deliver
on luxury. However, while one must stay
linked to the past, one must also be able
to look forward.
Thats precisely why Giornettis talent
has come to the foreground: his canny
ability to take the brands heritage, throw
in functionality and an understanding
of todays male consumer, and whip up
something contemporary yet classic.
The central characters in his plot (each
collection, he says, is conceived as a lm)
are not pulled out of old political dynasties
or royal houses, rather, they are dynamic
and energetic, with an innate sense of style
and independent thinking; their silhouettes
the product of overlaying fabrics. The
men I design for are chameleons, he
says, they switch things up all the time,
creating interesting hybrids.
Giornetti, then, is the living bridge
between the brands past and its future.
You always want to innovate, because
thats the nature of the game. But at the
same time you need to create products that
customers will wear even a few seasons or
years later. Making a piece that wows you
when its shown on the runway, but loses
its relevance after six months: now that
really scares me.
Like we said, Massimiliano Giornetti
doesnt do awe.
STAR POWER
Ferragamos chic and
understated elegance
nds patrons aplenty
among the worlds most
stylish gentlemen
ABHlSHLK BACHCHAN
The men I
design for
are chame-
leons. They
switch
things up
all the time,
creating
interesting
hybrids
ROBLR1 DOWNLY JR
AU1UMN/WlN1LR 20131^
1OM CRUlSL
GLRARD BU1LLR
P
H
O
T
O
:

J
I
G
N
E
S
H

J
H
A
V
E
R
I
/
P
H
O
T
O
L
I
N
K
THE LINEUP THE LINEUP
C
H
R
IS
T
IA
N
L
O
U
B
O
U
T
IN
,
P
R
IC
E
O
N
R
E
Q
U
E
S
T
J
I
M
M
Y
C
H
O
O
,
`
3
9
,6
8
5
J
O
H
N
L
O
B
B
,
`
5
1
,0
5
0
L
O
U
IS
L
E
E
M
A
N
,
`
5
5
,7
2
0
A
N
G
E
L
O
G
A
L
A
S
S
O
,
P
R
IC
E
O
N
R
E
Q
U
E
S
T
G
U
C
C
I
,
P
R
I
C
E
O
N
R
E
Q
U
E
S
T

198 OCTOBER 2013
FEW TO TANGO
As Ihe sOCIaI CaIendar kICks InIO ear, puI yOur besI IOOI IOrWard
WIIh Our pICk OI Ihe mOsI ImmaCuIaIe dress shOes
Blue Ginger extended and enriched the culinary landscape of India with the wonders
of Vietnamese cuisine. Two stellar restaurants, in dramatic settings, celebrate all that
is unique in this Asian offering. These transport you to the most signicant regions of
Vietnam to infuse your senses with the delicious, the piquant and the innitely surprising.
I nspi r ed Vi etna mese .
BLUE GI NGER
Tj fe.
T HE T A J WE S T E ND, B A NG A L OR E T A J PA L AC E , NE W DE L HI
The Taj West End, #25 Race Course Road, Bangalore 560 001, call 91.80.6660.5660
Taj Palace, Sardar Patel Marg, Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi 110 021, call 91.11.2611.0202
p
h
o
t
o
:

j
i
g
n
e
s
h

j
h
a
v
e
r
i
/
p
h
o
t
o
l
i
n
k
the line-up the line-up
t
o
m
f
o
r
d
,
`
7
9
,0
0
0
t
o
d
s
,
`
7
0
,0
0
0
l
o
u
is
v
u
it
t
o
n
,
p
r
ic
e
o
n
r
e
q
u
e
s
t

b
u
r
b
e
r
r
y
,

`
4
8
,0
0
0
d
i
o
r
h
o
m
m
e
,
p
r
i
c
e
o
n
r
e
q
u
e
s
t
c
a
n
a
l
i,
`
3
5
,9
0
0
200 october 2013
202 OCTOBER 2013
Spread across
500 square metres,
Guccis rst mens-
only store in Milans
historic Brera
district houses
apparel, shoes, bags,
luggage and lifestyle
accessories
Lapos Wardrobe
comprises 27
complete looks
Frida Giannini and
Lapo Elkann
FOR GOOD
MEASURE
Forget Italys monuments and ruins.
Guccis new shrine to menswear is
reason enough to visit Milan
The booming trend of
specialized menswear
stores across the world
is something we fully get
behind, and there are
few better examples of
this phenomenon than
Guccis new mens-only
boutique in the hip
Milan neighbourhood
of Brera. The store was
launched in June and,
to mark the occasion,
the brands creative
director Frida Giannini
combined forces with
bon vivant and Fiat scion
Lapo Elkann to produce
a made-to-measure
capsule collection. Lapos
Wardrobe comprises
27 looks that include
immaculately tailored
suits, dress shirts, vests,
cravats and pocket
squares. Plus, theres a
wide range of accessories.
Everything in this
DISPATCH
collection exemplies
rareed, intelligent luxury,
each piece a work of art
and design.
Patrons can choose
from a range of fabrics,
colours and styles, but
what were especially
chuffed about is
that the pieces can
be customized with
personal ourishes
though the options are
still within Giannini
and Elkanns esoteric,
faultless universe.
What were especially
rushing out to grab are
the made-to-order mens
shoes, Guccis historic
pillar of strength. This
service allows customers
to choose materials,
colour and width, as
well as have ones
initials embossed on the
shoes. In other words,
totally bespoke.
THE LIST LIST
SI, SIGNORE
The Italians are pros at pulling off bella figura, or the
good face, with their innate sense of style. Borrow
some of that signature Italian slickness by investing
in a high-quality suit. GQ recommends the top-end
tailoring at Ermenegildo Zegna. Expect exquisite
fabrics, modern cuts and impeccable finishing.
zegna.com
HOODINI
Digital prints are de rigueur this season. And this Etro
hoodie is just the ticket. Throw it over a crisp white
shirt and a skinny black knit tie, paired with dark jeans
or chinos for an edgy, mod look.
etro.com
CASE STUDY
Were digging British luggage brand Globetrotters
new range of slim attachs. At about `55,000 a pop,
youll be investing in both style (we love the leather
corners and gold metal buckles) and durability
(thanks to a strong vulcanized base).
globetrotter.com
POWER DRESSING
Contrast-collar shirts had their moment in 1987,
when Michael Douglas Gordon Gekko wore them
in the lm Wall Street. Now, Canalis updated the style
by doing away with matchy-matchy white cuffs and
opting for slimmer collars, for a look thats right on
the money.
canali.it; genesisluxury.com
FAST FORWARD
The latest iteration of the Omega Speedmaster57
Co-Axial has only two registers (as opposed to three
on the original) and a date display at 6 oclock. The
hour hand on the new edition doesnt carry over the
familiar broad-arrow design, and the originals Lemania
movement has been swapped for a far more efcient
in-house manufactured self-winding caliber 9300. To
purists, its barely a Speedie. We say: Game on.
omegawatches.com
STRIKE UP THE BAND
For weddings or other superformal occasions, you cant
do better than a traditional dark, band-collared jacket
suit, or even a sherwani or bandhgala. Take your cues
from these directors as they walk the ramp for Manish
Malhotra at Lakm Fashion Week.
manishmalhotra.in; lakmefashionweek.co.in
THE DAY OF THE PEACOCK
In his new book, The Day Of The Peacock, Geoffrey
Aquilina Ross, fashion insider and the rst menswear
editor of British Vogue, chronicles swinging London
in the Sixties and the peacock revolution, a time
when dandyism was experiencing a huge resurgence.
Ross uses never-before-seen photographs of some
of the most stylish men of the era musicians like
Mick Jagger, The Beatles and Elton John; artist David
Hockney; Savile Row tailor Tommy Nutter; hairstylist
Vidal Sassoon; and photographer David Bailey to
bring alive the spirit of the times.
amazon.in
THE LIST
G
E
T
T
Y

I
M
A
G
E
S
,

K
I
M

W
E
S
T
O
N
A
R
N
O
L
D
,

D
W
A
I
P
A
Y
A
M

M
A
Z
U
M
D
A
R
Top picks from GQs style desk
204 OCTOBER 2013
K
A
R
A
N

J
O
H
A
R
A
N
U
R
A
G

K
A
S
H
Y
A
P
D
I
B
A
K
A
R

B
A
N
E
R
J
E
E
The masterminds behind
some of the worlds most
iconic timepieces
THE HOROLOGIST
W
O
R
D
S
:

V
A
R
U
N

G
O
D
I
N
H
O
;

I
L
L
U
S
T
R
A
T
I
O
N
S
:

A
R
U
N

J
A
I
T
A
P
K
A
R
206 OCTOBER 2013

HARRY
WINSTON
OPUS 9

1972
AUDEMARS
PIGUET ROYAL
OAK
THE HOROLOGIST
208 OCTOBER 2013

CT SCUDERIA

RICHARD MILLE BY STARCK FOR
ONLY WATCH 2007

VACHERON CONSTANTIN
MTIERS DART MARC
CHAGALL PARIS OPERA
HOUSE WATCH
W
O
R
D
S
:

V
A
R
U
N

G
O
D
I
N
H
O
;

I
L
L
U
S
T
R
A
T
I
O
N
S
:

A
R
U
N

J
A
I
T
A
P
K
A
R
THE HOROLOGIST
210 OCTOBER 2013

A 2013 REINTERPRETATION
OF ROGER DUBUIS
HOMMAGE COLLECTION

OMEGA DEVILLE WITH
COAXIAL ESCAPEMENT

IWC DA VINCI PERPETUAL
CALENDAR KURT KLAUS
LIMITED EDITION W
O
R
D
S
:

V
A
R
U
N

G
O
D
I
N
H
O
;

I
L
L
U
S
T
R
A
T
I
O
N
S
:

A
R
U
N

J
A
I
T
A
P
K
A
R
THE HOROLOGIST
I
N
T
E
R
V
I
E
W
:

V
A
R
U
N

G
O
D
I
N
H
O
212 OCTOBER 2013
C
hopards watchmaking
division got a new
lease of life in the Sixties
the companys fortunes had
dwindled rapidly in the aftermath
of the Second World War when
Karl-Friedrich Scheufeles father
bought it over. Since the younger
Scheufele took over the reigns in
2007, hes brought the manufacture
of movements for the brands
agship L.U.C. timepieces in-house,
and created several successful
watch sub-brands, including the
Classic and SuperFast lines. But
if you thought that the dapper
co-president spends most of
his time hunched over his desk
poring over watch designs and
fussing over movements, youd be
FULL
THROTTLE
Vintner, vintage car collector and co-
president of Chopard, Karl-Friedrich
Scheufele is taking the brand back to
its roots as a storied manufacturer
the annual Mille Miglia race and
is a keen vintner, with his own
sprawling 100-hectare vineyard in
France and a chain of wine shops
in Geneva, Lausanne and Gstaad.
We caught up with the watch
industry titan over breakfast at
BaselWorld 2013.
Of late, Chopard has been
developing more of its
movements in-house. Why?
We want to become more inde-
pendent in terms of our production
capacity. If you were to compare
this to the car industry, imagine you
were to build a car yourself but then
had to buy the engine from some-
one else. Its not the best option.
Now we are able to, for example,
develop watches with movements
specically designed for them, as
is the case with the new SuperFast
line. The value we create is the
know-how acquired. For the client,
its also a guarantee of integrity and
long-term after-sales service. There
are only advantages. The one disad-
vantage is the investment.
Chopard has always managed
robust sales. What strategies
have you implemented to
achieve this?
I think its always been our idea
to be equally well-distributed
around the globe. Also, we have
a relatively large collection of
watches and jewellery pieces.
This extensive collection ensures
that we are able to run our own
Chopard stores in such a
boutique you can nd a range of
watches from the entry-level
Mille Miglia, right up to the
Engine One H.
The Engine One H has a
unique design. How did this
piece come into being?
Well, it started off with a very
selsh idea. I liked the [existing]
Engine One, but I have a really
small wrist. So I drew a sketch of
a watch [the Engine One H], and
showed it to the designers. I told
them I wanted to make this watch
with the movement twisted to a
horizontal position. I thought it
would look sexy, and it was also
something that I could wear.
Chopard has partnered with
the Cannes Film Festival for
over a decade-and-a-half. Tell
us about the synergy between
your brand and the festival.
Well, I think the synergy started
with my sister Carolines passion
for cinema, and the fact that she
had the unique opportunity to
redesign the Golden Palm. From
there this passion developed
over the years, and the identity of
Chopard [became strongly tied to]
that of the Cannes Film Festival.
But its about more than
just lms. Its also about
the glamour.
Cannes has this contrasting image
of featuring some very serious
cinema. And then you have the
other side of the festival with the
glamour, and thats pretty unique,
too. They go hand in hand, and we
are a part of both.
Every year Chopard
releases a new Mille Miglia
timepiece. Tell us about this
years watch.
The Millie Miglia is a cultural and
historic sporting event. I think this
years design captures the classic
philosophy of the event very well. I
wouldnt say it has a retro design,
because it doesnt, but it does
have a very classic, automobile
dashboard-inspired design. I am
very happy with the outcome this
year. This [watch] will also be the
guideline for the coming years.
What is your favourite
classic car?
Thats impossible to answer. I love
my 1968 Mini Cooper S, and at
the same time, I am very fond of
my Ferrari Monza, which I drive
in the Mille Miglia. But you cant
compare them. One is racing bred,
and the other is an icon [as far as]
car design is concerned.
wrong. Scheufele has a life beyond
Chopard, and a fascinating one at
that: He races his Ferrari Monza at
ChOpards 2013
MIIIe MIIIa
IImepIece
DrIVIn hIs FerrarI
750 MOnZa WIIh
WIIe ChrIsIIne
KOFUKU, Mumbai
Japanese restaurants in
India have tended to be upscale
venues, often located within
the rareed connes of luxury
hotels. Kofuku, which quietly
opened late last year, bucks the
trend: Its located on the second
oor of a peeling shopping
arcade thats reminiscent of a
Hong Kong tenement from the
Seventies. The doorway of the
building is narrow and leads
to a common area that houses
shops displaying plastic trinkets,
mobile phones and school bags,
the kind of shops that have
garage shutters instead of doors.
Patrons have to use the
services of a cramped old-school
lift to get to the restaurant,
complete with greasy slamming
doors. Yet all scepticism fades
the moment you enter Kofuku,
which transports you to what
could be a dive-y Japanese
restaurant anywhere in the
world. Its the kind of seamy,
underground place where you
might bump into Anthony
Bourdain slurping on a bowl of
udon noodles, and is populated
by expats with creative callings,
Japanese execs, hacks in the
know and suburban hipsters
the type of place where locals
are outnumbered. For now.
The menu is extensive
without being overpriced and,
unlike most Indian restaurants,
punters dont shy away from
ordering round after round of
boozy beverages, which results
in an infectious, electric din that
pervades across the yellow-lit
venue. Get there quick, before it
goes mainstream.
INFO
WHAT TO ORDER: Kakuni
HOW TO DRESS: Vintage Uniqlo
with a touch of Comme des
Garons
WHO NOT TO GO WITH: Mummy-
Daddy
WHAT TO SAY: This is nearly as
good as Jiros.
WHEN TO GO: Sunday evening.
Make a reservation
ADDRESS: 2nd oor, Kenilworth
Shopping Arcade, 33rd Rd, Bandra
West, Mumbai
TEL: 022-6710 5105
W
O
R
D
S
:

C
H
E

K
U
R
R
I
E
N
;

P
H
O
T
O
:

N
I
R
M
A
L

J
A
I
N
OCTOBER 2013 215
EDI TED BY MEGHA SHAH AND RHEA SARAN
THIS MONTH /// QUIRKY TABLES /// DRINKS FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS /// BUZZ
Step into a new breed
of restaurant hipster
coves housed in Nineties-
era shopping arcades or
former garages where
irony, vibe and food count
in equal measure
Dive in
FOOD
216 OCTOBER 2013
W
O
R
D
S
:

A
K
H
I
L
A

S
E
E
T
H
A
R
A
M
A
N
;

P
H
O
T
O
:

A
Y
U
S
H

R
A
N
K
A

L
A
N

T
H
A
I
LAN THAI,
Bangalore
Its deliciously
ironic that Indias most
authentic street style
Thai restaurant is located
within the plastic-y vibe of
a Bangalore mall. And not
just any mall. A sparsely
populated, dumpy relic from
the Nineties, evocatively
christened 5thAvenue.
Lan Thais deliberate
faux look includes glistening
chicken carcasses hanging
from the street stallas
Gujarati housewives look
determinedly away from
this rude gastro-porn. The
heavily Sellotaped menu
is concise, consisting of
20 offerings printed (and
often hand-written) in Thai
and English with pictures
of the dish alongside. The
food is bold, avourful and
served as unfussily as it is
energetically, demanding
ROSANG CAF
AND STORE,
Delhi
Mom-and-pop
restaurants are a myth in
Delhi a revered but largely
imaginary concept in the
collective conscience of the
pretty people dreaming of
Florentine cafs from their
outposts at Starbucks. There
are, of course, places where
chefs and owners play more
than a managerial/nancing
role, but these tend to
be glitzy haunts with a
sophisticated PR machinery.
Rosang Caf, a North-
Eastern diner thats moved
from its Munirka digs to the
increasingly crowded by-
lanes of Hauz Khas Village,
is an honest-to-goodness
mom-and-pop outt. Mom
and Pop, a friendly Manipuri
couple, are actually
present, doing the bills at
a neighbouring table, tiny
daughter sometimes in tow.
Mom will stop by your chair,
chit-chat about the weather
and help you out with your
order which is useful
because, unless you happen
to be from the North-East
yourself, theres a good
chance the menu will bafe
you completely.
Theres Singju, a
shredded vegetable salad
with fermented sh sauce
for added avour; To Khan,
a tomato-based chicken
dish; and Kelsa, a spicy
and fragrant mutton. The
wild red rice (its really a
purplish hue) is the perfect
accompaniment to the
meats, making us want to
give up the boring white
staple entirely.
Rosangs food is well
known among Delhis large
North-Eastern community,
particularly favoured by
homesick students and
locals in the know. In its new
avatar, a third-oor space
with the feel of a wooden
mountain cabin, its poised
to widen its fan base, and
is the perfect introduction
to North-Eastern cuisine
for the novice diner
experimental, but not too
much (no wasp larvae and
water bugs here), loaded
with avour and homey
without any forced kitsch.
INFO
WHAT TO ORDER: Kelsa, wild
red rice, Iromba
HOW TO DRESS: Anything,
nobodys looking at clothes
here
WHO NOT TO GO WITH:
Vegetarians
WHAT TO SAY: Do you have
any fermented beer? (They do
on some days)
WHEN TO GO: Lunch after a
long, boozy night
ADDRESS: 35 Hauz Khas
Village, Delhi
TEL: 011-6554 4411

Rosang Caf
feels like a
wooden cabin
anywhere
in the Seven
Sisters

Eating at
Lan Thai in
Bangalore is
remniscent
of a cheap
hawker centre
in Singapore
that you take it all seriously.
Run by a Thai engineer-
entrepreneur, Pairach Paul
Paserijit, the tiny eatery
is always peppered with
Southeast Asian folk, and is
steadily acquiring a small
but loyal local following.Its
placed unceremoniously
amidst scuffed shops selling
out-of-fashion ledis wear
and seedy video libraries,
but hey, no ones really
noticing. Youll be too busy
enjoying the fact that youre
sitting under a large white
umbrella on the ground
oor of a closed-roof
building, next to an out-of-
work escalator, waiting to
experience the real deal.
INFO
WHAT TO ORDER: Pad Thai,
Stir Fried Beef and Seafood
with Basil and Egg
HOW TO DRESS: Shorts, tees
and ip ops
WHO NOT TO GO WITH: The
high-maintenance girlfriend
who shops exclusively at the
citys other mall the super
posh UB city
WHAT TO SAY: You dont
have to talk. Just point at
the pictures on the menu and
smile
WHEN TO GO: Saturday
afternoon, after a bout of
manly shopping on Brigade
Road
ADDRESS: Ground Floor,
Fifth Avenue, Brigade Road,
Bangalore
TEL: 076-7684 4028
FOOD

PHOBIDDEN
FRUIT,
Bangalore
This Vietnamese
restaurant is located in what
would have once been the
garage of an old bungalow
in Indiranagar. Inside,
its downright basic, with
wooden benches, a few
bright cushions and some
token bamboo. A spindly
spiral staircase serves as
the only thoroughfare for
diners and staff in the split-
level eatery; somehow,
bowlfuls of broth and tall
glasses of iced tea make
their way to intended tables
without any mishaps.
At night, though, the
best seats in the house are
outside on the driveway.
An unlikely spot to dine by
candelight, undoubtedly,
with the thick foliage
bringing both romance
and mosquitoes. Often, the
mosquito coil arrives before
the menu does, and if you
squint at the page long
enough, theyll bring you a
torch to read with. The only
other establishment to serve
nosh from Nam is in one
of the toniest hotels in the
city great dcor, but not a
single quirk in sight.
At Phobidden Fruit,
iek-spouting hipsters
coexist peaceably with not-
so-quiet Americans and
other expats both sets
rattle off their orders with
IMBISS,
Mumbai
Restaurants in
Mumbais old-world Colaba
area are clustered around
the north end of the main
road known as Causeway.
That may be because
further south, the closer
you get to Sassoon Dock,
the thick smell of stale sh
is inescapable. The locals
have gotten used to it, of
course, and it doesnt bother
diners at Imbiss, either. On
the Friday evening we went,
the place was packed with
neighbourhood Parsis and
Catholics of every age group
talking as loudly as the Top
40 music blaring out of the
four-foot-tall speakers.
What these people had
in common was the belief
that chicken or seafood is
not meat, each drawn to
the menu that reads like
an exclusive hooves-only
club. Theres pork in all
forms, beef served up in a
sandwich or as a steak, and
for the more adventurous
theres tongue and ox tail.
The place gets its name from
the German word for light
meal, so naturally theres
plenty of German fare like
bratwurst and schnitzel.
Imbiss is located in a
spot that once housed three
different watering holes
and a dance bar in the past.
Each of those was drenched
in booze, fumigated with
hookah smoke and bathed
in black light. The walls are
probably squinting under
the bright tubelights now,
especially the ones on the
mezzanine level at the top
of a narrow spiral staircase.
But no amount of bright
lights or fresh paint can hide
its legendary diveyness. If
thats your scene, go right
up. Otherwise, stick to
the lower level, pick your
favourite four-footed animal
and get something tall, cold
and alcoholic to go with it.
INFO
WHAT TO ORDER: Slim Jims,
Slider Platter, Aubergine
Schnitzel
HOW TO DRESS: Wear pants
with some give; its easy to
overeat here
WHO NOT TO GO WITH:
Fake meat-lovers the ones
who eat only chicken and
the occasional let-o-sh at
McDonalds
WHAT TO SAY: This beef
tongue is so good, I can feel it
tasting me back.
WHEN TO GO: After work, or
on the weekends, when the
place really comes alive
ADDRESS: Shop No 3,
Pipewala Building, opposite
Camy Wafers, 4th Pasta Lane,
Colaba, Mumbai
TEL: 022-2202 0455
easy familiarity. You can
count on the food to be top-
notch, prices reasonable
and the service patchy, at
best. The place is usually
abuzz at sundown, the
air thick with Vietnamese
cilantro and ideas. This is a
cuisine that dances lightly
between sweet, sour, salty
and spicy avours, but
theres nothing precious
about the fare thats served
up: sticky-sweet spare
ribs that beg the use of
ngers, hefty salads piled
high with shallots, sprouts
and chopped peanuts
and noodle soups that are
slurped with abandon.
INFO
WHAT TO ORDER: Skip the
pho and get its bolder, but
lesser known cousin, the Bn
riu
HOW TO DRESS: Scuffed
Converse with a spritz of
Chanel
WHO NOT TO GO WITH:
That colleague who mistook
Saigon for Sichuan
WHAT TO SAY: The French
gave Vietnam the banh mi.
The Brits left us, what, tea?
WHEN TO GO: Early on a
weeknight. Theres barely
any grease on the menu, and
they dont serve anything
stronger than iced tea
ADDRESS: 965, 12th Main,
HAL 2nd Stage, Indiranagar,
Bangalore
TEL: 080-4110 7735
218 OCTOBER 2013
W
O
R
D
S
:

A
D
I
T
Y
A

K
U
N
D
A
L
K
A
R

I
M
B
I
S
S
,

A
M
R
I
T
A

G
U
P
T
A

P
H
O
B
I
D
D
E
N

F
R
U
I
T
;

P
H
O
T
O
:

N
I
R
M
A
L

J
A
I
N

I
M
B
I
S
S
,

A
Y
U
S
H

R
A
N
K
A

P
H
O
B
I
D
D
E
N

F
R
U
I
T

Once home
to three
watering
holes and a
dance bar,
Imbiss is still
a sausage fest

Servers
charge up
and down
Phobidden
Fruits spiral
staircase
without
causing
serious
mishap
220 OCTOBER 2013
FOOD
W
O
R
D
S
:

M
I
C
K
E
Y

R
A
P
K
I
N
;

P
H
O
T
O
:

D
A
N
I
E
L
L
E

L
E
V
I
T
T
;

S
T
Y
L
I
S
T
:

S
A
M

S
P
E
C
T
O
R
;

G
R
O
O
M
I
N
G
:

J
O
A
N
N
A

P
E
N
S
I
N
G
E
R
;

P
R
O
P

S
T
Y
L
I
S
T
:

R
O
B

S
T
R
A
U
S
S
;

S
U
I
T
:

B
U
R
B
E
R
R
Y

A
T

M
R
P
O
R
T
E
R
.
C
O
M
;

S
H
I
R
T
:

R
A
L
P
H

L
A
U
R
E
N
;

T
I
E
:

B
R
O
O
K
S

B
R
O
T
H
E
R
S

B
L
A
C
K

F
L
E
E
C
E
;

Acupunctured sh?
As Barney would say,
Legen-waitforit-dary
After surviving on
junk food for years,
Neil Patrick Harris
fell in love with
a chef, and with
serious cooking.
These days, the
actor cant stop
tweeting about
whatever crosses
his plate
So, you have an alter-
ego Twitter feed that
chronicles what you eat [@
NPHFoodPorn]. Have you
always been obsessed?
In my twenties, I mostly ate
burritos and nachos, with the
occasional burger. It was my
better half, David [Burtka],
who made me adventurous.
Do you have guilty pleasures?
In-N-Out burgers. But not
too often. I have to watch my
girlish gure.
David is a classically trained
chef who worked at [Mario
Batalis Michelin-starred
restaurant] Babbo. Whats the
best thing he cooks?
He makes a Babbo-ish
Bolognese: Fresh pasta is key,
and a sauce with veal, pork,
pancetta and San Marzano
tomatoes, nished with butter.
That may be my meal if I was
gonna get in the electric chair.
Do you help out much in
the kitchen?
Im the sous [chef] and the
dishwasher.
Someones gotta do it. Are you
guys big grillers?
I always thought let mignon
was the steak to beat, but
the fat content in a rib eye
is fantastic. David makes a
medium-rare sear and drizzles
some awesome aged balsamic
on it.
Whats your secret to a fun
barbecue?
The key to a good party is
what you serve for the rst
drink. I like to do a ros or set
up a Bellini bar: champagne
with a spoonful of freshly
pured melon, berry or peach.
What else are you drinking
these days?
Pineapple rum-based Tikis.
And for a while I made this
cocktail called a French
Manhattan: two ounces of rye
whisky with half an ounce of
Chambord, some Angostura
bitters, cherry bitters and a
maraschino cherry.
You just turned 40.
The @NPHFoodPorn
feed documented some
amazing meals.
Dude, it was mental. In Vegas,
we ate a 12-course tasting
menu at Robuchon, with wine
pairings and fancy bread carts
and butter carts and candy
carts. But for me, its hard to
beat Masa [in New York].
Omakase?
Yes. Chefs choice is
my favourite. Im super
adventurous.
Whats the craziest thing
youve eaten?
At Park, an Asian restaurant
in Montreal, they serve
acupunctured snapper.
Which is what, exactly?
Its snapper that has been
caught and then killed in a
way that is very calm the
shermen insert needles so
that the trauma of death is
avoided, and the cut is
really tender.
Wow. Where do you go when
you need to talk business?
Kiwami in Studio City,
California. Its boutique-y,
small and quiet and you
still get to drink sake. I also
like Soho House. Thats me:
Sophisticated, calm, relaxed
and drunk.
Nice combo. You have two
young children. Are they
good eaters?
Theyve been raised with
exceptional palates. They eat
all kinds of things: raw oysters,
mussels, peas with mint,
carrots with curry.
You had The Smurfs 2 come
out this year. What do
Smurfs eat?
They eat Smurfberries
[laughing]! They re remarkably
delicious, albeit tiny.
This is my Address
DOWNTOWN DUBAI | DUBAI MALL | DUBAI MARINA | MONTGOMERIE DUBAI | THE PALACE DOWNTOWN DUBAI
CALL +971 4 423 8888 | STAY@THEADDRESS.COM | VISIT WWW.THEADDRESS.COM
This is where memories are made. Our family time is precious, so we need to
make it count. At The Address Hotels + Resorts were never far apart.
This is where an evening stroll becomes an adventure. Where we can leave work
behind and just be together. With ve hotels in Dubais most prestigious locations,
theres an Address for everyone. This is my Address. Whats yours?
222 october 2013
i
l
l
u
s
t
r
a
t
i
o
n
s
:

a
r
u
n

J
a
i
t
a
p
k
a
r
Hes taking his
frst steps towards
manhood. Your son
deserves the best
shot money can buy
drink
Wheres the bubbly?
asks one of my guests. We are,
after all, celebrating a milestone
anniversary. But as it happens,
my wife cant stand the stuff.
Which has me wondering why
do we have such stereotypes
about the drinks we consider
special? Take champagne: Since
every two-bit, trumped-up tax
dodger in the world has started
ordering it by the bucket at
nightclubs, it can hardly be the
drink for a special occasion
any more unless theyre
celebrating the fact that theyre
not behind another set of bars
for tax fraud. So if champagnes
out of the running, then what
should it be?
For starters, it depends on
the occasion. For a business
dinner celebrating the closing
of a deal, nothing beats
whisky. A bottle you cant
walk into a bar and see sitting
on a shelf. A bottle that tells
your counterparts across the
negotiating table that they have
placed their faith in the right
man. No one can help but be
impressed when you choose a
1946 Macallan. And it will work
in your favour if you suggest
that the reason you chose it is
not because it is so frightfully
expensive a fact so obvious it
doesnt bear pointing out but
because it was the frst whisky
laid down after the war years.
A whisky that says, the worst
is now behind us, a new world
order lies ahead, and with it,
hope, peace and everlasting
prosperity. Just what you wish
for in your new venture.
Toasting to a woman calls for
something else. And different
Raise
to the
occasion
When champagne doesnt cut it,
what should it be? Anish Trivedi
on the drinks for those special
moments with your son,
business partner or lady
224 october 2013
drink
women on different occasions
demand different drinks. With
a wife, you cant go wrong
with Bordeaux. One of the frst
growths. Personally, I prefer
Chteau Margaux, but any of
the others work, as well. The
implications are obvious: Here
is a wine that is redolent in
its richness, enticing on the
nose, enchanting on the palate,
despite, nay, because of the
years it has spent maturing. This
is not a wine that offers false
promise it is a wine that says,
loudly and proudly, that it has
every right to be at that table,
that its stayed constant over the
years and, although occasionally
overlooked, has sat patiently
waiting to be recognized as the
fnest there is. Order a bottle
from the year of her birth.
a wine that is so particular, it
admits it hasnt had a great
vintage in 10 years. Thats how
rare it is rather like your love
for this exquisite creature sitting
across from you. Youll have her
melting faster than that puddle
of chocolate pud on your plate.
Then theres that colossally
satisfying moment in a parents
life: watching your children
graduate and hoping that they
will fnally make something of
themselves and stop sponging
off you. That transition from
high school to university is also
the right moment to further
their education, give them a
taste of whats ahead. Tequila.
Every college kid with any sense
mainlines the stuff at some
point. So you need to prepare
them, not for the rot you and I
shot with a smidgeon of salt and
a slice of lime in our younger
days, but the better stuff you
dont ever see in a dorm room.
Sit that son down and salute
his frst step to independence.
Aejo tequila. Im partial to Tres
Generaciones, but the Gran
Patrn Platinum does equally
nicely. Although, at $200 a
bottle, if he starts shooting that
in school, youre going to be
supporting him a lot longer than
you think.
Every once in a while, a man
needs to meet with his mates
and toast to a past unsullied, a
future uncertain. And the best
way to do that is to go back
to where you began. No, not
necessarily in that cheap bar,
but with what you drank back
then: Rum. And while I still have
fond memories of Old Monk,
Black Panther and Hercules
XXX, you need to accept that
youre now men and not the
pimply adolescents who were
on a boys night because no girl
would go out with them. Now
you need to celebrate your best
friends new trophy wife with
an aged rum. Having sat in
chairs still carrying the imprint
of Hemingways butt in Cuba,
I would recommend a 21 Year
Old Havana Club. As smooth as
single malt, as classic as a fne
Cognac. It says youre still one
of the boys. But boy, oh boy,
have you grown up.
And then theres that rare
occasion when you look back
at your life thus far and, having
been weighed and not found
wanting, you say to yourself
that it has been good. You have
been lover and husband, father
and son. You have sacrifced
all the blood, sweat, toil and
tears that were expected of
you. And you have reason to
give yourself a pat on the back
that will otherwise only come
in your obituary. Thats when
you sit down alone and pour
yourself the one drink that you
know says everything there is
to say about you. Mine is a 1902
single malt. Yours could be a
beer. This is your life youre
celebrating. Only you know
what drink you need to raise a
toast to that.
Every once in a while, a man needs to meet with his
mates and toast to a past unsullied, a future uncertain.
I recommend a 21 Year Old Havana Club. It says youre
still one of the boys, but boy, oh boy, have you grown up
When celebrating with the
boys, consider a rum thats
as smooth as a single malt,
as classic as a Cognac
Unless you have a child bride,
itll be very ready to drink, and
itll tell her that every one of
those years she has been with
you is appreciated greatly. Let
the wine say it all for you.
Shell understand.
Girlfriends, on the other
hand, are not a Bordeaux.
Girlfriends are the nectar the
gods choose to share with you
feetingly. (Oh, dont kid yourself,
itll be feeting.) Girlfriends
are sweetness and sex and the
sunshine of your life captured
in a glass. And nothing says
sweetness and sex and sunshine
better than a Sauternes. Youve
plied her with champagne and
caviar and all the other rubbish
some women think indulgent.
But after shes picked at her
Caesar salad and refused the
chocolate pud, push the other
glasses aside and open a bottle
of Chteau dYquem. This is i
l
l
u
s
t
r
a
t
i
o
n
s
:

a
r
u
n

J
a
i
t
a
p
k
a
r
226 october 2013
W
o
r
d
s
:

r
h
e
a

s
a
r
a
n

news
BAsKeT
CAse
PARA-
PARA-
PARADIse
Our favOurite Michelin-starred dim
sum restaurant has been busy expanding
both north and south of its original Indian
outpost in Mumbai. Last month saw
Yauatcha launch as a 150-seat, all-day
dining spot in Bangalore and this month,
the capital city gets its own (equally
stylish, were sure) version. Were happy
to see that signature dishes steaming
baskets of truffe edamame dumplings and
the superlative crispy prawn cheung fun
are intact on the new menus. The chain
seems poised to take over the country, one
delectable bite-sized morsel at a time.
yauatcha.com
Perched On the
37th foor, the
Palladium hotel
Mumbais new bar
Li-Bai is the citys
sexiest yet. Its
languid, intimate
vibe and inventive
cocktails inspired by
poems (try the Big
dream) make it the
perfect spot to take
her to. and it works
just as well for a
night of whiskies
and cigars (they
have a smoking-
allowed Cigar room).
When kitting Out our apartments, most of our focus goes into
the home bar after all, this is where we start on boys night,
or where we end a date with that come up for an after-dinner
drink offer. So we were pretty psyched to fnd this state-of-the-
art compact unit designed for home use by a company thats
been in the bar business with hotels and restaurants for years.
The Curvette 9.0 comes complete with a dual-zone wine cooler,
fridge, icebox for champagne or beer, stemware holders and an
illuminated work station behind which to show off your cocktail
shaking skills. Now get that party started!
approx `8.4 lakh, plus shipping; curvettebars.com
BRInG HOMe
THe CeLeBRATIOn
seeing a city through the eyes of someone who lives there is
perhaps the purest form of travel. and usually fun, too they
know that dive bar other tourists might never venture into, or
some hidden gem of a restaurant. With his limited-edition, hand-
bound book For You The Traveller, 21-year-old nabil sabio azadi
has taken this concept to the next level. Within these pages, youll
fnd brief stories and contact information for people around the
world who are willing to play the role of personal concierge to any
traveller carrying this book. When it comes to personalization, it
doesnt get more bespoke than this.
approx `22,500 (towards charity), plus shipping; foryouthetraveller.com
GLOBAL LOCAL
Buzz
WhaTs on our radar ThIs MonTh
#Indiansecrets
Scan to get your Digital Edition
What are Indias top 20 Bed & Breakfasts? Where is our next big safari destination?
Which part of the country makes you feel like youre in the Amazon rainforest?
What spots have got Kamal Sidhu, William Dalrymple, Sonam Kapoor and Homi Adajania excited?
Discover our secrets and share your own with us online
on Twitter (#indiansecrets) or Facebook for a chance to win great prizes!
October-November issue on stands October 7, 2013
Discover India like never before with Conde Nast Travellers
3rd Anniversary India Special
For iPad and iPhone For Android
INDIAN EDITION
Adventures in elds of gold
THE LAST WORD
IN TRAVEL 3
RD
ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
Little-known treasures you should
know: hip hideaways, exclusive
experiences, insider tips
Kamal Sidhu
at the Golden
Temple, Amritsar
100 SECRETS
Punjab
shining
OCT-NOV 2013 | 150
OCTOBER 2013 231
Think of supercars as living beings. Sure, they come out of the
factory looking, sounding and driving a certain way. But theres
nothing to keep you from pimping out the performance and vanity
scale to the max. Sirish Chandran travels to Bangalore and shows
you how to do it right
EDI TED BY VARUN GODI NHO
Turf out the competition with your modded supercar, which just got louder, faster and meaner
The Jaguar F-Type the only thing getting more attention is an eight lb baby boy from Windsor
Automotive museums as gorgeous as the wheels they hold
P
H
O
T
O
:

M
A
N
I
S
H

M
A
N
S
I
N
H

S
A
M
P
A
T
;

L
O
C
A
T
I
O
N
:

R
A
C
E
T
E
C
H

S
T
U
D
I
O
,

B
A
N
G
A
L
O
R
E
232 october 2013
Modded Machines
Benefits Lighter materials reduce
overall weight. Better breathing also
liberates more horsepower. Plus, the
aural note of a fnely-tuned exhaust
makes your nerve endings tingle
and the hair on the back of your neck
stand on end. Can also be tuned to
spit fames on the overrun.
Watch out for Excessive back
pressure. Every exhaust has
to be matched to the engines
characteristics, and incorrect back
pressure may damage the engine.
Removing the catalytic converters
increases emissions and speeds up
the Arctic ice melt.
DoWnsiDe Sooner, rather than later,
the neighbours will call the police.
Money no oBject Capristo
exhaust with cat-delete and
volume control exhaust faps for the
Lamborghini Aventador LP700 with
14kg weight reduction, 60hp power
increase available for `6 lakh. It
comes with active back pressure
monitoring units, too. You could
also opt for a hand-crafted Japanese
Kreissieg titanium exhaust for the
Nissan GT-R, with volume levels
adjustable via a remote, for `6 lakh.
alternative uses Scare little
children. Barbeque meat on the
overrun.
Benefits Unleashes more
horsepower for faster acceleration
and summarily does away with
factory-ftted speed limiters.
Also loads different settings to
optimize use whether for the
street, track days or drag races.
Watch out for An engine up
in fames. Account for poor Indian
fuel quality when remapping your
engine, or therell be a unhappy
bonfre.
DoWnsiDes It will defnitely void
your warranty.
Money no oBject RaceTech
Benefits Lighter rims
reduce unsprung mass,
which in turn dramatically
improves suspension
performance. A wider
contact patch and super
sticky rubber results in
higher cornering speeds.
Watch out for Potholes.
Low-profle tyres have soft
sidewalls which can get cut
very easily, and the wheel
may even bend out of shape
if you hit a pothole hard.
DoWnsiDe Bigger wheels
and low-profle tyres severely
affect ride quality. More grip
means fuel effciency tanks.
Money no oBject Custom
forged ADV.1 20-inch wheels
for a BMW M6, with the
customer name engraved on
the wheel, for `6 lakh for a
set of four from RaceTech.
alternative uses
Uncomfortable and
expensive stools.
Benefits A carbon fbre bonnet
reduces an enormous amount
of weight. Done properly, it also
improves cooling and aerodynamic
performance.
Watch out for Plastic that looks
like carbon fbre.
DoWnsiDe Shatters on impact.
Theres no repairing it once busted.
Money no oBject The carbon
fbre bonnet on a Nissan GT-R
knocks off 7kg from the standard
body weight and costs `1 lakh. If
youve got a Porsche 911 parked in
your garage, you could kit it out with
a Vorsteiner bonnet. But at `1.5 lakh
a pop, it doesnt come cheap.
alternative uses Deliciously
abstract wall art.
does custom remaps for cars like
the GT-R that have selectable power
outputs (450, 500 and 600hp) for
`6.5 lakh, including hardware like
intakes and downpipes.
alternative uses Drive it like a
pussy cat during the day, turn it into
a tiger at night.
p
h
o
t
o
:

M
a
n
i
s
h

M
a
n
s
i
n
h

s
a
M
p
a
t
;

l
o
c
a
t
i
o
n
:

r
a
c
e
t
e
c
h

s
t
u
d
i
o
,

b
a
n
g
a
l
o
r
e
234 october 2013
Benefits Looks phenomenal
and, on supercars, it actually aids
downforce, which results in better
cornering. It prevents the car from
lifting off at 300kph. Show and go.
Watch out for Poor
workmanship. At the speeds
supercars are capable of, a poorly
put-together spoiler could fy off
and leave you hurtling towards a
lamppost.
DoWnsiDe If you dont have
serious horsepower, a spoiler will
only slow you down.
Benefits No brake fade and
consistent pedal pressures, even
after a whole day on the race track.
If you were to use traditional steel
brakes and push them hard on the
race track, they may overheat and
lead to brake fade and disc warp.
Watch out for Incorrect
calibration. Front-rear brake bias
needs to be properly done. Ensure
ABS and ESP are calibrated correctly.
DoWnsiDe There really is no
downside to better brakes.
Money no oBject AP racing
carbon ceramic brake discs for the
GT-R with active cooling via fans to
increase brake life and lower brake
temperatures retail for `13 lakh.
alternative uses Wall clock.
Benefits Unlike turbochargers,
superchargers dont have lag, and
are linear in their power delivery.
Watch out for An engine that
cant handle it. Supercharging is a
major job that also requires engine
internals to be strengthened to
handle the increased power. Before
you install a supercharger kit,
check if the gearbox can handle the
increased torque.
DoWnsiDe Increases sensitivity to
fuel quality.
Benefits Improved handling,
stable ride quality at high speeds
and better steering response.
Watch out for Excessively rigid
suspension. Springs and dampers
have to be matched perfectly. Go
OTT with the setup, and itll be
unmanageably stiff on Indian roads.
DoWnsiDes Lower ride height
means you may bottom out over
speed breakers.
Money no oBject A G-Power
Supercharger kit for the M6 from
RaceTech boosts power to 660hp
and costs `19 lakh. The Novitec
Supercharger for the Aventador
boosts power to 970hp and 912Nm
torque.
alternative uses Hair dryer.
Money no oBject A DMC dry
carbon spoiler for the Aventador
retails for `6.5 lakh. Also available
is the `3 lakh Aeromotions active
rear spoiler for the GT-R. It can
be mapped and pre-programmed
to the GPS coordinates of each
corner of a race track. As you
power your machine through
the apexes sideways, it will
automatically adjust the fap
angle (and hence the downforce)
at each corner to generate
optimum grip.
alternative uses Picnic table.
Money no oBject Check out KW,
Tein and Bilstein dampers with
remote damping adjustment. KW
offers a suspension with height
control, so you can easily clear
speed bumps and entry-exit ramps.
alternative uses Dining table
legs (make sure theyre stiff, though).
p
h
o
t
o
:

m
a
n
i
s
h

m
a
n
s
i
n
h

s
a
m
p
a
t
;

l
o
c
a
t
i
o
n
:

r
a
c
e
t
e
c
h

s
t
u
d
i
o
,

b
a
n
g
a
l
o
r
e
modded machines
236 OCTOBER 2013
JAGUAR FTYPE
Its hard for an auto journalist to be in
a committed relationship with a single
car. As a car hack, its only a matter of
days before a curvaceous Porsche, a
svelte Mercedes or a voluptuous Range
Rover pops up on my radar. A couple of
calls later, and the car Im lusting for is
delivered to my ofce. And just like that
I trade in my existing ride (no matter
how gratifying a time I have
spent with it) for a new love.
If youve never had
a car fantasy, Jaguars
F-Type is a great one
to begin with. Its the
pinnacle of sports car
design. Purposeful
lines and
perfect
proportions
run in its genes.
Its the successor to
the E-Type, which on its release in
1961 had Enzo Ferrari calling it the
most beautiful car in the world. If Il
Commendatore were alive today, hed
probably feel the same way about
its successor.
I was recently in Italy to test-
drive the F-Type. To understand the
monumental signicance of this launch,
you must consider its pedigree: Jaguars
sporting heritage goes back to a time
when the company wasnt even known
by its present name. Founded in 1922
by William Lyons and William Walmsley,
the Swallows Sidecar Company rst
showed signs of sports car genius when
it manufactured a ery 2.5-litre SS90 in
1935. Post World-War II, the SS became
an untenable abbreviation, for obvious
reasons, which is when the British
marque rebranded itself to Jaguar.
Times were tough and the post-
war market for luxury saloons wasnt
exactly booming so Jaguar decided to
go down the sports car route. In 1951,
it manufactured the two-door C-Type
(C for competition), which could hit a
top speed of 190kph. The success of this
car on the track it won its debut race
in the Le Mans in 1951 encouraged
Jaguar to follow it up with the D-Type
in 1955 (the D indicated disc brakes).
Only 53 C-Types and 78 D-Types were
ever manufactured.
By 1961, the market had recovered
and Jaguar decided this was the right
time for a mass-produced sports car. It
launched the gorgeous, blisteringly fast
E-Type (by now the letter didnt stand
for anything specic, but just followed
the sequence). 72,000 of these cars
were produced until 1974. It is
Its taken 52 years for Jaguar to present its successor to the
wildly successful E-Type. Varun Godinho travels to Italy to
test-drive the F-Type the marques biggest launch in recent
years and nds its got game
THE HUNTER
The cat from
Coventry, shot
exclusively
for GQ in front
of the Tenuta
Castelbuono
winery in
Italy, may well
upstage its
German rivals
TEST
DRIVE
JAGUAR FTYPE
238 OCTOBER 2013
believed that, had the E-type been
manufactured in limited numbers, it
would have probably been one of the
most valuable classic cars in the world.
The Seventies through the
Noughties were a difcult time for
Jaguar. It went through multiple
owners, and was eventually bought
by Ford. Jags American bosses stied
any ambitions the British company
had of developing a successor to the
E-Type, and instead insisted on staid,
predictable four-door luxury saloons.
Then, in 2008, Tata bought the marque.
The handcuffs were off. It was time for
The Leaper to make its move. And thats
exactly what it did.
Ratan Tata is an architect himself,
so he understands design. He would
sit in on the meetings and make
suggestions. But he never interfered
in the design process of the car, said
Julian Thompson, the half-Thai, half-
British Advanced Design Director for
Jaguar, who was accompanying me in
a V6 S from Assisi to Montefalco to visit
the Tenuta Castelbuono winery. Every
concept car dreamed up by the design
team must rst make it past his desk,
as did the F-Type when it was rst
imagined about a decade ago.
As we speed past vineyards on
olive tree-lined country roads, aided by
an alacritous eight-speed automatic
gearshift and quick-witted steering, it
seems like the cars geared short for
deliberate theatrical air. Each time a
higher gear kicks in, a fresh wave of
torque courses through the chiselled
body of this feline, silk stretched over
toned muscle.
Its theatrics dont seem out of
notches. This supercar just checked a
very important box on my list: F for fun.
It lived.
But for all its show, this machine
goes like the clappers. The V6 S sits in
the sweet spot between the entry-level
V6 and the top-end V8 S. Weighing in
at 1,614kg, the V6 S is 50kg lighter than
the V8 S and, with 380hp on tap, its
40hp more powerful than the V6. Like
the Vitruvian man, its power-to-weight
ratio is perfect, making it a sports car
thats incredibly easy to drive and super
pacy, too.
But it was the following day that
I really got a chance to open up the
engine, when I drove from Assisi to
the Urbani Trufe Academy,
currently run by Olga Urbani,
whose father Paolo was credited
with taking Italian trufes to
the global market. On the Super
Strada 3 in the hilly Umbria
region, it was nally time to
toggle that Dynamic Mode switch. It
made the steering snappier, the throttle
sharper and the suspension rmer.
The growling cat from Coventry was
in its element.
The spoiler deployed automatically
at 100kph, and the tail was only too
eager to kick out when seriously
provoked, but a dab of opposite lock
quickly corrected that. The car never
lost its poise, with the 19-inch wheels
always nding the right amount of grip.
The extremely well-proportioned air
intakes did an efcient job of preventing
the supercharged engine from going
up in ames. The Italians have an
expression, dolce far niente, or the
sweetness of doing nothing. In that
moment, I was its very denition as I
drove around with minimal effort and
maximum pleasure.
place in a country dotted with
piazzas and amphitheatres. In
fact, everything about this car has a
sense of occasion, from the ush door
handle that pops out when you press
the remote to the cockpit, which has a
distinctive ghter jet-style vibe.
As I settled into the race car-
inspired snug seats, its deliberately
lowered driving stance added to
the sense of being enveloped by
the machine. I hit the ignition. The
tachymeter beeped as if to welcome me,
and the central air-vent binnacle that
was ush within the dashboard rose
to reveal itself. A few minutes into the
drive I ddled with another button. This
one opened the aps on the exhausts,
and immediately it rapped out a sound
not unlike machine gun re. It was
an unnecessary feature that added
nothing to the drive quality of the car.
But it took the fun quotient up several
ART CLASS
Students from
the Royal College
of Art, London,
create their
interpretation of
the F-Type
ALL IN
THE FAMILY
The brand-new
F-type carries
forward the slick
design legacy of
its predecessors
the C-Type,
D-Type and
E-Type (in the
background)
TEST
DRIVE
JAGUAR FTYPE
TEST
DRIVE
1. DashbOard-mOunIed aIr VenIs
2. FeIIne-InspIred IaIIIIhIs 3. WeIhI-
saVIn carbOn-bre bIades 4. FIhIer
|eI-sIyIed DynamIc MOde IOIe
sWIIch 5. FIush dOOr handIe
6. Lare duaI exhausIs 7. CenIre-
OWIn cOnsOIe 8. SIeek enIne-
cOOIIn rIIIe 9. SpOrIy sIeerIn WheeI
WIIh brOnZe-anOdIsed paddIe shIII
ears 10. DrIVer-IOcused cabIn
The V S sits in
the sweet spot
between the V
and V S with
a perfect power-
to-weight ratio
ENClNE
380HP;
3-LITRE V6
SUPERCHARGED
WElCHT
1,614KG
PERFORMANCE
0-100KPH in
4.9 SEC
TOP 5PEED
275KPH
PRlCE
`1.3 CRORE
(EX-SHOWROOM)
JAGUAR F-
TYPE V6 S
240 OCTOBER 2013
1
2
3
5
6
4
Yet one question nagged me
throughout the trip. Why did a ercely
proud British marque choose Italy as
the destination to test drive the most
spectacular jewel in its crown? All I
needed to do was glance outside the
window of my hotel room in Rome,
which overlooked the Piazza del Popolo,
for the answer. When it comes to art
and design, few other countries can
beat Italy and its artistic, sculptural
and aesthetic splendour. Jaguars
design chief Ian Callum and his
teams Thompson included modern
masterpiece was right at home here.
That evening, I found myself staring
at the F-Type, parked perpendicular to
its predecessors on the lawns of British
ambassador Christopher Prentices
historic Villa Wolkonsky residence,
where I was invited to dinner. The cars
entire side prole could be sketched
with just three luscious strokes, just as
the designers intended it to be. I knew
then that this one was for keeps. I dont
care if Jaguar takes another 50 years
to manufacture the G-Type. Im not
looking at a life beyond the F-Type. Its
time to settle down.
7
8
9
10
THE CLOTHES
YOU SHOULD
BE WEARING
RIGHT NOW!
FASHION
TREND
REPORT
SEPTEMBER 2013 `125
HOWA
JENNIFER LOPEZ
LOOKALIKE
TRAPPED THE
WORLDS BEST
COUNTERFEITER
THE HOTTEST
NIGHTCLUBS
ONTHE PLANET
THE BOOKS
EVERY
MODERN
GENTLEMAN
SHOULD READ
(or at least
have heard of)
RANVEER SINGH
PHOTOGRAPHED BY PRASAD NAIK
THE
WILD
ONE
RANVEER
SINGH
INDIAN EDITION
SONAMKAPOOR
PHOTOGRAPHED BY SIGNE VILSTRUP
BRADLEY
COOPER
HOLLYWOODS
LATEST
SUPERSTAR
OUR
DEFINITIVE
GUIDE TO
THE BEST
TIMEPIECES
OF THE
YEAR
WATCH
SPECIAL
STRIPPED
DOWN
HOWTO
SCORE AN
OFFICE
WIFE
AMP UP
YOUR
STYLE
WITH
CROPPED
PANTS
SONAM
KAPOOR
AUGUST 2013 `125
INDIAN EDITION
IRON
MAN
ROBERT
DOWNEY
JUNIOR
THE WORLDS
WEALTHIEST
SUPERHERO
INFLUENTIAL
GLOBAL
INDIANS
THE
MOST
50
THE ONE
NIGHT
STAND!
HOW
GENTLEMEN
DO IT
THE PLOT TO
ASSASSINATE
JUSTIN BIEBER
OUR
MONSOON
STYLE
GUIDE
GEAR
UP!
ROBERT DOWNEY JR
PHOTOGRAPHED BY PEGGY SIROTA
INDIAN EDITION
JULY 2013 `125
246 OCTOBER 2013
W
o
r
d
s
:

J
o
n
a
t
h
a
n

s
c
h
u
l
t
z
;

e
d
i
t
:

v
a
r
u
n

g
o
d
i
n
h
o
car museums
Six architectural marvels make
worthy settings for some of the
sexiest machines ever built
Cool museums,
hot wheels

Built to impress the thousands of
spectators who poured into munich
for the 1972 summer olympics,
the games unfortunate events
nearly overshadowed the 95-metre,
4-cylinder structure that cost
almost 100 million deutsche marks.
Forty years on, a motorrad section
has been added to celebrate the
companys biking heritage. gems like
the F650 and the rs 255 are stood
close to cars stacked vertically along
the walls.

on the outside, the
Porsche building in
volkswagens 69-acre
car city looks like
something the king of
aerodynamic design,
eero saarinen, might
have built. on the
inside, 25 silver models
depict Porsches unlikely
evolution from the
1948 teardrop-shaped
356 two-seater to the
brawny omnipresent
cayenne suv of today.
today.autostadt.de

the one-time largest
privately-owned car collection
in the world has moved into
an intergalactic hangar that
remains true to founder
harold lemays wide-ranging
tastes: inside, a $1-million
duesenberg model J shares
space with lemons like the
Waynes World-era amc Pacer.
bmw-welt.com
lemaymuseum.org
248 october 2013

Century-old cars from
manufacturers like Argyll
and Beardmore are on
display beside latter-day
artifacts like a 1995
Subaru Impreza driven
by rally hero Colin
McRae all set behind
a faade designed by
Pritzker Prize winner
Zaha Hadid. Front and
centre is a wall of cars,
where life-size vehicles
perch like specimens in a
collectors case.
GlasGowlife.orG.uk

In the basement youll fnd more than 150 lust-worthy
cars Steve McQueens Jaguar XKSS roadster, an
Art Deco Rolls-Royce coupe, and a 1939 Bugatti that
belonged to the Shah of Iran. Those with more catholic
tastes can admire a 1998 Cadillac stretch convertible
blessed by Pope John Paul II.
museocasaenzoferrari.it
petersen.orG

The original brick workshop
of Enzo Ferraris father
assumes mythic status beside
this 53,820-square-foot
paean to the carmakers
legacy which features a roof
punctuated by vents worthy
of a Ferrari Dino. Vintage race
cars on display include Alfa
Romeos, Maseratis and the
1947 125 S the frst car to
bear the Ferrari name.
CAR MuSEuMS
Exclusively on
the GQ India
iPad app:
Interviews
with the Men
and Woman of
the Year
Studio 54, Area, Annabels. Theres nothing more heady, enticing
or hedonistic than the perfect nightclub. This year, we celebrate
the fth edition of the GQ Men Of The Year Awards in association
with Chivas Studio with a deliciously nocturnal twist, locating it
within the decadent connes of Club GQ. Over the next 43 pages,
reacquaint yourself with 13 extraordinary Indian men and one
spectacular woman like youve never seen them before. Flip
through the sumptuous gallery ahead, then catch all the action on
Star World with a curtain raiser on October 13 at 8pm, followed by
the telecast of the awards show on October 20 at 7.30pm.
SUIT BY DIESEL BLACK
GOLD. T-SHIRT BY
ZARA. POCKET SQUARE
BY ROBERTO CAVALLI.
SHOES BY ADIDAS FOR
JEREMY SCOTT.
WATCH BY CHOPARD
254 october 2013
VI RAT
KOHLI
Given his accomplishments on the pitch,
its easy to forget that Indias cricket vice-
captain and top-ranked ODI batsman is
just 24. But not all the time. Reecting the
exuberance, ambition and irreverence of the
countrys youth, Kohli embraces the good life
with unbridled gusto showing that style
and substance can go hand in hand
SPORT SMAN
OCTOBER 2013 255
256 october 2013
Virat is a hero in a world that focuses on
clothes, hairstyles and parties. Yes, hes young
and impetuous, but behind the image is a kid
who works really hard and is deadly serious
about his game. Whats more: its personally
heartening to see someone as passionate about
Test cricket as Virat is.
Rahul Dravid
Cricket Legend
TUXEDO BY GUCCI.
LEATHER MASK BY
FLEET IIYA
OCTOBER 2013 257

ON VIRAT: BLAZER BY
MIHARAYASUHIRO.
T-SHIRT BY ZARA.
TROUSERS BY DIESEL
BLACK GOLD. WATCH
BY CHOPARD
ON MARIA:
JACKET BY ZARA.
HEELS BY CHRISTIAN
LOUBOUTIN
ON NOELLE: JACKET
BY ZARA
258 october 2013
HRI THI K
ROSHAN
Its been 13 years since he broke into the big time to establish himself as a
superstar. Yet, at some point youve probably thought: big deal the guys
genetically blessed beyond belief. Which is true, but the thing about Hrithik
Roshan that separates him from the rest of his ilk is the effort he brings
to everything he does, whether hes wheelchair bound or blazing through
the skies as a superhero. Thats why hes known in the business as the
perfectionist who misses nothing
Hrithik is someone who
understands the flm-making
process in its entirety. His
knowledge of it and his attention to
detail, always ensuring the perfect
shot, is a sign that there are many
more avatars of Hrithik Roshan
that were yet to discover.
Priyanka Chopra
Actress
ci nemat i c i con
TUXEDO BY
MASCULINE. BOW
TIE BY TOM FORD.
ROSE LAPEL PIN BY
RIVER ISLAND
SUHEL
SETH
This marketing mavens jousty,
acerbic Twitter personality may
have created some powerful
enemies but its also resulted
in an avalanche of fans and
followers. Heres to the ultimate
communications coup
di gi tal don
Suhel may be rude
and occasionally
abrasive, but he tells
it like it is. Thats why
his voice is important
and needs to be heard.
Hes a cross between a
journalist and a social
media commentator: a
double-barrelled voice.
Pritish Nandy
Columnist & Media Veteran
260 october 2013
OCTOBER 2013 261
ON SUHEL:
TUXEDO BY
ERMENEGILDO
ZEGNA
ON TANIA:
LINGERIE BY LA
SENZA. HEELS
BY CHRISTIAN
LOUBOUTIN
262 october 2013
Farhan
aKhTar
actor
Chivas studio presents
Thanks to his sublime performance in this
years most gripping biopic and pitch-perfect
moral tale, he can now be counted as one of
this countrys fnest actors. But what were
really wondering is whether theres anything
this man cant do
BLAZER BY KARL
LAGERFELD.
JUMPER BY
GIORGIO
ARMANI.
TROUSERS BY
BURBERRY
Farhan is genuine, earnest and an immensely
hard-working actor. His choice of stories has
been unique and thats why hes able to make
an instant connection.
Irrfan Khan
Actor
264 october 2013
OCTOBER 2013 265
LEATHER JACKET BY
ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA.
JUMPER BY GIORGIO
ARMANI. TROUSERS BY
BURBERRY. LOAFERS
BY BALLY
OPPOSITE PAGE:
JACKET BY
ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA.
TURTLENECK BY JOHN
SMEDLEY
266 october 2013
BANDHGALA,
SHIRT; BOTH
BY RAJESH
PRATAP SINGH.
POCKET SQUARE
BY ROBERTO
CAVALLI
OCTOBER 2013 267
RAKEYSH
MEHRA
OMPRAKASH
The four lms hes made
all belong to a different genre, each making
its own, unique point. But its this years
biopic on The Flying Sikh that caused a
bona de tremor, inspiring a nation in
ways only the movies can
DI RECTOR
268 OCTOBER 2013
Hes not just a director but a psychologist
and a philosopher someone who listens
and absorbs more than he speaks. Which
is probably why he was able to convey my
message so perfectly.
Milkha Singh
Legendary Athlete
october 2013 269
BLAZER BY PAUL
SMITH. SHIRT BY
RAJESH PRATAP
SINGH. JEANS BY
GUESS. LAPEL PIN
BY AGNS B
OPPOSITE PAGE:
SHIRT BY RAJESH
PRATAP SINGH.
JEANS BY GUESS
270 OCTOBER 2013
NARENDRA
KUMAR
Few men pay
as much attention
to sartorial detail as
this playful agitator
and accelerator of
Indian fashion
DESI GNER
october 2013 271
Naris clothes
are always an
integral part of
my wardrobe,
and Im delighted
hes winning this
award. Its long
overdue, and Id
like to see him take
home many more.
John Abraham
Actor
TUXEDO,
SHIRT; BOTH
By NARENDRA
KUMAR. TIE By
DIOR HOMME
272 OCTOBER 2013
RANDEEP
HOODA
Gay characters in Indian movies are mockingly
stereotyped as effete and weak. Which is why
this tough actors restrained, nuanced turn
in Bombay Talkies was clearly one of the
best performances of the year
out standi ng achi evement
october 2013 273
T-SHIRT by ROCK &
ROLL. bOWLER HAT
by MAISON MICHEL
274 october 2013
Randeep is not only an
immensely talented actor but
an extremely brave one, too.
Actors in India tend to focus a
lot on what people think and
get trapped within images. Not
Randeep. And for that I will
always admire him.
Karan Johar
Director
OCTOBER 2013 275
ON RANDEEP:
VELVET SUIT BY
ETRO. WAISTCOAT
BY DOLCE &
GABBANA.
SHIRT BY PAUL
SMITH. BOW TIE
BY DSQUARED2.
POCKET SQUARE,
SHOES; BOTH BY
ROBERTO CAVALLI
ON TANIA:
DRESS BY ROBERTO
CAVALLI. HEELS
BY CHRISTIAN
LOUBOUTIN
276 OCTOBER 2013
ADI TYA
GHOSH
For decades, air passengers ying across India believed
delays were inevitable, a fact of life. Then IndiGo came
along and showed that if an airline was obsessive about
nailing the details, consistency followed. And the focus
has paid off, with the carrier growing into the countrys
leading airline. A large part of the credit goes to its
38-year-old legal eagle-turned-President, Aditya Ghosh,
who knows the importance of sweating the small stuff
busi nessman
BLUE SUIT By
TM LEWIN. TIE
By THOMAS
PINK. POCKET
SQUARE By
BALMAIN
OPPOSITE PAGE:
SUIT By
BALMAIN. TIE
By TM LEWIN.
POCKET SQUARE
By LANVIN.
SHOES By
JOHNSTON
& MURPHY
october 2013 277
that too as a proftable exception to
Rajiv Bajaj
MD and CEO, Bajaj Auto
278 october 2013
TUXEDO BY
elie saab.
NECKLACE
BY pebble
OCTOBER 2013 279
SONAM
KAPOOR
Think you know Sonam Kapoor? No, you dont.
And thats exactly the way she likes it. Bollywoods
favourite fashionista is a tough nut to crack.
Until we did, with her sexiest shoot to date
GQ woman
ON sONam:
DREss, CUFF;
BOTH By ROBERTO
CAVALLI. RING By
SLIM BARRETT
ON FRaNCIsCO:
TUXEDO By
CORNELIANI.
sHIRT By KARL
LAGERFELD. sCaRF
By PAUL SMITH.
POCKET sQUaRE
By ETRO
OPPOsITE PaGE:
BRa By WHAT
KATIE DID.
BLaZER, EaRRINGs,
BROOCH, RING;
aLL By ROBERTO
CAVALLI. GaRTER
BELT By MYLA.
RING By SLIM
BARRETT
280 october 2013
OCTOBER 2013 281
282 october 2013
I met Sonam for the frst time many years ago
and immediately fell in love with her. Shes
fascinating, sensual and sophisticated.
Roberto Cavalli
Designer
ON sONam:
DREss, CUFF; BOTH By
ROBERTO CAVALLI.
RING By SLIM BARRETT
ON FRaNCIsCO (LEFT):
TUXEDO By CORNELIANI.
sHIRT By GUCCI.
BOW TIE By ROBERTO
CAVALLI. POCKET
sQUaRE By TOM FORD
ON RaHIL: TUXEDO By
CORNELIANI. sHIRT By
KARL LAGERFELD. BOW
TIE, CUFFLINKs; BOTH
By ROBERTO CAVALLI.
sCaRF By PAUL SMITH.
POCKET sQUaRE By ETRO
ON mIGUEL: TUXEDO By
CORNELIANI. sHIRT,
BOW TIE, POCKET
sQUaRE; aLL By TOM
FORD. CUFFLINKs By
ROBERTO CAVALLI
TUXEDO BY ELIE
SAAB. NECKLACE
BY PEBBLE. RING
BY SLIM BARRETT.
HEELS BY ROBERTO
CAVALLI
284 OCTOBER 2013
WI LLI AM
DALRYMPLE
WRI TER
Im convinced theres a whole factory
of genius elves labouring around the
clock to put out works under the name
of William Dalrymple. How else could
one man read every book that comes
out, turn out brilliantly researched
books of his own, be at every party
and somehow, in his spare time, help
make the Jaipur Literature Festival the
greatest celebration in Asia, almost
overnight? Williams the writer of
every year, as far as Im concerned.
Pico Iyer
Author
Mughals and Bauls, Afghan wars
and Byzantine monks hes taken us
on many journeys past and present.
This irrepressible historian, journalist,
broadcaster, critic and director of the
Jaipur Literature Festival cuts a towering
gure on the Indian literary scene
286 october 2013
SUIT, SHIRT, POCKET SQUARE;
ALL BY FRANKIE MORELLO.
TIE BY DIOR HOMME
OCTOBER 2013 287
RANVEER
SI NGH
Want style? All you need is condence,
attitude and a dash of Ranveer
a walking, talking, living,
breathing bolt of energy
What makes Ranveer stand out is that he puts
a hundred per cent into everything: his craft,
dressing, facial hair and bear hugs.
Vikramaditya Motwane
Director of Udaan and Lootera
most st yl i sh man
288 OCTOBER 2013
RAJDEEP
SARDESAI
In a television news cycle dominated
by hysteria and farce, this consummate
Bombay boy has shown that journalism
can still be a gentlemans pursuit
medi a personal i t y
october 2013 289
290 OCTOBER 2013
SUIT BY ROHIT
GANDHI+RAHUL
KHANNA. TIE,
POCKET SQUARE;
BOTH BY TOM FORD
october 2013 291
Rajdeep has spent many years as an
outstanding feld reporter and has a keen
understanding of life beyond the studio.
What I like most about him is his idealism
and enthusiasm, which remain
intact after two-and-a-half decades in a
hard, and often harsh, profession.
Ramachandra Guha
Writer & Historian
MANOJ
BAJPAYEE
Its hard to get audiences to love a
character whos all bad. But thats
exactly what Manoj Bajpayee has
achieved through his career, with riveting
performances in a string of cult classics.
This is an artist who doesnt need the
sheen of stardom to gain attention
I NSPI RAT I ON
292 OCTOBER 2013
ON MANOJ:
SUIT BY ROBERTO
CAVALLI. TURTLENECK
JUMPER BY
ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA.
POCKET SQUARE,
CUMMERBUND; BOTH BY
TOM FORD
ON TANIA:
JACKET BY VIVIENNE
WESTWOOD. CORSET,
KNICKERS; BOTH BY
AGENT PROVOCATEUR.
HEELS BY CHRISTIAN
LOUBOUTIN
october 2013 293
294 october 2013
The frst professional play I ever saw
featured Manoj. It was 1989 and he
made me realize that acting is not
about being superhuman. Whats so
special about him is that I see in him so
many different characters that are still
unexplored. His hunger to push himself
emotionally and physically is what
inspires me to write for him.
Anurag Kashyap
Director
OCTOBER 2013 295
SUIT BY
ROBERTO
CAVALLI.
TURTLENECK
JUMPER BY
ERMENEGILDO
ZEGNA. WATCH
BY CHOPARD
OPPOSITE PAGE:
BANDHGALA SUIT
BY HARI NAKAI.
POCKET SQUARE
BY ROBERTO
CAVALLI
VI RAT
KOHLI
Given his accomplishments on the pitch, its easy to forget that Indias cricket vice- captain and top-ranked ODI batsman is just 24. But not all the time. Reecting the exuberance, ambition and irreverence of the countrys youth, Kohli embraces the good life with unbridled gusto showing that style and substance can go hand in hand
SPORT SMAN
SUIT BY DIESEL BLACK GOLD. T-SHIRT BY ZARA. POCKET SQUARE BY ROBERTO CAVALLI. SHOES BY ADIDAS FOR JEREMY SCOTT. WATCH BY CHOPARD
VIRAT KOHLI
Photographer: ABHAY SINGH
Stylist: ANTARA MOTIWALA
Assistant Stylist: TANYA VOHRA
Hair & Make-Up (Virat): APENI GEORGE
Models: MARIA RUIZ DOMENE/INEGA MODELS: NOELLE
BARREIRO NAVEIRO/INEGA MODELS
Hair & Make-Up (Models): SUNITA BRACE
Production: GIZELLE CORDO
Production Assistant: VASUNDHARA SHARMA
Location: ORG NIGHT CLUB, BANDRA, MUMBAI
258 OCTOBER 2013
HRI THI K
ROSHAN
Its been 13 years since he broke into the big time to establish himself as a superstar. Yet, at some point youve probably thought: big deal the guys genetically blessed beyond belief. Which is true, but the thing about Hrithik Roshan that separates him from the rest of his ilk is the effort he brings to everything he does, whether hes wheelchair bound or blazing through the skies as a superhero. Thats why hes known in the business as the perfectionist who misses nothing
Hrithik is someone who
understands the lm-making
process in its entirety. His
knowledge of it and his attention to
detail, always ensuring the perfect
shot, is a sign that there are many
more avatars of Hrithik Roshan
that were yet to discover.
Priyanka Chopra Actress
TUXEDO BY MASCULINE. BOW TIE BY TOM FORD. ROSE LAPEL PIN BY RIVER ISLAND
ci nemat i c i con
HRITHIK ROSHAN
Photographer: DABBOO RATNANI
Assistant Stylist: RAVNEET CHANNA
Hair: KANTA MOTWANI/KROMAKAY
Make-Up: VAY PALANDE
Location: TRILOGY, MUMBAI
284 OCTOBER 2013
WI LLI AM
DALRYMPLE
Mughals and Bauls, Afghan wars and Byzantine monks this indefatigable historian, journalist, broadcaster, critic and director of the Jaipur Literature Festival cuts a towering gure on the Indian literary scene
WRI TER
Im convinced theres a whole factory of genius elves labouring around the clock to put out works under the name of William Dalrymple. How else could one man read every book that comes out, turn out brilliantly researched books of his own, be at every party and somehow, in his spare time, help make the Jaipur Literature Festival the greatest celebration in Asia, almost overnight? Williams the writer of every year, as far as Im concerned.
Pico Iyer Author
WILLIAM DALRYMPLE
Photographer: ANUSHKA NADIA MENON
Stylist: TANYA VOHRA
Hair & Make-Up: MONA ANAND/B:BLUNT
MANOJ
BAJPAYEE
Its hard to get audiences to love a character thats all bad. But thats exactly what Manoj Bajpayee has achieved through his career, with riveting performances in a string of cult classics. This is an artist who doesnt need the sheen of stardom to gain attention
I NSPI RAT I ON
ON MANOJ: SUIT BY ROBERTO CAVALLI. TURTLENECK JUMPER BY ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA. POCKET SQUARE, CUMMERBUND; BOTH BY TOM FORD ON TANIA: JACKET BY VIVIENNE WESTWOOD. CORSET, KNICKERS; BOTH BY AGENT PROVOCATEUR. HEELS BY CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
MANOJ BAJPAYEE
Photographer: RAM SHERGILL
Stylist: VENDRA BHARDWAJ
Hair (Manoj): MOHAMMAD AALAM
Make-Up (Manoj): MILIND CHAVAN
Model: TANIA LAZZO/FACECRAFT MODELS
Hair (Model): MELANIE DSOUZA/FATMU
Make-Up (Model): NALINI FERNANDES/FATMU
Set & Props: BINDIYA & NARII
Location: LIV, KALA GHODA, MUMBAI
RAKEYSH
MEHRA
OMPRAKASH
The four lms hes made all belong to a different genre, each making its own, unique point. But its this years biopic on The Flying Sikh that caused a bona de tremor, inspiring a nation in ways only the movies can
DI RECTOR
BANDHGALA, SHIRT; BOTH BY RAJESH PRATAP SINGH. POCKET SQUARE BY ROBERTO CAVALLI
RAKEYSH OMPRAKASH MEHRA
Photographer: TARUN VISHWA
Hair & Make-Up: MELANIE DSOUZA/FATMU
Location: AURUS, MUMBAI
RANDEEP
HOODA
Gay characters in Indian movies are mockingly stereotyped as effete and weak. Which is why this tough actors restrained, nuanced turn in Bombay Talkies was clearly one of the best performances of the year
out standi ng achi evement
T-SHIRT BY ROCK & ROLL. BOWLER HAT BY MAISON MICHEL
RANDEEP HOODA
Hair (Randeep): PERRY PATEL
Make-Up (Randeep): RENUKA PILLAI
Hair (Model): MELANIE DSOUZA/FATMU
Make-Up (Model): NALINI FERNANDES/FATMU
Location: LIV, KALA GHODA, MUMBAI
NARENDRA
KUMAR
Few men pay as much attention to sartorial detail as this playful agitator and accelerator of Indian fashion
Naris clothes
are always an
integral part of
my wardrobe,
and Im delighted
hes winning this
award. Its long
overdue, and Id
like to see him take
home many more.
John Abraham Actor
DESI GNER
TUXEDO, SHIRT; BOTH BY NARENDRA KUMAR. TIE BY DIOR HOMME
NARENDRA KUMAR
Location: CANVAS LOUNGE, MUMBAI
276 OCTOBER 2013
ADI TYA
GHOSH For decades, air passengers ying across India believed delays were inevitable, a fact of life. Then IndiGo came along and showed that if an airline was obsessive about nailing the details, consistency followed. And the focus has paid off, with the carrier growing into the countrys leading airline. A large part of the credit goes to its 37-year-old legal eagle-turned-President, Aditya Ghosh, who knows the importance of sweating the small stuff
busi nessman
BLUE SUIT BY TM LEWIN. TIE BY THOMAS PINK. POCKET SQUARE BY BALMAIN OPPOSITE PAGE: SUIT BY BALMAIN. TIE BY TM LEWIN. POCKET SQUARE BY LANVIN. SHOES BY JOHNSTON & MURPHY
OCTOBER 2013 277
that too as a protable exception to
Rajiv Bajaj MD and CEO, Bajaj Auto
ADITYA GHOSH
SUHEL
SETH
This marketing mavens jousty, acerbic Twitter personality may have created some powerful enemies but its also resulted in an avalanche of fans and followers. Heres to the ultimate communications coup
di gi tal don
Suhel may be rude
and occasionally
abrasive, but he tells
it like it is. Thats why
his voice is important
and needs to be heard.
Hes a cross between a
journalist and a social
media commentator: a
double-barrelled voice.
Pritish Nandy
Columnist & Media Veteran
ON SUHEL: TUXEDO BY ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA ON TANIA: LINGERIE BY LA SENZA. HEELS BY CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

SUHEL SETH
Photographer: ABHAY SINGH
Stylist: TANYA VOHRA
Hair & Make-Up: SUNITA BRACE
Props: BINDIYA & NARII
Location: TOTE BAR AT TOTE ON THE TURF, MUMBAI
RANVEER
SI NGH
Want style? All you need is condence, attitude and a dash of Ranveer a walking, talking, living, breathing bolt of energy
What makes Ranveer stand out is that he puts a hundred per cent into everything: his craft, dressing, facial hair and bear hugs.
Vikramaditya Motwane Director of Udaan and Lootera
most st yl i sh man
SUIT, SHIRT, POCKET SQUARE; ALL BY FRANKIE MORELLO. TIE BY DIOR HOMME
RANVEER SINGH
Photographer: PRASAD NAIK
Hair: SHEFALI SHETTY/B:BLUNT
Make-Up: MAHADEV A NAIK
Production: GIZELLE CORDO, TEMPLE ROAD
PRODUCTIONS
SONAM
KAPOOR
Think you know Sonam Kapoor? No, you dont. And thats exactly the way she likes it. Bollywoods favourite fashionista is a tough nut to crack. Until we did, with her sexiest shoot to date
GQ woman
TUXEDO BY ELIE SAAB. NECKLACE BY PEBBLE
SONAM KAPOOR
Hair & Make-Up (Sonam): NAMRATA SONI
Models: RAHIL/FACECRAFT, JAVIER/INEGA MODELS,
FRANCISCO/INEGA MODELS
Hair (Models): HIPPIN NEGANDHI/B:BLUNT
Make-Up (Models): XAVIER DSOUZA/FATMU
Production: GIZELLE CORDO, TEMPLE ROAD
PRODUCTIONS
RAJDEEP
SARDESAI
In a television news cycle dominated by hysteria and farce, this consummate Bombay boy has shown that journalism can still be a gentlemans pursuit
medi a personal i t y
RAJDEEP SARDESAI
262 OCTOBER 2013
FARHAN
AKHTAR
Thanks to his sublime turn in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag a gripping biopic slash pitch-perfect moral tale Farhan Akhtar can now be counted as one of this countrys nest actors. Is there anything this man cant do?
actor
BLAZER BY KARL LAGERFELD. JUMPER BY GIORGIO ARMANI. TROUSERS BY BURBERRY
CHIVAS STUDIO PRESENTS
FARHAN AKHTAR
Photographer: ATUL KASBEKAR
Hair: WALTER DORAIRAJ/B:BLUNT
Make-Up: SWAPNIL SHINDE
Location: ENIGMA/JW MARRIOTT, MUMBAI
296 OCTOBER 2013
Is it possible that a ight to Europe can be over too soon? In SWISS Business, its possible. Youll
enjoy Swiss cuisine, great entertainment and then a fully at bed. For bookings and inquiries about
daily nonstop ights from Mumbai and Delhi to Zurich call 1-800-209-7240/(022) 6713 7200,
contact your travel agent or visit swiss.com
Exclusive. Privileged. And yet, incredibly inviting.
octoBER 2013 299
EDITED BY SHIKHA SETHI & ADITYA KUNDALKAR
300
Sex: Chastity Fernandes
Books: Jai Arjun Singh
Urban Nomad: Kaushik Ray
Humour: Uday Benegal
Letter from Beirut: Nasri Atallah
Sport: Sambit Bal
Movies: Uday Bhatia
WRITTEN BY
A mAn who knows
shes for reAl
p
o
R
T
R
a
I
T
s
:

a
R
u
N

j
a
I
T
a
p
k
a
R
;

I
l
l
u
s
T
R
a
T
I
o
N
:

m
a
N
o
s
h

T
a
l
u
k
D
a
R
And women rarely shock me.
The legs on this woman. They
just kept on going until they
disappeared into the shortest
skirt. A skirt even more
indecent than if she had been
wearing nothing.
I jumped up from the
bar, grabbed her arm and
guided her to a sofa hidden
away in the back. And
of course ran my eyes up,
over one the most amazing
set of breasts I had seen.
Breasts that, however, Im
not sure beat the arse that I
had also managed to brush
my hand across.
So, she challenged me as I leaned
over and held a ame to her cigarette,
What sort of trouble is there to get
up to in this city?
Thigh to thigh, leaning closer
so I could whisper into her ear
over the Miles Davis playing in
the background, we traded empty,
irtatious words and meaningful
accidental touches. A hand on the
arm, a knee touching her inner thigh.
Then I felt the moment shift.
She slowly rearranged herself
on the sofa. Her legs widened, just
a little. Her skirt rode up, just a
little. She stared at me, with her lips
slightly opened, a lot.
My hand brushed against the
soft esh just inside and above the
knee and I pressed her skin ever
so lightly. I felt her hips rise to my
ngers, unconsciously wanting them
inside her, and I saw a little smile that
played across her face.
And then I moved that hand slowly
up. Fingers just lightly tickling her
esh so she knew exactly where they
were going. My breath tightened as
the tips of my ngers reached the
edge of that slight piece of fabric and
and I slowly dove under it, feeling the
heat, then the softness, the wetness.
And as I ran my ngers over and
into her, as I felt her wrapped around
me, involuntarily tensing and pushing
against me to go deeper, we stared at
each other, smiles on both our faces,
her eyes daring me to go further,
much further.
And Im fundamentally too much of
a gentleman to refuse a lady.
Hearing her deep breaths and
very controlled whimper. Feeling her
body nally tense around my ngers
and then go marvellously loose.
Taking her hand, leading her to a
cab, entering my suite, then slowly
ripping each piece of clothing off
her as we fucked across every piece
of furniture in the room before we
nally ended up on the bed.
So, Ms Chastity Fernandes, with
your name so ironically chosen,
Happy Fifth Anniversary. If anyone
believes someone like you cant
exist, theyve obviously chosen the
wrong women. And if anyone came
across you casually, theyd obviously
never guess.
But heres to sophisticated,
charming, intelligent women who
know that sex is an integral part
of that.
I
L
L
U
S
T
R
A
T
I
O
N
:

M
A
N
O
S
H

T
A
L
U
K
D
A
R
Chastity Fernandes often turns up at work after
lunch hour sporting bed head
300 OCTOBER 2013
I JUMPED UP FROM THE BAR,
GRABBED HER ARM AND GUIDED HER
TO A SOFA HIDDEN AWAY IN THE BACK.
AND OF COURSE RAN MY EYES UP,
OVER ONE THE MOST AMAZING SET OF
BREASTS I HAD SEEN. BREASTS THAT,
HOWEVER, IM NOT SURE BEAT THE ARSE
THAT I HAD ALSO MANAGED TO BRUSH
MY HAND ACROSS
SEX
S
INCE MANY OF you dont
seem to believe that Ms Chastity
Fernandes is real, shes asked me
to vouch for her. Im not sure youll
believe me, but why not keep you
amused and, more importantly, keep
myself amused with the story of how
I rst met Chastity? There wont be
any great meaning to this aside from
convincing you that Im way more
charming than all of you. Or, more
likely, that Im luckier than all of you.
Sitting in the dark at a local bar, an
Old Fashioned in my hand and warm
smoke being drawn into the back
of my throat, I was wondering what
the hell I was doing here. An urgent
email from a friend: Hey, do me a
favour and look out for this broad?
And I owed him some. So here I was.
Stuck babysitting when I should have
been at the ponies.
A tap on the shoulder, the smell of
freshly washed hair mixed with some
kinda damn perfume, and the most
luxurious voice Id ever heard washed
over me, Whats a girl gotta do to get
a drink in this place?
Jesus, I almost spat my drink out.
SHORT STORY
Her skirt was even
more indecent than
if she had been
wearing nothing
of aggressive, mobile plants.
Thrilling though these trifds are
as antagonists, the book is most
interesting when dealing with the
special problems facing a world in
which nearly everyone has suddenly
gone blind: The systems in charge
of power generation and water-
purifying stop working; people take
to the streets in panic, smashing
shop windows in the hope that
there may be food inside; civilization
is close to breakdown.
World War Z a book of
vignettes, taking the form of
testimonies delivered by apocalypse
survivors to a UN agent is
similarly perceptive about aspects
of our contemporary lives. It uses
the plot device of a worldwide
zombie infestation to reect on
how different countries would
react to a global catastrophe, and it
makes interesting points about how
technology including the Internet
and 24-hour access to screens has
facilitated narcissism and alienation.
Consider one of its many little
stories, told in the voice of a young
Japanese man named Kondo, who
calls himself an otaku an outsider
who felt so cut off from the real
world that he chose to retreat into
a better one where he could be
more in control. He means the
Internet, of course and, reading
his account, we realize that he was
for much of his life an automaton
himself: He spent nearly all his
waking hours at his computer,
mechanically sharing and acquiring
information, interacting with people
he didnt really know, occasionally
getting up and staggering to
his bedroom door to collect the
T
HERE WAS A time when
it was easy to identify real-
world zombies they bore a strong
resemblance to their ctional
counterparts. You could, for example,
spot them lurching about through
shopping malls, apparently comatose,
yet in motion, hands stretched out
towards the big discount sign in the
window yonder. George Romero got
it right in his 1978 zombie lm Dawn
Of The Dead largely set in a mall
which was as much a witty comment
on rampant consumerism as it was a
monster movie.
Today, though, the symptoms
are less easy to identify, and there
are many more of them. (Or should
that be us?) Look around, and you
see seated zombies staring into the
hypnotic depths of their computer
screens, a nger involuntarily
tapping on the keyboard to indicate
signs of life. Or even looking into
much smaller screens, the ones you
can carry around in a pocket and
which double as phones. Zombies
who might look like they are doing
important things, until you spy the
glazed expression in their eyes and
the little stream of spittle owing
down their chin.
I was thinking about this while
reading Max Brooks World War Z:
An Oral History Of The Zombie War.
Its an excellent entry in that sub-
category known as the dystopian
novel: the story about humankind (or
a specic human community) being
confronted by an unimaginable,
bleak fate. The genre has produced
highbrow literary works such as
Albert Camus The Plague and
George Orwells Nineteen Eighty-Four
but also lends itself to science ction,
fantasy or horror stories populated
with monsters or aliens. At its best,
it can provide zingers of insight into
the human condition while dealing
with otherworldly matters. Take John
Wyndhams 1951 novel The Day Of
The Trifds, in which the majority
of human beings lose their sight
after a meteor shower, making them
especially vulnerable to a species
breakfast or dinner tray his mother
had left for him outside. Does any
of this sound familiar? Mull over
the question for a few seconds
between checking your Facebook
notications.
When the zombie skirmish
begins, Kondo and his online
acquaintances treat it as they would
a video game. They collect details
about the conict, monitor its spread,
congratulate each other on their
hacking skills. Japan was doomed,
but I didnt live in Japan, he points
out, I lived in a world of free-
oating information. Of course, it
doesnt quite work out that way and
it is little wonder that when Kondo
awakens to the most unthinkable
crisis of his life his computer is no
longer working, the net is down he
goes nearly insane. Like the zombies,
he needs something to feed on and
that something is the glow of the
screen and the validation of others
in the cyber-world. But that is gone
now and he is so socially inept that
stepping out of his building and
knocking on a neighbours door is
not an option. Besides, what are
those shufing noises coming from
the hallway outside?
When Kondo nally does open
his door and looks out, he sees one
of the living dead crawling slowly on
its belly towards him. The left eye
was locked on mine and its gurgling
moan became a choked rasp. We
gather this is because the creature
has spotted food but perhaps it
had simply recognized one of its
own kind.
A
F
P
Jai Arjun Singh is a Delhi-based writer and
blogger who has a larger fan following than
hed like to admit. Twitter @jaiarjun
Dazed and
confused
What books and
lms about zombies
say about us
By Jai Arjun Singh
DYSTOPIA
Karel Capeks
War With The Newts,
in which the world
must deal with the
emergence of an
unusually intelligent
salamander species
PD James The
Children Of Men,
about mankind
facing extinction due
to mass infertility
Alan Moore and
David Gibbons
graphic novel
Watchmen, about
superheroes who are
ineffectual during
the Cold War
Ray Bradburys
Fahrenheit , set in
a future where books
are outlawed
302 OCTOBER 2013
BOOKS
304 OCTOBER 2013

E|)e |1||e| |]t|1)e|,
!|e '|1|1 l )e| l|
|l|e j| |e| | ||1|
B|l1]e. /| !,J!e lee| 1|1e
||e ]||1 (||1| eI ||e]l
1|1 E!JJ l| 1 l1Tl|] l l|
(||1| `!J,JJJl, ]|| |ee1 1
|e11 l| |el]|| 1|1 1 )|e
l| )|1 | 1ll|
What to do: H|] K|]
l1T H||] |e|1|1||
|1 )e|e1 | ||e JZ|1
l|| Wl|| 1|1T1|lt C|l|ee
t|ee| 1|1 l||l||e 1|1 1|
1||e||lt ||e|| C|l|ee
Te| (||e 'let|1| )|1W|
1|e | 1le l|l. || B|l|l|
1l|l|], ||] /|1 '|1|1, ||e
1leW 1|e j| 1 )et|1t|1|.
O||l l ||e |eW ]| )|1te
l| )We| ||t|e, )We|
tt||1l| 1|1 )We| 11|e
Sleeping: ll ] j| t1||
]e| e|]|, ||e '|1|]|l|1
l 1e | )e| 1| ||e e|1 l
ZJ!J, )|l11|e |el1e|te 1|e
1| l| 1|e, ||]| ||] ||e
)e||lt| |ee1 1))|]
Do say: |e|l |l1|
]|1le1 ||t||e |e1|ll||]
t1)||e 1|1 |el|et| ||e
||1| |]|l|e
Dont say: !|e t| l ||l
'|1|1] l |]|l]|
URBAN
KNOW THAT
edge of Western civilization looked
back, eastward, for meaning and
redemption. Little has changed. From
Charlie Chaplin to Richard Gere,
from Julia Roberts to Katy Perry, the
inuence of ancient Indian culture
on Los Angeles is an unwritten slice
of fascinating history. There are even
disputed theories that the Cali in
California is derived from none
other than the Indian goddess Kali as
though Maa Kali is immediately here.
Kali phauran yahaan, so to say.
Whats interesting is that the
reverse the inuence of LA and
modern American culture on India
and LAs sister city Mumbai is a
piece of history that is endlessly
written about and debated.
Question: Which of the two cities
am I describing? A land of shrewd
moguls, small-town wannabes and
self-aggrandizing, shallow airheads;
a melting pot of colours and races; a
city of cars and stars, where the divine
nomenclature shrouds a devilish
underbelly; a polluted urban sprawl
where dreams are made and dashed,
where global dreams and fantasies are
created, sanitized, marketed and sold.
A body-conscious metro where health
is whats on the inside and beauty is
only whats on the outside; the home
of yoga and nose jobs, Persian exiles,
crowded beaches. A city looking
westward on to the waters of the
I
FIND MYSELF in LA.
Hollywood, to be precise.
Like everybody here from waiters
to struck-lucky actors, from millionaire
movie producers to buskers Im in
LA for pleasure, as well as for work.
My work in LA involves scouting
locations for a music video company,
helping out with a bit of TV production
and generally touching base with my
industry contacts.
For pleasure, Im doing LA: hikes
in Grifn Park, yoga in Larchmont
village, bar-hopping in WeHo,
shopping in Beverly Hills, smoothies,
lunches, power walks, poolside trysts
and Oceanside mists. You cant really
visit LA and enjoy it. You just have to
live it.
Openness pervades life here.
Forget the clichs of gay rights,
organic food and ower power a
connection to the environment
and an existential exploration of
mans relationship to nature runs
deep through every real Southern
Californians veins. That, and a desire
to make it in Hollywood.
It is those opposing yearnings
one, a desire to understand mans
place in this world, the other, a desire
to be seen and known that make it
such a fertile ground for psychologists,
psychiatrists, gurus, quacks and
pundits.
Hidden behind Highway 101, low
in the Hollywood Hills, is a small
temple built like a mini Taj Mahal.
Ive just returned from visiting. It was
here in the late Twenties that, while
Western cinema was being born, a
young Indian priest named Swami
Prabhavananda founded the Vedanta
Society of Southern California. In its
formative years in the Thirties, new
Hollywoods players Greta Garbo,
Aldous Huxley and Christopher
Isherwood attended satsangs here,
entranced by what to them was a new
way of thinking.
Hollywood cultivated these New
Age ideas; it was a place where
Eastern thought met and challenged
Western decadence; where the land
of the setting sun the geographic
night and heavenward for absolution.
The abode of exploitation and riches,
where maids are seen but not heard,
where civil unrest is never unexpected,
where neighbourhoods occasionally
burn but embers never die; where who
you know matters more than what you
know. A place of dashed hopes, award
ceremonies, glamour, bitterness and
envy; a town of old money and new
wealth, of couches to cast and vouches
to fast, where prurience is taught while
sex is bought. A place of utter wonder.
The answer? Both, of course. But
why do they entice? Is it just maya, a
cinematic illusion, a digitized glow of
fanciful fare? Or do they represent the
apotheosis of human, global culture?
Are they the pinnacle of a certain
lifestyle where, armed with a love
of the supercial twinned with the
steely knowledge of true detachment,
an urban nomad can truly ourish?
Therein lies the rub: For a true
urban nomad, the minor irritants of
geography and culture dont really
matter. Truth, joy and beauty can
be found in whatever jungle-like
surroundings attempt to crowd, smear
and obfuscate.
And the truth is, whenever I spend
time in either of the twin cities of Holly-
and Bolly-, its always a good time.
I
L
L
U
S
T
R
A
T
I
O
N
:

S
A
C
H
I
N

S
H
E
T
T
Y
;

R
E
X

F
E
A
T
U
R
E
S
Urban Nomad tells the real-life tales of Kaushik
Ray, a London-based international lawyer.
Twitter @GQurbannomad
California
dreamin
The inuence of Indian
culture in LA is an
unwritten slice of history
By Kaushik Ray
URBAN NOMAD
during each session, the sighs of his
breath competing with the sheath of
his thighs. I try to tune him out. Thats
the whole idea, right? To listen only to
the silence within, to observe without
reacting? It isnt easy, but I do it.
And then the scratching begins.
An even, regular repetition. Scrch-
scrch... scrch-scrch... scrch-scrch.
It isnt the same lad. The sound is
coming from somewhere to my
left. Its been eyes closed all this
while, right through the fellers
readjustments. But now Im curious.
I peek. A man, aged about 60, is
slouched cross-legged upon his
cushion, left foot over right knee,
right hand positioned upon left foot,
picking persistently, consistently, at
his callused sole. Theres a clock-like
precision to his itch. Tune it out, I tell
myself. I succeed again. Im meditating
deeply, watching my breath, focusing
on the sensation above my upper
lip, as Ive been instructed. My mind
wanders, I gently tug it back. Im
coasting, concentrating and then
YEEEAAAOOOOO! The ejaculation
snaps me out like a hypnotists subject
wrenched back to reality. The old man
had yawned. Really loudly! WTF?!
By the third day, I start to get the
hang of the meditation. The method,
which is rather peculiar and quite
remarkable, is taught progressively,
each day bringing new insight to
Gautama Buddhas liberation
technique that was apparently lost
everywhere except in a couple of
monasteries in Myanmar where SN
Goenka, the founder of the Dhamma
trust that runs centres across the
world, had learned it. Im tuning out
impressively. Change is the constant
refrain. I dig it. Every day, every
moment, every meditation is different.
Like the day a new meditator
appears next to me. Unlike me, whos
M
Y CURIOSITY IN the
meditation method known
as vipassana was rst aroused about
18 years ago by a couple of friends
whod tried it. I was intrigued by
this 10-day introspection bootcamp,
where neither word nor glance could
be exchanged among inmates. But
between my touring schedule and
my personal life, it eluded me. Then I
moved to America, where I promptly
forgot about it.
In 2009, soon after I moved back
to India, my interest was rekindled by
another friend, whod just returned
from a vipassana course in Himachal
Pradesh. Apparently, I had popped
into her head even as she tried
to empty it in the middle of her
course. She thought Id dig it. They
say you go when you get the call (I
dont know who they are, but thats
what they say). Well, I took her call,
hopped on a plane to Delhi, took a
train to Pathankot, shared a taxi to
McLeod Ganj and rode a rickshaw up
to Dharamkot. I checked in, gave up
my worldly things and set up in the
spartan room with a thin mattress
atop a concrete ledge. It was meagre
but cozy. And set within a most
beautiful, lush pine-lled estate.
Say vipassana to anyone and they
instantly balk, exclaiming, Ten days
of no talking! Thats the easy part,
Bart. Ten hours of meditation each day
leaves you with little room for speech.
I embrace the idea of total silence.
Being a frontman for a rock band, my
life is lled enough with words and
sounds as it is.
I enter the meditation hall. Hushed,
it is, but total silence? I discover
just how loud quiet can be. Im sitting
in the last row of the hall that seats
around 90 people. To my right is a
chubby young bloke in cargo pants.
I believe he wears the same pants
through the length of the course
because I hear them at every session,
his trousers going whoosh-whoosh-
whoosh, canvassy fabric against
canvassy fabric as he continually
shifts and re-shifts. The guy changes
his position like a hundred times
on the oor, hes sitting on a chair
(youre allowed to if you really cant
do the oor thing). Only, his left foot,
which hes crossed over his right leg, is
level with my left ear. No worries, Im
cool. Until he starts to rub it. Whats
with all the foot rubbing? But Im
unfazed by the shik-shik-shik-shik. Im
a seasoned tune-out-er, baby. And then
the camels back goes. Ive been doing
ne, handling it all the scratches,
burps, yawns, sighs, shifts, knuckle-
cracks the lot. But when a man
lifts a thigh and goes PRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRAAARRPPP!!! Into your
ear, no less? No, man, thats where I
draw the line. Yknow, I really want
to learn this thing. But its all about
awareness and Im fully aware right
now that this hurdle I will not be able
to cross. Not this time. All things shall
pass wind? No, sirree.
The observation of noble silence, as
its called, does not preclude students
from requesting assistance from the
centres volunteers. The Israeli man
I approach is very understanding of
my plight. At the next session I see the
mans chair has been moved to the far
corner. He looks alarmed and darts
me a glare. I in turn wish him peace,
happiness and liberation, just as I do
to all beings in the goodwill gesture
known as Metta, which weve been
taught to end all sessions with.
At the end of the 10 days, I left
the centre feeling like I could take
on the worlds harshest ways like
never before. I continue to practise
vipassana. I even went back up to
Dharamkot last month and completed
my second course. This time I
managed to block out every creak,
snort, burp and hiss. Twas a noble
silence, indeed.
I
L
L
U
S
T
R
A
T
I
O
N
:

K
U
N
A
L

K
U
N
D
U
Uday Benegal is a singer, writer and general
no-gooder gambolling around with a band of
wastrels called Indus Creed
Quiet riot
A 10-day vow of silence
isnt quite as peaceful
as it sounds
By Uday Benegal
PIECE OF MIND
The no-talking clause
of a vipassana course
is the easiest part
306 OCTOBER 2013
HUMOUR
I nod. Afrmative. Are you guys
famous? I smirk and say, Of course.
They arent, not yet at least, but
thats not important right now. Can
I get your autograph? I notice shes
wearing a school sweatshirt with
some form of cross and the Virgin
Mary on it. Im not in the band. Its
the guys over there whose autographs
you want.
I get to my seat. Within minutes,
there are ve teenage girls in the
aisle alongside us. Then ten. Twenty.
Thirty. An elderly French lady exhales
heavily to my left, smelling of stale
cigarettes and supermarket-brand
deodorant. Her exhalation expresses
irritation in a way only the French
have mastered. I feel guilty for
inadvertently orchestrating a mini
mob in a sleepy train carriage in
midwestern France. Amidst all the
autographing, we look at each other
Nader, Eddy, Anthony and I and
wonder what the fuck is going on.
***
We never expected to end up in a
train in the west of France, let alone
together, let alone as a band, let alone
being mobbed. I met Nader and
Eddy at a dive bar in Beirut two years
ago. (Technically, it was in the same
bar on different nights.) We talked
about suicidal womanizing alcoholic
novelists, the kind of thing men think
they should talk about in dive bars.
They asked about my writing. I asked
about their music. I went along to a
recording session in Beiruts artsy,
lefty Hamra district. We crashed into
a VW Beetle on the way there. The
recording session wasnt great. Nor
was the Famous Grouse we drank out
of tiny plastic cups.
W
ERE AT La Roche-sur-Yon
train station, waiting for the
11:54 to La Rochelle. Were not far
from the Atlantic coast, in the Loire
Valley. The town is inhabited by
55,000 people half of them seem
to be at the train station. The sun is
much stronger than it was in Paris
two days earlier. Its warmer, too,
and weve dumped our jackets into
our luggage. Were all feeling our
hangovers kicking about in our
heads as we move our bags along the
platform, not really talking to each
other, hidden behind the smudged
lenses of our black Ray-Bans.
The train pulls in exactly on time
one of the rare things the French
get consistently right. We grab the
guitar hard cases, cymbals, snare,
backpacks, weekend bags and start
shoving them, and ourselves, into
carriage 18. Its hard to load guitars
into a crowded train without hitting
a few heads. We feel cumbersome
as we pile everything in. The guys
are up ahead, and theyve taken
their seats. Last nights bottle of
Jameson is making me particularly
slow, so Im still staring at the luggage
rack, trying to will my bag into what
little space is left. In the midst of
my existential crisis, a teenage girl
asks me if were a rock band. Im too
hungover to articulate a response.
A couple of months later, they
sent me a track. I was on the Thalys
train from Paris to Brussels with a
colleague. Even though the rides
only an hour, we gured we should
use the free Wi-Fi onboard to squeeze
in some work. I saw a message pop
up in my inbox from Nader. It was
a new track. I slid in my ill-tting
earphones. When the track ended,
I didnt react. I played it again. And
again. I smiled. They nally nailed it,
I thought to myself. Cyril. Listen to
this. I handed over the earphones.
With no explanation.
Three months later, we were
managing The Wanton Bishops. That
was a year ago. Since then, weve
toured, argued, formed friendships,
launched an album, discovered a new
industry, been on French national
television, shared successes and
failures. Weve travelled through
Turkey, France, Sweden, Norway,
Denmark and supported bands like
Guns N Roses and artists like Lana
Del Rey. I say we because, even
though Im just the manager, I cant
help but feel like a band member.
Thats how everyone involved feels.
The things that have happened over
the last 12 months just dont happen
to a bunch of guys from Lebanon.
They really dont.
***
An hour later, the train pulls into La
Rochelle. After dropping our stuff
off at the hotel and scofng down
some moules frites at the harbour,
we head to the venue for the show.
Its the last day of the tour. This is the
smallest venue so far, a bar run by
the team from the much larger La
Sirne across town. The bar smells
of spilled bourbon and small-town
giddiness and exasperation in equal
measure. Its perfect. Theres no stage.
The ceiling is low. Its sweaty. And
intimate. People interrupt songs.
They talk to the guys in between
tracks. It feels like the rst gig the
guys played a year ago in a bar
back home. Then, they were mainly
surrounded by close friends. This,
strangely, feels the same. We might
be on the Atlantic coast of France,
in a city weve never been in, and
may never return to but a hundred
people weve never met before
suddenly feel like friends.
Nasri Atallah is a British-Lebanese author and
publisher who splits his time between Paris and
Beirut. He enjoys long walks by the beach and
lying about what he enjoys. Twitter @NasriAtallah
The accidental
manager
How a series of
unlikely events led to a
European concert tour
By Nasri Atallah
HEAVY LOAD
The Wanton Bishops
have supported
bands like Guns N
Roses and artists like
Lana Del Rey
308 OCTOBER 2013
LETTER FROM BEIRUT
Er, Mr
Broad... thats
called blatant
cheating.
Shameful.
And then later,
How can you
thick edge it to
1st slip and stand
there? Disgraceful.
I dont want to win
like this. #Ashes
@StuartBroad8
Broad isnt among the most
likeable cricketers around. A
Malfoyish character, he is petulant,
his appeals border on the outrageous,
and he is often openly disrespectful
towards the umpires. There is
muttering in the circuit about match
referees being lenient towards him
because his father, the former England
player Chris Broad, happens to be a
match referee himself.
In this instance, however, the
outrage against Broad Jr was wholly
misplaced. Walking as a concept is a
leftover of crickets amateur origins,
when it was the gentlemanly thing to
do. The laws of the game empower
the umpire to give the batsman out
and entitle the batsman to stand his
ground till he is given out. Innocent till
pronounced guilty.
But among all sports, crickets
relationship with morality is the
most twisted. To start with, cricket
takes its own perceived values too
seriously. The term its not cricket
is considered a metaphor for life,
underscoring the games commitment
to fair play and decency. Its quite a
burden for a sport in which players
compete ercely to win every battle,
and do so over days.
And it is also based on a falsehood.
From the very early ages, cricketers
have stretched and bent the rules to
wrest the tiniest of advantages. WG
Grace, for example, the biggest icon
of the amateur era, outed them most
outrageously, replacing a dislodged
bail or rearranging splayed stumps
and carrying on batting on the
grounds that the crowds had come
to see him bat. Cricketers also abuse
one another in unprintable language
involving mothers, sisters and wives,
all in the name of on-eld banter.
Cricketers pick the seam of the ball,
rub it with sweeteners and beef up
their bats with carbon bre. They
appeal incessantly to pressure the
umpire to make a wrong decision, and
I
N THE OPENING Ashes Test
at Trent Bridge this season, Stuart
Broad, the England all-rounder,
edged a ball that ricocheted off the
wicketkeepers pad to rst slip, but
was given not out. It was a meaty
edge, not a faint tickle, and it could
be both heard and seen. The Decision
Review System, under which players
can challenge the umpires decision,
was in operation but, having wasted
both their referrals, Australia didnt
have recourse to it. Broad survived
and went on to forge a partnership
that turned out to be match winning.
Expectedly, Aleem Dar, the umpire
in question, was roundly criticized.
Umpiring has become a hopelessly
thankless job because the world can
now judge you in hindsight with the
benet of an array of technology you
have no access to while making a
split-second decision. However, it was
a palpably poor decision from a once-
excellent umpire whose form has
been fading.
But Broad copped it even harder.
His was a crime against the spirit of
the game. He should have, his critics
railed, done the honourable thing and
walked. Nothing summed the moral
indignation against Broad better
than these tweets from the popular
television host Piers Morgan:
bowlers
sometimes
aim at the
ribs and
the heads
of batsmen
with
the clear
intention of
bodily damage.
By a distance,
tennis is far more
a gentlemans game.
Despite being a one-on-one
contest, players rarely glower at each
other; they apologize when they win
a point fortuitously via a net-cord
and they rarely smack a volley at
the body of their opponent. Players
get ned and, in extreme cases,
suspended, for swearing at umpires.
In contrast, football makes no claim
towards gentlemanliness. Players foul
deliberately and by equal measure
dive to fool the referee into awarding
a foul. But no one takes offence. Both
the act of fouling and feigning are part
of the fabric of the game. When they
get caught, they get penalized, but no
one judges them for it.
Cricket, however, constantly
feels obliged to make a production
of its adherence to the spirit of the
game, which is not only an entirely
malleable concept but also shrouded
in ambiguity.
The angst over Broads refusal to
walk was not merely because he had
edged the ball. Walking has been
more an exception than the rule in
the last few decades. When batsmen
get a thin nick to the wicketkeeper
its de rigueur for them to wait for
the umpires decision, and they are
deemed lucky if they get away with
it. In Broads case, his crime was that
the edge was so obvious that it made
the consequent standing back look
awful and cast a poor light on the
nobility of the game.
So, in essence, it isnt against the
spirit of the game to cheat if there is a
reasonable chance that youd get away
with it, but youre damned if its likely
to bring embarrassment to you and,
by extension, to your game.
I love cricket too much to quibble
about its peculiarities. I only wish it
could shed its faux morality and allow
us to celebrate it for what it truly is: the
most epic, the most nuanced and the
most intellectual of spectator sports.
G
E
T
T
Y

I
M
A
G
E
S
Sambit Bal is the editor of ESPNcricinfo.com
Fair play
The spirit of
the game is an
entirely ambiguous
concept
By Sambit Bal
AMONG ALL SPORTS, CRICKETS
RELATIONSHIP WITH MORALITY IS THE
MOST TWISTED. THE TERM ITS NOT
CRICKET IS CONSIDERED A METAPHOR
FOR LIFE, UNDERSCORING CRICKETS
COMMITMENT TO FAIR PLAY AND DECENCY.
QUITE A BURDEN FOR A SPORT IN WHICH
PLAYERS COMPETE FIERCELY TO WIN
EVERY BATTLE, AND DO SO
OVER DAYS
HISSY FIT
The tantrums and
taunts of all-rounder
Stuart Broad
(standing akimbo)
are legendary
310 OCTOBER 2013
SPORT
I
N 1899, GEORGE MLIS,
whose ctionalized life story forms
a substantial part of Martin Scorseses
Hugo, directed Jeanne DArc. Thus,
it is said, the biopic was born. And
theyve never gone out of fashion. Its
easy to see why: With a biographical
lm, the broad story has already
been written and the public knows
the lms protagonist and gets to see
famous people play other famous
people. Also, a cursory glance at the
Best Picture Oscar nominees over the
years will reveal a long list of biopics
and almost-biopics. This is why youll
mostly see studios release these lms
in the winter months, along with the
other prestige lms.
Though they continue to be Oscar
bait, theres been a noticeable shift
in the way biopics are now cutting
through to the heart of their stories.
Instead of sweeping summaries like
Gandhi, directors today prefer to zero
in on key moments in the lives theyre
chronicling. We saw this in The Kings
Speech, a lm about King George VIs
rst wartime address to the nation; in
Lincoln, which dealt with the passing
of the Thirteenth Amendment; in
Hitchcock and The Girl, which were
about the making of Psycho and The
Birds, respectively; and in My Week
With Marilyn and Hyde Park On
Hudson, which focused on obscure
episodes in Monroe and Franklin D
Roosevelts lives.
With social media bridging the
gap between idol and follower,
its hardly surprising that recent
biopics have tried to provide
audience members with a similar
sense of intimacy to the person
onscreen. Considering viewers
today could, if so moved, conrm
the veracity of facts on their phones
between scenes, lmmakers are also
becoming cannier about the volume
of information theyre giving out.
All this may mean that the days of
the sweeping biographical epic are
behind us. Future biopics are more
likely to resemble The Queen than
Lawrence Of Arabia. After his hand
also news of Ben Foster playing
Lance Armstrong in a planned
Stephen Frears biopic, and the
startling casting of Andr 3000 as
Jimi Hendrix.
Though its storytelling was
anything but focused, Bhaag Milkha
Bhaags killing at the box-ofce
means that a slew of Indian biopics
are now on the cards, too. Akshay
Kumar is reportedly playing Dara
Singh, and Priyanka Chopra has
started training for her role as Mary
Kom. In a more palatable piece of
casting news, Ranbir Kapoor might
play Kishore Kumar in Anurag
Basus next. Theres a rumoured
Guru Dutt tribute in the pipeline, too.
Plus, Shivendra Singh Dungarpur is
planning to follow Celluloid Man (see
box) with another bio-documentary
on Jir Menzel, no less.
Itll be interesting to see if any of
the upcoming Indian biopics gamble
on a warts-and-all presentation of
their subject. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
irted with the idea but never
really followed through young
knife-wielding Milkha is passed
off as a rebel. And the Silk Smitha
semi-biopic Dirty Picture didnt go
anywhere as far as PT Andersons
Boogie Nights, which sets the porn
industry up as a dream factory
and then punctures the bubble.
Chittagong and Paan Singh Tomar
presented more rounded portraits
but couldnt resist attering their
heroes. Its been argued that Indians
are a shade too respectful to make
censorious lms about public
gures. Heres hoping for a little less
respect, and better biopics.
Uday Bhatia is Film Editor for Time Out Delhi. A
F
P
in the zeitgeist-dening The Social
Network which tempered the broad
scope of its narrative with sharply
focused storytelling screenwriter
Aaron Sorkin is planning to make
his directorial debut with a lm on
Steve Jobs. It is said to consist of just
three conversations, taking place at
different times in Jobs life.
In any case, the release of Joshua
Sterns Jobs earlier this year starring
Ashton Kutcher seems to have
opened the oodgates for a series
of high-prole biopics. Keeping
Kelso company in the stunt-casting
sweepstakes is Daniel Radcliffe as
Allen Ginsberg in Kill Your Darlings.
Naomi Watts will make an Oscar
bid as Britains favourite princess in
Diana, while Idris Elba is also likely
to bag a nomination as Madiba in
Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom.
Meanwhile, in Saving Mr Banks,
Tom Hanks will take on the role he
was born to play Walt Disney. Of
these, Diana, Saving Mr Banks and
Kill Your Darlings revolve around
specic periods and incidents in the
protagonists lives, with only Long
Walk To Freedom going the
epic route.
Then there are the lms about the
outliers, the oddballs and the lesser-
knowns. This year has already seen
the release of Steven Soderberghs
Behind The Candelabra, with a
fantastic turn by Michael Douglas as
Liberace, and two European biopics
from 2012, Kon-Tiki and Hannah
Arendt. Also ready to release
abroad, if not here are Lovelace,
with Amanda Seyfried as the Deep
Throat star, and The Fifth Estate, with
Benedict Cumberbatch having a bad
hair day as Julian Assange. Theres
TAKE lT lN
Directors like
Sacha Gervasi
who made last
years Hitchcock
focus on key
moments in their
protagonists lives
Harder,
faster,
stronger
The age of the
leaner, tter biopic
By Uday Bhatia
312 OCTOBER 2013
FIVE BIOPICS
YOU MUST SEE
CeIIuIod Mn (212)
Shivendra Singh
Dungarpurs film is a
wonderful tribute to
archivist PK Nair and
to Indian cinema in its
th year
Crumb (1994)
A sly and subtly dev-
astating documen-
tary by Terry Zwigoff
about a sly and subtly
devastating man,
cartoonist R Crumb
My Besl Fend (1999)
Not strictly a biopic,
this portrait of mercu-
rial German actor
Klaus Kinski by his
best fiend (friend
in German), direc-
tor Werner Herzog,
teeters between the
scary and the sublime
5enn (21)
Asif Kapadia took
the bold step of not
having any voice-over
narration for his docu-
mentary on Ayrton
Senna, relying instead
on old interviews and
race footage
5lores We TeII
(213)
In her rapturously
received non-fiction
debut, Sarah Polley
turns the spotlight
on her parents and
their secrets
MOVIES
Delhi/NCR | Mumbai | Bangalore | Pune | Chennai | Jaipur | Hyderabad | Chandigarh | Kanpur

Guwahati | Coimbatore | Kolkata | Siliguri | Vadodara | Dehradun | Kochi | Amritsar
Also available at: Metro, Mochi, Lifestyle, Central, Reliance Footprint, Shoe Tree, Shoppers Stop
www.myntra.com, www.jabong.com, www.flipkart.com, www.fashionandyou.com
www.clarks.in
314 october 2013
october 2013 315
(UK GQ JUly 11)
316 october 2013
WOMEN ON TOP
(UK GQ Sep 11)
october 2013 317
(UK GQ Feb 07)
318 october 2013
WOMEN ON TOP
(UK GlaMOUr JUly 12)
october 2013 319
320 october 2013
WOMEN ON TOP
(UK GQ Sep 09)
october 2013 321
(UK GQ May 08)
HOW TO READ THE KEYS
GR DS
Tunes that
prompt
couples to get
closer
NEXT BIG
THING
Mirpur today;
tomorrow,
the world
VINTAGE VIBE
Youve heard
this before
but you cant
put your
nger on it
HOT FEMALE
FAN(ATIC)S
Groups
of hotties
inging their
delicates on
stage
HIPSTER
CRED
I used to
listen to them
before they
were cool
LIVEWIRE
Best seen
and heard
up close and
personal
UNCLE ALERT
Some gigs
just appeal
to a wider
audience
BOUNCY
Gonna make
you sweat
DEEP,
REAL DEEP
Bust out the
kohl eyeliner
and black
hoodie
WRITTEN BY ADITYA KUNDALKAR
P
H
O
T
O
:

N
A
V
I
N

D
E
V
N
A
N
I
WELCOME TO
THE SCENE
Dualist Inquiry
raises the roof at the
2012 Bacardi NH7
Weekender Festival
in Pune
Exclusively on
the GQ India
iPad app: Direct
SoundCloud access
to the artists music
326 OCTOBER 2013
MR BOUNCE
ANISH SOOD
GENRES: House, trance
ESTD: , Goa
LAST SEEN: Chilling by the beach
A big part of Anish Soods appeal is that he has as
good a time as the crowd hes playing to leaping
three feet in the air when the bass drops, aiming the
smoke machine at the crowds and when you hear
one of his EDM mashups of Red Hot Chili Peppers,
Coldplay and Kings Of Leon, you wont be able to
stand still either.
Over the span of an action-packed two years, Sood
has enjoyed top billing at Sunburn and Bacardi NH7
Weekender, and opened for David Guetta on his 2012
India tour. Soods sound would t right into a playlist
of Armin van Buuren, Tisto and Avicii the dudes
behind the glut of house anthems out there. And like
every respectable house music DJ around the world,
he has a sexy female voice on his most popular tunes:
Hello World and Wanna Be Your Only Love.
Sood is a regular at some of Indias biggest clubs
Kitty Su (Delhi), Blue Frog (Mumbai and Delhi) and
Pebble (Bangalore) so youll be able to catch him
sooner than you think.
GQ RECOMMENDS:
Hello World (Summer Dub Mix)
By The Edge On The Otherside
Sunburn Festival Promo Mix
soundcloud.com/anisood
P
H
O
T
O
:

M
I
T
S
U
N

S
O
N
I
P
H
O
T
O
:

N
A
M
A
N

S
A
R
A
I
Y
A

N
I
S
C
H
A
Y
;

P
E
Y
U
S
H

B
A
R
E
N
W
A
L

P
E
T
E
R

C
A
T
328 OCTOBER 2013

TRIP ADVISORS
PETER CAT RECORDING CO.
GENRES: Indie rock, retro, psychedelica
ESTD: , New Delhi
LAST SEEN: Playing in a dark Hauz Khas venue
Things about this band might seem random, but theyve
all been carefully orchestrated: The name is inspired by a
Kolkata restaurant; the ornate, cursive handwriting and
kitty (sometimes wearing a top hat) in the emblem is all
hipster. And their music is a surreal experience: Imagine
Seventies-era RD Burman rhythms set to the pace of a
merry-go-round, weave in the strains of a Doors-era
organ and add to it the lazy drawl of lead singer Suryakant
Sawhney. If it all seems a bit fuzzy and off-key Sawhneys
old, beat-up organ is from a garage sale in San Francisco
like youre in a drug-addled haze, youre hearing it right.

GQ RECOMMENDS:
Happiness
Tokyo Vaya
Love Demons (video)
soundcloud.com/petercatrecordingco
ALL LOVE, NO SAP
NISCHAY PAREKH

GENRES: Electronica singer-songwriter
ESTD: , Kolkata
LAST SEEN: Instagramming a photo of a monkey
Nischay Parekhs band is called The Monkey In
Me. His sound, however, is less simian and more
Damien Rice (ie, chick magnet), ne-tuned by
his training at the Berklee College of Music in
Boston. Theres a refreshing directness to his
sound and a straight-up, no-nonsense approach to
songwriting. Who needs a rhyme scheme when
the words are as straight from the heart as this: I
love you baby and I love you doll/Its too hard to
stay away. Add to that a wild mix of Auto-Tune
and funky bass and you have songs that are like a
Willy Wonka confection: full of fun surprises.
GQ RECOMMENDS:
Dot
I Love You Baby, I Love You Doll
Star Wars Theme
soundcloud.com/nischay-parekh
Eternity Lifestyles Pvt. Ltd. +91.22.4340.2222
info@eternitylifestyles.com
P
H
O
T
O
:

B
I
K
R
A
M
J
I
T

B
O
S
E
000 OCTOBER 2011
XX X(Y)
ALGORHYTHM

GENRE: Nu-disco, house, glitch-hop
ESTD: , Mumbai
LAST SEEN: Manning the console at a bowling alley
repurposed for a club night
You wont hear any club anthems at an
AlgoRhythm night. And you wont care that they
dont make any of the music themselves. Varun
Patra and Paloma Monnappa together known
as AlgoRhythm play the freshest EDM sounds
youve never heard. You might experience ashes
of recognition when they throw in the occasional
Jamiroquai or Ellie Goulding, but newer lesser-
known acts like Bondax, The Presets, The xx and
Chromeo dominate their sets.
To avoid any potential I-feel-like-a-dinosaur
moments, spend some time on their website
whattheux.in a place where they share their
favourite sights and sounds. Then youll be ready
to impress friends with your badge of hipster
cred. But most likely youll be too busy bouncing
and st-pumping to care.

GQ RECOMMENDS:
Vandaag (Original Mix) by Bakermat
All Youre Waiting For by Classixx
Fall (Tomas Barfod Remix) by The Presets
soundcloud.com/algorithm-3
fabook.com/AlgoRhythm.Music
Visit our Stores at www.grasimfashion.com
FOR TRADE/DISTRIBUTION/STORE ENQUIRIES, CONTACT +91.9810325298 (North Zone), +91.9992153999 (rest of India) or email us at speaktograsim@adityabirla.com
R
E
A
D
Y
M
A
D
E
S

-

A
/
W

1
3

P
H
O
T
O
:

S
I
D
D
H
A
R
T
H

H
A
O
B
I
J
A
M
332 OCTOBER 2013
ANGER UNLEASHED
AKHU CHINGANGBAM

GENRES: Folk, protest rock
ESTD: , Imphal
LAST SEEN: At Jantar Mantar
A concert by Ronid Chingangbam, aka
Akhu, can reach arena-rock proportions,
all screaming guitars and thundering
drums. The catchy rhythms and sing-
along melodies belie the fact that Akhu
has no time for the usual rock n roll
tropes of sex, drugs and unrequited
love. Instead, youll hear A.F.S.P.A.,
why dont you go fuck yourself? sung
with all the earnestness of a young Bob
Dylan. Its just one of many songs hes
written to express his anger about the
extra-judicial killings and injustice meted
out in his home state, Manipur. Hes also
concerned about our neighbours Song
For Bangladesh, for instance, includes
this line: Forty years we have been silent
while you laugh at the memories of the
raped mothers and sisters
Akhus band Imphal Talkies with
his sister Riki on vocals, Sachidananda
Angom on guitars and Raju Athokpam
on bass is working on its second album,
called When The Home Is Burning.
Meanwhile, his other gig, the collab-
heavy Imphal Music Project, features
artists like Rahul Ram of Delhi band
Indian Ocean, Guru Rewben Mashangva
(a Manipuri musician of Naga
descent) and Brit-Asian act Asian Dub
Foundation, with whom Akhu appeared
on the popular TV show The Dewarists.
A musical ambassador of sorts, hes
doing all he can to ensure we cant claim
ignorance about the widespread unrest
in the Northeast.

GQ RECOMMENDS:
Nonglei
In The Fight
Song For Bangladesh
soundcloud.com/imphal-talkies
334 OCTOBER 2013
BASS INSTINCT
OOZEUNDAT
GENRE: Techno
ESTD: , Pune
LAST SEEN: Zoning out with headphones
clamped to their skulls
If oontz oontz oontz cues commercial
house music, oozeundat oozeundat
oozeundat is the sound of the minimal
techno that Roan Sable and Sidhant Naren
play. There are no soaring vocals or piano
solos, no drops la dubstep just a
relentless beat, a thick, snaky bassline and
maybe some electronic beeps and bops.
Think techno, Richie Hawtin-style.
The duos pushing all the right
buttons, opening for some of the biggest
international DJs to play in India (Dubre
and Guy J, for instance) within just a year
of becoming active on the scene. And
theres a good reason why: Its impossible
to stay unaffected by the primal energy
these boys tap into.

GQ RECOMMENDS:
GQ Exclusive: Oozeundat Mix
Roan Sable Tech House Mix (soundcloud.com/zekk)
soundcloud.com/oozeundat
His Signature
style
The LOral man has many shades hes
a philosopher, a charmer and an achiever.
LOral Professionnel Homme offers you a
selection of exclusive styling products to
match your every mood!
LOral Professionnel Homme Wax
gives a modern twist to the classic
cut and ups your sex-appeal. You can
work your boyish charm by sporting a
natural matte-sheen and exible hold.
How to style it:
1. Warm a small amount of LOral
Professionnel Homme Wax in the
palm of your hands
2. Brush the wax through your
hair like shoe-shine
3. Sport your
desired style
YOUNG GUN
For a crisp and cool look LOral
Professionnel Homme Strong
provides a masculine edge with
its super strong hold. Get that
structured style that stays in place
even after long hours.
How to style it:
1. Warm a small amount of
LOral Professionnel Homme
Strong in your hands
2. Apply through the hair
3. Comb as desired
URBAN TRAVELLER
Get a relaxed look
reminiscent of the Nineties
Blur with the LOral
Professionnel Homme
Sculpte that gently sets the
hair to give it a tailored feel.
Its ideal for the man
of understated style and
moody magnetism.
How to style it:
1. Warm a little bit of LOral
Professionnel Homme
Sculpte in the palm of
your hands
2. Apply through each strand
3. Shake your hair well
after application
THE HUSTLER
Get enduring texture and a
super matte effect with LOral
Professionnel Homme Clay
that gives a ne-tuned look and
rm control for long-lasting
style, leaving no residue.
How to style it:
1. Warm a small amount
of LOral Professionnel
Homme Clay in your hands
2. Work through your hair
with the tips of
your nger
3. Flatten it forward
and keep it high
on top
THE DREAMER
Exclusively available in LOral Professionnel Salons.
For more details contact 1-800-22-42-47 Email: lphelpline@in.loreal.com
Tonique Shampoo: Tailored for everyday use, Tonique enriched
with antioxidant polyphenols revitalizes and protects the hair
Fiberboost Shampoo: With the action of Intracylane, Fiberboost
thickens the hair fibre visibly redensifying it
Cool Clear Shampoo: The combination of Zinc Pyrithione and Tea
Tree Fresh* reduces the appearance of dandruff leaving the scalp
soothed and cleansed
YOUR DAILY CLEANSING RITUAL
*(Tea tree oil + Menthol + fragrance)
P
H
O
T
O
:

V
A
R
U
N

V
A
S
U
D
E
V
A
N

S
H
A
K
E
Y

R
A
Y
S
336 OCTOBER 2013

TECHNO LITE
KINI RAO
GENRES: House, techno
ESTD: , Mumbai
LAST SEEN: Hosting a DJ night at Yellow Tree Cafe in
Mumbai
If you think house is too cheesy and technos too
heavy, then Kini Raos mix of deep tech house is
just right for you. Shes inspired by urban life the
tracks have titles like Bay Street, Pali Naka (both
inspired by Mumbai) and Chalk Farm (an area in
London) and shes shared the stage with top DJs like
Dale Anderson, dOP and Jody Wisternhoff. Just like
the cities shes inspired by, her music has a kind of
relentless pressure. She knows how to release it, too,
thanks to all the time shes spent at the console in Bar
25 (Berlin), Villains Club & Oakroom (Copenhagen)
and Public Life (London).
GQ RECOMMENDS:
On The Road
Cider And Cigars
soundcloud.com/kinirao
CLASSIC MILDS
THE SHAKEY RAYS

GENRES: Rock n roll, pop-rock
ESTD: , Chennai
LAST SEEN: Imagining how the Beatles would
cover the Arctic Monkeys
Vocal harmonies are irresistible and
among the few bands that exploit them
are The Shakey Rays. Dhruva Gautham
and Vikram Kannan lead singers and
the bands founders not only sing in
harmony, they also throw in a dose of
get-up-and-dance rock n roll. They
write happy songs about problems like
why shes so beautiful and so Hard To
Understand, and what it feels like being
Down The Drain & 8 Floors High. Youll
hear all their inuences Brian Wilson
(Beach Boys), Keith Richards (The
Rolling Stones) and Johnny Marr (The
Smiths) but youll also hear the youthful
freshness they bring to each ones style.
GQ RECOMMENDS:
Queen Bee On The Radio
Hard To Understand
soundcloud.com/theakeyrays
P
H
O
T
O
:

K
E
T
A
K
I

J
O
S
H
I
338 OCTOBER 2013
GET DOWN WITH IT
SULK STATION
GENRES: Ambient, trip hop
ESTD: , Bangalore
LAST SEEN: Cooped up in a room, trying to
amplify the sound of a breaking heart
Were not saying theyre Indias answer
to Massive Attack or Portishead, but they
can create the same sense of indulgent
melancholy and impending doom. The
soft, breathless voice you hear is Tanvi
Raos, her Hindustani classical technique
making the words oat like smoke off
burning incense, interrupted only by a
deep, sparse electronic soundscape.
From the down-tempo arrangements
and lyrics, you can tell that solitude
and longing are central to their debut
album, Till You Appear. Ive been here
before and Ive promised myself Id never
return... I keep losing myself, over and
over..., Rao sings despondently on Take
Me Home. The words to Downlift go
one step lower: Sometimes I see an open
window, makes me fear/If youre not
around, I might disappear.
The near-claustrophobic effect of
the album comes from the fact that it
was recorded in Raos bedroom, on her
musical partner Rahul Giris laptop.
Just like waiting for a travelling lover to
return, listening to this album requires
some patience. But you know how it is:
The bittersweet sorrow of waiting can be
as delightful as meeting again.

GQ RECOMMENDS:
Downlift
Take Me Home
Confession
soundcloud.com/sulkation
P
H
O
T
O
:

D
E
V
R
A
T
H

S
A
G
A
R
340 OCTOBER 2013
HIT SINGLE
DUALIST INQUIRY
GENRES: Electronica, rock
ESTD: , Delhi
LAST SEEN: Surrounded by giggling,
wide-eyed teenage girls
Whether its with the sea-breeze
freshness of his debut EP, Dualism
(think Chicane-meets-Moby in the
early Noughties), or the unexpected
dubsteppyness of this years
Doppelganger, Sahej Bakshi knows just
how to grab your attention. Theres also
that one-two punch of guitarist-plus-DJ,
and his way of blending both disciplines,
that draws fans of Eighties-era U2 as well
as Skrillex.
His songs are wordless, but you can tell
from the title of each track that he enjoys
browsing dictionary.com. Take Qualia,
for instance, the meaning of which you
hear explained in the spoken edit
version Qualia is the way things seem
to us: The way we experience happiness,
the redness of an apple, the taste of wine,
the touch of a loved one... Then theres
6am, for which you dont need an
explanation it can be what you make of
it: the soft light of dawn after a full eight
hours of sleep, or the blinding light that
hits you after a night of partying.

GQ RECOMMENDS:
Qualia (Spoken edit feat. Shaair)
Anathema
Soleil
soundcloud.com/dualiinqui
Living it Up
For the couple that loves to live it up in
style, the spectacular Marina Bay Sands
offers world-class luxury accommodation
that will mesmerize you. Plunge into
the spectacular -metre Innity Pool
at the Sands SkyPark , set against a
breathtaking view of the city. If youre
the kind of couple who revels in the
beauty of the local heritage, check in to
the -year-old Rafes Hotel Singapore,
one of the most best-known landmarks
in the city.
Delectable Delights
Impress that special someone with a
romantic table for two at Jol Robuchon
Restaurant at Resorts World Sentosa.
It offers the very best of French haute
cuisine, including inventive classics and
an extensive wine list of over ,
premium wines from around the globe.
Indulge in culinary exploits at some of
the worlds best restaurants in Singapore
such as Iggys, Restaurant Andre and
Waku Ghin, Wolfgang Puck (Los Angeles),
Guy Savoy (Paris) and Tetsuya
Wakuda (Sydney).
Adrenaline Fixes
Singapore offers a world of adventure.
Start off with the Ultimate Drive, where
you can zoom around Singapores
ofcial F Grand Prix circuit in a Ferrari
F F Spider or a Lamborghini
Gallardo Spyder. Head out to Sentosa,
where thrill-seekers can experience
the rush of a free-fall at mph in the
worlds largest vertical wind tunnel for
indoor skydiving at iFly Singapore.
Rejuvenating As a Couple
Enjoy getting pampered in the Banyan
Tree Spa Marina Bay Sands, where
comfort and pleasure awaits you. Retreat
to the fabulous Spa Botanica for amazing
treatments that will rejuvenate you and
your partner. Relax with the best of
European spa luxury at Estheva Spa,
known for its indulgent treatment using
pure chocolate as an ingredient.
Shopping to Woo
If you believe shopping is one way to
woo your loved one, this city-state
is a dream come true. ION Orchard is
a whopping , square metres,
and home to luxury brands like Dior
Homme, Louis Vuitton and Diane
von Furstenberg as well as trendy
high-street stores such as Topshop,
Forever and Mango. Other shopping
destinations include @Orchard,
Orchard Central and the Mandarin
Gallery. Go to the breezy Haji Lane
for your bargain-scouring-x and a
soothing post-shopping shisha or chai.

Singapore - Love is in the Details
If privacy is what you seek, take a
stroll down Anderson Bridge across
the Singapore River. Or take a boat ride
down the river and get a glimpse of
Singapores rich history, captured by the
beautiful warehouses along the river.
For a cultured, artsy experience, visit
Esplanade, Theatres on the Bay and
enjoy Swan Lake by Bolshoi Ballet in
November this year.
Seeking an ideal place to commemorate
your love for each other? Walk hand in
hand, perhaps with a glass of champagne,
on moonlit promenades? Or go on thrilling
rides to literally bring you closer?
Singapore offers the perfect stage for
staging your own love story.
Discover Singapore, a
romantic getaway with
a sense of adventure
For your very own romantic
holiday in Singapore, log on to
www.yoursingapore.com and search for
Singapore The Holiday You Take Home
With You.
Leave as a Couple, Return as One
Relax & Rejuvenate at the Estheva Spa
Get your hands on the best deals Singapore
has to offer for you and your beloved
Watch the telecast on
Star World
on 13
th
October at 8:00pm
& 20
th
October at 7:30pm
344 OCTOBER 2013
BROGUES BY
LOUIS VUITTON
W
H
E
T
H
E
R
Y
O
U
D
R
E
S
S

I
T
U
P
, O
R
P
L
A
Y
I
T

D
O
W
N
, S
L
IC
K
B
L
A
C
K

L
E
A
T
H
E
R
IS
F
O
R
E
V
E
R
.
T
H
E
S
E
S
T
Y
L
E
S
T
A
K
E

Y
O
U
F
R
O
M
O
F
F
IC
E
T
O

C
L
U
B
, S
E
A
M
L
E
S
S
L
Y

P
H
O
T
O
G
R
A
P
H
E
D
B
Y

M
A
T
T
H
E
W
D
O
N
A
L
D
S
O
N
october 2013 345
OXFORDS BY CHURCHS
DOUBLE MONKSTRAP SHOES
BY SAINT LAURENT PARIS
346 october 2013
october 2013 347
LOAFERS by TOM FORD
348 OCTOBER 2013
is a mythically
strange land, an Absurdistan, where
almost nothing is known about the people
or, more important, their missile-launching
leaders. There is, however, one man a
humble sushi chef from Japan who
inltrated the inner sanctum, becoming
the Dear Leaders cook, condant and
court jester. What is life like serving
Kim Jong-il and his heir? A strange and
dangerous gig, where the food and drink
never stop, the girls are all virgins and
youre never really safe. Pulitzer Prize-
winning novelist Adam Johnson went to
meet the man who survived the craziness
OCT
J
U
N
G
Y
E
O
N
R
O
H
october 2013 349
350 OCTOBER 2013
DEAR LEADER
The stranger came closer. It was a
warm day in June 2012. The chef lives in
the Japanese city of Saku, a characterless,
remote town lled with strip malls and
rusting construction equipment. Its a
place where apartments are cheap and
anonymous, which suits the chef just
ne. The light was glaring off the peaks
of distant Mount Asama. They both
wore sunglasses.
This is about your family, the stranger
said. And somebody who wants to see you.
Go away, the chef told the man,
and without another word the man
disappeared.
A month later, in early July, another
North Korean in a black suit came to the
chefs door. The chef recognized the man
from the exclusive parties thrown for Kim
Jong-il and his entourage in the years
before the chef had escaped the Dear
Leader and returned to Japan.
Come with me, Fujimoto, the man
said, and together they went to a bare-
bones hotel near the Sakudaira train
station. There, the man handed the chef
a red cloth. When he unfolded the fabric,
he discovered it contained an invitation to
lunch, in Pyongyang, with the new North
Korean leader, Kim Jong-un. There was
also a personal note from the new leader
himself, which read: You must full your
promise to me. Return to Pyongyang. I will
guarantee your safe passage.
Luring people back to North Korea to
be executed or dispatched to gulags was
a favourite trick of the regime. Fujimoto
himself had seen it happen, and he
remembers thinking at this moment, I,
too, might be purged if I go again to
North Korea.
But while the chef had run from Kim
Jong-il, he had a soft spot for his son. I
was his playmate from when he was seven
to 18 years old, he recalled. I said I would
come back soon. That was a promise. I will
come back.
Loyal to a fault, the chef packed his
things and, later that day, bought a ticket
for the same country he had so long
ago escaped.
**
The chefs name, an alias, is Kenji
Fujimoto, and for 11 years he was Kim
Jong-ils personal chef, court jester and
sidekick. He had seen the palaces, ridden
the white stallions, smoked the Cuban
cigars and watched as, one by one, the
people around him disappeared. It was
part of Fujimotos job to y North Korean
jets around the world to procure dinner-
party ingredients to Iran for caviar,
Tokyo for sh or Denmark for beer. It was
Fujimoto who ew to France to supply
the Dear Leaders yearly $700,000 cognac
habit. And when the Dear Leader craved
McDonalds, it was Fujimoto who was
dispatched to Beijing for an order of Big
Macs to go.
When he nally escaped, Fujimoto
became, according to a high-level cable
released by WikiLeaks, the Japanese
intelligence communitys single greatest
asset on the Kim family, rulers of a
nation about which stubbornly little
is known. We dont know how many
people live there. (Best guess: around 23
million.) Its uncertain how many people
starved to death during the famine of
the late Nineties. (Maybe 2 million.) Also
mysterious is the number of citizens
currently toiling their way towards death
in labour camps, places people are sent
to without trial or sentence or appeal.
(Perhaps 200,000.) We didnt even know
the age of the current leader, Kim Jong-un,
until Kenji Fujimoto revealed his birth date.
(January 8, 1983.)
What we know of North Korea comes
from satellite photos and the stories of
defectors which, like Fujimotos, are
near impossible to conrm. Though North
Korea is a nuclear power, it has yet to
build its rst stoplight. The phone book
hasnt been invented. It is a nation where
old Soviet factories limp along to produce
brand-new refrigerators from 1963. When
people do escape, they tend to ee from the
countryside, where life is more dangerous.
Because people rarely defect from the
capital, their stories dont make it out,
which leaves a great mystery in the centre
of an already obscure nation. Which is why
Fujimotos is the rarest of stories.
he sushi chef was leaving his apartment
when he noticed the stranger outside.
He could tell by the mans suit black
and badly made that he was North
Korean. Right away, the chef was
nervous. Even in his mid-sixties, the
chef is a formidable man: He has thick
shoulders, a broad chest; the rings on
his strong hands would one day have
to be cut off. But hed long since quit wearing his bulletproof
vest, and the last time a North Korean made the journey to
visit him in Japan, a decade ago, he was there to kill him.
DARE to be SQUARE with Diesel Timeframes!
It's hip to be square this season and Diesel dominates with its new Square Franchise collection that partner risk-taking action
with a fashion-induced edge.
Making a subtle-yet-bold statement in steel is the DZ4301 with blue and red accents that pop effortlessly atop its black dial.
The DZ4302's heavy-duty rich brown leather strap with stainless steel casing and oversized lugs deliver a rugged-yet-r
Risk-taking action combines with a fashion-induced edge in the all black DZ4300. These time frames that captivate the sporty yet
Priced at 14,295/-, these timepieces are available at Lifestyle, Shoppers Stop, Helios, Ethos, Just in Vogue and other leading watch
retailers across the country.
G
E
T
T
Y

I
M
A
G
E
S
Last winter, I ew to Saku for a series of
interviews with Fujimoto. I had spent six
years researching North Korea for a novel,
and in that time I had spoken with experts,
aid workers, defectors everyone with a
story to tell about life there. Yet I hadnt
spoken to Fujimoto. It was December
when I arrived, and a dusting of snow
blew through the towns car lots and bare-
limbed apple orchards. Here, Fujimotos
friend owns a battered ve-stool karaoke
bar, and this is where we met. Inside, it
was cold enough to see your breath. The
toilet was a hole in the oor where urine,
billowing steam, disappeared into darkness
before freezing.
Fujimoto made us coffee, which helped,
and through an interpreter I asked him
what he knew about North Korea when,
in 1982, he signed a one-year contract to
teach sushi-making skills to young chefs
in Pyongyang.
I didnt know much about it, he said.
I knew that Kim Il-sung was the leader of
the country. I knew about the 38th parallel.
Thats about it.
He couldnt recount ever having met
a Korean. Still, he was restless at home,
and the pay was good. So, packing only
his knives and clothes, he left his wife and
daughters in Japan and ew to Pyongyang.
It was August when he arrived, a time
when the capital city is especially alive.
The summer days are long, yet the hard
work of autumn harvest which requires
the forced labour of all Pyongyangs
inhabitants had yet to arrive. Families
were picnicking on Mansu Hill, while
young couples strolled along the Taedong
River. By day, Fujimoto laboured for
10-hour stretches at the cooking school,
showing eager trainees the art of sushi. At
night, he retreated to the Pyongyang hotel,
where he lived with other guest workers
mostly Chinese technicians and engineers
and strummed old Japanese ballads on a
guitar he bought at Pyongyangs Number
One department store.
With the arrival of autumn, he began
training chefs on the east coast, in the
seaside city of Wonsan. One day, several
black Mercedes arrived at the cooking
school. The rst car bore the licence plate
2-16, Kim Jong-ils birthday. The second
contained ve women kidnapped from
Thailand to be used as sex slaves. Fujimoto
was asked to get into a third car.
At a lavish Wonsan guesthouse,
Fujimoto prepared sushi for a group of
executives who would be arriving on a
yacht. Executive is Fujimotos euphemism
for generals, party ofcials or high-level
bureaucrats. In other words, Kim Jong-ils
personal entourage. And guesthouse is
code for a series of palaces decorated with
cold marble, silver-braided bedspreads, ice
purple paintings of kimilsungia blossoms
and ceilings airbrushed with the cran-
apple mist of sunset, as if Liberaces jet had
crashed into Lenins tomb.
At two in the morning, the boat nally
docked. Fujimoto began serving sushi
for men who obviously had been through
a long party already. He would come to
realize these parties tended to be stacked
one atop another, sometimes four in a row,
spreading out over days.
All the men wore military uniforms,
except for one imperious fellow in a casual
sports tracksuit. This man was curious
about the sh. He asked Fujimoto about
the marbled, eshy cuts he was preparing.
Thats toro, Fujimoto told him.
For the rest of the night, this man kept
calling out, Toro, one more!
The next day, Fujimoto was talking to
the mamasan of his hotel. She was holding
a newspaper, the ofcial Rodong Sinmun,
and on the front page was a photo of the
man in the tracksuit. Fujimoto told her this
was the man hed just served dinner.
She started trembling, Fujimoto said,
of the moment he realized the mans true
identity. Then I started trembling.
The man in the tracksuit invited
Fujimoto back to make more sushi.
Fujimoto didnt speak Korean, so he had
a government-appointed interpreter with
him at all times. At the end of the evening,
a valet handed the interpreter an envelope.
From Jang-gun-nim, the valet said.
Perhaps the reason Fujimoto hadnt
known hed been serving Kim Jong-il was
because no one ever called him by his real
name, Fujimoto said. Never.
In Korean, Jang-gun-nim translates
roughly as honoured general, and
Fujimoto tried to approximate this in
Japanese with Shogun-sama, or super
shogun, meaning great master.
Fujimoto would never call him anything
else. People disappeared for less.
When Fujimoto opened the envelope,
he discovered ve US hundred-dollar bills.
Soon there was another sushi party,
with many shouts of Toro, one more!
At its conclusion, Shogun-sama tossed
Fujimoto an envelope, which landed at his
feet. Whether Kim Jong-il meant for the
envelope to land on the table in front of
Fujimoto or whether Shogun-sama
wanted to see Fujimoto stoop to retrieve it
is unknown.
I was pissed, Fujimoto said. I refused
to pick it up.
Kim Jong-il stared at Fujimoto, his large
KIM JONGIL SITTING, FAR LEFT
POSES WITH PARTY LEADERS
AND CHEF KENJI FUJIMOTO
STANDING, FAR RIGHT, IN 1991
DEAR LEADER
352 OCTOBER 2013
354 OCTOBER 2013
glasses and jowls projecting his trademark
Pekingese demeanour.
Fujimotos interpreter whispered in
Japanese that they could be shot for
this offence.
But Fujimoto can be a stubborn man.
His temper, he says, is in my DNA.
Finally, the interpreter retrieved the
envelope and handed it to Fujimoto.
In it was a thousand dollars.
Over the next week, Fujimoto
contemplated how close hed come
to death.
At the next sushi party, Fujimoto had an
apology prepared, but it was Kim Jong-il
who spoke rst, saying, Im sorry for my
behaviour last time.
Over the years to follow, Fujimoto
would never see him apologize again.
Kim Jong-il invited him to play yut nori,
a traditional Korean board game. Through
an interpreter, Shogun-sama had a long
conversation with Fujimoto while they
moved their pieces around the board. Kim
Jong-il was curious about life in Japan; he
particularly wanted to talk about movies
and food. He wanted Fujimotos opinion
on whether a persons diet could produce
longevity. Did Fujimoto believe shark n
soup warded off cancer? Did Fujimoto eat
shark genitals to increase his potency? Did
Fujimoto also eat puppy soup on Sundays?
These yut nori sessions became
regular, with a black Mercedes arriving to
transport Fujimoto to lavish guesthouses.
Fujimoto attributes his friendship with
Kim Jong-il to his refusal to retrieve the
envelope. Shogun-sama thought I was
different from other men, who were always
trying to be nice and polite to him. He was
surrounded by men who praised him.
This is true, but its certainly more
complicated. Though the Japanese are
considered an enemy in North Korea
for their brutal invasion, occupation and
subjugation of Korea from 1910 to 1945
Fujimotos outsider status had advantages:
He didnt speak Korean and therefore
couldnt betray Kims condences.
Fujimoto was also a stranger to the
complex allegiances and shifting tides of
Pyongyang politics. And because he knew
so little about North Korea, he tended to
accept Shogun-samas version of reality
that the Kims were benevolent leaders
beset by jealous enemies.
These were good times for Fujimoto.
During the day, he trained his students
and, at night, the shouts of Toro, one
more! kept coming. Beautiful women were
always nearby, and interesting executives
kept coming and going. When he spent
leisure time with Kim Jong-il, they drank
Bordeaux wines and discussed Shogun-
DEAR LEADER
samas favourite Schwarzenegger movies.
Fujimoto had much to learn. He didnt
yet know that the money for these luxuries
came from gulag labour, or that the men
he served were in charge of Kims special
divisions: counterfeiting, weapons sales
and drug production. He had no idea
that those beautiful girls were taken
from their families in faraway lands, and
that now their sole purpose was to full
Kims every pleasure. He couldnt have
known that, when people disappeared,
they went to communal labour farms, re-
education camps, or kwan-li-so gulags,
which were total-control zones from which
no one returned.
The true nature of Kim Jong-il wouldnt
become clear until Fujimotos next trip to
North Korea, ve years later. Thinking hed
had a good adventure, the chef packed up
his knives and ew home to Japan not
knowing hed give up everything to make
his way back again.
he karaoke club was frigid
on the morning of the third of
our six interviews, and when
Fujimoto red up the space
heater, the fumes ignited a
headache behind my eyes. I looked around
the club, a sad place the size of a single-
wide trailer. It was a far cry from the
pleasure palaces of North Korea.
Fujimoto addressed the topic of money.
He hasnt worked since he escaped a
dozen years ago. He survives on the fees
he charges for interviews, a common
practice in Japan. Since this magazine
wont pay such fees, Fujimoto demanded
that we meet at an exclusive club where we
would have privacy. The club, Id been told,
charged 15,000 yen ($150) an hour.
Now I was in Japan. And this was the
club. I turned on the recorder.
Four years after Fujimoto went home
to Japan, he received an invitation from
Kim Jong-il to return to Pyongyang, this
time to be Shogun-samas personal chef
putting Fujimoto at the Dear Leaders
disposal night and day. Kim had recently
suffered the loss of another condante, a
South Korean actress named Choi Eun-
hee, whom he had kidnapped from Hong
Kong. Like Fujimoto, Choi was an outsider,
with no ties to Kims rivals, and thus he
could conde in her. Unlike Fujimoto, Choi
was held against her will. In her memoir of
these years, Choi reveals that she decided
her best course of survival was to treat the
entire experience as if it werent real, as if
it were just a movie part; she had played
the role of the elusive seductress many
times, and for the Dear Leader she would
give her best performance. Shed smile in
his company, then, back in her guesthouse,
run the water in the bathroom so the
guards couldnt hear her weeping. After
eight years in captivity, she made a life-or-
death escape from her guards after being
sent to Vienna to promote Kims latest lm.
Only then would Kim realize that she had
been playing him for a fool.
If the Dear Leader had a great fear, it
was this: abandonment. As a four-year-
old, Kim was deeply wounded by the
death of his brother, who accidentally
drowned, an event Kim likely witnessed.
Two years later, his young mother died
of an unknown ailment and, after his
father, Kim Il-sung, remarried, his new
wife rejected young Kim and his sister in
favour of her own children.
The betrayal of Choi truly stung. And to
ll the void, Kim now offered Fujimoto a
three-year contract that came with a
high salary, a Pyongyang apartment and
a black Mercedes.
I asked Fujimoto if, in the intervening
years in Japan, hed read any books or
articles about North Korea that would
give him a fuller portrait of the harsh
realities there the gulags, the repression,
the deprivations.
No, he said.
And who would want to kill the buzz
of the life Kim Jong-il offered? Fujimoto
signed the contract and returned in 1988
to discover that Kim had taken it up a
notch. Innocent games of yut nori had been
replaced by high-stakes baccarat. Young
women were no longer kidnapped from
FUJIMOTO RIGHT, ON HIS
RETURN TO NORTH KOREA
IN 2012, EMBRACES FORMER
PLAYMATE KIM JONGUN
R
E
U
T
E
R
S
other countries to be used as sex slaves.
Instead, Kim Jong-il had developed his
kippumjo, or Joy Division brigade, in
which teams of beautiful North Korean
girls, most forcibly recruited under the
age of 16, were maintained to provide
entertainment, massages and sexual
gratication. A constant presence at
guesthouses, kippumjo girls were overseen
by Kim Jong-ils personal bodyguards,
many of whom were orphans, according
to Lee Young-kuk, a former guard who
escaped after being thrown in Yodok, or
Camp 15.
Such beautiful girls, so many girls,
Fujimoto recalled. They belonged to
Kim Jong-il.
Depending on his mood, the Dear
Leader might order them to sing
sentimental songs, disco dance, strip naked
or hold spontaneous boxing matches.
Theyd been trained for years to be the
countrys best singers and dancers. They
were sent to Taiwan and Hong Kong for
massage training. Yet, no matter how
wild the parties became head-shaving,
drunken pranks, gunplay no one ever laid
a hand on the girls. I never saw anyone
try, Fujimoto said.
Kim had also established an institute
dedicated to his longevity. Its staff of
200 approved every element of Kims
diet. Each grain of Kims rice was hand-
inspected for chips and cracks only
perfectly shaped rice, grown in North
Korea, was approved. According to
Fujimoto, the rice had to be cooked over
wood harvested from Mount Paektu, the
sacred mountain where, North Korean
propaganda claimed, Kim was born under
a double rainbow and a newly born star.
All were impressed when Fujimoto served
the freshest meal of all: still-living sh hed
llet alive by cutting around the organs a
skill hed learnt while working at Japans
Tsukiji sh market.
For special occasions, Fujimoto
travelled great distances to procure
ingredients for elaborate banquets. He
would take a North Korean Air Koryo
plane to Beijing, then a commercial airliner
to either Moscow or Prague, places Kim
stored a private jet. From there, it was off
to France for wine or Denmark for ham.
Mostly he ew to Japan to buy sh, where
the rst stop was always a ramen stand at
Tsukiji run by Fujimotos old friend Inoue.
Fujimoto brought many ofcials to eat
Inoues noodles, including Kim Jong-uns
brother, Kim Jong-chul.
Fujimoto became part of Kims
entourage, joining him for pheasant hunts
and tours on Kims bulletproof train. The
two went horseback riding, bowling,
roller-skating and swimming. In Wonsan,
Kim had an underground bomb-proof
Olympic swimming pool constructed with
his image emblazoned in gold tiles on the
bottom. North Korean engineers had even
built him a motorized boogie board.
Kim Jong-il was a fan of cooking
shows. Iron Chef was his favourite. When
Fujimotos culinary travels took him to
Japan, he stocked up on VHS tapes of the
latest episodes so he and Shogun-sama
could have long discussions about foie
gras, trufes and Kobe beef.
During the day, Fujimoto prepped for
evening meals, and after dinner, he joined
the party in progress. He would make
toasts and tell jokes. He was famous for
a routine in which he pretended a napkin
was a saxophone. Everybody laughed at
me, he said. Seventy people at parties,
and everybody laughed. Encore, encore,
they called. Fujimoto had no trouble
balancing work and pleasure. At rst, he
claims, I was very afraid of failing, because
I knew I would be shot, but I learnt if I
didnt make any mistakes, I would be OK.
Fujimoto was the perfect party
companion: He was charismatic, expressed
his opinions more freely than others and
was always game for another drink. One
afternoon, only a few months after hed
returned, he was playing baccarat with
Kim Jong-il, who leaned close to him and
asked, Fujimoto, will you stay with me for
10 years?
Kim offered Fujimoto his own sushi
restaurant, along with all the proceeds,
to be located in Pyongyangs exclusive
Koryo Hotel. Later the same day, Fujimoto
ew to Japan to ask his wife for a decade-
long separation so he could move to
North Korea a prospect most people
would consider a cruel and nightmarish
prison sentence.
According to Fujimoto, she said, What
are you talking about? Are you crazy? You
could go for three years the children can
bear your absence. But 10 years? Youre
going to forget about Japan. Youre going
to forget about us.
The karaoke club was freezing. I rubbed
my hands together for warmth, but also
out of anxiety at the notion of a man hitting
up his family for a 10-year pass.
I asked Fujimoto, Why not take your
family with you to North Korea?
He nearly laughed up his coffee.
I would soon discover that Kim Jong-il
had offered Fujimoto something else for
his 10 years, in addition to the restaurant,
something Fujimoto had conveniently
neglected to mention.
That night, fat, sweet snowakes swept
down from the mountains. As I walked
the iced-over streets, missing my wife and
kids, I wondered what kind of man would
be more comfortable in the company of
a capricious and violent dictator than his
own family. Who could be so at home with
risk and uncertainty and danger? I decided
to direct the next mornings interview
towards Fujimotos past and quickly got
some answers.
Fujimoto was born the son of the
most dangerous man in town. His father
had just returned from being stationed
on the island of Rabaul, site of a bloody
confrontation with the Allied forces. The
father who went to war had been devoted
enough to carry the umbilical cords of
his rst three children into combat. Hed
fashioned a container from a coconut shell,
which he kept in his rucksack so that his
children never left his side.
By the time he returned, his father had
become an aggressive and combative man,
whose signature move was punching out
peoples front teeth, including Fujimotos
mothers. Mentions of the war caused
him to attack people. Criticisms could set
him off. When his father was drinking,
Fujimoto could be beaten for anything,
like eating candy or misreading the
clock. Questions, also, could lead to
physical violence. Fujimoto hewed to
these unspoken guidelines he cannot
remember ever asking his father a single
question. His fathers favourite pastime
was taking his son on long drunken bike
tours of surrounding villages with young
Fujimoto bracing himself as the bicycle
veered one direction, then another, every
moment seeming like the moment they
would crash. These were the scariest
times of my life, he recalled.
FUJIMOTO, IN HIS
TRADEMARK SUNGLASSES
AND DORAG, MOBBED BY
THE PRESS
DEAR LEADER continued on page
DEAR LEADER
356 OCTOBER 2013
OUT OF THE BLUE
Blue Bar at Taj Palace New Delhi is your go-to destination for a
relaxed outdoorsy lounge experience. The contemporary design
of this swank watering hole features an alfresco dining deck
canopied with giant bonsai trees. Sip on your choice of poison
from frozen martinis to single malts and signature vodka fusions
to tequila shooters, the Blue Bar has a grand variety to offer. Kick
off your evening to the sounds of soft jazz and tap your feet to
the party music played after-dark.
If the Delhi Blue Bar has you impressed, check out its Bangalore
counterpart at The Taj West End, where you can enjoy a beach
shack like ambience. The stylish bar is open-air and surrounded
by water bodies that give the place a serene feel. Perfect for a
cozy evening, the Blue Bar offers quaint stone tables and
wrought iron chairs, complete with romantic lighting that
changes its hues.
THE TRENDY TAVERN
Chipstead, the elegant bar at the Taj Coromandel, is named
after an old bungalow that once stood on the hotel site. The edgy
glass exterior, plush seating and fashionable crystal cutlery give
the bar a chic appeal. Unwind to music thats a mix of jazz,
lounge, pop, classic and modern rock as well as the latest party
numbers. Its a bar that is home to the nest wines, the most
premium being the Armand De Bringnac Brut Rose pink
champagne that comes in a brilliant pink and gold bottle. A
must-try at the Chipstead, this champagne tastes as good as it
looks with its fruity avors offset by a delicate smoky grilled
note. Pair this exquisite drink with a butter garlic lemon grass
tossed prawn tails or cajun dusted tofu with soya and ginger, to
fully enjoy its rich taste.
PULSE OF NEW YORK
The Pierres Two E Bar/Lounge, a residential-style lounge by
day and ultra-chic art deco bar by night is where Manhattans
glitterati come to party. Named after the hotels location at 2
East 61st Street, Two E Bar/Lounges neo-classical look is
characterized by tall ceilings, sleek chandeliers and a bronze bar.
Keeping alive its tradition of serving a lavish afternoon tea
spread, The Two E Bar/Lounge is a tea room during the day,
complete with long couches and oversized pillows for guests to
relax. Feel the cozy ambience of this swank lounge while
treating yourself to a choice of avoured teas, and an array of
mouth-watering pastries.
Slip into your party shoes at night, as the Two E Bar/Lounge
transforms into a high-end bar with live jazz music. Rustling up
the bars signature cocktails are mixologists who give a new
twist to the classic blends.
Celebrate the high life
Two E Bar/Lounge, The Pierre, New York
Blue Bar, Taj Palace, New Delhi
Blue Bar, The Taj West End, Bangalore
Chipstead, Taj Coromandel, Chennai
Whats a holiday without kicking back and enjoying the best drinks and bites in
the city? If youre planning your next big getaway, live it up at the swankiest
Taj bars in the country and abroad
I
N
D
I
A
S
F
A
S
H
I
O
N

F
E
A
T
U
R
E
358 OCTOBER 2013
DEEP WITHIN ALL OF US LURKS A BEAST TEEMING WITH
UNTRAMMELLED DESIRE. AS THE DECADENT WINTER
SEASON TAKES HOLD, JOIN GQ AND SUPERMODEL
ANDRS VELENCOSO ON A JOURNEY EXPLORING THE
FORCE AND BEAUTY OF THE ANIMAL WITHIN
PHOTOGRAPHED BY CCILE BORTOLETTI STYLED BY VIJENDRA BHARDWAJ
october 2013 359
TUXEDO by gucci.
LEATHER mAsk by
fleet ilya
360 october 2013
october 2013 361
ANIMAL-PRINT veLveT
jAckeT by etro. kuRTA,
chuRIdAR; boTh by
arjun khanna. PockeT
squARe by richard
james. booTs by
roberto cavalli
LINgeRIe by chantal
thomass. fuR sToLe
by just cavalli. hAT
by borsalino. goLd
bRAceLeT by monica
vinader. shoes by
walter steiger. bAg
by burberry. LeoPARd-
PRINT gLoves (oN The
bAg) by ermanno
scervino
362 october 2013
black EMbROIDERED
shERwanI by gaurav
gupta. kuRta, chuRIDaR;
bOth by arjun khanna.
glOvEs, bOOts; bOth
by roberto cavalli.
anIMal-pRInt bag by
burberry
The star of GQ Indias 5th
anniversary fashion feature
is Andrs Velencoso, one
of the worlds best-known
male models. While the
Spaniard recently branched
out into acting, heading
to LA to ignite his movie
career and to be closer to his
girlfriend Kylie Minogue,
he remains one of the
most recognizable fashion
personalities, fronting high-
profle campaigns for the
likes of Chanel, Zegna and
Louis Vuitton. Velencoso
once visited India on work,
but what he really wants
is to sink his teeth into
Bollywood. Ive heard so
much about it, he says.
Id love to check it out.
october 2013 363
364 october 2013
october 2013 365
coat by louis vuitton.
shirt, trousers; both
by givenchy. neckpiece,
ring; both by stephen
webster
leopard-print shirt
by saint laurent
paris. trousers by
ermenegildo zegna. tie
by paul smith. tie bar
by tateossian. boots by
roberto cavalli
366 october 2013
on Andrs: trench
coAt, jumper, trousers,
shoes; All by dior
homme. AnimAl-
print muffler by
christopher kane
on cAmille: suit by
christian dior. hAt by
roberto cavalli. shoes
by jimmy choo
velvet suit by canali.
AnimAl-print scArf
by roberto cavalli.
pocket squAre by
mrs bow tie
october 2013 367
368 october 2013
on Andrs: jAcket
by burberry
on cAmille: jAcket
by ermanno scervino
AnimAl-print cArdigAn
by john varvatos. mesh
vest by ermenegildo
zegna. trousers by
etro. sunglAsses by
thom browne. ring by
stephen webster
october 2013 369
- William Hazlitt
(English writer, 17781830)
370 october 2013
on Andrs: suit by
roberto cavalli. scArf
by jane carr
AnimAl-print
turtleneck jumper
by roberto cavalli.
trousers by giorgio
armani. ring, neckpiece;
both by stephen
webster. tAsselled
loAfers by jimmy choo
photogrApher Agency:
Agence St germAin PAriS
AssistAnt photogrApher:
emmAnuel lAfAy
hAir & mAke-up: cAmille
lutz/modS hAir Agency
celebrity mAnAgement:
Sight mAnAgement Studio
model: cAmille PiAzzA/
next PAriS
AssistAnt stylist:
rAVneet chAnnA
production:
gizelle cordo
production AssistAnt:
VASundhArA ShArmA
locAtion: Auberge du Jeu
de PAume, chAntilly
october 2013 371
372 OCTOBER 2013
C
O
R
B
I
S

P
H
O
T
O
OCTOBER 2013 373
WRITTEN BY
JAMES MONTAGUE

374 OCTOBER 2013
before being ousted by the violence
and bloodshed of revolution. Justice for
those who have died or disappeared in
Tahrir Square during the death throes of
Mubaraks regime. Justice for those who
died on both sides during this summers
uprising against deposed President
Mohamed Morsi. And justice, too, for
those who lost their lives in the bloodiest
single incident since the revolution: the
deaths of 72 fans of Al Ahly the Ultras
on 1 February, 2012 after a football match
against Al-Masry in the Suez Canal city of
Port Said.
That day, many of the fated fans were
crushed to death in a stampede when
Al-Masrys supporters charged the pitch.
Others in the ground were thrown to their
deaths from the top of the stand behind
one of the goals allegedly by opposition
fans breaking like dolls on the concrete
oor below. It remains one of the worst
football disasters sport has ever seen,
the true horror only apparent in the cold
light of the next morning the mounds of
discarded shoes piled up in the walkways;
pools of darkened, dry blood collected in
the depressions of plastic seats; a metal
gate ripped from its concrete pillar by the
sheer force of the human crush.
In the immediate aftermath the
authorities blamed the violence on mindless
Al Ahly thugs the fans, the Ultras.
Yet as eyewitness accounts emerged,
a very different story began to form.
People started whispering about ofcial
complicity in the deaths, of a police force
that had stood back apathetically and
watched as young men died before their
very eyes. The reason for such suspicion?
For many in Egypt the answer is obvious.
Al Ahlys fans had played a crucial role in
EGYPTS RED DAWN
The crimson smoke rises, pouring
upwards from canisters cracked open
and held aloft in almost sacricial
reverence. Its blushing plumes envelop
the 15,000-strong crowd that have
stood for hours in the already hot Cairo
morning sun outside the training ground
of Al Ahly Egypts most popular, most
decorated and now most notorious
football club. They are waiting for news.
Eventually, word arrives, though through
the din and the chaos it isnt immediately
clear what the word is. Has justice been
served? Or, as the sceptical crowd have
always suspected, has justice been denied,
compromised, denigrated, postponed?
Justice. Its a word that has become
everything in post-revolutionary Egypt.
Justice for those who have suffered at
the hands of the former president Hosni
Mubarak, the Pharaoh, who crushed all
opposition during his 30 years in power
the revolution that toppled Mubarak. The
Ahlawy, as the group of Al Ahly supporters
would come to be known, manned the
barricades and provided the fuel the
songs and banners, as well as the muscle
that hastened Mubaraks exit. They had,
in only six years, become far more than
simply the home support. They had become
a revolutionary force. A force the new
authorities now feared and wanted
to control.
One year on from the tragedy, outside
Ahlys training ground the thousands of
Ahlawy stand in front of a huge black
billboard, 100ft wide and 10ft tall. The
billboard is a collage of 72 portraits shorn
from Facebook, passport photos and
family gatherings. They bear down on the
crowd as if they too are expecting justice.
Today, 12 months on since the terrible
event, the crowd wait for the rst court
verdict in the trial of those accused of the
deaths: Al-Masry fans, ofcials and police
ofcers alike.
Information crackles through the
crowd like a loose electric wire. Gunre
booms. The Ahlawy, or at least the truly
enthusiastic ones, have come armed for
the verdict. They carry homemade sawn-
off shotguns, the safety catches off, their
ngers over the triggers. They re them in
the air, the cracks whipping the crowd into
an expectant frenzy. One young boy res
an automatic pistol in the air repeatedly. I
breathe a sigh of relief when it nally jams.
To my left I see Mohamed, one of the
founding members of the Ahlawy, crouch
down, the morning sun burning his face,
as he tries to decipher the code. The
gunre suddenly intensies. Fifteen death
sentences, he relays calmly, mobile phone
pressed to one ear, his other hand trying
to mufe the outside world.
Maybe more. A lot, a lot, a
lot for the Port Said people.
Next to us a teenager with a
shotgun, his head covered
by a hood, his face smothered
by a red scarf, blasts another couple of
rounds in the air. Mohamed looks up, a
small smile buried in his cheeks.
Its over.
ssad is waiting for me outside the
KFC on Tahrir Square. Its late
spring and the square is not, as yet,
synonymous with Egypts subsequently
televised revolution. Assad is the founder
of a new Al Ahly fan group, one just
recently formed, aping the ultra cultures
of Italy and Serbia. This supporters
the revolution that toppled Mubarak. The
Ahlawy, as the group of Al Ahly supporters
would come to be known, manned the
Al Ahly Ultras react in anger
to a 9 March, 2013 verdict,
which acquitted most of the
police ofcers implicated in
the Port Said massacre
C
O
R
B
I
S
Of course this is long
before the revolution
of January 2011. Ahlys hard-core
supporters, such as Assad, are rowdy and
vocal but carry little political edge. But
with each game the crowds grow. The
mood, the agenda, begins to shift. With
each passing football season more and
more young men begin to nd a place
for themselves on the baked terraces,
a place to express their frustration at
Mubaraks suffocating regime. Each Al
Ahly game becomes increasingly political
and anti-authoritarian. The chants change
from those denouncing Zamalek the
opposition team to those denouncing the
police, the government and even Mubarak
himself. In 2010 banners start to appear
with the acronym ACAB All Cops Are
Bastards. Members of the Ahlawy start
to be arbitrarily beaten and arrested.
Fans are harassed and strip-searched at
every game. Assad himself is thrown in
jail at one point. Ahlys matches become
a microcosm of the heavy-handedness
that the rest of the country feels on a
daily basis. Unlike the activists and other
government opposition groups that are
quickly neutered, however, the Ultras
continue to sing. They commit to ght
back; they refuse to be contained. Sooner
or later, Assad and others like him know
only too well that the situation in the
stadiums and in the wider country isnt
sustainable: something has to give.
wo months after the fall of
Hosni Mubarak, Assad stands, along
with 7,000 members of the Ahlawy,
at one end of Cairos Military Stadium
for the restart of the Egyptian Premier
League, the rst league match since the
revolution began in January. Hundreds
of police ofcers dressed head to toe in
black riot gear stand looking at the crowd.
The fans, forever clad in red, remind the
police and their former paymasters of
their improved position in the new post-
revolutionary Egypt:
F*** the mother of Hosni Mubarak!
union has no name as yet, but
Assad agrees to escort me to
Egypts biggest and, historically, most
volatile match: Al Ahly versus Zamalek,
the infamous Cairo derby. Assad is fresh-
faced, in his early twenties and passionate
about the future of Egypt. Zamalek, of
course, is the enemy on the pitch, and
Assad stands on the terrace with his
gang of no more than a few hundred Al
Ahly comrades shouting abuse at the
opposition. Tens of thousands of riot
police act as barrier between the two sets
of supporters, impenetrable and absolute.
Throughout the course of the match plain-
clothes ofcers can be seen randomly
hauling out fans they feel need a shake
down. It feels less like a football match and
more like martial law.
The two biggest political parties in
Egypt are Ahly and Zamalek, Assad
explains as we watch Zamalek beating
Ahly. Ahly has dominated Egyptian and
African football over the previous decade,
and to see them being taught a lesson on
the pitch is rare. [Football] is bigger than
politics. Its more about escapism. The
average Ahly fan is getting paid minimum
wage and his life sucks. The only good
thing about his life is that for two hours
on a Friday he goes to the stadium and
watches Ahly.
and to see them being taught a lesson on
the pitch is rare. [Football] is bigger than
politics. Its more about escapism. The
average Ahly fan is getting paid minimum
wage and his life sucks. The only good
thing about his life is that for two hours
on a Friday he goes to the stadium and
watches Ahly.
Both Al-Masry and Al
Ahly fans invade the
pitch after the nal
whistle in Port Said on
1 February, 2012, a clash
that killed 72 of Al Ahlys
faithful supporters
376 OCTOBER 2013
EGYPTS RED DAWN
A
F
P
378 OCTOBER 2013
Above: Portraits of the Ahlawy victims
and the number 74 are displayed before
an Al Ahly match on 4 November,
2012; Below: A graftied wall in Tahrir
Square portraying policemen, each with
the face of former PM Hosni Mubarak
and the ACAB (All Cops Are Bastards)
abbreviation on their chests
EGYPTS RED DAWN
G
E
T
T
Y

I
M
A
G
E
S
they shout at the police lines.
Ironically enough, it turns out that
today the Ultras opposition is El-Shorta
the local police club. Such a show of
dissent would have been cut down a
few months ago by the armed polices
reinforced batons, but with Mubarak
under arrest in a hospital near the Red
Sea the tables have now truly turned. The
change is staggering, even to an outsider
like myself: Four years since the formation
of the Ahlawy, this clan of so-called
hooligans has changed from a group
merely aping European football culture to
a major thorn in the former regimes side.
When the revolution started on
25 January, 2011, followed by the Day of
Rage three days later, it was the Ultras
who stood on the front line, prepared
to do whatever was necessary. The men
draped in red had become the voice and
the st of the revolution. The whole
concept of any independent organization
didnt exist, no unions, no political parties,
nothing was organized. And then we
started to organize football ultras, Assad
explains. At this point in the game were
half watching and Al Ahly have just gone
1-0 up, although no one much notices
over the din of abuse directed at the
stoic police. It was just a sport at rst,
but to the authorities it was the youth, in
big numbers. They feared us. It wasnt
supporting a team; we were ghting
the police, ghting for our rights. Of
course, I dont want to say we were solely
responsible for bringing down Mubarak,

year since my last visit, a year since
the revolution, I meet Assad in the
lobby of the Ramses train station in
Cairo. The station has only recently been
renovated, but already it looks old and
worn, as if the chaos and the pollution of
the city has reclaimed it like an advancing
desert. Its been 10 months since I said
goodbye to Assad and Ahlawy at the bar
near Tahrir Square. Then, he was blazing
with hope. Today, he looks older. His hair is
shaved close to his skull (the product, I later
learn, of having to be treated for a gash
delivered by a policemans club). A scrappy,
reddish beard grows over his features,
ragged and unkempt.
The military was clever, Assad says,
They played their cards. It is three weeks
after the Port Said tragedy. Several dozen
of the Ahlawy have gathered to take a train
north to the coastal city of Alexandria.
Everyone present lost someone at Port
Said, but the trip has been organized to
commemorate Mahmoud Ghandour, the
leader of the Ahlawy group in Alexandria
who also died that day. He was 24 years
old. A march is to be held in his memory.
Thousands are planning to attend,
marching towards the headquarters of the
Egyptian army to demand its closure. To
demand justice. Seventy-ve people have
been arrested over Port Said, mostly Al-
Masry fans asserting their innocence.
The head of security in Port Said was
arrested, too. It wasnt enough for the
Ahlawy. We dont want resignations,
Assad explains as we board the train. We
want arrests. Not the people who were
holding the knives but the people who put
the knives in their hands.
The group gathers in a caf close to the
citys crumbling seafront. The stenciled
face of Ghandour has been sprayed on
to what seems like a seafront wall. The
weeks after the tragedy have been spent
on streets in clashes with police and the
army and visiting the families of the dead.
Assad feels responsible. These are his
people. What began ve years ago as
an expression of support for a football
team catharsis in the face of oppression,
even has ended in the homes of mothers
distraught with grief after losing their only
sons. So far Assad has visited 38 families,
all the time prepared for a backlash, each
time he knocks on a door prepared to be
spat in the face by a tortured grieving
mother. Hes still waiting.
They werent angry, Assad says.
These families tell us that they are proud
he says, raising a dark eyebrow. But our
role was to make people dream, letting
them know if a cop hits you, you can hit
them back. During the revolution, there
was the Muslim Brotherhood, the activists
and us, the Ultras. Thats it.
After the match the Ahlawy, Assad and
Mohamed, take me to Horreya, a famous
old, yellowing bar off Tahrir Square to
talk about the future. Compared to the
suffocating security of the past, the air is
light with optimism; unbelievably, there
are no police or army personnel on the
street. A camp of activists still occupies
the centre of the now infamous square.
Political debate rages, though it feels
constructive rather than confrontational.
Occasionally a discussion ends with a
punch thrown awed and chaotic but
if there is a scufe, it never lasts too long.
The difference is, these men are now free.
There is hope. Things have changed.
Clockwise from top: Locals
surround a victim of the
violence in Port Said at the
morgue; a soldier checks on
a wounded Ahly fan in Cairo;
Ahly players run as supporters
of Al-Masry charge at them,
many wielding knives
OCTOBER 2013 379
380 OCTOBER 2013
their sons were loved by so
many people. They all tell us one thing:
Get justice. Football has long melted into
the background for these supporters and
the grieving families. After the tragedy at
Port Said, the league was suspended and
later cancelled altogether. The Egyptian
FA board resigned and Al-Masry was
provisionally banned from all competitions.
The only football league left for Al Ahly is
the African Champions League.
The taxi bus pulls to a stop outside
a high-walled cemetery. Inside the
graveyard, old women covered head to
toe in black sit crying on the tombs of
the deceased. The dozen or so Ahlawy
weave through the graves until they reach
Mahmoud Ghandours nal resting place.
Assad and the Ahlawy stand by the grave,
heads bowed, each mouthing a prayer in
silence. A few minutes pass before Assad
moves and the rest follow. Outside the
high walls Heema, one of the group that
has travelled north from Cairo, pulls on a
cigarette. Heema was one of the founding
members of Ahlawy. He was the one that
came up with the name. He had been there
on that day in Port Said. I ask him to tell me
what happened, what he could remember.
The gates were locked. Eight hundred
people were stuck in a tunnel. Sixty square
metres. We started to fall down on each
other. There were ve levels of people
on top of each other. The cops were just
watching. The army were guarding the
gate and just watching. The locked gate
collapsed under the weight of
all the people. The rst person who died,
his name was Yousef. He was a great hero.
He got a stone and tried to break the lock.
He couldnt do it. He was pulling it with his
own hands and then it collapsed on him. We
were just waiting for the moment to die. I
could hear people screaming for help. When
they took the guy on top of me, I heard him
screaming so bad. They stabbed him.
During the chaos of the crush that day
Heema somehow got out and managed to
nd refuge in the dressing room, which had
turned into a makeshift morgue. Egypts
American coach Bob Bradley would later
explain to me how Al Ahlys star player
Mohamed Aboutrika held one of the
injured protesters in his arms. You know
the story? Bradley went on. The fan says
to Aboutrika: Captain, I always wanted to
meet you It was the fans last breath.
Later that night, tens of thousands of
mourning mothers, fathers, brothers and
friends awaited Heema when he returned to
Ramses train station, all desperate for news
of the arrests. The crowds are under no
illusion about who is to blame for the deaths
that day in Port Said. We blame everyone,
Heema insists as we approach the
noise of the march. We blame the army
who were guarding the locked gate.
We blame the police. It happened as
punishment. A punishment for the Ultras
standing with the revolution, for protecting
the revolution.
The march begins on Port Said Street.
Tens of thousands of young men and
women ll the street to the horizon. Those
with the loudest voices sit on the shoulders
of others, facing the crowd and leading
them in a revolutionary song:
They say violence is in our blood
How dare we ght for our rights
Stupid regime
Hear what we say
Freedom!
Freedom!
Freedom!
Before the revolution of 2011, a protest
like this would never have been allowed.
Now just half-a-dozen police look the other
way as two Ultras with spray cans rename
the street Ghandour Street. It takes three
hours for the march to snake through the
streets. All the while they are cheered by
crowds from the balconies. The march
reaches the gate of the headquarters for
Egypts army. Troops stare back atop
armed APCs and tanks. A dozen foot
soldiers train their guns on the crowd.
The people demand the trial of Port Said,
the red crowd chants. The troops dont
move; the gate stays locked. As a call to
prayer echoes across the city, the Ultras fall
to their knees and pray.
The next evening, several hundred
young men gather outside the Cairo
International Stadium. The meeting has
been arranged via the Ahlawys Facebook
page. Assad never looked forward to such
gatherings before, but his views have
changed. We used to take these crowd
meetings a little for granted, but not after
Port Said, he says as we arrive.
The crowd meeting us are here to buy
a new shirt made by the Ahlawy. They
are selling them to raise money for a local
childrens cancer hospital. If they sell
enough, they want a ward dedicated to the
victims of Port Said. It will be named the
Ahly Martyrs Of Port Said. They take 600
orders in half an hour.
The popularity of the Ahlawy in Egypt
could not be higher. Nor could their
standing in Egyptian society, as the so-
called protectors of the revolution. But
still Assad regrets the loss of what made
the Ahlawy great in the rst place the
football. Now, though, there are bigger
C
O
R
B
I
S
The brother of an Al
Ahly Ultra killed in Port
Said stands by a mural
painted by his sibling
who were guarding the locked gate.
We blame the police. It happened as
punishment. A punishment for the Ultras
standing with the revolution, for protecting
EGYPTS RED DAWN
OCTOBER 2013
RAJDEEP
SARDESAI
Media
Personality
VIRAT
KOHLI
Sportsman
HRITHIK
ROSHAN
Cinematic
Icon
SONAM
KAPOOR
GQ
Woman
FARHAN
AKHTAR
Actor
OCTOBER 2013
RAJDEEP
SARDESAI
Media
Personality
VIRAT
KOHLI
Sportsman
HRITHIK
ROSHAN
Cinematic
Icon
SONAM
KAPOOR
GQ
Woman
FARHAN
AKHTAR
Actor
FREE preview for your iPad.
GQindia.com/enhanced
NEW! Enhanced.
382 OCTOBER 2013 382 OCTOBER 2013
leaders in Port Said, the minister of the
interior. Everyone.
he streets outside Ahlys training
ground are deserted. On the same
spot where 15,000 Ahlawy had
gathered to hear the rst verdict in the
Port Said trial a week before, eight grafti
artists are covering the walls of the
training ground with the faces of the dead.
It is one year since the night in Port Said
and the club has arranged for an evening
memorial service for the victims of the
tragedy.
The Ahlawy slowly arrive and connect
like iron lings to a magnet, chaste and
introverted. Heema is here. Mohamed too.
Old friends embrace and lead each other
up into the stands where thousands more
are waiting for them.
For the Ahlawy, justice has been
served, on and off the pitch. Against all
the odds, Al Ahly has won the African
Champions League. Off the pitch, the
verdict of the rst trial six days previously
had seen 21 death sentences handed down
to Al-Masrys fans. The rest, including the
police and high-ranking ofcials, have
frustratingly been postponed.
On a pitch at Al Ahlys training ground,
four of the Ahlawy Ultras are arranging
a pyrotechnic display to mark the exact
minute when the tragedy took place: 74
ares are to be lit, one for each of the
Port Said dead plus an extra two for
those who died during the revolution.
The families of the martyrs walk past us,
two by two. Mothers who have lost sons,
sisters who have lost brothers, wives who
have lost their husbands. They weep as
they see the crowds that have gathered to
honour the dead, the name of each man
read out and chanted by the crowd. When
the moment comes, the choreographed
ares are lit. The number 74 ignites the
sky, briey but brilliantly.
The following day the football league
returns, albeit behind closed doors.
When the second Port Said trial verdict
is read out a month later, two of the main
security ofcials are jailed for 15 years.
Twenty-eight are acquitted. Riots ignite
near Ahlys training complex and a nearby
police club is burnt to the ground. Some
of the Ahlawy Ultras claim responsibility,
but no one can be precisely sure of who
the arsonists are, of indeed who is ghting
any more. The Ahlawy have become so
big, so stretched, so mythological in Egypt
and so removed from the original bands
of fans who fought the regime in the
countrys darkest days, that such a claim
of responsibility has become virtually
meaningless. Now it has become more
than a group of politically motivated
football fans. It is a revolutionary
aesthetic, and an excuse by some for mere
anarchy.
Ill always remember how the ares
burnt and the survivors wept as the crowd
stood and paid their respects that day,
one year on from the terrible tragedy
in Port Said, tears streaming down the
supporters faces as the scorching red
light began to fade and the Ahlawy began
to sing a song that had never been sung
at an Al Ahly match before.
Wearing a red T-shirt
Going to Port Said
Came back in a white cofn
I became a martyr in my own country
In heaven a martyr
Revolution all over again
Thinking back now about that
Memorial Day, it felt like an end, a chapter
that had closed on all of their lives. And
on mine. The Ahlawy I had known were
seven years older, all approaching their
thirties. Heema, Mohamed and Assad
had jobs to do, families to plan, futures to
sure up. Assad couldnt be at the ground
for the verdict or the memorial; his new
job demanded that he travel abroad for
a conference. Life had intervened. And
rightly so. For what else did these men
ght were it not to live?
things to ght for. We are victims of our
values, our ideology, he tells me. We are
one of the purest entities in the country and
they are trying to destroy us. Seventy-four
people [the 72 who died in Port Said plus 2
members who died during the revolution]
are not enough [to defeat us]. If you want
to terminate our ideas then you have to
nish us all. Well die for it, if that is what
it takes.
The club crest, the eagle on the shield,
is now own with revolutionary pride
even by people who detest football. The
authorities maintain that the deaths at Port
Said were due to a mixture of hooliganism
and incompetence. After taking the T-shirt
orders, Assad and Heema lead the group to
a nearby caf. Several hundred Ahlawy are
already here, spilling out on to the street.
My mother thinks Egyptian society
should look more like us, says Heema,
who survived Port Said. Look, we have
low class and high class. Assad is high
class. But we have another fan who works
as a baker making a couple of [Egyptian]
pounds a day. There is no religion here.
Christian, Muslim, its all the same.
Everyone is equal. Assad agrees. Soon a
joint is passed around the group. We have
members of the Muslim Brotherhood, too,
he tells me, pointing to the crowd. Even
before the revolution, this place, the caf, it
was a free place.
The ghosts of Port Said, however, still
tread heavily. Much has been achieved;
there is no doubting that. Mubarak is soon
to be jailed for his crimes. Presidential
elections will take place, even though
the much-hated Muslim Brotherhood
candidate Morsi will win the vote. The fact
that Morsi would be thrown from power
16 months later would show the fragility
of Egypts new democracy. But for now,
the talk is still of sacrice, martyrdom
and, yes, justice for the Port Said dead.
We now have a big battle against all the
ofcials. Nothing will make us calm until
we see them all hanged, Heema insists.
Everyone who was responsible for this.
The Al-Masry fans. The police. The cop
Left to right: Protesters are blocked
by the police as they march to the
Egyptian Interior Ministry on
2 February, 2012; a young Ultra
sports a T-shirt with the faces of three
Port Said victims; policemen charged
in connection with Egypts worst
football disaster on 17 April, 2012
EGYPTS RED DAWN
G
E
T
T
Y

I
M
A
G
E
S
;

C
O
R
B
I
S
Get it on your iPad, iPhone and Android devices.
Fashion at your ngertips.
Scan below to get your digital edition
vogue.in/android vogue.in/itunes
SIXTH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
STARRING FREIDA PINTO
OCT
SIXTH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
STARRING FREIDAPINTO
OCT
384 OCTOBER 2013
PHOTOGRAPHED BY TONY KIM
JACKET, TROUSERS,
SHOES; ALL BY
DIOR HOMME
THE COLLECTIONS
AUTUMN/WINTER 2013-14
COAT, SUIT, SHIRT,
COLLAR BAR, TIE,
SHOES; ALL
BY TOM FORD
STYLED BY JO LEVIN
OCTOBER 2013 385
JACKET, JUMPER,
SHIRT, TROUSERS,
SHOES, BAG; ALL BY
BURBERRY
386 october 2013
JACKET, TURTLENECK
JUMPER, SHOES; ALL
BY HERMS
october 2013 387
388 october 2013
JACKET, SHIRT, TIE,
HAT; ALL BY PAUL
SMITH
COAT, SUIT,
TURTLENECK
JUMPER; ALL BY
BOSS HUGO BOSS
october 2013 389
390 october 2013
COAT, TURTLENECK
JUMPER, TROUSERS, BELT,
BOOTS; ALL BY GUCCI
october 2013 391
PRODUCTION:
GRACE GILFEATHER;
FASHION ASSISTANT:
HOLLY ROBERTS;
GROOMING:
TYLER JOHNSTON/CLM;
GROOMING ASSISTANT:
SUSI LICHTENEGGER;
MAKE-UP: NATALIE
PIACUN/CLM;
MODELS: NICK WILSON
AND GEORGE/SELECT,
IGOR AND ISAAC
EKBLAD/PREMIER,
PETE BOLTON AND
OLLIE MAANS/MODELS1,
ISAAC CAREW/NEVS,
COREY/FM,
DIMITRY/VNY NEW
YORK. THANKS TO
ANGELO DE SANTO AND
RICHARD MARTHA/RICH
IMAGING
LEATHER JACKET,
TURTLENECK
JUMPER; BOTH BY
ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA
392 OCTOBER 2013
ITS HARD TO imagine Indian food
without them now but chillies are not
indigenous to the Subcontinent. They
originated in South America, and were
only exported to the rest of the world
after Columbus rst took them back to
Europe. In India, chillies were introduced
by the Portuguese via their Estado da
ndia or colonial holdings around the
16th century, from where they gradually
spread across the country. Fast forward to
today and India is by far the worlds largest
producer, consumer and exporter, growing
30 per cent of the worlds supply, in dozens
of different varieties that have come to
dene Indian cuisine.
Of all these, the jaunty, cherry-like
Bhut Jolokia stands out for extraordinary
levels of capsaicin, the volatile active
component of chillies. Registering over
a million Scoville Heat Units (SHUs), the
Bhut Jolokia is nearly twice as potent
as Mexicos deadly Habanero. In 2007,
the Guinness World Records ofcially
recognized the Ghost Pepper as the
worlds hottest (as of 2012, the Trinidad
Moruga Scorpion chilli holds that record).
Though grown all over the region
and especially prized in Nagaland, where
its known as the Naga King Chilli it is
Assams crowded cantonment town of
Tezpur that has become synonymous with
OCTOBER 2013 393

Registering at a mind-boggling
million SHUs, this golf ball-sized
pepper is the current king of hot chillies. Eat
straight at your peril.

Despite its name, this chilli
originated in England, beating out
the Innity Chilli, also from Britannia, after the
latter had held the top spot for only weeks.
One of the most widely
consumed of the tear-jerking
variety of peppers, the habanero
is sometimes found at the bottom of a tequila
or mezcal bottle for those with the stomach
for a little spice with their shot.

With its distinctive avour, this
chilli is an essential ingredient
in cuisines ranging from West Africa to
Barbados. Most commonly associated with the
jerk rub on meats.

In contrast to most of the others on
the list of top hottest peppers,
the Fatalli sports an innocuous yellow hue
(rather than the traditional red). Dont be fooled.
394 OCTOBER 2013
A
F
P
,

I
S
T
O
C
K
the Ghost Pepper. At Tezpurs high-security
Defence Research Lab (DRL) set up after
the Chinese incursion into Assam in 1962
scientists rst noted the chillis extreme
potency in a series of scientic papers that
recommended a wide range of uses, from
pharmacology to defence (Ghost Pepper
grenades have already been used against
protesters in Kashmir).
And now here I was, having travelled
across the country to the banks of the fast-
owing Brahmaputra, with the gut-busting
Ghost almost in my grasp.
ON REACHING THE shore, I was
plunged deep into the extraordinary
crowds at Silghat, the only outsider among
a hundred thousand pilgrims. Sprawling
like the worlds largest shopping mall, in
mind-boggling scale, were endless stalls
selling every conceivable countryside
requirement. The area devoted to food
alone covered kilometres. But when Ali
led me to a line of achaar shops more
than 50 in a row the condent look he
was sporting began to fade. Every vendor
shook his head regretfully in turn: no Bhut
Jolokia. We checked the dhabas: no. The
hakims: no. The motorcycle daredevils? No.
Two fruitless hours later, still Ghostless, we
red up the boat and headed back.
Ever since the World Record
certication, the Bhut Jolokia has become
something of a fetish for spice maniacs.
It is now also grown in America, where
Ghost Pepper rubs, seasonings, spice mixes
and hot sauces are widely available on
the Internet alongside an entire genre of
YouTube videos depicting hapless victims
reeling from a straight-up dose. Capsaicin
burn induces an endorphin rush similar to
an orgasm if destroying stomach lining in
the process is your idea of a good time.
I had somewhat loftier aspirations. I
sought the Bhut Jolokia for its legendary
status in northeastern Indian cuisines as
a avour- and aroma-enhancer. For years
I have listened to acionados rave about
Ghost-infused oils, chilli-laced chutneys
and chilli-rubbed pork, and I couldnt wait
to try them myself. But, I was discovering,
the pepper was difcult to grow except
during a narrow band of time that did
not coincide with my schedule. The DRL
RED HOT
CHASING THE GHOST
396 OCTOBER 2013
in Tezpur had already failed me, and now
nothing at the Mela. I retreated to my
hotel inconsolable.
THE NEXT DAY, word came that
the elusive chillies might be on sale at
the weekly farmers market at nearby
Bindukuri town. I was back on the hunt.
Most Indians associate Assam with
Kaziranga National Park and a history of
insurgency. Very few tourists visit the state
there isnt a single 5-star hotel thus not
many people realize its actually a travellers
wonderland featuring extraordinary
physical beauty and unique cultural riches
with links to Southeast Asia, Burma, China
and Bhutan. It is also the true Garden
State of India the Brahmaputra valley
comprises some of the richest farmland in
the world.
This biodiversity was in evidence at
the Bindukuri market, with gorgeous
vegetables and fruits outsized as though
on steroids piled in every direction. I
was walking with Anoop Das, an ebullient
local whod adopted my mission, when I let
out a sudden whoop of joy. Bhut Jolokias!
Glistening red and orange little devils, just
as Id pictured them. We charged back to
Tezpur immediately with our prize.
Only lunatics will eat Bhut Jolokias
whole; instead, the Assamese add tiny
slivers to their food. More popular still is
the chilli-infused oil. That is how I rst
tasted the Ghost, laced on to a meal of rice
and dal at Das home. My host kept the jar
of mustard oil, packed with whole chillies,
in the sun for an hour before allowing
me to open it. A heady, fruity aroma lled
the room, immediately activating our
salivary glands.
Finally, the moment of truth. I dipped a
nger and put a drop on my tongue; pure
unadulterated heat slammed my taste buds
like a sledgehammer. But there was more: a
rich smokiness and a slow, spreading burn.
I felt waves of heat building steadily to a
tsunami, overwhelming my entire body.
My eyes watered uncontrollably, beads of
sweat built up across my face and my nose
started to leak.
Yet the oil was delicious. Even as
my gut complained, I wanted more.
Perhaps there was something to those
YouTube shenanigans. As I soothed the
burn with a spoonful of honey Das
ghostbusting secret I was already ready
for my next taste.
CHASING THE GHOST
INDIAN EDITION AUG-SEPT 2013 | 100
THE LAST WORD
IN TRAVEL
Beyond
Marrakech
Journey into the Sahara
Why we love Asia
The continents best food, resorts, beaches, shopping &more
How to do
Vietnam
The perfect itinerary for that trip
youve been longing to make
PLUS
BANGKOK HOTELS
Fromaordable to luxe
ESSENTIALKUALALUMPUR
Why its worth a stopover
PARAGLIDING
ININDIA
Arst-handreport
AWATCHLOVERSGUIDE
Your diaryof unmissableevents
WHATTO LOOK FOR ON
YOUR NEXT
CRUISE
Toabh models on the
Micromax Doodle 2
The nal round of judging for the Vogue India Fashion Fund 2013 took place in September where the ve
nalists Ajit Kumar, Archana Rao, Gaurav Jai Gupta, Masaba Gupta and Tanvi Kediablew away the
judges with exceptional designs, vying for the coveted winning spot.
From Left to Right: Alka Nishar, Bandana Tewari, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Oona Dhabhar, Suneet
Varma, Priya Tanna, Sunil Sethi, Anaita Shro Adajania and Gaurav Mahajan Judges enjoy a lighter moment
Suneet Varma takes a closer look at the embroidery
Hosted at The Gallery in the Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai
Hair & Make-up by Jean Claude Biguine
M
o
d
e
l
s
:

T
o
a
b
h

M
o
d
e
l
s

P
h
o
t
o

C
r
e
d
i
t
:

K
e
d
a
r

N
e
n
e

Ajit and Archana showcase sketches and
swatches of their collections designed
for Westside.
Masaba and Ajit highlighted their ability
to apply edgy designs to technology
with sketches for a Micromax Canvas
phone accessory.
While Tanvi went with embroidery
of a Tiger, Gaurav interpreted Tigre
Blancs open love with a sheer
sari blouse.
400 OCTOBER 2013
You neednt
have a wrist
as large
as a shot
putters to
pull off these
oversized
watches. An
Olympians
strut helps,
though
LEE SHIN GOO
The Roman numerals
are hand engraved
into the white gold
back, and the tourbillon
ipped over to enhance
the timepieces
dramatic effect.
CARTIER
Rotonde de Cartier
Reversed Tourbillon
OCTOBER 2013 401
We never tire of the
Royal Oaks octagonal
bezel. Though the
rounded case on
this piece is just
as impactful.
AudemArs Piguet
Millenary 4101
402 OCTOBER 2013
Barring the strap,
everything else you
see is made of solid
gold. Money.
Bell & Ross
BR01-92 Gold Ingot
OCTOBER 2013 403
Its all supersized
from the crown and
Arabic numerals
to the four registers
on the jumbo
48mm dial. Built
for real men.
IWC
Big Pilots Watch
Perpetual Calendar
Top Gun
404 OCTOBER 2013
More Prince Harry
than Prince William,
the mean shark-teeth
design on the bezel
is offset by the
delicate guilloche
work on the dial.
Breguet
Marine Royal Alarm
OCTOBER 2013 405
A supercool Sixties
Dunlop tyre-tread
motif is replicated
on the dial. Racing,
it seems, has left an
indelible mark on this
jeweller-watchmaker.
Chopard
Classic Racing Chrono
AS GQ INDIAS GROOMING EDITOR, I can safely say that
the best spas in the world arent the most expensive or luxurious,
or even the ones that use the rarest ingredients. What the
particularly special ones have in common is that theyre located
outdoors, with the ability to channel the energy of their natural
surroundings in an authentic way. This year alone, Ive had two
such remarkable experiences.
The rst was a massage at the open-air temple spa at Tugu Lom-
bok in Indonesia where a rotund, sweetly smiling masseuse called
Sari pummelled and kneaded and stretched me as if I were a ball of
pizza dough. As she worked on the knots in my back, I listened to
the sound of the waves crashing on the beach. Wind chimes tinkled
when the breeze blew. Afterwards, I sat in one of the spas medita-
tion areas and stared at the sea for a long time, sipping
lemongrass tea. As far as spa experiences went,it was a perfect 10.
And then, I visited the Blue Lagoon in Iceland...
EDI TED BY SHIKHA SETHI
+ THE COOLEST NEW SCENTS p.410
OCTOBER 2013 407
Its one of the 25 wonders of the world. And it will
make you forget everything you think you know
about spas. GQ Indias Shikha Sethi swims in the
geothermal waters of Icelands famous Blue Lagoon,
set in an 800-year-old lava eld, and discovers there
aint no face mask quite like a volcanic mud mask
I CELAND
OCTOBER 2013
SWEDEN
UNI TED
KI NGDOM
FRANCE
BLUE LAGOON
408 OCTOBER 2013
Chill out in the
lagoon with a drink
from the bar
If you visit in
summer, this is a
view youll see after
the midnight sun has
set, around am
Check in to the Blue
Lagoon Clinic Hotel
to extend your spa
experience
It was an experience so raw and
unique, I havent been able to get it
out of my head. Here, there were no
owers prettily laid out on a towel
on the massage bed; just warm
blankets to protect you from the cold
while getting an in-water silica or
volcanic mud massage. No scented
essential oils; just the whiff of sulphur.
Noambient music, either; only the
sound of an icy wind whistling in
your ears. And unlike most spas,
which have a no-alcohol policy, this
one had a lagoon bar.
In fact, at rst glance the Blue
Lagoon complex doesnt even look
like it houses a spa it looks more like
a futuristic factory, with its silver-
metallic chimneys pufng out white
smoke. To get to it, you drive out 30
minutes fromIcelands main airport
in Keavik, through a landscape
thats bleak and rocky. You pass
long stretches of at, cracked
earth interspersed with low moss-
covered stone hills. Near the spa,
you catch sight of small pools of
milky-blue water.
The chimneys belong to the
Svartsengi geo-thermal power plant,
which lies adjacent to the lagoon and
pumps out boiling geo-thermal uid
from 2,000 metres under the ground.
That mineral-rich liquid is used to
generate electricity and heat, before
its cooled down and channelled into
the lagoon. (The lagoon itself came
into being by accident when excess
thermal seawater from the plant
spilled over to form tiny pools and
people discovered the benets of
bathing in them.)
OnceIminside the main spa
building, built using lava rock
and stones to blend in with its
surroundings, I see the water in its
entirety, andam taken aback by its
strange, otherworldly beauty. At the
moment, its more white than blue,
reecting the dull light of the ashen
sky, steam lifting off its surface at
100-metre intervals.
Having changed into my swimsuit,
I quickly realize my bathrobe is no
At around 9pm, the sky
starts clearing, in patches
grey, in patches a bright,
cornower blue. I sip on
a Budweiser and take in
the water, the steam, the
lunar landscape...
OCTOBER 2013 409
HOW
TO
GET
THERE
Fly to London
Heathrow (LHR)
via Jet Airways
(jetairways.com)
or BA (ba.com)
from Mumbai
or Delhi.
IcelandAir
(icelandair.is)
ies to Keavik
airport from
Heathrow and
Gatwick airports,
and WowAir
(wow.is) ies
from Gatwick.
Once you reach
Keavik, you
can either take
a private taxi or
a Flybus to the
Blue Lagoon.
Bring your own
bathrobe
Apply sunscreen,
even if its cloudy

Carry sunglasses...
...And a bottle of
conditioner
Make sure to visit
the Blue Lagoon
Skincare Shop
match for the biting winds and
10-degree weather and Im reduced
to a shivering lump of gooseesh.
As soon as Im in the water, though,
a toasty 39 degrees, its bliss. We
spend so much of our lives indoors,
trying to cocoon ourselves from
our environment, that to be
exposed to the elements like this
feels liberating.
The lagoon is busy with several
tourists, mostly European, wading
around, sunglasses atop their
heads. Many of them have a chalk-
white mask on. I swim over to a
Blue Lagoon greeter to ask what
this is and he points me in the
direction of a silica mud station.
There, a sign explains that the
lagoons mineral-rich waters are
famous for their healing powers
because of the presence of
naturally occuring active
ingredients like silica (this is
what gives the lagoon its milky
appearance) and algae, which
have been proven to repair skin
and diminish the effects of aging.
The silica mask, in particular, is
supposed to deep cleanse, exfoliate
and make one look younger.
Since this is a (mostly vacuous)
claim made by many skincare
products, Im not expecting
any miracles. Im curious,
nonetheless,so I get straight to
the messy business of scooping
out blobs of cold white goop into
my palm, and apply it on my face.
Within minutes, the mask begins
to harden. Others are applying the
mud to their necks and arms and
backs, too, but since that means
getting out of the warm water so
the mud doesnt get washed away,
I abstain.
Ten minutes later, when my
facial muscles feel almost
completely immobilized, I put my
head underthewater and rub the
mud away. My skin feels incredibly
soft. (When I look at myself in
the mirror a few hours later, Im
amazed and delighted to nd
that my pores look about a hundred
times smaller than usual. Over
the last few years, theyve become
more noticeable, especially in
Mumbais sweaty, muggy weather.
Needless to say, I stock up on tubes
of the mask from the Lagoons
skincare shop before returning
to India.)
I spend the next hour exploring
some more, searching for
hotspots where the water is
particularly warm. When I get
to the other end of the lagoon, I
discover an energizing waterfall,
where the water rushes down in
great big sheets, pounding your
head, your neck, your back, giving
you the equivalent of an aquatic
deep-tissue massage.
At around 9pm, the sky starts
clearing, in patches grey, in patches
a bright, cornower blue. I sip on
a Budweiser and take in the water,
the steam, the lunar landscape,
the 800-year-old lava eld that
surrounds us. When I plunge my
hand into the water, I cannot see it
thats how cloudy the water is. Even
though its getting late, Im not
ready to leave. I oat on my back
watching the clouds as they race
across the sky, and enjoy the pure
sunlight you get in this northern
part of the world as it warms
my face.
Finally, an hour later, I get out.
The sun is still shining brightly
(it will eventually set at11:56pm).
This exhilarating, rejuvenating
adventure is over.
Well nearly over. As it turns
out the water has left my hair in
a mess. Its dry, feels like straw,
and I cant untangle it. But its a
look I grow to really like. Glowing,
beautiful skin and black Icelandic
dreds. It feels untamed and
natural. Not unlike this place.
bluelagoon.com; entry for a single
person costsapprox `3,500

PERFUMES
410 OCTOBER 2013
GQs editors select the sexiest,
most seductive fragrances
for a night on the town.
Shell pick you out in even
the most crowded room
1
2
3
4
1.
RALPH LAUREN
POLO RED
`4,800 for 125ml
Theres a vintage appeal to
this spicy grapefruit and red
wood fragrance; its what
you imagine Don Draper
might smell like. And who
better to give us a master-
class in vintage than Ralph
Lauren, who owns among
his exquisite classic car
collection a 1930 Mercedes-
Benz SSK Count Trossi?
Varun Godinho,
Auto & Watch Editor
2.
JOHN VARVATOS
VINTAGE
`4,700 for 125ml
When I was a boy I loved
watching my father dress
up, a ritual he would top off
with a liberal splash of co-
logne. A whiff of this scent
instantly transports me
back to those days and to
the special moments I spent
with Dad. The fragrance is
heavy and masculine, a po-
tion of leather, engine oil
and rockstar juice.
Che Kurrien, Editor
3.
GUCCI
MADE TO MEASURE
Price on request
Theres a reason why James
Franco fronts Guccis Made
to Measure suit campaign,
and is also the face of this
new fragrance: hes suave,
sophisticated and willing
to take risks. The scent, a
blend of lavender, nutmeg
and patchouli, is decadent
and rich. Wear it with a
velvet jacket and you wont
miss your mark.
Vritti Goel, Copy Editor
4.
ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA
ITALIAN BERGAMOT
THE ESSENZE COLLECTION
`14,900 for 125ml
Reminiscent of eau de
cologne, albeit re-imagined
for the 21st century, this
scent feels like a firm
handshake. The first hit
of citrusy bergamot
harvested in Zegnas own
field is followed by a rich
heart of neroli and vetiver.
Guaranteed to do strange
things to women. Megha Shah,
Associate Editor, GQ.com
P
H
O
T
O
:

J
I
G
N
E
S
H

J
H
A
V
E
R
I
/
P
H
O
T
O
L
I
N
K
5
6
8
7
5.
TRUSSARDI
MY LAND
`4,750 for 100ml
The bottle caught my
eye with its distinctive
Trussardi-embossed Italian
leather band. All smoke
and wood, it evokes sweet
Tuscan tranquility before
easing into the invigorating
smell of salty ocean spray.
Later, it leaves you with
a masculine undertone
of leather and bergamot.
Marco DSouza, Digital
Editor, GQ.com
6.
JOHN VARVATOS
ARTISAN
`4,700 for 125ml
The elegantly crafted
wicker bottle looks
good enough to take
a swig from. But resist
the temptation and spritz
some on instead.
A zesty orange note will
hit her first, but its
the woody musk shell
remember the next
morning. This ones
pure Varvatos magic.
VG
7.
DSQUARED2
POTION BLUE CADET
`4,325 for 100ml
The blue liquid in a boxy
bottle suggests practical,
daytime wear and the
sharp, citrusy notes of the
first spritz confirm this.
Reapply fearlessly before
heading to the bar. The
woody white cedar will
keep her interested
despite any talk of sports
or the stock market.
Aditya Kundalkar,
Associate Editor
8.
PACO RABANNE
INVICTUS
` 4,500 for 100ml
The intense, sweet top
notes grapefruit and
jasmine hit you like a
football chucked across
a field. But the musky
scent settles beautifully,
like rain on green grass,
and the base notes linger
on; perfect for making a
strong first impression
and then dominating her
thoughts long after youre
out of sight. AK
412 OCTOBER 2013
Fujimotos transformative moment
came from a eeting gesture of kindness.
An older boy, with whom he worked
to round up recycling from behind
businesses, decided that, for one day,
they should live like the people who dined
at restaurants, rather than as the bottle
collectors who scrounged behind them.
Come payday, he treated Fujimoto to sushi.
It was an eye-opening experience,
Fujimoto recalled, reciting every delicacy
he encountered on that day in 1962
botanebi, maguro, ika, kohada, tamago,
futomaki.
Here, Fujimoto-san started weeping at
the memory.
This was absolutely a moment of
destiny, he said.
He told his mother that he had decided
to become a sushi chef, and at the age of 16
she apprenticed him to master sushi chef
Senjiro Shibayama, owner of Sushi Sen
in Tokyos posh Ginza district. Apprentice
is a kind word. For the next ve years,
Fujimoto would live as a slave, toiling to
satisfy Japans most exclusive clientele.
Diplomats dined at Sushi Sen, as did
moguls and CEOs.
Fujimotos father had taught him to
never question or criticize. He also gave
his son the gift of a high tolerance for
uncertainty, erratic behaviour, simmering
danger and sudden violence. The sushi
master was to complete Fujimotos rsum
as a dictators sidekick by teaching him
how to cater to the powerful elite, a realm
where relationships were maintained
through favours, discretion, loyalty and
extreme supplication.
Fujimotos last task each day was to rub
Shibayamas old, naked body.
I was living upstairs, above the
restaurant, Fujimoto said. One room was
for Shibayama, a spacious room, and there
were bunk beds in the next room, where
the chefs slept. I slept beside Shibayama.
I dont know why, but I slept in the same
room with him. Next to him, there was
another futon, and I slept there. He wanted
me to sleep next to him because he wanted
me to do massage. Every night, massage.
When I was massaging him, I would ask
him, Master, Master. I would whisper
Master, Master, and when he didnt
respond, I realized he was asleep and it
was time to stop.
But Fujimotos temper would get the
best of him. After ve years at Sushi Sen,
he thought he was qualied to perform
some of the intricate tasks reserved for
the senior chefs, like slicing the head of a
DEAR LEADER
red snapper for presentation. Shibayama
refused to let him cut the sh. Furious,
Fujimoto quit. He got a job as a sushi
chef south of Tokyo, in the resort town of
Yugawara, and proposed to a beautiful
young woman he called Fu-chan. She
had bobbed hair with sharp bangs, after
the style of Fujimotos favourite Japanese
singer, Midori Sasa. Fujimoto had a
thing for women with bobbed hair. But
soon after he and Fu-chan were married,
Fujimoto became angry with her, and he
punched out her front teeth.
wenty years later, Fujimoto
was back in Japan, asking Fu-
chan for a 10-year reprieve
so he could continue his
relationship with Kim Jong-
il. He pointed out that their daughters,
Tomako and Yuriko, were grown. He
described the sushi restaurant he would
own in the Koryo Hotel. He promised to
send money.
Fu-chan demanded a divorce, an
expensive proposition in Japan.
Before Fujimoto returned to Pyongyang,
where Kim Jong-il would provide the
divorce money, Fujimoto signed his
apartment over to Fu-chans possession,
a testament to either his commitment to
her or his guilt at abandoning her; either
way, it was an admission that, whether he
was contracting himself to North Korea
for three years or 10 years, he understood
that he was really signing on forever, that
thered be no coming back.
In Shogun-samas guesthouses,
Fujimoto picked up where hed left
off spending long hours preparing
ostentatious banquets, then drinking late
into the night. But things were different.
Now that Fujimoto had signed on for a
decade of servitude, he couldnt just pack
his knives and leave. So Kim could be blas
about delivering the news that Fujimotos
new restaurant would have to wait. In fact,
it would never happen. And there was
Fujimotos new bachelorhood to deal with
the two had discussed a certain famous
young singer with bobbed hair, something
Fujimoto was embarrassed to admit to me
was in the works before he asked Fu-chan
for 10 years of freedom.
But the rst order of business was a
loyalty test. Kim Jong-il was famous for
these. When circumstances changed
for the people around him through
promotion, setback, controversy or travel
Kim needed fresh proof of their dedication
to him. Kim and Fujimoto were riding Jet
Skis on a lake near the Chinese border
when it happened.
Shogun-sama approached me.
Fujimoto, he said. Lets race. We could see
a small island, with pine trees. Lets race to
there, he said.
Kim Jong-il, Fujimoto could tell, was
serious. You have to do your best, he said.
And when Kim Jong-il called out, Lets
start, they gunned their engines. I looked
on my right side. I knew that Shogun-sama
was a little bit behind me, and I thought
I was going to be in trouble, and I knew I
should go slower, but I remembered that
hed said, You need to do your best, and
I went on at high speed. We had similar
Jet Skis, and I arrived rst. Shogun-sama
approached me and said, You won. But he
didnt say, I lost.
Back on the shore, Fujimoto received
a different reception from a group of
executives gathered there. They scolded
me and said, Youre such a fool. Youll die.
You should die.
Its true that a North Korean citizen
would likely have been executed for
embarrassing the Dear Leader. But
Fujimoto had passed his test hed
shown he was different, that he could
still be counted on to express the kind of
independent advice that Shogun-sama
occasionally entertained.
With tests come rewards. Kim Jong-il
invited the singer with the bobbed hair to
perform for Fujimoto. Her name was Om
Jong-yo. In the bunker beneath his main
Pyongyang residence, Kim Jong-il had a
10,000-bottle wine cellar with a built-in
karaoke bar. Here, Jong-yo sang The
Bride Of Seto. Fujimoto had seen her
perform many times on state-run KCNA
television. Hed only had to mention her to
Shogun-sama, and here she was, singing
for his pleasure. Such were the perks of
rolling with dictators.
I couldnt help watching her, Fujimoto
said. Shogun-sama noticed my gaze and
said, Oh, you do like her.
When the two next met, at a guesthouse
in Wonsan, Kim seated them together.
Seeing their happiness, Kim declared they
would be married on February 16, the Dear
Leaders birth date. Fujimoto claims he
protested, saying that Jong-yo was far too
young 20 years his junior and arguing
that 2-16 was far too sacred a date for their
marriage. Kim Jong-il compromised and
set a date of February 26. Soon they were
singing a duet of The Bride Of Seto on
their wedding day, an event at which Kim
Jong-il enforced heavy drinking, causing
Fujimoto to black out. As a wedding
prank, Kim Jong-il had the unconscious
Fujimotos pubic hair shaved off.
A month after the wedding, Fujimoto
and Jong-yo snuck off to meet her family.
Her relative success as a singer had not
bettered their circumstances. Fujimoto
discovered her family of six living in a
single room. Four of them would later
is a mythically strange land, an Absurdistan, where almost nothing is known about the people or, more important, their missile-launching leaders. There is, however, one man a humble sushi chef from Japan who inltrated the inner sanctum, becoming the Dear Leaders cook, condant and court jester. What is life like serving Kim Jong-il and his heir? A strange and dangerous gig, where the food and drink never stop, the girls are all virgins and youre never really safe. Pulitzer Prize- winning novelist AdamJohnson went to meet the man who survived the craziness
OCT
J U NGYE ONR OH
DEAR LEADER
Continued from
page
OCTOBER 2013 413
die of asphyxiation when, on a cold night
without heat, they brought a bucket of hot
coals into their room for warmth.
The marriage must have been
emotionally difcult for Jong-yo. She
spoke no Japanese; he spoke no Korean.
Though Fujimoto said he learnt a lesson
from knocking out his rst wifes teeth
and vowed never to beat a woman again,
hes not exactly a sensitive man. When
speaking of Jong-yo, Fujimoto constantly
praises her youth, beauty and beautiful
hair. He likes that she doesnt criticize
him, that she obeys him, and that when
I shouted at her, she would apologize
immediately, saying, Im sorry, Papa, I will
never do this again, please dont shout.
The wedding also had consequences
for Fujimoto. Members of Kim Jong-
ils entourage had tolerated Fujimoto
when they saw him as a temporary,
if entertaining, curiosity who served
awesome sushi and would probably get
himself killed. But once he was married
to a famous Korean singer and had the
ear of the Dear Leader, he became a
threatening gure.
Many people envied me because I
was a favourite of Kim Jong-il. At the
parties, I poured sake for Shogun-sama,
but Shogun-sama also poured sake for
me, which was very rare. Every time
Shogun-sama said to me, Do you like me?
I answered, Of course, I like you so much. I
was thinking about making a joke I dont
like you, I despise you. I wanted to say that
as a joke, but I had no courage. Shogun-
sama said, If you like me, why dont you
kiss me on the cheek? I dont remember
how many times I kissed him. A hundred
times? A hundred kisses. We would go
to the sauna together, naked. Shogun-
sama said, Oh, you have a good body, a
masculine body. I said, Im good at sports.
Its not too much to say I was a good
playmate for Kim Jong-il. And every time
he asked me to kiss his face, he always said
to me, If you betray me, you will... Then he
would go silent and make a gesture of a
knife going into my stomach.
Fujimoto and Jong-yo were given a new
apartment in Pyongyang. Soon after the
two moved in, a family of six disappeared
from their building. Though they lacked
a common language, Fujimoto claims
Jong-yo and he have always been good at
understanding each other. She was the rst
person to explain the gulags to Fujimoto,
telling him, when one person disappears,
it is to a re-education farm. He will
return someday. When the whole family
disappears, it is to a labour camp. None of
them will be seen again.
Attempts on Kim Jong-ils life if, how
many, when, by whom are a subject
of much debate, but they were certainly
a concern for Kim, and Fujimoto was a
man Kim trusted with his life at every
meal. Before the year was out, Fujimoto
was introduced to Kims sons, the older
and more frail Jong-chul along with the
younger and more aggressive Jong-un.
The children had largely been kept apart
from the entourage. Fujimoto remembers
the intense gaze of Jong-un who, even
at seven years of age, had already been
taught that the Japanese were the enemy.
The kids were playing with a kite,
Fujimoto recalled. It was a Japanese kite
with a Kabuki picture. But the kite did not
have a tail. So I immediately asked for
paper, glue and scissors, and made one.
I handed the kite to Kim Jong-un, who
stared at me. I said, Hold this and let go
when I send you a sign.
No members of Kims entourage had
helped the boys with their failed project.
Assisting was simply too dangerous
would aid be construed as a commentary
on the boys ineptitude or the Dear
Leaders poor parenting? Would a helpful
executive then be blamed if the kite didnt
y? What if the boys rejected the help?
Survival necessitated such considerations,
and Fujimoto was special because he never
made them.
As a nervous cadre of executives looked
on, the tail righted the kite, which rose
into the sky. A week later, Shogun-sama
called Fujimoto and informed him that the
nannies had been red: Fujimoto would
be the boys new playmate, a position he
would hold until Kim Jong-un was 18.
Fujimoto introduced them to video games,
remote-control cars and, most important,
basketball. Fujimotos sister in Japan sent
him VHS tapes of Bulls playoff games, so
Kim Jong-uns rst taste of Western hoops
came from watching Jordan, Pippen and
Rodman men who became his heroes.
During these years, Fujimoto and Jong-
yo had their own children: a daughter,
Jong-mi, and a son, Jong-un. Fujimoto said
it was only a coincidence that his son has
the same name as Kim Jong-ils son.
He remained on Kims good side, with
the occasional lapse. He once failed to
clean his room at a guesthouse, and Kim
decided to make an example of him by
taking away his kitchen. For six months,
Fujimoto was forced to prepare sushi in
a gymnasium.
But this was a small issue. On July 8,
1994, the Dear Leader Kim Jong-il lost
his father, the Great Leader Kim Il-sung,
who likely suffered a heart attack at the
Hyangsan mountain guesthouse. Kim
Jong-il was now in command of the entire
nation, but had to fend off plots and
challenges from political rivals and the
military leadership.
Kim, often dismissed as a neer-do-well
and a playboy, proved himself a cunning
politician, outmanoeuvring all who would
overthrow him and staying one step ahead
of his enemies as he consolidated power.
Fujimoto was ignorant of the intricacies
of these struggles. What he knew of Kims
life came from dinners, parties and movies.
So it was from a lm that he understood
the degree to which his boss life was in
danger. One evening they were screening
In The Line Of Fire, a Clint Eastwood movie
from 1993. (Kim had a private library of
30,000 DVDs.) Eleven-year-old Kim Jong-
un was watching the movie, as were Kim
Chang-son, Kims personal secretary, and a
detail of security guards.
In the movie, Eastwood plays Frank
Horrigan, a Secret Service agent
haunted by what he perceives to be his
failure to save President Kennedy from
assassination. But Clint Eastwoods not
going to let the current president die!
Theres a scene in which Eastwoods Secret
Service team is running alongside the
presidents motorcade. Eight agents in
suits move with a pair of black limos, each
of them with a hand on a chassis to protect
the president from an evil assassin, played
by John Malkovich. Here, Shogun-sama
suddenly stood. This is the best scene in
the movie! he announced. He turned to his
secretary and pointed at him. This is how
you protect me, he said. Then he shouted
at his security team, You have to protect
me as the Secret Police in the movie do!
While Kim fretted about appearing
like a powerful leader, his ignorance and
hubris soon led his nation into famine
and economic ruin. When he had taken
power, the nations food production had
been considered a minor success. Rice
blossomed white in the elds in the south;
and across thousands of hectares, corn
stalks broke upwards through the soil. In
recognition, the agricultural minister had
been designated a hero when he died and
MANY PEOPLE ENVIED
ME BECAUSE I WAS
A FAVOURITE OF KIM
JONGIL... I DONT
REMEMBER HOW MANY
TIMES I KISSED HIM.
A HUNDRED TIMES?
WE WOULD GO TO THE
SAUNA TOGETHER,
NAKED
was buried in the Patriots Cemetery. But
Kim Jong-il wanted more. He ordered
the new agricultural minister to improve
crop production by cutting down trees
on hillsides to make room for terrace
farming. Come the next rainy season, that
deforestation would cause the ash oods
that would destroy the crops that would
cause the famine that would slowly kill two
million people.
As the famine unfolded, according
to Bradley K Martin, a preeminent
North Korea expert, Kim Jong-il had his
new agricultural minister executed by
ring squad.
As the famine became devastating,
Kim Jong-il had the former agricultural
ministers body exhumed from the Patriots
Cemetery and subjected to a posthumous
execution by ring squad.
Fujimoto, however, would miss the
famine. In 1996, while on a trip to Japan
to buy sh at the Tsukiji market, he was
arrested at Tokyos Narita Airport.
At the time of his arrest, Fujimoto was
travelling with Kim Jong-ils Chinese
interpreter, a man whose Dominican
passport raised suspicions. This made the
Japanese customs authorities look more
closely at Fujimotos passport, and they
soon realized they were in possession of
the worlds most knowledgeable person
on the inner workings of the Kim regime.
They would spend the next 18 months
questioning him.
A team was assigned to debrief the
chef. A cabinet minister took notice.
When Kim Jong-il personally called
Fujimoto and ordered him to leave Japan
immediately, the authorities understood
that Fujimoto was important enough for
Kim Jong-il to assassinate. They moved
him to the southern island of Okinawa,
where Fujimoto got a job at a resort
hotels sushi restaurant.
During questioning, the Japanese
authorities gave Fujimoto books to read
about North Korean gulags, re-education
farms and human-rights abuses. One book
was about torture; it claimed the North
Koreans liked to damage their victims to
the core, wounding them so deeply theyd
vomit up their mothers milk.
One night, a Korean man came to see
Fujimoto at the sushi bar. By his accent,
Fujimoto could tell he was from the North.
He said, Someone sent me here, and after
you nish your work, were going to talk
about something.
Fujimoto knew a killer when he saw
one. But after work, the man didnt return.
In fact, Fujimoto never saw him again.
For the rst time during all his escapades
in North Korea, Fujimoto became afraid.
He was also depressed. He couldnt get
the torture books out of his head. He was
drinking a lot. He was lonely and wanted
to return to Pyongyang, to his wife and
children. On July 9, 1998, the Japanese
agreed to release him. But rst they
extracted a promise: If he ever left North
Korea again, he was to call them and
report in.
Here, Fujimoto began describing a
happy return to his family in Pyongyang,
but I stopped him. What about your
Japanese daughters? I asked. During
your 18 months in Japan, didnt you
contact them?
No, he said.
I brought up Fujimotos father, whod
once been devoted enough to carry his
childrens umbilical cords into combat.
Fujimoto stood. He was visibly upset.
Times up, he said, and went to take a
piss in the frozen bathroom.
In questioning his devotion to his family,
I had offended Fujimoto. So as a peace
offering, I invited him to lunch. We kept
talking, and it didnt take long for his good
cheer to return. He chose a restaurant
called Don, which is the Japanese
equivalent of Sizzler. It seemed to cater to
coupon clippers and chain-smokers. When
the food came, Fujimoto produced a tube
of garlic paste from his jacket pocket. This
he smeared across his steak as he told me
how things took a turn for the worse soon
after he got back to Pyongyang.
Kim Jong-il soon summoned him.
Yes, Shogun-sama admitted, hed sent
an assassin to Okinawa, but he urged
Fujimoto to forget about it. He was still
alive, wasnt he? It was Kims wife, Ko
Young-hee, whod reminded him of how
funny and lovable his Japanese friend had
been. Thus the killer was recalled.
Shogun-sama told Fujimoto that an
important mission awaited: He was to
travel with Kims secretary, Kim Chang-
son, to Beijing to stock up on canned food.
Of course, canned food could not have
been a priority, and there was no urgency
to send Fujimoto on a mission. It was a
loyalty test, one Fujimoto would fail.
I should have realized at that moment,
Fujimoto said. I should have suspected.
Kim Chang-son took Fujimoto to a
hotel that had been bugged. I made a
phone call from the hotel room to the
Japanese police. Hi, this is Fujimoto, I told
them. Theres nothing to worry about.
Im on a business trip in China. There is
nothing to worry about.
It seemed like a foolish move, but this
was Fujimoto: unquestioningly obedient.
Hed promised to call the Japanese
authorities, so he did.
Upon his return to Pyongyang, a group
of executives pulled Fujimoto aside and
played him a tape of his phone call to
Japan. He was put under house arrest. He
also had to write letters of apology to Kim
Jong-il, promising to disown Japan.
House arrest was a relatively light
sentence, but for Fujimoto it was a difcult
time. For 18 months, I wasnt allowed to
go out. That was a traumatic experience
for me. When I was sleeping, I heard the
sound of the wind. My eyes popped open.
I went to the curtain. I checked to see if
the jeeps had come to my house to take
me to the camps. Because I read the books
the police had given me in Japan, I was so
scared. I almost got crazy.
Trapped in his house, waiting for the
day he would be transported to the camps,
he began studying a photograph hed been
given as a party souvenir. I saw this group
picture and realized that three or four
people were missing. I knew a doctor, the
top doctor at an exclusive hospital. He was
missing. They had all disappeared because
of political issues.
Fujimoto became certain hed be
the next person to disappear from
the photograph.
He decided to escape.
Freed from house arrest, Fujimoto
returned to his role as cook and nanny.
He spent the next year re-ingratiating
himself with Kim Jong-il before setting his
plan in motion. In March 2001, Fujimoto
casually mentioned to Kim Jong-il that
he had a new Iron Chef video, an episode
Kim had never seen. When they watched
it together, Kim discovered the episodes
DEAR LEADER
IF KIM JONGIL WERE
HERE RIGHT NOW, I
WOULD KNEEL DOWN
AND APOLOGIZE. ID
ADMIT THAT I LEFT
NORTH KOREA AND I
DISCLOSED SECRETS
ABOUT NORTH KOREA.
I AM A TRAITOR, AN
ABSOLUTE TRAITOR
414 OCTOBER 2013
mystery ingredient was one hed never
tasted before: sea-urchin roe, or uni. When
Kim asked about uni, Fujimoto described
it as the most exquisite delicacy in the
world, one whose creamy texture was both
oceany and sweet. It could only come from
Rishiri Island, off Hokkaido, and only an
experienced sushi chef could discriminate
good uni from bad.
Though Kim had banned Fujimoto
from travel after his Tokyo arrest, the idea
of a new delicacy proved too much. Just
this once, Shogun-sama said, then made
Fujimoto utter a personal promise to
return. Thats all it took. Shogun-sama told
him to y right away.
That afternoon, as Fujimoto was
crossing the guesthouse compound to
pack, he came across Kim Jong-un, who
was 18 now and had his own entourage.
They had just nished playing basketball
and, still sweating in the sun, were
drinking shots of vodka. Kim Jong-un
made Fujimoto down several shots and
then eyed him suspiciously. You must
promise to return from your trip to Japan,
Fujimoto remembers him saying.
Fujimoto said good-bye to his wife,
Jong-yo, in the parking garage of the
Koryo Hotel, drove to Sunan airport,
abandoned his coveted Mercedes in the
lot and ew to Tokyo on the pretext of
buying uni at the Tsukiji sh market. There,
after spotting a team of minders loyal to
North Korea, he ate Inoue ramen and then
disappeared into the crowd.
This is a difcult question, I said.
What did you think would happen to your
wife after you escaped?
Fujimoto told me he wouldnt have
escaped if hed thought she would be shot.
Remember that my wife was Kim Jong-
ils favourite singer, Fujimoto said. And I
believed Kim Jong-il never killed girls.
I said, But they were sent to the coal
mine, your wife and children, to be re-
educated.
Fujimoto seemed untroubled by this.
He said hed done all that he could. Right
away, he started writing letters of apology
to Kim Jong-il.
And it worked, he said. After six
years, they were freed.
en years later, in December 2011,
Fujimoto watched with the rest of
the world as Kim Jong-ils funeral
procession moved slowly down an
icy boulevard in Pyongyang. Speculation
was rampant about who was now holding
power in North Korea, but Fujimoto knew
right away: Eight men in suits, one of them
a full-grown Kim Jong-un, moved with the
limousine, each walking with a hand on
its chassis, just like the agents in the Clint
Eastwood movie. Kim Jong-il had made
a wish, to be treated like an American
president in the movies, and his son had
made it come true.
In July 2012, Fujimoto answered the red
invitation and ew to Pyongyang.
Cynics say Fujimoto returned to North
Korea because the Japanese media had
grown tired of his decade-old stories; by
risking his life with a return, hed be able to
once again command large interview fees.
Fujimoto says he simply wanted to make
good on his word.
During his two-week stay, he met with
Kim Jong-un once, on the 22nd, over lunch
with Kim Jong-uns entourage and his new
wife, Ri Sol-ju, herself a former pop singer.
Fujimoto greeted Kim Jong-un with
The betrayer has returned. Sobbing,
Fujimoto dropped to his knees. Kim
beckoned him to rise, and the cover image
of Fujimotos book about the trip shows
him weeping, locked in a bear hug with
North Koreas new leader.
Fujimoto was assigned an interpreter
and a valet for the event a lavish banquet
that Fujimoto cannot quite remember.
As the party progressed, Kim Jong-un,
taking a cue from his father, challenged
Fujimoto to a drinking contest. The sushi
chef, now 65, drank until he blacked out.
He woke later to discover that he was
in a guesthouse, in bed, with his clothes
removed. He called to his valet, who was
sitting in a chair in the dark.
Did I embarrass myself? Fujimoto
asked him.
No, the valet assured him.
Fujimotos real reunion came with his
wife, Jong-yo, the next day. Shes free now
and lives in the capital. I expected that
she would punch me and shout at me, but
she didnt... My wife, Jong-yo, and my
daughter, Jong-mi, arrived with a small
suitcase. We cried and embraced. Jong-
un is my sons name, and I asked, What
happened to Jong-un? I remembered that
he went into the military, so I asked if he
was busy serving in the army. No, Jong-yo
said. He died.
Here, Fujimoto started weeping.
I heard from Jong-yo that at two or
three in the morning, they were sleeping
together in the same room. He started
shouting, once, twice. On the third shout,
he fell dead. A heart attack. She was with
him. She witnessed him dying. Jong-un
was healthy. But recently he was fond of
eating meat, and he was getting bigger and
bigger, which might have caused pressure
on his heart. Im sure there was pressure.
He was slim before, but since he started
eating a lot of meat, he started getting
bigger. He was 22.
I asked if there was a doctors report
or an autopsy. Didnt the death seem
suspicious?
I am convinced, Fujimoto answered.
My wife was witness to his sudden
death. If the North Korean people wanted
to kill someone, that would be me, not my
son. No murder, just an accident.
Fujimoto began speaking about how
beautiful Pyongyang was, how much it
had improved over the past 10 years,
to the point that he sounded a bit like
a propaganda reel. It was here that he
revealed a grand and bafing new plan:
to leave his aging Japanese girlfriend for
his young Korean wife, to live out his days
in Pyongyang in luxury, to become Kim
Jong-uns condant, to get his Mercedes
back and to nally open a restaurant in
the Koryo Hotel, this one serving noodles
instead of sushi.
I want to bring ramen to Pyongyang,
he said. I already have a recipe for Inoue
ramen. I know there are a lot of people
who are against me in North Korea, so
it will be difcult to have a Fujimoto
restaurant. I dont think I can use the
Fujimoto name.
Fujimoto has it all planned out.
Hes going to sign over all future book
royalties to his Japanese girlfriend, to
support her in her old age. Then hell
leave Japan for good, thus easing his
conscience over the betrayal he feels
hes committed. Like a Clint Eastwood
character haunted by an unforgivable
mistake, Fujimoto is searching for a
means of redemption. If Kim Jong-il
were here right now, Fujimoto said,
I would kneel down and apologize.
Id admit that I left North Korea and I
disclosed secrets about North Korea. I am
a traitor, an absolute traitor.
I reminded Fujimoto that Shogun-sama
wouldnt be there to protect him, that
Kim Jong-un has his own entourage now.
That in North Korea there are no human
rights, civil liberties or rules of law.
Fujimoto waved this off. His only
worry was obtaining a visa from
Pyongyang so he could get his new life
started. I dont think I am ever coming
back from North Korea, he said.
I remind him that his luck cant last
forever, that in North Korea a dictator
need only snap his ngers to make a man
disappear. I ask him if he understands
hes trading actual freedom for an
imaginary paradise.
I have no fear, Fujimoto says.
You cannot know whats ahead, I tell
him. The peril is very real.
But care and caution are not his way.
His face is both sternly resolute and
innocently optimistic.
I have no fear, he repeats.
OCTOBER 2013 415
october 2013 417
p
h
o
t
o
:

c
c
i
l
e

b
o
r
t
o
l
e
t
t
i
where to buy
the merchandise featured editorially has been ordered from the following stores. some shops may carry a selection only. prices and
availability were checked at the time of going to press, but we cannot guarantee that prices will not change, or that specific items
will be in stock when the magazine is published. we suggest that, before visiting a store, you call to make sure they have your size
A
Agent Provocateur
(agentprovocateur.com)
American Apparel
(americanapparel.net)
Angelo Galasso
(angelogalasso.com)
Arjun Khanna
mumbai, 98209 22710
Audemars Piguet mumbai,
time avenue, 022-2651 5858;
delhi, kapoor watch co,
011-2469 3712
B
Balmain (balmain.com)
Bell&Ross (bellross.com)
Bon Bon (straps&strings.com)
Borsalino (borsalino.com)
Boss Selection mumbai,
022-2665 5560; delhi, dlf
emporio, 011-4604 0773;
bangalore, 080-2520 7200
Bottega Veneta mumbai, the
galleria, 022-3027 7090; delhi,
dlf emporio, 011-4609 8272
Breguet mumbai, ethos,
022-6615 0351; delhi, Johnson
watch co, 011-4151 3121;
bangalore, ethos, 080-4113 0611
Burberry mumbai, palladium,
022-4080 1993; delhi, dlf
emporio, 011-4652 9850;
bangalore, ub city,
080-4173 8825
C
Calvin Klein mumbai,
022-2648 4794; delhi, select
citywalk, 011-4059 7502;
bangalore, 080-4098 6229
Canali mumbai, palladium,
022-4009 8685; delhi, dlf
emporio, 011-4604 0731;
bangalore, ub city,
080-4173 8997
Cartier Watches mumbai,
rose, 022-2362 0275; delhi,
Johnson watch co, 011-4151
3121; bangalore, rodeo drive,
080-4124 8471
Chantal Thomass
(chantalthomass.fr)
Chopard mumbai, dia,
022-2288 4757; delhi Johnson
watch co, 011-4151 3121;
bangalore, rodeo drive,
080-4124 8471
Christian Dior mumbai,
022-6749 9091; delhi, dlf
emporio, 011-4600 5900
Christopher Kane
(antonioli.eu)
Christian Louboutin
mumbai, 022-4347 1787; delhi,
dlf emporio, 011-4101 7111
Churchs
(church-footwear.com)
Clarks mumbai, infniti,
022-6770 9982; delhi,
dlf emporio, 011-4654 8023;
bangalore, phoenix market city,
080-6726 6052
Corneliani mumbai, 022-6631
1303; delhi, dlf emporio,
011-460 40711; bangalore, ub
city, 080-4173 8170
CT Scuderia (ctscuderia.com)
D
Diesel mumbai, 022-2661
8484; delhi, ambience,
011-4087 0072; bangalore,
ub city, 080-4173 8004
Dior Homme delhi, dlf
emporio, 011-4600 5900
emporio, 011-4604 0796
Gucci mumbai, the galleria,
022-3027 7060; delhi, dlf
emporio, 011-4647 1111
Gucci perfumes mumbai,
atria, 022-2481 3333;
delhi, dlf emporio,
011-4611 6666; bangalore, 1mg
road, 080-2208 6552
H
Harry Winston delhi,
011-4660 9090
Herms mumbai, 022-2263
0093; delhi, 011-4360 7780
Hugo Boss mumbai, 022-2665
5560; delhi, dlf emporio,
011-4604 0773
I
IWC mumbai, dia, 022-2204
2299; delhi, Johnson watch co,
011-4151 3121
J
Jack & Jones mumbai,
022-3192 7872; delhi, dlf
emporio, 011-4616 0904;
bangalore, 080-4204 3753
Jaguar India mumbai,
022-6747 8080; delhi,
011-4692 2222; bangalore,
080-4309 9999
Jane Carr (jane-carr.com)
Jimmy Choo mumbai,
022-3027 7070; delhi,
emporio, 011-4660 9069
Joanne Hynes
(joannehynes.com)
John Lobb (johnlobb.com)
Johnston & Murphy
mumbai, 99704 56782
John Richmond
(johnrichmond.com)
John Smedley
(johnsmedley.com)
John Varvatos see the
collective
John Varvatos perfumes
parcos: mumbai, palladium,
022-2364 3685; delhi,
dlf place, 011-4610 2988
Just Cavalli delhi, dlf
emporio, 011-4604 0729
K
Karl Lagerfeld see the
collective
Kenneth Cole mumbai,
palladium, 022-4347 4096; delhi,
dlf emporio, 011-4604 0729
L
La Senza mumbai, atria,
022-6736 3563; delhi, dlf
promenade, 011-3208 6063;
080-6726 6344
Lamborghini mumbai, 92235
42919; delhi, 99710 45555
Lanvin delhi, 011-4609 8212
Louis Leeman
(louisleemanparis.com)
Louis Vuitton mumbai, 022-
6664 4134; delhi, dlf emporio,
011-4669 0000; bangalore, ub
city, 080-4246 0000
M
Maison Michel
(michel-paris.com)
Mawi (mawi.co.uk)
Miharayasuhiro
(miharayasuhiro.jp)
Monica Vinader
(monicavinader.com)
Mrs Bow tie
(mrsbowtie.com)
Myla (myla.com)
N
Narendra Kumar mumbai,
022-6522 4842; delhi,
011-3241 4157
Nissan mumbai,
022-4056 0000; delhi, 011-
4006 6666; bangalore, 080-
4258 6000
O
Omega mumbai, 022-6655
0351; delhi, 011-4151 3255;
bangalore, 080-4098 2106
P
Paco Rabanne perfumes
022-2364 3685; delhi,
dlf place, 011-4610 2988;
bangalore, 1mg road,
080-2208 6552
Paul Smith mumbai,
palladium, 022-6658 9960;
delhi, dlf emporio,
011-4604 0744; bangalore, ub
city, 080-4173 8882
Pebble (pebblelondon.com)
Pepe Jeans mumbai,
phoenix mills, 022-2498 5020;
delhi, 011-4158 0491;
bangalore, 080-4126 8020
Porsche Design mumbai,
palladium, 022-6658 9960;
delhi, dlf emporio,
011-4604 0744; bangalore,
ub city, 080-4173 8882/3
Dolce & Gabbana see the
collective
Dsquared2 (dsquared2.com)
DSquared2 perfumes
022-2364 3685; delhi,
dlf place, 011-4610 2988;
080-6726 6050
E
Elie Saab (eliesaab.com)
Ermanno Scervino
(ermannoscervino.com
Ermenegildo Zegna
mumbai, 022-2285 7000; delhi,
dlf emporio, 011-4606 0999;
bangalore, ub city,
080-4173 8805
Etro mumbai, palladium,
022-4341 2294; bangalore,
ub city, 080-4131 6924
F
Ferrari delhi, 011-4541 0000
Fleet Ilya (feetilya.com)
Frankie Morello
(frankiemorello.it)
G
G-Star (g-star.com)
Gant mumbai, phoenix market
city, 022-2511 5773; delhi,
select citywalk, 011-4053 4565;
080-6726 6194
Gaurav Gupta mumbai,
aza, 022-2353 0212;
delhi, dlf emporio,
011-4104 2989
Givenchy (givenchy.com)
Giorgio Armani delhi, dlf
R
Ralph Lauren perfumes
lifestyle: mumbai, 022-2364
3685; delhi, 011-4087 0300;
bangalore, 080-2556 0464
Richard James see the
collective
Richard Mille
(richardmille.com)
Roberto Cavalli delhi, dlf
emporio, 011-4696 0000
Roger Dubuis mumbai,
time avenue, 022-2651 5757;
delhi, kapoor watch co,
011-4653 6667
Rohit Gandhi & Rahul
Khanna mumbai,
022-2648 5626; delhi, dlf
emporio, 011-4654 7462
S
Saint Laurent Paris (ysl.com)
Slim Barrett
(slimbarrett.com)
Stephen Webster
(stephenwebster.com)
Steve Madden mumbai,
palladium, 022-6634 5014;
delhi, dlf promenade,
011-4506 0915; bangalore
phoenix market city,
080-6726 6371
T
TM Lewin (tmlewin.co.uk)
Tateossian see the collective
The Collective mumbai,
022-4343 8888; delhi,
011-4087 8888; bangalore,
080-6767 8888
Thom Browne
(thombrowne.com)
Thomas Pink
(thomaspink.com)
Tie Rack London mumbai,
palladium, 022-4004 6759;
delhi, dlf promenade,
011-4615 2725; bangalore,
080-2266 7201
Tods delhi, dlf emporio,
011-4666 2700
Tom Ford delhi, dlf emporio,
011-4103 3059
Tommy Hilfger mumbai,
022-2646 2847; delhi,
011-5102 7191; bangalore,
080-4123 3365
Trussardi perfumes parcos:
mumbai, palladium, 022-2364
3685; delhi, dlf place, 011-4610
2988; bangalore, 1mg road,
080-2208 6552
V
Vacheron Constantin
mumbai, dia, 022-2204 2299;
delhi, dlf emporio,
011-4666 2822
Vionnet (vionnet.com)
Vivienne Westwood
see the collective
W
Walter Steiger
(waltersteiger.com)
What Katie Did
(whatkatiedid.com)
Z
Zara mumbai, palladium,
022-4347 3850; delhi, dlf
promenade, 011-4168 0853;
080-6726 6121
coat by Louis Vuitton.
shirt, trousers;
both by Givenchy.
neckpiece, ring; both
by Stephen Webster
BEHIND THE SCENES
Day 1
The moment we set eyes on the Auberge du Jeu de Paume
hotel and the architectural and landscaping marvel next to
it, the Chteau de Chantilly we begin visualizing our shoot,
with both the grounds and the decadent interiors of the
chteau providing excellent inspiration.
After checking into the Deluxe Suite, where we enjoy
some delicious French goodies, we start our work at the
Cond Suite named for one of the original owners of the
Chteau de Chantilly, Henri Jules de Bourbon-Cond its
royal blue and ruby walls serving as the perfect backdrop.
Photographer Ccile Bartoletti goes through several rolls of
lm, crafting her signature multiple-exposure shots.
Were so involved in the shoot, we almost miss lunch at
the hotels restaurant, Le Jardin dHiver, with its La Grande
Singerie featuring the works of Christophe Huet (known for
his paintings of monkeys in human dress). The menu includes
time-tested and new takes on traditional French recipes.
We recommend the roasted monksh, served with Landes
sand carrot stew, coconut and ginger, and roasted apricots
with thyme and Turon emulsion.
We then head out to the main gardens and its stunning
swan lake to capture Andrs against the Chteau. At dusk, we
move to the Jardin dHiver Bar to enjoy its dark and woody
feel an ideal evening watering hole.
FRENCH FRAMES
THE GQ DIARY
GQs stunning fashion feature on winters key
trend starring supermodel Andrs Velencoso
is set in the spectacular Auberge du Jeu de
Paume in Chantilly, which brings to life French
aristocracy and high living in all its splendour
F
o
r th
e
fu
ll
sto
ry
se
e

A
N
IM
A
L
IN
S
T
IN
C
T
S PA
GE
418 OCTOBER 2013
Photographer Ccile
Bortoletti does a nal
frame check with
model Camille
Day 2
This is the day weve slotted for the romance. And
what could be more romantic than the hotels
Presidential Suite? An embodiment of French luxury
and art de vivre, the Aumale Suite, as its also known,
makes it easy for our models Andrs and Camille to
slip into their roles as lovers.
The hot shoot complete, we lunch at Auberge du
Jeu de Paumes Michelin-starred restaurant, La Table
du Conntable. As we look out over famous landscape
artist Andr Le Ntres exquisite Chteau gardens,
we savour the nest that French cuisine has to offer:
lobster, with a roasted tail accompanied by rhubarb
and red fruits in lovage, and claws in tempura. And, for
dessert, chocolate grand cru.
Things to do in and around the
Auberge du Jeu de Paume
Encounter 15th- to 19th-century European
masters like Raphal, Delacroix, Poussin and
more at the Muse Cond at the Chteau de
Chantilly. The museum houses over 1,000
paintings, 5,000 drawings and engravings and
3,000 literary works.
Treat yourself to the relaxing Elemis therapies
at The Spa. Each treatment is specically
designed to offer a unique experience, using
powerful massage techniques and the most
potent natural products.
Explore the Grand Stables. Louis XV, Frederick
of Prussia and Tsar Paul I once dined under its
28 metre-high dome. Today, the stables house
The Living Museum of the Horse.
AUBERGE DU JEU DE
PAUME
^ RUC CU COClaLlC
60500 Chalilly
lRANCL
PhOC. +33 3 ^^ 65 50 00
aubergedujeudepau-
mechantilly.fr
OCTOBER 2013 419
GQs Fashion Director Vijendra Bhardwaj
and Ccile take stock of the days work
GQs Assistant Stylist for the shoot,
Ravneet Channa, takes care of last-
minute nips and tucks
BLHlND 1HL SCLNLS
O
n a regular weeknight,
Mumbais plush hotspot Aurus
takes on a relaxed vibe, with people
in deep conversation or diners
sampling Chef Vicky Ratnanis
gourmet menu. Come Friday
evening, however, the chilled-out
lounge turns into party central.
For our shoot with director
Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, we
chose to shoot at Aurus during the
day when its an oasis of calm.
Wearing custom-made Rajesh
A
nythings possible at Mumbais
Tote on the Turf: a boozy night
at the Tote Bar, a lavish wedding in
the spacious banquet hall or a quiet
meal in the Awadhi restaurant, Neel.
In this instance, the bar was the
perfect spot for our shoot with Suhel
Seth, the man known for his rapid-re
delivery of political know-how and
sharp wit on Twitter.
When we introduced him to
a model wearing a large birds
head (and little else), we had the
chatty social media commentator
speechless. But only for a moment,
before photographer Abhay Singh
sprung into action and put Seth at
ease. The result: A playful portrait of
our Digital Man of the Year.
COME AROUND
SUNDOWN
TURFS UP
Director Rakeysh Omprakash
Mehra turns up the heat for
GQs MOTY shoot
Known to put his money where his mouth is, Suhel Seth was his
candid best at GQs MOTY shoot
C
h
C
Ck
O
U
l lh
C
h
O
O
l O

P
A
G
E

C
h
C
Ck
O
U
l lh
C
h
O
O
l O

P
A
G
E

AURUS
GOUC OO, NiChai KUli, JUhU
1aa ROaC, JUhU, MUULai
PhOC. 0226710 6666/7
TOTE BAR AT TOTE ON THE TURF
MahalaXUi RaCC COUC, KChaV
RaO KhaCyC Ma_, MahalaXUi,
MUULai
PhOC. 0226157 7777
Pratap Singh, Mehras intense stare
gave photographer Tarun Vishwa
enough ammo to click away.
Vishwa, in turn, took advantage of
the natural light to capture Mehra
in a pensive mood even pulling
the director outside for a shot on
the beach.
420 OCTOBER 2013
The inside scoop on Farhan Akhtars
Men Of The Year shoot with GQ India
T
he JW Marriott Mumbai is the epitome of
luxury: ocean views, ne dining options at Arola,
award-winning spa services at Quan and spacious
event spaces like former nightclub Enigma.
The mirrored walls of the banquet hall proved
to be the perfect setting for our shoot with Men
Of The Year award-winner Farhan Akhtar. We took
the space back to its former club roots with plush
lounge chairs, upbeat music and ashing lights,
which turned the shoot into one big party.
At the centre was the expressive actor, who took
advantage of his many reections to play different
roles for photographer Atul Kasbekar sinister and
brooding in some shots, light-hearted and playful
in others.
JOIN THE CLUB
C
h
e
ck
o
u
t th
e
sh
o
o
t o
n

PA
GE
JW MARRIOTT HOTEL
Mumbai, Juhu Tara Road,
Mumbai .
Phone: -
The mirrored
walls inspired
Farhan Akhtar to
experiment with
different personas
BEHIND THE SCENES
422 OCTOBER 2013
Fashion photographer
Atul Kasbekar takes
a break
GQ BREAKS DOWN THE BEST OF LUXURY THIS SEASON
Regal splendour
Experience the royal lifestyle at The Lalit in Jaipur, with its
grand haveli-style architecture and personal hospitality.
The hotel boasts a beautiful courtyard surrounded by
water, making it the perfect destination for wedding
ceremonies. Its traditional splendour is complimented
by its modern suites, Rejuve Spa, Pan-Asian gourmet
restaurant Baluchi and trendy bar, The Circle.
For more information visit thelalit.com; Tel:
Colour you happy
Belgian brand Ice Watch arrives in India with its range of
vibrant timepieces. Go bold with colours like deep cherry red,
bright orange and neon lime, and mix and match away with
your ensemble. This latest collection includes watches like Ice-
Forever, Ice-Love, Ice-Chocolate, Ice-Chrono Party, Ice-Glow and
Ice-Chrono Electrik. These water-resistant pieces, with rotating
bezels, robust casing and silicone straps will make you stand out.
Available at all leading watch outlets
Cool and crisp
Arrow continues to innovate with this latest range
of wrinkle-resistant, stitchless shirts, that boasts of
sharp design and seamless style like never before.
With no visible stitches, each shirt looks neat and
structured. And the crease-free fabric will keep you
looking fresh, even after long hours.
For more information visit arrowlife.com/superluxe
Golden moments
Make a classy impression by swishing out a fancy credit card
at the end of your date night. Wield your charm with the
IndusInd Bank Indulge Credit Card, which comes with a pure
carat gold inlay and features a no-preset spending limit.
Its other advantages include access to private chef services
and deals on chartered planes, yachts and luxury cars. Its a
card made for the man who knows how to live the good life.
For more information visit Indusind.com
Italian glamour
Sport an Italian edge with D&J
suits inspired by the latest
European trends. Choose from
the brands formal, casual
and classic styles each piece
is tailored to make you look
effortlessly stylish. Dress
to impress.
Available at all leading
fashion outlets
424 OCTOBER 2013
Time for luxury
Looking to gift yourself with the best luxury watch? Drop by Time Avenue, a
one-stop shop for the worlds finest brands, including Audemars Piguet, A.Lange
& Shne, Roger Dubuis, Harry Winston, Richard Mille, Bell & Ross, deLaCour,
exclusive to the store. Other luxury labels that share shelf space are Jaeger-
LeCoultre, Piaget, IWC, Panerai, Hublot, Chopard, Bvlgari, Corum, Breitling and
Omega. Let your timepiece define your style.
AvaIabIe at Tme Avenue, 189, Turner ROad, Bandra (West), TeI: 022-26515757/5858
Quirk
quotient
Give your wardrobe
a fun makeover
with pieces from the
Blackberrys Fall/
Winter Collection
-, which offers
a riot of colours,
patterns and prints.
Look your best
in vintage motif
prints and front-
pleated cotton shirts
accessorized with
gold buttons. And,
add a dash of funk by
teaming your shirts
with two-tone trousers
and tuxedo jackets.
Prce On request.
AvaIabIe at BIackberrys
stOres acrOss lnda
Rejuvenate
and indulge
To mark years of
Black Dog, Master Blender
Richard Paterson and
MasterChef Italia
winner Spyros Theodorids
come together for Black
Dog Easy Evenings,
celebrating the finest
gourmet experience across
Mumbai, Hyderabad and
Gurgaon over three nights.
The classic pairing of
gourmet food with vintage
variants of Black Dog
scotch was the essence of
the evening. You too can
be a proud owner of an
aged Black Dog scotch.
FOr mOre InIOrmaIIOn
VIsII IacebOOk.cOm/
bIackdOeasyeVenIns
Classic rendition
When the best of scotch meets with the best in the design world,
the result is a timeless blend. Designer Raghavendra Rathore has
created a limited edition outer pack for Johnnie Walker Black
Label. Inspired by his trademark bandhgala jacket, the exquisite
new pack features turbaned men in vintage jackets, Rathores
interpretation of Indian heritage. The designer creates an artistic
fusion of traditional culture and modern elegance with this limited
range that will look great on your bar shelf.
AvaIabIe at aII retaI OutIets n DeIh
Luxury at its best
If theres a special occasion around the corner, find the best in
luxury menswear at Studio Firang by The Darzi. Select your suit
fabrics from international brands like Ermenegildo Zegna, Dormeuil,
Loro Piana & Co, Cerruti, Scabal, Lanifico Albini, Vitale Barberis
Canonico and Colombo. Also sharing shelf space with the
European labels are designer sherwanis, kurtas, waistcoat sets
and fusion wear.
AVaIIabIe aI 8, Ra|OurI Carden, NeW DeIhI 110027; TeI: 011-25150894/25160894
OCTOBER 2013 425
426 OCTOBER 2013
Dear Eighties Rock, December 2008
First off, wed like to say that we think you were fantastic back in the Eighties. Probably. We dont actually remember listening
to you the rst time around. Nothing summed up your philosophy better than your mullet hairdos the long, owing locks of the
maverick free-thinker combined with the rugged, practical manliness of the short crop. You were cool. Having said that, wed like
you to stop now.
Dear Next Prime Minister, May 2009
Clinton had Socks, W had Barney and John Major had a Downing Street cat named Humphrey. French President Franois Mitterand
so loved his black Labrador, Baltique, that he appointed her as his successor. And Americans have barely been able to sleep
since President Obama announced that his new team would include a cute little puppy, whose job will be to distract voters from
presidential screw-ups by catching Frisbees on the White House lawn So where is the Indian leaders ofcial pet?
Dear Rakhi Sawant, July 2009
There comes a time in a celebritys life when the constant media attention, the adoration of fans, the scandals and bust-ups can
start to feel tired. She begins to think, whats the point of it all, really? What about something deeper, more authentic? Do I really
want my entire life on constant public display? Rakhi, you are not that celebrity.
Dear Kevin, the gay Archie character, August 2010
No one was more excited than we were when we heard that a forthcoming issue of Veronica would feature the rst openly gay
character in the history of Archie Comics. About freakin time, we said to ourselves. Its 2010 Jughead shouldnt have to live a lie.
Dear Governor Bobby Jindal, September 2010
Mind if we call you Piyush? Still cant get used to the Bobby thing.
Dear Colonel Gadda, April 2011
We admit: Weve occasionally looked in the mirror while wearing our Aviators and imagined adding a peaked cap and golden
epaulets. Weve sometimes daydreamt about sweeping through the marbled, chandeliered passages of our presidential palace,
anked by a crack squad of virgin supermodel bodyguards as we snap our ngers at unkeys eager to satisfy our every whim.
Fancy that almond-eyed newsreader who praises you on state TV every night? Snap! Shell be over this evening, Mr President.
Bored with the view from the presidential bedroom? Snap! The Ministry of Development will change it for you, Excellency. Hate
Mondays? Snap! Sign here, Your Illustriousness, and theyre gone.
Dear Indian Cricket Team, March 2012
That trip Down Under was a complete disaster. If a tiny 100hp Cessna, own by a blind, arthritic donkey, took on an entire squadron
of F-22 Raptors, it would still put up more of a ght than you lot did against the Aussies. Thanks to you, we had to look to a puffy-
faced, 38-year-old, mixed-doubles virtuoso called Leander Paes to ght our battles in Oz. Do you have any idea how embarrassing
that was?
Dear Mauritius, August 2012
Oops, we almost didnt see you there. Anyway, since weve got a moment, wed quickly like to thank you for all the support youve
given our country. We only recently discovered that almost 40 per cent of foreign investment to India comes via your shores thanks
to a conveniently favourable tax treaty the details of which were sure will give economists the kind of hard-on reserved only for
Megan Foxs inevitable sex tape.
Dear Mitt Romney, October 2012
Please accept our heartiest congratulations. On the surface of things, youve really got it going for you. Youre reasonably good-
looking, fabulously rich, incredibly famous, have a wife who used to be hot and are one month away from possibly becoming the
worlds most powerful person. Except, thats never going to happen, is it?
Dear IPL, April 2013
Its that time of year again when cheerleaders retrieve their pom-poms from storage, desi DJs hunt for their Yo Yo Honey Singh
records, retired players dust off their old pads and Bollywood A-listers practise wiping their noses in one inconspicuous gesture
before the camera can pan to them.
Sincerely,
THE BEST OF
OPEN LETTER

GQ India October 2013

Transféré par

Informations du document

Copyright

Formats disponibles

Partager ce document

Partager ou intégrer le document

Options de partage

Avez-vous trouvé ce document utile ?

Ce contenu est-il inapproprié ?

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

GQ India October 2013

Transféré par

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

WHAT A MANS GOT TO DO

OCTOBER 2013 `150

108 OCTOBER 2013

THE WORLDS LEADING MENS MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2011 `100

LUXURYSTYLE SPORT CARS GADGETS GIRLS OF CASUAL FASHION

To succeed in business, you

october 2013 117

OCTOBER 2013 257

304 OCTOBER 2013

Delhi/NCR | Mumbai | Bangalore | Pune | Chennai | Jaipur | Hyderabad | Chandigarh | Kanpur

328 OCTOBER 2013

336 OCTOBER 2013

Vous aimerez peut-être aussi