It took her 10 years to win the Filmfare. And she’s only 24.
Priyanka Banerjee shares with us how her creative journey has been so far and what she dreams of becoming post this feat…
“I won the Filmfare award but I don’t keep it in my room. I’m glad it’s with our producer, Ryan Stephen who I was so honoured to work with. In a way, I’m glad it’s not with me because I’ll look at it sitting on my shelf and start taking it easy. I’ll feel I’ve achieved something great and it’s okay to sit back and relax. I don’t want that and I want to continue moving forward”. Priyanka shared with us what it was like winning the Best Short Film for the critically acclaimed ‘Devi’ at the young age of 24 and how she looks at her work moving forward.
A lot of us tend to approach our goals in different ways and this method works for her. We all achieve some sort of success and when that happens, a phase of stagnation seeps in. When she shared her story at BHX Goa in April, every resident resonated with the thought that it is so important to keep moving forward no matter where we reach. A goal is a goal until you achieve it.
Banerjee gives us her signature wide smile as Kshetej beautifully captures her at the residency.
Winning the award has opened a number of doors for her and she has her eyes on a larger goal that pushes her limits: to make a name for herself in the industry, not going by the cliche but a name to reckon with, a name every producer will be ready to work with hands down.
During our residency, she shared with us how it all began, what drives her and how she goes about her creative processes.
Many might think that she has received a lot of success earlier on in her career but little do they know that this firecracker has been working since she was 14 — doing multiple internships that her mother would sign her up for. “An idle mind is a devil’s workshop”, she would tell her, and it was a serene evening at BHX Goa when she realised she had been hustling for the last 10 years. A decade in the industry. That’s no easy feat. “I’ve actually been at it for 10 years since I was 14… Learning, growing, subconsciously consuming stories that people told me! And every experience has taught me something I can use in my work in one way or the other.” She beamed as she said it.
Out of the countless conversations we’ve had sitting near the pool, she shared with us how important it was for her to start early in life and how young minds need to be encouraged to go ahead and find what they’re passionate about, what drives them crazy (in a good productive way of course). Interning during her summer vacations, she realised she could never do a desk job and said…
“It’s always so important to try out various roles from a young age and cross off things from your list that you absolutely do not like. That’s when you find out what you love. When you find that, it’ll push you harder to get better every single day. No matter where you come from or what stream you choose, hard work is non-negotiable.”
This masterpiece won the Best Short Film at Filmfare Awards 2021.
Apart from her strong work ethic and this backbone of a mindset, Priyanka mentioned “I love watching films, and not to critique them as many do, but to actually feel them” and that method has helped her fuel her fire to make films that really stir up emotions. Devi, her short film that won the award, was a testament to how deeply she feels, and how she wanted to convey her thoughts through a gut-wrenching, hard-hitting, yet innovative story.
The film addressed a mammoth of a human rights issue that India has: rape. She believes it is very important to talk about topics that drive change through the art of storytelling. A story has the power to change perspective, bend minds and urge people to face harsh realities. That’s what can cause real change: when it comes from within and when it comes from emotion.
Something she spoke really struck a chord with us -
“As creators, we always hold really high standards for our work when we watch others’ work. We mustn’t let those standards paralyse us. In fact, it should fuel us.”
As a community of misfits, pathbreakers and changemakers, we must realise our worth. It is so very important to appreciate and support others without comparing ourselves to them. No two journeys are the same and can never be the same.
To know more about her work and her story, reach out to her at @priyankabans
And here’s the link to Devi, the short film that helped her lift the prestigious black lady: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KP0aDTVtFI
Of Serendipity and Full Circles
“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
― Roald Dahl
A journey that began in 2014, a chance encounter, and the rest as they say was history. With only an idea of what he wanted The Beachhouse Project to be, Jay set out to look for heritage villas in Goa and came across an article that listed Vivenda dos Palhcos as one of the best villas in Goa. A phone call later, Jay dropped by Vivenda, and he instantly knew that this was where he wanted to host the very first Beachhouse Project. An idea that was just lurking in his head up until this very moment.
The Beginning
7 years ago, The Beachhouse Project began as a feeling, a need for a madhouse of ideas, a space for creatives to collide. In the hustle-bustle of our everyday lives, we rarely get a moment to pause, to look into another person’s eyes and listen to their stories — BHX was envisioned to be the space that allowed them to do just that.
Everyone who applies to attend an edition applies for different reasons, some to find a community that believes in and validates their ideas, some to get over a creative roadblock, some to step outside of their comfort zone. But the biggest reason continues to be to find a space where they can be fully themselves and dream bigger than they already are.
The Journey today…
26 editions later, we’ve facilitated over 500 collaborations between the biggest creators in India, the mavericks, the ones with a million dreams in their head, and they finally have a space where they can bring these ideas to life — all with a tribe of over 1500 people backing them up.
What started at the beachfront in Goa has now travelled to the mountains of Nagaland, Kashmir, Nainital; the waters of Kochi & Andamans; the desert plains of Rajasthan; the forests of Jim Corbett and across borders in Sri Lanka, Bali and Thailand.
Being back at Vivenda, where it all started made us look up in wonder at the magic of it all, the stories we’ve gotten to be a part of, the connections that continue to help us forge new paths and this community that is at the cusp of creating wondrous things.
For us this is just the beginning, and we have miles to go before we sleep, adventures to embark on, more unicorns to discover.
Like Charlotte says very succinctly, “Full Circle to me implies some kind of completion, it’s not. I feel it’s more of a spiral, more of a… we’ll meet again”.
And we surely will.
Edition 1 >> Edition 24 : A full circle story about where (and why) BHX began!
We’ve seen magical collaborations happen time and time again at our editions. Don’t know where you can find people to vibe with? Click here to attend one of our experiences and find your tribe.
Change Your Whole Life by Working on this One Thing
Prateek Kotha shares his personal journey of how he reinvented himself and it turned his whole life around
Creatives in the 21st century have to juggle a lot of roles. They’re ambitious, bold, and make sure to live life to the fullest. They set goals for their professional life, set personal standards for themselves and work hard on maintaining relationships with family, friends and their significant others. This careful balance and of play and work sounds easy, but in reality, we know how stressful it can be.
Prateek hanging out in the den with other residents at our BHX Nainital property, Bara Bungalow.
Prateek Kotha, who brought in lovely conversations and an empathetic ear along with hacks and insights for all of his co-tribe members at BHX Mountains edition, drew up an analogy for us. “Life is like keeping lots of tabs open, resulting in low bandwidth and frequent burnouts.” He decided to embark on a personal journey of getting healthy head-on from this January. “I have decided to keep only a few tabs open, keeping health on a separate window”, he said with beaming conviction.
Last year was disastrous for the whole world but Prateek told us he had planned to “focus on all positive breakthroughs”. What started off as a resolution on the 31st of December, really turned into a whole year’s goal of losing weight and staying fit.
Update: He recently shared with us that he has already crossed one-third of his journey and went from 146kgs to 120kgs in 5 months. We couldn’t be more excited for him!
Prateek leads marketing activities at Myntra for multiple fashion verticals, and his strong work ethic has helped him level up faster in a dynamic environment. After so many years in the marketing industry, he’s learnt a few vital lessons which he shared with us. “Identifying a good opportunity is of the utmost importance”, he said, “it comes before figuring out how to grab the opportunity”. He mentioned three more things that fast-tracked his growth: out of the box thinking, consistency in all work and leaving a personal, unique stamp in whatever you do.
While his professional life was flourishing, Prateek’s colleague reminded him “You’re running very fast but without paying attention to your health, you will burn out soon”.
“It’s up to me how I react to it, succumb to pressure or turn things around and take it up”, with determination Prateek set out on this path to lead a more holistic life. His whole life was impacted for the better after taking this decision. When he made himself a priority, he learnt to work more efficiently. The support he got from his close ones turned all hangouts with colleagues, friends and family to be more constructive!
The formula he shared with us — “Bandwidth vs. Output” is so vital for us to put our energy into activities that will give us a good output. Planning time, compartmentalizing thoughts and not burning out from excessive work are a few elements that add up to this formula.
During a conversation with us, he told us that if his life were a movie, it would be called “The Guy who Changed his World”. The determination and optimism he has — wanting to change his own world first before he went out to change the world — was so evident for the tribe to see. At BHX Nainital, he successfully completed the 2-hour trek from our villa to the Nainital lake, and we were all so proud of him for achieving this feat.
Prateek has already touched so many hearts by inspiring them and giving them the push they needed and we can’t wait to see him conquer and smash
When the Woodstock Witch found Ambrosia
Read Gina’s and Zohra’s story of how they teamed up to create the Box of Ambrosia
As creators and entrepreneurs, we know how difficult it is to work in silos. We always want to stay curious, learn new things from like-minded people and grow together. To grow, we must be brave enough to step outside our comfort zone. Stepping out, just far enough to excite us, is the first step we can take. The second step comes in when we engage with others who have ventured out as well. Varun from BHX Kashmir had shared with us something very profound, “BHX is breaking the code of nature, by making people meet who were never supposed to collide”. And we think this sort of collision is what the world needs when it steps out once again.
Speaking of collisions, there have been two elements that have ruled the universe since the big bang, and they are very much present in the world today and even within us. The tangibles, those that we can see and feel in their physical forms; and the intangibles that we cannot really see but only feel. They make up our hopes, our dreams, and the invisible energies that drive us. Little do we ever speak about how these two come together and synergise.
If you know us, you know how much we love collaborations. We want to showcase another collaboration that occurred between these elements in the most unusual way possible. One that breaks the law of nature and yet it contributes to the greater good.
While these two elements interact with each other in synergy all around us, would you ever believe it if we said that a modern self-proclaimed witch could come with her knowledge of tarot and collaborate with a community of artisans and collaborate?
We didn’t too, until Gina, Founder of Zola India and Zohra, a.k.a. The Woodstock Witch told us they made it happen. The Ambrosia Project was born out of the BHX Goa edition in April and one of our dear friends, Rahul Nair played a catalyst in this collaboration. “The idea of this revolves around abundance” explained Zohra as she continued…
“We wanted to create something that would bring abundance to the consumer as well as to the community of artisans that are struggling during the pandemic. Proceeds from this project also go to We Exist Foundation that helps stray dogs who have suffered during this period.”
Gina who closely works with artisans helped Zohra make the final product come alive.
At the residency, Gina opened up to Rahul about a stagnation phase she was going through and that she wanted to create a greater impact for these communities she’s always worked with. “Why don’t you collaborate with Zohra?” Rahul had asked her and brought them together.
“I’ve always let creativity drive me. I see what’s been done but then I always find myself asking: what more can be done now? I’d rather go wild with ideas and the process of creating rather than focusing on the result. It gives you freedom and the end result is always so beautiful since you allowed yourself the freedom” Gina spoke with her face lit up as she explained to us how Zohra and she were the perfect match for this collaboration. For Zohra, “Gina was always open to new ideas and the creativity stemmed so naturally” that she loved working with her.
The final result: a wooden box with tarot symbols from the suit of pentacles, that too in the Pattachritra style of art. With it comes a timeless reading that Zohra offers and enables people to see a “timeless reading of the blueprint of their souls: what they came on this Earth for”.
When asked what Ambrosia means to them, Zohra replied “It signifies a cup runneth over. It goes so well with the causes we stand for. A box of abundance for the artisans, for the dogs and for the person who buys it”. She went on to add “The Pentacles suit in tarot signifies abundance and chose to translate it into the Pattachitra art form. People can use this box to store things they value a lot, could be jewellery, could be photos of and letters from loved ones.”
Through this project, Gina wishes to make people more aware of our country’s rich culture and art and Zohra wants to help people further in their journeys with the timeless reading she offers.
“We wanted to create something that made people wonder and come to us inquisitively to know more about it, whether it’s the art and culture bit, or the spirituality aspect of it.”
This collaboration turned into a great story and a meaningful collaboration because of how seamless it felt and how well the two synced up with their energies. Gina learned how to be more zen from Zohra, and saw a whole new perspective on how other creators work. On the other hand, Zohra picked up some great ideas Gina brings to the table and her ‘make it happen’ attitude towards life.
Here’s Gina and Zohra’s advice on how to collaborate with someone who seems like an unlikely match at first;
Gina: “Be open to new ideas, don’t limit yourself… And always have a make-it-happen attitude.”
Zohra: “Collaborate with a giver’s mindset; see what skills you can contribute to the table. Only when you put your heart and soul into it, the idea can come to life”
Rahul played an important role in it by lighting the spark between the two creators and as Gina put it well “I took that fire and ran with it” bursting into laughter. Zohra was quick to add “Many people have ideas but there are very few who actually execute it. I’ve learnt that from her. How to get things done!”
This collaboration also involved other mini-collabs that took place with Priyanka, who helped them create a video campaign for this project and Aman who helped with their website.
Circling back to the “breaking code of nature”, when we told Gina about this statement made by Varun, she spoke with her usual candour “It’s important to take the leap and join the creative movement that’s expanding. And disruption is very much important for evolution to take place. BHX is enabling that and that’s very much part of nature”.
Take a peek at their wonderful project here: https://www.zolaindia.com/ambrosia-project/
Balancing the see-saw as a mother of two and being an award-winning filmmaker
Pranati Nagarsheth shares how she does it all, from running a business to staying true to her art of storytelling
What if the work you did could be used to create a workplace, where employees enjoyed creating, were able to have healthy work-life balances and be excited about their jobs every morning, that’s what Pranati drives motivation from, a crystal clear vision that she sees for her company, Pink Window Productions. As a producer in the Indian Television and Film Industry, Pranati Nagarsheth is a boss lady extraordinaire. She’s also a mother and at heart a storyteller.
Her charm lies in how effortlessly she draws you into the conversation and makes you feel like you’ve known her forever. At BHX Goa, Pranati found a tribe just like her. With diverse stories of their own, they gave her a space to be vulnerable and let her guard down.
Pranati’s passion lies in creating a space to tell meaningful stories. Having worked in this industry for so many years, she saw a gap in the kind of shows and films being produced. In 2010, while living in New York, Pranati would look outside her small window with pink curtains, and dream of the kind of stories she would tell. In 2019, after moving back to India along with her husband and having created stellar shows like Bandish Bandits and Girl in the City, she found a way to make that dream a reality and Pink Window Productions was born.
PWP aims to create content that is impactful, entertaining and has a strong voice. A space where minds can thrive and ideas can be developed into important stories and start conversations evident in the short film they just produced for Amazon Prime — Chand Mubarak.
Anchoring Pranati is her desire to tell stories full of heart, that will translate into content, her girls (currently 4 and 7) can watch someday. This was evident in the way she told stories around the pool every night, the tribe hanging onto her every word.
Even stronger is her desire to create a work environment that supports new talent, a tribe of happy, passionate people who are proud of the work that they are creating, becoming a vehicle of new visions and talent. Just like her BHX tribe, the Pink Window Tribe is a dream that motivates her to get out of bed every morning AFTER a good hot strong cup of tea.
We end our conversation by thinking of what genre the movie based on her life would be, “drama” she says without hesitation breaking into her trademark grin that lights up her eyes.
Multi—Hyphenate Shaina Shah on What Compels Her to Create Art
196 ground-breaking stories of inspiring women from every single nation in the world. These are women who learnt to stand so tall that it became impossible to look past them. Women who decided to be more than what people bargained for. Women who burned so brightly that they set the world on fire. And there’s one woman who stitches all their tell-tales together through her marquee idea ‘The Wow Women Project’ — Shaina Shah.
Each little legacy is told in three parts — through hand drawn portraits, stories and letters of advice written by each of the women, for other women.
Having spoken to so many wonderful women from around the world, Shaina has mastered the art of interviewing people and knows how to make the person in front of her feel at ease making for an insightful and soul touching conversation.
Seeing the enormity of the task she’s undertaken, I asked Shaina what inspired her to start this journey. Being a multi-hyphenate, Shaina spoke about her professional journey as an auditor at Ernst and Young and juggling her family’s businesses. But as she progressed up the career ladder, she noticed that a lot of women in her peer group were dropping out to start their families. As the women around her in a professional work environment started to dwindle, she noticed a lack of women mentors that she could look up to and who were able to successfully balance having families as well as working towards a greater ambition.
And that’s how Shaina started the journey of discovering, identifying and showcasing the stories of women from across the world who could be role models. For herself, her niece and all those young women who are seeking pathfinders to dream bigger.
Having been an artist all her life; Shaina trained with a mentor for 20 years and grew up in a lineage of artists, portraits were the medium of expression through which she chose to tell these stories. And thus the Wow Women Project was born.
Through this journey, Shaina has been able to find many points of commonality between women from completely different parts of the world. She shares an example of a story from Serbia, a woman who struggled when her first baby was born and shared so much in common with Shaina’s sister who herself had just adopted her first child. The women became close friends and still stay in touch today.
The Wow Women Project brings together all of her many passions — art, storytelling, and a deep desire to create an impact bigger than her. Shaina also mentions that the NGO her family works with in the field of women empowerment, has just completed 35 years, a feat she is very proud to have accomplished.
The process of curating these women is highly technical. Shaina starts by identifying what stage of development the specific country is in and then identifying the sectors in which women have struggled to find opportunity. She then shortlists 25 to 30 women who’ve made a mark in that sector and then reaches out to the top 10.
The nature of the project is so intriguing that one in ten of those women always responds to Shaina and willingly shares her story. Shaina then interviews and draws these women in her trademark hyper-realistic style. Which she has honed since she was a child by drawing the portraits of everyone around her, from her classmates to celebrities, making her quite popular in school!
While drawing the women, Shaina makes sure to ask them for their most real, unfiltered pictures, the messier the better so that she can bring their true essence alive.
At the start of the project, Shaina says she herself wasn’t aware of the impact these stories and portraits would have, only knowing that she was doing something meaningful to her and was in it for the long haul. She allows her instincts to guide her and connect with these women beyond the superficial, creating bonds that will last a lifetime.
One such bond that has stayed with her is the story of Tamanna Frotan of Afghanistan, a Taekwondo champion who won several gold medals but was forced to quit due to death threats to her and her family. Tamanna refused to leave her home and motherland, deciding to quit the sport instead. She went on to become a doctor and now trains girls in secret in the art of self-defence.
Shaina says stories like Tamanna’s leave a lasting impact on her. It made her realise that we all live in our own micro-bubbles, failing to see how connected we all are. Knowing that this connection exists has empowered her to strive towards telling more stories of impact.
Delving a little deeper into her art journey, Shaina shares how she started speaking quite late as a child. Painting is how she would communicate. And despite not choosing to do an art degree, Shaina always kept her passion alive by honing it. She often picks up her paintbrush even before picking up a toothbrush on some days!
As if this wasn’t enough, Shaina also produces films through her production house Limelight Productions, producing, editing and even acting in them!
I ask Shaina for the secret potion she drinks every morning to be able to accomplish all of this, and her answer is great management skills. She says that she has always had multiple passions, and done everything that interests her. As a creative person, she feels having one passion isn’t always enough — she needs 3. One that pays you well, one that motivates you and one that gives back. Shaina is doing it all and more. She ends with another great piece of advice she’s learnt as marathon runner — she feels it’s important not to spend all of your energy in the first few kms.
Multiple to-do lists, a lot of systems and processes in place and also knowing when to give yourself a day off is what keeps Shaina going. This and the huge support system that grounds her.
I end my conversation with this Superwoman by asking her if she would include her own portrait in the WOW project. While she draws a lot of self portraits, Shaina feels that the story she’s trying to tell through WOW is bigger than her and there are a lot of women she needs to feature before she includes herself. Although in our eyes, Shaina has already inspired us so much through her story and we can’t wait to see what else she accomplishes, as we cheer her on from the sidelines.
You are not running out of creativity, just at the wrong place seeking them
It all begins with an idea.
Have you ever found yourself staring blankly at a screen, desperately searching for that elusive spark of creativity? You’re not alone. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and uninspired. But what if the problem isn’t a lack of ideas, but simply being in the wrong place to find them?
The Myth of Creative Block
Let’s bust a myth right off the bat: creative block isn’t about running out of ideas. It’s about being stuck in a rut, unable to see beyond the confines of our everyday surroundings.
The good news? Inspiration is everywhere, waiting to be discovered in the most unexpected places.
Brainstorming in Turkey
Embracing the Unexpected
At ExCo, we’re all about embracing the unexpected.
Our philosophy is simple: the best ideas are born when we step outside our comfort zones and explore new horizons.
Whether it’s diving into the bustling streets of Tokyo or hiking through the rugged landscapes of Iceland, every adventure is an opportunity to ignite our creativity.
Finding Inspiration on the Road
So how do we tap into this wellspring of inspiration?
It’s all about being open to new experiences and embracing the unknown. Picture yourself wandering through wandering through the bustling markets of Bali, the scent of spices filling the air and the sound of exotic music drifting on the breeze. Or perhaps you’re exploring the ancient ruins of Athens, marveling at the rich history and culture that surrounds you.
The Power of Connection
But it’s not just about the places we visit — it’s the people we meet along the way. Here, we believe that meaningful connections are the fuel that drives creativity. Whether it’s swapping stories with fellow tribe member around a campfire or sharing a meal with locals in a remote village, every interaction is an opportunity to expand our horizons and see the world through new eyes.
Strangers turned into partners-in-crime
So the next time you find yourself in need of inspiration, remember this: you are not running out of creativity, you’re just at the wrong place seeking them. Embrace the journey, step outside your comfort zone, and let the world be your muse. Who knows what incredible ideas await just around the corner?
Be a part of the tribe and explore the world in a whole new way where creativity knows no bounds. and your next big idea could be just around the corner waiting for you.
Creativity Beyond Boardrooms: BHX’s Approach to Brain Vacations
It all begins with an idea.
BHX Goa Villa or we say our second home?
At BHX Project, we’re firm believers in the power of unconventional thinking and offbeat experiences to spark creativity and foster growth. That’s why we’re here to burst the myth that brainstorming and collaboration can only happen in formal settings, not during vacations.
We Thrive on Breaking the Mold
In a world where innovation often feels confined to stuffy boardrooms and sterile conference halls, we dare to challenge the status quo. Our philosophy? Creativity knows no bounds, and the best ideas are often born in the most unexpected places. That’s why we’re flipping the script on traditional brainstorming and collaboration, inviting you to join us on a journey of discovery and exploration.
Brain Vacations: A Journey of Self-Discovery
Picture this: You’re standing on the shores of Goa, the salty breeze in your hair and the sun on your face. This isn’t just a vacation — it’s a Brain Vacation, a journey of self-discovery and inspiration. From the colorful streets of Berlin to the lush jungles of Bali, our curated retreats and residency programs offer a passport to creativity and growth.
The Power of Growth Experiences
True growth happens when we step outside our comfort zones and embrace new experiences. That’s why our residency programs are designed to challenge and inspire, pushing you to explore new horizons and unlock your full potential. Whether you’re diving into the vibrant culture of Sri Lanka or in a colorful streets of Berlin, you’ll emerge transformed and empowered.
Residency: A Sanctuary for Creativity
Our residency programs are more than just a place to create — they’re a sanctuary for creativity, a refuge for artists, creators, and visionaries seeking break from the ordinary. Nestled in offbeat locations around the globe, our residencies offer a space to connect, collaborate, and commune with like-minded souls who share your passion for exploration and expression.
Offbeat Locations: Channelize Your Imagination
From the bustling streets of Berlin and Prague to the tranquil beaches of Goa, our growth residencies take you off the beaten path and into the heart of adventure. Whether you’re seeking solitude in a remote mountain retreat or inspiration in a bustling urban hub, our offbeat locations offer endless opportunities for exploration and discovery.
Join Us on a Brain Vacation
So what are you waiting for? Join us on a Brain Vacation and unlock your inner creativity. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur, a budding artist, or simply someone seeking a new perspective, our residencies in offbeat locations offer a transformative experience like no other.
So pack your bags, grab your passport, and come explore, create, and grow with us.
How Ronnie & Barty made their way to the top (quite literally)
It’s one thing to say that you want to move to the Himalayas and it’s another to actually do it and do it right… Here’s the story of a mountain film co(uple) and how their journey led them to become one of the top content creators in the country.
Quick request: Listen to Just Going by Rohan Thakur as you read this.
Finding the right collaborator, in some ways, is like finding the right life partner. While pop culture, for the longest time portrayed a fairy-tale-like world where things just fell into place, it is now ubiquitous that none of that works in reality. Similarly, with collaborations, there’s never a right or a wrong way of going about them. What matters is how you vibe with each other and how invested you are to contribute to this partnership.
Rohan Thakur and Bharti Bahrani, who go by the moniker “Ronnie and Barty”, are two stellar content creators who got together as partners in work and in life. The only fairy-tale-like chapter of their story is that they met on a movie set and now live in the mountains.
The filmmaking duo lives in Manali, documenting their frequent mountainous escapades and their slow-paced lifestyle. Stacking up over 2 lakh Youtube subscribers in the past couple of years have made them quite well-known in the creative community. If you love good cinematography and storytelling, it is pretty likely you may have seen their work.
By doing what they do best, making gorgeous content, they paint quite a picture in our heads of how dreamy their life would be. With their own organic farm, a dog and probably the best weather in the country (barring the freezing winter months), there’s not a single soul who wouldn’t want to live their life.
One of their highly recognized projects — “Way Back Home” helped them see that bigger dreams of living and creating content out of the mountains are achievable. Before this project, they were both living the typical city life: juggling work with passion projects.
The Soul Trail series was another marquee work of theirs, where 5 adventure seekers set out on road from Manali to Leh, driving rough terrains, camping in the wilderness and singing together. This journey played such an important role in mapping the untouched lands and cultures of the region and putting the offroad path in the spotlight. Adding more to this film series, Rohan also composed an instrumental album called “Chapter One” that skillfully mixed traditional Himalayan culture along with electronic beats.
As artists, it is so inspiring to see the same experience bringing out art in various mediums, speaking the same language!
In 2019, the two of them did a series of Q&A’s on Youtube talking about their life, how it all started and what their creative processes are like. Ronnie mentioned that Bharti and he had “met on a film” and it all started from there; she got him jobs on films and soon their friendship snowballed into a long-lasting collaboration. Besides working full-time in Mumbai, both of them made it a point to travel out of the city and work on film projects together.
Creators from India and the rest of the world look up to the duo for work and life goals, and we’re here just to do that. Additionally, it’s also vital to notice how their collaboration can help us become better at collaborating with other talented creators.
In the Q&A series, Ronnie and Barty expressed their undying admiration for Ian Wright from Lonely Planet and they had always been wanting to live that life. When you vibe with your partner on so many different levels, in terms of ideologies, way of life and career goals, it just confirms one thing: no matter how different each of you may be, it’s a sign that you’re meant to be.
Their story is living proof that for any collaboration to work out well, it’s great to start on smaller projects before working on bigger projects. In that way, time allows you to get to know the other person better and in a way predicts how well the larger project would fare.
If you’re a creative person doing multiple things, you’d know how important it is to balance work with passion projects, because that’s what keeps you going. Bharti, who was working with Anurag Kashyap in Mumbai for a while worked side by side with Ronnie and would keep making travel films as well. That was before the couple took the final plunge and moved to Manali to do it full-time.
When they started off with that, they had very little idea about how they were going to go about it, but that leap of faith played a big role in their creative journey.
We live in a world where making bold moves like these seem daunting and unrealistic, but the onus is on us to believe in ourselves and to surround ourselves with the right people who will push us to follow through. This ideology resonates so much with Ronnie and Barty’s work and life and they’re deeply admired for that among many things.
How Changing Careers Could Help You Build A Legacy
Vishal Bhandari shares with us how sustainable development became his anchor after his shift to being an entrepreneur
Wishes. Journeys. Pivot. Millennium. Sustainability — are just a few words, from a pool of thousand more that Vishal Bhandari shared, to give us a tiny glimpse into his life. If Vishal could have it his way, he would have been working across different sectors and places to channel a multitude of his ideas and passions. How is it even possible for one individual to pursue so many interests and be everywhere at the same time? Vishal symbolized this intention at BHX Shillong by joining hands with and walking alongside other residents’ journeys to manifest some of their shared wishes and visions (ranging from theatre, music, writing… all the way to sustainability)!
Vishal mindfully asks, “How do we become part of each other’s journeys while at the same time not compromise on our own identities?” He found his answer in an anecdote from a jazz performance — “two musicians were playing jazz and one of them played the wrong note. He was so worried about his error but to his surprise, the second musician improvised to make the wrong note sound right”.
Similarly in life, instead of worrying about the notes we have played so far, if we together shape the ones we will be playing, then it can change the entire rhythm. Metaphorically speaking, Vishal hopes to play different notes with those whose vibes resonated with his at BHX and to carve out beautiful rhythms that these connections can create.
Transitioning from a Merchant Navy job to entrepreneurship, Vishal discovered some of his deeper callings during the turn of the millennium in 2000.
He was particularly struck by the Sustainable Development Goals and the Earth Charter, realizing the role that businesses would need to play to create a more sustainable ecosystem. “Sustainability” became Vishal’s prime point, or so to say anchor, around which all his entrepreneurial ideas and actions would pivot. Even during everyday challenges with changes in regulatory laws, business operations or revenues, when it is possible to lose sight of a bigger purpose, Vishal would always go back to his anchor [sustainability] which would give him direction and guide his intuition. SoulTree is one such idea, grounded in this anchor — to create a product line of personal care and beauty products through Ayurvedic herbs to support the livelihoods of farmers who Vishal worked with within Uttarakhand.
When asked for advice to those startup founders, who like him, have been part of different ventures or ideas — Vishal gets us to evaluate if we have stepped into our 2.0 after either starting something entirely new or building on what we had already started. During our 1.0 or first time with start-ups, the pressures were very different with so many demands, responsibilities and needs to fulfil. Once we have passed that phase, then 2.0 is a fantastic way to spot check and question what it is that really drives our motivations.
He leaves us with two introspective questions to ponder on -
What legacy do we genuinely want to leave behind?
How can we make the most of belonging to communities and networks such as the BHX tribe?
Building a Business out of Dreams
The Times of India Woman Entrepreneur of the Year, Karima Dawoodani, shares her philosophy on turning a hobby into a business
In this second lockdown, Karima has given two TEDx talks in the span of just 3 weeks (an exception only made for her), revamped her home decor and niche dreamcatcher store ‘Soul works’ and is hard at work creating a world of her dreams. As usual, she is the literal epitome of sunshine matching with the beautiful dreamcatcher placed behind her, as she excitedly shares the latest reel she just put out on Instagram.
Soul works started as a hobby project that evolved into something much bigger. Karima transitioned from working the glamorous world of Bollywood as a full time set dresser and art director, into organising small Tarot readings at pop-ups and flea markets in Mumbai. She would sell a small batch of dreamcatchers and tiny temples that she made by hand at these pop-ups which soon started getting attention.
Spirituality has always been a big part of what Karima does, and she continues to integrate meditation, tarot and reiki into what she does. Her dreamcatchers aren’t just beautiful to look at, they are strongly blended with her practice of Reiki, intention and affirmations. Her practice of spirituality has taught her many things, and continues to remind her of the intention with which she started Soul works — goodness and joy.
Goodness is at the heart of what Karima does, and Soul works empowers over 40 underprivileged women to become the breadwinners of their families by being associated with the brand. In 2020, she was awarded with the title of the Times of India Women Entrepreneur of the Year for empowering women through the beautiful craft of creating dream catchers.
Karima is seen brainstorming business growth ideas with Kushal at BHX Goa in March
“The Beachhouse Project was a Landmark moment”
Karima says that for her the Beachhouse Project was a landmark moment. She saw how much appreciation her beautiful dreamcatchers got from diverse, talented people and it made her realise how valuable they were. At the edition, she addressed her challenges and received valuable mentorship from another resident Saanjay and the Founder of Experience Co. Jaytirth Ahya. It made her see the possibilities of how Business and Art can come together and become something much bigger than what she had previously imagined.
“It made me see how Business and Art can come together”
She also got the much-needed push to revamp her e-commerce store, and she continues to expand it with plans of starting international shipments. She has become quite the influencer with making reels as normal to her as eating or breathing. Karima plans to continue to grow Soul works organically, and make it one of the most premium luxury home decor brands in India.
Today, Karima still finds as much joy in creating dream catchers as she did when she started out 9 years ago. There isn’t a day that goes by that excites her with the sheer possibilities that exist. It is this excitement and joy that defines Karima, and we cannot wait to see everything she achieves in the coming years.
Our editions see some of the top creators attend and share their life journeys, here’s how you can attend and get access — https://app.theexperience.co
Adventures Around the Globe
Travel might just be what we need to get out of our comfort zone and find those shared moments with strangers and acquaintances that make life so worth savouring.
If you’re nervous about interacting with people you don’t know, don’t worry. You’re not alone. Here are some easy ways to meet new people when you travel again, online, nearby, or somewhere far far away, and ways to maintain and grow those relationships.
5 Minutes of Bravery is All it Takes
Meeting new people in a new place is going to require just a little bit of courage. It might feel overwhelming to be somewhere unfamiliar and also make the effort to strike up a conversation with strangers, but trust us when we say those 5 minutes of bravery are SO going to be worth it.
One thing that may make it easier is signing up for group activities designed for solo travellers. Walking tours of the city are a great way to explore a new place and also meet other travellers who share the same interests.
Root Out What-if Thoughts
Know that sometimes anxiety and nervousness might come in the way of creating meaningful connections and make us our own worst enemies.
Root out these what-if thoughts and practice having smaller 2-minute conversations in the grocery aisle or in your neighbourhood coffee shop.
Go on Dates (of the Friendship kind)
Ask that person in your hostel, out for a coffee. Get to know each other while you explore the city. You never know what friendships and secret spots you might just discover!
Choose a Place That Matches Your Vibe
If you’re a solo traveller looking to go on a workation, a hostel that has facilities that suit a mixed work and chill vibe might be best suited for your stay. If you’d like to do more adventurous things on your trip choose a place that offers those kinds of activities to find people who might like the same things that you do.
Create, Dream and Spin Some Magic with Us
If you’ve been looking for a great way to travel and also find friends that become family, come join us at some of the most exciting locations in India and Asia at the next Beachhouse Edition.
Sign up here: https://app.theexperience.co
How to be Stronger than your Strongest Excuse
Give this Celebrity Trainer’s Mantra to achieve goals a try!
From training Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan to Anurag Kashyap and Zoya Akhtar, Rupal has taught yoga to half of Bollywood. Reaching this height didn’t happen overnight, it took years and years of training, education and teaching different forms of yoga practises.
Aligning our skill and effort to reach certain goals we’ve set for our careers in this age that we’re living in is extremely competitive. Making it big in any industry is hard but not a completely impractical idea to chase. Rupal, the celebrity yoga trainer and founder of Rupal’s Yogasthenics, chose to beat the race by using a few mantras that helped her throughout her career.
She began her journey in yoga watching her father practice yoga. Over the years, her path led her to yoga therapy. She shared “I saw the magic of yoga when my third student, who was going through chemotherapy, benefitted immensely from it. It is proven that up to 60% of side effects of chemo can be cut down just through yoga. That’s when I got deeper into it”.
Yoga is practised by the whole world as an exercise routine, but it is originally built as a philosophy and a way of life. Rupal mentioned that a lot of people ask her questions like “How many hours of yoga do you do?” and she usually has a witty reply to that, “I do yoga 24/7 but if you’re talking about asanas, I do them for a couple of hours each day.”
A pivot in her journey began while at Funcfit Gym, Mumbai. Her strength in cardio endurance and lifting weights were good and most times outplayed the boys, crediting her yoga! She was training there when Anurag Kashyap approached her to cure his back spasm. There was no looking back when she cured him in one stretch.
Rupal then began training Soha Ali Khan when the actress became pregnant and here’s where Rupal’s pre-natal speciality came into action. Her only marketing was done through word of mouth which had a domino effect. She went on to train Zoya Akhtar, Alia Bhatt, Kareena, Saif, Ritesh Deshmukh, Jay Oza and many more.
Good health is underrated and hence we need to strive for a conducive balance of things. Rupal also runs an organisation that focuses on 5–6 students at a time for therapy led by experienced yoga instructors. She is an avid traveller who enjoys picking up practices from around the globe and seeing what techniques can bridge the gap that is present in therapy currently. She invests time in reading and improving as yoga is a vast subject and the learning will never cease.
Rupal’s Mantra being this: “Karam kar, fal ki fikar mat karo” which translates into focusing on the duty diligently without worrying about the fruits of the labour.
“I was looking for humanity when I came to BHX. The world is so negative, so cutthroat. I found humanity here!”, said Rupal.
Rupal teaches pure yoga most times. When she teaches Yogasthenics it is specifically mentioned that it’s a combination of two practises Techniques of CrossFit + Anatomy of yoga.
“I was thinking about quitting and it made me realise I have barely scratched the surface. The amount of work I’ve done at BHX is more than what I’ve worked throughout the year,” mentioned Rupal.
When we asked her what Yoga Asana she would be and why she replied:
“Uthitaekpadpashchimmotasana
Standing, one leg forward, and bending forward
I’m going to be submissive to whatever will come my way, any sort of experience, the one foot that points out, will push away any negativity.”
Unlimited possibilities. One week.
“If I didn’t have my guitar, I wouldn’t have survived”, Dhaanii mentioned when we caught up with them after the edition.
“It’s with music I feel at home, and every night at BHX, I had a jamming session with my Tribe, as I sang the song of life, ‘Zara Halke Gaadi Haanko’. It signifies how we spend our lives running and forget to enjoy the colours that life shows us.”
Dheere Dheere Re Mana
Dheere Sab Kuchh Hoye
Maali Seenche Sau Ghada
Ritu Aave Phal Hoye
“Go slowly slowly oh mind, everything happens at its own pace, the gardener may water with a hundred pots, but the fruit arrives only in its season.”
Dhaanii sitting with their favourite skateboard
After coming out about their gender fluidity to their family in 2019, they had a tough period. The trauma took them through a bad phase in their life. Music had been a part of their life since 2016 and it became more of a solace for Dhaanii during that period. They had been running away from society’s conditioning and after a point, they hit a realisation.
While chasing goals and running away from toxicity, we forget to have fun along the way.
“Everyone has traumas that are irrecoverable, and if there is something I would like to change, it’s that, I wish I could have come out earlier. Our society stands in the way of us embracing ourselves truly. Which is why inclusive spaces like these are necessary to build.”
Creators like us need to identify ourselves as unique and not let these hurdles come in our way. Only then, can we create communities that are nothing but supportive and encouraging.
“The week I spent in Goa introduced me to a tribe of pathbreakers. Seeing them embracing each other and collaborating was encouraging. It created a space for me to be myself all the time. I believe, if you are true to yourself, it will reflect in your work, and creativity will flow magnificently.”
Dhaanii had an epiphany on the first day itself when they met with other creators and it opened up a whole new set of possibilities for them.
Sometimes we all feel stuck and doubt our decisions. Dhaanii felt the same about their professional life before they decided to step out of their comfort zone. As they did that and stepped into the villa, they found 20 others doing the same. A space to push each other up and help them grow.
This sparked a zeal in them to ditch the regular. They soon plan to start a café in the mountains, creating a space for queer artists and performers to showcase their work. This is their dream of an “inclusive rainbow world”. The only non-negotiable there would be to create a no-judgement zone and to accept people as they are.
Seeing Dhaanii’s “week full of transformations right from Day 1” was inspiring for all of us. It made us think of and make bolder moves. Dreaming of bigger goals happened because they listened to their creative instinct.
When we tap into our individuality, we create space for others to shine too. There’s nothing stopping us after doing that. Sky’s the limit.
One Life. Multiple Restarts.
Rayyan has been nothing but outspoken about queer rights and her transitioning journey. When she shared her story in Pondicherry, it sparked a discussion. One of us asked her “How and what can people do to create a safer space for the LGBTQ+ community?” Having spent a lot of time reading about queer history, psychology and politics, Rayyan grabbed everyone’s attention and shared something very profound.
“Humans still have primitive instincts — we’re naturally scared when we see something we’re not familiar with. Seeing variation has always been believed to be ‘bad’. And the way around this is to allow ourselves to be more exposed to said variation.”
“Don’t be opposed to the queer community when you see them being themselves freely. It’s our duty to challenge the mind constantly and adjust to the newer social norms of living — for eradicating homophobia and transphobia to racism and casteism from the planet.”
She shared her goals for this decade: “enabling the queer community to talk about our struggles, thoughts and dreams. The more representation we will see in the mainstream world, the easier it will get for the younger alike older generations to be themselves.”
Rayyan’s professional goals led her to work with the world’s top advertising agency — Ogilvy & Mather in Dubai, where her team won the Cannes award for one of their campaigns. As Rayyan opened up about her life’s journey to us, she went on to add, “I wasn’t content with it though. Despite the success, I was still battling depression. Something was still missing from my life.”
When she moved to Bombay a few years ago, she was on a quest to explore herself further. During the lockdown, she spent a lot of time reading about queer history, and politics, and exploring a lot of documentaries. One of the Netflix Originals called ‘Disclosure’ changed her whole life.
Disclosure is all about trans people and non-binary representation in mainstream media. When it was released in 2020, it received a lot of attention as it highlighted the positives and negatives for queers living in a world that’s (very) slowly opening its arms to the LGBTQ+ community.
This show helped her access a few memories from her childhood wherein she (then, he) had wished to transition into a woman. Hailing from a conservative Muslim family and growing up in Dubai, she never saw any representation of queer stories, and over time, this dream of hers, submerged into inaccessible parts of her brain.
Rayyan was relieved when it surfaced.
“Moving to Mumbai gave me a new life, and I don’t ever regret it.” India is much more open to the queer community when compared to the Middle East, and this exposed her to so many new facets of life.
“Watching the documentary led me to be where I am today”, she said with a sparkle in her doe-like eyes. She went on to add, “Such interventions in life make us want to pause everything in life and self explore. And that’s exactly what I did.” Rayyan headed to a rejuvenated forest in Vanvadi, where she would spend her time hosting camping nights, working on the farm with the villagers there, and meditating in the lap of nature. “I landed upon many realisations and epiphanies about life, how I wanted to live my life when I went back and what impact I wanted to create in the world.”
When she came back, she chose to turn her life around. Speaking about this journey, she said with her signature wide grin, “I am grateful to have restarted my life from scratch. Today, I am this bold, confident self because I am winning at life.”
Reverse Engineering a Life You Love
Who knew that marketing and music could have something in common! As Manveer Sood, who heads Marketing Excellence at Ather and pursues his passion in music, explains, “The skill-set of a marketer and a musician is very similar; you need to know your audience and then match their vibe and deliver.”
Coming from a family of musicians who limited their musical skills within the family, Manveer chose to explore avenues to find exposure for his music through music competitions at an early stage in his life. “Unlike other kids who start with saying ‘mommy’ or ‘papa’ as their first words, my first word was ‘Chandni’ (trying to sing along to the famous song playing on the radio). From that moment, my family knew that this kid was going to sing.” Manveer is a self-taught musician who picked up playing the guitar, singing bhajans and doing satsangs with the Art of Living as a kid. Later, he kept building on it to get where he is today.
“I get asked why I did not choose a career in music. At an early stage in life, I remember my dad telling me that one should earn from their profession and spend on their passion. That stuck with me forever and I decided to keep my happy place of music unadulterated from the rest of what the world had to offer” says Manveer.
Manveer calls himself a trained introvert as he swiftly juggles between his two personalities — stage Manveer and professional Manveer. He loves to work with startups in their ‘build’ stage, the likes of Uber and Zomato. “The reason I love working with startups is because I love the hustle and the constant process of making meaning out of systematic chaos; I enjoy the process of building.”
While working for Zomato, he started a band with his colleagues- ‘Rubbber Band’, that toured for Zomaland across multiple cities in their last chapter. Having shared the stage with the likes of Hardy Sandhu, Nuclea, and Badshah, Manveer remembers the moment when he could feel his lifelong dream of performing for a big audience materializing right in front of his eyes. “You can always imagine what a dream coming true would feel like but when it does, it leaves you speechless and frozen in the joy of absolution,” says Manveer. The story of how the name of the band took its genesis is an interesting one — “Well, all of us in the band come from different schools of music. We realized that we were stretching across genres for songs. The band that stretches?- Rubbber band! Oh also, it has a nice hook to it. We always chant ‘what band? Rubbber Band’ on stage- something that will be stuck with you”
Talking about how music has infinite power to influence a community, Manveer recalled how he felt great joy when he made people a part of his musical happy place and heard stories about how it helped them get through tough times. “Music has the power to heal and to be a part of that magic is just absolute bliss and is something that keeps me going” . Ensuring that he keeps his music alive along with his daily life as a working professional, he always finds time for his love for music. Manveer came with an intent to finish his song for his upcoming album at BHX Goa and to break the creative loop. “I separated myself from a marketer and attended the edition as a musician, and it worked wonders. Listening to all the stories and experiences around me, I found what I was looking for” Showing us how important a community is in the life of a creator and an artist — for us to find stories and conversations that inspire our own creative journeys.
When we asked him how his thought process changed as a creator over these years, he expressed, “Initially I used to pen down thoughts that I imagined people would relate to, but eventually I felt that wasn’t who I am. Post, I started writing lyrics from stories of my life. My original songs made me feel vulnerable, but in this process of evolving, I have realized that vulnerability brings closeness.” Emphasizing how important it is for an artist to be true to his emotions to amplify them to the audience.
These days, Manveer is busy with the recording of his new album along with his full-time role at Ather. A song that plays in the background score of his life? Listen to it below.
Hum jo chalane lage, chalane lage hain yeh raaste
Aa ha ha ha manjil se behtar lagane lage hai yeh raaste
Changing the Warped Image of Leadership
“When everyone goes right, I choose to go left”, Marjolein said in our conversation, post BHX Kashmir. Hailing from Holland, she has travelled the world and worked with some of the biggest companies out there.
After graduating at the top of her class in Fashion Management, she had already started managing a team of 10 at the age of 24. There was no looking back after that.
All of these experiences led her to work with the Tata Group, where she set up their brand Zudio from scratch and played a pivotal role in its growth.
“When you’re a leader and working with a large team, there are a few essential things you must keep in mind.”
“You’ll have a million ideas running through your head all the time, but it’s important not to project them helter-skelter. Write down your top 3 priorities and communicate them clearly to your team. It’s imperative that you keep processes simple and not complicated,” M, as she asked us to call her, told us was one of the founding principles of her success.
A few other key things that really stayed with us were — “Leaders must celebrate successes with every small goal that they achieve with their teams. It keeps them motivated.” Leaders aren’t supposed to direct, they have to create an inclusive environment of trust and inspiration.”
To be an authentic leader is one who allows their team to work on themselves — towards a journey of personal and professional success.
This ideology of hers led her to draw parallels between how personal growth is so similar and interlinked with professional and business growth.
At the edition, she held a workshop about spirituality in business for everyone to address crucial questions.
The first one was: “Who are you? What are your values that will dictate your choices and behaviour?” Asking ourselves these tough questions makes us realise the real reasons behind what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.
What comes next is: “What are the needs and wants we have in order to live up to those values?.” Once we know that, we can set realistic goals and achieve them.
Businesses typically set goals first, allocate resources to achieve those goals and forget to ask the real question of what their values are and how they are different from their competitors that sets them apart.
At the core of the business, lies the value system: why they started the venture. It has to do with something more than just money, as it probes deeper into the larger vision of the business. For some, it may be causing social change by empowering rural communities or creating products that will reduce waste in the fashion industry.
She held a workshop at the edition showing us a new perspective on how to run businesses: through spirituality.
M shared with us, “I’ve reached a point where I will change course soon and have a new aim in life. I want to help businesses with this framework and create an impact. I’ve been a leader all my life, and what I’ve been doing all this while is coaching and mentoring people. I want to continue doing that.”
Her next chapter involves sharing insights, knowledge and experience as a way of giving back to society and is open to mentoring entrepreneurs to live up to their best potential.
Are You Grabbing Opportunities? Or Are You Waiting For Them To Grab You?
The world really is up for grabs. Just keep looking for possibilities. They’re really there.
Megha Rao is a confessional performance poet and a surrealist artist. Her work has been featured on platforms such as Penguin Random House India, Firstpost, The Open Road Review, New Asian Writing, The Alipore Post, Spoken Fest, Why Indian Men Rape and Thought Catalog. Megha is a postgraduate in English Literature from the University of Nottingham, UK, and is currently spending her time between Mumbai and Kerala.
We catch up with Megha post BHX Shillong, and speak to her about everything she’s been upto and what’s in the pipeline for her next.
1. Congratulations on the release of Teething, it’s gotten such a phenomenal response. Tell us a little bit about the process of writing and performing these “scattered memories” as you’ve described them.
I started from the last page and then made my way to the beginning. The characters of Teething are broken, and have a non-linear memory trajectory. Theirs is a universe that is told in parts, assembled differently, ever so fluid. I don’t think all of them can be performed, but there were some in the collection that could be taken to the stage.
2. Some of your poems are extremely personal, how do you draw the separation between the poet Megha Rao, and Megha, the person?
Everything I write comes from a personal space. I don’t think I could ever write about something I don’t know or feel strongly about. I interact a lot with emotions when I create, and this is a sacred space for me. Megha the poet is just a part of me, the side of me that writes. Megha the person, she’s evolving, rising, reviving. I’m so proud of both of them.
Megha the person, she’s evolving, rising, reviving. I’m so proud of both of them.
3. Social media has been a huge tool for you in building a community (of wolves) as you call them. Do you feel a lot of pressure to keep up and constantly post to engage your community?
Not really. I’m someone who has been very careful about reality checks. I’m not an Internet person, but I love community. I don’t feel pressure to keep posting because I’m here to leave behind a legacy, not to put out work on a daily basis just so that I can grab one extra eyeball. That’s draining and exhausting. I’m in awe of anyone who can do that, but I know I can’t. I take my time, work at my own pace, and that’s how it’s going to be. Nothing can influence that, because when I write, I enter an alternate universe.
4. You’ve explored many different formats in your poetry — from free verse to a performative style, to podcasts and even releasing Teething as an EP. What is the next medium you are excited to explore?
I’d love to mix music with live poetry. Collaborate with a band while performing. Jazz and rhyme, how beautiful that would sound! I go crazy for the saxophone.
5. Rejection is a huge part of being a writer and an artist — how do you deal with that and find the motivation to keep going?
I try again. I know I have opportunities wherever I turn. The world really is up for grabs. Just keep looking for possibilities. They’re really there.
Megha, during her midnight recitals at BHX Shillong.
6. What did the BHX experience mean to you and how have you collaborated with the tribe since coming back?
BHX was such a beautiful community of smart, ambitious and extremely inspiring people. For me, the experience was a wholesome one. I absolutely did not want to leave. There are a lot of cool collaborations in the pipeline, mostly live shows, merch, ideas about the next big thing.
7. From performances to the second season of Poems to Calm Down to, a lot of exciting projects seem to be in store. Give us a sneak peek into everything you’re currently working on.
A poem for POETRY magazine, a collaboration with the Plated Project for Teething, these are two things I’m very excited about. I’m also very thrilled to announce we’re featuring the brilliant poet Karuna Ezara Parikh on one of our podcast episodes. Poems to Calm Down to was a success that surprised and humbled me, and I’m very happy that its second season is coming out soon. We worked real hard on it!
Don’t just strive to create impact. Sometimes, try to change the world.
‘Torchit’, Hunny’s startup, has won over 40 international awards for social impact and innovation. For many entrepreneurs, that number may seem daunting, but Hunny ironed out his whole journey for us to see that this feat can very well be achievable by budding entrepreneurs out there. “You just have to have a clear purpose, the drive to create change and apply some hacks to take your business to the next level.”
Hunny met us at the first Goa edition after the pandemic.
His journey began with a reality check.
When he worked on his first internship in college, he got the opportunity to work with a blind school and realised how many of us take so many things for granted in our lives. “I saw someone getting stitches as I entered on the first day. On knowing the reason, I was shocked to learn that it’s very common for the visually impaired to get into accidents while navigating their way.”
As an engineering student, he instantly knew that this problem was solvable with the help of tech.
That was where ‘Saarthi’ was born. An easy-to-use, affordable device that detects obstacles and alerts the user while they navigate their way.
It is usually said, that creating the simplest of things takes the most work. At the edition, we learnt from him how this product won them so much recognition, even from the government. He shared a simple hack -
“Make products that fit into someone’s routine because nobody is going to change their way of living to use your product.”
He did exactly that while creating this revolutionary device. While other products like these cost over INR 20,000, Saarthi is priced 5 times less.
There’s been no looking back after the success that lead them to Shark Tank. They have gone ahead and launched many more products for differently-abled people: from devices for the hearing impaired to products that help with mobility.
Currently, they’re working on smart glasses, taking it up a few notches, that will tell the user what’s in front of them and help them hear what they cannot see.
Hunny let us in on his secret to the rapid scaling up they did last year, “The time we had in hand during the pandemic led us to do immense research and development. Our goal was to and still is to make the world more accessible for the differently-abled.”
It is widely believed that do-good companies should cut back on profits in order to provide low-cost products to reach a larger audience. However, Hunny has a different approach. He believes that it’s important for even social impact-driven businesses to make profits.
“The more money you make, the more you can pump it back into the business and bring costs down in the longer run. That’s how you make your products affordable and more accessible over time. The ultimate strategy to create ultimate impact.”
He also let us in a few more of his success secrets: “It is also important that people trust your company. We built Saarthi for the blind, by the blind. One can also partner with NGOs and philanthropists to reach more users. In this way, your profit margins don’t have to change and you’re creating impact as well.”
Millennial business owners have time and again proven how vital it is for them to address social and environmental problems through their efforts. Whether it is contributing to the larger good through their actions, innovating products that address social issues or uplifting a community of people. BHX Goa saw Hunny Bhagchandani do it all.
“If you’re an entrepreneur, you are already creating impact. Focus on how you can bring about change in this world, and keep at it.”
Turn Your Mess into Your Message
From empowering over 5 lakh children to receiving the Award of Excellence from the President himself, Dr. Kannan has made quite a mark in his flourishing career. He is a life coach, psychologist, educationist and business coach; few of many words that can describe him best.
He started this journey after finishing his studies in psychiatry. Leaving behind his goal of becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon, he wanted to do more. His vision of touching lives and transforming them led him to make this shift after completing his MBBS.
“Very early on in my career as a psychiatrist, I witnessed a massive tragedy. Losing one of my patients to parental abuse for having a mental illness, I knew there was something more I could do.”
There was no looking back after this loss.
Dr. Kannan started working with college students to improve their mental health. After empowering so many of them, he also went on to work with the Tamil Nadu government to coach young ones, help villagers affected by drug abuse in Kashmir and teach tribals from Orissa and West Bengal. He mentioned what motivated him to do this, “I wanted to focus on communities that don’t have access to such resources. Everyone deserves an equal chance to reach their potential.”
The amount of impact he has created is not an easy feat. He shared with us what kept him at the top of his A-game.
“What I truly believe is that no matter who you are and what you do, there’s always scope for growth and learning. Investing in yourself is the best gift you can give to yourself.” He constantly worked on himself: went through many training programmes and worked with the top psychologists of the world, right from Werner Erhart to Brian Tracy.
Throughout his career, if there’s one thing that has stuck with him, it is, “If a person can be brainwashed to do something bad, there’s always scope to reprogram someone’s mind in a way that will benefit them. That’s the beauty of psychology.”
While conducting programmes for students all over the world, he developed them in a way that will leave a lasting impact, and not just wash away after a few days. Working with so many children and teenagers made him land upon formulas that worked for adults as well.
The similarity he found between the two audiences was simple, “Both are human beings. Both have goals to achieve: adults have financial goals, and children have educational goals. Both are short on time and in today’s day and age, they all have to face immense stress.”
During the lockdown, he started coaching the top entrepreneurs and CEOs of the country as well. He expanded his horizons to mentor and coach them because he believes “an entrepreneur’s journey is a lonely one. They are constantly faced with high-risk decisions and stress of leading large teams.” He has now helped so many of them level up further as leaders.
“I work with them so passionately, because the impact they create is phenomenal. It’s important to respect, recognise and nurture them.”
From teenagers to CEOs, he’s enabled lakhs of people to level up, but one experience of his life took him to the pinnacle of his career. “I got the honour and privilege to host a workshop alongside the Indian Army for people who faced drug abuse in Kashmir. I was truly inspired by the experience: what I saw was beyond comparable. While we were conducting workshops for the villagers in Punj, the Army protected us from the imminent danger that constantly lurked in the area. Working in collaboration with them made me realise the true definition of discipline and dedication. It will stay with me forever.”
Reaching this height took him a long winding journey. It started from rock bottom. He shared with us the epiphany he had when he was lying in a hospital bed, “I had a close brush with death when I faced a terrible accident in 2002. I took it as a sign. I was chosen to have this new life for a reason. I knew that I had to create something lasting, something positive. What I realised was that each individual is a medium, a vessel for the universe to create some change in this world. And it chose me to do this. This is what keeps me going on my low days.”
His mantra is: turn your mess into your message. We all face downfalls in life, but he believes, “From our lowest of lows, a message comes along from the universe. That message can go on to create an opportunity. Grab that, work on it and share it with the world. You’ve found your purpose then.”