Master takes

Compiled by Aradhna Wal

Geetha Mehra on Art
One of my favourite pieces is Bharti Kher’s now famous baby elephant sculpture, The Skin Speaks a Language Not Its Own, exhibited at Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in Delhi. The museum itself is audacious enough to be located inside the DLF South Court Mall in Saket, and provides the ultimate accessibility for travellers and tourists. The museum is dedicated to Indian art and introduces visitors to what the country has to offer. The display is personally selected by Kiran Nadar. It is an eclectic collection of old masters and cutting-edge contemporary art. This juxtaposition makes it all the more fascinating.
Mehra is the director of the Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai
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Arpita Das on Books 
The one book I’d recommend to any reader is WG Sebald’s The Rings of Saturn. It is an account of the narrator’s journey, on foot, through Norfolk and Suffolk. It blurs the line between past and present, and fact and fiction with dexterity. It is a fascinating exegesis on living quietly in suffering. Personally, I would call it a literary masterpiece.
Das is a Delhi-based publisher with Yoda Press
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Faith Gonsalves on Music
Five8 is a great Indie band. Their funk-based songs resonate with the stories of people like me, the quintessential Dilliwalla, who braves the traffic, enjoys the food, and battles relationships every day. The self-titled album’s artwork highlights Delhi’s concreteness as a Commonwealth Games jungle. At the same time, their mellower songs such as Believe capture a totally different audience.
Gonsalves is the founder of Music Basti,Delhi
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Aamir Bashir on Film 
One of the most hard-hitting films I’ve seen is the Mexican art filmAño Bisiesto (Leap Year). It is Australia- born Michael Rowe’s directorial debut, and won the Caméra d’Or at Cannes Film Festival 2010. Shot in a single apartment with a fixed camera, the film uses the theme of lack of space to tell a deeply layered and complex tale. The graphic sex, violence and nudity tend to make viewers uncomfortable. But that is the purpose of the film. Rowe tells the story of a city through one woman’s claustrophobic isolation. For those who can stomach it, it is a must watch.
Bashir is a Mumbai-based actor and director of Harud
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Dennis Francis Dheo on Food 
One of my favourite breakfast places is a nondescript little joint in Koramangala, Bengaluru. The restaurant is very aptly called The Hole in the Wall Cafe. It’s a tiny place that is always jampacked. You’d be hard-pressed to get a table on weekends. The menu offers standard breakfast fare such as bacon, burgers and pancakes, all of which are truly sumptuous. My personal choice is the excellent waffles. Order a plate along with the coffee or your choice of fresh juice. It has a very inviting interior. Warm and cozy, it is built like a living room. All in all, a meal here is a great way to start the day.

Dheo is a dessert consultant with the Grey Garden, Delhi