 U.S.T. Bar, Deshka Barossa, Morphin, Reliance Industries Limited, Education Partner, Chandigarh University, Nutrition Partner, Uttam Ghee, Special Partner, Deshbhagat University, Bhoparai Electricals, Jewelry Partner, Shanduelas, Digital Learning Partner, TC by Learning, Agri Innovation Partner, GSA Industries, AgriZone, Associate Partner, Frontera Immigration. This evening, the discussions will focus on rethinking luxury and reviving traditions in a new look. We have here with us Royals who are defining royalty by engaging with their tradition and history in a new way, designers who are conserving tradition through interior designing, fashionistas and screen artists who are making choices that count. So, let us begin this evening with an audio visual. In the radiant glow of success and under the banner of News 18 Punjab, the aspiration unfolds as an extraordinary event for its second season, promising an experience that transcends the ordinary. As the sun sets, immerse yourself in a realm where dreams are not just dreamt but realized, where every individual story contributes to the vibrant mosaic of the human experience. Step into a world where the stars align not only in the night sky but on this stage, where artists, visionaries and trailblazers along with esteemed figures from royal families converge from the glitzy glamour of the silver screen to the soul-stirring melodies of the music world. Quests to editor News 18 India and News 18 Punjab Haryana Jyothi Kamal to welcome our panelists for the first session, rethinking luxury. Janita Dota, actor and fashion designer, Siddharth Daspa, designer and founder of Daspa House, Jodhpur. Born in Chandigarh, actress Janita Dota made a name for herself in Punjabi, Hindi as well as Tamil cinema. She is the co-founder of Chandigarh Fashion Week, through which she is promoting talent, accessibility and the rich heritage of India. Thakur Siddharth Singh of Daspa is a designer and the founder of beautiful Daspa House. It is a century old family home in Jodhpur, which he has converted into a getaway. So let us begin with the first session, rethinking luxury, over to you Jyothi Kamal. Thank you so much Archie. So we started off this whole aspiration last year in fact and this is the second time that we are doing it in Chandigarh. We did another session in Udaipur. So the idea is that we talk about, as India is progressing, as things are moving forward, as people are kind of wanting the finer things in life. We talk about luxury, we talk about experiences, we talk about very kind of discerning kind of things that people have started expecting. But along with it, we pause and kind of take a look back, because you are people who have lived it, who have seen it all, that when you started off, what was your perception of this whole thing? And as you now look back at it, what is your perception now? And as insiders, how do you kind of really look upon all of this? So the idea is that we kind of explore this whole field and we try and figure out how things are in terms of aspiration, how things are in terms of India moving forward, how things are in terms of reality, how things are in terms of fantasy, and then how all of this actually leads to ambition, which drives a lot of people forward. So Johnita, starting off with you, you're born in Chandigarh. You have acted in movies. You have kind of done Saman 3D, which was like a 3D movie, which was a romantic movie, one normally doesn't associate a 3D movie with things popping out of it to be a romantic movie. Yeah. You would rather expect it to be an action movie or you would rather expect things to be kind of really flying out of the screen. So what was that about? Why did you choose to do that? And what was that whole concept about? And how did that whole thought process happen? And why did you choose that? You know, so first of all, thank you for having me and, you know, putting up this great initiative, you know, we are living in a world which is, you know, in a continuous process of flux, you know? So, you know, to talk about aspirations, luxury, you know, all is like really imperative about Salman 3D. It's like, you know, I have always, you know, so again, I think it's about aspiration. I was, you know, a while growing up, I always wanted to be part of something that's India's first, you know? So I thought I was kind of manifesting that, you know, I should mean something which they would say, Jonathan Oda in India's first, blah, blah. And when Salman happened, so it was the first time that, you know, they were making a love story, you know, a drama in 3D, because as you said, we only see, you know, the action thrillers and we have seen, you know, the avatars and all of that. So, yeah, it was like interesting to do that and, you know, to shoot normal emotions when you have to be technically a little more, you know, perfect about and, you know, take care of the angles of because it's a 3D thing. So how, you know, to get the impact in the 3D vision. So it is more than just acting, you know? But you have to also take care of the technicality. So I think, yeah, that was, that was inspired me to take on Salman. Yeah, like, but you were just talking about the fact that it's a different platform in that sense when you do a 3D movie. So what's different about it? Like you were just pointing out a little bit that it's about the angles. It's about a little bit more, but like, what's different? Do you act normally? Is it just about the cameras? Or do you also have to worry about how you are kind of really working for those cameras? No, so, no, so technically it is like, yeah, technically it is different because the cameras are different. They're not the normal cameras. They are 3D cameras. So and for you as an actor, basically you're just acting. But then even if you have to go back and like, you know, check your shot at a monitor, so you just can't like go and see, you need to have your 3D glasses. Otherwise you can't see what's happening, right? So that is like a basic difference. And as an actor, what adds up to the difference of shooting, for example, like, if like, you know, I'm just doing something where I just do this. So I will have to make sure that, you know, the, you know, whatever is in my hand, the object should fly in that particular direction, because only then in a 3D it will have that impact for the audience. You know, they're going to feel it's coming right on them. So yeah, then that is an added thing as an actor. Otherwise it's normally acting like how you would do in a normal camera, a normal film. Yeah. So, Johnita, you come from a business family and so what was it that really triggered you that this is the domain that you want to get into? What stage at what point did you decide? Okay, this is what I want. This is how I want my life to pan out. When does that happen? Does it happen like in pre-teenage years? Does it happen during your teenage years? When does it happen in college? How did you really define it? I think I kind of never planned that I'm going to be an actor. I always say that, you know, I'm an actor by default, possibly God wanted, okay, she should be an actor. I was still in school when, you know, there were these ads, you know, they were making this ad for some Hollywood product. I mean, Hollywood production house. And, you know, they offered me that. And I was like, oh, okay. I mean, at that time I had absolutely no idea that I want to act and it was like a pricey little princess. Okay, all right, I should try. And that's how it began. And then it's absolutely, you know, the love for cinema that grew. And I knew that, okay, I want to be an actor. But so for me, you know, it started then there was a break and I got back to my studies because I really believe that education is very important. It's vital. And then again, yes, then I was like, okay, this is something that I would, to tell stories, you know, would be something really beautiful. You're from Chandigarh, but you have always found the Southern movie scene very exciting. Yeah. And you, you even kind of really like, say, Mamuti or Mohanlal, the Malayali actors. So what's it that kind of really fascinates you about the Southern film industry and how do you kind of discriminate between, distinguish rather between their working style and the working style that you see here? Did you find any noticeable difference in how the Southern film industry works? Yeah, you know, so I think the Southern industry is very more professional. I mean, we are definitely getting there, though. I mean, I made my Punjabi debut opposite the legend Gurdasman, you know, so, so like, you know, I have my fair share here as well. But Southern industry is definitely very, very more professional. And you know, it's like, if you would know that, you know, we'll remember even the Hindi Bollywood movies initially, they used to have their entire post production work happening in, you know, Madras, when it was Madras, because they were technically way ahead of us. I mean, I'm talking Bollywood Punjab, like, you know, we kind of grew in the last 10 years is like, you know, in the Punjab industries, like really come up and is doing well for itself. But yeah, I think that was another thing that, you know, kind of attracts me to South cinema is the way they tell their stories. I mean, they are open to innovation, they are open to different concepts, you know, they were not stuck to like, they're not sticking to like just one thing. They are open to experimenting. And one another thing that I really like about them is that the people, the audiences, they are very loyal to their, you know, movies. And I think that plays a major role. That is something that gives producers the liberty, you know, the makers that liberty to, you know, try and do something, you know, new to try some, you know, you know, it is scripts, you know, because they know that their audience are going to like kind of, you know, you know, they'll have the back and, you know, they'll come, they'll watch the movies, which kind of lacks here. And I just hope and I, you know, I always tell the audiences, like, you know, if you want your children to come up, you know, if you want to see more stars, you know, from amongst yourselves, you know, you have to start watching your cinema, you got to, like, start supporting your cinema. That's like, you know, when the makers will have that, you know, thing to bring in new people, bring in new subjects and help everyone. Fantastic. In fact, we have Shabnamji, the Yuvraj Singh's mother also joining us. Thank you so much for joining us today. Yeah. Thank you so much. We'll just go to Siddharth. I'll come back to you for the Chandigarh Fashion Week. That's an initiative that you started. But Siddharth, that's fine. Just to talk about the fact that you have created a very eclectic experience in Jodhpur. You are from Mayo and then another classmate of yours also from Mayo. You went and studied in Milan, Italy, and then you decided to come back and have this very eclectic experience that you would set up. One normally sets up a restaurant or one kind of gets into music or one gets into art or one gets into curation. But when you kind of put it all together, you have Dasma House. So where you get everything. So which is basically that if you have to kind of have a meal, then that whole kind of feel has to be an experience. It's not just about the meal. It's about that whole ambience. It's about the music. It's about the curation. It is about the meal also. Why did you think of this concept? And what is a kind of audience that you're catering for? And where did you sense that there could be a demand for something like this? So I think design, I'm trained designer. So I think design has a big role to play in it. When I shifted back to Jodhpur we were renovating the house and we didn't want to kind of run a very conventional hotel. So the whole idea was to have a space wherein design meets hospitality in all forms. So being it could be uniforms, it could be curating tables. And at the same time giving a platform to your regular art culture around the state or the country. But in the real sense, which is relevant today. So giving it a more interactive, a more like a more profound way of understanding what the artists are doing. And in terms of, you know, having the right mix of art. And when I say art, it could be art in all forms. It could be cinema. We do we showcase like documentaries. It could be bar takeovers. So you have different bartenders coming on board at the cocktail bar and making some amazing cocktails. There there is of course music. That's something which I personally really enjoy. So so most of the things which happened in the house is is what we enjoy doing. And that's what kind of translates to a to a better show, which you can kind of put together. And also to kind of make things a little exciting for your team, essentially, because obviously with like your regular operations in a hotel, I'm sure people get bored, right? So it's just exciting for the team to kind of see exciting things happening every month. And it's the back of house. Maybe your kitchen team comes in front and kind of sees what's happening. So sometimes small things like those keeps like the team energetic and it's just exciting for everybody to work in a, you know, like an innovative friendly environment. But it's a lot of hard work. I mean, you could set up a restaurant and you know that here is my set menu. And this is how I'm going to play it out. Here is the interior designer who's done it all up. And that's about it. There after it's just going into a repetitive mode in terms of the meals that you serve. But in your case, you have to continuously innovate because it's continuously got to be an experience. So you've got to keep kind of rejigging, rethinking, redoing, renovating. So isn't this like strenuous? And do you think there is going to be a phase where there's going to be a burnout that, okay, I've had enough with this. Let me go back to a regular restaurant and kind of have a set menu. And that's about it. So how difficult is it? Or do you enjoy the process? No, I think it's the other way around. I mean, if I'm doing the same thing every day, I'll get burned out. So you'd rather kind of do something exciting, which would, you know, keep you going and just stuff like having your team or your guests kind of come in and have an experience, which is very immersive to kind of because like we were talking before, like you were saying before, like luxury, the definition, I think changes every day. What people expect. I mean, it's got nothing to do with wealth. I think it is first time experience of maybe going to catching a bus and going to a place back in beyond in Jaisalmeer and spending a night under the stars. So it's basic stuff like that, which can kind of be called luxury. And it's for that individual to go back home or wherever that individual is from and tell that story to friends, family. That's what I think luxury is for me. So what is the kind of clientele that you see there because you've started this concept called soap box also, which is where you kind of experiment with different kinds of music also and people who are kind of invited to come and perform there. So you kind of tried a jazz experiment there. So how did all of that pan out? And what is the kind of kind of clientele that you're catering to? And especially when you look at Jodhpur, is it the people coming from abroad? And now that you have set this up, are you looking to taking this out from Jodhpur or is that where you're going to keep it? Our audience typically would be, I mean, I don't want to put my audience in a box for sure. So somebody, I'm sure like curious travelers, yes, somebody who is creative and appreciates all forms of art for sure. And taking this entire idea away from Jodhpur and kind of doing a newer project is in the pipeline. So we're kind of looking at something in Goa, we're looking at something in Rajasthan. So it'll be like a similar project, but obviously you stay true to, I mean, if you're doing something in Goa, so it'll be true to the roots of Goa and not kind of replicate Rajasthan to Goa. Right, right. Jornita, in fact, coming back to you, India is changing, Punjab is changing, Chandigarh is changing. You see all these new malls coming up, the whole airport road is coming alive with, I don't know how many malls are opening up. So there are, there was once upon a time when Elante mall had opened up and there was this whole feel that it's going to be swamped by people coming from rural Punjab and then it's not going to be an experience. But even then, at least I used to kind of discuss with my friends that as people come in and when they see what's going on, they'll get exposed to it. They'll take some of those thoughts back with them. Something will change there. They'll come back again, see something, go back. That's how development happens. You can't have development happen on its own. It will happen in pockets and then it'll have ripple effects and spread across. So that's how things move. And now you see that people are changing the way they're dressing up, the way they kind of look, the way they want to kind of see things. You see people kind of, you see men buying colored pants, which earlier didn't used to really happen. It used to be generally grays and blues and blacks. But things are changing. So when you see all of that and when you see your kind of initiative, which is Chandigarh Fashion Week, what is it that you're trying to do there? What is the bridge that you're trying to create there? You know, so with Chandigarh Fashion Week, like, you know, as you said, I am from Chandigarh, right? And but I live in Mumbai. I love the city. And you know, there's a vibe, you know, we the Chandigarhians like, you know, we really know the vibe that the city holds. And I think, you know, there's so much that the city has to offer. And it's not just Chandigarh in itself, because, you know, when I say Chandigarh, I feel Himachal, Punjab, Haryana, you know, Punjab, they're all connected. You know, everyone's like, you know, they're in Chandigarh. So, you know, the idea for Chandigarh Fashion Week was to have a platform, you know, where, you know, which is open to innovation, which is way more inclusive, you know, and a place where, you know, talents, talent is nurtured and gets a chance to flourish. You know, it's like, you know, we of course have the best of the designers coming in, the best of the models, the supermodels, the top show directors coming. And then, you know, have a platform where the artisans, the handicraft industry, and, you know, people who possibly do not have those resources, but they have the great, amazing talent, you know, they can come in and how we are different from like the other fashion week is that, you know, we are an e-commerce platform. So it just doesn't end with one event like, you know, so for anyone, for the artisans, for the handicraft industry, the people, you know, it is, it is like a year round thing. So once it starts, it's there, you know, so we can, you know, it's like a way to go global. And I feel, you know, these are the times, you know, when we need to aspire and grow together. It's not just about me myself, it's about us, you know, I mean, it has to be about my happiness, but how my happiness can also add some smiles to the world. That's what I believe and I think that's where the idea of something called fashion week came between me and my brother. And yeah, taking it forward. Yeah, in fact, when you talk about the different lines, like one has to wrap one's mind around these words, also like something like auto couture, which is essentially made to order, something that you kind of really, which is, which is supposed to be high fashion, which is made to order, which is how things were in India all around, all along. It was everything was made to order. Then came the Prada Porte kind of lines where it's ready to be here. So now again, things are going back to auto couture once again, kind of really kind of taking a step up. So how do you kind of switch back and forth between these two ways? And how do you kind of decide that what's going to work where I don't know. I think, you know, I have always believed kind of, you know, that I always wanted to do what I want to do at that point of time, right? So it's more about, you know, again, it's it's a very personal choice. It's about like, you know, what I feel like, you know, what brings happiness to me at that point of time. So there has to be like a blend of, you know, a perfect blend between the luxury between what you aspire to your dreams and how your dreams are going to actually transform in, you know, today's scenario. You know, we are in a world which is like so ever evolving, you know, every day there's something new and we're living in times that is like so social media driven. Like, I'll, you know, I'm little drifting from the topic. I would let you like, you know, right now I've also made a documentary which is on, you know, the natural disasters and, you know, the environment and all. So which is absolutely totally different from my being me being an actor, director and, you know, fashion. And like someone asked, why? Well, I mean, how can Jonathan, you think of, you know, you know, something as thing as a disaster. So I was like, because, you know, we all of us, you know, we really need to know what is happening around us. You know, it is it's these are the times when we really need to be much more aware about our surroundings. And, you know, we really have to give back to, you know, what we are doing around. So, yeah, so I've started working on that as well. Fantastic. I think it's just that the number of opportunities have increased. There's a space for everything now. There's definitely, you had, you had kind of absolute made to order happening, which is still happening all across Punjab. You go to smaller towns. It's all made to order. And then you have the ready to wear the Zara's and everything as you come to the malls. And then as you kind of step up, you again, get into made to order. But then that's a different order altogether. See, people love customization now. You know, it is always a feel good feeling, you know, when you have that extra touch of like, you know, when he's saying, you know, when you do that, you know, something extra, you know, you, you definitely love that. Yeah. So that and like you were saying, there is all extra against. And then you want to give back to society. So I think it's just that opportunities are opening up for a lot many things happening. And I think that's a sign of progress. Yeah. But Siddharth coming back to you for a quick question. You have also kind of now delved into another experience in your eclectic mix, which is that you find people who do absolute traditional cooking or could be from some family kind of cooking style and you get them to come and then they cook their style of cooking. And then it's an experience for the people who are dining in. And then they also hear the stories of how that particular food was cooked, why it was cooked that way. So it's a very different take again, moving away from standardization to very specialized customization and that also variable all the time, which is a different experience altogether. So again, how did you think about it? And then is it all based on reference because there has to be some sort of equality control because it has to be somebody telling you that, okay, try this out or you would do something. And how would you innovate? So again, what was thought behind that? Why don't we see more of this happening all around? So it's like the short story to this is getting something which is made at home right in a commercial kitchen is really difficult firstly. So you need to kind of understand if you're cooking for 10 people in a commercial kitchen, it's always going to be difficult. So the whole idea is to make this experience more exciting. So you would rather do like a chula outside and have whoever's kind of come in to cook for you to have him cook out him or her cook for the guests right there. So this is one of those things you learn on the go. So if you're kind of looking for a real jungly mass, for example, you won't find the authentic one in a hotel. You'll find a similar tasting recipe, but like the real stuff is which is made in homes in Rajasthan or around the country. Similarly, what you what we also do is we we don't have a spa in the hotel, right? So if there is like a demand that somebody wanted to kind of get a spa, so there used to be this barber who used to kind of stay or used to come for our haircuts and gave used to give us a chumpy. So the chumpy is something we kind of included in an experience for our guests. So that's something so unusual for somebody who's coming from elsewhere getting a chumpy with an Avratan tail and that entire vibrator thing happening in his head. They kind of lose their plot. So it's it's things like those which are small, but that's what makes the difference. Yeah, it's just thinking and taking it by the day and just thinking a little out of the box. It's it doesn't have to be something very, very, very, you know, it's not rocket science. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you almost have a business model there. It's something like a home stay and then home cooked food. You kind of get that. But then this is about real kind of a culinary experience that a household offers, which can almost kind of be something that could really take on because there was once this old talk that people would get invited to somebody's house. You kind of buy a lunch at somebody's house. You kind of go and then eat what is cooked there. You kind of get to meet the family and you kind of get to save up whatever is happening. Let's see how that takes off. So but I think you're kind of sowing the seeds there. So thank you so much for that. Thank you so much, Jonita, for being a part of this. The idea was that we kind of explore the wide variety of things that people like you who are kind of blazing trails are doing and that we kind of see more of that happening. Thank you so much for participating in News 18's La Aspiration. Thank you so much. Thank you, Jonita. Thank you, Siddharth. Thank you, Jyoti Kamal. Please stay on the stage. I'll now request Editor News 18 India and News 18 Punjab Rihanna Jyoti Kamal to felicitate our panelists. Jonita Doda. In Thakur, Siddharth Singh. Collagery means different things to different people and it is about creating experiences which people will cherish. Siddharth Singh. Thank you, Jonita. Thank you, Siddharth. Jyoti Kamal, please stay on the stage. And with this, we'll now move on to our next session.