Get the lowdown on what Bollywood's stars will be wearing this season with Ajay Pandey, the chief executive of the jewellery company Gitanjali.
How would you describe the changing styles and tastes in Bollywood jewellery?
Jewellery in Bollywood has always been a very rich representation of India’s vast cultural heritage. Traditionally, Indian women love gold and diamond jewellery inspired by the “Royal Era” of Maharanis and Maharajas. One of our brands, Nizam, aims to fulfil that desire with a touch of ethnic culture and the symbol of Royal Gharana’s transcending into bridalwear and even regular wear. This collection is also appreciated by the Middle Eastern aficionados due to the rich designs incorporating rose and flat-cut stones, in addition to Polki (traditional, intricate jewellery sets) and Jadau handwork (highly embellished, statement pieces) by specialised artisans.
How have tastes evolved in recent years and what are the current trends in Bollywood?
Well, glamour has different styles depending on how you want to present it. As much as traditional jewellery is everlasting, so, too, modern Bollywood jewellery has a timeless quality. Contemporary Bollywood jewellery has a certain air of sophistication, using a combination of important, larger-sized diamonds and other precious stones. Modern styles can best be summed up as catering to international tastes – minimalistic designs that still make a strong statement.
Which stones and precious metals are currently in vogue?
Twenty-two-carat gold has always been in the highest demand, however plain diamond-studded jewellery in combination with emeralds, rubies and sapphires are also perennially popular. We’re always innovating and many of our new collections use tourmalines in shades of pink and green which have a distinct appeal. The use of new colours of enamel in traditional jewellery and more artistic creations, plus one-of-a-kind pieces, are also in vogue.
Considering its high price, is gold likely to be overtaken in popularity by other, less expensive precious metals for jewellery?
Absolutely impossible. Gold, today, remains one of the most influential and crucial economic factors, be it at an individual or at a country level, so we will always talk of gold reserves.
Name some examples of stars who have worn particular pieces from Gitanjali’s brands to high-profile events in recent months.
We have several film stars who endorse our brands such as the current reigning queen of Bollywood, Katrina Kaif, for Nakshatra and Priyanka Chopra for Asmi and Bipasha Basu for Gili. The actress Preity Zinta also wore an exclusive Gitanjali piece to the recent IIFA film Awards held in Singapore in June.
• For more information, go to www.gitanjaligroup.com
rduane@thenational.ae
Quick-fire
• Most expensive piece under Gitanjali's brands?
A necklace set with 64.3 carats of diamonds that retails for more than Dh1 million. It’s from our luxury Italian brand Stefan Hafner.
• Fastest-selling item in Gitanjali's history?
The Nakshatra seven-stone floral design available in four patterns and different diamond-weight sizes.
• Diamonds are a girl's best friend, true or false?
The answer is true of course! They were, they are and will always be a girl’s best friend.
What the stars say
• Priyanka Chopra "I feel part of the Gitanjali family as I endorse one of its most spirited brands – Asmi which means 'I am' in Sanskrit. It represents the new-age Indian woman, celebrating her economic and social independence. It has a contemporary and feminine look that is distinctly evocative of strength and grace."
• Katrina Kaif "'Nakshatra' means luck and happiness and I'm fortunate to be associated with a brand that already has a place in the hearts of Indian women."
Gitanjali Group
Established: 1996
Brands in portfolio: 25
Indian diamond jewellery: launched in 1994
'Super Brand' status: achieved in 2004
Sukuk explained
Sukuk are Sharia-compliant financial certificates issued by governments, corporates and other entities. While as an asset class they resemble conventional bonds, there are some significant differences. As interest is prohibited under Sharia, sukuk must contain an underlying transaction, for example a leaseback agreement, and the income that is paid to investors is generated by the underlying asset. Investors must also be prepared to share in both the profits and losses of an enterprise. Nevertheless, sukuk are similar to conventional bonds in that they provide regular payments, and are considered less risky than equities. Most investors would not buy sukuk directly due to high minimum subscriptions, but invest via funds.
How to donate
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Final results:
Open men
Australia 94 (4) beat New Zealand 48 (0)
Plate men
England 85 (3) beat India 81 (1)
Open women
Australia 121 (4) beat South Africa 52 (0)
Under 22 men
Australia 68 (2) beat New Zealand 66 (2)
Under 22 women
Australia 92 (3) beat New Zealand 54 (1)
Company%20Profile
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Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
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MATCH INFO
Juventus 1 (Dybala 45')
Lazio 3 (Alberto 16', Lulic 73', Cataldi 90 4')
Red card: Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Directed by: Shaka King
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Four stars
Profile
Company name: Marefa Digital
Based: Dubai Multi Commodities Centre
Number of employees: seven
Sector: e-learning
Funding stage: Pre-seed funding of Dh1.5m in 2017 and an initial seed round of Dh2m in 2019
Investors: Friends and family
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
SPECS
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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