25042025-LSTC-01.qxd 4/25/2025 12:47 AM Page 1 c m y b TRIBUNE CANNES LINE-UP From Lynne Ramsay’s Die, My Love, a thriller starring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson, to Kristen Stewart’s The Chronology of Water in Un Certain Regard, the Cannes Film Festival has included several titles to the selection. Dreamland Life Mission Impossible — The Final Reckoning is all set to hit theatres on May 23. Ahead of its release, Tom Cruise gave fans a glimpse into the movie’s stunning shoot location, Svalbard, near CHANDIGARH | FRIDAY | 25 APRIL 2025 Having worked with top actors, celebrity hairstylist Darshan Yewalekar believes blending traditional techniques with modern innovations is the key to success Mona O All you knead is love! Here’s a peep into Nikhil Mittal’s baking den, the man who introduced our sleepy city to the flavours of the world Parbina Rashid The story of Nik Baker’s is also the story of Chandigarh’s evolving tastebuds. Way back in 2006, when young chef Nikhil Mittal started the first outlet in Sector 9, we lapped it up. For whom an occasional sweet treat meant a pineapple pastry or a Swiss role, Nikhil gave us a whole range of products —bruchetta, quiche, crepes, waffles—stuff most of us had heard about, but only a few of us had tasted. His authentic European flavours enticed us and his style of baking live behind a glass partition won us over! That was just the starting point. As the demand grew, the kitchen had to be moved out. Another outlet was added. Then yet another…Today Nik Baker’s boasts of 31 outlets in Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Jaipur and Uttarakhand. And a massive state-ofthe art workshop in Mohali, which feeds all his outlets, raw materials as well as finished products. Sitting in his plush office, Nikhil recalls his beginning, “I was always interested in food, not just in eating, but cooking too. So, my father pushed me towards this field. After my 12th grade, I enrolled myself for a one year course in Dr Ambedkar Institute of Hotel Management, Sector 42, and then underwent a short training period with a five-star hotel in Delhi. I later did a diploma in food technology and another one in Patisserie from Australia.” Nikhil had no plans to come back, but his father insisted that he did something in his home town and that’s how Nik Baker’s took shape, with active participation from his entire family. The year 2006 may be a distant memory, but the family has stuck together through his rise and rise! Giving us a guided tour of his ‘baking den’ Nikhil introduces us to his brother Nitin Mittal, “He is the one who takes care of the packaging and marketing.” And whenever Nikhil adds a new item to the existing menu, which already boasts of a staggering 200 products, it’s his family members who get to eat it first. “My wife is from Canada and she knows a lot about bakery products. Her advice is useful,” says Nikhil. Advice, criticism and applause—Nikhil takes it in his stride as long as he has full control over the kitchen. He is the only chef in the entire operation that has 1,500 employees, though he has assistants whom he has trained himself. “I handpick youngsters and train them.” He is working on the module of a training institute, which will be operating from Panchkula, where a three-month capsule course will teach youngsters how to make coffee, pasta and cakes, depending on their aptitude. The course will be practicaloriented and most of his students will be absorbed either in the workshop or the outlets, once they complete the course. Considering that he is adding about two outlets every month in India and abroad, Nikhil is in need of trained hands. And by training them himself, he can directly control the quality of his products. Well, quality control is one aspect of business he takes seriously. A batch of food technologists guided by strict SoPs checks each and every product before it leaves the premise. Nikhil takes us to a chamber where a group of women are washing eggs by hand and stacking them in a crate to be sent to different locations. “Most of the bacteria gets into baking products through dirty eggs. Here we wash them one by one with hand. Once our egg consumption exceeds 50,000 per day, I will get a machine, but since it is less than that now, we wash them manually,” he explains. As Nikhil takes us through the administrative wing, the R&D section and a crèche where we meet toddlers playing under watchful eyes of nannies, an open area earmarked for gettogethers of his staff, tells us that the attrition rate in his company is very low. We believe him. Who would want to leave a place that pleases all the senses and gives the satisfaction of belonging to one big family! SILVER SPOON NE has long heard of ‘accidental’ actors in the industry, we met an ‘accidental’ hair stylist—Darshan Yewalekar. He styled stars in films like Padmaavat, Bajirao Mastani and Laal Kaptaan; worked with top stars like Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Vicky Kaushal and Jaideep Ahlawat, and is fondly called ‘Hairdresser-inChief’ of Ranveer Singh. And, this small town boy landed in the industry, per chance! A young lad from Bhusawal, Maharashtra, all he wanted to do was to study in a big city. Someone pointed out to his father, “Ye 60 percenter padayi karke kya hi kar lega…send him to do hair styling.” With his mother working in a beauty parlour, the family took the suggestion well. Thus, Darshan began his journey at 17, moving to Pune, training under the legendary Hakim Aalim before landing on film sets in Mumbai. “Having worked with the who’s who of the industry, I realised early on that a hairstylist has a big role in making a character believable,” shares Darshan. Getting to work with Ranveer opened up a whole new vista. “Ranveer has upped the ante of men’s styling more than anyone else in recent times.” Darshan talks about Bajirao Mastani and how he vociferously advocated that Ranveer should go bald. “To ask a mainstream actor to go bald for the shoot was too much to ask for! But I believed in myself and was fortunate that we saw it through.” CHANGING CONTOURS The culture of creating characters has got an overhaul and Darshan is pretty kicked about it. “Now I get a script and am part of the entire process.” Having styled Ranbir Kapoor in Saawariya in messy medium-length hair to the rather suave Saif Ali Khan in dreadlocks in Laal Kaptaan, Darshan’s work has increased manifold. Darshan wishes to design the entire cast now. “In some upcoming films of mine, I am designing looks of 70 to 80 characters with my team.” Among the most challenging projects that Darshan has helmed, he count 83 to be right on the top. “To create ‘ Kaps’ look for Ranveer was a tough one as Kapil Dev is a living legend. Even though one trusted Ranveer to get into the skin of the character, there had to be a certain likeness.” AI ZONE Much in love with AI, Darshan finds in it a compelling Hair to stay! ON THE SETS OF 83 WITH SAIF ALI KHAN ON THE SETS OF LAAL KAPTAAN tool. “When I started, people would give references for looks. Today, one can be creative and convert one’s imagination into any visual. Thanks to AI.” He is happy that there is increasing acceptance in the industry. “For the film Chhatriwali, Satish Kaushik wore a wig. I suggested that we introduced a new wig each time. He played a factory owner who had a store where he would keep all his wigs,” he shares. Working with celebs, do they come with all their quirks? “Celebs are celebs; not just on the basis of their looks but they are very hardworking folks too, ones who take their looks as well as craft very seriously.” Darshan takes his job as seriously and is open to sharing his vision. “A star may not agree with ❝ CELEBS ARE CELEBS; NOT JUST ON THE BASIS OF THEIR LOOKS BUT THEY ARE VERY HARD-WORKING FOLKS TOO, ONES WHO TAKE THEIR LOOKS AS WELL AS CRAFT VERY SERIOUSLY. — DARSHAN YEWALEKAR PHOTO: PRADEEP TEWARI Abir Gulaal, a Hindi film featuring Pakistani star Fawad Khan in the lead role, will not be allowed to release in India in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, government sources said. Directed by Aarti S Bagdi and also starring Vaani Kapoor, the movie was set to make its debut in Indian cinemas on May 9. The action comes amid calls for a ban on the movie after 26 people, mostly tourists, were gunned down in a terror attack in South Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Tuesday. It is being described as the deadliest attack in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019. On Wednesday, the Federa- tion of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) reiterated its directive to ban Pakistani artistes. They called for a complete non-cooperation with all Pakistani artistes, singers, and technicians within the Indian film and entertainment industry. “Despite the ongoing directive, we’ve been made aware of the recent collaboration with Fawad Khan for the Hindi film, Abir Gulaal. “In light of the recent attack in Pahalgam, FWICE is once again compelled to issue a blanket boycott on all Pakistani artistes, singers and technicians participating in any Indian film or entertainment projects. This includes No screening Pakistani actor Fawad Khan’s ‘Abir Gulaal’ not to release in India performances or collaborations occurring anywhere in the world,” the FWICE said in a statement. The industry workers’ union, which had issued a similar directive in February 2019 after the Pulwama terror attack, also warned that it will take disciplinary action c m y b my vision but as long as you sit with them and explain how you perceive the character, it all falls in place.” Prosthetics make his job even more fun, but challenging at the same time. Darshan believes about 80 per cent goes according to vision, but 20 per cent is dependent on real-time location. “In Laal Kaptaan, for Saif Ali Khan’s look everything was decided after careful consideration. But still I wasn’t convinced about the beard. So, we worked two hours right on the day of shoot to finalise the look.” He is quite excited about upcoming film, Yashstarrer Toxic. “I am exploring new spaces. Each day I wake up with the excitement to do something different.” The stylist, who founded D Barber- against those who work with Pakistani artistes. Meanwhile, Fawad, whose last Hindi film appearance in 2016’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil also ran in trouble post the Uri terror strike, condemned the Pahalgam attack on his Instagram Story. “Deeply saddened to hear the news of the heinous attack in Pahalgam. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this horrifying incident, and we pray for strength and healing for their families in this difficult time,” he wrote. Vaani also condemned the loss of lives in Pahalgam. “Have been numb, at a loss of words since the time I have seen the attack on innocent people in Pahalgam. Gutted. ...,” she wrote. — PTI WITH RANVEER SINGH IN SIMBAA shop in Mumbai, seamlessly blending traditional techniques with modern innovation, aims at more each day. “I want to elevate Indian hair styling to global standards,” he signs off.