Editor’s Note: Lessons in individuality

Updated on: Jan 14, 2023 01:31 pm IST

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Our focus on millennials has led us to discover young talent that promises to outshine its famous pedigree

An odd thing has been happening at HT Brunch in the last few months.

Viraj, Anamika and Vishesh Khanna in this week’s HT Brunch; (Rajesh Gupta & Kanishk Gupta)

As we trained our focus on millennials and tried hard to identify the role models of the future, we came across certain young people who may have been born into privilege, but are working quietly to pave their own individual path.

Take, for instance, artist (and social media star) Sid Kerkar, son of the very accomplished Subodh Kerkar, who also founded the Museum of Goa. Sid was picked by Brunch to feature on its cover because of how cool his social media vibe is. His far more successful father was on the cover because of him!

Brunch covers where millennial achievements have stood alongside those of accomplished parents include Sid and Subhodh Kerkar

Actor Bhagyashree got a Brunch cover because her son Abhimanyu and daughter Avantika Dassani were suddenly the talk of tinseltown.

Actor Bhagyashree on the cover of Brunch with her son Abhimanyu and daughter Avantika Dassani

And more recently, Niharika Bijli’s work on Brahmastra made the media notice her, and we roped in her father, PVR’s Ajay Bijli, and siblings, Nayana and Aamer to feature alongside as well.

Ajay Bijli with his children, Niharika, Nayana and Aamer, on the cover of HT Brunch

Today’s cover story follows a similar pattern. At 27, Viraj Khanna has had three solo shows and critical acclaim from the usually reticent art world. That he is successful fashion designer Anamika Khanna’s son is a fact we discovered much later.

Call it reverse nepotism if you may: each of these kids has worked hard to keep their connect with their famous parents away from the limelight. And from what we see, they haven’t used privilege as a stepping stool.

Not that they’re embarrassed of their parents and family. It’s a concerted effort, we believe, to overcome the obvious.

As society watchers, we now realise that knowing someone is so-and-so’s child throws up irrelevant distractions: how will he fill his parent’s shoes, is there a resemblance, who do her parents know? Does this even matter?

What does count is this: when Anamika Khanna gets featured on the cover of a magazine because her son’s work is being appreciated, imagine the parental pride she’ll feel. It must be so overwhelming; she must want to share it with all.

Here’s wishing Viraj Khanna and all other youngsters striving to create their own mark the very best. Hard work may not be a virtue with this generation like it was in ours, but working hard to carve your own individuality certainly is!

Also in this issue: Everyone’s favourite animal lover (and legit rights’ activist) Jitendra Sharma aka @TedTheStoner writes a guest column calling out celebs who support those who keep wild animals as pets.

Tillotama Shome is our social media star of the week because of her body positive examples. (My crooked teeth are my own, she says.)

And as you read on, you’ll come across a Wedding Special with actor Sanjana Sanghi on the cover. As it turns out, the post-pandemic Indian bride doesn’t want excess, she wants to wear running shoes under her lehenga!