Malavika’s Mumbaistan: Bloody Good Luck

“The first book on luck was born from a statement heard by me about how in life 99% is good luck and the remaining 1% is bloody good luck,” said Ashwin Sanghi, ranked

“The first book on luck was born from a statement heard by me about how in life 99% is good luck and the remaining 1% is bloody good luck,” said Ashwin Sanghi, ranked among India’s highest selling English fiction authors, known for his Bharat Series, a mix of Indian history, culture, mythology, theology and spirituality melded with his writing skills. Sanghi had seized the premise and not only fashioned a bestselling book out of the subject, but founded an entire series. His ‘13 Steps to Bloody Good Luck’ was followed by another two on marks and wealth, both co-authored by experts in those fields. “Self-help is a genre whose time has come,” says Sanghi, the scion of a well-heeled business clan, which had not too long ago exclusively sold Mercedes cars among other things “We need simple, jargon-free and uncluttered books that can help navigate our lives.”
This year sees an extension of the genre with two new titles added, ‘13 Steps to Bloody Good Parenting’ with Kiran Manral and ‘13 Steps to Bloody Good Health’ by Dr Mukesh Batra.
What’s more, Sanghi and his publishers say the series will grow at the rate of three to four books per year. In the pipeline are guides on social media, sales, travel, communication, meditation and interiors, and common to all will be the winning number 13 of Sanghi’s original title. Incidentally, Sanghi’s flair is not exclusive to words alone. A few weeks ago, he’d invited friends to celebrate ‘80’ (His 50th birthday plus his 20-year marriage anniversary with wife Anushika and his 10 best sellers). Given all this, it’s not hard to see why his ‘13 Steps to Bloody Good Luck’ had been the only one in the series that had not required a co-author with domain knowledge of the subject. Sanghi, who obviously knew a thing or two about luck, had written it all on his own.

Ashwin Sanghi (HT Photo)

True Lies
Front Row Sorties
As any observer of prime Mumbai divas will tell you, there are two kinds of Mumbai women who inhabit the city’s upper echelons: those who spend their waking hours saving the planet and those who spend their waking hours saving the date (for the unending parties, weddings and launches they are invited to). But both kinds, apparently, are united in one undying conviction: that they belong to nothing, but the front row at fashion shows. At a recent such show, this conviction was palpably evident, we are informed. Held at a suburban five star, it saw some of the city’s best and brightest in attendance and demonstrated many choice examples of diva front-row sorties.
“Of course, given the crowd, the hustling to sit in the first row was extremely subtle, nonetheless it was single-minded and effective. In military terms, you could call it covert action,” said a guest, who’d been present on the occasion. “From pretending to looking for your name upfront and finding it, to nonchalantly engaging in conversation with someone already seated there, and then casually asking them to make space for you, to dropping the name of some big wheel among the hosts, the sorties were varied and many,” she said. “It was like watching an instance of a silent choreographed dance. In fact, to tell you the truth, on most occasions, I find it far more entertaining than the fashion shows that follow.”

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Dr Roy, I Presume?

Anjana Sharma with Dr Pannoy Roy. (HT Photo)

Exactly a year, almost to the date after we’d reported on advertising honcho and former head of IMG’s Fashion Week, Anjana Sharma’s moving lock stock and barrel to Goa, we chanced upon this picture of the lady with noted news anchor and founder of NDTV, Dr Prannoy Roy. “Sundays are special. Blessed when your special place is a 7-minute drive away,” said Sharma, when we spoke yesterday. “To walk on the beach, swim in the ocean, bask in the sun, express gratitude and say a silent prayer at the cross, at one end of the cove...sums up my Sundays, this year gone by,” she said, about the Goa life that she enjoys. “But on this occasion, as I headed to my favourite watering hole for my weekly pina colada fix, I spotted Dr Prannoy Roy sitting, gazing out at my favourite view,” she said, of what she calls her ‘OMG moment’. “I couldn’t hold back so I rushed to his table and disturbed his peace...blabbering on about being a huge fan etc,” she confessed, conscious of her intrusion on the anchor’s space. But clearly, offence had not been taken. “His charm and old world courtesy knocked me for a six. We had a brief chat...me blushing, he clearly amused,” she says.
Apparently, besides delighting her by referring to her as a ‘youngster’, the gallant Roy had spoken about his brief escape from Delhi’s pollution and commended her on her move to Goa.
“It was my best Sunday ever,” says Sharma. “I apologised once more for disturbing him and headed, starry-eyed, to the bar, until I realised it was a true selfie moment...and I didn’t have one, so back again I went. For once, not caring how I looked. Yes, he’s even better in person,” she gushed, “And I’m a fan for life.”