Debarati Sen (BOMBAY TIMES; December 18, 2018)

Bollywood has seen star kids following their famous parents’ footsteps into the industry. However, Shweta Bachchan is an exception. Despite growing up in the public gaze — as the daughter of Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan — Shweta, by her own admission, was a painfully shy girl. Talking about this at the Times Litfest at Mehboob Studio (Bandra), she said, “The cameras, flashes and the paparazzi — it was something I was terrified of and I was always hiding behind my parents. I wasn’t social either — I had become very tall early on, so I was this awkward, gawky girl. In school, I would audition, but would be made to play a tree or be part of a choir, while my brother (Abhishek Bachchan) would always bag the main lead roles. So, we all knew early on that acting and the stage was not for me.”

‘AS A KID, I DIDN’T KNOW MY MOTHER WAS AN ACTRESS’
Her parents might have been the biggest names in Bollywood, but Shweta recalled how they never brought work home. She shared, “We had a protected childhood and we were not exposed to the industry. My father would never talk about work at home or come back with make-up on; we didn’t have film magazines at home. In fact, as a child, I didn’t even know that my mother was an actress. I was introduced to Hindi movies much later in life. Once, I saw my brother watching a film in which my father was being beaten up. I was so terrified that I began screaming and refused to watch it.”

‘I REALLY WANTED TO HAVE ‘BUILDING’ FRIENDS’
Shweta, who has always lived in a bungalow, said that as a kid, she wanted to stay in a ‘building’. Perhaps, it’s not surprising then that her first book, Paradise Towers, is also based on life in a building. She shared, “As a child, I led a sheltered life in a bungalow. However, Mumbai has always been a city of high-rises and that fascinated me. My friends in school would talk about their ‘building friends’ and I never had any. So, I would feel left out and I really wanted building friends.”

‘I DON’T WANT TO PLEASE ANYONE’
Interestingly, it’s in her forties that Shweta started two careers — as a writer and as a fashion entrepreneur. In fact, the 44-year-old believes that 40s are the best decade in a woman’s life. She added, “I am definitely more comfortable in my skin now. In your forties, you know yourself, the things that count and the people who matter. I feel that teens and twenties are the toughest because you are sensitive to everything people are saying. At 40, I don’t want to please anyone anymore.” 

There’s something endearing about Shweta Bachchan-Nanda. It’s a Sunday afternoon, and the newly published author of Paradise Towers walks into a room at Janak, the Bachchans’ office in Mumbai’s Juhu. Dressed in a loose tee and slacks, her hair heavily oiled, she asks with childlike curiosity: “Did you really like my book?” Rarely known to give interviews, the statuesque daughter of Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan is expressive and often self-deprecating in person, as she tells Mohua Das about writing a light-hearted book of fiction, being shy, and starting a new life at 44
Mohua Das (THE TIMES OF INDIA; September 23, 2018)

Congratulations on your debut as a writer with Paradise Towers. How did you manage to spin a tale on people in a Mumbai high-rise, given that this world is removed from the kind of home you’ve lived in?
This is something that I’ve been asked before. In fact, the first time I was asked this was by my own mother because she’s the only one in my family to have read the manuscript. Please allow me this flattery, but she said, ‘How do you know so exactly what happens in a multi-storeyed building? That’s not your life’. And I said ‘Yes mama, but I have eyes, I’ve had enough friends growing up who lived in buildings, and I observe.’ She felt that there are a lot of characters and a certain milieu of society that I’d got bang-on. I think it’s one of the benefits of being born into a family of actors. They observe. Wherever they’re going or whatever their interactions are, they observe the characteristics and quirks of someone’s nature… the more pronounced the better, and I think I’ve just inherited that. It’s something I do actively whenever I’m meeting someone or out at a party. What I love doing is just sitting and watching things unfold. And today it’s not just passive observation, I also make notes.

You mean, active eavesdropping!
No no! (Laughs) I was a very shy child while growing up. Always hiding behind my mum, hating being pushed forward… I’d sit quietly and observe things and I think that has become second nature. We lived a very protected life, growing up. My parents were from UP and MP — they came to Bombay to work and make a living, it was the ‘70s. My father worked hard and made a name for himself but back then it was all very new. My brother and I were the first inheritors of what my father had made for himself. And of course as a parent you don’t know how this recognition can affect your family, so the first instinct is to be protective. We were also part of a very big joint family — my chacha, my cousins were always together. My grandparents lived with us. But there was always this curiosity about life in buildings when friends in school would say, ‘I’m going to my building friend’s birthday’ or that magic hour between 4 and 6 in the evenings when they’d all go down to play. The grass is always greener on the other side and Paradise Towers is born out of that observation and desire, for ‘building friends’ you can access at any time, and interactions between people in different flats. It’s come from 44 years of keeping my eyes open, being shy and looking at what everyone’s doing.

Your parents must be proud because you’re carrying forward the legacy of both your grandfathers — Harivansh Rai Bachchan (noted poet) and Taroon Coomar Bhaduri (journalist and author).
They’re happy — proud they will be after they read the book when it releases next month. No one apart from my mother has read it yet because she’s direct, honest and if she didn’t like something she’d tell me. I’m not the only one who writes though. My cousin brought out a book of poems. I’ve been a writer for myself, I’d write short stories and they remained in my journals or got torn up and thrown away. It was only when I started putting some of my writing out in a column and got a compliment or two, that I found the confidence. Then one day I just woke up with this story in my head and it took me a year to put it together.

Why take a risk with fiction when you could have rustled up an authentic account of India’s most famous film family?
Fiction was a conscious decision because my father has said many times that he doesn’t want his biography done. I also feel that actors’ lives are shared with the public on such a large scale, that sometimes you have family memories or moments you may want to just keep to yourselves. Their lives are so vast that I wouldn’t even attempt or know where to start because I’d be biased and not be able to look at either my father, mother, brother or sister-in-law’s lives objectively.

Are you nervous about living up —or writing up — to expectations?
I am, but I hope it’s enjoyable and it gives people a couple of hours of feeling good. It’s not a heavy book or one fraught with darker issues. It’s a light book that my mother feels one can pick up and finish reading on a flight from Delhi to Bombay.

You’ve been famously media shy. Suddenly we’re seeing a lot more of you in the public eye… You’ve been writing columns, you faced the camera for an ad film and you also launched a fashion line. Has the last year given you a newer perspective on life?
It’s actually not that thought-out but I also believe something I read somewhere that every seven or eight years, your life, outlook and many things about you change completely. It’s almost like a snake shedding its skin. For me that happened when I hit 40. Both my children were out of home in boarding school and suddenly I was sitting there with nothing to do. I thought I’d go crazy just looking at the walls or going to visit my children and sitting on their heads. Which teenager would want that? It would have caused a lot of teen rebellion and friction. I am shy, I am an introvert and I’m trying to push myself out there, so I’m not in my comfort zone even as I sit here talking to you but it’s just out of a desire to do something. I feel good about starting a life at middle age. It’s fun and I hope more women do that, especially if you’re a stay-at-home mom and you find yourself in that space when children have their own lives, husband’s away at work and you’re wondering ‘what am I doing with all this free time?’ Women are famous multitaskers. I’ve always heard that said, seen my mum do it, and now suddenly I’m doing it. Be it designing or writing, they’re all different aspects of creativity and it’s keeping me busy.

You must be tired of being asked this but does acting still not interest you?
I have no potential as an actor, let’s get that sorted!

But your father insists that you’re the real actor, a mimic par excellence in the family…
I think there’s a very fine line between good mimic and good actor and I don’t think I’m crossing any of those! Even this ad I managed to do because I had him right by me. He asked me to behave with him the way I do at home. My Dad and I have that equation so it was easy but I don’t think I can do it otherwise. I have complete respect for those who face the camera every day and manage all those emotions they share with us. I’m happy to hide behind my words.

Does the public gaze bother you more now? You maintained a certain normalcy while growing up but how do you shield your children today with so many more cameras and paparazzi following star kids around?
In a certain way, yes but I also understand that this is the way the world is now. They haven’t lived in India for so long and have been away from the film scene here but yes, there’s a constant gaze and they’ll have to learn to balance and make their peace with it. They’ve also made my job easy by not being the kind of children I need to be constantly watching over. I also had an internal dialogue and made a conscious decision to take a couple of steps back when they turned teenagers. Of course I’m always there for them. My son Agastya is in England, my daughter Navya Naveli is in the US and they’re fed up of me asking them for pictures even if it’s from their geography field trip! (Laughs)

And, how would you define the Bachchans in one line?
I think we’re very, very tight knit as a family.

Manish D Mishra (DNA; September 4, 2018)

Laidback-yet-luxe, comfort-driven-yet-chic — that’s been style savant Shweta Bachchan Nanda’s sartorial approach. Over the years, she has shown an amazing ability to oscillate between a pared-down and minimal athleisure look for her flight time to a high-octane metallic look for an evening of glamour. While she’s always dressed to suit the occasion, she isn’t scared to take style risks, too. So, it’s not surprising to see ease and wearability translating into her new luxury prêt label MXS in collaboration with designer Monisha Jaising.

The collection, incorporating close to 52 pieces, exemplifies a sense of ease, a mix and match appeal and versatility. The duo wants their customer to be the stylist, play dress up and create her own look. The offering is a cornucopia of sporty glam separates, which can be paired with each other depending on one’s individual taste. Hence, a sequinned blazer can be teamed with a pleated skirt and a sweatshirt can be thrown on a pair of party pants and a shine-on jumper can be styled with track pants. I meet the tall and statuesque Shweta at Monisha’s Pali Hill store and she’s dressed in a pair of sweatpants, a comfy tee and trainers. Looking at her easy breezy style, it’s not hard to comprehend how the line marries her grown-up approach to fashion with Monisha’s timeless glam slam touch. Superimpose this synthesis with the all-pervading street cred and you’ve got a winner. Over to the style maven...

What does style mean to you?
For me, comfort is key. Style is something I actually don’t give much thought to, it’s just the way you put stuff together. It should appeal to your body type and you should be able to carry it off. There are a lot of things on the racks and I’m like, ‘Wow, that’s gorgeous, but I can’t wear that’. I think, in order to be stylish, you have to know yourself and you have to be comfortable in your own skin. For me personally, at 44, I haven’t been more comfortable in my skin than I’m today.

How do you interpret your personal style?
What you’re seeing right now — T-shirt and track pants. It’s something I can be comfortable in and during the evenings, I like to wear something elegant. Sometimes when I’m in a fun mood, I want to don something crazy. I love bling a lot (smiles).

What does luxury mean to you?
If I had to choose something between that’s handmade, handcrafted and an experience, I’d choose an experience. It’s the whole experience of when you pick up an item to how it makes you feel when you wear it only in the fashion space. Of course, there are other definitions of luxury. It’s something unique to you, which you can interpret the way you like. It should be versatile.

What’s your take on street influence on luxe fashion?
I love it. It means I can come to work in trackpants, I can wear trainers with a long skirt and that’s fine. So, you don’t have to be uncomfortable and squeeze yourself into stilettos anymore. You can wear Doc Martens with a short dress. I want more of it (smiles). Both Monisha and I are huge fans of street fashion. Of course, it’s something we feel isn’t around in India. There is a lot of high-end luxury stuff around and there’s low-end stuff, but there’s nothing in between. We wanted to cater to it, so it’s a little bit above high street. Since both of our aesthetics is about street style and when we are looking at stuff online, we look at streetwear, so that’s a natural evolution. That’s the way it goes.

How was the process of shooting the label’s campaign?
We sat down and had many discussions. It’s easy because like I said, today I’m comfortable in my skin and I know what I can carry off. I also know what my daughter can carry off. Even though she wasn’t here when we were thinking of it, I knew what I wanted her to wear and how I wanted her to wear it. Also, with this brand, if you sport one of our items, you don’t have to be fussy in terms of accessorising it. Our outfits speak for themselves. That’s what we’ve done in the shoot. We have not used any jewellery and we haven’t gone overboard with shoes or anything else. We’ve tried to keep it simple and showcased our clothes. I knew what would suit Navya and her body type. And I knew exactly how I wanted it to look and we both came up with clothes we’d like to showcase. Rohan Shrestha shot it for us. He’s a master at this kind of photography and he made us comfortable.

Half the time we didn’t even know we were being shot. We were talking and fixing our hair, he was shooting and he said, ‘I’ve got my shot’ and I think that translated very well. It’s relatable because we are not models and don’t aspire to be one. We come in all shapes and sizes. I’d like women my age to feel comfortable wearing what a 21-year-old would pick as well. I hope that came across well in the campaign. It is a bonafide label and we plan to have four to five collections a year. This one has close to 52 pieces and we are already working hard on our next one. We hope it’s well received. We have our fingers crossed.

Who are the style icons you admire?
There are a lot of lovely ladies in Mumbai itself who get it right all the time. Some of my top favourites are Tanya Dubash, Haseena Jethmalani and Priya Aswani. They are always so chicly turned out and never ever wrong. Whatever they buy, they make it work and accessorise it beautifully. They never overdo or underdo it. I love that. From a young age, I have seen my mother and through her, I met Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. During my summers, I would work in their factory and I have learnt so much about fashion from them. They’ve been training my eye while I was with them. This develops your acumen and you are what you learn.

Most people today love fashion and what’s wonderful is that it’s so accessible now. You can shop online. It’s wonderful. What I feel excited about is there’s finally an Indian designer catering to street fashion. You can step out of your house, come into our store and pick a piece of clothing, wear it to a party, maybe wear it to office or a beach. And finally, someone in India is doing it. Normally you run to ZARA or H&M. Today, hopefully, you can come to us (smiles).

Which city, according to you, is the fashion capital of the world and why?
Paris. I feel the most stylish people are Parisians. They wear the simplest things like a pair of blue jeans, a white T-shirt and a jacket and make it look so stylish.

Is there a Parisian undercurrent in the line?
The label is an amalgamation of all our exposure and travels. When you’re wearing a graffiti pencil leather skirt with a camisole, it has a French feel to it. Both of us have drawn from our travels.

Who are your favourite designers?
In India, it’s Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. Abroad, they keep changing — Alaia, vintage YSL. I love Gucci because they keep reinventing themselves. I loved them when they were with Tom Ford and I love them now. Prada used to be amazing.

Which era in fashion history appeals to you?
I am loving this time right now. I love normcore and athleisure because they are fantastic. It’s something everybody can wear. It’s not exclusive to a certain section of society.

How often do you shop?
I am a huge shopper. Sometimes it’s crazy shopping, like I’d buy something for a week online. Most of my shopping is online. Otherwise, I go for months without buying something. Online shopping has made it difficult not to shop.

RAPID FIRE

Vintage or Runway
Runway

Lamé or Velvet
Velvet

Black or Navy
Navy

Prints or Embellishments
Prints

Tuxedo or Gown
Tuxedo

Flats or Heels
Flats

Punk or Rock n Roll
Rock n Roll

Midi or Mini
Midi, I don’t wear minis. I’d love to, but I don’t (laughs)

Minimalism or Maximalism
Minimalism

Town or Country
Country


Shweta Bachchan Nanda with daughter Navya Naveli

In her first interview, Bachchan granddaughter asserts acting is not on cards and mother Shweta had a role to play in her decision
MID-DAY (August 3, 2017)

Navya Naveli Nanda is veteran actor Jaya Bachchan’s favourite grandchild. Don’t believe us? She’ll tell you herself. “I’m her favourite grandchild,” she says. See? The communications major is equally close to her mother, Shweta. At an age when most teenagers love to oppose their parents, Navya, 19, tells Vogue India in her first exclusive interview out in their August edition, that she and Shweta are “best friends”. It comes as no surprise then that Navya’s decision to stay away from the film industry has something to do with Shweta’s advice. “I try to tell Navya about all the cons [of being a part of the film industry]. I have nothing against the industry, it’s who we are. But, it’s not an easy world to be in,” the mother says. The trick works, as the star kid asserts there’s “no way” she’ll make a career in acting.

Instead, she is enjoying her internship at an advertising agency while on a break from studying at a New York university. “I love the independence,” she says about life in Manhattan, where she spends mornings attending a spinning class, trawling the city streets and relishing meals with friends at Serafina.

While Shweta doesn’t believe Navya has taken after either of her parents, the young girl mirrors certain qualities of her mother — she is confident, self- aware and polite. She has also inherited a love for reading, and wants everything from her mother’s closet, including her shoes. The banter between a mother and daughter is evident during the interview.

Whenever Shweta interjects, Navya shoots back. “I’m being nice about you but you know this interview can go both ways,” she says. “She [Shweta] uses all the wrong lingo… And she has to punctuate everything! It drives me crazy,” Navya rolls her eyes.

This friendly discourse takes a serious turn when the teenager attracts unwarranted attention via her social media presence. With an Instagram account that boasts of 1,60,000 followers, Navya is among those leading her tribe. “I’ve been lucky to be quite away from it all,” she shrugs, adding that it’s only when her mother calls her seeking answers, that she’s aware of how public her private life is.

Such is the bond between the Bachchan women that even grandmother Jaya, known to be the family disciplinarian, is more lighthearted around Navya. “I can get away with anything,” Navya says, adding that the trips she takes with Shweta and Jaya throw up the best memories. The most recent one was to the Maldives, where she took a couple’s massage with Jaya since Shweta hates the spa.

Next on the cards is a safari trip. “They [Jaya and Shweta] are so OCD, I can’t wait to see them freaking out in the outdoors."

MUMBAI MIRROR (December 17, 2016)