Entertainment
Sash Simpson's fairytale life, from Coimbatore's footpaths to vodka on gold-topped ice
New Delhi, April 6 (IANS) For those who believe rags-to-riches stories are the stuff of fairy tales, Sash Simpson’s life will make them wake up and dig into the caviar.
It is ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ played out in real life. And it will bring back memories of ‘Lion’, the Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman-starrer based on the amazing story of Saroo Brierley and his search from Melbourne for his original home in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh.
The story of Sash Simpson, an orphan found off the streets of Coimbatore who’s now one of Toronto’s top chefs, is the subject of a documentary, ‘Born Hungry’, by Canadian filmmaker Barry Avrich, which was just premiered at the Palm Springs International Film Festival and then picked up by Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s company, Purple Pebble Pictures.
In the words of ‘The New York Times’, “Sash Simpson made his name as a chef for Canada’s rich, preparing them chardonnay-poached lobster and $27 foie gras-smothered burgers” — and vodka served with gold-encrusted ice.
It’s a magical world away from the dumpsters where he would forage for food when he was just another street kid.
So, who is Sash Simpson and what is his roller-coaster story? Sash (or Sashi) was found on the streets of Coimbatore, a five-year-old orphan who only remembered that his mother had long hair and his father was a deaf and mute labourer, by volunteers of a Canadian charity named Families for Children.
They gave him shelter at their orphanage in Tamil Nadu’s textile city and it was there that he caught the attention of his adoptive mother (and Families for Children co-founder), Sandra Simpson.
Remembering how she and her husband Lloyd ended up adopting Sashi when he was eight years old, Sandra told a local publication, ‘Streets of Toronto’, “Sashi persists in whatever he does. Every time I visited our Indian project, Sashi would be front row and centre asking, ‘Canada, mummy, please’.”
In a dramatic reversal of fortunes, Sashi ended up from the floors of the Coimbatore cinema theatre that he cleaned for the privilege of sleeping on them at night, to the upscale Toronto suburb of Forest Hill, where he started living in a 22-room mansion with 32 other children from South Korea, Spain, India, Vietnam, China, Cambodia and Bangladesh, according to ‘Global Indian Times’. The mansion had been gifted to the Simpsons by a philanthropic banker.
Not a gifted student, Sashi started delivering newspapers from the age of 12 and he was 14 when found his first full-time job as a dishwasher in a restaurant. Dropping out of school, he continued with his gigs at restaurants till he discovered North 44, which was to become his workplace for more than 25 years.
Run by one of Canada’s top chefs, Mark McEwan, North 44 was one of that country’s leading restaurants when Sashi first tried to find a place in its hallowed kitchen.
He was turned away twice before he showed up the third time, offering to work for free for three months so that he could be tested out. He did not have to wait for that long. Within a week, McEwan hired him.
It was at North 44 where Sashi rose from peeling potatoes to chopping onions, as ‘Global Indian Times’ puts it, to becoming the restaurant’s executive chef and running North 44 caterers.
Sashi also helped McEwan launch ByMark, a popular restaurant in Toronto’s financial district, and helped his mentor produce three seasons of episodes for the Food Network TV channel. North 44 closed in 2018 following the expiry of its rental lease.
With North 44 shutting down, Sashi had to look out for himself all over again, and he did what he was best at — he opened Sash to rave reviews in 2019, and the average check for a dinner for two was C$230.
But if you go there looking for the welcoming whiff of Coimbatore, you’ll be disappointed — the international menu (“Modern American dishes with international twists” is how ‘Toronto Life Magazine’ described the offerings) has just two nods to Sashi’s origins: Gunpowder Lamb Chops and Sambar with Masala Rice, and Masala Beef Short Ribs cooked with coriander seeds, mustard and curry leaves, served with heirloom carrots and broccoli.
The Toronto Star gushed: “His two-month-old restaurant is as elegant and understated as a cashmere twinset and pearls. He slides foie gras into his burger, shaves Perigord truffles on to his pasta and bakes chocolate souffle to order.”
Talking to Nuvo Magazine, the self-taught, self-confessed workaholic chef had this to say about how he goes about putting together his menu: “Flavours come to me constantly and whatever hits my palate and I go — wow, this is really good — it could be Indian, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean — it doesn’t matter, if my crew, my colleagues and I feel it — it’s hitting that menu.”
Like a lot else in Sashi’s life, Covid struck barely a year after the restaurant opened and so it had to be shut, forcing its owner to live off loans and government grants, and taking up small home catering assignments — just enough to keep his home running.
This phase, painful though it may have been, turned out to be a blip that lasted for two years. Sashi was back at work in his restaurant about as soon as Covid ceased to be a threat, and it’s now doing as well as it did before the epidemic swept the world.
Married to Robin Pitcher, an event manager he met in 2008, Sashi is 54 years old and a father of two children. He could have turned his back on his past and lived the good life, but in 2018, Sashi opened a professional kitchen at the Coimbatore orphanage where his story began.
The idea was his adoptive mother’s. Indian laws do not permit orphanages to keep young women who are not adopted by the time they turn 18. Once they leave their orphanages, these women often find themselves in very difficult circumstances. The kitchen is to help them develop skills that would equip them to find jobs in the hospitality or allied industries.
In his own little way, Sashi is paying back the debt he owes the orphanage that changed his life, which is about to experience yet another seismic shift, now that his story has gone global, thanks to Priyanka Chopra Jonas.
–IANS
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Allu Arjun is poised to dominate the box office with his highly anticipated film, Pushpa 2: The Rule, set to release on December 6, 2024. The excitement surrounding this film is phenomenal, already making headlines with an impressive pre-release collection of RS 1,085 crores! This achievement is particularly notable, given that it reached this milestone well before the movie even debuts in theaters.
Fans are eagerly looking forward to Allu Arjun’s return as Pushparaj, the character that earned him a National Award for Best Actor in the first installment, Pushpa: The Rise. The buzz surrounding Pushpa 2 is unparalleled, and the film is expected to break even more records upon its release. The pre-release collection includes a record-setting deal for theatrical rights, sold for ₹640 crores, making it one of the most lucrative film deals in Indian cinema.
Additionally, Pushpa 2 has secured a significant digital distribution agreement with Netflix, which acquired the rights for ₹275 crores, highlighting the high demand for the film. The overall pre-release earnings have been impressive across various regions, with ₹220 crores collected in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, ₹200 crores in the North, ₹50 crores in Tamil Nadu, ₹30 crores in Karnataka, ₹20 crores in Kerala, and ₹40 crores from overseas markets. The music rights were sold for ₹65 crores, while the satellite rights fetched ₹85 crores, contributing a total of ₹425 crores from non-theatrical rights.
Directed by Sukumar and produced by Mythri Movie Makers, Pushpa 2: The Rule features a talented cast, including Rashmika Mandanna and Fahadh Faasil alongside Allu Arjun. The film’s music will be released by T Series, further adding to the anticipation.
With Allu Arjun’s National Award win and the remarkable pre-release collections, it’s clear that Pushpa 2 is set to be a blockbuster. As the release date approaches, fans are excited to see how this film will perform at the box office. If the pre-release collections are any indication, Pushpa 2 is bound to shatter records and become a massive success!
Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) Actress Anu Aggarwal, who rose to fame with “Aashiqui”, and “King Uncle”, recalled the time when filmmakers would come to her with money for signing a film and would not have a script ready.
In a conversation with Lehren shared on Instagram, the actress could be seen talking about it.
“I was shocked to see that people who don’t have their scripts are not ready when they would come to sign me up for a film. They would have the money ready and I would say I don’t want to sign with the money. I would like to hear the script.”
“They would say the script will be made so you can sign,” she added.
“This was the way and because I am an actor I would like to see what my role, story is. Everything is important. Nobody would have a script… 98 per cent of people would not have the script,” she said.
Anu Aggarwal gained immense popularity in the 1990s after featuring in the musical romantic drama “Aashiqui” directed by Mahesh Bhatt.
She starred alongside Rahul Roy and Deepak Tijori.
The film was known for its music, by composer duo Nadeem–Shravan establishing their careers.
The soundtrack album has been rated fourth by Planet Bollywood on their “100 Greatest Bollywood Soundtracks”.
It was the best-selling Bollywood album at the time of its release.
The film was remade in Kannada as “Roja” in 2002.
A sequel to the film, “Aashiqui 2”, with a completely new theme, directed by Mohit Suri, with Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor, was released in 2013.
–IANS
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Entertainment
Ram Charan's daughter Klin achieves this milestone on grandfather Chiranjeevi's birthday
Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) On the 69th birthday of actor and politician Chiranjeevi, his son Ram Charan has shared a peek into their family vacation to Paris, France, which is also the first trip of his daughter Klin Kaara with her grandparents.
Ram took to his Instagram account, where he has 23.9 million followers, and shared a family picture from Paris.
The snap shows his parents– father Chiranjeevi, mother Surekha, his wife Upasana Kamineni, and their furry friend–pet dog. We can see Chiranjeevi holding his granddaughter Klin adorably in his arms.
Ram looked dapper in a black shirt, matching trousers and an olive green jacket.
They are posing against the backdrop of Eiffel Tower.
The post is captioned as: “Klin Kaara’s first trip with her grandparents!!! Memorable”.
In another post, Ram dropped a photograph with his father, wearing matching South Indian ethnic outfits.
He wrote in caption: “Happpiest birthday, Appa!!”
Meanwhile, on the occasion of Chiranjeevi’s birthday, UV Creations and director Vashistaa Mallidi have unveiled the highly anticipated first look poster for ‘Vishwambhara’, a fantasy adventure film.
Sharing the poster on social media, the makers wrote: “When darkness and evil take over the world, a Magnanimous Star shall shine bright to fight, Happy birthday, MEGASTAR @KChiruTweets, Let the world witness your aura with #Vishwambhara, Get ready for a MEGA MASS BEYOND UNIVERSE, In cinemas from January 10th, 2025.”
The movie promises to be a cinematic spectacle, featuring Chiranjeevi in a lead role. The film also stars Trisha Krishnan, Ashika Ranganath and Kunal Kapoor.
The film will be released on January 10, 2025.
Chiranjeevi was last seen in Telugu action drama ‘Bhola Shankar’ directed by Meher Ramesh. It also featured Tamannaah Bhatia, Keerthy Suresh and Sushanth.
Meanwhile, Ram Charan last appeared in action drama ‘Acharya’, directed by Koratala Siva. The film starred Chiranjeevi, alongside Pooja Hegde, Sonu Sood and Jisshu Sengupta.
He next has ‘Game Changer’, and ‘RC16’ in the pipeline.
–IANS
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Entertainment
Rani Mukerji: Shivani Shivaji Roy shows how a woman can lead from front in a male-dominated field
Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) Actress Rani Mukerji has talked about why she loves her character Shivani Shivaji Roy from “Mardaani,” which has completed 10 years in Hindi cinema on Thursday.
She said: “Shivani Shivaji Roy is my most favourite on-screen character. She is a defiant, fierce force of nature who will stand up for what is right no matter what. She is someone who subverts gender norms in cinema and shows how a woman can also lead from the front in a male-dominated field.”
As the film celebrates its 10th anniversary, Rani is grateful for all the love and acclaim that she has received.
She said: “I’m truly proud of my ‘Mardaani’ franchise. It is a franchise that keeps on giving. The love, adulation, and the respect that I have received from Mardaani is truly humbling.”
On Thursday morning, the makers of the film teased fans about the next chapter of the franchise.
Production Yash Raj Films banner took to YouTube, where they dropped a teaser of sorts, which begins from the first installment, which first released in 2014.
The production company captioned it: “10 years of #Mardaani and the next chapter awaits… Celebrating the feisty, daredevil cop #ShivaniShivajiRoy and the spirit of #Mardaani today. Thank you for a decade of love and appreciation for our beloved franchise. We are inspired… again… thanks to you. #RaniMukerji #10YearsOfMardaani.”
Rani is too excited to reprise the role and don the cop uniform once again.
She said: “I’m looking forward to bringing back Shivani Shivaji Roy on the big screen soon. It’s been a while since I have donned the cop uniform and paid tribute to the women police force of our country.”
“Each (woman cop) one of them relentlessly works hard to keep our families safe and I have always loved to salute these fearless women. Shivani will be back and I hope you will give as much love to her as you have always showered for 10 years now!” added the actress.
–IANS
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Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) Bollywood actress and fashionista Sonam Kapoor brought out her A-game in fashion, where she flaunted “minimal, bold and effortlessly on point” look.
The actress took to Instagram, where she shared a string of pictures. In the pictures, she is seen wearing a powder pink shirt, paired with a blazer and long skirt. She completed her look with sunglasses.
“Celebrating @perniaq season 2 podcast drop with that sleek @phoebephilo energy—minimal, bold, and effortlessly on point. Shoutout to the squad for keeping the vibe,” she wrote and also mentioned that she is styled by her sister Rhea Kapoor.
Recently, Sonam shared several glimpses from her son Vayu’s vintage car themed cake as he turned two on August 20.
Sonam took to Instagram, where she shared a reel of the two-tier toddler friendly, refined sugar free chocolate cake. It featured a vintage ice blue car atop of the cake with the number 2 written on it.
The actress had also penned a heart-felt note for her son Vayu.
“My baby turns two today!!! Happy 2nd Birthday to our sweet, precious Vayu! W Being your mom is the greatest gift I could ever receive. You’ve filled our lives with so much joy, laughter, and wonder,” Sonam said.
The actress shared that with her son, everyday is an adventure filled with “your boundless curiosity, your infectious laughter, and your sweet, loving nature.”
“You’ve brought so much light and happiness into our world, making every moment more beautiful and every relationship stronger. You’ve deepened the love between your dadaa and me in ways we never imagined, and you’ve brought pure, unfiltered joy to everyone who loves you-your nani and nana, dadi and baba, kaaa masa, Masi and chachu,” she said.
“Your sweet spirit and playful energy make our family complete, and we are so blessed to have you in our lives.”
She tagged Vayu as her sunshine, music, little genius, and their endless “source of happiness”.
“We love you more than words can say, and we can’t wait to see all the amazing things you will continue to bring into our lives,” Sonam said.
–IANS
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