JOIN USI don’t remember the last time I got a weekend all to myself. Being in the profession that I am, I travel a lot on work and indulge in a host of activities that interest me. Sometimes, I lose track of whether it is a weekend or a weekday. But having said that I look forward to everyday because everyday has something new to offer.
I must add that my day never begins without a cup of ‘masala’ tea. It may sound a bit absurd but I just cannot kickstart my day without my tea. I have it during my shoots and whenever I am travelling.
My favourite tea cup is the one that my father got me ten years ago. It has ‘world’s greatest girl’ engraved on it and I carry it with me wherever I go. These may sound like small things but they mean a lot to me.
Weekends are also when I get time to spend with my family and friends. I love cooking and if time permits, I end up trying out some exotic dishes such as ‘Cinnamon Apple Muffins’ and ‘Walnut Cake’.
I am an experimental cook and I love throwing in all kinds of exotic ingredients to create something new.
I also picked up the hobby of doodling sometime ago and I prefer sitting at one of my favourite cafes to
doodle.
Doodling helps me compose my thoughts and emotions. I have my favourite spots to eat out and I go to these places during the weekend. My pet Gunda accompanies me on most of my outings. I love animals because I find them sensitive and accommodative. I devote a lot of time to activities related to animals.
Apart from doodling, photography is another one of my hobbies.
I carry my camera whenever I am travelling and prefer shooting animals, nature, waterfall... anything that captures my attention.
I don’t like taking pictures of people but I have an inexhaustible collection of pictures of nature. I also like travelling but I never plan my journey.
My last trip was to Kodaikanal where I met a lady who makes dreamcatchers and I learnt how to make one myself.
I sometimes make travel plans with my close friend Pearle Maaney. We both recently went on a holiday to Alleppey and drove a houseboat ourselves because we couldn’t book one in advance. These are just some of my adventures.
Reading and writing are also a part of my weekend plans. I read at least two or three books at a time which could be anything from how to wear your makeup the right way to fiction or serious reading.
My time is also devoted to my small garden which has a collection of Bonsai plants and a small artificial lake. The garden also attracts pigeons and a few rare species of birds.
I am very close to my father M G Sathya Rao, mother Sudha Belawadi and my brother Shantanu. My brother and I have interests in common like music and cooking. I think my brother knows me better than anybody else and even if I don’t say anything, he knows exactly what I am thinking.
There are a few things that I hold close to my heart and I don’t trade them for anything. I love my job and believe in giving my all to whatever I am doing. I don’t have a lot of demands but the small things in life make me happy.
(As told to Nina C George)