Master's choice

Music
Shamir Tandon
Composer
1 Aaj kal paon zameen par (R D Burman): This song is from the movie Ghar (1978). The lyrics by Gulzaar are simply beautiful. He has wonderfully described the feeling of being in love. I am sure everyone can relate to it, in some way or the other. It’s a special song for every lover. Moreover, Lataji’s fantastic rendition takes it to another level.

2 Mera kuch saaman (R D Burman): This one is from the movie Ijaazat (1987). The song is about two lovers who have just parted. Again, Gulzaar has penned the lyrics. They are a complete contrast to the song mentioned above. The versatile Asha Bhonsle has lent her melodious voice to this song.

3 My heart is in Rosario (Jim Reeves): I was in 6th standard when I was introduced to this song. I sang it on a school stage and I received my first ever prize for an English song. Therefore, I have some special memories attached it.

4 I want to hold your hand (The Beatles): I heard this song when I was growing up. Unlike today, holding the hand of the girl you like was very special and was the maximum you could do. All my friends would trip on this song in parties and have a lot of fun.

–Manali Shah

Food
Pritam
Owner, Brun Café
1 Indigo, Colaba: This place is authentic and different and has its own class of cuisine. The best thing you can order here is steak, which is very different and delicious.

2 Samy Sosa, Oshiwara: They serve exclusive Mexican food that is very tasty. Their main course dish of aromatic chicken and rice is very nice.

3 Firangi Pani, Andheri: This place is famous for its tender beefsteak and authentic meat. The ambience mesmerizes you and the décor is worth appreciation.

4 Gajalee, Vile Parle: Their Konkan and Malwan dishes are amazing. All the continental dishes, whether fish, crabs or any other meat, are excellent. The Thai food too is noteworthy.

-Shachi Tapiawala

Literature
Rupa Gulab
Author

1 The Blandings Castle series: I have always maintained that PG Wodehouse dries tears better than extra-absorbent tissues. I love almost everything he has written, but his books on Blandings Castle are my favourites. The delightfully vague Lord Emsworth’s obsession with his obese prize-winning pig (Empress of Blandings) while mayhem breaks out around him, has me in stitches.

2 The Human Comedy: Young Homer Macauley works part-time as a telegraph messenger boy while his older brother is away at war. One fateful day, Homer has to deliver a telegram from the Department of War to his own mother. I love the warmth of this book by William Saroyan, and the hope it ekes out of despair - despite the fact that whenever I re-read it, the lump I get in my throat is the size of a giant frog.

3 Daddy-Long-Legs : This book by Jean Webster is one of my mum’s favourite childhood books, and mine too – I wish to be cremated with my copy. A trustee at the orphanage Jerusha Abbot grew up in sponsors her college education on condition that she must never know who he is, and she should write letters to him on her progress. Jerusha’s letters are deliciously witty and lively, and when she eventually discovers who Daddy-Long-Legs is, sigh.

4 The Phantom of the Opera: A mysterious figure with a physical deformity lives in the cellars of the Paris Opera House. He is devious, manipulative, an extortionist and a murderer – and also, a musical genius. His obsession with a talented young singer brings out his darkest side - this is one of the most fascinating stories of love, written by Gaston Leroux. I always listen to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical when I re-read this to maximize the emotional experience.
-Shweta Mehta

Cinema
Siddharth Anand
Director

1 Prem Rog: This Raj Kapoor film is an encyclopedia for every student of cinema, irrespective of which department he aspires to work in. Despite being set in a small town influenced by the Thakur, it’s a very progressive story about widow remarriage. Not to forget the brilliant performances, and wonderful songs. Genius at its best.

2 Ram Lakhan: I was barely 10 when it released and I saw it so many times... The characters, the storyline, the songs… the film was just so commercially entertaining. This is one film whose recall value is enhanced by even the character actors, like those played by Anupam Kher and Satish Kaushik. That, for me, is a trademark of a successful and memorable film. A complete blockbuster.

3 Shawshank Redemption: I’m a great fan of director Frank Barabont and loved his other films like The Green Mile and The Majestic, in which Jim Carrey has given his finest performance. Shawshank Redemption is a study in screenplay, which every writer should use as a bible. The intricacies of scenes inter woven with the characters and the way the climax unfolds, is something that has to be seen to be understood better.

4 Meri Jung: This movie is the reason why I wanted to become a director. Salim-Javed wrote this script with Amitabh Bachchan in mind… eventually, Anil Kapoor played this role. Although it’s a filmi commercial potboiler, I loved it more for the courtroom drama. This genre would be incomplete without Francis Ford Coppola’s Rain Maker, perfect for it’s David versus Goliath theme. A very under-rated film about the triumph of the underdog and also a feel-good film at the same time.
–Hiren Kotwani