When I was in college in London and Bharat used to visit me every weekend I used to look after him, says the dotting elder sister.
Nandita and Bharat Mahtani talk business, style and sibling revelry
Asish Samanta
We are family
“Maybe you should have interviewed us when our eldest sister Anu (Mirchandani) is in town,” smiles fashion designer Nandita Mahtani. “Actually it’s not like we miss her much because she’s back in Mumbai twice or thrice a year. Plus, we speak on the phone every day,” says Bharat. “She knows what’s happening in our lives, if not from me then from somebody else,” Nandita laughs, “We don’t feel the distance at all.”
In the middle
“Nandi is the middle child always trying to be the mother of the family. She is the responsible one. For someone who handles a business (she owns the fashion label Ananya) and is part of the society circuit, she’s very level-headed,” Bharat smiles. “I think Nandi is more like my mum and I am more like my dad,” he opines.
Two sides
Nandita is a self-confessed introvert. “I don’t like to be in the limelight, but it comes with the territory. Especially when it’s a business and you have to sell; one doesn’t have much of a choice. In fashion, out of sight is out of mind. I am a very reserved person and people think I’m a snob, which I’m not.”
However according to Nandita her brother can “Talk to a wall!” She says he has the gift of the gab and uses it to his advantage.
Board games
“I was in boarding school when I realised I eventually wanted to get into business,” says Bharat. “Business runs in my family and we grew up in that environment. I guess it was inevitable.”
Nandita also did a business degree when she was in college because, “I also knew that eventually I would enter the family business.” Though Bharat is very involved with Marina (his seafood deli), “His secret passion is films,” reveals Nandita. Bharat agrees that distribution, marketing, production and box office reports really interest him.
Time out
So is Monopoly the favourite family game? “Nagging is the favourite family game!” laughs Bharat. “Actually we are so busy now that we don’t really have time to play games,” says Nandita, “But since we have a lot of common friends we do spend a lot of time together.”
“We live separately but close enough, just above our parents. We catch up at least twice a week over meals.” adds Bharat.
Sibling revelry
When was it that Nandita and Bharat really bonded? “It was when I was in boarding school,” remembers Bharat. “I used to babysit him,” Nandita laughs. “I was in college at the same time in London and Bharat used to visit me every weekend. I used to look after him.”
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}