Absolutely true to her name, the ‘queen’ of hearts, former Miss India, a Mathematics graduate, an international style icon and of course, a critically acclaimed jewellery designer, Queenie Singh’s work has adorned the likes of Hilary Clinton, the Queen of Morocco, Paris Hilton, Naomi Campbell and as well as almost All Bollywood stars.

Queenie Singh's jewellery embodies her own sensibilities and values - One of glamour, quality and an unquantifiable element of uniqueness. Wherever in the world you might be, a ‘Jewels By Queenie’ piece is as eminently recognizable as Queenie herself.

She shares some candid moments with SnK, and here is what a session of coffee with Queenie is

I want to start with knowing the story behind your name. Also why Singh and not Kaur?

My father named me as Queenie. I was born after two sons and he decided that I would be the Queen of his heart, which I was. My passport says it’s Kaur but I just want to have a direct association with my father.

You entered modeling and beauty pageants at a time when families were not as broad minded as they are today. Was it a challenge?

My father was totally against it and it was a struggle to convince my family; but I worked on it and convinced him that I will continue my studies and do my masters and keep my grades on the top. I was a Delhi girl so it was a proud moment for the capital city when I won the pageant.

How come you decided to not move towards acting in films (an expected route) and took up designing? How early on did know what your calling was?

For my family and myself, I had started designing jewellery while I was still a teenager. I loved it and was passionate about jewellery although I studied Mathematics I developed my passion into my work.

Do you recall the first piece of jewelry you designed?

My first piece was a diamond art deco bracelet which I designed for myself. My first collection was that of diamonds and colour stones (precious and semi-precious). It was a glamorous one and was an instant success as well.

Did you formally educate yourself in designing and can you share what goes on in your mind while you create such fresh designs from the mind?

Beautiful things, attractive stones, trends, glamorous women, embroidery and colour combinations are all a part of what goes in my mind while I design, I have both formal education and tremendous experience in this field.

Does it just come naturally that you have the design in mind or you explore as you go?

A bit of both, when it comes naturally in my mind I put it in action straight away. Generally good quality stones are a big inspiration.

One can always tell it’s by Queenie when they see a piece from your collections. Do youspecially try to keep a signature look?

The fact that it looks like a Queenie piece is a natural phenomenon as the design comes from Queenie’s heart and mind.
 

What would you say is your favorite piece of jewelry you designed?

I have no favourite piece of jewelry. However, I am partial towards cuffs as they make a statement yet spell importance.

Can you describe the relationship you have with your clients because you might be the only designer I’ve met who shares such a great rapport and relationship with every client.

My jewellery is one of a kind and I love to see it adorned by beautiful women and every client who buys a piece becomes a larger family of Jewels by Queenie.

Who are your favorite style icons and also your favorite designers?

Queen Rania is one of my only few style icons as she optimizes style and class. She is a women of substance. I am not partial to any designer it really depends on the collection of the season. Fashion is frivolous and so is my choice regarding it.

 The million dollar question – Your fitness mantra? How do you manage to stay so fit?

Consistency, discipline and balance. I don’t believe in diets because then you swing from high to low.

What kind of diet plans and exercise regimes do you follow?

Yoga and Pilates is a combination of both. Meditation is followed by yoga.

What would you say on the stereotype that is deep rooted in our society that women can either be high career achievers or good mothers/homemakers?

Unfortunately in our society it is the older mother in law, a women who creates problems for the younger women. Awareness and education and fairness to the fairest is what makes women more comfortable to be able to pursue a career and yet keep a healthy balance with a role of being a mother, wife and a daughter in law.

How do you manage time amongst travel, work and your children?

You always make time for whatever you love. I believe there is enough time as long as you prioritize, don’t be lazy and remain focused.

What’s the best piece ofadvise you ever received?

“Not to be petty”, my father gave me this advise about 20years ago.

Your daughter Tiara has written a book. How much of her writing skills does she imbibe from her mom?

Tiara is a bright young beautiful girl with a mind of her own and her own writing skills, which stems from emotion. I have been a columnist for 6 to 8 years and have written in The Times of India, The Asian Age, Deccan Chronicle and the Hello magazine. We both have different styles.

What are you most passionate about?

I am most passionate about my family, my friends and my work in that order. I love traveling and delving in fashion.

What do you love doing when you have time in your hands? Hobbies?

I love catching up with movies and TV shows. I love to travel. Everything else that I really enjoy I incorporate it into my routine even if it’s just a hobby.

What would you want to achieve that you haven’t achieved yet?

Seeing my children stable and successful.

*Jewels by Queenie was started in the year 2003.

The post QUEENIE SINGH: Queen of all things Precious appeared first on Singh and Kaur Magazine.

It brings me great happiness to share with you the volumes of, Singh and Kaur magazine. One among the many identities bestowed upon the Sikhs, are the names – Singh, derived from ‘Lion’, for men and Kaur, derived from ‘Princess’, for women. With millions of Sikhs spread across the globe, we are proud of all the achievements and success that Sikhs have garnered and are here; to cherish and celebrate their exuberant stories and royal lifestyles.

Singh & Kaur aims at being the platform for the most elite Sikhs of the world and discovering the hidden billionaires, collectors and their life's and business empires.It makes us proud to announce that Singh & Kaur is the ONLY magazine 'dedicated' to feature exclusively the turbaned, bearded stylish, wealthy men and the talented, successful Sikh women of the world.

To all our readers, I wish you get connected, entertained, informed and inspired...

Japinder Kaur
Signature

*Japinder Kaur is a film director, writer and producer. SnK is the concept-child of her passion towards bringing out the gems of the Sikh community to the world.

The post The Emerging Force appeared first on Singh and Kaur Magazine.

Harry Baweja, the vision behind the historic film Chaar Sahibzaade – Heros the world must know, speaks to ‘Singh and Kaur’ about the journey behind making the film. The animation film based on the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s four sons, has received critical acclaim, love and support from all around the world.

Having given Bollywood hits for over 2 decades, Harry is now dedicated to making a series of films on Sikh history and we delve more into what it takes to do so …

When you started making films, more than two decades ago, did you ever have in mind that you would make a Punjabi film on Sikh History, such as Chaar Sahibzaade?

No! 27 years back I did not even imagine so. But yes way back in 1976 when I was just 19 hears of age, I had written and directed a play on Jesus. It was after the success of this play that I wanted to write and direct a play on the life of The Sikh Gurus, which did not happen as life took a different turn then.

I was a student of a Sikh Convent School way back in 1962 from grade 3 to 8. We had a Gurudwara in our Dagshai Public School near Kumarhatti, off Solan (Simla hills). It was compulsory for all to attend the Gurudwara every morning and evening. That is where I heard ‘Sakhis’ (real life stories) of our Gurus and learnt so much about Sikhi. When I heard the Sakhi of Chaar Sahibzaade, I never knew I would be making a film on them some day.

What was the moment when this idea/film struck your mind and you knew there was no going back?

Well I think God has his own ways. I started to think, God has been so kind to me, and there must be a way to thank him. One day I said to myself, 'what better way to thank Him than making a film on Sikh history?!' I managed to set up a meeting with the SGPC president in 2009. I proposed that I wanted to make a four part series of films on the life of all the Ten Gurus. It was instantly rejected.

That rejection made me go back more strongly with various options until three years later in 2012 I got the permission to make an Animation film on the four sons of Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

Did you predict the kind of impact Chaar Sahibzaade would have?

As I mentioned earlier, the idea to do something on my religion was nurturing in my mind since I was 19 years of age but I never predicted anything about it. Yes, I did not expect that this film would have such an impact on the audience, some impact yes, that is why I wanted to make it, but the impact it had, well we all saw it was unimaginable.

How challenging was it to bring toscreen a story that is already so emotionally sensitive to so many people?

Very difficult. There is so much history, so much information but one has to keep the length of the film in mind and yet make sure you tell all that people expect, keeping the facts correct and the sanctity in place. Challenging. It took me years to write it, as I had to put in lot of research and lot of travelling to look for facts, terrains, and history to put the story together.

Then when it came to the screenplay it was even more difficult. The flow of the narrative, the emotions, the martyrdoms of all the four Sahibzaade needed to be projected rightly in the correct spirit.

And then came the writing of the dialogues, which was a huge task. The language was tricky because I had to use words which were not too 'real' Punjabi such that the commoner and the youngster of today could understand, but still not taking away the essence of the language used then.

Overall a tough task. But then I had Him with me always....

What kind of preparation process did a movie like Chaar Sahibzaade take?

Preparation had to be in a lot many ways; for example, locations- there was no ‘real’ reference. Anandpur Sahib had no reference but then a lot of reading gave you an insight of what it could have been like at the time of the Gurus. So it was then designed according to what I thought could have been then, and coordinating my thoughts with the other architecture references of that era.

Costumes and weapons etc along with many other aspects. The list can go on.....

Also, was there any different set of technical difficulties, apart from the usual where a filmmaker strives for the best quality?

Yes. It was difficult creating quality acceptable in a budget that was negligible. I just had 0.6% of the budget of a Hollywood animation film that is a minimum of $300 million, to complete this in an acceptable quality. We did the best we could keeping in mind our limitations.

The fact that we are not permitted to animate our Gurus and show them in still form only, was a challenge. Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji was an integral part of the story. A lot of thinking for months went into all the scenes that depicted Him. The ‘Pandey Khan Challenge’ scene of Guru Sahib was an addition in the script. I wanted to show Guru Sahib's strength in a battle. So I started digging into history in search of an incident that could establish this. After a lot of research, this was one scene that excited me. But the question arose how do I shoot/animate this scene? I can’t make Guru Sahib attack or defend, as I cannot animate Him, so how do I shoot it? One month of mind application and I finally found my way out!   It indeed is so satisfying now, when people declare it as their favourite scene of the film.

Tell us a bit about your spiritual journey as well throughout the years of making this film. (Example: did all the in-depth research make you more spiritually connected)

I am a very spiritual person. My childhood schooling did it for me. I still remember one incident. Our divinity teacher once told us that we must remember to take the name of Waheguru and the person who utters the name of Waheguru just before he dies goes to heaven. I was in a boarding school and in grade three then. Every night before I slept, I would remind myself to not forget that when I die I must say Waheguru, this went on until I matured enough to understand that I didn't need to remind myself anymore, as by then the 'naam' was imbedded in my spiritual system.

It indeed was a divine journey writing and working on the film, as if I was being guided by Him at every stage. I believe it is He who made the film. I was just the human- the physical self, needed to execute it.  I feel blessed.

Has the experience of making Chaar Sahibzaade, changed you as a person?

Though I wasn't a bad person before, but yes it made me a better one.

How has the response of fellow Sikhs been before and after the film?

Unbelievable! But also scary, because one needs to live up to their expectations with the next film.

Did you feel the pressure of responsibility as well? Or a threat/fear of extremists catching onto small details of the film? Or were you sure you would do justice to everything involved?

It was a huge responsibility. I had taken a task to tell a story, which each one who saw the film had heard it a dozen of times before. Each one of them had a set imagination of how the incidents in the story unfolded. I have had to outlive the mind of each one them!

Well, every Sikh thinks he knows more than anyone else and only he knows the best about the Sikh religion. I had to beat this assumption. There are about 38 million Sikhs, so it was not going to be easy and it wasn't. There were people who came up with absurd objections when the trailers were being played on Tv, but I saw myself getting through.

It was a sensitive subject. I was touching religion. I was depicting the Guru's family. I was showing history. I was showing the true side of incidents, which many were not aware. It was a difficult path, but I tried my best to do justice to all aspects, and I did try very hard.

What is the crux of the driving force for you behind making a film?

The passion to create a new world, to tell a new story.

Share with us a typical working day of yours.

Its 3 am I am still at work. There are no timings. It is as per the need of the hour. But I get my breaks. They help me recharge, to go all out again!

Your next animation film is also on Sikh history, what is that story about?

It is the sequel to the first one and starts where the first one ended. Titled Chaar Sahibzaade 2, Rise Of Banda Singh Bahadur.

Any plans for more regular masala - Bollywood films as well at the moment?

Yes! In the pipeline, at the planning stage.

Apart from films, what all are you passionate about?

Music.

What would be an ideal getaway/vacation for you?

A quiet holiday in the mountains.

What tips would you give to aspiring filmmakers?

Believe in yourself and don't be amongst the crowd. Make what YOU conceive. Don't curb your ideas. You may not find many takers to start with, but in the end you will be standing tall.

The post HARRY BAWEJA: Sealing Sikh history from Real to Reel … appeared first on Singh and Kaur Magazine.