Meet Malisha Kharwa, a remarkable 14-year-old resident of Mumbai’s Dharavi slum, who has become the face of Forest Essentials’ prestigious campaign, ‘The Yuvati Collection’. Discovered by Hollywood actor Robert Hoffman in 2020, Malisha’s incredible journey has captured the world’s attention. She has now blossomed into a social media influencer with over 225,000 followers on Instagram, where she is known as the “Princess from the slum.”

After her encounter with Hoffman, Malisha began modeling for renowned agencies, including Forest Essentials, a leading luxury Ayurveda brand. Last April, Forest Essentials shared a heartwarming video on Instagram featuring Malisha entering their shop, adorned with an advertisement showcasing her image. The caption read, “His face lit up with pure joy as he saw his long-time dream come true before his eyes. Malisha’s story reminds everyone that dreams do come true.” The video quickly went viral, garnering admiration for Malisha’s journey from the slums to representing a luxury brand. It also highlighted the positive shift in beauty industry representation.

Meera Kulkarni, the founder and chief managing director of Forest Essentials, expressed in an interview that their ‘Yuvati Collection’ not only fulfilled the dream of a talented massage therapist but also empowered young minds as a whole. Kulkarni stated, “While Malisha is the face of the campaign, Forest Essentials aims to promote the idea of dreams. We want to emphasize that regardless of circumstances or the scale of one’s dreams, everyone dreams, and all dreams matter.” Malisha herself shared that modeling is her dream, but she remains committed to prioritizing her education above all else.

Malisha’s inspiring journey serves as a testament to resilience and the limitless potential that lies within individuals, regardless of their background. Forest Essentials’ support has not only transformed Malisha’s life but also shed light on the power of dreams and the importance of inclusive representation.

The post From Dharavi Slum to Luxury Beauty Icon: The Inspiring Journey of Malisha Kharwa appeared first on FWD Life | The Premium Lifestyle Magazine |.

Swimming is a comprehensive workout that engages different muscle groups, providing extensive training for the body. It enhances strength, stamina, and cardiovascular fitness. Beyond the physical benefits, swimming also stimulates positive mental well-being. Research suggests that swimming can ease anxiety and depressive symptoms, promote a sense of well-being, and elevate mood and energy levels. By diving into the water, you dive into a pool of mental stimulation and rejuvenation.

One of the remarkable aspects of swimming is its low-impact nature. The buoyancy of water reduces stress on joints and minimizes the risk of impact-related injuries, making it an ideal exercise for people of all ages and fitness levels. Additionally, swimming can aid in rehabilitation after injuries, as it reduces stress on bones, joints, and connective tissues. Individuals with arthritis, joint pain, or those recovering from injuries can benefit greatly from swimming as part of their rehabilitation program.

Swimming serves as an excellent aerobic activity, providing a workout for the heart and lungs. Regular swimming trains the body to utilize oxygen more effectively, resulting in a decrease in resting heart rate and breathing rate. The muscles in the arms, legs, and core are all utilized during swimming, enhancing their power, flexibility, and endurance. Moreover, swimming can help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease, and improve overall heart health.

Swimming is an effective calorie-burning exercise. A leisurely swim can burn around 500 calories per hour, while a more intense session could burn up to 700 calories. Not only does swimming burn calories, but it also helps build lean muscle, which boosts metabolism. By increasing your lean muscle mass, you increase your body’s calorie-burning potential. Therefore, swimming can be an excellent aid in weight loss or weight maintenance, while also improving overall metabolic rate.

Swimming promotes flexibility and joint mobility due to the range of motion required during swimming movements. The water’s supportiveness allows for stretching and loosening of muscles, which can enhance overall flexibility. Whether you want to improve your range of motion during other exercises or simply feel more agile in daily life, swimming is a great way to increase flexibility and improve joint mobility. Regular swimming can also enhance muscle endurance, contributing to improved overall fitness.

Following Priyanka Chopra’s footsteps, incorporating swimming into your fitness routine can provide numerous benefits for both your body and mind. Swimming offers a well-rounded approach to fitness, enhancing strength, stamina, cardiovascular fitness, and flexibility. It is a low-impact exercise suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels. Moreover, swimming aids in weight management, calorie burning, and metabolic boost. By diving into the pool, you not only get a full-body workout but also experience the positive mental effects of swimming. So, jump in and swim your way to energized and fit well-being.

The post Why Priyanka Chopra’s Choice Can Energize and Strengthen Your Body appeared first on FWD Life | The Premium Lifestyle Magazine |.

The portrayal of Cleopatra has always been intertwined with fascination and debate, particularly centered around her appearance rather than her race, in historical accounts. The Hollywood industry, historically dominated by white executives, had marginalized Black talent, deeming them unmarketable and unworthy of significant roles. The industry’s limited embrace of Black stories in the past was primarily driven by profit rather than genuine progressivism.

In the case of Netflix’s Queen Cleopatra, the casting of a Black performer in the lead role was destined to ignite controversy, especially among Egyptians increasingly hostile towards Afrocentrism. However, the preceding installment of the ‘African Queens’ series, Njinga, did not generate significant interest or impact, lacking the depth to stimulate intellectual discourse.

Director Tina Gharavi’s previous works, while sincere in their storytelling, did not display visionary filmmaking challenging the conventional Anglophone documentary style. Despite this, Netflix and Pinkett-Smith effectively employed marketing tactics, leveraging the race card to generate buzz around Cleopatra, ultimately leading to its elevated position in the charts.

Disappointingly, Queen Cleopatra fails to offer any fresh insights into the Egyptian icon. The four episodes follow a predictable and formulaic narrative structure, focusing on Cleopatra’s rise and fall without delving into her race. The series, featuring medium close-up interviews with academics predominantly from American and British institutions, coupled with lackluster dramatizations, fails to engage viewers or provide an aesthetically distinct perspective.

The show’s emphasis on Cleopatra’s physical beauty and sensationalized elements aligns with Netflix’s faux-liberal gender and sexual politics, which are often presented simplistically and lacking depth. While the representation of minority groups in film and TV is an important concern, solely focusing on representation can overshadow other vital aspects, such as artistry, film history, and the political use of aesthetics.

Critics and viewers fixated on the racial depiction of Cleopatra, generating substantial media coverage and overlooking the artistic value and storytelling approaches employed in the series. Amidst the heightened racial discourse, the nuances of Egypt’s complex relationship with blackness have been lost. Egypt’s struggle with economic crises, political challenges, and external influences leaves the nation feeling helpless and disheartened.

In its current state of turmoil, Egypt seeks a savior and is grappling with collective defeat, making the Netflix provocation an unwelcome addition. The nation, deprived of agency and self-determination, holds onto its historical heritage, which has been plundered by the West for centuries. In such circumstances, a reframing of their own history, even in the form of a fictional series, elicits a strong reaction from a nation grappling with numerous challenges.

Ultimately, while the casting controversy surrounding Netflix’s Cleopatra has sparked discussions on representation and historical accuracy, Egypt’s broken state and desperate need for stability and self-determination make this provocative series an unnecessary and untimely distraction.

The post Netflix’s Cleopatra: A Controversial Provocation Egypt Could Do Without appeared first on FWD Life | The Premium Lifestyle Magazine |.

Text Credits: Gayathri Prasannan

Bollywood divas have never failed to impress us with their charming avatar. If you are stuck in a vague track right now, take some inspiration from these beautiful B-town ladies. From Kangana Ranaut to Alia Bhatt, our beloved B-town divas have their fashion on track.

Let’s have a look at the pretty Kangana Ranaut’s saree avatar.

Source: Pinkvilla

Her summer look is as sweet as summer. She will convince you to wear saree in each and every location. Her curly looks and boss lady attittude has amazed Bollywood.

Source: idiva

Kareena Kapoor chose an Indian outfit for her travel style.

Source:musicworldarj

Aishwarya got dressed in an all-white salwar-kurta on Shilpa Shetty’s son’s birthday party. Aishwarya has proven time and again that she can nail ethnic fashion. She looked as elegant as always.

Source: Silverscreen

Alia Bhatt wore a ease fit Salwar Kameez by Sabyasachi for Raazi promotional event. Salwar suits are the never fading Indian ethnic staples which can be worn with variety of jewellery

Source : Bollywood Bubble
Jhanvi kapoor is going all the way with her ethnic style. She constantly wore ethnic everywhere. She has become the talk of the town and her dressing style is surprisingly fabulous.

Source: southindiafashion

Sara Ali Khan is certainly one of the most beautiful faces of current generation. And the plus point about her personality is her simplicity and pleasant attittude. She has gone maximum number of times  for a simple salwar kameez and natural way hair opened.

Our leading ladies of B-town always have the perfect ethnic inspiration for all of us.

The post Bollywood Divas Making Ethnic Wear Suitable For Every Occasion appeared first on FWD Life | The Premium Lifestyle Magazine |.

Text Credits: Wilbin Eapen

There are millions in South India who admire Rajnikanth and such fans and admirers of the star are always waiting for that one chance to at least see him in real life or take a selfie with him, if possible. But situations were entirely different when he visited the victims from the police brutality that took place during the anti-Sterlite protest. The actor got stunned when a youngster named K. Santhosh Raj, who was under treatment on Thoothukudi Medical College Hospital, asked him “who are you?” but the actor maintained his calm and replied, “it’s me, Rajinikanth”.

Source: The Hindu

Santhosh is not just a young B Com graduate, but also founded ‘All College Student’s Federation’ which was an active part of the anti Sterlite protests from the beginning stage. On May 22, Santhosh and his members were marching towards the district collectorate and the march ended up in a aggressive lathi charge by the police and it left him injured with over nine sutures in the head. Not just Rajinikanth, Santhosh had asked the same questions towards most of the VIP’s who came to visit the injured people at the hospital. It was against Minister C. Raju, Santhosh first raised the question during his visit to the hospital on May 27. When the Minister went shocked, his supporters got agitated and it led to another conflict.

“We have been protesting in Thoothukudi for 100 days. In all those days, actor Rajinikanth did not come to meet us or express his support for us. Several people died during the shooting that took place at the protest while Several are still in a critical stage. It’s been 8 days since this happened. Why did he come today?” Santhosh later explained news reporters his reasons for asking the superstar such a question. However, the video which shows Rajinikanth approaching the man and facing such a strong response got viral on online handles. For a few hours the hashtag regarding I am Rajanikanth, #NaandhaanpaRajinikanth was trending on Twitter. On social media, some appreciated the way in which Rajinikanth accepted the man’s anger and moved away with the smile while some criticised the superstar’s late response and actions on the issue.

The post Thalaivar Rajinikanth Startled By A Question, “Who Are You?” appeared first on FWD Life | The Premium Lifestyle Magazine |.

Text Credits: A.Ankitha

2017 has been a year filled with a plethora of trends followed across the globe. While some of them were uber cool, the others will make it hard for us to explain it to our grand children in the years to come *Sheer embarrassment*. Here’s a list of 7 trends that we thought will continue being popular in 2018. Take a look!

Fidget Spinners

Image Source: Giphy

You’ve probably seen them, whirring between the thumbs and index fingers of school children, friends, or even celebrities! These small devices created a wave among the teens, and could be seen everywhere, right from the corner store to Amazon!

Check out this video!

Eyebrow trends

Image Source: Indian Express

Right from the fully filled in brows to the wiggly brows, Instagram was filled with the weirdest brow trends in the history of mankind this year! Who can forget the braided brows or the scary carved brows! Pssst! Here is our article on getting that perfect brow!

Check out this link for a squiggly brows tutorial!

And this one for a braided brow tutorial (Seriously)!

Super crazy tools as blender!

Image Source: The Net

While one half of the population was busy leaving their boyfriends guessing what the petal shaped thing was (blender duh!), the other (Read CRAZY) half was busy using totally unexpected tools to blend their makeup, so much so that some of them started using a condom to apply foundation (Don’t forget silicone blenders and food!)!

Click here to see the weirdest blenders ever!

Avocado avocado everywhere!

Image Source: Lifehack

Shakes, smoothies, cakes, even facials! Avocado became a rage among the ‘health-conscious’ public of the society this year. Avocado was all that they spoke about and vouched for.

Check this out to see 17 new ways to use an avocado!

Slimyyyy Slime!

Image Source: My Crafts

Ever seen videos where people are playing with that gooey thing which surprisingly doesn’t stick to their fingers, and is mess-free? Yes. We’ve seen em too! That’s slime for you! People raved about this slimy thing and and made it look like a must have in 2017!

Check this link out to see some DIY Christmas slimes at home!

Shape of You, Despacito and our very own Jimikki Kammal

Image Source: Deccan Chronicle

You could hear everyone humming to the tunes of Ed Sheeran’s Shape of you, no matter where you went. And remember Despacito? That’s probably the only word from the song that people could actually pronounce (Guilty as charged)! Facebook and Instagram were flooded with videos of  women dancing for the oh-so-famous song Jimikki Kammal, so much that the song was being translated to various languages like Tamil and Hindi.

This video became a huuuge hit this year! Click click click!

Same sex marriage

Image Source: LA Times

From being something that was frowned upon, same sex marriage has come a long way to being accepted by the present day society. From what is being seen today, we are sure it will be accepted widely in the years to come and would change the way people see others.

Click here to see a sooooper cute proposal video! *Sigh*

So, here’s our list of things to look out for in 2018 that have been a trendsetter this year! Go on and tell us some of your favorite trends of 2017!

The post Popular trends from 2017 – Revisited! appeared first on FWD Life | The Premium Lifestyle Magazine |.

Words: Nikhil Wilson    Image: Team Naach

The song ‘Jimikki Kammal’ from the movie ‘Velipadinte Pusthakam’ has become one of the most viral videos on the internet, with a lot of people from Kerala and abroad grooving to the tune in their own signature moves. Just like the ice bucket challenge and the mannequin challenge, the ‘Jimikki Kammal’ dance challenge is now something to watch out for. Here’s a few of the many ‘Jimikki Kammal’ dance covers we thought topped the charts in creativity and quality.

The post Jimikki Kammal. The latest craze in town appeared first on FWD Life | The Premium Lifestyle Magazine |.