Best of Weekender: Actor Aftab Shivdasani’s entry into Kannada films, entrepreneurs speak about Independence Day, and the story of a churro startup

You might remember him as the Farex baby food model! From an adorable child actor, Aftab Shivdasani has transformed into a true Bollywood star, having dabbled across various genres of action, comedy, and so much more.

However, in search of a role that truly puts his acting chops to test, the actor is about to venture down South, making his debut with the Kannada film Kotigobba 3. This time around, though, brace yourself to see the chocolate boy of Hindi cinema play a tough cop!

Find out all about his upcoming film, his jest for life, and his take on the child-artist-tasting-success paradox in this exclusive interview with YS Weekender.

Us, Indians, just love our desserts! From pancakes, waffles, milkshakes, and bubble teas to our very own homemade delights gulab jamun, rasmalai, rabdi, and kheer. After all, there’s always room for some dessert! This love for desserts resulted in many a successful business venture, including The Bombay Churros started by friends Punit Ghadge, Nikkhil Borkar, and Nitesh Oza.

It’s been just two years and the startup, launched with an initial investment of Rs 25 lakhs, is already clocking in the big numbers. With 10 outlets across four states, they are recording an average sale to the tune of Rs 4-6.5 lakhs per outlet every month.

What’s the secret sauce? Read Co-Founder Punit Ghadge spill all the beans in this delicious tale of success and churros.

It could be the worst of times, but you can always count on your sibling to be there for you. And this Raksha Bandhan – on August 15, lest it skips your mind – we are all about celebrating this beautiful relationship.

And what better way to do so than with timeless, iconic Bollywood movies that have portrayed the brother-sister relationship in all its different colours. Whether it is with the forever-by-your-side sister Khadija (played by actor Shweta Prasad in Iqbal) or the protective and emotional Milkha Singh from the 2013 biopic Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, let the emotions run free.

Here’s our suggestion of five Bollywood movies to watch and celebrate Raksha Bandhan with your siblings this August 15.

Flag hoisting, sharing sweets and tricolour flags adorning cars, scooters, and auto rickshaws. India’s Independence Day is right around the corner, and each one of us has a different definition of this holiday. We reached out to some startup founders to ask what they thought about it.

From Snehil Khanor, CEO and Co-founder of TrulyMadly to Bhisham Bhateja, COO and Co-founder of The Man Company, several entrepreneurs spoke about how they celebrate Independence Day and what freedom means for each of these founders.

Here’s is what these startup founders have to say about Independence Day and what they have to say to the youth of India.

An entrepreneur’s journey is full of ups and downs. While the highs can be completely rewarding, the lows can be lonely and difficult to deal with. But you need not tread the path to success alone. It isn’t uncommon for entrepreneurs to seek help from to navigate their way through the choppy waters of life. In today’s parlance, these navigators are known as ‘Executive Life Coaches.’

These life coaches understand your plans, areas of operation, and most importantly, the objective of your business. They can also help optimise the whole process by identifying essential steps and take you towards your goal.

Here are some tips on how executive coaching can help startup founders.

If you admire the Dalai Lama, think Miami is the perfect place to live, and like Batman, meet Rama Krishna Kuppa.

The Founder and CEO of ONGO Framework shares his deepest thoughts and ideas in this week’s Proust questionnaire. With a master’s degree in Information Systems, Rama started his career working with Mindtree as its senior software engineer where he was chosen as one of the four best innovators among 4,000 other participants.

Find out what Rama Krishna Kuppa answers in his Proust questionnaire.

(Edited by Saheli Sen Gupta)

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