||Vikas-Drashti AT ||Too Hot To Handle Note pg103 - Page 109

Amita And Vikas Sethi: Two To Tango

Dancing their way into everyone's hearts on Nach Baliye, Amita and Vikas Sethi have seven years of a successful married life behind them.

The couple has been making waves - first, for Amita's broken toe (Vikas stepped on it while dancing!) and then when they fired their choreographer, Khalsa Raj, for being 'unprofessional'. Amita is a non-dancer and an airhostess by profession and Vikas is popular as Swayam in Kahiin To Hoga.

Shaaditimes caught up with the 'earthy' couple while they were on their grocery rounds.

How did the two of you meet?
Amita: One night I went out clubbing with a gang of girls. We saw a cute guy in a white linen shirt and decided to chat up with him. We had a good time. Both of us were born in Chandigarh and we had a lot in common. But we dated for a short time. I think we met in January or February and by December we were married. It will be seven years in December.

So the itch is over?
Amita: There has been no itch. We are busy with our professional lives so we manage little time together. And we do some things together. Like shopping for everyday needs.

How has your Nach Baliye experience been so far?
Amita: Nach Baliye has been fun. It has been stressful at times and at other times it has been joyful. I have cried like a baby and laughed out loud. At Nach Baliye I have seen varied emotions and experienced them in the extreme.

I think I am improving now. I am not a great dancer but people are beginning to say that my performance is improving and I have better expressions now. If I get this kind of appreciation, I think I will be able to improve.

Vikas: Beautiful. It is something we have never done together. She used to think my profession is easy. That I just go and speak in front of the camera and come back home with a lot of money. But now she understands.

She doesn't ask why I am tired or when I am getting home. It is not mentally tiring but when the lights are so hot it's physical torture for your organs. I am happy that we are able to spend such quality time after 7 years.

Which of the two of you is a better dancer?
Amita: Vikas is a better dancer. It's an unquestionable truth.
Vikas: We have never compared that because she's an amateur. I have to co-ordinate with someone who's never done it before. But I can't overpower my wife here because the show is about how you dance with your baliye. So on the show I won't go all out but try to look good as a couple. It's how you handle it that is important here.

Amita, how has it been working with your hubby?
Amita: I've been blessed. He's very protective. He doesn't let even half of the harsher realities of the acting world bother me. What hardships people go through in here (Nach Baliye)! But he is like a shield for me at Nach Baliye. It's great fun. We have a fabulous choreographer and the judges, fans and audiences have been great to us.

What qualities do you appreciate in him?
Amita: I admire him because Vikas is a calm person. On the contrary, I'm very excitable and have a lot of mood swings. But he maintains a steady ground.

What qualities do you appreciate in her?
Vikas: She is a strong person. When I lose my positive attitude in life she is always there to hold me. I'm an honest person and I don't gimmick. But she is strong and tells me to 'be the way you are'.

The qualities that you don't like about him?
Amita: There are exactly three things I don't like about him: He doesn't know how to switch off the geyser. He always throws his wet towel on my pillow, I don't know how. And the third is his fascination for TV and cricket.

The qualities that you don't like about her?
Vikas: She's a Principal in the house. She'll tell me 'why do you leave the geyser on' or 'why do you leave the tap running'... like a regular housewife. But boys will be boys at the end of the day.

What has been your most romantic evening out?
Amita: Our most romantic evening out was in Hong Kong on the main island. It was fun. He got me a bouquet of roses, there was an alfresco dinner surrounded by clouds and it was bone chilling cold.
Vikas: It was definitely in Hong Kong. It was freezing but we were roaming around and chatted for hours.

Actor Vikas Sethi and Amita's bright, airy and elegant space…

Who doesn't love to lap up the glamour and mystique surroundings the telestars. After watching them essaying different characters, one has this urge to know about their style in real life. Here we take you to Swayam aka Vikas Sethi and his air hostess wife Amita's dream home in Mumbai.

We have seen this talented actor scale the popularity charts with his sheer determination as Kahiin To Hoga's Swayam to playing Kyun Hota Hai Pyarr and Deepak Tijori's movie Oops. We caught him just before the couple got busy with the current rage on TV Nach Baliye 3.

Though Swayam has etched an impression of being a bad guy in his reel life, you need not dread meeting Vikas on his home ground. All the grey shades of his character are left behind at the set and a friendly, intelligent, down-to-earth guy welcomes you into his classy dream abode.

The couple's home is characterized by a blend of warm wood, striking finishes and clean lines, and accentuated by fabrics that have resulted in becoming a perfect retreat for them. As both have a hectic lifestyle, they roped in Delhi-based friend Vishal and Ritu Parihar, both furnishing experts with their store Jharokha Soft Furnishing to do up their home. "I wanted everything about this space to be very personal, and sending a warm, welcoming message to our guests," explains Vikas. Underlining the actor's design philosophy, the duo have refrained from a typical 'apartment look,' and have treated each area as a separate entity, where the overall interiors are warm and inviting.

Right from the entrance passage, a textured effect on the ceiling, an interesting ceiling light, the carpet and an unusual weave effect on the entrance door set the ball rolling for the interiors. The impressive gold leafing textured effect on the wall, with a tall back chair placed against it and warm wooden touch on the ceiling create a picture perfect waiting area.

Further, the passage opens into the living room where two white sofas take centrestage and a spacious single-seater in rich silk upholstery along with leather antique bench-type seating provides a stylized seating arrangement.

The ledge of the window, with its pebble-finished texture becomes the informal seating complemented by an interesting window dressing in floral print that adds a personal touch. "We wanted this seating option to enjoy the outside view, and also have bright light filtering through to create a dramatic effect," enthuses the actor.

Further, this area seamlessly flows into the bar, where the pice de rsistance is the antique bar, sourced by Amita and painstakingly restored by Ritu. "Initially, Vikas was upset, since it was in a bad condition. He thought it is waste of money, but it fits perfectly well into the decor," explains Amita.

As the couple didn't want a dining area, the space has been aesthetically treated with a Victorian chair, which coupled with interesting hanging light fittings, creates a cosy corner. The den is another interesting area with an extensive use of wood, where the couple likes to unwind.

The seamless flow of wooden flooring is further accentuated with warm lighting. One also notices the newsprint furnishing for the window blinds and seaters adding an unusual touch. "We wanted to create a background of fabric to spice up the space and opted for newsprints which also breaks the monotony of wood," explains Vishal.

Vishal likes to experiment, so one finds interesting touches in the bathroom attached to the den. Its chequered black and white flooring was created using leftover material making it look neat and spacious, while perfectly complimenting the overall white colour scheme.

As you enter the master bedroom, the blue tones create a very soothing ambience. Primarily addressing the comfort and utility factors, Vishal coordinated a blue theme for the room, well balanced with the warmth of wood. A well-coordinated colour in the window dressing and bedspread further accentuates the use of wood — in the flooring, the wardrobe and the headrest.

The master bathroom gets an extensive dose of onyx on the under-lit counter, which throws interesting light patterns around. Light fixtures above the mirror add to the decor.

The mother's room is characterized with earthy tones. One notices the interesting creative touches in the sleeping area, where the cushioned panelling forms the headrest as well as an interesting backdrop. The window ledge has curved edges that create an interest informal seating. On the other end is a small dressing area and a wardrobe which takes care of all the storage requirements.

The kitchen is designed on simple line, with an L-shaped counter and ample storage space.The design duo has successfully woven their philosophy into this home that is a highly personal reflection of the Sethis and (as Vikas believes) has an interesting aura and comfort that is sure to create a lasting impression on the visitors.