An evening of beauty and grace - Malavika Sangghvi
ONCE in a while, Mumbai surprises. Take Tuesday evening when leading medical cosmetologist and the founder of the Blush chain of skincare clinics, Dr Jamuna Pai, celebrated 20 years of being a pioneer in the beauty industry, with the release of her debut book - No One Has To Know - The Ultimate Skin Care Anil Anti Ageing Guide (Collins) at a glittering ceremony at the Taj's Lands End in Bandra.
The surprise came because an event coalesced around a celebrated aesthetician known to be on the speed dial of top Bollywood stars, beauty queens and corporate honchos, is expected to be all glitter, fake smiles and forced bonhomie, right? Well, think again. Tuesday evening's launch, which saw the legendary Pai aesthetics and sensibility on ample display, was distinguished by the genuine bonhomie, warmth and goodwill that circulated in the room.
Moderated by a svelte Mandira Bedi, the evening, which saw a dance performance by the Terence Lewis crew, featured guest after beautiful guest who set aside their prepared speeches to speak of Pai's unmatched qualities of kindness, grace and warmth. But in a line-up that included glamour such as Juhi Chawla, Lisa Haydon, Malaika Arora Khan, and Mallika Sarabhai, the evening undoubtedly belonged to the Chief Guest Kokilaben Ambani, who dressed in a blushing pink sari and accompanied by her daughter Dipti Salgaocar delivered a speech suffused with warmth and regard for Pai. What's more, all this was for an excellent cause too...Pai has pledged her own proceeds from the sale of the book to the NGO - Stop Acid Attacks, in aid of the acid attack survivors.
The evening also saw the launch of an initiative headed by the country's top plastic surgeons like Dr Anil Tibrewala, who will help in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of acid attack survivors pro bono. "I share not only my experience and knowledge with readers, but also donate all my proceeds to an excellent cause. What could be better?" said the ever-gracious Pai.
Article Feature Date: 29th January - Mid-day - Malavika's Mumbai - Pg.8
