Manasi Scott

She is a one-woman wonder, who lives in a world of her own making, all on her own terms. She has a great stage presence and has performed over 3000 live concerts, worldwide

Text & Photographs: Farzana Contractor     

Location: Flint, NCPA, Mumbai

Seeing she ordered red wine at Flint, where we met, I ask, "So you are a wine drinker, huh?"
I am an 'everything alcohol' drinker!
 
Really?
Yes, but you know what? I really can’t tell the difference between a vodka and a gin, or a rum or a whisky. I drink with people who don’t judge. For me, drinking is linked with memories. Tragedy is, I had my first drink late in life when I was trying to get out of an abusive marriage.
 
Sorry to hear about that…
Don’t be, because the marriage gave me something beautiful; my son Zephan, who is 20 now, my raison d’etre, and who lives in Oakland, USA, and who will hopefully play in the NBA one day.
 
So what was childhood like?
An army brat, that’s who I was as a child. Went to eight different schools, was hot-tempered, forced to eat trout by the riverside where it was fished even though I gagged on it, every time!
 
Why that?
Dad, a Tam-Brahm was a war surgeon, who was also a singer and drummer, dancing to his own tune. We just did whatever he asked. Then when I was 13 he decided I was old enough to choose what I wanted to eat and I said, I want to be vegetarian and have been, since then.

Wow! That’s something.
You bet. I was also the biggest export to Silicon Valley working with Apple, when dad said, forget all this engineering stuff, become a singer, you sing well!
 
And you did?
Yup, I was greatly influenced by him. I adored my father, I lost him recently. That’s the day I had my first whisky. Like I said, drinks have memories for me.

"For me, drinking is linked with memories."
 
Any other daddy memories?
Five things he taught me which I treasure; 'Say please, say thank you, respect dignity of labour, be humane'. 'Sorry', he said, was the stupidest word. Nobody ever means it. So don't say it, if you don't mean it. 

I believe you are a black belt in karate and also good at show jumping…
Yesssss! My parents – my mum, by the way, is a Sardarni who heads a hospital in Poona – felt they should channel my anger into something, so they got me into karate and introduced horses into my life.
 
What else gets you going?
Riding bikes, going on long-distance road trips. I am yearning to go East, the Seven Sisters. Drive, stop, sing. Will be so much fun. Any takers?
 
If I have to ask what makes you tick?
I will have to answer, sexy men who are intelligent! Yes, and also, I love love. I like it when people appreciate each other, give people a chance. Humanity does make me tick.

Coming to food, what’s your take?
Love food, as simple as that. I have to eat as soon as I wake up. I mostly make my own breakfast, a super noodle soup. Coffee puts me to sleep, so that’s out. I don’t eat meat like I told you, and I am now a vegan. I love rajma chawal, zeera aloo and idlis. I eat supper at 5.30 pm and nothing after that. I sleep at 8.30 when I am not working.

 All smiles and hearty laughs

That’s something. So what time do you wake up?
4 am. I practice Brahma Muhurta, it takes all of 1 hour and 36 minutes. Two sessions of 48 minutes each. You connect with the divinity within you, you chant, you stay inside of yourself. It's powerful, meaningful. Gives me peace.
 
How would you define yourself?
I create magic. I survive. And right now, I want to make money. As much as I need to be able to offer my son the whole world.
 
So, you will work harder? And work to you is?
Singer, songwriter, actor, stylist, voiceover artist, musical director with 16 ad films under my belt. I have my web series going on. But what I really want to do is create a Broadway success! I also have a line of natural skin-healing creams called Mana by Manasi Scott.

What do clothes mean to you, a stylist?
Love dressing. And I like to dress OTT! I dress as I please, and all for myself.
 
What about friends?
I am one to everyone. I don’t hold grudges, I leave a door open. Leave a light on. It’s also my favourite song!

One everlasting performance memory?
Singing at Priyanka Chopra's wedding in Jodhpur. And PC saying she wants to sing like me! It was so much fun. And I became the first and only Indian singer, so far, who has sang with The Jonas Brothers!
 

Chef Jaydeep: in-charge of NCPA's restaurants: Waarsa and Flint,

Flint is a European grill-forward restaurant, where the shoot was done. Chef Jaydeep shares the recipes of Manasi's favourite dishes on the menu. Click below:

Vegan Caesar Salad	Aglio Olio