Trusted hands made sure the true ethos and spirit of The Telegraph She Awards is interpreted with the right hint of glitz, elegance and sophistication, on the venue. And team Rishabh Bapna and Swarup Dutta once again did an impressive job. From the crisp half-bloomed lotus at the entrance with gypsies flowing out of it to the technique of weaving and basketry in chandeliers and installations and from the golden curvy statue to the big and small dots coming together like stars in the galaxy on the stage, each element was well envisioned and implemented. The signature shades of scarlet, black and golden added to the vibe of the evening and stood for power, passion and talent.
The banquet decor
What looked liked big and small dots forming the facade of the stage, over a glitzy black background, represented women and their varied stories coming together and forming a galaxy, a cosmos, and Swarup Dutta beautifully translated the essence of the award on the stage. “Each dot or bindi represents a woman with varied stories and it’s about coming together as a confluence, like a galaxy,” he explained.
Each table inside the hall had a striking bouquet that broke the monotony of the table. Arranged in ikebana style, the anthuriums added an elegant finish to the arrangement.
The bar was high on the shades of red and black with the backdrop, table top and ceiling lights adding to the intensity of the spot.
The Statue
This highly desirable piece of art representing the She Awards trophy was the centre of attention and a favourite photo op. The 8ft tall fibreglass structure with antique gold finish took 10 days to get ready. It took quite a lot of hands to put the structure on the elevated platform that was decorated later with flowers. Swarup described it as: “She is our continuum, our symbol of the feminine power. Like a tree, like a mother.”
Floral installations
The technique of weaving and basketry was used for the floral installations at the entrance of the banquet. Swarup used different kinds of flowers in the shades of red, massive green leaves and stream of gypsies completed the delicate structure.
The foyer
A half-bloomed lotus in a beautiful shade of red greeted one and all at the entrance. “It’s a budding lotus and not a full-bloomed one, which is used here allegorically to talk about self-realisation,” explained Swarup who also used glasses underneath the lotus for self-reflection . What completed the structure was the streams of gypsies oozing out from both sides of the flower that represented femininity
The corridor leading to the main banquet hall got a complete overhaul. Swarup created stunning chandeliers with a big oval-shaped crystal lamp hanging from the centre of the large handmade semi-spherical structures.
“Rishabh Bapna of Cherry Tree got me on board this project for the decor. It’s the sixth year that we did She Awards together and it’s been a great journey. Aiding me in transforming my ideas from my head and pen and paper to the venue are Orient Decorators and Classic Flowery who were instrumental in bringing my concepts to fruition. I have used the technique of weaving and basketry and you will find these two techniques primarily outside the hall. From the ceiling to the chandeliers and the installations, you will find the techniques creating a stunning decor,” said scenographer Swarup Dutta.
“The Telegraph She Awards is one event which we are extremely proud of and look forward to each year. This collaboration and partnership has given us the freedom to bring together the best talent from across the country and organise just not an event but an experiential event. A big thank you to the entire management of The Telegraph and the t2 team for giving us this opportunity and complete freedom and having faith in us, which motivates us to make these awards a grand spectacle each year. Our gratitude to all our sponsors and partners who year on year have been supporting us in this endeavour. Truly humbled to have been given this mandate for the most coveted event of the city,” said Rishabh Bapna, director, Cherry Tree.
Pictures: B Halder