India's jeunesse dorée, or wealthy young people, are best viewed - make that, only viewed - at night. During the day, these pampered youths slumber. At night they emerge in the luxury car that Daddy bought, to glide past slums where the poor sleep, exhausted from toil, to head off to a wild party where the carousing goes on till 5am, every day.
Before he went on a reality television show called Big Switch, which teaches spoilt brats the value of money and the difficulty of earning it, Sahil Rohira, 20, lived exactly that kind of life: no work, no household chores at his six-bedroom Mumbai home, summoning maids to fetch even a glass of water, never doing his own bed or laundry, spending Rs10,000 (Dh715) a week of his textile-manufacturing father's money on parties and sleeping all day until 6pm.
His only decisions were which of the 10 cars parked outside to use or what Louis Vuitton belt to wear.
"I'm an only child," says Rohira with a slightly sheepish laugh. "My parents have never said no to me for anything, not for as long as I can remember."
After taking part as one of the eight contestants on Big Switch, currently being shown on the UTV Bindass channel, he has emerged with an appreciation of his father's hard work and a new-found sensitivity to anyone who performs a service for him.
Rohira's exposure to the real world was a jolt. The concept of the show is that eight very rich kids are thrown together to live in a comfortable Mumbai bungalow with a pool - and no hired help.
Even their arrival at the bungalow was an eye-opener for the producers, who gaped as a young woman arrived with a pack of dogs, a dog-keeper and bodyguards; one young man rolled up in a four-car cavalcade. But these prima donnas have since had to fend for themselves - sweeping, cooking, washing up, clearing the rubbish, tidying their bedrooms and bathrooms. If they want comforts such as hot water, air conditioning, television, a music system or access to the pool, they have to go out and earn the money to pay for them.
Rohira worked at a Marriott hotel, removing dirty towels and sheets from the rooms and getting them laundered. Another contestant, Heena Vasisht, 20, from Ahmedabad in Gujarat, took pizza orders and washed the feet of pedicure clients at a beauty parlour.
Others, stupefied, have found themselves working as waiters and couriers, washing cars and driving taxis. Remember, these are young people who might well never have been in a taxi or made a cup of tea and who are accustomed to splurging Dh1,800 on a meal.
"We wanted to show them how their parents earned their money and how the majority of Indians live," says the Big Switch host and former Miss India, Natasha Suri. "The change in them was dramatic. For the first time in their lives, they realised the dignity of labour."
In some countries, the extremely wealthy try to keep their children grounded, so that a life of privilege does not quench the fire in their bellies to achieve something. No such philosophy animates many rich Indians. Wealthy children generally exhibit a sense of entitlement. They display all the vanity and self-regard that come from their positions as daddy's darling.
"Don't you know who my father is?" is a common refrain if they ever find themselves unable to get a table or have to wait like ordinary mortals. If anything, rich parents tend to boast about the lavish lifestyles of their offspring.
This is why it takes a programme like Big Switch for rich youths to realise the importance of politeness and respect for their employees. What emerges is that they are not incorrigible. Suri said one contestant had been so tired delivering letters that he swore the next time a courier turned up on his own doorstep, he would offer him a glass of water and an appreciative smile.
After the shooting was over and Vasisht, who has been getting a car as a birthday present ever since she turned 16 and who enters the kitchen only when her mother begs her to "visit" it occasionally, went home and made a beeline for the staff.
"The first thing I did was hug my maid, driver and cook," she says. "I thanked them for everything they had done to make me happy. My parents were really taken aback."
She says that from now on, she will treat anyone with respect, the way she would want to be treated herself.
The contestants had agreed to take part in the show at the request of their parents, who had been contacted by the producers, although some insisted their parents "reward" them for their hardships. One young man asked for a Hummer SUV and another demanded a blank cheque, while a young woman wanted a trip to New York.
"It was wonderful to see their transformation," says Suri. "The boy who wanted a blank cheque returned it to his father. The boy who wanted the Hummer said he would rather earn it first and one girl gave the first salary she earned to her parents instead of spending it on air-conditioning her room in the bungalow."
Having experienced working at a hotel, Rohira has vowed never to leave a hotel room in a mess again. Nor to ask his maid to get him a glass of water, although he admits he still hasn't progressed to making his own bed. Moreover, his father is thrilled with the fact that he now rises at 10.30am instead of 6pm and that he has learnt responsibility, thanks to having delivered pizzas.
In fact, the most delighted people in the whole experiment are the parents. Keith Alphonso, the business head of UTV Bindass, says the programme is a "wonderful gift" from parents to a child. "It teaches them about the real world but without being harsh," he says. "It changes their perceptions for the better."
The channel has carved out a niche with youth reality shows that highlight the rich-poor abyss in India. An earlier series threw wealthy young men and women into a slum, where they had direct interaction with the area's dwellers, sharing a lavatory with 50 other people and living in unpleasant conditions.
Most of the contestants came out of that experience with flying colours, too. For Rohira and Vasisht, it has been satisfying to demonstrate to their parents that they are capable of working.
"I'm very glad I did it," says Rohira. "I respect myself more. If I hadn't done it, I would have been sleeping right now, in the middle of the afternoon, instead of talking to you."
When the programme ends at the end of February, Vasisht will leave with a small but meaningful insight. "The sleep you have after a hard day's work is different from the sleep you have after lazing around all day," she says.
artslife@thenational.ae
'Tell the Machine Goodnight' by Katie Williams
Penguin Randomhouse
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Points Classification
1. Marcel Kittel (Germany / Quick-Step) 63
2. Arnaud Demare (France / FDJ) 38
3. Andre Greipel (Germany / Lotto) 25
4. Sonny Colbrelli (Italy / Bahrain) 24
5. Mark Cavendish (Britain / Dimension Data) 22
6. Taylor Phinney (U.S. / Cannondale) 21
7. Geraint Thomas (Britain / Team Sky) 20
8. Thomas Boudat (France / Direct Energie) 20
9. Stefan Kueng (Switzerland / BMC Racing) 17
10. Michael Matthews (Australia / Sunweb) 17
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
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How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Top 5 concerns globally:
1. Unemployment
2. Spread of infectious diseases
3. Fiscal crises
4. Cyber attacks
5. Profound social instability
Top 5 concerns in the Mena region
1. Energy price shock
2. Fiscal crises
3. Spread of infectious diseases
4. Unmanageable inflation
5. Cyber attacks
Source: World Economic Foundation
RESULTS
5pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner AF Nashrah, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner Mutaqadim, Riccardo Iacopini, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
6pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Hameem, Jose Santiago, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
6.30pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner AF Almomayaz, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
7pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Dalil Al Carrere, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash.
7.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner Lahmoom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner Jayide Al Boraq, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Results
6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes (PA) Group 3 Dh175,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Aatebat Al Khalediah, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer).
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Dubai Avenue, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: My Catch, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile (TB) Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Golden Goal, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
THE SPECS
Engine: 3-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 424hp
Torque: 580 Nm
Price: From Dh399,000
On sale: Now
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Richard Jewell
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Brandon Stanley
Two-and-a-half out of five stars
