By Nidhi Taparia
My fascination for star signs is legendary. It was always an ice-breaker for me in college. Even now as teeny-bopperish as it sounds, it’s still the first question I ask. While I never got along with Aquarians (because I am one) and always got gyaan from Pisceans (given the husband is one), the one sign that has held eternal fascination is the sign of the Gemini. Based on twins, the sign always makes me think of my shoot with Pune’s twins done many years ago for a Pune city magazine.
It made me think of the Karia twins who were known to stop everyone in their tracks in college because of the double impact. Pune’s little sleepy town spoke of much exaggerated tales of the teenage shenanigans of Ira and Maya. And, yes, the dimply smiles of Tina and Diana Chinoy had wowed many a boy – Parsi or not – and had them lining up at ABC Farms ever so often.
Even as the fashion stage has been wowed by the twining effect: be it Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen twins wowing critics at the MET or mother-daughter twinning and BFF twinning becoming the most photographed/ Instagram trend. Which is why, in this week’s column – I decided to check on these three twins that captured Pune’s imagination many years ago — even before it was cool to dress alike and even before the city back then allowed them enough space to express themselves.
It’s surprising that while three of them still call it home, the other three are sporadic visitors and each of them has had a spell of moving away from the city and their twin to truly find themselves. And have blossomed into truly six super interesting women. Here’s a slice of my chat with the most popular twins of Pune.
Even now, our mom’s friends confuse us: Ira & Maya Rao
“Hi. I am Ira. And I am Maya.And you are watching Volume Double.” This was how I still remember the opening line of Ira-Maya’s show on Channel V. Insouciant and then edgy cool, the most well-known twins from St Mary’s had finally given Pune a spot in the entertainment biz. And Pune had their own version of the Olsen Twins!
The show capitalised on their being identical twins and it came easy to them to rock the music channel. “All our lives we have done things together. So to play to the brief wasn’t a tough call,” says Ira who is now back in Pune as a teacher specialised in special education for kids. “I wouldn’t have done the show had it not been for Ira. We made a great team.” says Maya easily as she chats with me from Goa.
While their lives have now moved towards different interests and different paths, their quest to be seen as individuals wasn’t always easy. “We were always Ira-Maya or Maya-Ira not Ira or Maya. And, no, we didn’t play any pranks like twins are known to. Though on hindsight, we wished we had,” admits Ira, the year of separation at 21 when she went off to Sweden to study special education did their sibling equation a world of good.
At 36, the duo have finally found their own paths and also grown up into their own stylish look. “Now that Maya is a mom, she does look different and she has a visible tattoo on her shoulder. So that’s a good give away that it’s her!” While Pune was their hometown – the city for them changed so much. “When I was growing up, Kalyani Nagar was a forest. We played in puddles, ran over the parks. Now it feels like a concrete jungle. The only reason we come back is our Mom and common friends,” says Maya who’s a yoga teacher and also raising her son Imaan in the natural surroundings in Goa.
We always know when the other one is anxious or low: Ushma & Urvi Karia
Much like Ira and Maya, Ushma and Urvi Karia grew up in this small town with ease in the quiet ’90s. “We never needed anybody else but each other. In fact, I was always Ms Goody too shoes and trying to please everyone while Ushma always got into trouble and I got into trouble because of her too.”
The comparisons, though a given, were annoying. “People still ask if I am Ushma or Urvi. So that’s a bit bugging but the pros of having an identical sibling made up for it. I always know that if I am blue without reason, it’s because of Urvi. Even if I am partying in Europe and she’s unwell back in Mumbai. That connection is extremely special. Also, as children we fought over clothes. Today, it‘s a blessing!” says Ushma with a laugh.
The duo who now live in different cities have their own special ritual in Pune. “Whenever I am in Pune, we have to go to Krishna Salon H20 with Ushma. Or hang out together in Koregaon Park. It’s something we have to do!” says Urvi who shuttles between Mumbai, Pune and Kanpur ever so often.
I know what my mom went through with us, now that I have twins myself!: Tina & Diana Chinoy
However, for Tina Chinoy, life’s coming back a full circle – now that she has two fraternal twins herself! Living in Pune with her mom and dad for much support, Tina says, “My mom keeps giving me the “I told you so” look! My twins Emma and Ellen are so much like me and Diana in temperament. One is headstrong and knows her mind like Tina and the other is dreamer like me”
Besides the two little darlings that bond the twins, and the family business at ABC Farms — both Tina and Diana love to travel together. “We celebrated our 30th birthday together and headed to London and it was absolutely special to party then.” For her the bond of twins feeling each other’s emotion is a bit of a humbug. “We do things together, or round off each other’s sentences because we have shared our lives together for years. It’s a bit like being married!”
This also creates multiple coincidences. “We have the same set of friends. We pick up similar clothes sometimes. And it’s funny, but I went to pick her up from the airport in Australia and she and I were sporting the exact same T-shirt and we brought the house down with our laughter.”
And yes, here are my picks from the past:
10 Downing Street: The hotspot from the ’90s finally reopens in Pune in its new avataar. The woodsy feel and the Boat Club Road location – makes it a must for old timers. Everything is just promised to be the same-same!
Shaniwar Wada: What the lure of history could not do, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus has managed to do! The Wada is now buzzing with visitors. Book yourself on a sound-and-light show immediately!
Nidhi Taparia has a day job as a senior executive working with a leading transnational. A weekend Puniete, Nidhi left the city 16 years ago to fall in love with Mumbai – but Pune still is her first crush. Diary of a Weekend Puneite will appear every Saturday. The views expressed here are personal
- 8 Great ‘Shop-talk’ Coffee Shops’ in Pune - May 29, 2017
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- Diary of a Weekend Puneite: Breaking away to celebrate the November nip - November 12, 2016
