Mahul Brahma’s book ‘Dark Luxe’ explores the uncharted dark side of luxury
Kolkata: Luxury commentator and author Mahul Brahma launched his second book “Dark Luxe”, which explores the dark side of luxury, in an audience-packed Starmark bookstore at a city mall on October 5, 2018.
The “Luxe Duology” is the two part series of Mahul’s books on luxury – Decoding Luxe and Dark Luxe. This is the first duology of its kind on luxury internationally. The interesting part is that while the first is non-fiction the second is fiction. So it is not like a conventional story in two parts but a story none the less, unconventional and thrilling wherein it completes the entire spectrum of luxury – from dazzle to darkness.
Bibek Debroy, Chairman, Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, said in the foreword: “If there is one person who is eminently qualified to write about luxury products, it is Mahul.”
The book has received praises from Mr Amitabh Bachchan, Mr Ratan Tata, Mr Harish Bhat (Brand Custodian, Tata Sons), Mr Jawhar Sircar (Former CEO Prasar Bharati), Mr Nirvik Singh (Chairman & CEO, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, GREY Group).
Mahul’s writings have been appreciated by Hon Governor of West Bengal Shri Keshari Nath Tripathi and Hon Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee.
Mahul said, “Dark Luxe is not about dreams, it is about nightmares. The stories about the dark life of luxury are figments of my imagination, but certainly not limited by it. These tales are entwined with the historic evolution of these luxury brands. When we think of luxury we always think of dazzle, but we never even touch upon the darkness that silently hides behind this luxe. It is always about glam and glitz. Behind this razzle-dazzle, there is another life. A life filled with lust, hatred, jealousy, anger. Luxury is just a silent witness to the depth of darkness of human hearts. It is about those realities that safely hide behind the veil of luxe. These 13 short stories are from the darkest, bottomless pits of hell. These first-hand tales of horror are by stuff luxury is made of, straight from their heart, leaving a trail of blood.”
“My objective with the Luxe Duology is to expand the scope of luxury beyond “price tags” and make it more inclusive so that more and more people can start understanding, appreciating and accepting luxury as an integral part of their life and not shun it as something that belongs to another world,” he adds.
Panelists with the author at the launch on the theme: “The Dark Side of Luxury”
Prof Alok Kumar, Academician and Author
Mr Kounteya Sinha, Senior Journalist and Photographer
Mr Sumit Moitra, Senior Journalist, Graphic Novelist and Illustrator of Dark Luxe,
Anchor: Ms Saheli Mitra, author and journalist
The launch was attended industry leaders and prominent personalities from all walks of life. The event witnessed a free-flowing and engaging discussion with the panelists talking about the book and luxury from their perspectives with numerous anecdotes.