Fiddler on the Roof

Raseel Gujral – the very name spells understated chic. The daughter of Satish Gujral and married to the handsome and debonair, Naveen Ansal, Raseel is hardly the woman to get overshadowed by the men in her life. A creative artist in her own right, she runs the interior designing venture, Casa Paradox, along with her husband from their retail store at 1 MG Road. Her designs reflect the same classy elegance and the quite self-conviction, which defines her work and her creations. Ms Gujral’s ease at being the person she is has proved to be the wellspring of her creative energy as it were.

Ensconced within the warmth of her beautiful Mehrauli home – complete with her father’s paintings and a lily pool at the centre of the courtyard – she let FnL catch her in her many moods…

My work
At our interior designing firm, I handle everything from corporate and large-scale projects to designing furniture and home accessories. While I handle the design part of it, my husband takes care of the production bit. My emphasis is always more on creating a mood than just a piece of furniture. That is what brings cohesion to my work.

My fashion
My sense of fashion is not at all fad-driven. I believe that above all else one needs to be comfortable with one’s identity. In that sense fashion is very personal.

Shopping hubs
I usually buy art and books and I mostly shop at 1 MG Road because of its accessibility. I’m crazy about jewellery and I get it largely from outlets at Sundernagar and from my sister.

My passion
I love saris! I could wear them all the time, except for the fact that these days one feels so overdressed in a sari, since everyone else around seems to be underdressed! I generally buy mine from Laffaire and Banaras Art House.

Home needs
For my home, I either pick things from abroad or have them made myself. Good Earth is also a good place for home shopping.

Brand wagon
I’m not brand driven at all and hate obvious branding of all sorts. I believe that a good brand should be able to speak for itself, instead of through its labels. I like Armani for its classicism, Hugo for men, and for women I like the colourful and oriental style statement of Shanghai Tang.

I’ve got designs on
Closer home, I like the work of Ranna and Ogaan. Meera Muzaffar Ali makes some fabulous stuff and of course, Pratap.

Night out
I could hardly be called a foodie, what appeals more to me than the people and the food, is the whole ambience and mood of a particular place. I like the design sense of Trident, its old New World feel. I like Spice Route for its drama and Olive for its style.

My city
Delhi is home! Good, bad or ugly, I wouldn’t live anywhere else. I like the pace and the scale of my city. I like it for its sophistication, its art scene and the crafts convergence.

Favourite actor
I love movies. But more of Hollywood and alternative cinema. George Cloony would have to be my favourite actor.

Leisurely pursuits
I read a lot. I like watching movies and I also tend to my garden. But I would have to say that when I’m home, most of my time is spent in caring for my child.

Weekend getaway
It’s the entire Shekhawati route for us. Samode, Nimrana, Jaipur – never the hills!

Hottest holiday destinations
My family likes travelling. My husband and I used to do these exotic destinations like Morocco and Mexico before our son was born. Now our travel plans have become entirely child-oriented – we go to places like London and Singapore, where he has enough and more to do! But now that he’s grown up a little more, we’re planning on South Africa for our next trip.

Quote me on this:
You’ve just got to be yourself!

Inputs: Saon Bhattacharya
Photographs: Naveesh Tejpal