It’s 9 am, and Sakshi Sindwani is in the hair-and-make-up chair, excitedly taking us through her Diwali décor plans. This year, the colours are maroon and cream. Her energy is infectious and her enthusiasm quickly spreads through the room. Her team captures behind-the-scenes footage while outfits and jewellery “decisions” are being considered and made around her. Sakshi keeps the conversation flowing over the nagging hum of the hairdryer and through the steam drifting across her face, never losing her train of thought. It is a fitting introduction to someone who enjoys having a full house.
The evening before, she had been shopping for her house. Cushion covers, throws and festive additions from H&M Home, IKEA and Amazon were on the list. She already has a well-appointed home and a collection of decorative pieces she keeps adding to, but every festive season brings fresh possibilities for her to rejig the decor. There are gold tones to introduce at the entrance, lights to arrange, a dozen urulis to find corners, and furnishings to change. She can picture it all.
Between fashion-week appearances, work commitments and a family health concern that has made this a quieter season, Sakshi has found time for these little domestic pleasures. Listening to her describe them, it becomes clear that preparing a home for company is something she enjoys well before the guests arrive.
At our intimate garden-brunch setting, that interest extends to the table. She asks about the flowers and bouquets, is keen to try the cupcakes and macarons, and enjoys an Aperol drink between photographs. Across two looks, the shoot moves easily, with plenty of conversation along the way. At one point, she is dancing for a reel. Much like a good host who remembers to enjoy her own party, she finds time to have fun amid everything that needs doing.
Known for her Diwali celebrations and love of having people over, the model and content creator is a natural choice for Manifest’s The Art of Hosting. Her ideal brunch begins at noon, with tropical foliage, colourful flowers, games and enough food to keep everyone occupied. She would dress for the occasion in Gauri & Nainika, and anyone accepting the invitation should probably leave the rest of the day free. An early departure would interfere with her plans.
Her appetite for entertaining began at home. Growing up in a Punjabi household, she watched her parents gather people around generous meals, with live musicians performing Sufi music, acoustic Bollywood and old Kishore Kumar songs. She has carried that abundance into her own gatherings, although she prefers a daytime celebration to a late night.
The attention she gives the setting extends to the people in it. She circulates, starts conversations, checks in and makes sure hugs are generously distributed. She also knows when to interrupt a conversation that might make someone uncomfortable. “People need to feel loved and seen,” she says.
Over the course of our conversation, Sakshi talks about what she has inherited from her parents, what she and her husband Raghav have learnt about hosting together, and why some subjects have no place at her table. Here, she shares her approach to bringing people together, with plenty to eat and every reason to stay.
Manifest (M): Take us inside your ideal brunch. What’s on the table, and what are you wearing?
Sakshi Sindwani (SS): We’re starting at noon, either in a glasshouse or with a picnic-style setting. There’s lots of décor, fresh flowers and foliage. It’s tropical, feminine and floral, with purple, pink, yellow and blue coming together. I’d wear Gauri & Nainika because they do such lovely feminine pieces.
Food is always the centre of my gatherings. For 50 people, I would want at least 20 dishes: ten appetisers and ten mains. There would be games, plenty of Aperol drinks, and nobody would leave until evening, even if it’s a brunch.
M: What did you learn about hosting from your parents?
SS: First of all, I’m Punjabi. A lot of people think I’m Sindhi! Punjabi households can host like nobody’s business. Feeding people generously is something I’ve inherited from both my mother and father.
I grew up with live musicians performing at home, even for intimate gatherings. There would be Sufi music, acoustic Bollywood or old Kishore Kumar songs, lots of food and whisky. Daytime gatherings were usually for occasions such as Rakhi or Bhai Dooj. Otherwise, my family were late-night people. I prefer daytime entertaining. I’m the brunch person.
M: Are you always the one getting the table talking?
SS: I don’t know if I’m at the centre of the conversation, but I’ll definitely be the most talkative person at the table. I like starting conversations, and I’m very opinionated.
In a Punjabi household, we could be eating butter chicken and butter naan, with a Diet Coke in hand, while discussing diet culture, ajwain water and why eating after 7 pm is supposedly bad, even as everyone continues drinking and eating kebabs. I’ll be the person questioning those things.
If something doesn’t align with me, I’ll start a conversation. But I make sure it ends in a funny way. It’s never about picking sides or making the evening negative. There’s always humour.
M: What makes a party memorable?
SS: Amazing cocktails and banging music. Music is a non-negotiable. Because I grew up with live singers at home, it’s always been an important part of entertaining for me.
My biggest investments would be décor and music. Who is the DJ? Who is performing live? Those are things I think about. Good cocktails and the right music can really set the party up.
M: What’s your approach to dressing when you’re the host?
SS: Shoes are the most important part. Start with heels for the photographs, then change into sneakers. Most of my parties have ended with me either barefoot or in sneakers. Once the photographs are done, I want to be comfortable on my feet.
I’m less worried about the dress. I’m not scared of fashion. If I’m wearing a fitted corset and I feel amazing in it, that’s fine. But I need to be able to move around because I spend time with every person in the room. There are lots of hugs and kisses involved, whether I’ve had a drink or not.
M: How do you handle comments about someone’s body or food choices at your table?
SS: I either change the subject with a joke or tell the person to stop. But honestly, when I’m at the table, nobody dares. Not anymore.
If an uncle, aunty or bua does make a comment, I’ll take them aside or change the conversation. People know where I stand on this.
M: What do your closest friends see that your online audience doesn’t?
SS: I share my unfiltered self on social media. If you know me online, you’ll recognise me in person. I’m the same.
After creating content for so many years, with people seeing me every day, they know a lot about my life. They know my workouts and routines. I used to post a morning dance story around 8 am before going to the gym, just to get everyone excited about working out. If it was 9 am and I hadn’t posted, people would message asking whether I’d woken up! They know who I am. They don’t have to guess.
My hospitality values have stayed the same since I was a child, and they’ve been the same for my parents for 50 years. Those things won’t change. The ornaments around it will change. The value system doesn’t change.
Sakshi-Sindwani
M: How do you and Raghav divide hosting duties, and what have you learnt along the way?
SS: Raghav handles the shopping and errands: ingredients, supplies and alcohol. Sometimes I go along. We decide the menu together, while I handle the kitchen and make sure all the moving parts come together.
Looking after guests is very much 50–50, although we do it differently. He’ll stay in a conversation for longer. I’m a social butterfly, moving from one group to another.
The biggest lesson is to have patience before people arrive. It’s so easy to pick a fight on the day because there’s so much happening. I love décor, which means there are often lots of people setting things up. You have to be patient, otherwise the kalesh can be full-blown! We try not to let that happen. Having an argument, spoiling the mood and then throwing a party isn’t fun.
M: What makes you put your phone away?
SS: Being with my friends over a great meal. As I’ve grown older, being in the moment has started feeling more valuable than being in front of a screen.
I spend a substantial part of my day on my phone for work, but I don’t like being on it around people I love. If I’m checking it in the middle of dinner or a conversation, I’m probably bored. That doesn’t happen with my closest people.
If I need to post something, I’ll take five or ten minutes out, do it and come back. I’ll check it again in the car on my way home. I used to sit on my phone at gatherings, but I don’t anymore. I think it’s terribly rude.
M: Ten years from now, what will have changed at your table, and what will stay the same?
SS: Finer cutlery and better table décor! I’m not particular about buying from one brand. I’ll find things at Fig Living, Mason Home or H&M Home. I love changing things around, whether it’s the throws, cushion covers or something at the entrance. And I have so many urlis, but I still buy more every year because I love them.
But I want people to feel the same: loved. My hospitality values have stayed the same since I was a child, and they’ve been the same for my parents for 50 years. Those things won’t change. The ornaments around it will change. The value system doesn’t change.
Credits:
Creative direction: Mahima Shukla
Interview by: Kratagya Rathore
Photography: Karan Sudhir
Styling: Palak Valecha
Make-up: Rasino Terhuja
Hair: Satya P Verma
Fashion assistant: Rasshmi Singh
On Sakshi: Look 1: Dress, Gazal Gupta; collar, stylist's own; earrings, Mirari Jewels; Look 2: Sari, Ashdeen; necklace and earrings, PP Jewellers by Pawan Gupta; umbrella, Jayanti Reddy
Location partner: Glasshouse by Dramique
