When we were heading to cigar baron Manish Datt’s Panchsheel Park apartment this time, we didn’t quite expect a home that spoke of its owner so very completely. Especially when we found the outer façade decorated with fresh flowers, we thought the interiors would be in the same sync with a serene, flowery atmosphere. But there was the surprise. While an all-white interiors gave a serene look, adding colour to it were the colourful (cigar) art works.
Unlike most houses where artworks by renowned artists adorn the walls, here the artworks have been custom-made to suit the sensibilities of the people living here. For Manish, cigar is not just business, it’s his muse. “I just don’t want to sell cigars. I want to create a prominent cigar culture in India,” he says and adds “it should definitely start from home.”
So, to promote the culture, one-and-a-half years ago Manish got some 15 upcoming artists from all over the country to create art inspired by cigar. Some of those paintings created under the project, “Cigar Art Company” adorns different areas of Manish’s house. The paintings tell different stories — from the process of selecting leaves and rolling of cigars to someone enjoying a dope.
Another wall in the bar area has black & white and sepia-toned pictures of Hollywood actors holding cigars. Collected about ten years ago, some of these pictures have also got a space in Manish’s store, Santushti. “When I started my business 11 years ago, I found this to be the apt way of developing a cigar culture. I looked for pictures where cigars made for a style/status symbol, united the look of all by framing them alike and gave them a special place in both my home and store,” he says.
And while cigar rules, there’s enough place for other things too. A black piano in one of the corners of the living room complements the nude interiors. To create a warm and inviting aura, candles are lit every evening in the house. “Candles and fresh flowers have got a special place in my house,” says Manish whose house is a hot spot for friends to meet and have fun, especially on Sundays. “Cigar and poker complement each other. Gradually, playing poker every Sunday has become a culture with all my friends coming over every week for it,” he says.