Aryan Vaid at NIFT Confluence 2004 at ITC Sonar Bangla on Monday. Picture by Pabitra Das

He’s been coming to Calcutta for almost four years now, but model-turned-actor Aryan Vaid just doesn’t seem to get enough of this city.

“It is the place where I find food of my choice,” starts off the hunk, looking forward to a good meal at Oh! Calcutta, the speciality Bengali and Continental restaurant on Elgin Road, during this stint in town, for the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) shows.

If there’s talk of Calcutta cuisine, can mishti be far behind? “I think Bengali sweets are what I like the most, and even if I come in for just a day, I still make it a point to carry doi and rosogolla back to Mumbai,” says the sexy clotheshorse, who now has his hands full with film assignments.

“After the film Market did well, people have taken notice of me,” comes the candid confession.

Aryan’s filmi bag would, in fact, be the envy of any man trying to make it big in Bollywood. His films on the floor are being steered by Tanuja Chandra and Mahesh Bhatt, no less.

e I play an obsessive husband to Vasundhara Das in Tanuja Chandra’s Filmstar, in Mahesh Bhatt’s film I play one of the people the protagonist (Koel Puri) meets on her journey of life,” he elaborates, digging into a salad for lunch hours before taking to the ramp for NIFT’s Confluence.

“But acting is a difficult deal,” admits Aryan.

How was it working with Manisha Koirala in Market? “She’s very chilled out and was extremely patient with me since I was a beginner at that time.”

As the chat swings from Market to mishti, Aryan reveals how he has his sights set on some holiday destinations that he can take off for from Calcutta.

l the exotic Northeast destinations are so easily accessible from here, and since I have a thing for the hills, I jump at the slightest chance of being able to go to either Shillong or Darjeeling,” smiles the adventurer.

But it’s not just as the capital of all things sweet or the gateway to the Northeast that Aryan enjoys Calcutta. “I have made some friends here and the trips give me a chance to meet them all,” he reveals. Some he manages to hang out with, others he makes it a point to call up.

“I wanted to meet up with Jeet (the Tollywood hero) this time, but since he’s in Hyderabad, I just spoke to him on the phone. Designer Sharbari Datta, whom I met at a show in New York earlier this year, is another person I need to catch up with before I leave,” says Aryan.

And seeing him rule the ramp — in tight T-shirt or long jacket — there’d surely be a long queue of girls dying to figure in that friendship list.

Summer shot

Not many can carry it off like Aryan Vaid, but Calcutta men can pick up something to keep their cool this summer.

A rainbow of pastel hues like pale pinks, sober greens, light yellows and dull violets from the Spring Summer 2004 collection from Arrow promises to make the months ahead a chilled-out affair.

“Men in Calcutta are quite fashion conscious and they like to update their wardrobe every season. This season, light colours and self-designs are in vogue and hence the Arrow lines are doing well,” claims Rahul Mukherjee of Indra Apparels, an Arrow showroom on Loudon Street.

While America’s Premium is a line of traditional office wear from Arrow featuring classic pinstripes, pristine whites, tailored suits, well-fitting trousers, mother of pearl buttons and sophisticated detailing, America’s Classics comes with a contemporary touch.

This range has a fresh and energetic look achieved with unexpected linings and contrast detailing on buttons.

The not-so-formal kinds can take heart, too. Arrow Sport, best suited for the leisure hours, comprises washed and crinkled garments with a lived-in look.

The sports line has two themes: Backwoods and Maritime. Inspired by the outdoors, Backwoods takes the cue from classic sports like fishing, bird watching, hunting and the like. The fabrics are comfortable and the tones are earthy.

With a palette of reds, whites and blues, Maritime, as the name reveals, is best suited for a splash in the high seas. Knits, shirts and tees are paired with khakis, chinos and jeans to form a part of the sports range.

Worth special mention is a collection of jeans, jackets and shirts in rugged styles. The Arrow Knits, a line of cotton vintage polo tees in a range of solids and stripes, goes with the mood.