Living Victoriously should be one of our anthems for 2021. Last year has shown us the importance of enjoying even the simplest of occasions in our lives. Life is full of moments that are big and small, planned, and spontaneous. Living each of these moments victoriously will help a long way in restoring some semblance of normalcy in our lives. Living Victoriously is also what Grey Goose stands for. It is a metaphor for elevating every occasion in our life to a special moment, and looking at it as an opportunity that will be transformed into lifelong memories. It can be best summed up as a philosophy where personal fulfilment is not achieved by impressing others, but by celebrating the moments that matter to oneself personally, big or small. Actor Aditya Seal is someone who personifies the philosophy of Living Victoriously. He started life wanting to be a professional cricketer before injuries put an end to that dream. He then shifted to modelling, before graduating to acting with his successful debut as a lovelorn teenager in Ek Chhotisi Love Story with Manisha Koirala. While his acting career chugged along steadily, he also found time to become a champion Taekwondo player. 2019 was the year when Aditya realised his full potential as an actor. He made an impact with his role as Manav in Karan Johar’s Student Of The Year 2, sharing screen with the likes of Tiger Shroff, Ananya Pandey, and Tara Sutaria. That was followed by the lead role in Ekta Kapoor’s romance web series Fitrrat on ALTBalaji, and Nikhil Advani’s film Indoo Ki Jawaani, a rom-com that revolved around dating apps. We spoke to Seal about his expectations for 2021, his upcoming films, and about Living Victoriously.

With everything that happened in 2020, what are your expectations for the new year?

Making every moment count. No one had predicted that 2020 is going to be the way it was. I have realised that life is very unpredictable, and I feel there is no place for regrets. The biggest lesson that I have learnt is that the world needs to learn how to love again. There is no place for hate anymore. I hope, pray, and wish that 2021 turns out to be the exact opposite of what 2020 has been. And that people realise that it’s time to cure the world, and not just serve a small portion of the population.

What does Living Victoriously mean to you?

I resonate with the brand’s philosophy of Living Victoriously, and believe that every moment and achievement is worth celebrating, and makes you strive for higher achievement. I love celebrating small victories with my loved ones, and just spending time with them makes any moment special. I really enjoy making a beautiful cocktail for everyone, and just having a good time together, and Grey Goose helps in elevating these small celebrations and making these moments special.

How has Grey Goose helped you celebrate moments, big and small?

For me, the celebration is all about being together and creating memories with my family, friends, and loved ones. Grey Goose helps me elevate even my everyday occasions, and that’s why I decided to take a staycation with the brand in the beautiful city of Goa, where I could celebrate togetherness. The pandemic has made us realise that we don’t always need to have a big occasion to celebrate and enjoy, but that life is full of beautiful moments, and every moment is an opportunity to create a lifelong memory, and I want to celebrate and cherish these moments with my loved ones.

How did you endure the pandemic?

I actually worked on my craft by watching a lot of content that I didn’t have the chance to earlier. I tried my hand at the guitar as well. I also learnt to make some cool cocktails with Grey Goose, and now you’ll find me behind the bar, whipping up some cool cocktails.

How do you make every moment in your life count?

I have been around a lot of people that are different when they are in public, and different when they are not. They try to create an image for themselves. It’s a facade. It’s time to remove your mask, and just truly be yourself. That is why you will truly be able to enjoy every moment. And how to make it even better? Get a Grey Goose cocktail in your hand.

What is it like to work in the new normal? How different it is than before?

It’s weird to work this way. I am working with friends and colleagues and sadly, I can’t hug them, or be close. Every time someone coughs or sneezes, my guard goes up. It’s difficult to concentrate on your work when the majority of your headspace has been taken up by the fact that you have to be cautious all the time.

Tell us about your upcoming projects.

As of now, I am working on two things simultaneously. The first project is a film called Rocket Gang, which is being directed by Bosco Martis. It’s his first film as a director and no points for guessing that it involves a lot of dancing. Also, yes, the story is brilliant. Secondly, I am working on a show called Mughals. As the name suggests, it’s based on Mughal kings. It’s being made on a huge scale production, and it looks really amazing.

Photographer Frozen Pixel Studios

Creative Direction Pankhuri Harikrishnan and Santu Misra

Production Co-ordinator Priyanka Narula and Smridhi Seth

Fashion Stylist Akshay Tyagi

Assistant Stylist Dhwani Jain

Styling Intern Alisha Fernandes

Make-up and Hair Mitesh Rajani

Production Fetch Consulting

Special Thanks to Grey Goose

Talent Anushka Ranjan and Aditya Seal