Dolce Vita, and how?!

IIPM Business and Economy

Savour two celebrated slices of the delectable Italian pizza…

Myriad mavericks and countless celebrities manage to enthrall fans across the globe with their character and charm, yet only a select few leave an indelible impression on the mind and heart alike. Viva Italia then, on a joyride through the life journeys of the indisputable sex-symbols of the modern era! Ladies and Gentlemen, the two Italian monoliths the globe loves to hate, or just plain adulate: Francesco Totti and Monica Bellucci.

The Italian village of Citta di Castello, Umbria, was the birth place of lissome lass Bellucci on September 30, 1964. Serendipity – in a nutshell – describes Monica’s tryst with modelling whilst she was studying at the University of Perugia in Italy.

Bellucci’s proclivities towards modeling brought her to Milan – the fashion capital of the world – in 1988. The 5'10" buxom babe’s move up the celebrity ladder saw her make a foray into the silver screen in Bram Stoker’s Dracula in 1992. However, stardom eluded her till the tantalising L’ Appartement came along in 1996. This chic romantic French thriller was the platform that saw Bellucci sashaying the ramp to meet the galaxy of stars in the global arena. Fame never left this stunning siren since, with her being regularly ranked in the ‘Sexiest Women’ genre by prominent magazines time and again. Celebdom and controversy being inseparable twins, however, fame was soon followed by farce for Bellucci when she posed naked and pregnant in 2004 for an Italian issue of Vanity Fair, as she looked to voice her protest against Italy’s draconian laws on aided fertilisation. The rebel streak is also certain to surface when she gets to play the role – in an upcoming movie by Jagmohan ‘Provoked’ Mundhra – of our very own, Italy-born daughter-in-law of the Nehru-Gandhi family – Sonia Gandhi.

Terra di Italia was also the place of origin of one of Italy’s most fabulous footballers, Francesco Totti. Born in Porta Metronia, Rome on September 27, 1976, young Totti was all potty about football even as a tot! Just about treading into his teens, Totti made his football debut for the junior team of AS Roma in 1989. The playmaker par excellence boasts the uncanny ability to craft goals from just about anywhere in the opponent’s half!

The mid- field maestro, thus even deservedly featured in Armani’s facce da sport (Faces of Sport) – a compilation of the world’s most talented athletes – in 2004. All was not smooth sailing though, as the iconic Italian was reviled overnight in the 2002 FIFA World Cup when he was waved a yellow card and packed off during Italy’s controversial loss in the second round to South Korea. His disappointing run on the world stage continued even at the Euro 2004 tournament, when he spat at the Danish midfield enforcer Christian Poulsen, subsequently being banned.

Passionate and popular Librans, Bellucci and Totti are renowned across the globe even for their valiant forthrightness. While Monica made her voice heard against her country’s despotic decree linking fertilisation to the conventional family model and for her comparison of Italian women to Muslim women, Totti is a goodwill ambassador for the UNICEF and even went out of his way to publish two joke books scripted on him to raise funds for charity!

Feisty personalities, they’ve been showered with accolades for accomplishments in their respective arenas. While one has been instrumental in increasing Italy’s style quotient globally, the other has been the sporting talisman for Azzurri and still remains a distinct hope of deliverance – despite a broken leg earlier this year – for the forthcoming World Cup. Both have tasted success at an early age, and yet, managed to keep their feet firmly on soil despite the bouquets and brickbats showered at their beliefs and actions, for such is the burden of life when you answer to the name of a belle called Bellucci or trudge forth like Totti!

Read Complete IIPM Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source :- IIPM Editorial, 2006, Editor - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri