Umita Deora

Umita Deora: Umita was the creative director at Rediffusion and a colleague in 2000. The Chennai branch was on the upswing with key accounts like Citibank, Taj Hotels and Thomson TV and so crème le crème of Mumbai branch came to Chennai to provide that expertise.

Umita was quite short probably just measuring a 5’ or even lower, she was lean and perfect figure, and wore those T-shirts and long shirts over body hugging trouser. Her hair was circular and perms for a Sai Baba hairdo, the Marathi face very fair and gloss, a snout nose, sharp gleaming eyes and a small chin. Umita was good looking for a 30 year old woman and invariably dressed in trousers and sporting a Nike or Reebok for footwear. She looked more a schoolgirl than a topnotch professional.

Umita was the dreaded political animal at work. She was quite a competent copywriter and ruled a team of around 10 juniors with a fist hand. She would shout hysterically, throw layouts, and she had the gift of the gab. Umita could even get angry with a power client like Citibank but she was smart: she knew to whom to get angry and how far to go. A similar situation with a powerful authority on the other side and she would more likely see humour.

Umita just about knew to what extent people would tolerate her tantrums and used that to cement her authority. People in client servicing like me or in the creative wouldn’t last 3 months under this torture and we nicknamed her “Amma” after a similar Jayalalitha. But it was only Ajit who cracked the puzzle. He sported a huge grin and not allow the words of torment to affect him. He not only survived the daily manslaughter at Rediffusion but became one of her favourite subordinates.

Umita was not all that evil and knew how to turn on the charms too. She would take her team to Landmark and gift them books of their choice and later treat them to sumptuous dinner. Umita was grossing over a lac of rupees as salary (in 2000!!) and a furnished apartment and she could afford to have her liquor in Taj Connemara in style and no need to practice parsimony. There were two or three expats from Mumbai and Umita settled in Chennai the best. She spent her weekends on violin tuitions and did not fly back to Mumbai at the first opportunity.

Umita had a huge executive room and she would often lock the door and so none knew what was cooking there; possibly even a hot intimate encounter as rumour mills would have it. Not surprising for Umita was as liberated as anyone could be!!

For a power-hungry tyrant, Umita had a pronounced stutter. Sometimes the words would get stuck and she would “try” repeating them all over again without losing her nerves. But she never flinched in embarrassment or covered it up. For a chic modern woman in lipstick and make-up, this can be a nightmare situation but she braved it out. Her modern western image – cigarettes, swearing, dressing, liqueur etc was not a put on but a genuine act.

Umita was a chain smoker despite her asthma and I had been witness to a severe attack once when the whole office felt grave that she might pass over. Umita was a tomboy; she strode down the staircase in a jaunty way. She was as moody as anyone but she could laugh the loudest too.

Last heard from Ajit when in Bahrain in 2003, the news was Umita married a Tamil Brahmin and now based somewhere in Cairo. Umita is a kind of person who can thrive in anywhere; more than decent copywriting skills, she was a hound with great political and survival skills.

Verdict: Rajasic

Lessons to be learnt:  Such people are usually the opinion makers; get on their right side!!!