Life & Style

When TVS Motor Company rolled out the NTORQ back in 2018, it changed the way we looked at scooters in India. This was not just another 125cc runabout. It was sporty, connected, and resonated instantly with a younger audience that demanded more than just an everyday commuter. It set a benchmark.

Fast forward to 2025, and TVS has gone back to the drawing board with an all-new offering — the NTORQ 150. Billed as India’s first hyper sport scooter, this machine aims to reset the bar again. After spending a full day riding it flat-out around TVS’s own test track at Hosur, I can say this is not just marketing talk. The NTORQ 150 feels every bit the game-changer it claims to be.

Aggression in motion

Visually, the NTORQ 150 is still very recognisable, but it takes a giant leap in terms of form. The design follows an arrowhead-inspired silhouette, with a forward-biased stance that looks fast even at a standstill. The floating seat design adds a sense of motion, while the bold contrast tail and sharp liveries underline its sporty intent.

TVS NTORQ 150
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A headline feature here is the aero winglets at the front — a first for any scooter in India. They are not a gimmick either. With the engine mounted at the rear, the NTORQ 150 carries a natural rearward weight bias. The winglets generate downforce at speed, improving stability and giving this scooter real engineering credibility.

Lighting has also been moved up a notch. The sports quad projector headlamps are futuristic in design and superior in function. No other scooter in the segment offers this. At the rear, TVS has reinterpreted its signature ‘T’ light motif, giving the NTORQ a unique identity after dark. Fit, finish, and textures across panels add a premium feel, something that should strike the right chord with Gen Z riders.

Built for speed

Under the bodywork sits a 149.7cc engine delivering 9.7 kW at 7000 rpm and 14.2 Nm at 5500 rpm. Numbers aside, the way this engine puts down power is the real story. The scooter can hit 104 km/h at the top end, but the bigger bragging right is the 0–60 km/h sprint in just 6.3 seconds — the quickest in its class.

TVS NTORQ 150
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Power delivery is flat across the rev range, with punchy low-end torque that makes darting through city traffic effortless, and enough mid-range to keep things exciting on open roads or a racetrack. Two riding modes are on offer: Street, with intelligent start-stop for efficiency, and Race, which unleashes full performance. Adding to the thrill is iGo assist, which delivers a torque boost when you crack open the throttle suddenly — like torque-on-demand.

The CVT transmission has been reworked for crisper responses, while NVH levels are significantly improved over the outgoing NTORQ. Safety is not an afterthought either. The 150 gets Bosch Intelligent ABS and traction control, which actively monitor slip and keep things in check. Grip comes courtesy of high-performance Remora tyres, which make the scooter feel planted and precise through fast corners.

Nimble, agile, stable

Scooters are not typically machines you associate with apex-hunting, but the NTORQ 150 rewrites the script. The chassis is taut yet forgiving, delivering sharp turn-in and excellent composure even when you are pushing hard. The aero work and chassis tuning pay dividends at high speed — stability is rock solid.

TVS NTORQ 150
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The riding posture strikes a sweet balance: sporty, but without being aggressive. A thoughtful touch is the inclusion of 3-step adjustable brake levers, a feature normally seen on premium motorcycles, allowing riders to tailor ergonomics to their preference.

Confidence on any surface

At 115 kg, the NTORQ 150 is impressively light for the performance it packs. This makes it both accessible to new riders and entertaining for the experienced. Suspension tuning gives it a wide bandwidth — playful when you want to flick it around, yet stable and composed as the speeds climb. With 155 mm of ground clearance, it is also surprisingly well suited to India’s less-than-perfect roads.

On the Hosur test track, lap after lap, the NTORQ never felt out of its depth. It is the kind of scooter that eggs you on to ride harder, and that in itself is rare in this segment.

TVS NTORQ 150
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Smarter than ever

TVS pioneered the connected scooter concept in India, and the NTORQ 150 pushes it further. The cockpit is dominated by a gaming-console-inspired 5-inch TFT display, powered by the latest TVS SmartXonnect platform.

It is compatible with Alexa, Android, and Apple smartwatches, and the range of data on offer goes well beyond the basics — from fuel stats and trip meters to detailed ride analytics. It is the perfect blend of performance-oriented telemetry and everyday practicality, making it a natural fit for tech-savvy Gen Z riders.

Engineering details and reliability

TVS has also worked on subtle engineering refinements. The NTORQ 150’s intake system draws cleaner air, improving combustion efficiency and extending engine life by reducing wear. It is not the kind of detail you’ll see on a spec sheet, but it matters over long-term ownership.

TVS NTORQ 150
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That said, not everything is perfect. The extensive use of piano black plastics on the front end looks premium when new, but will inevitably attract scratches, dust, and fingerprints. It has a finish that will show its age before the scooter does.

Who is it for?

The NTORQ 150 is clearly aimed at young professionals in their 20s who want a two-wheeler that matches their lifestyle. It is quick, stylish, loaded with tech, and practical enough for everyday duties. In short, it is a scooter that blends thrill, style, and convenience in one package.

Verdict

TVS has delivered on its promise. The NTORQ 150 is not just a bigger NTORQ — it is a bold new statement. It looks aggressive, rides fast, corners with confidence, and brings in premium motorcycle-level features that elevate the experience.

TVS NTORQ 150
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Yes, there are scooters that are cheaper and more utilitarian, but none that offer this level of performance, design innovation, and technology in one package. If the 2018 NTORQ defined the sporty scooter, the 2025 NTORQ 150 defines the hyper sport scooter.

With prices starting at ₹1.19 lakh (ex-showroom), it is not just another launch — it is a signal that performance scooters in India have well and truly arrived.

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India’s fascination for headgear does not only extend to the socio-religious ambit with taqiyah, EXPLAIN taqiyah turbans or traditional Bengali topor, but also to the politico-cultural zeitgeist. Remember the famous Gandhi topi that made a comeback with social activist Anna Hazare’s 2011 hunger strike for The Lokpal Bill? The accessory came to define the sartorial choices of many freedom fighters too, take Bhagat Singh and Subhas Chandra Bose, for instance. In the world of sports, also, baseball caps and cricket hats have been nothing short of a style statement.

MUMBAI, 07/04/2011: Social activist Anna Hazare on the third day of his fast unto death campaign, demanding anti-corruption law on the lines of Lokpal Bill, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Supporters of Anna Hazare wearing Gandhi Topi and holding a tricolour in her hand participate in rally, ‘India Against Corruption’ at Azad maidan in Mumbai on April 07, 2011.
Photo: Vivek Bendre
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VIVEK BENDRE

An unmistakable pick for a sunny day on the beach, a polo match or a derby, hats have always been around. They may assume a prominent spot on the accessories vertical of leading fashion retail brands that also dabble in apparel, but only a handful of people in India tread the road less travelled that leads to the artsy-craftsy world of millinery.

Passion project

Shilpa Chavan who runs the label Little Shilpa, founded in 2008, is the first that comes to mind.

Shilpa Chavan, the first Indian milliner to have designed headgears for celebrities like Lady Gaga and Sonam Kapoor
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The Mumbai-based milliner might as well be called an artist for the post-modern aesthetics she employs to her dramatic headpieces that are a cross between fascinators and wearable art. She is the first Indian milliner to design headgear for celebrities like Lady Gaga and Sonam Kapoor, while also stamping her presence on runways — be it designing headgear for contestants and hosts of beauty pageants in the 1990s or showcasing her headpieces at Lakme Fashion Week in 2009, followed by London Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week and Milan Fashion Week.

“Of course, headgear is embedded in India’s cultural narrative. Hat making or millinery is a craft, just like embroidery. I did a military-inspired collection in 2011 and was scrounging for someone who makes Gandhi topis, but could only spot one man in Mumbai. So, I got him to replicate the topi in the fabric I wanted. Sadly, millinery is not recognised,” she says. Stating that headgear can be too “costumey”, Shilpa says it has to be functional too, especially when it goes into a retail space.

Little Shilpa’s military-inspired collection
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Functionality is in fact one of the reasons why Ahmedabad-based Nirali Rangwala, who founded Maaneh Millinery in 2018, introduced sun hats to her eclectic collection of fascinators, derby hats and berets last year. “Historically, though Indian men have always been sporting hats and headgear, Indian women covered their heads with the pallu of a sari, a dupatta or a scarf. To Indian women, the concept of hats was introduced by colonisers. So, I wanted to create hats that could be worn in the sun, let alone occasions like polo matches or a derby,” she says.

Ahmedabad-based Nirali Rangwala, who founded Maaneh Millinery in 2018
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Nirali, who is an aerospace engineer by profession, was enticed by millinery in Kentucky in 2011. “I was working in Kentucky. It is known for the derby. I was mesmerised by fascinators and hats sported by women at one of the derby events there. I learnt the craft from Jenny Pfanenstiel, who is based in Louisville, and then attended several workshops on millinery,” she adds. Nirali started the brand soon after getting married. “I was beguiling my time with millinery in Gujarat, after I got married and shifted to India, when my husband and in-laws took note of my creations. They were impressed and suggested that I started a brand. That’s how Maaneh Millinery was born,” she recollects. Stating that Maaneh translates to respect, honour, esteem and regard in Sanskrit, she associates the term with the feeling a hat could evoke. “It’s like a crown,” she says.

Crafting techniques

Shilpa could not agree more. “I have always been fascinated with crowns that our gods wear. That was the sub-conscious idea that sparked my curiosity about headgear. There’s this unsaid power in a head dress. I studied fashion, but I always struggled with seasons, rules, tailors. I am a more hands-on handicrafts person. Millinery is my canvas, where I can tell whatever story I want,” she says.

Shilpa tells her stories though hats using unconventional materials, from bangles to paper cones and rubber-slipper thongs to Plexiglas
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Shilpa does tell her stories through hats using unconventional material, from bangles to paper cones and rubber-slipper thongs to Plexiglas. “I sometimes use seven to eight different techniques and it requires knowhow of structural and architectural elements associated with millinery. These techniques include laser cutting, laser soldering, sometimes pieces are constructed with hot glue or held together with just wires. Millinery is like embroidery in the air,” she shares. Shilpa comes armed with a solid training in millinery, which she studied at Central Saint Martins, London, under the Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarship by the British Council and later interned with ace milliner Philip Treacy. Her biggest takeaway: “Always turn the hat upside down and see what it looks like from the inside. Also, how well does the hat balance.” She adds that the only reason she accepts an order on millinery is if she is convinced that it is creatively enhancing, challenging.

Namrata Lodha, founder and head designer of Myaraa, a five-year-old luxury hat brand of India
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Most milliners are particular about the headgear’s base fabric. Namrata Lodha, founder and head designer of Myaraa, a five-year-old luxury hat brand of India, gravitates towards natural, breathable options. “We like raffia and wheat straw because they’re light, summery, and luxurious. When we’re looking for something with more structure and a timeless feel, we turn to vegan felt. If I had to choose a favourite, it would be straw,” says Namrata, who was initiated into hat making by a propitious vacation in America. “I was visiting my son, who was planning a trip to the Bahamas with his wife. They had picked up a few hats for the vacation, and I asked them if I could embroider their names onto the hats. Later, their friends started asking if I could make some for them too. That’s how Myaraa came into being.”

Tuft Hat by Myaraa 
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The brand makes all its hats in India, in Harda, Madhya Pradesh. “Our production is seasonal. We wait for the wheat harvest to finish so we can use fresh straw. It’s a very organic process, rooted in the rhythms of the land. When I started Myaraa, I wanted to build more than just a brand; I wanted to create opportunities. So, I trained women from my town, many of whom had never done craft work before, and today they are the skilled artisans behind every piece. It’s a small, close-knit setup, but there’s so much heart that goes into every hat we create,” she adds.

The hatter’s toolkit 

Tools used by Nirali for making intricate flowers using French and Japanese techniques
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Millinery is both, time-consuming and dexterous. Shilpa and Nirali confess to having spent days, sometimes even weeks to make just one piece. “I use a lot of Indian textiles and the collections are based on Pantone pigments. Sinamay abaca fibre fabric is the base material made out of banana plant, which is my preferred choice for the base fabric. I use French floral techniques on silk, organza, velvet and leather. Also, Japanese origami fabric and paper-flower-making techniques are used for various trims, alongside intricate feather work. My recent collection of fascinators is quite floral,” explains Nirali. She also points at many fascinators that feature embellished mesh veil, with rhinestones, pearls and Swarovski. Her hats start at ₹4,000 and can go upto ₹50,000. Maaneh Millinery operates out of a workshop-cum-studio in Ahmedabad, with Nirali joined by two assistants.

Actress Huma Qureshi in a fascinator designed by Nirali’s Maaneh Millinery
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The pricing of hats often depends on its artistic value that is determined by the quality of material used, structural detailing, labour and many other factors. For Shilpa, it is the technical knowhow. “I don’t use a mould for making hats, like most milliners, as I find it too restrictive. But I love experimenting with new materials, from plastic toys to mirrors and Swarovski. I work from home and with just two or three assistants,” she says. Her creations are priced above ₹10,000.

Shilpa is known to have created headgear for collection campaigns of ace fashion designers, like Sabyasachi, Boudicca, Tarun Tahiliani, Varun Bahl, Manish Arora, Manish Malhotra, and Wendell Rodricks. Myaraa is not far behind. Last year, Namrata’s brand teamed up with fashion designer Payal Singal for The Blossom Collection of hats. “Each hat in this collection is a celebration of summer with floral embellishments, eco-friendly materials,” informs Namrata. A few years ago, Myaraa had teamed up with Kate Stoltz, a New York-based designer. The brand’s hats are priced between ₹1,999 and ₹11,799.

Fashion designer-cum-milliner

It should be interesting to note that while top milliners, like Stephen Jones and Philip Treacy, made hats for fashion designers and significant pop culture icons, many prominent fashion designers too became famous for their hat designs. The list includes Coco Chanel, Christian Dior and Lilly Daché. In India too, some fashion designers have taken to millinery — from Delna Poonawalla, Nitin Bal Chauhan and Nida Mahmood to Kunal Rawal and Ritu Beri. We spoke to Delhi-based couturier Urvashi Kaur, whose recent collection ShinSei showcases bucket hats made from scrap fabric. “The hats are not knitted; they’re constructed using textile waste through patchwork technique. Each piece is reversible, and some include thread embroidery. We developed unique patchwork layouts that allowed us to use even the smallest kathran (fabric remnants) from the studio floor,” says Urvashi. The hats range from ₹3,500 to ₹6,800.

Fashion designer Urvashi Kaur’s recent collection ShinSei showcases bucket hats made from scrap fabric
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Many Indian apparel-and-accessory brands have also started adding hats to their business verticals. You may find hats by Next, Chokore, which sells all kinds of accessories from bags to shoes, Odette, which recently ventured into millinery, or One Less, which, like Myaraa, is also romancing raffia. Its founder Hansika Chhabria, who started One Less in 2021, has introduced a range of raffia hats.

Raffia hat by One Less
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“Made from segments of raffia palm trees, raffia is sourced from Madagascar. The fibre became popular in 2022 and it is here to stay. We included hats in our brand in 2023 and have only crafted them from either organic cotton or raffia because One Less promotes sustainable fashion and is committed to minimising environmental impact,” says Hansika.

While sustainability appeals to Hansika, Mamta Roy, founder of Odette, pivots on variety. The brand offers sun hats, bucket hats, wide-brimmed hats, berets, cloche hats, classic pillbox hats and fascinators starting at ₹960. “Our hat-making process combines both traditional and contemporary techniques to create unique and exquisite pieces. We use hand-blocking to shape the hats, followed by stitching and embroidery to add intricate details. There’s appliqué work and beading too,” says Mamta, of her five-year-old brand.

Odette offers sun hats, bucket hats, wide-brimmed hats, berets, cloche hats, classic pillbox hats and fascinators 
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Shilpa has not launched a new collection since 2018, and is now mixing millinery with filmmaking. Namrata and Nirali have no such plans. “We’ve seen about a 30% to 35% increase in sales year-on-year, especially as people travel more and experiment with personal style,” says Namrata. Maaneh Millinery too has recorded a 20% rise in sales. “The biggest challenge for a milliner in India is changing perceptions. Hats haven’t been part of everyday modern fashion here, most people see them as something just for vacations or weddings. Educating the market and making hats feel relevant to Indian lifestyles has taken time,” says Namrata about the challenges that milliners like her have weathered to paint the landscape of India’s fashion industry with vibrant hues.

Anuparna Roy, winner of the Orizzonti Best Director award at the 82nd Venice Film Festival for Songs of Forgotten Trees, a 77-minute film drenched in memories of times past and friends lost, is in august company. She is only the fifth director from the subcontinent, after Satyajit Ray (Golden Lion, Aparajito, 1957), Buddhadeb Dasgupta (Special Director Award, Uttara, 2000), Mira Nair (Golden Lion, Monsoon Wedding, 2001), and Chaitanya Tamhane (Orizzonti Best Film, Court, 2014), to bring home a trophy from the world’s oldest film festival.

Has the world of the girl from West Bengal’s Purulia district changed overnight? “It has,” she says. “The award places great responsibility on my shoulders. Every step I take from here on will be watched. I am a bit nervous, but also excited.” Roy says the validation for her film from the audience in Venice was extremely encouraging. “It was great to see the film resonate, cutting across geographical, cultural and linguistic barriers. It was particularly special because it is my first film.”

A still from Songs of Forgotten Trees

Backed by 7 men

The director, who has just stepped into her 30s, is one of several Indian women who have, of late, broken into the international film circuit, with a few going on to bag major awards. Roy has joined a small but exclusive club of Indian filmmakers — Payal Kapadia, who has triumphed twice at Cannes (the Golden Eye for A Night of Knowing Nothing, 2021, and the Grand Prix for All We Imagine as Light, 2024), Shuchi Talati (Sundance 2024 Audience Award for Girls Will Be Girls), Varsha Bharath (Rotterdam 2025 NETPAC Award for Bad Girl), and Diwa Shah (San Sebastián 2023 Kutxabank New Directors Award for Bahadur – The Brave).

Interestingly, two of these feted titles have had the backing of filmmakers known for their adrenaline-fuelled, hyper-masculine films. Anurag Kashyap is a presenter for Songs of Forgotten Trees, while Vetri Maaran has produced the Tamil IFFR title Bad Girl. Roy views this in a positive light. “All seven producers of my film are men,” she says. “Ranjan Singh, who has been backing unconventional stories for a decade now, was with Songs of Forgotten Trees from the very beginning. He gave me a free hand. ‘It is a personal film, and you do what you feel is right,’ he told me.”

Romil Mod, Anuparna Roy, Bibhanshu Rai, Sumi Baghel and guests at the Venice Film Festival 

It was Singh who brought Kashyap on board, says Roy. Each of the other producers — Romil Mody, involved with films like All We Imagine as Light and Laapata Ladies; Navin Shetty; Sharib Khan; Vikas Kumar; and Bibhanshu Rai, a friend who has been with her since her short film Run to the River (2023) — has been a huge support, she adds.

After hours of an IT professional

The English literature graduate from Burdwan University’s Kulti Government College arrived in Mumbai at the end of 2021, armed with a corporate job after an aborted shot at a mass communications degree. “I erroneously thought mass communication would have something to do with filmmaking,” she says.

Roy started writing Songs of Forgotten Trees in early 2022. “Since I now had a job in Mumbai, I knew I would get an apartment. The moment I found the right one, I decided to make the film. It took us a year to figure out if it would be feasible to shoot in the residential society. We began filming at the end of 2023.”

Shot secretly inside the apartment, the film revolves around an aspiring actor Thooya (Naaz Shaikh, who has been Roy’s close friend of about six years), who does sex work to pay her bills. Thooya sublets the flat — which belongs to her “sugar daddy,” who is also her main client — to an IT sales executive, Shweta (Sumi Baghel). In a story exploring themes of remembering and forgetting, alienation and assertion, the two women develop a bond that helps them shut out the noise around them.

Songs of Forgotten Trees was shot covertly inside the apartmentwhile Roy worked as an IT professional during the day

The two migrant women barely speak, but their relationship is cemented not only by the space they share but also by their gradual understanding of each other’s inner thoughts, compulsions, and misgivings as they begin to surface. “We had a workshop for three months. The three of us lived in the apartment to understand the complexities of the characters and of new-age relationships,” says Roy.

Threaded with personal stories

“The essence was to bring out the memory of Jhuma Nath, my very first childhood friend,” she explains. “My father did not like my friendship with her because she was Dalit. I was in class V when Jhuma got married at 13 and then vanished forever. That sense of loss stayed with me. That is reflected in the film.”

The song in the film is a lullaby that Naaz’s mother used to sing to her. It was incorporated as an aural leitmotif (short, recurring musical phrase tied to a particular person, place, or idea). “It is associated with the good memories of her mother that the character played by Naaz wants to reconnect with,” says Roy. “A lot of Purulia will always be inside me. I still talk in my own language, which is very different from the Bangla spoken by elite Bengalis.”

Anuparna Roy

She never misses an opportunity to visit her native place. “I make sure I go to my maternal grandmother’s home. The house is still there, but nobody lives there anymore. I see the poverty around there. People around Noapara are still a suppressed lot. They are tribals deprived of a great deal,” she says.

Roy plans to make a film set in British-era Bengal that will talk about the real people of the area. “I know my film will not change their lives or liberate them from the bane of casteism, but I still want to make it,” she says. “It will be about something that diverges from general notions of nationalism and freedom, and look at their lives through an alternative prism.”

The two migrant women barely speak, but their relationship is cemented by their gradual understanding of each other’s inner thoughts

Lessons from James Joyce

It was not so much cinema as literature that sowed in her the seeds of desire to tell stories and make films. “James Joyce’s abstract works, especially Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man, inspired me,” says Roy. “I did not understand everything back then. So, I read and re-read to get a real sense of what Joyce was doing. I read The Dubliners and all his other books more than once. They left a lasting impression on me.”

Roy is now working on another Mumbai-set film that will be nothing like Songs of Forgotten Trees. “It will be fast-paced, moody, quirky, and about people on the city’s margins. It will be an experiment,” she says.    

The writer is a New Delhi-based film critic.