Prashant Somosundram needed a break. It was 2018, and at 39, his major entrepreneurial achievement was having founded Artistry, a gallery, cafe and community space on the edge of Kampong Glam. From its inception in 2012, Artistry was beloved by artists, activists and writers, and hosted a melange of activities weekly, from spoken word performances showcasing unheralded poets, to out-of-classroom jams for Kazakh Masters students at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

Prashant had also started double-hatting as event organiser and food operator at The Projector, an indie cinema in Golden Mile Tower. Only four years old, its old-world seats, dramatic inclines and arthouse-offbeat curation had earned it a cult following among silver screen romantics and those whose cultural palates were allergic to Marvel. Karen and Sharon Tan, the sisters who founded The Projector (along with Blaise Trigg-Smith), had seen Prashant’s work at Artistry, and asked if he’d like to operate the Golden Bar (later Intermission Bar) as a tenant. Karen described him to me as “...a kindred spirit that actually knows how to get shit done.”