Belle of the Management Ball....

I am still recovering from the strobe effects of the super glam Hello! Awards,aptly titled 'The Hall of Fame.' It's in its second edition this year, and the team was wondering whether or not it was possible to top the razzle -dazzle of Year One. Well, tough as it sounds, they did it! Despite the lack of grace and co-operation from The Trident Hotel where this high profile event was held. "Never again!" I overheard the Hello! team muttering after they were denied a meal, post-event! Besides these sort of hiccups, the show went on splendidly, with everyone from a Mukesh Ambani to an SRK turning up and participating with gusto. I enjoyed myself thoroughly.... but am seriously worried. What happens next year?? Watch this space!
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This appeared in The Week recently...

Belle of the Management Ball…

Recently, at an intense workshop for high powered female managers from across India , I was initially startled and then vastly amused by a particular response. I had posed this ‘simple’ question – ‘Who am I?” to the group, which was made up of forty, fiercely determined high achievers. Most of the ladies who had volunteered to share their answers, stuck to predictable statements such as, “I am a mother, a wife…a daughter…” and little beyond that. The clichés kept coming. A few variations were clearly aimed at impressing the bosses who were present, “ I am a leader… a great motivator…” Finally, one woman got up and announced defiantly, “I am a thief, a cheat and a liar.” Suddenly, every person in the room woke up and was on red alert. What? Was this woman totally crazy? Did she not care about her job and the poor impression she was creating? She had obviously anticipated just such a reaction. Calmly, she explained what she meant: “ I cheat on my husband by feigning interest in his conversation at the end of a long day, when all I want to do is put my feet up and relax. I lie to my bosses and pretend to be sick when I want to spend time with my baby daughter. And I call myself a thief for stealing time which does not belong to me to pursue my personal interests during work hours.” After the shock value of her opening remarks had died down, and the real import of her words sank in, all the women present – her colleagues and competitors,started clapping and cheering enthusiastically. She was the undisputed belle of the ball. Why? She was the one person who had spoken the truth. And given the tense ambience, that took a lot of guts.
I talk to professional women’s groups quite a lot, and the one commonality that often disturbs me is the lack of humour and the absence of poetry in their lives. Most of these women give the impression of being too uptight and wound up. Yes, they make a lot of money. But look at the irony of their situation – they have zero time to enjoy it! Yes, they get married, produce a child or two. But again, by the time they get home after putting in a twelve hour day at a soulless, impersonal work station, they are too exhausted to laugh, hug, chat or cuddle. The high pressure in the office robs them of any joy… worse, it completely depletes their energy levels. Often they are dealing with demanding clients from different parts of the world, functioning in time zones that are crazy for us in India. There are goals and targets that have to be met. Performance reviews that entail deep scrutiny. There is always the threat of an aggressive rival ready to displace the person and move into that vacated chair. Combine that with the so-called team spirit that has to be strictly adhered to even if you harbour murderous thoughts about the rest…. ooooof! Is it really worth it? What about an early burn out? And to get down to basics – what about a healthy sex life? These are women in their prime. And making love is a luxury they can’t afford! Tragic! I boldly asked them if they made the time for sex in their young marriages. Most shook their heads and sighed philosophically. One of them shrugged, “Who cares? What use are husbands these days?” This was getting sadder and sadder.
At the end of my session, as I was walking out with the bright, ambitious supervisors who were pretty pleased about the response to the workshop,I asked one of them if they had a recreational facility in that vast, green and cheerful complex. A facility where these stressed out ladies could relax a bit, enjoy a foot massage, get their hair and nails done, feel a bit pampered, listen to music, enjoy art, flip through magazines and books, maybe catch up on a movie. The answer was a flat ‘no’. But all you have here is an army of trained worker ants , I pointed out. I barely spotted a genuine smile or even a cheerful face. The women looked tense, preoccupied and miserable. How can they be productive if they are so robotic? The supervisors exchanged meaningful looks and answered mysteriously, “We have our own ways to keep them motivated. Our subsidized cafeteria has the best chefs in town. We feed them well!”
Gulp. That was my food for thought. Sorry to say, I could barely digest it.

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The 5 Crore Man....

A big hug to our Blogdost, Harish Iyer (Aham) who has won the ndtv Zindagi Live Award for Social Service!! Applause! Applause! He richly deserves it! And one more hug for another Blogdost Aparna Velankar for conducting a superb 'In Conversation' at the 25th 'Parle Katta' on saturday. It was a really special evening spent with 500 pre-dominantly Maharashtrian residents of Vile Parle. Not only was the function (held in a large garden) exceedingly well organised, but the thoughtful snacks served ( delicious sabudana khichdi,spicy batata wada with sweet chutney and elaichi flavoured, home brewed coffee) rounded off an ideas-charged evening, made still more special thanks to a fragrant tokri of Champak blossoms given to me and Aparna. Wish more people would offer local seasonal flowers to guests instead of boring, commercial bouquets! Questions from the audience were challenging and lively. This is the kind of crowd nobody can fool. I was delighted to be a part of it. So, when Mark Tully ( I met him at the closing party for the just concluded Mumbai Lit Fest, aptly called Literature Live, and ably chaired by Anil Dharker) snarkily asked me whether I had accepted such an invitation in order to sell more books, I snapped back ( no regrets!) and told him where to get off. Really!Such a crass question!
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This appeared in Bombay Times today...

The Five Crore Man..

Sushil Kumar from Bihar has joined the ranks of the ‘most-recognised’ celebrities in India after winning 5 crores on Amitabh Bachchan’s KBC. Excellent timing ( Diwali ) and superb marketing have propelled the young man from a life of total obscurity to an entirely different world under the spotlight. So far, Sushil Kumar remains delightfully underwhelmed by the attention and the moolah. I happened to share the same flight to Delhi last week, and have to confess I didn’t recognize the non-descript young man who was minding his own business and reading a Hindi newspaper. The story changed as soon as we landed. Several co-passengers gheraoed him , asking for autographs. He posed for pictures and chatted away without the slightest self-consciousness. Someone brought him over for an introduction and he disarmingly stated that since he didn’t speak any English, we’d have to converse in Hindi . He spoke sensibly and sincerely about his win, neither boasting nor underplaying its significance in his life. At the swanky New Delhi terminal, once again Sushil Kumar was enthusiastically mobbed by passengers and staff. The last I saw of him,he was in the middle of a large crowd getting clicked on several cell phones. He appeared cool and unfazed by all the attention. This is true celebrity.
Contrast Sushil Kumar’s attitude to that of nobodies parading as celebrities. Especially B- and C- grade Bollywood types who refuse to take their shades off inside the aircraft, and strut up and down the aisle strenuously trying to attract attention. It’s easy to spot these wannabes from a mile as they collar Page 3 photographers at splashy events and insist on being photographed with the Chief Guest. If a pesky kid is stupid enough to ask for an autograph, these delusional people display the worst attitude and a basic lack of good manners by playing hard to get. Quite forgetting that their 15 minutes of fame got over years ago. Perhaps a few months from now, not too many people will remember Sushil Kumar ( someone else may win 10 crores by then!). But chances are, it won’t matter to this down to earth man. He is clear about his objectives and wants to spend his win on educating his brothers and continuing his own education. Married less than six months ago, he smiles shyly when asked what he’d like to gift his wife. For now, Sushil Kumar is in a happy space, soberly enjoying his fame and good fortune . He isn’t likely to buy the latest designer shades to hide behind. Nor does one expect him to go for a fancy car. But while his moment of glory lasts, Sushil Kumar is all set to enjoy every minute of it! Good luck to the 5 Crore Man!
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Driving back from Pune recently, I had to pinch myself several times. The skyline has changed so dramatically it’s possible to believe one is in some futuristic city. Those towers! The mad architecture that mimics the best and worst of Singapore or Dubai. The gigantic shopping complexes that cover several acres! Mumbai is beginning to look like a poor cousin of Vashi and Belapur! Some irony, that!
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Happy Birthday Bombay Times! Those who made it to the Anniversary Mad Hatter’s Party confirm they had an absolute blast. Nothing less was expected. Get ready to devour Page 3 to Page 20 crammed with wall-to-wall coverage of the event that saw the city’s Most Terrific at their party best.

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"Aapun Ka Party Kabh Hai?"

Irony!Irony! The famous Bombay Times Anniversary Bash coincides with the CHILDLINE party for street kids. Both will be fun. B.T. has a theme - it's a Mad Hatters' Party. But our raasta bachchas will rock theirs without special props or costumes!
As for me, I shall be at Parle Katta talking to what I have been told is a very informed and lively Maharshtrian audience. Post that function, I shall join the Lit Set at the ongoing Mumbai Lit Fest. Must say Thomas Freidman left me thanda. And I am sick to death with his 'world is flat' bilge. Go get some rest, Tom.
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This appeared in the Asian Age today...

Statues Of Liberty!
I swear I am not joking! After a vroom vroom visit to Maya-land to watch India’s virgin F1 at the world- class Buddh International Circuit (BIC), I am ready to personally carve a brand new, larger-than-lifesize statue of Mayawati and erect it at a prominent junction in Mumbai. That lady is something else! I will also request Nargis Fakhri ( the latest Bollywood hottie) to perform ‘Behenji Badnaam Hui…” at the next F1. Come on, don’t you agree Nargis is far better looking than that weirdo Gaga with her tri-colour fake hair? In any case we vastly prefer our desi girls ( even if they are only 50-50 desi).Mayawati is my Babe-of-the-moment. After pulling off that coup (F1), Mayawati’s stock has zoomed at a speed faster than Sebastian Vettel’s mean machine could rev up. Suddenly, all those snotty Formula One fans from Delhi,Mumbai and other cities, have had to suck in their breaths and say , “Wow!How did she do it? HOW?” Mind you, no matter who else was involved ( yes, Shri Jaiprakash Gaur, we know it’s you!) it was Mayawati who walked away with all the credit. And hello! nobody wants to get into the nitty gritties. A few legal eagles ,, in on the myriad contracts, whispered not everything was all that kosher and that there were several wheels within wheels and deals within deals, with a whole lot of black in the lentils.Does anybody really care? Naah!With stories galore about Mayawati’s family members allegedly getting pretty juicy prime cuts on virtually every brick and bag of cement used, nobody blinked or minded. The reaction has been cool and blasé. “ Let them also make money, yaar. But at least India delivered big time for a change. Look at what happened with CAG. Paisa khaaya aur kuch bhi nahi kiya.It was such a disgrace.” Point. We are very sweet and considerate that way. We expect our leaders to keep their family members khush. It’s a given. If Asif Zardari was known in Pakistan as Mr. Ten Percent, Mayawati’s gang falls into the Messrs.Thirty Per Cent. Jaaney do. At least Mayawati fixed the Doubting Thomases who had predicted she’d fall flat on her face with the F1 . Advantage Behenji . As anybody who made a pit stop at the Budhh Circuit will readily confirm, this was an absolute coup. And the response ( even from skeptics) has been an unconditional thumbs up. Let’s not get ethics and values into the picture. Nor the staggering cost of getting the track and infrastructure off the ground.Point is, Buddh took fans by surprise. But more importantly, it took the motor racing world’s breath away.
The most interesting aspect of attending the historic Indian F1 was the long drive to the distant venue. A drive that took people past the famous 3,000 crore park with ‘those’ statues that have generated so much criticism and scorn. I passed the park four times. At one point our car was stuck right opposite the notorious elephants , lining the gigantic Dalit Prerna Hall. The first reaction to the elephants and the imposing Stupa-style structure was very positive. The design was pleasing, aesthetic and wonderfully conceived. What had I expected? I’ll be candid and tell you – I had imagined the much-discussed park to be a totally hideous complex crammed with ugly statues. Instead, what I saw was a magnificent ground dotted with handsome monuments made out of local stone, and built in a holistic style devoid of any ostentation. Mayawati certainly got this right, as well! As to why she is ‘wasting’ so much money on those statues? Because Mayawati is smart!She has vision.What she has cleverly invested in ( the park) reflects the aspirations and hopes of Dalits. It’s a beautiful space Dalits can finally call their own. A space they have never had. Never! A space that provides a strong sense of identity…that they can feel proud of. Intuitively and instinctively, Mayawati must have known that if she wants to leave behind a worthwhile, memorable legacy for future generations to enjoy, it had to be on this scale and on these terms. Good for her.
When one looks around India ( a country obsessed by symbols of power in the form of statues), whose figures do we see? Here’s a rough check list: topping it is, of course, Mahatma Gandhi. Followed by Nehru,Netaji, Shivaji and the odd Maharaja. You my find a Jhansi Ki Rani, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Tilak, Tagore and Patel. Ambedkar stands tall in more and more cities these days. Then on to countless Indira and Rajiv Gandhi representations.Nearly every important modern landmark is named after one or the other member of the Gandhi family - the mother,son or grandfather. Airports, and other public buildings are all taken by the trio. What about Mumbai’s Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link, which should have legitimately been named after Ambedkar, who was born in Worli, where it is located…. but wasn’t? What about the acres and acres of land in Delhi devoted to various ‘sthals’? How come nobody finds all of this ‘wasteful, extravagant, meaningless’? Mayawati is no fool. It is all about those numbers. She is looking ahead at the Big Picture, and what she’s seeing is obviously good. She is not waiting for anyone to erect her statues… she’s doing the job herself. She is shrewd enough to realize the power of the statue-politics. The more you erect, the stronger the positioning . Why wait till you are dead and gone for followers to get those statues up? Like Saddam Hussein or Col. Gaddafi, Mayawati is assiduously building her own personality cult. Let’s just hope her statues don’t suffer the same fate as theirs did . Till then, let Mayawati bask in and enjoy her international fame posing with the handsome young F1 champions.She’s finally in the fast track… who can stop her now??

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Ra.None??? Tan tana... the promised review!

Blogdosts, let's get a few things straight - the movie has made money. Does personal opinion really matter?? Naaaaaaah!
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This appeared in Bombay Times today....

What were you thinking, SRK?

When a hotelier scouts around for a new property, he keeps just one mantra in mind : Location.Location. Location. This is the only formula that works in that line of business. Similarly, when a film maker decides to make a movie, the only mantra worth following is : Script.Script.Script. After sitting through half of Ra.One ( I rarely leave a movie mid-way, but this one propelled me out of the multiplex at intermission), I was totally perplexed! SRK is one of the smartest, most hard working human beings in the film industry. How did he go so wrong? Could he not see the obvious flaws? Judge the mood of his audience? Tweak and fix all that was cringe- making and deeply embarrassing about his magnum opus? And let’s not get into the numbers game here and talk about how much it has raked in and how much more will be made once the hisaab kitaab is completed? There was much, much more riding on this film, than just box office collections. SRK knows that, too. His singular lack of judgment in backing such a mish mash of a movie makes fans gnash their teeth in frustration and ask what has happened to their superhero?Not only is the whole nerdy South Indian ‘Appa’ angle completely off ( come on, how many South Indian men shovel noodles with dahi into their mouths and keep repeating ‘Aiyooo’ in a fake accent?). But so was the Punjabi Kudi Kareena as a gaali researcher North Indian biwi! Bebo as the mother of a precocious pre-teen ‘Baba’? No way! The opening scene was so gauche and amateurish one almost expected a ‘Mogambo Khush Hua’, dialogue during what was meant to be a hi-tech, state of the art presentation in London. And why was SRK the Southie scientist wearing a gollywog wig and make up? How insulting! As for that dreadful sexist scene of SRK looking for keys buried inside a white woman’s cleavage , really! Gross.
The little boy (Amaan Verma) playing Prateek should immediately sign up for a range of hair products, with that glossy mop. And SRK should go off on a relaxing vacation. He has really earned it. Never has a movie star flogged himself this hard to promote a film. If only he had invested half that energy rewriting the awful script, the movie could have been salvaged somewhat. There were so many unconnected parallel tracks going on, it was confusing and annoying…. like watching half-a-dozen movies clumsily spliced together by an editor high on something very potent. Such a pity, given the potentially sound basic premise ( a father dying to be his son’s hero). But even that was ruined by the ridiculous mugging scene. Besides, if there is a moral in all this it is that special effects are no substitutes for a story. Ra.One is an example of how to blow up several millions – literally speaking – on so little.If kids are the target audience, wouldn’t they prefer to buy the latest video game with a more convincing plot? Poor SRK.It’s all about timing. So much déjà vu is bad for business.Had audiences not watched Rajnikanth as Chitti in ‘Robot’ (superb and similar special effects, plus an emotional track) and related to that character, Ra.One may not have received such a drubbing. Unfortunately, even young fans ended up saying, “Been there.Done that.”

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Mayawati in fifth gear!

Maanana padega - Behenji delivers! What a track! And what a race! I have been to quite a few international F1 circuits since my husband is an F1 fanatic. But the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in Mayaland took my breath away.True confession: I went as a sceptic and was braced for disasters, big and small. But the two days spent in Noida were absolute eyeopeners. And I am not talking about just the Formula One event. Whether Mayawati ( India's original bag lady) or her brother make 30% on every deal cleared in her state is not relevant for now. Show me one neta who is 'clean' and I'll show you a miracle.Everybody takes cuts on everything - directly or through relatives. But not everybody delivers. Mayawati delivered big time. And going by all the massive projects coming up on both sides of the superb expressway, Noida is the place to invest in. As a real estate tycoon I met at a post-F1 party boasted, "I have already trebled my investment." I went gaga at the sight of Mayawati (you can keep your Lady!)! Vettel received his magnificent silver cup from our Behenji, but refrained from spraying her with the celebratory champagne. So impressed am I with Mayawati, I shall propose erecting her statues all over India... with or without the famous handbag!
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This appeared in the Sunday Times, before the race.

Vroom Vroom – Force India Vs. Farce India

It’s back to the same old, sadela story : Why Formula One ? Which India are we living in? The argument remains a constant. It’s the peg that changes.This time the peg is Formula One. Voices raised against the Indian debut of the world’s most exciting motor sports’ event are asking, “Do we need such a sport in a country that cannot offer potable drinking water to its citizens?” The answer is obvious : No. We don’t need Formula One in India. The operative word being ‘need’. Extend that to other sports and what do you get? Exactly the same answer. Do we ‘need’ cricket, tennis, badminton,hockey,football, weight lifting,archery? Can we really afford to spend millions on creating infrastructure to host international competitions?What about our pathetic track record?Have we forgotten the CAG debacle already? Why are we screwing up our priorities? Who cares a damn about those speed demons racing around a 5.137km long track at insane speeds? Why are we backing a race that only attracts the elite? How many people in India even own cars? What happens to the swanky Buddh International Circuit at Noida once the race finishes? What’s in it for us?? Valid questions. But we could pose exactly the same queries when it comes to any desi khel and khiladi. So, let’s drop it.
We have become experts at self-flagellation. And we happily allow ourselves to be flogged in public by anybody with an opinion. A lot of negative stories have appeared in the foreign press about the ‘inappropriateness’ of it all. It is either an ‘How dare India break into this prestigious circuit?”, or a snigger- snigger, “ Oh well…. the natives are restless again,” reaction. Most of the reportage has focused on the obvious contradictions and contrasts, and have been written by people assuming a lofty, judgmental tone. It’s the familiar ‘ Bechara India Story’ getting rehashed for the umpteenth time. The point being missed is this : It is not what Formula One can do for India.Rather, it is what India can do for Formula One. Let’s get that straight. India has the upper hand in this game. We have the numbers. And we have the dosh. At a time when Europe is reeling and facing one of its worst financial crises, India is the obvious destination to tap. And the canny man who runs Formula One like an old fashioned despot – Bernie Ecclestone – knows that. European circuits have been done to death. And even die hard fans are slightly bored. The last time Formula One was seen as sexy was when Singapore introduced the night race, with a circuit that snaked through the island state. Singaporean authorities were smart enough to extract their pound of flesh from the deal . F1 turned out to be a win-win situation for the hosts and for Bernie. The sponsors were left in a happy space , too, and got back more than they’d bargained for, given the high visibility generated by the event. Singapore tourism received a big, fat boost and everybody went home grinning. How India leverages this opportunity to its best advantage, depends on us. Let those foreign journos trash India for staging this extravaganza. Let a few countries issue travel advisories telling their folks to stay away. The truth of the matter is, F1 bosses know precisely why they are here – to make money. More money. F1 has been languishing for a while in its old avatar. No superheroes have emerged after Michael Schumacher retired ( and then ‘un’-retired). Much was expected from the wonderboy,Lewis Hamilton, who failed to deliver. And the new-ish kid on the block,Sebastian Vettel may be a devil with his hot wheels, but lacks charisma. Besides, all eyes will be on his team mate Mark Webber ( the Grand Prix Championship works on a complicated formula ) who is expected to bag the top slot at Buddh. That leaves our boy Narain Karthikeyan racing in front of a home crowd. Besides, strange bedfellows, Vijay Mallya and Subroto Roy, who have combined forces for their rechristened team which features Adrian Sutil and Paul di Resta.
Who will make it to the podium? Will the Buddh International Circuit throw up a brand new star… not an F1 race driver, mind you, but India? Will we be able to pull it off with the required panache and prove critics wrong? We have beaten Russia to it ( the Sochi Circuit built at a cost of 987.3 crores will be ready in 2014). And experts say, the Buddh track with 16 corners, 60 laps and an expected speed of 315kph, is one of he best in the world. But as we all know, F1 isn’t just about speed.Or cars. It’s a turbo-charged entertainment package.This one comes with Lady Gaga. It rocks!
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I haven't forgotten - Ra.One review tomorrow...

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Padwa Greetings!

I am debating whether or not to inaugurate my traditional Maharashtrian 'nath' today. It is calling out to me. But I think not!I mean, how would it look for me to wear it to Inox for a 'Ra.One' screening? Yup. That's my Padwa entertainment. Am hoping we will be 'entertained' over those two and more hours. The reviews have been consistently discouraging. Not that I base my response on reviews. I invariably like films that most reviewers savage. So, I'm going to watch SRK's magnum opus with an open mind.... and a generous heart. The popcorn had better be bloody good tonight. More on the most discussed \trashed movie after I watch it.
Right now, I am holding the handsome 'Deep-utsav' issue of Lokmat in my hands and feeling really proud of it. I worked with a fantastic, dedicated editorial team... and as Guest Editor, what more can one ask for but bright,receptive team members willing to go flat out and ensure the final product is amazing! The theme I picked was 'Power' , but not in the conventional understanding of the term. For example, I got Nita Ambani to discuss the power of a surname... and she did so in a candid fashion. Similarly, Amitabh Bachchan has spoken on the power of 'samskaar' and family ties. While Maharashtrian intellectuals and thinkers from Kumar Ketkar, Arun Tikekar and others have explored the many aspects of power... small town power, for example.Then there is the power of words ( Javed Akhtar ), the power of sensuality ( Vidya Balan ), the power of progressive thinking (Ramchandra Guha), the power of beauty ( Kareena Kapoor ),oh... it was challenging, exhilerating and exciting going back to my first love - editing! The Lokmat issue has been a sell out and is now in its third print run. So much for the power of Power!
Tonight is Padwa - or 'Husband's Day'. It is the Maharashtrian version of Kadwa Chauth, but mercifully, without the fasting - our focus, sensibly enough, is on feasting. This year I have experimented wildly with mixed flavours and come up with my own combos - top of the list is crumbled macaroons over spicy Kolhapuri Chivda made out of corn flakes! Bizarre? You bet! But YUMMMMYYYY! Try it! I dare you!!

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Love and Light this Diwali...

This appeared in B.T. yesterday....Diwali is quieter this year. More sober, too. As for me, I am very happy with my Krishna Padam (Amprapali). I wore them around my neck last night and felt strangely,sublimely at peace. Lots of diyas and flowers at home. Fragrant agarbattis and delicious 'faral' ( bakar wadis with coffee... what a combo!).
Tomorrow is Padwa. This evening's Laxmi Pujan will be very special - our first with Anansuya Devi - our ghar ki Laxmi!
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Let there be light… but less noise…

Happy Diwali, BT readers! All set? Taash-vaash? Kapda-shapda?Mithai-withai? Good, good,good. Enjoy it while it lasts – the euphoria during the festive season, I mean. It was obvious from the gifting-shifting this year that the insane prices of silver seriously inhibited even the most generous hamperwallas, who were reduced to sending wonderfully packaged nuts and choccies( not the same thing as chandi-sona). And of course, the very welcome and exquisite CPAA ‘Saloni’ diyaas that lit up so many homes every year (plus, help a worthy cause). Gold prices went through the roof as well, and perhaps for the first time in the history of the metal, platinum dipped and was cheaper than white gold! The brief buoyancy in the markets is misleading, so don’t get fooled by it for a minute! Given the dismal news from European economies, chances are, India will soon be adversely impacted as well. If I am sounding like Montek Singh Ahluwalia giving an expert’s economic view on the current situation, let me just say I met a whole bunch of really, really smart bankers at Uday and Pallavi Kotak’s spectacular Diwali party. Of course, it was exceedingly hard to concentrate on their analyses and forecasts, with all that razzle dazzle floating around. Any foreigner sticking his or her neck into the Crystal Room that night, would have believed it was a royal function hosted by a Maharajah given the jewellery on parade ( Kya emeralds! Kya rubies! Kya diamonds!). In a way, the person would have been right. Our successful money men are the new Maharajas. That night they were all there in full force, given the collective net worth of the people assembled in the aesthetically decorated ballroom. Shall we peg it at a few billion ?
Perhaps Shekhar and Neelam Gupta’s Diwali Party in Delhi this week will have the requisite Neta Power… but hello! In Mumbai , we look out for the glam wattage! Come on guys, be honest. Would you rather gawk at a gorgeous Kangana in a slinky gown…. or a Chidambaram in a starched ‘mundu’? I guess that pretty much says it all about the difference between Mumbai and Dilli!
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I just love Farah Khan ( the talented movie director) for being upfront , cheeky and honest. Who doesn’t like receiving ( and ahem, re-cycling) Diwali gifts? Farah sent out a straightforward sms ( I smiled when I got it) stating clearly that all Diwali gifts should be sent to her new address! Practical pointer… and I really don’t know what recipients are getting all huffy about! Why would any sensible, successful woman want pricey gifts to go to someone else?
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But this Diwali greeting goes out to Rockstar Ranbir Kapoor for his honesty. First, he clarifies he is single and not a ‘horny rabbit’ (which may be good or bad news for his countless female fans). Then he gets candid about the stormy relationship between his parents , Rishi and Neetu Kapoor, during his formative years. It is a pretty grim picture he paints. Most Bollywood types, the Kapoors in particular, have gone to great lengths to perpetuate the myth of perfect marital bliss ( come on… Raj Kapoor??). By going public about his trauma as his parents battled it out, Ranbir proves he is so today! He deserves his success ( he is hugely talented). But he deserves our praise for being completely transparent and telling it like it is …. or was.

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