What's wrong with celebrities?
Nothing, they are simply human. Here are some quirks I discovered as a journalist
Quirks are human. And so are celebrities. Here are a few I gathered on some of the glitterati I met over the last two decades and counting.
Aishwarya Rai, Bollywood film actress: I ask for her email id, and she asks for mine in reply. You ask the Fuji people how much money have they set aside for their advertising campaign, and Rai interjects smilingly, ‘I don’t get all the money’.
Cyrus Broacha, TV anchor, comedian, podcaster, author: You never know when he’s serious and when he’s funny. So the way to go? Believe him. I did, and realised that what he said about his mother checking the emails for him was indeed true.
Rahul Dravid, former cricketer: He is a shy guy. I ask him for his phone number. He shyly obliges, but hastens to add that I shouldn’t give this number to anyone else. When I get someone close to him to oblige for an interview before his impending marriage, he says he will but only after tying the knot.
Raveena Tandon, Bollywood film actress: Whenever I SMS her, she thinks I am back on the trail of ‘who is the new man in her life’. And sometimes, when a topic catches our fancy, we are SMS-ing each other and before we know it, it’s over an hour of furious texting. SMS is highly addictive.
Tanuja Chandra, Bollywood film director: She is the fastest to reply to your SMS. Till date, no one has beaten her. Even if she’s in the middle of directing Juhi Chawla and Priyanshu Chatterjee, she will pause, send a quick SMS, and continue with her ‘lights, camera, action’ routine.
Jackie Shroff, Bollywood film actor: You meet him for the first time, but that doesn’t stop him from hugging you like he’s met a long lost friend. And his hug seems very warm, very genuine.
Rahul Bose, film actor: You text him at 5 pm and the ‘better late than never’ dude does respond – at 3 am.
Priyanshu Chatterjee, film actor: You SMS him and he will call you, no matter even if he’s in the middle of shooting for a film in Rajasthan or it’s the dead of night. That’s him, very direct, very personal.
Pooja Bhat, Bollywood film actress and director: She is never reachable on her cell. It’s always someone else’s. Call her when she is in the middle of shooting her film, and her father Mahesh Bhat picks up the phone, directing you to call a certain number where she is reachable. When you call that number, you realise it’s the director of the film, answering the phone. Pooja, of course, is not far from him, and you get to speak to her finally.
Preity Zinta, Bollywood film actress: She is as sprightly as they come. If she is on the phone to you, she is not sitting on a sofa; she is hopping all over her home and office. Tell her about one particular scene you liked in a film of hers, and she will go into the details with relish.
Nandan Nilekani, tech titan: He walks into a party wearing tracksuits, and is the least bothered by the unsolicited attention. Another reason why he doesn’t mingle in the crowd? He’s happy with his wife Rohini at his elbow and a drink in his hand.
Javagal Srinath, former cricketer: He is the humblest cricketer I have met. Before you stand up to greet him, he is already giving you a handshake. His honest eyes and sincere warmth break the ice faster than the first syllable uttered by him.
Annu Kapur, film and TV actor: He knows more about Islam than the average Muslim and he’s more energetic than the average 25-year-old. And his passion for music is no holds barred, and his dimples show for it.
Devi Prasad Shetty, heart surgeon: This man sure knows how to keep himself busy all of 24 hours. And despite his busy schedule, he does oblige you with a hurriedly written edit of 400 words for City Info. And he is indeed one of the most disarmingly charming persons I have ever met. Exudes warmth from a mile away.
Isha Koppikar, Bollywood film actress: Ask for her email id, and she blinks. Ask again, and she gives her brother’s instead. You mail her brother, and it bounces.
Lucky Ali, singer: He always seems to carry a mighty burden on his shoulder. But his warmth only de-stresses you.