My experience with celebrities

Quirks are human. And so are celebrities. Here are a few I gathered on some of the glitterati I met over the years.

Actress Aishwarya Rai: 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’.

Veejay Cyrus Broacha: 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.

Cricketer Rahul Dravid: 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. He is, oh so family, who doesn’t mind getting drenched to the bone at the Rolling Stones show.

Actress Raveena Tandon: 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.

Film director Tanuja Chandra: 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.

Actor Jackie Shroff: 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. That’s Jackie, very likeable.

Actor-director Rahul Bose: You text him at 5 pm and the ‘better late than never’ dude does respond – at 3 am. Wondering what he was up to? Partying with Nafisa, of course.

Model-actor Priyanshu Chatterjee: 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.

Actress-director Pooja Bhat: 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.

Fashion photographer Prabuddha Das Gupta: He believes in pushing the envelope, even if it’s giving his next press interview he makes sure the story has a fresh way of presenting him. So when this reporter says it’s to know what’s inside the mind of Prabuddha that he readily agrees and gives you a free-wheeling interview for over two hours.

Actress Preity Zinta: She is as sprightly as they come. If she is on the phone to you, she is not sitting on a sofa like a coy pussy cat; she is hopping all over her home and office. She is such a kid. Tell her about one particular scene you liked in a film of hers, and she will go into the details with relish.

Infosys head honcho Nandan M Nilekani: He walks into a party wearing tracksuits, and is 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.

Former cricketer Javagal Srinath: 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.

Actress Suman Ranganathan: She makes a great pretence at guarding her privacy, but when you peel it open a bit, she gives in and tells you all. That’s her, as kooky as they come.

Actor/TV anchor Annu Kapur: 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.

Heart surgeon Dr Devi Prasad Shetty: 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 (earlier called Bangalore This Fortnight, our mother publication). And he is indeed one of the most disarmingly charming persons I have ever met. Exudes warmth from a mile away.

Model-actress Celina Jaitley: She loves men, and if she likes you, she will not only tell you where’s she’s staying but also invite you over. And she loves men ogling at her. But how will you know that she does? When she shows more of her healthy cleavage by leaning over to hear from you, silly.

Model Laxmi Menon: She might lose all her inhibitions (and clothes) when it comes to photo shoots with Prabuddha Das Gupta, but ask her if you could do a pub hop interview with her, and she gives you a shy smile and says no. She is a woman of few words, and more action (on the ramp and outside).

Model-actress Isha Koppikar: Ask for her email id, and she blinks. Ask again, and she gives her brother’s instead. You mail her brother, and it bounces. That’s her, electronically disabled.

Singer-actor Lucky Ali: He always seems to carry a mighty burden on his shoulder. But his warmth only de-stresses you.