Theatrical Launch of a Hospital

Airborne Disturbances • The Open Diary of a Resentful Mother

You already know that virtually all of Bollywood’s biggest names showed up for a meet-and-greet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the launch of Mukesh and Nita Ambani’s HN Hospital recently. What you’re likely unaware of is all the drama that went down among the filmi crowd on that eventful day.

For one, former BFFs Karan Johar and Kajol, who’ve been in a cold war of sorts lately, found themselves in an awkward situation when they were assigned seats side by side. The pair—that has made every effort to avoid running into each other publicly in order to save themselves the embarrassment of having to turn away without speaking to the other—was visibly uncomfortable when they discovered the seating arrangements.

But it was Karan who reportedly broke the ice by turning to his childhood friend and shrugging his shoulders while saying to her: “I guess we’re stuck!” Apparently the two of them literally kissed and made up then and there, putting an end to months of animosity.

In another incident at the same occasion, a prominent television channel baron and wife of a leading Congressman reportedly fainted and became unconscious in the crowded waiting area where the stars had been holed up before the PM showed up. Turns out Varun Dhawan quickly jumped to the rescue, laying his hands on a bottle of water and splashing it in the lady’s face, hoping to revive her.

Even as the others began rallying around her, it was Saif Ali Khan, typically unconcerned with anything or anyone other than himself, who grabbed the bottle out of Varun’s hand and proceeded to drink from it, explaining coolly, “My lips are parched from having to wait here so long.” His filmi colleagues were stunned, then amused by the actor’s sheer disregard for the drama that was unfolding before his eyes.

Airborne Disturbances

Speaking of Saif Ali Khan, the star was on a British Airways flight recently chatting away with a Sindhi lady in the first class cabin, with Rishi Kapoor seated in the row behind them.

The senior actor (and uncle of Saif’s wife, Kareena) was reportedly playing music on his iPod speaker a little too loud, and inadvertently drowning out the conversation Saif and the lady were trying to have. Not pleased, the lady asked the stewardess to request “the gentleman behind us to turn down the music”. Saif, although embarrassed at what his lady friend had done, apparently said nothing.

Within minutes, the music was turned down. But 10 minutes later the same stewardess interrupted Saif’s conversation with the lady to convey that the gentleman in the row behind them was asking for them to keep their volume down as he was trying to sleep. Ouch! That’s Rishi Kapoor for you.

The Open Diary of a Resentful Mother

A very prominent leading man’s mother has been the subject of Bollywood gossip lately, for routinely ‘forgetting’ her private diary at the homes of her friends.

If the bored housewives of leading Bollywood stars are to be believed, this stylish and mild- mannered lady, with quite the busy social life, has the bad habit of ‘accidentally’ leaving behind her diary at friends’ homes after attending kitty parties and card sessions.

The diary, allegedly filled with entries about her occasional squabbles with family members and her general frustration, is usually returned to her by the hostess the following day, but after being pored over in some detail. She invariably apologises for leaving it behind and thanks her friends for ensuring its safe delivery back to her.

There have been murmurs of domestic issues in the lady’s house for some years now. At least one marriage in that home took an ugly turn recently.

Still, the folks put up a united front in public, regularly posing with smiles for pictures and pretending to be the ultimate portrait of a happy unit.

On one occasion, the lady ‘forgot’ her diary at the home of a close friend of another family member, and its contents were promptly relayed to her understandably upset relative who was very offended that she had been playing the victim card for all and sundry.

KajolKaran JoharMukesh AmbaniNarendra Modi