Boley toh, doctor bulayun?

Sanlay Dutt has many fans in Pakistan and quite a few of them are in the Pakistan cricket team. Munnabhai MBBS, 2003’s sleeper hit, has...

Sanlay Dutt has many fans in Pakistan and quite a few of them are in the Pakistan cricket team. Munnabhai MBBS, 2003’s sleeper hit, has had a major impact across the border, so much so that leg-spinner Danish Kaneria opens each conversation with ‘‘Boley toh, tension nahin lene ka’’, complete with the Mumbai twang. Another cricketer whom the film wowed was fast bowler Shabbir Ahmed. The gentle giant largely keeps to himself, but mention the movie, and his face lights up. ‘‘That was the last film I saw, I quite enjoyed it,’’ he says. More than Sanju baba though, it was Boman Irani, playing a medical college professor, who comes in for high praise from Ahmed.

If the film lent the team a sense of humour through the dark days of Multan, maybe the DVD should make its way into the Indian cricketers’ rooms now.

The best medicine

Talking about humour, one man who never loses his is Moin Khan. Sitting out the current Test because of a groin injury, he never hesitates to share his large repertoire of jokes with any and everyone. His favourites are SMS jokes, which he receives from friends. Before sharing the latest, he quizzes, ‘‘Are you married? If not, you won’t understand this.’’ A little bit of persuasion, and Moin obligingly provides a laugh: How does a married man avoid being drowned? Simple, just by seeing his wife’s photo. No bigger danger in life, is there?!

Corny, but it gets the smiles going.

All in the family

Story continues below this ad

While on the subject of wives, I have to mention Pakistan’s Test opener Imran Farhat, who has married into a family of Test openers. Farhat’s father-in-law Mohammed Ilyas opened for Pakistan between 1963 and 1973. Before him, Ilyas’ uncle Nazar Mohammed did the honours. Mohammed’s son Mudassar Nazar kept up the family tradition before Farhat made his debut in 2001.

Ilyas, incidentally, is now a local coach and known as ‘a-quote-a-minute’ among the media. Naturally, he was watching with keen interest as Farhat made his way to his second Test ton. And when the media popped the question about the celebrations, the answer came pat: ‘‘I have spoken to my daughter, everything is set, he’s taking us out for dinner tonight.’’

So sweet. Bet they didn’t need dessert.