Looking at a Starry Future

In an industry we know to be particulary obsessed with fotune-tellers, tarot card reader Avi serves as tarot guru to the Big B, Kareena and Karisma Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, Akshaye Khanna, Salman Khan, Amrita Arora, Shahid Kapoor and Tanushree Dutta among others.

His initiation into the world of tarot happened by a quirk of fate. Three years ago, Avi went book shopping, glanced at a tarot book and picked it up on a hunch. 8220;I know it sounds filmi,8221; he says sheepishly, 8220;but I picked up the book and felt a connection. Then, I picked up tarot cards and I could visualise different things, as if each card had something to tell me,8221; he says. Since he didn8217;t want to limit his 8220;connection8221; to only tarot, Avi read up on astrology. Avi claims to be guided by divine intervention. 8220;I dreamt of Power of Light that showed me how I can help people and also nourish my own soul.8221; A believer of Maa Vaishno Devi, Avi began tying Mata8217;s red Jai Mata Di chunni to his cards. He even keeps his cards in the temple. 8220;Seventy per cent of tarot is intuition and magic, only 30 per cent are the cards. Before a session, I shut my eyes and when I see Mata, I start reading,8221; he says. Well, Mata must really be on his side because all those who seek his guidance swear by his accuracy. Says Johar: 8220;Avi has good energy and always exudes positivity. His look into the future is admirable.8221; Priyanka Chopra claims to have consulted Avi 8220;hundred million times.8221; Bollywood denizens largely call on him to address professional questions. Queries range from whether to sign a particular film to how to make the second half of the script better. He forecasted Vidya Balan8217;s path to glory without even meeting her. He even predicted that Aishwarya Rai would fall in love again and that 8220;this time her life will change with it.8221;

Avi says he8217;ll give it all up the day he doesn8217;t feel his deity8217;s presence. 8220;One bad reading and I8217;ll stop,8221; he says. Before that, maybe Aamir Khan could make an appointment. Though he8217;s unwilling to divulge the content, Avi has a message for him. 8220;I can make his path more interesting,8221; he winks. Is Mr Khan reading this?

What do the stars predict?

So you think we8217;re going to let Avi walk away so easily? No way. What8217;s a tarot expert without predictions? We asked him to put his neck on the line and foretell the fate of these soon-to-be released Bollywood bonanzas.

Don The business of this Shah Rukh Khan starrer will be best overseas. In India, it will pick up from the second show. Don won8217;t be a Krrish but it will be appreciated.

Jaan-E-Mann It will open very big. It will be a musical hit. Though both Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar will benefit, Jaan-E-Mann will prove to be Preity Zinta8217;s film. She can expect lots of best actress nominations for it.

Umrao jaan The Aishwarya Rai starrer will have a decent opening at the box office. But the talking point of the film will be the vastly improved chemistry between Ash and Abhishek Bachchan. AB Jr will increase his female fan following.

Dhoom 2 This one promises to be a big film with big business. It8217;s an out and out Hrithik Roshan film. It might turn out to be the first major international success for producers, Yash Raj Films.