Non-stop, party hop!

Friday night was even more maniacal as Kishin and I tied up to rise to the challenge of trying to make it to four events all in the same evening which we had committed to attend. The first was by Rashmi Uday Singh’s Gourmet Gallerie at Crosswords where she had a fantastic spread of wholesome treats to tease the most jaded palette. Poonam Dhillon, Farzana Contractor, Mrs Deora were some of the lovely ladies who graced the event. Rashmi is hugely popular, not just as a celebrity gourmand, but for the warmth and care she exudes with just elan. Rashmi and I go back a long way, and her transition from income-tax commissioner, to investigative journalist, to food queen is phenomenal.

The Elle party at Good Earth, was a chic, trendy event with the crowd slowly building up to a swell. The glamourous mom’s brigade all looking like gorgeous dolls themselves made up of Queenie Dhody, Laila Lamba, Roohi Oomerbhoy and Meera Zaveri, Sarah Eapen the stunning designer, had a collection of her cushions on display. The Sula sparkling wine kick started everyone into party mode, under the watchful eye of Rajeev Samant, the CEO of Sula. I was bitten by the urge to splurge, so I did a bit of shopping, got my hair braided, chatted with Nonita Kalra the editor of Elle (all glam in blue) and was soon joined by Sujata Assomull, the fashion head of Elle, and Julia King, President of LVMII the luxury goods giant, who has just moved to our desi shores. Her warm Aussie accent made me wish I’d taken up an offer I’d been made to make it to the Olympics.

Everyone that’s come back from "down under" can’t stop raving about the Games, more to do with the warmth of the people say I, but then does it really matter? A good time leaves an indelible mark on the human mind, which we relive as memories.

The Discovery Channel had a modest bash at Gallops the same night to celebrate the start of the new season of dinosaurs, as friends of man, versus the more menacing man-eaters of Steven Speilberg’s creation. Mr Kiran Kaushik, the soft spoken MD of Discovery, was a perfect host ensuring that everyone was well taken care of and even sportingly posing for that memento souvenir opportunity photo against the cut-outs of the giant T-Rex. Kishen and I were given little clocks with dinosaurs on them as we left, and we felt that little kick of pleasure, that an unexpected gesture of thanks brings in its wake.

My favourite channel in more ways than one is Discovery, as my son and I can both watch and learn, spending quality time and picking up information all at the same time. In the, faster-than-the-sands-of-time world we inhabit, mutual program watching is rare, but Discovery does bridge that gap. Medical Detectives is a program that has an avid following in India and I vouchsafe the statistics, as I am rivetted when it comes on air and sometimes watch the repeat too.

Otter’s Club was our last stop for the evening late though it was. As we walked into the club I met Meena Hingorani the chic director of Dianoor, the jewellery shop on Bond Street. As Meena had been away in Europe for close to five months there was a tinge of excitement and an overlapping of words, as Vishu, her husband, Kishen, Lalit Sahani and I all tried to get a word in edgeways. We ate, joked and exchanged comments on the vagaries of life, before we called it a day. On our way out to the suburbs of when we had hit particularly heavy traffic I had jocularly told Kishen I wish I had a motorcycle on the top of the car to speed me to my destination. Then have it popped back on the roof, once I had reached. It was a moment of pure fantasy woven into the realm of the `never to happen’. Imagine my surprise when as we were leaving, Vikram Shroff with his divine girlfriend Namrata Barua hopped onto his new Bullet motorcycle, said Goodbye, and zipped off into the night.

I consoled myself, saying my idea was more outre as it had the zip and zing of the motorcycle combined with the cool and comfort of a car. Spoilt for choice, never, just a little flight of fancy, the reality check is that I’d probably break my bones just trying to sit astride a motorcycle. Bite the Bullet did I hear? Next lifetime! Perhaps, as this one is taken up by more mundane activities that have me grounded in the reality of here and now.

Sundays are for lazing, and catching up with the odd chore and perhaps a gluttonous lunch, but when the Monday after is a holiday a social digress seems par for the course. Apeksha and Sumeet Chopra had a house warming along with sister Sangeeta Chopra on Sunday night. Kiwi margaritas, sushi and Terriyaki prawns gave it that bit of an edge. Lovely models wafted by ensuring a visual splurge and when I caught up with PG (Pradeep Guha) the crackjack CEO, of the Times Group, the grey cells got an outing. I conveyed to him my complete incomprehension at the negativity of some fellows writers in not just hitting at Fiza as he had produced the film, but in taking pot shots at Pradip himself.

I have known Pradip for a long time and have never heard him say anything negative about people, perhaps the state of the economy, the rising price of newsprint may have got a more intense response, but he is a champion of the under-dog and people are his forte. He took all the criticism of the film in his stride. Different strokes for different folks as they say, but I have to point out that though perplexed by the personal attacks, he was certain that he was not going to retaliate. Sure I am a fan of his but that’s because he’s a good person, and "great music, good film" or "good Music, likeable film", is not the judgement that is on call here. It is far more rudimentary. It is based on one word: ethics.

When Pradip told me that this year the Bombay Times party would be culled, thus fewer people, he added that he was going to invite some Delhi celebrities. I am sure Pradip being the gentleman he is, he doesn’t keep a hit list, but if it were me I’d make it a point to knock those nasty critics off my list one by one. Rajan, my late husband, always said the worst critics are the most frustrated of the genre, as they know they can never make the grade. Pradip and his team by taking it squarely on the jaw have proved that goodwill never dries up. It just brings you more fans both in and out of the movie theatre. After all: All the worlds a stage…