A Story from hell

That was what kept me busy 22 days of this month. A cover story which showed that without contacts, it's impossible to survive the fourth estate, without pressing the right buttons you cannot reach the right people and without tantrums no film-star (in whichever wood they might be)ever functions! I was supposed to do the cover story for the December issue (Annual issue, double work,same pay) which required me to interview 12 of the hottest young Tollywood (Telugu movie Industry) stars. It was supposed to be 12, brought down to 8 and finally finished at 11! The problem with doing a celebrity interview is that you have to move that through their PR's or secretaries which is as amusing as spending a week in any ghetto. Calls, circuitous routes, excuses and tantrums are simply a given, and for some one like me who has always shied away from the very thing, it was a drastic learning experience. Everybody wants to be on the cover and I gatecrashed a party and turned up at another's house to get my work done. Some of them were very sweet- Genelia was extremely professional, friendly and much like her onscreen persona, bubbly. Siddarth (of Rang De Basanti fame)was rude, obnoxious and nasty. Ileana (making her Hindi debut shortly with Ranbir) was tantrum Queen personified and I sincerely hope that her new movie tanks! The others were a mixed bunch, one of them actually offered his Porsche for a drive when I gazed at it in obvious admiration, such is the filmi world- sometimes reel, sometimes real but all the time a trifle removed from reality.

Watched Guzaarish and loved loved the movie, the music and pretty much else but Ash (thank God, there was no Rani Mukherjee). The ending was so touching and believable. Yes, Bhansali is loud but brother we knew it a decade back with Khamoshi itself!

November was a horrid horrible month, thank God it's done with.