| Kylie Minogue with Akshay Kumar and Twinkle |
Akshay Kumar and Sanjay Dutt may be grooving with Kylie Minogue in a music video for their upcoming thriller Blue, but guess who is getting up close and personal with the Australian singing sensation? Television actor Ronit Roy!
Ronit has been following Kylie's every move ever since she landed at Mumbai airport last Wednesday. But no, Indian television's biggest star isn't stalking the singer-actress. Ronit's security agency Ace Security and Protection is handling Kylie's safety in India and the actor was at the airport to personally receive Kylie and drive her to her hotel in Powai.
"Kylie Minogue is a huge celebrity and her security is extremely important. This is her first trip to India and I wanted to ensure that everything went smoothly. So I received her at immigration and drove her to her hotel nearby. She is a guest in our country and it is our responsibility to look after her," Ronit tells t2 from Mumbai.
Since then, whether it is shooting for the video choreographed by Farah Khan to an A.R. Rahman tune, visiting the Akshay Kumar-Twinkle Khanna residence for lunch or shopping at any of the plush Mumbai malls, Ronit and his men are watching every step Kylie takes, every move she makes.
"There was a mini stampede at the airport on the night she landed and we had quite a task on our hands to ensure that she did not face any problems. Things have been good so far," says Ronit who will only breathe easy when Kylie leaves the country later this week.
So does the singer know that the man who has been doubling as her personal bodyguard is the country's most popular television star? "I'm not really sure. My profile was mailed to her team before she landed here. But now, I am sure she knows," he laughs.
And what has been the actor's impression of the singer who has captured millions of hearts worldwide? "Apart from discussing her schedules and the security set-up, we haven't really spoken much about anything else. But she is extremely sweet and down-to-earth," says Ronit. "I was surprised to find no starry airs. She wanted to go shopping to a particular place but I decided against it because I felt it wasn't safe. She agreed immediately,"
| Kylie Minogue with Ronit Roy |
But handling starry airs is all in a day's work for Ronit. Set up in 1997, Ace Security has handled scores of high-profile international clients who have come calling. Among them are a certain Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, and singer Nelly Furtado. Even Aamir Khan approached Ronit during his 2005 wedding to Kiran Rao in Panchgani.
"I like doing this as much as I love facing the camera," smiles Ronit. And it definitely isn't any easier than acting. "A job like this calls for a large amount of discipline and extraordinary people management skills. An artiste's fluctuating moods make things all the more difficult," smiles the actor. But it's not everyday that Ronit personally volunteers as bodyguard. "Security guys are sometimes more brawn than brain. I step in whenever I feel things may get a little messy," he says.
And of course, if it happens to be Kylie Minogue!
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