his is my first TV probe. I am sitting across a pretty woman in a midtown restaurant, asking her questions. She has been escorted there by a tough looking chauffeur straight out of an AXN movie channel, and there is Hitesh Ruparelia, genial entrepreneur of the night lounge wear with a laptop that has visuals of women, men and kids in pajamas, shorts and Bermudas. All for one I am aware that for anything connected with TV today, I should have tracked down Ektaa (extra 'a' or not, there is global confusion on this) Kapoor.. but she cannot meet me because she is battling with a problem that has become a national issue - can Smriti Z Iraani be replaced by Padmini Kolhapure? Also she is attending premieres all over the world of Shootout at Lokhandwala which she has coproduced. Another ideal candidate for anything to do with TV would have been Z Iraani.. but she is too busy, she is trying to promote Virrudh which is receiving scaldingly low TRPs. Ekta(a) doesn't like her discoveries to do anything else. She has made her displeasure felt only in secret, accounting for neither-here-nor-there reports on the future of the tomato Saases. No, naah, nahin As you might have realised I am digressing.. that always happens when I am sitting in front of a pretty woman who keeps saying, "NO." Did she quit the serial because of differences with Ekta(a) Kapoor? NO. Is she in love with Rajeev Khandelwal? NO. She doesn't even know if he smokes cigarettes or not. "Why should I?" she ripostes. She know he's out of town on a "camping trip" but cannot say where.. because she suspects journos like me may just sprint to the Karakoram range or wherever he's camping. Khandelwal and she might come together in a big love story movie? Maybe, she says, negotiations are on.. when the time is right, the announcements will be made. Terrific. Does Aamna know which girl her best friend Khandelwal likes? NO. I argue, "But aren't friends supposed to know about such things?" NO, she goes. I need a strong drink. Family ties To everyone's horror in the vicinity, I order a Bloody Mary. Surprisingly that eases her mood rather than mine and we get chatty about how her mum and her brothers are her jaans. In fact there's an age gap of 18-19 years between her and the bhaijaans. Her parents had gone on a pilgrimage to ask for a daughter as their third child, their prayers were answered. Aamna's father, a diamond businessman, died when she was knee-high. Bhaijaans didn't want her to act.. but ammi made them understand. Because Aamna is pretty. Unbeknownst to many, she had made a film debut in a Telugu movie in which she danced and spoke fiery lines. By now, the night lounge man is getting uncomfortable.. the second Bloody Mary I've asked for comes in the form of a deep bowl of piping hot soup. Someone got something wrong on the way to the kitchen. He is extremely apologetic about the mixup. To ease his tension, Aamna suggests that we talk night lounge wear. Only. I've never done that.. but there's no harm in trying. Aamna very earnestly says that she agreed to the ad campaign (for some years) because the brand (Sweet Dreams) is very family oriented and does not demand those sexy, revealing pictures. Good. A long discussion on shorts emanates.. in the course of which lungis come up. Entrepreneur says seriously, "Lungis can also be used as chaddars in an emergency, so not many get malaria in Kerala.. where they are very popular." I do not understand.. he says it's a joke. The silence which follows can be cut with a knife. Aamna Sharif, I confirm, is a B A in psychology from Bandra's National College, had worked briefly at a boutique as a designer before becoming Miss Kashish. I ask her at this stage what kind of Sweet Dreams she has and she says she doesn't dream at all. No bitter dreams either. Run Aamna run Suddenly, she looks at her watch, says she has another appointment (not with Rajeev Khandelwal at that mysterious camp) and shoots out of the restaurant faster than a bullet. The waiting huge chauffer drives her away much faster than Ta Ra Rum Pum Pum vrooomed out of the movie halls. Now, I'm left alone with Ruparelia. We seriously discuss pajama and short brands.. Marks and Spencer, Calvin Klein, Hilfiger, all these names come up.. and he vows very humbly to better them some day soon. In fact, he developed a pajama craze because during his college hostel days, his roommate would wear a more striking night suit than he did. He had to measure up and he has.. hence Aamna with Rajeev Khandelwal will be shot for the lounge wear as soon as Khandelwal returns from that top secret camping. At the end of the evening, Ruparelia says I must drop in at his Juhu residence for a family dinner.. it will be very good Bhavangar-style cuisine, he assures, but no Bloody Mary.
vajir.singh@hindustantimes.com THEY FLEW OVER THE BALAJI NEST.. OR TV STARS WHO QUIT EKTAA KAPOOR'S KINGDOM
