art : To Gattu Bhai, from Ekta Didi

By Subhash K Jha

The whole world and its favourite television guide have been wondering why Ekta Kapoor allowed her favourite actress Prachi Desai to work opposite Farhan Akhtar in Rock On when she has been openly unresponsive and hostile to the idea of her other actors leaving her company to pursue the big screen.

Now it can be told.

Rock On director Abhishek Kapoor better known as Gattu, is Ekta's favourite cousin. And there's absolutely nothing she would refuse him.

Ekta admits her fondness for Abhishek 'Gattu' Kapoor.

"Yes, he's my favourite brother after Tusshar. Gattu is my dad's own sister's son. So we're very close.We don't meet that often any longer. We're both busy doing our own thing.

When we were younger we used to bond very regularly. We've been on holidays together, just Gattu and me. We don't meet that often any more. But he's my coolest Bhaiyya. And there's nothing I wouldn't do for him."

When Coolest Bhaiyya decided to cast Farhan Akhtar as the lead in Rock On he was on the look-out for a fresh face for the female lead.Gattu seemed to running into stumbling blocks.

Says Ekta, "Gattu asked me about Prachi. And I immediately agreed, " says Ekta.

And never mind it it meant Balajee losing its blue-eyed girl.

Says Ekta, ""Honestly, Prachi is like part of our family. My father, mother and I have adopted her. But as a producer I tortured the hell out of her.

I made her work harder than any of my actors just because I was so close to her. Prachi feels that was unfair. But I didn't want to be accused of favouritism. Now she's moved on.

I want Prachi to give films a sincere try. I've told her to keep away from television for 6-8 months to focus on films. If, God Forbid, it doesn't work out we're there for her."