Ash and Mads are the sweetest chicks
Though the ever-effervescent Preity Zinta is having the time of her life performing live with the Bachchans in the US, it's not been all peaches and cream for the dancing queen.
For some woe from the wow, try this. Preity lost her baggage on arrival in LA just hours before she was to go on stage.
"Can you imagine my plight on deboarding from the flight? So it's not just Amitji whose world-tour experiences come with a baggage, "
Preity puns perkily. "I had a 'wail' of a time when I lost my my baggage at LA. To my horror the lost suitcase contained my precious golden gown. There was no way I could go on stage without wearing that gown. So I decided to get a replacement garment."
Then began preity's hunt in the shopping areas of LA for s designer who would stitch the lost gown.
"I finally found this place run by a guy called Mike. At first he was horrified. 'How can I make a duplicate dress without a pattern, and that too in just hours?' But you know me.
I badgered, threatened, pleaded. It was done. I got my golden gown just in time, " Preity ends the tale of the fugitive gown triumphantly.
And adds, "All my Indian clothes for the concerts have been done by Neeta Lulla and Ruchika Pandey. I even get into an Anarkali dress and do a full-on Indian number. So much for my western image, ha!"
Her Unforgettable tour has been just that. "I knew I'd be comfortable with Amitji, Ash and Abhishek.
I've always gotten along with them. I just completed a film (The Last Lear) with Amitji. And we had a blast. But my favourite is Jaya Aunty.
We bonded earlier during Kal Ho Na Ha. At that that we had gotten really close. Now it's like old times again. Jaya Aunty is my favourite member of the Bachchan family. We get along so well"
Apparently the two ladies take off together for long walks and shopping sprees at every venue. "Just the two of us. We love it!" Preity is thrilled with Mrs B's company.
As for the other ladies, "Come on, it's not hard to get along with Aishwarya and Madhuri (who has now joined us in the US).
They're two of the sweetest chicks I've worked with. And they're as comfortable in their space as I am in mine. No rivalry no looking anxiously over our shoulders. We're all cool doing our own thing.
And I'm sure I'd be the same when Shilpa Shetty joins us in London. I knew I'd be completely comfortable in present company. Otherwise I'd have never agreed to come along"
Her favourite act, Preity says generously, is Madhuri and Aishwarya's Dola Re.
"They're awesome, breathtaking together. Absolutely paisa vasool. We all are, actually, ha ha. Riteish Deshmukh who I've never worked with, is such a revelation on stage.
He dances so well. And he's such a cool guy. And Vishal and Shekhar are rock stars. In fact the whole experience so far has been just amazing. I can't wait to get along with the rest of the show."
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Jodha Akbar
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