Rati Agnihotri Introduces Son Tanuj
June 30, 2011 by FSJ
There's brisk banter and plenty of leg-pulling between mom-n-son as glasses of fresh fruit juice (guavas sourced from their Khandala farm), tea and snacks do the rounds of Rati's fabulously appointed Worli residence.
Three decades ago, a perky Rati made her debut with Ek Duuje Ke Liye (1981). It was a smash-hit and several successful films later, she married businessman Anil Virwani in 1985, seamlessly making the transition to wife and mother. Rati returned to films with Kuch Khatta Kuch Meetha in 2001, followed by Yaadein, Kaante, Hum Tum, Dev and Aao Wish Karein. Meanwhile, her son had grown up.
Tanuj fell in love with Kareena when he was 14. He's still in love with her at 24!
It was during Aao Wish Karein that a young Tanuj told his mother that he wanted to assist in the film and asked her to talk to Aftab Shivdasani. She remembers, "I asked Aftab if Tanuj could be an assistant and he agreed.
I told Tanuj that he would have to travel with the production team by train. This boy had never travelled in a train. I packed lots of food and sent my spot boy along to keep an eye on him. I didn't want him to miss the train and be like Kareena Kapoor in Jab We Met!"
Aao Wish Karein was shot in Shimla and Tanuj was the clapper boy. The first shot for which he gave the clap was picturized on his mother.
Rati discloses, "Tanuj came and told me, 'Ma, shot is ready'. I asked him, 'What did you say?' And Aftab told him to say, 'Ma'am, your shot is ready'."
Box Cool stats
Name: Tanuj Virwani
Height: 6 ft
Birth date: November 29,1986
Star sign: Sagittarius
Qualifications: Passed out of Bombay Scottish School. Did BCom from HR College. Got a diploma in Advertising. Worked with Rediffusion for 6 months.
Vehicles: First set of wheels was a yellow Land Cruiser. Now he drives a Honda Civic, a birthday present from his parents.
Holiday destinations: Loves Goa, his farm in Khandala, Poland where his maasi (aunt) Anita lives. Other top spots ' the Gold Coast and Las Vegas.
Actors he looks up to: Admires Ranbir Kapoor and the way he's handled his career. "He began with a love story, went on to do Wake Up Sid and matured as an actor with Raajneeti. He made Prem in Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani so much fun. He's had a steady upward graph." Tanuj is also a diehard SRK fan.
Fave actress: Kareena Kapoor thrice over. He fell in love with her when he saw the teaser of her first film Refugee in 2000. He was 14. He's still in love with her at 24.
Link-ups, gossip: Intends to take it all with a pinch of salt. Mom Rati will ward off the rumours by holding 10,000 pujas and making him bathe with Dettol to drive away evil!
Shoulder to the wheel
While her son makes his debut, Rati continues to work. Her films:
Bin Bulaye BaaraatiKuch Log Diaries Of A Butterfly Hum Hai Rahi Car Ke and Ashim Samanta's son's debut film.
At the end of the month-long schedule, Tanuj had comfortably settled in with the production unit and made lots of friends among the locals, especially the pretty girls. Some of them presented him with a shawl.
"This boy had never travelled in a train. I packed lots of food and sent my spot boy along to keep an eye on him. I didn't want him to miss the train like Kareena Kapoor in Jab We Met!"
"This boy had never travelled in a train. I packed lots of food and sent my spot boy along to keep an eye on him. I didn't want him to miss the train like Kareena Kapoor in Jab We Met!"
The 6 ft tall, lanky, energetic Tanuj joins in the conversation. "As a kid I was fat, wore glasses, had a mushroom haircut, a bit of a stammer and being an only child, I was an introvert and a loner."
Once his childhood days were left behind, Tanuj began his makeover. "In college, I worked out to lose weight, got laser treatment for my eyes and worked on my speech." He did it all on his own.
"Tanuj came and told me, 'Ma, shot is ready'. I asked him, 'What did you say?' And Aftab told him to say, 'Ma'am, your shot is ready'"
"Tanuj came and told me, 'Ma, shot is ready'. I asked him, 'What did you say?' And Aftab told him to say, 'Ma'am, your shot is ready'"
"I didn't go to any speech therapist or to a gym. I assisted Ken Ghosh in Chance Pe Dance. Both the films in which I worked as an assistant taught me a lot. I also did a three-month course in acting with Kishore Namit Kapoor.
Then I auditioned for Ravi Chopra's Purani Jeans, with a new director, Tanushree Basu. It starred Raviji's son Kapil Chopra, Giselle and me in a romantic triangle. That has been put on hold. I hope it gets made some day, the script is so good."
Tanuj has done the rounds, to an extent.
"I went to meet Madhur Bhandarkar in his office. He doesn't believe in auditions or pictures, he believes in his instincts. Joe Ranjan who is on his team, met me and narrated his script and I really loved it.
Rati will ward off the rumours by holding 10,000 pujas and making Tanuj bathe with Dettol to drive away evil!
Rati will ward off the rumours by holding 10,000 pujas and making Tanuj bathe with Dettol to drive away evil!
It's called Luv U Soniyo' with Neha who was last year's Miss Femina. I play a Catholic guy called Mark. It's a clean film with no item songs or toilet humour."
Anil Virwani, Rati's friendly son will debut this year in the theatres. Girls, get ready!
' Chandrika Bhattacharya
For more pics and a better view of the article see the link- http://www.thefilmstreetjournal.com/2011/06/rati-agnihotri-introduces-son-tanuj/
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