Mannish pulls a 'fast' one

Earlier this week at the Society Young Achiever's Award function, Rohit Roy and Mannish Goyal were both nominated for the Young Achiever in Television award. Mannish who came there in a new suit

a la Nadeem-Shravan, was confident about winning the award. He arrived at the event with wife Poonam in high spirits, but an hour later, he walked out of the venue fuming when his good friend Rohit won the award.

'I'm not jealous'

An eye-witness to Mannish's hurried exit says, "In every category there is only one winner. No matter how confident Mannish was about winning the award, it's just not sporting to walk out of an event as soon as the award is announced. He hadn't even wished Rohit yet. Rivalry and jealousy aside, Mannish should not have let his displeasure seem so obvious."

When we contacted Rohit about the incident and inquired about whether Goyal had congratulated him yet, he says, "Mannish hasn't wished me. Why he hasn't done so only he would know. I never had any problem with him and don't have one now. Whenever we bump into each other, he's very respectful."

Mannish, however, claims that he is happy Roy won the award and is not in the least bit jealous. When asked why he left the venue abruptly, he explains, "I had kept a fast which I had to break, so I left after the award was announced. Besides, my son was crying at home and we'd planned to leave after the TV segment was over anyway."

Talking about not wishing Roy, he adds, " I will wish Rohit when I get a chance or bump into him. There is no rivalry between us; we patched up ages back. As for losing the award to Rohit, I hope next year I get nominated again and take the trophy home!"

http://www.mid-day.com/hitlist/2007/february/151139.htm