Old Wine in New Bottles

Partly on account of the persecuting media glare that had been turned into a trial by the press aided by our adversaries, the list of friends had also shrunk. In the face of these extreme adverse mutations of fate, and my recent bereavement, I took a decision that I would try to build, block by painful block, my life again. But this time hopefully, with the sagacity and wisdom of my experience. Most importantly, I decided to place my faith in people — after Rajan’s betrayal by his true and trusted friends, it was ironic that I didn’t vow never to trust again,but I determinedly did the opposite. It was part of the healing process and the sooner I got out there and started, the better I would feel inside. I argued. Three years later, I know that my steely determination was born from the unstinting support I got from my family and close friends. No one ever suggested that I was a woman or weak or perhaps biting off more than I could chew. They sensed purpose in me and took it from there.

My trust in people slowly extended to the media and I have built two warm trusted friends, who help and advise me on occasion. One actually got me to start the column, I’m eternally grateful to him. The other is pushing me to clean up my act fast and move forward. Perhaps, write a book.

Soul mates

Last week, I made a new friend Manish Malhotra — yes, the celebrity designer-make over expert, with an honest, open face. He’s partners with my girlfriends, Avanti Birla and Kajal Anand, in the store `Reverie’. We hit it off instantly. Last week we were together on fourseparate occasions and were nearly in danger of laughing ourselves to death — who ever said `Laughter is the best medicine’ must also have meant it cemented a friendship. To be talented and young and at the top of the fashion heap takes sheer dint of hardwork, courage and lady luck in doses. Manish is a winner because he combines it all with a down-to -earth humility and warmth that’s infectious, almost in the mould of Raj.

After aeons, I met another friend from my past, Parmeshwar Godrej, thanks to Mohini Bhullar. When we connected to chat, it was with the same warmth and spontaneity of knowing. We had our differences once, perhaps, but when Parmesh, with great warmth and sincerity talked about Rajan’s knowledge of great wines, I, knowing how he loved Parmesh’s appreciation of a great vintage, said so, it broke down the barriers. I felt extremely moved, we both did. I have only known one, truly generous, open-hearted hostess in Bombay since time immemorial, and that is you my friend, Parmesh.

Anotherclose friend of Raj’s with whom I’d lost touch was M J Akbar, the new CEO, editor-in-chief of Asian Age, Sunday BLITZ and a host of other newspapers owned by my close friend, industrialist Vijay Mallya. Simi, Rita Mehta, Carl, Rashmi, Ravi Ghai, Sherry, Sanjay Narang, Joey, Pradeep Guha and Aroon were some of the other inner circle friends at the Sunday BLITZ launch, at the Taj. I basked in the warmth of old friends and new ,knowing that a good friendship is so hard to come by and even harder to maintain. And once broken, if mended it is inspirational, it truly brings back faith.

Inner circle

Saturday was the Sotheby’s auction `Windows to the Soul’. We were charmingly greeted, on arrival, by Pradeep Saxena and his attractive wife Sunita. I sat with Vijay Mallya and between us, with help from the `man of all seasons’ Dilip De, we did our fair bit for the charity. A good cause needs the support and munificence of but one good patron. It came in the avataar of Vijay, that night.Shobha De looked strikingly attractive and read us a short moving poem. Nana Chudasama spoke about how it took only 10 paisa a child to prevent blindness. I think that coaxed people into supporting the cause. Bravo! Sunday had a salubrious slow start to it that picked up into a trot, at lunch at Czaee and Suketu Shah’s. Finally, it moved into a canter at the Eros Cinema where parents and kids were there to watch a preview of The Mask of Zorro. Once the film started rolling, I was at full gallop, and can say, hand on beating heart, that it was absolutely mind blowing, bells ringing in the head, heart in your mouth. Fantabulous! The test of a good film is that you want to see it, again and again. This one I do. The indulgent parents with their delightful offspring included Avanti and Yash Birla with Vedant and Nirvan, Chetan Dalal, Alok and Ritika Modi from Delhi, Anoop Mehta, Anil Ambani with Anmol, Mohita Doshi, Aarti and Angad, Mohan, Gauri and kids. After the show, I headed to Czaee, Suketu andRajesh Shah’s home to be joined by Simi Garewal and Poonam Bhagat. We ate, drank and talked mostly about the value of a good friendship. When we were through with open face, heart-on-sleeve confessions, it was time to bid the soul sisters `Goodnight’! A good friend is all one needs to give you a lift even if on the heels of Zorro! Now `that man’ has me wishing the Lord had cloned him generously — perhaps by the time genetic engineering does it, I may well be a geriatric. Till then the warmth and love of my inner circle of friends will do nicely. Thanks — LONG LIVE FRIENDSHIP!