Kareena Kapoor will reach at 2pm. Yeah, right. Punctuality isn’t exactly Bollywood’s strong point, so even when the Calcutta-Mumbai Kingfisher flight was delayed by two hours, there was still no way Kareena Kapoor would beat me to Bandra’s Mehboob Studio for a Vogue India cover shoot. Or so I thought. Erroneous assumption number 1.

Not only did she reach the shoot at 2pm sharp, at 2.45pm a fully done-up Kareena emerged from the blue and white make-up van parked on the studio premises.

The emergence wasn’t so smooth. The beautiful Kareena (yes, she is beautiful) in a beautiful (and billowing) hand-painted Dolce & Gabbana purple and yellow tulle dress, got stuck in the van door.

“Oh god, this is so heavy,” sang Kareena in her trademark tone. “I’m stuck. I can be here all night!”

Make-up magician Mickey Contractor jumped to her rescue. The damsel was no longer in distress. The spring-summer 2008 showstopper handpicked by Vogue India’s fashion director Anaita Shroff Adajania was safe.

The short walk from the van to the studio was no lesser than a bride’s walk down the aisle. Somewhere during the walk, jab we met, I smiled. She smiled. Surprise!

I had thought she would float like a butterfly and sting like a queen bee. Erroneous assumption number 2.

We all entered the studio. Anaita and Mickey gave her some final touches and photographer Suresh Natarajan got ready to roll.

He said “ready” and she transformed herself from pretty to pouting in one nanosecond. She bent forward ever so slightly, stretched ever so little towards the back, touched her hair and…

The first shot was done. So simple! It sure helps if the subject is a natural.

Only an occasional “Extend your elbow” or “Hair is not okay” could be heard from Anaita and the Vogue India cover shoot with Kareena Kapoor was on its way.

No starry tantrum or tamasha, no commotion or confusion. Just all in a day’s work.

Surely, but surely, there would be some sound and fury. Erroneous assumption number 3.

It’s all about the planning, honey.

For the Kareena Kapoor March issue, there were 19 pairs of shoes sourced from all over the world. Bright jewel tone footwear, an assortment by Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton and Gina. There were about 15 dresses. Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Pucci, Versace, Hermes, Roberto Cavalli, Dolce & Gabbana, Salvatore Ferragamo, Chanel… And a good ol’ desi stand fan.

The shoot involved some five changes. It made more sense to start with a look that called for less make-up. “It is easier to keep adding colours, removing layers is messy,” said Mickey. The photography session was punctuated by a steady change of outfits and make-up that entailed a quick trip to the van.

The other ‘sorry for the interruption’ culprit? The flood of text messages a certain someone was sending to Kareena.

I didn’t ask and she didn’t say, but let’s just say it’s Saif to assume who was at the other end of the SMS frenzy. Straight face and swift long fingers typed reply after reply on her Nokia N-something. A few times the phone rang and she answered in inaudible whispers.

Kareena was quite chilled out throughout the fashion shoot — if the messages and calls had anything to do with it we sure hope Saifeena remain an item as long as I need to interview either. No hang-ups at all. But every time before a shot, her eyes would hunt out Mickey. Only after his nod of approval — sometimes accompanied by a reassuring glance — would the star look 100 per cent comfortable.

How chilled out was Kareena became evident when Suresh said “Very good Anaita” instead of “Very good Kareena”, she didn’t blink. Instead, she retorted with a smile: “Just don’t call me any other actress apart from my sister in the magazine.... Oh God! Can you imagine my picture’s caption reading: ‘Ain’t Preity Looking Fab’!”

The shoot went on and stress levels rose and fell, but Kareena’s energy levels — and mood bar — remain at a constant. Seeing her chatty and relaxed, I decided to pop the fit-fat question…

Mickey reads my mind and butts in for Bebo: “When she eats chocolates, she eats only chocolates”. And when it’s not chocolates? “I’m not sure but I think she eats only vegetables and dal.”

That still doesn’t explain how she looks the way she does. All dresses brought down for the shoot were American size 0. And they all had enough breathing space on Bebo.

Wanted: Kareena’s burger recipe!

Kareena Kapoor

What is your fashion mood now?
Spring-summer to me always means dresses. I am in a bright mood so lots of happy colours and floaty silhouettes.

Which is your favourite international label?
I like D&G most. I love everything they make — from dresses to basics like trousers and everyday shirts.

Favourite Indian designer?
Manish Malhotra. I know him since I was nine and there’s no one I trust more. He designed the look for my first film and I listen to him blindly.

What is your look in Tashan like?
Aki Narula has worked on a new look for me. It’s a casual grunge look.

Stylist and Vogue India’s fashion director Anaita Shroff Adajania

“The first thing that came to my mind when we froze on Kareena for the cover shoot is that I wanted her to come across strong. We wanted to capture her in eveningwear but with a feel of strength, very different from her usual feminine look”

Make-up maestro Mickey Contractor on Kareena

“Kareena is fantastic to work with. She is always experimental and doesn’t mind trying new things. The Vogue India cover look was minimalist beauty make-up, a clean face with emphasis on the eyes and hair. She is very chatty and relaxed during the make-up, never comments or gives suggestions. And it’s very Bebo-like to come up with the most hilarious one-liners. She actually reminds me of her father!”