Bharathi S. Pradhan
There's been a mistake in the printing. It should've read 46,' wisecracked Rakesh Roshan as his kids, Sunaina and Hrithik, sent out cards to ring in his 64th birthday on Friday, September 6.
The entire family of Roshans opted for black as mom Pinky, siblings Sunaina and Hrithik, the 64, oops, sorry 46-year-old birthday boy, even his brother Rajesh Roshan wore party black for the big day.
Two days before the event when I had sent Sunaina a text message that I was looking forward to her book on her dad, she called back immediately. 'Aunty, my book is supposed to be a surprise, especially for dad. Nobody is supposed to know about it,' she said, worried there'd be a leak. There wasn't because I had no intentions of turning party-pooper and guarded her secret.
Hrithik talked of his dad as the Hitler of the family who would never be demonstrative until one day Sunaina went up and gave him a huge hug. And another, and another. She repeated it the next day, and kept at it until RR finally reciprocated, let down his guard and began to show his affection. 'And then papa turned into a teddy bear,' said Hrithik, as he spoke of the love that rules the family, almost sounding like a K3G promo when he said that above all else was one's family.
Hrithik got his sister to join him on stage and after making a short speech nervously, she presented her father with a book she had spent months writing. It's a compilation of RR's entire journey with rare pictures and should be in the market along with the release of Krrish 3.
The book fever seems to have spread amongst the Roshans for Hrithik too is in the process of compiling the best moments of his life and has been carefully collecting material (like asking me for a copy of an incisive interview he had done with me years ago).
Anil Kapoor, Juhi Chawla and Rishi Kapoor were some of the Roshan favourites who came to party. Missing was his Karan Arjun team of SRK (in Dubai shooting for Happy New Year) and Salman.
Amitabh Bachchan was one of the first to leave (no khaana, no drink) after he came in looking like Santa Claus with an armful of gifts for the Roshans. He had a shoot the next morning. Jeetendra, one of Rakesh Roshan's closest friends, came with wife Shobha and stayed till way past midnight. But the 71-year-old whose discipline is legendary, wouldn't eat a morsel of the food or pick up a drink. In sober grey, Farhan Akhtar politely stood receiving accolades for his Bhaag Milkha Bhaag performance while dad Javed Akhtar looked colourful in a red kurta. Shabana was also there for RR while Shilpa Shetty looked gorgeously slim in a shimmering top.
Shatrughan Sinha had flown out for the US Open and was represented by wife Punam and son Luv Sinha. Slim as a reed, Kangana Ranaut, who was one of the last to arrive, came with heavy Batwoman kind of eye makeup and hit the dance floor.
Through it all RR was overwhelmed at the surprise party his family had put together, declaring, 'They haven't forgotten even a single friend of mine.' But he was unfazed at the sky-high expectations from Krrish 3. 'I can't predict the fate of my film but I can tell you with confidence that I have made a good film,' he said. He had made similar noises before launching Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai in 2000 and had said, 'I don't know if my son will become a big star but I know I will be giving the film industry a damn good actor.' He ended up giving the industry a star and an actor in Hrithik, and given the excellent track record of this father-son combo, Krrish 3 should be a worthy Diwali treat.
Sharing Rakesh Roshan's birth date is Raj Babbar's grandson, Imaan. When the cherubic tot turned one on Friday, parents Juhi Babbar and Anup Soni (of Crime Patrol and Balika Vadhu fame) had an akhand path-bhog at a gurdwara in Andheri. Juhi's stepbrother Prateik Babbar too, joined the celebrations while Nadira Babbar glowed, 'After a long time, our family has been blessed with such happiness.'
Once again, time has changed equations so quizzically. Three years ago, Anup Soni was married to management executive Ritu and had two daughters with her. Juhi was then said to be the homebreaker and Anup, the cad who'd strayed outside the fold.
Today, Anup and Juhi with little Imaan are the picture of familial bliss while Ritu (who went to the UK to study after her divorce) has picked up the pieces and stayed out of the frame along with her daughters.
Well, if Prateik (born to the late Smita Patil) can be such a welcome part of the Babbar family, perhaps one day all of Anup's kids will also come together for a celebration.
