When Barfi! was announced as India’s entry to the Oscars, how did Ranbir Kapoor react? With characteristic equanimity. At the 7.30pm aarti at his Pali Hill house, while the TV channels were flashing the Oscar committee’s choice from India, except for the presence of UTV producer Siddharth Roy Kapur (also known as Vidya Balan’s chosen one), there was little to show any connection to Barfi!

Neetu and Rishi Kapoor bring Ganapati home for five days every year and invite all their friends to come over for aarti. The invitation this year came from Neetu, Rishi, Ranbir, Riddhima, Bharat and Samara. Riddhima (looking pencil slim), husband Bharat Sahni and daughter Samara, who live in Delhi, make it a point to move into the Kapoor bungalow every year at this time to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi. For the aarti, Rishi Kapoor put on a tape, everybody clapped and sang along while Neetu started the pooja, Rishi took over the thali from her, then Riddhima, Ranbir, all the guests, one by one.

Could you tell that his film had just been picked to go to the Oscars? Somehow, the myriad emotions that Ranbir showcases on screen are never seen in real life as neither ecstasy nor depression register on his face or body language. It was like any other day for Ranbir (dressed in a cotton kurta), who held niece Samara in his arms while Riddhima performed the aarti. Ranbir will just not break into a balle balle bhangra over any kind of victory. Strange.

The Nitin and Neil Mukesh family is another that celebrates Ganapati with fervour. Not only is it open house all 11 days (with a maharaj brought in to man the kitchen 24/7), this year they even attempted a chhappan bhog, serving 56 dishes on the 9th day. Like the Raj and Krishna Kapoor family, the Mukeshs also insist that everybody who steps into their house must have a meal and that includes the drivers.

Neil, who claims to be single again (after Asin, it’s kaput with co-star Sonal Chauhan too), keeps his family on tenterhooks with his relationships. Now he’s threatened not to get married “for another five years at least” while his anxious parents look on with dismay. Dad Nitin and mom Nishi can’t wait to bring home an ideal bahu.

Of course, celebration was in the air also at Yash Raj studios when Yash Chopra turned 80 on September 27. The PR department ensured that every editor was personally invited with follow-ups and reminders to come for the onstage conversation between Shah Rukh Khan and the filmmaker. Characteristically, SRK conducted it with skill, setting it off with an intro where he said, “22 films old and 80 years young.” Since it’s all over the place and will be seen on TV, YouTube and elsewhere, we won’t reproduce any of the conversation here except to state that one senior journalist (known to be close to the Bachchans) went tut tut because SRK got Yash to talk about the curious casting of Silsila. Yash Chopra did talk of “the controversial casting for obvious reasons” which again drew the snort “He shouldn’t have said that” from the journalist. Talk of being more loyal than the king.

What is not going to be all over the place is the dinner that Yash Chopra hosted at home for very close friends and family. “Family” includes Aditya Chopra’s ex-wife Payal (who is treated like a daughter by Yash and Pam) and his current partner Rani Mukerji. One wonders why Adi and Rani don’t go completely public with their marriage, with the actor continuing to pretend that Krishna-Ram bungalow is where she lives when the whisper is that Adi’s house on the opposite side of the road is where Rani presides as maalkin.

Of course, as a starting point, Rani has begun to talk of being in love and Adi is no longer a taboo topic for a discussion in print. Perhaps, like Hema Malini did in the 1980s, Rani, who has not signed any film after Aiyyaa and Talaash (both of which are ready), will come out as the official Mrs Aditya Chopra only when a Junior is on her/his way. Hmm, remember you read it first here.

Bharathi S. Pradhan is editor, The Film Street Journal