Life after divorce
Bharathi S. Pradhan
The enduring visual of Hrithik Roshan and Sussanne coming out of the divorce court last week tugged at many hearts in the film industry. However, the visual also stood witness to the old saying about best laid plans going awry.
After Hrithik's overwhelming debut in 2000, and his father's unbroken string of box office successes, the Roshans had shifted out of their old apartment in a building called Kavita, and moved into a spacious three-storey penthouse a stone's throw away. By now, Hrithik had wed Sussanne in Bangalore. Ironically, their marriage was held far away from the media glare of Mumbai while their divorce happened smack under the spotlight.
When Sussanne had come home as a bride, Rakesh Roshan had been confident that as long as he was around nothing and nobody would be able to damage this marriage. I remember we'd once joked about famous saas-bahu skirmishes and he had seriously remarked that in his house he'd make sure nothing of the sort ever cropped up to disturb the bliss. He always had the kind of rock-solid personality that made it seem like he could hold everybody together as the head of the family. RR placed immense faith in the belief that the family that cooked in the same kitchen and shared the same dining table would stay together. He therefore ensured that there may be three floors but there'd be only one kitchen. But you know the old one about making God chuckle by telling him your plans.
Today, forget about one kitchen, there are four homes. While RR and Pinky continue to stay in the three-storey apartment (though I wonder for how long), daughter Sunaina has set up her own home nearby in a different building. Sussanne has been staying alone (and not with her parents in their bungalow) in a flat in Versova while Hrithik is overseeing his personal pad in yet another part of Juhu.
It is like a Barjatya film family turning nuclear with a vengeance.
Along with the vanishing joint family system, the film industry is also witnessing life without regrets after a divorce.
Last week, Kamal Haasan's first wife Vani Ganapathy, who was foisted out of his life by a pregnant Sarika, flew into Mumbai for a Bharatanatyam dance drama called Dwaaram (Doors). Hosted by the Shanmukhananda Hall authorities, it was wonderfully choreographed with high-calibre music. Five stories that five different doors could tell if they could speak were executed fluidly by Vani and the sought-after male dancer Satyanarayana Raju. Creatively rich, even the compere kept coming out of a door to say her piece.
In this culturally vibrant atmosphere, there was no room to even remember Kamal Haasan. Clearly, Vani had not just moved on with great dignity but had also built a name for herself as a master dancer.
Helping Vani was her old, staunch friend Poonam Dhillon, another single woman who has beautifully managed life after divorce. It was Poonam who sent out text messages to friends inviting them to come and watch Vani, promising them that it would be a very enriching evening. Poonam, who has just wrapped up a time-sapping television serial, always seems to have enough energy to be there for every friend.
Today, the friends she has stood by for years are all doing extremely well. The list includes Poonam Mahajan, daughter of the late Pramod Mahajan, who was invited to speak at functions organised by Ms Dhillon long before she became an MP.
At the recent swearing in of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, BJP leader Shaina NC was at the forefront as coordinator and organiser. She is another person Poonam has been extremely close to, irrespective of whether Shaina lost an election or did well as a party spokesperson. It was therefore no surprise at all that Poonam was a VIP onlooker when Maharashtra's new chief minister was sworn in.
Take it from me. This single woman called Poonam Dhillon has a brain to match her face and will play a vital role in public life sooner than later.
Talking of politicians, one hears that Pranabda, our very own neta-turned-worthy President, has decided that he's satiated with 78 years of fish curry and rice. I'm told that he prefers vegetarian food these days.
Bharathi S. Pradhan is a senior journalist and author