In my profession, the weekends are when things happen ? events, fashion shows and shoots. It’s only very rarely that I get a free weekend, and two whole days in a row are rarer still. Now with the monsoons taking Mumbai literally by a storm, I can look forward to some weekends all to myself. But I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I don’t want to jinx away the one thing I consider very precious ? time to myself.

I am a quintessential homebody. I just love staying in over weekends, when I do get them. Not that I don’t venture outdoors ? but it’s a different kind of outdoors, someplace nice, secluded and out in the open with family or maybe a few close friends. All I need is good conversation and connecting with those who mean the most to me.

My weekend usually kicks off with a good round of exercise in the morning. I am a fairly early riser and it’s easy to do since I steer clear of late nights. After that, I just let the day take me over. I detest detailed planning for the weekend ? my personal time at least shouldn’t be bound to any schedule. I catch up with my older brother, Mudasher and my kid sister, Nafisa. We all live together. And our greatest pleasure is in ganging up against Nafisa to make her life miserable. Teasing my sister still holds the same pleasure for me as it did when I was ten.

Sometimes our friends come over for leisurely meals that we rustle up en masse. Armed with the must-watch DVDs of the season or just those long conversations about nothing, we find time flying by pretty fast. I love these more intimate bits of socialising. I am not much of a party-goer. I do not particularly like staying up late and the associated excesses ? I just feel more comfortable in a small group where I know the people. No rules, no work, nothing pre-planned, nothing expected out of me ? that’s my idea of a perfect weekend.