BOMBAY TIMES (October 9, 2017)

Did you notice the extra 'L' in Qarib Qarib Singlle? Even if you missed it, you couldn't have missed the extra 'R' in 'Irrfan', the movie's lead actor. Both are spellings suggested by celebrity astro-numerologist Sanjay B Jumaani. Jumaani is in a feel-good phase currently, what with 2017 beginning with his clients, the Ambani-led Mumbai Indians, picking up their third IPL, the good run of Judwaa 2, and Newton being selected as India's entry for the Oscars apart from its Box Office success ­ all projects that have been influenced by Numerology.

Jumaani, who has done this math for many Bollywood films, is as upbeat about Qarib... as he was about Hindi Medium. He explains, “According to Numerology, the English word 'Medium' in the film added up to 24, or 6 ­ Venus ­ that stands for entertainment. 'Hindi' was spelt in Hindi. The same formula was used in Toilet ­- Ek Prem Katha; 'Toilet' added up to 24, and is a lucky number for Akshay Kumar. Judwaa 2 is also spelt as per numerology and has done very well for Varun Dhawan, whose name also adds up to 42 (6). Jumaani's client list includes Limca record holder Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma; Prenaa Arora, the producer of Rustom and Toilet -­ Ek Prem Katha; Rajkummar Rao, the star of Newton, which came after his other hit, Bareilly Ki Barfi, which also starred Ayushmann Khurrana (notice the spellings again). Both Prernaa and Rajkummar have added letters to their names on Jumaani's suggestion.

From Hrithik's debut blockbuster Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, which had two extra 'A's, to the extra 'G' in 'Dabangg', to the extra letters in Singh Is Kinng and Singh Is Bliing, Numerology has helped Bollywood score at the Box Office. Jumaani, who chucked his 17-year-old struggling sales job within months of adding a couple of letters to his name, was recently awarded the Icon Of The Year 2017 by well known cricketer and former Indian wicket keeper, Kiran More, and Mr Sahai from WBR Corp. The award recognises people's contribution to their respective fields. “I'm grateful to my dad, the award presenters, Ekta Kapoor, Rakesh Roshan, my team, and the lakhs of followers of Numerology, who are mostly common people,“ says Jumaani.