Showing posts with label Dolly Bindra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dolly Bindra. Show all posts
Revealed: What goes behind-the-scenes in the making of Bigg Boss
8:40 AM
Mid-day takes a look at the behind-the-scenes action to understand the making of the longest-running controversial reality show, Bigg Boss
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; July 9, 2024)
Pick up any season of Bigg Boss, and there is much happening on camera—from tasks to controversies, from flirtations to feuds. But things are equally dramatic off camera too. Do you know what happened after Bigg Boss season 2 contestants Rahul Mahajan and Raja Chaudhary breached the rules and jumped off the set’s outer wall? Or when Imam Siddiqui demanded to walk out of the sixth season? While we’ve seen the on-camera action for many years, this time, we zoom in on the people behind the camera who join forces every year to give us the reality show. From identifying interesting contestants to watching endless hours of footage, from running dummy episodes to setting up more than 100 cameras, they tell us what it takes to orchestrate one of the biggest reality shows.
Inception
Deepak Dhar, Founder and Group CEO, Banijay Asia & EndemolShine India, remembers that he watched the original Big Brother, a Dutch show, on DVD way back in 2005. The international team (of Banijay) had a simple ask—would it be possible to adapt the show in India?
“I was shocked when I watched it because a show like this is highly volatile and risqué. I couldn’t have watched the DVD with my family in the room. It was difficult to even fathom something like this could work in India, but I took it up as a challenge,” shares Dhar.
He pitched the adaptation to several broadcasters until Sony TV first picked it up. To date, Dhar remembers that the first contestant to enter the Bigg Boss house in 2006 was Salil Ankola, after which no one entered the house for over an hour due to a technical glitch. In the meantime, Ankola grew anxious, wondering if he was the only contestant on the show. Dhar laughs, “Salil thought it was a con job!”
Getting the right players
Early on, the makers figured out that the show was more about emotions than showcasing risqué things. “The minute we see a person with an agenda, we strike him off the list,” asserts Dhar, adding that the idea has always been to rope in people who have stories to tell.
“The fourth season was a standout, where we had Shweta Tiwari, Dolly Bindra, Khali, and Pamela Anderson. That was the turning point of Bigg Boss in the country. It was also the year we got Salman Khan as the host. We even cooperated with the authorities when they wanted to come and monitor if Monica Bedi dropped some evidence,” he shares.
The show’s detractors often speculate that Bigg Boss is scripted. But Tushar Joshi, Editor in Chief (Creative Director), rubbishes the speculation. He notes that often, the contestants provide the drama, while the creative improvises at times, but the makers have never intervened in the proceedings.
“We have never briefed any contestant, or gone in the house,” asserts Joshi, who has been associated with the show from the fifth season. He says the show relies largely on contestants’ personalities and their inter-dynamics.
“If a contestant is my biggest character, I can’t suddenly change my creative. For example, Ankita Lokhande was one of the most talked-about characters in the house. I couldn’t sideline her unless the house decided to sideline her. It’s a chess game between them and us. Whenever we make a move, they will also react.”
The makers also got a few seasons wrong in terms of casting. Abhishek Mukherjee, Head of Project, points to the ninth and 12th seasons. “In the ninth season, 10 out of 16 contestants were failures. So, we pumped up [the show] through various tasks and situations.”
Takes a village to make the show
The crew consists of over 700 people, who are then divided into weekday and weekend teams. “One is the reality team, which handles the episode from Monday to Friday, and the other is the weekend team. Despite being the weekend team, they are expected to watch the entire footage during the week. Then there is another team that takes care of my 24/7 live channel interactivity and the Unseen Undekha section,” explains Joshi.
Let’s make it happen
Which brings us to the most important part: the execution of Bigg Boss. It’s known that the show is shot 24x7 with over 100 cameras. While there are cameras stationed inside the house, there are also cameras placed near all the windows, with cameramen trying to capture the tiniest of actions and conversations. Did you know that when the contestants wash dishes at the sink, smoke in the smoking room, and sleep in the bedrooms, they have cameras directed at them from behind the tinted windows? If the cameraman takes a break, there is always someone to take their place.
Taking us around the set, Sarvesh Singh, Head of Production, says, “Everyone who enters the shooting alley around the house is expected to wear an all-black uniform to avoid reflections in the glass doors and windows. Every window is numbered. That way, when instructions are received from the control room, a cameraman can reach the right window to capture the required content. We have three rotational shifts for every crew member.”
Over 62,000 wires are laid down for every connection inside the house, which is later concealed to avoid monkeys disrupting the shoot. Mukherjee says that the pressure in the PCR (production control room) is tremendous. Ahead of a season, the crew has to undergo mandatory 15-day training, where they produce dummy episodes.
“In the first couple of days, my PCR team is taken through the old episodes, where we tell them how to divide streams, what to follow, and where the story lies,” explains Joshi.
“The next day, [a few crew members] go into the house, and start recording their own stories. In the next stage, we get dummy contestants and produce a few 12-hour episodes; we also do one 24-hour episode. It is not only for the crew, [but to ensure smooth functioning of everything]. Once the contestant enters, everything from plumbing to the smallest light needs to work for 105 days, or 45 days if it’s for the OTT. So, everything needs to be checked, including the pipes, flush, and gas. Sarvesh even instructs them to cook, just so that we can see if the stove is working.”
Everything a contestant carries inside the house is scrutinized by the team. Participants are not allowed to carry medications inside the house. If a person has a prescription for anti-anxiety, diabetes, or any other illness, it is delivered on a daily basis. “Senior journalist Deepak Chaurasia is in the house. He is diabetic and unable to walk, so we put inclines in the house for the wheelchair. Every day, his medicines and insulin shots are delivered,” explains Mukherjee.
Challenges
With a show of this magnitude, the challenges are bound to be tenfold. Singh remembers the behind-the-scenes drama that unfolded when Mahajan and Chaudhary, in the second season, breached the boundary walls, leading the creative team to consider having an early finale.
“They had made a sexist remark, stating that there were no women in the house to cook for them. Bigg Boss told them that they had to make their own food. Rahul removed the mic, and said, ‘I’m not doing anything. If you don’t provide us food, we will jump off the wall.’ We thought he was [bluffing], but they jumped off the wall and started walking towards the main gate. People started capturing them on phone cameras, so we grabbed them, put them in the car, and brought them back.”
Joshi recalls another instance when Siddiqui wanted to leave the show at 3 am. “He said he has a friend in Lonavala and he wants to go to her house. It turned out to be an old bungalow of Smita Patil, which was later bought by Imam’s friend,” shares Joshi.
Shifting from their Lonavala set after season 12 was another challenge. He highlights that despite having a medical team on standby 24x7, they have dealt with problems from “non-declared miscarriages. There were people taking 30 to 40 milligrams of anti-depressants in anger.”
The way ahead
With the world embracing AI, it’s only a matter of time before we have a Bigg-Boss-meets-AI version. Dhar says, “We have started moving in that direction; maybe by the end of the year or early next year, the process will be in place.”
Did you know?
- A season of the Chinese version of Big Brother was shot in India.
- India is the only market globally where Bigg Boss plays out across two platforms (TV and OTT) within the same year.
- The production relocated from Lonavala’s 17-acre set to three acres in Film City.
- Every year, the crucial members of the Bigg Boss team meet their international counterparts worldwide to discuss the previous season.
Shocking: 'Friends' make a mockery of Pratyusha Banerjee's demise?
8:06 AM
Pratyusha Banerjee's tragic death triggers a feeding frenzy as all sorts of `friends' gather to spill dark secrets and get their 15 minutes of fame
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 5, 2016)
From Dolly Bindra, who stole into Pratyusha's Kandivali home when her body was still to be brought down, and covertly videotaped the scene, to a host of others who turned the young actress's tragic death into a sordid celebrity circus. The first 'media invite' came from actors Jay Bhanushali, Kamya Punjabi, Leena Dias, Shashank Vyas and Adaa Khan claiming to decode 'Pratyusha's Death Mystery'. Celebrity lawyer Falguni Brahmbhatt joined in.
Leading that conference was Pratyusha's rumoured ex, TV producer Vikas Gupta who took centre stage dressed in a Superman Tee and coordinated white-red shoes. Gupta immediately got down to the task at hand; pointing fingers at Pratyusha's boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh. “There is evidence that Rahul physically assaulted Pratyusha, many people know this. The relationship had begun to disturb her,“ he snarled as if auditioning for a Balaji TV show. Of course, there was no 'evidence' that he could produce.
The speed at which Vikas hurled allegations at Rahul was only rivalled by his and Pratyusha's close friend actress Kamya Punjabi's smoke breaks. “Rahul slapped Partyusha at a party, twice. There were marks on her neck and nose,“ she announced dramatically when her turn came to speak up.
Minutes before that the 'friends' had stopped Rahul's former business partner Sheetal Malviya and actress Heer Patel from coming on to the dais saying, “It didn't make sense as they were not as popular as the others.“
Earlier in the day, a Marathi starlet who visited the hospital where Pratyusha's body was taken, and where all the TV cameras had congregated had come out screaming and crying and even fainted. She was scooped up by her supposed boyfriend, all under the gaze of the camera.
Her histrionics were nearly matched by Rakhi Sawant, who registered her presence dressed in pink shoes and matching headphones, which she kept on for some reason and a flashy, fake Gucci tee. Sawant, who like Pratyusha was also a Bigg Boss contestant, pushed her way through the crowds for a dekko of the body. She began to fight her way by screaming, “Let me go in, let me go to her, I am in shaawwk... shawwk!“
At both Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital as also at Pratyusha's home, actress Sara Khan, Mouni Roy and Adaa Khan came with their hair and make up staff, making sure they got a quick touch up before going in front of the media. The TRP-raking tactics gained momentum with wedding planner-socialite Leena Dias, who claims to be Pratyusha's 'closest' friend, who told everyone that Rahul's ex-girlfriend Saloni Sharma was the primary cause for her misery. “Pratyusha had called me one night before her death and confided that Saloni used to trouble her,“ Leena revealed. 'Superman' Vikas was quick to chime in, “Saloni had tortured Pratyusha and Rahul never took any action.“
It's worth noting
here that Dias had curiously cropped Pratyusha out of a string of
pictures from a Holi bash, while Gupta had not spoken to the deceased
actress in the three months prior to her death. He had offered her a
role in one of his shows, which she had twice turned down.
Not to be outdone by the scream queens and 'Superman', another Bigg Boss
loser, Ajaz Khan, managed to get the cameras on him by proclaiming
authoritatively at the funeral, “This is murder. We have to get
to the bottom of this.“
Vikas was quick to pick up this line of thought, reiterating, “The cause
of the marks on her body was Rahul. We have the evidence. If police are
saying he is not involved then they are wrong. If the cops cannot handle
this, then the crime branch will take care of it,“ before continuing in
the same vein, “We saw Rahul eating chips.“ No doubt, that's evidence
of a sinister act.Designer friend Rohit Verma, who designs to turn up wherever the cameras are, said, “I had suggested a coral and gold dress for Pratyusha's wedding scheduled in Jamshedpur next month.“ He teared up as he revealed this momentous information and quickly regained poise by sipping on his double latte.
'Superman' Vikas wasn't done yet, “If Pratyusha had been pregnant, she wouldn't have died. She always wanted to be pregnant. But there is no pregnancy. Pratyusha had contacted a lawyer for a legal case against Rahul 10 days ago. There is a strong reason behind her suicide and whoever is behind this we will get them. We want justice,“ he thundered.
When asked if the 'We hate Rahul' brigade had officially registered their statements with the police, Leena told the media, “The police has not called any of us, but we want to give our statements.“
Given all the eyeballs these press conferences garnered, another set of Pratyusha's 'friends' called a press conference at an upscale resto-bar at Andheri on Monday. Rakhi Sawant has also called the press to Oshiwara Police Station at 1 pm on Tuesday to share 'important documents' and has promised to reveal many 'secrets'. We can't wait!
I'll ask Rahul Mahajan about the massage he gave Payal Rohatgi-Farah Khan
8:46 AM
Farah Khan is gearing up to host a popular reality TV show, adds that her next is a 'small, Rs 50-crore film' starring Shah Rukh Khan
Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 3, 2015)
It's a 'Happy New Year' for Farah Khan again. No, it's not time for "action" yet. She has no idea when her next project, "a small, Rs 50 crore film" will start. "I don't have a script yet, I'm going to enjoy myself for a month or two, then the idea will come to me," she says.
Any chance that she will make this one with another Khan? Salman maybe? "No, it'll star Shah Rukh. We've been discussing it for some time now. I don't see a film with Salman happening in the near future," Farah asserts.
However, she has accepted the baton from Salman to host a new series of her favourite reality show. Starting Sunday, Bigg Boss Halla Bol will pit the five champions of Season 8 against five challengers from the past, with a grand finale on January 31.
A self-confessed fan of the show, Farah insists that the new concept is her brainchild. She argues that except for Urvashi Dholakia and Gauahar Khan, many of the winners were too goody goody for her liking. Farah says, "It was the Rakhi Sawants, Sambhavana Seths, Dolly Bindras, Pooja Mishras, Mahek Chahals and Rahul Mahajans who gave the show its masala. I've always wondered what it would be like to watch Dolly and Rakhi in the house together," says Farah who is looking forward to having her old favourites, like Rahul Mahajan back. "He'd have won, had he not run out of the house at midnight. I'll ask him about the massage he gave Payal Rohatgi," she deadpans.
She has vivid memories of Dolly's fights, Sambhavana pouring water on Raja Chaudhury's bed, Vindoo "crying more than her triplets did when they were one" but doesn't remember the controversial Kamaal R Khan.
She has hosted many reality shows but this one is different as the repartee will come from how the contestants behave during the week. "I want punches, fights and love," she says, admitting she could spend one night in the house but beyond that, sharing a toilet or a bed with someone else is unthinkable.
The most disconcerting thing to happen to Farah so far was when she heard last year that a gangster had threatened to kill Shah Rukh, Mahesh Bhatt and her. "Now, I'm worried about Salman's crazy fans," she laughs.
She is taking over from the actor for a month and says it's like "going to Disneyland". But Farah insists she's only doing it as Salman is "unavailable", adding that Bigg Boss is synonymous with him, like KBC and Amitabh Bachchan.
"Mr Bachchan (Amitabh) was very good and the season he hosted had an interesting mix of contestants. But his personality is such that they were intimidated by him," she reasons. "They are more open with Salman. He's so involved, takes things personally and his opinions-good, bad, ugly and some which I don't agree with-are his own. With him it's all about being human, no pun intended, and not about being Salman Khan, the star. He says what he feels and that works for me as a viewer."
Who's she betting on this season? "I was all for Gautam Gulati who has that 'hero' quality, but now that I''m the host, I have to be impartial," says Farah who is looking forward to enjoying the perks of two years of hard work while hubby Shirish Kunder rolls with his next film.
"I'll spend more time with my family and clean my cupboard," she concludes.
I have no work, no house and no money-Inder Kumar
8:36 AM
Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; June 20, 2014)
“I have a 15-month-old daughter and wife to fend for and I have no work, no house and no money,” says Inder Kumar, who is now out on bail.
It may be pointed out that the actor was accused by a struggling actress of raping and assaulting her. The actor was then arrested and he spent 45 days in prison before getting a bail. He says, “When I got arrested, my daughter fell ill. My wife, Pallavi, asked for help to bail me out, but no one came forward.” To make things worse, just before his incarceration, the landlord of his rented apartment apparently issued an eviction notice to his wife Pallavi. “She was asked to vacate the house in just one month,” says the actor, who now has only one film in hand.
“It is difficult for me to get a house on rent now. My stuff is lying in a warehouse and we are living at a friend’s place. Only one person stood by us — Dolly Bindra; other than her, my wife and I didn’t receive a single phone call from anyone in the film industry,” he says.
“I have no money in the bank; we had to sell our car to pay lawyers. It took just one person to shatter my reputation. I really want to know why the law does not give you a chance to give your side of the story. I respect women, but in this case, the woman was seeking revenge.”
So was he in a relationship with the struggling actress? The actor replies that he doesn’t want to talk about the case as the matter is subjudice. Ask him about his alleged drug addiction and the actor says, “There is a misconception about it. After my helicopter fall, my back has been acting up often. When I was moved to Arthur Road jail, it got aggravated and I needed painkillers to get rid of the pain, that’s it,” he says.
All the women who say size doesn't matter are lying-Ram Kapoor
8:42 AM
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; June 10, 2014)
In his serials, Ram Kapoor always comes across as loving, caring, mature
and a somewhat serious guy. Women of all ages adore him. But few know
that he has a funny side. Add to it, his self-deprecating humour and the
entire package is a winner. I decided to pose a bunch of really inane
questions to him. Wary of his reaction, I warn him before I start. But
he assures me, “Ask me anything”. He had me cracking up soon with his
funny rejoinders. The actor, who is all set to showcase his funnier side
in Humshakals, gets candid about everything from ‘size to sex’. Here’s
presenting Ram Kapoor like never before...
Is Ram Kapoor better at drama or comedy?
I am more comfortable with drama. Comedy is still a little new to me, but I enjoy doing it. I have done a lot more drama and in TV, I am known for drama. I have a lot more practice at it. Also, it is easier than comedy. It is very hard to make someone laugh. However, I love taking on challenges, but let’s see how the outcome is. I will let the audience decide what I am better at.
Are you funnier off screen or onscreen?
Off screen. I don’t think the real humour of Ram Kapoor will be shown in any movie or serial because it is a little too in-your-face and below-the-belt. Only my close friends and family get to see that sense of humour. I don’t think the audience is ready for it yet (grins).
Three things Ram Kapoor has that Ranbir Kapoor doesn’t?
(Thinks) I can only think of one thing that Ranbir doesn’t have and that is my lovely cute paunch!
You moved from small screen to big screen because...
I am getting a lot of variety on the big screen. On the small screen I got stuck with doing the same role for three-four years and there was nothing I could do about it. If your show is a hit, then it runs for a long time and you end up playing the same character. To keep growing as an artiste, you have to keep challenging yourself and do different things. That’s what films are offering me.
What would you pick between spending one hour at the gym everyday and shopping with your wife for one hour everyday?
I love going shopping with my wife and pampering her. I am a patient shopper. I go wherever she wants to go and quietly give suggestions.
What if one morning you wake up and find yourself lean?
I will go back to sleep!
What will happen if you were caught in a city with only vegetarian food?
I will leave that city.
What will you say to someone who offered you an item song?
I will gladly do it. Me doing an item song will be hilarious. I love doing anything that the audience is not expecting and shocking them.
A vegetable you most resemble?
Potato.
An animal you most resemble?
Hippopotamus.
Actors get themselves six-pack-abs because...
a) They can’t act....
b) To impress the leading ladies...
c) Role demands it...
Some actors get six-pack-abs because the role demands it and some because the industry expects it. I won’t say impressing the leading ladies because there are many other ways to do that.
Given a chance, will you be a part of Bigg Boss?
Never say never in life, but I think it is next to impossible.
If I look inside the refrigerator, what will I find?
A lot of fruits, cold cuts, sausages, salami, children’s stuff, eggs and vegetables.
What was the last lie you told?
A few weeks ago when Gautami and I wanted to spend time alone, we told the children that we are going to work. That was the only way we could convince them not to accompany us.
When was the last time you were caught lying?
I must have been caught many lies but nothing comes to mind! That’s because this was many years ago, probably before my marriage.
Have you ever been unfaithful to your girlfriend?
I have been unfaithful to many of my girlfriends before marriage. I was wild in those days, it was a boyish phase. I got married to the right person at the right time, the reason I am still happily married.
Which celebrity do you have a crush on?
I don’t have a crush on anybody though I like many of them as they are beautiful. I used to have a huge crush on Madhuri Dixit. That was 15 years ago when I was a teenager.
Who was your first crush?
It was the principal’s daughter in Sherwood college at Nainital.
Which features of yours are you self-conscious about?
I am not self-conscious about anything. If I am self-conscious either about my weight or about my looks I will not be able to perform as comfortably as I do. It is very important for actors to know and accept themselves for the good or bad, only they can act with ease.
What is the first physical feature you look for in someone you are attracted to?
Eyes.
When you are trying to impress people what personality trait do you hide?
I don’t hide anything but I try to impress people by showing my funny side. My sense of humour has worked in my favour many times. Even my wife got impressed with my ability to make her laugh.
Will you still love your wife if she gained 100 pounds?
I will love her if she became the ugliest, fattest, smelliest person on the planet because she is the mother of my children and nothing is more beautiful than that.
What is your guilty pleasure?
My guilty pleasure used to be smoking and drinking but since I have given that up, I love to run away and do scuba diving as often as I possibly can. Last month, I went diving for two weeks and this month, I am trying to make one more trip. I would love to go diving every single month. I try to fit in a trip even if it’s only four to five days between my shooting schedules.
What is the longest time you have gone without a bath?
In boarding school I went without bath for a week. Everybody who’s been in a boarding school does everything to evade a bath. Being in a cold place like Nainital, we would all try to escape bath for weeks till we absolutely had to, especially during the winters.
What is the worst thing about being a grown-up?
Responsibility, but I wouldn’t say it’s the worst thing. On the other hand, I would say not having any responsibilty at all is the best thing about being a child.
You are the only man alive and could choose another person to live, it would be..
My wife.
Who would be the worst to be trapped in an elevator with?
Dolly Bindra. She is a sweet person but I can’t take too much of her. Only in very small doses. It would be hard if I am trapped with her in an elevator.
What keeps you up at night?
Nothing. I sleep very well.
What do you do to let someone know you like him/her?
I try to be frank and honest. I don’t beat around the bush. I say what I am feeling with honesty so the other person realises I am being serious.
If you had only 24 hours left to live, what would you do?
I will spend every nanosecond with my children and wife.
If you were to be invisible for one day?
I would like to sneak in back stage of a Victoria Secret’s fashion show!
A Hollywood celebrity you want to get dirty with?
Angelina Jolie.
Lets talk about porn.
I have watched many porno films in boarding school with my friends.
You have been granted a slave to do all your bidding. Your first request?
Massage my feet because they are always hurting.
What is the weirdest place you have done it in?
On a plane.
Have you had a one-night stand?
Yes.
Does size matter?
Definitely, it matters to everybody. All the women who say it doesn’t matter are lying!
If you were a tree, what would you be?
Peepal ka jhad because it is huge.
If you were a t-shirt, what colour would you be? Why?.
White. I love wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt.
If a gay man made a pass at you...
I would not be offended at all. I am not homophobic at all. I will politely say, ‘I am straight’. There’s nothing wrong in being a homosexual. Some of my closest friends are gay.
If your significant other said it’s okay, would you cheat on her?
No. Because that phase has passed. I have done so much of all that nonsense before marriage that I feel I got married at the perfect time to the perfect girl. It’s when things don’t happen in a timely fashion these thoughts come to your mind. I really partied hard and was a bit of a casanova. I have never hidden it either from my parents or my wife.
In his serials, Ram Kapoor always comes across as loving, caring, mature
and a somewhat serious guy. Women of all ages adore him. But few know
that he has a funny side. Add to it, his self-deprecating humour and the
entire package is a winner. I decided to pose a bunch of really inane
questions to him. Wary of his reaction, I warn him before I start. But
he assures me, “Ask me anything”. He had me cracking up soon with his
funny rejoinders. The actor, who is all set to showcase his funnier side
in Humshakals, gets candid about everything from ‘size to sex’. Here’s
presenting Ram Kapoor like never before...Is Ram Kapoor better at drama or comedy?
I am more comfortable with drama. Comedy is still a little new to me, but I enjoy doing it. I have done a lot more drama and in TV, I am known for drama. I have a lot more practice at it. Also, it is easier than comedy. It is very hard to make someone laugh. However, I love taking on challenges, but let’s see how the outcome is. I will let the audience decide what I am better at.
Are you funnier off screen or onscreen?
Off screen. I don’t think the real humour of Ram Kapoor will be shown in any movie or serial because it is a little too in-your-face and below-the-belt. Only my close friends and family get to see that sense of humour. I don’t think the audience is ready for it yet (grins).
Three things Ram Kapoor has that Ranbir Kapoor doesn’t?
(Thinks) I can only think of one thing that Ranbir doesn’t have and that is my lovely cute paunch!
You moved from small screen to big screen because...
I am getting a lot of variety on the big screen. On the small screen I got stuck with doing the same role for three-four years and there was nothing I could do about it. If your show is a hit, then it runs for a long time and you end up playing the same character. To keep growing as an artiste, you have to keep challenging yourself and do different things. That’s what films are offering me.
What would you pick between spending one hour at the gym everyday and shopping with your wife for one hour everyday?
I love going shopping with my wife and pampering her. I am a patient shopper. I go wherever she wants to go and quietly give suggestions.
What if one morning you wake up and find yourself lean?I will go back to sleep!
What will happen if you were caught in a city with only vegetarian food?
I will leave that city.
What will you say to someone who offered you an item song?
I will gladly do it. Me doing an item song will be hilarious. I love doing anything that the audience is not expecting and shocking them.
A vegetable you most resemble?
Potato.
An animal you most resemble?
Hippopotamus.
Actors get themselves six-pack-abs because...
a) They can’t act....
b) To impress the leading ladies...
c) Role demands it...
Some actors get six-pack-abs because the role demands it and some because the industry expects it. I won’t say impressing the leading ladies because there are many other ways to do that.
Given a chance, will you be a part of Bigg Boss?
Never say never in life, but I think it is next to impossible.
If I look inside the refrigerator, what will I find?
A lot of fruits, cold cuts, sausages, salami, children’s stuff, eggs and vegetables.
What was the last lie you told?
A few weeks ago when Gautami and I wanted to spend time alone, we told the children that we are going to work. That was the only way we could convince them not to accompany us.
When was the last time you were caught lying?
I must have been caught many lies but nothing comes to mind! That’s because this was many years ago, probably before my marriage.
Have you ever been unfaithful to your girlfriend?
I have been unfaithful to many of my girlfriends before marriage. I was wild in those days, it was a boyish phase. I got married to the right person at the right time, the reason I am still happily married.
Which celebrity do you have a crush on?
I don’t have a crush on anybody though I like many of them as they are beautiful. I used to have a huge crush on Madhuri Dixit. That was 15 years ago when I was a teenager.
Who was your first crush?
It was the principal’s daughter in Sherwood college at Nainital.
Which features of yours are you self-conscious about?
I am not self-conscious about anything. If I am self-conscious either about my weight or about my looks I will not be able to perform as comfortably as I do. It is very important for actors to know and accept themselves for the good or bad, only they can act with ease.
What is the first physical feature you look for in someone you are attracted to?
Eyes.
When you are trying to impress people what personality trait do you hide?
I don’t hide anything but I try to impress people by showing my funny side. My sense of humour has worked in my favour many times. Even my wife got impressed with my ability to make her laugh.
Will you still love your wife if she gained 100 pounds?
I will love her if she became the ugliest, fattest, smelliest person on the planet because she is the mother of my children and nothing is more beautiful than that.
What is your guilty pleasure?
My guilty pleasure used to be smoking and drinking but since I have given that up, I love to run away and do scuba diving as often as I possibly can. Last month, I went diving for two weeks and this month, I am trying to make one more trip. I would love to go diving every single month. I try to fit in a trip even if it’s only four to five days between my shooting schedules.
What is the longest time you have gone without a bath?
In boarding school I went without bath for a week. Everybody who’s been in a boarding school does everything to evade a bath. Being in a cold place like Nainital, we would all try to escape bath for weeks till we absolutely had to, especially during the winters.
What is the worst thing about being a grown-up?
Responsibility, but I wouldn’t say it’s the worst thing. On the other hand, I would say not having any responsibilty at all is the best thing about being a child.
You are the only man alive and could choose another person to live, it would be..
My wife.
Who would be the worst to be trapped in an elevator with?
Dolly Bindra. She is a sweet person but I can’t take too much of her. Only in very small doses. It would be hard if I am trapped with her in an elevator.
What keeps you up at night?
Nothing. I sleep very well.
What do you do to let someone know you like him/her?
I try to be frank and honest. I don’t beat around the bush. I say what I am feeling with honesty so the other person realises I am being serious.
If you had only 24 hours left to live, what would you do?
I will spend every nanosecond with my children and wife.
If you were to be invisible for one day?
I would like to sneak in back stage of a Victoria Secret’s fashion show!
A Hollywood celebrity you want to get dirty with?
Angelina Jolie.
Lets talk about porn.
I have watched many porno films in boarding school with my friends.
You have been granted a slave to do all your bidding. Your first request?
Massage my feet because they are always hurting.
What is the weirdest place you have done it in?
On a plane.
Have you had a one-night stand?
Yes.
Does size matter?
Definitely, it matters to everybody. All the women who say it doesn’t matter are lying!
If you were a tree, what would you be?
Peepal ka jhad because it is huge.
If you were a t-shirt, what colour would you be? Why?.
White. I love wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt.
If a gay man made a pass at you...
I would not be offended at all. I am not homophobic at all. I will politely say, ‘I am straight’. There’s nothing wrong in being a homosexual. Some of my closest friends are gay.
If your significant other said it’s okay, would you cheat on her?
No. Because that phase has passed. I have done so much of all that nonsense before marriage that I feel I got married at the perfect time to the perfect girl. It’s when things don’t happen in a timely fashion these thoughts come to your mind. I really partied hard and was a bit of a casanova. I have never hidden it either from my parents or my wife.
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