Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; December 25, 2018)

Vicky Kaushal grew up in the suburb of Andheri, soaking in and celebrating the spirit of every festival. And, Christmas was no different. He says, “I grew up in Amboli, which has a huge Christian population. Even my neighbours upstairs were Christians. So, every Christmas, we would be treated to our favourite cakes, though we didn’t know much about the festival then. Also, since childhood, I have loved the combination of red and green, caps and stars. Every place is lit up during the festival, it brings families together and gives you a happy feeling. My childhood memories of Christmas always bring a smile to my face.”

BT met the actor recently for a special photoshoot in Bandra, to celebrate the spirit of Xmas.

‘FOR A CHILD, IT’S HEARTBREAKING TO KNOW THAT SANTA CLAUS IS A MYTH’
Every child believes in Santa and there comes a moment in life when that myth is shattered. Talking about it, Vicky says, “For a child, it’s heartbreaking to know that Santa Claus is a myth. I learnt about it early in school, but we would still celebrate Christmas and someone would play Santa. I like the fact that the idea of Santa has been kept alive for ages. It’s great to be a Santa for your near and dear ones. We were taught that the concept of Santa lies in the joy of giving. If you look at all these cartoons and drawings, you will see that Santa has a bigger smile than the kids who receive gifts from him. It signifies that giving is merrier and more divine than receiving, which is what Christmas teaches us.”

‘IT’S A HAPPY ATMOSPHERE, EVERYWHERE’
Now that he is one of the most promising young stars in Bollywood, does he find time to celebrate festivals like before? Vicky replies, “The only change is that there is too much work. In our profession, it becomes even more hectic during holidays. Otherwise, the spirit is still the same. It’s a happy atmosphere, everywhere. Even now, whenever I get a chance to go to Mount Mary Church, I light a candle and make a silent prayer.”

About his plans this year, he says, “In spite of being busy with work, my friends and I have decided to have a Christmas party. You can’t miss the happiness in the air, you have to breathe it. Like every festival, it’s an excuse to meet your friends.”

Well, who according to him could play Santa Claus in Bollywood? “Rishi Kapoor saab. I feel that he has got the energy of Santa Claus. He is full of life and is a jovial person. He likes to stay happy. I have met him only a few times, but whenever I have, he has said nice things to me. I would really want Rishi ji to be my Santa,” he says.

Playing Secret Santa with BT

BT quizzed Vicky on what he would like to gift some of our B-Town folks:

Karan Johar: What can you gift him? Umm… I would buy something for his kids (Yash and Roohi).

Alia Bhatt: I would gift some pet-friendly toys or treats for her cat, Edward.

Anurag Kashyap: I would gift him a rack full of the best bottles of whisky from around the world, because he loves his whiskey.

Taapsee Pannu: I want to gift Taapsee a trash can (laughs!). She has recently shifted into her new house, and she is so particular about the theme, which is shabby-chic. At her house-warming, she said, ‘I can’t find a dustbin that is shabby-chic.’ So, if I am her Santa, I would want to gift her that dustbin.

Taimur Ali Khan: He himself is a gift from Santa Claus to the world. People just look at his pictures and feel happy.

Sunny Kaushal (brother): He is crazy about sneakers and shoes, so I will buy him the latest models

Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; August 20, 2014)

The Watchdog Foundation has sent a fresh complaint to municipal commissioner Sitaram Kunte regarding no public access to a road next to Shah Rukh Khan’s bungalow, Mannat. The road next to King Khan’s bungalow is a shorter route to Mount Mary Church, but it has been closed since the last three years.

It may be pointed out that SRK’s bungalow is located near to the Mount Mary Church where thousands of pilgrims flock during the annual Bandra fair. The road located between SRK’s home and the church has apparently been blocked for SRK’s safety and this is said to have caused a nuisance to pilgrims. Last year after some agitation, the road was opened on the third day of the annual Bandra fair, but soon after, it was closed again.

Nicholas Almeida, trustee of the Watchdog Foundation says, “We have recently written to the CM and the BMC commissioner. The commissioner has asked for a fresh inquiry and a report will be submitted to him. With the road being closed, a lot of people face problems as it is a short cut. Also, it is illegal to just stop people from taking that route. The road was opened to the public last year and at that time, we were assured that it will be open permanently. But yet again, it has been closed.”

He adds that SRK’s security has been stopping people from taking that road. “Security guards deployed at Mannat don’t allow people to take the short cut to the church. His vanity van is also parked on the ramp,” he says.

When contacted, Prashant Satpale, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, BMC Zone 3, confirmed that the commissioner has asked him to conduct an inquiry to look into the matter. “ I have been asked to do an inquiry and send him the report,” he said.

Meanwhile, a source close to the actor says, “SRK’s vanity van is parked on a property which belongs to Mannat and it is never parked on the road. The actor has nothing to do with it. In fact, the ramp was created earlier on, even before SRK purchased the bungalow.”

Another source says, “It was the decision of the cops to close the road next to Mannat, as the road is quite narrow and they wished to avoid calamities during the Bandra Fair.”