12 Feb_Party time

Party day! Today I went to Freda's salon in Bandra where for just short of $20, I was able to get a bevvy of treatments including a traditional shave! Yikes, a sharp blade swinging infront of my face- I just shut my eyes and imagined him whipping the blade around, Kill Bill style...with his Hittori Hanso Gillette Blade...

In the evening we headed to Pran's 90th birthday at The Royal China restaurant. It was more of a family and friends party than Bollywood headline grabber gala event. About 150 people. But when your friends include Amitabh Bachan, who needs anyone else?!

Pran was in really high spirits throughout the night and at one point the crowd cheered his wife on to join him where he gave her a kiss. He was also awarded an honour by the Punjabi Society, one more to add to his massive collection of awards back at the house.
When famous Bollywood actors came in the crowds parted to let them through, some snapping pictures and generally ogling them.

Later on, I along with cousin Rashi, were given the task of getting a large notebook filled with dedications. Before I knew it, Amitabh (India's most prolific Bollywood actor of all time) was heading towards me on his way out. Book and pen in hand, I stopped him in his tracks and asked him to sign the book. While he was doing that I threw the camera at Rashi and said, PHOTO! NOW!!!!

Well that turned out to be a million dollar photo, so thanks Rashi!

AB and PR

 

After dinner, us young folk continued the night with an after-party at one of Mumbai's newest and coolest clubs, Escobar. With a large rooftop terrace (about half the total area) we partied into the wee hours and I got to see first hand what the young and trendy are about in this city. Mumbai is the place to come if you like to dress to impress, or indeed be impressed.

Another juxtaposed moment came at the end of the night- parked outside the club was a Lamborgini Gallardo, bright yellow of course. As a crowd gathered around the car and the owner let some girls sit in the passenger's seat, there was a frail old man with one leg, on crutches, with one hand held out begging for money. The owner of the Lamborghini was too consumed to notice.

He zoomed out of sight (The Lambo driver, not One-leg), and somebody said, "Should have got an Audi R8"... it was me of course.