The late bloomer of Bollywood, Pankaj Tripathi, is in a class of versatile actors. I had the opportunity to host him at the 2024 India Day parade in New York. He was his usual quiet and understated self, and I had to get him to open up and speak about himself. He is funny and has a self-deprecating style of humor. I even managed to get him to dance and do a few steps, much to the audience’s delight. We will be seeing a lot more of this wonderfully talented actor.
Parineeti was the guest of honor at the 2019 Asian American Heritage Festival. She absolutely rocked the stage and engaged with the audience in a charming and endearing way. I had the good fortune to spend a lot of time with her, interviewing her and then hosting her at the Festival. She brought the festival to life with her bubbly and gregarious personality. She is absolutely gorgeous and a lovely person.
It was joy to meet Aamir Khan and the Laapata Ladies team when they were in Los Angeles to promote the film to make the shortlist for the Oscars. Aamir is an unassuming and thoughtful person, and he was very generous with his time. It turned out to be one of the best interviews that I have conducted in my career. He was very forthcoming about his ups and downs, his work ethic and his approach to filmmaking. He is one of his kind in Bollywood – a legitimate superstar but being in his presence was not overwhelming. He went out of his way to make me feel comfortable.
The man who defies all critics and delivers one hit after the other. Salman is completely one of his kind on this earth. One doesn’t know what will happen on any of his interviews. He is unpredictable, funny and spontaneous. He has a love-hate relationship with the media, but, he has never disappointed in any of his interviews. He plays mostly Salman Khan with any of his characters in his movies and the fans across all age groups, genders and social background love him – making him a universal Superstar
In this age, where all actresses are aspiring for “size 0”, this buxom star is a refreshing change. She has a commanding screen presence and has clearly appealed to the public through her performances. She can keep up with the best when it comes to dancing and she has many more hits to come. I met her at the IIFA awards where she looked stunning in her gown and she was gracious to stop by for a quick chat
Jaya Bachchan has never let her towering husband overshadow her presence, and she has maintained her own identity as an actress, a social worker and a member of the Rajya Sabha. She carries herself with grace, and is still quick with her temper, especially when she perceives something to be wrong. Ran into her at the screening of The Great Gatsby with Mr. Bachchan, and she was ready for a picture and a few words.
A true gentleman, a consummate professional and the quintessential superstar. Even though I have had the good fortune to meet him a few times, I still get goosebumps when I am in his hallowed company. He never rushes through a conversation, always gives you his undivided attention. He has the unique quality that he makes you feel special. Once I met him after several years, and he remembered “Mamta Jisko Kuch Nahin Hai Jamta”. Another great memory that I have with the Big B is when I met him in Delhi before the release of Paa. He stayed in character of Auro for the entire interview, making it an everlasting memory.
Abhishek Bachchan had the good fortune of being born to talented and very popular parents. But, he also struggled to break out of the shadow of his father. But, then came a series of hits like Bunty and Babli, and he established his own identity. Very articulate and very attentive in one on one interactions.
This son of two very gifted individuals in their own fields, has had an enduring career. He is also a very versatile actor. He is a talented guitarist in his own right, and he gets requested by fans to play on stage and he readily obliges. Met him on stage at an event, and he was a bit shy at first but then opened up and entertained the crowd.
Sunny is a reluctant participant for anything that happens on stage. We were on stage together for the India Day parade, and he was very clear that he would not say any of his lines or dance. But, he is very relaxed and easy to talk to during one on one interviews. Sunny has lived under the shadow of his father, but he is famous for his hard-hitting roles of the 80s and 90s.
Miss World has incredible fashion sense and is simply beautiful. She is very reserved and does not open up. Met the whole family for one of their movie premieres. She was not yet officially part of Bollywood’s first family.
Easily, the finest actress of our time. She gracefully slides into the core of whatever character she plays. Meeting her and getting to interact with her is a real joy. We met at the India Day parade in New York city and we interacted on the stage. She is spontaneous, bubbly and connected effortlessly with the thousands of people who had gathered to see her. Her laugh is infectious and I found myself laughing and swaying with her on the stage.
This “mast mast cheez” still has the magic in her when she is on stage. One of my most memorable moments was a spontaneous dance performance with her to her trademark song on stage in front of thousands of people at the India Day parade. Another star who switches into a different personality when she steps on stage.
This absolutely brilliant and innovative music director is electrifying on stage. He just takes over the show and it is totally paisa vasool for the audience. Having interviewed him a few times, he comes across as a very modest human being who understands that it is the viewing public who makes Shankaar-Ehsaan-Loy music successful.
Abhay Deol is one of the classiest and most elegant actors in Bollywood today. He chooses his roles carefully and essays it with consummate ease and does the character he is playing total justice. He was the celebrity ambassador at my very own event – the Asian American Heritage Festival that took place in Edison, NJ on May 31st, 2015. He was charming and totally relaxed on stage, and encouraged the audience to ask him questions. He then made everyone’s day by being a great sport and clicking pictures with several people from the audience. It was a special experience for me to give him a plaque honoring his presence at my event.
The ever-bubbly and effervescent Preity Zinta. She is spontaneous and fun to be around. I had the good fortune of spending time with her at one of the events, and she was good with the crowd and easy to interact with.
The complete actor. A thorough gentleman. A total professional. He is easy to interview and interact with. He is very sincere in his responses. Incredibly handsome and a phenomenal screen presence. We are yet to see the best of Hrithik Roshan.
The fittest person in Bollywood – she shot to fame after her debut in Om Shaanti Om and she has never looked back. Perhaps not so lucky in relationships, she has made the best of all the opportunities on the screen. She is very outspoken and she makes sure that everyone knows where she stands on any issue. She is not the most communicative person in interviews, as she is shy and reserved, but at the same time she is very professional.
A true gentleman, a consummate professional and the quintessential superstar. Even though I have had the good fortune to meet him a few times, I still get goosebumps when I am in his hallowed company. He never rushes through a conversation, always gives you his undivided attention. He has the unique quality that he makes you feel special. Once I met him after several years, and he remembered “Mamta Jisko Kuch Nahin Hai Jamta”. Another great memory that I have with the Big B is when I met him in Delhi before the release of Paa. He stayed in character of Auro for the entire interview, making it an everlasting memory.
A true gentleman, a consummate professional and the quintessential superstar. Even though I have had the good fortune to meet him a few times, I still get goosebumps when I am in his hallowed company. He never rushes through a conversation, always gives you his undivided attention. He has the unique quality that he makes you feel special. Once I met him after several years, and he remembered “Mamta Jisko Kuch Nahin Hai Jamta”. Another great memory that I have with the Big B is when I met him in Delhi before the release of Paa. He stayed in character of Auro for the entire interview, making it an everlasting memory.
Now what do I say about the King Khan – he makes my heart skip a beat. Many stars have come and gone, but he is one who has always been dear to me. He is always ready for a quick laugh and a conversation. My first interview with him was a memorable one and since then have had a few interactions. At the IIFA in Toronto, he asked me for gum and luckily I had some on hand. Just a typical spur of the moment kind of experience with this ultimate superstar. On screen, he is considered to be a director’s actor and is a total professional. Hoping and wishing Shahrukh Khan many more hits in the years to come.
Meeting the God of Cricket is a moment that I will cherish forever. I got to spend a lot of time around Sachin at the AllStars tournament in New York in November 2015. He came across as a mature, composed and thorough gentleman. Watching him enthusiastically practice with his team mates in the nets, focusing on his batting and then willingly interacting with the fans and signing autographs and taking selfies with them was a true joy to witness. He clearly understands the responsibility he carries as the ambassador of the sport and the source of inspiration and adoration of millions of fans.
This star of the silver screen has successfully reversed the aging process. Interviewing him is a pleasure because he never fails to deliver. I once asked him, “What does Akshay Kumar stand for?” and he stood up and said, “For a lady”. He knows how to turn on the charm that floors his fans. I once had to interview him in New York city, and I hit nasty traffic and circled the block for over 20 minutes trying to find parking. I ran into the interview breathless and thinking that I had completely blown it. But it turned out that not only was it one of my best interactions with a Bollywood star, we were both dressed in black and white, which made for an awesome picture. Akshay has delivered several hits and he has a unique blend of action and comedy in his repetoire.
A true gentleman, a consummate professional and the quintessential superstar. Even though I have had the good fortune to meet him a few times, I still get goosebumps when I am in his hallowed company. He never rushes through a conversation, always gives you his undivided attention. He has the unique quality that he makes you feel special. Once I met him after several years, and he remembered “Mamta Jisko Kuch Nahin Hai Jamta”. Another great memory that I have with the Big B is when I met him in Delhi before the release of Paa. He stayed in character of Auro for the entire interview, making it an everlasting memory.