Meeting Mani Ratnam...

So, there was this Audio Visual Presentation to be done for an exhibition to be held in China next week. For the voice over, Radio Mirchi fame Suchitra (Mirchi Suchi) had been arranged and myself and Babu (my boss) were present in the Alwarpet recording studio, situated right above the famous DVD rental shop - Cinema Paradise, waiting for her to turn up.

Now initially, I had an idea of taking a snap with Suchitra which eventually I dropped considering the fact that she was no big celebrity and all. So while waiting for her, we both got discussing about her when I mentioned that she had acted in Mani Ratnam's movie "Azhutha Eluthu" and went on to add that it was a typical Mani Ratnam movie with his style of dialogues that we are accustomed to.

It was at this juncture that Babu suggested that we go down as he wanted to have a smoke. Getting down the stairs, I found this Black Honda CR-V parked right in front of the DVD shop and a guy with a gun standing next to it. It did not take much time to conclude that a "real" celebrity had come there in that vehicle and he was inside the shop now.

And guessing so, I turned around and looked into the shop to find none other than Mani Ratnam himself!!!!! Oh My GOD! OH MY GOD!! Minutes back I had mentioned his name and discussed about his movie and dialogue style and there he was right inside the shop!! There should be some better and more apt word than "coincidence" which I am not able to think of.

Without hesitation we ripped a couple of papers from Babu's diary and waited for him to come out of the shop. And out he came staring blankly at both of us as we stood smiling at him! Still smiling ear to ear I shook hands with him and asked for his autograph and he obliged.

And this is where I asked him the most talked about question in Tamil Nadu.

"Sir! Adutha padam Superstar kude thane?" (Sir! Isn't you next film with Superstar?")
"Illapa! Illapa!" (No dear No!)

Ok, so now there you heard it from THE MAN himself. So don't believe rumors that my friend Mani is doing a film with Rajinikanth when the magazines say so. Yeah don't believe for Mani himself told me that he is not doing it. I don't know if you are going to copy paste this post, link the post, print the post and handout pamphlets...just do whatever it takes, but do spread the word that my friend Mani's next movie is not with Rajinikanth. Okay?

Okay, then I had this snap taken standing with him with Babu's N70 before he got into his car and sped away. I was too thrilled with all this that I hardly noticed Radio Mirchi Suchitra walking past me on her way to the studio! She was wearing a grey T-shirt and a three fourth pant (caprice?) and walked like a keyed up doll. We followed her to the studio and finished off the recording portion. I was still thinking about Mani Ratnam when Babu suddenly introduced me to her, he went like "Suchitra, this is my colleague Hari and he is a fan of yours!! Can we have your autograph?" FAN??? Hahaha! She herself seemed to be pleasantly shocked to hear all this that she blessed me in her autograph which read "God Bless, Suchitra". And though I never again thought about it, Babu wanted me to pose with her when she went like "Oh! But I have a boil on my cheek, ok let me pose sidewards!!"

Hahahahahaha!

Ok and that is the story of how Suchi excitedly stood and took a snap with me while I excitedly stood and took a snap with Mani Ratnam.

My excitement is understandable, after all it is not everyday that you get a chance to rub shoulders and share a frame with India's best director whose movie "Nayagan", features in
TIME magazine's "All time 100 best movies" list.


;)