Age?

Almost 60 years. And not shy to admit it. This is one lady who likes to tell you her age and almost dares you to disagree. After all, she looks good for her age.

She gets up at 5.00 am every day, goes for a walk, practises yoga and restricts herself to vegetarian food. She also believes in preaching what she practises. Snehlata has written a book, Slim Now & Stay Slim. "Weight is like a yo-yo, you lose it and promptly put it on again. That is when it struck me that I should write a book on it," she says.

Oh no! Not another one of those self-help books.

"No, this is different. It teaches you a method which will change your whole way of life. It is slow, but meant for those people who want to be fit in a permanent way."

But the title appears to promise instant salvation with its "Slim NOW" claim.

The words are meant as a command to the obese you better slim now before it is too late. "The book is for overweights who keep promising to start exercising from tomorrow and decide to eat all those pastries and chocolates today."

She makes a further distinction the book is for middle-classheavyweights. "In the last 20 years, they have been my most important clientele. This book is something they can afford."Afford? At Rs 495 a copy?

"Overweight people will do anything to lose weight. Spending Rs 500 is nothing for them. And only the middle class would read the book. The rich would rather pay Rs 10,000 and swallow medicines to lose weight."

Since when have prescriptions become so expensive?

It's not just the medicines, but the doctors who believe in giving you a run for your money. "There are some who charge Rs 10,000 to get rid of five kg. They give tablets and the patient spends most of his time in the toilet. Who wants such technique?"

Not anyone we know. And certainly not the busy film stars who come to Panday. But there is very little mention about them in her book. Why?

"People did want me to write about stars, especially about Rekha. But, then the book would have looked like a cheap film magazine."

Why then plaster son, Chunky Panday, and daughter-in-law, Deanne's pictures all over the book?

That is dismissed as good business sense. "Chunky and Deanne are my patients. So it made sense to use their pictures. And it's good for the book."

The lean Chunky hardly looks like patient-material.

"He wasn't this way always. In school, Chunky weighed 90 kg at one time. He was plump and looked gross. I took him to task and now for over 15 years he has maintained his body." Filmi details at last.

Tell us more about star patients and their affairs of the flesh?

"Take Mumtaz, for instance. She came to me but later decided she didn't want to slim down because she realised her audience loves her slightly chubby."

Do her non-filmi patients get equally queer?

"Yes, I had a man with a big belly from eating paan masala and supari. I asked him to throw it away. But soon he got so desperate that he stopped the car, picked up a pebble from the roadside, put it in his mouth and started sucking it. I was aghast, but he said he would die otherwise. They get so compulsive."

What about her? What is she most compelled to say?

Exercise, what else? "Be happy, be fit. And make others happy. Fitness and happiness go together."

And least likely to say? "Anything that will give grief to others. I cannot be rude to anyone." Not surprising, since she specialises in treating ageing stars with egos as big as their bellies.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.