Giggle galore

The first few days with Mehran were spent scouring the streets of Colaba for jewellery samples that he could be inspired by for his line,Maven. Maven is a partnership between him and Hollywood royalty,Tori Spelling. I’ve never bothered to set foot into the by lanes of Colaba except for dinner at Indigo,drinks at Busaba,midnight biryani at Bade Mian and acquiring antique temple domes or copper Shivlings the size of rockets from Viya Home. So I was pleasantly surprised (make that arrogantly elated) to see the supreme craftsmanship that is the métier of Indian junk jewellers. Mehran called from LA to say Tori doesn’t consider the pieces samples. She has simply decided to own them and is adding them to her garrison of gems and faux gems. Curio Cottage hits Rodeo Drive. Eat your heart out Ganjam.

After a Christmas Eve party at my pad in Mehran’s honour (where one of my most vivid recollection remains babysitting the cutest baby bonanza,Ramona Narang),we jetted off to Goa for what I was imagining and wishing for to be an elixir,a balm,an antidote for my grating and exhausted body that had been made to contort every day from Colaba to Bandra and beyond. No such luck. The unmatched divinity of lying arms akimbo in the healing sunlight of Ashwem beach and letting your mind reduce itself to a squishy vegetable pulp-like state,where thinking was the only missing ingredient was replaced on a nightly basis by the torture of making plans. Should we do dinner or go straight to the party at the Hobbit? Should we sleep early,so that we can wake up early and do a tour of the churches or should we just party all night long at Anjuna? Should we spend the evening by the poolside at our idyllic hotel or should we meet xyz and then some at the party at Rajmata Goa’s landmark manse?

The fantastic thing about being with friends that you truly love,that you consider family and that you would do anything for is that even when the indecisiveness of plans begins to threaten the foundations of your friendship,you know that in the next moment all your going to do is laugh till your belly hurts. Bonhomie and bonding is luscious fun.

Even when it happens miles away with people who are unaware of it. While watching the Globes two nights ago,I felt a real kinship with some of the champions of our industry,only because it felt fabulous to have AR Rahman win and,AK,KJO and the elegant SRK represent our film industry. An industry that is going to continue to appear on the world’s stage ever so often and,one day,stake its claim in the annals of originality and pure joie de vivre.

I don’t recollect laughing as much as I did over the last few weeks. Everything was a good thing. I believe 2009 is the year of gaiety and jollity. So,take my advice,laugh till it makes you cry. Happy New Year.

(mozezsingh@gmail.com)