Save For A Rainy Day

…Thus goes the saying…Our  civic administration has saved,  indeed! Millions of pot holes throughout the roads in Mumbai, open drains, Man holes!, Shanties around the international Airport. The ex-Municipal Commissioner has been promoted to the new position of Chief Cabinet Secretary and is rejoicing in his new role. Now, very close to his mentor, I sour chief minister Saheb Deshmukh. His another lieutenant MMRDA commissioner has done a commendable job despite heavy resistance from people who had businesses like Hotels, and Dhaabhas on the road sides. The roads have been widened. When an MP objected to the tough ways of functioning of Shri. Chandrashekar, his boss quickly jumped to his rescue, he was promoted to become a Commissioner.

What every one forgets is, we cannot push monsoon to December. Every one and his Grand Mothers and Grand Fathers knew that this time as per the weather bureau’s findings we will face a tough monsoon. And we have already tasted the onslaught of torrential rains! When it rains it pours!! Nonetheless! See the situation in Mumbai!! Our Chief Minister Saheb is in the United States of America to bag investments from NRIs!

Pray? Why on earth the Civic Administration did does not prepare for Monsoons? Each year it is the same excuse. The new Municipal Comissioner is a bit media shy! Understood! But, the new Mayor more than did her job! She visited the Mithi river banks and gave a nice spot interview to electronic media personnel; wore a base ball cap and it seemed like she had done her home work well. She seems to be the best choice for the Mayor’s position. But, where has the deputy Mayor disappeared? Has she joined a slimming camp or has she become Anjali Mukherjee’s Brand Ambassador?

All said and done, we have to salute the Mumbaikar’s spirit. Come Rain, Sunshine or Heavy Weathers?.the Mumbaikar’s energies always soar High! Seldom, we have seen people not helping others when the calamity strikes! Be it the Bomb Blasts, Deluge, they are up and about to help each other. The Bollywood stars are no less. They organize star studded nites and collect funds and also last heard the irrepressible Manisha Koirala along with Sunju Baba  has floated an NGO?.which is going to help the needy. Also they were present for the ‘World No Drugs Day’ celebration with Yusuf Merchant. Sunjay Dutt spoke with gusto! Manisha spoke as if just downed two shots of ‘Smirnoff’ vodka with Red Bull.

Well, lets give some credit to her, she has improved for the better. After a long list of boy friends, Chaperones, acquaintances?she is all single now; has mellowed down. She wants to fight elections in Nepal. She has shelved her next production venture’ Raju Dil Ka Gulam’ supposed to be directed by the lengthy haired ?.ghost sorry ?.Makrand Deshpande?the drunk corrupt lawyer from ‘Satya’?the Veerappan Incarnate in Ramu’s. ‘Jungle’?and also the creator of ‘Sar Sar Sarla.." the Marathi sellout play!! Apart from liaisons with Shashi Kapoor’s daughter?.the still spinster ‘Sanjana Kapoor’ and of late with ‘Sonali Kulkarni’….of ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ fame….there is nothing mentionable about his achievements right now?oops?where am I heading?

Shah Rukh Khan has bought a studio in Andheri. Wants to become another Warner Brothers kinda movie tycoon?KBC died a natural death?..the creator of that show?.Sameer Nair married ex-Britannia Industries CEO?.Samir Alagh and Maya Alagh(ouf oh!) lady of ‘Promise’ tooth paste of 80s’ daughter ‘ Sanwari’ and bade good bye to Star TV. All the dreams of King Khan came down like a pack of cards! He was not that bad! Of course, the pukka and kachchaa.. bakwas notwithstanding!!

The Liliput Khan, Amir was in the news for a second divorce and his family being ‘Kisans’ in UP?..(God save them..!)?.He and Amitabh has so far managed to fool the Revenue Minister ‘ Narayan Rane’. But, for how long, is every one is asking? Abhi- Ash ‘ marriage was a focal point in every one’s daily gossip mongering, but after the Mayawati  Government cruised to a land slide victory, Mulayam Singh has been sweating profusely. Amar Singh is into ‘ Maun Vrath’! If Black cat’ Mayawati starts mauling every opponent, then Tihar jail will have VVIP inhabitants along with the one who is already cocooned there?.Shibu Soren! For late risers, he is the ex-President of JMM (Jharkhand Mukhti Morcha) of Jharkhand. Gone for a good ten years.

While talking about jail terms, it reminds me of TADA court in Mumbai  and the honorable Judge, Shri P.D. Kode. He has indeed lived up to his reputation of being a no nonsense Judge and has already sentenced a 100 of the Mumbai bomb blast convicts and when Sunjuy Dutt was waiting in the queue?.with ‘ Mera Number Kab Ayegaa? dream….it seems all the Gods were in favor of our good old Sunju Baba?.news arrived that our Judge fell down in his bathroom and has injured his shoulder and after 13 years of continuous service?..First time?is taking rest on sick leave! Awright, no hassles there?.Priya Dutt is expecting for the second time?.Sunju will wait till he celebrates being a Mama repeatedly second time and will be ready for the verdict.

However, when whole of India wants no punishment for our dear old good Samaritan Dutt, why do the Nation’s Draconian Law does not leave him alone? He had enough of it! He is such a nice human being, say his neighbors, that he may not even hurt a fly?Amen to that!
 
Sallu has gifted a Merc to Govinda and has made him his partner in the movie which goes by the same name! Marriage will wait till next janam! Already Katrina is experiencing grey hair ?waiting for Sallu to say ‘I Do’…like history repeating itself again. Very soon Sallu will be after some other butterfly?and probably after his brother Arbaaz and Malaika’s Son ‘Ahaan’ gets married, he may think of settling down! Congrats Boy on the futuristic plans!

He should have taken some lessons from our inimitable, flamboyant Industrialist and take over King?Vijay Mallya. Just look at him guys?he had teething problems with his ex- wife. Divorced her, got married for the second time and now he is leading a happy life. And scaling new heights, as a take over tycoon. Air Deccan has landed in King Fisher’s Kitty! White & Mackhay’ is also under his wings. Very soon, he will venture out and start  King Fisher Boutique Cinema Theaters, Cinema Malls (only movies are shown there and merchandise of movies is sold),  Fashion show for only air hostesses, even if  they belong to ‘Biman Airlines’ doesn’t matter , they are welcome!

At 28 years of age, Dr. Vijay Mallya lost his father, late Shri. Vithal Mallya,   from then on with his dad’s trusted lieutenants, he has climbed the ladder very fast. Today except the aborted attempt at the RWITC (Mahalaxmi Race Course) due to the maneuvering of Poonavala, he has accomplished everything he had set his eyes on! Including Yana Gupta?Err! I am going too far?time to restrain myself!! Oops?..! The investigative streak in me is not letting me cool my heels.

Mallya has taken over ‘ Cineblitz’ magazine and also started a new Magazine ‘Hi! Blitz!!’ It is a hit, none the less! I wish, he starts an Academy in the lines of an accomplished Business School! The guy has great brains! After, the brainy Shri Mokshagundam Vishweshwariah, who happens to be the Architect of ?Krishna Raja Sagar Dam’ in Mysore, Dr. Mallya is the second son of the soil from Karnataka who has established himself and has made ‘Mumbai’ as  his ‘Karmabhoomi’! United Spirits is one great venture. The guy pumps in money in his ventures like nobody’s business! He has produced movies like ‘Rakth’ which was an all star cast movie. The movie bombed, but the guy has tasted blood!

C’mon Guys, Just wait for some time. He will launch Perfumes, Clothings, Accessories, Multiplex Theatres, Movies?.will not stop at anything! Same in the lines of the Tycoon of Virgin Empire’ Sir Richard Branson’! Mallya is blessed with undying courage and great business acumen! He is grooming his son ‘Siddarth’ and the kid is learning fast the tricks of the trade! No wonder on his 18th Birthday last year on May 8 ‘King Fisher Airlines’ was launched! He is his only son!

About birthdays it reminds of Ektaa Kapoor’s birthday on June 7 this year. She did not celebrate with pomp and style this year. She is busy pumping in money into movies now a days. ‘Shoot out At Lokhandwala’ was her latest offering in collaboration with Sunjay Gupta & Sunju Baba’s ‘White Feather Films’. The Movie was a hit! Vivek Oberoi was in doldrums on witnessing ‘laath’ from Ash from her life?.the movie gave him a shot in the arm?.Along with this and the ever  forgetful movie ‘Fool and Final’ , he announced  to all and sundry, that he is around. Last heard He and his Father, were in Mangalore at Subramanya Temple. Offering poojas and goodies to Nag Devtas! If we produce  a desi version of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ he can become our Desi ‘Capt. Jack Sparrow, our own Johny Depp!! Man, He has the same depth in his acting and is a dynamo in front of the camera?only his mistake in life was Ash! As, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz  Sharif , both ex- Prime Ministers of Pakistan, now have joined together to become a combined and potent force against the masquerading Parvez Musharaf?.both Vivek and Salman need to come together and form a mutual admiration society. Well. Please work in movies together and save the money for publicity. Coz, you do not need any! You both working together will be a  biggest happening after 9/11, Gordon Brown becoming Prime Minister of United Kingdom &  Mrs. Prathibha Patil becoming President of India!

Shiv Sena and BJP. The allies are on the verge of becoming sworn enemies. First time in History, the presidential election in India has attained farcical proportions! Come what may. The show must go on! 

Once again I salute the spirit of Mumbaikar and cannot control but hum the lines which Johny Walker hummed  "Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan!!"

Author: Donald DSilva- Mumbai