On A Date with Amrita Rao!

By Devansh Patel, Bollywood Hungama News Network

If anyone says they haven't had a bad date they're either lying, or they don't date. For me though, dating some of the most beautiful actresses of our Indian Film Industry can be termed nothing short of an achievement, and that my friends, is not a lie. Today my seventh date is described as the 'newest' hottie in Bollywood because of her spicy makeover from the sati-savitri look she adored in her previous films. As the saying goes, 'There is no short cut to success'. Now here's an interesting tip which few of my colleagues and friends gave me before I dated this petite figure. "It is almost impossible to date Amrita Rao. Beware, she is a hard nut to crack". But that wasn't on my mind. Buying a gift for a date is prone to disaster sometimes. So some careful thinking is involved. You meet someone, you like them, you want to please them so it's only natural in our commercial world to want to get your plastic out and start spending. The challenge wasn't whether I could crack it or not, it was what to gift my date. 'Little Birdie' is what I felt she was, every time I saw her on the big screen or in the daily tabloids. So I picked up a lovely looking candle stand in the shape of a birds nest. Too creative can be too candid. But it worked, and then came a big 'wow'. Didn't I say I'd cracked it? I really don't care for false modesty from celebrities but sufficiently grounded celeb gets my vote anyway. But it's a little hard to tell which camp Amrita Rao falls into as she's always played things on the low-key-side, except maybe when she was dating me.

Devansh: Wow! You are my seventh date. Do you consider yourself lucky?
Amrita: No! It's not being good seventh in the list of your dates and that too in such a short span of time (laughs)

A: This is my first official date and how lucky are you!
D: Oh don't you worry. I'm going to make this one interesting.

D: People warned me before going on a date with you saying that you are too sati-savitri types. What so sati-savitri about you?
A: I guess because I wear a saree in my house, have oil in my hair and wear a bindi on my head. Sometimes if my lens solution runs out, I wear my glasses too (laughs).

D: You can't be serious.
A: I am. In fact many people feel that I am the quintessential boring Indian woman (laughs)

D: How would you describe a 'Date'?
A: I'd say that a 'Date' is synonymous to a perfect romantic outing.

D: This is my first date at someone's house. I mean, I've always had my dates in hotels or coffee shops.
A: Yeah, it couldn't have got more predictable because you knew I was a sati-savitri. But we can go to Oris if you'd wish.
D: Yes, I do wish but had to go against my wishes this time. That'll keep our second date open.

D: Anything in particular you'd like to wear on a date outside?
A: I think a nice pair of jeans with a tight strapped backless corset.

D: What gift would you have expected from me other than a boring candle stand?
A: (laughs) A nice, hilarious, good humoured and a light hearted evening with you.

D: Thank you. I'll try my best not to disappoint you then.
A: At the moment you're fine (laughs)

D: It's humour that turns you on, on a date then?
A: Yes, with a good smile and somebody who has something sensible to talk. I'll go for sense with a tadka of humour.

D: I fail to understand why my lovely dates don't ask me questions?
A: Ok, let me try then. Why do you sound like Farhan Akhtar? (laughs)

D: This is a very repeated question
A: Yeah but it's a good question. And do you also sing rock music like him?

D: You know what? Farhan and I've never discussed this before. So the next time I meet him, I'll let him know of our similarities.
A: (laughs) See, I'm not the only one who spotted your talent.

D: Moving further, what type of music do you like?
A: Hindi music. I feel that it's a part of such a talented and a versatile industry. In fact, 'Jai Ho' was not even a patch of what A.R.Rahman is capable of. He definitely deserved an Oscar but I wish the West had heard his Taal, Dil Se and Rangeela.

D: What would you expect me to sing for you today?
A: 'Ek ladki ka phone number' from Rock On. You might just sound like Farhan too (laughs)

D: You truly are hilarious. So what's a good looking man for you like?
A: Your looks cannot change your personality but your personality can surely change your looks.

D: Lucky you for not going on a date with M.F Hussain. But tell me, what impressed him about you?
A: He got attracted to 'Poonam'' from Vivaah. She reminded him of the real charm of any small North Indian town. In one of his interviews he quoted that I reminded him of those girls who stood in the balcony or walk past him in the lanes who had their eyes down and yet they had that faint smile on their face.

D: Who informed you that you were M.F Hussain's muse?
A: Khalid Mohammed called me after talking to Hussain saab and informed me that after eleven years of having Madhuri Dixit as his muse, he chose me. To own a Hussain is every art collector's fantasy. You see a Hussain painting and you want to insure it.

D: Have you ever insured this beautiful birth mark of yours I see on the left of your chin?
A: I just put it before you came in (laughs). Actually you're right; I do need to get it insured.

D: Why can't girls take guys out on a date?
A: Yes. I think so too. I want to change this old tradition by taking you out on a date the second time (laughs). Tell me where do you want to go? Kerala, Goa?

D: Wherever my date wishes to take me.
A: Ok. I'll let you know soon.

D: What do you know of men's colognes?
A: That you've put on a cheesy deodorant called Axe.

D: What do you mean?
A: Sorry, I didn't mean it. But it's cheesy coz of the advertorial.

D: So which is your favourite?
A: I love Cool Water by Davidoff. It's very masculine I guess.

D: So far, what have you found interesting in this date?
A: The fact that you sound like Farhan and you can play the Rock On song (laughs).

D: So you can see Farhan and not me in our date.
A: (laughs) Oh God! Look who's getting jealous.

D: I wish I had a bike. We could've gone for a long drive.
A: Yeah. What an idea.

D: Have you ever been taken out on a bike by somebody?
A: Shahid Kapur, my co-actor had invested in a red coloured sports bike. He got that bike on the sets and showed it to all the crew. His mother was also there. He suddenly said, "Let's go for a ride". So we went for a late evening ride down Santacruz. I found it very hilarious that people were staring at us.

A: Who's been your most interesting date so far?
D: I'll come to our date later coz it's not over yet. My first date with Mugdha Godse will be the most memorable because I wasn't recording our conversation. I went back home and penned down every little conversation we had at the Mariott.

A: I'm so excited today that my excitement is transformed into the many times I have giggled and laughed today. By the way, that's a compliment for you.
D: Thank you so much. I think it's the perfect way to end this hilarious starry date...and I can now proudly say that this one comes in my top three dates.

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