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Does the title seem to ring a bell?
Does 'Stars In The City' remind you of a famed Meet 'n' Greet opportunity?
Does a leading daily's name resonate?
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You guessed it right, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Hindustan Times it is...
Along with its daily dose of entertainment...
HT City! :D
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Rewind...
To September 16, 2014.
When I'd spotted this question on @htcity's timeline...
#StarsInTheCity
Your chance to meet #DawatEIshq stars
@ParineetiChopra and #AdityaRoyKapoor
http://t.co/1vTdGwHBmr pic.twitter.com/TQyWRIOkWb
— HT City (@htcity) September 16, 2014
Sent an e-mail to the said address with the required credentials...
And
Bang!
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What I receive in the afternoon, is a call from one of the representatives of the National Daily's dose of entertainment!
It would be a second meeting with both of the stars...
Because, remember?
The Music Launch for the movie, held in July? :)
And, surprisingly, both of them remembered me by face! :D
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The Date : 18 September 2014
The Place : HT House
The Time : 11:00 AM
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The Movie was due to release on 19 September, 2014.
And, what surprised me that both Pari and Adi were on promotional stints till the last day! :D
And, even after a hectic Food Yatra spanning across North India, they were as exuberant and energetic as ever!
And, the director, Mr. Habib Faisal had come along to mark his distinguished presence too... :)
Also, you wouldn't believe when I say...
Ms. Sonal Kalra was there to interact with the stars too...
The one who's been training 'The Calmer You' within us? ;)
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Here is a picture for you to take a glimpse at what the Stage was set for, that afternoon...
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And, how Bolly-ish the ambiance was, at the Music Room by Fever 104...
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Also, how keenly, both Parineeti and Aditya were engaged in the conversation, with Sonal, and with all of us...
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Parineeti had made it clear - She didn't want any run-of-the-mill questions thrown at them, she said they'd bounce back!
She wanted some unique and special questions...
And I, along with the other winners of the Meet 'n' Greet were asked to pen down one question each, for either Adi or Pari. :)
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As always, one question going on through your mind, right now...
What did I ask them? :D
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I'd initially written down one question for Aditya Roy Kapur...
'How different does his life feel after Stardom?
How does he deal with it?'
To which he gave a fitting reply, which was featured in HT City's edition dated October 3.
The moment I saw the caption - 'I Miss The Anonymity...', I was sure that it was the reply to my question which was being elaborated upon.
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Actor Aditya Roy Kapoor says that he is still trying to deal with the do's and don'ts that come with stardom.
"I am trying to fight it all the time.. I used to go for a jog near Bandra or Carter Road (in Mumbai) which is crowded and there were days when there were around 50 people running behind me, so I learned it the hard way. It's unfortunate because it takes away other dimensions of your life that are so beautiful and necessary," he says.
The 28-year-old says that however hard he tries, it becomes very difficult at times. "It is stressing to find that sometimes you just can't go and have a meal with your friend without being able to slouch. I miss the anonymity of just playing cricket with my friends.
So it's sad, but sometimes I don't care and behave how I want to. I can wear a crumpled shirt and think that let them call me homeless I will still be fine. You can't live your life to please anyone. Sometimes you do try to find that balance," he adds.
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This was the word-to-word reply indeed! :D
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But, I also ended up asking Parineeti, a unique and special question, as she'd labelled it...
'You're a Libran and I am a Libran too.
If you could list out the Librans, you know, from the Film Fraternity?'
And, the thunderous applause that followed for this question, which literally stumped her, made my day! ^_^
Of course, she could name the one and only, Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, whose birthday it is, the day I'm posting this coverage, October 11.
And, since Gandhi Jayanti was round the corner, on October 2, she mentioned the Father of the Nation, too.
To which, Adi retorted, 'He's not from Bollywood!' :P
And Pari said, So what?
He's a Libran na? :P
I ended up listing quite a few Librans from the Industry too. :)
Apart from Mr. Bachchan and Pari, of course.
The Nightingale, Ms. Lata Mangeshkar was one.
Mr. Ranbir Kapoor,
Ms. Rekha,
Ms. Hema Malini,
Mehmood,
Mr. Dev Anand,
Mr. Om Puri,
Mr. Shammi Kapoor,
Ms. Asha Parekh...
To list a few. :)
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Before bidding adieu...
'First let me take a selfie!' and autograph signing took place...
Not to mention, this group picture which was featured...
On Page 4 of HT City's Delhi Edition, dated September 20, 2014...
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Spot me standing right in front, next to Parineeti, in Blue... :)
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And, this cute DEI Tee, and Autographed Music CD's which were handed out to us...
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The entire interaction with Sonal, was posted by HT's Youtube Channel.
Have a look.
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An Afternoon Well Spent.
Very Well Spent! :)
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