Delhi, quiet on cross-border talks for a bit, had got a little nervous when Sania Mirza’s forthcoming marriage to Shoaib Malik opened a debate on the ethics of cross-border weddings. But we have already had some rather sensitive cross-border marriages in India which have worked well till now. Just a few months back the JKLF Chairman Yasin Malik too got much visibility when he married a Pakistani painter Mashal. Cross-border marriages do fortunately have a long history and Mashal was given a rousing reception on her maiden visit to Kashmir last year.
Marriage after all is a personal decision. Even one of our former Chief Ministers currently has a companion from across-the border. They are happy and now look rather well settled. It has made no difference to their professional lives so far. Sania is our national pride and she fortunately will remain so even after marriage to the former Cricket Captain of Pakistan. Fortunately despite TV hysteria, no official “Delhi Statements” on the matter, ensured there were no red faces at the end.
Pak Cricketers and India’s leading ladies have always been rather attracted to each other, currently for example there is a buzz about Sushmita Sen being amoursly entwined with naughty boy Pakistani cricketer Wasim Akram. And now that the Shoaib row has been amicably settled, Delhi will await, with the rest of the country, the hullabaloo around the nuptials in mid April.
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Diplomat turned author Pavan Varma who is now-a-days our Ambassador in Bhutan was in the capital with his whole family. His young lawyer son was getting married. The Sangeet and the Mehendi were quiet family affairs that saw the family dance till the wee hours of the morning. But the reception at Motilal Nehru Marg had a heady mix of politicians, media personalities, and artists. Sheila Dikshit and her family quietly savored the delicious Hyderabadi food while Anand Sharma met up with some old friends. Nalini Singh, Vinod Dua and other media heads were busy chatting away about the future of the nation. Sonal Mansingh, Satish Gujral and Jatin Das mixed and mingled with the crowds. Arun Jaitley walked in with wife Dolly who is now-a-days a great advocate of the Women’s Bill. The Vice-President Hamid Ansari is a former diplomat so was very much at ease in this homely crowd. Pavan has authored very many well received books. He has translated the former Prime Minister Vajpayee’s Hindi poems into English too. He and his two beautiful daughters along with his elegant wife Renu were excellent hosts at a do that had Delhi’s creamy layer in attendance.
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The Rashtrapati Bhawan’s usually staid Ashoka Hall for a change was lit up by the glittering stars of Bollywood. Trooping in to receive their prestigious national awards they shone amongst the usual VVIP suspects always present at award function. There was the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and several politicians but the one who stole the show was no doubt Kareena Kapoor watching beau Saif get his and of course Rekha, the ever beautiful muse. Kareena was over the moon and clapping all the way wearing a saree and ethnic jewellery as her boyfriend Saif Ali Khan Pataudi walked up to the President to receive his award, speaking later he said endearingly that he would cease to be a naughty boy and instead “strive to be a more responsible citizen”. No doubt he hopes to get a higher award soon, something that Sant Chatwal who despite being feted at Praful Patel’s party, found few sincere well wishers now that his story has been besmirched. The ever young Rekha was the cynosure of all eyes as she elegantly received her award. The controversial awardee Chatwal for ‘obvious’ reasons did not get the same reception as the other awardees. This was a unique mix of glamour and politicians. It was very apparent that Chatwal was a misfit in this gathering. Given his track record one does not need to wonder why.
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