Famous patients, unwritten codes

gtgt It is easily Mumbairsquos premier hospital and even though other newer better equipped and funded centres of medical excellence have come up no one can deny that as an institution the Breach Candy Hospital has a special place in Mumbairsquos heart Amitabh Bachchan hospitalised after an accident Dhirubhai Ambani recovering from a stroke Sharad Pawar in for tests Where else will you find them but inside the rather modest white seafacing building on Warden Road with its legendary doctors hard working surgeons and sweet smiling Kerela nursesNari Hira Dhirubhai Ambani and Vijay MallyaAnd last week while making trips to the bedsides of ailing friends and relatives we found ourselves upholding our own hospital code to respect the privacy of hospital patients even when they are rich famous and newsworthyThe irrepressible Nari Hira in the adjoining room conducting the business of his magazine empire from his bed We chose to look the other way Rakesh Jhunjhunwala resting in the bed across the hall uncharacteristically at peace and looking like a beatific BuddhaWe turned a blind eyeVijay Mallya with his entourage of uniformed staff in for some tests We gave it a missAmitabh BachchanWe hold that all men are equal when they check into a hospital and thus deserve time and space like any one else until they recoverAnd so now that all three are back on their feet restored and raring to go we are happy to file this itemAs for the Breach Candy mercifully whether yoursquore a media magnate a beer baron a finance wiz or just ordinary folk yoursquore treated the sameAnd thank God for thatTip of the iceberggtgt The latest ShashiSunanda shenanigan is only the tip of the iceberg in the curious case of the Tharoor marriageDelhibased friends of the couple have been alluding to powerful third parties who have come between the two for many months now These involve names so sensitive and people so high up in the national firmament that even we so accustomed to hearing about the escapades of the high and mighty thought it best to ignore what could be the biggest scandal of all time until it was confirmedBut now that the flood gates have opened how long before stories surface that will make the Mehr Tarar episode appear like a teddybearrsquos picnicSimonersquos support of Swadesgtgt We like it when people use their position and perch to support worthy causes Which is why we are delighted when the most reticent and media shy of Sanjay and Zarinersquos daughters the lovely Simone Arora in pic has chosen to exercise her clout by organising an event for Ronnie and Zarina Screwvallarsquos Swades FoundationAs is known the high powered media couple who founded UTV one of the countryrsquos most successful film companies have now decided to focus their resources on giving back and have set up Swades which has not only provided 39000 people in 139 villages in rural Maharashtra with drinking water but is empowering rural communities across the state towards employment education and upliftmentldquoI will be making my own contribution and also helping by creating awareness for the foundation which does some truly inspiring workrdquo said Arora while inviting us to her all women highpowered event next monthTalented siblings gtgt And word comes in that the elegant and understated Satya Hinduja fast becoming a name to reckon with in the Electronic Dance Music circuit is collaborating on a soon to be announced project with the swashbuckling Sarod maestro brothers Ayaan and Amaan Ali KhanSatya HindujaSatya is Ashok Hindujarsquos second daughter the first being Ambika a film producer and along with their brother Shom mdash an accomplished drummer mdash is part of the out of the box thinking creative progeny of businessman Ashok HindujaAmbika HindujaThe triumph of Lakshmigtgt Congratulations are due to Elahe Hiptoola Nagesh Kukunoor and the entire team of Lakshmi for winning the Audience Award for Best Film at the prestigious Palm Springs International Film FestivalBased on a true story of human trafficking the filmrsquos success will create the necessary awareness about the issueElahe Hiptoola with Nagesh KukunoorldquoLakshmi is based on a gut wrenching true story but is extremely uplifting and empowering because in the end the protagonist wins her battle for freedomrdquo says Hiptoola about her latest offering adding ldquoI totally believe it will raise awareness about human trafficking If we had even an iota of doubt we would not have made the film And we consider this our SR Social ResponsibilityrdquoHost lunch donrsquot pay billgtgt And this from London A globetrotting man about town was rather chuffed to be the only male amongst a party of 16 attractive women at a popular Chinese eateryThe hostess a wellheeled and upwardly mobile fashionista had taken care to invite others from her art and fashion setThe gent was even more charmed when she informed him coyly that she was famous for her lsquo24 BsrsquoldquoYour bra sizerdquo he enquired flirtatiously ldquoNo my collection of 24 Birkinsrdquo she replied equally playfullyBe that as it may his delight turned to something akin to horror when he says the entire party mdash including the charming hostess mdash turned the other way when the bill appeared ldquoSince I was the only guy present what could I do but take care of itrdquo he said gallantlyBut not before he had received a sharp kick under the table from one of the hostessrsquo lsquofriendsrsquo who hissed ldquoShersquos done this before Itrsquos her modus operandirdquoThere are ladies who lunch And then those who lunch at othersrsquo expense