UG, the iconoclast...

Once a famous Bollywood actor walked in to see UG in a make-shift transit house in Bombay. A few regulars were with him that hot afternoon. UG had arrived from Bangalore on way to Europe.

The celebrity carried himself with the air of a honcho.  He had played some cameos in Hollywood  On seeing UG, he greeted him and recalled their last meeting dating back to a couple of decades. Taking his seat at the small round table where UG and Soni, Mahesh Bhatt's wife were also seated, he tossed his pack of cigarettes onto the table while settling into his seat. The pack went sliding across the table and came to a stop just in front of UG! UG looked at it curiously as if trying to read the brand of tobacco!

  Soni and the actor, both theatre and film personalities enjoying professional familiarity began  hobnobbing with each other on English theatre, Broadway, Bollywood, Hollywood etc. The actor was well known  in Bollywood with a few dozen films to his credit. Of late, he said, he had settled down in a village near London making forays into London Broadway. With the ease and facility of a public icon, he now began discoursing on films, current breed of actors, theatre and so on.

Both got busy talking 'shop', forcing  everyone including UG, to play the audience. UG sat quietly, looking aloof and unconcerned.

After sometime, Mahesh made his entry, exchanged pleasantries with the actor and moved over to a corner at the far end of the hall and got busy watching a DVD on his laptop.

And then it happened! All of a sudden UG burst out, " These scoundrels must be kicked, publicly shot..." And on and on! It was a vehement tirade, lambasting some 'unknown' character . His sudden attack put us all in a quandary.  We were left wondering who had suddenly become the target of UG's ire . Was it some politician or other? He was unstoppable and spewed out venom using choicest slang at his command!

Suddenly the mercury level in the hall seemed to shoot up by a few degrees! The 'heat' became palpable!

What had triggered UG's rage?

The visitor was stunned into silence as the high  drama unfolded! Between UG's bashings. first time since he came in, he accosted me! I was right next to him at the table beside UG. Leaning towards me, he softly enquired :" Who is he talking about ? Why is he angry?" I said I had no clue! He appeared nervous, pulled out his hanky , mopped his visible sweat. He was fidgety...looking uncomfortable, he suddenly decided to vacate the place, he got onto his feet.

At this juncture, he was dismayed to discover that his cigarette pack was lying close to UG. Apologetically he stooped down and picked up his stuff. Excusing himself, summoning a hurried goodbye,  he headed straight towards the door.

There was pin drop silence. All thinking was suspended!

As he reached for the door, UG with uncanny precision timed a parting kick, "Mahesh, is this the same fellow who acted as the 'door boy' in the James Bond film?"

Boy, was it a clean sweep!

With UG, the iconoclast , there was no place for pretence, glam or sham. All affectation and artificiality got the boot, culminated in instant karma, regardless of who you were!