The prank-masters of Bollywood

Courtesy: IndiaFM

Monday, June 12, 2006

These days everyone knows about actors' reel image but very few are aware of their real personality. There are very few Bollywood actors similar to their onscreen image while most of them are diverse from their reel personality. It's true that looks can be deceptive. So never judge people on their looks. Some serious looking stars love to play pranks on their co-stars.

When it comes to playing mischief on others actors Suniel Shetty tops the list. No one can believe that over the years his gags haven't spared anyone. Arshad Warsi is aware of his funny side. Recalling his experience with Suniel, he says that he had heard of Suniel's pranks but never had any experience. After working with him in Hulchul, he came to know why everyone calls Suniel the biggest prankster. On the sets of Hulchul, Arshad's cell phone would mysteriously disappear very often and come back while leaving the set. Arshad was completely zapped! And later he realized that it was Suniel who played hide and seek game with his mobile.

Actor Ajay Devgan by his serious look seems to be a no nonsense guy but his co-actors have a completely different opinion. Actress Bipasha Basu who has done two films, Shikhar and Apaharan with Ajay Devgan claims that Ajay is one big prankster who tries to create these little problems between everybody. So much so that she has nicknamed him as Narad Muni and even ordered for a customized cap with the letters NM inscribed on it.

While actor John Abraham who worked with Ajay in Kaal collaborates in Bipasha's statement saying, "Ajay Devgan is a big prankster." He recalls an incident while shooting Kaal. Their dress designer was petrified of ghosts, and before they went back to their rooms, Ajay Devgan's henchmen had turned everything upside down. When the designer returned to the room, he saw everything was different and he ran out of the room screaming, thinking there was a ghost. John feels safe of being a part of his plans. But actor Vivek Oberoi tops his bakra list. He reminiscences that when everyone was hanging out during a small time Diwali celebration, Ajay set a blazing rocket in Vivek Oberoi's direction. Vivek, standing across some distance, was completely unaware of Ajay's mischief. He realized there's something wrong through a hissing noise. Vivek was completely shocked but he wanted to avoid it rather than confront the rocket (as he was wearing a kurta gifted by then girlfriend Ash). Thankfully, the clothes were left unscathed.

Well, that was quite terrifying but actor Shahid Kapoor has his own style. He prefers to play safe games and loves to surprise everyone. During the shoot of his second film Fida Shahid played a sweet prank on producer Ramesh Taurani. The production assistant informed him that Shahid had some issues with the director Ken Ghosh and the shooting had been stalled off. Taurani tried talking to his cast and crew, but could not get a proper reply. The concerned producer immediately swooped down on the sets. As soon as he entered the unit, everyone present there started singing 'Happy Birthday to You'! It was Ramesh Taurani's birthday.

This young actor also loves to bully his co-stars and Amrita Rao was his recent bakra. Shahid tried to scare her, when they were on the outdoor shoot of movie Vivaah. He planned this prank where his make-up man made a steady entry into Amrita Rao's territory. His face was made up with glow paint. But he failed to do so as Amrita was aware of Shahid's mischievous attitude. She screamed, "Shahid, I know it is you!"

Now that's Shahid but there's one more prankster in the industry called Salman Khan, who is known for his playful mischievous nature. He played a prank on his co-star Sneha Ullal during his movie Lucky - No Time For Love which was shot in Russia. Salman with his senior co-star, Mithun, decided to play a harmless prank on Sneha Ullal. And, as per the plan, a carefully disguised Mithun entered the hotel room where Salman, Sneha and others of the cast were relaxing and chatting. No one recognized the veteran star - except for Salman. Mithun started a fight with Salman. The mock battle raged on with both actors doing their best. The situation almost came to blows when, seeing Salman fighting fiercely with a stranger, actress Sneha started screaming for help. She was almost fainting with fear, and suddenly noticed that the two men were rolling on the floor not fighting but laughing hysterically.

There is one more Khan on the pranksters list - Aamir Khan. Till some years ago, Aamir's favorite prank used to be spitting into his unsuspecting colleagues' hand while pretending to read the palm.

Vivek Oberoi is a prankster since childhood. Once he offered khichri garnished with dead flies and a cockroach for a topping to his school teacher. But that was when Vivek was a kid and it seems his mischievous nature hasn't changed yet. He played a prank on director E Niwas during the shoot of Dum in Mahabaleshwar. Once he was playing carrom with him. Vivek got up and said he is going to sleep and came back soon after 10 minutes. E Niwas asked him about it then he innocently denied and said he had never come to him in past one hour. He was downstairs with others. Vivek smartly produced a witness. Meanwhile innocent director turned pale and thought that the place is haunted with ichchadhari bhoot.

However, on Dia Mirza's birthday, Vivek asked all on sets not to wish her. Till pack up, all followed his plan. Finally at night a sad, sobbing Diya was ready to leave, complaining that it was her birthday and nobody wished her. But when Vivek took her in a room, all showered her with sparklers and colorful balloons. And when the entire crew sang Happy Birthday', Diya cried with happiness.

Abhishek Bachchan loves to play pranks on his unit members. Whoever worked with him is aware of his mischievous side. While on the sets of the film Shararat the junior B actually scared some of his unit members into drinking milk, which he claimed was laced with bhang.

It seems Dino Morea was inspired by Abhishek too. He had a blast during the shoot of Tom, Dick and Harry. Recalling all the fun he said, "I was a master mind of all the pranks. I and Jimmy used to play pranks on everyone especially on Anuj Sawhney. I mixed water into Vodka and gave it to him thrice and then tequila mixed coffee for Celina Jaitley." Dino prefers to have a playful atmosphere on sets. "On another occassion Celina was wearing this really elaborate dress with lots of frills, for a shot. I tied her dress to her chair. When she got up, the chair dragged along with the dress,"

However, there are not only actors but actresses too who love to play pranks on others. Bipasha Basu is one of them. She has recorded her voice as a caller back tone for her near and dear ones. The ring tone says, "Hello? Hello? Who's this? Can you speak a little louder please? I can't hear you. Hello? Hello? Oh God, this phone naa... Hello?"

But Bollywood's most notorious prankster happens to be yesteryear actress Asha Parekh whose tricks with her co-stars are still talked about. Once I hid Sunil Dutt's slippers under a chair in a studio. He had to go home barefoot. And some years later he recovered those slippers while shooting at the same place.