04 July,2023 06:03 PM IST | mumbai | Natasha Coutinho D`souza
Deven Bhojani
Actor-director Deven Bhojani joined mid-day.com for a quick monsoon special chat, where he shared precious memories.
How did you kick off the season?
I was on my terrace with my mom, watering plants in the small garden that she has developed. Mom was cutely cribbing about the gardener who often takes leave. Just then it started pouring and I quickly ran to the living room but mom stood there enjoying the rain and cheerfully said, now even if the gardener doesn't come often, we won't have to worry as the ârain- raja' will water my plants fully. This was my first encounter with the monsoon this year.
What food or drink do you indulge in during the monsoon?
These days all through the day I follow a strict diet regime of fruits, salads, boiled vegetables, quinoa and oats but then rain plays âculprit' it lures me to eat something sinful. As cliched it may sound but I can't resist having âbhajiyas' with fried chillies, spicy chutney and masala chai when it rains.
What is your favourite place to visit in Mumbai during the monsoon?
Sitting with my wife on the âjhula' covered by a big canopy of my terrace, listening to slow romantic Hindi film songs is our favourite thing to do during monsoon.
Favourite rain song on your playlist?
âBarso re' from the film 'Guru' is my favourite rain song.
Favourite monsoon memory in Mumbai?
My belief in finding good in the worst situation reminds me of 26th July 2005, when the heavy rainfall had almost paralysed the city. We were shooting for âSarabhai vs Sarabhai' in Kanjurmarg, a place little away from most of the team members residences. Being the director, artistes requested me to wrap up the shoot as it was raining heavily and there were news about the flooding, traffic jam, landslides etc. I wrapped the shoot immediately and left the studio at 1pm with my two assistants who didn't have a vehicle of their own. We got stuck at Andheri Saki-Naka area at 3pm. Assistants, driver and I had one one paratha each which I'd found from my tiffin box at 9pm. We could not move an inch from there until 3am. All were extremely hungry but everything was shut. Got to know through someone that within 5 minutes of walking distance there was a small restaurant still open. We all ran there only to hear, âAbhi abhi band kiya'. Assistants requested the manager to feed us at least something but in vain. I was standing at a distance. The cook who was leaving recognised me and turned out to be my huge fan. He looked like an angel to me when he agreed to cook especially for us. Thank God, eventually we all could eat âgaram garam daal chawal'. I'll never forget the taste of that food and we finally reached home at 9am.
