What is it about men in white that startles the unwary? Is there a rule somewhere that says ‘White Not Allowed’ if you’re a guy? Bollywood Baddies have always had a penchant for the colour one generally associates with vestal virgins. Pran frequently wore white for his villainous roles, and I’m pretty sure Amrish Puri growled, “Mogambo khush hua,” clad in pristine white breeches. It was, of course, Jumping Jack Jeetendra who patented the allwhite (down to the pointy, shiney shoes) look in Bollywood… and he wasn’t even a baddie. Sanjeev Kumar liked his whites. So did Dilip Kumar. Even that loveable eccentric Raaj Kumar was often spotted in white (so what if it clashed with his flaming orange wig?). Raj Kapoor liked his ladies in white, and wore a lot of white himself. As did his devastatingly handsome younger brother Shashi (strictly kurta-pajamas, please).
That was then. Let’s cut to now — soon we are going to see Ajay Devgn sporting strictly white for his role as ‘Sultan’ in a forthcoming film. And (wink-wink) we all know where that wardrobe inspiration is coming from. The notorious ‘Seventies don of dons, Haji Mastan, invariably wore white. And if advance reports about the film are to be believed, Ajay’s character is based on Hajibhai’s (never mind what publicists and Haji Mastan’s family have to say about this ‘resemblance’!).
Frankly, I do think Ajay is the only Bollywood actor who can pull off this role – he even looks the part. If anything, Ajay appears far more menacing than the original. How do I know? Well, I had the dubious pleasure of meeting Haji Mastan a couple of times under rather strange circumstances and in very unlikely company. It was during Sanjay Gandhi’s very short reign (post the ignominious Emergency – surely the most disgraceful period of our history?) as India’s absolute supremo. Sanjay Gandhi’s henchwoman at the time was a feisty, attractive and ambitious person called Rukhsana Sultan (mother of Amrita ‘Dingy’ Singh, Saif’s ex). I was researching a cover story on Rukhsana, during the course of which she asked me to come over to her plush suite in the Taj Mahal Hotel (Mumbai), to meet some of her business associates. Ha!! Little did I know then that one of those associates would be the dreaded don — Hajibhai himself!
Cheers!
Shobhaa De
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