DLD‰‰†‰KDLD‰‰†‰DLD‰‰†‰MDLD‰‰†‰C The ex factor: Imagination: THE TIMES OF INDIA Penelope Cruz The spice of a Sunday, May 18, 2003 avoids Kidman sexciting life! Page 7 Page 5 TO D AY S LUCKY T ime for fun 841 888 Two fat ladies You and me 83 OF INDIA 882 Delhi Asiad games THANK GOD IT’S SUNDAY Photos: SATISH JAISWAL MANOJ KESHARWANI RAIAN KARANJAWALA, IN BLACK & WHITE Those were the days: My ear- Politics gave me a high: While liest memories bring back a SUNDAY SPECIAL at GLC, I continued my associat- patchwork of memories — fr- In the world of sentences and ion with student politics. In 1977, om my mother’s ancestral ho- when Indira Gandhi contested me in Bombay to our houses in acquittals, this legal eagle has the elections, I was one of the st- Nizamuddin and Saket. I was taken a flight to fame on the wings udent activists who helped Ram born on December 26, 1955 in of high-profile cases. But if the Jethmalani in his campaign ag- Bombay to Nogi, the branch highest court has delivered a verdict ainst HR Gokhale. When Mrs manager of a firm, and Jalu in his favour, it is not just because Gandhi’s government lost pow- Karanjawala. Ours was an up- this lawyer has on his side the er,there was jubilation in our ca- per middle-class family. We li- mp. I was still a student, but I ved diagonally across the road defence counsel of eloquence and had fought a political battle! from Frank Anthony Public expertise. For, not only has he been With Manik, love took its ti- School (FAPS), which I attend- witness to the unpredictable verdicts me: After passing out from GLC, ed. On my first day at school, I scripted by the long arm of destiny, I returned to Delhi and found an insisted on being dropped in he has also strived to do justice opening with PH Parikh. While the family car — a Fiat! to both the letter and spirit of life. working there, I met Manik, My parents gave me my own who I found to be rather stuck- space: While my father went ANUBHA SAWHNEY records the up. Later, I realised she was just easy on us, my mother was ra- facts of this unique case as Raian plain shy.I had a steady girlfrie- ther strict. Still, my parents ga- Karanjawala voices the trials and nd in Bombay, but with Manik ve my brother Farhiz and I sp- tribulations of being the man he is entering my life, I told her that I ace of our own. I was a naugh- had found someone else. I began ty child and a frequent visitor to the principal’s room. Soon seeing Manik and our love blossomed. We tied the knot on April 17, 1982. enough, my parents shifted me to St Columbas. During my Success has not eluded me: In 1983, I established Karanjawala & Co along with short stint at FAPS,Rahul McPherson was my only friend. Manik. Over the years, we have handled a large number of high-profile cases. I learnt from friends, not textbooks: I found Hindi to be We were retained by the Piaggio group in its fight against Singhania. We have tough and science to be a nightmare. At St Co- represented Sangram Singh Gaekwad and the Nizam of Hyderabad. Our lumbas, I found friends in Deepak Swaroop, client list includes TISCO, TELCO, Bombay Dyeing, Star TV,Mercedes Feroze Masters, Manu Chadha, Sunil Goyal, Benz, HLL, Lufthansa, Britannia Industries, the Nusli Wadia group of Girish Sarin, Rakesh Jain and Anip Sachde. I companies, Godrej Soaps, the Shaw Wallace group, the Taj Hotels, The respected Brother Gaffenie, a strict but fair tea- Oberoi, P&G, Colgate Pamolive, Hindustan Motors and CIPLA. cher. School was a learning ground in that I was Luck is my greatest ally: While studying law, my friends included good at interacting with people. Tony Sachthey,Mukul Rohtagi and Anip, from school. We would sit College brought out the best in me: I secured at the Oberoi Coffee Shop and put figures on our earnings once we admission to SRCC and it was during this time were full-fledged lawyers. I’m glad that, today,all of us have gone far that I met Arun Jaitley,my senior at college. Arun beyond our expectations. I have the one quality Napoleon always and I were into debating and we won the Andrew looked for in his generals — luck. There are people who have wor- Memorial Debate as a team. Arun has evolved over ked harder than me, who know far more than I do; yet, I have man- the years. If somebody had told me that Arun would aged to make a mark for myself. I manage through the efforts of ot- go to jail during the Emergency and take it as well as hers. Life has always been very kind to me. he did, I wouldn’t have believed that person! I value VP Singh’s advice: As a lawyer,I have represented VP Si- Politics has always interested me: I was friends ngh in the Jain Commission. But, at a personal level, I value his with Vijay Goel and Rajat Sharma and contested for advice. We share a long-standing association; in fact, some of his central counsellorship on the ABVP platform. In early meetings with certain politicians were at my house. I played my final year at SRCC, I was elected college union a role in his 1988 poll campaign and I must say that he is a friend’s president. At an all-India student meet, I met Lal- friend. I have also represented the late Madha- oo Prasad Yadav, the president of Patna University. vrao Scindia in hawala matters. In 1974, Indira Gandhi was the PM and JP Narayan la- Manik means everything to me: There was unched his andolan. The mood was anti-establishment. a time when I had lunch and dinner away from I went underground during the Emergency: On June home. I have always had lots of female fr- FAST AMONG EQUALS: After making her mark in modelling, Shivani Kapur 26, 1974, I read about Arun being arrested while in Mumbai, iends and people who know me would say where I was holidaying with my father.We returned to that I only went home on my birthday! Man- shows Delhi Times what it takes to hit top gear in the world of ads Delhi and I shifted to the home of a friend, Manu Cha- ik has given my life the right blend. Plus, (To send this photograph to a friend, log on to www.timescity.com/delhi/) dha. We spent our time swimming in the pool at The she has given me the two biggest develop- Claridges! One day,I risked a visit to the university,but ments in my life: our daughters Tahira was spotted by two students who were police-informers. and Niharika who, incidentally, was na- In the meanwhile, the police came looking for me at our med by Maneka Gandhi. Roll baby,roll! The ramp home. My mother was worried and I was packed off to What goes around comes around: Bombay,where I stayed with relatives for four months. I am blessed, but I am not spiritual. I I finally settled for law: In Bombay, I had a whale of a believe that life is a circle; everythi- time listening to Soli Sorabjee’s speeches and learning kar- ng comes back. I have had a great li- is not enough for Shivani ate. But, studies-wise, I had secured a third division at SRCC fe and things have never really gone and repeated a year to improve my marks — unsuccessfully th- wrong. A few years back, I was hospitalised VINOD NAIR because I love Indian clothes, which have a ough. Since I wasn’t eligible to be a CA or an MBA, I joined Gover- because of a tumour,but it was removed. I ha- Times News Network certain grace to them.’’ When choreograp- nment Law College (GLC) in Bombay.I was faced with a culture ve led life on my own terms and never comprom- hers Aparna and Tanya came over to Lon- shock: there were too many girls around! I had many female fri- ised my beliefs. This is how I will continue to live my life. ut to the recent past. Around the don for a show,they saw Shivani. A tip foll- ends and even a huge crush, but there was nothing serious. AJIT NINAN [email protected] same time last year, the name ‘Shi- owed: it makes sense to give India a try. C vani Kapur’ didn’t exactly ring a Shivani promptly booked a ticket to ride bell in the world of modelling. All of 17, she to Destination India. And, so far, Shivani had just secured her A-levels from Sydenh- hasn’t had reason to regret her decision. It’s sonny max for Mini! am School in London when she promptly Specially when, spotting her impressive vi- packed her bags and headed for Delhi with tal stats and a face which can launch a tho- APARNA GUPTA positions,’’ says Mini, ‘‘Once when a mission to make it big in fashion circles. usand smiles, Bollywood has come a-calli- Times News Network I woke up to a voice in the middle Her mom, though, had a big Q on her lips: ng. ‘‘As a matter of fact, I have received film of the night, I saw Kabir speaking ‘What will you do in a country which thro- offers,’’ confides Shivani, ‘‘But Bollywood ll is not quiet on the Mini Ma- to our week-old baby!’’ Incidental- ws up so many international beauty quee- isn’t my scene right now.I came to India to A thur front.