What If..

They Interviewed With GVM? - Part 1

[Intro Music Plays]

The momentous wall fountain of a fancy hotel's luxurious interior courtyard shimmered like diamonds in the broad daylight, almost late afternoon. The place felt surreal - bamboo palms swaying to the gentle breeze - enhancing the beauty of the teal, sky blue, and ivory Moroccan interiors. Vintage chandeliers lined the corridors of the upper floor that bowed down like a balcony, magnificent arches and pillars wound by emerald-shaded creepers, and a marble staircase that spiraled down to the courtyard.

The shot captured Gautam Vasudev Menon, the ace South-Indian director, strolling through a corridor with the celebrated artists, Prabhas and Anushka Shetty. Their simple white-sage green attires and gentle gestures would never reveal that they owned this miraculous place in the heart of Tamil Nadu's capital city.

"I must admit, I can't stop admiring these gorgeous interiors. You two must have invested a lot of time and effort picking things out for this hotel." GVM spoke his mind.

The couple chuckled, "Thank you, all the credit goes to Sweety. She took care of every detail." Prabhas smiled proudly at his partner.

"Impressive! What inspired you?"

Anushka ran her fingers over the smooth velvets of the navy blue arabic majli. They all took their seats and enjoyed a cup of piping hot mint tea served from a vintage, traditional copper teapot.
"Prabhas really likes nature - trees, birds and animals - so we started traveling to Africa often. We visited Morocco two years ago and fell in love with everything there - their architecture, clothes and food. I actually wanted to redesign our space but Prabhas insisted we work on a project and bring that culture here."

"Amazing work. I have to welcome Prabhas to the show since this is his first time," the Bahubali actor respectfully nodded his head in appreciation, "You must have repeatedly heard this from people and I mentioned this to Anushka when she was on the show last time - the two of you embrace a style of our own. I've hardly seen you guys stunning a designer ware or premium accessories, not that it's wrong to parade, but actors in your stature who are basking international fame tend to behave and dress a certain way. You guys have not changed since the first time I met you."

"I think about this too and go to Bhaski - I have a personal stylist who has been with me for decades now - and ask him if we should do something with my clothes and hair. My friends and Sweety are very supportive and come up with different outfits for promotions and stuff, but on the day of the event I get too lazy and throw on whatever I feel comfortable in," Prabhas giggled pointing at the linens he wore, "I'm just ignorant, I guess."

"Yeah, we shopped and arranged this whole theme for his recent film promotions but the next morning we see he digs into his closet to find a collection of shirts that he bought in different colors and wears them instead," Anushka shook her head amusedly.

"That's very unique."

"Actually Sweety has a unique wardrobe. I look at some dresses and don't know where they start or end."

"Haha, I mentioned that last time. I wear these occasionally to parties or on vacation."

"Yes, I remember. And I also remember talking about you finding a person who is equally as kind and generous as you are, Anushka."

She chortled eyeing her charming better half, "I had already found him, but couldn't say it."

"Of course that was evident! How has the break from movies been? The new family, media and I also heard Anushka's handling responsibilities at your production house."

"We have been absorbing in every moment. It's everything we'd been waiting for."

"After continuous industry hits, madam needed a break. I force her to slow down at times but she doesn't listen and before you know would've signed up for risks," the Raajasaab star confessed, "Whenever Guna and I meet, Guna is her brother, we always say this - Arundathi, Rudramadevi, Devasena and all these roles came to her for a reason. The directors must've seen a type of violence we have never witnessed in her," they all laughed, "But jokes apart, she is extremely intelligent and knows how to handle her characters and stardom."

"I have this bad habit - if someone says I can't do something it urges me to do it even more, haha. About the production house, UV has always been close to my heart. There were days when they all used to pen out numbers and meet different producers to hear their advice. I've been associated since the ideation of this production house and am watching it grow like a baby in our family. So I eventually started taking responsibility and doing what I can to contribute to the growth, like promote movies, meet the actors and crew members, attend premier shows - it's like nurturing a child" Prabhas' focus was unfazed, he praised himself internally for being able to win this woman's heart. She was gold indeed, in his words his bangaram.

The director asked Prabhas questions about his early career and how he started off as an actor as they savored the rest of their teas.

"Do you think your first movie together was the main reason you're together? Billa, right? Like is that where it began?" Menon asked curiously returning from the ad-break.

"We already knew each other well before that. I liked him." Anushka replied boldly and waited for him to reveal the truth their audience had been waiting for.

He giggled pausing for a moment to articulate his thoughts, "Our director almost gave us out at a talk show once. I rarely go on these shows but since it was our good friend I agreed and Meher mentioned how I met someone in Malaysia. After that every single person I know kept asking me who it was. It was Sweety. That was the day I proposed to her.
My entire family was with us so I couldn't meet her all by myself. I requested the director to web a lie and have lunch with us. I was also very nervous about what she'll say, by nature I'm shy. And if she rejects, we had a whole movie in front of us to shoot, but I took the risk haha," he folded his hands together, "thank god she accepted."

"Oh, so she accepted on the same day?" GVM was truly involved in the story.

"Didn't even hesitate. I also wrote a little note and the date on a paper napkin and slid it to him before I left. That was pretty formal. Later after the movie released, he proposed with musicians and a ring at his farmhouse."

"Quite a romantic you are."

"Yeah, I still have that napkin she gave me, hehe."

"What do you do if you're not shooting or traveling?"

"It's been so long that I've almost forgotten how it feels," Prabhas claimed, "Since both of us like traveling, we usually pack our bags whenever there's a week or two. So if not for work, we travel that way. I personally like resting, sleeping in doing nothing. She also got me into yoga and we practice meditating together, it brings down stress and tiredness."

"So just cozy up at home and practice yoga. Do you like cooking?"

"Sweety can cook. I can only make cheese omelettes and tea - maybe fry some papads. Does that count, haha, maybe not."

"I am not an expert but can manage. Prabhas and the family have never let me cook. Ever since we were introduced to each other and he got to know I am alone, they sent me home-cooked food everyday. If not them Nagarjuna garu's family or Rajamouli garu's family, my assistants' families, one or the other. The industry has been vey sweet to me. Whenever he sent food," she looked at her beau, "he would come home when he found time to eat with me."

[Outro music plays]

(To be continued..)