Events you can’t avoid

Yesterday after returning from the Calcutta Chamber of Commerce function I went out again to attend the cocktail dinner cum launch party of M K Media Pvt Ltd’s film division at The Park. I have known Chairman Manoj Jain for the past three years now. A very close friend’s elder brother had introduced me to him.

Manoj’s success story in the last five years has been quite spectacular and his Jain Group of Industries has forayed into all kinds of ventures from infrastructure, real estate, steel plant, cement, coalmines to media. This has set many wondering about the rapid inflow of cash in a short time. Recently he also became the Honorary Consul of Laos. When he had called on me about a year-and-half back saying he wanted to produce a film and sought my opinion on who’d be the best person for this, I thought he was joking. But when I received this invitation I was pleasantly surprised. I had no plans to go there but when he called on me yesterday morning I informed him about my engagement in the CCC function and also told him that if the program ended on schedule I’d drop in. But again when he called me up at 9:15 pm from The Park I could not refuse him and reached The Park by 10 pm.

Manoj was there with other film party regulars and media persons. Jishu, Arpita, Tony, Dev, Subhasree, Raj, Locket, Rudra, Arijit and others were all there. Met Parno after a long time as she has shifted base to Mumbai (picture: Parno, Manoj Jain). Manoj’s media company has already produced a film Prem By Chance whose promo was shown yesterday.

Sometimes, howsoever tired you may be, you can’t say no to such requests. In fact, a similar thing happened day before yesterday. After returning from a dinner with few friends at The Taj Bengal I again rushed to ITC Sonar Bangla by 11:50 pm. There was a farewell party of Ranveer Bhandari who shifted to Delhi as the General Manager of Maurya Sheraton. I had no intention to be there but Ranveer met me in the morning at the ITC Spa and reminded me that it was his wife Danijela’s birthday the next day and that I had to stay on past midnight when she was to cut the birthday cake.

I could not say no to Sucharita with whom I spoke at around 11 pm and was there at the ITC Sonar Bangla which is more like a second home to me. I have attended marriages and other functions more frequently when held at the ITC Sonar Bangla. I visit ITC almost every single day when I am in Kolkata and I have my life’s sweet memories with that place where

I had stayed for two months after my marriage and also spent many weekends. Ranveer has also been very kind enough to extend his personal care to my events held at the hotel (picture: Vasundhara Raje Scindia, Ranveer Bhandari). I haven’t met the new General Manager of ITC Sonar Bangla yet as I was late for the party but am looking forward to meet him soon.

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