Saturday, March 14, 2009

Pakistan's ex-Prez on Koel's Couch

She has interviewed everyone from Salman to Shah Rukh on her show. But Koel Purie says she Justify Fullwas the most thrilled and excited when she the chance to grill Pakistan's ex-president Pervez Musharraf. But come D-Day and she was so nervous that she spilled a steaming cup of tea all over his crisp suit.

http://mid-day.com/imagedata/2009/mar/couch.jpg

Talking about her chat with the general, Koel says, "I had decided, just like any other celebrity I invite on the couch, I would strive to get to know the person behind the drama.

I thought with a general of his calibre, who is used to wielding so much power and highly trained to deflect uncomfortable questions without a change in expression, it was going to be a near impossible task.

But I've learnt not to underestimate the powers of my couch. He came, he sat and I conquered. When I asked him to recount a particular romance from his younger days that would have altered the course of his life (and perhaps, history), he blushed and refused.

But moments later, with a shy smile, succumbed. Later, he bashfully admitted that he not only thought Aishwarya was a good actress but that he was flummoxed that such a pretty girl like Priyanka Chopra could have ever played a villain.

He shared his fondness for a good cup of hot chocolate at night in a nice hotel, regardless of the fact that it brings the city to a standstill."

Here are excerpts from Koel's chat with Musharraf.

K: Gen Musharaf, you are a romantic guy at heart. Apart from serenading your beautiful wife in your young days as young officer, there was a particular incident involving a beautiful Bangladeshi girl that would have altered the course of your life as an army officer and perhaps the course of history. But of course, the 1971 war with India broke out and every thing changed. Would you like to tell us little about that incident.

M: I don't think I would like to get involved in that. One does come across girls, obviously I am not leading a secluded life and that is where it stands.

K: For the sake of the girl…it almost like Indian movies you almost got court martialled for the sake of a girl. You got...

M: No, it was not because of the girl, I wanted to go to Karachi to meet my parents on leave, it wasn't because of the girl...

K: Then why were you going to be court-martialled?
M: Because I went a day earlier. For certain reasons, I got annoyed and may be I did a wrong thing, yes.