In 1982 Rauf launched Movie magazine, which was an extension of Super magazine but better designed, printed and marketed. I have two interesting anecdotes of my stint at Movie and both associated with superstars. One day, Rauf asked me to visit Rajesh Khanna at a faraway studio and fix up a photo shoot with the superstar. Elfreeda Martis, his assistant editor, jumped to my rescue and said “She cannot handle him” but Rauf was insistent and said, “It is best to throw her to the Lion young because if she survives Khanna, she survives show business”. What transpired with Rajesh Khanna is a different story but yes, I did survive Rajesh Khanna and show business!
The second story involved Amitabh Bachchan. The superstar was resuming shooting of Pukaar in Goa, post his near fatal accident and the magazine was invited for the coverage. I had just lost my father and Rauf Ahmed felt that a change would do me good and so sent me for the location coverage, but I was so low that I didn’t speak to any of the actors including Bachchan.
In the meantime, Rauf assumed that I would bring a great story and sent an Amitabh Bachchan picture for cover printing. Now the cover was ready and I had no story and so my cover story was about my travel observations of the Bachchan and the Bahl families (wives Jaya, Bubbles and the six kids). My story ended where it should have begun. Amitabh Bachchan waiting in the hotel lobby to receive his family.
To be continued