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Simple food, simpler man

Lucky Ali shares his experiences, some sweet, some bitter, about his food and film preferences

SUMPTUOUS FARE Lucky Ali relishes the lavish and delicious buffet spread at Rendezvous restaurant in Intercontinental The Grand PHOTO: ANU PUSHKARNA

That's what you call irony. A farmer in our country who grows food for us, doesn't get to feed his family fully. And here is this farmer called Lucky Ali, also a singer and an actor, who does organic farming in Bangalore, but eats "just to survive".

Sitting at the Intercontinental The Grand's Rendezvous restaurant, enjoying his lunch, Lucky throws light on his food-to-survive idea by starting with what he likes to eat best. "My favourite food? Bread and butter. I love it. I can eat it any time." And one doesn't have to wait to get a proof of it. His plate already has a few slices of garlic breadtopped with squid salad that he chooses from a lavish buffet lunch spread at Rendezvous.

This farmer, as he prefers to call himself as one, has just come to Delhi to serve the cause of fellow farmers, as an envoy of Oxfam International, which has initiated a campaign called Make Trade Fair. The campaign fights for the farmers in poor countries to get a fair deal. A cultivator as he is, and an extremely good human being as he runs his reputation in the Hindi film industry, Lucky can endlessly go on and on talking about plants, medicinal and otherwise. You name an ailment and he gives the name of the medicinal plant that can cure it, highlighting the point that it can be grown at home. "I will send you one. Keep in touch with me," he offers. Not just that, he requests, with that resonant, nasal tone that made songs like "Sunoh... " so popular, "Please put the name of Al-Jawahar kabab corner in Old Delhi, outside Kareem Hotel, in your article. I ate his kababs yesterday. They are the best I had in Delhi so far. People must know about him. He will also be happy to see his name in print... ," and the singer concentrates back on his eating without realising that many pairs of eyes, at an earshot from his table, admiring that human touch in him.

Over smoked salmon

As he takes a second helping of some smoked salmon and chicken in black bean sauce, this son of the veteran comedian and character artiste late Mehmood, recalls, "My father was a very good cook. He enjoyed cooking no end. He invented so many dishes too. One of them is delicious chicken pulao which we address as `Mehmoodi pulao'. I learnt some cooking from him when I was small. But I don't cook as such. Biwi hi itna khila pila deti hai ki pakane ki zarorat nahi padti," he says with a mischievous smile. But adds in the same breadth, "But I can beat you hollow in making tea. I make dum ki chai. I can boil milk too. I do it very cleverly. I know milk boils in five to six minutes. I put the milk on the burner, attend it after five minutes. As soon as it begins to boil a bit, I slow down the burner. It never spills you know... ," and he looks for approval like a small child who has done his homework without anyone's help.

Grinning at his one cleverness, he gets up to have some chana dal with lauki and aubergine in hot garlic sauce.

Big blunder

But the mere mention of his last film Kasak opposite Pakistani actress Meera, takes away that smile.

"The film was my biggest mistake. I was a fool to have acted in it. I did that for two reasons, one, my father had recently died then. I was very disturbed and wanted to divert my attention. And second, its director (Rajiv Babbar) promised me that he would make a decent film with the subject. But what a lousy film he made! It has happened to me many times. These small filmmakers come to me with promises of making a good film, want to take me as lead actor and yet ask for a rebate in my price! They start a film, make me act and never pay even that rebated amount! I am fed up with these kindof people. Same is with the music. Most people who own music companies, don't understand real music. I know how bad does it feel to sing before people who don't have even basic knowledge of music. They have spoiled the music. Sab bik gaye hain. Now I will launch my new album `Ixsui' through a foreign music company. Now Bollywood is beyond my consideration. I will never work in Hindi films now... " his long monologue ends but the tone grows bitter.

So what's the medicine for bitterness? Something sweet, you suggest.

A platter of rice kheer and chamcham is the right combination perhaps. "Yummy" is what he comments after taking a bite of it but the best part is, that childlike smile of Lucky is back.

RANA SIDDIQUI

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