An Early Baby Shower for Ash

A powerful politician met the Shehanshah of Bollywood. They shook hands, embraced, exchanged pleasantries and sat down to talk about their children.

A powerful politician met the Shehanshah of Bollywood. They shook hands, embraced, exchanged pleasantries and sat down to talk about their children. Politics and Bollywood was forgotten as Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray and Amitabh Bachchan met at a recent book launch. Sometime during the event, the Sena chief presented Big B with a hardbound book titled Garba Sanskar. Written by Dr Balaji Tambe, a close friend of Thackeray and Maharashtra’s unofficial Dr Spock, the 212-page book in Marathi deals with the dos and dont’s of pregnancy. With Bachchan bahu Aishwarya in the family way, the gift was followed by advice from Thackeray for the newly-expectant parents.

On his part, Bachchan was heard telling the Sena chief that he could not wait to reach home and hand over the book to Abhishek and Aishwarya. Dr Tambe’s naturopathy clinic in Karla near Lonavala attracts many celebrity patients, including Thackeray himself and Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar.
Those who know the Sena chief closely tells Open that he loves handing out gifts. “Balasaheb’s bark is worse than his bite. He is a sweet-natured person who cares very deeply about those close to him. I am sure that along with the book, he must have also asked Dr Tambe to meet Aishwarya,” says the source.

About The Author

Haima Deshpande