When the long-anticipated Bombay Dreams had a charity preview at London's Apollo Victoria theatre on June 12, it expectedly attracted a slew of Indian big-wigs. However, in the midst of clinking wine glasses and swirling chiffon saris, one face that was conspicuously absent was that of Suchitra Krishnamurthy's. Hubby Shekhar Kapur sashayed around but the one-time actor and singer preferred to remain away. One wonders if that's her way of making her displeasure evident-she was approached to do the lead role in Bombay Dreams but left out without a word. Even Kapur could not-would not?-help.

Dramatic Concern

Not everyone present was entirely taken up by the event. Some, like steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal (with wife), were seen moving around with other more weighty-read: real-concerns playing on their minds. The media-shy Mittal, recently in the eye of a political storm, seemed more interested in discussing the tensions simmering between India and Pakistan. Why worry? Hasn't he heard that all the world's a stage and we but puppets in the hands of God?

Love All, Play

Tennis player Mahesh Bhupati has perhaps got habituated to having his partner around all the time. The former World No 1 in doubles together with another Indian, Leander Paes-the two have now parted ways-the tall Bhupati was the quintessential man in black. He walked around rather erect and refused to budge anywhere out of his agent's gaze. Instead of his racquet doing the talking, Bhupati himself said how he was looking forward to the stage production and to the forthcoming Wimbledon. But in the midst of Bombay Dreams, did we sight our man dreaming? Perhaps his mind was on absent fiancee Shvetha Jaishankar.

Cause Within the Cause

In her trademark top knot, Baroness Flather was among the first to arrive. Resplendent in a maroon sari, she was informal and once even plonked herself on the stairway. The baroness wears her Indianness well on her sleeve. Proud of her antecedents, she refuses to wear anything but the sari even in the House of Lords. She has been working tirelessly for memorial gates and used the occasion well to raise funds. What better way to fund gates that'll salute the sacrifice of Indian soldiers!

-Bureau reports