Yamla Pagla Deewana magic

Nobody seemed to mind that they were two hours late for the premiere of their own movie 'Yamla Pagla Deewana'. The Deol's, Bollywood's very own Jats, mesmerised with their irresistible charm as they also celebrated Lohri with the audience in New Delhi.

The bored fans who braved the chill to catch a glimpse of the stars, jumped with joy once the famous paajis of Bollywood stepped on the red carpet at PVR Priya, Vasant Vihar, to the beating of dhol and nagadas.

As the crowd blew kisses, and chanted their names, Dharmendra and his two sons - Sunny and Bobby - seemed to love every bit of the adulation.

The moment Dharmendra, in his inimitable dialogue style, shouted into the mike, "Dilliwalon", a takeoff from "Gaonwaalon" from "Sholay", the crowd shouted in rapture.

He wished everyone in Punjabi, "Lohri di lakh lakh vadaiyaan".

Sunny added his bit, with "Jat risky, after balti whiskey, bruahhh" - sweeping the crowd off their feet.

The crowd didn't just comprise those who had come for the premiere, but around 200 others who comprised construction labourers, rickshaw pullers, petty shopkeepers and guards. They were the ones who gave the Deol troika a roaring salute every time.

"Dhai kilo ka haath", "Mausi ji", "Sunny, Sunny, Sunny", "Bobbeeee" - the crowd kept up a chant, till the Deols waved to each one of their fans.

Dharmendra, 75, lighted the Lohri bonfire. He got a pleasant surprise when his 'Life...in a Metro' co-star Nafisa Ali came unannounced from behind and hugged him.

The father and sons then stood around the bonfire, and gave offerings of popcorn, rewri and peanuts into it and circled round it and looked up at the heavens for blessings.

Sunny sported the look of his movie character, in a purple turban and heavy beard, while his brother Bobby looked very young, in a leaner and spruced up avatar.

Also present with them were co-stars Anupam Kher, Mukul Dev, debutante Kulraj Randhawa, director Samir Karnik and music composer Anu Malek, who kept prodding the spectators to clap and join in while he sang the title track of the movie and popular number "Tinku jia".

The crowd was thrilled. As the Deols would put it - there is "no if, no but, sirf jat".

IANS