Salman Ate the Biryani I Prepared, Scorned it As ‘Chicken Pulao’: Shilpa Shetty

Shilpa Shetty loves cooking on Sundays. She cooked chicken biryani one Sunday. Salman Khan ate it and scorned it as ‘chicken pulao’

• Self-indulgent …

That’s what I’d call my free Sundays, they are also superbly lazy. Not that I get Sundays off too often. I quite often work through them, when a film is nearing completion. And why only Sundays, I often work through bank holidays. Actually I like working on bank holidays because it’s auspicious to work on certain festive days.

• Lately I’ve realised …

that I really need a day off to rejuvenate myself. So nowadays when I can say ‘no’ to work on Sundays, I do. It’s difficult, but I manage once in a while.

• I’m a TV addict …

I watch TV till 2 am, before nodding off. I do this unless I’ve to shoot early the next morning. So if I have a Sunday off, I start the day very late.

• I don’t have breakfast on Sundays …

I go straight to lunch. Our whole family generally goes to the Marriott for brunch. Also, on this day, my diet goes for a toss.

• I love to cook …

on Sundays. Not many people believe I can do so. But I enjoy cooking. (and eating too.) But I cook only for people who are really close to me. When I was younger I used to whip up various soup and noodle preparations on Sundays. Now I’m more creative. I can make great chicken biryani. I remember one Sunday I had Salman Khan over for dinner. He ate my biryani, and said, ‘Those who don’t know how to make biryani, make this. Chicken pulao.’ Last Sunday I made pudding with nutella and bananas. We gorged on it, figure and diet be damned.

• Family bonding …

is for this day. We do brunch. In the afternoon I visit a spa. And we often go for a movie in the evening. Sunday evening movies are a peaceful family affair. At the mutiplexes they respect our privacy. This Sunday we hope to catch Rock On. Is it still running?

• Checking email …

and answering all of them is done on Sundays. This is regardless of how much work I have on any Sunday.

• I also love …

watching long-running American TV series at home. I love Grey’s Anatomy and Heroes. They’re addictive.

• A light dinner …

ends the day. But no friends. I don’t have too many friends. My best friend Vandana stays in Bangalore. We’ve been close since school. We don’t speak every day though. I’ll connect with her this Sunday.

• I’m reading …

Ramayana by C Rajagopalachari. It gets quite disturbing for Sita when she’s taken through Ravan’s captivity.

• Being free …

on Sundays is tough. We’ve started our production house. So even if I’ve Sundays off I go to office in the secondhalf.

- Mumbai Mirror