Defy not the government line. It?s an old rule for PSU head honchos. At a panel discussion in Mumbai on issues that had the otherwise bustling aviation sector in a flap, participants were asked to do a voice check by the moderator. ?One, two, three, four…? went the first speaker, into the microphone. ?One, two, three, four…? went the second. And so on, till it was the turn of the civil aviation secretary, Ashok Chawla. Breaking the pattern, he began, ?A, B, C, D…? instead. The gentleman sitting next to Chawla, once his turn came, was prompt with his mike testing. ?I?ll also go by Mr Chawla. A, B, C, D…?, he said, much to the delight of the gathering. No prizes for guess ing who this well-mannered gentleman was: none other than current Air India chairman V Thulasidas. At least nobody can allege any more that he has a soft corner for his initials, ?VT?, painted as they are on the underbelly of all Air India aircraft.
Role flip
In the age of ?the making of? this, that or the other on TV, here?s a sample Eavesdropper picked up of comments on the making of the Shah Rukh Khan/Mahinder Singh Dhoni role reversal commercial for Videocon:
?Wait?shouldn?t Khan?s hair be a little longer??
?Dhoni?s going to have a pelvic seizure by the end of it.?
?It?s no big deal, really. Pepsi has already done Shah Rukh in cricket gear… they put him in the stands with a ?6? card, remember??
?Six what? Dhoni?s in pain, but this is that pain song from that new movie, right??
?Cool… maybe L?Oreal should sign them both up.?
?Splendid, when?s it airing??
