"Asha" is a cool 'Daadi'

march,30,09
Asha Bhonsle likes to ‘squash’ her grandchildren with attention on Sundays, and cook according to their requests • For years... I did not enjoy a Sunday holiday because I worked every day of the week. It was only after the mid-1960s that I started taking time out from work on Sundays. • When my children were young... it was my Sunday routine to take them for a morning show movie (usually at 10 am), followed by treating them to chicken patties and pineapple pastries at the Gaylord, at Churchgate. Composer Jaikishen (of the Shankar-Jaikishen duo) would always be there too, and we’d have a chat over coffee. • In those days... one would often bump into Bollywood celebrities doing exactly the same thing that I was doing. The atmosphere was one of camaraderie. I used to bump into Helen sometimes, who would be out with a bunch of kids at the morning matinee show. • Now my Sundays... are usually spent cooking for my grandchildren. They love my cooking and often request for a special dish of their choice. I try to live up to their expectations. Sometimes friends drop by in the evenings. I watch TV and just chill with my family. • Sunday is my non-vegetarian day... I eat vegetarian on Mondays and Tuesdays. The menu can be meat or seafood, and of course vegetables. • I watch too much TV... I am a soap addict. Maybe, one day I will act in one but no one seems to take me seriously. I am quite updated on the news front too. Most of the news I get is from the various TV news channels. • I’m not reading... anything right now, as I’m in the process of writing my autobiography. • I’ve been watching ... a bunch of both Hindi and Hollywood films. I love cinema. Recently, I saw Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na and liked it a lot. I also saw Valkyrie. • I don’t... sleep late on Sundays. I like to enjoy Sunday to the fullest; be up and about, rather than lolling around in bed. My grand kids are in school all week long. So, Sunday is my day to pamper them and just generally squash them with attention. • I prefer being at home... since I am out of the house all week. My restaurant business keeps me busy nowadays. I love cooking and started my first restaurant seven years ago as a hobby, but today there are seven outlets spread out all over the Middle East and England, which serve my recipes. • To remember... a memorable Sunday I’ll have to open the calendar for Sundays over 70 years! So no, I can’t think of any particular one.