There he was at the awards ceremony, in a neat pale gray suit, watching the tedious song-and-dance show until the camera zoomed in on him and yells of ‘‘I love you Brett’’ reverberated through the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Seeing the commotion unleashed by this star, a foreign journalist remarked, ‘‘Who is Brett Lee anyway? And since when did he become bigger than Hrithik Roshan?’’
Amitabh Bachchan saluted him with a ‘‘Sir’’. Shah Rukh Khan enquired about his ankle injury. Preity Zinta couldn’t stop giggling after he presented her with an award. And the local crowd reserved all their lusty seeties for him, much to the chagrin of Vivek Oberoi who was the most punctual of the lot but had to see someone else being pawed.
The recently concluded International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards in Singapore sprung up a new hero in the form of Aussie cricketer Brett Lee. The blonde smasher from Down Under was the most talked about and photographed guest in the Lion City.
Lee was invited to take part in the IIFA foundation charity football match but due to his injury, he had to remain in the stands. Even when brother Shane scored two goals, everybody at the Jalen Baser stadium turned back to check out Brett’s reaction, leaving Shane to celebrate his jubilation by himself.
So what is Lee’s connection with Bollywood? Perhaps the same connection that exists between Sachin Tendulkar and Nicole Kidman! Meaning, nothing really! After Steve Waugh’s retirement, Lee is arguably the most famous Aussie in India. We might not love him for what his pace attack does to our batsmen, but we do respect him. He is, as one Austrailian journalist put it, ‘‘Australia’s young ambassador to India.’’
The latest edition of an Indophile, Lee saunters into the country with more ease than even Adnan Sami. His manager Katrina Walters confirms Lee’s love for India. ‘‘Oh, Brett loves anything to do with India. He just needs a reason to visit.’’
At the red carpet ceremony before the awards night, Walters was heard striking a deal with an Indian photographer. ‘‘Brett has to present an award to an actress, most probably I think it will be Preity Zinta since she is the top contender. Will you please click a photo because that is sure to get me in the Aussie papers.’’
Lee hardly slept for two days as he was busy checking out all the nightspots in Singapore. And at the football match when he saw Mahima Chaudhry and Zinta land up on the field to cheer the boys, he whispered, ‘‘Indian actresses, mate! Indian actresses!’’ We hear the feeling is mutual.
-Harneet Singh/Express News Service