Weddings are always fun when you are the best man. You don’t really have to worry about anything except keeping everyone occupied. When architect Rahul Jose’s best friend was getting married, he couldn’t have been happier. “Since it
was a Christian wedding, I was sure to have a great time. My speech touched upon how we knew each other, were best mates, his first reaction on meeting Sara and many funny anecdotes. I arranged a no-holds party in Alibaug at a farmhouse for all the guys which was a blast,” he reveals.
The biggest prank is of course the wedding night that the couples close friends always try to trash (and crash). “Once we filled the entire bed with fried papads and then covered it with the sheet and rose petals. You should have seen the look on my friend’s face the next day!” exclaims Rahul.
For actor Amit Varma, being best mate is a very serious role. “In typical Punjabi style, at my best mate’s wedding, we hid his joota, and had a game of witty words with the girls’ side.” He explains that since these weddings are usually late night affairs with most guests passed out by then — that’s when the masti begins. “During the pheras we were hitting the groom hard with flowers and he had to keep smiling for the camera!” This prank he used even in his role in Khichdi recently. The only difference? “We painted the flowers red, blue and green so at the end of it, the groom had a colourful face and shot cut karna pada!” he adds.
Actor Samir Soni too loves being best man as it is a role that gives me maximum freedom to have fun and give advice. “Especially when the pheras are going on, it gets boring and so we look at ways of entertaining ourselves. There is a ‘healthy rivalry’ with the girl’s side when we keep pulling their legs.”
Coordinating everything generally falls on the best man. And nervous bridegrooms too have to be coaxed and calmed, admit both actors. “You remind him of all the good times they have shared. Reinforce him and give him that pep talk and voila the cold feet have disappeared,” says Samir. “I was responsible for everything at my brother’s wedding (including giving him that pep talk) and I was making sure nobody played a prank on me!” adds Amit.
“It is definitely a turning point in anyone’s life — the pranks, parties and responsibilities,” admits Bollywood actor Chandan Roy Sanyal. “I always enjoyed my role as best man at my friends weddings in Delhi. The fun parties start a month before and go on and on. But ever since I moved to Mumbai, my social life has reduced. I miss all the masti that comes with a big fat Indian wedding.”
Looks like this wedding season too, guys will take their role as best mate seriously but not without the mauj masti that comes along with it.