Celebs’ big bhaang theory

THINK OF HOLI AND BHAANG COMES TO MIND. IT IS AN INTRINSIC ASPECT OF THE FESTIVAL OF COLOURS... THIS YEAR, CELEBS TELL US ABOUT THEIR HILARIOUS EXPERIENCES OF GETTING HIGH ON BHAANG AND HANDLING THEIR FRIENDS’ MADCAP ACTIVITIES!

My funny Holi memory is about trying bhaang with my husband Daniel (Weber) at a close friend’s party. Initially it was a smooth ride until the effect hit us hard. After that, it was a non-stop roller coaster ride for Daniel and me. We just couldn’t stop laughing and realised the next day the effect of what we had. This was once and a long time ago after which we never got our hands on a glass of bhaang.

My experiences of bhaang have never been where I was under the influence of it. I am usually the one taking care of everyone else. So, bhaang has made me a chauffeur, always! I am the one who has to drop my friends safely to their houses after Holi parties. I personally have always been very disinterested in bhaang. Usually, I’m so drunk on music and dancing, I hardly need to get drunk or have bhaang. I am working almost every day so I’m just going to laze around in my bed like an absolute hippopotamus.

ISOPHIE CHOUDHRY, singer was relatively new in Mumbai and was invited to one of the biggest Holi bashes. I was offered a drink and was told it’s chaas (buttermilk) so I happily downed a couple but it was bhaang and I suddenly started dancing with extra speed and fervour. I went up to the host, a legend, and probably spoke absolute nonsense as he kindly spent time chatting with me making sure I had eaten. By the time I got into my car, everything had slowed down. My brain has never felt so slow. I couldn’t even shower myself. My mum had to help me with it. It’s not an experience I would want to repeat.

Funnily, I have played Holi only once in my life and ended up taking care of the entire gang of friends who were totally sloshed due to

bhaang. Well, as they say, once bitten, twice shy. So I am off to the Holy city of Amritsar as we speak.

ANSHUMAN JHA, actor

Idon’t smoke or drink but I love to have thandai with bhaang on Holi. And on one such occasion, I happened to be with a close friend whose girlfriend was mad at him for something. I stood there like a zombie watching the drama unfold. For 15 minutes, I just listened to her rambling and when I couldn’t take it anymore, I tapped her on the shoulder and told her ‘Are you really mad at him? If yes, then take this bottle and

break his car’s windshield. Take it all out instead of stressing your vocal chords.’ She actually took the empty bhaang bottle from me and smashed it on his car’s windshield and left. My friend was in a state of shock. I started laughing while in the car and didn’t stop laughing for next three hours.

SSUMIER PASRICHA, actorcomedian

Ireally don’t drink and drive and I won’t encourage anyone to do that. But once in my life, I had bhaang and then I decided to drive to my place. The drive was a memorable one for me because through out the way I kept thinking why I am driving so slowly, but in reality I was driving at a decent speed. In my head, all cars were speeding ahead and I was trying to reach the accelerator but simply couldn’t. It was like one of those surreal scenes from a movie. PRINCE NARULA, actor

In Chandigarh, Holi usually stretches till night. So, some of my friends and I went to a graveyard instead of heading back home. There we set up a barbecue for snacks and had

thandai with bhaang. As time passed, and we got high on

bhaang, some of our friends started seeing ghosts while others had a gala time frightening them. It was one hell of a night. NAKASH AZIZ, singer

Iremember this one time in college when I had too much of bhaang and went crazy. Till date my friends tease me about the incident. I was singing and dancing around the area. They tried to stop me but I was on a roll that day. I was even dragging my friends and forcing them to join me to dance. I was happy and high that day and I think it was one of the best Holi celebrations I ever had.

BHARTI TANEJA, beauty expert

Afew years ago I got high on

bhaang with my husband. We were across the road from our house and I stopped in the middle of the road before crossing it. Later my daughters tried to keep me awake and make fun of me. Even when I went to take a shower, I kept on pausing for some time. It made me slow and I had to eventually fall asleep. But it was a lot of fun. SHWETA BASU PRASAD, actress

The funniest memory of having

bhaang has to be from last year’s Holi celebrations. I had bhaang and then slept on the floor with all the Holi colours still on my body and my sunglasses on!!! Then I woke up suddenly at three in the morning and went on an endless laughing fit. It was a terrible experience. But I can’t deny that it was incredibly funny at the same time. I wonder if I will do it again. KINSHUK VAIDYA, actor

After hearing endless tales about bhaang and its effects on people, I finally tried it for the first time during my college days. Trust me, the experience was all that and beyond. I was on a never-ending roller coaster ride. I was experiencing a riot of emotions and feelings and doing things that were beyond my control. Even though, I really can’t remember clearly or accurately what all I ended up doing after consuming bhaang, I do remember on thing and that is that I was feeling ecstatic. It was a wonderful experience.