Award-winning actor Rajesh Gopie has achieved what not many South Africans have been able to: An invitation to the wedding reception of the wealthiest family in India, the Ambanis.
“I got an SMS that I have been invited. I was like, ‘really?’ It was such a pleasant surprise. When the next day, the doorbell rang and a well-dressed courier handed me this beautiful box, I went ‘wow’. I was truly taken aback,” said Gopie, who then posted photographs of the invite gift box on social media.
The photographs were accompanied by the following post: “I’m not a big wedding attender type ... but this delightful invite gift box arrived at my door this morning ... mmmh ... I wonder if I should attend ... mmmh ... on a serious note, I’m grateful for this amazing gesture.”
The wedding of Anant Ambani, the youngest son of India’s biggest business magnate and Reliance Industries chairperson Mukesh Ambani, to Radhika Merchant, a businesswoman and the daughter of Indian pharmaceutical tycoons, will start on Friday.
There are some major answers the POST thought Gopie should dish out on his gift and his plus-one.
“About a gift, I don’t know yet, but I am sure to think of something. I would have liked something African, but I’m not at home to look for a gift in South Africa. And my plus-one is actress Jayati Bhatia, who I call didi (sister). I’ve known her for more than 20 years and she is one of the stand-out stars in the Netflix period drama, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar.”
Gopie, who is also a director, playwright, theatre-maker and teacher, moved to Mumbai a year ago and is a professional acting coach for mainly film actors. He also lectures when he can.
His body of work includes the stage plays Out of Bounds, The Coolie Odyssey, The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife, and Mahatma vs Gandhi.
He acted in the films Keeping up with the Kandasamys and Mayfair, among others.
He said Out of Bounds was loved in India when he first performed it in Mumbai in 2010, and this love translated to him being invited to stage the play at the opening of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre last April.
“I think the reputation of Out of Bounds and those who loved it remained.”
Gopie said the opening week had shows by Shabana Azmi, Anupam Kher, Naseerudin Shah and himself.
“So I was in pretty good company. It meant I was the first international actor to perform there and to be part of its opening. It’s an accolade to hold dearly and represents my country in a sense. Since then I have performed at the centre a few more times. Out of Bounds is loved and never gets old, though I might be.”
He said he met philanthropist and the chairperson of the Reliance Foundation, Nita Ambani, “formally” at the cultural centre, aimed at preserving and promoting Indian arts.
“She’s very sweet, relaxed and down-to-earth. She truly loves the arts. What she has done with this centre is beyond words. It shows that when business invests in the arts, society is better for it.”
Gopie also taught acting workshops at the cultural centre and in addition, has coached a young actor playing the lead role in a movie by actor Aamir Khan’s production house, Aamir Khan Productions.
“I coach actors who are preparing for film roles. It’s not something I can publicly talk about as these are confidential and that’s a big deal here. My students belong to established families in the film industry and it’s my job to give them world-class training.”
So who has he rubbed shoulders with in B-Town?
“In the building I work at, stars often come in for sound dubbing sessions, so there are the quick hellos. I enjoyed meeting Bobby Deol. He’s cool and invited me to one of his shoots with Anurag Kashyap. I got to spend the afternoon in the vanity trailer with him talking about acting, etc. He was keen to hear about my training and practices. I am sure we will work together on something in the future.
“I also met Malaika Arora just a few days back. She is a pleasant woman and attractive too. Shabana Azmi is a friend, so I hardly think of her as a celebrity. She’s so awesome.
“I try not to be star-struck. The fact is I am not, so I find it strange to see people going crazy about this. I often see crowds of people standing outside the building waiting for the sight of a star, and I wonder where they find the time. But it is kind of lovely too for them to show their love for their favourite actors.”
Gopie said the theatre and arts scenes in India compared to South Africa were vastly different.
“Theatre in India is huge, especially in bigger cities. And there is theatre in almost every language. It’s part of the cultural make-up. Professional theatre in Mumbai is a massive part of life here. People love and support shows.
“I think the population and its demands have to be taken into consideration and theatre as a subject is often part of dinner table talks.
“Almost every person I meet has had some first-hand interaction or involvement with theatre. So it’s not a hard sell. And there’s a lot of respect for theatre and theatre artists.
“In South Africa, there is a lull in theatre, especially plays, post-Covid. I don’t think South Africans are as big into theatre, which is sad. We can learn that theatre has many lessons about the way we live and offers us a therapeutic engagement with our existence in general.”
Gopie said India’s was a bigger industry, with more demands and a deeper knowledge, and while there was appreciation for his contributions to the arts in South Africa, everything there was “just on a much bigger scale”.
He said it was weird how the universe could put one in unexpected situations; and that every day he focused on getting better at what he did and trusted the universe for the rest.
“It’s old fashion advice, but it’s true.”
In the meantime, Gopie is getting to grips with the wedding itinerary during his demanding schedule.
“All I know is that I am invited to the wedding reception on Sunday evening in Bandra and at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre. The security is tight and there is strict protocol, as one would expect.”
In March, the Ambanis had a three-day pre-wedding party in the western city of Jamnagar. Around 1 200 people, including Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, attended. In May, the couple hosted a four-day Mediterranean cruise for friends and family. The wedding in Mumbai is reportedly being held at the family-owned Jio World Convention Centre, which can accommodate around 16 000 people.