Delhi`s prestigious Oberoi Hotel has made a Dushman out of bad boy actor Ashutosh Rana. In the capital recently to promote their forthcoming release `Pardesi Re`, Rana and director Kewal Krishna are said to have fallen foul of the hotel staff over a payment dispute.The duo had booked themselves at Oberois for a press gathering wherein they were to meet journalists on a one-on-one basis. In the best traditions of Indian stardom, they however failed to keep to the original schedule and reached the venue late evening. By the time they showed up, rooms 841 and 842 assigned to Rana and Krishna, were already overflowing with media persons waiting since morning.
With the carefully laid-down programme having gone awry due to the late arrival, the hotel management reportedly raised a stink about the Bollywood pair using their accommodation for out-an-out `commercial` purposes. The situation turned ugly after after Rana and Krishna failed to heed broad hints at shifting the meeting to the more spacious (and expensive) environs of the hotel`s business center.Determined to force the issue, the hotel staff turned a deaf ear to services requested by the star. Those who asked for tea did so in vain. Even basic amenities like drinking water were denied. The air-conditioning was summarily switched off and Rana was politely but firmly cautioned to turn down the volume of the TV set that had been playing the film promo. Two sentries were posted at the entrance to ensure compliance with the dictates. A visibly flustered Krishna was reminded repeatedly of the `discomfort` he was causing to guests in adjoining rooms.
Interestingly the sense of hospitality that had deserted staffers at the five-star establishment seemed to make a swift comeback once Krishna shelled out an extra Rs 25,000 to relocate the press-meet to the business centre. Order was restored and it was back to business as usual with a steady stream of tea, coffee and snacks being served to the harried guests. "This was my first stay with Oberois and unfortunately it has left a very bad taste. I shall do my best to avoid the hotel in future", says Krishna while recalling his `moving` experience in Delhi. He however laughingly waves off any suggestion of moving the consumer courts for redressal.Rana too, while expressing regret at the treatment meted out to him, seems to have accepted the unsavoury incident in his true-blue philosophical style. "We had no option but to come terms with the hotel staff", is all that he is willing to say.Oberois declined to make a comment on the issue when contacted.
