by Subhash K Jha

"Saif ne kuchal dala....Rich star- kid goes berserk...Man, what is this?! I'm tired of this kind media-hounding that we always have to go through."

Saif is a tad agitated . He has just been to jail...and is out on bail...All within 24 hours, and for no fault of his.

"It happened like this," he recalls, unusually calm and clear-headed (but then, that's the new sensible and mature Saif for you).

"I had just finished my rehearsals for the MTV awards on Friday afternoon and was driving back home, when a kid ran across the road. My car skidded and hit his foot—mind you, just his foot nothing else. I was immediately concerned. And I'm proud to say I did the right thing. I got off my car, put the kid—mind you, he's 13 and fully aware of his rights—into my car and drove him to the hospital."

"At first we thought all was fine. Later the doctor detected a broken tibia ...Anyway, the kid was discharged and he's gone home. Unfortunately I was arrested---apparently the law of the land demands arrest in any road accident no matter how small—and I've been let out on bail."

What happened was a mini-nightmare.

"The kid's uncle jumped into the situation. He got all worked up and demanded compensation. Which is fine. I've paid up Rs 15,000 which amply covers all his medical expenses. My car has been impounded, and the court case may or may not lead to more trouble for me.I'm prepared to face the legal system."

"But I won't be milked by people outside court. I'm troubled by the fact that a kid is hurt .But please remember, it was a very crowded road. And such mishaps aren't uncommon. Luckily no one was hurt seriously. Otherwise gawd knows what they'd have done to me."

He intends to meet the kid's mother and offer whatever help is required. "But I am getting alarmed by the indications of what they require of me."

Saif is exasperated by his never-ending run-in with problems.

"I've stopped thinking why me...I just face it ...But please, will the electronic media stop making guinea pigs of celebrities? Kuchal dala, drunken and rash driving...please! I'm not guilty of any of that....If anyone suggests an out-of-court settlement I'm going to say, 'Sorry, dude. I've paid for my small sin. Legal work is on. If there's a case, so be it."

The whole issue of celeb-bashing acquires an inverted meaning in such cases. The casualty of the road accident becomes a far less important player in the game than the celebrity whose name makes news.

"Don't I make enough news without getting into all this?" says Saif.