Orry spills the tea on what really goes down at a Bollywood party

I’ll be the first to confess—there appears to be an insatiable curiosity, perhaps even an unfounded obsession, about the wild world of Bollywood. We all want to know the details: Who is doing what (and whom)? What a conversation between Karan Johar (filmmaker) and (actor) Kareena Kapoor Khan would sound like beyond the lights and cameras? Where they wouldn’t be caught dead (sic)? And the party spots they’d love to be papped at et al. Here, long working hours, endless rehearsals, trade secrets over drinks, wild nights until the wee hours of the morning, whispering campaigns behind the closed doors of flamboyant parties, and head-turning fashion choices, all intertwine and feed into outsider perceptions of glitz and glam.

“A Bollywood party is by far one of the most glamorous rooms you will ever be in. It is the crème de la crème of the media world. Imagine a room where you have the prettiest and the most handsome looking people who make even that 10 on 10 given to an average person look like a five,” shares Orry. “So, essentially, a Bollywood party will have the best looking people in the best looking outfits, drinking the best drinks, eating the most delicious food in the world. It is the room that sets the trend for all other rooms. And what happens in these rooms then trickles down only to be copied at every other party, or even in every other room. But you never actually know what’s happening inside a Bollywood party, because those attending it are mostly media personalities who—you have to keep in mind—are also the most private people ever. You don’t get to see all the details as an outsider. No one is actually sitting and putting up the pictures, other than myself,” he mentions, adding, “Why do Bollywood people stick to Bollywood? The fraternity is very close and they like their privacy. They don’t want an outsider coming and taking videos of them having a shot. See, the problem is, I’m on that fence...I’m that outsider taking pictures. And I’m also that insider; so, I know where to draw the line.”

The Internet’s favourite influencer seems to be making it to everyone’s guestlist in this, and every other Bollywood party season. Lucky for us, a tête-à-tête with Orry helped us uncover what really goes on beyond the red-carpet appearances before celebrities step into a party. Read on for all the tea you’ve been dying to know. 

And it all started with Christmas...

You don’t make it to every celebrity’s guest list—definitely NOT to every Bollywood party. “I’ll tell you about the first party I went to because that was like the stepping stone for me—I didn’t start attending these parties overnight.” Yet, his first, set the tone for every party-going experience he’s had since, for what better way to mark your debut than to be invited to actors Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan’s annual Christmas dinner? “Sara (Ali Khan) had taken me as a plus one to this party,” he recalls, “I had met both Saif and Kareena a few times before, so I wasn’t just a plus one who didn’t know anyone. Sara took me knowing that I was a presentable, social friend to take along who wouldn’t be clingy, would meet other people, and stand on his own two feet. And she was very clear about it when she invited me,” he adds. 

Enter the room and you’re brushing shoulders with a star in every corner. “To my left there’s Kareena and to my right, Karisma Kapoor. Then there’s actors Soha (Ali Khan) and Kunal (Khemu), Malaika (Arora), (entrepreneur and fashion icon) Natasha (Poonawalla), among others—they all look like they were taken right off the glossy pages of a magazine.” Orry refrains from clicking pictures that evening—it would be embarrassing, of course. He describes it as an intimate Christmas dinner—the hosts had set a beautiful table with tiny name tags for every guest. “I remember I was so nervous because what if they had to pull a chair for me or didn’t have my name tag on the table. However, Saif and Kareena have always treated their guests brilliantly. Many times, I’ve been to parties where the host acts like they’re the king or queen of the world— they aren’t the most polite and you don’t want to stay there,” says Orry, without taking any names. 

Oh, what's the goss!? 

We’ve all had certain preconceived notions of what goes on behind the doors of a grand Bollywood affair—scoring films over shots, walking in the party with one and leaving with another, and, of course, the classic, the rumour mill going into overdrive. Orry clarifies these misconceptions: “People aren’t going to parties to work on films. Acting is a manual, hard job. People think it is easy and glamorous, but you have to remember, these are people who are on a movie set from morning to night, breathing in a character that’s not them. They have to stay in shape for that character; they can’t just go home and eat a pizza or doughnuts, and go to sleep. So, when they take that time out to have a drink, break their diet, and let loose, they are not looking to talk about work. They’re literally trying to have a shot and gossip. That’s it. When one is drunk and they have a brilliant idea, conversations might happen. However, you can’t think that by going to a party and giggling, you’re going to get a job,” he says. 

What good is a party confessional without stories that you only half remember? “I am the crazy drunk in the story,” reveals Orry. “It’s me. These days, the audience is so, so, so evil that people don’t want to get drunk and get into fights anymore. I am like, why is the audience grilling us for having fun? Don’t you all want entertainment? Don’t you want the headlines about how a few actors were seen fighting at the party with drinks being thrown at each other? Don’t we want that? I am the only one who does it. I remember leaving a party at Pali Hill, Mumbai, once...I was wasted and my blue Mercedes G-Wagon was right outside the house. But in my drunken state, I didn’t see my car, and I was crawling all around Pali Hill looking for it. The paps were following me too. I love drama and fighting, but these poor actor friends can’t do it anymore because the audience will just go mad,” he says, candidly.

Hello I'm cupid, it's me!

Fortunately or unfortunately, “Nobody hooks up at the parties. No one is promiscuous. No one leaves together and goes home together—there’s just too much media outside to even be caught leaving with someone else,” shares Orry. Still, parties call for memorable meet-cutes and Orry has been witness to love stories in the making. In fact, he has even played Cupid for a few of his actor friends. “No, no, I can’t give you the details till they’re married. But I’ve told all my actor friends and their parents that if your daughter marries this boy or your son marries that girl I have set them up with, I’ll ensure 10 per cent of the wedding fee is mine. Nothing is free,” he chuckles. 

Some of the best Bollywood romances have seen their beginnings at film parties—think actor Vidya Balan and film producer Siddharth Roy Kapur, or even actors Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal. Whether or not Orry gets his fee, we’re hoping to see many more forever-kind of love stories come alive against the backdrop of chic bars.

Do Bollywood people really eat?

A good party definitely calls for good food. Yet, from what we’ve heard from plenty of whisper campaigns are endless diets, intermittent fasting sprees, and workout regimens that every actor is on. We refrain from using the term size zero, but maintaining that near-flat stomach is always THE goal. So, do people really eat at Bollywood parties? And how important is the menu? “The era of Kate Moss has ended. People do eat. I used to think people don’t. In fact, many years ago, it was probably cool to not eat but you definitely need to serve 4am food—proper khana (food)—at a party. People like to eat before they leave. So, last night at Abu-Sandeep (a party hosted by the designer duo], there was Indian food, and I loved it. I went back twice.”

The (host or) hostess with the mostest!

To sum it up, being fashionably late is out of fashion, never runs out of alcohol, and themes are always the way to go when it comes to being host to the BEST Bollywood party. “Parties go on till wee hours. Being fashionably late is completely outdated. There’s nothing like being fashionably late. What are you trying to prove by showing up late? What did you gain? It is quite sad. You support yourself by sitting alone at home waiting. Okay, okay, let it become 12:30am so I can reach the party. No, that’s not cool...You look lame,” Orry says. Duly noted.

Additionally, if you intend to keep the party going, the bar should never run dry. “The most embarrassing thing at a party is when the alcohol runs out. I would never want anyone to leave my house because the alcohol got over.” Another thing to keep in mind is the theme. “When the party has a theme, that means the party is on steroids. 

I only have themed parties. I’ve had a haunted house-themed Halloween party where the DJ’s booth was a coffin. You have to have the right decor too. And then with costumes, the guests are now part of the decorations. Actor Tara Sutaria always has funky themes. Last year at her Christmas party, the theme was ‘a vintage Christmas’—think of it like a vintage music box, and Tara looked like the doll from the music box. I had worn a vintage hat and scarf. Sussanne Khan also always has a theme—last year it was to dress as your alter ego. I went as Frankenstein. And it’s so amazing to see people dressed up...Shweta Bachchan-Nanda was Cleopatra,” he reveals. 

Finally, when we asked Orry his best moments from the parties he has attended, it was clear it would be difficult to name one. “But, if I had to pick one, my best memory was when Bollywood icon Rekha looked at me and said, ‘It’s you. You’re him’. And I thought to myself, ‘Oh my god, Rekha knows me!’.” And really, few things could be a better confessional than that.

This article was first published in Cosmopolitan India's November-December 2024 issue.

Also read: Please, thank you, and Orry—three words the world can't get enough of