Bipasha had a ball in Lisbon despite some glitches

Bipasha Basu says she had a great time during her visit to Lisbon despite a major crisis on the stage when the teleprompters for the Seven Wonders of the World event ceased to work.

"The teleprompters conked out during rehearsal itself. We never thought it wouldn't work during the show. Then during the event the teleprompters came on and just disappeared," Bipasha said.

"It came on. I started reading but then representatives from various countries walked by in front of the teleprompters, so we couldn't see what was written, just had to go by my memory. Then it just went off!

"We had to read out from a paper. But my co-hosts Sir Ben Kingsley and Hilary Swank were so good we managed without teleprompters. Somehow we pulled our segment through. I hope I managed well. The three of us laughed and had so much fun."

Bipasha, who had a great time during the event, regrets just one thing. "John, who is shooting in Pondicherry, couldn't watch me during the show. There was no electricity where he was. But I'll make him see the entire experience on a DVD."

When the Taj was announced in the list of the Seven Wonders, Bipasha was in seventh heaven. "The envelope announcing the Taj Mahal was with me. Everyone was so happy. Sir Ben is half Indian you know. His real name is Krishna. His great grandfather was Gujarati. He was really nice to me. So was Hilary. We had so much fun.

"Hilary Swank and Sir Ben are friends for life. I plan to keep in touch with them," said Bipasha.

She added that the event gave her a new high with all the attention showered on her. "I made everyone call me 'Basu' with a big pout. During the entire trip everyone would go 'Basooo Basooo' with a big pout.

"With that Basu thing going, no one could forget me at the event. They didn't know who I was. But everyone wanted to know who I was. The attention and appreciation was a big high. The whole experience was a dream come true."

But Bipasha is exhausted after her Lisbon trip. "I'm exhausted. I did the Seven Wonders Show and then I partied all night in Lisbon and took a flight back to Mumbai. I haven't had a chance to breathe. I landed in Lisbon on the fifth - without my luggage - and left on eighth afternoon. It was a whirlwind tour."

Indo-Asian News Service