Unplugged: Mukesh Ambani

You may just bump into the Reliance head honcho at Mumbai’s Mysore Cafe or Swati Snacks one Sunday morning! Mukesh Ambani is full of surprises...
- Mukesh Ambani likes very basic food – dal chawal, roti, sabzi , etc. Will eat anywhere, roadside or fancy restaurant,as long as it’s tasty. He is a vegetarian. His favourite places are Mysore Café in Matunga. Part of their menu is also on his private planes. Loves paanki at Swati Snacks and will ask anyone heading there to parcel him some.
- Loves chaat at Taj Colaba.
- When guests are home, he enquires what they want to eat and asks for it to be prepared. Will always serve a special dish with his own hands to his guests.
- Nita Ambani practises her classical dance everyday and Mukesh can’t resist watching her dance!
- Must have his father’s photo or the family photo with his parents and siblings in every room of the house.
- The richest Indian spends Sundays with his mother and children and catches up on movies. He loves Hindi movies and doesn’t miss a single one. Will also watch all the latest Hollywood releases. His friends swear by his verdict on a film (whether it’ll be a hit or flop), and they claim he is rarely off the mark.
- Has never celebrated a birthday except his 50th one at the Jamnagar plant with his employees. Yet, he spends three months planning wife Nita’s birthday bashes and presents! Believes that the best celebrations are with family.
- Never leaves home without praying.
- Colleagues claim they have never known him to shout or lose his temper. - He is a very late riser... gets up at 10:30 in the morning!
- Loves eating roasted groundnuts.
- When on vacation with kids, makes sure it’s a twothree weeks’ long trip. - Favorite heroes are SRK, Hrithik and Aamir Khan.
- The business honcho reaches office at noon and works till midnight.
- Makes it a point to shake hands with each of his sons’ friends whenever they come home.
- Loves to catch up. He can chat with people for an hour or more.
- Ambani senior is never seen wearing brown shoes.
- Mukesh’s best friends from the industry are Anand Mahindra, Adi Godrej and Anand Jain, who was his schoolmate.
- Follows the handshakehug- shrug approach when greeting someone – always shakes the hand, then wraps his arm around the person in a semi hug.
- Loves old Hindi songs, and spends Sundays listening to them.
- Nickname is Muku; sisters and brothers-inlaw call him Muks!
- Loves expensive British cars. Always owned executive cars – Mercedes, Bentley and Maybach. - Ardent reader of management books. Will read them and implement the lessons learned in his business. And also gives lectures on it whenever required.
- Wears clothes similar to his dad; white shirt and dark-coloured trousers. Has no knowledge of brands. If asked, he shrugs, “I wear anything that fits me.” Buys Provogue shirts often, so the company makes shirts in his size in various colours. Will wear a tie, whether Satya Paul or Zodiac, if he likes the colour.
- Mukesh loves long walks. He often takes a colleague along and then begin the brainstorming sessions.