[imagebrowser id=183]

MUMBAI: Bollywood actor Imran Khan and director Vishal Bhardwaj along with their newest, hottest item girl, Gulabo, flagged off Red Bull’s Soapbox Race held at Mount Mary Road, Bandra, in Mumbai on 2 December.

The team at Red Bull created an artistic rendition of Gulabo – the Gulabo Gaadi, a pink cow-shaped soapbox – specially for Imran Khan and Vishal Bhardwaj. The duo was promoting their upcoming film ‘Matru Ki Bijlee ka Mandola’ where Imran Khan essays the role of Matru.

So instead of driving swank cars, Imran Khan was seen atop his Gulabo Gaadi. Dressed in a grey kurta, blue jeans, a red and black scarf, aviators and golden earrings, Imran Khan spoke lovingly of his companion. “She is Gulabo. There is a certain pink buffalo that makes an appearance in the trailer and everyone is wondering what is this thing! I am here to tell you all that this pink buffalo is a very important supporting character.”

The movie, a drama-comedy-drama also features Pankaj Kapoor as an industrialist who loves his alcohol and Anuskha Sharma as the melodramatic daughter. The movie’s title takes inspiration from the names of its characters – Imran Khan as Matru, Pankaj Kapoor as Harry Mandola and Anushka Sharma as Bijlee.

Red Bull’s Soapbox Race – the first in India – saw 70 four-member teams racing for the big prize — a fully paid trip to Austria. Apart from the race, the organisers will also host a carnival feauring acrobats, dancers, cheerleaders, stilt walkers, unicyclists and jugglers.

Foodie and comic man Kunal Vijaykar, one of the member’s judging the race said “The race is about getting your creative juices flowing and having the city come together in the streets.” The other judge, VJ-turned-TV host Rannvijay Singh talking about the race said, “I’ll look at parameters like speed, cart presentation and the team’s confidence.”

Also seen at the event were Bollywood actor Arshad Warsi along with wife Maria Goretti, and Bollywood newbies Arunoday Singh and Lisa Haydon.