Sweet success, sour ties don’t match up

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Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi

Once successful partners in tennis doubles, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi can’t see eye-to-eye today. The situation became worse when Bhupathi declined the decision of All India Tennis Association (AITA) and refused to partner Paes at the London Olympics.

This isn’t the only case of personal differences affecting one’s work. Some have succeeded in ironing out the differences, some haven’t.
Personal differences made the actor-director team of Shah Rukh Khan and Farah Khan decide to stop working together. They recently sorted out their differences. Cricketers Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds too were involved in a controversy in 2008 Sydney Test but they now play together for Mumbai Indians.
While there are more twists to be expected in the Lee-Hesh issue, we asked celebs how difficult is it to keep personal differences out of ones work-sphere?
Actor Manoj Bajpai and director Anurag Kashyap didn’t work together for many years because of alleged personal differences. Manoj says that Anurag has written some of the best films (including Shool and Satya) he is a part of. But personal issues kept them apart. “We mended that difference to work for our film Gangs Of Wasseypur,” says Manoj. He adds, “If you’re not on good terms with your work partners, especially in a sport or during acting, it can spoil the entire mood.”
Tennis player Ankita Bhambri says that unlike any other profession, tennis doubles require a lot of coordination. “Two people playing together shouldn’t just bond well on the court, but should have good connection off the court as well,” says Ankita. But Ankita has a different opinion on the Lee-Hesh issue. “They have played so much tennis together that even in times of personal trouble if they try, they can pull off a game.”
Forgetting personal differences and moving on to achieve a goal together should be the motive of a thorough professional, believes cricketer Aakash Chopra. “When a team plays together, they need to cooperate. For a professional, the goal should be bigger than individual growth. I know many people who had differences with others but while playing together, they played for the team,” says Aakash.
But a lot depends on the chemistry two people share. Insi Gutta, younger sister of badminton player Jwala Gutta, says that many things matter when two people play as a team. Jwala’s pairing with a much younger Ashwini Ponappa was criticised during the Commonwealth Games in India. But the two emerged winners, quashing all the criticism.
“Jwala and Ashwini’s pair worked well because of their good chemistry. When there’s a game, Jwala makes it a point to spend time with her partner. If they are not friends, it brings negativity to the game, thereby affecting it badly,” says Insi.
“It’s team work, a lot depends on both partners’ mood, form etc. If the second person isn’t happy with you, it will spoil the game. The same happened with Jwala when she played with Shruti Kurien. When their relationship soured, it affected their coordination. That’s when they decided to part ways and Jwala paired up with Ashwini,” says Insi and concludes that while working as a team it’s important to work out the relationship first.