WINTER is setting in but at the Imax theatre in Mumbai the temperature was soaring – courtesy of the handsome faces on the red carpet.

I’m talking about none other than Tom Cruise and Paula Patton, stars of Mission Impossible – The Ghost Protocol.

I waited patiently (for an hour or more), then in a flash we heard more than 400 fans scream loudly.

My eyes spotted the dark blue BMW and the bouncer opening the door. From then on, it was Cruise control time!

Tom walked down the red carpet dressed in a surprising outfit – he wanted to meet his fans and he seemed to have dressed as one too, in blue denims and a blue shirt with a white T-shirt. But when all’s said and done, he still looked dapper.

The first English film I saw in the theatre in Mumbai was Top Gun, and what a pleasure it was to interact with the top dog.

I asked him if he has a fear of heights after being dangled from the world’s tallest building, in Dubai.

He said: “I am not afraid of heights but I am afraid of falling.”

You could see in his eyes how much he loved being in India, and in Mumbai.

He said: “I have always wanted to come to India and I promised Anil [Kapoor] that I would with this movie.

“I asked Anil if he could pinch me because I’m still not ready to believe that I visited the Taj Mahal in Delhi and am staying in the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai and walking down this red carpet feeling proud and loving my Indian fans.”

Another BMW was spotted and then she emerged – that face, that orange dress with a split showing off those slender legs. Paula was electrifying on the red carpet.

The star waved, posed for pictures with her fans and the media scrum, and was sporting that natural smile of hers. She looked as though she was taking a leisurely walk in the park on a Sunday.

Slowly, Paula walked in our direction and, before you could blink, she winked when I reached out to her. She told me about the fight scenes in the film.

“It was very empowering. I always wanted to be strong and fearsome.

“I had a great trainer, who taught me that if as a woman if you know where to strike, you can take on any man in the room, so be careful.”

I asked her about her first trip to India, where all she’d been doing in the previous 24 hours was partying and chilling with the who’s who of Bollywood.

“Anil and his wife hosted a beautiful party with some amazing food. The people of India couldn’t have been more beautiful, kind and loving. It’s been an honour to be in India.”

She added: “Anil is my man in Mission Impossible – The Ghost Protocol (she winks and laughs and she says it). He is incredibly infectious and has a great sense of humour. We had great fun working together.”

Paula also spoke about what it was like to work with British comedian Simon Pegg.

“He is so funny. He makes you laugh so much. He is my dearest friend and I adore him,” she said.

Anil Kapoor, the man who is making quite a mark with Hollywood blockbusters such as Slumdog Millionaire and Mission Impossible 4, was the next to come into my sightline.

“Here I am Devansh. Ask what you want,” he said.

“Everything is sinking in as of now – the feeling and the grandeur of such a mega day with Tom, Paula and the entire gang of Mission Impossible.

“As a person, I really don’t take things seriously. I just have fun. I don’t take failure or success critically.”

However, I was sure our Indian hero took Paula seriously and when I asked him, he said: “Paula is beautiful, Paula is sexy and Paula is hot. That’s all I can say.”

Before Anil escorted Tom and Paula inside the Imax theatre for their first glimpse of movie madness in India, Anil added: “Oh, by the way, Tom loves Indian food.
He loved it and had lots in the party I hosted for him.

“He loves India. He will be visiting again soon I’m sure.”

For me the day may have come to an end, but not my obsession for Tom Cruise and Paula Patton. No doubt I’ll go to any lengths to see them again.