Lawyer Percy Billimoria takes his interests as seriously as work, and finds time for both in his 21-hour days.
When I first meet Percival “Percy” Billimoria, he’s struggling to even shake my hand. A leading corporate lawyer in the country, he’s actually holding a phone in each hand and having an intense business conversation, while also giving instructions to his colleagues about pending work. When we’re ready to settle down for this interview in the rather noisy but comfortable coffee shop at Delhi’s Oberoi hotel, Billimoria orders some grilled fish and a cup of green tea and starts to talk.
Talk about the world of corporate law?
It’s not about business. Billimoria, whose schedule, by his own admission, requires him to be at work for 14 hours at the very least, every day (“Helps that I’m still a bachelor,” he quips) has started a new initiative to promote the cause of art. The Amateur Performers Bureau is a platform that Billimoria has specially created to involve professionals from different walks of life who should be good — very good — at giving performances. But why would a busy lawyer, with so little time on his hands, even think of starting a brand-new initiative such as this? Isn’t Billimoria’s life hectic enough already? Doesn’t he feel tired after a hard day at work?
Nibbling on the grilled fish, while I choke on my cappuccino in response to his answer, Billimoria says: “I have this ability to sleep for three hours every day and still feel completely rejuvenated. If I sleep longer, I feel drowsy. My mornings begin early, at around 7.30 am, followed by a workout — also a time when I start with my business calls. After that begins the daily office grind and, yes, I do work very late, mostly till 2.30 am.”
In the midst of such a hectic schedule, where there’s hardly time to breathe, Billimoria also manages to rehearse for his play, Sunshine Boys, that will be performed at Delhi’s India Habitat Centre on April 10, 2009. “We took a room on rent very close to our office. At around 7.30 pm, I take a break from work, just hop across to our rehearsal venue and find time to practise for our play,” he says. By 9.30 pm Billimoria is back at work, scheduling his commitments and labouring on into the small hours.
The reason that Billimoria, an active theatre artiste in Mumbai while he studied there, started this arts initiative was to give a chance to professionals to hone their talent in creative fields. “I have so many friends who are so creative and talented but haven’t got a chance to showcase their artistic abilities because of professional commitments. That’s why Amateur Performers Bureau becomes so imperative. It’s a platform for like-minded individuals to come together and share their creative skills,” he explains.
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Sunshine Boys, written originally by Neil Simon and set in New York in the 1970s, caught Billimoria’s attention He decided to adapt the play and set it in contemporary times in Mumbai. In other words, he had to write the script himself, look for the cast and, while acting in it, is also directing the play. That’s hard work, isn’t it? “I strongly believe that there’s no limit to human potential. Whether it’s my professional or personal life, I don’t believe in half measures at work,” says Billimoria.
He also paints in his free time, and is working towards a solo exhibition towards the end of 2009. He says he finds painting extremely therapeutic.
An arts initiative, an actor who is getting set to perform his play in less than a month, a painter who works in mixed media and oil on canvas, a writer (“I have two manuscripts at home, waiting to be published,” he grins), Billimoria thinks of Sundays as his “mental health days”. In fact, he’s extremely particular about not entertaining any business calls on Sundays. “I switch off my phones. I don’t meet anyone and spend time with my mother at home. I don’t even wear my watch on Sundays,” he laughs, explaining how he detoxifies his mind on that day so he can gear up for the week ahead.
There are other rules that he strictly follows. “I lead a hectic social life but I socialise only on Fridays or Saturdays, never on Sundays,” he says.
We’re nearing the end of our interview and I’m still playing devil’s advocate, hoping to understand just how — when the rest of us complain and rant about lack of time — this corporate lawyer with long hours manages to remain so enthusiastic about creating creative platforms for others. “Finding talent is never uncommon. I get angry when people say that they don’t have any talent. Creativity comes from the universe, we just need to deploy it,” Billimoria says, firmly.
It’s heartening to know that he’s doing just that.
