Jolie: Winning hearts

She’s stunning and gorgeous and rather svelte — if you like “that kind of beauty”, that is.

But oh no, one mustn’t think of a woman merely as an object, you know. Especially one so mature, intelligent and “utterly dedicated” to a good cause.

Such was the verdict on Angelina Jolie from a set of rather unlikely admirers, bowled over by the Hollywood star during her recent Delhi visit.

Constitutional expert Rajiv Dhawan, Colin Gonzalvez of the Human Rights Law Network, Mahendra P. Lama of JNU’s School of International Studies and Justice Yogeshwar Dayal were initially somewhat reluctant to discuss the details of what was a “private session”.

Most of them also had a vague feeling that the excitement around her was somehow “unbecoming”. And, anyway, they had met the goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to discuss India’s response to asylum-seekers.

But can even serious discussions hide Jolie’s charms?

“You know, she is very thin. All skin and bones,” said one of them after a little coaxing. “Of course, she is stunning, if you like that sort of beauty….”

Another was bewitched by her tattoos.

Jolie had met the experts to find out what she could do to advocate the cause of refugees in India. As the meeting took place before the one with junior foreign minister Anand Sharma, the actress wanted to know how she could raise the refugee issue with him without breaking any unspoken diplomatic codes.

They told her she should appreciate India’s stand on refugees — Delhi has given shelter to Bangladeshis, Lankan Tamils, Tibetans, Myanmarese and Afghans over the years. At the same time, they said, she should raise the matter of India not having signed the refugee convention despite being a permanent member of the UNHCR.

“She is a very mature, sensible girl,” one of the experts said. “What you especially notice, besides her gorgeous presence, is her intelligence and concern for people. ”