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Superstar perks

By Nickunj Malik - Nov 12,2014 - Last updated at Nov 12,2014

I have a lot to thank Shahrukh Khan for. He has got me out of so many sticky situations that I cannot even begin to list them. The next time I meet him I’m surely going to shake him by the hand and express my gratitude. It might not be an easy task but I will try it anyway. 

Who is Shahrukh Khan? In Asia, the Middle East and Africa, in fact in most of the Bollywood film-watching continents of the world, you do not ask such a question. That is because everyone knows this larger than life personality. But for those of still unfamiliar with his name, let me tell you a little bit about him. 

So, what does he do, other than save people of Indian origin in foreign lands? Also known as King Khan, he is my home country’s highest paid artiste. His salary has so many zeroes attached to it that it becomes impossible for a layperson like me, to even comprehend the actual amount. But that is not what makes him more popular than anybody else I have ever known. His fame rests on being the most recognisable face on our cinema screens. He dances, sings, does comic routines, romances the heroines, laughs, cries and bashes up the villains towards the end of the movie. In short, he is the consummate performer and from a toddler to an octogenarian, he has at some point in their lives, entertained each one. 

The reason why many people can relate to him is because his is a rags-to-riches story in real life too. Well, he was not literally a beggar when he joined the film industry, but he was not as affluent as he is now either. He came to Mumbai, which is called the city of dreams, with an impossible ambition. He wanted to become an actor. What he turned into, instead, was a superstar. The difference between these two terms is not as subtle as one might imagine, though both are used for individuals working in the same profession. Actors are appreciated for their acting talent but superstars are blindly followed for everything else. By millions of their adoring fans, that is. 

If Shahrukh Khan wore his hair in a particular manner, it became the most copied hairstyle in the next instance. If he was seen smoking a particular brand of cigarettes, his followers switched to it too. His mannerisms were also imitated instinctively. 

In one film he played a character with a mild stutter that stumbled over the “k” consonant, for instance, saying “k-k-k kiran”, rather than the usual “kiran”. In a matter of days his devotees developed an identical stammer too and words like “kitty”, “kite” and “kettle” were stretched into infinity. 

However, he takes all this adoration with a pinch of salt. I interviewed him once and saw how his admirers kept interrupting, with requests of autographs and photographs. Never once did he lose his cool with all this invasion of privacy. Maybe he is a far better actor than I give him credit for. 

Last weekend, while driving back from Petra, we were flagged down by a traffic cop for speeding. The moment he discovered our nationality he relented. 

“You know Shahrukh Khan?” he asked. 

“No,” said my husband. 

“Yes,” I said. 

“Give my regards to him,” he told me.

“Er, okay,” I muttered. 

“And next time don’t drive the “c-c-c car” so fast,” he smiled.

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