CHEERS, TEARS AND SWOONS FOR CHOCOLATE BOY
BY MADHUMITA BHATTACHARYYA
Calcutta, April, 5:
She’s been writing to him for the last six years, all her secrets, her
deepest thoughts. She scolded him after she saw Mela, she scribbled
sweet nothings after catching Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak for the umpteenth
time. On Thursday afternoon, she had a chance to show him just how much
she cares…
Zainab, who also goes by the name of ‘Aammu’, is just one of the fans
Aamir Khan met during 45 mad moments at MusicWorld. The 20-year-old had
a brief tête-à-tête with her ‘Mr Perfect’ when the People’s Khan met the
lucky 125 to first pick up the Sony soundtrack of his maiden
home-production, Lagaan.
Though the doors of the Park Street store were closed to all else, the
crowds outside tried their hardest to get in, bringing traffic to a
standstill and forcing a lathicharge.
Like many others, Zainab just couldn’t contain herself. Shaking
violently, in tears, she could barely utter a coherent word. No wonder.
She’s been to Mumbai in search of her unknowing confidante. “I even
kissed his dog, though he was away shooting for Sarfarosh,” she gushed,
minutes before meeting the man she has written songs for. She and
new-found friends Snigdha, Mahasweta and Rachita shared trivia before
their heart-throb arrived. “His birthday is on March 14, he got married
in 1986…”
The man of the hour walked in at 3 pm, amidst screams, looking a little
shy, a little exhausted. Taking the stage, he thanked the audience for
the “warm welcome”, before the queue started moving. One-by-one, they
all came up to have their picture taken with the star, and moved away,
reluctantly.
Pooja Chawla was armed with a bouquet. However, she had company. “I am
here as her bodyguard,” grinned husband Sanjeev. Pooja was not in tears,
but equally thrilled. “He’s such a darling! He is a thousand times
better than Shah Rukh!” she laughed.
Aamir, dressed casually in grey shirt and red six-pockets, smile firmly
in place, appeared unfazed. Women with their husbands, mothers with
their sons, young boys and girls, all queued up to try and shake Aamir’s
hand, get his autograph, and maybe, just maybe, even a peck on the
cheek.
Though not all collapsed into fits of hysterics, the consensus was
clear: Aamir is the best. He is honest, he is versatile. And his
chocolate boy looks beat the bicep brigade by a mile.
“He signed on my heart,” whispered Anshu, a Bhawanipur College student,
holding up the heart-shaped paper she had brought along to take his
autograph. “I’ll never lose this… How can I lose my heart?” she
breathed, tears spilling down her cheeks.
Aamir finally ran out, amidst wails. Outside, he triggered yet more
shrieks, plenty of pushing and shoving, a traffic jam and a lathicharge.
Before wrapping up his first, hectic visit to the city after QSQT, he
observed, with a smile: “The response here was extremely warm. And there
was much more screaming, shouting, hugging and kissing than in any other
city. I was thrilled… moved.”
–
: 
When was i for real?
I am myself a dream
I always see you
watching me tenderly