How many of us get the chance to actually meet our favourite celebrity, our idol, in the flesh and blood? Well, I was one of the fortunate few... Or was I really fortunate? I don't know. Read on. I met film star Shah Rukh Khan on February 12. Now, I'm quite a fan of the Khan. I've watched almost all his movies, all his interviews on television, most of the shows he used to star in. Naturally, when I was told to meet him in person, I was in seventh heaven! Shah Rukh Khan was appearing for a Net chat on rediff.com! And I was told to go take pictures of him! At the time I experienced a hundred different emotions! The most prominent one, of course, was joy! But at the same time, I was nervous. I mean, I'm not a professional photographer. I've only taken pictures at parties or family get-togethers. What if the pictures didn't come out well? Then there was fear too... what if he wasn't what I imagined him to be? But, somehow, I set aside my apprehensions, and prepared myself for the event. My colleague, Suparn, and I went to Khan's office in Khar. The chat was scheduled to begin at 2200 IST, but we had to wait 15 minutes as the star was delayed. People kept shuffling in and out of his office. I remember those 15 minutes so clearly -- I was quite tense, sitting rigidly in my chair, staring at the door every time it opened, not knowing what to expect. Finally, after what seemed like hours, he walked in and marched straight to his computer after acknowledging us. The next hour must have been one of the most confusing of my life. I finished taking pictures, and as I didn't have anything else to do, I just stayed back to observe my idol. I had expected him to be the same, charming, good-looking Shah Rukh Khan I had always seen on the big and small screen. But he was so unlike that in person! For one, he didn't look quite so good. Maybe he's just photogenic, which is what makes him so attractive on the big screen, I reasoned. But he didn't behave in his trademark casual, carefree way either. Maybe he was tired after a hard day at work. I didn't quite understand why I was making up excuses for him! But he just wasn't like what I had imagined him to be! I was confused because I couldn't decide whether I still liked him. I was quite disappointed. But then, I argued with myself again, every film star probably has two faces -- one for the camera and one for routine life. I guess I had expected too much. Towards the end of the chat, Juhi Chawla, Shah Rukh's co-star in several films and now partner in business, arrived. She didn't stay long, but in the few minutes that she was there she came across as a friendlier person. She was constantly talking to someone in their crew, ever smiling or laughing. While, in the entire hour that we spent with Shah Rukh, never once did I see him smile! Maybe I was disappointed because it was my first encounter with a celebrity. Maybe I should not have expected him to be exactly like the character he portrays in his latest film. Whatever. But it distorted the image of the star that I had in mind. So I silently resolved never to meet a celebrity in person again. But then... who keeps resolutions?! Ronjita Das is still to get over her disappointment
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