The Ultimate FAN Moment | When SRK Became More Than a Star
Posted on April 15, 2016; Updated on January 18, 2017, Republished on 30th November 2023 by Sonket
So, FAN, the movie where SRK dons the hat of Aryan, portraying his own fan, Gaurav, hit the theaters today. I won’t brand myself as a die-hard fan, but yeah, I’m a fan who relishes seeing him grace the silver screens. I’ve never missed a chance to snag a #FirstDayFan ticket for any of his movies. I’m the kind of fan who heads to the theater to unwind, have a good time, and not to critically dissect things; I leave my brain at home before a movie date.
Today, having missed the first-day show of FAN, I stumbled upon a review somewhere (I remember where, but let’s keep it mysterious). It read, “Shah Rukh Khan finally offers something great on the acting front. His distinct characters of Gaurav and Aryan are impressive. The outrageously flawed script. This logic-defying drama is cringeworthy in the second half.” Now, why would I bother about the script if it entertains me? This is precisely why I never trust reviews before experiencing a movie. I mean, remember how Batman VS. Superman got labeled “dark and grim,” and critics expected unicorns flying around?
Enough about that; let me delve into my own ultimate FAN moment. Brace yourselves — it’s the stuff dreams are made of.
Most fans fantasize about coming face to face with their idol, and guess what? I was lucky enough to work with a leading newspaper during my school days, and that paved the way for me to interview none other than Shah Rukh Khan himself. Dream come true? You bet.
It all went down when Mr. Shah Rukh Khan graced Kolkata to promote his upcoming film, ‘Happy New Year.’ The promotional event took place at St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, and yours truly found a spot in the VIP section. As he electrified the venue for about an hour, he left for his hotel, and that’s when the magic started unfolding.
With an inquiry about a possible press conference after the event, I got a resounding ‘Yes’ from my superior in brand management. Excitement on overdrive, I hurried to The Grand Oberoi, and there he was — Shah Rukh Khan, flanked by Farah Khan, Vivaan Shah, and Sonu Sood. Bless my foresight for carrying the press card that day; it paved the way for a smooth entry. Armed with a phone barely holding on at 5% battery, I recorded nearly one and a half hours of pure magic, courtesy of his grace. The ultimate FAN moment had unfolded. It remains one of the best hours of my life, and I’m grateful it happened during my school days, back when I was still a journalist in the making.
The conference might have lasted a maximum of 45 minutes, but it left me with memories to last a lifetime. My respect for the man soared with every experience he shared, every gesture of humility toward his team on stage, and every ounce of respect he showed to every journalist in the room. He defined ‘humbleness’ that day — diplomatic yet genuine, effortlessly cracking jokes even in the face of controversial questions. Admiration for him came from seeing him on screens, but true respect blossomed the day I met him.
Then came the task of translating that unforgettable interview into words. The agony of putting those experiences into writing was dwarfed by the joy of seeing that article in the newspaper — with my name right alongside a superstar I admired.
I’ll attach the article picture here if you’re interested, but that’s not really the point of this. It might be a tad dull to read an old article, so I’ll spare you. Here’s a snapshot of the published article for a quick peek. [Click here to view.](link to the picture)
Thank you for reading. Drop me a message if this struck a chord with you. 🙂 Featured Image Credits: Rohit Ghosh.
