On my way to Ranchi for a business meet, I was inside the Kingfisher Lounge at Mumbai airport, when I spotted a familiar face. The face was far too familiar for me to take my eyes off. It was my favorite super star, Aamir Khan.
As I stared at the approaching super star, I realized that he was getting closer to where I was sitting.
“Is someone sitting over here?” he asked.
“No. You may please sit,” was my quick response.
A center table and approximately four feet of space was what separated me from Aamir. It’s hard to describe the feeling of that moment in words…. It can only be experienced.
Aamir was accompanied by an unknown female colleague. She started talking to him about work. He interrupted her and walked to the cafeteria. After looking at everything that was for the taking, he returned to his seat with four chocolate cookies. He then asked her to continue. And even though I sat staring at my laptop screen, I couldn’t help eavesdropping on their conversation.
She asked him if he would like to go to the hotel or directly to the site, once they landed in Jaipur. He said he was fine with anything, adding, “I just need a bathroom to freshen up.” She then switched topics about some tax rebate for the donation he had made to an NGO. It was something that she was unable to sort out, so she asked if he could speak to the concerned person. He said he would.
I decided to ask him for an autograph. I took my business card and turned it over to hand it to Aamir. I spotted a small black mark on it. I quickly pulled out another card. This was spotless. I requested for an autograph. “OK,” he said. I handed over my pen and the card. He signed, stopped, looked at the pen… and signed again. I was happy to have his autograph on the back of my business card. I tucked it back into my wallet and made sure that I did not mix it up with my other cards.
He continued to bite the cookies. ‘Should I ask him for a photograph,’ I wondered. Before thinking too much I said, “Aamir, do you mind a photograph?” He looked at me and nodded affirmatively. ‘Bingo!’
As both of us were seated face-on, I thought I would request Aamir to come and sit besides me (mine was a sofa for two). Before I could say anything, I saw Aamir already up on his toes. I nervously handed over my new Samsung mobile to his colleague and explained to her how to click. I stood besides him, trying to put on my ‘all-time best’ smile. The clicks were silent. She asked me if it was done. I replied “I guess so. Thanks.”
I thanked Aamir, shook hands and sat down to see the photograph. The picture was blurred beyond recognition.“It looks like a ghost of you and me,” I told Aamir as I showed him the photograph. I hoped that he would oblige with one more photograph. He said nothing. I cursed myself. ‘Why did I not get my digital camera out of my laptop case for this one big moment?
’
 |
| The Ghost Picture |
I pretended to be working again and wished that my phone would ring. I had set a new ring tone just a few days back. It was the song ‘Dil Chahta Hai’. No calls. Luck just seemed to have run out. Meanwhile, a Kingfisher executive came up to Aamir and told him that he could board the flight when he was ready.
A few minutes later I walked out from the lounge even as Aamir sat there. I wanted to share the excitement with my loved ones. I called up Purvi but she did not pick up the phone. As I passed through the security check I still kept thinking about the ghost picture. I settled at the departure terminal and looked at the photograph one more time. I sadly looked on; zoomed, rotated… it still was the ghost picture. I gave up and moved to the next photograph.
“Me and Aamir” the photograph that you see was there. She had clicked two photographs. The ghost picture was God’s teaser.
