April 10, 2013

My jhakkaaasss moment B-)


If you ask me to spell "charisma" and I start with "K..A..", don't interrupt me to tell I'm wrong. I'm not. For me, the word is spelled as "K-A-P-O-O-R". Anil Kapoor—charisma personified.

Yesterday afternoon, I was feeling like a silly teenage girl would. I was so starstruck that no lightning could have struck me harder. I was thrilled. I was nervous. Excited. Trembling. Hadn't had any food but was supercharged. I was in a state of disbelief.

I came office early yesterday to do research for a story. As I stepped in, I learnt that John Abraham was to come to our office shortly. "What! John Abraham! WOW!" I rushed to the 4th floor and sat in the meeting room where the hunk was to come. OHHH GODDDDD!! He was already there. And know what? He wasn't the first one to catch my attention. Sitting with him were Tusshar Kapoor and—oh yeah, baby—Anil Kapoor! Anil Kapoor. The Anil Kapoor. He was the one who caught my eye first when I walked into the room. There he was, with his dark sunglasses, trademark moustache, reclining in the chair, sitting cross-legged, fully at ease. Glowing like a bulb. Basking in the glory of being himself. What a personality!


And that was when I turned into a girl. My heartbeat! It stopped. ——————————. Then it started racing. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^. My eyes widened, jaw dropped and I was overwhelmed by the personality of Mr India. John and Tusshar were sitting straight in their chair, but Munna was at ease, reclining araam se, legs crossed sometime, sometime stretched in front, a hint of a smile on his face. Whoa! He was sitting in the centre, flanked by John and Tusshar on each side. Majestic. Regal. Respect. Authority. Commanding. These were the words that came to my mind upon seeing him.

Ok. The talk started. They spoke about their movie they are promoting. When it ended and they were about to leave, I somehow mustered the courage to tell Anil how I'm so in love with Tashan and just loved his character, Bhaiyya ji. "Bhaiyya ji," he said, nodding. And I went weak in the knees. I vivdly remember how he said "Bhaiyya ji". Wow! My God! Kya personality hai! I told him I'm in awe of him. He extended his hand and I, feeling fully privileged, shook it as he asked my name and what I do. Whoa! I mean, I don't know what to say. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.....!! I just wanted to shout out of joy! Even now. I want to shout. As I'm visualising that handshake, his saying "Bhaiyya ji", I am on cloud number 9.

He pointed out how John kept aside the plate of potato chips and how he (Mr India) had now qualms in having one crisp. Never mind that he picked one, broke it into half and had only that much :) He roared a "jhakkaaasss" and listening to that was like seeing Sachin Tendulkar hit 100 centuries all at once! This is an experience that cannot be described in words. You had to be there to believe it.

It was when he said 'jhakkaaasss' that I realised that it's not the dialogue that makes the man an icon, but the man that makes the dialogue iconic.


From the way he spoke to the way he sat to the way he reached out for the plate of chips that John had stoically swept aside on the table... Even when he wasn't doing anything, you could feel it that there's something special about him. What a pull his persona has! What charisma! What traction! Regal. When he spoke to me after the interview thingy was over, it occurred to me that the Anil Kapoor you see on screen walks and talks just like the Anil Kapoor you'll get to see off screen. He has got that swagger. That charm. Sooo impressive. Whoa!


The entire experience, sitting and interviewing these guys, was such an... such an... well, experience! My colleague who was sitting next to me had apparently made some extra efforts that day to get decked up. Another female colleague sitting on the opposite side of the table... I could read her thought bubbles (there was smitten writ large on her face) when John kept aside the plate of chips, when he flashed his dimpled smile at someone, when any of the three did anything cute.

What a day! My handshake pic with Anil Kapoor has already got 100 likes and counting. I'm so in awe. If I ever make a movie, he's gonna be in it. Ok, let me be a silly, starstruck teenage girl again. "Anil Kapoor, I love you! Jhakkaaaassss" B-)