A close encounter....of the fourth kind???

Mindian · Mar 21, 2010

Friends, I was hesitating to post this after reading about the bubbly meets our dear Pads has had with celebrities and the way SHE always came across as the heroine in them. Well, I am just the opposite, shy and an introvert, so this may be dull. But it is something I do recall with a smile every now and then so thought of sharing it with you all.

This happened nearly a dozen years ago. We were then based in Bangalore and had invested in a farmhouse. The scheme was such that the developer would build and furnish the house, so one day, we received a call from him to go and see an apartment furnished by him so that we get an idea.

Both, hubby and me had taken half day off from work and we were taken to a posh building. But the lift that took us to the apartment was so small and narrow that the three of us had to virtually stand in a row.

Well, we rang the bell and who should open the door but the Superstar himself? Dressed in white khadi kurta and pyjama and without his wig and makeup he looked much smaller than his screen presence. Though I knew that this developer guy S was into some filmy businesses I had not taken the slightest interest and had not the least idea that we were going to meet Rajnikanth. On our way back I heard that S had the screening rights of the telegu version of Baba and that he and Rajni were very good friends.

Anyway coming to my part of it, I was totally stunned but somehow no surprise at all registered on my face. Yep, that’s me! Or was I too stunned to react? God alone knows.

When Mr S, our developer friend introduced us I extended my hand with a hello but Rajni chose to fold his hands with a smiling namaskaram. He then immediately shook my hands probably not to embarrass me. I chided myself that this would have been the time to show my tamizh Panbadu.

Anyway the superstar himself took us all around the house. I was tongue tied and hardly spoke. My hubby spoke to him in tamil saying that we were glad to have him as our neighbour in the farm house project as our property would go up in value due to star presence. He laughed heartily at the joke.

In one of the rooms sat our demure heroine Meena and it was so sweet of him to introduce us to her saying "S's friends, and to us "idhu dhaan Meena".
"Ohh theriyume" .I had found my tongue, after all!
I took in immediately the small but very pretty figure (really pretty, in black) of our madisaar mami (me thinks she is the cutest one in nine yards to have hit the silver screen)

"Ohhh, neengalum thamizh-a?" He asked me. As if I didn’t look like one. Now I was sure it was the handshake that had made him assume otherwise.
“Thamizh picture ellam paarpela?"
"Oh yes" was all that I could manage when I could have said SO much.

He and Meena were there in his house for some shooting, well chaperoned by Meena's mom! I remember him as a very humble, smiling, soft spoken person. We soon said our byes and walked off. In the lift I giggled to myself thinking that the superstar would have also gone up in the same way standing in a row between Meena and her mom. Now, was that important? But, silly things always amuse me at the oddest times.

Well, though my meet was pretty much dull and unadventurous, the reactions were quite the opposite. First, I called my mom of course. Now she is almost as enterprising as our Pads and has had a long hearty conversation with Shivaji, her matinee idol, so obviously she was quite disappointed in me.
"You didn’t even tell him that you are a fan of his? Every artist needs encouragement, you know?”
“But amma, I am not his fan; you know I always like Kamal more"
"Aamam, is this the time to be SO honest and truthful?"
Now, what was the world coming to? Wasn’t a mother supposed to preach otherwise to her daughter?

The next call was to my closest friend P."What did you say" was her first question. "Nothing yaar, you know me…". Not giving me a chance to finish my sentence she retorted sarcastically "yeah Of course, I know you very well .You must have acted as if you meet such celebrities day in and day out of your life. You probably came out as a snob, you know; because of your lack of enthusiasm".
Doesn't my BEST friend really KNOW me? Whatever!

Within one hour P had spread the word around and I got calls from G, S, K and P's father too. My God! My immediate world sure seems to be star struck !

Evening I was telling my hubby "He came across as such a nice and humble person. No wonder he has so many fans and is sure to win an election if he chooses politics. Wish I had spoken more, though .At least asked him to show me that trick of flipping the cigarette into his mouth or told him how much I liked his comic role in "Ninaithalle innikkum". Now I may never get the chance. Sigh!

You all know my hubby's answer by now. Yes, you got it right!
"veetile Puli aana velila eli"
(Ghar mein Sher par Baher Billi is the idiomatic translation)

parusabari · Mar 21, 2010

Hi dear,

Hahaha.....the lift scene is making me laugh even when i am typing.

You did the right thing by Being just YOU. After all he is also another human being just that his stars favoured him so much that he is SUPER STAR and we admirers and watchers of his movies.

Your post was not at all dull. I enjoyed reading it.Since it is a different experience from others it is also equally enjoyed and i think the super star would have loved to meet a person who treats him as equal to others than asking him to repeat his acting skills again.

Love,
Parvathi.

iyerviji · Mar 21, 2010

Dear Mindi

Enjoyed your post very much and as Paru has said it is not at all dull. If I was in your place I would have got excited to see him, though I might not have spoken to him, he being a great star but would have felt very happy and would have told all my friends.

The other day when my son was coming by flight it seems all the cricketers were there in his flight . This my husband told me and immediately I asked my dh whether my son spoke to him. My dh said I am not like you all what is there to talk to them, they are also human beings like us.

Glad to know that the Superstar himself took you round the house.
Regarding shaking of hands with him, brings me memories of my office days when I had joined new. When any person used to be introduced to us I used to do namaskar instead of shaking hands with them.

Enjoyed reading your post

love
viji

Soldier · Mar 21, 2010

Hi Mindian!

Felt nice to read ur post. My fb here may surprise u. Here some of my friends refer to me as Bubbly Soldier. Though I am an extrovert, had I been in ur place along with my husband, I would have reacted much the same or may be still subdued (in tamil they say adakki vasikkarathu). At least u ventured for a handshake. I would have just said a hello and turned my face - with both Rajni and Meena. Because this is what my DH also would have expected from me. As Viji Aunty's Mr. said, my DH would also say so what if they are Rajni and Meena.

But had I been there alone, definitely would have spoken atleast a few words and taken their autograph (for my DD's sake).

Nice u maintained ur originiality even when u were there with them. But ur mom's reaction - inspite of knowing abt u - is surprising!!!!

Imagine if Pammi (Paddy) had been there no. Let us wait and c what she has to say!!!

Tubelight · Mar 21, 2010

Hi Lucky Mindi

"Fourth Kind" is so true ! SUPERSTAR is a Being apart from everything !

:whistleyou met him just like that and dint go Ga-ga ! He must have found you soooo different, so dignified , so refreshingly different from others who are always gawkers !
But I have to ask, did you retain your sanctified hand ,shaken by the god, unwashed for at least two days ?:crazy

Your mom's reaction was so cute ! LOL !

Actually I can quite understand your non-response. I get into rigor mortis too if I meet anyone even faintly well known ! A few years ago, in the security lounge of Hyderabad airport, the person who came and sat next to me was Venkatesh, the Telugu star. The poor chap even smiled and nodded his head to me and I sat there like a total dumbo , sans reaction !
And then again, at a book do here in Bangalore, Shobaa De was chief guest and we ordinary shoppers( just a few) were encouraged to "mingle" and chat with her ; all I did was beam a smile at her and sit still !

Anyhow Mindi ! So nice to know that you are The Superstar's Neighbour !:bowdown

Enjoyed reading :cheers

gjaya · Mar 21, 2010

Wow Mindy that must have been like the most memorable event meeting the SUPERSTAR. Hehehe I was :biglaughabout the lift part.

I don't know how I would have reacted if I had the opportunity like you. Maybe I would be tongue-tied or god knows I would have blabbered like a idiot. I think I would so do the latter. :rotfl

Enjoyed thoroughly reading Mindi. :thumbsup

Jaya

natpudan · Mar 22, 2010

Mindi,

Hey, I would have also reacted in a similar manner. I am a fan of Rajini but that doesn't mean I will fall head over heels on him. That's me. I like being myself. I have a great control on my emotions, so far. Is that the real me? I honestly don't know.

But probably I would have spoken more, as I always do.

Once I hurt the ego of a star - Raghu (Raghuman) years back in Dubai, in a shopping mall.

A close friend of mine is a close friend of him. Both came to the mall where we were shopping.

This friend of mine introduced me to him and I didn't recognize this guy. he shook hands & after a few seconds moved away, excusing himself. I knew there was a little disappointment in his face & I didn't know why?

After he moved, my friend asked me didn't I recognize him. Then I got it, they do expect probably atleast a little bit of recognition for the stardom.

It's not a big thing & he must have got over it. But I do realise that it does affect to a little extent, when people don't recognize us amongst our friend's circle, when wee meet them after a long gap.

But it will be a great feeling if we recognize & say a few words of appreciation during such occassions.

Thanks for sharing your moments with the Super Star.

radsahana · Mar 22, 2010

Dear Mindi,

What a wonderful way of narrating a superstar incident in a super way. Not for a moment we felt bored.

Our superstar is really a down to earth person, and humble. My DH is his hardcore fan (he knows i am not). But i admire him for his humbleness and his charity works.

Thinking about it, even i would have reacted same as your way, since even i dont feel awe if they are before us.

Wow, so did your farm house price shoot up???? Now u must be a arabpathi, noting, how recently the real estate has rocketed upwards

enjoyed reading very much.

ganges · Mar 22, 2010

Dear Mindi,

I am a fan of Rajni. So I am too glad that you met him with meena. But disappointed like your mom and other friends that you didnt talk much. The lift joke made me laugh, so I am forgiving you for not talked to the superstar.

I really enjoyed your posting with its humour flavour dear. Do write a lot. Aamam Veetila puli sari, velila Eliya ?

Athellam pogattum . Atlast did you become super stars neighbour or not ?

thanks for sharing friend.

ganges

knot2share · Mar 22, 2010

Mindi dear

What a lively post! If we do end up meeting each other, I hope you don't give me that kinda cold shoulder treatment okva??? . If I were to be in your position, HELLO kooda I would not have managed to utter. Your mom is just too superb - correcta sonanga! I would think exactly the way you thought (honesty). Only after the moment is passed I get the ideas of what all I could have said or done. Tubelight should be my name and not TL Lakshmi's. The image in the lift is just too hilarious. I am waiting on Pad ma's reply here .

This reminds me of an encounter. Well not really meeting or shaking hands with somebody but ek baar hubby and me were walking through a shopping mall here and we walked past this really tall man, handsome looking, dark skinned, in jeans and very casually but smartly dressed with some shopping bags in his hands. Even that momentary glance we both managed to get of his face was enough for us to notice the charm he has and then as we just went past him, we heard him say a few HELLOs to people. The voice was very familiar and then we both looked at each other and said " That was Ernie Dingo!! ". Ernie Dingo is an indegenous Australian actor and TV presenter. If you google him up you will see his pictures. But believe me, he looks totally smashing and dashing in person. The TV does no justice at all. That was just an awesome in a flash experience and this happened about 10yrs ago atleast and that feeling is still freshhhhhhh.

But then coming back to SUPERSTAR, he is one because of what he is. I think he is just too good. And you are one too for being the way you are. Enjoyed your post.