Monday, December 2, 2013

My Dabanng friend


Missed the much talked about Koffee with Karan episode that was aired last night ...Timelines on Twitter were all a flutter with real time comments , all in great admiration and a dear friend whose opinion really matters to me texted saying hey, your Salman Khan is really funny and I was like , yeah of course he is and I love him . 

So I caught the show on a link shared and there he was, as large as life and as real. Amazingly funny, natural, honest and charming . Like the man I know 







I remember , a couple of years ago I had to introduce him at an event : an evening he spent with a few families who had to face a diagnosis of cancer in their midst and this is how i introduced him . Exactly the man on the show...

"It is an incredible honour to present to you all today someone who needs no introduction at all . Such a cliché but when one sets out to say the truth or state facts there seems to be no other recourse!!

This is someone I have known for over 18 years

Someone who the first time I met him in Tata Hospital, gave me his phone number and said I could call anytime if there was anyone in need

Someone who has called me every time he changed his phone number

Someone who spoke and coaxed and charmed over that very phone a 12 year old girl to complete her chemotherapy when she was all set to give up because she was so tired of it all and in so much pain and distress. She is now a charming , exuberant 27 yr old sitting for her Public Administration exam by the way

This is omeone who called me one evening saying he was in nearby Sewri , had just finished or cancelled shooting I do not remember and could we go visit the patients in the children’s ward?  The children in KEM Hospital had a super treat in store for them that evening

This is someone who calls me every time  he hears of a person in need of support due to a brush with cancer – his best friend’s father , his father’s old studio hand, someone from his neighbourhood who needs counselling …

Someone who took off his gold ear ring and asked me to take it across to the young boy who was dying of a bone malignancy in Meerut

This is someone who read in the papers that a young girl needed a donor for a marrow transplant and called me to say he was bringing his brothers and coming over to see if their blood would match

This is someone who said he would take time from his shooting schedule and meet a little patient from Indore in the studios and when the shoot was cancelled just asked us over to his house and entertained the delighted little one for well over an hour

Ladies and gentleman I present to you all the one and only Salman Khan . my friend in cancer care for many years and everyone’s favourite human being . "
 
 
 
 

2 comments:

Shilpa Sarma Shenoy's "SAMVEDANA" said...

He is a favourite amongst my family and me too! And, as usual, your write up is too good Aunty!

Subramaniam Iyer said...

Viji and Salman.

Both of you come across as a rare breed Living and celebrating life beyond limitations.

Easy to like and love both of you.